It’s been a busy week with a lot on my plate, just as I know you have on yours. But I still made time to read and write and have a few fun links to share with you this week!

What I’m Reading:

I adore Amy Rosenthal. Ever since I read Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal, I’ve devoured her work and attempted to embody her way of living joyfully. I read her column in the NY Times and Jason’s later response, but did not realize My Wife Said You May Want to Marry Me by Jason B. Rosenthal even existed until I happened to see a single copy at my local bookstore. I instantly bought it, started reading and could not put it down. Quite simply, it was a beautiful testament to the incredible bond shared between a husband and wife, the strength of a family’s love and the incredible bravery and honesty about loss and moving forward.

I also read the most beautiful picture book: Watercress by Andrea Wang. This book was such a stunning story of family. Feeling frustrated with her family’s current circumstances, the growing daughter simply cannot see the significance of her parents’ actions and traditions. But when her family finally opens up about their hardships of the past, she sees her family, and all their traditions, in a new way. Heartfelt, touching, relatable and a must read. In fact, I loved the book so much I’m including it in my upcoming workshop and printable pack called Lead with Literature. If you are an instructional coach or leader, you can learn more here!

What I’m Writing:

If you read my One Little Thing post for June, you know that I’ve just been handed a new diagnosis: an auto-immune disorder. And what do I do when I have something new to grapple with? I go to my notebook. And this news called for a new notebook: a health and wellness notebook. Writing is how I make sense of my world, so it made sense to tackle my new normal in this way. Here are some of the pages I created:

  • Symptom tracker
  • Go clean checklist
  • Self-care calendar
  • Meal planner
  • Daily affirmations
  • Habit tracker

There’s just something about getting my notebook together that makes me feel like I’m getting my life together. =) I’m even thinking of creating my own printable pages to use rather than to recreate them every month (my hands hurt!) and if I do, you know I’ll share them!

What I’m Learning:

You guessed it: This week I’m learning about auto-immune disease from what causes it to how to combat it. I’m exploring anti-inflammatory diets, why I should remove all chemicals from my home and how important adequate sleep and rest are, something I’m not very good at. =)

What I’m Loving:

Kwame Alexander wrote a beautiful crowdsourced poem of pandemic pain and hope. You can read or listen to it here.

We often hear about a strong work ethic, but what about a strong rest ethic? I loved this twist on resting to be more productive.

Do you know about Workshop Week? One of my favorite hand letterers brought some of my favorite artists together to offer workshops just for us! The range of DIY projects is so inspiring. I know I’ll be there!

There you have it! I hope this inspires you to make space for more reading and writing in your own life. What are the highlights from your literate life this week?