Now

February was a month of reseting and reframing for me. It’s been a while since I’ve felt so mentally clear so I tried to take advantage of that positive feeling as much as possible. I finished my diet and acupuncture program (detailed article coming soon!) half way through February and have really just been trying to build on the healthy momentum as much as possible. Along with a healthier diet, I’m proud to say that I’ve finally gotten back onto a consistent fitness routine! Having a fitness routine has been something I’ve struggled with for years so it’s probably one of my proudest accomplishments of the month.

It’d be mendacious for me to say I didn’t have my tough moments this month. There were still quite a few days where I felt myself dropping back into the same “rushed” feeling—like I was losing control of time and watching it slip by while feeling frustrated about the lack of control. In other words, I started to slip back into the grasps of chronic stress and felt every sign pointing towards overwhelm. The difference between this month and the many months I felt this last year was I caught it right away—my neck and shoulder pain coming back, skin feeling prickly, losing track of my days. And although I still lost a few days here and there to the feeling, overall I was able to prevent a full-on spiral. Another thing I have on my gratitude list for the month.

To learn is to unlearn and I know there are still plenty more days ahead where I’ll fall to the same patterns. However, February felt like the start of something new. A real beginning compared to my traumatic start to the year. For the first time this year, I’m looking forward to the change ahead and learning how to relinquish control in order to stay flexible to life’s demands.

I hope March brings us both more self-reflection, growth, and comfort—all things I think we need more of this year.

Reading

• The Songbird & the Heart of Stone by Carissa Broadbent - The third book in the Crowns of Nyaxia series brings us into the underworld. I can feel that Broadbent really tapped into her creativity with this one and that alone made this book a joy. On it’s own, I didn’t think it was the best in the series however I’m still excited to read the second part of the House of Shadow story.
• Bright Young Woman by Jessica Knoll - Please read the trigger-warnings before you take on this read. It was a welcome change to explore criminal cases from the minds of the victim’s friends and family. However, this triggered emotional reactions I wasn’t expecting. How often do we pause to think about the trauma that gets brought up again for those who were close to the victims?
• Like Happiness by Ursula Villarreal-Moura - I breezed through this book this month. Deeply explores the misuse of power dynamics in relationships specifically looking at characteristics and personalities that are drawn to these relationships.
• Play It As It Lays - Joan Didion - I actually started this last year but had to put it aside because it was adding to the aforementioned chronic stress episodes. Funny that I decided to pick it back up now but I enjoyed it so much more. It’s bleak—so be warned. However, it leaves you thinking about it for days, which in my books, marks great writing.
• Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection by Charles Duhigg - Beyond just providing a ton of amazing insights and actionable tips for deeper communication, I actually really enjoyed the supporting examples. Usually I skim those parts in non-fiction but Duhigg did a really great job with his stories in this one.

Watching

• Singles Inferno S4 - Was anyone else on this train with me? I’m usually not a huge dating show girl but Singles Inferno is always a fun time especially because so many of my friends watch it. Theo was honestly my favorite man of the season and Si an was my favorite woman. I won’t spoil anything but man did that one scene between them hurt.
• Severance - This show is phenomenal but one I had to pause in the latter half of the month because it was adding to the dark and stressful feelings I was having. Will be continuing this one in March.
• Inheritance - Loved seeing Lily Collins in a more serious role although it seems like “wound up, privileged girl” remains her personal brand in acting. Definitely a tense thriller and kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time.
• Ladybird - I didn’t love this one! Which I was kind of shocked about. Did anyone else find it a bit misleading that Timmy Tim was on the cover on Netflix yet he’s in about 15% of the movie?
• La Dolce Villa - A good ol’ cheesy hallmark movie. Considering a move to Italy has been my dream (one that I’m working towards feverishly) for years, I kind of suspected I would love this one.

Listening

• Beware of Pity by Stefan Zweig - Currently listening to this in audiobook form. I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect going in but this book has inspired me to read more classics this year. It explores the many forms that pity takes place and one specific case in which where a young lieutenant starts to build an interesting relationship with a nobleman’s daughter with disabilities.

Making

I’ve always loved working with my hands which explains why so many of my hobbies outside of work are ones where I do just that. Yes, I created videos this month (as I always do) but beyond that I started to work on my hobbies outside of work as well. Here’s what I made this month:

Bread

Honestly I don’t know where this desire came from because I could’ve very well gone out to my favorite bakery to grab their garlic loaf. But coming out of my diet, I started to wonder what the bread-making process entailed. So down the rabbit hole I went and in February I made 2 garlic loaves and my very first sourdough loaf (from my very own sourdough starter, Bertha!)

Videos

I’ve rediscovered my love for vlogging this month (it’s where I started after all) so I’ve been showing the most TLC to my vlog channel of the same name. If you don’t yet follow me on there, please do! I’d love to grow it to a place where I can put more focus into creating intentional vlogs for you. This is my audition to becoming your new comfort Youtuber!

Hemming my own jeans!

This one has actually been on my to-do list for a while but I finally learned how to hem my own denim. I ended up hemming 6 pairs of denim over the weekend which has definitely made me rethink what clothes I will be keeping and what clothes I can get more use out of.

Loving

• Writing - I don’t know what’s gotten into me this month but I’ve been craving writing more than ever before. It’s such a therapeutic act for me and I’d love to improve my writing more in the process. This newsletter has definitely been a great source of motivation for me so thank you for being a part of my journey 💌
• Reading classics - I’ve been trying to dive into more timeless pieces over the past year with varying success. I’m still working my way through Crime and Punishment (I’m determined to finish it) but I have been finding more authors that feel like an easier entry point into the world of classics. Hoping to branch out more this year and explore this new (old?) category of books. Let me know if you want me to share more of my classic reads!
• Improving vocabulary - In relation to the last point, reading classics has me thinking about my vocabulary. I definitely find myself searching up words more and I’ve started to note any new words I’m learning in my reading journal. I’d love to grow my vocabulary further, especially in my writing.
• Reading critically - As someone who switched to a technical institution after my first year of university, I sometimes wished that I had given myself more time to explore university courses that interests me. One being english and another being creative writing. I actually started a reading journal for the first time so that I can record any thoughts I have around the theme, character development, and overall plot as I’m reading. I might work on a separate article on how I’m learning to read more critically.
  • Here are some articles that I loved on the topic of reading more deeply
    • Can Reading Make You Happy?
    • The Elite College Students Who Can’t Read Books
    • How Critical Reading Can Improve Your Writing
    • Have We Forgotten How To Read Critically

Snapping

January

January felt like an entire year crammed into one. Mostly because I went through several different mental states (grieving, healing, relearning how to be a human…you know. All the regular programming), but also because there was so much going on with work as well. After pushing back several projects and delaying videos for weeks, I finally started to work again. So suddenly, all the deadlines stacked up and I had to hit the ground running.

On the bright side, the amount of growth that happened is something that will live on my gratitude lists for months. In many ways, grief is like a reset. It makes you question how you’re living especially when you take those first steps out of the darkness. Things that seemed to matter so much before starts to seem trivial. Although my world was turned upside down, when I decided to upright it again I started to rearrange things piece by piece.

One main focus that I’m proud of is my health. I’ve been coping with severe acne since December, although adult acne itself has been a persistent issue for the past 2 years. After trying topical creams and ointments, prescribed clinical skincare, and clinical treatments and facials, I finally decided to turn inward and examine what else might be going on that could be causing the outbreaks. My attention shifted to what my Oura ring has been trying to tell me for a minute—I live with an abnormal amount of stress. What feels like a stressful day to someone else is an average day for me. And because of that, my body was breaking down.

