Good morning, Monday. It's not a beautiful day in the neighborhood but oh well.
So it's been a minute since I've been blogging and truly- life/work have gotten in the way of any musings here. I'm pleased to report the move was a rollicking success- after going through hell and back we survived. My home is sacred to me and having it in upheaval was beyond challenging. A ton of work, stress, and of course, money. Fun times but we are now happily habitating in our Carroll Gardens home and finally able to breathe. As I think I've told you- change is a real pain in the ass for me. I generally don't like it. But it's true what they say and change is good and getting through that was a magical thing.
And since it's the end of the year, here's some things I changed in 2019 to feel better in my body and mind. No hippie shit. Just truth. Some of these are more seismic, others a bit more superficial. In any event, they were shifts I wanted to share.
1. Diet. This is a biggie, friends. I did a big project for a diet brand this year (soon to be released but hush for now) and it made me realize how I wanted to get myself together. I'm always a work in progress and always feel like I could lose a few more, but I'm getting there. I've been vigilant and it's been paying off and I'm feeling a lot happier. I don't mind admitting that when I don't fit into my clothes it makes me feel bad. Plus as I'm getting older, I'm feeling a real sense of having to keep weight down to feel healthy and resilient. I know there's plenty of movements out there for body positivity and I salute all of those, but for me, I'm more comfortable not super skinny, but healthy. And
that means keeping my weight in check as best as I can.
2. Saying goodbye to fast fashion. So this one is challenging and probably won't stick, but I went on a big Zara bender as I was slimming down and the model is so bad for the environment, it really gave me pause. My new way of shopping I'd like to embrace is far more sustainable- vintage, consigned, and occasional new purchases for more high end or occasional items. It just feels like the right thing to do and judging from all the amazing vintage pop ups around as well as sites like The Real Real and Kaiyo for furniture (awesome site), this is a culturally relevant thing I predict will completely change how we shop.
3. Setting boundaries. This is a biggie, pals. After living in a toxic environment, my mind was made up. I can't let people into my life that are crazy. Needless to say, there are degrees. Most people who live in New York are a little nuts and so am I so that's just fine. I have a bad habit of attracting nut jobs and the buck stopes here. Because I can't bear crazy at this point and the next point will speak more to that.
4. Being discerning. I've always been a very black and white kind of chick but as I approach my 50th year, I realize that I now know myself better than I ever have. And I know what I want. And more importantly, I know what I don't want. Moving into an apartment with some challenging spaces helped me see it's important to be very selective about what you put in your home, and the same holds for your body and mind. Better food. Better thinking before I buy stuff. Better relationships with people. Better projects that make my heart sing. That's what I'm all about right now. But that Rachel Comey dress at Saks that just went on sale. Oof. I'm only human, right?
5. Makeup. I have always, always worn makeup and I have no plan to stop. Not only do I like the result but I also enjoy the ritual of putting it on. It relaxes me somehow. But during the move I was makeup free for a few weeks and it was truly liberating. And since I'm really into clean beauty (late to the party I know), I decided to pare down my routine. After discovering Gucci Westman's products, I took a step back and now only use about five things on a regular basis, for day or night. I'll talk about those later in the week- you won't want to miss it. I'm thrilled with my new line up and am preferring a much more pared down, natural look. The whole "Euphoria" look is wonderful, but not for me. I do think there's something to getting older and wearing less makeup. I always thought that was bs, but it's working for me.
Care to share what you've taken on in 2019?
Tomorrow, I'll share some things I want to do for 2020. Not resolutions, mind you. Just some goals. Cause that's what's up this new moon on Monday kind of, well, Monday in the 718. Yours, in year-end round ups. XO