‘DO YOU’ is a focus for the whole year, for every day, and ideally every hour. It’s something that’s so worthwhile to practise. For me, it always starts with: What do I actually want in the ‘clamor’ of everyone else’s needs and all the different things you can do?  

You become happier as a result, and that happiness rubs off on others too, when you remember to look after yourself as well. 

Winter is a very special time. It’s cosy; I spend more time at home, make my nest cosier, eat more stews, bake more and like to sleep a bit more. There’s so much respect for the body in listening to our needs, energy levels and desires. For me, the main focus of DO YOU will probably never change: more being and less doing. That’s what I personally find hardest – just being, rather than constantly doing something. Growing up, I was mostly rewarded for doing, and I’m now practising the idea that it’s also fine just just being. 

I’m good at prioritising time in the bathroom, getting ready for Christmas, cooking good food, and so on. In other words, doing things. I’m not particularly good at just being, without feeling like I should be doing all sorts of things. So that’s my main ‘DO YOU’ focus – what’s yours? 

My family and my ‘star family’ (friends) are the most important things in the world to me, so they’re always part of my ‘DO YOU’, but finding space for my own needs too, within our large family, is such an act of self-love – it’s important and essential for me to look after myself, and to be a good mum, partner, daughter, sister, friend and everything else I am in family relationships. 

My DO YOU winter focus areas

• Ask yourself: What do I feel like doing right now?
• More being and less doing.
• Check in with myself in the mirror in the morning and evening, making eye contact and saying“hello” tomyself.
• Pick a DO YOU card every day, to do something good for myself.
• Sleep an extra hour to give my body time to recover (seven hours in summer, eight hours in winter).
• Have a nap whenever I can.
• Drink warm drinks and eat seasonally (root vegetables, soups, stews, etc.)
• Go for a walk and get some light and exercise for my eyes, body and mind.
• See a good friend. So easy to miss out on, but so important to prioritise.
• Prioritise time in the bathroom in the evening for hot or cold baths, body scrubs, dry brushing, filing my nails, listening to music, drinking tea, etc.
• Less TV streaming – it’s easy, but it doesn’t do me much good in the long run.
• Most importantly: practise doing nothing.   

It sounds like a long TO DO list, but these are things that make me happier. As a little exercise in setting intentions, I think it’s a brilliant idea to reflect on what actually makes you happy. 

I hope you take some time to check in with yourself this winter, say hello with eye contact in the mirror at the start of a new day, and before you go to bed.
Life can be lived at full gallop, or taken at a leisurely pace – it’s entirely up to us; no one will thank us for either one or the other. 

I wish you a lovely winter; stay warm and MILD, in your heart and in your thoughts. 

With love, Mette