It’s Almost March: Spring Date Ideas in Chicago
March arriving also signals the beginning of a season change! As we start feeling temperatures warming up along with vaccines rolling out in larger numbers, many of us are restless to get outside. Luckily, there are a handful of things starting up that will help you hold out until those summer temperatures in the area! Read on for some Spring date ideas!
Farmers’ Markets
Spring means the beginning of amazing farmers markets throughout the city. While the traditional Maxwell Street Market will remain closed for now, there are other options for still enjoying fresh, local greens. Green City Market has online delivery or curbside pickup so that you can order the delicious produce right to your home. Plant Chicago is also offering delivery, CSA, and pickup options so that you can enjoy your favorite local vendors safely. Plan pickups or deliveries with your friends and share the great recipes you come up with from your local ingredients!
Plant Nursery Visit/Workshops
The wave of home DIY interest has led many of us to get our hands back into the soil too. While online plant ordering has boomed over the pandemic, there are many local options where you don’t have to worry about your plant getting too shocked through shipping. Garden centers like Gethsemane are still open for browsing and finding your next houseplant. Get a (small) group together to go grab some new green friends to start off the new season! If you aren’t comfortable with going out, many centers like City Grange are allowing for curbside pickup or delivery. They also are offering Zoom “Ask the Expert” consultations, allowing you to plan landscape design, get help with houseplants, or even plot out some edible gardens!
Looking for greenery-based events? The Great Grow Along is a three-day virtual garden festival that will bring you together with speakers, workshops, Q&A sessions, and more on topics like edible gardening, urban gardening, houseplants, and composting! Chicago Botanic Garden also is hosting online horticultural classes during March on fun topics like beekeeping and indoor farming for health and wellness.
Chicago Theater Week
This awesome week of local theater has already kicked off, but there is still plenty to catch! Going through March 7th, you can experience virtual shows right from home from many local theatres! Try a new company with friends virtually, and hold a discussion afterward on your experiences. There are over 100 company options that you can see on the event’s website. Browse and find something that would make a great date night!
Stay safe while celebrating the Spring weather! To stay updated on the latest and most accurate information related to COVID-19, please refer to https://www.cdc.gov/
Valentine’s Day 2021: Day Events in Chicago
Valentine’s day is usually a great day to celebrate with partners or friends and to really celebrate the positive relationships in your life. Normally this means going out to a fancy special dinner or going out for champagne cocktails, however, this year we will have to get creative. Luckily, there are many ways you can still safely enjoy this special holiday, read on for some ideas!
Enjoy a Romantic Dinner
Many restaurants have taken on the challenge of the pandemic and adjusted to make safe places for people to still safely eat-out. To achieve this, many restaurants have heated their outdoor patios, or allowed for socially-distanced reservations. For example, Lush Wine & Spirits has reservations for a special Valentine’s Day dinner where you can cozy up next to a fire on their patio. BOKA has a seven-course tasting menu under their romantic covered patio. Not comfortable with dining in public yet? That is perfectly okay, many of these restaurants allow for take-home versions of these special meals as well. For instance, Le Colonial has a special three-course take-home dinner with sparkling Cuvee, glasses, candles, and roses included! Wow!
Go on an Outside Stroll
If you aren’t afraid to bundle up, there are tons of beautiful walks this time of year. Visit the Navy Pier or go on a walk along the river. Maggie Daley Park not only is beautiful but has rentable skates this time of year with a beautiful skating course. The Chicago Lakefront trail is always a great destination, or plan a day of looking at beautiful murals in places like the Red Line path in Rogers Park.
Experience a Show
While it isn’t quite safe enough yet for normal theater experiences, there are plenty of drive-in or virtual options so you can still enjoy a show together with loved ones. For example, ChiTown Movies hosts a great drive-in movie experience, and even will let you order food directly to your car. They have a host of romantic movies like Lady and the Tramp and The Notebook playing around Valentine’s Day as well! Other local shows are scheduled for online shows like the Porchlight Music Theatre, the Laugh Factory, and The Neo-Futurist Theater. These at-home options can be enjoyed with those in your household or with friends over Zoom! They also pair great with a take-home dinner option.
