June 2024

I’ve said it a million times and I’ll say it again, breakups are hard. Ever since becoming a therapist I’ve learned all the different ways people deal with the end of a relationship, apparently everyone doesn’t lay on the kitchen floor and eat popcorn from sunrise to sunset. Over the years I’ve written a lot on relationships, specifically when they end. I like to say that coping with breakups is something I should be certified in, because I have more than enough experience to help everyone get through the stages of a breakup.

If you’ve been on this blog for a little while or found me way before this website ever existed, you might know that my claim to fame is a post I wrote that went viral on how to get over a breakup. I wrote the post in the middle of the night in tears, classic me, and somehow people connected with it. To this day the post is still on the first page of Google results when you’re looking for ways to get over a guy, and that’s how my love for writing really began.

Not all breakups are bad though, I think we all have that one relationship that we were relieved finally ended. The other day I was in the middle of an argument with my boyfriend, one of those ridiculous ones where no one is genuinely mad, fussy would be a better description. In that moment I wanted to leave and never come back, and that’s how this post came to be. Below are my relationship deal breakers, that is if I was as petty as I wish I could be.

POPCORN BOWLS

I’m embarrassed to admit how many arguments I’ve had about popcorn. As an avid popcorn eater and regular meal skipper, when I pop a bag it’s more than just a snack to me. Watching men grab fistfuls of one of my favorite foods while on an empty stomach irritates me more than sitting in traffic, so yeah, sometimes I get a little crazy. 

At least once I week I yell at my boyfriend about how much popcorn he grabs at a time, and we’ve both agreed that sometimes I can be kind of a bitch about it. I’m sorry okay, I’m just not good at sharing one of my favorite snacks. 

You might also like: What’s It’s Like to Date an Introvert There’s never a time when I’m all caught up on my shows, typically being a season behind where everyone else is. I’m pretty great at avoiding spoilers though, don’t believe me? I have no idea how Lost or Harry Potter end! But you know what it’s like to date a guy who reads a movie synopsis while we’re on our way to watch that very same movie? Infuriating! I know it’s not the worst thing ever, but sometimes I could really call it quits over this.

For this reason you’ll typically see me ripping the phone out of his hands, the man just cant resist spoiling a good TV episode or film. I’ve gotten better about keeping up with my shows, but I refuse to hear a movie review about a movie that I haven’t yet seen. 

This is very much specific to me since I’ve been a picky eater since anyone can remember. My picky eating habits are quite severe, so severe that I have a history of being assessed for an eating disorder. I don’t have body image problems, I just don’t enjoy the taste of most foods. But you know what’s hard? Dating a guy who likes to eat out, or worse, cook creative meals. So far I’ve avoided this by being very open about my eating habits, but I fear the day I cross paths with someone who enjoys cooking. Luckily my current boyfriend is a picky eater as well, even though he occasionally tries to convince me to taste something new. It’s just not gonna happen though, he should save his energy for bigger battles, like popcorn bowls.

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My dream man not only knows to to take a clear, well lit photograph, but can also give me better feedback than “it looks good” when I ask him for an opinion on my Instagram editing. Is that asking for too much? I’m not saying full on Instagram husband status, but when are guys gonna get the memo that we need them to step up their photo taking skills? Take a class on Groupon, watch a YouTube tutorial, do something!
Now that I’m done trashing 90% of the male population, tell me, what’s one petty reason you wish you could break up with someone for? 

I am in no way a homebody or introverted, I am just very selective of how and with whom I spend my time with, especially after a full workweek. Fridays for most part are a day to blow off steam and stay out late into the night, and while that’s fun once in a while, Fridays for me have become this thing I look forward to for a few unconventional reasons. Having relatively few friends in the city and being a bit lazier than the average 23 year old, most of my Fridays are spent at home planning all the fun things I plan to do after a full night’s rest. I live for Saturday mornings and Sunday afternoons, but Friday? It feels less like a thing to celebrate and more like a thing I want to get through so my actual weekend can begin. Having never been in love with the idea of bar crawls and dancing in a crowd of sweaty people, over the years my taste for fun things to do on a weekend night have evolved into somewhat of a ritual. So instead of finding me at that month’s trendy spot, here are seven things I much rather be doing on a Friday night.

