Shake It Up

Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment
is the only one you know you have for sure.

Oprah Winfrey

I love routines. Even when I was a child, vacations from school were difficult since they lacked that structure and schedule. Days spent organizing, crossing things off of lists, and then cocooning at home with a favorite TV show or book are my favorite. But, even for a type-A introvert like myself, change and shaking up your normal routine can do wonders for the soul. This week, I've had several occasions where life has been eager to show me this simple truth. 

On Tuesday, my beau and I went out for dinner. Sure, it was a Groupon dinner date, but I put on earrings and lipstick and was whisked away to a cozy little restaurant not far from my apartment. The decor was intimate and inviting --  simple flower arrangements in mason jars adorned the table, and ample candles flickered throughout the space. We savored a wonderful meal and even split dessert, and as we ambled out into the rainy streets afterward, I felt relaxed and blessed. All that on a random Tuesday evening! 

It was a simple pleasure: a meal shared together without sitting in front of the TV or thinking about washing the dishes, a time to pause mid-week and truly enjoy each other's company, and truly amazing gelato. And to think, I'd almost thought it was too much trouble to gussy up and head out to dinner. After work, I had a slight headache and thought how much easier it would be to just grab a burrito bowl from Chipotle and do the normal Tuesday routine. 

Tonight, I had a free evening and wanted to catch up on e-mail, blogs, and my book after a busy day at work. Instead of just hunkering down in my apartment, I decided to head to the coffee shop just a block from my building. That's where I sit now, drinking a hot chocolate and wondering why I don't do this more often. I'm the queen of making time for myself, but how often do I do something like this, where I am out enjoying the people, sights, and sounds of my neighborhood? I just may make this a weekly date with myself. 

In the midst of this yuletide season, when obligations, shopping lists, and expectations can dominate our lives, I'm going to try to connect with myself and others around me, and shake things up a little bit. 

What can you do to shake up your routine this week? 

{Image courtesy of Pinterest}

Ring A Ling

Something about staying in town for Thanksgiving actually put me in the holiday spirit earlier than in recent years. Without the rushed, hectic nature of traveling, I could settle in to watch Elf the night of Thanksgiving, and make time on Sunday to decorate my Christmas tree instead of sitting in traffic. In no time flat, I'd programmed my DVR to program all of my favorite holiday movies (White Christmas, Holiday Inn, A Christmas Story, Charlie Brown Christmas), and switched my Pandora station to Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters. Nothing puts a swing in my step like listening to their rendition of Jingle Bells. 

Music is a huge part of my life despite the season, but the nostalgic nature of Christmas bring it to the forefront during this time of year. I absolutely love to sing. I actually had my first solo on Christmas Eve when I was just 6 years old, and was very involved in choirs, show choirs, and musicals until I graduated from college. Unless you've done karaoke with me recently (Madonna's Like A Prayer is my staple number), many people I know now aren't familiar with this part of me.

During the holidays, one of the things I look forward to the most is singing. While occasionally it's breaking into a hilarious version of Silver Bells with my friends, music is a major part of why the holidays are so special to me. 

For the past few years, my two best friends from high school would join me in singing for the holiday party at my grandma's nursing home. We would dust off some of our favorites from our choir days, as well as trying out some new numbers. Because my grandma was in a Memory Care/Alzheimer's program, it was always amazing to me to see the effect that music would have on these older folks. They joyfully sang along with almost everything, even if other words (and faces) were harder to recognize. My grandma passed away earlier this year, so we won't be singing there, but I'm still looking forward to getting together with my dear friends and huddling around the piano. It's one of the traditions that I look forward to the most every year. 

I'm also looking forward to joining voices with two other close friends and singing Gesu Bambino at church on Christmas Eve. We've lost count of how many years we've sung this together, but it really wouldn't be Christmas without it. It's fitting that the building where I had my first solo 24 years ago is still the place I raise my voice every year.

One of my goals in the New Year is to find a way to sing more regularly -- all suggestions welcome! Do you have any special holiday traditions that could be a bigger part year round?

{Image via Pinterest}

This Year

 

This year, instead of piling in the car after work for a 6+ hour drive, I just drove a few miles to my apartment. This year, instead of gladly accepting a slice of pumpkin pie with a generous dollop of whipped cream from my mother, I used her recipe to make my own. This year, instead of sitting around the table with a dozen of my family members, I saw them through a webcam. This year, instead of going bowling with my high school friends, I texted them and told them how thankful I was for their friendship. This year, instead of racing off to see everyone, I stayed in my pajamas until 3pm and snuggled with my beau. Different, yes. But was there just as much love? Absolutely. Maybe even more.

Simple Yet Significant

Recently, I've been giving a lot of thought to how the smallest decisions and steps can have the biggest impact on your mood, your day, and (ultimately) your life. It's so easy for us to get caught up in our larger goals and visions, but sometimes that can be paralyzing. On a particularly overwhelming day at work, I can find myself starting into space for a good 5 minutes, wondering how exactly to put one foot in front of the other. Where to start, when you're burnt out, overwhelmed, or exhausted? It can be too much to think of checking everything off your to-do list, and so what if you don't? 

I've mentioned this post on Pink of Perfection about narrowing priorities, and re-reading it this week opened my eyes to the happiness of realizing the world goes on even when my laundry basket is overflowing, my inbox screams for attention, and my Words with Friends games beckon. Realizing that it's okay to run a bath and flip through a glossy magazine is half the battle. 

While in this mindset, I've been trying to brainstorm a list of simple tasks that can have a big impact on my mood. Some of these may seem like no brainers, but it's helpful for me to list them here and keep them in mind in the coming days. 

