The Brightside November Edition

WELCOME TO THE BRIGHTSIDE

November 30, 2020

On Repeat: Shore by Fleet Foxes

This album is the perfect soundtrack to the sun setting on 2020.

How's Your Mind Today?

Sooo, November has been lovely. I set intentions at the start of the month to get my head on straight which was one of the best things I could have done for myself, and it's a practice I’m excited to take with me into December. It was helpful to physically write down what I wanted to pay close attention to this month and use that as a guide... it might sound woo-woo, but it really did help me a lot.

One area of focus was prioritizing creative time and working on my newsletter. When I started this it was such a positive outlet, and over the course of the year I had gotten away from what drew me to this in the first place ... the fact is, I love writing about what's going on in my life, and I love using this as a means to connect. I feel like I deal with a lot of things that others can relate to, especially on the mental health front, and it's important for me to talk about it.

So to hold myself accountable, I signed up for a Brand Camp that my friend Alex launched at the start of the month (I'm so proud of her!!!). I was excited just to get the creative juices flowing, but the camp has totally blown me away. I knew it would be great, but I didn't expect it to be such a source of joy. I learned so much about personal and professional branding (I think everyone could benefit from these lessons, regardless of your career) and connected with a group of smart, creative women that have been an enormous source of support and laughter. Most importantly though, the experience has really reminded me how valuable it is to bring your full self to what you do - and it’s helped me rekindle the love I had for The Brightside when I started.

I'm walking away with lots of energy and inspiration ... so keep your eyes peeled for more from me!

As the year winds down, I’m turning my attention to figuring out the balance between self-disciple and self-compassion. The default voice in my head skews VERY harsh and judgemental, and I’m REALLY trying to shift to a more neutral, loving voice with myself. I know this is a long road, and not a linear one, but just keeping it top of mind this month. Just building that awareness.

I’d love to know what you’re thinking about as the year comes to a close. What do you want to keep from 2020, and what do you want to shed?

Some Random Internet & Life Finds

The Monolith 

Has anyone been following this INSANE Monolith story?! It reminds me of 2001: A Space Odyssey and the updates have been making me laugh.

Allure Beauty Box  

Sam convinced me to sign up for this and I am so glad she did. I seriously feel like these are such a sleeper hit and would make a great gift for any beauty enthusiasts in your life. They're packed with great skincare and makeup finds that I would never have known about and some of the finds have really enhanced my skincare/beauty routine. Some highlights have been the Laura Mercier setting powder, which I've been putting on top of the Ilia Tinted Serum most days (the serum has SPF, win!) - and this Dermelect Sleep Serum which is packed with lots of good stuff that promotes cell turnover; and a very gentle amount of salicylic acid which is great for my acne-prone skin.

November was inadvertently a tune-up month for me. I leaned into self-care, hard. I went home to my mom’s house for a few days earlier this month and I had a chance to see her friend Laura for a chiropractic adjustment. I’d never been to a chiro before, but my back had been killing me from hunching over my computer all day, every day. The adjustments she made felt like such an instant relief, and I’m so so thankful I could get an appointment - she said she was even addressing issues related to a few falls I had off of my Penny Board last summer. So that was amazing.

The next stop on my tune-up journey was the irreverent Brianne Dube for a haircut. I found Brianne randomly a few years ago, and I haven’t let another person touch my hair since. She is SO precise, and I say it every time I see her, but I always leave her chair feeling 100% myself. If you’re in the NYC area and need EXPERT haircare, please please please hit her up. She’s working out of the most PRISTINE salon on 23rd & 6th, and it felt very safe/clean/warm/inviting.

Finally, this Saturday, I took Zach to Aire Ancient Baths for a couples massage. Despite spending 24/7 together in our apartment, we just needed some time to reconnect outside of our apartment … and damn. This was the SPOT. The bathhouse transported us to a different universe; it’s completely candle-lit, and the massages were so decadent. We left feeling blissed out and IN LOVE (lol). It was a splurge for sure, but worth every penny and the best way to relax together. (And felt very COVID-19 safe).

Oh jeez. I need to PUMP THE BREAKS. I treated myself to a few Black Friday deals (spoiler alert: ROLLERBLADES), but otherwise, I’m pausing self-indulgent purchases (after a fall that was very full of treating myself) and focusing on gifting.

If I HAD to choose an item that I’m currently coveting, though; it would be a fancy new diffuser.

What's something that got you through November? I'd love to hear.

Reach out at [email protected]!