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GARLIC PARMESAN SHRIMP Inspired by CooktopCove.com
For a long time, I thought self-care meant bubble baths or spa days — you know, the cliché stuff. But lately, for me, it’s meant something a lot simpler and way more powerful: saying no. I grew up thinking you always had to be doing something to be valuable. Resting and being still were considered lazy. So, I filled my days and brain with constant motion. But what I didn’t realize was how much stress that created. This stress made it hard to enjoy anything, even the things I was good at. It clouded everything, and I felt like there was no space left to just be . Once I started learning to say no to plans, overcommitting, and the pressure to be “on” all the time, I started to feel something I hadn’t felt in a long time: peace. Saying no gave me breathing room and the space to choose how I wanted to spend my time. It gave me permission to do nothing, and that’s where the magic was. There’s a Japanese concept called “boketto,” a philosophy centered on “staring off into the distance without thinking.” You’re supposed to be still without planning, scrolling, or checking off mental tasks. There’s something beautiful about that kind of presence. Turns Out, ‘Doing Nothing’ Might Be the Most Productive Thing You Can Do
• 3 tbsp olive oil • 4 cloves garlic, minced • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese • 1 tsp Italian seasoning • 1/2 tsp salt • 1/2 tsp black pepper • 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined • 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley • Juice of 1 lemon Ingredients
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 F. 2. In a bowl, combine olive oil, garlic, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. 3. Add shrimp to the bowl and toss until fully coated. 4. Arrange the shrimp in a single layer on a baking sheet. 5. Roast in the oven for 7–9 minutes or until the shrimp are pink and slightly golden. 6. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with chopped parsley and fresh lemon juice before serving.
LAUGH LAWS
For so many of us, especially in a go-go-go culture like the U.S., we run from quiet. But the quiet is where clarity lives and where we start hearing ourselves again.
So, this July, during Self-Care Month, try something different. Don’t add more to your to-do list; take something off it. Say no when you need to, sit in silence for five minutes, or stare out a window. Let your thoughts float by like clouds.
Self-care doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive. Sometimes, it’s just you, your thoughts, and a little bit of nothing — and that’s more than enough.
–Case Barnett
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