• Make my bed each morning - Allowing myself the 5 minutes it takes to do this has a profound impact on my mood. It makes me feel more put together when leaving for work, and ready to enjoy the evening when I return home. 
• Wear lipstick - I'm new to the red lipstick thing, but realize that wearing lipstick of any shade helps me feel more together and boosts my spirits. 
• Read before bed instead of watching TV - Oh, how I need to do this more often. Right now, I'm reading Pride and Prejudice (for the first time) for my book club. It was so lovely to make a mug of tea and read a few chapters before bed last night. 
• Lighten my load - It's okay to say "no" to an obligation, take time for yourself, or NOT finish the project before leaving for the day. This is especially difficult for me, but I've managed to do it several times in the past week and it feels good. 

What are the small things that matter the most to you?

{Image via Pinterest}

Allowing Silence

True silence is the rest of the mind; it is to the spirit what sleep is
to the body, nourishment and refreshment.  

William Penn

In the days of smart phones, podcasts, and having 17 tabs open in your internet browser, how often do we allow silence? I remember first pondering this when I got an iPod, 4 or 5 years ago. As much as I loved the fact that my favorite songs could now be in my ears while walking to the metro or (gasp!) grocery shopping, what about being alone with my thoughts? 

This morning, on my drive to work, I got in the car and realized that my stereo was turned off, likely because I was talking on the phone at the end of my drive home yesterday. Rather than queue up the usual Katy Perry playlist, I decided to continue my drive with no music. 

I'm not going to lie, there were several times right at the beginning that I instinctively reached for the power button of the stereo, but after about 10 minutes, I began to let myself enjoy the experience. I marveled at the hum of my little Honda, still peppy after our 7 years together. I giggled as the service van that pulled up beside me at a stoplight was blaring a Jennifer Lopez song. I took a few deep breaths and watched the leaves swirl in the wind. 

But silence isn't just the absence of actual sound, it's not distracting yourself with "noise" of any kind. I want my experiment this morning to be a stepping stone to turning off (or not turning on) other things that disrupt silence -- not checking my e-mail as soon as my eyes open each morning, not pulling out my iPhone to check Facebook and Twitter when I'm waiting in line at the bank, not reflexively turning on the TV as soon as I arrive home. I want to allow myself to just be. 

What is a way that you can allow silence in your life this week?

{Image via Pinterest}

Silver Lining

In the midst of busy weeks, sinus headaches, and mountains of laundry, here are the things that have been the silver lining: 

•  Essie School of Hard Rocks nail polish - the perfect smokey gray dark teal, this color is perfect for fall/winter. It isn't too dark, isn't too crazy, but is a nice change of pace from all the taupes and glitters. 
• Revenge on ABC (or Hulu) - My roommate recommended I give this new show a try, and I've become obsessed with it this past week. A true nighttime soap opera, the premise is loosely based on the Count of Monte Cristo and focuses on the main character Emily (played flawlessly by Emily VanCamp of Brothers & Sisters and Everwood fame) seeking revenge on those who caused the wrongful death of her father. It's set in the Hamptons, costumed beautifully, and a total guilty pleasure. 
• A leisurely trip to Target - This afternoon, I spent an hour wandering around Target. I picked up a few beauty items (Revlon Facets of Fuschia nail polish and the Maybelline Dark Circle Eraser), Thanksgiving cards to send to my family, and a simple black v-neck sweater. 
• I jumped on the bandwagon and got an Erin Condren life planner, which arrived just over a week ago. While I had a planner that worked well for my work life, I'm loving keeping both personal and work related tasks organized. It's bright, colorful, and filled with inspiring quotes.
• This wonderful post on narrowing priorities on one of my favorite blogs, Pink of Perfection. Her words of wisdom on the freedom that accompanies limiting the things you expect of yourself was very liberating and inspiring.

What's making you happy this week? 

{Image via Pinterest}

Soothe Your Soul

 You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me. 

C. S. Lewis

Several years ago, I had a bad case of the flu. You know the kind: your energy level is zero, and the thought of shuffling to the kitchen to microwave a can of chicken noodle soup seems like climbing Mt. Everest. I was in my mid-20s and living on my own, and was determined to "take care of myself" and muster through it. But, an evening came when I called my mom (who, at that point, only lived about 20 minutes down the road) and asked if I could come over.

As I arrived, I was escorted to the couch where a fuzzy blanket awaited me. A few minutes later, buttered toast with cinnamon sugar and a mug of warm, sweetened tea arrived at my side. Something so simple, yet something I couldn't have done for myself. As I held the warm cup and sipped from it, I realized that even if I made the exact same tea with the same ingredients and even the same mug, it wouldn't have been the same. It was made with love, and it soothed my very soul. 

When I woke up the next morning to the sounds and smells of a fried egg sandwich being made downstairs (another tried & true favorite), I realized how much better I felt. The flu had finally run it's course, and I believed in the magical qualities of that tea. There have been many times since that evening that I've enjoyed a comforting mug of my mother's tea, but I will never forget that something so simple can cause you to slow down, breathe deeply, and be in the moment -- something I'm always striving for. 

This afternoon, I found myself slightly overwhelmed with my to-do list. Instead of trying to distract myself by checking Facebook or Twitter, I decided to make myself a mug of tea. As I sat at my desk, watching the steam flutter toward the oh-so-flattering fluorescent lights, I realized that while it might not be quite as good as my mom's, it had the same effect. It soothed my soul.


{Image via We Heart It}