I landed here in Florida on Tuesday and have been enjoying the soft sun and laid back lifestyle of the area, getting a lot of rest and doing some daydreaming. Time alone in solitude recharges and inspires me.
Earlier this year I decided to (mostly) give up alcohol, because of how it was making me feel. I was waking up in the middle of the night not feeling good, it was affecting my sleep and giving me brain fog, so it felt like it was time to give it up. Perimenopause was also a contributing factor, so I decided it was time to say goodbye to reaching for an adult beverage in the evening.
I haven’t totally given up alcohol. I will imbibe in the occasional social cocktail or glass of wine with friends from time to time, but in my days and evenings I now drink water because I love the way it makes me feel: more energized, more cleansed, and I have greater mental clarity.
It all began when Matt bought me a handmade pebbled glass carafe for Christmas (seen below) and since then I’ve kept it in my bathroom as a reminder to keep drinking water throughout the day. The simple elegance of it reminds me of my goal of increased hydration. I want this new ritual to become a daily practice because of this feeling of renewed health.
I’ve seen the concept of romanticizing your life circling around on social media and I agree with it: using the fancy china for a mid week meal, burning a lovely candle to make your home smell amazing, the list goes on. Surrounding yourself with simple things to enhance your daily life is a beautiful way to live. I like the look of green colored glass so I bought a second green glass carafe for my stays here in Florida.
green carafe with footed glass lid
Both our physical and mental health will be in a constant state of stimulus and stress in this modern world if we’re not careful. Investing in oneself in simple mindful ways with the goal of maximizing our well being and prolonging our lives is self care.
If you want to start a new ritual of journaling, you buy a nice journal and leave it by your bed. If you want to become a runner, you buy a good set of running shoes and leave them by the door. For me, the mere act of leaving an attractive water carafe out on display helps me continue my new ritual. Now I wake up in the morning with a clear head thanking the me of yesterday for keeping up with my new simple yet effective habit of greater hydration and it feels so good.
A few more lovely water carafes linked below!
vintage pattern (multiple colors ) / gray glass
amber glass / pink reed glass (also blue and green)
blue glass (multiple colors) / stacking amber
Have you begun a new ritual that’s improving your quality of life too?
YES to drinking more water!! Thank you for writing about something so seemingly mundane but is actually a solid foundation of good health – mentally, physically, and spiritually! And try to drink pure water, not fluoride and other chemicals which are NOT helpful to good health!
Congratulations on the decision to reduce your alcohol intake. I too did the same at the start of 2023 and really have not looked back. The mental clarity alone is worth it for me. In the meantime, I am having fun creating mocktails which is all I really need to feel like I am part of the party. I love your carafe idea, just threw a sprig of mint in mine. Cheers!