A note about the push-up challenge (if you are interested in progressing to full pushups someday!) - it helps to think of push-ups as a "moving plank". So, when you do push-ups on your knees, you're "ruining" that plank position. It's better to do incline pushups instead, where you are maintaining the plank form. For beginners, you can start out against a wall or countertop, and slowly lower the incline (chair, step, etc) to make it more challenging as you progress.
Might I suggest ditching the knee pushups and use a small wide woven
resistance band (like what you use for squats and side steps) around your upper arms? You’ll be in the real position that will build strength and as you get better you just go down in resistance. It’s the real way to go!!
If you want a companion perspective, Real Self-Care by Pooja Lakshmin is really good. I liked her focus on getting off the performative wellness bandwagon and really focusing on big and little changes to make in our lives that truly impact our overall wellbeing.
this was a fun grab bag! so funny you mention summer maxi dresses…i have been thinking the same thing. but then what will i wear instead! can’t wait to see what you end up shifting to! xx
I feel this way about dresses lately, too. It is FREEZING in the Northeast but I've been wearing a lot of denim and crewneck sweaters, stealing my husband's flannels, sweatshirts... My vibe is shifting (but I still wear all my jewelry, at least.)
Love this and am a huge Aerin fan - I wore their honeysuckle perfume on my honeymoon! Podcast rec: The Pitcairn trials. It's a true crime story about an island in the middle of the Pacific. It's got some tough themes but the story and where the case goes is super thought provoking. x
As a fellow stomach sleeper I am impressed with your efforts to sleep on your back. I woke up in the middle of the night last night with a crick in my neck from being on my stomach with my head wrenched to the side. And the face creases that happen sometimes too! And yet I hate sleeping on my back so much. I think I don’t breathe as well as back sleeping collapses my airways and being on my stomach opens them up. Anyway I’m curious to know your journey with this, keep us posted. And as always you have the best book recs I follow them religiously.
You (or your boyfriend) may like the book "To Raise a Boy" by Emma Brown, an investigative reporter-editor at The Washington Post, if you haven't already read it.
Re: stylist, I work with Conni at Art in the Find and she is excellent! She markets herself as an Educational Stylist so she teaches you to figure out your style descriptors so that you can confidently edit your closet and apply those concepts when shopping. She’s in San Diego and she does in person and virtual 1:1 work too. It’s so fun and empowering to figure this stuff out. Excited for your style journey to continue to evolve!
Your book recommendations always hit!! Also- working with a stylist- I truly feel like some of the BEST BEST are here on SS!! You already know Kelly Klein and her station in Miami tells me she would understand your weather/layer dilemma.
Really enjoyed your grab bag post. Very interested in several of your book recs. Also is there a live link here: "more on my evolving relationship with alcohol here". If so, it didn't work for me. Just curious as I have an evolving one as well. Thank you.
Great post. In reference to the Scott Galloway book, I’m curious what you mean by “if we don’t do something about it, we’ll end up with a generation of Jan 6-ers.”
It’s worth reading the book as he explains it much better than I can but (pasting this from the book’s description!) this sums it up pretty well:
Boys and men are in crisis. Rarely has a cohort fallen further and faster than young men living in Western democracies. Boys are less likely to graduate from high school or college than girls. One in seven men reports having no friends, and men account for three of every four deaths of despair in America. Even worse, the lack of attention to these problems has created a vacuum filled by voices espousing misogyny, the demonization of others, and a toxic vision of masculinity.
LOVE your grab bag and especially your attunement to your changing style when it’s so easy to get stuck - I too am feeling this pull toward some kind of simplicity and the sexiness of it! Damn it! Xx
A note about the push-up challenge (if you are interested in progressing to full pushups someday!) - it helps to think of push-ups as a "moving plank". So, when you do push-ups on your knees, you're "ruining" that plank position. It's better to do incline pushups instead, where you are maintaining the plank form. For beginners, you can start out against a wall or countertop, and slowly lower the incline (chair, step, etc) to make it more challenging as you progress.
thanks!
