Thought I’d break up the string of recipes posts (which you should check out and make!!), and sprinkle in one of my classic brain dump/thought organizer blogs. Yes, the cats out of the bag, my entire blog is run on a whim of emotion and spark of passion.
And by that overly elaborate statement I mean; my posting/content/blogging is fully directed by wherever my creative energy feels drawn. Sometimes, that may be towards writing about stances, thoughts, shareable knowledge, nutrition, etc. Sometimes that might be recipe-testing a banana muffin again and again and again until I perfect a recipe I love and can proudly share with you, who I also love. I’ve always wanted Mads Eatz to be a reflection of myself, wherever I am presently at in life. I want what I put out there to be representative of my beliefs, even if they may flow against the current. So, if you follow along, and read what I write, know that you’re going through it with me, wherever we both may be.
Speaking of currents (refer to two sentences before for a refresher), I am currently safe & stuck at home with my mother and brother. The nation is beginning to open back up, and with it comes a new normal. I hear a lot of people, sometimes myself included, exclaim boldly and recklessly that “I can’t wait for thing to go back to how they were before.” This is no bueno. Do not get me wrong in the slightest, I am SO so SO so excited to go sit in a coffee shop or stroll a farmer’s market or lounge around a bar with my friends and drink vodka sodas. I can’t wait to embrace loved ones and be close to those that mean the most to me.
However, with all the things that are about to be brought back in, now is also an incredibly important time to evaluate and figure out what we would like left out. Let me explain.
Creating a “new normal” does not refer solely to the way in which we will handle ourselves when out in the general population, aka safe-distancing, mask-wearing, etc. Creating a “new normal” allows us the opportunity to evaluate ourselves, our surroundings, and figure out what we have outgrown and wish to leave behind. Creating a new normal also means identifying areas in our life that may have been neglected, or that you realized you truly cannot live without, and giving those items the attention and power they deserve.
It’s figuring out what we are okay with keeping, what we want to add and emphasize, and what must go.
It makes me a little sad that it took a pandemic and halting of life as we know it to take the time to do some necessary self-reflection. As I’ve spoken on before, I’m a mover, shaker, over-compensator. I go. And I go so more. And I run myself tired. And then I go a little further. And I pack my schedule and mind so full that the notes section of my iPhone is just a string of “to-do’s” I will probably never get through.
So, here I sit, pen to paper, finger to keyboard, and share with you what I hope to bring with me as life shifts into a new, new. I hope my reflection encourages you to do the same. Hey, feel free to even go off of what I list. The points are pretty universal, I think, maybe, we’ll see!
So, here is what I hope for.
I hope that I never again take for granted time spent with my loved ones.
While this is not where I expected to be post-grad, couch-surfing at my mom’s place, I’ve also become keenly aware of how much I love being around my family, even when we bicker, moan, & b*tch. (censored myself there, ya welcome). At no other point in my life is this going to happen again, and since I am here I am going to soak it all up. Every ice cream run. Every trip to the city for takeout. Every late-night laugh/chat/hang when the stir-crazy keeps us all up. I am glad I am able to go through this with them. I am incredibly fortunate, and this time has emphasized that in every way. I also cannot WAIT to see those that I have been unable to during all of this. I will never again refuse a coffee date, afternoon stroll, or random Facetime. Human connection is one of the biggest parts of being, well, human. We crave to be with and interact with others, so feeding this need is essential to overall health and happiness. Yes, health!!
I hope I send love letters often.
I think my favorite thing in the entire world is sending and receiving mail. There is something so utterly sweet and pure about receiving a card and hand-written note from another. It is such a loving and personal thing to do for someone. Yes, you can easily shoot a text and check-in, but how thrilling is it to get a letter? A person wrote a note, went to their mailbox, and shipped it straight to you. Is that not the coolest thing ever when ya really think about it? A card adorned with congrats, happy’s, thank you’s and get wells galore. I have sent out a lot of letters and care packages during this time. I even organized a Mads Eatz Coffee Exchange so that others could connect with new friends, shop local, and share in the love of really good coffee. So, if you get anything from this blog, send someone a love note. Or a like note. Or just a note!
I hope I continue to shop small first.
It has been incredible to see the outpouring of support for small business during this time. But, it cannot fade in importance as time goes on. They are truly the life blood of our communities. The larger franchises can survive times like these. The small mom and pop shops will not without our support. Frequent your local corner market. Buy coffee beans from your local roaster. Continue Takeout Tuesday, forever and ever and ever. Become their biggest cheerleader and #1 fan. We have the power to determine where our cashflow goes. So, put it into small business. Put it into raising up our communities. Always shop small first.
