Hey Delights!
Now that the holiday season and all the merriment has come to an end, a lot of us find ourselves exhausted. And a lot of us also find ourselves feeling a bit sad. Which is why post holiday season self care needs to be made a priority. Here are a few things that I do to make it one.
Side note: I wrote How Do You Practice Self Care? a few months ago because I was put off by all these posts I kept seeing about what people felt self care wasn’t supposed to be. And I wanted to remind folks that self care is “the practice of taking action to preserve or improve one’s own health”.
Your health. Your actions. Meaning, no one else gets to define what that consists of for you.
First and foremost, you need to take time for yourself. You know that saying “you can’t draw water from an empty well”? Well most of us were so go go go during the holiday season that we are sure to be depleted in one way or another now. So you need to do things for yourself to replenish your energy.
January 1st I got up, meditated, took a long soak, went for a drive, sat in a Starbucks working in my new journal and then took myself to the movies. Taking time for myself doing only what I wanted was the perfect way to usher in the new year for me. And it is also a great way to show yourself some love any time of the year but particularly during this time of the year.
{See also: {Five Fab} Ways to Break The Winter Slog }
Especially if you are like me and you felt a bit of melancholy when Christmas day was over. I was so bummed when they instantly stopped playing the Christmas music on the radio the next day and people started talking about taking their decorations down. Like wahhh? Can we get all the gifts unwrapped first? Can we enjoy the memories of the day before we all get to work erasing it? {Insert eye roll}.
Anyway, thankfully others don’t get to decide these things for us and we can continue to bask in the joy of the season in our own ways. So if December 26th or even January 26th feels too soon for you, then do not rush moving on.
I for one will continue to play my Christmas music as long as I want to hear it. {Check out My 2019 Christmas Music Playlist}
I am also leaving my decorations up as long as I want them up. The only thing that I will let go of sooner than I used to is my tree. And that’s only because I am going to try to be a better citizen this year and recycle it & recycling is only offered for a short period of time in my city. And if you have a real tree you may be able to find recycling dates in your city by checking out Recycle by City.
Post featuring some of my living room furniture and accessories
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So if Christmas decor is your jam, don’t feel pressured to remove it because other people think you should. I keep certain string lights up all year and I didn’t get around to putting up my snowball display before Christmas but I am going to put it up this month.
Why?
Because they make me smile.
And are you still caught up in the joy of Christmas movies? Then continue to watch them! I am. There were a bunch I didn’t see, so I am enjoying them now.
{See also: Christmas Movies Featuring Black People}
Also, yes a new year is here but that doesn’t mean you have to be in a state of panic about making resolutions & changes.
I am once again this year doing my 12 days of January challenge. And if you aren’t familiar with it, it’s the challenge that I created in 2017 that features 12 days of small gestures that instantly improve the quality of your life. From giving yourself a “golden hour” to utilizing simple productivity tools to add more ease & joy to your life. The name of it is a play on the 12 Days of Christmas but the principles work for any time of the year.
So instead of making the start of a new year something to fret, make it about loving on yourself. How can you give yourself small things that ultimately over time make a positive impact for your life?
{See also: As The Year Comes to a Close..}
Boots (also in grey and tan) | Fitbit Versa 2 | Similar Camo Pants | Top says “Nap Queen” (seen here) | Faux Diamond Ball Pens
I wanted to dig deeper into what I really want my life to look like, so I purchased a very specific journal from Hilary Rushford that I felt would help guide me along that journey. I am slowly working my way through it. Like really slowly. Giving myself time to answer the prompts and questions that it asks. And because this is so important to me, I will not rush it. I will sit with it as long as it takes.
I also find getting out in nature to be a serious self care boost. We went for a walk with the wee ones the other day. It was in the 40’s and not very sunny but it felt amazing to just get out and walk and laugh. I also love biking and plan to hop a Divvy bike the next 40 degree day. It fills my spirit so much.
This is of course the season of ice skating, snowshoeing, sledding and other outdoor activities. So find one that you enjoy or even better, one that you have always wanted to try and DO IT!
Jacket (seen here)| Sweater | Lippie
Another way of showing yourself some post holiday season self care is by helping others. Volunteering for people and causes you value truly adds joy to your life. It also frees you from wallowing in what you think you lack and reminds you of what you have.
I volunteered with One Brick at a fresh produce distribution the other day. We were outside for 4 hours in the cold packing up & distributing produce. But the gratitude expressed by the people who were able to partake in it made it all worth it. Not only did I meet some cool people but I left feeling really good and ready to do more. One Brick is located in several cities. I first volunteered with them when I lived in NYC. So check them or one of the other amazing organizations in your area who give back out to see if they have volunteering opportunities that you will enjoy.
Obsessed with these pants…wear them A LOT!
And my desire to be of more service has led me to signing up for docent training at the DuSable Museum. It is one of my favorite places in my city and I am always trying to bring awareness to and support it. It’s 10 weeks of training and a year commitment and I am so looking forward to learning and sharing what I learn with the visitors once I am done with my training.
These are just a few ideas & there are so many possibilities.
Think about the things that might bring you joy & do them!
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