9 of My Current Mood-Boosters and Life-Savers

Nine things I’m leaning on in this season of sweat, snacks, and feelings.

The first week of August is kicking my butt a little bit. I feel slow. I feel like I can’t summon a single creative thought to save my life. I’m tired, which actually feels like a full-body emotion right now. I’m not complaining, I’m just expressing the August of it all.

Maybe we’re supposed to be slow this deep into summer? Maybe everything’s a little wilted and dry around the edges like my cucumber plant, and that’s okay. Maybe you have to be low to really recognize when you’re on the up and up. That’s what I’m telling myself anyway, as I pad barefoot into the kitchen for another glass of water.

In good news, a family of hawks has taken up residence in the old pecan tree just outside my dining room window. They circle. They scan (they’re also very chatty!). I’m taking their presence as a sign to take the bird’s eye view - to look at the big picture. August, sure. But maybe also September, October into the rest of the year.

In the meantime, here are ten little life-savers getting me through my little down swing. Nothing major. Just some bright spots in the heat haze.

Let’s get into it!

• An afternoon cup of Lion’s Mane Tecchino Tea with a splash of milk hits just right. It’s a midday treat, but without the chaos of a third cup of coffee that would absolutely launch me into an anxiety spiral. Bonus: the teabags are generous enough to stretch into two cups, if you’re into that sort of thing (and in this economy we’re into that sort of thing).

• Huge in the mood-boosting department: starting seeds for a winter garden. I can’t say the summer garden was a rousing success—other than the giant basil bush still going strong in the shady part of the yard—but I think I’ve learned that my beds need a boost of compost and more fertilizer as we go. I’m starting with broccoli, cauliflower, brussels, and collard greens from David’s Garden Seeds, but find seeds that are local to you and get in on this serotonin boost with me!

• I’ve reached for the chocolate chip cookie dough balls stashed in the freezer more than once this week—just one to bake off and keep me company while I spiral into the new season of Real Housewives of Miami. If you don’t currently have dough in the freezer (let’s fix that), you can mix up a batch of Just Two Giant Chocolate Chip Cookies and have a warm cookie in hand in 20 minutes flat. How’s that for a survival skill?

• A little indoor (in the bless-ed air-conditioning) craft project that goes really well with an iced Diet Coke: a punch needle project.

• This very Ina Garten denim shirt from Gap is the first thing I reach for when it comes out of the laundry even though it’s fairly thick for summer. I like the sturdiness. The thickness hides the sweat (which I would be doing no matter the weight of the fabric) and it’s perfect over a summer dress at dusk because mosquitos can’t seem to figure out how to nip through it.

• My girlfriends and I are going out to dinner this Saturday night and we’re bringing this vibe: wear the dress you never get to wear. Girlhood is so cute. We really nail it.

• If you were to ask Will what his favorite thing I make is, he would (shockingly) say my chicken marinade. It’s like he’s never eaten any of my double chocolate cake and that’s ok. That marinade is this Chicken Marinade from Commander’s Palace in New Orleans. Yes, it seems like it has a million ingredients but you probably have most of them in the back of your pantry somewhere! The combination of lime, soy, brown sugar and fish sauce base really hits. It makes THE BEST grilled chicken and is a great meal prep situation.

• We’ve transitioned to the part of summer where we’re passing fresh watermelon through the juicer instead of keeping a big bowl cut in the fridge. 3 cups of watermelon, half a raw beet, an inch of fresh ginger, the juice of a lime, and a pinch of sea salt make a very healthful and fresh Watermelon Beet Ginger Juice.

• Now I’m only mentioning this because I’ve reached empty on all of my double cleansing and skin flooding supplies. I’ve tried double cleansing in the past but always found that the oil would clog my pores. This Palmer’s Face Oil has my skin feeling clean, plump, and fresh. And the three toners I’ve used this past month are: balancing, soothing, and brightening. I’ve noticed a difference in the bounce of my skin and the size of my pores—and honestly, none of that really matters, but it makes me feel good.

Take any of these little gems you might need this week. Mmmkay love you see you Sunday!

xo Joy