Psst! It’s right here. On my blog.
Holy shit. I just sent out my first newsletter for December + in it I committed to something that excites me + freaks me out all at the same time. Looks like I’m gonna be writing + creating a sort of Advent calendar for this holiday season/last month on the year. An Advent calendar that is focused on practicing presence and finding magic + meaning in everyday life. And I’m gonna be doing it in real time. As in, as each day passes.
Obviously, I had not at all planned to do this. In fact, I had not even thought of it until this morning. But, as it always is with me, things happen while I write. I get inspired, and then I simply must go with the flow. I’ve come to understand that there usually is a reason why I get an idea or have a thought, and so I trust that my intuition is right + I just go with it. So, in writing my first newsletter for my December theme of presence, I suddenly found myself typing the words,
“I want to commit to blogging every day. I want to create a daily post for myself + for you, to use as we embark on this journey of presence.”
In other words, an Advent blogging calendar. What that looks like, I have no idea. What it will include, I also don’t have a clue. What I do know is that I’m gonna try my effing best to follow through with this commitment. And, you wanna know a secret? I’m getting pretty effing excited about it. That’s a lot of effing.
So, here’s the deal folks:
Weeks ago, I’d already intuitively decided on my theme for December: Presence. And, I’ve also already made the plans for my weekly newsletter topics on presence. But, as of this morning, I didn’t know how day-to-day stuff would look. You see, I wanted to offer more than just my newsletter once a week. I mean, yeah, it’s fine with my writing + some tips + thoughts + all that, but I felt like there was more in me. More to share. More ways to connect. More opportunities to create a real month-long journey.
And, to be honest, I’ve been stressing out about that just a bit. Wondering what it was that I would/could/should add. Knowing that it’s most effective when it is something that I don’t force, but that I let come from my soul. Trusting in the process, even if it made me uncomfortable.
Suddenly, of course, this morning, at the last minute, as I was writing my newsletter, it just spilled out onto my computer keyboard. My fingers just typed away:
“I want to commit to blogging every day. I want to create a daily post for myself + for you, to use as we embark on this journey of presence.”
(I keep quoting it because I’m still in a bit of shock that I’ve decided to do this).
So, this is my introduction to you, and my invitation to us all, to slow down + savor this season. And, this is also my verbal commitment to myself + to you, dear readers, to create an Advent calendar here on the blog. A commitment to share something to ponder, read, think about, be inspired by, create, and experience every day from now until the new year. Through Advent, Yuletide, and the New Year.
→ Now, to find out much, much more about my theme of presence this season, please click here + sign up for my latest newsletter. I will send it to you as soon as I get your email! And then, you’ll get all my thoughts behind why I believe that focusing on living a life of presence is the key to everything. Yep. The foundation + ground of it all.
→ Then, follow along here every day to see what I have to share. It’s like opening your own little Advent calendar door, except it’s by clicking on the latest blog post, to receive a tiny bit of inspiration each day on how to live a life of presence.
→ Next Sunday, and every Sunday through the end of the year, I will also automatically send you a newsletter with more thoughts on the upcoming week’s focus for living in the present moment. And, just so you know, I am not reposting my newsletter thoughts here on the blog. So, seriously. Sign up.
Alrighty. Now that I’ve gone and committed myself to this Advent calendar thing, I suppose it’s time to start planning a little, gathering ideas, creating some holiday
But, first… it’s the 1st Sunday in Advent. And that means that it’s time for me + my love to light the first candle in our advent “wreath”. It’s aa tiny little slow moment for us to recognize that this is a special time. A time of ending one year, waiting for a new one to begin, and recalling that there is always hope, even in the darkness.
Oh my gosh. I am most definitely excited about this. Ideas are swirling around in my head. And I cannot wait to discover + share the magic + meaning of this season with you. What a magical time it is… as we end one year with rituals + traditions that ground ourselves in preparation for a new one.
So, my dear reader, today let’s light an Advent candle, slow down, sink deep into our souls, listen to the present moment, and wait with anticipation for unfolding of these dark, cozy, magical winter days.
Advent blessings to you. xoxo. liz.
