Back again with a famously sporadic post! I hope everyone has had a great start to 2024 and things are looking up.

I’ve been in Ireland just over a year now and feel pretty much settled. There are things that I would like to make blogging and working from home more feasible, like better internet and an actual PC. (Yes, I’d also like a bread maker, ice cream maker, record player, copious vinyls, and a weaving loom, but those are far less necessary.) In time, these things will come, to be sure.

There are some things that I am smitten with right now. They bring me joy, no matter how trivial seeming said joy is.

The Five Minute Journal

This journal has been around for awhile now. I’ve always enjoyed the idea of having a daily practice of jotting down things I am grateful for and how to make the most of each day. I’ve tried some sort of version of this, but haven’t been consistent. As I have a tendency to be somewhat flighty, scraps of paper get lost or I lose motivation. Having something that’s sole purpose is to ensure a daily self-care practice sitting next to my bed helps me find the consistency I need. The journal is visually appealing. A simple cream hardcover journal isn’t imposing and can sit anywhere inconspicuously.

Every day, you have the tasks of writing a few things. In the morning, you write what you are grateful for, what can make the day great, and an affirmation for the day. In the evening, it’s the highlights of the day and anything you learned that day. Super simple! The idea is to spend five minutes in the morning to set yourself up to enter the day with positivity and motivation, and five minutes in the evening to reflect on the positive and useful parts of the day.

So, yeah, while I might not be consistent every day, I still use it frequently as a tool to get my mind in a good space. I feel that it is a great tool for anyone looking for any kind of personal growth boost. It certainly helps me manage my mental health, and when my mental health is looked after, I can be a more productive and compassionate human being.

The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA

So, after working for a major beauty retailer for a decade, I became skincare savvy. Part of my charm is that I believe in treating beauty as a whole concept. Beauty absolutely comes from within. We are only as beautiful as how we experience the world. Kindness, compassion, and joy are extremely beautiful. With that, we can enhance our natural beauty with stuff we wear and put on our skin.

Something I’ve always stood by is affordable yet effective skincare. Yes, there are some products out there that can be on the pricey side and are worth every penny, and I love those select products. However, if I can find something that I use every day that works well and doesn’t hurt my bank account, I’m all for it. This is where this moisturizer comes into play.

The Ordinary’s Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA has been a staple for me for a few years now. I can slap it on and feel the moisture doing its job right away. As it has hyaluronic acid in it, it helps lock in moisture that my dry, sensitive skin needs. I use it for exactly what it is: to add moisture to my skin. Often, in the evenings, after I’ve let the moisturizer absorb, I’ll follow with a face oil.

This moisturizer is everything I have ever hoped for in a moisturizer. It does what it says it’s going to do, and for the standard 100ml that most moisturizers come in, it costs 15.50 Euros. On top of those key selling points, the product is also vegan and cruelty free. I feel safe knowing that I’m not putting any animal byproduct on my skin and no innocent animals had to endure senseless testing to ensure the product is safe.

The Comfort Book by Matt Haig

To be completely honest, everything Matt Haig has published fit in my favourites list. However, ‘The Comfort Book’ is something that will remain in my life. It is a small, sweet book, and I feel that anyone who feels their feelings deserves to have this book on hand. It is a collection of notes, stories, and lists, and was originally put together to serve as reminders for Matt Haig and his future self that life isn’t always dark and bleak. He kindly has offered this collection to the world, and I am very grateful that he has.

Photo by Fiona Dodd on Unsplash

In keeping with my enjoyment of multiples of threes, I will leave you with these. And, hopefully, I’ll be back regularly to share other things I am enjoying!

Thank you for swinging by to check out a refreshed Ellie! I hope all is well out there. Be kind to yourselves and others.

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