Sunday Snippets #8
Sober Summer Update, Inside Out 2, Non Fiction Rules and Water-skiing Squirrels
1. Sober Summer Update
My first craving since launching “Cindy’s Sober Summer” came in Bloomington Indiana last week when my daughter Monica ordered an ice cold beer 🍺 on a 90+ degree day. Of course, the restaurant did not have a single non-alcoholic alternative on its menu 🫤 so I found myself staring straight into the face of a craving. 🥴 I took a sip of her brew then decided to take a pause and simply be with my craving. I noticed the “little voice in my head” 📣 that said, “It’s just a beer and it’s not going to kill you. Just have one and enjoy the dinner with your daughter.” I simply noticed the voice but did not let it take me for a ride. I chose to acknowledge it, settle into our table and look over the menu.
Cravings may seem like they can last forever but if you let them in and sit with them, it takes a lot less energy than fighting them. 🤺 Before long, Monica and I were engaged in a fun conversation and my thoughts of that beer dissipated and lost their power over me. I am not saying that this is always easy. I credit my decade long mindfulness practice as being a huge help with my Sober Summer. A mindfulness practice can be instrumental when it comes to gaining some distance from those powerful thoughts that we all have. If you find that the voice in your head is causing undue stress and worry, then check out the Unwinding Anxiety App. The Unwinding app has taught me how to operationalize mindfulness in a practical and helpful way. For those of you who have considered meditation, check out the app Insight Timer. It’s free and loaded with hundreds of guided meditations. I absolutely love it and used it last night when I could not sleep. 😴
One more discovery in my Sober Summer journey is a FANTASTIC New York Times best-selling book called, “Quit Like a Woman” by Holly Whitaker. It’s a compelling look into how our drinking culture hurts woman and how traditional approaches like AA may not be a great solution for many woman. Whether you are interested in giving up alcohol or not, Holly’s lessons and takeaways can be applied to many life challenges that woman face today. Definitely worth the read!
Teens, Tweens and Parental Stress
My husband and I along with two of our kids saw the new movie, “Inside Out 2” last week. If you have teens or tweens, I encourage you to see the movie. This animated film follows the inner life and complex emotions of its main character Riley who is now 13 years old. (two years older than her character in the original, “Inside Out.”)
“Inside Out 2” does a wonderful job normalizing the teen experience for us parents so that we can understand and see that mercurial emotions are an important part of being a “normal” teenager. As a parent, I know how easy it is to overreact to emotional teens when they are having a “moment”. It’s hard to see our “children” in turmoil. We just want to jump in and make it all better.
One of the most valuable resources we have as parents is a child psychologist by the name of, Lisa Damour, PHd who consulted on the “Inside Out 2” Movie. She is Cleveland based and has a wonderful podcast titled, “Ask Lisa”. She recently released a fabulous book titled, “The Emotional Lives of Teens.” When I’m at a loss on how to handle things with my 16 year old son, I always consult with Lisa!
I ❤️ Non Fiction Books
You may have noticed that I am a big fan of non-fiction. I’d guess that 90% of the books that I read are non-fiction. 🤷♀️ I stumbled across a wonderful website/newsletter called A Book a Week. 📚As stated at the top of their website, their mission is “Every Thursday, deep dive into the insights and actionable takeaways of one top-rated book to challenge your mindset, elevate your life, and become a more informed and happier you.” So if you are interested in non-fiction but don’t really want to read an entire book, check out this website. Here is one of their actionable takeaways from a book that I read several years ago titled, “Maybe You Should Talk To Someone” by psychotherapist Lori Gottlieb.
A water Skiing Squirrel 🐿️
Now that we are firmly into the dog days 🐶 of summer, let me introduce you to a water skiing squirrel with a reminder to always wear a life preserver 🛟 when participating in water activities! Enjoy.
☮️🩷
Cindy
Hi Cindy - Thanks for today's Sunday Snippets. FYI, I also really like Insight Timer. Even if at times, it's just the daily quote which they deliver to me in the morning. Other times, it's a short meditation. There are so many good ones out there on their site. And thanks for the recommendation of the Unwind app. I've downloaded it and plan to check it out this week. AND, I just signed up for "A book a week" Sounds right up my alley. Love to read your Habit Hub. Have a great week! Eileen