personal style, musings and inspiration
I appreciate aspects of each weather season, but wintertime is not when I feel like I’m at my personal peak. Spring is my absolute favorite season closely followed by Spring. But since I don’t have any plans on the horizon to move to a temperate climate and I can’t literally hibernate until the end of March, I have to deal. Maybe you’re the same way? If you need some inspiration to get through the remainder of this winter season, read on.
As a natural introvert, I become a bit of a hermit in the Wintertime. It’s just so darn cold outside these days! This must be why the Danish concept Hygge (pronounced Hoo-gah) which loosely translated means…coziness and comfortable feeling of contentment and or well-being. Here are some products to help you on practice Hygge in your home. But first, although I love each and every one of these products, if I had to pick a favorite it would probably have to be the salt lamp. I have always wanted a salt lamp and one of my friends recently got one that was shaped like a moon. Salt lamps really are the perfect lights for creating a soft diffused glow. Plus, there are so many cool designs these days you can easily find one to suit your style. Let me know which products you like best!
Amazon – Phantoscope Decorative New Luxury Series Merino Style White Fur Throw Pillow Case Cushion Cover | Moorea Seal – Sun Stripes Mug | Moorea Seal – PF and Co Amber + Moss Reed Diffuser | Saje Wellness Liquid Sunshine Essential Oil Diffuser | Amazon – Upgraded 2017 Water Kettle Stainless Steel Extra Large Electric Hot Water Boiler | Bullet Journal: Marble + Gold Designer Bullet Journal Dot Grid Notebook | Saje Wellness – AROMAOM® WHITE Diffuser | Amazon – PULNDA Salt Lamp Himalayan Rock Lamp | Amazon – 3 Tall Ivory Flameless Candles with Melted Edge
| Target – Textured Faux Fur Square Throw Pillow – Project 62™ | Bed Bath & Beyond – Le Creuset® Signature 5.5 qt. Round Dutch Oven in White | Wayfair – Reims Cotton Throw | Ulta – Pacifica Wake Up Beautiful Mask | Honest Company – Aromatic Soy Candles
Reflecting and acting in honor of Dr. King’s legacy seems more relevant and vital than ever. As I think back on the legacy of Dr. King, I also commend the activists of our time who have come to the forefront to advocate for social justice issues. The work of social justice activists and many others across all industries is sadly just as necessary and important as it was in Dr. King’s time.
I like to spend at least some time each year on MLK Day reflecting on writings by about Dr. King and this year is no different. Thank you Dr. King.
Address by MLK to the Hungry Club
Many of us in our thirties and younger don’t remember a time when MLK Day wasn’t celebrated, but that wasn’t always the case. Here are four facts about How MLK Day Became a National Holiday (source):
1// The idea of Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) Day as a holiday was promoted by labor unions in contract negotiations. The campaign for a federal holiday in King’s honor began soon after his assassination in 1968. At first, some states resisted observing the holiday as such, giving it alternative names or combining it with other holidays.
2// President Ronald Reagan originally opposed the holiday, citing cost concerns. He signed the holiday into law in 1983, and it was first observed three years later.
3// MLK Day was officially observed in all 50 states for the first time in 2000.
4// Only two other figures have national holidays in the U.S. honoring them: George Washington and Christopher Columbus.
Related: Inspirational Words from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Wellness is defined as: The quality or state of being in good health especially as an actively sought goal. Wellness doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. Wellness also doesn’t have to be about eliminating something from your diet, life, etc. (but it can be about that if you want it to be). Wellness in the mainstream media/wellness industries can seem like it’s allowable only for a select few and if you don’t fit within certain parameters like being wealthy, young, fit, and white, then wellness simply isn’t for you…Though many wellness practices that have become popularized in America in recent years originated in communities of color, people of color are often excluded from the mainstream media’s narrow view of wellness, health, and fitness. The narrow parameters of wellness are slowly shifting in the mainstream media (and that’s fodder for a whole separate post!), but there’s still a way to go on that front.
I was actually speaking to a friend of mine about this just yesterday. She has battled addiction, substance abuse, and mental health issues for the past few years, but has slowly but surely started to show signs of recovery. Although no one recovers from mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, and addiction overnight, there is no denying that the different treatments available for people living with mental health conditions have come a long way. For instance, most rehabilitation facilities now provide aftercare programs to ensure that individuals undergoing therapy are now getting outpatient addiction treatment after completing a residential rehab program. Ultimately, it is important to remember that you should never feel ashamed about speaking out if you need help with managing your mental health.
Moreover, people need to take care of themselves more. No matter what, they need to know that they matter and that they have every right to be kind and good to themselves as they work hard to keep going every day. Nowadays, there are wellness companies like Avaana who help people with their mental health goals, fitness goals, and general health goals so they can become the versions of themselves that they want to be. We all should aspire to do that in this coming year. This year, I want to blog more about practicing wellness habits, and if you want to do the same, let’s take part in a monthly wellness to-do! You might even decide to try some lab-tested CBD oil products to see what differences you experience to your health.
This month’s wellness to-do: Schedule Doctor’s appointments you’ve been putting off
The appointments I’ve been meaning to schedule are a dentist appointment and an eye exam, so it’s time to get them done! I know all I’d have to do is google something like this Dentist Land O’ Lakes to book my appointment, so I shouldn’t be putting it off as much as I am. Prioritizing your health is an important wellness practice that can be forgotten about with busy jobs, care-taking duties, and social commitments. So let’s start off the year right by taking care of ourselves and keeping wellness in the forefront in 2018!
I’m generally a pretty voracious reader, but found that in 2017 I read far fewer books than I have since I was a college student when I didn’t have time to read for fun. I suspect my evening Instagram scrolling habit has replaced my reading as a favorite way to unwind…whoops. I’ll work on fixing that in 2018. But despite reading less in 2017, there were still six books I really enjoyed and could frankly see myself re-reading at some point.