Hello!
How are you all doing after the long holiday weekend?
It’s Wednesday, but it feels like… Monday? Not sure. It’s been a crazy week, and yesterday I surprised myself by saying something like, “Oh, yeah, lots of back to school energy going around this week.”
I said it, and thought, “Did I just say ‘back to school energy?’”
It was very off-brand for me, and I even surprised myself.
You see, as a former teacher, I resist phrases like back to school (BTS) because historically, they’ve caused mental and physical pain. No joke. Pavlov City.
And yes, I’ve written about this before(as my husband/editor kindly pointed out). But stay with me as I dig more into my aversion to BTS.
The source of my back to school trauma.
If you’ve been with me, you know my aversion comes from memories of August professional development meetings in fluorescent-rich environments like school cafeterias or libraries, that I swear were designed to suck whatever summer life force is left in a teacher and replace it with things like standards, data, and new curriculum.
During these meetings, I’d be forced to make nice with an elbow partner, watch PowerPoints that had no chance of catching my attention, and write down vulnerable goals on post it notes to be displayed on large pieces of paper about the room. Add bad coffee, uncomfortable chairs, and the most beautiful day of summer mocking you from the parking lot, and you’ve got yourself a nightmare. (And perhaps a compelling piece of data explaining the teacher shortage.)
But not all was bad about those meetings (and all subsequent school year meetings) for they actually pushed me to write for a living and create this newsletter.
So with all of this talk about my disdain for a new school year, you might be thinking, “What’s with the fall syllabus title?”
It’s not what you think.
My fall syllabus is different.
And contains only one (yes, one) directive:
Keep your summer spirit alive.
(No textbook required.)
Forget “make it Christmas everyday“ ~ let’s “make it summer every day.”
And as I say this, I can hear the Reality Police pounding on my door. I know every kid is in roughly 20 activities, and parents are maxed out carting them around and watching their events… in addition to working and managing lives.
I do understand that we’re all busier in the fall, making this summer every day idea sound annoying at the very least.
But answer me this.
Aren’t we busy all the frickin’ time?
Before the holidays and in the New Year.
During tax season.
At the end of a school year.
Life is a constant dance between manic and chillaxic moments.
But summer is different.
Summer has is a vibe - and a long vibe at that - when we do things we wouldn’t necessarily do in the middle of November.
In summer, most adults find ways to channel our kick the can playing, drink-from-the hose, pool going selves… and actually let our hair down for a second.
We do things to embrace the season and (wait for it) have fun.
So my fall syllabus assignment, and also What I’d Rather be Talking About, is simple:
Take a bit of the summer vibe into each and every day.
As in, work some kind of fun or happiness into your daily.
Obviously I’m not saying go to the beach or skip out early every Friday.
All I’m saying is do something that tells the world…
there’s life outside the fluorescent-lit jolt of fall.
We’ll always be busy. We’ll always have meetings.
But reality doesn’t need to spoil the vibe.
Capisce?
Now that we’ve got that squared away, let’s get to the links! I’ve gathered up a bunch of helpful tips and tricks for wellness, productivity, wardrobe enhancement, travel, and well… things that might make you a bit more jolly.
Be sure to stick around to the end for a very profound tip from none other than The Universe.
(How’s that for a tease? And while yes, it’s below the paywall, you can always do a seven day trial and then go back to the free version. No harm, no foul! :) )
Enjoy!
sales & fashion
Fall to me means wardrobe and home updates, and here are 300 Labor Day sales for you to ponder. Speaking of fall fashion, these are the “it” colors, the top five fall trends, and if you’re looking for fashion sales, here are 67 to consider.
If you need help weeding out your closet, watch what’s OUT this fall, and find out what to replace it with.
I would wear this jacket or this one, any day, any way.
business & productivity
New platform for writers and creatives … Ghost. Has anyone tried it?
A list of 10 productivity podcasts. (I’m diving into it, but can vouch for #3 and 7.)
Also, if you or someone you know is caring for aging parents, listen to the latest episode of So Money, “Caring for Aging Parents and Their Money.”
take care of yourself
I almost don’t want to post this, because this triggers my misophonia to a next level situation (noise/movement/repetition), but it looks like gum chewing might be good for you.
Does your morning routine include these 8 things you “should be” doing?
Finally, a super cheap trick that’s good for your health and your pearly whites.
grocery shopping & healthy eating
Best day to grocery shop? Apparently Wednesdays. Find out why.
Also, I’m a new fan of