The Monthly Round-Up: August 2020, Plus Self-Care Tips

It’s time for the August 2020 edition of the monthly round-up!

Anyone else out there feeling fatigued right now?

Between the worsening pandemic, the protests, the heat of summer, and a still only semi-open economy, we all have good reason to feel exhausted!

Try to cut yourself some slack. These are not normal times, so we can’t expect to feel ‘normal’.  All we can do is ride this out, to the best of our abilities.

Related – How Are You Feeling About the New Normal?

One thing that helped me immensely was stepping back from the news cycle for a week and practicing self-care. For me, the best kind of self-care is traveling. I am happiest when I am exploring new places.

I know, it’s not exactly easy to travel right now, but with some forethought and planning, a friend and I were able to plan a safe and fun road trip to Maine. We followed all COVID-19 guidelines and protocols.

Related: 5 Easy Summer Weekend Road Trips from NYC

Now that I’m back from this mini-adventure (I promise lots of Maine Travel guides and tips will come your way soon), I am feeling restored and refreshed.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, I recommend you do the same. Not necessarily travel, but practice whatever form of self-care you need to fill up your mental and spiritual cup.

With that in mind, for the August 2020 monthly round-up, I want to share some simple things that might help you feel better.

Also, in honor of the Black Lives Matter movement and my effort to give continuing support to the cause, my monthly round-up will now always include a few products from black-owned businesses.

Keep reading to check out some things that have brought joy and ease to my life and could do the same for you.

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August 2020 – The Monthly Round-Up

I’m trying to get to the beach as much as possible this summer because it’s my happy place. Also, it’s one place where I actually feel somewhat safe taking my mask off.

Related: Visiting the Beach in the Rockaways, NYC, During COVID-19

Here are some of my beach essentials:

This Turkish beach towel is my favorite and this hat protects me from the sun.

We purchased a beach mat this year. It has pockets at each corner to add sand to keep it weighted down. How genius is that?!

Also, we got this beach tent, because we’re those people now, LOL!

My friend who hails from Jamaica (and knows a thing or two about going to the beach) introduced me to this small, portable, bamboo picnic table, and I’m here for it! Now, when I go to the beach, I feel classy and like I’m 100% adulting.

Last but not least is sunblock. I’ve been using Supergoop for a couple of years now and it is my go-to sunblock for the beach and daily use.

But by far, my favorite beach purchase this year is this Corkcicle canteen which keeps my rosé wine chilled all day long.

I often cook from recipes on my phone so this simple phone stand has been a game-changer. It’s also great if you want to do a hands-free zoom call on your phone.

If you’re having trouble sleeping during these troubling times, you’re not alone. My husband and I have been using these CBD + melatonin gummies from Highline Wellness, and they have really helped us sleep through the night.

I was gifted these Sweeze mugs a few weeks ago. Now, we can’t stop using them for our morning coffee (which is the best thing after a good night’s sleep). We love the size and the color is the perfect amount of cheerful. (They come in many different colors if blue is not your cup of tea.)

Do you follow Chris Loves Julia? They are two of my favorite home designers. Their new master closet is #closetgoals for sure!

I’m continuing to build out our ‘home gym’. I’ve just added a Peloton bike to the mix and I am beyond happy. Also, I got these bands from Bandit Gym (currently unavailable so check out Alta) . I love them because I can easily travel with them. (Can’t exactly pack my Peloton in my suitcase!)Ever have that feeling that you’re all dressed up with nowhere to go? I feel like that’s all of us this summer, but it hasn’t stopped me from buying a couple of cute pieces to spruce up my summer wardrobe, including this sundress from Ann Taylor Loft.

One black-owned business I’m really loving right now is Paige’s candles. The candles burn clean, smell fresh, and even better when you make a purchase, she donates 10% of her proceeds to City Harvest.

Another black-owned business I wanted to highlight is Ancient Cosmetics. I can’t wait to try their Blueberry and Peppermint Body Wash.

And I just discovered Oma the Label. Founded by Neumi Anekhe, a New York-based fashion stylist, she wanted to challenge the homogenous standards of the fashion industry and represent more people of color. The jewelry is gorgeous and affordable too.

And, That’s It for the August 2020 Monthly Round-Up!

We’re heading into the dog days of summer, so I hope you can carve out some time to enjoy what’s left of the season.

And remember, happiness can be found just as easily in the simple things if we let go of our expectations and live in the moment.

Have a great August!