Par’s Picks – 1

Admittedly, some of my favorite blog posts are the ones where the blogger shares his or her favorite articles and posts from the week (Amanda and Lindsay do a great job with this!). No matter how “connected” you are, there is no way to come across every awesome piece of writing out there. That’s why these cumulative posts are so great.

Well, I too read some shareable things every week. It’s just that most of it never gets mentioned on my inner shakti. However, that’s about to change because I’m starting a little weekly feature to highlight some of my favorite picks from around the web (get it – Par’s Picks!). And this list of links will be as random as I am and will cover everything from recipes, life, relationships, self, inspiration, health, etc.

Get ready to have fun!

Without further ado, here’s this week’s lineup of Par’s Picks.

Recipes:

A delicious marinade – Vishnu really wanted baked chicken for dinner last night, so we prepped this marinade from Ina Garten and roasted the chicken with it, all served alongside some asparagus.

Freezer chocolate PB cups – You guys, Lindsay is a creative genius! Make these ASAP. I made a batch using chopped almonds as my add-in. And DO NOT skip out on the chia seeds. They give this sweet little dessert a candy bar like texture. Yum!

Vegan cheese sauce – I haven’t made this yet, but it’s on my to-do list. The pictures alone convinced me that this needs to be in my life!

Life:

Four Ways to Change Your Mental Channel – My friend Monica sent me this article earlier this week, and I love it. For once, the ideas are easy to implement and are all things I strongly believe in. A great read!

Brene Brown: The Power of Vulnerability – I’ve watched this talk about 5 times now. It’s powerful, funny, and exactly what all of us need to hear.

Brene Brown: Listening to Shame – Another amazing talk. Again, something we all need to hear and subsequently thinking deeply about.

I loved these talks so much that I think I’m going to buy Brene’s book – Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead. And I kinda want her to be my best friend…

Health/Fitness/Body Image:

Dear Mom: I’m Sorry for Every Mean Thing I Ever Said… About Myself – This letter made me think of my momma and cry! My mom is mine and Aekta’s biggest fan, and she’s always telling us how capable, strong, and beautiful we are. And I’m not always kind to myself and she knows it. This letter will definitely make me think twice before I tear myself apart because I am 50% my mom and she is one of the greatest people I know.

5 Ways to Deal with Fat Days – We all have days where we don’t feel our best, and more likely than not, in our heads, we translate that to not looking our best. I love all of Amanda’s suggestions for dealing with those days, especially the last one!

Is running the only way to get in shape? – The short answer to this is NO. Running is one way to lose weight, but there’s a better way to lose unwanted pounds AND get stronger.

Fun:

29 Underrated Things About Being In Your Late Twenties – With the big 3-0 right around the corner, all I can say is YES!

Inspiration:

Courtesy of the Purpose Fairy Facebook page –

Have a great Saturday!