I spent a lovely weekend refining this season’s advent calendar. Unlike one purchased from a grocery store, chalk-full of chocolates, treats, or tiny trinkets, mine is of the free and freeing variety. I have loved the challenge of creating a frugal holiday season for years now and once before published an advent calendar idea in this space. Instead of items, my calendar is self-made and filled with activities. More specifically… it’s a collection of errands focused on slowing down. I call it an ode to ending the year just right. In an effort to avoid the bustle that sweeps away our last few months from us (poof! there it goes again!), I created a list of things I want to ensure I do before the year’s end. Consider it a dedication to standing by how we as a family want to live our lives.
This year’s advent calendar looks a bit like this:
Jacuzzi dip on a cold winter evening.
Bake rice crispy treatsfor nostalgia’s sake.
Head to the Hilltop Hangout to celebrate with neighbors and food trucks.
Do a pre-work bagel run with Mikey.
Check out the Holiday Market in Lights. See what the local artists are selling, listen to the carolers and consume wild amounts of hot cocoa and donuts.
Make peppermint syrup.
Watch an old Christmas movie and pop some corn.
Play a boardgame by the tree.
Pick oranges from the groves and make orange ornaments out of them.
Attend a friend’s holiday party.
View the local holiday lights while sipping on hot chocolate.
Order to-go dinner on a busy weeknight and eat by candlelight.
Make holiday themed pancakes.
Decorate a gingerbread house.
Do a family hike or some other outdoor activity.
Christmas gathering with my side of the family.
Bake cinnamon rolls.
Make cookies for the neighbors.
Deliver said cookies.
Puzzle party in pajamas.
Get a spa treatment with a friend.
Turn up the records.
Schedule a breakfast pastry and coffee gathering at our house.
Call my sister and parents who will be in Spain for Christmas.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure to learn more.
It’s almost November and you might call me Filipino when I say that it’s almost Christmas time, but that I very well am. My family sends their wishlists as early as October and put up the tree in time for our Thanksgiving meal. It’s also the appropriate time to start thinking about mailing your holiday post.
Now Mike and I have never been one for sending holiday Christmas cards. But I remembered jostling my sister aside as a kid when we collected mail from the box. I begged to be the one to open the brightly colored cards that showed up on our door. In the entryway, my mom hung a card holder that collected photographs of friends and family I barely knew. I skimmed past mementos written in old-school cursive. I preferred running my fingers through the thick cardstock embossed with foil. Faces stared back at me as I tried to decipher their connection to my parents. I also enjoyed seeing the outfits and the poses.
Mike and I have never sent Christmas cards of the ordered variety. Mostly because of the cost to mail and my perfectionist need for a professional photograph, which we don’t have. But my recent feeling of loss for tradition has me re-thinking cards this year. Our friends are of the digital age. For our first Christmas together I sent emails with wedding photos talking about our first year of marriage. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have the same effect as a basket of cardstock.
On our sixth year of marriage, I am thrilled at the chance to send couples christmas cards with Basic Invite. Because not everyone you love lives nearby. My sister in Madrid will undoubtedly appreciate the cheeky smiles. And my brother in Arizona may hang it up on the fridge with a magnet. Or at least his girlfriend will. An aunt who never fails to include us will also likely collect it on a basket that sits on her mantle.
Card creation with Basic Invite was easy. I’ve since let go of my perfectionist ideals when it comes to photographs. I chose a few of our adventures in Spain and Iceland, as well as a wedding pic from Temecula earlier this year. Attired in shorts, rain jackets, and sunnies, I’ve grown to like that our smiles match our frazzled hair. Far from prim and proper, we are genuine in our happiness and that’s all that matters these days.
On Basic Invite, cute options abound with their customizable templates. I like photo cards the best so that was the section I perused. Once you’ve chosen one to your liking, it’s as easy as modifying the text and uploading a photograph. Card and envelope colors are customizable. With over 180 card colors and 40 envelope colors, Basic Invite stands apart from other companies in that they truly do give variability.
Whether your looking for holiday cards to ring in your first married year, or a place to make dachshund christmas cards (please send your pet sitter one!), you’ll find it here. And if you’re reading this with your eyes rolling to the back of your head because it’s just too darn early, no worries. Basic Invite allows you to send your cards directly from their site to the recipient. Typing in a personal message is optional but doable, and it’ll save the lag time of them shipping it to you for a personal autograph. Procrastinators rejoice, you can wait until early December to revisit this post.
