A Simple Sunday with me
Hi Lovely,
I hope this lovenote finds you well, with a few moments to just be.
It's Valentine's Day today, but as I think every day is the perfect day to celebrate L O V E, this post is going to be a little more practical. I'm going to share with you a typical Sunday in my life, in case there's anything helpful there to set you up for feeling a little more energised and easeful as you move through your day/week/life.
I love order and simplicity.
I love slow, unhurried mornings, where I can start the day feeling calm, clear and organised.
I love Sundays.
As Man and I are both full-time working parents, we know the importance of being organised. We've set up simple systems and structures to help us navigate through the week smoothly and as stress free as possible. We try as best we can to communicate who's doing what, and tweak and refine as we go. We see Sunday as a great chance to get set up for the week ahead, so when Monday morning rolls around - we all have clean clothes to wear, a fridge full of healthy food to eat, and our batteries recharged after some simple soulful self-care.
Breakfast & balance
Every Sunday morning Man makes one of his omelettes. It's the only meal he cooks for us as a family, and it's worth celebrating! He is a super hands on dad, and I'm so grateful for that. We're a team, and are always working towards finding a good balance where we both feel appreciated for the roles we play. Modern life is not made to support the wellness of families. As we no longer have the village to rely on when raising a family, we need to get creative, and make our situation work for us.
Back to the omelette... Man lovingly prepares it, and we're all delighted when it's cheesey goodness is divided into three, and delivered to our plates. I always have mine atop toasted wholegrain sour dough drizzled with extra virgin olive oil, and of course with a side of black coffee. It's a little La Dolce Vita moment that I look forward to every week.
Fresh laundry
Is there anything better than the smell of fresh linen drying in the sun? One of the first things I do on a Sunday morning after breakfast is laundry. I sometimes add a few drops of eucalyptus oil to the load for extra freshness. It's one of those invigorating feel good fragrances that uplifts and makes life a little more zesty and joyful. Lavender is also nice, and more soothing. Have fun experimenting. Dilute in a bucket of water before adding to the washing machine.
Grocery Goodness
Here's how it goes.... I make the list. Man and mini-man do the hunting. This happens every Sunday morning (and a mid-week top up on Wednesday if needed.) I love this routine, as when they're out for a few hours, I get a chance to clean the apartment, and take the solo time I need as an introvert to feel well. Man loves it too - as he fulfils his primal need for hunting and providing, and also so Lady doesn't spend too much haha!
Here's our weekly Aldi food shopping list:
Fresh:
Apples, berries, grapes, bananas, oranges, lemon.
Cherry tomatoes
Cucumbers
Greens x 5 (broccoli, broccolini, asparagus, Asian greens, etc)
Celery
Red & Green capsicum
Bag of carrots and red onions
Garlic
Sweet potato
Big bag baby spinach
Sliced Turkey
Chicken thighs, breast, mince
Salmon
White Fish
Veggie burgers
Hummus
Natural Yoghurt
Cheese
Wholegrain sourdough
Wholegrain wraps
Pantry:
Muesli
Dark chocolate
Nut protein bars
Brown rice crackers
Olive oil Brown rice
Wholemeal pasta
Tins diced tomatoes, corn, cannellini beans, chickpeas
Sultanas
Dried apricots
Nuts
A clean and clear space
When the boys leave to do the shopping, mama sets to work with decluttering and cleaning. I put some peppermint oil in the diffuser, and sometimes a podcast in my ears. I love this solo time clearing, cleaning and setting our home in order. Even though we're fairly minimal when it comes to stuff, I always delight in detoxing anything that's not needed. Your home is an extension of you energy field, and cleaning up is good for your wellness on many levels. I vacuum, mop, dust, wipe surfaces and clean bathrooms. I love using white vinegar and eucalyptus oil diluted in water as an eco friendly cleaner. It takes about an hour to clean the whole apartment, and it's therapy for free. I always feel clearer and lighter afterwards. As the cherry on top, I smudge with sage and give our home a little blessing.
