Cheers to the Future

Cheers friends! I am toasting my glass of chardonnay to fall which is in four days. I consider autumn the start of new beginnings. My life has been in a whirlwind of many highs and many lows this year and I (much like the rest of the world) am ready for 2021. But until then I vow to spend these last three and a half months making space for only the things that will make me happy. I have decided to make drastic changes in my life for the better. I will take care of myself and work on my healing process in the various areas of my life. I will also take time for my creativity and my real dreams and aspirations.

I hope that you are all finding ways to be gentle with yourselves and are making changes or sticking to the things that bring you peace and joy. 2020 has taken us on a wild ride but when in doubt, I turn to the things that inspire me such as fabulous vintage clothing, Old Hollywood films, and listening to records.

During this time, when I’m feeling anxious or need some relaxation I turn to:
- Headspace app - the popular guided meditation app. I do not pay for my subscription but there are a great deal of free meditations on there that are super helpful. I love the animated videos that discuss different forms of anxiety and how to cope with it. Sometimes I take on long meditations and other times I opt for a quick 3 minute session.
- Wysa app - I discovered this app from an Instagram ad recommendation. This app is essentially a free virtual therapy session with a therapist penguin who will make note of issues you are having and recommend videos, meditation, exercises, etc. to help you. This has been a go to for me especially if I cannot talk to someone on the phone or in person when I’m feeling down.
- Super Slime Simulator app - An app where you create slime virtually and can play with it through the app. This is a great distraction for anxiety!
- SAM app - My therapist recommended me this app awhile back. This is a great app for managing anxiety and stress. There are activities such as breathing exercises, anxiety tracking, physical exercises, and information on anxiety.
- SBGA Co. podcast - I discovered this podcast through one of my close friends. SBGA is ran by Shayla Brielle G. She describes her podcast as “a multidisciplinary space that fosters collaboration, expression, and well-being for creatives.” Her podcast has some breathing exercises included but for the most each episode is 2-3 minutes long and features her soothing voice speaking kind words to you which definitely helps improve your mood! Especially if you are a creative who is stressed about deadlines, creative processes, etc.
- Ballet Classics Spotify playlist - I find The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, and just all ballet classical music to be very relaxing. I will listen to this playlist to start my day or while taking a nice soak in the bathtub (with lots of Epsom salts).
- Calming and/or Interesting YouTubers such as - Christine McConnell, Laura Jane Atelier, Abetweene, 로하Roha, Be Kind and Rewind, CozyDay 코지데이, and Alicia Vintage.
- A good book - Currently reading: Assata by: Assata Shakur and Paradise by: Toni Morrisson.
- Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961) or any Audrey Hepburn film - Do I really need to explain this?
- A nice soak in the bathtub - light candles, play soft music, read a book, have a glass of wine or sparkling water. Relax your troubles away!

I hope this was somewhat helpful! This is not an OOTD post but more of a check in. I will see you next week!!

Photographs taken by Cierra Boyd.