The Space Between
Christmas is over, now what?
It’s Thursday, I think. I’m sipping a full-fat, single shot latte at a café by my gym. I did about 50 minutes of body weight stuff and tapped out. I’m averaging a workout twice a week right now and slowly building up to my goal. It feels nice. It’s tough getting back into the swing of things and I’m giving myself a lot of grace in the process.
On this day last year, Dave and I were midway through our Hornby Island getaway. Getting into nature every day and prioritizing rest. We spent 11 days in a small cabin during the king tide and a record snowfall. The sun beamed a few days later— it was the most magical thing I’d experienced in a long time.
We’ve got one more day in the city before we head to Bowen until the new year. We’re going to dog sit for Dave’s sister. I’m looking forward to multiple nature walks a day and no noise at night. Dave and I are not big NYE people. We prefer staying in, eating good food, and waking up early the next morning feeling fresh. There is nothing appealing to me about starting a new year hungover. 😝
My plan is to start 2024 the same way I started 2023– with daily meditation and mindful movement. Last year I joined Open for their 30-day challenge and it was the first time in my life that I committed to a daily meditation practice for more than a week. I love how manageable the meditations are and how good they make me feel. If you want to join me, they’re doing it again this year and it’s free!
https://o-p-e-n.com/nervous-system-reset?utm_source=product&utm_medium=ios&utm_content=challenge-details&utm_campaign=january-challenge&userId=8GTPe4sY0EPmK7NGapEd7eoYVYw2
I loved waking up and getting onto my cozy little perch with some candles and starting my day with gentle self-awareness. It made me feel lighter and better able to deal with whatever stressors would come up each day. Meditation is one of those things I scoffed at or rolled my eyes about, but really it made a huge difference for me. I think the people who say they can’t sit still for that long are the ones who need it most (hello, that is me!).
I’ve started getting the apartment back to “normal mode” aka: put all the Christmas decorations away. Dave jokes that I put everything up on November 12th in anticipation but as soon as Christmas is over it’s a rush to get back to business-as-usual. 😅
There is something to be said about going into a new year with a fresh palette. I’m all about curating my surroundings to evoke the feelings I want to feel. At Christmas time I want to feel a sense of wonder and magic, so I go all out. When it comes time for a new year, I want clean, fresh energy. I want to create space for what I’m calling in.
It’s cliché but I love setting goals for the new year. I keep them manageable and don’t overwhelm myself. Some would argue that having goals or resolutions in winter is counterintuitive but I beg to differ. There can be ease and health integrated into a New Year’s resolution. If you’re like me, the beginning of a new era inspires and excites you. A new beginning signifies endless possibilities. Plus, if I’m being honest, I have been “hibernating” since the end of September and I need to start making moves. 🤭
I love this weird week between Christmas and NYE because everyone is in chill mode. The out-of-office bounce backs are in full swing, not that anyone is emailing me anyway, and there’s nowhere to be!
We’re smearing orange zested yams onto toast and layering leftover ham and turkey on top before another layer of crisp-on the-outside bread, tangy aioli and arugula seal the deal. There is no sandwich quite like a Christmas leftover sandwich.
The plan for the rest of the day is to finish getting organized. Because we’re going to be away until January 1st and then heading to work the next day, I really want to have the apartment in order. You know, clean sheets on the bed, vacuuming done, dish rack empty… that kind of stuff. That way when we come home we can rest and prepare for back-to-work. Though, if your office is like mine, no one really comes back until the second week of January anyway!
I’m loving sharing in this way. Initially I told myself I would write and post every Saturday-ish, but I’ve been feeling a flow and going with it. I’m thoroughly enjoying not being on Instagram and not sure when I will boot it up again.
I hope you enjoy reading these little streams of conscious thought as much as I like writing them. 💛
Happy in-between time, I hope 2024 brings more peace and ease for everyone.
Nicole x