Read: At the beginning of the year I realized I was spending way too much time scrolling my phone at night, especially when I don't have a book lined up on my Kindle or sitting on my nightstand, so I've been making a big effort to change that habit. In fact, January has been all about habit setting and habit changing for me – having a book nearby helps me cut my screen time and actually wind down for bed. This past month I ready two books and started a third, beginning with Stay Sexy & Don't Get Murdered by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark (for those under a rock, Karen and Georgia are the hosts of My Favorite Murder, AKA – the best thing about Mondays and Thursdays). I liked the book, but actually think I would have enjoyed it better as a book as opposed on my Kindle. The way it's formatted, it seems like it would read better on the page. Otherwise, it was great and I enjoyed Karen and Georgia's laidback and straightforward writing style. After that I flew through Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan, which I loved. I tend to gravitate towards memoirs and non-fiction, so reading this was pure fun and such a nice change of pace. I'm looking forward to reading the other two books in the trilogy and watching the movie. Now I've gone back to old habits and am almost done with The Killer Across the Table by John E. Douglass, who the show Mindhunter was inspired by. Recommended.
Bought: I've been keeping my purchases very, very intentional after being a bit spendy at the end of the year, but I'd had my eye on this pair of very cute white sneakers for so long, I finally took the plunge using a birthday discount. And I must say, no regrets. I'm wearing them now with distressed denim but I can't wait to style them for spring with feminine dresses. I also purchased this set of bright leggings and the matching crop top for yoga and the gym and I love them. I usually opt for black or dark blue workout sets, but I love how bright and bold this set is, it also just makes me really, really happy and excited to workout and there's not much more I could ask for.
Cooking: I've been working on incorporating more vegan and vegetarian dishes in my routine this year, along with just replacing meat with tofu, beans or tempeh more often. A fantastic side-effect of this is that I've been rediscovering my cookbook collection. Most of our cookbooks are plant-based anyway, but I haven't used them in awhile – my go-tos lately have been the Oh She Glows cookbook and Oh She Glows Everyday, The Moosewood Cookbook, The First Mess and Love Real Food.
Working on: If it's not already obvious by what I've previously mentioned, I was kind of a wreck at the end of 2019. My skin was a nightmare, I was experiencing major cystic acne breakouts a couple of times a month, I wasn't sleeping well, my gut was in a shambles (which was helping with those breakouts), my period was weird, and I was becoming an expert at talking myself out of going to the gym – or even just going outside (movement is my #1 coping mechanism for when times are stressful and times were definitely stressful). In short, I felt like crap, and it culminated in a really bad night on New Years Eve (some people drink too much on NYE, I ate too much cheese - ha! But for real.) In the new year I cut out all alcohol and most dairy (I still occasionally eat fermented dairy, like kefir and low-sugar yogurt), two things I know exacerbate my acne problems and aren't great for my digestion, and I've been working on getting back to early morning workouts before I sign on for work. It's been a process, but the difference I've noticed is kind of incredible and super motivating. Something that's been helpful for me this time around is not putting hard stops on anything – for instance, I'm not saying I've quit drinking, nor am I doing a "dry January", I'm simply not really drinking right now. If I want to, I can, but I don't really want to. A couple of other things that have helped my skin: This set by Sunday Riley (I use the toner AM & PM, the oil only at night, and the mask as a spot treatment), this supplement for liver support, and lots and lots of water.
