5 on a Friday – A Book, A Thought, and More

Happy first Friday in January 2023! I hope your first week of the new year was restful, easy (as possible), and fun.

I’m kicking off the year with what I hope will be a regular series of posts on the blog. Today I’m calling it ‘5 on a Friday.’ I may change my mind on the title later, but essentially, every Friday I’ll share random things from the week that seem interesting (well, to me!). I LOVE it when other bloggers write these kinds of posts because I always walk away with something new – an idea, a product, a recipe, etc.

With that, here are today’s 5 things…

A Book

Y’all! Michelle Obama’s newest book is a gem. The Light We Carry feels a lot like Becoming in that it really comes across like a conversation with a close girlfriend. But the learnings, tips, and takeaways from this new book are just…wow! And I’m only a little less than half way through. Highly recommend this one!

A Thought

My toxic trait is that I feel like at the end of any disagreement or moment of discomfort with another human, I’m the one to blame. And I ruminate on that thought, creating stories and rabbit holes, etc.

I recently read somewhere that that kind of thinking is just as narcissistic as thinking nothing is ever your fault because you’re still making it all about you. THIS BLEW MY MIND because I’ve never thought of myself as a narcissist. But it makes total sense.

So I’m leaving this kind of thought pattern in 2022, and going forward, I’m going to work on my communication, my self-talk, as well as look at the situation from a 360 degree perspective. I think this will leave less space for making it my fault (re: about me).

Mila, Naps, and Daycare

Mila, my almost 15 month old baby girl, has been in daycare for a little over two months now. And she absolutely loves it! The whole idea of sending her at 12 months was very daunting and stressful for me, but it’s working out so far.

This week was a big one because she transitioned to a new classroom. In this new classroom, all the kids nap at the same time, with the lights off, on a cot, with blankets. And in true Parita fashion, I was nervous about this part of the transition. What if she doesn’t nap? What if she hates the cot?

Well, turns out she likes it! On her first day napping in the new classroom, she clocked in 1.5 hours! The school sent us a picture of her sleeping, and O-M-G…she looks so cute!

This anecdote is just a reminder to all of us, especially me, that most things work out just fine. We need to give them time! AND kids are super resilient and agile.

Awarify Coaching Newsletter

One of my goals for the year is to send out the Awarify Coaching newsletter twice a month (re: every other Friday). If you like what I post here or on IG in terms of the deeper, more thought-provoking content, please sign up! I promise it’s never going to be spammy or too over-the-top salesy. It’s really just a place for me to talk about personal development related topics with people who like and resonate with those kinds of ideas.

This week’s newsletter is a good one because I’m share the 14 questions I answered during my work and life planning/strategy session earlier this week. This list of questions is great for entrepreneurs AND/OR for people who want to live a more intentional life. I think I’m going to reflect and review this list every quarter to make sure I’m tracking and taking into account the person I’m evolving into every step of the way.

A Wish for the New Year

“In this new year, may you have a deep understanding of your true value and worth, an absolute faith in your unlimited potential, peace of mind in the midst of uncertainty, the confidence to let go when you need to, acceptance to replace your resistance, gratitude to open your heart, the strength to meet your challenges, great love to replace your fear, forgiveness and compassion for those who offend you, clear sight to see your best and true path, hope to dispel obscurity, the conviction to make your dreams come true, meaningful and rewarding synchronicities, dear friends who truly know and love you, a childlike trust in the benevolence of the universe, the humility to remain teachable, the wisdom to fully embrace your life exactly as it is, the understanding that every soul has its own course to follow, the discernment to recognize your own unique inner voice of truth, and the courage to learn to be still.”
― Janet Rebhan

With that, here’s to an amazing 2023!