ONE YEAR+ IN LOCKDOWN: At-Home Activities To Mix Things Up

It’s been an emotional journey, to say the least. But here we are, one year later, and we thought, “Why lose momentum?” Let’s slow down and hit refresh on our feelings of self-love and self-rejuvenation before things rev back up. Here’s hoping that these at-home activities bring something special into your day-to-day.

Kombucha is a probiotic beverage filled with beneficial bacteria and antioxidants that support a healthy gut and regular digestion. It contains natural sugars, but the good news is that most of it is eaten up in the fermentation process, leaving a dry and earthy, fruity finish. It’s pretty simple to make, but it does require a specific temperature and degree of light. Also, it’s a fun process getting used to cultivating “the mother,” aka the circular, living disk that houses the bacterial growth. Yum. Here is what you’ll need to get started.

A pantry clean-out and re-org is a great way to refresh your kitchen’s good vibes. Reorient your cabinets to be more health-centric, giving you a new perspective about which foods you are putting into your body and focusing on beautiful pantry goods. It might even inspire some new recipe ideas.

Something to keep in mind when doing a pantry cleanse are ingredient lists: If you’re going for a super clean kitchen, try to avoid pre-packaged goods with more than 5 ingredients. Oftentimes, pre-packaged foods are chock-full of preservatives — that’s why they keep so long in your kitchen cabinet.

But not all natural ingredients are so straight-forward either, and there are many long or scientific names for simple ingredients. (For example, “citric acid” is actually just vitamin C.) Don’t get too carried away and throw out something great by mistake — but do take note of the convenient sweet or salty foods that you are choosing, and look into finding healthy alternatives that you still enjoy. And, here are some stylish glass jars to store your goodies.

We all have parts of ourselves that we would like to erase, change, or outgrow. The beauty of shadow work is that it gives you the opportunity to meet your dark side, and embrace parts of yourself that you’ve suppressed because of shame or fear. It’s simple, but certainly not easy — and it definitely takes time. As you do the deep innerwork required, you can begin to see how the parts of yourself that you hide can actually become your strengths. The Dark Side of the Light Chasers by Debbie Ford is a great book to read if you are interested in exploring your shadow. Side note: You’ll want a self-care practice to go along with this activity, because it can be particularly hard on your psyche. We heart you for loving yourself enough to try this one.

There are many benefits to cleansing your home, including less stress, anxiety, and heaviness — but it’s something we always seem to put off. Start by scheduling this in your calendar ahead of time, and take note that you might face your own natural resistance! Lean into the discomfort, baby — and begin with a short visualization meditation to dream up how your space will look and feel when you have completed this task.

Then it’s time to tackle decluttering and organizing. Toss or donate things that no longer serve you, or haven’t served its purpose in over a year. “Purpose” can be loose, and we’re all for keeping it if it brings you joy to look at! You’ll know what’s right and what’s ready to let go of; follow your first instinct.