Let’s talk about presence. Being in the now. Embracing where (or wear) you are. Existing in the part of space within one’s immediate vicinity (shout-out to Webster for that one). A big part of the philosophy behind Wear You Are Now, is to learn to have an open-armed approach to life (more on that: here). To virtually bear hug where you are at the moment- how you dress, how you eat, how how travel and how you live- and to celebrate it. In keeping with that philosophy, presence is everything.
In my opinion, part of learning to be truly present in one’s life is to find your sanctuary. A place where you can learn to just “be”. And for me, that place is home. (Feel free to pause here for a quick humming of “Kumbaya”.) In the interest of honesty, truly being present in my life and creating this sanctuary was a lesson I learned the hard way. As someone who cannot deny the giant Type-A stamp that lives permanently on my forehead, it’s so very easy for me to get bogged down in my daily “task list” and just not be able to pull myself out at the end of the day. Raise your hand if you can relate to any of the following.
Living with my face buried in my phone.
Walking through the door at the end of the day and talking about work for the rest of the night.
Over-thinking about all of the things I didn’t accomplish today/need to do tomorrow.
Worrying that if I actually disconnect from technology, I’ll lose momentum and miss something important.
Responding to emails from my bed after midnight. (So, yes there are exceptions to this, but I can confirm first hand this is not a good habit.)
It has taken me years to arrive here, but not only do I now make a conscious effort to unplug and reboot at the end of my day, I whole-heartedly cherish it.
The thing that helps me stay the most balanced? My sanctuary; coming home to a space filled with good energy. For me, that balance is found in fresh flowers, my husband, plenty of reading material and a plethora of cozy blankets. For others, that balance might found in a hot bath and a cup of tea. Or maybe you’re one who prefers a glass of wine and girl talk. Whatever you’re winning combo is, trust me when I say that actively working to create a space that feels happy and home-y is so very good for our well-being.
So what do you do from here? Figure out what your recipe is. And if you need an idea to get you started, I’d go with a smudge stick. Yes, I’m talking about the dried bundles of herbs that hippies burn to get rid of bad juju. But in a much more stylish, DIY package that will make you feel like you’re Martha frickin’ Stewart. Plus your home will smell incredible.
You know how there are those projects that you see on Pinterest, but when you try them at home it inevitably blows up in your face because you realize halfway through that you don’t know what you’re doing? This is totally not one of those things. It’s so. easy. Plus they’re just so dang pretty that even if you don’t decide to burn them, they smell good & look super chic placed as little knick-knacks throughout your home.
Here’s what you need…
(Try looking for supplies at a farmer’s market, local florist or specialty grocer.)
Sage
Lavender
Roses (or any other herb or flower that dries well)
Cotton Culinary Twine
Here’s how you do it…
Bundle together your herbs and flowers in an arrangement that you like. Wrap tightly with cotton twine. Hang them up in your home for a few weeks until dry, and voila! You’re done. I told you it was simple.
Here’s what I learned…
If you prefer, you can make smudge sticks with ingredients that are already dried. But know that soft hands will be key- they are a lot more difficult to tie together this way and may crumble during assembly.
If you plan to burn your finished smudge sticks, the leaves must all be 100% dry to burn properly. I suggest giving them a few weeks to dry before lighting.
Be present. And DIY. Wear you are now.
xx
Natalie
Natalie
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