The Quiet Autumn Reset We All Need
Sometimes life is not about dramatic overhauls; it is about the quiet, small changes we make over time to get to the place we want. Here's our two cents on a calm autumn reset that is a little less “New Year, new me” and a bit more grounded yet revolutionary.
1. Declutter Your Space
Sometimes the turmoil that we carry on the inside surfaces on the outside, without habits and surroundings. It is almost impossible to detach oneself from what is around you. Start small; you don't have to have the whole house set up for Architectural Digest in one day. Start with your nightstand or workplace desk, one table and one drawer at a time. Let yourself uncoil with the clean, let your brain realize there isn't just chaos everywhere. With cleanliness comes a clarity that helps undo many knots in your mind. Decluttering can also mean getting rid of things that don't serve you anymore. Ridding yourself of material objects that make you feel tied down is a great place to start. Rather than just throwing these things away, you can also donate them to a good cause like local charity shop Roundabout.
2. The Digital Reset
It is really the small things that make up big mounds that are hard to topple. Like the 30,000 photos in your phone that need cleaning desperately, or the WeChat cache that has not been cleared out in ages or, perhaps, the Spotify Liked Songs playlist that has 287 songs that were never placed in their allotted playlists. Reset your life digitally, soften the load on your phone and on your memory, categorize and assign places to videos and photographs. Delete the repeated ones and ones that hold no value now that you're back to normal life.
3. The People Reset
The reset does not just stop with digital machines. It also extends to the people in your life. Don't know where to start? Start with energy. What kind of energy does something bring towards you? How does it make you feel? It is often very easy to judge iffy energy; step away the moment it comes to you. You do not need draining people in your life; you need energy givers and positive beings rather than ones that make you second-guess your whole existence. When living in Beijing, or anywhere abroad, it can be easy to make friends out of convenience, so just be sure that the people in your life are there for the right reasons.
4. Revisit Your Routine
Sometimes we have a habit of falling back on patterns that were not healthy for us in the first place. It is okay if that has been your game recently; time to change it now. Revisit your routine and patterns. If it is your sleep pattern that has been troubling you with low energy at work in the morning, it may be time to look into it. If it is something that has to do with how you spend your free time, check it out for a better alternative. You are alive, and there is always a good time to change. There is no shame in quietly letting go of a routine that has done you no good; it can be both a mental or physical one. Let go of brain patterns that trouble you, the anxiety spirals and fears that misbalance you, and see how life unfolds.
5. Tap Back In With Your Body
Tap back, just like that. It does not have to be momentous or start from the first of every month; you can do it now. Tap back in with yourself, move a little and see how that makes you feel. Taking a walk around one of Beijing's beautiful parks, or perhaps a hutong stroll might lift the blues. Autumn is a beautiful time in Beijing, and there are so many places you can go take in the colorful foliage. A smart reset begins with “now” rather than “when I….” Now is your time and every time is great time. Pick a thing that makes your body move, stretch or feel good in any way, and do it. Simple. No goal, no rapid weight loss, no ideal body type, just movement that feels good and healthy.
6. Intentional Nourishment
Lean into foods that make your body feel good. Instead of opting for the same waimai meal you have ordered five million times, maybe go out of your comfort zone and order from a new restaurant. Alternatively, why not try scrapping the waimai meal altogether and try cooking at home yourself? There are plenty of quick and easy recipes out there. Instagram is full of workday meal hacks that actually save time and give you a delicious meal on the table from start to finish in 30 minutes. That's less time than the oily mess that arrives in the black waimai container that makes you feel heavy and unhappy after you have had it. Have a handful of nuts and drink some milk for real calcium (nut milk if you are lactose intolerant). Indulge here and there, but keep it clean at least 80 percent of the time, and you are sorted.
7. Redefine Goals
Redefine what goals mean to you; they might mean something different than they do now. It is okay to circle back and reestablish new ground once you see the first one unfit. Redefine your goals and make new ones. You could have wanted something completely different a few months ago, but now the center of your desires is another passion. Pursue it, follow it through and see where it takes you. There is no shame in quietly sifting through your needs and wants and shifting your focus to what you want now. Remember, Beijing is a bustling city and there are plenty of opportunities to pursue new interests and hobbies.
8. Create Small Joys
Perhaps it is time to reset your high standards that never let you be happy, no matter what you achieve. It is time to get off the high horse and reset your vision on a ground level. Brew some tea and take great joy in it, show gratitude, thank nature for its beauty and your body for carrying you through all these years. There is beauty in simplicity, and it's time you understand that it is not about a number on the scale or a number in the bank account or a number in your phone; it is about life and the fact that it is flitting away with every second. Perhaps a seasonal blend of tea search on Taobao or a cute stuffed toy from Miniso to cuddle with in bed might leave a sweet note.
We hope you have a great autumn reset and welcome winter with open arms. You are going to do well!
READ: Eight Taobao Finds to Improve Your Life
Images: Freepik
