Hello!
I think December is a perfect time to slow down and take stock of the whole year that honestly feels like it has whizzed by.
There is no better time to slow down and smell the roses..or jasmine, whatever tickles your fancy.
Here some ways I've been slowing down lately...
TIPS ON SLOWING DOWN///
1. Slow Mornings/// Start the day right. My idea of doing so involves keeping away from my phone for as long as I humanly can. I know this is easier said than done, for years now we've become used to reaching for our phones first thing in the morning, this sad fact made easy because don't we all use our phones as alarm clocks? Don't tell me you don't quickly turn off your alarm and then fall into the rabbit hole of IG and Facebook and Twitter and a ton of online chatter. I do too. And I hate it so much.
So much!
So recently, my goal has been to wake up. Put my phone on charge, don't even glance at it. Keep it on Airplane Mode (where it is on all night) and get on with my morning. Make breakfast. Tidy up the flat. Make coffee. Open the windows. And read, if possible for the first hour of waking up. It makes such a huge difference to my mind and heart. I know this isn't possible for everyone. My sister, for instance, has to check work mail on her phone and reply to a ton of messages and I am sure many people need to do this. But I think it's nice to do the necessary but not fall prey to unnecessary surfing. Check mail. Reply to messages. And then get off your phone.
2. Early Bedtime/// For some reason lately, I have been going to bed fairly early, by my standards! Some of it has been to do with it being winter and nothing is more comforting than your bed. This is a such change for me, since I've been a night owl my whole life. And staying up all night was my normal for far too long. But it's been nice to go to bed early and wake up at a decent hour and not feel too groggy.
I know the new year is a good time to make changes and be better. But that doesn't mean December can't be a time for change and being kinder to your body.
3. Fewer Films/// After two months in the hometown and watching a film a day, at a minimum, it was time for a little bit of a detox. As much as I want to binge films on Netflix and watch all sorts of trashy Christmas films, it's nice to just not passively consume one film too many. It's nice to just sit still and read instead of being in front of the TV.
4. Treat Yourself/// Tis the season after all. I don't mean this materialistically. Though, it is year end and if you so fancy, go right ahead and buy yourself something utterly fabulous.
I mean treat yourself to slowness.
Allow yourself a meal outside if you don't feel like cooking.
Let the house get a little messy if you don't want to clean.
Let things on your checklist lie unchecked.
It's OK. It is really is OK to let things slide. Don't be so hard on yourself.
5. Say No/// To anything and everything you don't want to do.
This season is not just Xmas and all the year end festivity, it is also wedding season and party season and even if, unlike me, you are bonafide party animal, it's not such a bad idea to skip a few parties here and there.
Weddings especially can be a lot.
Sangeet.
Mehendi.
Cocktail.
Wedding.
Reception.
There is no real reason, unless it's a super close friend or family member, to attend all.
There is no need to exhaust yourself.
Sangeet is more your jam, go for that.
Love a good hand of henna, go for mehendi.
Love an open bar, the cocktail party is for you.
Just because there are a ton of party invitations coming your way, there is no reason to over exert yourself.
(Or maybe it's just me, I am not a party/wedding person at all!)
:)
My intention for December is to slow down and savour these days as much as possible.
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