November. A month full of to-dos and holiday busyness…all reminding us how close to the end of year we are. It’s also a time of beauty. As the light shifts into that warm autumn glow, and darkness comes earlier - we invite you to cozy in and try 5 new things this month.
Daily Journaling. By now, you know we are both HUGE fans of our daily journals. We connect with ourselves + our thoughts, quietly, as our hands busy themselves making art. A quick, ten-ish minute practice - we strive to do this early in the day, just to get our creative juices flowing. This month, we invite you to carve out this time + practice for yourself. A chance to connect, inwardly and creatively use your voice in a way that’s just for you. Needed at all times, but most especially when the pull of family, friends, shopping, hosting, baking, traveling calls on you to again and again. To get started, see our prompts, our tips and our shopping list here.
Schedule a solo art outing. Pick a movie, a museum exhibit, a coffee shop, park or restaurant you’ve been itching to try and take your self on a date. We heard from a few of you last week that one of the best ways to spark your curiosity is to engage in a solo outing and we couldn’t agree more. Flying solo helps you focus on the sights, sounds, smells and things happening around you. Opens you up to new experiences, and maybe even helps you connect with new people you might otherwise miss engaging with. Bonus points if you leave your cell phone at home, or at the least out of sight.
Start an ‘ideas’ list. An ideas list is a brain-dump of ALL things things you want to try, do, learn, experience. I keep a running list on my phone so it’s always accessible and updatable. On it, Ted talks or Skillshare classes I want to watch, topics I want to research or write about, places to go, art projects to try. That way, I’m never without inspiration if I find myself with a free afternoon. I find, this is also great prep work for setting intentions at the start of a new year. If most of the items on your list involve travel, for instance, you know you need to bank funds + vacation days for a few trips during the year. It motivates me to cross items off my list and is WAY more fun to share in conversation when the standard “what do you do?” becomes “what do you WANT to do?”
Get organized for the craziness ahead. Every November, I start thinking ahead to the holidays. What I’ll need to cook, buy, make, wear for anything I know might pop up. I start saving recipes I want to try, gifts I want to buy and outfit inspiration for new ways to re-wear what’s already in my closet. For me, I keep this digitally on Pinterest so it’s always ready for me to update and revisit. I find that by planning ahead, I’m able to avoid the last minute pressure, stress and over-spending because I’m ready, able to shop sales and have my list and ideas organized and ready.
Commit to your self-care. Whatever it is for you that keeps you, YOU. Make sure you schedule time for them, especially now as the holidays start marching over your schedule. Sunday soaks a must? Do them. Weekly drinks with your besties? Make sure it happens. Need 8 hours of beauty sleep nightly to now lose your cool? DO IT. Daily runs or yoga, build them in your calendar at the start of a week. Commitments to ourselves are the easiest to skip out on, BUT - your brain, body, friends and family will thank you for taking care of YOU first. It makes you happier, less stressed and way more fun to be around. Trust me.
What are you doing more of in November?
