I don’t know about you, but as soon as ‘back to school’ season hits (I think this applies whether you’re a parent/caregiver or not) I spiral into thinking it’s fall, which means Halloween, which means holiday season and next thing I know I’m wondering what we’ll do for New Year’s Eve dinner. Perhaps you’ve seen some of the memes that describe this experience. That’s my brain. But this year, I’m challenging myself to stay in season. Live in the moment. Because when I look back at my list from May, it seems like a lifetime ago—so in theory, November is a long way away. Here’s what I’m loving right now—10 things that are making my life better, easier, more delightful in some way. I hope they inspire you to take inventory of what’s good in your life at the moment. November will wait.
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1. Eating 30 Plants a Week
I’m a middle-of-the-road eater health-wise. I love to cook and am a fairly adventurous eater. Some research suggests that consuming 30 different plant-based foods throughout the week can help support a healthy gut microbiome. When I heard about this via Dr. Mary Claire, I added it to my weekly routine a few months ago. I don’t always hit it, but it definitely makes me more conscious of my food choices.
2. Shira Gill
I’m shocked I’m on the seventh version list and just now mentioning Shira Gill. As a heavy consumer of simple living, organization, minimalism, essentialism, and adjacent content, I can say her books easily sit at the top of my stack—especially “LifeStyled.” Her (free!) Substack is the best thing in my inbox, outside of the Indy Maven newsletter, obviously.
3. Purging My Makeup Bag
The older I get, the less I care about trying new makeup. I find what I like and I stick to it. It takes a strong recommendation from a trusted source for me to try a new beauty product. I also can’t be bothered to take more than a few minutes doing my makeup in the morning. I recently purged my makeup bag of eyeshadows in hues I no longer wear, multiple brands of mascara, and products I never really liked but felt guilty I’d spent money on—and were probably expired anyway.
4. Quitting Amazon/Target
I have not shopped at Target or on Amazon in 147 days, at the time of this writing. It began as part of the Target boycott, but as the days went by, I realized two things. First, how much money I was saving by not spending my weekend browsing the aisles, filling my cart with things I didn’t need, and my evenings shopping for something I “had” to have the next day. And second, as a result, I was living more in line with my values. I’m proud to say, I even completed my second-grader’s back-to-school shopping without spending a dime at either place, instead finding items at Goodwill, Staples, a markdown store, and Meijer.
5. FroYo
As a child of the ’80s and ’90s, I have a soft spot (no pun intended) for frozen yogurt. To my delight, I discovered an odd but charming frozen yogurt shop in a strip mall near Michigan Road and 86th called Yoya. I’ve yet to try their bubble tea—or karaoke machine—but the Eurotart FroYo hits the spot.
6. Name Bubbles
It’s back-to-school time, which means plenty of new objects to put my kids’ names on. I found Name Bubbles back when my boys were in day care and still use them for backpacks, water bottles (they stay on so well in the dishwasher!), clothes, and whatever other items they may or may not misplace this year, so they’ll find their way back to us.
7. YETI Rambler Jr.
Never did I ever think I’d spend $30+ on a water bottle for my kids, but after paying to replace one public library book, sending my kid to school countless times with a wet butt/backpack, I sat down at my computer and wasn’t going to leave until I found one that would reportedly not leak and withstand abuse by two young boys. Consumer Reports and Wirecutter said the YETI Rambler Jr. was the way to go, and two weeks later, no regrets. My friends told me their bottle survived falling off the back of their car onto Kessler Avenue. Impressive.
8. Sovi Sparkling Rosé
I’ve mentioned this one briefly before, but since it’s in such heavy rotation for me now, it deserves its own listing. I’ve reduced my alcohol intake a lot this year, but couldn’t quite find a replacement I loved for my 5 p.m. glass of wine while I made dinner. Sovi Sparkling Rosé does the trick. It’s not too sweet, nor too bubbly, and it has just the right tang my mouth is looking for. I usually get mine at Orangily. I also love that I can just open one can (that I pour into a fancy coupe) vs. an entire bottle.
9. Pilates and Yoga at JCC
I’ve been doing Pilates and Yoga for 20 years at various studios, fitness centers, and gyms. But since re-joining JCC a few months ago, I’m not sure I’ve ever been so disciplined with my schedule. I’m typically one of the younger people in the class (by like, a lot), and perhaps it’s not as rigorous as some workouts I’ve done in the past, but no one cares what brand my leggings are, it’s incredibly affordable, and I’m inspired by the women 30 years older than me who can hold boat pose or a plank longer than I can. Up next? Water aerobics.
10. Women’s Entrepreneurship Program at Cornell
Last week, I started the Cornell University Women’s Entrepreneurship program through the Bank of America Institute for Women’s Entrepreneurship. It was a last-minute decision to join, and unfortunately, I had to postpone a Mastermind I was preparing to launch, but I can already say it was worth it. I can’t wait to bring what I learn to my consulting and speaking work, not to mention implement it in my own business.
Leslie Bailey is the cofounder and CEO of Indy Maven. Her favorite FroYo toppings are lychee boba, Reese’s Peanut Butter cup crumbles, coconut, and gummy bears, which feels like a vulnerable thing to share publicly.
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