🔬 the science of well-being 🔬

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#WednesdayWisdom

"Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer. And let faith be the bridge you build to overcome evil and welcome good." — Maya Angelou

Morning Musings

If you work for a nonprofit or any other company geared toward social good, then you may already be familiar with Coursera's "The Science of Well-Being" course offered by Laurie Santos of Yale University.

Shortly after the onset of the pandemic (and the launch of our organization's intranet), several colleagues raved about the online course designed to increase happiness and build productive habits (y'all know I love a good productivity hack).

My sister shared it with me and we both signed up ... then we realized the course was 10 weeks long and involved actual homework. Umm, no thanks. But, intrigued by the concept I've been doing my own social experiment of sorts.

This month month, I resolved to meditate every day in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month. As I've mentioned before, I've been a fan of Insight Timer for a few years, but I'd fallen off.

Coincidentally around this time I also found myself waking up earlier and thus getting back into the habit of my morning routine:

• Wake up between 6:30 and 7

• Hydrate (I fill my water bottle the night before and put it in the fridge so it's ready and cold in the a.m.) 

• Pray and read a devotional (find me on the Bible app, if you want to be friends)

• Meditate

• Journal (prayer journal, gratitude journal and/or regular journal)

• Some kind of physical movement for 20-30 minutes (yoga, cycling or strength training)

• Shower

• Answer personal emails/work on side projects before starting the day job at 10

• Breakfast

Then I sprinkled on a few add-ons to see what would happen. So now I listen to music while I shower to get psyched for the day (gospel on Mondays, followed by a healthy rotation of Beyoncé, Megan Thee Stallion and Lizzo throughout the week). Who doesn't love a good twerk while brushing your teeth?

And on Mondays, I wear yellow. Mustard yellow, to be specific. Why? Because a) it looks good on me (shout-out to my fellow brown-skinned girls) and b) it makes me happy. I don't know about the science of colors, but yellow instantly brightens my mood.

So there you have it, my recipe for the "perfect day." Or, at the very least, a good morning. My routine helps set the tone for my day and gives me a sense of normalcy during These Times. I may have dropped out of "The Science of Well-Being," but I'm informally studying my own well-being and that still seems like a win. 

What's your morning routine? What's your recipe for the perfect day? Hit "reply" and let me know!

Love,
L'Oreal

Virtual Happenings

May 27: Freelance Writing 101: How to Successfully Pitch Editors. I'm hosting a digital workshop to help new and aspiring freelance writers pitch editors and get paid for their writing. ($7)

May 30: Grief & Healing Talk for Our Community. My friend Vanessa Flowers, founder of Flower Girls Meet, is partnering with NAMI Chicago to discuss grief during these challenging times. (FREE to register, donations for NAMI Chicago accepted)

June 3: Beyond the Binary. Chicago Foundation for Women hosts a virtual event about building a larger and stronger movement for gender equity.

Links I Love

1. Why Every Other Black Woman You Know Has a Plant Obsession. Per, last week's . (The Self-Care Suite)

2. Why I Focus on Black Women and Beauty. I love Darian's work and recently subscribed to her newsletter. You should, too. (Beauty IRL)

3. Why Birds Do What They Do. If you, like me, have been spending more time watching the birds in your neighborhood, then this one's for you. (The Atlantic)

My Latest Obsession

Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid has been on my TBR list for the longest, but was recently bumped up thanks to ZORA's book club. I ended up listening to the audiobook (thanks, Jeff!) because of shipping delays and let's just say I can't wait for the movie. If it's anything like the book, it's going to be GOOD!

P.s. Catch the author in conversation with ZORA's editor-in-chief Vanessa K. De Luca today at 5:30 pm ET on IG Live!

Now Hiring

1. Communications Associate for Supermajority Education Fund

2. Associate Editor for Newsdesk

3. Digital Editor for Pulso

4. Associate Editor, Audience for HuffPost

5. Clubhouse Manager for Chief

6. Assistant Content Producer for Dear Media

7. Program Director for Posse Chicago

8. Designer, Graphics for lululemon

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