Captivations v123 – Once every few lifetimes

Here’s a recap of August and September 2025. Captivations is a monthly post with links, stories, and news that captivated me.

August and September Recap

I’ve been doing a lot, and the fall season seems to compound the busyness. So, as we move into the final 3 months of the year, I’m reminding myself to slow down and be intentional with my time. That includes a lot of hobbies – reading, playing mahjong, volunteering, and crafting – while also making time for family, friends, and football. I can’t believe we’re sliding into the end of the year, but it’s going to be a great season! Some fun things from the last 2 months:

• Completing my first OrangeTheory DriTri (2000 meter row, 300 body weight exercises, 3.1 mile treadmill)
• Hitting 450 classes at OrangeTheory (in about 4 years)
• Scuba continuing education
• Celebrating our anniversary
• Making my own perfume at 7th Street Candle Co

Stress Less

If you need some reminders about how to stress less, here is a great list. I noticed that these are things that have become regular things in my life. I give my best – whatever it looks like that day – and I accept that it is what it is. It’s a fine balance of reaching for my potential and having realistic expectations.

50 States, 50 Desserts

CNTraveler picked out a signature dessert for every state! This was a fun education about dessert types and origins. Do you agree that Texas’s dessert is tres leches?

Best Lessons from 100+ Self-Help Books

6 quick things from this list on The Everygirl, the article gives a good explanation of each.

• Pursue interests from a place of curiosity
• Make alone time productive
• Live as your best self now
• Focus more on how your life feels
• Write down your intentions and view them daily
• Agree to always do your best

One of the most satisfying parts of being in my late 30s is already knowing and recognizing these things. I don’t do them perfectly, but those tips are in my arsenal for my best life.

The 40th Birthday Trip

As my friends move toward 40, they’re planning birthday celebrations, including celebration trips. That’s why I went to Cozumel, Mexico and NYC last year. This article analyzes the 40th birthday trip, and I think this quote is a good summary: “It felt like my life’s work of building friendships — it felt worth it.” Celebrating with a trip can seem indulgent, but I always encourage getting people together, especially for a birthday. 

Reach Out To Friends

Studies show people like it when friends reach out to each other. It might sound like a “duh,” but sometimes you hesitate to reach out because too much time has passed or you don’t have any specific update to give. However, it can bring up nostalgia, and it’s nice to be thought of. Read the full article about this study.

10 Lessons from 10 Years of Marriage

In honor of celebrating my anniversary, here’s a good article from Yung Pueblo about marriage lessons. The lessons:

• The energy for your growth must come from you.
• Don’t get stuck just doing logistics and mundane things.
• Past pain gets in the way of love.
• It takes time to truly learn how to care for each other.
• Throw away the idea of perfection. 
• Arguments are for understanding not battling.
• Preventative communication.
• Finding ways to say ‘I love you’ beyond words. 
• Team mindset. 
• Sharing leadership.

When I first got married, I wondered why people said that marriage was hard. I’ve since learned that it’s not necessarily “hard,” but you do encounter challenges that don’t magically go away. You have to work on personal growth while making time for your relationship. It’s been a fun journey!

Being Bad at Something

When’s the last time you did something you were bad at? If you’re like me, you try to avoid it. It just doesn’t feel good when you fail, but that is where the growth is! You have to practice to get better at something. I’ve seen it in my kitchen. Remember when I didn’t know my way around the kitchen, but then I cooked through a cookbook several times? It built my confidence and my interest in cooking.

5 Things I Love Lately

• Figs from a friend’s tree (since my trees are not producing)
• Slow Horses – Seasons 1-5 are on Apple TV
• Photo booths
• Repotting my monstera into 4 separate pots!
• Football season