Let's Catch Up

Hi beautiful beans!

It's been 5 ish months since we last caught up and I hope that everyone's year has been off to a better start than mine. I figure I'd use this blog as a way for us to catch up, talk about some of my favourite's and hear about some of the things you've been loving too. Before we get there, if you're looking for more content from me, you can always check out @girlwiththeoatmilklatte on Instagram, or @keshamcinnes on Instagram for more updates.

Now, let's talk about the beginning of this year. It's been one busy, hectic and very formative first few months. It started out full of stress, a huge learning curve and finding new coping mechanisms for my anxiety, depression and overall wellbeing. There have been a number of things that I've found have really helped me work through some of the challenges I've had to overcome the past few months. Those will be up on the @girlwiththeoatmilklatte Instagram page if you want to see what's helped me the past few months. By no means am I an expert or anything but I think some of the things I have found to help might help you. And for anyone one else who struggles with seasonal slumps or has a hard time finding motivation throughout the winter, just know that now you're on the other side of things and you have a number of sunny and warm months ahead of you.

Moving on from some of the heavier stuff, let's talk about where I am now. About a month ago, I decided to book a one way plane ticket and see what might happen and what opportunities might arise from this trip. I've been in this new, yet familiar, city for over a month spending time with family, and developing relationships with friends I had kind of lost touch with. I have to say that this has been really really good for my well being and between moving and taking time for myself, I've found a lot of comfort in moving to a new city and getting a fresh start.

Over the course of the past five months, I've discovered some new things that I've been absolutely loving. With a lot more of the free time that I've had, podcasts are something that have been taking up a lot of my time. Some of them are some that have appeared in past blog posts, but some of them are ones that I've recently discovered. I've noticed one of the things that I'm loving in podcasts is podcasts that talk about wellbeing, getting through your 20's, advice for various creators and then of course of the the comedy and crazy story podcasts.

Kicking it off with one of my favourite podcasts of all time, Wild Til' 9 is a podcast I will never miss an episode of. It is hosted by the wonderfully talented @Laurdiy (Lauren Riihimaki) and @jeremymichael22 (Jeremy Lewis) and they share crazy stories, relationships, and interview guests who are other creators and friends. It's so interesting to hear from two very different people (one influencer/creator and one person in the crypto business) and how they met, and how they have built such a strong and healthy relationship.

On my mind is a newer podcast hosted by the incredible @avajules_ (Ava Jules) that launched on March 30th and now has 3 episodes live on podcast streaming services (at least as of when this blog has been written). The three episodes that have gone up have already been some of my favourite podcast episodes ever. Ava describes the podcast as "a 21 year old girl who's trying to figure this whole life/adulting thing". I think I enjoy the podcast because it's topics that I can relate to. I would highly recommend checking this out!

This is a podcast that will ALWAYS be on my list of favourite podcasts because even though it's been re-branded a couple times (which I completely understand - we'll get into this a little later). @lauramedleyy (Laura Medley) is a London based content creator and her content is off the charts she is the host of the Grow and Grind Podcast. The podcasts covers so many topics from wellbeing, to working in the creative industry. The vibes of the podcast are immaculate and one that I will forever recommend for new podcast listeners to listen to.

Making Moves with TK is another podcast that will always be on my list of favourites. It's a podcast described as "whether it's money moves, dating moves or whatever moves you happen to be making, TK is here to share her tips and tricks on how to navigate everyday life like a boss". This podcast is hosted by @tksjuicypolls (Taylor King) and she is an absolute girl boss. For any other creators out there I highly recommend you check out this podcast because it has brought me so much insight into the industry.

So those are some of my favourite podcasts that are constantly being played whether I'm walking somewhere, just hanging out at home, cleaning around the house, or creating new content. Some of them are available on Youtube to watch and I would highly recommend watching the podcasts if you can, because it adds such a different layer of interest to them (in my opinion). A lot of these podcasts are pods that I found through content creators and other Youtubers that I have fallen in love with over the past little while or have continued to watch over the years.

Chats and Reacts is a Youtube channel hosted by @bonnyrebecca (Bonny Rebecca) and @emily_hunt (Emily Hunt). They are two VERY enthusiastic Swifties who react to all things Taylor Swift and other artists in that same genre.

Their vibes on their channel are unmatched and have honestly always make me re-think the way I listen to music and new albums. If you're a Swiftie and are looking for new perspectives on some of Swift's songs I would highly recommend you check these two out.

This is @elliethumann (Ellie Thumann) who is currently based in New York City. She's been in the content creating space for a number of years and is a creator I've related to pretty recently.

Her content has evolved from being the usual "lifestyle girly" to now a more matured, relatable and transparent creator, which is an angle that I think many creators are taking. Although, Ellie's content is so unbelievably authentic and true to finding herself that it makes it comforting to know that other 20 year olds are going through it too.