When deciding how you are going to enjoy Valentine’s Day, stay safe! To stay updated on the latest and most accurate information related to COVID-19, please refer to https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
New Year’s Resolutions: Start 2021 with Personal Growth
It’s a new year, and many of us are hoping for a better year than 2020. A lot of our new year’s resolutions look a bit different this year, and they may be a bit harder to commit to.
Many of us also don’t have the energy or conviction to put the same amount of effort into our goals due to fatigue and stress. Luckily, there are some fun ways you can build yourself up and focus on bettering yourself with friends this year!
Online Courses
Many colleges and sites are still offering free or discounted online courses. This was a popular way to spend time during the pandemic. Now, it is a great time to team up with others for accountability!
To make things even more fun, you can schedule study groups or discussion Zoom meetings to really reflect on what you are learning and share diverse opinions. Some of the places offering free online courses are Coursera, Harvard University, Skillshare, and edX. Coursera even offers a list of free online courses you can finish in a day! Note that if you want a certificate of completion, there often is a fee.
Virtual Workout Classes
It is pretty common for people to want to hit the gym more often for their new year’s resolution. As we continue to adapt to the ever-changing circumstances related to the pandemic, some things like staying active have been especially hard.
Luckily, a few solutions have been implemented to work around this, one being virtual workout classes! Teaming up with others to encourage each other can start a habit that will last far beyond these days at home. Many online programs have gained popularity, such as Yoga with Adriene if you are looking to increase your flexibility and balance.
If you want something fun to boost your mood and your heart rate, try a free online class video course like Move With Colour. There are also subscription-based services like All Out Studio, which gives you great workouts in different categories like no-equipment classes, strength-training, HIIT, and Pilates!
Social Self-Care
Working out, eating healthier, and learning something new are common goals we make at the beginning of a new year. However, this year is a bit different. Stress is high, there is a lot of emotional pressure on us, and taking on something new can seem overwhelming.
If things have been hard for you and those in your circle, consider setting up regular self-care nights. Break out the Zoom, facemasks, cocktails, and wine to kick back and put time specifically aside to decompress. There are many ways you can approach this; it completely depends on what will be the most healing for your group. Is having a spa-day what relaxes you the most? Then spend time every other week getting on a call with your nail polish and facemasks while you chat.
If that doesn’t sound appealing, try group meditation or group writing time with journaling or poetry.
While enjoying your new year’s resolutions with your circle, ensure you stay safe. To stay updated on the latest and most accurate information related to COVID-19, please refer to https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
Resilience: The Secret Upside to 2020
The good news about the dumpster fire that was 2020 is that we’ve got nowhere to go but up in 2021. At least, that’s what we’re telling ourselves. But as the new year begins, we think it’s time for some introspection and some virtual pats on the back. The catastrophic year is finally over, and you’ve lived to tell the tale. And in the process, you’ve developed more resilience.
That’s amazing.
And it’s something that you shouldn’t take for granted. Because it turns out, resilience is a trait that is developed, not inherited.
According to this 2012 article from the American Psychological Association (APA), resilience is born of a combination of thoughts and actions that anyone can learn. And you can strengthen your ability to weather difficulty by:
- building and maintaining strong connections,
- taking care of yourself,
- finding a motivating purpose,
- staying positive, and
- seeking professional help if and when you need it.
We were pretty gratified to read this list, because most of these bullet points are things we’ve already talked about on our blog throughout 2020. We have tried to bring you tiny rays of hope and sunshine through our posts by talking about socializing remotely, the importance of self-care, staying sane by helping others, and challenging yourself to practice gratitude.
It turns out, these ideas aren’t just for getting you through a hard day or week. They actually prime you to build resilience for the long-term.
Building resilience is like building a muscle. It requires pain, sweat and time, and the process of getting there can be a drag. But in the end, it makes you stronger and more powerful. And that’s something that will serve us all well, in 2021 and beyond.
Here’s to a positive and productive new year wherein each of us becomes stronger and more resilient. Happy New Year!