Making a real dinner, the kind with fresh ingredients.

After a full week of rushed lunches and eating whatever I can get my hands on after work, it’s kind of nice to have the time to cook a real meal. I’m all for taking a leisurely walk down every grocery aisle and looking up recipes on Pinterest. I’ll probably make something boring and simple, but it’s the thought that counts.

Deep clean, because nothing beats not tripping over all my crap Saturday morning.

It wasn’t until I moved into my first roommate free apartment that I appreciated the feeling of a clean apartment. Yes, it sucks to spend all that time scrubbing and sweeping, but with the right TV show playing in the background and a quick motivational call to my mom, taking out the trash feels less like a chore and more like an accomplishment!

Catch up on a week’s worth of television.

Work and night classes get in the way of catching my shows as they air. Thank god for On Demand and Hulu, because without them I’d be completely behind on the whole does Brook’s really have cancer drama!

Related Post: 22 Things That Happen When You Live Alone

Make a not so quick trip to Target. 

After working hard all week I cant help but deciding to treat myself to the first red tagged thing I can get my hands on. My usual reason for visiting is because I need to buy something boring like cleaning wipes or toothpaste, but we all know Target is a black hole where you cant leave without spending at least 50 dollars.

Dance like nobody is watching, because nobody is watching. 

Unless you count my cat’s judgmental stare, but I usually try to ignore that. Besides, all my favorite songs have a 0% chance of being played at any club, so unless you know of a place that blasts both Nicki Minaj and Shania Twain, I think I’ll stick to my own playlist.

Call that person you meant to call forever ago. 

Living far from home means I cant meet someone for lunch or always be caught up with all my friends’ lives, but one long phone call while we both lay there in sweatpants usually does the trick. I think I’m one of the only people that still uses their phone for it’s original purpose, to call people! Or at least one of the last few because most of my friends have learned that if their phone is ringing it’s either me or their mom.

Go to bed. 

Nothing is better than falling asleep at night not worried about having to be up early the next day or stressing over that thing you need to get finished. I usually fall asleep while catching up on a week’s worth of TV, because cleaning my apartment is no easy task and that dinner I made left me in a semi food coma.

What does your typical Friday night look like? Are you like me who likes to save my fun for Saturday or are you already excited to celebrate the weekend my 5 o’clock on Friday?

Keep up to date by following on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Bloglovin

Renting your first apartment is a right of passage into adulthood. Yes, moving out of your parent’s home for college feels like a big deal at the time, but nothing feels more real than signing only your name to a lease and being responsible for everything. Everything including paying all the bills on time, decorating every inch of the space and making sure to lock the doors at night to avoid paranoia in the middle of the night.

This past July I finally made the leap and began to live on my own, no roommates, no shitty landlord, no one to tell me that my bag doesn’t belong in the entrance. For the most part it’s been great, but sometimes you realize the benefits of having a roommate. But I repeat, mostly it’s pretty fucking great!

