INSPIRED
35 life improvers from my 35th year
Before you check your calendar no, it’s not the last Tuesday of the month. Rather this is an idea I’m experimenting with. One of the things I love so much about Substack, and writing in general, is reading and appreciating other writer’s work. Now and then, I come across a piece where I find the format so compelling, that I feel inspired to use it as a prompt to share my own experience. My intention is never to copy or recreate someone else’s work - I have enough fresh ideas of my own - but to challenge myself to try new ways of writing.
Enter INSPIRED.
I’m not usually one for listicles, but recently I read two great ones that changed my opinion. Ann Friedman shared an uplifting list of 75 Nice Things to do for Yourself - compiled from her readers and Emma Ganon wrote an encouraging round-up of 65 things that have improved my life.
Which immediately made me ponder the ‘life improvers’ that have positively impacted my everyday existence over the past year. I’m no influencer, and as my regular readers will know my product recommendations are few and far between (excluding books - I share those with wild abandon). Rest assured, any products included below are there because they’ve cemented themselves as something I am now highly dependent on - not because anyone has incentivised me to promote them!
Without further ado I give you…
35 life improvers from my 35th lap around the sun
Staying out of bed when my alarm goes off. It may be dark and cold currently, but embracing the dawn gives me three hours to myself before work. Starting the day calmly is a complete game-changer.
Long-life flowers. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing like a bunch of fresh flowers to brighten your day, but then a week later they’re dying. Turns out my dried hydrangeas, preserved roses and (never thought I’d see the day) fake hydrangeas spark just as much joy - perhaps even more when I watch people lean in to smell the latter!
My Kindle. I know, I know, nothing beats the feeling of holding an actual book, except maybe not having to lug it around. And the ability to look up words, underline passages, and review a summary of all your bookmarks. Consider me well and truly converted.
Avoiding alcohol. Better sleep, a more positive mindset, mental clarity, more energy…the less I drink, the less I want to drink. I’ve used the Reframe app for the last two years and highly recommend it if you’d like to be more intentional about alcohol. I can even share a one-month free trial.
Getting my nails done. I did try stopping shellac but I found myself staring longingly at everyone else’s perfectly painted nails…honestly, it was getting kind of awkward. Now I can stare at my own instead.
Walking more rather than catching an Uber or public transport. That move ring isn’t going to close itself.
Meal kits delivered weekly. Cost-effective, zero waste and quick and easy to prepare, not having to think about every meal has been another game-changer for me. I have three meals delivered on a Monday (roughly six serves) and was pleasantly surprised by how much flexibility the plans provide (you can pause, skip etc). I’ve been using Planthood but want to try something new, so please share any (London) recommendations in the comments below.
Applying the 5-minute rule to get small things done straight away.
Artah supplements. I credit my immune system and the fact I rarely ever get sick anymore to Artah’s supplements. I use their probiotics and enhanced fertility (also a great multivitamin). And, at the first sign of a sore throat, I rely on Moju ginger shots to squash it.
Maximum one commitment per week on a ‘school’ night. I used to cap it at two but now find one keeps it as a ‘get to’ rather than becoming a ‘have to’.
Our Place pots and pans. Toxin-free cookware, in pretty pastel shades, that’s genuinely non-stick - talk about making cooking a joy. Perfect for anyone who is OCD about matching (me), they also have generous sales.
My London Writers’ Salon membership. The accountability buddy we all need, LWS host four Zoom calls across various timezones per day to provide a space for creatives to show up and make progress on their work. A key reason I launched my Substack, you don’t have to be a writer to reap the benefits of this community.
Investing in good, non-greasy, hand cream. Nurseum is my preferred one at the moment - developed with nurses, it gives back to them too.
Keeping a stash of stamps, cards, and wrapping materials at home.
My Dyson Airwrap. As someone who used to air-dry their hair, it pains me to admit that I now struggle to imagine life without my Dyson. However, if like me, you can’t blow-dry your hair, it’s a worthy investment.
