Favorite Friday Finds 26.0
Happy Friday, everyone! Hard to believe it's already end of May and that summer is just around the corner. All the New Yorkers are coming out of hibernation to soak up the summer days making their debut, and people-watching season has begun.
I'm jetting off for some West Coast today for some work and play, and I could not be more excited. A lot has been going on over here lately, so I am really grateful for a little hiatus to unwind.
While I originally had some posts lined up for next week, I decided I will be taking a much needed week off from blogging to avoid some burnout. BUT, please do follow along with my adventures over on my Instagram, as I'll definitely be 'gramming it up from the inevitably stunning Californian views and sunshine!
I've been thinking a lot lately about how we can be our own worst enemy.
Perspective is everything. Two people can be living the same exact life, and one person view their circumstances as so difficult and unlucky, whereas the other person could feel like they are the most blessed person in the world. Choose to be the blessed person- be grateful for the fact that you get to work hard, have the things you have, and the people in your life. Life is too short to feel like you're living a bad life, and the power to choose lies in you.
Anyhow, hope you all have a great weekend- any fun plans?? I have 10 amazingly thoughtful, inspiring finds today, and I hope they inspire you too.
Here are my 10 Favorite Friday Finds that I was inspired by, learned from, and laughed/smiled at this week!
INSPIRED BY:
1. Sheryl Sandberg's Berkeley Commencement Speech
Wow. On the theme of perspective, this woman HAS it.
"But I also learned that when life sucks you under, you can kick against the bottom, break the surface, and breathe again. I learned that in the face of the void—or in the face of any challenge—you can choose joy and meaning."
"The question is not if some of these things will happen to you. They will. Today I want to talk about what happens next. About the things you can do to overcome adversity, no matter what form it takes or when it hits you. The easy days ahead of you will be easy. It is the hard days—the times that challenge you to your very core—that will determine who you are. You will be defined not just by what you achieve, but by how you survive."
Those 3 P's: personalization, pervasiveness, and permanence.
2. 8 TED Talks to Change Your Life
Anyone who knows me knows I adore a good TED talk. I stumbled upon this list and it's like someone curated some of my favorites, so I had to share. Has my favorites, Brené Brown and Kelly McGonigal- the one I hadn't seen was by David Brooks, and I loved this line:
"While résumé virtues are built from your strengths, eulogy virtues are built from your weaknesses. It is how you wrestle with those weaknesses that builds your character."
That quote above also reminds me of Sheryl Sandberg's speech. I think we tend to forget to chase building better character for ourselves sometimes, amidst the chase for career, love, and money; not realizing that character is the most powerful force that will help us get those other things we want.
3. 11 Women with Their Sh*t Together
I can't tell you how much I loved some of these successful women's words. So often we all get caught up in that social media or comparison trap where we feel like our lives and our successes pale in comparison to other awesome people around us. But it is really important to understand AND respect that everyone has their hardships and struggles too.
No one person's struggles or obstacles are any more "important" or valid than another's, and I find it incredibly arrogant to think so. It's the opposite of compassion.
Heather Havrilesky's words struck such a chord with me here:
"Human beings are flawed. We lived flawed lives. That's what's lovable about us. That's what's enjoyable about our lives, in fact, if we slow down enough to notice. Trying to be perfect and live your best life is highly overrated. It's far better to prioritize, do what you can and accept the daily shit storm."
4. That Perfect Couple, Kristen & Dax, Do Couples Therapy Proudly
It's Mental Health Awareness month, so this proud proclamation of taking charge of improving oneself comes at the perfect timing. There is such an unfortunate stigma around seeking professional therapy, and it's really sad that it turns people off who may need it the most, simply because they don't want to appear "weak."
I love how Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard take full ownership over their relationship problems and PROACTIVELY go to couples therapy. So many times is therapy utilized as a last resort, but I think it's truly best used as a proactive tool. Facing your own weaknesses and learning how to grow from them is truly a powerful skill that I wish more people wouldn't be so shy to embrace. It's not easy, but it's rewarding in spades.
LEARNED FROM
5. How Positive Thoughts Build Skills, Boost Health, and Improve Work
I am a true believer that what goes on inside your head manifests on the outside. You think negative thoughts and feel like work is a chore, it will be a chore and you will feel negatively about your life.
This article discusses an awesome study on the tangible effects of positive thoughts on your everyday life.
6. How Alcohol Affects Your Hormones, Health, & Fat Loss
I get this question a lot as a trainer about alcohol and how it affects their fitness and health goals.
The thing that is hard to grasp is that alcohol is not just about the calories at all. It's more about how it affects the inner workings of your body, after you've consumed it. Dr. Brooke Kalanick, a hormone specialist, explains exactly how this affects us.
7. Vitamin Cheat Sheet Chart
This is a super helpful little cheat sheet for understanding how the major vitamins affect us, what foods it can be found in, the recommended amount, and most interestingly, how it can be destroyed. A lot of vitamins can be destroyed by cooking, high heat, or exposure to light- so when you think you're getting all that vitamin C from beans, cooking actually reduces the amount quite a bit.
8. Why Adults Have to Stop Trying so Darn Hard to Control How Children Play
I'm not a parent yet and have no clue how hard it is- I can only imagine. All you want is the well-being of your child and you want to protect them from all the awful stuff that can happen in this world. But this has bred a new trend that is called "Helicopter Parenting." Hovering over children to stop them from making any mistakes and removing any sources of conflict for them.
"In the meantime, teachers are reporting that more and more children are having trouble regulating their emotions in school, struggling with a sense of entitlement, and constantly seeking out adult reassurance with just about any difficulty they encounter. “They constantly tattle on each other,” a teacher reports. Another states, “It is a rare child that does not seek constant guidance from an adult these days.”"
This article though is so interesting because it explains how letting kids just be is crucial to their self-development of social skills. Kids are more resilient than we give them credit for, and learning how to deal with a small hurt on the playground will enable them to be able to handle the bigger hurts later in life. Very interesting read!
LAUGHED & SMILED AT:
9. Interview with Joscelyn of Wifemamafoodie!
In case you missed it, my dear friend Joscelyn of Wifemamafoodie interviewed me for her new Foodie Friend Friday series on her gorgeous blog last week. Check it out!
10. Pet Penguin in Japan that Goes to the Market
Just watch this, it'll make your day. He goes with a special backpack too.