JANUARY – the monthly wrap up.

So I’ve been spending a lot of time lately brainstorming new ideas of I want to bring to my website this year. I want my site to be more than fashion and travel [although these are things I love and will always be a part of tomgirl & threads.]. But I want to bring more personal elements, and as I talked about in my anxiety post a couple of weeks ago [read here], I want to create a space to share the things I’m learning and doing. Things I think might be interesting, or even help others. I’ve been researching and looking around, drawing inspiration from all sources – other bloggers, podcasters, magazines, to get fresh ideas around the content I enjoy reading, and hence what I would want to focus on creating.

This new monthly post is inspired by Tim Ferris’ 5-bullet Friday. Every Friday he does an email send out of 5 things – articles, new tech or whatever he’s been discovering that week. I thought a week is a bit too frequent for me, but then I found Jasmine Dowling’s beautiful monthly journals and felt inspired to do my own take on a monthly… 5 bullet..reflection…summary…wrap up thing.

I felt, if nothing else, this kind of content would be a way to document my own growth and goals. It’s also an easy, efficient way to share the cool things I’m learning, reading or listening to. As well as any game-changers in managing my mental wellbeing that I think might be helpful to all my fellow anxiety sufferers.

So here it goes…

January in a nutshell.

January was all about trying to find routine, which has felt like a scramble at times. And perhaps at times, in the effort to find my routine to keep my anxiety at bay, I have created more anxiety for myself…. But more on that later.

THE HIGHLIGHTS

First up, becoming an auntie for the second time. And to beautiful twin boys! My eldest brother and his wife have been on quite a difficult journey to parenthood, and it’s so amazing that these bubs are finally here, safe and sound.

Finally feeling a bit more settled back home after our Europe trip and getting back into some version of my  routine, which does help manage my anxiety.

The arrival of my incredibly beautiful and ethical wedding rings I custom designed with YCL [read more about that here]

Being back in Byron with friends and family

SO. MUCH. BEACH TIME. Summer has been going off here in Australia, and I’m trying to soak it all up as much as possible.

Coffee dates with my husband – doesn’t sound like a highlight? Well Tom NEVER wanted to go out for coffee before our Europe trip, and then he fell in love with Parisian café culture. And I’m just so happy that our new little ritual has come back home with us.

THE NOT-SO-HIGHLIGHTS

Hobbling around with my still broken toe (which is hopefully NEARLY better now) and not being able to jump back into my usual fitness activities that I love – running, F45 or even just going for long leisurely coastal walks. It’s definitely been a challenge, and I’m definitely not feeling myself yet. But has also made me appreciate my body a lot more – we always take it for granted when everything is going well and it’s not until something happens, even something small, that stops us from doing our usual things that we realise what a wonderful gift we have in movement!

Some pretty stressful family stuff happening, but hey, doesn’t everyone?!

Breaking my beloved keep cup [don’t worry I’ve since replaced it].

The surf has been pretty bad most of January… even non-existent at times. Like its been lake Byron 24/7. It’s bumming me out.

THIS MONTH’S GAMECHANGER:

A new morning routine!

This month I’ve been trialling a new morning routine to start my day more intentionally and mindfully. My goal has been to try and create more space for creativity, as well as help with managing my anxiety. It’s been such a gamechanger I’m going to do a whole separate post talking about this, so I can properly break it down for you.
[edit: read more about it here]

LEARN:

Article: How to configure your iPhone to work for you, not against you.
Okay so technically I already shared this article in my IG stories in December, and that’s when I went through an implemented a bunch of these strategies. But I’m sharing again, because I think this is SUCH an important read/task to undertake. NB I did not do every single thing in the article. But even taking the time to go through, evaluate and reflect on how you use your phone and what time you might be wasting is a valuable activity in and of itself. All screen time setting is a serious wake up call

Personality Measure: The Big Five Aspects Scale

I’ve always found personality tests such a powerful tool in understanding yourself [and those around you] better. I recently took this one. It’s a comprehensive personality measure which gives you information about where you lie on a spectrum of five major personality traits and their 10 aspects – Enthusiasm, Withdrawal, Compassion, Industriousness & Openness.

Each trait has its own strengths and weaknesses and the combination of all of them help determine you naturally response to the world. It is really helped me understand myself better and come to terms with the more difficult parts of myself.

I really strongly encourage you to dive deeper into understanding yourself, how you tick and how you differ [or are similar to those around you]. Because even if you’re like me and score 99th percentile neurotic [hellooooo anxiety my old friend], you will at least have some understanding of why certain things effect you differently than others. I’ve spent a lot of time in the last few years feeling broken. Wondering why I felt so differently to those around me. And now I have some closure – I’m not broken, I’m just wired differently. I have a more anxious temperament than most [in fact, statistically, in a room of 100 people, no one will be more ‘neurotic’ than I am].

This one in particular does cost a whopping $9.95 [*insert sarcasm here]. But my husband has done a bunch of the freely available versions, and found this one to be the most comprehensive and helpful.

READ:

Womankind magazine
I’ve been loving this magazine lately. A little more heart and thought pieces than your average fashion magazine [not that I don’t love these still]

The Happiness Trap – Dr Russ Harris
I’m still working my way through this book, as it’s not one that you rush through. The book actually recommends putting it down for a week to focus what you’ve learnt so far and try to use some of the techniques in day-to-day life before moving on. The book is full of different activities to try and tools to use when negative thoughts are taking hold. There are some very interesting concepts around ‘what are thoughts’ and how we can give them less power.

Sapiens – Yuval Noah Harari
Given I’m only 30% through this book so far, but absolutely obsessed. So many mind-blowing ideas that basically make you question everything you believe as truth…. but in a good way.

 

GROW GIRL:

• I have been back practicing yoga every week (almost everyday). This is something that really works for me personally in optimising my wellbeing. I get a physical workout [if you think yoga is not a workout, you’re either doing it wrong, or you need a better teacher] and something that keeps me centred mentally in one.

• Meditating daily – been really trying to establish this habit again. I personally use the Headspace app, but I know there are other great options out there.

• Booked it to see my psychologist again now that I’m home – take care of yourselves people!