AUG 21, 2026

INSIDE: Vagus Nerves, Tradwife Lifestyles, and Affording Your Hobbies.

TODAY I WILL:

Make decisions from abundance, not fear.

We’re questioning the default settings—from our beauty routines to our beverage choices.

• Maybe not every personality trait needs a diagnosis.

• Your manicure just got a sugar rush.

• Decades into his career, Marc Jacobs is anything but predictable.

• Water isn’t always the hydration MVP.

• K-beauty is rethinking the traditional lash lift.

Vagus Nerve, Activated

Social media hype has made many suddenly aware of the vagus nerve for the first time ever. In fact, the vagus nerve isn’t just one nerve—it’s a network of nerve fibers running down each side of your neck. Its job? Well, let’s just start by saying it’s a multi-tasker. The vagus nerve helps your body maintain homeostasis, helping to control reflexive (autonomic) things like your heartbeat, breathing, digestion, and inflammation. It also plays a role in nervous system regulation, which is especially important for those of us who spend a lot of time in fight-or-flight. When your nervous system is good at switching between fight-or-flight and relaxation, that’s called high vagal tone… and it’s what we want. Because the opposite is associated with “chronic stress, higher levels of inflammation, and diseases such as heart failure and hypertension.”

While there are prescription vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) devices approved for the treatment of certain conditions, the OTC devices have little research to back them up. So, doctors recommend the following for stimulating your vagus nerve without spending your hard-earned cash on less-studied methods. And remember, consistency is key.

• Exercise: A common misconception is that the vagus nerve is only stimulated when you’re relaxing or calm. In fact, exercise is one of the best ways to increase your vagal tone. People who exercise consistently will usually have a lower resting heart rate and higher heart rate variability (indicators of higher vagal tone).  

• Breathwork & Meditation: Deep-breathing exercises can affect some of the same markers as VNS devices. A 2025 research review showed increases in vagal tone and relaxation response activity, as well as reduced cortisol levels.

• Cold exposure: Cold plunges are not as well-studied as the other options, but some smaller studies show cold exposure to the face specifically can increase vagal activity (probably due to the mammalian diving reflex).

Yesterday, we asked: “Which part of the tradwife fantasy sounds most appealing?”

The results suggest most of you are more interested in slowing down than turning back the clock. Thirty-six percent of you said none of it—keep me in 2026. In a close second, 33% are drawn to the idea of having more time to slow down. Still, 23% find the cooking, gardening, and homemaking side most appealing, while 8% are simply dreaming of no Slack notifications—perhaps the most universal fantasy of all.

More Money, Not More Problems

So, you just got a raise? That’s cause for celebration, but it can also be a good time to pause and re-budget. The last thing you want is that raise to have no positive impact on your financial health—or worse, a negative impact. We tapped Kasey Bridges, Olio Road Branch Manager at Everwise Credit Union to give us some tips on how to optimize increased pay for your future. This is what she suggests:

• A simple way to start is by updating your budget using the 50/30/20 rule. That’s an easy way to allocate your earnings into three buckets. To start, roughly 50% of each paycheck should go toward necessities, like housing, groceries, transportation, and other essential expenses. Then 30% can go toward wants, like dining out, entertainment, or the occasional treat. Finally, at least 20% should go toward savings or paying down debt.

• It’s also worth noting that when getting a raise, you should give yourself a few pay periods to adjust to the higher income before making any major changes to your spending.

• And don’t forget to increase automatic savings or 401(k) contributions. This is a perfect time to start putting more toward these types of accounts before you even miss the extra money.

• Finally, remember to treat yourself with part of it, too. Enjoy a small celebration, then put the rest of your raise to work for your future.

EYEING:  This body butter balm, this room spray, and this makeup bag.