Tag: intentional living

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Peace Over Performance : What I’m Carrying With Me Into 2026

Peace Over Performance : What I’m Carrying With Me Into 2026

As the year comes to a close, I always find myself thinking about resolutions, even though I rarely stick to them in the traditional sense. Waiting for January 1st to suddenly become a new version of myself feels a little like a cop-out. Growth doesn’t happen on a calendar date.

As I get older, I’ve realized that evolution happens gradually. Quietly. Through awareness, healing, and honest reflection.

This past year, I’ve done a lot of introspection – and yes, that is a word – and in many ways, I feel like I already started my “resolution phase” months ago. What I want now isn’t a dramatic overhaul. I want to enter 2026 carrying the calm, grounded energy I’ve been cultivating.

The version of me who slows down.

Who pauses to notice the small things.

Who takes care of herself – not as an afterthought, but as a priority.

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Listening to My Body Changed Everything

Earlier this year, I dealt with back issues that were both frustrating and eye-opening. The truth is, they aren’t going away – and pushing through them only makes things worse. The only option is to slow down, pace myself, and respect my limits.

And once I accepted that with my body, something clicked.

If I can listen to my body with compassion, I can do the same in other areas of my life – my schedule, my expectations, my energy.

That realization became the foundation for everything else.

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Choosing Mindful Hobbies Over Constant Hustle

As part of taking care of my body, I decided it was time to take better care of my mind too. I wanted a hobby, not something productive, not something monetized, but something I genuinely looked forward to.

Over the past few months, I’ve taken:

•A bonsai class through Bonsai Bar

•A pottery throwing class at Wish Upon a Jar

I also had my eye on a mosaic art class, but after seeing the cost, I realized I could start at home. I found a beginner-friendly mosaic kit on Amazon and decided to explore it at my own pace – no pressure, no expectations.

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What Bonsai Taught Me About Life

Bonsai, in particular, has been incredibly grounding.

You trim the tree – then you wait.

You make intentional cuts – then you let it recover.

Nothing is rushed. Nothing is wasted.

Every action has purpose.

It’s almost the opposite of the culture we live in – the constant “hurry up and wait,” the pressure to do more, be more, move faster.

Working with bonsai puts me into a flow state – that rare feeling where time fades away and your mind fully settles into the present moment.

I hadn’t felt that in a long time.

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Finding Flow Again

Years ago, I used to feel that same sense of focus and presence when I practiced Muay Thai. That “in the zone” feeling where your mind clears and your body takes over.

I never thought I’d find that again, especially not through something quiet and gentle.

But pottery, bonsai, and creative work have given it back to me.

They require patience.

They demand attention.

They reward stillness.

And they remind me that mindfulness doesn’t have to be intense to be powerful.

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The Energy I’m Bringing Into 2026

As I move into the new year, this is the energy I’m choosing:

•Pausing when I need to

•Slowing down without guilt

•Creating space to decompress

•Practicing self-care without justification

•Sitting with my thoughts instead of outrunning them

Peace over performance.

Presence over pressure.

Alignment over achievement.

That’s what I’m carrying with me into 2026.

And maybe that’s not a resolution, maybe it’s a return.

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Final Reflection

If you’re feeling called to slow down too, start small.

One pause.

One boundary.

One creative outlet.

You don’t need to overhaul your life, just make enough space to hear yourself again.

What are you hoping to carry into the new year?

I’d love to know.

 

Peace Performance T-Shirt – Retro Collegiate Graphic Tee

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De-Cember, De-Clutter, De-tach : Why I Declutter Every Season (Not Just in Spring)

declutter

De-Cember, De-Clutter, De-tach: Why I Declutter Every Season (Not Just in Spring)

There’s something about the end of the year, or honestly, any change of season, that makes me want to hit reset. And not in a chaotic, tear-your-house-apart kind of way… but in a slow, intentional way. This is why I declutter.

The kind of reset where you quietly look around your space and ask yourself:

Does this still add value to my life?

Does this still feel like me?

Or is it something I’m carrying out of habit, obligation, or guilt?

I came across a post recently that said:

“De-Cember, De-clutter, De-tach & De-lete anything that De-values your life. Don’t bring it into 2026.”

And honestly? That hit me.

Because spring cleaning doesn’t have a season, at least not for me.

I declutter when the weather shifts, when my energy shifts, when my life shifts.

New season, new light through the windows, new version of myself emerging and suddenly, clearing things out just feels right.

