It’s the first day of autumn in the northern hemisphere. 🍂

Despite the chill in the air this morning, my brain still thinks it’s summer. How could be at the fall equinox already?

My daily routine is being shaped by Milo’s adolescence — he’s quite a whiny and clingy teenager but he is such a sweet puppy. We go on long walks daily and he’s starting to settle a bit more outside his crate. He also seems to have more capacity to stay awake, which means he only gets two crated naps some days.

In other news, I’ve been looking ahead to the fall season and trying to figure out the logistics of my 30 day eat-at-home challenge, as well as 31 Days to 2027. I’m usually quite excited for this stretch of time and these months always pass by quickly.

As always, I’ve been taking special care to keep up with my self-reflection practices. Here’s what that entails:

  • I’m still writing morning pages every day and I’m happy to say I’ve gotten over the hump of it feeling like a chore.

  • My moon planning check-ins have been so much lighter and more fun. I’m only answering a few reflective questions every two weeks so I’ve successfully pared down the process to a quick and easy touchpoint.

  • I’m continuing to review my goals periodically this year.

For more about what’s on my mind right now, you can subscribe to my newsletter or check out my 101 in 1001 list. I’ve also got a few bits on my about page.

MEDIA

LISTENING

I don’t listen to music when I’m walking Milo — all my attention needs to be on him as he’s quite easily distracted and likes weaving back and forth in front of me. He’s also picked up a nasty habit of eating random things off the ground. When I do have a solo walk, I’ve been into Ariana Grande’s new album, Petal. And since watching Nene Royal on America’s Got Talent, I’ve been listening to a lot of 90s alternative music.

READING

I finished Yesteryear recently, which was such a wild ride! I had a lot of thoughts so I recorded a review pretty much as soon as I finished the book. I’m currently reading Yellowface.

WATCHING

Spooky season is upon us so hubby and I will be watching a lot of horror. I’m trying to watch one new-to-me horror (or horror-adjacent) movie every day. So far, I’ve watched:

  1. Hokum (2026) — ★★★½

  2. Stream (2024) — ★★★½

  3. The Evil Dead (1981) — ★★★

  4. The Running Man (2025) — ★★★½

  5. The Deep Dark (2023) — ★★★★

  6. The Last Descent (2016) — ★★★½

  7. When Evil Lurks (2023) — ★★★★

APP-ing

Here are the apps I use every day:

  • Organization: TickTick, Google Calendar

  • Self-care: Finch (click here to be birb friends!)

  • Games: Pokémon Go, NYT Crossword, Toon Blast

  • Social media: Reddit, BeReal

DAILY ROUTINE

My routine is my source of power. Each day is like a little puzzle, and everything always comes together. Since we got our puppy, I’ve tried to be more consistent with my routine. Read about my fluid time blocking practice.

Morning

The morning is the most structured part of my day. I wake up at around 6-6:30am. Milo usually sleeps in until 7-7:30am. I spend the first few hours of my day getting ready, oil pulling, making myself a hot herbal infusion, watering our houseplants, taking care of Milo, and writing morning pages. The rest of my morning depends on how busy I am with my paid and creative work. I usually go for a walk at some point, which often includes a quick trip to the grocery store.

Afternoon

My afternoon varies depending on how much energy and motivation I have. I take a nap almost every day — usually a power nap, but longer if I had a shorter night of sleep. I then spend some time on paid work or personal projects, and cooking or doing chores. Of course, I also spend some time training, walking, or playing with Milo! Some days, I have a sweet video call with a friend.

Evening

After dinner, I do a bit of this and that. Hubby and I usually start to wind down at around 7-8pm. We spend this time together — sometimes together-together, and sometimes together-while-also-doing-our-own-thing. Each night is different depending on how we feel. Milo has a structured bedtime routine from 8pm until we tuck him into his crate at 9:30pm. I’ll usually head to bed at around 10-10:30pm.

SKINCARE ROUTINE

The general formula for my skincare products is toner + serum + facial oil + moisturizer. I’ll usually use up what I have before moving on to something else, but I also try to finish some of hubby’s products when he leaves them lying around. If you’re interested in which products are my favourites, you can find them listed here.

MORNING

  • Rinse my face with lukewarm water and towel dry.

  • Apply my skincare products in this order:

    • Divine Essence Damask Rose Organic Floral Water

    • The Ordinary Argireline Solution 10%

    • The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%

    • The Ordinary 100% Cold-Pressed Virgin Marula Oil

    • The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA

    • The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Lash and Brow Serum

    • Atomy Mineral Sunscreen

  • I’ve been using The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Eye Serum when I remember. This is a very rich serum and can feel a bit sticky on the skin, so I try to apply it when I’m planning to spend a stretch of time at home.

  • I’ve been loving Atomy AC Spot Solution as a spot treatment when I have breakouts. I use this when I first notice a pimple and then whenever I remember to reapply, in the morning and/or evening.

EVENING

  • Wash my face with the Atomy Deep Pure Cleansing Oil, rinse with lukewarm water, and towel dry.

  • Apply the same skincare products as my morning routine. I’ve been using The Ordinary Lactic Acid 5% + HA (instead of my morning solution/serum combo).

  • I’ve been using a peel-off or mud mask every week as part of my self-care regimen (and also to use up my old products!).

Makeup Basket

I amassed a huge collection of makeup during my shopaholic days. Years later and I’m still in the process of downsizing my collection. One thing that’s helped me focus on using what I have is to keep a seasonal “makeup basket.” I use the products in this basket every day until I get bored, then I switch them out. For hygienic reasons, I only use mascara and lip gloss for 6–9 months before discarding any remaining product.

Here’s what I have in my current basket. My makeup is very old, so some of the products may be discontinued.

Eyes

  • Urban Decay Naked3 Eyeshadow Palette

  • Adelica Soft Brow Pencil in Brown

  • Miniso Gold Eyelash Curler

  • Adelica Waterproof Mascara in Black

Face

  • Combination of Atomy BB Cream, Atomy Healthy Glow Base, and Atomy Oil Serum Mist

  • Illamasqua Powder Blusher in Tremble

  • FENTY BEAUTY by Rihanna Sun Stalk'r Instant Warmth Bronzer in Private Island

  • Dior Shimmer Powder in Rose Diamond

  • Canmake Marshmallow Finish Foundation in MB*

*I use this as a powder concealer.

Lips

  • Jack Black Lip Balm

  • Carmex Classic Lip Balm

  • Atomy Lip Glow

That’s it for now! Let me know if I missed anything. I’ll update this page at the start of every season.

Last updated: October 7, 2026