I’m Not Giving Myself Bangs, I'm Giving Myself a Minute

And My Close Call With A Neon Green Trench coat

Happy full moon to all who celebrate.

If you’re new here, hi, I’m Lisa.
And if you’ve been around for a while… then you already know that
Sometimes, a girl has many circles.
Sometimes, they overlap.
And sometimes, like today, I share the same story in more than one place—because it needed to be told twice.

I sent this note to my Sunday Stories crew, and minutes later, my inbox lit up:

"Oh my… I only read the first half of this (racing to pack for a trip) but THIS is what I’ve been coming to you about."

"You just put into words what I’ve been feeling for weeks. Thank you for not giving us another productivity post."

"This is the first thing I’ve read in days that made me exhale."

Apparently, I’m not the only one who almost gave herself bangs last week.

So here it is. A full moon check-in.
A soft reboot.
A reminder.

I don't know about you, but the past few weeks had me questioning everything. My identity. My style. My writing. My hair (obviously).

Venus retrograde leftovers? Mercury being messy? Who's to say.

All I know is: I almost gave myself bangs. I almost overhauled my style. I almost bought a neon green trench coat I absolutely did not need.

It's not the first time I've felt this way.

That weird, itchy in-between where nothing feels wrong exactly, but you're still searching for something to push against. Something to change. Something to “fix.”

And if you're someone who finds joy in their work? Who wakes up with ideas and doesn't always want to unplug? It gets more confusing.

Because here's the deal. I like working. I love what I do. I love who I work with.

I love the fact that I get to sit at this weird intersection of art, psychology, storytelling, and style, and call it my job.

And sometimes? That is my identity. And sometimes? That feels like a problem.

Because we're told we need balance. Boundaries. A separate self that exists beyond what we build. But what happens when the work is part of our becoming? Not the only part. Not the whole story. But a meaningful thread in the larger braid of who we are?

I've been thinking about this a lot. About how much of my identity I've inherited from other people's projections. How often I've allowed myself to be a vessel for other people's wants, ideas, and stories. And how the more me I get, the less interested I am in carrying what doesn't feel like mine.

Including the old story that loving what you do means you're doing it wrong. It doesn't. So if you're in the thick of a questioning moment right now feeling itchy, unsure, off-kilter, or just… over it, I want you to know that clarity comes usually not from overthinking.

But from doing something really brave and ordinary.

Like not cutting your hair.

Like keeping your style.

Like sitting still until the next version of you speaks up. That's what I'm doing. Listening. Shifting. Making a new moodboard and writing it down so I don't forget next time.

And sharing it here because if you're anything like me, you don't need advice. You just need a reminder that you're not the only one trying to feel like herself again.

I'm not giving myself bangs.

I'm giving myself a minute.

And now… the moodboard.
(Figured I’d show you where my head’s been while I’ve been not-cutting-my-bangs.)

No formal exercise this week—you’ve got plenty to reference and more than enough to do.
So instead, consider this your non-assignment:

• Be where you are.

• Shop your own camera roll.

• Unearth a gem or two.

Then, if you’re feeling bold (or bored), post one.
Tell us why you love it.
Tell us what was happening just outside the frame.
Or go completely off-script and give us a fun fact no one asked for but now we have to know more about.

(The weirder, the better. Always.)

…Oh no.
I did it again.
An exercise snuck in anyway.

You can take the girl out of the work,
but not the work out of the girl.

Go play. I’ll be watching.
And if your bangs survive the week too?
We’ll call it a full moon win.

PS. A Bonus for my High Achievers (You Know Who You Are)

1. Home Upgrades (Minimal Effort, Maximum Mood):
If you caught my stories on Saturday, then yes that was a DIY staple gun wall hanging situation you witnessed. Still in progress, but once it's done, I'll share the full reveal.
Also, we retiled the bathroom floor and topped it off with this very cute Anthropologie rug. Highly recommend for petite spaces.

2. Recipes Worth Repeating:
You're going to want to make these butter beans. Trust me.
And yes, I'm also fully in on the viral cucumber salad wave. It's so easy to change the flavor profile and mix it up. My current fave has lemon, mint, shallot, feta, and a wee bit of olive oil. It's sharp, bright, and addictive.

3. If You Came to My House Right Now…
You'd leave with a stack of books. Here's what's I'm reading right now
• This One for food.
• This One for fun.
• This One for inspo.
All different, all good. Add to your nightstand accordingly. Would love to see your book stack and what you’re reading and if you have a book you wrote, include that too in the comments.

4. These Posts Hit the Right Nerve:
A genuinely thoughtful self care post from

Fwd: from a friend

I can't wait to try the bedtime playlist. And a witty must read for those of us suffering seasonal boomerang weather and…life in general from

Willow Kean

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5. Surprise Beauty Hit of the Week, because you know I’d never gatekeep this from you.
Trader Joe's new night cream. A friend picked up a few jars for me and at $9.99 it's kind of amazing. Stock up while it's still on the shelf. Also snag this for night time and this for day time.