it seems like the more time goes by, the more our culture values and rewards the idea of ‘perfectionism.’ “I’m a total perfectionist“ is one of those things that people say about themselves that they hope comes off as self-deprecating, but in reality sounds a lot more like a humble-brag. it’s basically written within our code to strive to be perfectionists and to believe that’s the best way to be, and I have pretty much spent my entire life trying to unlearn that.
Read MoreIf you’re anything like me, the start of a new year or season often brings about moments of reflection, reevaluation, and a renewed sense of perspective.
In early January, I was sitting on the couch after work, and out of nowhere, a thought popped into my head that said, “I’m not engaging with my life.” I’d never even heard that idea before—or at least I don’t remember hearing it, but all of a sudden, I had this moment of clarity where I was like…I don’t want this to be my status quo.
Read MoreWe’ve officially arrived at the part of the pandemic where all the headlines have started celebrating the ‘return to normal,’ and while I love to see it as much as anyone, I’m also - for lack of a better term - kind of freaked out. Kate here, and today I wanna unpack why it’s more than okay if you’re anxious about going ‘back to normal.’
Part of the reason this influx of ‘get ready for back to normal’ content seems so off-putting to me is because it all seems to be presented in a cheeky, lighthearted voice usually reserved for ‘get ready for back to school!’ tips. And I get it - we all could use a healthy dose of light-hearted ANYTHING right now, me included. But does anyone else feel like we’re all just kind of glossing over the fact that this is still very much going on, here and elsewhere??
Read MoreHey guys, Courtney here!
As a 9-to-5er who travels to the office every week, the way I spend my time during my commute has become increasingly important to me.
Riding 40 minutes to and from work every day on the Metro means that I have a lot of time to listen to podcasts, music, and audiobooks. I unfortunately haven’t found a way to read (or barely text for that matter) given that I get extremely motion sick, but the audio versions have done wonders in passing the time.
Read MoreIs it just me or does this pandemic season somehow make me feel even less organized and level-headed than I was back when going places and seeing people was a thing? Kate here, and today I’m talking about that feeling of total overwhelm that we all know too well - the one that inevitably finds us every time we load our plate with too much stuff.
It’s really odd to me that I’m experiencing this feeling so much right now, during a time when I’m technically far less “busy” than I would be during a normal year. Last year at this time I had a gig on the west coast of the US and took a red eye flight to New York as soon as I got offstage, and then proceeded to get on a transatlantic ship to England the following morning. It sounds a lot more stressful than my current day-to-day when I write it out like that, but somehow here we are.
Read MoreI remember when we first entered quarantine in March, and I thought to myself, just a couple weeks — maybe a month — of this and we will be done and back to normal. Wishful thinking, huh?
Hey guys — it’s Courtney. Today, I’m talking about the small changes I’ve made since the beginning of quarantine that have helped ease my anxiety. Although the country is slowly opening back up, many of us are still at home way more than normal.
Read MoreIs it just me or does checking in on our New Year’s Resolutions feel particularly weird this year? It’s no question that 2020 has been anything but ordinary (to put it lightly), and after stumbling on some photos from my 2020 New Year’s trip this week I realized just how bizarre it is to think back on all the things I resolved to do this year that clearly didn’t quite pan out the way I thought they would.
Back in January I shared a post all about my number one resolution for 2020, which was simple - to Just Start Going. Or so I thought it was simple. Now, having spent the past five months in some semblance of quarantine, the thought of “just starting” all of the things I thought I would be starting this year feels kind of ridiculous. So today I wanted to share a post about how I’m reflecting on where I’m at with that resolution more than halfway through the year and how I hope to adapt it to these crazy circumstances going forward.
At the time of writing this blog, the world is in the midst of the now infamous Corona pandemic - and there’s really not enough space on the internet to list all of the adjectives we could use to describe this crazy season. It’s scary. It’s weird. It’s bizarre. It’s confusing. It’s …. anxiety-inducing, to say the least.
Today I’m unpacking and sharing a little bit about why I’m confessing to control freak-dom, and I’m also super excited to share a snippet of my upcoming single, “Anxious” - which is all about the struggle of feeling out of control in life.
Read MoreIt’s no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally changed the way we live, work, travel, consume, and plan. How are we supposed to plan for the future when no one really knows how and when this will end?
Courtney here — as a bride who is currently dealing with wedding planning during COVID-19, I wanted to write something especially for other to-be Mrs. so we can all find a little comfort and solidarity during this time.
I think we could all use some comforting words and maybe a vent sesh or seven. Here are some things that have helped me throughout the past few months as I’ve nervously watched and waited.
Read MoreWith everything going on right now (and let’s be honest, also everything NOT going on right now) it can be really easy for us to feel disoriented, confused, and generally a lot more emotional than usual. Kate here, and I can confirm I’m definitely among that group.
