It’s been a while since I’ve written a Mid-Week Inspiration post, so I thought it was about time I share a few of the things that have been inspiring me lately!

The Nester – Oh my goodness ya’ll. I had the incredible honor and sweetest surprise this weekend to be featured on Myquillyn’s site! Whoa. I’ve been following her blog for a year or so now, and read her fabulous book last summer. If you haven’t heard of The Nesting Place, go pick up a copy today! I read it at just the right time last year and it’s really helped me to embrace this season that Tim and I are in.

We’ve felt like our living situation has been so temporary for the past few years, so I had been avoiding putting things up on the walls, unpacking boxes, and the like. After reading her book, I created a gallery wall in our dining room and one in our living room, I began unpacking more of our things, and I started to fully embrace our current space – in all its ugly-wood-paneled-1970s glory. Even just this past week I unpacked all our books (they’d been in boxes since we lived in Seattle over three years ago!) and began decorating our front hall with a couple antique store finds and a hand-lettered piece I created. All that to be said, if you need a little (or a lot) of encouragement to step past your fear, embrace the space you’re in, and learn how to make it beautiful with what you have, go read Myquillyn’s blog and buy her book. You can thank me later.

This Ted Talk – Finding my Analog Self in a Digital World. Brian Faherty, owner and founder of Schoolhouse Electric, speaks about the increasing difficulty of getting away from technology, and its impact on our connectedness with others. He argues that technology and our increasing connectedness to the entire world is decreasing our connectedness with those around us. Yes and yes. He’s really on to something.

He speaks about a desire to create digital-free zones – places and times to disconnect from technology and reconnect with others. I resonate deeply with his sentiments. I find it’s all too easy to be on my phone or on the computer and realize at the end of the day that I haven’t even really looked up or stepped away to have a meaningful connection with Tim or my friends or family. I crave time away from all the screens – time to have a real conversation with a friend, share a meal, or enjoy a new experience.

Our Garden – After writing about Brian Faherty’s Ted Talk above, I realize that our garden is sort of my “digital-free zone.” It’s a place I can get away from the computer, dig around in the dirt, reconnect with the changing of the seasons and the patterns of the weather. It’s a place where I get to practice mindfulness – a discipline that I’m so naturally drawn to, but I so often neglect.

Taking care of this little rectangle of dirt is extraordinarily rewarding. With just a little time and attention, some sun and some water, we’ll have spinach and peas and carrots and beets and tomatoes and peppers and cucumbers and basil and the list goes on. We get to rejoice in seeing this little plot of empty dirt transform over the next several months, from death to life, from empty and barren to overflowing with color and sustenance. What a joy.

Marie Forleo – If you’re an entrepreneur, a business owner, a blogger, or curious about being and doing any of those things, you should check out Marie’s blog. I’ve been watching her videos non-stop the past couple weeks. She’s hilarious and engaging, unabashedly herself, and incredibly encouraging – particularly to women entrepreneurs. Fair warning – the “unabashedly herself” can sometimes include some language. The advice and encouragement she has to offer is well worth your time though.

One of the videos I watched recently was so affirming to me. She calls herself a “multi-passionate entrepreneur” and goes on to explain all the things she loves to do. I resonated so much with that – I love photography and videography, food and sharing recipes with others, hand-lettering and calligraphy, sitting and listening to other people’s stories, and on and on. Simply hearing an extraordinarily successful woman share that she too has a ton of passions was so encouraging!

Now, onto the margarita-making! This recipe is my go-to for margaritas – it’s simple, fresh, and delicious! You can use any type of grapefruit – we just happened to buy these blush-colored ones the day I photographed this recipe. If you use a darker colored grapefruit, your margarita will be even more pink! Some people don’t like the tart flavor the lime can give to a margarita, so I suggest using Rose’s lime juice instead of fresh lime if you like your margarita to be a little sweeter! And if you don’t like grapefruit at all – try this recipe anyway! I’ve gotten rave reviews on it, even from friends who claimed they hate grapefruit!

Grapefruit Margarita

Adapted from Apartment 34

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Servings 1

Ingredients

  

• 2 oz 1/4 c Tequila
• 2 oz 1/4 c fresh squeezed grapefruit juice
• 1 oz 2 Tbs fresh squeezed lime juice (or Rose's lime juice, if you like a sweeter margarita)
• 1/2 oz 1 Tbs Triple Sec
• 1/2 oz 1 Tbs agave
• kosher salt for salted rims

Instructions

 

• (Optional step) Place kosher salt in a small dish. Rub a lime wedge around the lip of your empty glass. Flip your glass over and place the top of it into the salt. Rub it around a few times to ensure the salt sticks to your glass.
• Place the rest of the ingredients in a shaker with ice, cover and shake vigorously. Pour over ice and serve.

Notes

You can easily double this recipe to make two margaritas in one shaker.

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