This showed up in every moment I had a break from work. Without fail, every Christmas break I would fall sick. It’s actually been happening for years and for the longest time I couldn’t figure how I could possibly be so unlucky. The patterns are clearer now—Christmas break is the only break from work I have in the year where I’m not typically travelling. It’s like my body was just holding on until I finally had nothing to do and then finally—upon it’s first exhale—tearing itself into pieces.

I’ve been trying to learn how to slow down since I came back from Europe back in September, but this month I finally decided to explore Chinese medicine and what it has to offer. I started a 3 week acupuncture program that’s supplemented with a strict diet. I’ve started writing an article on my experience so I won’t talk about it too much here. But since I started that diet, the acne flare-ups have eased up slightly and my body just feels cleaner. This is the rest I needed. What I do after still needs to be planned out.

Although I’m still far from having clear skin and a perfectly healthy body, I do really feel like I’m headed in the right direction. I’m feeling really proud of my decision to try this because not only am I eating healthier than I have my whole life, but the discipline is seeping into other areas of my life as well and it’s been a beautiful lifestyle change overall.

That’s my long-winded way of saying that one of my biggest intentions this year is to actually learn how to listen to my body and take care of it. I think this monthly wrapped series will be a great way for me to track the progress and take you along for the journey as well. If nothing else, I hope it serves as a reminder to examine your own life habits and inspire you to turn inwards to see what you may really be needing.

Making:

Post coming back to the content world, I’ve been feeling creatively inclined to just make things that I enjoy. Being a full-time content creator (wow, I still can’t believe that’s my job) is a constant balance between creating what brands want, creating for discoverability, and creating for myself. I’m just learning now how to straddle that line and ideally turn it into a venn diagram that I can stand in the middle of.

This month, along with getting back on track on my main platforms, I also started to make vlogs again for my second channel. The goal of this channel is to act like what my main channel was in the very beginning—be a safe space where I can share my thoughts, create vlogs because I want to, and talk about anything and everything (but mostly books). The themes are life, comfort, and books. Follow along if you’re looking for a new comfort YouTuber to add to your list.

I also got back onto a consistently podcast schedule so here’s a recently episode I created on ‘How to make 2025 your “selfish” year‘.

Reading:

The colder months are always when I breeze through books as if I have all the time in the world. It’s usually because I’m going outside far less so in reality I do have more time than I usually do. In January I finished 8 books. My reading will probably slow down quite a bit in February but that’s to be expected as I ramp up my regular work schedule again.

• The City in Glass - Nghi Vo. This book was a wild ride. Honestly a tad confusing with an ending that felt completely out of pocket.
• Kingdom of Ash (Throne of Glass #7) - Sarah J. Maas. This was good. I honestly just wanted to wrap up Throne of Glass asap because taking nearly 2 years to finish a fantasy series is so unlike me.
• Immaculate Conception - Ling Ling Huang.* I loved Natural Beauty by Huang and I predicted correctly that this would also be a twisted, dark experience. It definitely did not disappoint. I can’t wait to see what else Huang comes up with.
• Unromance - Erin Connor. I ordered this and Bride as a part of my Aardvark book subscription. I think what I’m going to do moving forward is order 3 books each month that are all under one genre. Kind of like having a reading theme for the month. January’s theme was romance. This book is your most typical rom-com plotline and although I’m all for some spice in books, there were parts that felt unnecessary here. Like did you guys really fall in love after sleeping together and hanging out a few times?
• Bride - Ali Hazelwood. I loved this. But I did not need to read about the ehem wolfy anatomy that comes into play with werewolves mate.
• The E-Myth Revisited - Michael E. Gerber. I’ll be doing an entire podcast episode where I distill the lessons I learned from this book. That’s how much it resonated with me. Definitely a must read for anyone who’s thinking of starting a business whether you’re a freelancer, contractor, creator, or something else.
• The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath. Boy am I glad I listened to this after I started to heal. I love a good messy woman but this felt heavy. It did also make me feel seen in some ways. Something to explore in therapy maybe.
• The Songbird & The Heart of Stone (Crowns of Nyaxia #3) - Carissa Broadbent. The first two books of the Crowns of Nyaxia series are still my favorite romantasy books of all time. This was also amazing but I’m not sure if it stands up to the first two. I’ll have to read the next book (it continues the story of the two characters brought up in this one) to see how I feel.

*starred books were ARCs gifted to me by publishes. These books will be released this year.

Watching:

As a part of my master plan to learn how to slow down, I started to watch shows and movies during/after dinner. There were many years I resisted this because it felt like a waste of time. Now I see it as intentional consumption of another art form I can learn from.

• Severance. Loving this so far. I’m not caught up on season 2, mostly because I got rid of my Apple TV subscription. Will have to find another way to finish it.
• Disclaimer. Ooo the twists in this was so good. Not to mention so well written and directed. This had me at the edge of my seat from beginning to end.
• Shrinking. This was probably my favorite show of the month. Does Apple make anything that’s not good? This also couldn’t have come at a better time because it so deeply explores what grief after death could look like.

Listening

I’m back on my podcast grind, not just in creation but also consumption. They’re the perfect media to consume on my 2 hour commute to and from the city. I like to listen to a variety of shows (and am constantly searching for new recommendations so if you have any, please send them my way!)

• Acquired. The two hosts do extensive 4 hour episodes that deep dive into the creation, history, and modern day financial standings of well-known brands. I believe they used to only do tech brands but now have expanded into other global companies. My favorite episode so far is the Hermes one, but their Nike episode comes in close second.
• Everything I Know About. This was actually recommendation from someone in my community (thank you!). I’ve only listened to half an episode so far but I already know it’ll be one I reach for on my drives.
• What’s the Juice. I love listening to Alia and Yoni ramble about whatever. I also have been religiously watching Alia’s vlogs on YouTube. She’s just great.

Loving:

• Gourmand scents??? I don’t know how this happened but I went from someone who couldn’t stand gourmand scents to now wearing one every night for bed. Yes, I’ve turned into one of those freaks who spray perfume for bed. I like to cater my bedtime experience, don’t judge me. I didn’t love Bianco Latte by Giardino di Toscana the first time I sprayed it but man has this scent grown on me. I’ve been wearing it nearly every night. (I now have a discount code with Twistedlily! Get 10% off samples or full-sized bottles with code ANGELZ)
• The Sony ZV-E1. I tried this as a part of the Sony Creator Loan Program and ended up buying one after my trial was up.
• My humidifier. I swear the cold air and having the heat running was killing me. The stark difference in how I feel when I wake up in the mornings is baffling.
• Retro photo booth pictures. Went to a gallery near Commercial Drive with my bestie Janice just to relive our euro retro photo booth moments. Loved it all over again.

Snapping:

My camera roll dump this month makes me happy.

That’s all for January. Here’s the a growth-forward February.

To be completely transparent I’ve been in and out of ruts these past few weeks although maybe my content doesn’t show it. Working in batches has never been more of a life saver so if you are also someone who creates content, I can’t recommend it enough. Is it weird to say that I’ve actually missed writing my newsletter?

A great tool for editing podcasts. I actually tried Descript years ago but didn’t love it for regular video editing. Now that I have a podcast though, I’ve completely changed my tune around Descript. It is such a great tool for editing, fine-tuning, and audio-treating your podcast. It has amazing AI tools built in as well. I personally use it to chop up my podcast episodes into bite-sized social media clips and their AI tool makes that whole process effortless.

