Dirty Deeds

Great Outdoors Month

Hey MyHOWClub! This week we will be talking about trash! I know we all hate it, but what can we do? It’s a part of our lives unfortunately and especially where mass groups of people congregate and vacation it is inevitable. At the very least we can help by not adding to it, also known as pack in/pack out on trails but we can also apply this to our local parks and playgrounds. Being an advocate for others and educating is important too. Just the other day I saw a kid playing with a cup driving down the road, well that cup eventually flew out the window. Now as much as I wanted the car to do the ole Odoyle rules scene from Billy Madison, I knew the children were simply not educated in how littering and destroying areas effects the beauty of an area and for future people to enjoy. I hope we can all be advocates for the people we interact with and help community clean-ups and park clean-ups alike. Today we will discuss how to start your own cleanup, how to find an event near you, and just how to help your local area.

Odoyle rules! Not.

Starting a cleanup event has been made relatively easy with Facebook events, community boards, and could even be as simple as flyers/posts (yet one could argue this creates more trash!) Typically communities will have areas where you can post your event. Weekends/nights can typically recruit the most people, and sometimes just like the field of dreams, if you bring supplies/snacks, people will come. I can optimistically say that most people that come to parks are coming for the enjoyment of nature and beauty and do not want to add to its deterioration. Sometimes being seen cleaning up and leading by example can be all the motivation people need to clean up after themselves. A little nudge never hurt anyone, after all.

It starts with education. Understanding why we are keeping them trash free.

I did a little research and found a great blog that outlines a step by step on how to start a cleanup event. Budget Dumpster has a blog called the Fill and it has a great post on creating an event all the way through proper planning, leading, diversifying jobs, and rewarding volunteers. I highly recommend visiting the site, linked here.

Budget dumpsters The Fill Blog

As for people like me where I would rather join a volunteer event than start one, there are many different resources for volunteering and community event in your area. Did you know there is a national park in every state? It is more than likely you are within 100 miles of a national park. The National Park website has a state by state resource to find volunteer events. From small cleanups to adopting a trail, these are all great ways to be an advocate. Connecting has never been easier and can all be done over the internet or by phone. Even if access is a problem, local parks and neighborhoods are a great starting point. Point is we can all be advocates of cleaner, fresher living, and just like the power of parks video, we can all make these better places to enjoy.

Thanks for reading -B

Conservation!

Great Outdoors Month

Hello MyHOWClub and welcome to this week’s post. I’m sure you all have fond memories or stories from get-togethers ranging from small groups of family and friends to weddings and reunions all held at outdoor events and/or national parks. Some of the most beautiful places in the world exist in these places, so it makes sense that we would have some of our best memories here. Whether you are a leisurely guest or a more extreme hiker/climber, conservation remains key to keep these areas public and well maintained so that we can enjoy them for generations to come.

Like last week, I would like to start with the conservation efforts in our backyards and nearby playgrounds and parks. Did you know that planting trees and landscaping can actually help make the climate cooler in your area? Major cities have what is called heat islands due to deforestation. Parks and backyards with climate-resilient trees and plants actually help offset this effect.

https://www.nrpa.org/our-work/Three-Pillars/conservation/parks4pollinators/

Pollinators such as bees and other insects are very important for our crops and essential to our ecosystem. By having parks that we care for in our community and green spaces, we promote the health of these pollinators. According to the National Recreation and Park Department, 1 out of every 3 bites of food you take is because of pollinators. If this does not signify how important these are, I do not know what will. Support your local green spaces and parks people, your food may depend on it!

National parks have recently been under attack with mining projects, fracking, private land ownership, etc. going on. This all can have negative effects on the land that we all are able to take advantage of. There are many different ways to get involved from signing petitions to helping not for profits. I personally like the Access Fund, which helps protect public land as well as helping to buy up private land that has been used for people like me and you to enjoy. You can create actionable change by supporting places like these. Please check their site out and go to this page to sign the petition to protect public lands, which is run by the Outdoor Alliance and the Conservation Alliance.

Another one that, being from Florida I support, is the Surfrider Foundation. They are a not for profit that helps conserve public beaches and shorelines around the world. They have local chapters if you are interested in how you can help your specific area.

