glow-luminance

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i love you visible brushstrokes. i love you glue warped scrapbook pages. i love you awkward poems. i love you junk journal with faded receipts. i love you poorly composed journal layout. I love you unintentionally blurry photographs. i love you asymmetrical beading. i love you curling freeform crochet. i love you fingerprints on pottery. i love you reused materials. i love you improvised instruments. i love you mistakes. i love you bravery to make it anyway. i love you creativity that hasn't been wiped clean of every drop of humanity and sanitized and commodified.

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autumn '23 bucket list inspo!! (for northern hemisphere)

in honor of autumn equinox let’s start creating a cozy season🍂🎃

visit a local pumpkin patch

hike or explore a trail outside (park, forest, meadow)

walk, hike, or climb and watch a sunset

treat a friend to try a sauna or steam room for relaxation

crochet or knit a cardigan/sweater (you’ll finish in time for the cooler weather!)

watch a movie and listen to the accompanying soundtrack

thrift an autumnal print and paint on ghosts and pumpkins (you can do this to the glass if you don’t want to damage the print)

learn something new and take physical notes (whether you’re in school/uni or not)

decorate taper candles with tea light wax with friends

bored of horror? watch an afro-surrealist film (Sorry to Bother You, Get Out)

try a new guided workout (gym class, youtube tutorial)

squeeze fresh juice and mix mimosas with friends (if of age)

repot a plant that’s too big for its home (and give away cuttings)

send a letter

curate a photo book online and enjoy the printed photos

make spiced hot tea/coffee (maple cinnamon cloud coffee, lemon honey tea, apple cider [recipe])

practice a new recipe to bring to thanksgiving/upcoming gatherings (rec: PlantYou, Vegan100,)

pick a director and watch all their filmography (rec: Jordan Peele, Chloe Zhao)

try a 6 or 8 week self improvement challenge so you start 2024 in a good place

pick+cook seasonal vegetables (pumpkin, squash, etc)

clear out your daily purse/tote/backpack, wash it, only put back the necessities

go forest bathing (existing in nature with only your thoughts and the ambient sounds)

make chai spice pancakes (use chai masala to flavor them basically, these are so good!!)

host an afternoon tea (plus savory snacks, desserts or both!)

find your perfect moisturizer

try a fringe/bangs hairstyle now that the weather is cooler

burn an incense cone or heat a wax melt for a more intense scent

enjoy an instrumental playlist

visit a local or regional library to see what’s new

be (micro)creative (paint a tiny matchbox, write a 2 line poem, anything low stress)

source: Ashley Kruse and Elisa Amadori via unsplash

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document your life

so, you’re at a point in life where traditional journaling is not suiting you but still want the benefits of documenting your life. choose a new way to record your moods, thoughts, dreams…

crochet a ‘mental health blanket’ (1 row each day, color represents your emotional state)

voice notes!

‘state of the union’: write 3 new things that occured each day (literally a few words or one line max) and 3 things that ended/left your life

make a personal bereal and save all the photos

draw a simple image of an activity you did on each square of a calendar

graphs! make a water/mood/workout graph ahead of time, just color it in each day

dream life: each day write one habit, quality, item your dream self has

monthly collage of all the photos you’ve taken

gratitude: one thing each day

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little self love ideas!

candelit shower/bath

refrigerate a facemask before use (extra refreshing!)

social media following curated for happiness

freshly washed pillowcases

cut/prep fruits/veggies to make easier to eat

head massage and hair oil (leave in overnight, wash off in morning)

mint+ice+water after workout

call/text someone you love

5 min yoga (choose a body part to focus on)

water bottle filled for tomorrow

wave incense around every corner of your room/home

heatless t-shirt curls/socks curls (give hair a break)

rich lip balm before bed

journal your anxieties, work on what you can, throw out the rest

powerful art purchased from a living artist

source(s): Leigh Ellexson (artist, her shop reopens soon)

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yoga tips!

anything I thought may help a beginner 💗

✨benefits of regular practice of yoga:

improved strength, endurance, flexibility

lower anxiety+increases in serotonin levels

decrease risk of heart attack and stroke

weight loss (both directly and bc reducing other stressors makes it easier to lose weight)

reduce chronic pain and improve funtional mobility (when combined with meditation)

improved sleep (alternative treatment for insomnia)

source: literature review of many studies

✨for your first class:

don’t buy ANYTHING. i get it, there are a million cute leggings, tops, mats, blocks, bolsters, gym bags, water bottles…but you don’t need any of it to practice yoga. at least wait until you’ve attended a month so you know you enjoy it

wear: any comfy clothes you can stretch and move easily in or your favorite workout clothes (leggings, sweats, joggers, t shirt, tank top, sports bra it all works), socks 🧦