For early birds such as myself, there is enough time to order custom samples. Meaning, you can create a card and order a sample so you can feel the paper quality in your hands and make sure you are satisfied with the print, prior to ordering final product. An option would be to send a custom sample to your home, and then send the real deal from the site directly to your loved ones after approval. Recipient address printing is included for all cards, at no cost. And in order to make your holiday a wee bit simpler, an address capturing service allows you to link to your social media account and gather addresses from your friends and family that way. The site will store it for you, making your next holiday to-do a click away.
Right now Basic Invite is offering 15% off with coupon code: 15FF51. With Basic Invite, it’s not too early and won’t be too late.
Simple living has transformed my life. I initially was attracted to it because of the financial benefits of owning less and doing less. We are on a financial journey, after all! But after reading about it, I became obsessed with the thought of simplicity. Looking back, I have always been a simple person. I love that this lifestyle reduces stress, anxiety, clutter, spending, and the busy-ness that has pervaded my life. In its wake, simple living left me with peace, joy, clarity, and validation of who I am at my core. I can’t believe I haven’t created a round-up yet of my favorite books on simple living, but here they are.
Top books on Simple Living
Simple Matters by Erin Boyle
Goodbye Things by Fumio Sasaki
The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo
Chasing Slow by Erin Loechner
Do Less by Kate Northrup
Slow: Simple Living for a Frantic World by Brooke McAlary
The Year of Less by Cait Flanders
Essentialism by Greg McKeown
Kinfolk Home
Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport
I have read all of these books, although they are not in any particular order. Some of these authors were really good, and I’ve got my eyes set on a few new releases, as well as books I haven’t yet had the time to read. These include:
Hello Habits by Fumio Sasaki
Destination Simple by Brooke McAlary
Simple Living by Julia Watkins
Simplicity at Home by Yumiko Sekine
I hope you’ve found these lists useful. Simple living is one of the tactics we have used to tackle our $575k student loan debt. It has been instrumental in getting us this far. Paying down debt isn’t exactly the most sustainable task, but with simple living, we have been able to do it with success!
We started our green journey back in 2018. If I am being completely honest, our efforts are as much about reducing waste as it is about saving money. I have talked before about nixing paper towel use altogether, as well as using bidets to clean bums without paper. But 100% abstinence from waste is simply exhausting. Despite my environmental efforts, I have learned that grace is a big part of sustainable living. So although zero one-time-use paper products are ideal, perfection isnt the goal. Risking talking about paper ad nauseum, I want to revisit with a new option for a forest-free flush: Cloud Paper.
What is Cloud Paper?
Cloud Paper provides soft, strong, and sustainable paper that can withstand the toughest of jobs. Their paper is made from bamboo, the fastest growing plant in the world. It grows up to 3 feet per day! In addition, it is efficient at sequestering massive amounts of carbon during its growth. Bamboo reaches harvest maturity in just three years, unlike trees which could take decades. And unlike trees, bamboo does not need to be replanted once harvested, as it continues to grow just like grass does!
Why is Cloud Paper Better?
Traditional toilet paper companies source their paper from old-growth forests. These trees are essential to existing eco-systems. Deforestation of these areas affect more than just the trees themselves. Not to mention, big trees are crucial for storing enormous amounts of carbon. Switching to bamboo keeps these forests intact!
Cloud paper arrives at your door in fully compostable and recyclable packaging. Each toilet roll is individually wrapped in paper, protecting it from the environment during storage. The box does not have excess plastic packaging or bubble wrap!
And Cloud Paper makes it easy with their subscription system. You never have to run to the store for ’emergencies’ ever again. Managing a subscription is as easy as going online and signing into your account. Once you place your first order, they will send an ‘account activation’ to your email. After that, it will automatically ship to your house at whatever interval you choose. If you worry about receiving an unwanted batch, rest assured. Cloud Paper will send confirmation emails three days prior to shipment.