We focus our efforts on 5 key areas

Our ocean faces growing challenges from pollution, offshore development, and climate change. At the same time, expanding industries, such as offshore oil drilling, threaten to crowd our ocean and degrade its health (and those who call it home!). Every day poses new threats to our oceans and beaches. Our ocean and special places must be proactively protected before they are threatened and stem the tide before further damage is done to the ocean’s health. This is precisely why Surfrider has built a network of passion-driven people who are on the ground and are the voice for our ocean and beaches. With one foot in the sand and the other in the water, Surfrider is the only non-profit organization that is 100% focused on our coasts.

There are many conservation networks and not for profits that you can help in your area. Want to know how to help more? Please visit this page which will help get you started and help you to find advocates for conservation in your area.

We can all do our part to protect these sacred places that make the world a marvelous and beautiful place. Conservation efforts are a passion for many, and there are many different resources and ways that you can play your part. Remember the stories and memories that you were told and share them with others so that they can see how important they are to you. #ProtectPublicLands is not just a hashtag, but a way to save beauty for years and years.

Thanks Fam

-B

Get outside!

Great Outdoors Month

Hi MyHowClub! Welcome to this month series on what else? The great outdoors (as seen above). In 2019, the US Senate officially designated June the ‘Great Outdoors Month’. I hope you have been able to take advantage and get some fresh air and time with nature this month. If not, it has just begun! What are you waiting for? This month we will be covering how to take advantage of these awesome resources to enjoy with family, friends and future nature seekers. Enjoying these parks and green spaces do not come without their own battles though, and we will also go into how to enjoy these in a responsible way and show how you can show support for the conservation efforts. Lastly, we will go into how you can help these areas thrive. This week though, we start light with just remembering why they are important and how we can make the most of them. Enjoy!

Hiking near Yampa, CO with Ozzie

Beginning last month and creeping into this month is something everyone can start with and make your house a little bit greener is to take care of a plant or create a little starter garden. If you have a yard maybe look into something easy to start with so you do not get discouraged quickly. Also if you are like me and cannot keep anything alive, start with some herbs by a window sill or some succulents or cacti that won’t need a lot of TLC. These things can help liven up a space and provide food (and clean air) to your immediate area. A joy for nature starts with your living environment and these are just some little easy things that you can apply.

Hopefully these grow, crossing my fingers.. (bought rosemary like that)

Secondly, creeping slightly farther outside your house. Go enjoy a park nearby. Playgrounds for kids, dog walks for uh dogs… and everything in between for yourself. Outdoor picnics, get togethers, exercise, and sunning are all great ways to enjoy nature. I know we have all been dying to get outside to parks and personally have seen these packed with people so make sure to wear a mask if in close proximity and always, to value peoples personal space. If parks are still not open, try to get some movement around them and try to get some nature in.

In every walk with nature one receives far more than he takes.

John Muir

Lastly, Go enjoy your national parks and land! I know some places still have restrictions in place so be sure to check online if they are open, but these are great resources to social distance and find beauty. I know it is said that nature is a reflection in the creation of ourselves, and that could not be more true than when you are in the wild, disconnected for the day or weekend. Its like a reset button for our minds, and allows us to be present. Hikes and Camping come with every level of difficulty and wheelchair accessibility, and I personally use www.alltrails.com when looking at conditions/directions. Camping I personally use the national park website, but there are private campgrounds and backcountry camping as well. Go explore!

Closest park to my house, about 45 minutes away

Easy peasy, MyHowClub! I hope you are able to get fresh air where ever you may live, and find yourself grounding in nature one way or another. I know there are different landscapes based on where you live, so enjoy the water, land, or maybe even air and see what is available in your area. I hope you get the most out of this weird summer and continue to apply what it means to be well, starting with going outside! All this talk has got me thinking about a hike soon…. Options, options.

-B

You Matter!

Mental Health Awareness Month

Hi MyHowClub! This week we are going are talking all about you all and how much you matter to family, friends, and the world around you. Your contributions no matter how small can have a lasting impact on the world around you and it is never to late to have an impact. I know the world is crazy and you cannot write what is happening in the world today. That being said, I want you to know that you are worth living always and that you matter.

