january favorites

new beginnings, my favorite tea, wool leggings, etc

Things that have brought me joy in a month that feels dreary, dark and never ending!!!!!

New Beginnings

I love the collective restarting energy of the new year. I am not into dramatic new years declarations that are immediately discarded, but I do love that cozy, quiet feeling when we’re collectively resting and recuperating. I have been working through my new years rituals and am now finally feeling ready for my intention setting healthy habits resetting that you can read about here. I am trying to re-establish my habits that help me feel more aligned and focused and in the present moment.

Soup

All I want is soup these days and nearly every day I have been making it. more on that in this post.

a selection of soups I have made recently

Wool Leggings

I wanted a pair of wool leggings after Emma Allen of Everyday Oil recommended them in her newsletter last year. Because I am a good little thoughtful consumer, I waited a full year before buying them. I treated myself to these Woolx Stella leggings [referral link] during their black Friday sale and have been wearing them basically everyday since. They are the perfect winter layering element and are of course very comfortable. They enable me to continue enjoying winter walks in 20 degree weather. I’ve been wearing them layered underneath dresses, pants, overalls, and just on their own. I looked into buying Heat Tech leggings from Uniqlo as a cheaper alternative, but I honestly prefer to invest in a nice natural fiber garment instead of a synethic fiber that I know will pill in 5 seconds of wear.

Sock Knitting

I am going through a sock knitting phase right now. Socks are the perfect small "and “mindless” project to be able to bring on the go. That being said, I do not recommend sock knitting on a plane because you will inevitably drop a needle and it will be gone forever. Ask me how I know this! My favorite pattern to use is the Jenny Gordy pattern from the book Made by Hand. It’s simple and classic!

Winter Walks

recently winter walk moments

As mentioned above, I am really enjoying a daily quiet winter walk. This entails bundling up in layers. My layering of choice looks like my wool leggings, plus a thermal long sleeve shirt, my vintage shearling knee length coat that I thrifted in Montreal that is so warm I can really only wear it in January, my wool balaclava, gloves and a wool scarf plus heat tech socks and shearling doc martens. THIS is a foolproof winter walk outfit!! I also think that being cold is good for you and spending time outside in winter is highly underrated. Let your faces become pink and enjoy the cozy warmth of your home upon your return.enjoy the sights of a snow dusted neighborhood.

Frank Ocean Blonde Album

It’s a classic for a reason. Listened to this on repeat on the drive to and from Ann Arbor last Sunday after teaching a class there. It’s the perfect album for when you’re feeling kind of sad and just want to vibe.

Rishi Turmeric Ginger Tea

I drink copious amounts of this everyday. It’s the perfect herbal tea! I am a huge fan of all of the Rishi herbal teas, but this one particularly is very good. I buy it in the 1 lb loose leaf bag and make it in my French press, but they also have it available in bags in a beautifully designed box. Worth the price!

Continuous Mist Spray Bottle

My partner’s sister introduced me to this item. You may be wondering to yourself, how revolutionary can a spray bottle be? Well, let me tell you. It’s the perfect mist for your hair or face or plants. It’s not like a regular spray bottle, it’s much gentler. I really enjoy using this to dampen my hair before combing it out in the morning.

Offline Time

I’ve been taking a break from the social media platforms that I struggle with the most - Instagram, Tiktok, Facebook and Reddit. I typically like to take a break from social media during the month of January after becoming maxed out on self promotion during October - December (as my work as a shop owner requires). This time feels quite different with the TikTok ban and the shameless boot licking of Mark Zuckerberg. It makes me really question my relationship with these platforms as a whole and has inspired me to rethink how I want to continue using them. I don’t have an answer yet, but it’s something I am continuing to think about. Whenever I feel like Instagram is THE ONLY WAY TO PROMOTE MY WORK I remember that once I’m out of the flow of using it and my attention span starts reformulating, new ideas and ways of doing things reveal themselves to me.

I am thankful for the podcast Off the Grid for continuing to shed light on how to create a business without relying on social media. I have also been inspired by Cody Cook Parrot’s email newsletter where they dive into their experience quitting Instagram, Substack and even their smartphone. It feels like drastic measures, but in the world we live in that’s obsessed with stealing our attention and data you really have to go out of your way to reclaim it.

I know that you know the only real thing we have is time and when we give it away to mindless bullshit it feels good until it doesn’t. I don’t have anything further to say on this topic that hasn’t already been said. I’ve always desired to gain a platform of a dedicated audience that allows me to be creative, make a batch of whatever I feel like making and sell it out in my shop in a short period of time. That has never been the case and I’m feeling like maybe it never will — and that is ok. I’m just not really willing to participate in the game that having a business like that requires anymore.

Earlier this month, I went to a cabin in Northern Michigan with some friends to celebrate my partner’s birthday. We had a wonderful time cooking for each other, playing cards and chess, hanging out in the sauna, rolling around in the snow and staying up late talking. This is the type of offline, off screen experience I crave and am trying to cultivate more of in my life.

What’s keeping you going this month??? Share in the comments and we can all continue to do our little tasks that keep us feeling ok in these dark times.