May 2020 – Craving Happy

What I’m Listening To: Podcast round-up

Published on May 26, 2020May 26, 2020 by Hannah2 Comments

I’ve been trying to listen to fewer news-related podcasts recently. I typically limit my news consumption to NPR’s Morning Edition combined with a short evening update from NPR to make sure I’m aware of any major events from the day. I find that scrolling through endless articles or engaging in the 24 hour news cycle leaves me feeling drained and anxious. I usually stream podcasts through the NPR One app or download and stream them through Spotify. Here are a few of my recent favorites:

1. Unlocking Us with Brené Brown: My mom told me about this podcast and highly recommended that I listen. At first I was hesitant because I feel like I have plenty of podcasts that I enjoy, but I decided to give it a try since I love Brené Brown (and my mom has great taste). I usually try to listen to podcast episodes in order, but this time I decided to jump in with an episode my mom loved–“I’m Sorry: How to Apologize & Why It Matters.” As I said earlier, my mom has great taste in people and podcasts, and the two part series on apologizing was incredible.

2. Modern Love: This is one of my favorite go-to podcasts. I discovered it while in college and find the short essays to be engaging, entertaining, and relaxing. I often finish an episode with a feeling of happiness and hope! The podcast is based on the Modern Love column in the New York Times and the essays are read aloud for the podcast by various actors. Most episodes will either bring you to tears or to laughter!

3. How I Built This: Here is another NPR podcast that I love! This podcast focuses on the story of founders behind big companies, like Whole Foods or Impossible Foods. I love learning the backstory on how these companies became successful and the personal journeys of the founders are super interesting!

4. On Being: Krista Tippett, the host of this podcast, has arguably one of the most soothing voices out there. If you are feeling anxious or down, this is a great one. On Being episodes are basically a conversation between Krista Tippett and guests who come from all walks of life (e.g. John Lewis, Ruby Sales, Indigo Girls, Bessel van der Kolk) that revolve around philosophy, life, wisdom, and love.

5. WorkLife: My advisor actually recommended this podcast to me after we had a conversation about burnout. The host, Adam Grant, is a fantastic writer (his book Give and Take is one of my favorites) and his podcast episodes are equally compelling! Even if you are not as interested in psychology in the workplace, this podcast is relevant to all spheres of life.

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What are some of your favorite podcasts? Were there any podcasts on this list that you had not heard of?

Ted Talk Friday: The cost of work stress–and how to reduce it

Published on May 22, 2020May 21, 2020 by Hannah4 Comments

I really enjoyed this Ted Talk; it was recorded in February of this year and it brought me back to a time before COVID-19 changed the landscape of our lives in the United States. I think the intersection of public health, psychology, and economics create one of the most compelling arguments for change at the individual, workplace, and policy level. While I wish Cooke tapped into the importance of socioeconomic status and the systemic disparities that exist in the United States more, he does a wonderful job of addressing this topic at a time when work stress, or stress related to unemployment, is at an all-time high. This talk is definitely worth a listen–the last few minutes are my favorite 🙂

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What did you think of the talk? Do you think about the cost of work stress in your own life?

Quick & Healthy Pancakes for One (GF)

Published on May 12, 2020September 27, 2020 by HannahLeave a comment

First off, I cannot take credit for this simple, delicious pancake recipe! I made a similar pancake recipe years ago, but never quite perfected it. I read about this recipe from Kelsey and decided to give it a try. I was blown away! It is super fluffy, dense, and satiating. I love that you can modify the base recipe. For example, I’ve tried adding in a tablespoon of pumpkin puree and cinnamon or adding in cocoa powder for chocolate pancakes with great results.

Ingredients:

5g psyllium husk
5g coconut flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
sweetener, to taste
dash of vanilla extract
140g egg whites

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a medium size bowl and whisk thoroughly. The batter will seem a little too thin at this stage!
Let mixture sit to thicken for 10 minutes or more.
Heat up a greased medium size skillet on medium-high heat.
Pour thickened batter into skillet and go ahead and drop in any fun add-ins (blueberries or chocolate chips are my go-tos).
Let cook on one side until the edges start to pull away from the pan (3-4 minutes).
Flip pancake over and let cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
Remove from pan, add fun toppings, and enjoy!

Ted Talk Friday: Challenges and rewards of a culturally-informed approach to mental health

Published on May 8, 2020May 7, 2020 by HannahLeave a comment

This Ted Talk was actually a video that was assigned to me for one of my courses. I have not shared too many details about where I am, but in case you’re curious…I am currently a first-year graduate student pursuing my PhD in Counseling Psychology at the University of Louisville. I absolutely love my program and have learned so much since I started nine months ago. After watching this talk for my class, I was so excited to share it here. I think Dere’s philosophy extends beyond the field of mental health; we can all learn something valuable from her message around culture and humility. I particularly love her idea of taking a “stance of informed curiosity.” I hope you enjoy!

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What were your initial assumptions about Pat? Was did you take away from this talk?

Ted Talk Friday: In uncertain times, think like a mother

Published on May 1, 2020April 29, 2020 by HannahLeave a comment

This title immediately caught my eye when looking at recent Ted Talks! I am very close with my mom, so I often go to her for questions and guidance. I really enjoyed this talk and I think it is particularly relevant for unprecedented and challenging times like these. My favorite quote from the talk: “When you think like a mother, you prioritize the needs of the many, not the whims of the few.” I hope you take the time to watch and enjoy it!

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Do you agree with the speaker? Did the Cornel West quote (“Never forget that justice is what love looks like in public”) resonate with you?