Morning Brew - 🍹 Summer reading list

Career building with a dose of self-care 

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People always tell you to “follow your heart,” but it’s not always clear what that means or how to make it happen. Light Watkins, a meditation teacher and author, recently appeared on The mindbodygreen Podcast to discuss how to tap into your intuition. 

Not the answer you want to hear, but it takes years of time and practice. Watkins suggests taking a page out of Silicon Valley’s playbook, and A/B testing. Should I have PB&J or scrambled eggs for lunch? Do I go full-time on my startup or stay in my stable 9-to-5? “Home in on some of those options, maybe five or 10 a day,” Watkins says, “and practice listening to what feels most expansive.” 

Ultimately, as long as you pursue what you’re naturally curious about, Watkins says “your path will find you.” So when A/B testing, you’re really asking: Which one am I more naturally curious about? That’s following your heart. 

Fun stuff to do outside work

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• The NYT summer reading list is here. There aren’t challenges or prizes, but at least you don’t have to write a book report afterward. 
• When reviewing your May finances, you might notice that you forgot to cancel a few recurring subscriptions. Here’s how to put a stop to ’em. 
• I've been munching on Julia Turshen’s ”fancy” salmon salad for a few nights now, and it does, indeed, make me feel like I’ve got my life together. It’s healthy, easy, and filling. 
• A chill, lo-fi beats site that truly feels like The Sound of Sunday. 
• I want everything in Susan Alexandra’s NYC apartment, including all her bookshelf tchotchkes and the “Mazel Tov” neon light. 
• For web design inspo, check out ilovecreative’s Internet gems. Sans serif fonts are in.

Exploring new skills for the sake of personal growth

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As a chronic overthinker, I’m the master of the “What if?” game. What if we sent Sidekick on Tuesdays and Fridays instead of Mondays and Thursdays? What if we didn’t break up? (OMG my life would be so much worse.) What if I didn’t move to NYC? It goes on and on. Many of us tend to view overthinking as part of our personal brands, but it’s a habit we can learn to change. In this guide, Pia Callesen, a metacognitive clinical therapist, offers a few strategies for how to stop ruminating. 

The simplest solution: Stop ruminating. Callesen says: “Picture your thoughts as someone calling you on the phone. Of course, you don’t decide whether the phone rings, who calls or when it rings. But you do choose whether to answer the phone or just let it ring and turn your attention back to whatever you were doing. The sound of the phone might be loud, annoying and attract your attention, but what happens if you just leave it be? Eventually it stops ringing.” 

IMO, one of her most helpful strategies is to schedule a “worry/rumination time,” when you can think freely and work through any trials and tribulations. Callesen’s one warning: Avoid scheduling this right before you hit the sack. 

As the saying goes, families that spend together...

...build healthier finances together as an Apple Card Family. (It’s a relatively new saying, but we hear it’s catching on.)

The super sleek, titanium Apple Card has unlimited Daily Cash back (up to 3%) and no fees (annual, foreign, or late). You can use it as a physical card or with Apple Pay—either way it fits squarely (rectangularly?) in the hands and the iPhones of those you care most about.

Whether you add your partner, one of your parents, or your pottery class pal as a Co-Owner, you can use your Apple Card account to build credit together, track purchases, and manage spending. To Use Apple Card Family, update to iOS 14.6. Terms apply.

Products that just make life better 

Los Magos Sotol

• I had never heard of sotol (a liquor distilled from the Desert Spoon plant) until a few weeks ago. I tried Los Magos’s sotol for the first time, and if you’re a Mezcal maven, you’ll love the slightly smoky, more earthy flavors. Add sotol and lime juice to your cocktail glass of choice, top with Topo Chico, and you’ve got yourself some ranch water. 
• Call me old-fashioned, but these West Elm cocktail glasses will elevate your drinking experience. Although this doesn’t make sense logically, I’m convinced that drinks taste better in them. They come in a few colors, but I’d suggest going with pink grapefruit, which pairs nicely with a paloma. 
• If you’re still drinking rum and Coke, this rec is for you. Level up your mixed drink game with Avec—low-sugar mixers made from 100% real ingredients. Plus, it’s a foolproof way to make drinks for your friends this summer—just add your go-to alc, and you’re set. My two flavor picks: Yuzu & Lime and Jalapeño & Blood Orange.