Tag Archives: coffee

Nudged: Have a cup of coffee/glass of wine on the front porch

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Backstory: Many years ago, upon returning home from a vacation in France, I thought about what had been so special about our experiences–specifically, what were some practices or rituals I could continue back at home. One that had a huge impact was how we eased into dinnertime.

For several weeks after that trip, instead of my usual dash from office to kitchen at 6:00 pm (or 7 or 8), I made a point of slowing down, breathing, pouring something lovely (wine or Pellegrino with a slice of lime), then sipping that while nibbling a few olives or cubes of delicious and aromatic cheese. I’d like to resume this practice and make it a habit.

Maybe I’ll take in a sunset, or maybe I’ll get up with the sun. I plan to sit on our front porch; you might step into your backyard or ease into a chair with a lovely view. Whatever the circumstances, let’s be intentional about taking a few minutes to rest and reset ourselves.

What Happened: Inspired, I got up early one morning and sat in the quiet. Birdsong, clear skies, a steaming cup of tea (it’s what I was in the mood for), and Louie by my side. What a beautiful way to start the day.

The Ah-Hahs: No surprises with this Nudge, just reminders of how lovely my front porch is and how good it feels to sit here for a while and enjoy it.

 

Nudging: Learn something from a YouTube video

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Backstory: This nudge is inspired by part from when I taught myself how to whistle through my fingers by watching YouTube videos. My main inspiration, however, came from our friend, who we’ll call “Mr. Fab.” A few years ago, in his late 50s, Mr. Fab decided to learn how to cook. His wife is an excellent cook, so he had no need to add this to his skills set, he just wanted to try something new. And not just “How to scramble eggs.” The first meal we had with him was a roasted suckling pig. Bam! He learned how select his protein, prep and cook it, and carve it, all from watching videos online.

When I drew this nudge early this morning, I didn’t have to think long and hard about what I might like to do. I want to learn how to make pretty patterns in our coffees, like those cool people do at cool coffeehouses. So here’s this morning’s cup, as a baseline (i.e., just a mocha).

Tomorrow I’ll set aside time to search for and watch instructional videos. Fun!

What might you learn this week?