Happy Friday!
This week, I am writing to you as someone who absolutely did not wake up on Monday feeling like a paragon of discipline and drive.
There are seasons — and sometimes just random Tuesdays — when I feel wildly unproductive. I move through the day doing what is required, but without that fizz I so love to romanticize.
And in the past, I would have responded to that feeling with force. More lists. More pressure. More self-scolding. Surely the solution to feeling uninspired is to simply try harder?
Apparently not.
This week, while listening to my Joy 101 app, I heard something that stopped me in my tracks. Cheria Young shared a simple reframing: when you need a boost, dedicate your day to someone.
To a parent or parental figure who sacrificed so you could have choices they didn’t.
To a friend walking through something heavy.
To a role model whose discipline you admire.
Or — and this one undid me — to your former self. The version of you who once prayed, schemed, journaled, and hoped to be exactly where you are right now.
All they wanted was this place.
There is something incredibly clarifying about shifting the focus outward. About deciding, “Today, I will show up well not because I feel like it, but because it honors someone.”
I tried it. I dedicated a workday to my younger self — the one who would have been thrilled to know where we landed. And suddenly the emails felt less tedious. The workout less optional. The small disciplines less negotiable. Not because I became a productivity machine, but because I remembered that I am living inside someone’s answered prayer.
If you’ve been feeling a little flat, a little stalled, a little “what is the point of any of this,” consider borrowing this trick. Dedicate the day. Let it be in someone’s honor. Sometimes motivation doesn’t come from squeezing yourself harder; sometimes it comes from remembering who you’re doing it for.
Wearing | J.Crew 1988 Rollneck Sweater
I sized up — actually, sized 2x up — for that perfectly slouchy, breezy, “I borrowed this from my husband and simply never gave it back” effect. There is something about an oversized rollneck that feels both East Coast academic and slightly insouciant. Paired with slim trousers or denim, it reads intentional rather than accidental. We love a calculated nonchalance.
Eating | Buck’s Daniel Island
Last weekend I visited a friend on Daniel Island in Charleston and we popped into this fine food purveyor and deli for a quick bite. Every sandwich could be made gluten-free (a dream if you’re GF-adjacent or fully committed), the ingredients were impeccable, and the owner could not have been more welcoming. He sent me off with two complimentary sweet treats!
Reading | How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley
Clare Pooley is one of my absolute favorite authors, and I finally got off the Libby waitlist for this (relatively) new release. Multiple narrators, set in Britain, sharp humor threaded through genuine heart — it’s my exact sweet spot. The characters are delightfully imperfect and gloriously defiant in that very British way that makes rebellion feel polite.
Watching | Winter Olympics Documentaries
Miracle: The Boys of ‘80 – A new documentary from producers Max Gershberg and Jacob Rogal revisiting the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” U.S. hockey team. The never-before-seen 16mm footage alone makes it worth the watch. It’s nostalgic, patriotic, and deeply cinematic!
Glitter & Gold: Ice Dancing – From the creators of Simone Biles Rising, this follows top ice dancing teams — including Madison Chock & Evan Bates and Piper Gilles & Paul Poirier — as they chase gold. I have never related more to Madi risking it all for a fashion moment. I will be watching that skirt with baited breath!
Listening | The Great Divide by Noah Kahan
I love Noah Kahan, and a mid-winter single release feels so Stick Season of him. I am already counting down to the album and tour, but for now this song is on repeat — equal parts achey and expansive.
Trying | THC Drinks
Technically, I’ve been trying these for the last five weeks (who am I?). I did a full review of my improbable yet orderly descent into THC mocktails, featuring fourteen different options, and I’m officially converted — particularly as a gentle alternative to a glass of wine or nighttime wind down.
Champagne | NEST Grapefruit
My ultimate favorite candle for spring and summer. It is crisp, clean, and luxurious — like a sunlit kitchen with freshly sliced citrus on the counter. If I could bottle “effortless hostess,” it would smell exactly like this.
Frites | Quince Grapefruit
A best friend ordered this under $25 candle and immediately texted me: “divine.” A potentially more price-point friendly way to achieve the same bright, happy citrus vibe. I love a high-low moment, especially when the nose can’t tell the difference.
STORIES
The Lauren Letter Valentine’s Day Gift Guide. By Lauren Tilashalski (that’s moi!)
A Tastemaker’s Unlikely Guide to THC. By Lauren Tilashalski (that’s moi!)
Tuckernuck’s Founders on Style, Politics, and Childcare. By Sylvie McNamara for The Washingtonian
What the Happiest Country Gets Right About Work. By Professor Marina Cooley
Looking Rich Has Never Been Easier. Feeling Rich Has Never Been Harder. By Hanna Horvath
Super Bowl Snacks. By Meredith Hayden of Wishbone Kitchen
YOUR APPOINTMENTS
Your February Appointments. By Lauren Tilashalski (that’s moi!)
Your Appointments for a Date With Yourself. By Lauren Tilashalski (that’s moi!)
CLOSET
Latest Finds | February 2026
Tuckernuck New Arrivals | February 2026
Nicola Bathie McLaughlin
If ultra-feminine elegance were a person, it might very well be Nicola. Her home is nothing short of exquisite — layered, romantic, and collected in that way that feels deeply personal yet impeccably elevated.
And then there’s the dual-residence detail: the U.S. and Britain. As a committed anglophile, this fills my heart with endless content candy. Think London polish meets Southern charm, with heirloom-worthy jewels sprinkled throughout.
