The Life Lesson I Learned While Not Watching the Super Bowl
Happy Thursday,
How was your week? Did you start by watching Sunday’s game?
We watched it at our house, and being the avid football fan that I am… I can’t tell you one thing about the game. However, I have a few comments/observations:
I might not have had my eyes glued to the TV, but I did catch the moment when Travis Kelce kind of went loco on Andy Reid. Even though his coach defended him after the game, I wasn’t a fan. Does anyone agree with me? (Sorry, Taylor.)
When the game was still going at 9:15, I thought maybe Tenessee was onto something with their proposal to turn the day after the Super Bowl into a federal holiday.
Finally, the commercials. Loved J-lo’s line to Ben in the Dunkin commercial, “We talked about this.” And the abuelas in the Doritos ad? 🧨 Finally, can I get the “I called it” award for the “new” soda sweeping the nation…? I’ve been talking about Poppi for years!
A ThriveMarket haul from 2022. Spot the Poppi? And hey, if you like the cool bag photobombing in the background, you’ll love the new red collection by Wolf River Leather, just in time for a late ❤️ gift.
But the thing that impressed me most about Super Bowl Sunday was the WM Phoenix Open that was wrapping up as the game began. It was the end of the tournament, and somehow, my husband and I were both sucked in, so we were toggling back and forth between it and the Super Bowl. The two leaders, Charley Hoffman and Nick Taylor ended up tied, so they had to go to sudden death. I was rooting for Charley, but that’s not important to this story.
What is important is the pressure was palpable as we watched the two battle for the win. As part of sudden death, the players had to play #18 again. They did, and… tied it again!
So, they played 18 again. Charley and Nick each teed off; Charley landed in the sand trap, requiring a tricky shot to get to the green. Nick landed in the middle of the fairway but a comparable distance to the hole as Charley. And after Nick’s ball landed in the fairway, the announcer said, “Well, they both have essentially the same shot.”
As he said this, my husband and I looked at each other and said at the same time, “The same shot?”
It was not the same shot.
Sure, maybe it was the same distance (give or take), but I’ll tell you what - if I’m in a sand trap and in a sudden death playoff, I’m going to feel a lot more stressed than if my ball is on the fairway with a clear path to the green.
Well, as it turned out, I realized that this Sudden Death “same shot” inspired What I’d Rather Be Talking About this week:
When it comes to stressful situations, it can feel overwhelming.
The pressure is on.
It doesn’t matter if there’s a sand trap in front of us, or the path is clear - we can still freak ourselves out when trying to succeed.
This is where we need that little whispering golf announcer voice to remind us that we’re all taking the same shot.
Sometimes we make the shot, sometimes we don’t.
So how about we take some of the pressure off and realize we’re all just aiming for the hole. Sometimes it works out, sometimes not.
But if we don’t take the shots, we miss out on all of our chances to succeed.
Let that sink in like a good putt.
For now, let’s get on with some links and fun things to wind down the week.
Abbey
listen
Since Taylor might have slipped out of the media now that the Super Bowl is over, listen to Tim Ferriss share Life Lessons from Taylor Swift, Conquer Anxiety, Coach Teens, and Reinvent Your Career.
I’m digging this podcast, “The One You Feed,” and this episode, How to Find Comfort in the Discomfort. Sounds like something you can accomplish on your work commute. Give it a try.
And if you decide on that commute that the problem is you just need to get out of corporate, check out this episode of Dream Your Life Now: Find Out What to Do When You’re Stuck Between Corporate and Your Dream Job.
stream
Delightful. Insightful. And, a must-watch whether you’re 27 and trying to figure out your life or… much older and trying to figure life out. This is how I describe the Netflix show One Day. It covers the story of two friends (Emma and Dexter) who met on graduation day and remain friends over the years. Each episode focuses on one day in their lifetime. Seriously, just watch this.
Good news, bad news if you’re a fan of the CBS series Blue Bloods. Good news- they’re back this Friday for Season 14. Bad news - it’s the show’s final season, which makes me very sad - I feel like I’m part of the Reagan family and love “having Sunday dinners with them.” (If you know, you know.) If you haven’t heard of or watched the show, you’ve only got 13 seasons to catch up.
Speaking of new seasons, so happy that Somebody Feed Phil is back for Season 7 on March 1. If you’re not familiar, the Netflix show follows writer Phil Rosenthal (he was behind Everybody Loves Raymond) around the world to sample food and talk with lovely restaurant owners and chefs.
travel
If the notion of spring break is getting you through February, here are some Amazon Spring Break Finds you’ve got to get, or see what travel expert Laurie (her husband’s a pilot, so she knows) recommends you bring to the beach.
Start planning your solo trip, find ideas for inexpensive family travel, or how about the top European spots on a budget.
buy
I need my dentist or hygienist friends to weigh in on this one. Have you heard of the new Y-Shaped toothbrush? Apparently, you can reach every corner of your mouth with this bad boy. Let me know if you’ve heard of/tried it.
It’s been a while since I posted an IKEA update - get a head start on your gardening, see what (House of)Valentina and her mom find at IKEA, and if you need more, see what Kristen McGowan found.
eat
I’ve been in the mood for soup lately. If you have too, here are some nourishing, creamy, and delightfully healthy soups, 50+ vegan soups to try, and 15 soups that will actually cure your cold. (Or so they tell me.)
I’ll be honest: I rarely (#never) bake something for breakfast. But if that’s you, try these delicious vegan breakfast ideas from Love + Lemons.
Lucky for me, I don’t have to bake breakfast because I discovered the BESTDAMNWAFFLES on the planet, Banza Blueberry Gluten-free Chickpea waffles. (Say that five times fast.) Run, don’t walk to your grocer’s freezer to try. While you’re there, grab one of their gluten-free vegan or dairy pizzas.
on a serious note
When I talked about the fact that we’re all taking the same shot, I meant that in every sense of the word. We’re all doing our best each day to do the right thing so we can make a living, be healthy, love the ones we’re with, and have fulfilling lives.
The thing is, as we interact with each other in the mad race to do all of the above, we don’t always see the sand traps that may be making the daily shots more challenging. In other words, we don’t always see what other people are up against.
A great reminder as we’re out there playing the golf course of life.
Hit’em straight,
Abbey
*I also want to acknowledge all those affected by the Kansas City Chiefs parade shooting on 2/14. Love and prayers go out to the victims and their families.