August was busy in the best way:

• Theatre overload at the Fringe and Edinburgh International Festival (not to mention the Book Festival, and the Digital Entertainment Festival. Edinburgh freaking loves its festivals and I freaking love Edinburgh).
• A sudden influx of faraway friends due to mutual love of said festivals.
• Hanging out in my Diagon Alley headspace to share Lumos Your Life with you, for the third year (the doors of the Hogwarts Express have finally closed, but maybe I’ll see you next year?)
• Stomping around in the Cairngorms while the weather is still friendly.

But now I’m looking forward to slower life, to curling up with a novel after a diet of non-fiction, to experimenting in the kitchen, to pumpkin spice latte season. How about you?

My favourite reads this month

? Why the most ‘cultured’ among us may be the most resistant to change: fascinating! Does this justify my love of Pretty Little Liars and reality tv?

? I agree with all 4 of these quick and easy ways to feel sophisticated!

? Ingenious: What if we viewed working out as a magical practice? I mean, what if we viewed everything as a magical practice? It would certainly motivate me more!

⚡️ If you’re a disheartened Harry Potter fan reading about Ilvermorny (or Cursed Child for that matter), you must read this article on When Our Heroes Let Us Down #WeAreBook8

? Kaye’s new album is FIERCE. And so is this music video.

? I’ll be honest. If it’s a listicle involving dogs I will read it. This one, however, is my favourite: 15+ Creative Dog Owners Did Pawesome Things for their Dogs

? Just focus on getting 1% better, says this Olympic coach. “Forget about perfection; focus on progression, and compound the improvement.” I love this!

? Also, what to do if you’ve lost your reading mojo, how to write a birthday list of adventures, and please, reader, love yourself as a work in progress.