Captivations is a monthly feature with links, stories, and news that captivated me. It’s also a monthly recap of what’s going on in my world.
December Recap
The last two months of the year were a whirlwind. The middle of November was an amazing vacation to Dominica, then Thanksgiving, and then the scariest and hardest few weeks, fumbling my way through a medical emergency in my family. In a lot of ways, I’m still trying to process everything that happened. It reminded me – as so life does when you come near death – that life is short and I should savor it more. It reminded me that nothing else matters but the people you love, no matter their flaws. I also keep coming back to gratitude. Gratitude for life, miracles, and family. Gratitude for medical professionals and the care and expertise they use to heal people.
Christmas was filled with food, family, and fun. I’m thankful for the quality time, rest, and slowness of the holiday.
The above photo is one I took on a hike near Lake Georgetown. This waterfall is a popular sight and two weeks later, this waterfall collapsed!
Non-aerosol Dry Shampoo
Say yes to dry shampoo but no to aerosol cans! Here’s a list of six options.
100 Amazing Maps
You have to see these maps to understand why they’re so amazing.
Your Narrative
How honest are you with yourself? That’s a question I’ve been asking myself. As someone with perfectionist tendencies, I sometimes set myself up to fail. The solution – changing your narrative. Don’t be cutthroat, give yourself grace, and expect that you won’t be perfect.
Uncontacted Tribes
Did you know there are 100 secluded tribes around the world?! They are ruled by their own systems and reject the outside world. People are advised to stay away from them. There are as many as 77 tribes in Brazil, living in the Amazon. Their preservation has been threatened by disease and the destruction of the environment. Read more in this news article and on this website.
Best Movies and TV of 2022
Did you watch any of the ones on this list? It looks like I have some watching to do. What I recommend from this list:
- The Bear
- Atlanta, Season 4
- The Lost City
Improving Our Relationships
Looking to improve your marriage? Prepare Enrich is a website I follow with good tips. Here’s a list of their 5 most popular posts in 2022.
Taking Care
For some, spending time with family is stressful and chaotic. It can be hard to balance your way of life with family obligations. For me, it’s knowing our priorities and habits differ but finding a way to focus on the time together instead of how I wish things were different. As I get older, I find it more important to endure (to a point, with boundaries) and savor time with family instead of putting up a wall. This article shares tips to take care of ourselves when we’re around our family.
36 Ways to Live Differently
Need to shake up your life? Want to improve your life? Here are 36 things to think about.
Contemplating Hope
Another person I follow for life advice is Esther Perel. Hope can feel flimsy but it’s necessary. You can only do so much to make things happen and we have to open ourselves up to hope again and again. Read more about it in this article.
Age of Optimization
Having grown up with parents who sought to optimize my life at every decision (Tiger Mom life), I made optimization, efficiency, and in reality, perfectionism, a priority as an adult. But as I’m learning, the “best” is subjective and the results can still be subpar. This article about why babies don’t need fancy things continues this conversation. We spend so much time and sanity stressing over-optimizing – making our time efficient and experiencing the best. What if we…didn’t?
5 Things I Love Lately:
- Hair Masks
- Festive holiday time with family
- The Best Things I Ate This Year
- Vintage shopping
- Soup season
What have you been captivated by recently?
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