Open-hearted joys 開開心心 80

Happy Friday, my loves!

I took last week off from this series as, like so many, I was processing and grieving the US election result. While I’m based in England with almost no emotional or familial connection to America, it’s not lost on me that US politics affect the entire world and, of course, the threat to any women’s rights does not sit well with me. Last week was spent in a fog of sadness, and this week I’ve started to feel more able to get going with any community aid that I can provide.

A big thing that I’m prioritising at the moment is keeping my stress – and cortisol – levels down. Returning from a two-week break made me realise just how much I needed the rest, and I came home feeling so refreshed and well that I want to keep this going. For me, that’s manifested in early bedtimes, 8-10 hours’ sleep, reading after dinner, prioritising whole foods and vegetables, and letting the to-do list roll over if I feel there simply aren’t enough hours in the day. (And there never are enough.)

There’s a lot to be said for appreciating the smaller, not necessarily finer, details of the everyday mundane. Here’s to another list of petite, open-hearted joys, the moments that’ve brought and woven poetry to my days, this week:

一. The homemade smoky beans on toasted sourdough I’ve made for breakfast every day. I used this recipe for the beans, and picked up a sourdough loaf from my favourite local bakery (who’re moving next week – sob!).

二. All our holiday prep! I’m really looking forward to my boyfriend and I’s anniversary trip – my favourite tradition of ours.

三. A quiet Sunday afternoon spent book journalling at the big arch windowsill at home; mist hovering just-so over the grass, stickers and stamps at the ready, bookish thoughts and favourite quotes inked onto crisp dot grid paper.

四. How my sister saw how exhausted I was after work on Monday, and took it upon herself to help out with my day-end chores.

五. Big, imposing trees standing tall amidst constant uncertainty, a skirt of just-fallen crunchy red-orange leaves in its shadow.

六. Sunlight glimmering through trees (and the office blinds).

七. When you pop to make a tea at the exact same time the washing machine clicks ‘Done’. Nothing greater than everyday mundanities all working together!

八. Our 2025 trip plans are slowly coming together and I already can’t wait!

九. My sister and I are taking our handmade soy candle business to a Christmas market for the first time next week. We’ve spent the last few weeks making preparations, and it’s finally all coming together. If you’re local to Hertfordshire in England, pop to our Instagram to find out more about discovering & Chai IRL.

十. Early mornings and early bedtimes. Bliss.

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