Here’s a recap of my January 2024. Captivations is a monthly feature with links, stories, and news that captivated me. It’s also a monthly update/recap of what’s going on in my world.
January Recap
Have you heard of the world hurkle-durkle? I learned it recently, and it’s a Scottish word for when you lie in bed/lounge when you should get up and do things. It’s the perfect description of half of my month when the weather was cold and rainy. Those days were depressing but also good for rest, especially when the rest of my month was supercharged with new year motivation and all-around optimism. Here are some of my other favorite things this month:
- One of my goals is to hike a trail once a month (more nature, yay!) and we did 2 hikes!
- I started a mahjong meet-up so I can play more mahjong!
- I went to Y7 Studio’s grand opening party (thanks for the media invite!) and ran into friends. We did a sweaty yoga class! South Austin is so lucky to have this new spot.
- Celebrated the baby shower of my friends with a pizza party – So excited for them!
- Spent time with many groups of friends – happy hour, dinner party, restaurant meet-ups, and dessert adventures
- Date night – our first fancier dinner together in more than 2 months!
How to Eat More Vegetables
I naturally love vegetables and grew up eating vegetables. I can always add more though. This article gives some tips on how to do that, like going to a farmers market and ways to add vegetables to everything!
Stop Shopping Impulsively
I follow a lot of the tricks in this article to stop shopping impulsively. I’m trying to avoid shopping online, I shop secondhand, and I stop and consider (usually at least 24 hours) before I buy. One tip I’m adding to my routine: do not get rid of clothes impulsively. If I’m on the fence about a piece of clothing, I move it to the side of my closet and sit on it for a bit.
101 Ways to Lower Your Living Expenses
New year, new budget? This article says 74% of Americans are feeling financial strain. I see it in higher grocery costs and restaurant checks. If you need ideas, the article has 101 ways you can cut costs. All of these savings can help you have money for more important things, like vacations! Some of my favorites from the list:
- Borrow from the library. If I lowball the price of a book at $20, I would have spent $1,000 reading 50 books last year if not for the library. Not to mention the gas I would have saved reading with my Kindle instead of a physical book.
- Prepare and bring lunch instead of buying. We typically cook and eat for lunch and dinner Monday through Friday. (Remember this post about a month of dinners?)
- Use a water filter instead of buying bottled water. You can get a filtration system from Home Depot for about $150.
Prompts for the New Year
Still reviewing your year? This post has some different ways to think about it. Some questions I like:
- What do you want to savor more this year?
- What do you want to learn this year?
- What’s causing you anxiety?
Being Bad at New Hobbies
I don’t think most people like to be bad at things. It makes me feel frustrated and defeated. But we have to start somewhere! This article has 8 reminders to help you keep going when you feel like you’re bad at something. I’ll add my tip: make a list of things you used to suck at but continued to do and have become proficient at now. It’ll be a good reminder of what progress you could achieve.
How to Beat Procrastination
Give this quick (11-minute) video by Mark Manson a watch. Warning: includes profanity if you’re watching around kids or at work. It will help if you have a big goal in mind when you watch it!
A Lesson
In Andrew Knapp’s recent newsletter, he shared this paragraph that I feel deeply:
“A lesson I learned after losing my mom in 2014 is that a relationship doesn’t end when one person is gone. This is a lesson I carry with me to this day. A relationship is entangled with our lives and continues to influence the way we experience the world. We carry the full relationship within us, not just half of it. When we lose someone, that relationship continues to evolve. Sometimes it’s a burden, sometimes it’s a gift, and sometimes it’s both. That’s the power of love.”
Whoa, blogs!
This is the 7th post published this month! Did you catch all of them? If not, here are the links:
- It’s a New Year – 2024! + 2023 Recap
- 13 Best Things To Do in Japan for a Fantastic Trip
- 33 Foodie Goals to Check Off Your Bucket List
- 10 Best Things to Do in North Austin
- 10 Helpful Tips You Need for Your Japan Trip
- 10 Fun Austin Bachelorette Party Activities
5 Things I Love Lately
- My space heater
- New Year motivation – oh all the things we’ll do this year!
- My dog after a bath
- Chili cheese hot dogs
- This blog – thank you for reading!
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