Live Simply: A Week of Care & Mindfulness

There are so many simple moments and activities that I tend to overlook because of how stressed I often feel. Whether dinner or coffee with friends, enjoying hobbies, or setting aside time for self-care, it can be easy to push these things to the side of my brain as stress creeps in. This week I wanted to be mindful of the simple moments, so I documented everything that I did this week for my well-being, whether it was physical, emotional, or mental. Doing this also gave me an idea for a series of posts called “Live Simply” where I set aside time for the small moments and try living simpler.

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Weekend

What a wonderful three-day weekend spent with friends and family! My Saturday afternoon was spent with my boyfriend and one of my best friends. While it was absolutely freezing and Devan and I were not dressed warm enough, we had somewhat philosophical conversations over lunch, adventured into shops, and met the owner of one of my favorite tea shops. I even found and bought a tea called “Lady Hannah”— how perfect is that? Even though my Sunday was pretty lowkey, I spent my Monday off with my sister, going for coffee and watching the Harry Potter Reunion.

Tuesday

The first day back to classes this week was quite stressful. Between academics and extracurriculars, Tuesday felt so busy and demanding. I didn’t have much time to unwind and do something for myself, but I did spend about 15-20 minutes on Tuesday night playing the ukulele. This is a hobby that I picked up during the 2020 quarantine, but much like this blog, it’s something that I’ve kind of forgotten about. But on Tuesday I learned and played some John Mayer songs— a perfect way to do something for me and not my classes or other commitments.

Wednesday

Wednesday began in a hectic manner: I had signed up for a spin class at 7AM, slept through my alarm, and ended up waking up at 6:45. After rushing to get ready, I went to spin class and even though it was a tiny bit stressful (why did I have to walk in late and get stuck with the partially broken bike?) I'm so glad I went! As I mentioned in my blog post concerning mindfulness, I want to be more mindful concerning every aspect of my wellbeing. My normal, go-to workout is usually dancing or yoga, so it was nice to do a workout that pushed me out of my comfort zone.

Thursday

I know I just said that I liked being able to do a spin class since I usually just dance, but Thursday’s self-care was in fact dancing! I get to choreograph some pieces for an event in the spring, and even though that did stress me out at first, having time in the studio made me feel so much better. Maybe I’ll make a future post about dancing, but it is one of my greatest joys. I normally have to choreograph my dances in my bedroom or living room (now you all know what I do when I’m home alone), so it felt amazing to have the space to freely move. Even though the week ended with homework and meetings, being able to dance felt refreshing and filling for my physical, mental, and emotional health.

Friday

I decided that yesterday was going to be a day for some stereotypical self-care: a DIY facial and a haircut. Yesterday was really full of stress surrounding classes and meetings, so it was nice to wake up, take a long shower, and use my Glossier face mask. Going to the salon and getting my hair done made me feel special and ready for the weekend and upcoming week!

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I’m not writing this post in an attempt to glamorize my life, but rather because it can be easy to be so stressed that I end up thinking “I never get to do anything for myself.” Listing these things reminds me how great I feel when I put care and mindfulness in the spotlight and stress in the background. I’m not trying to ignore my stress, but rather not let it control and consume me and my thoughts. I want to grow in mindfulness so that I can appreciate the little moments of self-care I give myself that end up having a huge impact.