Mochi Bits

Click in to see all the posts! Connections :  Conversation Starter Questions  ~  Questions to Explore With Your Partner  ~  Date Night Ideas  ~ 2-Minute Date Ideas ~  How to Make Friends  ~  Job Search Tips Gatherings & Travel :  Virtual Gathering Ideas  ~  How to Throw Intentional Gatherings  ~  Burning Man Packing List  ~  Flight Tips & Plane Exercises  ~ Online Shopping Hacks Wellness:    Easy Breathwork Techniques ~ Mental Health Toolkit  ~  Journal Questions to Ask Yourself  - My Beauty Routine Food :  Healthy Drink Recipes ~ Weekend Getaway Group Meal Plans  ~  Travel Snacks  Hi!  Welcome to my random collection of helpful tips.  This was a project for myself to synthesize information friends frequently ask me about into an easy to digest format in 2019.  I may or may not add new content to this. If you are curious and have something you want to share,  you can email me at ohsofunny at gmail.com.  Love, Mochi

Eating healthy and traveling are important to me, but the two don't necessarily go together. The more I eat healthy, the more I bring my own food when I travel. I literally have a "travel pantry" where I save non-perishables that would be travel friendly, so if I ever last minute decide to go for a beach picnic or weekend away, I have things on hand. All this is to say I've put a lot of thought into this.  What makes sense for your trip will vary, so use this as inspiration. It could be for a longer road trip, a business trip, a weekend away, whatever. You may have access to a fridge or kitchen which would change what is possible. If I'm gone for more than two days I'll bring my own salt, olive oil and Italian seasoning. Just in case, I try to find a salad bar or supermarket in the area ahead of time.  Non-Perishables Drinks Caffeinated Tea - I love individual serving sized  matcha powder sticks that can be used hot or cold (though they don't bl

After talking to Recruiters, Hiring Managers and going on lots of interviews - below are my synthesized job hunt tips. I struggled with feeling unworthy after not hearing back on jobs I wanted. So it's important to mentally be in as positive of a mindset as possible. Realize that interviewing is like dating and you may never know why they didn't pick you. You are worthy and you will find a job.  I tracked what I did everyday towards my search so I could look back on the week and realize I accomplished a lot even though I felt like I didn't get very far. Looking for a job is work and make sure you acknowledge your efforts.  Looking for Roles Self Reflection - Take time to ask yourself what you really want to do and what you are capable of doing. Consider looking at the 'Purpose' and 'Career' questions I shared  here   to brainstorm on what roles you may consider that you didn't realize you were qualified for.    Job Boards - Besides the

Here are my plane travel tips and some exercises to do when stuck in a seat for a long time.  At the Terminal - I buy the largest bottle of spring water (maybe two) and stretch at the terminal. If you don't want to be as awkward and you have the time, go find an empty terminal where you can move around more or go for a walk. Move your body while you have the chance. I am always full before a flight as I try to not eat on planes. Setting Up Your Space - Once on the plane, I take off my shoes to feel more comfortable and keep on my compression socks. Compression socks are great since you won't be moving as much and so your legs don't feel as tired afterwards. I set up my space by turning off the seat back monitor, closing the shade, putting my water in the seat back pouch and introducing myself to my neighbors. I use my puffer jacket in its compression bag as a lower back pillow and have a second jacket or blanket since I always get cold. I bring noise-cancelling headphones

Part of the joy of Burning Man for me is the preparation and anticipation. I put a lot of thought into what I need to survive and thrive at Burning Man. Since I generally take the burner bus where you are limited to two bags, I try to keep what I bring minimal (most people over pack). After a couple years of Burning Man, below is my refined packing list.  Just like everything else I share, use this as a base. You know yourself, what you normally like to travel with and what would make you comfortable in the extreme playa environment. I think it's important to also have some self-care items. For me that's throat coat tea, a robe and journal.  I also made an   Amazon list   which has some but not all of the items below. It's another good starting point (especially if you are tent camping).  If this is your first year, talk to a friend who has been before who can give you a sense of how to prepare. This is list is best understood after reviewing what Burning Man can enta