Modern Solutions for Modern Problems: Double Date Ideas, from the team at Couplr
Double Date Ideas, from the team at Couplr
If you’re like most long-term couples, you are probably well past the honeymoon phase of your relationship. Thus, you have likely experienced the unavoidable “married life” rut. The good news is there are many ways to keep it alive and thriving, with one of them being…you guessed it! Double Dating.
According to a study in Science Daily, double dating can be a great way to reignite passion for your significant other. Having another couple to share personal details with has been proven to help make you feel closer to your partner.
Let’s face it, passion is one of the first things to go in a long-term relationship. It takes a lot of work to keep the passion train going. Not surprisingly, the antidote to breaking that “dry spell” is introducing new options.
So how exactly can you strengthen the bond with your partner via double dating? Glad you asked. See below for two expert tips.
Indoor Double Date Ideas
Play the question game
This tactic has the power to solidify a couple’s unity and increase partners’ attraction to one another. On your next date night, ask everyone in your group questions like, “Given the choice of anyone in the world, whom would you want as a dinner guest?” or “If you could go back in your life and change any one experience, what would it be and why?”. If you would rather stick to small talk, you can try questions like “When was the last time you walked for more than an hour?”.
Get Out
The typical couple spends their free time “staying in”, which can get pretty boring. Setting the commitment and feeling the pressure to make a “night out” worthwhile pushes you to try things outside of your comfort zone. Most of the time, it ends with you having a genuinely good time. Not only will you get to reconnect with old friends or make new ones, but it may be good for your relationship!
Introducing new experiences with another couple does not only break the every-day mold. Such interactions have been proven to help us perceive our relationship in a whole new light. While most of our day-to-day interactions are now online, our double dating life doesn’t need to be. Oftentimes, couples may want to hang out with others, but they run into decision-making fatigue and are not quite sure what to do. So here are some suggestions!
Put together a cooking challenge at your home!
If you and your couple friends are foodies, or just enjoy watching any of the myriad cooking shows on television these days, why not throw a mystery ingredient cooking challenge party?
Cooking challenge shows vary in their rules and complexity, so if there is a particular program that you love, feel free to adapt it to your liking. The plan laid out below allows for some friendly competition for a group of four. If you prefer your competition a little more cutthroat, invite a few more friends over to serve as judges.
The rules
Each person is responsible for one dish: appetizer, entrée, side dish, dessert. Depending on the size and functionality of your kitchen, you can either all cook at the same time, two at a time, or one at a time.
The catch
Each individual will need to use a provided set of mystery ingredients to make their dish. You and your friends can decide how best to do this – will one person do all the shopping, or will each person create a mystery ingredient bag for a particular course?
To keep it fun and manageable for everyone, don’t make your mystery ingredients too outlandish, or too disparate. A combination of shrimp, navel oranges, cocoa powder, and bok choy? Challenging, but doable. Rocky road ice cream, anchovies, turnips, and eggs? Maybe not so much.
Tips for success
Make sure your kitchen is well-stocked. You’ll want a good selection of cookware as well as butter, oil, salt, pepper, and spices. You may want to have staples on hand like Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, flour, cornstarch, and lemons. The more you have to work with, the more creative you can be! And don’t forget to plan for some fun cocktails or mocktails. You’ll need something to wash down the culinary masterpieces!
Don’t forget to plate your dishes – after all, cooking show judges never fail to penalize bad presentation. Then sit down and enjoy the fruits of your labors while you make your critiques (gently, now!). Since this is all for fun, the losers need not pack their knives and go. But you might want to make them do the dishes!
Play a new (board) game!
There’s ALWAYS a new game on the market you’ve been wanting to try. Why not now? When else do you have countless hours on your hands to actually experiment with a new game?! Find it online, order it, and spend a few hours learning how to play it. Who knows – maybe you’ll become masters at it! Here are some fun games to play with multiple people:
1. Apples to Apples
2. Cards Against Humanity
3. What do you Meme?
4. Settlers of Catan
5. Monopoly
6. Clue
7. Code Names
8. Charades
9. Pictionary
10. Never Have I Ever
Host a movie night!
