Good morning :) My bev on this GORGEOUS morning is an iced coconut water matcha, basically my typical matcha latte made with coconut water instead of milk (very refreshing). It is unbelievable how much waking up when the sun is already shining impacts my entire day. Been waking up with so much more energy.
Something that never ceases to amaze me is the power of small kindness. It’s really easy to get caught up in our own selfishness. I do this all the time. All the stresses that are weighing me down become the only thing I am thinking about. We are the main characters in our own lives.
I’ve talked about this before but it is fascinating how we let what other people are thinking about us affect our mood and actions. First of all, we cannot control how other people think or feel, only how we act. Secondly, they are over there in their own heads asking themselves what YOU are thinking about THEM. They are not worried about the weird or embarrassing thing you may have done. If they are - honestly it is flattering that they care about you so much. But most likely, they didn’t even notice because they were too busy thinking about something they did or said. Ok but back to kindness - I swear this all connects lol.
I was in a huge rush the other morning. Running late to grab ice for an ice bath event. It was 6 in the morning and I was exhausted. I went to the gas station to go grab ice and the woman working there had a huge smile on her face. She was soft spoken and kind. She asked me how my morning was, how she could help me, and was so attentive and sweet. We made small conversation that she was truly invested in. She made me smile, made me laugh, and it made me pause and take a breath.
In that moment I was smiling, it was HER energy that brought that upon me. I was a stressed out anxious mess two seconds beforehand. Her kind energy was completely contagious. And I went about my day wanting to bring that same kindness and positive energy to others around me, because that small gesture completely changed my day.
Wisdom Wednesday: Kindness is Contagious
I notice this often, how small gestures of kindness can shift someone’s entire day. How someone being patient and letting me pass them in line makes me want to do that for others. How someone smiling, paying me a compliment, and/or asking me how my day was pushes me to do the same to others. It takes less than an extra minute out of my day to show kindness to people. Almost no effort to do something that potentially may completely turn someone’s day around. And even better - may start a domino effect of kindness. That person that you chose to impact takes that same energy and does it with someone else.
I read something once that said, ‘how you treat people that can do nothing for you shows who you are as a human being.’ That was really powerful to me.
I’d love it if you joined me in this and I would love to hear your stories.
Tip of the Week for a Better You: Eating Seasonally
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Why is seasonal eating so important to me? It wasn’t always. I began to form a true love for farmers and seasonal produce in college. Here are a few reasons I prioritize seasonal eating:
Seasonal produce is much more abundant which lowers the cost
Foods in season taste much better and are higher in nutrition
Buying in season / local produce minimizes environmental harm because they are naturally ripe and take less time to travel to you
Eating seasonally also allows you to eat a diverse amount of nutritious and delicious foods which is key for gut health and overall wellbeing
Shopping locally directly supports your community and local farmers
Better for you, your taste buds, better for the community, better for the environment, and better for you wallet, what is not to love?
One of my goals this year is to more consciously consume, and ask questions about the source of my ingredients and where my food is coming from. Buying local and from farmers markets makes that goal a lot easier. I love meeting my local farmers in person, asking about the farm, even visiting! If you aren’t able to access a farm or market, I recommend looking into a CSA near you.
September Seasonal Produce
One of my favorite parts about a new month is seeing the new seasonal produce start to pop up at farmers markets. Since September is pretty much a full Summer month we don’t get a ton of new produce buttt you may start to see some Fall and Winter fruits and veggies sneaking in there. Think: Persimmon, Pumpkin, Winter Squash…I know there are some people who are ready to dive head first into Fall but I am just not quite there yet. I need more of this summer sun.
Seasonal Recipe: The Last of Summer Salad
I have made a few versions of this recipe at different times throughout the summer, and it always hits. I don’t know whether to call it a salad or a dip, because it can go both ways. When you chop it extra fine and serve with chips, ohhhh myyyy it is good.