Things have begun to cool down in a lot of places lately and we’re beginning to transition into a different time of year. As clocks spring back for a lot of us next weekend, the weather cools down or rain starts to fall, and people begin to settle indoors more often, I wonder what your routine looks like right now.
Is it the kind you can settle into, find comfort in as things continue to change? With election season and so much else happening around us, there could be a lot of stress. For a lot of people, this time of year means gearing up for the coming holiday season, midterms for college students, and cooler weather in an oftentimes weary fire season.
Yet with all that, people’s routines are looking different than they usually would right now.
After all, what this season looked like for you last year or what you thought it would look like right now when this year started probably isn’t where we’re at in the present. This means that we may feel out of sync with ourselves or even a little off track, but I can also tell you that the rules for where you’re supposed to be at right now don’t quite apply.
I think a lot of the greatest ideas and moments are born out of times that feel less-than-ideal.
In my last post, I mentioned that the Adobe Max Creativity conference was this week and it was a great opportunity for anyone interested in different creative fields, from UX design to animation. There’s a lot going on around the world right now and every day I’m seeing new ways for people to connect, talk, and find new inspiration virtually through things like online conferences. They’re all ways to learn new skills and experience new speakers just like Adobe Max and for me, it was a good reminder of more than just the outside world.
It was a reminder that not everything is at a standstill.
As things may begin to slow down again with cooler weather and flu season, what might you do to pass the time in your changing routine?
I know a lot of people who have been making masks and even taking up embroidery for fun—I can’t say I’ve learned how to do either of those things, but I admire those who have. Take this story for example: There’s one set of bakers in Mexico City who took the pandemic in stride and kicked off their own bakery, using Instagram and a $42 toaster oven. People like them have popped up all over the place with their own specialty items and foods from jewelry to Mexican food.
People are making the most of what they’ve got. Just to keep themselves going, some people have found comfort in new hobbies or forms of expression during the pandemic, racism, and everything else that has happened within the past year.
Right now, however, most people aren’t building their own businesses and their routines have still been disrupted this year. I think it’s okay to embrace that. I want to acknowledge that we’re all in different places when it comes to adjusting and it’s alright to take a break when you want.
If you haven’t taken the time to check in with yourself, maybe step outside for the day or talk to a friend even, do that. Just do something that feels good today and remember that there are a lot of people doing a million different things right now— I’d like to think of them all as inspiration or baking content I’ll be sure to scroll through on Instagram even if I’ll never be able to do half of what those two bakers I mentioned earlier can.
There’s still a possibility to find comfort in so much that is unknown around us because we know that most people are probably in a similar spot too. If you need a reminder of that, check out this article in the New York Times by Melissa Klein about that awkward in-between state many people are finding themselves in right now. I say lean into it; can’t get out, so why not lean in, right?
Find a routine that works for you and if you haven’t, be okay with making the best of the small moments you can find comfort in anyway. If you want to share how you spend your time and what your favorite discoveries have been, whether that’s online shopping or even tips and tricks for your go-to hobby, feel free to tell us in the comments below. Otherwise, Happy Friday everyone.
See you next week.
kwilliamsbooks 