I hope I multi-task less.
I am queen of doing too many things at once.When I am watching tv, I am also normally cooking, or doing homework, or scrolling on Instagram. I am not the most talented and being still or singularly focused on one task at a time. As quarantine went on and on, I began to notice just how often I used multi-tasking as a coping mechanism for heightened feelings of distress/uncertainty. When I don’t want to focus on my feelings, I do. And by doing, I distract. So, I decided to challenge this. Instead of scrolling on my phone while watching a movie, I put it down, and really paid attention. I allowed myself to be present and focused on one singular task at a time. When I made my morning coffee and ate breakfast, I turned off the podcast and let silence, as well as my thoughts, trickle in and brighten the day ahead. Being a multi-tasker has gotten me this far and I am very thankful for that, but I truly think I will be a more productive and present human if I can do one thing at a time, rather than do a couple things, half-assed, all at once.
I hope empathy is always embraced.
I think we sometimes forget the importance of empathy. Empathy, if you were not aware, is the ability to share in and understand the feelings of another. This time has truly shown the importance of this attribute. Every single person is being affected in a different way by this and have all experienced loss. A couple weeks ago, I began working at a grocery store to pack away some extra money for grad school. (I know. What a Madeline move. Run towards the fire and not away) This job has given me a first-hand account as to how wonderful some can be and utterly awful others can be when placed under duress. Everyone is going through some different level of grief right now, and empathy is the only way to see past your own cloud and be cognizant to the struggles of others. Everyday, I meet these incredibly optimistic humans that, despite it all, have a cheery smile on their face and warmth in their tone. They aim to raise themselves and others up, no matter the challenge at hand. We so often sweat over the little things. Life is changing for everyone in different ways, so DO NOT take out your anger on those around you. Do not throw a fit if your groceries were not bagged exactly to your liking because the employee just started and is still figuring it out. (coughcoughsideeyecough) Do not leave a poor review for a restaurant that may have taken longer than usual to get you your pizza because they are incredibly understaffed. With all of your will and might, do your best to be empathetic. See the good. Spread the good. BE THE GOOD. An old coach of mine recently dropped this little knowledge bomb on me. “You can either be the candle that creates the light, the mirror that reflects it, or the wind that puts it out.” Don’t be the latter.
I hope I challenge my biases.
We as humans are like the bionic man. We scan and seek out connection based off of a single sweep of the eye. We have a tendency to lean towards those that appear to be like us, though this may not be the best for us. Wearing masks has changed all of this. It is incredibly hard to make an assumption about another when you can’t see their face or read their expressions. Being biased is easy. Challenging our bias is the real trick. Evaluate those in your life that appear to fit, but may not actually add in value. Open yourself up to others who ~seem~ different, because you could find out they bring everything into your life and more. Act in kindness rather than apprehension. We are not all the same, but we all have value. Humans are amazing! Let more of them in.
I hope we celebrate one another more.
The big things. The little things. The things that mean nothing to us but everything to someone else. I graduated from college last weekend and was (clearly) unable to walk across the stage, accept my diploma, and celebrate this achievement with friends and family over dinner and drinks. Being as I am human and have feelings, I was pretty down about the lackluster finale to my undergraduate career. But, being the kind-hearted, empathetic woman, my mother is, she took it upon herself to organize a Zoom graduation party to combat this blues. She invited some of my closest friends and family to toast, share in a favorite memory of me, and proclaim their hopes for my future. I cried the happiest of tears the entire time. I was so uncomfortable at the thought of a celebration focused on me in this way. But, all of these people who I love and love me got together and made what could have been a dreary day an absolutely magical one. I will never forget their words. I will never forget how they made me feel. Celebrate everything, whenever you get the chance. Every achievement is of importance to someone, and if we are empathetic (!!!), we too can share in their joy.
While there are a billion other little notes I could make about my hopes for the new normal, these points are currently of the most pertinence to my life and growth. We are all in this together. We will all get through this together. If you need a love note, let me know. If you want to Facetime, let me know. I celebrate each of you, today and every day. If you read this all the way through, thanks for joining in. I hope our best selves bud from the new normal that we get the chance to dictate. I love you all! So much.
XOXO – Mads