Lovin' Lately no. 27
Leaning into love, new routines, all the faves, and a celebration for one year on Substack!
This month marks one year on Substack! 🎉 To celebrate, I’m offering 20% off all subscriptions— and yes, current subscribers can take advantage of the sale too!
Hi friends. 💞 How we holdin’ up? January was the longest year ever (and this joke is already old). I’ve got a lot of goodness packed into this one today (and a new and improved structure!). So grab something yummy to sip, find an intentional moment, and let’s chat.
This February, my personal headline is love (so novel, I know). But I’m wrestling with what love looks like when it’s hard—because right now, love is challenging me.
Not the love I have for my husband and children—that love is deep and unwavering. I mean love in a broader sense: love for those who have caused pain, love in the face of anger, love that demands effort. The kind that holds both others and myself accountable because of love, not in spite of it. That’s what I’m putting my mental energy into this month.
My What I Read in January post is prepped and coming soon, and it was my favorite reading month in a long time. As for right now, I’m dipping into a few books at once:
Conversations on Love: Lovers, Strangers, Parents, Friends, Endings, Beginnings by Natasha Lunn, Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler, and Lunar Love by Lauren Kung Jessen, and so far, I’m enjoying each of them in their own unique way. I know it’s only a few weeks in but 2025 is shaping up to be an amazing reading year; I love the breadth I’ve been able to cover so far.
The coziest, sweetest book I’ve loved reading over and over with my kids this winter has been Little Shrew by Akiko Miyakoshi, it is pure comfort and warmth. It’s not your average picture book, it’s a quiet story with so much to offer, sometimes I find myself just wanting to pick it up and read it on my own.
We’re also enjoying lots of Valentine’s books; favorites include— Groundhug Day by Anne Marie Pace, Hug Machine by Scott Campbell, Nobody Hugs a Cactus by Carter Goodrich, Love, Z by Jessie Sima, Love by Matt de la Peña, and Love Grows Everywhere by Barry Timms.
My husband caught up with us and read The Wild Robot this month so we purchased the movie and watched it as a family and I thought it was so well done! (Dare I say the movie was better than the book?! And the book was really good!). My kids have since watched the movie three additional times! “Kindness is a survival skill.” 🥲
I’m still ~obsessively~ enjoying Shrinking (Apple TV+). To me, this show is entertainment at its finest; it’s perfect. I’m not sure why I thought it wasn’t for me (I think I was confusing it with a documentary about a psychologist?), but it’s now one of my all-time favorites. More shows like this!
YouTube is my comfort— I love the long-form content. I’ll enjoy a video while I eat lunch or in the background when I’m doing mindless tasks like creating graphics. Favorites from this past month include: Morgan Long’s refresh & reset/self-care Sunday, high-protein vegan sheet pan meals (already tried the gnocchi bake, it was a big hit!!), joy journaling for beginners, start your underconsumption journey in 2025, and budget-friendly vegan meals (YouTube cooking videos are the new Food Network to me).
The most rewarding new addition to my week is listening to The Wellness Scoop podcast. Ella (who I’ve been a longtime fan of) and her co-host tackle complex topics, break them down, and make them both accessible and practical. I feel informed without the guilt or overwhelm that can sometimes come with wellness content. If you're looking for a thoughtful, approachable health and wellness podcast, check out The Wellness Scoop wherever you listen— let me know what you think if you do!
Oh! And I just finished another fantastic podcast episode recommended by Ella in her newsletter, all about how our thoughts impact our health. It was so insightful and gave me simple actions to implement in my daily life. I think it’s worth a listen.
As for music, Gracie Abrams’ The Secret of Us Deluxe vinyl has been spinning on repeat. I’m also excited about Joy Oladokun’s new album; her music touches on topics that I don’t hear enough of in music.
100 Pilates Classes
This past month I enjoyed my 100th Pilates class! I started my Pilates routine last February and I didn’t know what to expect, but somehow hitting this milestone was never on my radar. I have more to share on this topic soon but nearly one year later I love this routine— I no longer need physical therapy for my neck and shoulders pain after four pregnancies and I feel stronger and more capable every day. My husband got me a potted orchid to commemorate the moment and my Pilates buddy (who is also hitting her 100th class this week!) and I are going to celebrate with a Pilates and treat date too.
Two Daily Habits
In January I was focused on consistency with two new habits that I wanted to be intentional about this year. I managed to prioritize both of them everyday and it felt SO good:
1.) My routine of clearing out my camera roll is working! I love the little daily trip down memory lane, and my goal is to get each day down to fewer than 100 images, which will bring my camera roll down to 36k photos (I started at 129k, so this is major progress!).
2.) After learning about, and subscribing to, the Bend app, I’ve been more consistent than ever with my daily stretching habit. I’m noticing real improvements in my flexibility, and if nothing else, it just feels good to prioritize this act of self-care every day—no matter where I am or what’s going on.
Soups and Smoothies
I’ve also been enjoying lots of soups, high-protein breakfasts that don’t compromise fiber, and incorporating more green smoothies into my days as I focus on getting my eight a day. With the busyness of weekend hockey for all three of my boys and limited fresh produce in winter, I want to make sure I’m hitting my whole-plant intake goals and staying fueled with fiber, vitamins, and minerals. I share more about what I eat and cook for my family in my Sunday Menu, if you’re curious about day-to-day meals and how I prioritize (and enjoy! 😄) plants in my diet.
