What is it about a long weekend that turns me into a completely unmotivated and unproductive person? I’m such a creature of routine; when that routine is interrupted I’m lost. I will say that it was nice to have a lot of relaxation and down time. However, I had lofty goals of getting our house decorated for Christmas and our cards mailed over the weekend. Neither one happened. I did get a lot of Christmas shopping done, but that was from the comfort of my couch.
This week brings us to our last week of November’s Live Your Best (Holiday) Life challenge. It has been such a fun experience and I’ve really enjoyed seeing the creative ways people have been participating throughout the month. Alexandra and I have enjoyed the challenge so much that we’re going to bring it back next month. Stay tuned for the December prompts on Wednesday.
{What is #LYBHolidayL?}
Alexandra, of Simply Alexandra, and I created a challenge for the month of November to help us focus on self-care, contentment, and gratitude this holiday season. Each day we have a prompt to inspire creativity, organization, and a sense of peace during this often crazy month.
Every Monday we’ll each share the week’s prompts on our blogs, with ideas for ways to incorporate them into your life. We’d love for you to join in! You can find the full list of prompts on Instagram, and also at the bottom of this post. Be sure to tag your posts with #LYBHolidayL so we can see them.
{Highlights – Week 4}
– I indulged in a Salted Caramel Mocha from Starbucks for an afternoon pick-me-up.
– I gave myself a wine-colored manicure (and drank a glass of wine to go with it).
– I combined my pumpkin-colored cardigan with blush accessories–it was a combination that I wasn’t sure about at first, but it grew on me!
– I didn’t fully unplug on Thanksgiving day, but I mostly stayed off social media and made a conscious effort to be present more.
– I looked at old photos, especially ones from last year when Violet was just a tiny baby. I may have shed a tear or two…
– After a busy day of a family Thanksgiving and a birthday party, Aaron and I took some time to just hang out and talk after the kids went to bed. We didn’t drink hot cocoa, but we did have some chocolate chip toffee bars that I made for Thanksgiving day.
– I sent some pictures of the kids to my mom, who is far away this time of year. I’m going to try to send her some pics or make a date to FaceTime once a week so she can see them regularly even though she’s no longer in the same state.
{LYBHolidayL – Week 5}
November 27 – Hand write a note of gratitude to someone. I can think of several people in my life who deserve my gratitude. Jona’s teachers and Violet’s daycare provider come to mind first right now. I think I’ll write them notes now before the hustle and bustle of next month, and tuck the thank you note in with their Christmas gift.
November 28 – Discuss holiday traditions with family. I love having Christmas traditions that Jona and Violet can look forward to every year. The last few years we’ve started the tradition of giving the kids pajamas and a book on Christmas Eve. Another one of my favorite holiday things to do is bake and decorate cookies. I like the idea of choosing a few that are the most important and making those a priority, and then not feeling like we have to do anything else.
November 29 – De-stress with a 15 minute coloring break. I love coloring but it’s not something I take the time to do very often. That adult coloring book I bought last year is calling my name though.
November 30 – Try a new coffee, tea, or coffee creamer. Sometimes changing something small can feel like a big indulgence. I don’t usually drink flavored coffee, but I may pick up one of the seasonal ones I’ve seen around, something with vanilla or caramel. Yum!
Be sure to tag your photos with #LYBHolidayL if you join in, and come back Wednesday to see what’s in store for December. Have a great day!