In honor of Housewives Day, yes, it’s a thing, I thought I’d outline what it’s like to rent your first apartment, with a little help from a few Bravolebrities. As you pack your bags you start to think of how great having your own place will be, away from roommates who claim to never have a dirty dish in the sink or left that garbage in the common area. You quickly release having only one name on a lease means all the bills come in your name, goodbye money! But you can decorate however the hell you want! Christmas lights in July? Go for it! Hate the color orange? Banish it! With no one to ‘yay or nay’ your outfits, you have to big your own biggest fan.
When your apartment does get kind of gross it’s up to you to decide when to clean. That smell isn’t sooo bad, right??
But when people comment on the dirtiness of your space you get very offended. Until you trip on your purse for the 5th time and decide your place is a freaking pit that needs to be cleaned now! Oh, and it’s all your fault. Being the only person in the house means you can have guests over whenever you like! The freedom of not having to ask permission will make you want to host game nights and weekly friend dinners. Then you realize you’ll have to pick up the mess and decide you rather chill at home by yourself.
Related Post: 22 Things That Happen When You Live Alone Sharing space with another person does have it’s benefits, like being able to steal some of their food. Now alone you’re hungry like 99% of the time. With zero risk of anyone coming through the front door, pants are optional, and most likely always tossed someone on the floor instead of in the hamper where they belong.
Around the end of each month you’ll stress about where all your money has gone. Oh that’s right, rent. With an entire place to your own, you won’t be able to rely on roommates to bring with them all the stuff you kind of need, like oven mitts and spoons.
Thank god for Target! You need that serving tray, for guest and stuff. All that time alone means you can reach your true calling, dancing around in front of the mirror while lip syncing to Beyonce. Late at night you’ll hear noises, the kind you cant blame on the cat or dog because they’re laying in bed right next to you. Immediately you dial your best friend, because only they know how to talk you down. You quickly realize you live in a shitty apartment with no real valuables. You’re definitely safe. But it’s your shitty apartment, which you work hard for, so good for you for being a successful adult. Just remember to check you turned off your straightener.

Is anyone else out there a Housewives fanatic like me?? Because if you’re caught up on the ‘does Brooks have cancer drama’ we need to talk! And for all you lonely people out there, did I miss anything? Let me know in the comments below!

Two thousand fifteen was the year I found my place in the blogging world. When I first started it was pretty simple, write articles for college women about the college experience. With thousands of automatic readers and topics chosen for me, it was easy to stay motivated and come up with fresh new ideas. Then I graduated, entered the real world and realized I had no idea what I was doing, blogging or otherwise. Fast forward a full year of living in the city, and I feel as if I have finally figured out what I’m doing in regards to work, school and writing. These past few months I’ve found who my audience is and with that writing has become so much easier. When you realize that only 20 something females are reading you blog while on their cellphones, suddenly you stop worrying about things like using gender neutral pronouns and making sure the images don’t push away my male audience. What male audience? Oh that’s right, I don’t have one, and that’s perfectly cool with me. Before the year is over, I wanted to compile a list of the best posts on the blog, both my favorite and a few top performers. Twenty sixteen will be even more focused than before, with my topics covering everything from career, college, adulthood and relationships, yet all tailored to fit the life of a twenty something woman. How to Make the Best Resume with 10 Easy Tips

11 Perfect Gift Ideas for Your Boyfriend’s Parents

All the Lies I Tell on Instagram

12 Important Lessons from ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas’ for Twenty Somethings

Today’s the day, Tax Day. If you’re anything like me you’re currently freaking out because you can’t find your W2 or have completely forgotten what password you chose for your Turbotax account. Breathe girl. Me last year waited until the very last day to file, which led to a lot of cursing and frantic calls to my sister.

2017 Rubi? She did her taxes over a month ago, mainly because my boyfriend wouldn’t stop nagging me to get it done before the deadline. Early or not, I can always relate to someone who leaves it to the last minute.

As I ate my dinner I did what I always do, scroll through my Bloglovin feed to catch up with new posts from all my favorite blogs. One of my new favorite websites is Twenty Something Living, organized by three badass women in their twenties. Their post, Other Things I Wish I Could Claim On My Taxes, inspired me to draft my own post. I definitely recommend you check out their post and website overall, and follow them on Instagram at @twentysomethingliving.

