Feel Like Listening Instead?
Something to listen to while you make tea, fold laundry, or pause for a moment.
People are like plants – we need ample sunlight and water to function. I am people and I am a summer baby through and through, so winters are…rough.
If you’re in the same boat as me, fret not, these are a few of my go-to’s for getting through this last stretch of lack of vitamin D + “nothing-is-really-happening-to-keep-me-going-until-I-get-a-hint-of-summer-at-the-beginning-of-May.”
Get into your comfy clothes, grab your fav beverage of choice, and hang out for a bit.
1) Re-Watching an Old Show
After the post-holiday overstimulation and the hustle culture in the U.S. at the beginning of January, I need to give my brain room to breathe. I do this by reawakening a dash of nostalgia through an old TV show.
Right now I’m re-watching One Tree Hill, featuring one of my first celeb crushes – Chad Michael Murray. Watching an old show helps scratch the nostalgia itch by bringing me back to a simpler time, when my only worries were going to school, coming home, getting my homework done, and then hanging out with our friend across the street. They had all the latest gadgets, like the Wii, oh, the amount of Just Dance we played.
Result #1:
It reminds me of how simple joy used to feel, and how much of that still exists offline.
2) Tapping (Back) Into A Hobby
I am an introvert, so the socializing nature of Q4 results in using January to recharge my battery.
My brother does woodworking with a video game theme and is working on an Animal Crossing character you can put on your desk. I helped by logging back in and getting some screenshots of my character posing, and it reawakened my joy for the game.
So now, I will be spending an unforeseeable amount of time picking up weeds, planting money trees, and trying out the new updates – like decorating hotel rooms.
Result #2:
The alone time teaches me things I don't always hear when life gets busy and loud.
3) Sprucing Up My Space
Shopping is quite cathartic for me, but it does take me a while to actually decide what to purchase. In the upcoming weeks, I want to give a few spaces in our home a little refresh:
- My Office: My father-in-law was gracious enough to give me his office space since I work from home. Because it’s the first thing you see when you walk in, I feel a sense of pride in making it a cozy, beautiful space that people feel comfortable entering. I’ve been eyeing a few rugs and would like to update my husband’s orange desk chair to something comfier and more aesthetic. Artwork is always on my list, but I’ll leave that for another time.
- The Sunroom: This is everyone’s favorite space in the house because it gets light throughout the entire day. We already have chairs and plants but I think what would really tie it together is a rug (I’m a big believer in rugs anchoring a space). My mother-in-law and I are thinking a circular one.
The fun thing about moving in with my husband’s parents is that they already have their foundation, so being able to add my own touches, and seeing it come together, has been a meaningful way to visualize our families coming together.
Result #3:
Shopping still soothes me, but now it looks more like choosing pieces that stay.
How about you? What’s something helping you get through this last stretch of winter?