Turkey Day, Gratitude and Joy
It’s that time of the year when everything seems to move at warp speed as we barrel towards the end of the year. We take stock. We give thanks. We cook. (We may hide during family get-togethers.)
We talk a lot about gratitude at this time of year too. There are gratitude challenges on social media, gratitude jars in people’s homes, and gratitude journals. I even have a line for each day in my planner where I’m supposed to write down something I’m grateful for.
I’m supposed to feel more positive, alive, and energetic by taking time for this gratitude practice. The truth? I don’t. Instead, it feels forced. I feel more disconnected than connected to positive emotions. The same goes for happiness practices.
Instead, I’ve been thinking a lot about joy. It’s not an emotion or feeling that I’ve paid attention to, outside of watching the movie Inside Out. Whereas happiness and gratitude feel like nebulous emotions, joy feels real. Concrete. I can pinpoint what it feels like in my body—effervescent, giggles, wide-eyed wonder.
And I realized that it’s a feeling that I’ve been chasing so I'm replacing that "gratitude" in my planner with "joy." Maybe, by noticing the joyful moments/things/experiences on the outside, it's a way to start cultivating those feelings on the inside.
What’s not so joyful? The California wildfires and its aftermath. In some ways, the Santa Rosa fire last year felt like an anomaly and yet, a year later, we’ve seen the deadliest wildfire. What's next?
The Camp Fire hits close to home in Northern California where my family lives and it breaks my heart to see my home state on fire and struggling with the air quality and the long-term health effects.
Here’s how you can help.
What I’ve Written
So you know how outdoor and athletic companies would often take men’s gear and “shrink it and pink it” to appeal to female consumers? Well, the same thing happens in biomedical science and sports science research, which I wrote about for Outside. While it’s starting to change, you’d think that by 2018, we would have made more progress by now.
You’d also think that by 2018 we would have stopped policing women’s bodies and saying what we can and cannot wear. Nope. A couple of weeks ago Rowan University caused a bit of a hubbub when they “banned” the women’s cross country team from running in sports bras during practice because—get this—it was distracting to the football team. I got to write about that too for Outside.
If you’re looking for a new yoga mat, here are the best yoga mats on the market, according to yoga teachers. I also wrote about the pescatarian diet, the relationship between stress and type 2 diabetes, how daily wellness rituals can help people with bipolar manage their condition, and WTF is jackfruit.
What I’ve Been Reading
All You Can Ever Know: I’ve been waiting to read this memoir from Nicole Chung for a while. In it, she explores what it was like to grow up as a Korean American adopted by white parents in Oregon.
“Who Gets to Live in Victimville?”: Why I Participated in a New Docuseries on The Clinton Affair (Vanity Fair): In the last year, Monica Lewinsky’s writing on her experience (and reckoning) in light of the age of #MeToo have been powerful and insightful. Her latest is too: “I believe that when we are trapped by our inability to evolve, by our inability to empathize humbly and painfully with others, then we remain victims ourselves.”
My Father's SOS—From the Middle of the Sea (Outside): This—I can’t imagine. The author’s father sets off to sail around the world single-handed. During his first leg, he sent messages to his family that pirates were boarding his boat. During the next days and weeks, they were left to wonder if sleep deprivation drove him mad...and there was nothing they could do.
How to Talk to People, According to Terry Gross (NY Times): Before I get on the phone to interview someone for an article, I try to imagine I’m Terry Gross. (Or Anna Sale).
John Green Thinks Adulthood is Underrated (Death, Sex & Money): Speaking of Anna Sale, she recently spoke with author John Green about growing up, writing, mental health, and just how he manages to connect with his massive teenage following.
Does cutting carbs really help keep weight off? The big new diet study, explained. (Vox) Low-carb. High-carb. The debate continues. While this story digs into the details about the new study, it also explains just why (and how) it’s impossible to come to solid conclusions based on nutrition and diet studies. So take it all with a strand of pasta.
Finding GRIT in the NYC Marathon and Beyond (Steph Bruce): “You know what proud is? Proud is knowing you gave everything you had, made all the right decisions you believed in the moment, and finished with no regrets. If I do that, and come out the other side, I can live with that result.”
Why So Many Adventure Athletes Are Superstitious (Outside): Seriously, what's with all the ticks and quirks and lucky socks?
Freelancers of the World, Unite in Despair! (NY Times): This is my life.
‘What Should I Watch on Netflix?’: A New Original Series (NY Times): Also my life. P.S. Do you have any recommendations for shows to watch??
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