We’ve all got that never-ending “to-watch” list. Sometimes, watching them with others is more fun than watching them alone! We’re sure that every couple has one. Why not share your list with another couple and find a movie or two (or five, we won’t judge) to binge-watch your night away together? Don’t forget to warm up your home and stock up on popcorn and hot chocolate!
Outdoor Double Date Ideas
Attend a beer-brewing class!
When winter just won’t go away, and spring seems just a distant dream, it can be hard to drag yourself and your significant other out of the doldrums. You may find yourself hibernating indoors, doing the same old things. But that’s no way to spend the prime years of your life!
If you’re looking to shake things up, we recommend taking your next double date to a beer brewing class. Learn something new, and a few weeks later, you can open up a bottle of home brew and toast to your friendship – and your new hobby.
There are several options for brewing classes in the Chicago area.
The Pursuit Supply Company
The Pursuit Supply Company at 4316 W. Irving Park Road stocks supplies for all your quirky food-related DIY hobbies, and they also offer classes. In addition to beer brewing, you can take classes in photography, wine-making and coffee roasting!
Brew & Grow
Brew & Grow (3625 N. Kedzie Avenue) offers both beginning home brewer classes and advanced classes, should you decide this is a pastime you’d like to get explore further.
Gnome Brew
At Gnome Brew, 2026 W. Montrose Avenue, you can learn to brew your own beer in just one hour. If you really want to geek out on home brewing, you can also keep your eye on the shop’s events calendar for free public lectures. Other events include the home brew bottle share meet-ups they host on the second Thursday of every month.
Make It The Best
And if you’re looking for a memorable and light-hearted Valentine’s Day double date, Make It The Best at 9030 S. Hermitage Avenue has you covered with an evening of winemaking, dinner, and dancing on February 14. The shop also offers beer brewing and wine-making classes throughout the year.
Enjoy a great activity with friends and stock your fridge with drinks for the next get-together at the same time!
Take a food tour!
Chicago is well known for its extensive range of cuisine. While there are many well known stops, a lot of the best eateries are hidden away and hard to find without guidance. Taking one of the many famous food tours around the Chicago area can help you discover new favorites that you will keep coming back too, and who doesn’t love sharing the experience of good food?
Chicago Food Planet Tours
Chicago Food Planet Tours are critically acclaimed by sources like USA Today, Chicago Sun-Times, and Bon Appetit. They have a range of different tours for you to choose from that include everything from tours of the West Loop to a Chinatown tour. These tours range anywhere from $50 per adult to $75 per adult, and take anywhere from about 2-3 hours. These are pretty extensive tours, with some of them taking you to 5 different locations!
Bobby’s Bike Hike
Are you and your double date looking for a bit more activity in your day? Bobby’s Bike Hike provides food tours both in a walking format and a biking format. One of their better known options is the Bikes, Bites & Brews tours that they provide, which are 4 hour 12-13 mile trips! Their walking tours are often within the 1-1.5 mile range, which makes them accessible to any level of physical fitness. The prices of these tours vary from $48.75 per adult to $69.75 per adult. They also offer private tours, if that is more your style.
Rebecca Wheeler’s Tours
If you and your double date are looking for something led by a specialist, Rebecca Wheeler’s tours are exquisite. Rebecca Wheeler is a traveler and a cooking instructor. She can lead you through Chicago’s neighborhoods and share her deep knowledge into the culture and history of the food and locations that you visit. All of these tours are private, which makes them much more intimate than a large group tour. Currently Rebecca offers tours of Argyle (Southeast Asian cuisine), Chinatown (Chinese cuisine), and Devon (Indian and Pakistani cuisine). For 4 adults, the price per adult would be $93.75, but this price lowers for every adult you bring with you!
Geek out at the Adler Planetarium!
Adler After Dark
The Adler Planetarium hosts a popular 21+ event once a month that transforms the museum into a prime adult entertainment hotspot. You are allowed to peruse the museum itself in the company of other adults rather than the rambunctious families that usually occupy the space. If you have never been to the planetarium, they have a large variety of exhibits that are all expertly designed. The Astronomy in Culture exhibit takes you through the history of astronomy and teaches you about old tools like the astrolabe and how people used them before navigational technology existed.
