June Favorites
June came in cold and is leaving hot (hey Chicago heat wave). I’m reflecting back over my month and cataloging my favorites - my favorite book I read, my favorite film photo I took, my favorite purchase, etc. Here’s a look back over my June Favorites.
Book
I think I’m in love with Taylor Jenkins Reid. No, back up - I know I’m in love with Taylor Jenkins Reid. I’ve read Daisy Jones & The Six, Malibu Rising, and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. For some reason, I’m just getting around to reading Carrie Soto Is Back (despite having played tennis myself), and it is easily one of my favorite books ever.
In this book, Carrie is the best tennis player of all time, and comes out of retirement once her “slam” record is tied, so she can try to take it back. I really identified with Carrie - not the professional athlete part - but as a competitive athlete in my childhood through college, I really resonated with her perfectionist/need-to-be-the-best attitude. 10/10 read for me!
Chat GPT Prompt
I will be the first person to condemn AI, however I love a good Chat GPT prompt. I’ve been focusing on my health this month, so I put in the following prompt: “Create a calorie goal based on my goal weight of ‘x’ and budget it throughout the day.” You can also ask it to create some meals for you! It’s been really helpful knowing how many calories I should be aiming for, as well as a breakdown of how many calories I should be eating at each meal.
*This goes without saying, but take Chat GPT and AI answers with a grain of salt, as they are not always reliable.
Mindset Shift
I’m a huge fan of self-improvement, so last month I read Atomic Habits by James Clear. I LOVED it and am still implementing a lot of takeaways. This month, my biggest mindset shift has been about consistency and practice. Discipline and consistency have never been my strengths, so practicing something has always felt so pointless since it takes time. After reading this book, though, my mindset changed from “I have to practice to improve” to “all I have to do is practice!” It’s been such a gamechanger for me, and I’ve stayed consistent with a lot of my goals, because I know that I don’t need to be super talented or an instant expert - I can just practice and slowly build every day.
At Home Meal
I am not in love with cooking, especially now that I’m in the office 3 days a week. I’ve really been enjoying Trader Joe’s Orange Chicken. It’s easy to pop in the oven and serve with some rice, and my 1 ½ years old loves it, too!
Film
My father-in-law gave me his sister’s old Minolta film camera last year, and I’ve enjoyed learning it and taking such nostalgic photos! Here’s a few of my favorite film photos from this month:
Purchase
I have been on a shopping freeze for a couple months, but I made an exception since it’s been so hot. I bought a lightweight, white, collared button down shirt from Old Navy, on sale for about $24. It’s not too long, so it’s been great to tuck in or wear open with a cropped tank.
Restaurant
We’ve passed a Mexican restaurant in our neighborhood for years and spontaneously walked over to it this month. We ordered some food, a peach margarita, and sangria, and it was so much fun. We don’t normally just walk into restaurants randomly, but I’m so glad we did! It might just become a regular spot for us, which at this point in my life, sounds perfect.
Until next time - may your weekend be full of creativity and style.
