As we get older, a lot changes. But one thing that seems to go fairly unedited is the bucket list. I mean, do I really still want to ride in a hot air balloon? This week, we stumbled upon an article in the Washington Post about an alternative: the ‘chuck-it’ list. I’m taking some time out this weekend to write mine.
Also in this episode, some wrist stretches for people who type a lot, and an app that helps you find vetted flatmates through friends of friends. Yours in growing up, Team Adultish
P.s. Wondering what's on our chuck-it list? Gatekeeping the best newsletters out there (like ours) obviously. Forward this email or send the View In Browser link at the top if you know someone who needs a lil Adultish in their lives ☝️ |
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| Sarah is a writer and the founder of a colourful homewares brand called Royal Circus, inspired by preppy Scottish interiors.
Outside of that and her 9-5 at a tech company, she’s either reading, learning how to play tennis, or perusing Edinburgh’s charity shops for the best fringed lampshades. Here, we talk about making time for side projects, budgeting that works for you and the joy of being bad at something.
Find Sarah on Instagram & TikTok and shop Royal Circus with code ‘ADULTISH’ for 20% off (thanks Sarah!)
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How have you got your sh*t together recently? Budgeting!!!! I bought this amazing $5 budget and it has been life changing. When I’ve lamented about being stressed about money, the wisest people I know (my therapist and my boyfriend) have encouraged me to get a better understanding of how money flows through my life.
To me that felt easier said than done. I’ve tried every budgeting app at this point and this Excel seems to be the thing that works! Just tracking the money I’m spending helps me calibrate better each month. If you could give one piece of advice to yourself at any point in the past — which point is it and what advice do you give?
Never settle in your relationship. I stayed in so many draining relationships because I thought it was the best I would ever get. I had no idea how wrong I was. My boyfriend is the kindest, smartest, most generous person I’ve ever met and I wish I had known then what was in store for me now. I wish I could reach back in time and hug little me and also tell her to stop wasting her time!!!
One life-changing tip you'd give on everyday life stuff? Preface: I am no personal financial guru, but if you feel out of control in your finances, lock away your credit card. Use a debit card. Watching real money disappear will give you a real sense of what you’re spending. I wish I had known this earlier and stopped trying to be a credit card points guru. |
So, what are you working on just now?
My two favourite side projects are my newsletter, Liminal Space, where I write about quitting, starting, and how the former becomes the latter, and Royal Circus, which is a bright and eclectic homewares brand that I just started. The mission of Royal Circus is to help people love their homes and build spaces they’re proud of and want to spend time in. I think having a home base is so important. It should be beautiful. And it should feel like you.
How do you organise your working day to juggle all of your projects?
I try to take advantage of the energetic flow of my day by working on the most urgent thing first or the thing that is most exciting. Normally in the morning, I write down the three most important things in my iPhone Notes app and check them off as the day goes by. A simple to-do list works for me. I’ve tried timeblocking and other productivity hacks, but to no avail.
What’s one thing you wish you knew before starting Royal Circus? To take it one day at a time. If something feels too hard and overwhelming, I’m learning to set it aside, get a good night’s sleep, and pick it up the next day.
When I get stuck, I need to make sure I stay inspired or I risk not being able to get started again. Beautiful things inspire me and I recharge by being in nature, putting together fun outfits, reading beautiful prose, and creating in other mediums. Creativity begets creativity so when I feel depleted or low energy, I need to connect back to things that inspire me. |
What do you do to switch off?
Right now I’m learning how to play tennis. I love being a beginner. I’ve found nothing gets me out of my head and into my body than being bad at something. It’s also a really fun source of bonding with my partner, who is great at tennis, and is very patient in teaching me. We joined our neighbourhood's tennis club so we have a routine of going to the open tennis matches to play and meet people in our community. It’s also fun to watch myself improve each week! Favourite way to work out?
Running. I stopped drinking three years ago and part of this was looking for new ways to socialise that didn’t revolve around drinking. That search led me to join a running group in NYC. Six months later, I moved to Barcelona and joined a running group there to make friends. Now, every place I move, I look for a running group. How has moving to Scotland impacted your wellbeing?
I had to go back to my building blocks. I’m very impacted by the weather and moving from Barcelona to Scotland was a big change in terms of daily sunshine. When I was a kid, I didn’t have a toolkit, but now that I’m an adult, I feel lucky to know how to help myself feel better when it’s grey outside.
I meditate every day, do morning pages, and move my body to help me feel centred. I make an effort to get out of the house and into the world daily, even if it’s just to go to a coffee shop. |
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Tell us your favourite …
...article?
This Architectural Digest article - it's about the amazing mosaic my friend Kautar made for Laura Gonzalez's Paris atelier.
...Instagram/TikTok/Twitter account?
@tremont_home - best vibes/content about thrifting and interior design
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TWEET OF THE WEEK (we're never gonna say 'X of the week', FYI) |
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Disclaimer: Just a head's up, we're not responsible for the content in any third-party links, and our guests don't give financial advice - we recommend you seek this independently from a qualified professional. If you buy books that we've linked to from Adultish, we may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops.
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