Chicago’s Night Sky
Another popular exhibit is Chicago’s Night Sky. It focuses on the problem of light pollution and how we can change our design philosophies to lessen the problem. This area includes the Historic Atwood Sphere that lets you see what the night sky would have looked like in 1913 without any light pollution. The Atwood Sphere is also the oldest planetarium on exhibit and recently got refurbished. Other popular attractions at the Adler Planetarium includes the Clark Family Welcome Gallery, the Community Design Labs, and the Doane Observatory. You also have access to unlimited sky shows in one of their state-of-the-art theaters.
Other Adler Events
Along with all of these great exhibits, the Adler Planetarium hosts live entertainment, lectures, and special guests depending on the theme of the month. They also provide themed alcoholic beverages, as well as food from their café. The food isn’t your usual basic fare. They often have an impressive menu including a hotbar stew, soup, and daily specials that range from turkey and goat cheese wraps to astro burgers. The price of these tickets are $25.00 per adult, but if you happen to be a member, they are only $12.50.
Winter is Here: 3 In-Person & 3 Virtual Ways to Celebrate the Season Responsibly This Year
Though winter this year may feel a bit unique, there are many ways you can still gather safely with friends to enjoy this chilly season. Read on for a few ideas on how to celebrate winter this year!
In-Person Ideas
Ice Skating
Bundling up and going ice skating is a romantic and exciting way to stay active during the winter months. There are plenty of outdoor rinks you can visit that offer all of the equipment you will need, just ensure that you wear warm gear so you don’t get too chilly – we recommend mittens, a hat, ear muffs and pants that can safely be tucked into your ice skates. Make sure to do some research into the ice rink you are going to, as some require you to reserve tickets. Sometimes these places have events as well, like live DJs or cafes serving warm drinks!
Volunteer
This is the season for giving, which means that volunteering is a great way to gather with others while also contributing to your community. There are many places you can go to provide aid, if your group has a particular passion try to find something related to that! Otherwise, some popular options include going and cleaning your favorite paths or parks, contributing your time at outdoor soup kitchens or grocery distribution sites, or walking dogs from an animal shelter!
Snowshoeing
Many friends and couples have taken to walking to socialize. With the winter months coming, you can mix this up by renting some snowshoes to traverse your favorite trails! Usually, wherever you rent your shoes from, you can get great advice on the most scenic local trails. Plot out a path with your friends or partner, and then get out and chat on the way to your destination! Wherever you end up, we recommend choosing a location with warm drinks to serve as a reward for getting out and active during the cold months! To add to the romance, try a shorter trail at night under the stars!
Virtual Ideas
The holidays are around the corner, and while you may be celebrating differently this year, there are many ways to still spend time with those you love. It is important to stay social during these times to keep from feeling isolated, and to do so safely. Whether on a double-date or socially-distancing with family, here are some ideas to help you stay connected over the holidays.
Paint & Warm Drinks on Zoom
Everyone loves paint & wine activities, try this twist on the classic to warm up during these chilly months! First order the painting supplies or pick them up from your local craft store – you can also try another artistic medium if you would prefer! Then, grab your drinks and find a video on Youtube to paint along with as a group on a video chat platform like Zoom! This can be an alcoholic activity or not depending on your preferences, just switch up the warm drink ideas. Some of our favorites include hot chocolate, hot toddies, hot apple cider, or mulled wine. This activity is bound to not only keep you warm but will be a fun misadventure as you try to follow the paint lesson with your loved ones.
Build Gingerbread Houses
Gingerbread houses are commonly made together as a family, why not make it a competition amongst your friends? Together, put together a budget and rules for your gingerbread houses. Then, set a time to show them all off via video chat and spend the night rating them based on different categories like Most Creative and Most Silly. This is a great way for couples to compete against their friends, and brings some traditional holiday activities into a time where many traditions are having to be skipped!
