I’m not going hard, and I’m (mostly) staying at home — here’s how I intend to refresh for the new year so that I can feel OK and refill on creative energy!
Shutting out as much noise as I can
I’ve decided to go off Youtube and social media for the whole of January. Being off social media feels doable so far, as I’ve pretty much already practiced this; just Youtube is more challenging, as it’s been my go-to for entertainment or background stimulating noise.
I’m finding myself actively having to choose more productive/restful/enriching/creative things to do like cleaning up, reading, crochet, etc. To be honest I’m not completely perfect about it, for example at my job I still use Youtube and Instagram for research. But I’m getting there, and I’m determined to be more mindful about my use of these media in the long-term.
Intentionally taking a creative break
I’m taking this quiet time off to dream, wonder, and think about what I’d like my creative output to look like; to be inspired by my peers instead of driven by inferiority; to be lead by my heart but also by a vision which I hope people will like.
Right now I’m thinking fantasy… fantastical creatures… maybe children’s book… cozy burrows… but also going big. Either way, I just kind of wanna slowly ease into it. By February/March, I would like to be ready to take action.
Decluttering my home
After a recent visit at a friend’s, I felt positively shamed into putting more effort in tidying and redecorating my home. You might recall that I started in the summer, but then life got in the way as usual.
Instead of going full apartment-makeover mode, I figured if I just decluttered, reorganised and updated the decor a bit, it would already make me feel much better. Ultimately, I just want a home that feels like a cosy retreat, is bunny-friendly, and inviting to my friends – which means I’ll need at least one comfy sofa bed. And a proper bookshelf to put all my books in.
Best decluttering/tidying tip I’ve learnt so far: never leave a room empty-handed.
Reflecting on the important things
I suppose this can go in many different directions. What went well last year, what am I grateful for, what can I improve upon this year? But a big theme I keep coming back to at the moment are the relationships in our lives, and how important they are for our health and happiness.
I recently had a little break down out of nowhere when I thought about all of the friendships in my life that had dissolved in the past years. It had never occurred to me to mourn before, and I know it is normal to lose friends, but perhaps it was important to do so at that moment, in order to finally close those chapters, and to treasure the friends that are here now and still.
For my part, I know that I need to put more effort into and not feel so shy about reaching out to my friends more. I’d really love my relationships to be a much bigger focus in my life, because I know that without them, I wouldn’t be who I am today.
Another big revelation: most of the saddest moments in my life have stemmed from feeling deeply alone – whether self-inflicted or not – with no one to share my fears and worries with. No matter how big or small, we all deserve someone to witness our pain (or however Esther Perel succinctly puts it).
Anyway, as you can tell I have been thinking LOTS about this topic, and I have these three (in my opinion) amazing podcasts to thank:
WBUR On Point: Lessons from the world’s longest happiness study
iWeigh with Jameela Jamil: Transforming Health with Dr. Rangan Chatterjee
All of them mention the 80+ year Harvard study on Adult Development, which shows how vital relationships are in our lives. The third podcast expands more on holistic, approachable, no-nonsense healthy habits in general which I am a big fan of.
Ultimately, what these findings on human health and happiness show us is that we can’t go this alone, in fact, we shouldn’t – and what a relief.