#ShareFourSomethings -- October edition

Once again, I'm joining in on Heather's Gerwing's #ShareFourSomethings -- a monthly post to share:

1. Something Loved
2. Something Said
3. Something Learned
4. Something Read

October is my most favorite of all the months, and something I loved about it this year was the time I had and intentionally took to breathe it in and really enjoy it. 

Yes, it's the month I was born in, but maybe that makes me appreciate it a little more? It probably also helps that here in the deep south, "fall" is such a foreign concept that I celebrate any change in leaves' colors -- even if that means they're dead. 

Even now, with a few days still left in the month, I'm savoring chatter about Halloween and costumes, and looking forward to the holidays with excitement.

Something that was said that is still resonating with me will probably seem small or silly to anyone else, especially anyone with different character traits. But I've been doing a lot of hard internal work during the past year or two, digging into some of the whys and hows that affect and contribute to the whats and wheres of my life. And so with that, I've come to realize some things that weren't so obvious to me before, but that are incredibly important to me now.

One of those concepts that keeps ranking higher and higher for me is being still. 

Calm. Content. Peaceful. 

These are not words commonly used to describe me. 

I'm pretty sure I've been a ball of anxiety since the day I was born, so when I ran into an acquaintance from years ago who said I "seemed very chill, so peaceful," I pretty much took it as the best compliment I could ever receive. (Thanks, J!)

Something I learned in October? How to narrow it down...there's so much. As part of the difficult internal work I mentioned above, I've been doing a lot of listening. Not just to IRL people in my world, but also to audiobooks. So in true trendsetter fashion, I finally jumped on the podcast bandwagon that's been rolling around for a decade or more now. I find that I still can't focus well if I just randomly try to listen, but if there's an author I love who only has four books and I've breezed through them, I can see if he is interviewed on any podcasts, and hear more of his communication style. (Again, breaking news on the Something Learned front, I know.)

Do you have a favorite podcast? Since I'm now in the know, I'll be taking recommendations from here on out!

Now for the really tricky one...something I read.

I love reading, and have been devouring more books  than ever lately. From inspirational to fiction, there's a lot to choose from, but I'd have to go with the autobiography co-written (and co-read, if you're into audio) by Jenna Bush Hager and Barbara Pierce Bush: Sisters First: Stories from Our Wild and Wonderful Life.

No matter what your political views are, I recommend you check this out. From stories about living in the White House to the basic human ties of sibling love and rivalry, the book is a great one. I particularly adore everything about the Bush girls relationship with their grandfather.

Did you learn, hear, love or read something in October that stood out to you? Comment here, or if writing's your thing, link up to Heather's blog with one of your own.

Happy fall!