Relax & Think Ahead
Does this holiday season have you feeling a bit down? There is nothing wrong with being aware of your feelings during this hard time. A great way to bond with your partner and with friends is to find ways to relax together. There are many online resources for group guided meditations – it is a great idea to set aside time to sit and reflect with others to make it a weekly or monthly tradition. You also can start looking forward to what you want to do once things are back to normal. Plan a trip together, or talk about the dates you want to go on in the future! This gives you something to look forward to and will help lighten your mood.
While enjoying the holiday season with loved ones, ensure you stay safe. To stay updated on the latest and most accurate information related to COVID-19, please refer to https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
Chicago Holidays 2020: COVID-19 Edition
Well, guys, unlike COVID-19, the year is officially coming to an end. Still, that will not put a damper on the season, and certainly not if we can help it. Chicago is still one of the most magical places to be in during the holiday season. So before you decide to go full bah-humbug on the holidays, check out our guide on Chicago Holidays 2020–COVID-19 Edition.
Give
There is no denying this has been a tough year for everyone. Fortunately, some of us have been spared in more ways than one, and if there has ever been a time to give back- it is now.
Check in with your local food banks and donation centers this year. Really show up for a family member in need or just donate to your favorite charity. The more holiday spirit we can spread around, the more we can restore faith in humanity this season.
Visit a Beautiful Restaurant
Hear us out. If you’re feeling particularly bummed about missing out on all the holiday gatherings, now is the perfect time to splurge on a nice night out with your partner.
Some of the most romantic restaurants in Chicago, like Oriole, Joe’s Seafood, or goosefoot, are now taking reservations and have strict safety measures in place for fine dining. You get to dress up, be around other humans, and feel inspired and grateful for making it through the year. Go ahead- celebrate!
(make sure to call ahead to get current information on any new curfews or guidelines)
Outdoor Activities
If you’re ready to venture out, keep an eye out for our beloved holiday traditions like the Zoo Lights at the Lincoln Park Zoo. The Ice Skating Ribbon at Maggie Daley Park or check out Christmas Around the World at the museum of science & Industry.
All of which are scheduled to go on this year with some additional guidelines in place.
Join the Cyber Experience on Some of Your Favorites
If you’re braving the rest of the year indoors, then worry not. There are still plenty of cyber activities available to enjoy the season. This year, the Goodman Theatre is gifting us the audio version of A Christmas Carol the entire month of December.
Also joining the list is the beloved Christkindmarket event. It will feature an online marketplace of all your holiday favorites. The virtual store is scheduled to go live on November 1st and run through the end of the year.
And don’t forget about Chicago’s favorite virtual tours, ready to take you all around Chicago with just a click.
There you have it. We hope this makes your holiday season a bit more bearable. Don’t forget to be safe and keep up with updates. Hang in there guys, we’re all in this together!
The Gratitude Challenge, Part 2: 5 Reasons to Count Your Blessings
5 Reasons to Count Your Blessings
Thanksgiving is on the way, but you might be feeling less than thankful. It’s been a rough year, and there doesn’t appear to be an end in sight, so we get it. But there are benefits to digging deep into your thankfulness reservoir – enough benefits, that this is an exercise we think everyone should get behind. Here are five reasons you should count your blessings.
1. Thankfulness is a cycle.
When you learn to recognize the blessings in your life, you’ll start seeing them in more places. The more thankful you are, the more thankful you’ll be. This is a snowball effect that you want to get rolling!
2. Thankfulness introduces positivity.
We know you know what we’re talking about. When you’re grumpy, lots of things irritate you that you wouldn’t normally bat an eye at. Grumpiness begets grumpiness, right? Well, the reverse is also true. When you look at things with gratitude, your positivity is like a beam of light that illuminates the things around it as well. Thankfulness can actually make you happier.
3. It’s good for your health.
An apple a day might keep the doctor away, but gratitude may also have health benefits. Certain studies have linked gratitude with reduction in headaches, sore throats and congestion. Not all studies have found a correlation, but it’s certainly worth a try.
