recent reads: november 2013

November was packed full of good reads! Pretty sure I sent myself a couple links a day to save for this post 🙂 With that, here are my favorites…

Joy Johnson, 86, ran the New York City Marathon 25 times, and sadly, the day after she finished this year’s – in which she fell at mile 16 – she passed away. The Minnesota woman had heart and pursued what she loved – a takeaway for all of us… find and do something you’re passionate about.

You know the old saying, “It’s all in your head.”? Well, it’s becoming clearer that it may be. Positive self-talk and encouraging mantras repeated during taxing endurance events may help you power through and improve your performance, determined a study at the University of Kent. I firmly believe this… mantras helped me get through the past year of training. Try it during your next long ride, challenging swim set or big race.

How about we all forget our cellphones for a day?

Would you do 30 squats for a subway ticket?

I’m sensing a theme here… October included the clearest waters in which to swim. November is all about the world’s top 10 islands. I want need to visit them all.

Minnesotan + astronaut Karen Nyberg had quite the view while on the International Space Station. Can you imagine waking up to this for 166 days?! See more incredible photos here. Below, the Great Lakes.

The English language continues to evolve. Not so sure about the addition of “selfie” to the dictionary, but I can get behind the prepositional-because. Because changes!

I will not go quietly into that good night… rage, rage against the dying of the light (Dylan Thomas). This video by Jason Silva…

I’ve long been a perfectionist – I wanna be good at something immediately, not six months from now! – but you know what? I, we, need to let perfectionism go. Here are six ways to do so and say hello to more happiness and productivity. Love this quote by Jeff Walker: Perfectionism is an excuse to justify procrastinating. And, another favorite from author Jill Coleman: The journey is not about being perfect, it’s about learning and growing. When you look at things that way, how can you not hope for struggles?

And, finally, enough with the low-fat BS! Check out this read (and charts) about the “war” on saturated fat. Throw away that disgusting fat-free cheese and margarine and embrace the whole egg, avocado, full-fat coconut milk and butter. You’ll be healthier because of it.