I have been pondering what I am going to do with the two months that we have off at Christmas. I am very much a go-go-go, always-doing-something person and having two whole months with basically nothing planned is hard to even think about. I decided to come up with a list of things that I plan to do during that time with the focus of the goals to be personal self-care. I know it may be strange to some people, but I have learned that I will not implement self-care into my life without purposefully setting goals to do so. If you are like me and struggle with just “doing nothing”, come up with a fun list like the one that I am going to share that makes you excited about relaxing and catching up on long overdue chores! This is my running list for my Christmas break, with a bonus book list!
1. Clean out my childhood bedroom and sort through my keepsakes!
When I was younger, I was such a sentimental person that it led me to become almost a hoarder when it came to letters, pictures and other items such a movie ticket stubs. I have boxes and boxes of things that I deemed to be essential to keep for me to remember going somewhere or doing something with a person. As the reality that I will eventually one day have to store all these “keepsakes” in my own home hit, I have decided that it is time for me to go through every box and get rid of the things that no longer hold value to me! Of course, there are things that I will keep, but I don’t need five boxes of movie stubs and birthday cards to remember that I turned ten years old. So I will be making my way through the closet in my childhood home… wish me luck!
2. I am going to try and read as much as I can.
I have been a bookworm for years, but since about junior year of high school I have not had the time outside of the summer to read anything for fun. I want to spend this time catching up on the list of books I want to read and spend as much time relaxing as possible. Here is the list that I have so far:
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“The Friendzone” by Abby Jimenez
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“Words in the Deep Blue” by Cath Crowley
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“The Rosie Project” by Graeme Simsion
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“Things We Know by Heart” by Jessi Kerby
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“The Hating Game” by Sally Throne
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“Every Other Weekend” by Abigail Johnson
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“Twice in a Blue Moon” by Christina Lauren
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“You’d Be Mine” by Erin Hahn
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“The Nickle Boys” by Colson Whitehead
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“The Silent Patient” by Alex Michaelides
3. I want to create a better workout routine and habit.
Working out is not only good for my physical wellbeing but makes me feel happier overall. I get better sleep, am in a better mood and experience less anxiety. I want to create a better routine not for the purpose of changing my body necessarily, but to better my mind and body which is important!
4. As someone who prior to this year basically didn’t know how to cook, I am hoping to try out some new recipes.
I want to not only try some new dinner dishes, I am also hoping to try to be better at baking as well. I am hoping to learn how to make chicken pot pie. I have always imagined making it for my future family on a cold day, so why not start to perfect it now? I would also love to be better at baking cookies along with other baked treats! Pinterest is going to be my friend for this one.
5. I want to make some embroidery pieces for my college apartment.
This was one of my quarantine hobbies that I think is so incredibly fun! It allows my creativity to flow and is also very relaxing to me. I have a handful of cute ideas for around my apartment that I am planning to make in order to add a personal flare to some of our bare spaces.
6. I am planning to write as much as I can.
I would say that in terms of writing I am never short of ideas, just short on time. I have some things that I want to write for myself and others that I would love to share on different platforms. I have a running list going in my journal, so I am hoping to be able to find the time that I have been lacking to get some of these thoughts and ideas out into words. Writing has always been so therapeutic and relaxing to me. Hopefully I can curl up with a blanket and a cup of tea and put some of my ideas into reality.
Although it may seem weird that I am planning what I am going to do with my time come break, it gives me something to look forward to and reminds me to use the time allotted to take for myself. I am looking forward to all the time that I am going to have and am going to use it to rest and rejuvenate for my next semester! I hope that this encourages you to not only be conscious of the time that you have whether it’s now during school or during your time off to plan relaxation into your life. Be intentional with your time no matter what is going on and it will help you feel more fulfilled and productive. Intentionality even in simple goal setting can change your outlook on how you spend your time. It definitely has for me!