Sitting down and writing has been a struggle for the past couple of weeks. Not because there is nothing to write about but because there may be too much. I haven’t had a lot of quiet downtime, which is what I need when I want to gather and collect my thoughts into a remotely cohesive way to share with you. And some days, it just feels nice and necessary to put all the things into a listicle.
Given the limited time I have to leisurely read the words of everyone I adore online (and I am assuming the same for you), there are days when a list is the most appreciated.
Apparently, I am at the age where looking down at my shoes makes my back go out. At first, I tried to ignore the oncoming train of pain and continue on, but we all know how that goes. Within days, my body let me know I was dealing with something much more aggressive. The injury seemed to move around my entire back. Each morning, when I opened my eyes, I would wince in fear of what new pain I would discover. Physically, it’s been a struggle, but what’s really bothersome is the emotional struggle. When I can’t move, I feel like garbage. Along with actively trying not to spiral, as we love to do as women when it comes to our bodies, I have forced myself to pivot. I took a few weeks off weight lifting and reluctantly moved over to Pilates and foam rolling, in addition to spending more time in zone two on my bike. Zone two is a nice way of saying I get to watch TV leisurely with zero guilt while clocking in minutes of fat-burning (HR 120-130). It’s pretty brilliant, but as a 47-year-old perimenopausal woman, these muscles will rapidly turn to mush if I don’t get back to strength training. For someone who loves a good sweat, this has been such a mindfuck. I am very aware that the universe is sending me a message with this setback. But the point of me sharing all this with you is that I have people in my corner who remind me that there are hiccups in life, and sometimes, I have to slow the F down and pivot without letting it fully take me down. So, if you are dealing with an unwelcome slowdown (however that looks) in your life, you are not alone. We can all scream this sucks together.
On the bright side of injury, I have discovered and rediscovered a few things/people. Two words: resistance stretching. Bob Cooley and his work is worth the rabbit hole. Along with Bob, there is Bonnie Crotzer, who studied with Bob. She is the founder of The Floss. It’s all about breaking up stagnancy throughout the fascia. I signed up for her five-day online introduction course, and I love how this work makes me feel. I’m sold and will be signing up for her subscription platform. These movements are so counterintuitive as a yoga instructor (long-long time ago), but whoa. I immediately feel more open. When I feel open and free in my body, it’s like putting on the best outfit perfectly tailored to me. And lastly, Lauren Roxburgh. She is the creator of The Aligned Life Studio. More fascia work using foam rollers, trampolines (you know I love my tramp), and various small equipment. Lauren has a lot of free classes on YouTube.
More on the fascia. Yes, movement is great, but also massage and the tools to do so. I enjoy dry brushing, though with the ever-growing list of self-care things to do, it’s one of the things I tend to drop. But with the current situation and my body feeling as if it’s going to break anytime I move - this girls gotta focus on anything and everything that is going to loosen her up. Dry brush, lymphatic drainage paddle, gua sha, roller massage stick, and my favorite trampoline. PS, don’t buy some fancy foam roller. This one from Amazon is by far my fav, and I have all the fancy ones.
As you may know, I am in my cookbook era. Not only am I honing my cooking skills, but I am also feeling super hip with all these new cool-ass ladies' cookbooks. I've even attended cookbook release parties! (Who is she???) A few weeks ago, my husband and I attended Jess Damuck's newly released Health Nut book event with Molly Baz (the hippest of all hip chefs right now) and the hilarious Benny Blanco (for the younger readers, he is Selena Gomez's boyfriend). As my husband and I took our seats, another couple sat beside us and immediately started chatting. They were older, but one couldn't help feeling the vitality of the two of them. I knew my husband was immediately smitten, being the ultimate social butterfly. The man turned out to be the photographer for the book Health Nut, Roger Steffens. Roger is a Renaissance man, but he is most known for his work with Bob Marley and co-founding The Beat Magazine. Look him up. He's a hoot. His wife sat next to him (not so quietly), whispering to him, "Enough." The dynamic was familiar, and it felt like we were sitting next to our future selves.
