So I had a little idea on my regular morning walk, and I'm just gonna go ahead and get it started rather than over-analyzing, planning, and complicating it.
As I adjust to my "new normal," I want to help create a framework for my time and schedule that is genuinely comfortable to me. Oh yeah - since I still have blogs in draft mode from the last several months of 2023, I'm referencing that I was laid off at the end of April. A new experience for me and one that I'm still feeling out, quite honestly.
Hence, the idea of these coffee check-ins. In the time it takes me to drink my coffee in the morning, I want to start a daily practice of writing a quick update of what's on my mind and how I'm feeling. I've been thinking a lot about personal branding over the last few years in different contexts, but with this layoff, I'm viewing it from a whole different lens. And the most authentic way to be me as I explore a lot of unknown and unfamiliar territory is to commit to a regular practice similar to my daily meditation practice.
I can get longwinded, but luckily I don't like drinking lukewarm, room-temperature coffee, so the goal is to finish these check-ins before I finish my nice warm cup of coffee each morning! I'm already two-thirds of the way through my coffee, and I like this length so far, so I'm interested to see where this takes me.
This will not replace my bi-weekly or monthly blogs (which I've been SO good about publishing again), but instead, I intend and hope it will help build the habit of taking the time and space for myself in this way. These check-ins may be centered around a specific topic on my mind, the upcoming day's events, the previous day's events, ideas, frustrations...anything really.
So yeah - that's it for today, but before I really start my day, here's a look at today's coffee. Can't have a coffee check-in without a little visual and breakdown of what's on the menu, of course.
A good 90% of the time, my go-to is the Nespresso Fortado Decaffeinato. Today I went with the Half Caffeinato as I was awake for about an hour and a half overnight (I needed more carbs after a good workout yesterday). I made hubs one of the new Alto Onice, a medium-roast 12 oz coffee. We're dark-roast folks, but these new Alto XL coffee pods only come in 2 roast options right now, and sometimes Chris needs that extra bit of coffee in the morning.
We've found that Trader Joe's Oat Milk is the best we've found in non-dairy, gluten-free milk alternatives when it comes to frothing for coffee. Chris adds a splash of their Brown Sugar Oat Creamer, which I have to say, if they ever discontinue that product, it will be a dark day in the Clark household. Chris goes through two or three weekly between his coffee and tea! We also add a scoop or two of FourSigmatic's Think Adaptogen Coffee Creamer. Since we both have ADHD, we like to utilize natural ways (alongside therapy and some Rxs for me) to best optimize and work with our neurodivergent brains, and we really like adaptogens as one of those tools.
More on all the breakdowns of the coffee in the future, I'm sure, but adding in the details of the coffee has me typing a good five to ten minutes passed finishing my coffee!
Let's have a great Wednesday, y'all 😁☕️
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