DD-08: catching up after two busy weeks

09|10|2023

Hi, I’m so happy you’re here! Let’s catch up with everything that happened last week.

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✨ THIS EDITION’S VIBES

⭐️ ON MY RADAR

Watching: After seeing one too many TikToks about it, I’ve started rewatching Gossip Girl. Sometimes I forget what an iconic show that is and how much I enjoyed it back in the day.

I’ve also been loving Moya Mawhinney’s YouTube videos lately. She’s such an interesting creator, and I’m just obsessed with her aesthetic too.

Reading: My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante. I’m about 100 pages in already, and I’ve enjoyed this book so much already. The story follows two Italian girls and their friendship, set in 1950s Italy. It depicts the struggles of female friendships, family dynamics, and growing up without much besides the people around you. I’m excited to keep on reading and seeing how the story unfolds.

Newsletters: I’ve recently subscribed to a few Substack newsletters on digital marketing and really been liking them so far. First up is Matt’s Hot Take, which dives into eCommerce, tech, and marketing trends. The second one is called Link in Bio—I’m obsessed with the name—and it’s all about creating content for social media. Definitely recommend checking them out too!

On the hunt for: Summer wardrobe staples. It’s finally looking like Spring—and the sunshine—has come to stay in Cape Town. That means it’s time for a wardrobe refresh. After a lot of debating, I’ve decided to donate most of my clothes to make room for some new pieces. Over the last year, I also feel like my style has changed a lot, so I’m keen to add things to my Summer closet that reflect it a bit better. Capsule wardrobes are honestly such game-changers, so I’ll be focusing on high-quality basics that I can switch up easily without getting bored. (Not to mention how good it feels to get rid of clutter!)

🥐 ON MY PLATE

By now, you already know how much I love my home-cooked meals and little treats. Here were my faves of the past fortnight:

• Shredded chicken and pumpkin seasoned with cumin and chilli flakes served on a bed of couscous and spinach. Add some feta and avo on top for the ultimate summer salad.

• Chocolate nut butter from Buttanut (it’s usually so pricey, but it was on special this week, so how could I resist?) for drizzling into overnight oats and over French toast—and, honestly, eating straight out of the jar. Yum!

• Garlic-butter prawn pasta for a quick and protein-packed lunch? The answer is always yes.

• Of course, I had another round of the vanilla-cinnamon French toast and almond butter. It’s so good.

• Got to get a little treat at least once a week. A match latte with oat milk and a pump of vanilla syrup has been my go-to when I go grocery shopping.

• Spinach, egg, and garlicky tomato scramble for breakfast. Serve on buttery toast for best results.

  

  

🎧 ON MY SPOTIFY

It’s been a ‘Stick Season on repeat’ kind of time, so that’s mostly what I’ve been screaming listening to over the past few weeks.

My favourite songs are ‘Come Over’, ‘New Perspective’, ‘Orange Juice’, ‘Call Your Mom’, and ‘The View Between Villages — Extended’:

It’s been a full week of podcasts too. Some of my fave episodes for this week were:

Obviously, I have to listen to anything Morgan features on. The Gals on The Go podcast is also a lovely one to add to your list if you’re looking for a lifestyle pod.

I’m not kidding when I say this was probably one of the best episodes they’ve ever made. It was so funny and entertaining! Also, if you still haven’t listened to Match Made in Manhattan, you’re seriously missing out.

After some browsing, I found a few new podcasts that I want to check out in the upcoming week:

• Help Me Be Me is sort of like a free therapy podcast and covers a bunch of interesting topics to help you inspire positive change in your life. I think this one will be vital for me this month (more on that, later).

• The Toast is about everything pop culture and trends-related—two things that I love. I’ve heard good things about this one, so I’m excited to give it a go.

Check back next week to see how I’ve liked them!

✨ ON MY PINTEREST BOARD

My favourite section! Some things I’ve been loving recently:

💭 ON MY MIND

October and all of its things

October is many things. Mental health awareness month. Breast cancer awareness months. The best time of the year to visit Cape Town (imo). It’s also my annual month of hell—I’m being dramatic, but that’s what I call it—for at least the first two weeks. You see, about six years ago now, I was diagnosed with a (potentially life-threatening condition) that completely flipped my life upside down. Although I have now, thankfully, overcome it, October is generally when my PTSD is at its worst. The faintest smell, sound, or thing can reduce me to tears in an instant.

But this year is different. And over the past two weeks, I’ve been trying to figure out why. Here’s what I came up with (and I felt so soppy and loved after this that I cried):

• I have the kindest, most wholesome friendships in the world that have kept me so grounded, made me feel so valuable and supported, that my mental health is flourishing. With these people in my life, I barely blinked when October rolled around because they are so lovely that they make me forget my troubles. (Shoutout specifically to Meg and Rach, for always doing the most. Love you guys).

• Prioritizing movement. Every. Single. Day. It doesn’t matter if it’s 10 minutes of stretching or an hour of high-intensity workouts, moving every day has been a game changer. Not only has it helped me decompress after a long day at work, but it gives me something else to focus on and strive towards. It’s been great.

• Romanticizing the small details of my life has helped me to appreciate it much more. And taking lots of pictures to look back on is great too. So often, I would think that I’ve had a horrible week and didn’t do anything productive—a natural trigger for a spiral—but when I look back at my camera roll, I remember how much fun I had, the beautiful walks I’ve been on, the delicious meals I cooked, and the quality time I spent with my favourite people. Just putting these things on a bit of a pedestal has honestly been fantastic for convincing my brain that I’m having a good time out here.

All in all, I’ve just tried to focus on the good things around me because the negative stuff can consume you so easily and ruin your day. Although it’s been challenging—and October is far from over—I haven’t felt this good during the second half of the year in a long time. I’m realising which things are really important, what I need to do to keep myself happy, and the steps I can take to be gentle with myself when I have a dip.

It’s taken nearly six years for me to find my feet, but man, am I proud of myself for doing so. In the week ahead, I’ll be focusing on the three things I’ve identified that help me live my best life—and I want to encourage you to do the same. It really does change everything, for the better.

(Also feel free to share some of the things you do to brighten up your days in the comments!)

Next week, same time, same place—see you there?

Nicola