Week No. 1: Highs, Lows, and Good Reads

For Friday posts, I will post my Highs and Lows for the week and wrap it up with some interesting articles that I've come across. I try to keep this a positive space, but I also want it to be realistic. So the weekly Lows will be where I examine some of the tough times.

View from a friend's home back in October

This Week's Highs:

Career: I was able to wrap up a very long-standing project at work this week! It was a huge load off my mind. I have also forged a good relationship with a senior colleague at work, where we consult each other on a lot of our projects. It's been really fulfilling.

Health: I have meditated every day this week/year(!); I started to incorporate some strength training this week with Peloton classes (instead of solely cycling); and I have managed to stick to a consistent bedtime and waking time.

Personal: We cooked some very delicious meals this week and checked in with some friends. I had some good conversations with loved ones. After the events in DC this week, I was very thankful to see Congress reconvene peacefully. I continue to have faith in the United States and its institutions. Also, we spoke with the breeder who we are getting our puppy from, and he expects the litter to be born in the first week of March! 

This Week's Lows:

Career: Two other projects at work have escalated in a bad way over the last week, so I am hoping to maintain some peace about it and work through them.

Health: I have struggled to get outside for walks, and I have felt discouraged as I struggle to eat healthier. Tomorrow is a new day! If you have tips and advice for getting more steps in and especially for getting a handle on diet, I'll take them!

Personal: The events in DC this week were horrible. It has been very hard to understand and even harder to put out of mind. I know that enough words have been written about it, so I'll leave it at that. 

This Week's Good Reads:

I loved this story in the New York Times about a family who raises sheep on an island in Maine. Some of the photos feel like a real trip into a different time and place. 

This piece in The Atlantic has what could be called a companion piece to my guide to keeping warm! It is a helpful piece about socializing in chilly weather.

Are you doing Dry January? Or just trying to make some nonalcoholic swaps in your life? Corporette has a list of some tasty-sounding mocktails. I love hearing about the mocktail trends and the alcohol free lifestyles that some are electing to lead.

Wired has a list of the best things to watch in 2021. I'm personally pretty stoked about The Dropout and Wandavision.

Find something to delight in today. Love, A