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Ducks and Chucks,
Star and I have been talking recently about what makes us feel a duck of a lot better. For example, bathing my flippers makes me feel better. And reading romance novels makes Star feel better. And sitting on the deck watching non-plush birds makes both of us feel a duck of a lot better.
And another thing that makes me feel great is Instagram, which includes my super-ducking awesome friend Merike N.
Here is Merike's Instagram profile. We recommend that you follow her!
Merike loves food, travel, fashion, gardening, and loving life with a footprint of 2,5 tonnes of CO2 per year. She's inspired to live a good and sustainable life, and we've learned LOTS from her about wonderful ways of doing so. So, I decided to get my duck-shaped notepad out and interview her. (I do have a recording app, but for some reason everything I record becomes Mallard Jones singing I Am Who I Am. We'll see if the Duck Genius Bar can work that one out).
Duck: Welcome, Merike! My first question is this: Would you mind sharing one or two things that make you feel better in life?
Merike N: One thing that makes me feel better is the support from loved ones. It could be a chat with or a hug from a friend or stroking your pet, anything to show I’m not alone.
The other thing is simply time. No matter how big, sad or difficult a thing I’ve been faced with, it has gotten easier to handle over time.
Duck T: Well, as a plush duck, I know that's very wise. As for hugs, Star hugs me all the time, because they love me and I'm comforting—or sometimes they just hug me because I've lost my flipper-slippers again. As for time, I agree, Merike. Sitting in my feelings for as long as I need always seems to work. It's a bit like sitting in my flipper-slippers (when I haven't lost them).
Another question! I know you’re flipping brilliant when it comes to loving your clothes and making sustainable clothing choices. How do your clothes help you to feel good about yourself?
Merike N: I like wearing things that make me smile, and feel confident and comfortable in. I like my clothes to the point where for most of them I’d say I love them. With that comes the wish to value and look after my clothes, to mend small holes or to have a cobbler fix my shoes. I have come to a point where I have so many items in my closets that I don’t need new things for a long time. Instead I get kicks out of my old loved clothes and being able to wear them again. Most items by now have stories. Stories of when I got them or where I wore them and who with.
Friends, here's Merike's super-ducking awesome story about her and her husband's wedding rings, which don't match and are perfect for it:
If you could share two lessons you've learned, what would they be?
Firstly, I wish we would all reflect on our values and what makes us truly happy - instead of following dreams or norms defined by other people.
Secondly, I find that true happiness comes from understanding that I’m part of something bigger and can do good in this world.
Ducks and chucks, I recommend the following post by Merike about clothing and sustainability:
Merike, thank you so much for sharing your ideas with us about feeling better in life. You've been so generous. Chatting with you has been beak-to-flippers amazing!
Ducks and chucks, please take care of yourselves this week. Remember to breathe through your beak-holes and treat yourselves with the occasional Pondweed Surprise. After all, you deserve it!
Loves ya,
Duck T.