15 small habits that have changed my life ✨

Happy Wednesday my friends! I have a lot of feelings as I wrap up my 10-day long cookbook photoshoot today (!!!) — it’s been the most thrilling, creative, exhausting and fulfilling week and a half, and it feels very bittersweet that it’s finally coming to a close.

We’ve been been prepping, cooking, styling + photographing 10-12 recipes a day so it’s been pretty nonstop, but the days have truly flown by and I’ve loved every moment of seeing my recipes come to life. I’m emotional!!!

Today I wanted to share something a little different that’s been brewing in my brain for the past few months. 2026 has probably been the busiest year of my life to date, both work-wise and socially, so I’ve really had to implement solid habits that keep me sane (and, I won’t lie, productive!) alongside everything happening on a daily basis. Here are 15 small habits that have significantly improved my life in the past year or so — take what you like/need, and hopefully these can help you as much as they’ve helped me. Kisses!

1. Keeping my phone on do not disturb all morning (usually until 11am or later). Early morning is prime work time for me, so not having the distraction of constant pings and email notifications for the first few hours of the day is life-changing.

2. Never confusing peace, rest and “me” time as boredom or loneliness. Read that again!

   

3. GETTING A BRICK. Oh my god — I’ve had one for about a month now and I’m not being dramatic when I say it feels like I have my time back. I know that sounds really over the top, but the reality is that social media is a) highly addicting and b) my job, so it had become extremely difficult to resist the constant temptation to scroll. Having this physical barrier and seeing the time tracked on the app makes me motivated to stay off social media. My productivity and mental health have both improved tenfold, and I’ve replaced mindless scrolling with activities like tasks I’ve been putting off, long walks, reading on the couch, writing my Substack, cooking or calling a friend. Highly, highly recommend.

   

4. Per the above (but it feels significant enough to separate into its own point): reading an article, whether it’s on a news site or just something fun or interesting on Substack, when I’m tempted to scroll Instagram for the hundreth time.

   

5. Long walks every single day. You don’t need a destination — just throw on a podcast or a playlist, ideally turn your phone on DND and enjoy some stress-free, reflective time at the end of your workday (or at the beginning, if that’s how you roll). I try to do this daily and it has absolutely improved my happiness, while helping me to stop and appreciate where I live every day (I mean…just look at those mountains!)

6. Calling or FaceTiming a friend while I cook dinner. Especially as someone who lives far from many of my friends and family members, cooking is the perfect time to catch up with someone while nourishing yourself and unwinding.

7. Magnesium every night before bed.

   

8. Weight lifting. I know everyone raves about it now (especially for women), but as I move through my 30s, it’s critical for me to feel strong and protect my bones and muscles. I will also say that it is, not surprisingly, very satisfying to actually notice your muscle growth.

9. Having hobbies outside of work. It can be anything — cooking, baking cakes, hiking, tennis, taking photos, writing, drawing. Interests and hobbies genuinely make you a far more compelling person.

10. Sunscreen on my face EVERY DAY no matter what (this includes on cloudy days, airplanes and days when I barely leave the house). I like this one because it doubles as a glowy, light skin tint!

    

11. Eating meat again :) :) :)

12. Doing what my friend and I call “getting out of the bubble”. I think this is extra relevant in Los Angeles, where the vast nature of the city means you often stick to your “bubble” or specific part of town. Every time I say yes to a day trip, beach day, weekend getaway or even just a visit to a new-to-me area, I feel better for it. Turns out that changing it up and getting out of the norm once in a while is good for you!!!

    

13. Getting out of the house to work at a coffee shop at least once a week. Like many of us nowadays, I work from home, so I spend a lot of time at my kitchen table nook and home office desk. Having an occasional change of scenery makes me more productive and breaks up the work week nicely.

14. An ice cube and a cold gua sha from the freezer on my face every morning.

    

15. This serum on my face at night. I’m 33 and my skin has never been better

That’s it for now! Back with new recipes soon xx