Backstory: This nudge came from some brainstorming I did as I thought about what to include on The List. I devoted some time to recall “Things I loved doing when I was a kid.” I loved baking! I loved being creative in the kitchen! In elementary school, my best pal (Hi, Krista!) and I did a lot of experimenting and even had our own sort of “signature” chocolate chip cookie recipe.

So this is my nudge to get back to doing things that feed my soul. The “uncomfortable” part? Well, I don’t really like eating most baked goods. (I know, crazy.) I’ll give them a taste, then I’ll give the rest away in care packages. Feels like a win-win!

As always, you can do this week’s nudge with me or pick something that speaks to you. What did you love doing when you were eight years old? Here’s your excuse to do it again.

What Happened: I chose a new-to-me recipe–for apple+raisin+oatmeal cookies–and tried it out. They were…meh. About as exciting as they look:

But I enjoyed the experience, and that’s what counts!

After I delivered care packages to a few neighbors (with promises to share samples of my next experiment–I hope it’s better!), I sat down and looked through the rest of that particular recipe book. I’ve had it since the mid-1990s! There were notations of hits and misses, suggestions for future improvements, and tags on recipes to try. I got kind of a tingly feeling as I flipped through. Anticipation, excitement. I marked a couple of other recipes I want to try and some I want to revisit, and I’m thinking maybe I’ll work my way through the rest of this book over the next few weeks. I’ll make copies of the recipes I want to keep, then share the book with someone else. Baking, creativity, care packages, decluttering. Fun!

The Ah-Hahs: I’ve noticed recently that baking/cooking is a theme in my life. Many of the TV shows I watch are either competitions or lessons. I love novels that include recipes. Even when I go to the movies, I like scenes about preparing and sharing meals. When I watch period movies or documentaries or take tours of historic homes, the rooms I most want to study are the kitchen and dining room. I don’t think I need to unpack this much further. Ever since I was little, baking has made me happy.

Baking + creativity + care packages + decluttering = FUN!