Welcome back to week 3! Happy you’re here :) I kind of struggled writing this week, but I really like the end result of this newsletter! Just a reminder that sometimes the hard things will actually make you feel better.
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Weekly Gratitude
D.C. — I’ve lived in DC on/off for close to five years now! I still find new things that I love about the city and I’m grateful that I keep getting called back.
Structure — I’ve been thinking about how different life looks compared to a year ago, and I find myself grateful for the structure that my life has taken and the routines that I’ve built.
My espresso machine <33 — low energy week means high caffeine intake!
Lesson of the Week
In full transparency, this has been a pretty low-energy week. It’s been a little hard to pull myself out of my head, but I’ve been grateful for this newsletter because it forces me to do just that.
I think my lesson for the week has been perspective.
I was ranting to a friend recently about things in my life I wish were different, but I didn’t feel much better after getting the thoughts out. I realized it’s because while my life isn’t perfect, a year ago, I would have given anything to be where I am now. It was kind of a jolt to realize that I had lost sight of everything I have and how lucky I am.
A year ago, I was living with my parents and still in the throes of job applying. I’ve been characterized as “independent” since about 7 years old and I really struggled with not having my own space and the little control I had over my life. All I wanted was for one of these job opportunities to work out and then to begin the process of finding an apartment.
And here I sit! In that very apartment, with a job that has been incredible.
This made me think a lot about last summer. At first, moving home after graduation felt like a failure to me. I had planned on landing a job that I would start right after graduating (oh naïve me) and continuing through life at the same quick pace I had been at for the last four years.
But somewhere in between processing that this plan wasn’t actually going to happen and spending time with extended family, I realized how glad I was that my “plan” didn’t work out. Even now, grateful as I am to live on my own and be working, I can’t find words to show what that time with family meant to me.
I didn’t know that I needed it, and I didn’t realize how much I would learn. It was a really special summer and I carry the things I learned with me every day.
That perspective shift and the meaning that I got from an instance where things didn’t go to plan has been a lesson, not just for this week, but really for life. I think we have a choice to find meaning in things that we go through, and to shift our perspective to start asking “why?” instead of complaining or wishing for something else.
There will always be something else that we want or something that we wish were different, but we can’t let that stop us from realizing all that we do have and the progress we’ve made so far.
Phrase of the Week
No feeling is final.
-- Rilke
*In honor of The Pairing, which is full of Rilke bits. Media I’m Consuming
Book(s): Taking a breather from fantasy, I just started The Pairing by Casey McQuiston. They also wrote Red, White, and Royal Blue which is one of my all time comfort reads. So far, The Pairing has the same level of sarcasm and tension, but with a new plot! I’ll update next week on my final thoughts, but I’m enjoying it so far.
If you’re looking for some non-fiction to accompany the romance rec from this week, let me suggest FLU by Gina Kolata. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many comparisons to the 1918 Flu pandemic circulated. Kolata’s recap of the 1918 pandemic is rife with important lessons for us and a reminder of the devastation that disease can havoc.
Podcast: Okay, not a podcast BUT!! I have been back on my NPR kick. The backstory here is I once dog sat for this adorable poodle mix who, and I promise this is real, HAD to listen to NPR when left alone. One of my top “oh my god that is SO DC moments”. In the week that I had her, I became accustomed to having it on and I understand where she’s coming from. Public radio is such a wealth of information and stories. Check out your local station!
Shows: Last week was Game of Thrones, so unsurprisingly, this week is House of Dragons. Now, I’ll admit it took me a little longer to get into this one. BUT, I just started season two, and safe to say I am obsessed!
Music: During my Tuesday yoga class, Kick it to Me by Sammy Rae & The Friends came on and I have been listening to it on repeat since! I know I included a quote from them last week, but take it as a sign that you NEED to listen.
Substack!: I can’t believe it took me until week 3 to realize that I should include a substack here… better late than never? This weeks recommendation is a throwback to my first post, where I discussed Dr. Jen Gunter’s book, Blood. She also has a BRILLIANT substack that brings important scientific facts about women’s bodies to them. I want to highlight this post, about the supplement industry. I would consider myself interested in wellness, however the “wellness” industry is incredibly toxic, and as Dr. Gutner explains, dangerous. This post is a great place to start with her substack!
Career Corner
Stay tuned to this section next week, there *might* be something exciting coming!
For this week, I wanted to recommend an online course I’ve been working through on Infodemiology. It’s geared towards public health professionals, but anyone who interacts with information online can benefit from the training.
One of the big things that encouraged me to pursue my MPH was the questions I’ve been asking about digital health information and campaigns. I work on many digital health materials, and while my organization has so many checks in place to make sure it’s accurate, I quickly learned how easy it would be to spread misinformation online. Digging deeper, it gets even more nefarious. This training has been so interesting and the more we all know, the better we can be about engaging with digital information.
It also talks about data, which I LOVE. If any of this sounds interesting, please take it! It’s free and pretty engaging.
Thanks for reading again this week!! Always happy to have you <3
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