You might also like: How It Feels to File Taxes as a Twenty Something

I’m writing this post immediately after getting of the phone with my mom. In one phone call she managed to have to reset her password twice, hang up on me once, and raise my blood pressure. Anyone with a mom who doesn’t use technology much knows the stress that comes with trying to teach your mom how to use a new feature, bonus points if you do it over FaceTime.
He may not eat much, at least not when it’s actual food. Every night we bicker over popcorn, whether it’s who popped it (always me) or who’s taking too much (usually him). You know when you ask someone if they want something, they say no, then take some of yours?? Imagine that feeling every night. But seriously though, can I claim his cravings on my tax form somewhere? I may have grown up near the beach, but I walk like a New Yorker. I have what I like to call pedestrian rage, meaning I angrily weave through crowds, curse at cars and overall walk like I’m about to give birth. It’s not my best feature, but then again, nobody’s perfect. Time is the only thing we can never get back, so losing to to slow walkers is hard to cope with. One day I wholeheartedly believe pets will be something you can claim, here’s why. Just this month I spent close to $400 on vet bills for my cat Max. On top of unexpected medical bills, pets require food, vaccinations and toys to keep them from chewing up your shoes. I’m not saying it has to be a big write off, but something would be nice.

You might also like: 2 Trips to the Vet Later

Ever since I became a therapist I’ve consumed more aspirin in four months than I had in my entire life. Most nights I come home with a headache due to processing all the information my clients’ share with me. Going from never buying aspirin to never being without some has left a dent in my wallet, so it would be nice if I could claim this new necessary lifestyle item.

What’s something you wish you could claim on your taxes? Let me know in the comments below!

I am in no way a homebody or introverted, I am just very selective of how and with whom I spend my time with, especially after a full workweek. Fridays for most part are a day to blow off steam and stay out late into the night, and while that’s fun once in a while, Fridays for me have become this thing I look forward to for a few unconventional reasons. Having relatively few friends in the city and being a bit lazier than the average 23 year old, most of my Fridays are spent at home planning all the fun things I plan to do after a full night’s rest. I live for Saturday mornings and Sunday afternoons, but Friday? It feels less like a thing to celebrate and more like a thing I want to get through so my actual weekend can begin. Having never been in love with the idea of bar crawls and dancing in a crowd of sweaty people, over the years my taste for fun things to do on a weekend night have evolved into somewhat of a ritual. So instead of finding me at that month’s trendy spot, here are seven things I much rather be doing on a Friday night.

Making a real dinner, the kind with fresh ingredients.

After a full week of rushed lunches and eating whatever I can get my hands on after work, it’s kind of nice to have the time to cook a real meal. I’m all for taking a leisurely walk down every grocery aisle and looking up recipes on Pinterest. I’ll probably make something boring and simple, but it’s the thought that counts.

Deep clean, because nothing beats not tripping over all my crap Saturday morning.

It wasn’t until I moved into my first roommate free apartment that I appreciated the feeling of a clean apartment. Yes, it sucks to spend all that time scrubbing and sweeping, but with the right TV show playing in the background and a quick motivational call to my mom, taking out the trash feels less like a chore and more like an accomplishment!

Catch up on a week’s worth of television.

Work and night classes get in the way of catching my shows as they air. Thank god for On Demand and Hulu, because without them I’d be completely behind on the whole does Brook’s really have cancer drama!

Related Post: 22 Things That Happen When You Live Alone

Make a not so quick trip to Target. 

After working hard all week I cant help but deciding to treat myself to the first red tagged thing I can get my hands on. My usual reason for visiting is because I need to buy something boring like cleaning wipes or toothpaste, but we all know Target is a black hole where you cant leave without spending at least 50 dollars.

Dance like nobody is watching, because nobody is watching. 

Unless you count my cat’s judgmental stare, but I usually try to ignore that. Besides, all my favorite songs have a 0% chance of being played at any club, so unless you know of a place that blasts both Nicki Minaj and Shania Twain, I think I’ll stick to my own playlist.

Call that person you meant to call forever ago. 

