Summer is my preferred season, so I’m glad to say goodbye to January, the Monday of all the months. Thankfully, there were a handful of things that made the month much more bearable.
Headspace App
Starting a meditation practice can seem daunting (at least it did to me), but Headspace makes it much easier. It starts you off with a 10-session series of Basics that guides you through very short meditations and progressively builds to longer ones. There are tons of other themed guided meditations to try, though you do have subscribe to access them. One of my favorite parts of the app is the Buddhist monk who talks you through the sessions. His British accent is tremendously soothing 🙂
Black Books
A British sitcom about an eccentric, heavy-drinking bookstore owner? Yes please! Bernard (the owner of the bookshop), his assistant Manny, and their friend Fran who owns the shop next door get into the funniest situations and scrapes. It’s available on Hulu for your viewing pleasure.
Yoga with Adriene
I learned about this YouTube channel from www.iamyourrabbit.com, and I’m so glad I did. Adriene’s yoga videos are free and fabulous! This month, she offered a 30-day series called True that “invites you to go on a ride back to…you.” It helps you explore who you are, how you move, how you can be present in the moment, and how to be true to yourself. Adriene’s instruction is clear and adaptable to different skill levels, while also being pretty entertaining. She’s full of funny quips and isn’t afraid to poke fun at herself. PLUS, she has an amazing dog named Benji who sometimes sits in on the sessions. He’s so chill and yogi-like. I strive to be like him someday!
Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime Tea
During these cold winter months, I’ve rediscovered how lovely a cup of herbal tea can be in the evenings. Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime Tea has been my favorite. Maybe it really has ingredients in it that can make you sleepy, but I think it might just be the coziness of having a warm beverage in my hands while reading a good book that makes me feel relaxed and ready for bed.
All Songs Considered: New Music Friday
For the past couple years, I’ve listened predominantly to 70s rock, 80s pop, and 90s grunge. I’ve only recently started listening to new music again and have floundered a bit when deciding what to try. To guide me on my musical journey, I turned to NPR’s All Songs Considered, a podcast I followed religiously in my mid- to late twenties, and they’re even better than before! Not only do they have their regular podcast featuring music coming out in the next few months, but they also have New Music Friday, which highlights the best albums released that week. I still love my 70s, 80s, and 90s music, but I’m glad to have All Songs Considered as a resource for all the new stuff I’ve been missing.
What’s made you happy recently? Please share in the comments below!
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