December | Life Lately
December 2018 – January 2019 Full Moon
Based on my intentions last month to slow down and escape burn out, I'm pleased to report I've been more present during the holidays this year than years past. There was chaos wrapping up the Fall semester and last quarter of 2018 but how I responded is what allowed me to find calm in it. It's officially the hardest time of year for me after the holidays. There are fun things planned and goals I'm excited about that should keep me preoccupied.
Recommended book: The 13 Original Clan Mothers by Jamie Sams
December
Christmas at the Moon Lodge
Joel and I hosted my family for Christmas this year and we absolutely loved it! We weren't able to host last year because we were in a tiny apartment. We were ready to rekindle the vibes & traditions with my family. Joel asked me at the beginning of the holiday season what I wanted most. I said to have our home ready to celebrate the year we had and honor our loved ones. It was absolutely magical.
November 2018 Full Moon / Winter issue of Creative Grace newsletter
Root Cause Reset with Ditea Wellness
I'm starting a 90-day nutritional program in 2019 with Diane Teall, nutritional therapy consultant, and fellow boss babe. You may have seen her in Issue 02 of Creative Grace! I haven't been intentional with my diet & health in years. I'm super excited to begin this journey with Diane's guidance. I'm nervous too but I think it's a good indication I'm ready for this commitment to my health and well-being.
No Drink January
I'm also not drinking alcohol the entire month of January! If there was a theme to this full moon it would be health + wellness for sure. Beer has been making my stomach feel crummy. I also don't like how easily it becomes a crutch to social gatherings. I'm breaking the routine and hoping this month off will help form a healthier habit. :) When I told Joel, he was all about it too. He has a trail race and other fitness goals so it worked out for both of us this month. Having support and accountability makes all the difference. We'll see how it goes!
November
The Holidays
I really enjoyed the holidays this year! This season felt more peaceful and had great vibes. They were tough without my Grandma but we felt her presence and relived funny memories of her and the traditions she put in place for us. Losing her has changed all of us but we've held each other a little closer and tighter thanks to her too. Joel and I also made cookies with his family, trimmed our tree with ornaments from all the places we've traveled, and had a couple of Saturday morning coffee dates that I cherish so much. I mean look at that cute but irritated face for making him take a picture.
How to honor the Winter Solstice / Top 10 Books of 2018 / Tips for sweater weather
Freelance Workshops
The week after Thanksgiving was an absolute blur with freelance workshops on top of my regularly scheduled class at Grand Valley. I hosted workshops for the senior design classes on being a freelancer in the design industry. It's a rather new topic in our area, and there are so many avenues it can create, so I shared my experience with tangible advice for students graduating soon. They had amazing questions and thanks to a brief IG survey, it seems like a lot of creatives at all levels are looking for a workshop like this!
3 tips to be a freelance designer / Freelancing behind the scenes / A day of freelance
Studio Closed until 2019
Ultimately I think it was a good move to shut down the studio for the month. The holidays, grades, print shop, blog, clients, etc., etc. all became so overwhelming that I needed to change my mindset to get through it in one piece. My dad is an engineer in the automotive industry and every year they have a plant shutdown to fix the assembly lines and other maintenance. This was my plant shutdown. I needed to regroup, reflect on 2018, closeout some items that always get the backburner, and take a break. I'm going a little stir crazy now and that's how I know this was the best thing I could've done for myself. The energy is coming back...
My studio / Self-care for creatives / Sign up for the Creative Grace newsletter
Full Moon Monthly recaps life lately and what’s on the horizon. See all moons here.