My current favorite blush. Another product that has made a comeback for me. Merit recently sent me a bunch of their blushes and I’ve fallen in love with them again. I used them a lot when they first came on the market but never found them to be any thing special. I don’t know if they’ve changed the formulation or whether I just like the new shade range better but I’ve reached for them daily since I got them. My personal favorite is Persimmon right now.

The lip combo I can’t stop wearing. Another love discovered through PR but something I’ll definitely be repurchasing when I use it up. The combo of the Stone lip pencil with the Cool Teddy Macximal lipstick is all I wear these days. As someone who doesn’t even usually bother with lipstick, this combo has actually made me want to wear lip color everyday. Who would’ve thought.

A new camera I’ve been playing with. I finally caved and bought the Insta360 Go 3s and it’s been my go-to vlogging camera for on-the-go. I still absolutely love my Canon Vixia but for versatility and being discreet, the Go 3s might be even better. Plus it’s actually cheaper than the Vixia despite being WAY newer so that’s always a win.

My current favourite leash. For all the dog parents that read this, I’ve long been on the hunt for the perfect hands-free leash and I think this one from Shop Good Boy might be the one. I love that the body strap is adjustable and it comes in a ton of different colors. I got mine in the Forest green and it’s the only leash I reach for now.

Interesting Reads

I’ve been reading articles mostly on Substack so here are some that really stood out.

The anxiety you’re rewarded with for being a girlboss. - I might actually do a podcast episode about this soon because man did this resonate.

6 Places to read, write, and reflect in New York. - If you’re in NY or plan to visit, this article pretty much sums up all my next bookmarked places to visit.

Live fuller, write worse

Currently Reading

Immaculate Conception by Ling Ling Huang - I was blessed to get an ARC for this book so I’ll definitely be sharing my review once I finish

I never used to be someone who tracked my consumption or creation but in a desperate effort to do anything to distract my mind over the past 2 weeks, I decided to go through everything that I loved in 2024 and create a list. I didn’t include clothes, beauty, or things—let me know if you’d like a round up of all the products that I loved in 2024. This list contains more books, films, shows, music, and content (both my own and others) that I loved from 2024.

Non-Fiction Books

I'm honestly shocked at how little non-fiction I read this year. This will definitely change for 2025

• The Infinite Game - Simon Sinek
• Million Dollar Weekend - Noah Kagan

Fiction Books

I actually feel like I didn't read that many books that I LOVED in 2024. However, there were some killing guilty-pleasure type books though.

• Good Material - Dolly Alderton
• Manacled - Sen Lin Yu
• This Is How You Lose The Time War - Max Gladwell & Amal El-Mohtar
• The Assassin’s Blade - Sarah J. Maas
• Slow Days, Fast Company - Eve Babitz
• The Serpent and The Wolf - Rebecca Robinson
• Natural Beauty - Ling Ling Huang

Music

I'm honestly just happy that Drake wasn't on my Spotify Wrapped again. Also clearly Billie Eilish took over my life this year.

• Home - Dylan Sinclair
• Moonlight - Yo Trane
• The Greatest - Billie Eilish
• Birds of a Feather - Billie Eilish
• L’Amour De Ma Vie - Billie Eilish
• Wildflower - Billie Eilish
• A Seat - Arin Ray
• 别问很可怕 - J.Sheon
• Turn Off Your Phone - Jay Park

​Listen to my 2024 Spotify Playlist here​

Movies

I love movies, don't get me wrong but I definitely don't spend a lot of time watching them. Which is silly because films + shows are a form of art and something I can definitely take inspiration from. I'm working on unlearning the guilt I feel when I sit down to watch something.

• Challengers
• Past Lives
• The Intern

Shows

• The Perfect Couple
• 3 Body Problem
• Falling Into Your Smile
• Arcane S2
• Emily in Paris (all seasons)

Podcasts

• The Colin and Samir Show
• Call Her Daddy
• Leah’s Fieldnotes
• Pretty Lonesome with Madeline Argy
• Acquired

Content

• Alia Zaita
• Cari can read
• Tammy Mai
• Moya Mawhinney
• Sarah Gray
• Leah’s Fieldnotes
• Eva Meloche

My own content

This is really a list of content that I felt really proud of. Not including short-form.

• ​I journaled everyday for ten years—here’s why​
• ​I tried creating a podcast in 14 days…​
• ​How to change your life in 90 days​
• ​Imposter syndrome is ruining your life​ - my first podcast episode
• ​How to be COOL (redefining what cool means)​

​I hope the last month of the year has been treating you well. December is always reflective, introspective, and just down right moody for me. On the bright side it means lots of planning and learning which is never a bad thing! I told myself that I would try to block out some time closer to Christmas and actually give myself some “time off”. Does time off exist for people who are self-employed? Genuinely curious.​

I’m still currently saying yes to projects BUT I will take at least a few days off this month. If brands and companies will be offline anyways, why can’t I?​

If you’re also a freelancer/contractor/business owner—this is your reminder to schedule some time off this month.

5 Things

​Another level added to my night-time moisturization routine. I went from someone who hated the feeling of lotion on my legs under the sheets to someone who can’t live without a THICK body butter all over my body before bed. The newest addition to my high maintenance bedtime routine (that I’m really proud of honestly) is this body oil. It is so luxe, does not feel greasy on the skin, AND smells like white florals. I feel like this was made for me.​

​The perfect winter cushion foundation. I was loving the Jung Saem Mool cushion all throughout summer but decided to try a different one for winter. I’ve been really enjoying this one by Clio because it’s lightweight, feels moisturizing, and non-comedogenic. It doesn’t have as much coverage as the JSM but it’s pretty buildable.

​An iPad app that’s boosted my creativity. I’ve been using Notability for YEARS now. This year I really started to explore it more and now use it for doodling, mood boarding, taking notes, for my language class notes…it’s actually increased my iPad usage overall. Lately I’ve been loving just doing little iPad doodles, especially for video planning or thumbnail brainstorming. It’s also free to use which is crazy.​

​My drink of the season. I don’t know how I got so hooked on teas and matcha but here I am, feeling incomplete without a warm drink in the afternoon. I still am not over how smooth, flavourful, and fool-proof the Dew Matcha Bar matcha is. The fact that I can have cafe-quality matcha lattes at home has been a game changer for me. Also their packaging is SO cute and perfect for gifting.

​The coat I’ve been wearing non-stop. Every year I hunt for the “perfect” black wool coat. I never find it. So I’ve given up on finding one that suits ALL my needs and admitted that I’ll probably need to own a couple different ones for different styling purposes. This one by Massimo Dutti has bee my 2024 black coat. Honestly it’s nearly perfect and it’s what I’ve been reaching for the most this season.

Interesting Reads

​Joan Didion, Eve Babitz, + the Writerly Personality​

Currently Reading

​The Devil All The Time - Donald Ray Pollock​

​Supercommunicators - Charles Duhigg

Whenever we get to this time of year, inevitably we start seeing content around the topic of the “winter arc”. Whether it’s using that terminology or something different, the topic still stands—how to use the winter months to work on ourselves.

The fall & winter months have always been tough for me. I’ve never been medically diagnosed for seasonal affective disorder but I do notice similar patterns and symptoms year after year. Being aware of these cycles, I’ve started to look into how to actually combat these feelings, or at least learn how to make the colder months feel easier.