Advice to Family and Friends of loved ones going through intense pain

There is no quick fix and I do not wish to discount the suffering or pain anyone is going through. I just want you to know there are resources and people that will help. Some of the sources include:

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

National Institute for Mental Health

Suicide Prevention Lifeline

Even if you have no one to talk to, the lifeline is a great source to reach out to on the phone 24 hours a day, 1-800-273-8255.

No one wants to feel like they don’t want to live anymore, and we touched on it a little in the depression topic a few weeks back, so make sure to check that out. I think it is powerful to say I do not want to die, I just do not wish to feel like this anymore. I will not begin to understand the feeling you may be going through, but just know that most people will seek to understand and help you find resources and joy in living together.

The most recommended ways of helping yourself is through support. Support groups are common and easy to access. A quick google search in your area will provide with with many sources to find support depending on your situation. They vary from churches to non profit organizations to small groups of people that may be going through the same things. Getting perspective and helping one another is so important to get back on track.

WWW.SAVE.ORG has tons of resources if you need to educate yourself on suicide, whether it is personal feelings or your fear of someone you are close to. We are all going through this life together, and the impact you could have on someone you don’t even know can be amazing and snowball. I started this blog to help people and encourage people to help others, so if see any of these traits, please please please reach out to an individual and help.

What to watch for from SAVE.org

Short and sweet this week folks, but I love you all and want to thank you for the support and caring that you have shown to me. We all have highs and lows and we all need people in our life to help us celebrate the wins and get through the pain of loss. I hope this reaches the people who need it through my readers, whether directly or indirectly and I know that love will conquer all. Thanks, til next time.

-B

Mental Health Awareness Month

Living with Depression

Hi MyHowClub! This week we will be going through a few methods to learn to cope and curb depression. I have done some research that has spoken to me and hopefully helps you deal with your own depression. I hope everyone can get a little something out of this week and I want you to know as always you are not alone in your battle. These 3 methods have helped the most in my life; movement, morning/daily rituals, and therapy/friends/sharing.

Movement is so important to so many aspects of our mental health, but arguable the most important for depression. My biggest rut was when I left sunny florida for the gloomy winters of the northeast. I did not realize it at the time, but research has shown that depression slowly creeps in and slowly will creep out of your life. Not being an overnight thing, the long winters without sun was slowly letting depression into my life. Luckily, with a history of runners in my family, signing up for the Boston Marathon saved my life. I registered with a charity that provided a group to go through the long race and training with. Armed with the motivation to not pass out during the race, I trained with a group that was going through the same winter blues as myself. While most of my training was done solo, it was nice to have a large group to lean on when times got tough. In April 2013 I was able to successfully beat the long winter and complete the Boston Marathon.

Faster than Terrorism (a story for another day)

Don’t take my word for it though. This Ted talk by Jake Tyler is truly inspiring journey in exercise, sharing and the great outdoors. His story tells the story of how someone with depression overcame by movement. The biggest wow moment during his talk was when a doctor asked him if he really didn’t want to live or he just didn’t want to feel this way anymore. I think that statement is so powerful and most depression sufferers can relate to this feeling. He even got the attention of the Royal family! No matter what your movement is, doing something to get blood flow circulating has a profound effect.

Jake Tyler’s powerful and funny talk about him coping with depression. So good!

Remember to make movement fun as it is defined by you! Also pick a time of day that you may need it the most or feel that you are most likely to do it.

Another great habit to get into is creating a ritual for the day. My morning habits include light stretching, coffee/tea, my exercise, and getting ready for the day. I work at night mostly, but doing these things sets my intentions for the day. For most depression sufferers, showering and getting ready for the day is of the utmost importance but also the hardest. Even if we have nothing planned, getting ready is important and helps to feel fresh and good about ourselves. It also helps increase our social interactions, as stated by Emma McAdam from Therapy in a Nutshell fame. Looking nice and presentable allows us to want to interact more, which does wonders on our brain health.

Therapy in a Nutshell

Lastly, Emma mentions that having a nighttime ritual can be important as well. Winding down at night and relieving stress will help with sleep, which in turn creates a better next day. If you do watch something, try to keep it short and light. I also recommend like we have in previous blogs to share your daily gratitude in a journal or with family.

