COVID struck our home again, which meant it was a quieter week hanging out together and not being very productive at all. =) Here’s what I was reading, writing, learning and loving from my couch and kitchen table this week.

What I'm Reading:

How many books do you have on your TBR list? Or in your TBR pile? My current number is sitting at 190 and I’d like to tackle that in 2022. I’m not alone. Leigh Ann Eck shared the #JustReadin2022 hashtag on her blog and I am all in. What does it mean? It means we pledge to read the books on our TBR lists from 2021 in 2022 and make them a priority. So, that’s what I did. Here are two books from my 2021 TBR list that I finally read in 2022.

A Day Like This by Kelley McNeil

Oh. Oh. Oh. This book was a rollercoaster ride of emotions and a deep dive into what our minds are capable of. We meet Annie, a mother who seemingly has it all, but her idyllic life instantly crumbles in a car crash that leaves her grappling with a new life that she is certain is all wrong. As she struggles with her new reality as a newly-divorced, childless woman, she continually searches for the life she knows is out there somewhere deep in her memories. This book will make you think hard about the roads not taken, what truly matters most in life and the power of the mind that we might not understand the potential of. Until this book. If you loved What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty or Comfort & Joy by Kristin Hannah, then this book is for you. 

Kindred by Octavia E. Butler

This book took me on an unexpected journey. Based on all the online reviews, I came into this book expecting greatness. And it did not disappoint. It surpassed those expectations. Butler so beautifully takes us on an unspeakable journey through time, geography and justice. Dana, a 26 year old, newly-married woman is inexplicably transported back to the 1800’s to save a young boy from drowning. She’s continually called back each time the growing boy meets trouble to save him, often from himself. She slowly learns about her family connection to the family, a possible purpose for her work there and when enough is enough. This book will take you on a journey of heartbreak, of frustration and hopefully, end with a call to unlearn what you thought you knew and find your place in seeking social justice. It is a must read for all.

What I'm Writing:

This month, I’m all about the fresh start. In fact, it’s my one word (actually, two!) of the month and I’ve been taking it to heart. I’ve been a bit cranky this week given the COVID craziness and feeling a bit under the weather. And when I get cranky, I get writing. I get everything off my mind and onto the page so I can make a fresh start and then, I start planning on the page, too. Here’s the prompt I used:

Honestly, it helps. I may not be able to bring that perfect day to life right now, but it reminds me that there are small things I CAN do to feel better, no matter what. If any of you need this reminder so early in 2022, I hope you bring this prompt to your notebook, too. 

I’ve also been diving into my new planner habit. If you’ve been thinking of doing the same, here’s a post from the Happy Planner on how to get started.

What I'm Learning:

You know I love routines and habits and I’m re-evaluating the routines I have in place to see if they are serving me well. Some are, like taking my new vitamins with my morning coffee. Some aren’t, like checking my email before I tackle my to-do list. Ugh. I’ve spent some time rereading Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin and really want to embrace her Rest 22 in 2022 challenge. So when Primally Pure shared this holistic habit tracker, I was all in. I’m not printing and using it, but am adding these items to my weekly planner instead. 

By the way: Do you know about Primally Pure? I found them when I started my chemical-free wellness journey to cope with auto-immune disease and love their products. If you want to give them a try, you can get 10% with my affiliate link using the code: ALitLife. The cleansing oil and clarifying face mask are my favorites!

What I'm Loving:

I wrote a post for TeachBoost this week on the power of digital business cards and went deep into the history of them. Do you know they started on the 17th century’s social scene? Fascinating. 

Um…there is such a thing as a circular calendar? There sure is. Download yours here. 

PLEASE WATCH THIS. You’ll never look at frosting and sprinkles the same. I must try this…after I finally stop watching it on a loop.

Did you know January 13th was National Sticker Day! I celebrated by adding this to my Pipsticks cart. =)

Where was Magnolia when I was a little girl? Oh, how I would have loved this miniature bookshop to spark imaginary play!

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?