I can’t believe we’re looking towards the last few days of 2017. I’m wrestling with conflicting feelings about the year coming to a close. For one, I’m having this baby girl no later than January 2nd (my scheduled c-section date) and have a huge laundry list of things to accomplish before she gets here. To top it off, I’m on bed rest, which sounds more relaxing than it is. Certain activities are easier than others when your body is aching and your brain is racing, and one of those things that is a welcome distraction is reading. I’m almost done with the second book in the Harry Potter series and I’ve enjoyed catching up on my favorite media publications. Here are a couple highlights for you as we gear up for the end of the year.

+ On ways to be more successful, starting at 8AM: “Maximize your potential by mapping out your schedule for the day, as well as your goals and to dos. The morning is a good time for this as it is often one of the only quiet times a person gets throughout the day.” – 5 Things Super Successful People Do Before 8 AM by Jennifer Cohen

+ On social media’s new favorite word: “So Beyoncé? She’s a mother, yes. But she’s also mom adjective — internetspeak for the absolute coolest. Who else is mom? Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who, after being criticized for sounding off on Donald J. Trump, was defended by the website Jezebel, which declared: “You Leave Our Mom Ruth Bader Ginsburg Alone, You Monster.”” – On the Internet, to Be ‘Mom’ Is to Be Queen by Jessica Bennett

+ On managing money in your 30s: “Money tends to leave when we fail to pay attention to it. Be intentional about your money and spend time reviewing and evaluating it. If you don’t, you’ll never know if you’re moving in the right direction or not.” – I’m a Financial Planner – Here Are the Best 7 Pieces of Advice I Can Give You About money in Your 30s by Eric Roberge

+ On chasing your dreams by saying ‘no’: “In the same way that our desks get cluttered without us ever trying to make them cluttered, so our lives get cluttered as well-intended ideas from the past pile up. Most of these efforts didn’t come with an expiration date. Once adopted, they live on in perpetuity. Figure out which ideas from the past are important and pursue those. Throw out the rest.”  – The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown

+ On the science behind beauty (or at least the perception of it): “However, cross-cultural studies revealed something surprising: perception of the illusion varies widely—and Westerners are outliers. When scientists measured how different the segments appeared to different groups of people, they found that Westerners saw the greatest distortion.” – Why Beauty is Not Universal by Anthony Brandt & David Eagleman

+ On learning happiness and resilience through a tough pregnancy: “If there is anything I have learned, it is that no state of existence lasts forever. If you could remember a version of yourself who you loved, she’s still in there and sometimes recognizing that is enough. The real irony of joy is that you can’t actually know it, I mean really know it, until you’ve hit rock bottom.” – A Different Kind of Pregnancy Announcement by Leandra Medine

Our monthly reading edits are compiled by Stefani Ellenbecker, W&D’s Editorial Director, and me! Every month we get together to talk about the content going on W&D for the upcoming weeks, which is most often inspired by articles, timely topics, and cultural touch points outside the lifestyle category. We hope that we enjoy these links and get as much out of them as we do!

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Top image via Home Story