Favorite Friday Finds 17.0
Happy Halloween weekend!
The leaves have almost fully turned, yet it's hard to believe that the end of October is already here. The holiday season is about to come at us with full force, and I feel nowhere prepared. I've got 3 trips between now and Thanksgiving, so it really seems like time is flying by. Speaking of, any PNW residents out there with recommendations of what to see/do in Seattle and Portland? Would gladly take any and all recommendations!
Something I've been really trying to do is focus on being present. There have been a lot of unexpected occurrences happening in my life lately, and when that happens, it's easy to get caught up in your head. For me, I know this makes me anxious and start to disconnect with how I'm truly feeling, exacerbating the issue. And most importantly, I've been doing my best to keep my chin up and remind myself that life is a beautiful thing. It should be cherished, and appreciated to it's fullest!
Anywho, I've got 5 simple favorite Friday finds for you guys today- instead of breaking it up, I'm just sharing them all here:
First, I have to start with....
1. "Oh no! No more bacon! Or red meat!"
So, the WHO (World Health Organization) officially declared that processed meats do cause cancer, and that red meat & pork potentially cause cancer. But what is more unfortunate than this news, is that most people didn't bother reading past the headline and proceeded to freak out.
While I don't feel the need to restate all the details of what you can read in the BBC article linked above, I want to point out a few things:
- As with all things, moderation is key. I think it's common sense that regularly eating a pound of bacon followed by a double bacon burger isn't helping your health. But even Cancer Research UK states that the occasional bacon sandwich would do little harm.
- If you are a healthy individual that regularly exercises 3-5 times a week, eats a diet consistent of lean proteins/veggies/fruits/healthy grains, you need not worry about your occasional bacon on the side of your eggs for brunch.
- Let's be real. So many people are fixating on this piece of news, when in reality, it's likely that there are other bigger battles they need to face first in terms of their health. Like adequate sleep, exercise, and having a consistently nutrient-dense diet. Skimping on the two slices of bacon is not going to help much when you're sleeping 5-6 hours a night, eating out at restaurants the majority of the week, and are exercising only once a week. Priorities.
2. I loved this list of 33 simple ways to fall back in love with your life.
Can always count on a solid Thought Catalog to make me reflect! My favorites were:
3. Learn to receive love- this took me a long time to put this into action!
4. Practice gratitude- wrote a whole article about this one
6. Dedicate time to self-improvement- it's a part of my daily non-negotiables
9. Get moving- well, this is obvious, given my profession
10. Train yourself to see the best in people- I love this one. Everyone has a story, hurts, struggles, and feelings- remember the humanness in all of us before you judge
12. Surround yourself with positive people- I'm a big believer in an encouraging environment. People who don't share your attitude and beliefs have no place in bringing you down!
16. Make friends with your body- for a long time, I struggled with body judgment. Learning how to appreciate my body is one of the biggest (ongoing) gifts I've given myself.
18. Be receptive to change- a parachute only works when it's open!
25. Prioritize people- this is what matters at the end of the day. Not possessions, money, or job titles.
3. This Habit May Separate Happy & Unhappy People
This awesome article talks about the importance of being connected and present- and how this can improve our outlooks on our day to day lives. Being connected and present in the moment is something I find to be truly important to a healthy mind- too often are we now distracted and fleeing moments of discomfort or frustration, because we simply don't want to deal with things. But it's more about how we approach the tough stuff is how we determine our happiness and our general satisfaction in life.
4. 20 Days, 20 Lessons to Become a Better Baker- The Kitchn
The Kitchn has been doing a really awesome virtual baking school recently, and it's a great index of guides for people who want to learn more about the process and hone their skills. I've always found their articles extremely helpful, and this roundup of 20 lessons is like the jackpot of baking "help" articles.
5. This.
With people getting so heated over the presidential race, I thought I'd share a little light humor into this. Warning, you'll never be able to unsee these images again!