Q1 2026 - Three Things We Love
This Quarter, We're Staying Curious
Winter has a way of shrinking our worlds: short days, heavy coats, more time indoors. But curiosity does the opposite. It expands us. This quarter, we’re leaning into small, joyful ways to tap into moments of brightness (even in the grayest months).
Learning: Beginner’s Mind Activated
Credit: DuoLingo
Laura, our Founder, is deep into her personal journey of becoming fluent (or at least semi-fluent) in French. And, DuoLingo has become a daily companion. What she loves most is how it reframes learning into playful, bite-sized, and forgiving moments. No grades. No pressure. Just progress.
She is clearly not alone. Her sister, Cameron, is learning chess. A friend, Monique (already flient in French), is juggling Italian, Portuguese, and Vietnamese. Maddy is learning Gaelic. Dave is conquering Spanish. No one is doing this because they have to. They’re doing it because learning keeps them engaged, flexible, and empathic.
There’s something deeply mindful about learning something new. When you start from scratch you show up imperfectly. You pay attention. You laugh at yourself. A beginner's mind, it turns out, is a great thing to have - especially in winter
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Listening: Music, Minus the Eye-Rolling
Credit: CNN
We didn’t want to like John Mayer this much. (Yes, the Taylor Swift breakup lingered longer than it should have.) But she moved on, and so did we.
His SiriusXM channel has become a surprising winter favorite. It’s a mix of storytelling, curation, and context. The insights of the industry are genuinely fascinating, and his taste in music is impeccable. Listening feels like sitting in on a really good conversation with a superstar, one that deepens your appreciation for the art without demanding anything from you.
Music that keeps us company. The kind that makes long afternoons feel intentional and well spent.
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Glowing: A Little Color Goes A Long Way
Credit: Drunk Elephant
As usual, we are late to the party, but Drunk Elephant Bronzing Drops deserve the hype. During the (mostly) sunless months of winter in Chicago, these are an absolute treat. A few drops mixed into moisturizer and suddenly: life comes back. Not made-up. Not overdone. Just subtly brighter, warmer, and more like you’ve seen the sun recently…even if you can’t remember what it looks like.
This isn’t about looking different. It’s about feeling a little more energized when the season is doing its best to drain you.
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The Mindful Thread
Learning something new. Listening more deeply. Letting yourself glow. Inside and out. These quiet acts of self-care remind us winter isn’t meant to be endured; it’s meant to be lived.
Curiosity keeps the mind awake. Music keeps the heart open. A touch of warmth (literal or metaphorical) goes a long way. Here’s to staying curious, even when it’s cold outside.
