Things we’re doing to keep positive & motivated in uncertain times
Lifestyle
Times are tough at the moment and if you start thinking about it too deeply you can quickly spiral into a deep hole of not feeling too good. I’ll be honest, Al and I have our good days and days where we feel pretty low. Goldie growing is a definitive time-stamp of how quickly time is passing and a reminder of how many people we can’t share her with.
But rather than getting down about all of the things out of our control we’ve decided to use the remainder of our lockdown to focus on things we can control and soak up the time we have together just the four of us.
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One of my best friend’s always says “win the morning, win the day” - I love this saying so much because nothing sets you up for a good day like laughter, moving your body, eating something nourishing, having a clean space and of course… coffee! We’ve come up with a great morning routine which starts with coffee in bed, playtime with Goldie & Edwina, baby-free exercise for both Al and I, breakfast smoothies and a quick house cleanup.
Another thing we’ve been doing is checking the weather at the beginning of the week, making note of when it’s going to be particularly nice and re-arranging our schedules to allow time off together to enjoy it as a family. Spring in Victoria is notoriously unpredictable so it’s worth taking those good days when you get them!
Also what brings us joy and is within our control is the food we eat. We’ve divided up the responsibility of meals and it’s become a little competitive who can come up with the best lunch and dinners. The criteria; must be delicious, be enough for at least 2 lunches / dinners and bonus if there’s enough leftover you can freeze it for a later date! (it’s all about efficiency people!)
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This week I have been rearranging the house, moving our furniture and artworks around which all stated when I restyled our DIY Boot & Coat Rack. The house feels so fresh and it’s spurred us on to do a much-needed Spring clean too. So if you’re tired of looking at the same four walls, try changing them - I promise it’ll make you feel great!
Al and I have found on days where we’re in a bit on a funk the best thing for us to do is manual labour jobs where we can switch off from making decisions and just do. Last week we spent a whole day in the garden mowing and tidying up. It kept us busy and we felt accomplished, by the end of the day we were exhausted but a lot happier. We’d spent time outside together as a family while ticking something big off our to-do list.
I’d keep writing but Goldie’s just woken up!
Stay connected, explore nature, move your body & eat something delicious.
x IMO
Around the Home
HEY! WE’RE AL + IMO
We’re a husband and wife duo, building our dream life one DIY project at a time. We are proudly self-taught, furniture-makers, business owners, designers and stylists.
DIY RUNS IN OUR DNA
We firmly believe what you learn should be shared which is why we created our Journal. A place where you can learn new skills and be inspired by other creatives.
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ON THE JOURNAL
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Imogen Gilchrist
Imogen Gilchrist is a creative director, Squarespace website designer and social media strategist who loves good design & good people.