The perfect black coat. I feel like I’ve been looking for the perfect black coat for several seasons now and I’ve finally admitted that it doesn’t exist. My needs for a black coat changes slightly depending on my mood and outfit so it’s a me issue, not a coat issue. However, I did buy this Massimo Dutti coat this season and have been wearing it non-stop. It just has such a simple silhouette that looks good with most styles and I think it’s pretty close to perfect.

A confidence-booster scent. My obsession with perfume isn’t going anywhere but please let me know if you’re sick of hearing me talk about it. Scents play such a bit part of how I experience life and lately I’ve been tying certain moods and feelings to scents so that I can always use it to get grounded. My current confidence-booster scent (aka the scent that makes me feel powerful, sexy, and like my best self) is Babycat by YSL. It’s the perfect smoky, woody, incense-y vanilla perfume.

An email tool that saves me from headache. I am guilty of subscribing to way too many newsletters and it’s been a headache of mine for a little while. I recently discovered Leave Me Alone, a tool that was created specifically to help you unsubscribe to newsletters in bulk. It also creates a roll-up email if you want to continue receiving certain emails but have them all rounded up into one email. It’s part of the Setapp subscription too (the one tech subscription to rule them all)

A prompt journal that really works. Never has present me thanked past me more. I created the 5 minute growth journal when I was in a place of serious self-discovery and had an intense focus on personal growth. Now that I’m re-entering a stage where I’m ready to recommit to personal growth, I’m so glad I have this. My 5 minute growth journal includes daily prompts to help you practice mindfulness, gratitude, but also look inward. I often feel like prompt journals I come across don’t ask the hard hitting questions—so this one does.

A dog toy that Mika loves. Any toy that she loves is an automatic win in my books because it means I have another engagement tool to keep her occupied and having fun. She’s gotten bored of so many treat toys in the best but so far she’s still obsessed with this one. Fill it with small treats, and watch your dog entertain themselves for a while.

Interesting Reads

I think hustling is my trauma response - Aswan Magumbe

Currently Reading

Still making my way through Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. Was it really a good idea for me to dive into a book about madness when I’m trying to face my own? Maybe not.

Also started The Framed Women of Ardemore House by Brandy Schillace. Loving this so far.

Cozy. That’s all I really want to be these days. Cozy. Warm. Dry. The major theme of my life right now is comfort.

I always jokingly say that I am not a cold weather girl, but truly I have to try everything just to not feel miserable in the colder months. Canadians will probably read this and laugh because “it’s only 7 degrees (celcius) Angel! It’s not even that cold!” But I’m writing this sitting in my office with the heat on, wearing wool socks, a sweater, and a jacket and my hands are still ice cold.

Naturally, this issue of our 5 Things newsletter features things that are currently bringing me comfort. So if you also experience SAD (the emotion and the disorder) or just get grumpy when it’s cold and wet out, I hope some of these things brighten your day.

The nicest silk jammies. I used to always just sleep in any oversized t-shirt that was easiest to pull out of my closet. While I was in Europe I decided to treat myself to silk jammies and honestly I can’t go back. There’s something about wearing beautiful (and comfortable) pajamas that makes climbing into bed 10x more satisfying.

An affordable fall candle. Do I wish I could fill my home with Dyptique and Le Labo candles? Yes. Can I afford it? No. So I shopped the Bath and Body Works sale and honestly rediscovered my love for some of these scents. Specifically I’ve been burning Marshmallow Fireside in the office on cold mornings.

The perfume that makes me feel warm. My obsession with niche perfumes continues! I bought this one while in Italy and it’s been what I reach for the most. I love contrasting a baggy, tomboy femme outfit with a warm, sensuous scent and this is perfect for that. Maybe I can’t afford fancy candles cause I blew my shopping budget on perfumes 🙃

My favourite tool for scrapbooking. I would mention my Paper Republic journal in every issue of 5 Things if I could, that’s how much I stand by their journals. But to switch it up, here’s another tool that I’ve really been enjoying for journaling and scrapbooking. I’ve always loved Instax photos but hated carrying around their clunky cameras so being able to print out any photo on Instax film is a dream.

The blanket that lives permanently on my couch. I was also a skeptic when it came to weighted blankets but having one on my couch has made it infinitely more cozy. There’s something undeniably comfortable about having some weight on you. I love this one because the knit pattern also helps you regulate your temperature. Great gift option too for the holidays!

BONUS: A Notion template that actually works. Okay yes this is a self plug but this template has been saving my ass lately while I try to balance creating on so many different platforms. A few friends of mine have started using it for their work as well and have been sending me the sweetest reviews. So yes, I’m super proud of it and I think it deserves a plug.

Interesting Reads

The Words People Write On Their Skin (The Atlantic)

I love tattoo stories even though a lot of mine no longer have meaningful stories. Even so, I can say that each one of my tattoos come from a different stage in my life—a different mindset.

The Collapse of Self-Worth in the Digital Age (The Walrus)

As someone who's only recently gone full-time in the creative industry, this article really captured my fears well. We live in a world where art (and honestly a lot of other careers) are being measured by vanity metrics so where does our perception of self go from there?

You’re reading Sally Rooney Wrong (Leah Beth)

Currently Reading

Hotel Lucky Seven - Kotaro Isaka

Where I End - Sophie White

I never thought there’d be a day where social media would become my consumption research tool. As someone who likes to look into products before I make a purchase I used to always depend on reviews, blogs, and long-form review videos on YouTube. These days I seem to reach for TikTok first—a weird phenomenon that didn’t exist when we were in the Instagram era.

Although Instagram has been around longer (meaning IG creators have been around longer), I never use it as a search tool. It seems like not many people do and I’ll bet their crappy search function is the culprit. However, with the inception of TikTok paired with the comeback of chatty content, I now find myself doing almost ALL of my buying decision-making on TikTok. I only rely on YouTube if I’m purchasing tech or if I’m looking for a way more in-depth review on a product.

I’ve been thinking a ton about TikTok and it’s power lately so maybe I’ll do an essay about it soon.

Do you use TikTok to learn more about products you want to buy? Or is Google still your go-to way to find reviews?

5 Things

The body lotion that got me addicted to body lotions. If you like woody, warm, sensual scents this is by far one of the nicest smelling hand and body lotions I’ve experienced in a while. I love that it comes in a huge pump bottle. It’s a great fall/winter scent but I’d use it all year round.

This lace and silk slip is all I sleep in now. On my most recent visit to Italy, I finally decided to try out Intimissimi. I’ve been hearing about the brand here and there so I ended up buying some pjs and slips. Now that I’ve slept in silk I don’t ever want to go back to raggedy old t-shirts.

A little trick for managing a busy workload. I’ve been struggling with the feeling of overwhelm since July or August. I have so many tools in my toolbelt (both physical and mental) that I should be using to keep myself focused and keep my workload from crushing me. Yet some how by noon each day, I’m still feeling the same level of overwhelm paralysis. I’m currently testing a new trick where I only focus on ONE task (or category of tasks) per day. For example, today I’m focused on ideating, writing, and researching for upcoming articles and newsletters.

My new favourite mobile tripod (that I also use with smaller cameras). I’ve tried a lot of mobile tripods over the years and honestly most of them sucked. This year I finally found one that had everything I liked in a tripod. Folds up small, has a phone mount that tilts forwards and back, and is strong enough to hold a small camera.

The yummiest fruit gummies. I’m usually much more of a savory snacks girl but gummy candies are definitely my weakness. I rediscovered these Frutia fruit mix gummies at a local snack shop and have been eating way too many.

