It has been an action-packed summer, to say the least, and the last two weeks have been totally over-the-top. Daytripping with my husband to Bear Mountain, secret rendez-vous with Veronica Varlow in a hidden restaurant, Saturday morning interviews with a new friend, co-hosting Hay House Radio with Gabrielle Bernstein, lazy park dates with Loulou Androlia and Jayne Rusby, private Pilates tutelage, a haircut, meditating in the mornings, interviewing with Srini for Blogcast FM, dinner dates with Sarah Wilson, oh, and did I mention it was our two year wedding anniversary on Monday?!

…Can you say p-h-e-w?!

I’m writing thousands of words every day. I have a tan (some real, some fake) and newly-blackened tresses. I’ve been trying to get to bed before midnight so I can wake up at 6am every morning. And by the end of each day, I am utterly spent.

Of course, I wouldn’t trade it for anything…

For me, this summer is a strict split of work and play. Travel, then work, then get back on a plane again. Right now, it’s two weeks ’til Austin, and then another two ’til the Greek Islands and London. I’m so excited to wake up in a new place, but I have so much to do before then! Head down, tail up…

It’s funny to think about the fact that what is challenging for some people is a walk in the park for others. For example, last Tuesday I debuted my thighs in a pair of preeeetty short shorts. I see dozens of women doing this exact thing every day in NYC, but it was not easy for me. In fact, halfway down the street I felt so goddamn uncomfortable that I wished I had a cloaking device, or that the street would swallow me whole. But I did it, and even though I was thrilled to change out of them later, I was proud of myself for stepping outside of my comfort zone.

It’s always valuable to challenge your own status quo. I encourage you to mess with your own ideas about your body. It will be difficult, but it’s a step in the right direction.

When I tweeted about the experience, @alieechan told me, “This year is my first time wearing shorts in public since grade school. I call my outings ‘thigh parties’.”

YES! I was thigh partying all OVER this joint!

J’adore… Caravan Palace (Sashiko recommended them on Facebook and I can’t get enough!) The fact that the longer you’re in NYC, the more friends you see in the street (I love that!) Quitting coffee — yes indeed — and becoming obsessed with yerba mate Pilates: so difficult but so damn good! Burning incense (Nag Champa, the perennial favourite) Filling my office with pink roses Full moons Getting our itinerary from Tourism Queensland… So excited! The Unearthen x The Wild Unknown tarot collection. Dribble! Absolutely perfect weather Watching Orange Is The New Black with Mike and getting really obsessed Kat’s new sparkly headwear collaboration with Crown And Glory! Humans Of New York (whenever I click into it, I get lost and read for hours) Magical Fashionista !!! Visible obliques! Stacks of books Waiting for the rain… Scoring big at Buffalo Exchange! Getting back into Gossip Girl (I swear, it will take me until the end of my life to finish this show) My mother sending us a tin of googly eyes!

What are the little things you’re thankful for this week? You don’t have to write them down if that’s not your style; just make a mental note to look around with fresh eyes, and to appreciate the little things you see, smell, do and experience.

Your gratitude prompt: As a tribute to Tuesday’s thigh party, what part of your body are you most grateful for? And what part of your body could you develop more appreciation for? Fill me in!

Love and cups of tea,

Photos by Chellise Michael.