The Mood Board #044

How can we work *with* our natural rhythms? Plus, a vibey playlist, summer inspiration, and more. 🌈

June so far has been so sexy and queer and fun, and I’m feeling so incredibly grateful. I’ve had fun celebrating Pride Month by going to my local pride parade, sending stupid memes to my queer friends, talking about being bisexual, and drinking an inhuman amount of iced lavender lattes with oatmilk.

This week I’ve been feeling a lot more tired and slow (thanks, PMS), but I am also taking this time to reflect on the vibrance and joy of the first couple weeks of the month.

I’ve been thinking a lot about how to work and create intuitively with my mind and body’s rhythms – my cycle, my energy, my mood – and it feels really good to listen to what I need and allow myself space to rest when I need it. Some weeks, I feel productive every single day and am capable of working long hours and doing a ton. Others, I retreat into myself, feel distracted, and wander. Both are valid and important. I’m still working out how to build my life around these ebbs and flows, but it’s something I’m thinking about a lot.

Do you notice yourself having weeks like this too? What’s one way you can work with your mind and body’s rhythms to give yourself more grace, to go easier on yourself, to feel attuned to your natural shifts?

I don’t have the answers, but maybe we can all figure it out together. I’d love to hear in the comments if you have any insight.

Thank you for being here and learning and growing alongside me! <3

xx Brianna

This month, I asked my friend Sofia Caloia – who has impeccable music taste – to curate a playlist to share with you all. And it’s such a vibeeeeee. Listen here!

A note from her:

Something as simple as a fresh playlist can be enough to reignite motivation and creativity in my life, and we are kicking off this summer with so many new releases to choose from.

Brianna has built such a strong base for her Substack that was so fun to work off of for this playlist. I very quickly was able to put together a selection of songs that felt like an extension of it, with each song being an articulation of the vibe I feel The Mood Board exudes as a whole. Expect a chill summer soundtrack that will compliment whatever is keeping you busy this month (I recommend crafting, a little social gathering, or a day in the park).

From familiar names like Olivia Rodrigo, to debut artists like Anyhow, or bands like The Beaches who are finally getting their flowers (happy pride!), I have confidence there is something for everyone to enjoy—and if you’re an anxious AUXer, I hope I can save you some trouble for roughly an hour and five minutes.

A few pieces I enjoyed recently:

💌 I Keep Mistaking Intensity for Meaning – kiki, still becoming

💌 A Very Venusian Summer Handbook – Kayli Mylius, MUSE MAISON

💌 AI Won’t Cure Your Burn-Out, But Practicing Seasonal Living Might – Rachel Clarkwell, Vaguely Related

💌 A Guide to Have the Most Creative Summer of Your Life – Florencia Ornelas, apartamento 710

💌 How to Fall Back in Love With Your Life Again – evermuse

And two by me:

💌 How to Use Keepsakes As Powerful Symbols in Our Lives – The Good Trade

💌 My Wardrobe Is (Almost) Entirely Natural Materials – The Mood Board

Last: Everyone go buy Girl’s Girl by Sonia Feldman RIGHT NOW. This is the book of the summer. I’m calling it. Midwestern girlhood, high school summer break nostalgia, a trio of best friends, a queer awakening… I will be thinking about this book for a very long time. It’s beautiful.

Now: I’m in the middle of Famesick by Lena Dunham. I’m enjoying it, but it’s realllllyyyy long, so I think I need a break. Which brings me to…

Next: What should I read next? I’m incredibly indecisive! Please help. :)

Paid subscribers get daily creative prompts sent to their inbox every month! Here’s today’s prompt:

Make art with scribbles today! How does it feel?

I’m back in the ceramics studio after about a six month break! It felt so good – and humbling – to be back. I had to get back in the swing of things, trust my muscle memory, and remember that with pottery, it’s a practice of patience and persistence. For every gorgeous bowl and cup I’m proud of (pictured above) there are at least three absolute failures. A metaphor for life, perhaps. But we keep going, we keep creating. :)

Little reminders that there are still fun and inspiring parts of the internet. <3

🌈 In awe of these beautiful words from my friend Despina on Instagram for Pride Month.