Interesting Reads

I decentered men. Decentering my desire for men is harder.

The elite college students who can't read books

Why teenagers are deliberately seeking brain rot on TikTok

Currently Reading

Slow Days, Fast Company by Eve Babitz

This is my first time reading anything by Babitz and she truly had me giggling and kicking me feet from page 1. Much like Dolly Alderton, Babitz feels like a comfort read for me. Reading her feels very similar to hanging out with my girlfriends.

There’s something about the crisp autumn air that brings a bout of melancholy. My ex once said to me “I hate September. People always break up in September.” This was shortly after we broke up in September. But I understand what he means, after the bright and warm summer days, the cold weather often brings a lot of introspection which often leads to change.

September was a bit of a crazy month for me. I went traveling for the month but beyond that, I made some major changes to my life that I’m still processing and working through but I’ll chat about it in a vlog soon (maybe). As if coming home from vacation wasn’t tough enough, add in a big life transition as well and suddenly I’m having one of the toughest months of the year.

I’ve been feeling a bit stuck with content—both from a creativity stand point and a time standpoint. Before I left for Europe, it felt like I dug myself into a hole, taking on too many projects at once. With my schedule finally starting to clear up a bit, I want to take the time to revisit what creativity means to me and how I can create for the joy of creating again.

5 Things

​The pen that made me leave Muji. Okay I haven't completely given up on my Muji pens but I've found myself reaching for the Lamy fountain pen more and more these days. Get it with the extra-fine tip and thank me later.​

​A body cream I can't get enough of. This year I decided to take my body care more serious. We spend so much time worrying about our face but why not the rest of our body? This Fenty body cream is so luxe while still being light so that you don't feel sticky when you get under the sheets. A must-have.​

​The journal I got all my friends obsessed with. Never has a company made me feel so seen. I'm someone who likes to have different notebooks for different reasons. A morning pages journal, a book journal, an Italian study notebook...so finding Paper Republic was an absolute blessing. They make beautiful Italian leather notebook covers that allow you to keep multiple notebooks within one portfolio. I now own them in 3 different sizes. To say that I'm obsessed is an understatement.​

Not sponsored by them at all but they gave me a discount code and link to share! Use code AngelPR30 for 30% off a writing bundle!

The album I've been playing non-stop. There is something so intimate about Billie Eilish's new album. I know not everyone loves her music but I feel like there's something for everyone.​
​

The perfume that seriously surprised me. I have never been a sweet, gourmand perfume girl but my friend Summer introduced me to the world of niche perfumes this year and oh my are some of these scents yummy. I got a sample of Dahal by Kajal this year and it's transports me to a wood cabin on the first days of crisp sunny fall. I'm wrapped in a cashmere blanket and there's a fresh apple pie baking in the oven. It is divine. If you can get a sample I'd highly recommend sniffing it.

Interesting Reads

​Maybe we're thinking of flop eras wrong by Digital Tinz​

Love reading her newsletters because they feel like a journal entry. Sometimes I feel like I should make my newsletters more "professionals" but other times I just want to write to you like a pen pal. Which do you prefer?

Currently Reading

​Lady Macbeth by Ava Reid - This is our October book club read on Fable! If this a book you've also been meaning to read, come read with us.

I tested positive for COVID early last week and what I thought would be a few days of being ill turned into an entire week of being unable to get out of bed. It was rough but I’m now at the tail-end of it and finally tested negative last night. With the end in sight, I’m slowly starting to reintegrate into my usual schedule of life/content. So bear with me!

Naturally, this week’s 5 things includes some self-care items. The only positive thing about being sick is that it’s given me more than enough time to properly care for my space, body, and skin. So you’ll see some new found favourites that I’ve discovered along the way.

In other exciting news, I recorded the first episode of my podcast! I went into it thinking it would be a breeze, especially since I’m always talking to cameras but I was SO nervous. There’s something about free-flow speaking that’s actually such a skill. I think after doing videos for so long and being very meticulous about what’s said and what’s shown, having another free-flow format (other than writing) felt really different.

I’m aiming to get a few episodes recorded before we officially put it out in the world but expect to hear it super soon.

5 Things

​The most luxurious body butter.​ I’ve never been good about moisturizing my body but that’s going to change this quarter. I got into the habit of moisturizing before bed while I was sick and I’m aiming to make it stick. I absolutely fell in love with this body butter, it may be my favourite body cream ever.

​The smoothest matcha.​ Dare I say this matcha actually is the reason I started drinking matcha again? I fell off it when the matcha I used to buy was chronically sold out on Amazon but the Dew Matcha Bar matcha has me hooked again. I’ve been loving it whisked with cold (oat) milk and then poured over ice + more oat milk. It’s super creamy that way and doesn’t dilute the matcha as much. Bonus points if you have a shaker cup because it makes your latte extra frothy and delicious.

​The juiciest summer scent​ (pun not intended, but necessary). Commodity recently launched a brand new scent, Juice, which could not have come at a better time. This berry-licious scent reminds me of one of those Victoria’s Secret or Lasenza body sprays that we used to wear in high school but more luxe. I imagine Charlie XCX sporting this one in the summer. (Cue brat girl summer playlist)

​The sheets that kept up with my 20 different nightly body-temp changes​. Another reason why Parachute will always have my heart. These linen sheets really got me through the rough of it. They also wash beautifully. I’ve owed them for nearly 3 years now and they’re still beautiful.

​A new podcast I’m loving​. This one was a recommendation from Janice (ty!) but this podcast features two hosts from one of my all-time favourite TV shows, Arrested Development. Such a fun listen.

Interesting Reads

​The Tchaikovsky Cure for Worry - Arthur C. Brooks​

​On Lucidity - Leber​

Currently Reading

I’m currently reading ​Natural Beauty by Ling Ling Huang​ as our July book club pick. I realized that the book club is kind of disjointed from the rest of my content so let me know if you’d like me to announce book club picks on the newsletter so you can read with us!

This week I wanted to chat about a feeling I always get when life gets busy. There’s no denying that I consume a lot of content. I do it for work as research. I do it for content creation to look for inspo. Between those two reasons, there’s really no point in consuming content just for fun as well.

When projects start to pile up I become hyper aware of what I’m consuming and when I’m consuming it. My brain naturally starts to deprioritize anything that isn’t work and I start to cut content-consumption out of my schedule.

The problem with that is I end up feeling out of touch with what’s going on in the creator space. The creator space, much like the other industries, moves so quickly and part of the job description is to stay on top of it. Whether that be trends, algorithm changes, or new tools and tech, there’s always something new going on.

So what I’m trying to do now is instead of letting my brain deprioritize content consumption completely, I’m intentionally scheduling it content time into my schedule. To make sure I don’t get caught up consuming just for entertainment, I go into every “content session” with a goal in mind. Whether that’s for inspiration, researching a specific topic, or just seeing what’s trending. By giving myself a quantifiable goal, it also helps me set a stopping point to the consumption.

A lot of my friends tell me that they struggle with balancing their consumption of content so if you also feel like it’s hard to control how much content you consume at one time, give this a try!

5 Things

​A thought provoking article. Most mental health related articles automatically get a click from me but this Atlantic article took me for a ride. Since I started to travel more, I’ve noticed that anxiety and depression seems less prominent in other parts of the world. Or maybe it’s just less visible and talked about? This article look at the conversation and transparency around mental health issues and how it correlates to the depression and anxiety rates in the country.

