1. Asking people about their favorite planet
Connor and I found this cool notebook while we were Christmas shopping, and we decided to use it for a fun little project at home.
When people come over to visit us, we ask them what their favorite planet is, and then we jot the answer down in the notebook.
We can’t wait to fill up all the pages!
2. Believing in all the good things to come
In the last couple months, I’ve started reading a lot of books about mindset by Louise Hay.
She believes that our subconscious doesn’t play around. If you allow your subconscious to believe that you’ll achieve a certain goal, you’ll find a way to make it come true. If you allow your subconscious to doubt yourself, then you’ll find a way to sabotage that goal.
In a nutshell: believe you can do it and you’ll get it done.
The funny thing is, I’ve believed in this to some degree, but it was always in a joking way.
Like, I like to jokingly say that I’m 100% certain that I would survive the zombie apocalypse. Really though, I have absolutely no doubt that I would make it, and that’s not just because I’ve watched my share of “The Walking Dead.”
I know from past experiences that when sh*t really hits the fan, I always find a way to land on my feet and keep going. It’s something I truly believe right down to my core.
It never occurred to me to apply this mindset other things in my life. Crazy!
Anyway, I’m doing it now and will continue to eagerly receive all the good things the universe is sending all of us!
3. Cooking vegan and plant-based meals
I love eating vegetables, but I’ve never thought to cook vegan meals because it always seemed so intimidating. I think this would be a fun skill to learn, though. If you have any vegan or plant-based recipes you can recommend, please send them my way.
4. Decorating my space
Home decorating continues to baffle me, but ever since I tackled the window treatments and lugged a dining room rug home, I’ve discovered that, GASP, if you actually know and follow the design rules, your space looks and feels nicer.
Even though we’ve lived in the same spot for years, my decorating choices have never felt cohesive or purposeful. I can’t wait to change that.
5. Spending more time outdoors
I’ve realized that the more time I spend outside, the more peaceful I feel inside — especially when I’m around trees! It sounds corny, but it’s true.
I can’t wait to spend more time hiking and exploring the outdoors next year.
What are you looking forward to in 2023?
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
All of these really resonate with me! I am especially drawn to number two. I started using the five minute journal last month and I found that it really primes the way I think for the rest of the day. I loved it so much that I gifted it to my close relatives! Nothing says I care more than the gift of gratitude and a fresh perspective. 😉
I am also trying to incorporate more veggies in my diet. I’m currently working my way through Hetty McKinnon’s cookbook: To Asia, with Love.
Hope this helps!
I’m looking forward to my girls learning how to walk! I know it will be a bunch more work to chase them around but its so fun to watch them grow and learn new things. I think 2023 will be a great year! And yes to all the veggies!
OK, get ready for a crazy ride! You’re going to have so much fun with them when they’re mobile. I promise. 🙂
How have the holidays been treating you? I hope that you’ve had some time to rest and enjoy your precious little ladies.
The girls had a great first Christmas! Spoiled with lots of presents, of course. I had a horrible cold that I’m just now starting to feel better from so I’m happy about that! We got a new washer/dryer from my boyfriends’ family as a Christmas present and if that isn’t adulting I don’t know what is!
I feel exactly the same about being outdoors and to that end, we’re FINALLY (fingers crossed) moving to the countryside in early February where we’ll have a garden and a tiny(!) piece of woodland.
more outside, more reading, more quiet, less social media noise.
I’m looking forward to this year. Last year was spent recovering from a bout of sepsis during the holidays of 2021 (from an abrasion on my leg that got staph in it) that almost killed me (I spent a month in the hospital after a week in ICU). One thing I did as a result of the infection (which impacted my liver and kidneys) was switch to a mostly vegan no salt added diet (I wasn’t processing fat and meat or salt well at all). I feel SO much better! I still occasionally eat a turkey breast burger with air fryer french fries or some wild-caught salmon but that’s it. My favorite vegan recipe that my husband the carnivore LOVES is Dhal Bat which I ate in Nepal once. I have more recipes if you want to contact me it’s brigid223 at gmail dot com.
1 sweet onion chopped,
1 and 1/2 Tablespoons minced garlic
14 and 1/2 ounce can no salt added diced tomatoes, with liquid
1 cup of dry lentils (any kind)
3 cups of water
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt (optional)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper.
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (up to 1 tsp. if you like it really spicy)
In 2 teaspoons of olive oil (or a splash of veggie broth) saute onion and garlic on medium in a large pan for a couple of minutes. Add lentils and dry cook for 2 minutes. Add water, cover, and cook on medium for 20-30 minutes.
Stir in spices and tomato, cover, and cook on low until lentils are soft and the liquid has been absorbed (note – if the lentils are old it may take an hour to an hour and a half to soften them up, fresher ones take about 30 minutes). While it cooks you don’t have to tend to it, just make some rice if you like. Serve on top of steamed rice with a squeeze of fresh lime.
I practice my life with the philosophy that one owes their creator to be the best version of oneself that you can be. I do this with a mind/body/spirit focus. I’m not always successful, and often fail, but I try without beating myself up too terribly bad, and also staying consistent with the intent to keep going. 2021 was a body/spirit improvement year and I ran a 1/2 marathon. 2022 was a mind improvement year and I stopped running because I went back to school while working full time to advance my degree.I just graduated but I feel that while conventionally it is a success, I had negative energy as I gained weight, was frustrated and exhausted this year. 2023 will be back to body/spirit focus and today I went running, outside in Iowa even!, and it was glorious! I plan to spend as much time nurturing my body and my mental health by moving and spending time outdoors. Here’s to my 2nd half-marathon in October (fingers crossed). Also, my diet has to be back to a training diet. It’s been nothing but decadent foods, especially since Thanksgiving. Yesterday and today, I have eaten healthy and I feel SO MUCH BETTER! I am looking forward to being able to put school aside, spend some time with my husband and on good, solid, healthy behaviors for myself. I hope moving and spending time outdoors does as much for your mental health as it does mine, Karen. Good luck with the Vegan diet and all of your goals this year.
Love this! Decorating your space is a big one for me too – we’ve been in our house 8 months now and we’re starting to personalize it. My husband got me some cute decorations for my office. I have a pretty traditional looking brick fireplace in there and I’m really tempted to paint it
or whitewash but that seems like a pain in the butt.
I had some really promising job interviews the week leading up to Christmas, so I’m hopeful for some news there.