“Beautiful piece, I think you just gave me enough food for thought for a few days,” reads a comment on a Substack post I wrote last spring. Even two years after launching Feelings Not Aside, a weekly newsletter for sensitive people, I continue to find myself surprised by the comments and emails I receive from …
While most kids want to be astronauts or famous athletes when they grow up, I always wanted to be a librarian. I had my first home library when I was only eight. My grandma gifted me the entire Nancy Drew collection in a chest that I kept at the foot of my bed. By the …
Cute but a bit contrived, my sister was always the reader and I was the writer. For years, gifts from family members further pushed those narratives: books for her, blank journals for me. She found corners, even in crowds, to turn pages—often reading more than one book at a time. Meanwhile, I wrote short stories …
Books ask something from readers—they can’t be consumed effortlessly. We have to show up with earnest attention and a commitment to learning (and un-learning). Only then can the real, internal work happen. These anti-racism books educate us about everything from white privilege and fragility to systemic racism. We’ve purposefully included educational materials found in classrooms, …
I’ve always been of the belief that you can never have too many books in your TBR pile — also that you can never be reading too many books at once. Our moods and feelings change, and so it’s nice to have a hefty stack of novels, essays, or poetry collections on the nightstand to …
When it comes to special occasion events like weddings, holiday galas, school dances, or maternity shoots, renting a dress or gown beats buying pieces that only get worn once. Clothes that sit in the back of our closets do not add value to our lives, and neither do cheap fast fashion pieces that quickly go out of style …
Etsy — sometimes it feels like your best friend, other times sorting through its retailers is a daunting task. Supporting a small business by buying a handmade product from their Etsy shop is likely to be one of the year’s most satisfying purchases, yet sometimes it’s near impossible to sift through the mountains of Etsy sellers to …
With everything happening in the world, many of us find ourselves more stressed than ever and in need of support — we’ll be the first to admit we often feel this way. That’s why we’re huge fans of online therapy and virtual counseling to get the help we need, especially when face-to-face sessions aren’t always …
We’re in an era defined by pressing environmental challenges. More than ever before, the situation asks us all to consider how we can be more sustainable in our communities. To spark inspiration, we spoke to 5 changemakers (one is a duo, so technically 6!) all tirelessly striving to foster sustainable practices within their communities. They …
As soon as sunsets extend past 7 p.m., we find ourselves yearning to spend every second outside. Sunning out on a chaise lounge, reading and nursing a sweet tea, and hosting friends and family in an intimate patio space. Those are the moments we dream of having every summer. One of the best ways to enjoy that …