June is my me-month 😀 June babies with their creativity and thirst for knowledge make them well-suited for exploration and new experiences – how true! This year’s birthday month, I’d like to look back and note down these 10 things:

10 things I can’t live without

A good pair of shoes that takes me places. My monthly planner. My phone. A Buddha statue on my desk. A cup of tea. Color pens and pencils. Books. Plants in my garden. Fresh flowers. Music.

10 things that make me happy

Family time. Journaling. Mommy & Daddy time. Summer rain. My fancy purse. Local farmer’s market. Holiday season. Kiddos’ laughters. Jon’s achievements. Travels.

10 best books so far this year

Miracle Creek (Angie Kim). The Joy Luck Club (Amy Tan). The Overstory (Richard Powers). Before The Coffee Gets Cold (Toshikazu Kawaguchi). The Snow Child (Eowyn Ivey). Delivering Happiness (Tony Hsieh). The Thing You Can See Only When You Slow Down (Haemin Sunim). The Mountains Sing (Nguyen Phan Que Mai). In the Shadow of the Banyan (Vaddey Ratner). Atomic Habits (James Clear).

10 productivity tips 

Play music in the background. Checklists or to-do lists on a daily basis. Prioritize. Have a plan B. Organize workspace. Write goals and put on the wall. Say no when needed. Overcommunicate. Sleep well and enough. Take breaks and walk away from your desk.

10 living skills I’d like to practice

Swimming. Baking. Lifelong learning. Handling finances (in the US). Deep house cleaning. Celebrating success. Communicating in foreign languages.  Taking on new challenges. Empathy & gratitude. Creative thinking.