Cloud Paper’s Impact
As a young paper company, Cloud Paper has already saved 17,208 trees and planted 6,912 trees. They work with One Tree Planted to fund reforestry projects in the Pacific Northwest. They also have partnered with CarbonFund to 2x offset all carbon emissions from transportation through reforestation programs. The Natural Resources Defense Council releases an annual report that ranks toilet paper brands by sustainability. This year, Cloud Paper got the highest score possible for bamboo-based paper. Lastly, they have partnered with Food Lifeline to distribute over 120,000 donated rolls to food banks and shelters throughout their community.
If your community is in need, you can always reach out to them at hello@cloudpaper.com.
I have always loved simplicity and a humble aesthetic. Even when it comes to fashion and beauty, I lean towards function and comfort. It has to look good too, but we can all find beauty in the mundane, everyday things. I have a penchant for the unappreciated as you may well know. So it’s only natural that my interest was piqued when I came across the brand Bare Hands, founded by Suzanne Shade who hopes to create an alternative to routine manis and pedis. Finally, I found a person glorifying the beauty of our nails’ most natural state.
We are not taught to love natural nails.
When I was young and going to dental school, there was a cardinal rule that applied only to women: Nails must not be painted with chemical color lest someone has an allergic reaction to any ingredient. I remember the rule feeling constrictive as a twenty-something year old female. Friends my age were just making their first paychecks, and taking care of themselves through manicures and pedicures. Attending social gatherings where girls were dolled up, sipping cocktails with their glossy nails made me feel what Anna Delvey would only describe as ‘poor‘.
I was embarrassed by my naked nails. They looked grungy after working with putty, plaster, and stone all week. My nails were dull, ragged, and downright ugly. I caught myself occasionally hiding them in my pockets or under the table. When Friday came around, I reserved an hour in the evening to paint them, only to remove the color by Sunday night. There was no way I could afford a mani/pedi, which runs at around $50 with tip. Beauty, it turns out, can also be expensive.
But the definition of beauty is changing.
Historically the idea of beauty has been elevated to unnatural levels. For some women, that also makes it unattainable. Just like makeup hides our natural facial features, polish hides our natural nails. We are always told to hide. Or reach for better. We are never enough.
The problem with covering ourselves in paint and powder is that we create a facade that’s a difficult standard to maintain. It complicates things. It keeps us from doing real work. More importantly, it keeps us from being ourselves.
I am grateful to see a shift in that thinking.
Simplicity is beautiful.
There is beauty in simplicity. We see that today, as more people turn towards minimalism, slow living, and intentional lifestyle choices. It started with the popularization of a natural looking brow. Then followed the revered diastema, a gap between the front two teeth. Makeup became more neutral as fashion styles veered towards chromophobia. Today, the rich aesthetic encompasses those along the greige spectrum of browns and greens. Think of stone-colored Porsches and neutral Yeezies. And we see this aesthetic translating to the nail industry.
Enter the era of natural nails.
Bare Hands is a brand revamping what the nail industry would consider beautiful. Gone are the days of bright colored polish, long fake nails, and glittery coats. If it isn’t neutral, it just isn’t posh. At least, that is the current consensus. But what of unpolished nails altogether? Suzanne has created a natural, healthy, and sustainable method for nail care.
As a dentist, baker, and dog-walker, having painted nails is problematic most of the time. And while I love getting fancy with my collection of curated J. Hannah polishes, I go without polish for more than half of the month for the sake of simplicity. Painted nails chip on oft used hands. Moreover, no one wants synthetic oils in their mouths or their dough. For many us who work in kitchens, studios, farms, and medical offices, painted nails are just not a sustainable option.
Additionally, maintenance is a pain. The amount of time it takes to put on and take off polish is significant if you add on dry-time. If you paint your nails weekly, this could be one and a half hours per week spent on upkeep. And it is expensive. Some women have reported spending $200 a month or more on nail care alone!
Suzanne created an alternative.
Suzanne is a woman after my own heart. She has always loved the look of natural nails. And as a frugalist, she could not fathom spending a fortune to keep up with the Joneses’ social standards. Her penchant for bare nails stems from her studies in art school. After learning that certain oil-based paints are not healthy for fine art use, she started to question why it was accepted for nail color.
So began her quest to get to the root cause of why women feel the need to paint their nails. Part of it is social, yes. Seeing others at that heightened level of beauty is a factor. However, she also discovered that most women simply did not like the appearance of their nails. And none of them had methods to care for it in a natural way.
