Don't Honk at the Cupcake Baker!
Small Business Sunday Pt.2, GIVEAWAY + Pink Protein Pasta
Good morning :) Sipping on a hot matcha latte which just sounded perfect on this rainy morning. I was on a walk yesterday and if you’ve never been to LA there are some absolutely crazy drivers here…especially in the rain.
I notice that kind of like how people get this power complex when they are typing out mean things behind a screen, that same weird complex comes through when people are in the car behind the wheel. Flipping people off, honking, yelling, this impatience and anger that that same person would probably never act out if they were not in their car.
When I was younger and someone was driving extra slow or driving poorly in front of us, my mom would always say, “they may have freshly baked cupcakes in the back seat they are bringing to someone that they don’t want messed up!” I always thought this was funny. I’d laugh and roll my eyes…but this is a lesson that has become something I absolutely cherish the older I get. We never know what someone else is going through.
It is extremely easy to expect the worst out of people, treat them like they are just being a bad driver to be annoying. However, that person is a person too, who has their own things going on in their life. They could be driving slow because they are an elderly person just trying to get home, or a new mom nervously driving her baby in the backseat, someone sobbing on their way home because they just lost their job.
This example expands way past driving. It expands to every human we make an interaction with. Everyone has shit going on in their lives. The way that people act is out of what is going on in their personal life. We can’t take these things personally. We don’t have the power to control how someone else is treating us, but we do have the power to control how we treat them back. We have the power to have empathy for people, to take a step back and put ourselves in their shoes.
Over the past couple years I have made it my intention to actively put myself in others' shoes. Throughout my random daily interactions in life, do my best to treat people with kindness no matter how they treat me, and have empathy for whatever they may be personally going through. When someone doesn’t have that same reaction to me, I don’t take that personally (THIS is a big one).
So this week, I encourage you to treat those slow drivers as if they have a batch of freshly baked cupcakes in their backseat…metaphorically ;)
Small Business Sunday
Welcome back to my new segment where I highlight small businesses that prioritize: transparency, traceability + quality. Consciously consuming is very important to me, and I like to take the time to research brands that put genuine effort and love into the sourcing and creating of their products. Finding and buying from businesses that have the same values as me! Because at the end of the day, we have the power to vote with our dollar. Check out the first segment here:
Let’s get into this month’s Small Businesses:
1. Zero Waste Store
I am obsessed with this company!! They make the process to consume consciously and more sustainably easy for you, doing all the work to put the best no waste, sustainable, better for you products in one place.
Everything from hair care, oral hygiene, toiletries, home and garden, cleaning items and clean beauty. I have toothbrushes, dish brushes, hairbrushes, reusable baking materials, and reusable cleaning supplies from them that I use every day I just love them.
Everything down to the way they ship and package your products is with a goal to end plastic pollution and better the environment. They use mostly compostable materials if not reusable and recyclable: from their boxes, tape and even shipping label.
They kindly provided a discount for you all, “glowwithella” for 20% off your first order!
2. Zimms Olive Oil
OLIVE OIL = LIQUID GOLD. Good quality olive oil is such an incredibly healing food. Zimms was born because David, the founder, dealt with severe chronic digestive issues that put him in and out of the hospital for months. Instead of going on pharmaceutical medication for the rest of his life, which was what was “recommended”, he decided to take his healing journey into his own hands through holistic health. A big part of that was discovering the healing properties of olive oil.
Quality of Olive Oil MATTERS. Many of the olive oil brands out there use fake or rancid products but brand them as if they are good for you. Zimms prioritizes transparency, traceability and quality… and that comes through in the flavor and benefits. They are certified organic, single origin + varietal, have high polyphenol levels, and put the harvest date right on the bottle to ensure optimal freshness.
I have been using Heal for a while now, dumping it all over my food and taking it in the form of a shot in the morning on an empty stomach. It has been wonderful for my overall digestion and skin health, and it is just such a treat. I love using the Cook varietal for cooking, as it has a higher oxidation/heat point!
To get a discount on your olive oil + cute shot glasses, use this LINK to shop and get the discount automatically applied!
3. Branch Basics
Something that has made a huge impact on my health is switching to high quality, non toxic household products. Many of the every day chemicals and cleaning products that we come in contact with have a detrimental impact on our health, especially if they are in your home. I am obsessed with Brand Basics because they make it SO easy to swap all those toxic products for clean.
Everything from bathroom, window and glass, all-purpose, hand soap and laundry are made from their all encompassing “Concentrate”. All you need to do is order the starter kit one time, and then from there when you need to refill, just re-order the concentrate. Better for you, better for the environment.
The founders of Branch Basics have such an inspiring story. One of them who’s son fell tremendously ill with pesticide poisoning, and was told he would never recover. After years of living healthy and removing harmful chemicals, her son became himself again. The other dealt with chronic health issues that kept worsening, trying to find a solution specialist to no avail, she discovered the healing in natural living. After living this lifestyle, all of her pain and diagnoses reversed (even though they told her there was no cure), and she is the healthiest she has ever been.
Use “glowwithella” to get a discount on your order!
I am also doing a special GIVEAWAY for a Branch Basics PREMIUM Starter Kit! Instructions to enter are below:
Upgrade to a paid subscription (giveaways are exclusive to paid members!)
Press the <3 button on the last 5 recent Substack Newsletters
Comment on this post one of your energy givers so far this year
Introduce yourself in the Gut Feelings GroupChat
Giveaway winner will be messaged a week from today! Must be 18+ and live in the United States. This giveaway is not affiliated with Substack.
Pink Protein Pasta
Who would’ve thought that this GORGEOUS pasta has hidden protein in it??? Yes.
I am really getting in the spirit with all of the fun pink recipes since it is the month of loveeeeee, and I feel like food that is pink is just so much more fun to make and eat!? Plus, made with only 6 simple ingredients, this recipe is super easy to whip up, yet will impress anyone and everyone.
It’s creamy, fresh, light and makes you feel amazing. Plus, it is proven that pasta makes you happier. So let’s get into it…
Ingredients
1 cup dried pasta (I used shells!)
1 beet