issue #203 - the one reminding you...
…that you get to determine what the start of your year is.
There’s a very loud narrative of “New year, new you! Overhaul your life! Be your best self!” that we internalize, and we put a relentless amount of pressure on ourselves to live up to this message that we’ve accepted as the truth.
This is the first year that I actively reject that narrative.
My husband and I agreed that this week would be our ease-in week. We cleared our evenings to be with the kids and help them ease back into school and homework. We took down our Christmas decorations and swapped out our red candles and holly berries with white tapers and greenery and white florals (flameless candles and faux plants, of course). I made soups and cozy meals in my multi-cooker, and I was asleep by 10 pm every night.
And despite some hiccups at home and at work, it was an incredible week, and very much in line with my intention to “winter” and practice Gentle January, which I learned from Abigail Koffler.
I feel like I’m tip-toeing into 2024 with a “please be kind, I just want to survive” mentality - and with low expectations, I find myself savoring the little moments - funny things my kids said, the peaceful silence with my husband after putting the kids down, feeling a sense of space and and ease after rearranging our family room and tidying my desk.
It’s cliché, I know, but the little things are the big things (when you have the safety, security, and peace that millions are sadly denied right now).
Most of life is out of our control. But deciding what goals you want to focus, the habits and time and tools you’ll use to accomplish them are firmly in your control.
You’re great as you are. Don’t go changing, and only if you choose.
What We Read This Week
Hitha
Never by Jessa Hastings - where are my friends that were always a bit creeped out by Peter Pan (or read the original story)? If that’s you (or if you just want a book you’ll completely be lost in), Never is it. Hastings is incredible at weaving plot and character development so seamlessly (and writing such nuanced characters) that I literally cannot put down her books when I’m reading them. One friend selected Never for her book club, Shibani read it in record time, and I hope you join us in a Neverland you quite never expected to visit.
Kingdom of Lies (1-3) by Stacia Stark - Am I alone in chasing the feeling I had when I was reading Sarah J Maas’ series? And is this series eerily similar to Throne of Glass (in a good way)? And did that stop me from tearing through it in less than a week? I hope not, absolutely, and nope. I would consider this a comfort fantasy romance read - it’s enjoyably predictable and familiar, and I needed that as a Never palate cleanser.
Forever Your Rogue by Erin Langston - This was a recommendation from Ali, and a SUPERB one. If you love Julia Quinn or Sarah MacLean’s Regency novels, you will absolutely love Langston’s book. She’s a widow whose evil sister-in-law is threatening to take her children, he’s her best friend’s brother who steps in as a fake fiancé, and your typical shenanigans ensue. Langston writes such full characters with depth and heart and I fell in love with her writing.
From Blood and Ash and A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire by Jennifer Armentrout - this might be the weirdest way to describe a book series, but I’m going to attempt it anyway. I was one of those people who actually wanted more of the backstory (Trade Federation intervening in Naboo, the subsequent trade wars into the dissolve of the Repubic) in the Star Wars prequels. This series is giving me that nerdy bureaucratic backstory I apparently have been yearning for decades, just set on a singular planet and lead characters who can’t keep their hands off each other (especially at the most inappropriate times). The twists at the end of books 1 & 2 are INSANE.
Yellowface by R. F. Kuang - I just finished this book and absolutely could not put it down. It’s darkly funny and suspenseful,, while also tackling complicated issues of race, cultural appropriation, and the ills of social media. It’s also a short, fast read if you’re looking for something thought-provoking to dive into during the holidays.
Scoring Off The Field by Naima Simone 🏈 An NFL quarterback and his long time best friend turned PA start a friends with benefits relationship when she tells him she’s quitting her job working for him.
✅ friends to lovers
✅ sports romance
✅ set in Seattle
✅ under 300 pages!
🌶️: obviously yes, it’s Naima Simone
If you like this vibe but want an unspicy version (don’t worry it still has LOTS of chemistry) read The Cheat Sheet by Sarah Adams.
Old Flames & New Fortunes by Sarah Hogle (out 4/23/2024) - Romina Tempest and Alex King were high school sweethearts. It’s now several years later and Alex is back in town for his mother’s wedding to Romina’s business partner’s dad.
✅ dual timeline
✅ sister vibes
✅ fake dating
✅ second chance romance
✅ romcom with both rom & com
✅ when the rom hits, it’s all golden light and soft focus (just picture it, and that feeling is what you get when you read this book)
🌶️: slowish burn but worth it
✅ set in Ohio, specifically Moonville Ohio which is close-ish to Columbus. This has nothing to do with plot but my fellow Ohioans may enjoy the shoutouts
If you like books with floral themes, Forget Me Not by Julie Soto and Lease on Love by Falon Ballard are really enjoyable too!
The Top Reads From This Week
How to Run a Multimillion-Dollar Business and Still Nap Every Day (The Cut)
How Do You Know If You Have a Good Cat (Vox)
Why Norway - the Poster Child for Electric Cars - is Having Second Thoughts (Vox)
The Voice Of A Micro-Generation: Anne Helen Petersen (Forbes)
The rest of this week’s reads:
January 2, 2024
January 3, 2024
January 4, 2024
January 5, 2024
Random Things I’m Loving
the best winter hat for my fellow high ponytail wearers.
lock in your body lotion with this spray - it’s helped keep my skin super soft with these colder temperatures.
flameless candles that flicker and look like the real deal.
I feel like I’ve said this every year, but this planner has really been incredible at setting up my day and keeping me on track (and doesn’t have the dated commitment as others).
this jumpsuit is a winter style GOAT - it zips up high enough to act as a scarf, and the fabric is magic (not too warm, not too cold - juuuuuuust right).
for more winter style ideas, I’ll be rotating through these for the rest of the season.
if you’re on the hunt for a new ottoman, these cubes have outlasted any other in our home.
If you’re tired from hitting the ground running, this is your permission slip to pause, slow down, and drink some water and get in a stretch. You have time. You have a choice. And your peace is yours to protect.
xo,
HPN
I may be misremembering, but I thought you'd used Silk and Sonder for journaling at some point. If so, how does it compare to the Progress Over Perfection Planner?
Lovely post. For those who love the Peter Pan tales, check out this new book! The Lost Girl: A Neveland Story by Allison Spooner.