FIVE THINGS I LOVED
- the blueberry crumble pie I made for the 4th of July
- hand-sewing my scrap quilt while listening to podcasts or Youtube videos (I’m like an old lady sitting by the radio, ha!)
- excitement for the upcoming school year
- a refreshed living room arrangement
- a well-deserved martial art belt promotion for my son
FIVE LESSONS I LEARNED
- It is so satisfying to enjoy the fruits of your labor. // Summer is in full swing and we’ve been enjoying so many delicious things from the garden. We also got our first pig back from the butcher and wow, so delicious! There really is no comparison.
- I’m glad we’re not full-time chicken farmers. // We love raising our own food but man oh man, are we tired of moving/feeding/watering broilers, ha! Processing day is set for mid-August and we will be so happy to be done with chicken for 2022.
- I feel my best with intermittent fasting. // I don’t restrict myself severely and even have a sweet treat here and there, but just paring down the eating window really helps.
- Comparison is the thief of joy. // Blame it on my exhaustion from six months of constant work, but I fell into the comparison trap after hearing about a friend’s carefree, successful, monetarily abundant life. I’m generally at peace with where I am in life, but that conversation sent me on a spiral of “What am I doing wrong?” questioning before I quickly pulled myself out of that destructive thought process. Our lives are not the same and that’s okay. I need to be okay staying in my own lane.
- There is an eating disorder related to the “clean eating” movement. // I watched this older video about orthorexia nervosa, a fixation on “clean living” which can spiral into other eating disorders. Apparently, it is on the rise due to social media influencers. So sad.
FIVE GOALS FOR AUGUST
- Try to blog every weekday. I’ve wanted to try a “Write 30 Days” challenge all year and every month felt too full. August won’t be any different, but I’m going for it anyway!
- Complete a “low buy” month.
- Get some animals off the property. Fiona will be headed to the pig processor and we’ll be processing broilers 2.0. We’ll welcome the break.
- Finish as many homestead projects as possible. So many half-finished projects! I’d like to sow the seeds for the fall garden, continue laying woodchips and compost in the food forest, and construct the permanent pig shelter.
- Start school!
Looking forward to you #1 goal!
I’d love to hear more about what your intermittent fasting looks like. I have recently taken on the task of losing some weight so I can more comfortably accompany Jack on his school trip to Greece/Rome/Italy and I like the idea of having “off” hours for eating.
I understand so much of your momentary comparing. It’s so hard not to do. I have to be so mindful when I notice the green in my eyes. Haha!
I follow the 16/8 method of intermittent fasting, which means an 8hr eating window and 16hrs off. I start eating at 10am and am finished by 6pm. I’m not a crazy person about it and don’t freak out if I’m still eating dinner at 6:15, but it helps to have the general parameters. I do have morning coffee (with a splash of coconut milk) and water, but won’t eat food until 10. I try to focus on good, nutrient dense meals and nothing is off limits, but I try to be aware of what I’m eating and when I reach that satisfied area. After the initial period of getting used to a new routine, I’ve found it pretty easy to adapt into my everyday life. Let me know if it works for you!