As our relationships go on though, there's this universal pressure to build on the grandiosity of our time together. We want to wow, to impress our partners in an effort to show them how much they mean to us. And that's a beautiful instinct! But when was the last time you went out to coffee with your partner? My hot take is that a fancy date night can actually hinder more than it helps. Moments don't become special in our lives because they were rare or expensive. They become special because we give our full attention to them.

Almost two and a half years ago now, my dad died. I've been really looking forward to writing this post because grief is such a universal human experience, and so tied to the love we have for people. But while universal, it's not often a casually discussed topic in American culture. Two and a half years into my grief journey, I have learned so much about love, myself, my past, and my relationships. I have experienced more brightness and intensity of emotion than I ever had in my adult life. To anyone grieving, I send so, so much love to you.

Water, books, nature, movement, clean teeth… These are the things that have brought me some of the most happiness and comfort in my life. So I buy things that support my pursuit of them. If you want to do a little formal reflection on what brings you your bliss, I made you a workbook with journaling prompts that will help you define the unique values you want to spend your money on.