An inspiring Italian Coffee Date
I have a best friend that I've never met. Her name is Kylie Flavell. Filmmaker. Writer. Romantic. Empath. In reality, she doesn't know I exist, but she is a beautiful soul that inspires me to follow my dreams. She's an Aussie that has lived in Italy for many years. She has a youtube channel where she shares her beautiful films each week. One of my Sunday rituals is to sit down with a strong coffee to watch her latest offering. She loves the same things I do, beauty, freedom, joy, travel, and elevating ordinary moments of life to something more meaningful. She shares the ups and downs of being an expat in a foreign land, and she's inspiring me to take action to realise my biggest dream - to live a simple soulful life in Italy.
A little lovenote
I've made a commitment to myself that I'll write a loveneote/blog each Sunday. By sharing my journey in these lovenotes, it gives me a chance to reflect and process life, and share stories and wisdom that may help you too. My hope is that these little lovenotes sometimes resonate, and the right thing reaches you when you're ready for it. Writing them is helping me to stay focused on building my coaching practice. It's taking some small step in the right direction. It's keeping a promise I made to myself. It's refining my skills. It's momentum, creativity, and it feels good.
A walk in nature
The older I get, the louder nature is calling to me. I can see now why it's so magical. We are a part of nature, not sperate from it. We are guided by it's cycles and rhythms. It provides everything we need o stay alive. It's home.
When we lived in Singapore, nature was the thing I missed most. I was lucky to live close to East Coast Park, and would walk there every day. The trees, the water, the space. It was a soothing balm from city life. We're lucky here in Sydney to have an abundance of beautiful beaches, bays and national parks. On Sundays, we pick a place to explore. Sometimes it's just wandering down to the beach we live near. Other times we venture further afield. After spending most of the week indoors in-front of a screen, time in the green, looking out to further horizons is healing.
A siesta
As I type this, the boys are in the bedroom snoozing. I'll join them soon. We LOVE siestas. When we lived in the south of Spain EVERYTHING in the old town would shut down from 2-5pm. At first it was a little frustrating, coming from a culture of efficiency and convenience. But it didn't take us long to fall in love with the siesta. The Mediterraneans are a healthy and happy people. They're also wise. They're following the natural rhythm of our metabolism. Eat your largest meal when the sun is at it's apex and your digestive fire is at it's peak. The afternoon is the perfect time to relax after having a lovely lunch. It's time to restore after the morning of productivity. It's balance in action. As my current weekly schedule doesn't allow for a workday siesta, I cherish my one on a Sunday. Bliss. A dark room, a dear one to snuggle up with, or maybe a book, and an hour or so to just rest and be.
** Parents reading this... yes it's possible. It's all about getting creative and setting boundaries. If you have young children, enjoy a nap with them. If your kids are older - explain that "we're all having some quiet time." Remember - it's your Sunday too. Persevere when making changes. It's worth it.
A full fridge
On a Sunday evening, I always make a dinner that I know will provide lots of leftovers. Tonight it's chicken schnitzel. Sometimes it's a hearty soup. Often, I'll roast a large tray of veggies, and use the leftovers in my workday salads. I'm all about simplification, and making life easier. Another thing I do to make the mornings run smoothly, is pack lunchboxes the night before. Many parents I chat to cite getting out the door in the morning as the most stressful time of the day. The last thing I want to do at 6.30am is to be peeling and chopping carrots! For a mellow morning, prep the night before.
A Sensible Bedtime
10pm. That's my curfew, whatever night of the week it is. Sometimes it's a little later, and the day after, I always feel it. Get to know your rhythm, and what's optimal for you. Calculate when you need to wake up, and reverse engineer it. For me that's lights out at 10pm, and my morning alarm rings at 6am. You need between 7-8 hours of sleep every night for your body to rest, repair and detoxify. Life is sweeter when you're well rested. Energy is at the centre of everything you do.
Ok lovely, I hope sharing this has given you a little inspiration.
If there's any rituals, routines, hacks or habits that you have in place that help you to feel well - please share!
Coach with me
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Love,
Rebecca
Follow me on insta @simplesoulfulwoman