By Molly Patrick
Dec 5, 2020,
We are human people in the month of December in the year 2020. This has been a year for the history books. So much heartache. So many lessons. So much growth. So much discovery. So many cookies? So much solitude. SO MUCH Netflix. So much worry. So much change.
I wanted to have another chat with Erica Williams because people really enjoyed our first video, and frankly, she’s an incredible human. Today’s candid talk is a reminder that we’re all human, and we’re all doing the best we can to live a life with some joy in it. We talk about motivation versus habit, the importance of visualizing what you want, why hard circumstances can actually be opportunities, and Erica’s relentless determination. She is a badass, and she has the best attitude of anyone I know. If you need a little oomph to get through the rest of the year, this video is for you.
Here’s a quick message from Erica before you watch our chat:
Look, it’s been a tough year, and many of us just want to push ahead into 2021 with the standard resolutions and recommitment to the ghost of goals past. As the weather cooled and isolation continued, I just wanted to hibernate and be comforted. Well, that’s a recipe for Netflix and Chill with lots of takeout. A recipe for inertia. And feeling stuck.
I’m lucky to have some running friends that are always around to pull me out of these ruts with the suggestion of getting outside and getting moving! Getting outside for a hike or a run or just to spend socially distant times with friends helped me find a reservoir of optimism that has allowed me to stay present instead of pushing forward toward some imaginary future where everything is just better (without me actually having to do anything to get there).
So with this new lens, I’m thinking about 2021 and what I can do in the here and now to make it a better year for me, my family, friends, and community. And that certainly helps focus my day-to-day efforts on activities and habits that support those goals. So that means I batch the CFDG Meal Plans regularly to make sure there’s vibrant and nourishing food for my family and me. That fuels me to get outside and go running as often as I can because, as my husband says, “Running makes you a more positive person.” Some days there’s still takeout, and that’s okay too.
I believe in progress, not perfection. I’m still getting outside, and when my speedy friends zip by me on the trail, or I fall and scrape my knees, I get right back up to continue the adventure. And I keep moving, maybe slowly, maybe hobbling, because forward is the pace.
Love you. Miss you. Rooting for you.
Erica
Closed captioning available.
Ingredients
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant) (100 g)
- ¼ cup cacao powder (can sub cocoa powder) (25 g)
- 3 tablespoons almond flour
- 1½ tablespoons coconut sugar
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce (70 g)
- ¼ cup 100% pure maple syrup (60 ml)
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened peanut butter (can sub almond butter)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup raw peanuts, chopped (50 g)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Place the oats, cacao powder, almond flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into your blender and blend until the oats are powdered, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and set aside for now. No need to wash or rinse your blender.
- Place the applesauce, maple syrup, peanut butter (or almond butter), apple cider vinegar, and vanilla extract into your blender and blend until smooth.
- Transfer this wet mixture into the mixing bowl with the dry mixture and stir together until the dry and wet ingredients are incorporated. Stir in the chopped peanuts.
- Form one-inch dough balls by scooping up the batter with a tablespoon (batter should be rounded in the tablespoon, no need to be exact with this) and place them on the baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. The batter will be sticky, this is okay, just do the best you can.
- Take a small square of wax paper and lightly place it on top of one of the cookie balls. Use a flat-bottomed drinking glass to gently press down, making the cookie about 1/2" thick. Remove the wax paper and repeat with each cookie. Alternatively, you can use your fingers to press them down. Whatever you like best.
- Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
- Allow to cool for 2–3 minutes then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
Wishing you a happy week. May it be filled with creating structure for success.
Xo
Molly
4 Comments
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Your email this week made me cry! I love the “embrace the suck” idea. I’m such a stuffer… And I know I am, but I still refuse to “embrace the suck” until it’s too late, and I fly off the handle at my husband or kids. Thank you so much for your insight. I’m going to make a HUGE effort to take time and fully face my feelings instead of doing something destructive. Thank you, thank you, thank you. You are such an encouragement. ❤️
Thanks for sharing, Melody!
For anyone reading wondering about the email mentioned, head over here to get in on Molly’s Sweary Love Letter that goes out each Saturday. ~Karen
Love!!! The interview with Erica!
Thanks Kirstie! Especially for your super awesome message!