Meet the Page of Cups (IRL) - Mindy Kaling

Mindy Kaling once said, "A remarkable thing about me is that the time that elapses between a sad thought and a flood of tears is three or four seconds." Is there a quote more Cancer than that? She's known as Hollywood's sweetheart and funny girl, and she's our perfect Page of Cups IRL.

Born June 14, 1979, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to an OB-GYN and an architect, Mindy is a Gemini Rising with a 2nd House Cancer stellium including her Sun, Moon, and Mercury. Her natal Saturn falls in her 4th House — Cancer's "home" in the flat chart.

She attended Buckingham Browne & Nichols for grade school, describing herself as an "overlooked and average" student. But this was also when her interest in comedy began, particularly sketch comedy. After graduating high school, she went on to study at Dartmouth, where she earned a degree in playwriting. She was hardly the wallflower she'd described herself as in high school — she wrote plays, acted, sang, and even illustrated cartoons for the college newspaper. But her real passion during those years was the school's improv group, the Dog Day Players.

At 19, she took a summer internship at Late Night with Conan O'Brien and started learning the ins and outs of television. In 2001, she moved to Brooklyn with friends to pursue comedy, taking a job as a nanny for a wealthy Brooklyn Heights family along the way. In 2002, Kaling and a college friend debuted a play they'd written and workshopped called Matt & Ben. It was incredibly well-received and quickly moved to an Off-Broadway venue, where its popularity surged — and this is how she eventually ended up on The Office. Greg Daniels, producer of the US version, happened to be in the crowd and set up a meeting with her afterward, offering her a staff writing role for the show's first season. She also played Kelly Kapoor in the series.

Between Seasons 2 and 3 of The Office, Kaling took a stint as a guest writer on Saturday Night Live. She's described her time there as "humiliating," and she's been vocal about the racism and sexism she's experienced in writing rooms across the industry — a field dominated by men, where a woman of color bringing a gentle, heartfelt, and honest take on comedy wasn't always met with open minds.

Mindy went on to create several series, including The Mindy Project and Never Have I Ever. She continues to write and produce, has taken on a number of film roles, and has done quite a bit of voice acting in recent years. In terms of recognition, Kaling has received five Emmy nominations for her work on The Office. In 2012, Time named her to its list of the 100 Most Influential People in the World. The following year, Entertainment Weekly placed her on its list of the 50 Coolest and Most Creative Entertainers. In 2014, Glamour named her a Woman of the Year, and in 2018 she received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Dartmouth College.

Kaling also has two children and raises them as a single mother. Despite plenty of public probing, she's kept the identity of the father(s) private. She speaks candidly about the joys and struggles of single parenthood, always with her signature sense of humor.

Kaling is a perfect example of Cancer energy and the playful, creative qualities so characteristic of the Page of Cups. She seems to bring a childlike sense of joy to everything she touches.

Decorate your crab-shell

Cancer season is a great time to re-decorate! We have to ask ourselves what we’re priming a room for. Is it a place where you need to concentrate? Is it a space for you to relax? Is it an area of the home where you need to access your creativity? That’s the first step. We have to determine what the main function and the desired result for the space is.

one of the big things to consider when re-working a space is lighting. studies have shown that unnatural light (Especially blue light) can affect our circadian rhythm, sleep cycles, and mood. many designers recommend dimmers and utilizing different sources of light (lamps, sconces, etc.) so that you have the option to layer lighting, as needed. THis is a super easy and affordable update that can come with a big payoff.

Research has also shown that live plants reduce stress and improve concentration. they also add texture to a space and help purify the air. Don’t worry if you don’t have a green thumb. There are plants out there which basically thrive on neglect, such as snake plants and aloe. If you have pets, make sure your plants are pet safe or are stored somewhere that your furry friends can’t access them, as some houseplants are not safe to be eaten by pets.

Studies have shown that shapes, color, and texture all affect our mental and emotional state. The science of color is considered regularly in branding work. Our brains make unconscious decisions based on color and texture all the time. Reds convey intensity, oranges convey energy and enthusiasm, Yellow conveys joy, pinks and greens are generally calming and stress-relieving, Blues and Purples are soothing, browns and grays are comforting - you get the idea.

Color also informs our perception of temperature. We associate cooler tones with cooler temperatures and warmer tones with warmer temperatures. In fact, a study showed that participants in a warm-toned room consistently overestimated the temperature of the room. Likewise, participants in a cool-toned room consistently underestimated the temperature of the room. This is all good information to have. Maybe you’re someone who gets cold at night. An Icy blue bedroom wouldn’t be a great choice for you. If you wanted to stay in the cooler tones, maybe a green would be a good fit. green is a relaxing color and doesn’t carry the same temperature associations as an icy blue.

patterns and textures are another thing to consider. A room that’s too busy can overwhelm the senses and detract from our ability to focus. conversely, A room that doesn’t have a lot of visual interest can sap our creativity. We crave some level of mental stimulation in our surroundings. So, a beige on beige minimalist room doesn’t do a lot in the way of getting our creative juices flowing. The big thing in design is balance. Lots of designers advise people to choose a handful of “central” or “statement” pieces, and work the room around those. Everything should feel like it belongs.

Also, Make sure you have some soft textures, especially if you’re someone who is sensitive to sound. Soft surfaces absorb sound and reduce sharpness and echo. this is where curtains, rugs, and pillows become important. If you like a quiet space, add more soft textiles into your decor.

There have also been studies around shapes in home decor and brain activity. The studies found that soft, round geometry throughout the home encouraged more brain activity in participants than boxy furniture. Rounded decor was also perceived as “more friendly” than sharp-edged furniture, which evoked feelings of negativity in participants. That’s not to say that everything in your home should be round. I mean, if you’re into that, then do you. But, the idea here is to incorporate round shapes via throw pillows, coffee tables, bowls, lamps, etc.

Now, Let’s talk about some tips for making a functional room. Spaces that are designed with a specific purpose in mind can eliminate decision fatigue and help our life flow more smoothly. A big part of this is clutter-reduction. When we accumulate regular piles of clutter, it tells us something about a functional need for our space that’s not being met. The first step is doing a good purge. then, track your “catch-alls” in the following weeks. Is your dining room table accumulating a stack of mail? Maybe you could look into a wall-mounted mail storage option to put in that room. you get the idea. It’s about noticing our patterns and building in practical solutions.

We can also consider the “flow” of our spaces to create efficiency in our daily routines. it can be little things like storing our coffee mugs directly above our coffee maker instead of in a cabinet on the other side of the kitchen, for instance.

Take some time this cancer season to examine your living spaces. Are there changes you could make so that your space feels more comfortable and functional? Keep in mind, this doesn’t have to be expensive. Thrifting is really fun, and Cancer loves antiques - win, win! You can find lots of super affordable items to up-cycle and reuse in your home. Also, if you’re a renter, there are non-permanent options to make your space sing. Peel and stick wallpaper is a game changer! Even if your space is small, there are so many space-saver furniture options out there! Look for pieces that pull double duty, such as beds with storage underneath. wall-mounted shelves are also amazing for small spaces. They greatly reduce the furniture footprint in the room. and, like i mentioned earlier, Most home decor projects can absolutely be thrifted and/or DIY’d. So, please don’t feel like you need to break the bank to reward yourself with a functional space that you’ll love to spend time in.