Good morning, good morning! Just look at these beautiful accoutremonts! Come with me as I start my day the best way I know how…
I get up, get dressed down to shoes and head downstairs. Here is a little short video of me making tea in the kitchen. I just adore the light in the stove. It is especially nice to keep things dark when I wake up with a migrane.
As the kettle is coming to a boil I am feeding the animals breakfast, letting the dog out, and packing lunchboxes if it is a school day. If its warm, Abbey stays outside for the morning, if its cold she comes back in and gets on the bed with me.
I load up the tea tray with breakfast for me and the kids. (They like to wake up the same way I do.) Then I get back in bed. On my bedside table is a nursery lamp giving off a cozy glow. My art bag is next to me, my tea tray on my lap, my phone is softly playing a podcast. I pour tea and add honey, my spoon tinkling lightly against the porcelain cup. I sip and feel its warmth spread through my tummy.
I do many things in my journals: studying to see if I can add to a spread, finishing a drawing, adding a quote, starting or crossing off a list, writing a passage for a book or blog, brainstorming ideas, coloring, etc. Its all good and fun.
This way of starting my day is so much better than it used to be. Before committing to morning time for myself I was a mess- hurrying around, yelling at my family to hurry up, feeling stressed and frazzled before the day even started. I used to eat breakfast on the way to school or even at school and I had a morning plan time for a while that I used to do just that with.
Then, one year I lost my morning plan, and my plan time I did have at school became small pieces scattered throughout the day. This left me with odd 10-15 minute chunks that were not conducive to creativity or breakfasting!
So, I made a plan and started waking up earlier so I could have time to eat. It changed everything! My mornings became peaceful and harmonious. I no longer fell out of bed and went to work. There was time to let my body wake up and time to think; time to ease myself into the day and to be in charge, instead of the day running me. I was proactive not reactive!
The beauty of all this was moments of time that were totally peaceful. Even if I didn’t create anything, journal, or paint, this time still filled me with joy.
And when I did create? The magic followed me all day long- and it overflowed to my classes and students. It became the glistening light on top of my time with my little artists.
All this, just from giving myself grace and time in the mornings!
With tea and journaling time to you from Kansas Street,
-Jaime
Life on Kansas Street 