For the month of September I plan to document daily steps I have taken towards a chic, elegant and healthy life. My goal is to keep uppermost in my mind the kind of life I want to live. I will be focusing on the small things I do each day that lead me towards my goal, rather than away from it.
Here are today’s mini-chic accomplishments:
In the morning I like to get up early and have one or two cups of tea whilst catching up with blogs. I then go and have a shower and start my day. I began doing this quite some time ago when I felt guilty at reading blogs at night while my husband sat abandoned on the sofa.
I do a bit of blogging in the evening but so that I don’t lose track at either end of the day I set the oven timer for the amount of time I want to spend in front of the screen. When the beeper goes off it breaks my hypnosis and at the very least I have to get up and switch it off. There are benefits to living in a tiny home where the dining table is three steps from the oven.
So in a very long-winded way I am saying a timer is a valuable tool for living well and not spending hours doing nothing.
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This morning I worked from home. It wasn’t exactly warm and the rain was lashing my lavender plant outside, but it wasn’t quite cold enough to turn the heater on. Sitting there slightly cold, updating our shop website which is rather repetitive work, made me think of food. ‘What can I eat?’ my inner piglet was asking. It was 9.20am and I had a decent breakfast only two hours before.
So instead of going through the pantry I put another layer of clothing on, made a big mug of green tea and lit one of my candles – a coconut-scented Australian ‘Sniff’ soy candle to give a bit of warmth to the room. These things coupled with soft classical music playing in the background helped improve my happiness, and I got through the morning without consuming a single and unnecessary calorie.
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I also made sure I had plenty of water all day today, and remembered to breathe. I am terrible at not breathing!
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If you feel like you want to make September a chic month for you as well, please join me. You are welcome to share your mini-chic accomplishments for the day (or the previous day if you read in the morning) in the comments section. It would be lovely to have you along for the ride!
I woke up, and got up before my alarm today, so now I have extra time to get ready. I love that!
ReplyDeleteI really like that you are doing this series! Excellent job on creating comfort and beauty and warmth in your home rather than indulging in calories and snacks! (I am bad at that but working on it.:) I look froward to reading your insights each day! Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI think I need a timer...one more blog to look at, then I'm off ( like a tired old draught horse) to the gym.
ReplyDelete"Abundance" is my journaling word of the day. I'm celebrating the abundance of collections around me. I will be taking concrete steps today to organize and sort through one of those collections as well as enjoying the abundance of friendships I have with a (surprise) birthday coffee.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like a lovely day to me. A cozy sweater or shawl, a hot cup of tea and a great smelling candle while the rain comes down sounds so homey and comfortable.
ReplyDeleteI have only been reading your blog for a couple of months, but now I get up every morning and make breakfast and read my favourite blogs. It is a much more positive way to start the day than by watching the morning news as I used to do.
You already sound very chic to me, and I look forward to picking up tips from you this month to incorporate into my own life.
Yesterday, I decluttered my bedside table of books, creams, perfume samples, and papers, as well as the tablecloth that really only serves to attract dust and cat fur. It was a pleasure last night to light a candle and (re-)read "The Great Gatsby" for an hour without any chaos in my peripheral vision.
ReplyDeleteUsing a timer at the computer is a great idea.
I have started reading about simplyfing and decluttering the life several weeks ago and found your blog. It's really good because I want not only to declutter, but to declutter and stay a charming lady)
ReplyDeleteI used to buy new clothes every month because there's nothing to wear, they were not matching and I was getting rid of them and buying new nonmatching stuff.
Now after fixing my wardrobe, getting rid of the things that don't belong, remodelling the things that were almost there for me, matching them together and organising it I have made one more thing.. a resolution for myself: 'I will never ever ever feel bad/shy/uncomfortable about the way I look'. I remember it every day and it really works so well: every morning I open the door to my perfect wardrobe and choose another matching girly ensamble. With the feeling I'll never complain about the way I look again, I hear everyday that I look so good from my colleagues! But after all.. I deserve it!
Your chic tip for staving off hunger sounds great. Inhaling delicious scent while sipping tea sounds like a trick worthy of a French Chic Femme.
ReplyDeleteI am reclining in bed, sipping tea, am "under the weather" and under the duvet, embracing gratitude...
your blog is cheering me up!
Keep warm and have a great weekend.
What a good trick to stave off boredom eating! I find that the heat of tea - too hot to rush through or gobble down, warm filled feeling in the belly - will really get you through a craving. I'll remember your chic self next time I'm standing in front of the fridge wondering what I can eat.
