Thursday

Welcome to Thursday! Here’s the scoop for today:

• Discover winter reflection to embrace the season of pause

• Winter journaling prompts for introspection

• Can toilet paper save the planet?

• What to know about winter meditation

Discover Winter Reflection

As the weather outside continues to get colder and the world goes into hibernation, winter is the perfect season for reflection and introspection.

Taking some time to reflect can help us set goals, think about what we love in our lives, and make shifts for things we’d like to do differently!

One way we can embrace winter reflection is by setting aside time to consider lessons learned. Think about the past few weeks or months, or the year, and consider how you’ve navigated the various challenges life may have thrown your way.

Next, consider what worked well and what you’d like to do differently if you encountered a similar challenge. Be careful not to dwell — the point of reflection is not to live in the past, it’s to take time to pause and plan.

As you reflect, think about how you’d like things to look moving forward. Are there any actions you can take, or would you simply like to shift into a different mindset? Remember there is no wrong answer — it’s all about what works for you.

Some practices that can help us embrace winter reflection include:

• Journaling

• Meditation

• Goal-setting

• Having an open conversation with family or friends

Winter Journaling Prompts for Introspection

If you’re interested in journaling for introspection, it can be helpful to have some prompts to get your thoughts going.

Here are a few prompts to help spark those thoughts:

• What have I discovered about myself?

• What are some unexpected challenges I encountered?

• How have I grown in the last 12 months? The last 6? The last 2?

• What inspires and excites me?

• As I pause and take time to reflect, things I most look forward to include…

• How would I handle a specific challenge differently? What can I learn from that and apply moving forward?

While you can absolutely free journal and jot down whatever thoughts come your way, having some prompts can help you get started!

This New Toilet Paper Just Might Save the Planet

Every 24 hours, 27,000 trees are cut down to make toilet paper. To us, that feels like way too many — and Honeycomb agrees. That’s why this small, female-founded brand created luxury, three-ply toilet tissue made from bamboo. It feels just like regular high-end toilet paper but doesn’t harm trees.

So why bamboo? It’s the fastest-growing plant in the world — growing 100 times faster than the average tree — which means thousands of rolls can be produced in the time it takes for a single tree to grow back.

Even better? Code NTS30 will give new customers 30% off their first order for the next 24 hours.

Get started here.

Thank you to Honeycomb for sponsoring Note To Self. 

Discover Winter Meditation

One great way to slow down and embrace pause and reflection in winter is with mindfulness — including meditation!

We love focused meditations, as they can help our thoughts stay centered and calm our minds.

One meditation we’ve recently enjoyed is geared toward warmth and gratitude.

For this winter meditation:

• Get in a comfortable position, like sitting cross-legged or lying down.

• Close your eyes. Take some deep breaths to begin embracing a sense of calm.

• Focus your attention on any warm or cozy sensations — like your clothes, a blanket, a jacket, or the rug beneath you.

• Pause and practice gratitude for those positive sensations and the sense of warmth.

• Open your eyes, and take a moment to consider the world around you. Find things that you appreciate — whether it’s the sights outside the window, decorations in your home, or pictures of those you love.

• Close your eyes, and take another moment to pause.

• Next, use your sense of sound and consider the things you hear and how they make you feel, taking a moment to practice gratitude. This may be the sound of the heat running, some soft background music, or the noise cars make when they pass by outside.

• Move through all of your five senses, embracing what makes you feel warm and comfortable.

A Note From Us

Parting Thoughts

• ✅ True or False: False! Self-care can impact our other relationships. When we practice self-care, it can impact our relationships with others for the better!

• 🎁 Our Holiday Self-Care Picks: Don’t forget to check out our 2024 gift guide, a collection of thoughtful, wellness-focused products that help you feel your best, inside and out. Shop our gift guide here!

• 🙋🏼‍♀️ Snapshot Of The Day: We'd love to see moments from our readers lives that they are proud of! If you recently accomplished an achievement, experienced a joyful moment, or are proud of a picture you have taken, be sure to capture it on camera and send it to us for a chance to be featured next week! 

• 💭 Final Self-Care Thoughts for Today: Whether through reflection, journaling, or another practice, embrace seasonality through self-care!

Enjoying Note to Self?

Know of a great self-care tip or article you'd love to share with the community? Want to send us pictures of you completing one of your self-care rituals? Email us at [email protected]!