Sunday Tea
Warm robes, raw milk, and doing my own taxes
I recently got back from a month in Costa Rica and now I’m back in the thick of winter on the East Coast. I’m staying with my parents this week before heading to Palm Beach next Sunday. The re-entry has been cozy and focused. Cold mornings, bare trees, and yes, doing my taxes.
Today felt like a good day for a small roundup. Consider this a Sunday tea, just some things I’ve been into, thinking about, or quietly obsessed with.
The cozy stuff
In the winter, I basically live in my Barefoot Dreams robe. The first thing I do when I wake up is put it on. Everyone in my family has one. When it’s truly cold outside, it’s the only thing that actually warms me up. Underneath, I’m most likely wearing this pajama set my mom just bought me. I sized up since I don’t like my pajamas tight.
I love lighting my beeswax candles first thing in the morning and again at night. The soft lighting feels so soothing, and mine smell intensely of honey, which brings me so much joy. I usually buy them from my local health food store, which stocks them from a nearby farm, but you can find them online too.
And this sleep mask. It stays on your head, blocks the light completely, and is incredibly comfortable. Everyone in my family has now requested one.
What I’ve been drinking
Ballerina Farm sent me a sample pack of their protein powders. I don’t usually use protein powder and I really don’t like stevia, so I didn’t expect to love them, but they’re genuinely good. I’ve been mixing them into warm milk and it tastes like a milkshake. My mom’s exact words were, “This can’t be healthy, it tastes too good.” I’m planning to buy the variety pack since I liked all the flavors (I didn’t try the chocolate coconut almond). The vanilla was slightly more chalky, but I didn’t mind it.
Speaking of milk, my raw dairy obsession is back. This is not health advice, but for those who don’t know, raw milk is said to retain its natural enzymes and probiotics rather than being stripped through conventional processing. There are potential risks, so if it’s not your thing, I also love grass-fed A2 milk (or the best quality you can get). Add a little honey and it’s even better. I usually buy mine from a local health food store, but my friend Zoe orders hers online from Udder Milk.
What I’ve been watching
YouTube is by far my most-used form of social media and has been for a while. I love how old-school and real it feels, that you can go deeper and actually experience people in a more personal way. I watch everything from cozy morning vlogs while sipping my matcha, to deep dives on random topics, to the yule log.
Zoe (we bond over YouTube and raw milk, clearly) described it perfectly: “Instagram feels like it happens to you, while YouTube feels like you’re choosing.” That really stuck with me. She passed along this account that I’ve been loving, and honestly, in my heart of hearts, this is my favorite kind of content to watch and what I want to be sharing more of.
Things I’m learning
I’ve always felt like I don’t love pastels or bright colors on me, even though some of my friends look incredible in them, but I never had the language to explain why. Color analysis helped me understand. I’m a “soft autumn,” and my features are very tone-on-tone: honey blonde hair, light blonde brows and lashes, dark brown eyes, warm skin. I look best in earthy, warm tones. Shades of green, espresso, warm neutrals, natural textures, and a slightly undone feel. Which is exactly how I feel my best. I’m not overhauling my wardrobe, but it’s already informing small shifts, like still wearing my black coat but wrapping a chocolate brown scarf around my neck, keeping the most complementary colors closest to my face. If you’re curious, this podcast episode is a great starting point, or you can check out Julia’s Instagram.
I’m still subscribed to the newsletter from the very first acupuncturist I saw in college. They moved upstate (sadly for me), but I credit them with helping me get my period back after almost three years without it. They send a note at the start of each of the 24 solar periods in the TCM calendar, which mark subtle seasonal shifts throughout the year. Seasonal wisdom, simple ways to nourish yourself, and a recipe. Even though it’s still freezing here, this week marked the first week of spring in TCM, when yang energy begins to rise quietly beneath the soil. I love when this lands in my inbox.
What I’m doing differently
Weight training. I’ve always lifted at the gym, usually sticking to 2 to 10 lb weights, but now that I’ve turned 35, it feels necessary to go heavier. I want to actively build muscle, not just maintain it.
The To Be Magnetic Health DI. I’ve been doing TBM for a long time, even before it was TBM, back when it was a blog called Free + Native. Manifestation aside, I’ve always loved the meditations and how much they help me regulate. I tried the Health DI for the first time last week and now I’m doing it almost daily. You can use my code KELLY6247 for 15% off your membership.
And then there were taxes
I’ve been paying someone quite a lot to handle my taxes the last few years, and having always been a W2 employee, I felt nervous and confused about doing them myself once I became self-employed. Last March I quit my job and spent months exploring options. I made much less money than usual and couldn’t justify an expensive accountant. I’d been dreading it. So yesterday I made myself a hot chocolate (raw milk, cacao, honey, and a pinch of sea salt), lit my beeswax candle, put on some binaural beats for focus, and got to work. To my surprise, I finished everything in one go. It wasn’t something to be so scared of. I’m even thinking of writing about my process, so if that’s something you’d want to read, let me know.
A few quick hits
I like to travel with a non-toxic, unscented bar of soap, and this tin makes it so much easier. Also planning to try this lip gloss and oil from the YouTuber I mentioned earlier.
I hope you enjoyed a little more from the personal side. See you next week.
x Kelly
This was like a spa for my mind
Loved reading this, reminding me of the small, good things