ReplyDeleteToday is the last day of my vacation and I mean to make the most if it. I'm starting the day with yogurt and fresh fruit, followed by outdoor exercise and then a host of at-home body treatments, Mani/pedi, etc. Then I'm having lunch with a friend, doing a bit of shopping, allowing myself the indulgence of a coffee out at a proper cafe, and going to see a movie this evening. I'm wondering where into this plan I can sneak some champagne!
This is sooooo true for me when I'm studying...I tend to think about food constantly...versus when I'm running around I completely forget to eat...drinking lots of water helps a ton. And, remembering to breathe...thanks for the reminder! ;) I've been stress-eating because of exams...and it usually is my brain going "MUST HAVE FOOD NOW!" and it's like I go into panic mode...but it disappears if I actually remember to breathe.
ReplyDeleteYou are such an inspiration... my September started with a diet to burn out the extra kilos gained during holidays. And I've been keeping my promise, the second day went pretty well: a beautiful salad, some bread and a tasty soup! :)
ReplyDeleteI've found that timers have helped me as well..
ReplyDeletewell, sometimes i'll improvise and substitute my phone alarm instead but I'm hoping to get an internal timer regimen going.
I find that I'm more productive when I set certain times to do things. This morning I woke up at 9 30 and got dressed (even though there were no immediate plans to go out) and turned in some job applications for my unemployed newly graduated self.
and although I have treated myself to a week de-stressing sabbatical in Oregon,I'm finding that it's easier to get things done here than it was at home.
I think it's the breathing.. the Oregon air seems nicer than home, but perhaps I'm just projecting.
xo Lenna
What a great post! Thanks for taking the time to write this.
ReplyDeleteI love this month...leading hopefully to a lifetime of chic. I woke up this morning and went to boot camp. It doesn't sound chic, but taking care of our health and figures does. I arrived to find I was the only one that showed up before the long weekend, but I went through it anyway, and feel stronger leading into the weekend. I haven't felt incredibly chic these last few weeks with so much work to be done, but it's always good to be mindful and to have your blog as a reminder.
ReplyDeleteBreathing - I must remember to do that more. I find myself holding my breath a lot. What is that about?
ReplyDeleteI was so NOT chic today - lounged around, didn't do the yoga I'd planned, didn't go for a walk, ignored my closet that I was supposed to organize, ate popcorn and chocolate gelato for dinner (husband and child are gone for the night) and watched movies. There must be one chic thing I did today....hmmm. I scrubbed my face with a mixture of water and baking soda, as suggested to me by my esthetician, and finished off with a sweep of witch hazel. And that's the best I can come up with.
You inspire me, Fiona, to do better, try harder - tomorrow I will have a good one for you! xo :)
I often wonder what to do about that Inner Piglet. It speaks to me about 3-5pm when I've done my dash and am sitting on the loveseat reading. Being slightly chilly may have part to do with it, now you mention. Feeding the other senses might be a good approach - it worked for you. I do best when I keep my hands busy - gardening or crafting are good. If I'm hungry late at night after dinner, it's usually because I really need to go to bed, not stay up and watch that movie!
ReplyDeleteThe chic thing I did yesterday whilst preparing for dinner guests (tonight) (I'm in a different time zone to yours, GMT here) was to unclutter the open shelves on the buffet in the kitchen and to fill an empty shelf with three potted plants, two moved from other spaces and a third from cuttings that have grown roots. I'm not very good with plants, in fact I think coming into my house is almost a death sentence, but I'm trying to pay more attention and learn as I think plants really add a lot to a living space.
Timers are excellent for moving us on to the next thing, giving reprieve from an unwanted task which at least got started, reminding us to live real life off the computer.
Thank you for all your wonderful ideas! I have enjoyed reading them and they have given me great inspiration. When starting this series I did wonder if I would run out of things to write after a few days but thanks to you wonderful ladies I should be OK.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad I'm not the only one with the breathing issue. I thought something was wrong with me. I find I breathe more shallow and with more time between breaths that I have to make myself breathe deeply. It is instantly relaxing when I do.
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to breathe more normally as I read your comment, just be coincidence. I remember when I was little I would get panicky when I noticed my breath, that it was such an effort to keep breathing, so often, all day... and I've never had asthma or respiratory issues, I'm just an anxious little terrier.
ReplyDeleteBreathe. Relax. Yoga has helped tremendously, I have to say.