As we move toward the end of the year, time often seems to speed up.

After spending a week in Kurokawa onsen, an incredible hot spring village high in the mountains just outside of Kumamoto, eating the most incredibly presented, delicate seasonal foods, learning the art of ikebana and matcha and bathing in mineral rich springs, I was reminded, once again, of how healing a poetic, gentle life actually is. 

I was reminded, once again, of how much we try and strive to do 'all the things' in order to be successful, enough, healthy, beauty when in reality, for most of us, what we really need more than anything at all is more poetry. More space. More connection with good people. A slower pace. More laughter. Deeper breaths. Hot baths.

This month, can we deliberately hold a slower pace, even when it feels hard. 

🦪 Create bathing rituals. Deep clean and decorate your bathroom. Hang eucalyptus in your shower. Have a bath in the morning. Don't take your phone! 

🦪 In your business or creative project, try sharing your writing / social media posts not only from a place of what is the goal, what am I trying to achieve, what is the message and instead allow and create space for self expression and beauty just because. Play with it as an experiment, if you feel called, and see what shifts. 

🦪 Call a good friend instead of voice noting and texting. Light a candle and make your favourite drink and really be with them. Cook or bake something and share it with a neighbour or a friend for no reason at all. Plan a trip or even an afternoon with a girlfriend. Tell the women in your life you love them. Remind them of why. 

🦪 Read work that inspires you. Start a substack. Join a book club. Take a cooking class. Use the good ceramics, even if you can't put them in the dishwasher. 

a bathing ritual playlist...