A few days ago, fending off a serious case of overwhelm, I started bullet journaling. I did so without a fancy journal, rolls of decorative washi tape, or web tutorials and downloads to guide me (there are plenty of those out there, if you’re interested). I don’t really know what I’m doing. I know that the system, at least in its most basic formulation, is fast, and it’s keeping me organized through the December crazy.
Approaching something this way—implementing it long before I feel any sense of mastery—is new for me. I’ve always struggled to make starts with things, because the perfectionist in me demands that I be proficient before I even begin. I’m all too prone to researching things endlessly and becoming so overwhelmed that I never do them at all. Or telling myself that I’ll begin this or that project “when I have time,” which is code for “when I have time to teach myself how to be perfect at it.” It’s a great way to delay things that would probably be enriching my life in the here and now, if only I’d let them.
Sourdough baking has been a similar experience. I’ve been baking loaves regularly, sometimes a couple times a week, but so far it’s the same, basic, approachable recipe that my friend Emily taught me. I am laughably far from being an expert, and I still have no idea what most sourdough bakers are talking about when I read the captions on their Instagram posts.
Years ago, the prospect of doing something at a beginner’s level and without immediate aspirations towards proficiency would have been pretty unthinkable. It’s the reason it took me so long to bake bread in the first place. Now I wonder why I haven’t been enjoying homemade bread all of these years, because being a master baker certainly isn’t a prerequisite for making delicious loaves every week.
I’ve always admired people who take the time and exercise the patience to become masters of a craft, and there’s a lot to be said for starting projects mindfully, with a sense of respect for what’s involved. But there’s a lot of wisdom and humility in making imperfect starts, too. Having always erred on the side of over-preparation, I’m now learning about what it’s like to simply give things a go, do my best, and accept the limitations of my knowledge. I might quit some stuff along the way or discover that I’m not as keen on a new pursuit as I thought I would be. It’s fine. I’ll have explored something.
I have no idea if I’ll be bullet journaling in a year, or two, or three. I may not even be doing it a month from now. But it was a breath of clarity in an otherwise hectic week (as is evidenced by the late edition of weekend reading!), and for that I’m grateful. Meanwhile, I’m giving thanks for the practice of doing things a blindly, without grand expectations, and I’m hoping that 2018 will bring me lots of fresh starts, fleeting ones and enduring ones alike.
Wishing you a fresh start or two on this Monday. Here are some of the recipes and reads that I’ve been bookmarking.
Thanksgiving has come and gone, but I’m definitely not waiting a whole year to make Abby’s scrumptious looking cranberry sweet potato oatmeal! What a delicious, wintertime combo.
I’ve made beet hummus with chickpeas, but never thought to make it with cashews. Sarah’s version looks super creamy, and it’s hard to beet that electric pink color.
Chanukah begins tomorrow, and if you’re looking for a dish to celebrate with or serve to friends, Maya’s sweet potato apple latkes with tahini drizzle look pretty wonderful.
A homemade version of the Egyptian dish kosheri. Rice, legumes, herbs: this is my kind of comfort food!
Finally, a little dessert. Hannah’s mocha nut bars look to be perfect for holiday gift boxes and edible giving, but I’m not sure I’d be able to share a batch 🙂
1. The New York Times recently published an illuminating article about the origins, growth, and some of the present day leaders of the black vegan movement.
2. For many, the holidays are a time for gathering with biological family. Others might need or wish to celebrate with chosen family or with private observances. This article offers up one person’s perspective on choosing not to “go home” for the holidays, and it’s an important reminder that seasonal self-care looks different for everyone.
3. I love the way Samin Nosrat writes about everyday culinary challenges, like learning to use garlic judiciously.
4. On the benefits of sauna bathing.
5. When my mom had a knee replacement surgery this past summer, I got a small glimpse of how important it is for doctors to offer patients a clear and evocative sense of what the realities of a procedure will be—not just abstract, statistical risks and benefits, but the actual physical experience. Kristin Puhl shares similar (and much more elegant) thoughts from a medical student’s perspective.
Enjoy, friends. I’m coming back tomorrow with an easy rice and bean dish that’s been feeding me simply and well.
xo
Happy Sunday, everyone. Hopefully this post finds you settling back into the swing of things after a busy holiday weekend, and if you’re traveling today, I hope those travels are safe and speedy. The two weeks before Thanksgiving were so hectic that I haven’t had much time to soak in the start of the holiday season, but I can feel the excitement growing. For me, getting excited about the holidays always means getting excited about holiday cooking, holiday food gifting, and celebratory recipes. I’m excited to…
For a long time, I thought of myself as someone who thrived off of being busy, very busy. At the least, I knew that I tended toward being hyper-productive, which felt sort of like the same thing. When I look back now on my post-bacc years, or my last two years at FSG, when I was working full days, taking pre-req classes at night, and blogging into the wee hours, I’m not sure how I got it all done. Surely being busy must have come…
Two Aprils ago, I sat in my apartment with a college friend who over the years has become like a brother to me, though he lives on the West Coast and we see each other only a few times each year. “You know,” he said, “I know it’s last minute and you’ll probably say no, but you should come to Passover at my Mom’s tonight.” The invitation made good sense; I’d become close to his family when we were undergraduates, and, since his…
Happy Sunday! I hope you’ve all enjoyed nice weekends. I’ve been reveling in the autumnal weather; I’m so happy that my favorite season is here. To celebrate, here’s a mixture of delectable late summer and early fall food links, most of them of the breakfast variety. Because what’s better than a cozy breakfast on a cool morning? Nothing, I say. Warm with a bowl of creamy coconut millet porridge. This looks absolutely delightful. …and if you’re not quite ready for porridge, you can savor…
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Thank you so much for the feature, Gena! I loved reading your words as always. Happy Hanukkah <3
Dear Gena, I have to tell you I went into shock almost trying to watch the directions about how to bullet journal!! It was just so orangized!! I think I might some day get a blog post out of it all. It’s funny that it keeps you sane and it scared me to death–hahaha! But seriously, I really liked . your frame about how it’s good just to dive into something without perfecting your modus operandi and just follow your nose, so to speak. So that was funny in a delightful way, too. You’re organizing yourself by bullet journaling by the seat of your pants!! And I loved that it might only last for a month. So, I’m with you on that, and laughing all the way. I really am intrigued by the Kosheri, and I loved the article about the black vegan movement. I’m going to share that myself. Happy crazy December, my friend!! lots of love
This definitely resonated with me. If I think about approaching some new activity, I easily get overwhelmed thinking that I won’t be good enough at it to even try. So I think ‘I just need to get x, or do y, or check out z’, then I will be able to do it better, which means that I almost never do.
What a great article Gena! I suffer from the same issue of not finishing or sometimes even starting something because I haven’t perfected it! Research also gets me — I will read endlessly about something before starting the project or even journal about it. I also suffered from anorexia and bulimia in my youth — now that I am older the underlying causes manifests itself it different ways. Hence — my new blog on healthy natural living — which I haven’t launched yet due to my endless recreation and pursuit of perfection! I enjoy your articles — keep them coming Gena!
It’s an honor to make your short list of weekly highlights! Hope your day is off to a sweet start- I only wish I could share one of those cookies with you in person to help with that. 🙂