Trying something new
Last week on Instagram I shared that this year was about trying new tctually, really well. I’ve been enjoying leaning into what feels right and crossing off things on my “must try” list. I even have a friend to try new things with and we chat about them and get real nerdy in our DMs. So it’s been a really fun time.
Why I made this promise to myself
This year was the first year after becoming a mom that I felt more like myself. I had more energy and a little bit more “me time”. I thought with the little time I had I should enrich my life in the ways that I was capable. At the time I was unsure how I would show up but I didn’t want to create too much pressure and cause anxiety. I intentionally didn’t start the new year at the beginning of the year but keep March in mind for an ideal start. This allowed me to think about what I wanted to put my time towards.
I thought there were a few ways that would not only practically enrich my life but also bring me joy. Simply making a meal for myself and my family was something that I started to get back into that filled my cup. I love cooking and though I’m not able to do so all the time when I do I get into it. Just being able to cook a few times a week did so much for me mentally. I could feel that my creativity was igniting again.
Teaching myself new things was something that I found was excited about doing, anything I couldn’t stop thinking about I tried. With very little research, I wanted to see what I would come up with on my own. When I started to make flowers again with wafer paper I just kinda winged it. I just let myself take the lead.
Getting back two what feels good. I love sharing, not only my bakes with people but my knowledge. This spring I launched my first online self-paced course. I also started writing more for my newsletter. I love writing a lot which was a surprise, so with that, I try not to create too much pressure around it. I purposely don’t keep a schedule for writing currently. Ideally, I’d like to be able to write more but like I said I’m taking it easy and writing when I can and when I feel in the mood.
The effects
I want to be clear that I’m not just saying yes to everything. I’m trying out new things, and getting back to some old things. What I’m doing is thinking of how something makes me feel. If I have a new idea, I think about it and if I feels right I try it. In the same light if I feel icky about it I don’t give it my energy. It’s a lesson from Christine Platt’s “The Afrominimalist’s Guide To Living With Less” but with what to put your energy into and what to let go. It has been freeing, I am less grumpy, and lighter. I feel more at ease about it all. Even if something doesn’t go as planned I still feel like it was worth the time and energy.
Worthy things to remember
Doing things fill that your cup is worthy of your time. Something to note is that can look different as you move along this journey. If that means taking a walk, getting your nails done, 5 minutes of meditation, creating something, cooking a meal, splurging on a cup of coffee, a morning ritual, or gardening it’s all worthy and it’s all beautiful. My goal here is not to be productive but to create without pressure and to fall deeper in love with how I express myself.