My 5 random “distractions” you might like too

The energy of the world has felt really strange for awhile now.

I figured you might be feeling that too, so today I thought it’d be fun to share with you a few of my favorite “distractions.”

Here are five things that make me happy, and I bet some of these can put a smile on your face too!

First, here are two things I’m having so much fun with (and…truth be told probably spending way too much time on).

1) Chat GPT – https://chat.openai.com

Oh man! Have you played around with this yet? I love it so much, it’s like having a personal assistant (but this AI is less snarky than my Alexa). I can see why parents don’t want their kids using this to write their school papers- it’s too easy! But here’s a fun tip -it can and will do so much more than just write talks and papers for you. And the more you use it, it gets to know you (creepy? maybe a little). I asked for 2 weeks of easy vegan dinners and it quickly typed up some really great menu plans and even all the recipes!

If you want to reply to this email and let me know how you’re using it, I’d love to hear!

2) ThredUp – https://www.thredup.com/r/UKBCFK

Oh, this is a huge online thrift store! It’s so fun to put in your filters: size, colors, etc. then use the search bar for whatever item or brand you’re looking for. (Pro-tip: find the little button that says “Recommends” -and then you can sort by Low to High $) And best of all, you can feel good about buying gently-used (they also have some “new with tags”) because it helps save our planet by not adding to the environmental problem of clothing overproduction. (And bonus, you can clean out your closet and send your clothes to them too!)

Next, here are two “smooth” things that always give me a minute to pause and breathe:

3) Mr. Vivo on Instagram -he’s so dreamy! https://www.instagram.com/mco_vivo

Such a magnificent Maine Coon, the first time he popped up in my scroll he seriously took my breath away! – I dare you to look at his posts without swooning, haha.

4) Teecino – https://teeccino.com/

These caffeine-free, organic teas in 35 unique flavors offer a ton of health benefits: improved heart health, better digestion, and lower cholesterol levels. I’m not a coffee drinker (even though all Teecino’s are herbal), but I do love their herbal teas. My favorite one this winter is: Chaga Mushroom + Ashwagandha. I add a little almond milk and a dab of pure maple syrup, and it hits the spot for my mid-afternoon break – yum! Also faves of mine are the Dandelion Vanilla Carmel and Chocolate Mint. They have SO many flavors to choose from, I suggest you start with a sample pack so you can try several. On the Teecino website you can read about the health benefits and their whole story. (PS- these are also available on Amazon)

Last but not least, if you need a distraction from the woes of the world, AND want to learn something new, this might do it for you:

5) The Institute of Human Anatomy channel on YouTube. These guys use REAL human cadavers to explain the inner workings of our bodies. I learn so many new things every time I watch one of these videos, it’s fascinating, and sometimes kinda gross -just warning ya!

So there you have it, a list of random things that bring joy to my life and I hope at least one of them will be useful for you too!