​A podcast I’m loving. Whenever I discover a podcast I enjoy, I end up binging episodes back-to-back. Especially since I moved last July, my commute to the city has nearly tripled, meaning I can actually fit in 2 one hour long episodes or 1 two hour episode every time I head to the city. I've been loving podcasts more than I ever have for that reason.

This podcast is actually hosted by Nathan Barry, the founder of Convertkit (the email service provider I’m using to send you this email!) and he talks to other entrepreneur/creators about their business and career journeys. It’s awesome. Super fitting for my current phase in life.

​A great testimonial collection tool. I consider testimonials a must-have for modern marketing strategies. Customers are smart and by not taking that into consideration, marketers are missing a crucial part of the pie. I recently started using Senja and it’s been such an intuitive and easy to use tool so far. Would highly recommend it to anyone who’s looking to collect testimonials for their business to display as social proof on their website.

​The tote bag I reach for the most. I definitely own too many tote bags. I’m starting to realize that as I declutter and prepare for a move across the world. Even after ridding myself of most of my tote bags (I still have 6 of them but I swear their all different and special) I’ve realized that when it comes to day-to-day use, I still reach for this one the most. The long shoulder straps, internal and external pockets, and laptop compartment makes it the perfect carry-all for me. I almost always have my laptop with me when I leave the house these days so the organization helps tremendously.

​Shoes I’ve been wearing on repeat. Shoes are another category of belongings that I need to trim down. Especially since I’ve been wearing the same shoes on repeat for the past several weeks. I definitely go through phases with the style of shoes I reach for but typically it rotates between boot, sneaker, loafer/flat/sandal depending on the season. I know we’ve all hopped on the train for these shoes already but the Salomon XT-6 has been my go-to lately. I own them in 2 color-ways and it just seems to go with every outfit I put together.

Currently Reading

I'm back on my one fiction, one non-fiction rotation!

Fiction read: The Fury - Alex Michaelides ​

Non-fiction read: Simple Marketing for Smart People - Billy Broas with Tiago Forte

Let’s not deny that Zendaya in a smoking hot scene kissing two boys was the reason we were all curious about this movie. But with Luca Guadagnino sitting in the director seat, I had no doubts we were in for a treat.

Last night I was invited by Warner Brothers Canada to attend a Vancouver premiere of the film, Challengers. I was a bit surprised to find myself sitting at the edge of my seat watching a movie about a love triangle. The movie opens with Art Donaldson (Mike Faist) facing off with Patrick Zweig (Josh O’Connor) with Tashi Duncan (Zendaya) sitting on the sidelines. The match was fierce but the tensions on screen read there was more than meets the eye.

You’re then thrown into a non-linear timeline as you discover the relationships between Donaldson, Zweig, and Duncan while exploring the complex nature of a boyhood friendship especially when a girl comes into the picture. Where do lines blur when it comes to love and when should boundaries be put into place?

As I’m sitting here rehashing the film in my mind, I have THOUGHTS. And FEELINGS. But I’m not going to spoil anything until you watch it too.

Is this your typically love story? Nope. Is this even a love story? I mean… maybe?? But not really. It’s more a story about obsession.

The film gave a little bit of everything—spice, coming-of-age story, psychology, friendship, romance, and tennis…all accompanied by an amazing soundtrack. There were also several scenes where I had to sit back and just admire the gorgeous compositions and shots choices. Overall, I’m definitely a fan. I’m no movie critique by any means, but I can say I’m super excited for you to watch it when it comes into theatres on April 26!

Also I just love Zendaya THAT much more now. She was phenomenal in this movie.

If you do end up watching Challengers, reply my email and let me know what you thought about it! Or discuss it with me in our discord channel.

And if you’re a girlie reading this, tell me: are you team Art or team Patrick? (Or team Zendaya?!)

These past couple of months have been major for me. I’ve been thinking about my career in a way I’ve never done before and I’m incredibly excited about some big changes that are going to happen in the next couple of months. While all this change has been happening, I’ve really been trying to ground myself in strengthening the foundations in all areas of my life.

​A scent I’ve been loving. I’ve been on the hunt for my new signature scent and although I don’t think I’ve found it yet, I did love Exit The King by Etat Libre d’Orange which I found a Scentrique, a perfumerie in Vancouver. It has notes like musk, pink pepper, jasmine, lily, and sandalwood (amongst a few others) which creates this bright, refreshing scent that’s perfect as a sophisticated spring/summer scent.

​A great tool for screen recording. If you’re an Apple user, you’ll love CleanShot X, a screenshot/screen recording tool that has a much better user experience than the native feature. Not only does it allow you to screen capture, it also lets you annotate the capture before you save it. It also screen records way smoother and creates HD videos which is super helpful for my content creation process. Would also work great if you often screenshot things for work or school. It’s included in the SetApp subscription (1 subscription that gives you paid access to TONS of different tools) which is how I use it.

​My new favourite reading app for newsletters and articles. I personally love subscribing to newsletters. I assume you do too since you’re reading this! But often newsletters get lost in my inbox and I have a hard time picking them out from all the other spam/advertisement emails I receive. I recently tried Matter, a newsletter reader that also lets you save and read articles. It’s made the process of reading newsletter soooo seamless and I can’t recommend it enough. It even has the ability to turn any articles you save into audio so you can listen to them on-the-go.

​A new lens for vlogging. I’ve been testing out the Sigma 16-28mm DG DN lens on my Sony A7C for a while now. I was on the hunt for a new wider lens that would work well for videos/vlogging and so far I’m really enjoying it. On a full-frame camera, it’s definitely wide enough to show tons of background for vlogs and is sharp enough to include all the details. I do sometimes wish I had the option to zoom a little further for versatility (maybe to 50mm?) but for the purpose of being a wider vlogging lens, it’s perfect. Light and crisp.

​A super interesting podcast. I recently found this pod called Acquired. They create long podcast episodes doing deep dives into different companies. I discovered them through one specific episode around Hermes. Although I’ve known about the brand for as long as I can remember, I never really knew much about it’s history and how they make their products. Now I feel like I know everything about them—from myths to company history to how they’re doing today. And it’s only made me respect the brand even further.

Interesting Reads

​The Uncomfortable Truth About Child Abuse in Hollywood (The Atlantic)​

​‘Nostalgia for a Dating Experience They’ve Never Had’ (The Atlantic)​

​Hate Consumption​

Currently Reading

​Tower of Dawn by Sarah J. Maas - Finally decided to try to finish the Throne of Glass series. It’s so silly because it’s not like I don’t love the series. It just couldn’t capture my attention the way ACOTAR did.

​The Fury by Alex Michaelides - I’ve had mixed reviews about Michaelides’ books in the past. I loved The Maidens and didn’t love The Silent Patient. Will keep you posted on how I like this one.

I’ve been feeling oddly anxious lately and even though I can pin point exactly why I’m feeling this way, it’s been a bit tough trying to manage that emotion. It has to do with both overwhelm from my endless to-do list but also being on the cusp of some major life changes. Can’t share too much yet but at least there are some really exciting things coming up, so stay tuned!

It’s funny because this week’s 5 Things list really reflects how I’ve been feeling. There’s a feel-good comfort read, there are some new workspace changes (because whenever I’m feeling overwhelmed, my first instinct is to change something in my life), and some productivity apps I’ve been loving. All things that I’ve been exploring to try to help manage the anxiety and keep myself in check. On Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube you just get to see all the good times, cool products, and happy moments so I thought I’d use the newsletter to share some of the behind the scenes—that I’m also human and get anxious and nervous when big things happen in life.

