digital detox ep 2! in this episode we catch up on how the first days of this 'experiment' have gone & ponder whether us as human beings are missing friction in our lives? aka have our lives become TOO convenient and streamlined, and is that actually ruining things for us? alsoo we talk a walk down memory lane & read my (leo's) old journal entries from 2020 (!) and 2023 and discuss what i actually want to learn from these past versions of me...

if you're joining me so we can hold each other accountable, LET ME KNOW HOW IT'S GOING!! reply in the comments OR our email is: [email protected] ☕

also, if you want to join our BOOK CLUB... you can join us  ⁠here⁠. our current book of the month is 'atmosphere' by taylor jenkins reid).

we are BACK with the digital detox diaries - where i (leo) try to forcefully regain my grip on reality by logging out of the doomscrolling pits of hell that are instagram and tiktok ...

this ep is an honest (albeit chaotic & naturally filled with the dramatics you already know me for) update on how i'm feeling, why i wanted to do this social media 'detox' in the first place, the concept of 'we are what we consume', creating > consuming, mindful media consumption & more.

if you want to join me so we can hold each other accountable, LET ME KNOW!!! likewise let us know if you have any episode topic ideas you'd like us to deep dive on.

reply in the comments OR our email is: [email protected] ☕

also, if you want to join our BOOK CLUB... you can join us ⁠here⁠ - current book of the month is 'atmosphere' by taylor jenkins reid).

sources:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/screen-time/202502/doomscrolling-why-cant-we-stop

https://medium.com/@kerberj/do-television-characters-influence-our-identity-358c30f7b768

https://www.psychetal.com/post/the-influence-movies-have-on-us

http://zoelee98.substack.com/p/your-labubu-is-ruining-your-self?utm_source=%2Fsearch%2Fwe%2520are%2520what%2520we%2520consume&utm_medium=reader2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tY7Z53QJo8

https://theneuroinsider.substack.com/p/desire-by-design?utm_source=%2Fsearch%2Fwe%2520are%2520what%2520we%2520consume&utm_medium=reader2

the long awaited soft girl summer episode is finally here.. self love, comparison, and growing into yourself without apology. press play for a gentle reminder that you're enough ❤️

to stay up to date on our lives, contribute to future episodes and share any of your thoughts - pls do Follow us on ⁠⁠instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠tiktok⁠⁠ or subscribe to us on youtube ⁠⁠here⁠⁠! ☕ Thinking of joining our BOOK CLUB? We’d love to have you! Check it out  ⁠⁠here⁠⁠! for advertising opportunities, or you don't have any social media and want to chat, please email us at: ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠

this week (in the final part of our external validation series), we continue to deep dive into a topic that’s come up again and again across our episodes : seeking external validation.

check out part 1 first, where we reflect on our own relationships with validation, how it’s shaped our childhoods, friendships, and identities. we also explore the psychology behind validation seeking.

in part 2, we get into the emotional cost of it all and actually share some tips into how to stop seeking it! 

to stay up to date on our lives, contribute to future episodes and share any of your thoughts - pls do Follow us on ⁠⁠instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠tiktok⁠⁠ or subscribe to us on youtube ⁠⁠here⁠⁠! ☕ Thinking of joining our BOOK CLUB? We’d love to have you! Check it out  ⁠⁠here⁠⁠! for advertising opportunities, or you don't have any social media and want to chat, please email us at: ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠

this week (part 1 of our external validation series), we’re deep diving into a topic that’s come up again and again across our episodes : seeking external validation. Inspired by a beautiful piece of writing that perfectly captured our feelings (we read it at the start of the episode!), we reflect on our own relationships with validation, how it’s shaped our childhoods, friendships, and identities. from the desire to be liked in school, to the performative nature of social media, to internalising rejection from people we don’t even admire… we’re unpacking it all. we also explore the psychology behind validation seeking. it’s a vulnerable one, and we hope it makes you feel a little more understood 🤍

part 2 will be out next week where we get into the emotional cost of it all as well as our little toolkit on how to stop seeking it! 