Taking a little left turn into van life, @zoeakiko (Zoe Akiko) and @maxwell_grover (Maxwell Grover) are a new content creating couple who have recently started out their new van life.

I've been following Zoe for a few years now and have always been inspired by her photography. I mean, for all the photographers out there you HAVE to buy her presets, they have become such a staple in my editing and finding my own vibe in Lightroom. Needless to say, these two are absolutely killing the game and I would definitely recommend checking them out.

@jess (Jess Conte) will forever be one of my favourite creators. Her Youtube videos have for sure become some of my comfort videos to watch and keep up with. Not only does she have a channel on her own but she also has a shared channel with her husband @gabrielconte (Gabriel Conte) and they are absolutely adorable.

They've somehow managed to find a beautiful balance of keeping their audience in the loop but also keeping some of their relationship private which is something I think can be really hard for most creators. They are also welcoming a little girl in the summer who is going to be so lucky to be surrounded by such loving and caring parents.

@avajules_ (Ava Jules) is a creator who I recently started following. Her content is transparent, real and she is so open with her audience. Her vlogs have become ones that are often playing while I'm creating content, working on projects, whatever it might be.

If you're looking for a lifestyle creator that has a very normal life (all things considered) I would definitely recommend you check out her content.

Here is another incredible van life/adventure Youtube couple who are so inspiring and so full of light, even though they might be going through a tough time right now. This is @eamonandbec (Eamon and Bec). Their story has been truly inspiring and so uplifting for so many people going through the same thing they are.

If you're into adventure channels and van life I would definitely check out their channel.

Now, as I mentioned earlier, I have recently moved. My sister lives in Halifax and recently had a little boy (who if you follow me on Instagram, you will have seen on a number of occasions). I decided that moving cities to get a new, fresh start would be what was best for me right now. And let me tell you, being surrounded by two beautiful greyhounds, a very friendly cat who has become a somewhat of a big support animal for me and a 9 month old baby who is just starting to figure out the world, and learn the basics like walking, talking, feeding himself etc, has been an incredible way to help me cope through what would have otherwise been a really shitty couple months. So what's the plan? I guess I don't know for sure, but I'll be here until further notice.

On the plus side, this free time has let me explore a new city that is absolutely incredible for walking around and is filled with surprisingly really good coffee shops. So, for all my coffee lovers who are looking to explore Halifax a little, I've come up with a list of places that have become some of my go-to spots. These are by no means in any kind of order, they are all equally as good and will be part of my routine over the next little while.

First off, we have Bliss Caffeine Bar located on South Park. Run by two incredible women, Michelle and Jenna who are hard working, inspiring and have created one of the coolest spots in the city. I would definitely recommend you go check this place out. It has the most incredible breakfasts, coffee, matcha whatever you might feel like from a cafe! It's all amazing! The atmosphere is absolutely stunning and omg the baked goods are something you HAVE to try, the doughnuts are a must! This is always one of the first places I tell people they should go because it is one of my faves and I'll definitely be going a lot this summer!

Uncommon Grounds has kind of become my go-to meet spot to meet up with friends, it's got such a cool rustic atmosphere with tons of space to set up to work. It's also on South Park, but further south. Their coffee is incredible and their team is always so friendly and make such an effort to chat with you while you wait for coffee or food. Their bagels are a must and so are their cookies. If you're looking for somewhere to get some work done, read a book or just go catch up with a friend I would definitely recommend checking them out.

Third on my list is Weird Harbour. This tiny coffee shop is great for coffee to go and reminds me so much of the coffee shop I used to work at in Toronto. The quality of the drinks is incredible and their baked goods are definitely a must-try. This shop is perfect for grabbing a coffee to enjoy while walking along the water. I would definitely recommend checking them out and making sure you try their iced latte!

And that wraps up my fave coffee places right now and I'm sure as I continue to explore the new city this list will be longer. The next thing I wanted to talk about is just a couple things that I've been loving for myself and just keeping myself on track while I'm in between chapters.

As someone who never grew up with dogs as pets let alone any pets at all, getting to spend time with two greyhounds over the past month has been really good. Taking them out for walks and getting to explore has been a lot of fun. Going on long walks has definitely been keeping me busy, and it's been such a good way to find cool spots you might not otherwise find.

The second thing I've been getting myself to try and do more of is exploring with my nephew. This has been another great way to explore new places but also has given me such a different perspective. Babies are learning everything for the first time, so getting to watch him learn and understand basic things is so much fun.

I've added a couple other things to this list and will continue to over the course of the next few weeks. If you want to learn and add to your list, you can follow @girlwiththeoatmilklatte to stay updated! I hope everyone has been able to either find a new creator to follow or check out, a new coffee shop to see or just some general ideas on what you can do to help make a small change in your life. I also hope you know that even though everyone goes through seasons, we'll all make it out on the other side and it will get better. Have a great rest of your week beans!

-K