Try to apply some of these weekly tips in your life! I promise even the smallest movement/exercise and daily rituals will help with some depression. I want you all to know you deserve love and happiness and cant wait to talk to you next week. Thanks fam -Brendan

Mental Health Awareness Month

Part 2 – Dealing with Anxiety

Welcome MyHowClub to part 2 of our series in anxiety. I hope last week challenged you to do some breath work to maybe help you in a moment of anxiety. Even without a stressful moment, breathing is a great tool to help bring to present and leave your worries behind. This week we will be exploring a Time magazine special on anxiety as well as natural and other ways to help cope with all types of anxiety.

Really informative. Great special by TIME

Around 2/3rds of Americans report living with some sort of daily stress or anxiety. But not all is bad for you. It would be very hard to stay alive in the caveman days if we tried to pet every Sabertooth tiger we saw. This fight or flight response has carried us through our evolution to motivate and protect. The problem persists when we overload our system with worries or do not have enough to protect us from harm. Moderation is key, but how do we know we are getting the right amount?

Interesting take on Goldilocks effect on pricing goods

As you can see the Goldilocks effect on pricing has a correlation with anxiety. Too little and we are taking unnecessary risk, too much and we can be effecting our health and well-being. Some key factors to determine when your stress/anxiety is out of control:

1) Trouble sleeping is a key factor, and unfortunately could have a profound effect of amplifying stress when our sleep quality declines.

2) Excess blood sugar and weight gain. Anxiety can release cortisol and epinephrine into the body which can cause the liver to produce more glucose (sugar) into the body for energy. Over time, this can be reabsorbed into the body, increasing body weight and predispose people for type 2 diabetes.

3) Body pains. Muscle tension, heart pain, shaking, dizziness even sweating can be determinations of certain anxieties and stressors.

This is definitely not an exclusive list. I am also not a doctor (obviously) so if anything seems like an emergency please contact a health provider for further instruction. The biggest take away is that there are a few tools that we can all use to limit the anxiety in our life, hopefully before it gets to that point. Besides breathing, there are many apps that help manage anxiety that I would recommend. Cognitive behavior therapy seems to be all the rage in a scientific approach to calming anxiety. Sanvello uses this therapy with audio lessons, activities, and mood trackers to help retrain our way of thinking. It helps with resiliency which in my opinion is a great tool. The second that Time magazine recommends in the MindShift CBT app. It also uses tools to readjust thinking and alleviate anxiety. These two apps use proven science to guide you and help you cope with all types of anxiety. I plan to use the MindShift app to overcome some fears through its integrative feature and easy to follow steps and experiments.

An amazing app with tons of studied tools
One of my favorite and best ways to deal with my own anxiety on the MindShift cbt app.

Technology is a blessing, and use correctly can be a powerful tool, but in the wrong way can be detrimental to our bodies. As I write this on my phone 🙄, we must all remember to take time away from our digital realms. Social jealousy, fomo, and notifications can cause an increasing addiction to our handhelds that may suggest we need a break. I have personally started turning more notifications off, and taking a break from screens at the end of the day to help combat my own addiction. If this speaks to you, try small things like leaving your phone at home during a walk or short trip away from home. For the more extreme addictions, taking a longer break or deleting more addicting applications can free yourself from anxiety inducing behavior.

Lastly, some natural methods may be just what you need. Besides lacking exercise and time in nature and/or sunlight, nutrients may be cause of inflammation in the body and cause of body stress and increased anxiety. Doctors are now able to test for these inadequate vitamins and minerals, and may recommend certain foods. Please research what may work for you. I use a mixture of essential oils including lavender, studied for its calming effect at night through a diffuser. I also have converted (mostly) from drinking coffee to green tea. Green tea has high amounts of L-theanine, which has been studied to increase mood through serotonin, dopamine and GABA. Lastly, I make sure I am getting my omega-3 thru fish oil. While I originally ate this for heart health, studies have show it having improved heart rate and in turn, anxiety levels seem to drop as well.

My personal go to for sleep and relaxation for the end of night. Advice: Pick a company that you can trust and tests oils for purity. Not all are created equal!

I hope these two weeks have helped many of you explore and understand anxiety a little better. Most importantly, I want you to know you are not alone! While anxiety can be very individualized and lonely at times, many if not the majority of people report some type of anxiety in their life they are trying to overcome. I believe in you, we can persevere, and I hope we can thrive together. Love and kindness club, til next time.

