Mary Oliver, Hum, Hum

bell hooks mentioned going through a time in her life where she was severely depressed and suicidal and how the only way she got through it was through changing her environment: She surrounded her home with buddhas of all colors, Audre Lorde’s A Litany for Survival facing her as she wakes up, and filling the space she saw everyday with reinforcing objects and meaningful books. She asks herself each day, “What are you going to do today to resist domination?” I also really liked it when she said that in order to move from pain to power, it is crucial to engage in “an active rewriting of our lives.”

Hello March <3

Humble urself and start w that 30 minutes of recreational reading a day. Go from there. Don’t overwhelm urself w a hefty tbr after a long reading slump

Ask for help. Who cares if it takes a village

Try to get things done in the morning. Then phone

It’s not as hard as you think it is

Be realistic about your limits. You will sacrifice some things in favor of other things. That is okay. Priorities are a revolving door and everything will get its turn

You’re at the beginning of your life. Calm down about doing everything at once

Hour by hour schedules have saved your life. Go back to them

People don’t ask for ur opinion before making decisions. Stop being so fucking concerned w what they think of yours

The truest cliche is sacrificing momentary comfort for long term gains. Sorry

Aim for perfection - don’t expect it off the get go. Perfection is a staircase. You will get there, or at least as close as u can, but you have to start somewhere. One chapter, one workout, one friend you’re consistent texting… then you go from there. Not everything has to be fixed at once

The only guaranteed time is now and what you do with it

Comparison is easily the most useless thing in the world

Green tea at sundown will make u feel better

Switching up your plan—your study plan, your timeline, your anything—is perfectly fine. But don’t use that as an excuse to not stick the landing

Ask if something/someone elevates your life—but ask if you’re also an asset to theirs. Survey others but survey yourself as well. Don’t be too hard on yourself but don’t coddle yourself

Just lock in tbh. Whatever you’re worried about u can take care of later. Choose 3 top things to focus on and own them. Accept other things might take a backseat as a result

Take piano practice as seriously as u do ur stem studies

You can fit a lot in w time management

Taking it one day at a time will save ur life

You can’t change it? Don’t worry about it. Most things are not a damning sentence. Pivot to another opportunity just as if not more lucrative

Intergenerational friendships:)

No shame in trying!!!! And also no one cares that much

Trust the process. It will happen w intention and incremental changes

Sit in the sun and practice thought stopping rituals about it

Embrace not over complicating things. Your therapist is good for u bc she does not indulge ur need to unnecessarily intellectualize/overthink things. She knows its not serving u anything and is just a distraction

from Bhanu Kapil’s The Vertical Interrogation of Strangers

youve died a thousand times before who caaares just climb out of this grave again & again &agaian & agaian & again & again & aga

by Roman Dmitriev

forming a magical morning routine 🍵

having a good morning routine creates the perfect foundation for a wonderful day, so here’s some tips on how to form a magical morning routine for the days to come:

wake up with time to spare, at least 30 min to 1 hour ahead of your normal time.

hydrate with ice water or fruit infused water.

follow a skincare routine to refresh and cleanse your skin, making sure to include spf for during the day.

use warm herbal remedies such as drinking herbal tea or a fresh cup of coffee to set a positive tone for the day, creating mindfulness and calmness in your body.

don’t look at your phone if you don’t have to. for those who use their phone as an alarm, click it off and turn your phone upside down until afterwards.

pray + say positive affirmations that align with your physical, emotional, and mental goals for the day.

awaken your body with slow stretching or yoga and deep breathing, as this helps activate your body for the day.

eat a light and nutritious breakfast, such as greek yogurt and berries or an omelette and toast.

create a to-do list + journal to set your intentions of how you desire for your day to go.

express gratitude for the gift of a new day.

staying consistent with these steps and keeping a healthy routine trains your mind, body, and spirit to create positive and productive days. it’s important to do what works for you but also to align your actions with what’s best for your wellbeing. each part of your routine is like an instrument playing a unique role, contributing to the harmony of your life!

'La Fille au Casque D’or'

by Bettina Rheims, 2009

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but please don’t break promises you make to yourself just because it’s you the promise is being made to. You told yourself you’d go on a walk tomorrow morning? Do it. You said you’d get more consistent with your skincare routine? Make it happen. You promised yourself you would work on establishing boundaries regardless of who’s on the other side of them? Follow through with that. Don’t wake up the next day and go “well I don’t HAVE to do this” “it wouldn’t hurt to postpone this” “this isn’t a big deal” because it literally is. Every promise broken is another nail in the coffin of your self-actualization. It’s another major roadblock to developing healthy self-love and self-respect. Weigh promises you’ve made to yourself the same way you would weigh promises you’ve made to others.

Dark Clouds in Aquila

The greatest rebellion is becoming self-sufficient, no longer relying on corporations or the government, while building community through bartering, mutual aid, and support.

brands/companies to boycott