Hi Neighbor!

Wow, last week was an absolute whirlwind. I have never been this invested in an election in my entire adult life. Aside from the candidates and policies, I was also hugely interested in (re)learning the ins and outs of our democratic and electoral process. An education we all received at some point along the line, but (at least for me) mostly sits in the back recesses of my mind. I even took a course on political culture and bias as part of a professional training. I just couldn’t get enough!

That said, the intensity of the election put me in overdrive and a time-out was needed. I work for a company that places considerable emphasis on mental health and wellness and the month of November was dedicated to the latter. One of the best resources shared was a “Self Care Calendar”: 21 days to ensure you are taking care of you. To be honest, I knew I’d struggle to be mindful of this calendar daily, but following the rollercoaster of last week, I committed to trying seven. Though some of these prompts may seem simple, that is actually the best part. It doesn’t always take much to right-size your mind, body and sense of community. I put my favorite last on the list below. Perhaps these will bring some joy and balance to your week ahead too.

• Dedicate a day to doing the things you’ve been putting off. Scratch off a lurker on your to-do list.
• Marie Kondo your digital life: take time to unsubscribe & clean out your inbox. Do all your photos spark joy? Delete duplicates, use folders. Clean up unused apps. Unfollow social media accounts.
• Take a rain check. Decline something or someone at some point this week. It’s important to learn healthy boundaries.
• Read for pleasure. Take 30 minutes to read. Set aside time for yourself to escape the daily stresses and completely focus on the words you’re reading.
• Pamper or treat yourself.
• Spread random acts of kindness. Compliment a friend. Send a note to a loved one. Donate something.
• Celebrate the child within you. Pick one of your favorite childhood activities and do it. Or cook a favorite childhood food.

Be well,
Marisa