4. Gratitude is great for your relationship.
As we mentioned in a previous blog post, a study found that gratitude between relationship partners created a positive cycle. The study found that the partner receiving the thanks was motivated to continue the behavior that prompted the thanks, and the thanking partner was motivated to reciprocate the behavior. Just another reason to appreciate your partner, and let him or her know that you do.
5. It just feels good.
Thankfulness is like a warm and fuzzy blanket that you wrap yourself in to watch your favorite movie. Why wouldn’t you want to participate in something that is as comforting and satisfying as a steaming cup of soup on a blustery evening?
We hope you can set aside some time to count those blessings and head into a mindset of positivity and gratitude this Thanksgiving season and beyond.
The Gratitude Challenge: Staying Thankful When Things Are Hard
The Gratitude Challenge
It’s no secret that 2020 has been hard on everyone. It doesn’t make you a negative person to acknowledge the toll it has taken on you.
But it’s neither useful nor productive to dwell on the difficult. Instead, research has shown that taking the time to count your blessings can actually make you happier. A 2011 study found that gratitude between relationship partners created a positive cycle in which the partner being thanked was motivated to continue the behavior that prompted the thanks, and the thanking partner was motivated to reciprocate the behavior.
The Challenge
Whether you welcome the approaching holiday season with open arms, or whether it leaves you feeling bereft, now is a particularly good time to focus on the positive and take the 21-day gratitude challenge.
If you search online for “gratitude challenge,” you’ll find a number of different options. What we’re suggesting is very simple, but still effective in lifting those spirits.
Get a small notebook and number the pages 1-21. Then, each day, write three things that you are grateful for. No repeats! And they can be as big or as small as you’d like. The point is to start looking for the positive in even the most seemingly insignificant interactions or events. Here’s an example:
On Day 1, I’m thankful for:
- Waking up in my comfortable bed.
- The supermarket clerk who was so friendly during check out.
- The wide sidewalks in my neighborhood that are great for strolling or jogging.
The great thing about this exercise is that it can help you learn to be a blessing to other people. If you find that you are often grateful for positive interactions with others, you can strive to provide those sorts of interactions with your circle or strangers that you encounter.
And by the end of the 21 days, we think you’ll find that you’re an expert at pulling your own happiness wagon.
Fallin’ in Love: 3 Places to Fall in Love With This Fall Season in Chicago
If you’ve blinked anytime during the last eight months, then let us officially welcome you to fall. We might be biased, but Autumn in Chicago might just be one of the most beautiful things you will ever experience. You will 100% fall in love–pun intended.
With its beautiful crisp fall foliage, envious weather, and increasingly growing list of things to do, there’s nowhere else we’d like to spend this season. Even a global pandemic can’t get in the way of enjoying this beautiful time of year.
If you’re worried that this season is canceled too, worry not–mother nature has got your back. Lucky for us (at least here in Chicago), some of the best things about fall are its stunning colors, heart-warming flavors, and seasonal décor. Not even the most controversial of events can cancel these!
If you’re wondering where exactly these beautiful places exist, read along to see some of our favorites. Enjoy!
The Science Center
Taking a walk from the Botanic Garden’s visitor center to the Conservation Science Center– because nothing feeds the soul and helps you feel the enchantment of the season like a mix of colorful perennials and fiery Japanese maples.
The Arboretum
A nice (short) road trip to Morton Arboretum. Nature amiright? This beautiful fairytale-like land is less than an hour’s drive away but feels like you’ve stepped into a new world. Featuring over 4,000 [type] of tress, we can almost guarantee you will leave this place feeling recharged and inspired- it also makes for a beautiful romantic getaway.
The Woods
The LaBagh Woods– Listen, if being outdoors is your cup of tea, you’re going to want to grab a couple of friends and head over the banks of the Chicago River’s North Branch to this forest preserve. With over 35 miles of trails, you can hike your way up to stunning oaks, maples, and cottonwoods. Bonus points for packing some apple cider and having the most Instagrammable autumn picnic ever.
These are just some of our favorites to fall in love with this autumn. However, they are a mere dent on all that Chicago has to offer. Don’t be afraid to feel and (spread) the season’s spirit around. It’s about time we all start feeling good around here.