A Friendly Nudge
...because we all could use a little encouragement!
Exercise can change your life. And not just by how many pushups you can do or how you get up and down off the floor. Don’t get me wrong. Feeling stronger, noticing your balance improving, rediscovering your ability to get up and down off the ground without someone else’s help are milestone moments for sure, but discovering that you can change how you feel helps you build an even more important resource. It helps you build agency.
I found this definition of agency recently that I think captures it perfectly:
“Agency is the sense of control that you feel in your life, your capacity to influence your own thoughts and behavior and have faith in your own ability to handle a wide range of tasks and situations. Your sense of agency helps you to be psychologically stable, yet flexible in the face of conflict or change.”
There’s something jarring and unsettling when you find yourself struggling with something that you used to accomplish without a second thought. It might be carrying a bag of potting soil, squatting down to tie your shoes, or maybe just walking up a flight of stairs, but these formerly trivial tasks can suddenly feel like cruel sneak previews of what aging has in store for you.
I think this is where the sentiment of aging sucks comes from. It’s this loss of agency. This is why exercise is so crucial. Sure, it helps us build strength, balance and mobility, but equally, or maybe even more importantly, it helps us reclaim our sense of self; it reawakens our sense of agency and our ability to take a more proactive role in how we navigate aging.
Just something to think about.
Now let’s make some dessert!
Drunken Plantains
I use green plantains to make pancakes but if the plantains get too ripe they’re not as good for pancakes but they make a tasty dessert.
This is one of those play with your food opportunities because we’re not getting too worried about exact measurements as this recipe is real forgiving.
Ingredients:
2 ripe plantains, peel removed and the plantains cut into slices
½ tsp or thereabouts ceylon cinnamon*
¼-½ tsp nutmeg
1-2 tbsp butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pecans-a handful
Maple syrup or honey–a small “glug”
Dark rum–a small “glug”
*Note: We switched to ceylon cinnamon about a year ago after discovering the cinnamon we had been using might contain elevated levels of a toxic compound called coumarin)
This dish is easy, impressive and tasty. But you have to pay attention when you add the rum or you can have more drama than you bargained for. I’ll explain what I mean below.
Add the butter to the skillet and then add the plantains and the pecans. The plantains will start to turn a golden color as they begin to cook.
Add the nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla extract and maple syrup or honey.
Once the plantains are golden, carefully add a glug of the rum, Since alcohol is flammable, the rum may ignite. You don’t have to freak out as the alcohol will quickly burn off. But it’s never a bad idea to have a lid for the skillet nearby so you put it on the skillet and smother the flame if it’s too high or disconcerting.
This makes an excellent topping for ice cream, but it’s also great just by itself or mixed into yogurt.
Enjoy.