THE ROOT 9: 38.2

On Letting Go

This quote is one of the profound moments from the latest adaptation of Frankenstein. The film was so touching; it beautifully told the story of one of my favorite high school books in a different light (I annotated it so much that I held on to my copy because I had a feeling I’d want to look at it again, and I was right!). Guillermo Del Toro is a magnificent director and creator of worlds, but in this case, he also created a new, profoundly human perspective for a classic narrative.

If you haven't seen it, I do not want to spoil the movie for you, but it is one of those that I immediately want to rewatch with a notebook open. The ending, which ties the human connection to Frankenstein in a way I have never seen executed before, is beautiful.

The quote, in its simplicity, carries a weighty lesson that I have been reflecting on: Sometimes the biggest personal growth comes from acknowledgment and the courage to let go and move on.

The "true measure" of wisdom is defined not by intellectual success or knowledge, but by one's ability to prioritize inner peace by allowing old pain, resentment, and the desire for retribution to "fade."

This reminds me that freedom comes from internal action, not external justice. Since we cannot control the person who harmed us, the quote directs us toward the only thing we can control — our own response. By making the conscious choice to let go, we free our well being from the other person's actions or apology, allowing ourselves to heal and move forward. And sometimes…the person who harms us can actually be ourselves. Self forgiveness, I think, plays a critical role in this case. It allows us to remind ourselves that we are on our ‘own team'‘ - something I find needing to remind myself of frequently.

DIY Salad Bar Hack

Our office has a really nice salad bar with tasty sides to incorporate, like spiced roasted corn, roasted vegetables, and mushrooms. I love having that option, but I also love preparing my own base, chicken, and veggies to save a little money and ensure I get exactly what I want.

So, over the past three weeks, I’ve been creating my own salad bases that I can customize further using some of the add ins we have at the office (by paying for only the sides, I save about $10 each time). This allows me to combine the ease of meal prepping with the excitement of a salad bar.

I wanted to share with you how I set it all up. You can see the full recipe and process in the visual below.

Key Ingredients and Prep for 5 Servings:

I have been using the Swell salad container to bring in my creation daily, and I have been loving it. It securely holds my own dressing without risking it leaking into my bag (which has happened with other tupperwares…). I also really love how it separates the veggies from the greens so they don't get soggy.

I am going to extend Wellness into this section, and focus on the Swell Salad Container this week because, honestly, I really do love it.

I have struggled historically with spending money on elevated essentials - that includes anything from an expensive tee to meal prep containers that aren’t plastic. However, as I’ve gotten older, I’m starting to see the value in paying for an elevated essential when it truly proves its worth, and that is exactly how I feel about these Swell containers.

Yes, they are $50, which feels steep for a lunch container, but they currently have a sale: if you buy two or more, you can get 40% off, and there are a bunch of fun patterns to play with.

The biggest bonus for me, outside of the leak proof dressing container and the way it keeps your greens from getting soggy (which I mentioned above), is the sheer capacity. This thing can hold so much food…definitely more than my standard Sweetgreen delivery bowl would.

It’s a worthwhile investment that transforms the process of meal prepping into a small luxurious act of self care to me. Sometimes, paying for the quality of a frequently used item is the smartest financial decision you can make. 🙂