The interesting part? Every time I declutter, I feel physically lighter.

My brain gets quieter.

My space feels calmer.

I can think more clearly, almost like clutter creates mental noise that you don’t realize is there until it’s gone.

It’s not just about throwing things away.

It’s about making room for what actually matters.

Space to breathe.

Space to think.

Space to grow.

Swedish Death Cleaning Completely Changed the Way I Declutter

A while ago, I watched a documentary on Swedish Death Cleaning and it genuinely shifted something in me.

The concept isn’t as dark as it sounds. It’s actually grounded, gentle, and incredibly freeing.

Swedish death cleaning is about:

  • Letting go of things you no longer need

  • Organizing your life while you’re still able to

  • Making it easier on your loved ones later

  • Living with intention, not accumulation

It’s not about minimalism.

It’s about clarity.

Once I understood that, I started looking at my things differently.

Why am I keeping this?

Do I like it?

Do I use it?

Or am I saving it “just in case” for a version of me that doesn’t exist?

And the more I practiced letting go, the easier it became.

5 Things I Always Declutter When the Seasons Change

Here are a few areas I always revisit when I feel that seasonal reset energy coming on:

1. Products & Beauty Shelves

Expired skincare, old makeup, samples I kept “just to try.”

Gone.

It feels so good to start fresh.

2. Clothing That Doesn’t Feel Like Me Anymore

I’m convinced we shed identities the way trees shed leaves.

If it doesn’t fit my life, or my energy, I release it.

3. Digital Clutter

Screenshots, old emails, random notes I’ll never look at again.

A digital reset is as cleansing as a physical one.

4. Home Decor That Feels Heavy

I’m leaning more into lightness and simplicity these days.

If something feels visually loud, it goes.

5. “Just-In-Case” Items

This one was huge for me.

Most “just in case” items create more anxiety than they prevent.

A Season of Letting Go

This time of year, I’m letting go of more than just clutter:

  • Old patterns

  • Old obligations

  • Old versions of myself

  • Anything that feels heavy, draining, or expired

Because when you release what de-values your life, you make room for what can elevate it.

And honestly?

That’s the energy I’m taking into 2026.

If you’re feeling the urge to declutter too…

Start with one drawer.

One corner.

One shelf.

One bag of things you don’t need anymore.

You don’t have to overhaul your life, just clear enough space to breathe again.

Decluttering isn’t about perfection.

It’s about alignment.

And alignment always feels like home.

Do you declutter?

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The Soft Reset : Choosing Comfort Over Hustle This Fall

The Soft Reset : Choosing Comfort Over Hustle This Fall

There’s something about fall that always feels like a quiet invitation to start over. Maybe it’s the shift in the air, or the way everything seems to slow down just a little … the air feels crisp, mornings feel softer, light filters differently through the windows, and suddenly, the idea of doing less starts to feel like enough.

In the past, I used to treat fall like a fresh-start season. I’d make long lists of goals, reset routines, reorganize everything in sight, and convince myself that “new season, new me” was the only way forward. But lately, I’ve been craving something gentler.

This year, my fall reset looks less like a to-do list and more like a mindset shift.

I’m choosing comfort over hustle and peace over performance. I’ve stopped organizing my life around everyone else’s chaos.

That means staying in bed that extra five minutes, taking longer afternoon walks, treating myself to a nice meal, fewer tabs open, slower mornings with a mug that actually gets finished while it’s still warm, and setting my phone to Do Not Disturb when needed.

It means saying no to the constant push to optimize every part of my life and (trying) not feeling guilty for actually saying no (and that’s another challenge in itself). Saying yes to things I want to do, not simply doing things because I’m expected to or because someone asks. Taking some control back is the reset I’ve been looking for.

It’s funny how much we’re taught to associate “reset” with productivity. But sometimes, the best kind of reset is stepping away from the pressure to constantly improve. Maybe it’s organizing one drawer instead of the whole house. Maybe it’s curling up with a blanket and not feeling guilty for binge-watching your favorite show. Maybe it’s just giving yourself permission to not be in a rush.

So this season, I’m not chasing a better version of myself. I’m slowing down long enough to actually meet her, to find out her needs and wants. It’s time to show up for myself, take care of myself, and gently “reset” my brain.

If fall has always felt like a season of change for you too, maybe this year it can be the season of staying grounded instead. Light the candle. Put on your sweatpants. Listen to your favorite music. Dance like nobody’s watching. Take a deep breath and notice the small, good things.

That’s the kind of reset that lasts.