Might I suggest ditching the knee pushups and use a small wide woven
resistance band (like what you use for squats and side steps) around your upper arms? You’ll be in the real position that will build strength and as you get better you just go down in resistance. It’s the real way to go!!
thanks!
If you want a companion perspective, Real Self-Care by Pooja Lakshmin is really good. I liked her focus on getting off the performative wellness bandwagon and really focusing on big and little changes to make in our lives that truly impact our overall wellbeing.
Thank you!
this was a fun grab bag! so funny you mention summer maxi dresses…i have been thinking the same thing. but then what will i wear instead! can’t wait to see what you end up shifting to! xx
It’s going to be a struggle!
you’ll find something new to influence me on!! xx
Separation of church and hate is SO GOOD.
It really is!!!
I feel this way about dresses lately, too. It is FREEZING in the Northeast but I've been wearing a lot of denim and crewneck sweaters, stealing my husband's flannels, sweatshirts... My vibe is shifting (but I still wear all my jewelry, at least.)
Always the jewelry <3
Love this and am a huge Aerin fan - I wore their honeysuckle perfume on my honeymoon! Podcast rec: The Pitcairn trials. It's a true crime story about an island in the middle of the Pacific. It's got some tough themes but the story and where the case goes is super thought provoking. x
Thanks for the rec!!
As a fellow stomach sleeper I am impressed with your efforts to sleep on your back. I woke up in the middle of the night last night with a crick in my neck from being on my stomach with my head wrenched to the side. And the face creases that happen sometimes too! And yet I hate sleeping on my back so much. I think I don’t breathe as well as back sleeping collapses my airways and being on my stomach opens them up. Anyway I’m curious to know your journey with this, keep us posted. And as always you have the best book recs I follow them religiously.
It is so hard!
I feel completely set free by your thoughts on the Galloway book. Yep! Yes!!!
SO GLAD!
You (or your boyfriend) may like the book "To Raise a Boy" by Emma Brown, an investigative reporter-editor at The Washington Post, if you haven't already read it.
I will suggest it! xx
Loved this post, as per ush!
Re: stylist, I work with Conni at Art in the Find and she is excellent! She markets herself as an Educational Stylist so she teaches you to figure out your style descriptors so that you can confidently edit your closet and apply those concepts when shopping. She’s in San Diego and she does in person and virtual 1:1 work too. It’s so fun and empowering to figure this stuff out. Excited for your style journey to continue to evolve!
I work with and love Conni, too!! Came here to say the same thing :)
Thank you for the rec!!!
Your book recommendations always hit!! Also- working with a stylist- I truly feel like some of the BEST BEST are here on SS!! You already know Kelly Klein and her station in Miami tells me she would understand your weather/layer dilemma.
You are so right!!
Really enjoyed your grab bag post. Very interested in several of your book recs. Also is there a live link here: "more on my evolving relationship with alcohol here". If so, it didn't work for me. Just curious as I have an evolving one as well. Thank you.
oops! Here you go! https://graceatwood.substack.com/p/my-evolving-relationship-with-alcohol
Thank you!
Great post. In reference to the Scott Galloway book, I’m curious what you mean by “if we don’t do something about it, we’ll end up with a generation of Jan 6-ers.”
It’s worth reading the book as he explains it much better than I can but (pasting this from the book’s description!) this sums it up pretty well:
Boys and men are in crisis. Rarely has a cohort fallen further and faster than young men living in Western democracies. Boys are less likely to graduate from high school or college than girls. One in seven men reports having no friends, and men account for three of every four deaths of despair in America. Even worse, the lack of attention to these problems has created a vacuum filled by voices espousing misogyny, the demonization of others, and a toxic vision of masculinity.
LOVE your grab bag and especially your attunement to your changing style when it’s so easy to get stuck - I too am feeling this pull toward some kind of simplicity and the sexiness of it! Damn it! Xx
Thank you! It’s not easy!
Is the Aerin Tuberose Gardenia the same as the Estée Lauder Private Collction Tuberose Gardenia?
I actually have no idea! I assume they are different but you never know.
Yes it is the same! It is now under AERIN Beauty. Such a beautiful fragrance!