i hate summer.

it’s hot, sweaty, and sticky.

i mean, at least when it’s cold, you can just layer up.

put on a base layer, throw on a jacket, or snuggle under a blanket.

fashion-wise you also have more options.

but when it’s hot?

what are you gonna do?

there’s only so many layers you can take off before you, well, run out of things to take off.

why am i saying all this?

well, it’s currently winter rn in brazil, and i am loving it lmao.

(if you didn’t know, seasons are flipped between the northern and southern hemispheres.)

right now it’s around the mid 50s and 60s, partly cloudy weather.

in an ideal world, i’d spend fall, winter, and spring in the northern hemisphere, and escape to brazil whenever it gets too hot.

takeaways:

• visit family in brazil during the summer

• i hate the heat

• winter is pretty cool (see what i did there, with the winter being cold, and it being “cool”… i am so sorry)

from the garden 🌷

here’s what a few of you said a song that brings you back to a specific moment in your life?

such a diverse selection of songs. see i would have never gone out of my way to listen to these on my own, but i’m happy to have experienced something new. it’s also nice learning the stories behind the songs you shared. i find that sometimes i associate certain memories and people with songs so it’s cool seeing others doing the same.

i’ve been spending a lot of time with family recently and have received a lot of wise advice from my grandparents so:

what’s a piece of advice you received that’s stayed with you?

if you want your response featured on this newsletter’s next issue fill out this form!

community spotlight 💬

hey katie,

it’s crazy you mention this because i’ve actually been scripting a video on this topic.

it’s a weird feeling.

at least for me, there were moments where i wouldn’t feel proud of myself for doing things most would consider impressive.

instead, the only thing i felt was a sense of relief.

in my mind, it used to be an obligation to accomplish certain things.

like i remember when i graduated high school and felt nothing.

parents and teachers congratulating me and i’m just thinking… like for what??

i mean, of course, i graduated. i’m not going to not graduate from high school, you know.

not graduating didn’t even sound like an option.

and that mindset stuck with me. it felt like i was on this treadmill of always achieving and asking what’s next.

try to think about it this way.

if getting a 100 on a test is the expectation, then you will only ever do two things:

meet expectations… or fall short of them.

but you never get to exceed them. never get to feel proud.

and i think that is what was happening, at least to me.

i was so focused on what i had to do that i never paused and appreciated all the hard work i was doing to make it happen.

just because something was an obligation or a responsibility doesn’t mean it wasn’t difficult.

your extraordinary achievements slowly become your new normal.

to try and combat this:

i’ve started focusing less on the outcomes and more on the effort it took.

i let myself feel proud of doing smaller things, like sending an email or making my bed in the morning.

you achieved something. even though you didn’t have to care as much as you did. even though it would’ve been easier to quit.

your achievements aren’t just boxes to be checked.

they are proof that you are showing up for yourself and others again and again.

and that, honestly, is something to be proud of too.

p.s. if you want your question featured in next week’s newsletter, fill out this form!!

YOOOOOOO

thank you for your support as always. this newsletter would not be possible without your support and engagement. i know i’ve said this before, but this has been such a blessing and it’s very fulfilling having such a good community of readers.

wishing you all the best,

tulio sasaya