Take me for example. Every week, I am baking sourdough, working on a farm, doing dentistry, and picking up dog poop. My hands take a beating. My nails are shot. It’s easier to cover up all that wear and tear. Polish is my pretend way of making my nails pretty. But after discovering the Dry Gloss Manicure from Bare Hands, I no longer have to hide.
The Dry Gloss Manicure by Bare Hands
The Dry Gloss Manicure kit is very simple and easy to use. A tutorial on their website taught me how to use it within minutes. The routine includes caring for your cuticles, buffing your nails to reveal a natural shine, and moisturizing with a citrine oil. You can soften the cuticles using sugar and coconut oil, ingredients already in your kitchen pantry. The kit provides a unique buffing tool and a citrine oil pen packaged in a beautiful leather case, shipped without plastic in a cardboard box.
I have actually made a habit of using the dry gloss manicure each night while I am watching TV or listening to a podcast. It has made a huge difference. I admire my nails often nowadays. I open my palm and try to catch a glint of natural light. On top of that, I am obsessed with the citrine oil, that I just might buy a bottle of it by itself from the site. It smells amazing and really moisturizes the dry skin around my nails!
Join the Movement
I think it’s time we embrace natural nails. Doing so will not only save us time and money, it will also save us from the related stresses. Namely, we no longer have to keep up with the Joneses, limit our movements and tasks, and hold ourselves to an impossible standard. We can embrace ourselves, do more of what we love, and feel confident in our skin.
Deep, deep gratitude to Suzanne for allowing me to try the Dry Gloss Manicure kit. As always, the thoughts and opinions are my own. If you wish to try the manicure yourself, feel free to use my code DEBTIST15 to receive 15% off all products. This is a one-time use code per person, and any links provided in this post are tied to my audience, although I earn no money from them. There is also a newly released Natural Pedicure Set which has a verbena balm for your heels. I can only imagine it being as lovely as the citrine oil. These two are great small gestures for the hard-working girlfriends in your life, but if you wish, there is a Mani Pedi Pairing that makes a grand gift. It also saves you $6 by buying the combo.
Going from being a regular consumer to a zero-waste lifestyle can seem daunting at times. In reality, adopting a zero-waste lifestyle is simple and easy. After experiencing it myself, I realize now that it helps to have a place to start. Looking back on it, I wish I had a guideline back then that told me exactly how to go zero-waste. Especially when it came to the kitchen! That’s why I want to share with you guys my zero-waste produce storage tips today.
In order to avoid waste in the kitchen, we make most of our items from scratch. Meaning, we need to buy a lot of produce in order to have sauces, dips, and snacks readily available. However, I have learned through trial-and-error that produce needs to be stored in certain ways in order to stay fresh. Reusable storage bags like those made by W&P are the perfect solution to storing produce, especially veggies.
I, myself, own W&P’s porter bag starter pack in Cream, and I love it. It comes in other fun colors so that you can coordinate food items in the kitchen if you wish. The bags are heavy, durable, and sturdy. The starter pack comes in different sizes and shapes, making it ideal for different types of foods. And the zip-lock feature works really well. It seals out air as needed, and is easy to open and close.
I also love that these bags are dish-washer safe. I think that ease of use is the number one barrier to entry to a zero-waste lifestyle. It’s so easy to flip these bags inside out and wash them in my dish-washer.
I use these bags to corral my veggies together. It keeps my fridge organized and clean. The front of the bag is see-through, allowing me to know the contents of the bag at first glance.
Today, I will share with you a few zero-waste produce storage tips featuring the W&P starter pack.
Zero-Waste Produce Storage Tips
Lettuce
I remove the leaves from the stem of the lettuce head and rinse each one thoroughly in cold water. Instead of using a knife to do this, tear each leaf off the head. This will avoid a reaction with the knife that could turn leaves brown. After a good rinse, I dry each leaf with a kitchen towel. You can also use a salad spinner if you have one. Then I place them in a W&P bag, sometimes with a dish towel in it to absorb more moisture, and half-seal the bag closed. For lettuce, never seal the bag all the way. This will keep for 5 days.
