summer ins and outs

what i’m welcoming and what i’m leaving behind this summer

hello.

i used to make an ins and outs list every month, but lately that rhythm has started to feel a little rushed. so i’ve decided to shift with the seasons instead to make it slower and more in tune with the way life actually unfolds.

summer begs for this kind of recalibration and it feels like a mood and texture more than a season. it’s a shift in atmosphere that softens the edges of everything, even you.

this is my ins and outs list for summer. a living document of what i want more of, and what i’m finally letting go of. it’s tender and sensory and full of yearning and softness and low-stakes joy. it’s a reminder that even in a world that constantly demands urgency, we’re still allowed to move slowly, live seasonally, and change.

(this post is free, but if you enjoy this newsletter, consider becoming a paid subscriber and be part of a smaller circle where things feel a little softer, a little more personal, you’ll get early access to my youtube videos and a weekly media consumption roundup filled with articles, video essays, podcasts, and other references to make you smarter. i’d love to have you there)

truly, your support means the world to me and it’s what gives me the capacity to write to you.

summer ins and outs

in
wet hair and linen dresses
clean skin, the scent of sun, no need for anything else

rereading childhood books under dappled light
when healing looks like returning to the stories that made you. brambly hedge, the secret garden, a little princess

greek yogurt with honey and apricots
sweetness that doesn’t try too hard

rotating through three books at once
your mind wanders, so let it. some thoughts need multiple homes. i recommend a challenging book, a comfort book, and a book that feels likes summer

solitude that feels sacred, not sad
alone doesn’t mean lonely when it’s chosen

collecting scents like talismans
a trail of invisible memories that only you can follow

letting go of the need to know everything
sometimes peace is not needing the full picture

curating seasonal playlists like a love letter to time itself
some months have their own sound

studying for no reason other than to feel your brain alive again
knowledge for pleasure is a quiet kind of rebellion. let your brain explore and be curious

bringing a novel to every restaurant
more solo dinners.

silk slips and chipped nail polish
effortless elegance with a little edge

eating ice cream with your loved one before dinner
joy first. rules later. vanilla bean ice cream with fresh peaches or melted over peach cobbler.

low expectations, high enchantment
the art of being surprised by your own softness

elaborate fantasy relationships with people you haven’t even had conversations with
the art of yearning

romanticizing the tiniest things
fun shaped ice cubes in a glass. wind through curtains. that’s the good stuff

writing letters even if you never send them. to friends, family, yourself.
some feelings don’t need an audience

falling in love with people who keep the window open all night
summer love. fleeting. passionate. alive. rotten.

designated smut time
ideally post-sun, under a ceiling fan

living off of tomato mayo sandwiches and iced coffee with coconut cream
keep a wooden bowl on your countertop full of heirloom tomatoes. invest in an espresso machine for all of your coffee adventures.

accepting that you are someone who needs a little magic to survive
this world is sharp. your softness is armor

---

out
performative overstimulation
the whole world doesn’t need to know how burnt out you are

productivity for the algorithm
because you’re not a machine

flattening your life into a niche
you’re a person, not an aesthetic or brand. be fluid with the ebbs and flows

heat without shade
summer should be gentle

bathing suits that never feel quite right
wear what makes you feel like yourself, not a mannequin

forcing yourself to be social when your soul is asking for quiet
some nights are meant for stillness

not wearing deodorant
this should be illegal imo

ignoring your body's rituals
you are made of rhythms. honor them

letting the internet make you forget how good life feels when you're actually in it
step outside. touch grass. eat cherries. kiss your lover’s forehead. that’s the real archive

okay, that’s all for today.

if you’re not ready to become a paid subscriber and you have the capacity to leave a tip, that would be so appreciated.

if you’re curious about sampling you can use my link at scent split for a discount on all samples and full size bottles

i love you.

bye.

(follow ig, tiktok, youtube, pinterest and spotify for more)