Essentials For The Perfect Day Home Alone

Sticky Buns (so good!) / Pajama Top / Apple TV / Polishing Body Brush / Deep Sleep Bath Oil (a splurge but so worth it) / Pajama Shorts / The Silkworm / Mug / Slippers / diptyque Candle / Pom Pom Blanket (love this)
A few days ago I was sitting with a group of attorneys in the courtroom while we waited for our cases to be called before the judge. Everyone was talking about all of these great places they were wishing they could escape to such as the beach. As the conversation continued I piped in and said, "I just want to stay home and watch Netflix." My statement received a few laughs but is so true.

I am all for days spent traveling to fun places, socializing with friends, or running around town to either visit favorite local spots or try new things. While I love doing all of these things days in which I have no plans, no responsibilities, and no where to be always rank among the best days I could have. I especially love these days when I can spend them totally alone. There is something so calming and balancing about having 12 or 24 hours completely to yourself. I think it good for the soul.

Above are a few of my essentials for a perfect day at home alone including comfy pajamas and necessities for a luxurious bath. I read this book recently and cannot wait to pick up the second book in the series soon. What are some of your essentials for a perfect day at home alone?

P.S. I talk more about alone time here and I discussed how I like to spend my free time here.

Chit Chat: Are You A Social Butterfly?

Not only is my work schedule busy but lately my social life has also picked up. Looking ahead I have something planned for almost every weekend and many days through the week all the way through New Years. Jessica has joked several times lately that I have become a social butterfly.

I will never consider myself a social butterfly. If anything I am more of an introvert. I value the importance of my time and that includes spending a healthy chunk of it alone. As much fun as I have going out with friends, hosting game nights, and attending events like the ballet or a great concert I enjoy myself just as much at home with a great book, a good movie, and well stocked kitchen that allows me to try out new recipes.

While some aspects of having a busy social calendar do not fit my personality, I find the act of carrying on small talk to be tedious and I need at least a few hours each week to myself in order to recharge, I have realized that I need to put myself out there more. I need to push myself to try new things, to meet new people, and to push the boundaries of my comfort zone. By doing these things I would create lasting memories, take in new experiences, learn more, and maybe even make a few new friends along the way. Right now although they seem a little overwhelming at times I can say enthusiastically that I am looking forward to events that are filling the pages my calendar.

What about you? Do you consider yourself a social butterfly? Do you pack all of your time full of adventures or would you rather spend your time one-on-one with friends or reading a good book?

via: 1

Chit Chat: Free Time

In most instances I think I am a very generous person but one thing I am truly selfish with is my free time. I have always been one of those people who has a lot on their plate and someone who is constantly juggling to keep up with everything going on in life. This has likely been what has lead me to feeling the constant urge to be productive. Free time is hard for me to come by and when I do have an opportunity for a little free time I have to make a conscious effort to not focus on marking tasks off my to-do list and to ignore the feeling that because I am taking the time to do something fun or to relax that I am getting behind.

It took me a long time to accept that I have to be selfish with my free time. Time is precious and very limited. Once I stepped back and realized that all of my time was getting eat up with by other people, work, commuting, errands, and obligations and I acknowledged that we have so little time that we actually get to spend doing exactly what we want I accepted that being selfish with my free time was not only totally acceptable it was the most beneficial thing for my well-being.

It is important that we spend those few hours that are truly our own doing what we want, not what we think we are supposed to be doing or what others think we are supposed to. Now I only ever give up free time very begrudgingly. Focusing on things I enjoy helps me feel like I am a much more balanced person. Sometimes I choose to spend my feel time by getting tickets to a play or the ballet, or by meeting friends for shopping and dinner, or sometimes (maybe more often than not) I choose to spend it alone at home watching a favorite movie, baking a new recipe, or reading a good book (I discussed alone time here). Free time should be a time to recharge and that is exactly how I intend to always choose to spend mine.

How do you spend your free time? Do you have any good tips on how to maximize the amount of free time you receive?

via: 1

Chit Chat

Do you find that you sometimes absolutely crave some alone time? I find myself wishing for some from time to time. Around here it is very difficult for me to have some alone time. Right now I really have been so busy that I have barely been at home until almost bedtime. Between work, tutoring after school, my night class, and errands that I have to run I am just busy, busy, busy. Then when I find myself at home there are always others around so no alone time.
On those rare occasions when I do happen to find myself at home alone for the day, I take full advantage of it. I am lazy and indulgent. I allow myself to get by with a few things that I normally would not do, especially around others. I can spend the whole day in my pajamas without anyone knowing. They are just so comfy! Who doesn't spend the day in pajamas occasionally? Then there is also the fact that if I have no plans of going anywhere and no fear of someone dropping by, I just may go all day without brushing my hair. When someone does pop up at the door unexpectedly I have to run for my brush before I can answer. The worst thing? I can spend the majority of the day in bed watching cartoons and reruns of shows like Project Runway while munching on a bag of Doritos, which will most likely end up empty by the end of the day. How do you spend those rare days alone when you manage to get one?

via: 1