to stay up to date on our lives, contribute to future episodes and share any of your thoughts - pls do Follow us on ⁠⁠instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠tiktok⁠⁠ or subscribe to us on youtube ⁠⁠here⁠⁠! ☕ Thinking of joining our BOOK CLUB? We’d love to have you! Check it out  ⁠⁠here⁠⁠! for advertising opportunities, or you don't have any social media and want to chat, please email us at: ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠

Sources:

https://ellinasukh.substack.com/p/the-need-to-be-seen?r=trybr&utm_medium=ios&triedRedirect=true

https://thejackfruitlife.substack.com/p/stop-seeking-validation-and-trust?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

https://oizystunmise.substack.com/p/stop-craving-validation-from-people?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web (took a lot of the actual quotes from here, loved this writing)

https://pachdeng.substack.com/p/seeking-external-validation-leads

https://tessacooperpengelly.substack.com/p/how-to-stop-seeking-external-validation?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

https://juliaarcherstrong.substack.com/p/how-to-stop-seeking-external-validation?r=trybr&utm_medium=ios&triedRedirect=true

this week’s episode is a whirlwind. leo takes us behind the scenes of her surreal work trip to the monaco grand prix — think superyachts, free drinks from restaurant owners, awkward encounters with billionaires, unexpected dance battles with martin garrix, and even spotting jeff bezos on her boat. yes, really.

but in true matcha diaries fashion, we balance this with reflection — from the absurdity of wealth culture to craving a quiet moment with a book on a bench. we also chat about high school reunions, summer nostalgia, the picture of dorian gray, and cara’s wholesome time back home in Jordan. it’s a chaotic, juicy, and very real episode!

link to tuscany airbnb's website is here & to their instagram here! (gooo & check them out, you won't regret it hihi)

to stay up to date on our lives, contribute to future episodes and share any of your thoughts - pls do Follow us on ⁠⁠instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠tiktok⁠⁠ or subscribe to us on youtube ⁠⁠here⁠⁠! ☕ Thinking of joining our BOOK CLUB? We’d love to have you! Check it out  ⁠⁠here⁠⁠! for advertising opportunities, or you don't have any social media and want to chat, please email us at: ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠

welcome back to your favourite cozy corner of the internet where we chat about life, books, love, and everything in between. in this week’s episode, we’re finally sharing our 2025 summer tbr with you!

we’re talking about all the books we’re manifesting into our summer reading piles, plus some of our absolute faves from last summer that deserve a spot on your list too. from escapist romances and hot literary fiction to reflective reads - this is your official guide to the books we’ll be reading by the pool, on the plane, or curled up with an iced matcha on the sofa.

we also share some honest opinions (as always), including the books that didn’t quite hit and the ones that had us actuallyscreaming. expect bookish chaos, summer vibes, and some questionable language counts (looking at you, colleen hoover).

as always, we’d love to know: what’s on your summer tbr? let us know in the comments or drop us a message on instagram 💌

Books We Want to Read This Summer:

1. ​The Summer Will Be Different – Carley Fortune
2. ​Meet Me at the Lake – Carley Fortune
3. ​My Brilliant Friend – Elena Ferrante
4. ​They're Going to Love You – Meg Howrey
5. ​The Picture of Dorian Gray – Oscar Wilde
6. ​Such a Fun Age – Kiley Reid
7. ​Adelaide – Genevieve Wheeler
8. ​Funny Story – Emily Henry
9. ​Great Big Beautiful Life – Emily Henry
10. ​Atmosphere: A Love Story – Taylor Jenkins Reid
11. ​Sounds Like Love – Ashley Poston
12. ​The Safe Keep – Jael van der Wouden
13. ​The Nightingale – Kristin Hannah
14. ​Problematic Summer Romance – Ali Hazelwood
15. ​Between Us – Mhairi McFarlane
16. ​Dschamilja – Chingiz Aitmatov
17. ​Hard Land – Benedict Wells

 Books We Loved Last Summer (2024 & 2023):

