The Soft Week Menu: Books, Baking, and Simple Joys

Hi Besties, One thing I’ve noticed lately is that the weeks I enjoy most aren’t usually the weeks where something exciting happens. They’re the weeks filled with small comforts. A good book waiting for me at the end of the day. A hobby I can pick up without thinking too hard. Time spent with people I love, and simple routines that make everyday life feel a little softer. After spending weeks focusing on slowing down and creating more breathing room, this week feels like a reminder that cozy living isn’t something we achieve. It’s something we practice. So if your week feels busy, overwhelming, or just a little too full, consider this your invitation to borrow whatever you need from this week’s soft week menu.

This Week’s Menu

Reading

Leave and Come Back by Lavanya Lakshmi
Upward Bound by Woody Brown

Hobby

Coloring pages and baking traditional puddings with my mum.

This Week’s Focus

Finding joy outside of productivity.

Ritual

Protecting cozy moments throughout the day.

Reset

Letting go of the need to have everything planned.

Question to Carry

What simple joy have I been overlooking lately?

Reading: Books I’m Choosing Just for Me

One thing readers are often surprised to learn is that I’m usually reading months ahead. Right now, I’m reading for the Fall Reading Guide, just like I spent previous months reading books for the 2026 Summer Reading Guide that recently launched. Creating those seasonal guides is one of my favorite parts of what I do, but I’ve learned that staying a consistent reader means making room for books that aren’t connected to work. That’s where this week’s picks come in.

I’m hoping to pick up Leave and Come Back by Lavanya Lakshmi and Upward Bound by Woody Brown. Both sound like the kind of character-driven stories I naturally gravitate toward, and neither one is tied to a content deadline. I’ll report back next week with my thoughts, but one thing you’ll notice about the Soft Week Menu is that this space is usually reserved for the books I’m excited to read for myself, not the books I’m reading for content.

Hobby: Coloring Pages and Baking with My Mum

Coloring pages are officially becoming a recurring item on my Soft Week Menu. Every time I think I’ll move on to another hobby, I end up reaching for my colored markers again. There’s something comforting about having a creative activity that asks absolutely nothing from me except showing up. This week, I’m also looking forward to baking with my mum while she’s visiting. We’re planning to make some traditional puddings, and if I’m being honest, I’m probably more excited about the time together than whatever comes out of the oven. Some hobbies give us something to do, others give us memories, and the best ones somehow manage to do both. If you’re looking for something cozy this week, consider revisiting a hobby you’ve already loved instead of searching for a new one.

This Week’s Focus: Finding Joy Outside of Productivity

I’ve been thinking about how easy it is to measure our weeks by what we accomplished. How many books we read, how many tasks we crossed off, and how many goals we made progress toward. But some of the moments I remember most aren’t productive at all. They’re the conversations that ran longer than expected, the afternoons spent reading, and the evenings where I lost track of time doing something enjoyable. This week, I’m paying attention to those moments. Not because they’re helping me achieve something. Because they’re helping me enjoy my life, and I think that’s a worthwhile goal too.

Ritual: Protecting Cozy Moments

I’ve stopped chasing the idea of the perfect routine. Instead, I’m focusing on creating and maintaining small pockets of comfort throughout my day. A chapter before bed, a quiet cup of tea, a few minutes of coloring, and a walk without a podcast or audiobook playing in my ears. The older I get, the more I realize that a cozy life isn’t built through dramatic changes. It’s built through small moments we intentionally protect. This week, that’s the ritual I’m focusing on. Not perfection, protection, and protecting the moments that make me feel like myself.

Reset: Letting Go of the Perfect Plan

My reading plans are open right now, my routines are still evolving, and honestly, I’m okay with that. I think there’s a tendency to believe we should always know exactly what’s next. But some seasons are meant for planning, while others are meant for paying attention. This feels like a paying-attention season. So instead of rushing to map out every detail, I’m letting myself stay curious. Because sometimes clarity arrives faster when we stop chasing it.

The Question We’re Carrying This Week

What simple joy have I been overlooking lately? That’s the question I’m carrying this week. Maybe it’s a hobby you’ve forgotten about, a book you’ve been meaning to start, or a family tradition you haven’t made time for in years. Whatever comes to mind, consider this your reminder that small joys count. In fact, they often matter more than we realize.

Final Thoughts

This week’s Soft Week Menu isn’t particularly ambitious, and I think that’s why I like it. A couple of books I’m excited about, coloring pages, traditional puddings, a few cozy rituals, and a reminder that life doesn’t always have to be optimized to be meaningful. Sometimes the softest weeks are the ones where we simply enjoy what’s already in front of us. I’d love to know what’s on your Soft Week Menu this week. What are you reading, reaching for, resetting, or learning right now? Let me know in the comments.