Sundaze 281: November normalcy, holiday reflections and year-end plans

Happy Sundaze, my loves!

What a week it’s been. I was up most of Tuesday night and Wednesday morning fraught with anxiety and worry about the US presidential election. To my US readers, I’m right with all of you who feel angry, scared, shocked and dehumanised – my inbox is a safe space if you need an ear. I spent all of Wednesday trying (and failing) to avoid doomscrolling as those final vote projections rolled in, my day job work but a distant hum as more world-altering news came in. Every day, there’s a new disaster to comprehend but no allocated time to do so. C’mon, employers, give us a hand here.

Beside that, I’ve been trying to fill my cup with nice things like doing my household chores in good time, heading to a Reformer Pilates class, reading good books, long chats on the sofa with my sister, starting a book journal, and mood-boarding for our new house. Life is full of strange dichotomies: every moment since 2020 has taught me that.

On returning from a long trip

10 years ago, upon returning from a long trip to Hong Kong, I applied for a job on a whim and ended up moving countries just a month later. So, you could say I didn’t typically deal well with the post-vacation blues! Of course, now, I feel far more settled with my life and self, and usually handle the holiday sads pretty well. I’m a homebody after all.

This time, I can feel a perceptible shift. Perhaps it’s that I was on the brink of burnout before the holiday, or perhaps I’m just older and wiser. I’ve returned feeling like I know how I want to step forwards: a little more relaxed, a little less reserved. I realised I’m easily the best version of myself when I’m surrounded by my loved ones, and that perhaps I’d lost a little of that in these years that we’ve been apart. I wrote a piece all about it over on Substack.

November normalcy

The past two weeks have mostly been about settling in to the hum and rhythm of my everyday routines again. I began to realise that while I do love my cosy little evenings filled with cooking, quietude, books, dog cuddles and self-care, it’s also good to get out of your comfort zone. I’m not sure what that looks like for me right now, but perhaps it begins with making weekday plans with friends, or volunteering my time somewhere.

Year-end plans

Although there are only a handful of weeks left until the year is up, it seems I still have plenty to squeeze in! My boyfriend and I are celebrating our three-year anniversary in Iceland soon, I’m popping to Paris to spend a day with my best friend, my girls and I are staging a Sex and The City-style wardrobe cull, and then there’s the festive season too. Work is going to be hectic and I’m looking forward to the challenge, even if it does mean a touch less time for personal writing…

New (notebook) beginnings

On that note, it’s a multiple new notebook week here! I bang on about new starts all the time, and this feels like a good reminder that any day can be a new beginning if you will it to be. For me, that’s beginning a fresh bullet journal for December 2024, and starting a book journal. Undecided on whether I’ll be sharing either of them, you know the deal with my bujo ways anyway.

Links I’ve Loved

  • Love this story of hope on Jenna’s Substack.
  • As somebody going through women’s health issues and that does definitely want children, this piece resonated with me.
  • Overconsumption is dead.
  • Can’t stop wearing this knitted top with everything lately: burgundy satin skirts, barrel leg jeans, tailored trousers. And, it’s made with cruelty-free recycled nylon.
  • Discovered DELLI this week and now all my friends and family can expect foodie gifts for Christmas.
  • I joined Fable on Monday evening and it’s such a fun bookish app! Perhaps I’ll quit my nasty Goodreads habit for good next year…

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