14 Random Thoughts On A Friday Afternoon
Honesty hour—
Sometimes I feel a push-pull with this little substack o’ mine.
On one hand, I feel the desire to keep this place strictly “professional”— focusing in on the evidence-backed health information, specific nourishing recipes, and “concrete” posts that are tangible, full of value, and utilizing my doctorate degree.
But on the otherrrrr hand— I want to be casual! To connect! To share “everyday” thoughts! To be relaxed! To be open about my life! To let the typos fly! To share my innermost (or, um, just very random) thoughts! To make absolutely terrible puns!
The thing is— when I really tune into my gut—
I know these things *can* exist in tandem,
….but I trick myself into thinking people only want “one thing” from me.
either the tangible health information or the lighter, more personal side— but never both.
And, to be honest, this is a reoccurring theme in my life—
I’ve always been self-conscious about people not taking me seriously, and here’s why:
I am a naturally bubbly and lighthearted person. Which I like about myself, but it can feel “at odds” with my education, professional role, and work ethic.
I think a lot of enneagram 7s relate to this: *internally* you’re deep, responsible, and hard-working, but because you *also* approach life with humor, levity, and optimism, people often downplay your credibility.
While this isn’t a big deal in my personal life, I do think about it a lot in my professional life— including this substack!
For example, one of the reasons I was hesitant to write “personal” post as I worried it could detract and “take away from” all of the science-backed, tangible posts I’ve written.
I’ve worked really hard to build the credibility and trust online, and constantly worry that bringing in more ~PerSoNaLitY~ posts will immediately downplay my expertise? Then I also worry about seeming stuffy, boring, and pretentious when I write solely about evidence and randomized controlled trials, talk about my doctorate, etc.
But! As I’ve gotten older, I’ve gotten more comfortable and learned to embrace my “dual nature” and carving my own path.
I think I’ve found a good balance of knowing when to be serious, “buttoned up”, and straight-forward—
and when & where I can let my freeeeak flag flyyyyy! ;)
Because I am not “one thing”.
Yes, I am a jokster— but I am also incredibly organized and hard working.
Yes, I have my doctorate and I have an instagram following
Yes, I teach college courses and I write as a ~blogger~While a lot of these things are seen as opposites in society, none of these things negate the other.
I don’t have to be “either-or”, I can be “both-and”
… and *embrace* it ◡̈
Because I consistently hear that people like how I can deliver concrete, tangible information in a fun, lighthearted, easy-to-read manner… and that makes me so happy!
…but, in the same breath, I get self-conscious that I should be writing more scholarly, APA-format style on my blog to “prove” my smarts and graduate education.
But, the truth? No one wants to read that. And I don’t really want to write that way. So, here we are :)
Because I truly DO believe you can learn & grow & be intelligent & get $h!t done AND have fun along the way (cue one of my fav quotes, “whistle while you hustle”).
I DO take my goals seriously,
I DO work hard,
I AM educated,
I AM responsible
*and* I will always, always, always approach life with a spirit of laughter, playfulness, and joy!
…and a healthy dose of typos ;)
So, as I sit here today— in a small town Minnesota coffee shop, I feel like writing a rapid-fire list of things, thoughts, and ideas that are my mind this AM.
This list is verrrrrry random, off-the-cuff, and minimally edited— moreso, just a stream-of-consciousness peek into my brain on this average Friday morning.
XX,
14 RANDOM THOUGHTS:
Right now, I am in the midst of a month-long social media break, and WOWZA it feels so. dang. good. In our hyper-digital age, I find regular breaks are very good for me and serve as a bit of a “reset”. The extra time, mental space, and presence that has resulted from logging out of these apps has been so soul-filling. I highly recommend! Maybe you could take a social media break of your own this weekend? ◡̈
I had the world’s cutest, most pure interaction with a USPS post office man this past week, and I can’t stop thinking about. It wasn’t anything life-altering or overly insightful, but moreso just a genuine moment of TRUE human connection and conversation. It was a small (yet vivid) moment that uplifted my spirits and reminded me how many amazing people there are in the world.
On my summer bucket list community brainstorm, I shared a “goal” to spend at least one afternoon on the beach, laying in the sun, and reading. (AKA, my happy place.) And I’m happy to report— it happened! Not once, but twice this week. Mmmmm, simple summer days.
I am not big on using microwaves, but have needed a more efficient way of heating up leftovers. I recently got this [very adorable] 9847329874-in-1 little oven for our counter top, and we are obsessed. Air fryer, toaster, and reheating? AND it’s cute?! Yes, please.
For those who don’t know, my husband and I own a 1963 quirky mid-century modern. This week, we are getting some (noisy) projects done and wanted to be out of the house so that our baby could nap during the day. We decided to “romanticize” the fact that our house is loud, under construction, inconvenient, etc., and use it as an excuse to