Living far from home means I cant meet someone for lunch or always be caught up with all my friends’ lives, but one long phone call while we both lay there in sweatpants usually does the trick. I think I’m one of the only people that still uses their phone for it’s original purpose, to call people! Or at least one of the last few because most of my friends have learned that if their phone is ringing it’s either me or their mom.

Go to bed. 

Nothing is better than falling asleep at night not worried about having to be up early the next day or stressing over that thing you need to get finished. I usually fall asleep while catching up on a week’s worth of TV, because cleaning my apartment is no easy task and that dinner I made left me in a semi food coma.

What does your typical Friday night look like? Are you like me who likes to save my fun for Saturday or are you already excited to celebrate the weekend my 5 o’clock on Friday?

Keep up to date by following on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Bloglovin

The first thing to do before training yourself to become a morning person is to figure out why you aren’t a morning person. Are you just really tired when you wake up or just in a terrible mood? Your energy and mood play a big part into how the rest of your day will go, so first things first, why is it that you hate getting out of bed each morning?
Once you have that figured out you can narrow down which things will help getting out of bed easier each morning. And before you attempt to try all these things all at once, choose one or two and go from there. Unless you’re into overwhelming yourself and quitting before making any real changes.

Pack your bag before bed. 

How many of us spend the last few minutes in our apartments each morning running around looking for our purse, wallet, keys and all the things we can’t leave the house without? Life would be so much easier if we could just get ready, pick up our bag and walk out the door. Except we can, if we would just pack the damn thing before we went to sleep! Get your stuff together the night before, trust me, it will seriously reduce your morning stress.

Choose an outfit, if you can. 

Major props to anyone who can pick their outfit the night before because this is the one thing I can’t master. If you’re like me and can never predict your morning bloat, choose something simple like your coat or blouse and work from there. Not having to start with a blank slate each morning will make it easier to figure out what to put on. 

Related Post: How to Spend Less Time Getting Ready in the Morning

Find a place for that thing you’re always losing. 

Each and every morning I used to realize I had  no idea where my metro card was. Every. Damn. Morning. Then I started putting my metro card on the floor by the door. Is it the best place for it? No. But at least I know where it is. Identify the thing that always makes you miss your bus and designate a spot for it. No one should start their day on their hands and knees looking for those keys that they swore they put on the coffee table. 

Shower before bed. 

If you find yourself feeling rushed in the morning or too sleepy to get everything done, save some time and get some extra sleep by showering the night before. I personally shower the night before to not only sleep later each morning but also save the time of having to blow dry my hair. Are your mornings one long blur of trying to get yourself out the door and to work on time? Taking a shower in the morning might need the thing you need to wake yourself up and be fully energized before starting your day. Yes it requires getting up earlier, but it also helps you stay up. My secret to becoming a morning person was making sure my blinds were open before I go to bed each night. Natural sunlight is so much more comfortable to wake up to instead of the loud alarm that usually rip us into consciousness. If you have the ability, crack open your blinds to see how some simple sunlight will make it easier to wake up by the time your alarm goes off.

Related Post: 10 Ways Working Full Time Changes Your Life

One of my freshmen year roommates used to set no less than six alarms each morning. Not because she had a hard time getting out of bed, but because she planned to press snooze on each one five of those six alarms. It was so freaking stupid. If you know you are going to ignore your first three alarms save yourself the sleep and just set an alarm for the time you’ll actually wake up. Why wake yourself up to spend the time waiting for the next time you’ll press snooze? Music is the one thing that can get your hyped for anything, whether that be a night out or an eight hour day in the office. Putting together a playlist of all your favorite upbeat songs will boost your mood and energize you without too much effort on your part. Don’t only treat yo’self on Sunday brunch, take an hour out of your week to go buy groceries specifically for things to munch on during your morning. Coffee can be great for those who need a boost in energy, but having pastries and fruit are also great treats to motivate you to get out and stay out of bed during your morning routine. My heart goes out to those people that just cannot wake up with their alarm. I don’t think they’re lazy at all, just how not wanting to be out until 2am doesn’t make me a lazy bum. If you truly cannot get yourself out of bed and moving in the morning, force yourself until it comes naturally by placing your alarm across the room. It will feel like torture at first but eventually you won’t even mind it.

