Cheers to life in January 2021 (I mean, if we are being honest, nothing has change since 2020 haha). Today I’m sharing a few peeks into my personal life as well as what I’ve been up to lately. There aren’t any big changes going on in the Houston Household, but I do have some fun updates! Enjoy my Life Lately Vol. 1. 2021.
Reading and Watching Lately
Reading // Guess who started reading her BOTM club books again?! THIS GIRL! I am trying very hard to reach for a book instead of my phone/laptop/tv remote whenever I have a little bit of downtime. I don’t have any book recommendations at the moment, but will next month.
Watching // Aside from countless Christmas movies, I spent the last month and a half watching everything new and lots of old pop up on Netflix and Hulu. There are too many to list, so here are my favorites:
- Bridgerton – let the rumors be true so we can have 8 seasons of this incredibly addictive Gossip Girl style show (set in 1800s).
- The Adventures of Sabrina – the final chapter was just as thrilling as the first four. I’m sad it’s over, but will happily rewatch the series someday.
- Tiny Pretty Things – who doesn’t love a racy ballet centered murder mystery? I’m hopeful for a season 2!
- Spinning Out – I remember seeing this ice skating show advertised during the beginning of 2020 and feeling very uninterested. Now I regret misjudging this captivating series about mental health and the world of figure skating. So very sad it was cancelled after the first season.
- America’s Next Top Model – I don’t even know what number season it was but boy did I forget how much I love this show. The Guys v Girls season of ANTM popped up on Netflix one day and I was all in. So entertaining and always mind-blowing how modeling works.
Wondering which shows I watched and DON’T recommend? These are some shows I was told to watch but couldn’t get into: Dash & Lily, Ratched, Dare Me, Dynasty, and Enola Holmes.
Recent Purchases Lately
I don’t usually make many purchases for myself during the holidays, but I’m thankful for a few key items I’ve had on my wish list. My parents bought me a dustbuster and new GreenPan cookware set for Christmas – two must haves we need for our home!
Life Changes for My Mental Health
Remember when everyone was focusing on the stuff that sparks joy in 2019? That’s me in 2021.
Over ‘Christmas vacation’ I deleted Instagram from my phone in an effort to discontinue casually checking my feed every two minutes. If you haven’t tried it yet – I highly recommend doing so – because I learned I spend A LOT of time on Instagram. The little camera icon lives in my App Library now, so I don’t see if when I open my phone to text/Google/make a call.
With the above being said, I am not spending less time posting on Instagram – just less time interacting. It’s easy to become overwhelmed after watching thirty minutes of other people’s lives instead of spending the present time in your own. The feelings that may arise are pretty icky too, especially when so many stories are a bunch of smoke and mirrors focused on perfectionism.
Check out Ten REAL Lifestyle Bloggers I Love to Follow
Last year marked a huge shift in how I prioritize my mental health. I believe it’s okay to be selfish when it comes to your mental well being – especially regarding social media. Establishing boundaries, saying, “No,” and disengaging from toxic conversations are how I approach my relationship with Instagram. For more of my 2021 Intentions, read this post!
Life in January 2021
Ailey’s First Haircut Sleeping Sisters Cousins at the Park My Kitchen Helper Spinach and Mushroom Ricotta Pizza Christmas Eve Dinner Beaumonts Farm
Looking forward…
Last week was a terrible moment in our country with the unfathomable events occurring at our Capitol. As I watched the riot unfold, and continue to read about it, I remain perplexed. Can we all collectively agree on the following: there is more hatred, unrest, and turmoil in our country – more privilege, racism, and entitlement surging through society – than ever before? To top it all off, the passive aggressive arguments between people on social media are spiraling out of control. Instead of private conversations about differences in opinion, everything is said publicly (and fueled by anger). It’s just another reason why I’m watching IG a little bit less these days.
During the coming weeks I’m hoping things are a bit more calm. I’m looking forward to sharing more of my life with you (winter decor, recipes, outfits I wear on repeat, etc.) and starting a weekly Mental Health chat. I’m also continuously focusing on my intentions for 2021 and determined to learn a new dance each week (check my IG stories for more info).
Have a wonderful rest of January!
I agree that not much has changed since 2020, but a fresh start is always nice. Here’s to a fab year!! 🙂
Same on Bridgerton and tiny pretty things is my next solo show! Dash and Lily is super cute!
We have such different tastes! I would never want to watch any of the shows you watched, but I ADORED Dash & Lily (and I’m diving into the book series starting this month) and thought Enola Holmes was fantastic. Haha! I hope you get some downtime to read. Here’s hoping January is a wonderful month for you, overall.