The week after a long weekend always feels ten times shorter even though it’s only a one day difference of your routine. Speaking of routines, I’ve been loving my new nighttime routine of brewing a cup of tea and sipping it while reading before I go to bed. It’s been so relaxing, and it’s the perfect way to wind down after a night with friends or evening spent blogging.
This week wasn’t anything special to be honest. I spent a little extra time on my self-care since I was hyper-aware that it was my grandmother’s birthday on Tuesday, and I knew that day would be hard without her here. I spent a lot of time with friends, talking about important life lessons, and calling family to catch up. I’m trying to practice what I preach about focusing on the things that matter by spending quality time connecting with friends and enjoying life.
Let’s get into what’s been catching my eye this week…
ONE | This article about fulfillment failure…
I probably talk about this too much, but I think work-life balance is one of the most important things to determine in your life. This article from Well and Good talks about the importance of finding your self-worth in something other than your job and making time for both work and life because it can’t be all-or-nothing on either front. I’m a big believer in putting your all into work but knowing when to take a step back to go get a drink with a friend or take a trip to see your family, and this article hits the nail on the head when it says you need to “diversify your happiness and fulfillment portfolio.” Essentially, you need to find things in life that make you happy outside of just work.
TWO | This list of non-toxic sunscreens…
It’s officially summer in Nashville, which means sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen. I’d never really thought about the chemicals in my sunscreen/lotion and how they are affecting me AND the environment, but it’s pretty scary the impact it can have. This is a comprehensive list of non-toxic sunscreens from Jess Ann Kirby that I’m going to try out this summer. Protecting your skin is SO important, please do it!
THREE | This chambray wrap dress…
I’ve been eyeing this dress for MONTHS. Carly the Prepster is one of my favorite bloggers, and her fashion sense is something I really admire and aspire to recreate. She always looks so adorable in this dress, and it was on sale last week for 60 percent off. Maybe next time…
FOUR | This article about strong male friendships…
I found this article from Bazaar about the role women play in men’s lives very interesting. The premise of the article is that most men struggle to find emotional support in their male friendships, so the brunt of their emotional baggage is saddled with their female partners. Therefore, females can end up feeling very burnt out because they often serve as their partners best friend, therapist, and lover, which can be overwhelming. The article goes on to talk about creating safe spaces for men to talk about their feelings, struggles, and greatest joys.
FIVE | This book about a twisted author with an unreliable narrator…
I can’t stop talking about Verity. I finished it on Wednesday, and it was such a roller-coaster that I want everyone to read it so I can talk to them about it. It’s about a writer, Verity Crawford, who was in a car accident after losing two of her children to horrible accidents. The car accident leaves her comatose, so her husband, Jeremy hires a ghost-writer, Lowen, to finish her world-famous book series. Lowen moves into their house for a bit to go through Verity’s notes about her books, but instead, she finds a manuscript full of Verity’s darkest secrets and she starts falling in love with Jeremy. Lowen starts noticing creepy occurrences like catching Verity staring at her or Verity moving the curtains in her bedroom – when she shouldn’t be able to move or think at all. Lowen doesn’t know what to believe, and neither does the reader. It’s an absolutely mind-boggling book that I cannot recommend enough to people.
What’s been catching your eye this week? Let me know in the comments below.
Happy adventuring,
Kimberly