1. ​One Golden Summer – Carley Fortune
2. ​Every Summer After – Carley Fortune
3. ​Seven Year Slip – Ashley Poston ★ TMD approved
4. ​Funny Story – Emily Henry
5. ​The Summer Job – Lizzy Dent ★ Highly recommended summer vibes
6. ​Carpe Diem – Autumn Cornwell ★ For the travel girlies
7. ​Save Me series – Mona Kasten
8. ​Beach Read – Emily Henry
9. ​A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder – Holly Jackson ★ If you want mystery with YA vibes
10. ​Ellen Hildebrand novels (any of them—perfect for the beach)
11. ​My Brilliant Friend – Elena Ferrante

to stay up to date on our lives, contribute to future episodes and share any of your thoughts - pls do Follow us on ⁠⁠instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠tiktok⁠⁠ or subscribe to us on youtube ⁠⁠here⁠⁠! ☕

Thinking of joining our BOOK CLUB? We’d love to have you! Check it out  ⁠⁠here⁠⁠!

for advertising opportunities, or you don't have any social media and want to chat, please email us at: ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠

this week on the podcast, I’m joined by a very special guest — my twin sister Yara 🤍

from afternoon chats over tea to honest reflections on heartbreak, burnout, and building a life that feels like yours — this episode is all about what it means to live with intention.

we talk about:

• ​creating a home that reflects who you are (and why Yara ditched the TV for a projector + books)
• ​why moving on after a breakup has no timeline — and how to come back home to yourself
• ​what work-life balance actually looks like in your 20s
• ​letting go of timelines and learning to embrace the messy, nonlinear path of real life
• ​the joy, chaos, and closeness of growing up with a twin — and how we’ve both grown into wildly different, fully ourselves people

this episode is soft, silly, vulnerable, and grounding — a little reminder that you’re allowed to take your time, change your mind, and choose yourself every step of the way. 💌

to stay up to date on our lives, contribute to future episodes and share any of your thoughts - pls do Follow us on ⁠⁠instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠tiktok⁠⁠ or subscribe to us on youtube ⁠⁠here⁠⁠! ☕

thinking of joining our BOOK CLUB? We’d love to have you! Check it out  ⁠⁠here⁠⁠!

for advertising opportunities, or you don't have any social media and want to chat, please email us at: ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠

this week’s episode is a very special one — i’m (leo) joined by my high school bestie Alexa for a nostalgic and pretty vulnerable conversation about who we used to be, who we’ve become & what we’d tell our younger selves.

from crying over boys to learning how to stop craving male validation, from incessantly comparing ourselves to finding self-worth in our twenties — this one’s for the girls who like us are still healing (from) their teenage selves.

so grab a drink, get cosy & join us for a little trip down memory lane. 💌

to stay up to date on our lives, contribute to future episodes and share any of your thoughts - pls do Follow us on ⁠⁠instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠tiktok⁠⁠ or subscribe to us on youtube ⁠⁠here⁠⁠! ☕

Thinking of joining our BOOK CLUB? We’d love to have you! check it out  ⁠⁠here⁠⁠!

for advertising opportunities, or you don't have any social media and want to chat, please email us at: ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠

we thought it was about time we did a truly honest check-in with you guys & ourselves about our relationships with arguably THE most important person in our lives: OURSELVES. we talk about our current thoughts on body image, our relationship to food (TW! please don't listen if you think thiscould trigger you in any way <3) & who we are to our core.

we talk through the following prompts & would loveeee if you guys take the time to think about (or maybe even journal) what your own answers to these questions would be.

• ​ honest check-in: How would you describe your relationship with yourself right now? What are you struggling with—and what are you proud of?
• ​on a scale from 0 to 100%, where would you say your relationship with your body and food is at the moment?
• ​if someone were to describe you to a stranger, what would you hope they say?
• ​how could you show yourself more love right now?

as always, we really hope you enjoy the episode andare sending you so sooo much love!!

to stay up to date on our lives, contribute to future episodes and share any of your thoughts - pls do follow us on ⁠instagram⁠, ⁠tiktok⁠ or subscribe to us on youtube ⁠here⁠! ☕ also, if you want to join our BOOK CLUB... you can join us ⁠here⁠ - current book of the month is 'the end of loneliness' by benedict wells).

if you don't have any social media and want to chat (or for advertising opportunities), please email us at: ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