From My Notes App, Vol 7

Insert holiday brain here

This week had that peak summer sparkle—everyone’s OOO, your inbox is suspiciously quiet, and suddenly every hour feels like it could be golden hour.

It’s that dreamy little window when life feels softer—meals outside, late-night texts, forehead kisses, Van Morrison playlists. The kind of vibe where you're fully in your life and actually enjoying it.

We’ve officially hit the halfway point of the year, which always makes me wonder: what am I calling in for the rest of it?

In the midst of those thoughts, I’m also getting ready for 10 days off the grid (Alaska cruise with my mom—manifesting whales and WiFi breaks). But before I go full cruise-core, I’m letting myself daydream a bit. Here’s what made it into the notes app this week.

🎧 What I’m Listening To

✨ Jacinda Ardern on Leading with Empathy and Overcoming Self-Doubt on Re:Thinking with Adam Grant (Apple) — I loved this conversation. It’s part leadership masterclass, part therapy for anyone who’s ever questioned whether they’re ready enough to step into something big. Jacinda didn’t plan to become New Zealand’s Prime Minister—she stepped up because she felt a sense of responsibility, not ego. She and Adam talk about everything from closing confidence gaps to leading with compassion (without being written off as soft), and even touch on “tall poppy syndrome”—the idea that standing out too much can make you a target. It’s thoughtful, honest, and quietly powerful. If you’ve been navigating big decisions, leadership shifts, or just your own inner critic—this one’s for you.

✨ How To Effortlessly Attract More Wealth, Up-Level Your Confidence, and Manifest With Ease with Mimi Bouchard on Well with Arielle Lorre (Apple) — I’ve been a longtime fan of Mimi and her app, so I was excited to hear her on Arielle Lorre’s show. This episode is grounded and generous—Mimi breaks down the mindset shifts that actually move the needle. Think: rewiring your beliefs around money, building self-trust, and learning how to respond (not spiral) when things don’t go your way. She makes “manifestation” feel practical, not performative. If you’ve been craving a reset—mentally, emotionally, or financially—this one delivers.

🛒 What I’m Buying

If you're bored of linen sets and beige basics, this week’s ShopMy roundup is for you. It’s full of interesting pieces: bold jewelry, playful prints, alternative sandals, and statement staples that make getting dressed actually fun again.

I also pulled together a list of everything I bought on Amazon in June — equal parts useful, spontaneous, and very me. You can find that full breakdown here.

And if you’ve been curious about my bedding setup (or just want your room to feel more like a boutique hotel), I linked all of it right here. Still one of my favorite upgrades we’ve made at home.

👣 What I’m Doing

This weekend, we’re leaning into the red, white, and blue. There’s a barbecue with friends, long afternoons at the pool, slow walks through Boston, and the kind of summer haze that makes everything feel like a memory before it’s even over.

I’m also starting to pack for something big: a 10-day trip with my mom — the longest I’ve ever been away from my son… and probably my husband too. I’m excited. I’m grateful. I’m also a little nervous. Leaving feels big.

We’re heading to Alaska — land of glacier-carved fjords, breaching whales, and mountains that make you feel small in the best way. We’ll be cruising through some of the most dramatic, untouched landscapes on earth, chasing stillness and awe and the kind of beauty that doesn’t need a filter. I’ll be sharing my full packing list soon, but so far it’s a lot of layers… and even more waterproof things.

📚 What I’m Reading

This week, we’re going from existential unpacking to steamy summer romance—because balance.

📝 “Face it: You’re a Crazy Person” by Adam Mastroianni (via Experimental History on Substack). This is the kind of essay that grabs your brain and doesn’t let go. Adam unpacks the reality behind every “dream job”—showing that the people who succeed are often just the ones crazy enough to like the nitty-gritty. It’s sharp, funny, and weirdly inspiring. If you’ve ever romanticized a new career path (or questioned your own), this is a must-read. Bonus points if you’re currently in your “maybe I should open a café” era.

📚 Undeniably Unexpected by J. Saman. The sixth book in the Boston’s Irresistible Billionaires series—and yes, it’s as delicious as it sounds. You’ve got a swoony British single dad, a secret romance author with a penchant for chaos, and a fake relationship that turns very real on an island off the Florida Keys. Forced proximity, emotional baggage, and an unplanned scandal? Say less. If you're craving something steamy, dramatic, and full of heart—this one delivers. It’s perfect for your holiday weekend!

