The Mid-Year Edit
Celebrating what happened, releasing what didn't, and making room for what's next
Hi Friends,
If you love lists, enjoy dreaming big, and consider yourself a bit of a snoop, this is the post for you.
Every January, I make a list of things I’d love to do in the coming year, with a big sparkly asterisk next to the title. These aren’t goals or resolutions, but rather a collection of things I imagine might brighten my year.
As quickly as the first half of the year seems to have flown by, six months is still plenty of time for life to surprise us.
For us, it brought a major change: saying goodbye to our cat Rory and becoming empty nesters (with no pets) for the first time in nearly eighteen years of marriage.
Whether you’ve experienced a big shift or simply changed your mind, I’ve found it helpful to revisit my list midway through the year: to celebrate what’s happened, remind myself of the things I’d still love to do, and let go of the items that no longer feel relevant.
If you’ve never made your own list, grab your notes app, or a pen and paper, and let your (hopefully relaxed) summer self lead the way. Not because you’ll accomplish every item, but because when the end of the year rolls around, it’ll be fascinating to see what your past self hoped for and what your current self still wants.
If you’ve been considering a paid subscription, now is a perfect time to jump in. In addition to today’s list update, you’ll get access to next week’s Designing the Month: July Edition, plus the newly released Italian Girl Summer Companion: an exclusive guide filled with inspiration for living your most cinematic summer.
On to the 26 in 2026 list!
If you’re not a paid subscriber and you’re curious what’s ahead, here’s the breakdown:
✨ Part 1: What I honored (4 items)
✨ Part 2: What I’d still love to do (16 items)
✨ Part 3: Letting go and revising (6 items)
As always, we’ll end with five things making me happy this week, including a peek at the unexpected trip I’m writing this from...