Christen Bensten

be curious

Headspace

“Headspace is the antidote for isolation and anxiety during this pandemic.”

– Christen

HI HI HI. I need to write. I think. At least today I do. Tomorrow I may need to lie in bed wondering if I have enough energy to get out of it to check on the children and do a bit of my Golden Girls puzzle.

Some days I hate everything and stay in my bathrobe until at least 1:00pm. The kids are alive and fed and Brent is buried in the study keeping us afloat. There is one thing that I’ve been forcing myself to do every day and it’s not the Peloton. I wish it was the Peloton. I wish it was a 5 mile walk listening to a podcast and looking up at the sky. I wish it was exercise and not the abundance of Pepperidge Farm Milano Mint Cookies that I’ve started to stash in the cabinet above the microwave where no one can fine them. Those go down real easy.

Headspace is what I force myself to do. It’s a doing kind of thing. It’s an app that you’ve probably heard of (and have written about before), but has also gotten so much traction in the past few years and along with the app “Calm” has surged during quarantine. And if you are like me you will find it so darn charming that just that little part of you that’s still functioning will, kind of, want to do it.

The cute, bald Englishman, Andy Puddicombe turned Buddhist monk turned meditation guru started Headspace. He’s adorable or at least his voice is and that is what you will hear on the app every time you get on. There are so many resources I haven’t even explored them all, but they range for sleep meditation, relaxation, motivation, stress, hygiene, flying, self esteem, kids, marriage etc. The way I use it is that I hit that little orange circle icon and watch a little video, The Wake Up, that turns into a little memory in my brain that I can’t stop thinking about. These 3-5 minutes videos have ranged from a burley man carving spoons and the creative process to an Indian woman delicately putting henna on a new bride’s hands. Every one has been simple and intricate and…meditative in the most wonderful way. Then I do 10 minutes of meditation guided by Andy.

Here’s Andy.

There is a free trial if you want it and a free year for unemployed. I moved on from the free trial a few years ago to buying a full year for about 70 bucks. There are so many resources and the graphics are so darn cute it feels like a treat. It is adorable and feels like you are moving forward. They even do a group meditation at 6pm every day that if I’m feeling extra not-depressed I try to join. Knowing that I am paying for it also is a good motivator to get everything I can out of it. The app has helped me immensely in the past when my fear of flying was getting in the way of my love of travel.

So many resources, tabs, ways to use the app. Brilliant, Andy.

So, not kidding, as I’m writing this a COMMERCIAL just came on the tv in the background for Headspace! Love when God does this. It says to me, you are moving in the right direction.

Amen.

Goodreads & Summer Reads

If you are not on Goodreads then I’d highly recommend it! It’s a site that keeps track of the books you read, lets you rate your books and keeps a list of books you’d like to read. You can also see what your friends are reading and what they think of their book choices too.

Goodreads connects to your Amazon account and your Kindle. There is also a reading challenge, which is really fun. You can decide how many books you want to read in a year and it will keep track. You can also challenge your fellow Goodreads friends to see who can read more within the year. You will find recommendations and Reader’s Choice Awards. I’m a fan!

I’ve read a several, light summer-reads recently. If you are in the mood for something like this, here’s my list.

The Unhoneymooners by by Christina Lauren

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

The Other Woman by by Sandie Jones

One Day in December by by Josie Silver

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
The Last Mrs. Parish by Liv Constantine
The Last Romantics by Tara Conklin
Happy Summer Reading.

 

 

 

Cold Brew Love

I became a black coffee drinker post babies because I didn’t want to add any sugar or dairy to my diet. After many years I still don’t feel deprived drinking black coffee in the morning and after lunch. Of course when I go to Starbucks for a “treat”, a black coffee iced or hot does not feel very exciting.

It wasn’t until this spring that I discovered the Cold Brew. You have probably seen it popping up everywhere including your grocery store, Whole Foods and of course, Starbucks. And guess what – it tastes better than plain black coffee! It is a treat! I’ve tried a few brands, but find that Starbucks makes the best. Plus, there is no sugar, no dairy and very few calories!

“Cold brew is a different beast entirely. While heat helps extract more caffeine, cold brew is typically brewed as a concentrate, with a higher than normal coffee-to-water ratio of between 1:4 and 1:8, compared with a more typical drip coffee ratio of 1:15 or 1:25.” – cnet

 

You can order a Cold Brew or you can buy the little bottles of Starbucks Cold Brew. I happen to love the bottles more. It is black and I choose the unsweetened even though they do sell a sweetened version.

 

I am a super fan of these 11 oz bottles and have most afternoons. They are 15 calories, 3g carb. I was the girl you would laugh at stacking her arms full of these from the fridge section in Starbucks until I found out I could order them online. Actually, Dear Husband ordered 2 boxes for me! Love that guy.