I don’t know where it’s been hiding, but I only recently discovered Hello Gloria. Which I think is one of the best online magazines. In an article titled The Radical Decision That Upended My Life, I was hooked right in. The story was about a 40-something single woman who left her NYC life and moved to the island of Menorca and wrote a cookbook. What!? Sign me up. Before even finishing the story, I purchased her cookbook. What can I say? Cookbook era! It’s beautiful and anything from or about the Mediterranean, I am in. I reached out to the author to tell her how much I loved her story and let her know that when she decided to host a cooking retreat on an island in the Balearic Sea, I would be the first to sign up. The Author is Yasmine Fahr, and her cookbook is Cook Simply, Live Fully.
The act of contacting strangers via the internet. I find so much joy in reaching out to other women to tell them how much I appreciate their work, whether they are writers, online creators, friends in the grind, or whoever inspires me. The energy exchange is so beautiful when sharing gratitude for another woman with that woman.
Speaking of the Mediterranean,
just dropped her Bric-a-Brac 69 - the colors and flavors of the Mediterranean summer, and I am DYING. This is one of my favorite substack publications, and I savor everything they share. This substack contributed to a lot of my travel choices last year. Yolanda’s publication also has a real-life, hold-in-your-hand quarterly magazine titled Yola Journal. Also, in this recent Mediterranean article, one of my favorite photographers, Lucy Laucht, chimes in with her expertise on all things Mediterranean. And another new cookbook has been ordered….thank you, Rebekah Peppler (another contributor)! She also has a new substack . Shit, make that two new cookbooks. Le Sud: Recipes from Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur and her first from 2021, A Table: Recipes for Cooking and Eating the French Way.The cooking journey for this 47-year-old newbie started out hot. I was taking in as much as I could from anywhere I could. Then the overwhelm set in, and the realization that even though I wanted to learn a lot, I had to pull in the reigns. As much as I want to know how to make these delicious meals, my metabolism is not the same as it used to be. Plus, my need for simplicity far outweighs any fancy recipe out there that’s tantalizing my tastebuds. No matter how hip the chef is. But it’s still not stopping me from purchasing every pretty cookbook I can get my hands on. Nourish: Simple Recipes to Empower Your Body and Feed Your Soul: A Healthy Lifestyle Cookbook has the simplicity I am looking for on the daily.
Another great find via Hello Gloria (yes, you should have already subscribed) is my new favorite substack
- anything with attitude and sass for us midlifers, and I am all over it.I am working on a newsletter on decluttering our spaces, but I want to share the $30 basket that singlehandedly gave me a new outlook on how I show up daily. Sneak peek: Separate all the clothing you love to wear but would die if anyone saw you in from all your other clothing. Only display the clothes that make you feel amazing when you wear them.
After years of planning, starting, and getting shut down for different reasons, my husband started filming his movie this week. I have watched from the sidelines how he has navigated this whole experience. I am literally watching another human go through the ups and downs of fulfilling his ultimate dream. Right now, I see a man who is waking up and doing exactly what he wants to be doing with his life, and IT IS FIRE to be a witness. His energy is palpable. The team that has come together on this project, which was initially going to be an uber small, uber low-budget cast/movie, has now blossomed into something no one could have dreamt up. The caliber of people who signed up to be part of this project is impressive. People left other gigs to be part of this because they loved it. Financing showed up at the last minute. And the donations, not of money (there’s that too) but the equipment, the support, the people, the time, the knowledge. It is the most inspiring thing I have seen in a long time. I can’t wait for this to be shared with the world! Every once in a while, I will update here in my IG stories.
AFTER Magazine is such a brilliant concept, and I am so happy for those who started it. It is a great reminder that not everything needs to live on social media. I am thrilled to see this AF movement move offline and into real life.
And speaking of taking this AF movement offline and into real life. I am happy to report that earlier this year, I signed on the dotted line for the next SOBER GLOW RETREAT. I can’t wait to share the details soon(ish). For now, it’s on the DL. But you, dearest reader, will be the first to know.
Below is Lucy Laucht's beautiful work, which captures the heart and soul of the Mediterranean. You can also pre-order her first book here!
If you love to listen to highly creative people and their processes, I fully enjoyed this podcast episode with Lucy discussing it all.
Joyfully, M