Are you a morning person? If so, what motivates you to get out of bed each morning, and if not, let me know what things stresses you out each morning!

Dear iPhone 4s, Is it weird that I wrote the idea for this post on my new iPhone? The skinnier, shinier, better version of you. Or is the weird part that I feel guilty about it? It’s not that I wanted to go out and find something newer and better, but the time had come. For months everyone told me I could do better, but since they knew nothing about us I brushed off their remarks off as jealousy because they couldn’t last as long as we did. You were actually a gift from a boy I briefly dated, a guy who to this day is always chasing after the newest thing to impress people with. His constant need to show off is what led me to decide he wasn’t worth sticking with, but along the way he passed you along to me like you were nothing more than a paperweight.

Our time together has captured some of the biggest moments in my twenties. With you I packed up and moved across the country, learned the landscape of this new city, fell in love, and eventually fell out of love. It was on you that my now ex boyfriend first text me hello and you are the only thing that holds the thousands of words passed between us in the year we spent together, the good and the bad.

Related Post: 100 Things to Do Instead of Calling Your Ex-Boyfriend

I didn’t want to let you go, which is why I wouldn’t dare trade you in, but you just weren’t as reliable as you used to be. Standing on the street waiting for the bus is already bad enough, but it’s worse when I can’t check the time in fear of you shutting down. Your nonexistent battery life made me grow tired of never knowing when you’d call it quits for the day, so after Storm Jonas I started looking elsewhere. Although I could give you up in exchange for $100 and the guarantee of never having to reread text messages from my former life, I won’t. To be perfectly honest, I don’t trust this new phone. It’s far too fragile and flashy. Every bump in my purse leaves me in fear that it will crack under the pressure, meanwhile I dropped you too many times to count with no hesitation of knowing that you’d be perfectly fine. Maybe the boy who gave you to me had it right now, maybe it’s wrong to grow so attached to people, places and things. Once you do it becomes so much harder to let go, or be let go of. Unfortunately I grow an attachment to everything from my doorman to a hair tie. And I’m going to continue to, because what’s the point of anything if you can’t hold onto the memories and things of something or someone you once needed? Enjoy the chaos that is my junk drawer, Rubi

I confess… >> I spent all of last week convinced I was either pregnant or dying. Turns out I’ve just been so stressed that mother nature came a week and a half late, because that’s not something that would exponentially stress me out even more. >> I was accepted into a great grad program in Washington DC, but I might not go simply because they charge the price of one soul for housing. >> I’ve cried almost every day this week because of the stress of looking for housing, a job and trying to figure out a move across the country. Did I mention I have 4 weeks to get this all done? >> I’ve been too tired to read blogs lately so I skim through Bloglovin for my absolute favorites and for any posts with an interesting title. #imactuallysorry >> I have about 100 blog post ideas but zero patience to sit down and write about any of them. >> Storage Wars is my current show to binge when I just give up on everything. Don’t judge me, I like the drama of not knowing if they’re going to make their money back.

>> With all the upcoming deadlines to get my life sorted out I forgot it was Wednesday, which turned into me forgetting to write this post until Kathy sent out an email about a link up malfunction, which means I have no chance up being one of the first few to link up!

>> There’s two posts in one day because why the hell not?! Click here to see the other link up party I was fashionably late to… Dont forget to link up your confessions with Kathy for the rest of your life. 

Does anyone else enter a three day weekend super excited for all the possibilities that an extra day can bring? Then wham! You realize that extra day or not, you rather sit on the couch and use all that time to scroll on your phone and catch up on your shows. Three day weekends come with a ton of pressure for me, especially living in Washington DC. Living in the city means there’s always something going on, especially around holidays like Memorial Day. My weekends typically start off with ambitious intentions, but by Saturday afternoon I accept the fact that an extra day doesn’t make me wanna be a couch potato any less. If three day weekends or major holidays give you that same feeling of anxiety due to fear of missing out, then I’ve got the solution for you.

