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Hello folks! It’s nice to return to the Friday Digest after a couple of weeks away. I decided to spare your inbox from yet another email during the holiday sales and in doing so gave myself space to be present during a special time of transition here at Steep Hill (more on that below).
With 2024 and all the rhetoric of “New Year, New You!” approaching, I’ve found myself thinking a lot about the small habits that I want to keep rather than the ones I want to let go of. In the past I’ve always been more focused on what I wanted to change so this was an interesting shift and one I felt was worth sharing in case you want to make note of the positive habits you’re carrying into the new year too.
10 Small Habits I’m Keeping For 2024:
Morning Pages - Hands down, this was the most impactful habit I nurtured this year. The simple act of writing a few pages of thoughts each day has brought immense clarity and helped illuminate a path towards the creative endeavours I’ve been dreaming of.
Making Time For Movement I Enjoy - Key word being “enjoy”. I’m done with the concept that fitness = punishment or penance. I simply do pilates every other day and I go for walks whenever the weather permits.
Getting Up Early - I’ve seen more sunrises this year than in all 35 years prior combined. It’s such a luxury to ease into the day with the sun and I’ve realized that the benefits of getting up early are less about getting more done and more about building ease and spaciousness into the day.
Prepping Salad Dressing For The Week - This one might seem relatively minor but I’m just not a meal prep person so this was a catalyst to help me eat more of the foods that make me feel nourished.
Letting Go Of What Doesn’t Fit - This year I let go of a lot of things that don’t fit me in one way or another (clothes, social obligations, societal expectations, etc.) and I’m going to continue to release my grip on the past versions of myself that no longer feel right.
Prioritizing Time Outside & Offline - I spent more time outdoors and off my phone this year than ever before and it was immensely beneficial to my mental health.
Investing In My Creative Hobbies - Aside from entering my gardener era, this summer I managed to awaken a dormant love of water colour painting and it’s been calling louder and louder ever since. I bought some good paper, brushes and paints to encourage myself to continue this practice in 2024.
Wearing Less & Less Makeup - I used to not feel like myself without makeup on but this year I stopped wearing it about 90% of the time. Towards the end of the summer I saw my reflection with makeup on and felt the opposite way for the first time. It was liberating!
Bedtime Reading - Falling asleep used to be a struggle for me until I started reading a book each night. Sometimes I get through several chapters while other times a page or two is all it takes for my eyes to tire and my mind to slow down. It sure beats scrolling until my retinas burn and my brain buzzes into a dull doze.
Trusting My Intuition - My sentiment for 2023 was to “Trust my intuition unconditionally.” and while I haven’t done this flawlessly, I have grown my ability to know when it’s trying to tell me something. It’s often very quiet and rarely what I want to hear, but it hasn’t steered me wrong.
Now I’d love to hear about the habits you plan to carry with you into 2024!
A SENTIMENT THAT SPOKE TO ME:
What is a dream you have? How can you move closer to it in 2024?
FRESHLY PICKED LINKS:
1 / STILL LIFE WITH JESSICA COMINGORE DONAIS - I really enjoyed this easy-going interview between two creatives I’ve long admired. Elise and Jessica discuss the early days of blogging, how they parlayed their online presence into other creative endeavours, thoughts on life paths without conventional motherhood, and so many other topics that are on my mind these days too.
2 / TWO RECIPES I MADE RECENTLY:
An easy, delicious apple crisp that’s perfect for a potluck dinner or easy dessert if you’re hosting.
I had a bunch of carrots and was craving something crunchy so I made this salad (three days in a row and Dave is obsessed)
3 / THE UNINFLUENCED HOLIDAY by Megan Gilger. I recommended Megan’s newsletter in the last Friday Digest and had to share her latest essay on her experience as an influencer around the holidays. I can relate to so much of what Megan touches on and thought it was a great read for both creators and non-creators alike.
4/ TOUR A VERY COOL HOME BUILT AROUND A GARDEN
5 / A SONG I’VE HAD ON REPEAT:
UPDATES FROM ELSEWHERE
Last week I shared the third instalment of the Ask Bee Anything series and it was definitely my favourite one yet. I enjoyed sharing my thoughts on so many different topics and hope you’ll give that piece a read if you haven’t already. It’s a bit of a beast so grab a tea or glass of wine to sip while you peruse.
THE LATEST FROM STEEP HILL COTTAGE
It’s been an extra busy and exciting time for us behind the scenes because exactly three weeks ago we welcomed a new four-legged member to Steep Hill Cottage. Her name is Winnie (I call her Win-a-bagel) and she’s a tiny treasure of tenacity and delight.
After falling completely in love with our girl Genie, we knew it was only a matter of time until we’d find her a companion to take on the world with. We expected that she’d enjoy having a mini dachshund sister, but of course you never know how dogs will adapt to a big change, so I wanted to give them both time to get to know each other before making any announcements. To our delight they’ve already become great pals and Genie has been the most patient and accepting big sister. We can’t wait to see how their friendship grows and to witness all the adventures they’ll have together. Even Evie our cat has been receptive to Winnie’s overzealous admiration.
Puppy life is definitely intense but our little family feels that much more complete now and I can’t wait for our first holidays with three little ladies cozying up by the fire.
Can you tell who my camera roll is full of these days? I’ll have more sleeping cabin updates for you next week!
Thanks for tuning in folks!
See you next week.
Sincerely,
Lee the Bee
Like many other readers, really enjoyed your twist on new year's resolutions. Last year my resolutions were to see more live bands/shows and read/paint more. We saw many concerts this past year, including one of my most favorite local artists and I also discovered a new genre and band that I love listening to, once I saw them play live. I think I'll embrace your idea of keeping some new habits, I also started waking up earlier and have noticed there are many benefits.
Winnie is adorable, doxies are addictive! We have one who is 15 years old and blind but still very much a spicy little bean. I'm sure you're going to have lots of great adventures with those two <3
Winnie is adorable! I like the idea of reflecting on habits to keep. My 2023 habits are similar to yours (walks which are now easier to accomplish because I also got a pup, pilates, and reading). One that's unique that I can share is that I've been paying attention to what I save. While I'm quite minimalistic in the physical world, I save a lot of digital content - images, pins, articles, songs, recipes, etc. I cleared out my pinterest boards and decided I'll only save things I'm actually going to reference (recipes I've actually used, home decor ideas I'll actually use for inspiration) instead of saving every little thing that I like right away. I use a "holding" folder to come back to and see if I still like something after a few days. It's helped me feel more focused and unexpectedly, it's also helped me understand myself more deeply.