Last year, I noticed how my desire to accomplish things can prevent me from living in the moment. My goal for for 2021 was to be more present, so one of the reasons I love writing these monthly posts is the opportunity to reflect.
August was a “slow month” in my corporate job, which meant that I had more time to travel, connect with family & friends, and explore Amsterdam. In reflecting on the month of August, I realized how much I’ve grown in the last year and a half through living abroad. I’ve found more happiness in smaller things, become more flexible, and grown to love our city (even the awful weather). Read on to find out what I’ve been catching up during August.
Mercedes
What I’m listening to: podcasts
I’ve had a lot more free time, so I’ve recently picked up listening to podcasts again. I’ve written a few times about my three favorites: Wine for Normal People, The Simply Sophisticated LIfe, and The Happiness Lab. I just finished this episode of The Happiness Lab on tracking and measuring ourselves, which really resonated with me.
My friend & former co-worker in San Diego also just started a health & wellness podcast. Since she & her podcast partner are based in San Diego (where I went to college and met my husband), listening makes me feel more connected to the city. I loved their recent episode on saying no.
What I’m reading: this best seller
One of the things I enjoyed most about August was catching up on reading. While traveling in Mykonos I read The 7 Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, which came highly recommended by several good friends.
It’s a total page turner, and the visuals the author paints are stunning – I could picture all of Evelyn’s dresses, and almost felt like I knew her. I had trouble putting it down, and even woke up early on vacation to read it! I’m also kicking off a book club with my girlfriends back in the States to read Taylon Jenkins Reid’s newest book, Malibu Rising.
What I’m using: my LED mask
I feel like a broken record talking about this LED mask (US link // EU link), but it’s honestly my favorite beauty investment (maybe ever). I packed it on my recent trip to Greece, and using it every morning helped counteract the effects of drinking all day in the sun. Check my saved Instagram stories under Beauty for answers to your questions about LED masks!
What I’m looking forward to: travel
With summer coming to a close, I’ll be squeezing in a few more trips opportunistically. Keeping my goal of being present and more spontaneous in mind, I haven’t booked much yet. But I’m hoping to go wherever I get inspiration.
While we will likely stay in Amsterdam for Christmas, we are planning a (short) trip back to the States for Thanksgiving. We are also planning to have our second group of visitors from the States, which we are so excited about. Being away from our support network has been really tough for my husband & I (especially during COVID), so we’re looking forward to sharing our new life here with more family in October.
What I’m eating: protein carrot cake muffins
I’ve found that I need a combination of carbs + sugars in the morning to keep me energized, and I rotate between a few breakfast recipes. Protein oats (recipe in this post) and apple spice muffins (recipe in this post) are two of my favorites for fall, but lately I’ve been loving these gluten free carrot cake muffins.
I change the recipe slightly – I use carrot juice pulp, sub 2/3 cup of Form unflavored protein powder for 1 cup of the almond flour, 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice instead of the nutmeg, and add a splash of almond milk to get to the right consistency. They freeze perfectly and have a soft texture that is delicious in the mornings with a tea or coffee. The extra protein is also perfect if you work out in the mornings.
What I’m wearing: loungewear
We haven’t had much of a summer here in Amsterdam. The weather is already slowly creeping into fall, which makes me want to cozy up on the couch in something comfortable. I recently bought this insanely soft loungewear set (top & bottoms) and this cozy affordable sweater (looks and feels just like this Khaite version, at 1/40th of the price). Below are more of my recent favorites.
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