Thinking Bigger: Serving Others and Supporting Small Businesses

Although this time is full of struggle, re-adjusting, loss, learning to homeschool, and bits of frustration or maybe even fear, there are positive ways we can support each other! This time has reinstalled a sense of camaraderie and community. Do y'all agree? Many are serving more than they ever have. It’s a beautiful silver lining to this pandemic. When loneliness sets in, I encourage you to check in on someone else or send a thoughtful note or gift to a loved one; I guarantee it will bring you joy and will only bring comfort to others!

Here on the blog, we've implemented a new series of talks on Thinking Bigger. Last week we touched on How Simplicity Changes Everything, and this week I wanted to talk about serving others and supporting small businesses – A topic that has really been on my heart and surprisingly, has also helped me process during this time.

My family lives in Dallas; we are so close, and it was really tough to cancel the trips we had planned to see each other, not knowing when the safe next time will be. One way that has helped me feel so connected is by sending them presents that remind me of them or fun little things for my sweet nieces! And all the while, I order the items from small businesses. You bring a company joy while sending joy to someone you love, and it doesn’t have to be big!Another long-winded, yet rewarding project we have been diving into is all things home and finishing the furnishing process! With the intension of supporting small businesses, I feel like I have entered an entirely new world of discovering some incredible companies! It makes the purchase that was on the to-do feel much more purposeful.

Fun Ideas

• Create your neighbor a bouquet of flowers from the backyard.
• Write a note to someone you are grateful for.
• Call your grandma.
• Give to a charity that provides meals to others during this time.
• Cook a meal or cookies and deliver it to someone it would help.

Gift Ideas

• Send a bottle of wine from here (it's organic and biodynamic and delicious!)
• A toy for your friend's puppy from here, here, or here.
• Send something cute from here.
• This Box of Sunshine that gives 100% of proceeds to Baby2Baby.
• The cutest organic clothes for kids.
• For new mamas.
• Healthy products from here.

For the Home

• I just got this little vase, mini lamp, and marble counter pedestal (inspo from Ashley Kane).
• These pretty water glasses.
• European linen pool towels for such an affordable price!
• A healthy way to keep the bugs away outside!
• Rugs from here or here!
• Something pretty from here.

To follow along with items I'm getting my hands on, or to see how I'm constantly learning and processing throughout this time, stay up to date on my Instagram. x

How can you serve and support others during this time? Jot down a few ideas and try to implement one this week!

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In The Kitchen: Adding New Purpose To Your Cooking Routine

I have always known that I have an affection for healthy food, a fascination for the origin of where organic produce is grown and harvested, and a love for experimenting with new recipes and flavors, but I have come to notice that time and lack of energy from a full schedule eliminated space to explore and grow in these passions. Cooking became more of a chore, gardening was a no-go since we weren't at home long enough to sustain it, and sometimes just picking up dinner from the Erewhon food bar was way easier than thinking about what to whip up. Not to mention, the task of cutting veggies and doing dishes just seemed daunting and anything but enjoyable.It's like a new world has opened up during this quarantine time. Cooking has become what I look forward to every day, our garden is thriving, the local farm we discovered is my happy place to buy organic and biodynamic produce + support a small business, and dishes seem like a breeze. I have been cooking almost every night with the windows open and the Florida Georgia Line radio playing, and Jase sometimes is creating the most beautiful cocktails next to me with freshly squeezed watermelon and orange. I am more intentional about using the produce we have because not many other options like we had before are available, and I have such a strong desire to feed our bodies with nutrition to keep our immune systems strong!I started a Master Class and Alice Waters is inspiring me to plan meals based on the ingredients I get from the farm, and it has brought about this whole new light and intention to cooking and meals! This time is truly bringing new purpose to what used to be a mundane activity. Now I cook out of necessity for health, conserving the produce we have, and it has allowed so much space for creativity. Who knew that I would develop a new excitement for making homemade salsas from the pretty tomatoes or roasted carrots from the cookbook I never had a chance to look through? There are truly so many silver linings in this time of unknowns, sadness, loss, and confusion. Embracing them makes every day a little brighter!How has this time added to your cooking routine?I'm excited to share with you over the next few weeks a few of the things I'm doing in my kitchen right now as a part of my In The Kitchen series – things like how to maximize your produce, what to grab when shopping, growing your own greens, and more.Follow along with me here, or at my Instagram where I often post a meal I'm cooking or kitchen must-have I'm loving. xShop My Look Here: Top, skirt, sunnies