(if you’re doing hot yoga, you may prefer looser clothes)

try to go in person if possible. youtube is great once you understand the poses but those first few times your posture improves so much with instruction!

bring: a water bottle and hand towel (put this on the mat as a barrier if instructed to put your face on the mat)

come five min early to lay out a borrowed mat, straps, blocks (or bolsters, blankets if doing restorative), water bottle, towel

remove your shoes 👟

participate to the best of your ability, its not a competition

try the meditation, even if it seems awkward at first

✨now that you practice regularly

try out a new style if you want a greater challenge (or gentler approach)

keep an eye out for pop-up events (often ‘yoga in the park/square/beach’ when there’s good weather) to mix it up

if you’re ready to buy some gear the good trade wrote about a range of environmentally sustainable ♻️, ethically produced activewear (x), mats and other tools (don’t buy through their links if you don’t want them to get commission, just google it yourself)

good luck on your yoga journey!

source: Tatiana Danelli and KoolShooters via pexels

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summer ‘23 bucket list ideas!! (for northern hemisphere)

it’s not summer solstice yet so it’s definitely not too late to start creating a dreamy season

visit a local farmer’s market

swim outside (pool, lake, ocean)

walk, hike, or climb and watch a sunrise

treat a friend to massages or facials together

crochet or knit a small accessory (hair scarf, bucket hat)

read a book and watch the movie adaptation

travel to somewhere you’ve never been (near or far)

explore a new part of your city or town

make beaded jewelry or friendship bracelets to swap

watch a documentary

try a new water sport (paddle board, snorkeling, surfing)

make cocktails with friends (if of age)

propogate a plant from an existing one

send a postcard

take photos differently (polaroid, film, digital camera)

make infused iced coffee/tea (lavender london fog, jasmine green, rose etc)

cook a meal from recipes you’ve never tried (rec: Vegetable Kingdom, BOSH cookbook)

try a new genre (film, books, music)

check in on your 2023 goals and make adjustments

pick seasonal fruit (strawberries, peaches etc)

rearrange your room/apartment/desk to better suit you

take a social media break (however you define it)

make english muffins (bread that doesn’t require the oven bc its too hot for this)

host a potluck (snacks, desserts or full meal)

find your perfect sunscreen

try a new hairstyle or cut

enjoy a new scent (candle, incense, oil for diffuser)

curate a playlist

visit a musuem or national park for a tour

document your life at this point (photo a day apps, journalling, vlog, voice notes)

photo credit: Ernest Porzi and Laura Chouette via unsplash

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welcome to my series, self compassion and love, where I list low cost, low consumption ideas to look after myself (and you, if you choose to join)

our first subtopic is digital consumption and emotional wellbeing

at this point we all know an overuse or misuse of media consumption can have poor negative emotional outcomes for every one of us (have you ever seen an ipad baby without an ipad?)

but we also know we enjoy consuming digital media whether for entertainment or education so while most people could abstain from social media completely (only use internet for work/studying/household tasks) many of use would choose not to miss out on its benefits

here are a few options to consume media on your terms in ways that make you happy:

first,audit: think through an average school/work/life week and when you consume media and what media (tv, youtube, social media)

next, plan: you can choose to cut the volume, type or both depending on which is causing you problems

to reduce the volume: you have too much time (which is actually a good thing!)

no need to delete or unfollow anything, just decide when+how much is acceptable

then for all the other parts of your day, find alternatives

ex. morning commute=reading a library book, kids sport practice=crochet time, waiting for facemask=calling a friend, folding laundry=open window and people/bird watch, gym=music

then when it comes to evening time on the sofa, enjoy those tiktoks!

to reduce the type:

obvi if one app is ruining your life don’t hesitate to delete

barring that try an unfollowing spree

remove the app from portable device (phone, tablet) so you go for other entertainment when out an about, limiting your use of it

give yourself alternative entertainment options on your phone: download libby for books (or google books or kindle app etc), try a spotify podcast, find a meditation you like, write the steps in your notes so you can set a timer and meditate