Getting Involved
I’m honoring my 2025 intention to be more active in my community and with causes I care about— I’ve just committed to a role with our local Mom’s Demand Action chapter. I’ve supported and donated to this organization for years, but I’m excited to step up, put in real effort, and play my part in making the world safer and better for all.
Taking Care
On Sunday, I popped into the subscriber chat to share how I planned to take care of myself after a few emotionally draining weeks. Simply naming my intentions made me feel accountable—I actually followed through. I took my first bath in months and went to bed by 9pm, all of which felt as glorious as it sounds.
Now I’m wondering—should this be a recurring group check-in? There’s power in stating how we plan to care for ourselves and sharing that with a supportive group. Let me know what you think!
New Routines
I feel like a new person with my new bedtime routine—thanks to a new morning routine.
I’ve never been an early riser, but for the past two weeks, I’ve been waking up at 5am to work on a really exciting project (!!!). To make it work, I’ve become diligent about a 9pm bedtime. I know, early to bed, early to rise is an obvious concept, but for so long, I relied on those post-kid-bedtime hours (my older kids go down at 8pm) to get work done. And if you’ve ever pulled out a laptop at 8:30pm after a long, highly stimulating, and demanding day, you know how easy it is to crawl into bed—bleary-eyed and depleted—well past midnight. (Or was that just me?!)
For years, I couldn’t make the shift to early mornings, which meant I was constantly playing catch-up late into the night. But I finally decided to give it a trial run for one week—and I’ve officially flipped the switch. Now, after my kids are in bed, I curl up on the couch with a book until around 8:30/8:45pm, then head upstairs to read a little more before falling asleep (no later than 9:30pm) so I can wake up at 5am.
This change has completely transformed my energy and emotional state. My mornings feel sacred—I wake up, head downstairs, put on some high-vibrational music (woo-woo maybe, but it makes me feel like I’m at a spa and it does help with my focus), pour a steaming mug of coffee, light a candle (a small but purposeful act), and spend 20 minutes journaling. (I knowww, who am I?!) Then I dive into my creative work, and all of it—from the nightly self-care to the early bedtime to the intentional morning ritual—is making me feel lighter. Even though my exciting project wraps up later this spring, my goal is to maintain this routine for the rest of 2025 (and ideally, beyond).
My Ideal Phone
I’m in the process of creating a smart phone that is as useless as possible. Over the weekend, I had to (begrudgingly) upgrade my phone and opted for the smaller iPhone after years of using the larger model. At first, I questioned my decision—had I made a mistake? But then I remembered: I don’t want a bigger screen. In fact, I don’t want most of what my phone does at all. I even considered switching to a simple flip phone and would have if the camera quality had been comparable.
This realization made me reflect on the autonomy I have over my device—and how much power I have to strip away what doesn’t serve me. I’m now working on “dumbing down” my phone, removing what doesn’t serve me— social media, email, web browsing, etc! Maybe an app per month to ease into the transition? I’ll keep you posted. In the meantime,
’s post about habits from a low-screen life is a helpful starting place.With fewer distractions at my fingertips, I also have to be more intentional about when and how I consume content. If my online interactions are limited to my laptop—only accessible at specific times of the day—it forces me to be more selective and mindful about what I engage with. And that feels like a step in the right direction.
💡 I scroll through a couple of these 35 health tips experts swear by every few days and I’ve taken a lot away from them. I’m keeping dark chocolate covered almonds (these are my favorite) in my tote from here on out, and the “Stop, Breathe, Be” reset went straight in my anxiety toolkit.
📖 25 Books by Black Authors You Should Read This February. And also— Have we forgotten how to read?
🇺🇸
, author of The Small and the Mighty (a book I read last month and absolutely LOVED) is one of the few sources I turn to for trusted, bipartisan American government and political news and information. Her Substack, The Preamble, is an incredible resource if you are wanting the same.🧺 This gentle and lovely piece by
about low-energy habits feels like a warm hug. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. (Thank you for putting it on my radar!)🆘 Little by little I’m assembling a family emergency kit and
’s minimalist list is bookmarked as my guide.
🛍 I stopped buying new clothes for a year— Here’s what I learned and why you might want to try too
💘 A simple thing for your Valentine.
I’d love to give a warm thank you to long-time subscriber
! Her thoughtful and caring comments always add depth and insight to our discussions, and I truly look forward to reading her perspectives. Recently, she shared some honest and meaningful reflections on my challenge to avoid buying new clothes, her words added relatability and value to the conversation:“It's crazy how few clothing items we actually need (or actually wear) but HOW HARD it is to let go of them- even though they're sitting having not been worn in years! ("But what if...?!?!.") I had my colors analyzed and that definitely helps cut down on alot of buying (and returning), especially since my color palate is basically the opposite of what is "trendy." But it has helped me filter out what looks best on me and more importantly what I feel my best in.”
Thank you
for being part of this reader community, I am so glad you are here!
Have a wonderful February, hugs—
This month marks one year on Substack! 🎉 To celebrate, I’m offering 20% off all subscriptions— and yes, current subscribers can take advantage of the sale too!
And if a paid subscription is not in the cards for you at the moment, you can show your support by liking this post on Substack, leaving a comment, and forwarding this email to a friend who you think would also enjoy it. 💞
So much goodness this month, Brittany! I, too, am really enjoying The Wellness Scoop thanks to your rec last month. And I'm working (but kind of failing) on getting into a better morning routine and waking up earlier. I'm going to keep trying in February, but oh man is it hard to motivate to get out of bed on those cold, dark winter mornings!
I loved every inch of this newsletter. Your words are such a balm to me. Also, +1 in Shrinkin, it's a perfect show.