New Series! Listen, Learn, Read, Eat.

This week I wanted to share a few things that I'm currently loving. In our new series: Listen, Learn, Read, Eat, we'll be offering up ideas on how to add just a little bit of joy into your busy week. If you're looking for some mid-week inspiration keep on reading!

Listen: Cultivate Your Life with Lara Casey

I run three mornings per week and this nasty cold weather has forced me to stay on an indoor track most of the time. Man, does this get boring! For the first couple of weeks of running I listened to a Spotify playlist I had made. Without keeping up on adding new music to this playlist, it soon just added to the boredom of running 36 laps around the small track. I listen to podcasts during every other activity I do so I thought, “Might as well switch it up and choose some to listen to while running.” I’ve read Lara Casey’s books and I am a Powersheet enthusiast. Lara just started a podcast of her own about taking control of your life and making things happen. I was worried that I’d be bored just listening to someone talk while I run, but it turns out that it just facilitates thinking time and good ideas. Talk about maximizing my time!

Learn: Indoor plants that are difficult to kill

I’ll be honest, I’ve killed every succulent and houseplant I’ve ever owned. I even took a home-horticulture class last semester where we started our own herb gardens and were given instructions on how to care for them at home. Guess what happened to the cute little garden? Everything was wilty and brown just a few weeks after it left the safety of the classroom. I love having plants in my house, but why am I so terrible at caring for them?? Well, I decided that 2019 was going to be the year for me to become a better plant mom. I’ve been doing a little research about how to restart my herb garden and actually keep it alive. I may take in some houseplants like these, but I’m making sure to start small in order to give them the attention they need. My goal is to start my own “apartment farm” this summer where I can grow tomatoes and possibly other vegetables on my balcony. Wish me luck!

Read: High Performance Habits by Brendon Burchard

Let me start by saying that this book will TOTALLY change the way you think. I actually listened to this book on Spotify, but I plan to read the hardcover copy this year for a refresher. This book is backed with science to help you discover how to be more productive and maximize your time in order to find joy in your life. You can listen to the audiobook for free with a Spotify membership or you can purchase a hardcover copy here for just the price of shipping. I’m not even being paid to say this, but seriously, make this one a priority read!

Eat: Sesame Chicken and Broccoli

I pack my lunch every day of the week so it’s suuuper easy to grow tired of eating the same thing or just lose the motivation to actually make a lunch I’ll look forward to eating. I scour Pinterest each week for new ideas but most often times I come across unattainable, perfect photos of recipes that will take all day to prepare and end up soggy within an hour. Enter this delicious sesame chicken and broccoli dish. This recipe was surprisingly simple and didn’t take long to prepare at all! Best of all, it made for an exciting new take on packed lunch and was tasty when enjoyed both cold or warm. I served it over jasmine rice and packed grapes on the side to make the lunches complete.

Hopefully you're feeling inspired to go out and listen, learn, read, or eat something new this week! Let me know in the comments below what you're currently loving!