Happy New Year! I simply love the start of a New Year. It’s like a fresh start, a natural moment to reflect and recalibrate. I know not much as changed between December 31st, 2020 and January 1st, 2021, but the energy feels different. I for one feel like there’s an optimism in the air, a more universal feeling of hope. Even though not much has changed 2021 already feels a little lighter.
We learned so much last year. So much that we may have not learned or experienced otherwise and even though it was uncomfortable, perhaps even painful, it does build resilience and reminds each of us of what we really care about. That being said, when the first working Monday of the new year rolled around I felt like I needed two more weeks of being unplugged, more time to reset. I feel like a lot of us felt that way! Apparently after a year like 2020 we need more time than usual to reset.
Ultimately I am looking forward to this year. Last year felt like we were in a holding pattern for the majority of the year. I worked a lot, stayed home a lot, and while I do feel like I made a lot of progress on my self and getting clear on areas of my life that otherwise felt murky, I am so ready to get out in the world again. I’m looking forward to writing more, learning more, connecting with new people and continuing to share bits of my life and things I love with all of you.
On The Calendar
A lot of what’s on our calendar this month centers around resetting, organizing, and kicking off projects that we are eager to get moving. I typically like to take the first week of January off and carve out time to soak in some extra R&R, set intentions, identify my priorities for the year ahead and organize. After 2020 and feeling like I was constantly playing catch up, I am so looking forward at least attempting to plan even if there is the chance that they will change; that’s life after all!
I also love to do a good detox in January. I know, so basic, but it really helps me reset my body. For the past two years I’ve done Sakara’s Level II Detox and while I often find myself questioning why I do it in the moment, I feel like a new woman at the end of it. I always notice a huge improvement in my sleep, I’m less dependent on caffeine, overall less bloated, I have so much more energy and no brain fog. With the way 2020 unfolded and the copious amount of wine and indulgent desserts I found myself eating, I have never been more ready for a good reset.
What I’m probably most excited for is getting our built ins at the condo! Since our new plan is to live more full-time at the condo, we will need a place to work that isn’t the island so we are transforming our den into an office-lounge space and building in one side of the room with a desk and lower cabinets. We also have a little hidden cubby in the kitchen that we are going to build in and make a coffee bar with a pull out garbage underneath and wine storage above. More to come there as we move through the process!
Inspired By
When a new year comes, I always find myself more inspired and motivated to take stock of my life and look ahead at what I want to accomplish, shift, feel like, or simply experience through out the year. There are a million and one ways to reflect and set introns, which I normally do, but this year I’m taking Serena Goh’s approach to goal setting and instead, looking at what I want to prioritize this year. In place of the laundry list of intentions, I’m going to choose 3-5 priorities, as specific or general as I like, that I would like to focus on over the course of this year after which I will identify the actions that I can take on a daily, weekly, and/or monthly basis that will reinforce that priority. For example, if the priority is mental health, then on a daily basis it might be meditate, on a weekly basis it might be workout 4 times, and on a monthly basis it might be a therapy session. I love this because, unlike goals and resolutions, there’s a sense of intentionally action and accountability in the word priority; like I am actively choosing this and no one else is responsible for it other than me.
On a completely unrelated topic, I continue to be inspired by the increase in people speaking up about racism, bigotry, xenophobia, climate change and the many social issues that plague our world today. It’s something that I’ve challenged myself to do more of. Not because I love to hear myself talk, but because even if it’s small, I have an influence – we all do, and if I can use my voice to talk about an amazing coat, I can use it to talk about systemic racism, sustainable agriculture and wealth inequality too.
Doing For Me
I wouldn’t say I’m a big routine person; rituals, yes, routines not so much. I much prefer the flexibility and freedom to choose in the moment . In the mornings, instead of having a regimented 20 step process to getting my day started, I simply carve out 30 mins to an hour {sometimes it’s more like 15 minutes} to do whatever I feel called to do that does not involve my phone or computer. Lately it’s been meditating; my body has been craving it! After showering and doing my morning skincare, I grab a pillow, dab a few drops off essential oils in my hand and take a few big inhales and exhales. Sometimes I will follow a guided meditation {I’ve been loving Chani Nichols weekly meditation that comes in her app} and sometimes I just sit in silence and do my own visualizations. The key for me is just taking time to quiet everything that is usually going through my brain {do-to’s, emails, ides etc.) and just be still. I cannot tell you how rejuvenating and grounding it is!
I’ve also been trying to be more diligent about carving out tech free time, especially before bed. I wouldn’t say I’m one expert at this one…but I am mindful of how much time I am on my phone and computer. Sometimes I will read a few pages from the book that I am reading, journal, go for a walk, or make myself a tea and flip through a magazine.
Wishing you all a very happy new year!
xo
-S
P.S. all images and their original sources can be found here.