Mental Health Awareness Month

Series part 1: Breathing through anxiety

Personally, it always starts with something small. Overthinking often does. A weird interaction, an awkward pause, a small failure, or an inability to just comprehend why something is and why it has to be. In the book Monkey Mind by Daniel Smith, the author refers to the difference between anxiety and psychosis as anxiety being the fear of reality, and the latter being fear of the impossible. While most anxiety does not factor in the risk tolerance most of us have and the unlikeliness of a bad event happening, it does not make us feel any different in the moment of a panic or anxiety attack.

My own personal worst experience with anxiety stemmed from a relatively bad time in my life and had me reflecting on life and death. I was overthinking the time I had left with family and friends, and the thoughts always went something like this.

Im gunna die soon. I need more time. Who is going to care for me. Am I alone? Everyone I love will be gone. Why is this happening? Whats it all mean? Whys it matter? Why am I so sad? Why cant I stop thinking about this? Why is my breath short and my heart hurt? … and repeat

Yours truly during my existential crisis (1 of many)

I have been pretty care and stress free most of my life and these new found feelings terrified me. I did not feel ok at any time during the day and could not get to sleep at night. I have been athletic and healthy most of my life, but I could not seem to shake the feeling of doom.

So what did I do? Luckily, my biggest strength in my life was my love of learning. I began to research on blogs, seeing personal experiences that overcame anxiety and baseless fears. I read books, followed gurus, read existential ideas, and was just short of giving up (or joining a cult) until I found breath work.

Sidetrack – 7 signs you’re in a cult by The Atlantic

I have dug deep into breathing so you dont initially have to, and this will be applicable to everyones life with positive results. The first method I simply know as the 4-7-8 method. You can learn about it here below. This is the first breath work i really actively tried daily to solve my anxiety. It took about a month to really notice the difference but since has allowed me to calm and stay in the moment before I go to sleep. This one takes time for results but I feel this has been so beneficial to falling asleep and clearing my mind before bed. Try it out!

Dr. Andrew Weil, M.D. explains his method

The second breath work I feel everyone can benefit from is mindful breathing. Scroll down to my last post to see the book Happiness. The nice thing about this type of breath work is you can do it anywhere to revert your focus back to the present moment. There are many ways to apply this, but I think most introductory would be to focus on your current surroundings. Breathing in, consider something in your view that makes you happy. Inanimate objects, people, colors, smells all apply. Breathing out, change the thought to some other viewpoint. Only doing this a few times with full breaths will help calm the mind and bring mindfulness of the present.

A thought on the monkey mind

Thirdly, and most beneficial would be breathing in meditation. Headspace has a few free guided meditations. My aunt loves a neuroscientist, psychologist by the name of Rick Hanson. There are thousands of gurus and guided meditations on spotify and youtube. Spending 10 minutes a day will lead to incredible changes and hopefully help you handle your own anxiety starting today. Find a voice thats pleasant and a calming meditation you love. There are no wrong answers here.

Alan Watts has some of my favorite guided meditations

Some helpful tips that I have learned along the way…

  1. Do meditation in morning. This helps with consistency and creates a good focus for the day. Typically if I wait, I will not do it or will not be in a good headspace. Also mornings are typically the quietest settings in most of our lives, allowing you to focus on breathing.
  2. Where you meditate matters. I originally started on my bed, but have found I am more present and less sleepy lying down on a yoga mat. Some people have greater success sitting or in a cross legged style. Just find what works best for you to be comfortable but not too comfortable. If meditating in a chair, try not to lean on backrest.
  3. Dont get discouraged. Even if you cannot focus on present or get distracted, science has shown a small consistent effort will increase happiness and reduce anxiety!

Testing this on your stress is fairly easy. Before you begin, see how many breaths you take in a minute. After your meditation or once a week check back into this and see if you are taking less breaths in that same minute. Slowly you will start to see a difference and hopefully more prolonged stress free environment!

This is really just a surface introduction to mindful breathing. I have started to learn about other methods, such as Wim hoff and his breath work/cold therapy, and I can definitely elaborate in future posts. If you would like to know more than whats posted please shoot me a line or join our community board for more help.