Hopefully if you’ve been feeling the same, this is a nice reminder that you’re not alone.

5 Things

​Beach Read - I was craving an easy, quick, romance read and I feel like you can always depend on Emily Henry for these. I was reading Chain Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah for March’s book club pick but I think it was a little too intense and paired with a busy month for me it put me in a bit of reading slump. Chain Gang All-Stars is actually an amazing read, I was really enjoying it so I’ll definitely get back to it at some point. But Beach Read did exactly what I expected: it made me giddy, laugh, and feel things.

​New Branch desk - For the millionth time, I decided to switch out my desk. If you just quickly looked at my workspace, you honestly wouldn’t be able to tell I changed anything at all. But I recently switched out my standing desk to the Branch Woodgrain standing desk. I decided to stick with the light wood but the reason I switched was so that I had a longer desk top to work with. I’m starting to film more unboxing videos for YouTube so having the extra workspace makes a big difference. They were super nice to offer a discount to the newsletter family so if you’ve been looking for a new standing desk, you can use angel5 for 5% off.

​The one app subscription to rule them all - Setapp is trying to make it easy for those who enjoy using different apps and software for productivity, organization, and planning. It’s a single subscription that gives you access to some major premium apps. Some apps that I’ve been loving and using through Setapp are Spark (for emails), Timemator (for time tracking), Tripsy (for trip planning), and Clean My Mac (for ensuring my MacBook stays organized and quick.

​My new favourite way to take notes on my iPad - I’ve been doing a lot of learning lately, from Skillshare classes to reading business books to other online courses. I used to take all my notes in notebooks but after a while, I just found them cumbersome to bring around with me and hard to go back to review notes when I’m on-the-go. I recently switched over to using Notability for note-taking and it’s been an absolute game changer. It has some amazing features such as searching through your written notes and recording audio so you can go back and listen to the lecture while you review your notes. It also even has built it flashcards and templates for you to try and it’s definitely by far my favourite iPad note-taking app that I’ve tried. If you use my link, you can get 50% off a premium subscription but the app is totally free to use for the most part if you just want to try it out.

​Overhead camera arm - I’ve been looking for the perfect overhead filming set up for SO LONG. I didn’t want to commit to a huge c-stand that I’d have to set up and remove every time I wanted to get an overhead shot so I tried 3 different desktop set ups from Amazon instead and I think I’ve found the best solution. This NEWER mount clips onto the side of your desk and has a 3-point arm that allows for so much versatility when positing your camera. You can also use it as a regular stand (just facing you when you’re filming) but it works great for overhead shots on your desk. It even comes with a phone mount if you prefer filming with your phone.

Interesting Reads

​How Cats Used Humans To Conquer The World - The Atlantic

​9 Minimalist Habits That Will Save You Hours - Medium

Currently Reading

​Almond by Won-Pyung Sohn - Our April bookclub read! This has been on my TBR for a while so I’m super excited to start this. It’s also a short read which is exactly what I need for this weird reading slump that I’m in

​Tower of Dawn by Sarah J Maas - I put down the Throne of Glass series late last year and never picked it back up but I think it’s time I reentered the world of fantasy.

Gone is another month of 2023 and as year-end draws closer, I'm starting to review all the books I've read this year.

I've been tracking my reading on GoodReads for several years now. Last year was actually the very first year I completed my intended reading goal. Although I've always been an avid reader, I only started to take reading more seriously once I dove back into the world of fiction.

Now splitting my time between fiction and non-fiction, I feel way more motivated to tackle a reading goal each month to reach my overall annual reading goal. In 2022 I read 30 books, 10 books over my 20 book goal for the year. This year, I set a goal of 40 books and I'm about 85% finished.

October Reads

Queen of Shadows & Empire of Storms by Sarah J Maas (From The Throne of Glass Series)

I'm grouping these two because when I binge a series, it gets a bit difficult to distinguish my opinions from book to book. Mostly because I switch from one to another so quickly, it's hard to remember where one story ends and another begins. I still haven't finished the Throne of Glass series but I do agree with the general consensus that it's a slow burn series and gets better and better as you read.

​ Ripe by Sarah Rose Etter​

This book cover was all over my bookstagram feed which is how I learned about it in the first place. I really enjoyed Etter's writing in this and it was hilarious reading about the tech industry's work culture being described in such a dark and morose way. The ending felt unsatisfying though and like a bit of a cop out unfortunately.

​Mercury by Amy Jo Burns​

This book was sent to me as an ARC (advanced reader copy) which is incredibly exciting. I knew nothing about the story nor the author going into it but it ended up being one of the best books I've read this year. Amy Jo Burns is an INCREDIBLE writer and Mercury solidified 'Family Stories' as one of my favourite genres to read. You can pre-order the book now which I highly recommend doing because this story will not disappoint.

​VenCo by Cherie Dimaline​

Someone said feminism, witches, magic-realism, and smashing the patriarchy is what this book is about and I said 'say less'. This was such a fun, light-hearted story and the perfect read to add to my October list. If you're looking for a quick read that'll make you cheer for the main character and feel warm and happy at the end, VenCo is definitely worth checking out.

​Bunny by Mona Awad​

I don't know how I managed to read not one, but TWO dark and twisty novels in October but I did and I loved every second of it. Reading Bunny made me feel like I did too many psychedelics and was having a bad (but fun?) trip. This has a classic 'leave-you-wondering' ending so if you don't like ambiguity and confusion at the end of a book, this is probably not for you. But Bunny was an absolute page turner for me and I still obsessively question the ending even weeks after I finished reading.

What have you been reading this fall? Hit 'Reply' on this email and let me know what books you've loved from this year so I can add them to my cart!​

I’ve decided I’m not longer going to think about what month it is. My shock at how quickly time goes by is starting to bore even myself, so I can imagine how many of you are probably sick of me saying “omg, can you believe it’s [insert current month] already?!” This past season has been eventful to say the least. I moved, I travelled, and I read (a ton). Although I loved every moment of it, I’m super glad I have a long stretch of time where I can just be at home. Because ya girl is TIRED. The inner introverted Taurus is really needing a recharge.

1. A book that made me SOB — I still seriously question why Hanya Yanagihara wrote this book. Why would anyone want to put other humans through this sort of pain and misery?! I was first introduced to A Little Life via Instagram, when a productivity content creator I follow read it and confirmed its reputation of ‘saddest book ever written’. Since that introduction, I’ve low key been kind of scared to read it. But after mentally preparing myself for MONTHS with the book sitting on my bookshelf, I can finally confirm that yes, the books as fucked up as you’d expect and it does (very well) deserve the title of DAMN SAD BOOK. I wrote a full review of the book on the blog if you want to give that a read.

2. A playlist that’s been on repeat — I’ve actually been feeling quite uninspired with my music lately. I haven’t been putting much into finding new music, and actually find myself depending quite heavily on Spotify’s curated playlists for my source of music. I was actually using Apple Music for a while, before finally deciding to make the tedious switch back to Spotify (more on that here. TL;DR, one of the reasons was because Spotify has superior playlists). One playlist I keep coming back to every time I get in the car is this Keith Power’s Taste playlist. It’s the slow jam, R&B playlist of my dreams honestly. It’s what’s playing as I’m writing this ‘sletter.