Spinach and Arugula
Similar to lettuce, I rinse each leaf thoroughly, spread on towels or spin until very dry, then pack loosely in a plastic bag with a layer of towels to absorb moisture. Arugula will stay fresh in the refrigerator for about a week.
Kale
Wrap the dry kale bunch in a paper towel and store in a half-sealed bag in the coldest part of the refrigerator. If kept dry, kale will stay fresh for up to 6 days.
Chard
Wrap unwashed chard in a paper towel and store in a half-sealed bag in the refrigerator crisper for up to 7 days.
Radicchio
Wrap the whole, unwashed head of radicchio in a dampened paper towel and store in a half-sealed bag in a refrigerator crisper for up to 4 days. Wilted leaves can sometimes be revived by soaking in cold water.
Radishesand Turnips
Snip off leaves about ¼ inch from the top of the radish, clean off any soil with a vegetable brush. Wrap in a cloth or paper towel, and store in an unsealed bag or container in the refrigerator crisper for up to 2 weeks.
Alliums
Garlic, shallots and red onions will keep in the kitchen for two to three months in a basket or open bowl in a cool location; sweet (yellow) onions will keep for one to two months. Make sure they receive good air circulation to prevent rot. Store spring alliums, green onions, and leeks in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator for 10 to 14 days. Don’t store any alliums in the same container as potatoes.
Parsley, Cilantro and Herbs
Snip off ends of the stems, place in a jar with 1 to 2 inches of water, and store in the fridge for up to 3 weeks. I like to throw a W&P bag over the leaves, as it helps keep them fresh.
Celery
Wrap a whole, uncut celery in aluminum foil in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator for up to four weeks. Don’t wash or cut until ready to use. To store cut celery stalks, place in a container and submerge with water with a lid for up to two weeks. Replenish the water every couple of days. To store cutting celery, place in a jar with clean water and store in a cool place for up to a week. Celeriac will last several weeks in the fridge, and can also be chopped up and frozen to preserve.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure to learn more.
This post was sponsored by W&P, who kindly gifted us their porter bag starter pack so that we may continue to live a sustainable lifestyle.As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
I can always tell when there are clouds in the sky even before the sun rises over the mountains behind my home. On those days, the sky appears bubblegum pink during pre-dawn hours. When the sky is clear, it remains jet black until it isn’t. An early sign for birds like me of another crisp California day in store.
It has been a week now since I’ve adopted the habit of waking up when my cat mews for food. That’s 6:15am to be exact. I don’t do it out of joy, let me tell you. Just this past Sunday, I was quite sore about it. I wanted to sleep in, cuddled next to my husband in the warmth of the sheets because it was the weekend. I remembered the slow mornings of 2020 and 2021, where we had nothing to do and my habits were “Sleep 10 hours each night” or “Wake up when you feel like it”. Sitting at the dining table, I was feeling quite sorry for a moment there, wondering why it is that I kept making myself do this.
But at the end of a writing session, I felt 100% better. I always do. It is the same feeling you get when you work out, and you hate yourself for it as you’re getting ready. But afterwards, you get that good-sore, the one that reminds you of the progress that was achieved, and it really does boost you. That is why I am forcing myself to get out of bed. It makes me 1% better.
If I could make any club in the world, it would be called: 1% Better Every Day Club. I am a firm believer in tiny changes having a great impact. I am also a firm believer in making the most out of every day. Now more than ever, I am reminded that each day is a gift. For the past four years, I have been living under the mantra of making myself 1% better every day.
What does 1% Better Look Like?
It doesn’t always have to be about progress or achievement. In 2018 I decluttered a lot of my stuff. In 2020, I quit a lot of my work. Last year, 1% better involved doing nothing, sleeping in, and relaxing as much as I can. I decided for 2022 that 1% better meant making the most out of life. Every body has their own goals, needs, and wants. I would recommend starting with jotting down what 1% better would look like. Feel free to use these list of questions to get your brainstorm going!
How to Be 1% Better Every Day?
After figuring out what 1% better would look like, I would begin by writing down things you can do to become the person you want to be. Let’s say you want to be in better physical shape. A few examples of 1% better include working out a certain number of days a week, getting in nature to absorb more vitamin D, taking supplements that your diet is missing out on, practicing better posture at work, eating less sugar and more fruits and vegetables, avoiding alcohol, and staying hydrated by drinking a lot of water.