Thank you for reading and spread the love!
-Brendan

Happiness in Isolation

Reviews!

The purpose of this week is to share the information and wealth I have found in the past month to continue your path to well being and happiness.

The biggest single factor that has influenced this month has been a class from Coursera, called the Science of Well Being. This is an actual class offered by Yale for free, as I will always try my best to give you access to things that cost nothing to you but some of your time.

https://www.coursera.org/learn/the-science-of-well-being?

Dr. Laurie Santos

Dr. Laurie Santos teaches the class in a easy to follow way. Each week (10 weeks) there is typically a small reading followed by short videos that go over concepts. I am currently on week 5, and besides active homework I spend about an hour a week on the program. By active homework, I mean creating habits that will stick and enhance your well-being. Its easier than it seems and am already seeing results!

I really hope some of you enroll in the program. Its easy to get caught up in not caring for yourself, and this is a great program to take as a family or group of friends. If you don’t have anyone to talk through it with you, please reach out to me because I am proud of you prioritizing your happiness and would love to talk about it.

I have created a community forum for this website and in it I will include book recommendations, “gurus” and inspirational people to follow, classes, exercises, and any other inspiration that comes my way. I hope as a community more people join and share because I am but one person and as a community the synergy is endless. 

Luckily before the stay at home event, I was able to get a library card and register online on Libby. I highly recommend this free app for reading and listening to library books. This gives you access to so many books from experts and my favorite detective novels by Lee Child. Jack Reacher is the best (not Tom Cruise!) Besides my favorite detective, I have been able to read a great book on happiness. The title actually is Happiness by Thich Nhat Hanh. It has alot to do with breathing and seeing the beauty in everyday life. I highly recommend this to anyone who has trouble staying in the present. The teaching to be able to focus on your breath and the blessings in front of us is so very important and anyone can benefit from this practice. There are some deep buddhist type teachings (I try to stay mostly neutral) in this book, but removing religion can still give very practical applications for everyone.

Jack reacher is 6’5” and ugly in the books. The Rock also got turned down to play him. I’m all sorts of mad at this decision.

I recently saw a meme that was hating on productive people during the Covid-19. I couldn’t help but laugh at this, sorry for the language. Thankfully, I am able to do most of the research between my job duties at the airport and audible books have been a life saver for my eyes and car rides.

To keep it lighter and to transition into mental health awareness month next week, my last recommendation for reading/listening is called Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson. This author has an incredible perspective on life with wonderful story telling. Highly recommend this crazy fun read.

Thats it for this month! Let me know if you end up reading anything or doing the class. Love you all and as always I am thankful for everyone who is a regular on the blog and spreading the love and happiness. -Brendan

Pursuit of Happiness

Isolation part 4:

Positivity!

Is it in you? Sure it is. If you are reading this you are already making steps towards having more positivity in your life. Go you! Positivity has an unbelievable side effect: happiness. Perspective is much of the battle to turn a glass half empty into a glass half full. We will incorporate some methods this week such as gratitude, kindness, and the social connections we have to bring it all home. This last topic in our isolation series will hopefully guide you towards the positive and provide more happiness in your life. Enjoy!

To change the world, we have to start with ourselves!

Gratitude is so important to have success in being positive. Being able to count your blessings each day is a skill that everyone can easily work on. No matter what the day brings we can be show gratitude by being thankful for so many things. I think the biggest trick for this is to start small. When I wake up, I’m thankful for the roof over my head. My gratitude extends to smells and sights, and gradually moves to bigger things such as the ability to do something you love or thankful for things you get to enjoy. If we start small and stay consistent, we start to see beauty in all things and can be thankful for our daily lives. 

Start by opening your eyes and thinking what you can be thankful for. The challenge is to list 1-2 things as you wake and 1-2 things before you sleep. As this becomes regular try to find more things during your day. Its as easy as that to use gratitude to find more positivity in your life. If you are looking to share your experience with millions of instagram/facebook users, share your gratitude and a picture for the next 100 days using the hashtag #100daysofgratitude

Just as easy as having gratitude, kindness is something that costs nothing and means everything. In stressful and sometimes cramped times such as these, we have a hard time taking a deep breath before lashing out. I think the biggest takeaway to being kind is try to always put yourself in the other persons circumstance or feelings. If we can connect to why other people act, we can in turn provide understanding. The more understanding we have of any situation will always better prepare us better and to approach it as a more kind human being.

