A year-end playlist + appreciating routine and mundane tasks
We are only a few days away from closing out the year.
Can you believe it? This year, just like every other year, has flown by entirely too fast.
For me, the past few months felt like a blur. As I began reflecting on the year, I realized that a lot of changes took place that required me to recalibrate often. At times, my morning routine felt like my single source of truth.
My morning routine typically looks something like this:
- Wake at 6:00.
- Drink water + take vitamins.
- Write in journal.
- Make a smoothie for breakfast.
- Gym at 6:30.
- Shower/meditate.
- Clean & tidy flat.
- Write to-do list for the remainder of the day.
- Head out for work by 9:00-9:30.
Sure — it isn’t the most exciting routine in the world, but it does provide a feeling of comfort and stability.
It allows me to appreciate the beauty in everyday tasks.
It has also shown me that there is room for improvement in following through with my routine while traveling or when obstacles get in the way. 😬 But, hey, one step at time!
What do you love most about your daily routine? Shoot me a note and let me know.
Sounds
I created a playlist of my favorite tracks from the year. It was surprisingly really difficult to narrow the list down to 100 tracks. If you don't know by now, I'm a bit of a digital crate digger or uhh... an audiophile. Press shuffle and take a listen to my year-end playlist.
Works
Karabo Poppy is a South African illustrator, graphic designer, and visual artist who strives to keep African aesthetics alive. Below is a piece titled The Fierce Puma from the ‘Grab 'Em by the...’ exhibition that was held at Rialheim in Linden Johannesburg last year.
Read
I recently finished reading Atomic Habits, James Clear's debut book. If you aren't familiar with Clear's work, he writes articles on the science behind habits and human potential. I've been following his work for the past few years, so when I heard that he was releasing a book, I immediately purchased it and began diving in. If you are looking for a way to build new habits (or break bad ones), I highly recommend checking out Clear's penning. Every piece of advice is immediately actionable.
Quote
Look at a day when you are supremely satisfied at the end. It’s not a day when you lounge around doing nothing; it’s when you’ve had everything to do, and you’ve done it.
— Margaret Thatcher
That’s all for now.
As always, feel free to reply ↩ to this email or send me a tweet with your thoughts or feedback.