simple pleasures: 2024 ins and outs, For All Mankind, and Necessaire
no.1 - new habits, sci-fi tv show I'm binging, and spa vibes
simple pleasures is a monthly curation of all my favourite new (and old and loved) things - think a collection of passions, habits, books, quotes, purchases, recipes, and more.
December 2023 was a blur of short days, cosy nights and wintery walks and I can’t believe it’s already 2024!
Even though I don’t believe in setting resolutions, I love that the new year always brings a fresh start and offers a moment to look back and reflect.
And somehow, this January - unlike many previous ones - has me feeling completely refreshed and ready for new opportunities. I’m planning to take up new hobbies like relearn the piano, start pilates again (I’ve been out of it for a while due to a physical injury), and keep up with my reading goals!
I’ve created a little list with my 2024 ins and outs, after which are listed my favourite things - or simple pleasures - from the last few months of 2023.
IN
taking a book everywhere
clean skincare
starting an irl bookclub
having honest opinions
dnf’ing books
annotating books
tea dates
a timeless and sustainable wardrobe
artistic hobbies
intuitive eating
spending money on experiences
more time with family
weekend trips
non-alcoholic beverages
voice memos
budgeting
short nails
playing records
side hustles
abundance mindset
do not disturb mode
hormone healing
OUT
tedious beauty upkeep
drunk parties
caring about likes
the need to conform
diet mentality
mindless scrolling
wearing outfits once
righteousness
oversharing with strangers
less than 7 hours of sleep
iphone as alarm clock
saying yes but meaning no
overconsumption
celebrity statements
birth control
buying a book only for the aesthetics
fear of aging
sulfates and other toxic ingredients
all or nothing with health
FOMO
retail therapy
jealousy of and comparison to other women
On to the simple pleasures…
A habit I included:
Every morning I try to get light in my eyes as soon as I can, whether that means walking to work or turning on a bunch of light in the home as soon as I wake up. Apparently this has positive effects on your natural wake/sleep cycle. Basically, getting light in your eyes in the morning helps set a clock for melatonin release in the evening, helping you to sleep better. This is outlined incredibly well by neuroscientist Andrew Huberman, whom I’ve been following for a while now. I really want to start implementing more of his tips to improve my overall health and productivity.
TV show I’m watching:
Besides the obvious re-watch of my favourite Christmas movies (The Holiday, Love Actually, … you know the drill), I’ve been loooving the Apple TV show For All Mankind throughout November and December. It’s a wonderfully executed sci-fi series revolving around the space race between the US and Russia and what would have happened were the Russians the first to land on the moon. The cinematography is insane and the storyline is so addicting. Definitely recommend this one if you love speculative fiction and movies like Interstellar or Arrival.
A product that gives me spa vibes:
If there’s anything I love splurging on once in a while, it’s simple self-care items such as body washes. It makes me feel a hundred bucks. I received The Nécessaire Body Wash in Eucalyptus as an extra in an online order I made and it smells DEVINE. It has that luxury spa scent, plus it’s a clean brand. Over the years, I’ve been slowly switching out my daily and household items for cleaner alternatives, and will keep doing so in the new year. Although it can be a bit pricy as your run of the mill body wash, I love it for special occasions and will definitely be repurchasing it.
What I’m eating:
Nothing says wintery goodie goodness more than a curry to me. I’ve already made this Red Lentil Dahl twice in the past month. I kind of freestyled the recipe a little - my store only had yellow lentils and I added more of the tomato can and garam masala. Delicious!
What I’m looking forward to:
I’m finally watching the Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes next week. I’ve heard incredible things about the movie. I loved the book myself and it’s actually on the list of my top 10 books of 2023.
I have also picked up a few more titles on my 2024 tbr this week and can’t wait to dive in! Included are picks like Yellowface by R.F. Kuang, To Paradise by Hanya Yanagihara, and My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante.
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