Pet Magasin was kind enough to provide the cat hammock to me for review. Unreliable reviews suck, which is why I (or Max) would never recommend anything we didn’t actually use or enjoy. 
Meet Max, he’s my adorable cat, who gives me the side eye every time my boyfriend and I argue about what we’re going to do today. Here’s the thing, Max has no sense of time, or three day weekends, or feeling of having to do fun activities because that’s what all the cool cats are doing. His chill as hell attitude is what we should all strive for during the weekends, especially because his life is one long self care routine. If you need to chill out for a second, keep reading to see how Max manages to enjoy every moment, inspiring my boyfriend and I to emulate his self care practices. This seems simple enough but so many of us deprive ourselves of enough sleep on a daily basis. I get it, Instagram is fun and Law and Order SVU marathons aren’t going to watch themselves, but the impact that not enough sleep can have on our mood and energy isn’t worth it. There are apps now that can help you track how much sleep you need, plus it’s the only self care act that requires no money or effort! Exercise doesn’t have to be a thing we do only when we want to lose weight. Ever since I’ve started doing pilates, I’ve felt more upbeat and self confident. Has my weight changed? I have no idea, but my self-acceptance has increased so much. Do something that gets you moving, whether that’s an at home workout or walking around your city.

You might also like: How to Stay Healthy If You Hate Working Out

Raise your hand if you’re guilty of eating food that only leaves you feeing gross afterwards. Raising hand high. I’m nowhere near perfect at this, but I do my best to shop ahead to avoid last minute choices that I will later regret. Spend more time browsing the produce section, search for new recipes on Pinterest, or get inspired by watching what I eat in a day videos on Youtube. Yep, those are totally a thing. Believe it or not, eating a balanced diet includes ice cream, cookies and french fries too! So many of us all into the trap of believing a balanced diet cant include all the things we love to eat, which is unfair to ourselves. If you’re having a rough day don’t be afraid to treat yo’self, one sugary sweet won’t be the end of the world or your progress.

Max seriously motivates me to relax more, bonus points if there are sun rays hitting me while I do it. While my studio life can’t accommodate an adult hammock, it can fit a cat hammock. This week in the mail we received a hammock from Pet Magasin for Max, and to be honest, I’m super jealous.

If you love to spoil your cat at least half as much as me, this is a great option for your cat’s birthday or their adoption anniversary. Or am I the only one who celebrates those days? Apart from being obsessed with the giant Amazon Prime box it arrived in (typical cat behavior), Max soon after realized this was another item in the house he could curl up on and cover with hair.

Setting it up wasn’t hard at all, all I used was a screwdriver and a few cat treats to keep the him away while I worked. Once it was done Max took a nap on it immediately, which was surprising since he’s scared of most new things. If you wanna get your cat a hammock just like this one, you can get it in two days with Amazon Prime. Okay, so back to your self care. Since most of us can’t have a hammock in our homes, my suggestion is you pick something up that makes your relaxation time feel extra special. Whether it’s a comforter you never wanna get out of or that fancy pillow you always touch in the store but never buy. Just do it! Trust me, you won’t regret it.

You might also like: 10 Amazing Ways Getting a Pet Changes Your Life

Max is no stranger to kicking his legs up and giving himself a good pamper session, even with company over. Literally. Most of us are probably a bit more self conscious than that though, so you can tone it down a bit by testing out one of those new sheet masks, taking a bath, getting your nails done or faking a suntan. Indulge in something you wouldn’t typically do, because the boost in mood and confidence will last you much longer than you’d expect.

How do you take care of yourself? Do you involve your best friends, furry or not, or is it more of a solo activity for you?