Once you have a list of action items, I would start incorporating them into your daily schedule. Make them habits. Repetition is key. Hold yourself accountable by keeping a habit tracker. I use my Unbound Planner to track all my habits. You can just as easily track your habits on an Excel sheet. It doesn’t have to be expensive!
Lastly, set yourself up for success with rewards and motivations. For example, I had to get an outfit that made me feel and look good in order to establish my work out routine. And every morning when I get up to feed the cat, flipping that lever on the Balmuda kettle is the first thing I do. A mindful cup of pour over coffee is my motivation to stay awake! There should be no guilt attached to rewards and motivations. It is completely okay to make them part of the process, as long as you truly deserve it!
10 Things I Do Daily That Make Me 1% Better
There are many things I do daily to make myself 1% better. Here are my top ten!
+ Wake up early to write. Motivation: A mindful cup of pour-over coffee in a favorite mug (mine is made by RexDesign).I use the Balmuda kettle and a Hario V60. I have found over the years that writing goes on the back-burner whenever life got busy. Yet writing is really important to me. It is my outlet for both stress and creativity. It keeps me nourished the same way a good diet does. Therefore, I needed to make the space for it. Unfortunately, writing requires uninterrupted flow, which is difficult to do when my husband is awake.
Since the pandemic, he has been working remotely, which has positive and negative sides to it. One of the downsides is that I don’t have a designated space like I used to. Gone are the days of having the house to myself a few days a week. So I decided to carve that time in when he is still fast asleep. If I give to myself first thing in the morning, I am more open to sharing my time with him when he wakes up for breakfast.
+ Gratitude Journal. Each morning, I gratitude journal. I write 3 things I am thankful for. By instilling a sense of gratitude, I am reinforced to give to others as well. Plus, it’s a healthy reminder that life is never as bad as it seems. Gratitude journaling helps me think positively, and by doing so, allows me to have a positive impact.
+ Get exercise. Motivation: A favorite outfit, being outdoors, and a membership to classes. Before my thirties, I never got any exercise. My parents did not emphasize the importance of working out to their two daughters. Looking back on it, I think my personality would have been really good at sports. I started exercising in my thirties when I began experiencing back pain. Caused by a mix of my dental career, bad posture, and poor ab strength, I realized that I needed to start. I don’t want to be in pain for the rest of my life.
+ Plan ahead. Motivation: A planner that works for me. Planning ahead helps me organize my thoughts and prioritize my actions. Dedicating time to do this really helps me schedule important tasks as well as moments of rest. The latter is arguably the priority.
+ Stay hydrated.Motivation: An Ikea carafe that’s easy to have around, while fun to pour from. Occasionally, slices of fruit livens the cup. I have a daily habit of drinking a cup of water the minute I rise. That’s right! Even before coffee. I also have water with me at all times. I am constantly refilling my Kinto bottle at work, so much so that my co-workers call me a camel.
+ Read books and Listen to Podcasts. Motivation: Relaxation time and idea generation. I try to dedicate 30 minutes each day to take in information. That could involve reading or listening to podcasts. I have always loved reading (fiction in my youth, non-fiction as of late), and learning new things. I do this because I never want to stop learning something new.
+ Reflect on how I can improve tomorrow. Motivation: The hope of progress. In the evenings, I reflect on how I can improve tomorrow. Reflection is key! It is easy to go off course if one never stops to look back. I ask myself when I was at my best and when I felt unrest. Based on those answers, I find ways to make tomorrow better.
+ Get enough sleep.Motivation: I can wake up early the next morning to write. I am a monster without sleep. I can’t function. And I am a real grouch. Aside from that, I also understand that good sleep helps our bodies in so many ways. Everyone has a different definition of ‘enough sleep’. My ideal number of hours is nine, which means in order to wake up with the cat, I have to sleep shortly after dinner. Sometimes, I’ll take a cat nap if I need to catch up on hours.
+ Dedicate my life to experiments. Motivation: Sharing with others what I discover. I love to experiment and try new things. I change up my environment, my style of writing, my hobbies… heck, even my routines! Not only are new experiences exciting for me, they also help me to grow. They teach me who I am and who I want to become. Experimentation fills my life with joy.