I wanted to write this post today to encourage anyone else who’s feeling worn down by this whole season, because I think it’s incredibly crucial for us to know now more than ever that we’re not alone in our feelings.
I recently wrote about how to deal when you feel powerless, and today I wanna write about how feeling powerless is not only normal, but it’s totally OK. Simply put, it’s OK not to be OK.
Read MoreFeeling like everything is out of your control is probably a familiar sentiment for most of us these days. So much is uncertain. And it’s incredibly heavy watching what’s happening around the world.
Kate here - and I’m hoping you and yours are staying safe and healthy amidst all of this madness. For me, I think it’s the feeling of powerlessness that’s so difficult right now. Anyone else feel this way?
Today I wanna share 5 tools that are helping me navigate the major anxiety I’ve been experiencing as a result of everything related to the pandemic. Keep in mind that these are just things that are working for me right now, and in no way am I trying to make it seem like I have the answers. I think it’s just helpful if we all share what’s making life a little less chaotic for us in these crazy times.
Read MoreHey everyone! Kate and Courtney here. We just want to start out by saying that we’re sending well wishes your way and hope that you’re all staying happy, healthy, and home if you can.
Most of you have probably already been working from home for a few days or weeks at this point. While we all find our “new normal” in the midst of social distancing, we thought we’d come up with a list of some fun things to do in our free time.
While you may not have much extra time during the workweek, here are few substitutes for the boozy brunches and bar hopping escapades we usually enjoy on the weekends.
Read Moreare you ever totally paralyzed at the idea of starting something that you want or need to do? I’ll always be a Tom Petty fan, and while I do agree that the waiting is hard I must argue that it’s the starting, and not the waiting, that is in fact the hardest part.
today’s post is about how to get started before you’re ready, and why it’s my big resolution this year. I thought a lot about the best way to explain this resolution, and it turns out that the following LA driving metaphor seems necessary:
Read Morecan you believe the roaring 20s are already upon us?! it’s overwhelming to say the least thinking about the start of a new decade, but it’s also incredibly refreshing and exciting to be on the cusp of that clean slate feeling again.
the 2010s were full of some amazing and crazy adventures for me - I traveled the world, played shows in 11 countries, got engaged and married, lived in California, Tennessee, and France, learned to speak French, wrote thousands of songs and met some of my favorite people in the world. It’s been an amazing decade full of a rollercoaster of ups and downs, and I’m grateful for all of them.
As we bid 2019 and the 2010s goodbye today, I wanted to share 3 takeaways from the past decade that have really changed my life over the past ten years.
Read Moreah, social media. it is all at once our loyal BFF and our utter nemesis.
like pretty much everyone else (except that one periphery friend we all have who went back to a flip phone just to out-hipster the rest of us), I find myself falling victim day after day to the siren song that is social media.
it’s kind of impossible not to in modern society, and let’s face it - there are some amazing benefits of the connectivity and community it creates. but now that it’s such a normal part of our daily lives, we pick up the phone (I don’t dare check how many times a day) and scroll incessantly on autopilot without even thinking about it.
Read MoreWell guys, it’s officially the last year of my 20s.
Your 20s are such formative years, full of exploration, adventures, mistakes, achievements.
I thought when I hit 29, I’d feel bummed that my 20s were coming to an end. I figured I’d have the “time to get serious” mentality that people so often associate with your 30s.
I can honestly say that all I feel at this moment is pure gratitude and excitement. Gratitude that I get to wake up every day and have another chance to connect with people, explore the world, learn, and ultimately, give and receive love. I'm excited for more adventures, lessons, and yes, even change.
Read MoreYou know what's hard? Taking action.
You know what's easy? Adding to your inspiration board on Pinterest, writing down your goals, talking about your dreams, scrolling through Instagram to look at people who are following their dreams, reading blogs about how to pursue your passion — and the list goes on.
If you're an avid planner like me, before you take action, you have to determine the end-game from the start, consult everyone close to you about whether it’s a good idea or not, create an excel spreadsheet about all the steps you need to take to accomplish your goal, day dream about what life will be like when you do achieve your goal, and then take a nap because you're so exhausted from overthinking.
Read MoreI never used to be a reader. I’d get bored or distracted easily and quickly and retreat to watching TV or scrolling Instagram (tbh, sometimes I still do). Until I found subject matter that actually interested me, reading seemed like a chore.
Being a “dreamer” my whole life, I have always been curious about habit forming, goal chasing and self care — what tools do I need to perform at my best and battle my resistance to create? When I started reading books about these topics, I became obsessed, and I’m not stopping any time soon!
Read MoreIt’s that time of year again, and as prepare for the annual avalanche of over-the-top instagram captions from picture perfect couples we love to hate, it’s important not to forget to show ourselves a little love. Here are six ideas for fun and just the right amount of fancy valentine’s day gifts to give yourself this week.
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