Jan 2021 Happy New Year & good ridden to 2020! The year that gave us all the life lessons we could handle. This year is not off to a running start as January is in a full-scale lockdown due to the pandemic.
I am choosing to look at this as a great opportunity to start off on a nice an easy slow start to the new year. Think of it like waking up on a Sunday morning but only for the next 28 Days.
I am choosing to ease into the new year and embrace this new concept of something called Hygge.
What is Hygge you ask? It comes from a 16th century Norwegian term that means a quality of life. In English we would pronounce Hygge – (hoo-ga). Although it cannot be translated easily into English, it suggests a sense of comfort by embracing a slower more intentional way of living.
Given that our government has requested that our city go into our second phase of lockdowns, closing my and many others business’s I wanted to do something that could help with the mental strain this pandemic is having on all of us.
Even before the lockdown, January is a time a lot of people will feel the winter blues, Seasonal Affective Disorder will spike and once we take down our beautiful holiday lights that made the festive season sparkly, we enter the long stretch of winter. I like to think of it as hibernation, waiting for the spring buds to appear. For me instead of feeling blah and down about the lockdown and the end of the winter season to come. I am thinking this is the perfect time to lean into Hygge, spend some time on myself and feel ok with the new ways of lock down knowing we are all safe at home.
Jan 2021 is a time to retreat, hibernate, keep your mind clear and create goals with positive intentions. It will be the month to let go of any frustrations that can lead you into an emotionally overwhelming state. For the next few weeks, I am going to be trying out some of the Hygge concepts I have read about and combine them with my own self-care wellness concepts. Let’s come out of this feeling better than ever with clear intentions & now that there is “down time”, it’s the perfect opportunity to learn & not feel guilty about taking time for yourself or your family with some of these Winter Wellness self-care rituals. Feel free to join in on my Hygge winter wellness rituals that will be listed below. Choose one or one a day to keep your mind occupied. I would love to know if you’ve created your own, lets learn and grow together! Do you already know about Hygge-ing? We would love to know more, show us your rituals by tagging us #thebeautybarn and we can test them out ourselves or repost your posts.
The Beauty Barn Hygge Winter Wellness Rituals
- Bundle up and take your meditation or yoga practice outdoors in the snow. Bring your matt, it will dry. If you get cold quickly bring a pillow for your bum. Remember Meditations don’t need to take a long time to be affective, use you own judgement for what you feel is good for you. Once you get into your breathe the coldness can seem to melt away.
- Get outdoors, go for a walk, look for the sparkles in the snow, listen to nature. Leave your phone on silent so you won’t get disturbed. Forest bathing can be so soothing for the soul right now. You can see sparkling frost crystals and ice on the trails, listen to the branches. the cool crunch of snow under foot. Need a good “on nature speak”? Try Ted Andrews.
- Pack up a picnic and take it to outside. A cozy warm soup or a simple charcuterie and some blankets out in the cold can be very romantic, even if it’s just you. Take this time to take yourself out on that date.
- Put on your comfies & relax, no need for judgement your totally allowed to do this now, its hibernation time. Wear your comfiest sweater, wear thick cozy socks, binge watch a series you’ve wanted to see or download a classic movie.
- Learn how to master the ultimate cup of joe or mocha or coco. Whatever your preference is don’t rush the creation process. Make it with the best ingredients you’ve got. Become your own fancy barista, break out the fancy cups and get out all the trimmings – fresh cinnamon sticks, real shaved chocolate, whip cream, Sprinkles whatever your heart desires.
- Relax with a good book or podcast. You can take this time to read something educational or just get lost in a fiction.
- Write a letter. When was the last time you sat down to right a letter just because? It’s always lovely to receive a letter in the mail, especially because these days our mailboxes are usually just for bills and junk mail. Let’s brighten the day of someone else by sending someone some snail mail love.
- Take a nap mid-day & go to bed early that night. It’s time to catch up on that much needed sleep you’ve been lacking. Set the mood for a snooze fest by having your bed linens freshly washed, fluffed & folded, my trick is dabbing a little essential oil on the two ends of the pillow to ease you into a relaxing state. (Lavender is my go-to for relaxing).
- Have a screen-free evening with yourself or your family, turn off the lights and light candles play board games, journal and enjoy being present in the moment.
- Learn how to create your own at home facial masks or perfume made from essential oils. Pinterest has lots of great fun recipes you can test out.
- For all the foodies out there. make breakfast in bed, try out that difficult recipe you’ve always wanted to do or find something new. If you don’t eat at the table, now is a great time to set the table like you would for a special occasion. maybe even get dressed up and make yourself feel great. Treat this as a special occasion because it’s all about celebrating you!
- Sort, clean and organize a closet in your home. January is a great time to purge, find extra room in your cupboards and drawers, get rid of those items that don’t fit and find a special place for your favourite items. If some of those fav things you have gathered over the years put a smile on your face then put those out on display, frame them, add them to your display shelf or table and let those memories keep you smiling “on the daily”.
- Remove the toxic products that are on your cleaning and bathroom shelves and know you’ll have a safer & healthier year ahead with just this one task.
- Take up a new hobby, do you think you might be crafty? Musically inclined or artistic? Why not take some time to find out? Who cares if you’re no good, you might surprise yourself or just have fun while you’re learning and creating. My family came from the east coast and they use to play some pretty interesting heritage instruments. Back in the day on the island they would carve their own spoons. Family and friends would gather together, bring out there favourite instruments, sing play and have a ball. I’ve always wanted to learn the spoons, I’m lucky to have a hand carved set my uncle made before he passed away and I just might try my hand at it. Wish me luck.
- Make plans for your spring garden, buy seed’s online for spring sowing.
- Take a trip to the beach when the ground is covered in snow and the sun is shining.
- Bundle up for a moonlight stroll, bonfire, or stargazing night.
- Write a gratitude list or a yearly goals list or both. Even if there is one goal a month for 12 months. It can help you stay on track for the year and when things are put onto paper there is more chances that you will stick to your goals and what your manifesting will come true.
