A book to fuel some self-discovery and 5 more things I’m obsessing over this month
You know how they say that money can’t buy happiness?
They’re right—it can’t really. I mean, it can, but only to an extent. You’d probably be much happier during quarantine if you were self-isolating at a Beverly Hills mansion with a private pool, hot tub, sauna, movie theater, and tennis court. But, at about the two-month mark (read: now), you would still be longing to see your friends, dance on a table at your favorite club, go work in your favorite coffeeshop, maybe even meet a rando off of Tinder.
We can treat ourselves to new cute pajamas, velour sweat suits, sourdough starters, and a freakin’ Peloton—but there’s something about living amongst and rubbing up against other humans that makes life worth living.
Unfortunately, we still aren’t supposed to be doing any of that right now (unless you live in Georgia, God speed). So, happiness does seem to need to come from material things. After you’ve done all the guided meditations, long walks in nature, and affirmations, sometimes you just know that doing a good ol’ haul from your fave online store will give you real (although perhaps fleeting) joy.
So, without further ado, here are my favorite things of the month—all can be enjoyed alone.
1. A serum to keep your skin glow-y on its own
If you live in a non-420-friendly state, you may be deprived of your weed supply. While you can’t get high off of it, may I recommend using your weed $ for KUL CBD skincare products this month? I particularly love the serum, but all of their products are super aesthetic and high quality, and they definitely have the slightest (albeit elevated) scent of bud.
2. Silky pajamas so you can cosplay as someone who has their life together
I have a serious question for everyone reading this: do you actually wear real, cute pajamas? I think the last legit set of pajamas I had and wore was a Victoria’s Secret PINK set that I purchased solely so I could look cute at middle school sleepovers. In the comfort of my own apartment I solely sleep naked, and I throw on an ex-boyfriend’s t-shirt or some very old Hello Kitty flannel pants in the time between getting home and going to bed.
But, suddenly pajamas (or my attempts at them), are all I wear, so I figure might as well get some cute ones. And, if you’re shaming me and assuming that I only did this because I was influenced by Instagram influencers, then you’d be correct!
This Monique Morin set is super cozy and light, and the right balance of sexy and chill.
3. A book to fuel some self-discovery
While I don’t mean to shame anyone for being a total hot mess during quarantine, I’ve actually been pretty productive up until very recently where I’ve lost some steam. And while most of my days have been spent doing the usual work, yoga, cooking, repeat—spending the last two months isolated with a dude has seriously opened my eyes to some of my relationship habits, triggers, and traumas. Whether you’re isolating with a partner, a roommate, or by yourself, this might be a nice time to do some self-discovery and exploration. I realize that doing it Eat Pray Love style (a.k.a in a gorgeous foreign country), sounds more glamorous, but maybe now by the time you go to Rome you’ll already be the “best” version of yourself and ready to elope with a hot Italian man?
Anyway, a book I’ve read semi-recently that helped me learn a lot about myself was Attached by Dr. Amir Levine and Rachel S.F. Heller. I first really learned about attachment styles in Lane Moore’s book How to Be Alone (which I write about in this round-up). Essentially, they explain why we act the way we act in all of our relationships. Whether you’re clingy or scared to catch feelings or totally chill and wondering why your boyfriend freaks out when you haven’t texted him back in an hour—you will learn something from this book.
4. A good set of fake nails
At about the 1.5-month mark, my nails were living on the edge. While I let them be bare for a few days after pulling my acrylics off, I felt incomplete without my acrylic nails, so I got this pair of Kiss press-ons from CVS—and damn, these look good. Seriously, multiple people asked me (via Instagram) where I got them from, and they are just the right amount of subtle-y classy, but with some sass.
5. Some fancy (but healthy) snacks that won’t perish quickly
One thing that quickly dawned on me as I stayed home was that I really have zero foods to snack on. I normally would just bring a banana or nuts to work or buy a cookie if I was working at a coffee shop, but being at home made me crave something more (or at least some variety).
In between my spurts of baking, I’ve been snacking on TB12 bites and bars—which are all vegan, gluten-free, raw, and organic. The Blueberry Superfood Bites and Lemon Protein Bars are my favorites.
6. All things Bellesa — including their Nirvana vibrator that I won in their giant giveaway
If you’ve read me writing about Bellesa before, that’s because I love everything they do as a brand. They create awesome erotic content for women, and they also had a freaking huge sex toy giveaway to help everyone get through quarantine. They gave away thousands of vibrators, and I was lucky enough to win one! The Nirvana is basically similar to a Hitachi Magic Wand, but way sleeker IMO. Vibrators aren’t normally my thing, but if it’s free and shipped directly to me when I’m quarantining away from home, I’m not mad about it.
