Let’s face it // Mondays stink. Or at least we typically expect them to stink. That is why, every Monday, we post seven positives from the previous seven days of the week as a reminder of what we have so that the week starts out on an upswing. There is much truth in the belief that happy people attract good things, so it is important to start the week out right. Sometimes it’s the more grand, but other times, it’s the simple things.
1. Relay for Life. Last Friday my coworkers and I participated in Relay for Life, an American Cancer Society fundraising event. Walking with my coworkers and getting to know them even better — exercise and the human connection {two things that are vital to happiness}, was a great way to end the long work week. A few college students interviewed participants about their reasons for walking that night, and I could not have said it better than one of my coworkers, “I am here because I truly believe that we are all interconnected in ways we may not even be aware of. I want to be there for others and show them that we are all in this together.” Love that.
2. Dallas Trip// Mi Cocina. My twin sister and her husband drove to Dallas this weekend for a wedding shower, and my sister asked me to tag along. My visits to Dallas {my home town} have been far and few between since moving to Austin about two years ago, so I was happy to take the opportunity to catch up with some of my Dallas friends, even though it was a quick trip. We left Saturday morning, and drove back Sunday morning {early, early, early — eek!}. When we arrived, we decided to brunch at one of our old favorites, Mi Cocina. I caught up with one of my best friends from Dallas, as well as an old college roommate, her sister and husband over veggie fajitas and a Mambo Taxi {the ONLY fruity frozen adult beverage I cannot pass up – the suggestive title of “Taxi” is PURPOSEFUL}. When in Rome… It was lovely catching up with my old friends, and even lovelier to remember how many good people I have in my life. Warm fuzzies all over… and it wasn’t just the cocktail.
3. Dallas Trip // Shopping. It wouldn’t be a Dallas trip unless there was a shopping trip. Le duh! After raving about my drugstore make-up find in a previous 7 for seven, I decided it was time to return to some big-gurl make-up. I’ve never used a primer or powder before, and I’ve heard a lot of great things about this product {which was on sale — bonus!}, so I’m looking forward to finding out if this makes a difference. Anyone out there reading this ever tried this brand?
4. Dallas Trip // Reunited. One of my very best friends, the friend I’ve kept for the longest {high school friend & college roommate}, recently moved back to Dallas, so my number one priority while I was there was to try to get in touch with her. I was elated that she was available to catch up! After she got done with work on Saturday, she headed out to my parents’ house where we were staying, and we just sat around and talked for hours. I say this often about my friends, because I feel that at this point in my life I’ve learned to make much stronger choices about who I hold dear to my heart, but I truly feel honored to have her as my friend. She is an amazing mother, one of the warmest, most compassionate people I know, and she just “gets it” on every level. Ever feel like there are people in your life that can read you faster than you can read yourself? Well, she is one of them, even with years of distance.
5. Brene Brown’s Daring Greatly. Do yourself a favor and Google “Brene Brown’s TEDTalk on shame”. Brilliant. Mind blowing. Life changing. That is why, when I was searching for a new book to read in the car on the way back to Austin, I jumped at the chance to purchase her book when I saw it. With years of research under belt, she is one of the most, if not the most, knowledgeable people on the topic of shame and vulnerability. I’m guilty of pointing the finger at narcissism, as she mentions, but I agree with her that the root of narcissism is a fear of being ordinary. We live in a world of scarcity: not feeling good enough, pretty enough, strong enough, confident enough, smart enough… I love what she has to say about letting go of perfectionism, and embracing vulnerability. I’m particularly drawn to gender studies lately, and she also broached the topic of how both men and women are affected by vulnerability in different ways. I brought up the topic of the book with my sister and brother-in-law, and I was struck by my brother-in-law’s defensiveness. I have to admit that my first reaction to his claim that he has never felt that way and that men are not meant to cry threw me off and almost angered me at first. I’ve never dealt with contrary very well. However, when I took a moment to let it soak in, I felt I understood him more. The ideas of what defines a man and a woman are so deeply rooted that it makes vulnerability, especially with regards to opening up and stepping outside of those stereotypes that much scarier. The thing that separated us even more in that moment, simultaneously connected us.
6. Sunbathing. After returning from Dallas on Sunday, I took advantage of the sunny weather again and spent time at the pool. It looks like Buddy decided that it was his turn.
7. 5 More Weeks! Ladies and gentlemen, I am now counting down to summer! Five more weeks of school seems do-able, but trust me, when the kids are done with state-testing, and they too are counting down till summer, it’s going to feel like a long five weeks… Ha! However, I feel lucky to have this time to rejuvenate, even if that means I’ll probably spend the majority of my summer doing professional development and planning for next year…
We hope to inspire you to reflect on all you have to be grateful & that your week brings you even more positivity + balance + bliss! Feel free to share your seven with us as well / or even just a couple!
Have a wonderful week!
xo,
Georgia + Darlin’