🌀 Spiral of the Week: Overwhelm (a.k.a. Everything Everywhere All at Once)

You know the feeling—when every tab in your brain is open, every message feels urgent, and somehow you’re behind on everything and doing too much at the same time.

That’s been this week.

A hundred small things adding up until they start to feel like one giant, immovable thing. The to-do list grows teeth. You bounce between tasks but nothing feels complete. You answer emails with a racing heart. You forget what you were saying mid-sentence because your brain is buffering.

In therapy, I called it “being completely underwater.” She called it cognitive overload—and reminded me that clarity doesn't usually come in the chaos. It comes in the pausing.

So I’ve been trying something small:
→ Name what’s actually urgent (usually less than I think).
→ Let the rest be background noise, just for now.
→ And remind myself: Overwhelm isn’t always a sign I’m failing. Sometimes it’s just a sign I care.

If you’re feeling it too, you’re not alone. Overwhelm feeds on silence. So consider this your permission slip to step back, say no, close a tab—or ten—and return to yourself. Because when everything feels like “too much,” sometimes the bravest thing you can do… is less.

👀 Who I’m Following: My Favorite Foodies

Because sometimes the best form of self-care is watching someone else make shrimp scampi in perfect lighting while you eat cereal in bed.

🍳 Abigail (@bon_abbetit) — If romanticizing your life had a flavor, it’d be whatever Abigail is making that day. Her kitchen is a dreamy little corner of the internet—soft lighting, tiny Le Creuset pots, and toast creations that belong in a museum. One minute she’s layering ricotta and pickled onions like a Parisian chef, the next she’s soft-boiling eggs to perfection. Her content and cooking is elevated, intentional, and oddly soothing. She’s also on Substack under the same name (@bonabbetit), where her writing is just as satisfying as her recipes.

🐟 Danielle (@dzaslavsky) — Her feed is where food meets family, and everything feels like a celebration. One minute she’s posting caviar-topped eggs (her family owns Marky’s), the next she’s sharing her parents’ home-cooked meals that make you want to sit down and stay a while. She and her husband love experimenting with recipes, trying new restaurants, and making even takeout feel like an event. Her toddler shows up with the best reactions, her captions are hilarious, and her love for food runs deep. She’s not chasing trends—she’s living a full, flavorful life and documenting it beautifully. Give her a show already!

🦞 Maggie (@maggieeatsss) — She’s the reason you suddenly believe you could host a seafood boil, even if your kitchen’s the size of a closet. Her food is loud, drippy, unapologetically messy—in the best way. Think lobster tails, spicy noodles, crab legs dipped in chili oil and eaten with both hands. She’s not here to impress, she’s here to eat—and that’s what makes it so fun. No fluff, no fake commentary, just straight-up flavor. Following her feels like sitting at the kids’ table and realizing that’s where all the good food and better stories are.

💬 The Group Chat Says: Nostalgiacore

The other night, I stood barefoot in the grass holding my son, watching the light fade in slow motion. It smelled like sunscreen and smoke from a neighbor’s grill. For a second, time felt elastic—like I was 10 again, waiting for fireflies.

I came across this piece soon after: Why Time Felt Slower When We Were Younger. It put words to a feeling I hadn’t named. Not just nostalgia—but that textured, grounded kind of living. When days weren’t measured by what you accomplished, but by what you noticed. The cold of a sprinkler. A popsicle dripping down your wrist. The clink of ice in a plastic cup. The sound of bikes coasting downhill.

My husband and I have been talking about it—how we want our son to grow up feeling time like that. To know that boredom isn’t a problem to fix, but a doorway. That magic doesn’t need to be scheduled or streamed. It’s already here, if you’re paying attention.

And maybe it’s not just for him. Maybe it’s for us, too.

✌️ That’s A Wrap

Thanks for letting me take up a few minutes of your brain space. If anything here made you feel seen, supported, or slightly more human—then I’m doing my job. If you’re feeling generous, give it a little heart—that helps more people find me.

Go romanticize your day a little. You’ve earned it.

xo,
Kelsey