Avoiding social media and TV on weeknights. All the more time for reading in bed.
Notion. After trialling several different note-taking and productivity tools, I’ve finally found the holy grail in Notion. From capturing ideas to tracking to-dos and planning holidays, if there’s something it can’t do, I haven’t found it yet.
Using an oil face cleanser. Turns out squeaky clean isn’t a good sign for your skin barrier. I’ve been using Votary which has the added bonus of being a clean and sustainable brand.
Leaning into my curiosity and learning more about things that interest me, like breathwork, painting and astrology.
Using WelleCo’s Evening Elixir to curb night-time sugar cravings. Tastes like hot chocolate but with only 13 calories and a mugful of benefits.
Packing cubes. Where to even start? Just try them next time you travel and thank me later. Mine are from Away, but you can get them from a range of brands. Just make sure you buy ones with a mesh/see-through top - otherwise, you won’t be able to see where you packed what.
Committing to a coffee subscription. Let’s face it, the alternative (running out), doesn’t bear thinking about. I’m in a long-term relationship with Origin’s Stronghold (as the name might suggest), but many coffee brands now offer subscriptions.
Keeping a bucket list (not just for big things or travel) and booking things off it each payday.
Mecca’s Off Duty Serum Skin Tint. For all my non-Aussies who don’t know Mecca, you’re in for a real treat. I try to wear foundation as little as possible. Mecca’s skin tint provides great coverage, is lightweight and includes skincare benefits.
Choosing exercise I actually enjoy - yoga, reformer pilates, skipping, dancing, TRX, tennis…
Sacred time on a Sunday. Nothing, and I mean nothing, comes between me and my Sunday late afternoon couch time where I reflect on the past week and set my goals for the coming one. I’ve yet to find a better way to combat the Sunday scaries.
Using Manucurist’s cuticle oil to help stop me from ripping up my cuticles.
Avoiding fast fashion. These always end up being the pieces I discard in wardrobe cleanouts. I now shop with intention, from a list that spans seasons and often requires me to prioritise pre-loved sites like Depop and Ebay.
Sleeping until I wake up on weekends. Name a better feeling than not setting an alarm. I’ll wait…
Using the 3-2-1 method for my daily to-do lists. Both for work and personally, this helps me avoid the trap of trying to do everything and focus on what is most important instead.
Eating out less. Both because it’s expensive and I don’t feel my best when I’m not eating enough home-cooked meals. As a bonus, when I do eat out now, I enjoy it more.
Headphone-free walks. Ideally in nature (the park counts) but even if you can’t drown out the background noise, it’s refreshing to have some time when you’re not actively consuming content.
Prioritising home and beauty products with scents I enjoy - eucalyptus, lavender, rosemary.
Weekly Artist Dates, planned in advance. Assigned play, as Julia Cameron calls them, the trick is to pre-book artist dates so you a) have something to look forward to and b) don’t allow life to squeeze them out of your schedule.
Communicating via Moo Deng memes. It’s a love language OK?!
I hope that some (or at the very least, one) of the above life improvers were useful. As Ann and Emma’s articles did for me, I’d encourage you to think about the things that help to make your life better. Not only does it highlight what we have to be grateful for, but, by bringing awareness to the things that make a difference to our days, we can be more intentional about prioritising them.
I’d love to hear what your life improvers are. Let me know what you’d add to, or remove from this list (anything but Moo Deng), in the comments below…
Thanks for sharing Cathy - sounds very on brand for your Substack name! I love the idea of watching the sun come up. I’ve found the morning sky to be a great reward for getting up at 6am!
Yoga and meditation are big life improvers for me. I’ve been meditating everyday for about 5 months. Sitting in silence and doing nothing is such a good way for me to feel more connected to myself which in turn makes me feel more whole! Lastly facing my fears has been a great life improver over the past few months! Would definitely recommend!