Hi friends!
So far this year, I’ve been putting in the effort to try different things and continue taking myself out of my comfort zone. In a surprising turn of events, those things helped me practice showing up for myself and it has let me explore more things that make me feel more me.
What did I try doing? Spoilers are in the title of the article.
Disclaimer: The lactose-free milk isn’t as comfort zone-stretching. I just thought it deserved an honourable mention because It’s ✨r e v o l u t i o n a r y✨.
My first Michelin Star dining experience
Ever since I watched this dinner scene from Ali Wong’s Always Be My Maybe, I found myself in deep joy mocking $$$$+ restaurants and their tasting menus with wine pairing. Now I can mock myself because I had my very first Fine Dining experience in January and it was spectacular.
It was for a very special occasion. This is what I wrote to the restaurant when I made the reservation:
This solo dinner is to celebrate me for moving out to a new country on my own and thriving, for learning more about myself and growing into my own person, and for recently turning 30.
A 2-month delayed birthday dinner, but I wanted to make sure I choose a splurgy gift wisely after I hit this “milestone” age.
I thought it’d be weird to have an expensive dinner at a nice restaurant all alone, but the staff took such great care of me and I had an amazing night.
Takeaway: There’s absolutely nothing wrong with treating yourself to a bougie-ass solo Michelin Star restaurant visit. 10/10 would do it again.
Finding Muay Thai
Who would have thought that I’d start practicing a martial art?
I’m almost 2 months into training Muay Thai, but already I think it’s the best hobby that I’ve invested my time and money in. Here’s why:
Confidence: It feels badass to learn how to throw punches and kicks.
Body awareness: Understanding how different parts of my body work together.
Outlet to destress: Letting it out by hitting and kicking mitts/Thai pads feels fantastic.
Hand-eye coordination improvement: Though I’m far from having great reaction time, I feel that the more I attend classes, the better I get.
It’s fun: This is what makes Muay Thai sticky for me. There’s a bit of playfulness involved and I’m constantly learning new things from the coaches.
I feel like I could go on about how much I’ve benefitted from this sport already. These days I find myself reading and watching Muay Thai-related content, and stocking up on training gear. Very into it.
A quick list of other updates:
💗 Got back into therapy and it feels so good to have someone in my corner again.
🐄 Lactose-free milk is the b-o-m-b. I’ve been adding it to my muesli, making foamy lattés, drinking it straight. No runs. It’s such a game changer that it’s in the article title.
🌞 Going to Miami soon and all I can think about is how much does the Bad Boys film franchise accurately depict the city?
👋🏻 I’ve been enjoying meeting people in the Bay Area and would like to meet more folks!
Some gems:
💗 My friend (and ex-next door neighbour) launched a fundraising NFT collection called Baba Brave. 100% of the proceeds will go to humanitarian relief efforts in Ukraine. The art is stunning and affordable (around $25 USD). The team made it very easy to buy one so you don’t need to get into the weeds with wallets.
✍🏻 I co-authored an article with my friend, Laura Escobar, who asked me to write with her on a topic that we both care about. I think it’s a great piece and we’ve received feedback from readers telling us they stumbled across it at the perfect time. Read it here: Feeling comfortable with being uncomfortable.
That’s all I got for now.
See you soon,
Mary 💖
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