🦝 This was actually the cutest video I saw all week: a mama raccoon and her lil babies.

🎂 Okay, tag yourself, which vintage cake are you?

🌀 Feeling really inspired by these collages! They’re gorgeous.

😍 I’m in love with Hannah Einbinder’s Polyester Zine photoshoot.

☕️ Teeny tiny ceramic mugs ASMR… yes please!

🃏I think I want to make a custom deck of cards like this one, because wow.

🩰 This made me laugh – would you hire a professional dancer to do the dance moves you think you’re doing?

👑 Webkinz Crown of Wonder tutorial just dropped… LOL.

On the bod:

💙 Ross Mesh Tank from Nuuly: One of my favorite tanks this summer! I originally got it last fall for a pre-wedding festivities shirt, but honestly, it’s getting even more use now just as a cutie lil tank for a day out.

💙 Curvy Essex Long Shorts from Madwell: I have never been asked so much about where a pair of shorts (or frankly, any item of clothes) is from! I have been LIVING in these shorts all summer. Highly, highly recommend.

💙 ARQ Crop Tank: I’ve been talking about ARQ nonstop lately, because I truly can’t get enough of their stuff. It’s all so soft and fits like a glove.

💙 Sapph Lit x Haley Jakobson Pride Tee: Unfortunately, this was a limited collaboration that they did last year, but you should still definitely check out Sapph Lit’s cutie pride merch. :)

In the cart:

💙 I can’t stop thinking about this adorable Damson Madder Dress. It’s a bit more frilly than I’d usually go for, but it’s so whimsical and summery, that I’m highly considering it while it’s on sale right now.

💙 How fun are these shoes from Salomon? If they get my size back in stock I might have to get them…

💙 I love finding cute whimsical jewelry, and the little Cosmic Friends ones are exactly the vibe I love.

📝 I love this idea from Julianna Salguero for creating a list of 10 things you want to do each month with 0 consequences if you don’t.

🐈‍⬛ Smalls was kind enough to send Cleo their new Slooow Serve Bowl – and she loves it! It’s perfect for her wet food because it helps her not eat it all too fast and get a tummy ache (we all love that for herrrr). They also sent her some Licks (their version of a Churu treat tube), and she can’t get enough. Rave reviews from Miss Cleo Bean!

🚗 My friend Sara (who shared her Inspiration Diaries with The Mood Board last month!) wrote a one-woman play, and she’s performing it several times this month! Girlfriends takes us on a road trip with two strangers-turned-besties across the U.S. With music from Bob Dylan, Norah Jones, Joni Mitchell, they travel from coast to coast, quoting Shakespeare, sleeping under the stars, and singing for gasoline. But were they girlfriends… or girlfriends? See all of her upcoming performance dates in NYC and LA here!

🎧 Just started listening to Caro Claire Burke’s podcast Diabolical Lies because after I listened to her at a book talk, I realized I could listen to her talk for hours.

🛍️ See which basics I recommended in this article from The Strategist on the best places to get good basics now that Shien owns Everlane.

👽 I loved watching Margot’s Got Money Troubles! Did you watch it? I thought it was brilliant, fun, and entertaining – highly recommend.

🌈 Question of the Month: What is your body trying to tell you that your mind and heart need to accept?

🍦Bonus question:

Have you been keeping up with the Inspiration Diaries? Comment below who you’d like to hear from next!

Cleo’s Words of Wisdom: You deserve to enjoy time away from screens and alive in the world.

Thank you for reading The Mood Board! It means so much to me that you are here, and I hope you found bits of inspiration here today. Say hi on Instagram here, shop my faves here, and read my other writing here. And if you want to buy me a coffee, you can do that here. :)

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