I love weekend group getaways and I love food prep. So I have put together many meal plans for friend trips. Below is what I use as a base and then adapt it based on the location, length, and my friend's preferences/diets. I try to keep it as easy to prep ahead of time, healthy, cheap and versatile as possible. I didn't list quantities as it will vary based on how many are in your group - really this is just to inspire your shopping list and meal ideas. I will say that most people over buy so aim to truly only get what you need to stay low on waste. I’m into options where people can make their own plates so dietary restrictions can be easily all accounted for. Most of the cooking elements can be done ahead of time which is great for a weekend away if you don’t want to spend all day cooking. You can wash produce, chop veggies, cook rice, etc the day before you leave to just have to heat and lay out a meal when ready.  This is all so the burden of cooking is not on one person

While we are doing our part by staying home, below are my more-involved virtual hang ideas that could work for a date or larger group get-together.  Check out my  date ideas (in-person or virtual) for more inspo. Competition  Set ahead of time a friendly competition like: Costume Changes - Quickly get dressed in your best 80s costume, animal inspired outfit, prom attire, etc Dance - Come up with choreography to a 16 count COVID related song (like "Toxic" by Brittney Spears) Building - Who can make the best fort, art sculpture out of recycling, toilet paper tower, etc in 5 minutes Scavenger Hunt - Find the saddest house plant, cutest baby picture, item you are most grateful to have in quarantine, etc Facebook Memory Lane - Less of a competition and more of a "spin the wheel." Share your screen and take turns picking random old Facebook pictures of one another and have the person explain the context of the picture. Game Show Play interactive

Sometimes we are overwhelmed by an emotion and it’s hard in the moment to find a healthy way to cope. I created a Google doc called my “Mental Health Toolkit” as a way to recognize and remember what are my proven healthy coping strategies. If I start going through the things on this list, I do feel better. This is just my a small portion of my toolkit as an example, but yours will look different. I'm not saying what I do will be right for you; you have to explore and understand what helps you. What are the feelings/states that you regularly find yourself in and how can you take care of yourself when you feel that way? Can’t Sleep Read a physical book Journal all the thoughts swimming in my head Self massage including temples, jaw, neck and shoulders Biannual beats meditation Progressive muscle relaxation (ie start at feet and tense each muscle group a few times until you reach your head) Count gratitudes (like you would count sheep) Stress Do an inversion (like brid

I made this list of questions to get beyond "what do you do" or small talk that doesn't go anywhere. I see someone I want to connect with, I know they have so much to share, but sometimes I have no idea how to start to dive in and really get to know them. These questions became a catalyst for playful and meaningful connections for me. Most of the questions are collected - I didn't come up with most of them. But I have asked all these questions over the years and tailored this list to ones that seem to spark a real conversation. Open-ended questions are always the best and follow up with your curiosity. Be an active listener.   Over the years I've heard stories of how these questions have been used.  Pull it out on a date, scroll and answer the question you stop on. Print them out, cut up each question and stick them in a jar at a party. Liven up a business meeting by having people introduce themselves and answer one question. Enjoy! Openers What is the

Most things you can buy online, you can find a better price for. I get some small satisfaction (thanks consumerism) for finding a deal. Below is my approach to finding the best possible price for what I'm shopping for (which is generally clothes). If you have 5 minutes to spare, with a little hunting you can generally get a discount. Once you found an item that you want to buy.... Search for It Elsewhere - Enter the product name with and without quotes (for a related and exact match) within Google and see if other retailers are selling it for less. Sites like Poshmark and Ebay also might have the item in new condition for less. See what other retailers sell that brand and see what discounts/sales they may have. Find The Brand's Deals - Check out the brand's social presence (Instagram is the best right now) for promo codes and sales. Often if it's your first purchase with a brand there is a pop up for a discount for signing up for their newsletter. Do it on another email