the tea with honey: the quiet infusion
is it too early to break out the Charlie Brown specials?
Welcome honey bee!
Happy fall, y’all! As a deep southerner, I felt obligated to say that…or type that…whatever. Today marks the beginning of autumn, aka the autumn equinox. The days will begin to stretch lazily toward the end of the year, bringing with them a crispy freshness in the air, the crunch of leaves, and the profound desire on my part to transform into an old lady. Unfortunately, I made big plans for my life for the end of this year, so it’s my time to lock in before I tweak out. I definitely want to avoid burnout, so I’m going to continue to take things one step at a time. This year as flown by, and it is due in large part to the many transformations and revelations I have had over the course of the weeks and months passing. In growing and transmuting within my chrysalis over the past nine months, I have become increasingly aware of the fact that my old ways of being simply no longer fit. This adjustment has been jarring in someways, but extremely natural in others. I feel more aligned with and sure of my path than I’ve ever felt, which is both profoundly exhilarating and terrifying. My daily habits have more than signaled that I am a different person than the one I began the year as. Gone is the social media addiction. Gone are (majority of) the thoughts that somehow I am inherently less worthy, less accomplished, less important. I have shed so much of what no longer fits during this year and made room for so much that does. So, even if my grand plans for quarter three don’t come to pass, I can rest in the knowledge that the internal work done this year has brought me even closer to what is meant for me. Asé.
Now, onto the recap of last week.
Nutrition: The first iteration of the caramel macchiato overnight oats was a huge success! I’m going to play around with them a few more times, but a real recipe is forthcoming. Randomly, I rediscovered my moderate obsession with sunflower seeds, and I definitely will be adding them to the rotation. For a treat this week, I got Thai food from my favorite spot, but tried Pad See Ew instead of my usual Pad Thai. It was great, and I enjoyed the wider noodles, but I missed the tamarind and palm sugar flavor from Pad Thai. My cravings were mild otherwise, but I have noticed (not for the first time) that I can be a bit of an emotional eater. Any tips for dealing with that?
Movement: Movement wasn’t great this week. I did manage to go for one run, but work was so busy that I was pulling extra hours which messed up my schedule severely. I was both waking up and getting home later, preventing me from at least getting outside to walk the dog. It didn’t feel great! Unfortunately, the lululemon girlies are right about sufficient rest and movement. Learning to balance everything will take practice, and I am aware things will always be in flux. It’s most important for me to prioritize my wellness as much as possible because things tend to suffer when I don’t. What part of your wellness routines are nonnegotiable?
me on my walks Ritual: I recommended a podcast episode in the past two newsletters which outlines how to write a letter to your subconscious mind. The two major parts of my life where I believe my subconscious mind takes over in my decision making are in impulse spending and neglecting the health and wellness goals I have set. I took the time to write the letters for both those areas and have been referring to them in times when I want to make decisions that are antithetical to my goals. MAJOR key. I am able to intercept the behavior before I head down the usual cycle, which helps not only push me toward my goal, but also boost my confidence in sticking to the goals I’ve set for myself and shifting my identity (shoutout Atomic Habits by James Clear). I have paired reading the letters with a newer ritual to my wellness routine: breath work. I’ve found that taking a moment for a few deep breaths is amazing for calming down and coming back to the present moment when anxiety is rising. While it’s not a cure all, it definitely slows everything down for a moment before they spiral out of control. How do you recenter yourself during times of stress (asking for me)?
what’s tea for next week?
on the menu:
Avocado Toast and Eggs: “I got a teeeexxttt” (iykyk). I’m going to cosplay my life as a Love Islander and have avocado toast and eggs for brekky this week. The increased omega 3s will aid in regulating the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine to help combat the mood swings I’ll definitely be feeling. This breakfast will be quick, filling, and satiating.
Green Goddess Chickpea Salad: I’m late to the green goddess salad trend, but I am excited to have a big bowl of green goodness for lunch! The potassium from the leafy greens will help combat bloating heading into my menstrual phase. I’m going to bump up the protein in the salad by including chickpeas. Menstrual phase constipation, who? (tmi sawri)
Red Curry Dumpling Soup: I’m remixing the Thai Red Curry soup for dinner by adding frozen dumplings and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and bok choy.
A little nosh: Snacks this week will revolve around dark chocolate, nuts, and yogurt. I want to work with my cravings, not against them. Of course, tea will be a major player as well with Red Raspberry Leaf tea front and center. I’m also trying out the Califia Matcha Almond Latte to reduce my morning routine time, but ensure I still get my matcha fix.
on the schedule:
Aligned Action: We’re rapidly approaching the end of the year, and I am calling in major transformations and changes for Q3. The menstrual phase is perfect for reflection, planning, and introspection, and I will utilize this time to solidify the plans I need to execute moving forward. I’m a Capricorn girlie so I believe thoroughly in calculated risks, so once I do my part of taking care of the basics, I strive to get out of the way for divine intervention.
Movement: Low impact is the name of the game this week. I will lean all the way into slow walks at my favorite park, yin yoga flows, and lots of rest. As I head into my menstrual phase, it's important to follow my body's lead and to not push myself to do too much.
Wellness: I know that my moods will be fluctuating even more this week, so journaling will be at the tippy top of my to-do list. My work schedule has been more demanding over this last month, and my sleep has greatly suffered. I’m going to attempt to get even more strict with a set bedtime and reduced blue light exposure before bed and after rising to try and support my need for restorative rest. Finally, I will be obnoxiously carrying around a giant water bottle to ensure I remain hydrated, and I will also be experimenting with electrolyte tablets to see if I notice a difference.
honey’s favorites
I wanted to share a few of my favorites over the last week!
Movies: Since I will be slowing alllll the way down this week, I plan to curl up with a few of my comfort movies. I want to lean into the cozy vibes so I’m thinking The Photograph and Kiki’s Delivery Service.
Music: Sunset Tim of the for the healthy hoes podcast recently released an EP, and I've been obsessed with it low-key.
Books: Still working my way through the The Power of Your Subconscious Mind by Dr. Joseph Murphy. So far, so good!
Podcasts:
Self Indulgent Podcast: Questioning your life path and sitting with uncertainty
for the healthy hoes podcast: take care of your energy
For the love of YouTube:
see ya’ll next Sunday with the fresh tea! thank you for reading <3.
My favorite way to recenter is to take a minute to breathe and to touch grass. 💖 its just so easy to get caught up in my head so when im able to ground myself and remember I am a soul on floating rock things seem a little less… intense!