Power of Empathy

On the other side of kindness, I want to take a moment to talk about negative and sometimes toxic influences in our lives. Sometimes, through no fault of our own, people will sometimes not mesh with who we are trying to become. Growth means just that, and people that pull you down can hinder your path to positivity. Misery loves company, but now is a time to approach these things or people that are not providing you wellness in your life. Every circumstance and social connection is different, but don’t be afraid to approach these situations with realistic expectations.

A short take on the toxic elements in our lives.

The person or group may not know the pain they are causing and might be fixed through a simple conversation. Others, unfortunately, may need more extreme measures. The unfollow button on facebook is a great social media tool that doesnt allow negative influences in your feed without removing the friend. I have also had experiences in my life where I have had to let someone else that I cared for go on their own path. This does not mean I do not wish them the best and hope they have good lives. This means that I valued them as well as myself enough to know when to move on. 

This concludes the Isolation series! I hope you all have really enjoyed it and as always, I love the positive feedback. I am so thankful to each and every one of you. I am always open to more topics to research and write, so please don’t hesitate to reach out. Next month is Mental Heath Awareness Month. Excited to write some topic on body issues, depression, anxiety, and stress.

Be excellent to eachother!

Pursuit of Happiness

Isolation series part 3

Food

Hey MyHowClub and welcome to the next part of our isolation series – food! Food can be such an expression of feeling. How we enjoy it, the process of making it for family or another, and all the tastes and smells that come with can jolt memories and provide comfort. This week we will explore the deepest of our cabinets to try to be less wasteful and save trips to grocery stores. Second, I share some comfort food (and some healthy options too!) that you may want to try or get inspiration from. Lastly, we will cover ways you can help others to provide a Thanksgiving of sorts to the people who need it in these trying times. Enjoy!

When we look in our cabinets what do we typically see? Personally, I get the feeling of nothing to eat! I know that feeling can be strong, but lets take this time at home as an advantage and be thankful for what we have.

Canned goods, leftover stuff from a recipe you made once, spices that you have no clue why they are on your spice rack, and the list goes on and on. What to do with all the randomness? Explore the palette! Discovering recipes is part of the fun. The Epicurious app is a fun way to make use of your cabinet and has many features to use well beyond isolation. Just be careful to check expiration dates on those things in the deepest darkest corners of the cabinet…

Hi Reddit! I am a registered dietitian and recipe developer. Tell me what’s in your pantry or fridge and I’ll tell you what to cook! from IAmA

There was also recently an Ask me Anything (AMA on Reddit) that is linked above with a dietician that recommends certain dishes based on what you may have already stocked up on. If you are still struggling please reach out in comments and we can work together to use what you may have at home.

Is there anything better than comfort foods when we are stuck in Isolation? I tend not to think so, and I gravitate towards steak and the grill this time of year. Is it to shoo away winter and welcome spring/summer? Yes. Is it working? Not yet 🥶. One of my favorite marinades is a staple of mine and can work on any meat, although I tend to use it most on ground beef or steak:

Per 1lb of meat

1.5 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil

1.5 tbsp coconut aminos or worchester sauce

1.5 tbsp apple cider vinegar

2-3 finely chopped cloves of garlic

Pretty simple stuff that will give you great flavor! If you try it out let me know what you think… I know most people’s comfort can be on the unhealthy side of the spectrum and that’s ok! I’ve made the spectrum of frozen pizza to giant box cake for Easter. Just remember to try to practice moderation and movement when doing so.

Last but very far from least, how can we provide food to others is a huge part of isolation. Food banks, donations, meals for children/seniors is all so very important but lacking when the whole economy is down. Some of my favorite charities help offset this growing problem and can help us find local ways to give our support and kindness. If you are able, I challenge you to at least go to these sites and see if there is any little thing we can do to help.

Feeding America, and its local chapters help provide meals for families in need. Feed the children and No Kid Hungry both help to feed kids whose majority of meals were provided by school before the lockdown happened. Lastly, Meals on Wheels provide food for seniors and people who otherwise would not be able to do so on their own. Thank you so much for taking the time to support others, and see you next week.