+ Declutter. Motivation: More space – for thought, for action, for laying out on our Nordic rug. My husband once told me that he thinks I have an unhealthy relationship with decluttering. I disagree. Constant evaluation is necessary work. I get rid of things so that better ones can take their place. If I did not do that, I would have never experienced all that I have. It is arguable my number one tool for becoming 1% better every day.
I hope this post serves as inspiration for you to be the person you want to be tomorrow. Curious as to what you do to become 1% better?
This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure to learn more.
Every year, I spend a day on self-reflection (or rather, a few days) before planning for the year ahead. Asking self-reflection questions is an important step because it tells me where I’m at, which ultimately guides where I want to go. When self-reflecting, I use my Unbound Planner to start this practice, but my brainstorming bubbles over to its own thing after only a few minutes.
The main questions I ask myself starts with the word “Why”. Why do I think this goal is important? Why do I place value on this idea? Or why do I feel this way about certain things? And so on. Of course, there are a multitude of questions to ask oneself. But after every answer, I always go back to ‘Why’.
I decided to round up a few self-reflection questions worth pondering over this morning. Even if you’ve already opened your planner and started preparing for the New Year, these are still good to think about. Sometimes, after asking myself these questions, I find that I planned for things that aren’t aligned with my true goals. This is because we may do things because other people expect us to do them or because we think other people would want us to do them. But in reality, we ourselves don’t want to.
A good example of this is last year’s goal of running 6 miles under one hour. I never got around to accomplishing it. I realize that I wanted to do it because it would be ‘an achievement’. But achievements are only important to the people around us. Achievements are status symbols. Achievements do nothing for our well-being, except add a psyche boost when other people recognize them.
I do not actually love running, and when I do go for a run, I like doing it because I am out in nature and nature relaxes me. The parts I like most about running are the wind in my hair, the sun warming my skin, the sound of birds, and the smell of grass; not the time it took for me or the number of miles.
Realizing that my motivation for running was all wrong, I now know that my goal should be changed. Instead of ‘Run 6 miles in under an hour’, my new goal is to ‘Get outdoors more often by running, hiking, or taking a walk a few times a week.’ That goal is more aligned with who I am as a person, which means I am more likely to do it!
2022 could be the year of balance. It could be the year you embrace your genuine self. But it needs to start with understanding who you are. I hope you enjoy going through these questions. I recommend writing down the answers like I did! My newly acquired Surface Pro Pen has been a godsend for brainstorming! I scribble down all my ideas, erase them, cross them out, circle them, etc. I absolutely love the Surface Pen and aim to use it to help me with my goal of going digital and reducing paper clutter. Without further ado, here are the questions!
Self-Reflection Questions To Guide the New Year
If someone close to you was to give a speech about you, what would they say? What don’t they say that you wish they would?
What are your core values? Do you feel they are well integrated in your daily life? What changes can you make to better build a life around your values?
What are you most proud of in the year before? It could be a favorite memory or a big accomplishment.
What do you love to do? What brings you peace? Joy? How can you make more time for these things?
What drains your energy? What makes you feel anxious or worried? How can you address these things?
What are your talents and strengths? How can you share these with others?
What do you struggle with? Why?
What challenges or distractions hold you back? How can you move past them?
What does being successful mean to you?
How do you want to grow this year?
What motivates you to take action?
What are you feeling called toward or inspired by?
Name one positive habit you want to establish this year.
Name one skill you want to master this year.
What is one fear you want to overcome in the new year? Why do you fear this thing?
What is one dream you want to act on in the new year? Why do you have this dream?
What are your most important relationships? How can you nurture them better?
What does your typical week look like? What is your ideal week?
How do you experience energy levels during the day? How can you structure your day so that your body best supports you? I suggest reading this blog post from Canyon Coffee.
Are there daily routines (morning and evening) that help establish a sense of peace, productivity, and well-being?
What are you most grateful for?
Name one change you can make that will have the biggest impact?
What is one question I want to answer this year?
When am I at my best?
This is just the tip of the iceberg. Don’t forget to ask yourself ‘Why’ when answering these self-reflection questions. You may realize something about yourself that you never knew before. These little discoveries can better align your life to your truth. And once you’ve gotten a bit of insight, go ahead and start planning! I made a list of favorite planners in this post here. I hope you have a wonderful year!
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