3. A new app I’m loving — I recently discovered one of the coolest yet most functional apps I’ve used in a long time. It’s built for a very specific purpose—to help people clear out their camera roll. But this app is the perfect example that you don’t need to sacrifice form for function. The app is Swipewipe. It turns cleaning out your camera roll into a fun swiping game. It organizes your media by months so you can easily keep track of what you have or have not cleared out. It also allows you to view media taken from the day, letting you do a quick clear out at the end of the day to prevent your memory getting filled up.

4. A cool local jewelry brand — In September, I took some time off and went to Tofino with a couple of friends. Each one of my Tofino trips end up being so drastically different despite how small of a town it really is. I got the chance to really explore the shops and stores around town and ended up discovering some local Vancouver brands I had never heard of before. Inside of the Merge boutique located at the end of town, I saw some stunning silver jewelry that was unlike anything I own. I found out that ring that caught my eye was actually from a Vancouver jewelry maker called @punchjewelryandoddities. She makes silver jewelry that has a molten feeling to them, as if the silver is dripping. The ring shown below actually isn’t the one I picked up but I’ll share that one once it’s back from resizing 

5. A new favourite piece of tech — I’ve owned GoPros in the past, but the first few that I had never felt like they worked for my vlogging purposes. But this past year, I treated myself to the GoPro Hero 11 Black and it’s quickly becoming my vlog camera of choice when I’m throwing something in my purse. This is partially because of the small form factor (without sacrificing on that front screen so you can see yourself when filming) but also just because I love the organic and different feel of the wide angle POV. It’s also super versatile because the quality is good enough that you can crop in on that that wide aspect ratio and get a HD 1080x1920 ratio as well. Meaning you can get all different types of shots just with this one camera. I don’t know if I could have it as my main camera but as a on-the-go vlogging cam, I think it’s perfection 👄🤌🏽

Hope you discovered something new <3 Have a great October.

Lately, I haven’t had much time for anything, and life feels like it’s moving extra fast. But typically, when summer arrives, I find that I tend to slow down a little, so hopefully that’ll be the case this year.

I know people say that life will only move faster and faster as you get older, but I’m not even 30 yet, so why does it feel like it’s flying by? Is anyone else freaked out by how quickly things are happening?

1. A book I loved. I read Hail Mary on my vacation in May and it was spectacular. If you liked the movies Interstellar and The Martian, this book is in a similar genre, and talks on the themes of space travel, sacrifice, and friendship.
2. A cool journaling app. I recently discovered the app, Haptic Journal. The tagline for this app definitely sounds a little Black Mirror-esque (“The Entire History of You”), but the concept is quite interesting. The idea is that your life is defined by your actions so that’s what it’ll help you track. From dates to workouts to vacations. You can track different habits and actions daily as a way to journal and remember how your days went.
3. Something I’ve been wearing nonstop. I have not used another purse since I got the Polene Cyme bag in Cognac. It’s the perfect size and colour for pretty much every outfit lately.
4. A snack I’m addicted to. No, but seriously, I inhaled two whole cans in 4 days. It’s actually starting to become a problem. These are some of the most addicting snacks I’ve had in a long time.
5. A Tool I ove for email management. I’ve been looking forever for an email client that can help me keep track of multiple accounts while also having tons of features for organization. I’ve actually been using Spark for about a year now, and I can now confidently recommend it. It has made managing my email accounts SO much easier and I love the “inbox-zero” concept of sorting through all of your emails. Definitely worth the subscription for me.

Aiming to do these 5 things emails at least once a month moving forward. When I get busy, certain tasks start falling off my priority list but I want to give you more of my time. Thanks for being here and supporting as always. 🫶🏼

I can’t believe a whole month has gone by and we’re now days into September. I know everyone is feeling it—honestly where has the year gone? For myself, my focus lately has been having a healthier mindset, being present more, and being kinder to myself. Less multi-tasking, less worrying about what’s next. It’s a hard thing to practice (especially when you’re just generally an anxious person), but we’re working on it (:

1. A recipe that I love. I tried this super easy curry udon recipe and have been absolutely obsessed with it. I discovered this website called Justonecookbook.com and they seem to have tons of delicious Japanese recipes. I’ve only tried two so far but they’ve both been delicious.
2. A new Apple Watch band I’ve discovered. I’ve always loved the unique Apple Watch bands you can find on Amazon but this is by far my favourite so far. I love that this band gives a sporty but street-style feel and they’re actually quite comfortable and light to wear. The colours are fun too but they have a clear one that’ll go with everything.
3. A book that I devoured. I just finished Ghosts by Dolly Alderton and wow. It’s the first book I’ve read from her and I absolutely love her writing style. It’s raw and relatable. It feels like I’m reading a friend's journal and it’s so comforting. Would highly recommend this book to anyone who’s in their late twenties, going into their 30s, and wanting a (slightly cynical but very raw) taste of what it’s like.
4. A keyboard I’m obsessed with. We all know the Dygma Raise is my pride and joy but I’ve been testing the Melgeek Mojo68 lately and it is currently my most used keyboard. Not only is the design fun, but it feels and sounds like a custom keyboard with great dampening and a lovely feel. For a pre-built, out-of-the-box keyboard, this is really something else.
5. A snack that I can’t stop nibbling on. I just discovered PopCorners and holy.. these are officially my new favourite snack. Always been a big fan of sweet and savoury popcorn but these are something else. If you can get your hands on some, do it now and thank me later.

This week has been focused on a lot of figuring out what new routine I can implement in my life that doesn’t make me feel like shit about myself when I don’t complete it, but can still pushing me back towards a healthier lifestyle.

1. A book I’m reading. I’m currently reading Normal People by Sally Rooney. I completely understand why people say that this book will be a new classic. The feeling I get, reading this book, kind of feels the same as reading The Outsiders during school. It’s categorized as a “spare prose” (which upon some googling means a prose that cuts to the chase and describes the most intense emotions) and I think it really accurately describes her writing style. It’s a coming of age story, where the two main characters are working their way through the complicated feelings of first love while maneuvering their way through the ebbs and flows of life.
2. A tool I discovered. I recently worked with a email organization company that I thought was quite cool. The company is called Shortwave. They’ve created a tool that helps organize your email inbox in a totally new way by triaging your messages and then giving it an action. I think for those who use Gmail who feel completely overwhelmed with their email load, this is the perfect tool. I don’t always talk about tools I discovered through collabs elsewhere, but here’s one that I really loved.
3. A practice I’m implementing. In therapy, I’ve been working on showing up for myself more. So a new practice I’m trying is instead of only reflecting on the things on my to-do list I haven’t finished for the week, I also write a list of things I DID accomplish (no matter how small). This is a small new way to build up the belief that I’ve done enough.
4. A product I use a lot. I’ve been really my new Grovemade iPhone charging dock. It’s the newest addition to my desk and I use it daily. I love how it holds up your phone at a perfect viewing angle and the quality is divine. (You can use coupon code SPEAKOFTHEANGEL for some $$ off).
5. Something I heard. This one TikToker I recently discovered pointed out an interesting mindset on self-esteem and confidence. She says every time you don’t complete something you set out to do (even if it’s something as small as saying you’ll go for a walk but then don’t), you are building on your internal belief that you can’t trust yourself. When this happens, you lower your confidence in yourself, making it harder and harder for you to speak kindly to yourself. Sounds cheesy but it ties into number 3 on this list quite well. So vice versa, you should set yourself some really easily achievable goals (like drinking a small cup of water after your coffee), so you can rebuild that confidence you’ve lost. Something to think on.