Some words of reflection on my intentions for this strange new year – January 2021.
A fresh new year is always a great feeling, even if this year is very different than any other January. Before the holidays, I decided that I would keep things really low key and as stress free as possible, and wrote a few words in my notebook that I wanted to focus on in the midst of all the Christmas hustle and bustle:
Light
Warmth
Calm
Peace
The holidays have passed and we’re still sort of doing the same thing – hanging out at home – and I’ve carried those words over as being still important in the new year as we all try to make the best of things and keep spirits up. I plan on embracing the still-cold and dark month of January with a lot of warmth and light (with candles and I’ve left my white Christmas lights up inside) in an attempt to really up the cozy ‘hygge’ vibe this winter we’re spending even more at home than would be typical for the cold months.
Clearing Clutter
Like a lot of people this time of year, I’m going to spend some time cleaning out several of my physical spaces. I’d like to live in a space that’s as clutter free as possible (physical and digital) just for my own peace of mind and room to breathe, but also it’s a major goal of mine to buy a house this year, and I refuse to take with me anything I don’t need or love.
A Capsule Wardrobe (Finally!)
For years I’ve wanted to put together a ‘capsule wardrobe.’ The idea of having a minimal closet of pieces I love, that all fit and are comfortable, in a style that I like and where all the pieces can work together seems almost mythical, but as we’re really not going many places and there are so few clothes that I actually need, this year just feels like a good time to clear everything out and get that started.
A Focus on True Self-Care
I also want to really prioritize self-care this month, and hopefully set the tone for the year. I’m of the thought that the best kind of self-care isn’t necessarily massages, vacations, and manicures (though these things are lovely and certainly have their place) – but instead it’s creating a life for yourself that you don’t necessarily always need an escape from. I’d like to really dig deep and explore some small and ‘simple’ changes I can make every day that will add up to making a huge difference in my daily life (i.e. meditation, daily routines, getting enough sleep).
Activating My Reading Life
Reading is a big part of my life, and I find that I always have such good reading energy in January. I read more books last year than I ever have (85 books total), and I’m really looking forward to diving into my to-be-read list and starting fresh on that tally for the year. I try not to make number goals, though I’d REALLY like to hit 100 books for the year, but this year I’d really like to get through all (most) the books that I currently have (which is a LOT) before I get anything new.
A Commitment to Simplicity
I know I’m feeling many emotions as we continue to pursue through truly unprecedented times, and one that is definitely coming to the forefront, after 9 months of living (very gratefully) through the pandemic and the challenges that come with it, is a return to or deeper commitment to on a simpler way of life, with fewer ‘things’ (physical or not) to distract me from what we really value. We’ve had the opportunity to become very well acquainted with the actual important aspects of our lives that we want to continue to hold close, or that we’re looking forward to being close to again, and we don’t want anything to get in the way of that. This is the energy that I’d like to bring into the new year – leaning more into what’s truly important and clearing out what’s not.