the art of the every day

a gentle reminder to notice the small things you usually overlook

Hello my darlings, and welcome to another fabulous start to a fabulous fall week. It has been raining up quite a storm here in Madrid this past week, which I absolutely love. Lighting candles around the house, cracking my door open to hear the trickling of the rain, and cooking cozy meals like curry and harvest bowls have gotten me through the days where the sun sets at basically four pm now. Unpopular opinion: I actually do enjoy the sun setting so early because I can get some much-needed hibernation after such a busy summer.

Last week, we dove into the idea of “life isn’t later.” I wanted to focus on the fact that we are living in the now, and there is no better moment than this one to live your life the way you want to live. I like thinking about how many versions of ourselves we get to be in one lifetime. Maybe you feel like you are on your first “life” or your twentieth “life,” but either way, there is so much to live for every day. It does not need a miracle to change the way we live. All we need to do is simply start living.

With that said, let’s talk about this week’s theme on Avalon Avenue. The Art of the Every Day. Most of us miss this long-lost art because it becomes so familiar. At the end of the day, this “art” is simply being present. We get used to our routines or let our work become our whole world, and forget there is a life outside of this. We forget to take charge of the now and appreciate the seemingly small beauties of the everyday. But what if we take this week to look at these “small beauties” differently?

look for the micro moments

There are endless small beauties in this life. The mug we bought on that infamous girls trip to Napa Valley that we love to pour our morning beverages into. Our favorite treadmill being open at the gym because it lets us see out the window and observe people. Even the texture of your sheets as you fall asleep. The coldness of the silk. The comfort of the linen. The plushness of your pillow.

These little things matter more than we think. Paying attention to them and the feelings behind them brings more beauty into the everyday.

pausing for transitions

In the art of the everyday, we need to think about the in-between moments. The times when we are switching tasks or beginning something new.

Think about when you are about to drive to work. What music will make you feel good? Think about when you open your computer. What intention are you bringing into that moment? Even flipping to the next page in your book, what happened on the last page that stayed with you?

We rush through so much of life. Slowing down at these tiny transitions makes everything feel calmer and more present.

tune into your senses

We learned about our five senses in school for a reason because they are essential. Especially when we are lucky enough to have all five of them working together.

This week, I challenge you to pay more attention to your senses and see how they brighten your world. Ask yourself:

• What do I see?

• What do I hear?

• What do I smell?

• What texture is under my hands?

• What feels warm and what feels cool?

Even noticing one of these can shift your whole day.

challenge yourself to notice one thing

This is a small and fun activity you can do to stay present. Instead of looking at your phone when you walk, look up and out.

Choose one thing to search for this week. Maybe it is the color red, and every time you see it, you take a picture. Maybe it is alphabet searching, where you look for letters around you, starting with the letter A. Maybe you spot an A in a shop sign or the letter H in a shadow from a construction site.

Any of these challenges helps you look outward and stay connected to the world around you.

beauty of the mundane

Lastly, think about the small, mundane things that are actually beautiful. The way you tie your scarf in the morning. The way a purse hangs over a chair. The sound of a spoon hitting the side of a mug. The grocery aisle you always love for no real reason.

Even folding laundry, something so many of us dread, can become a moment you choose to slow down and enjoy. The mundane is full of softness if we let it be.

I am looking forward to practicing the art of noticing the beauty of the everyday. There is an art to everything we do because we are human and human nature is art itself. The way we move through our day, the way we brush our hair, the outfits we choose, the music we play on a run — it is all art meeting art.

Nothing needs to be a lost art, because it is already all around us. We are simply the ones who have to notice it.

So, let this be your week to enjoy the art of living. Sit with your thoughts. Enjoy the small moments. Think about the little beauties. And observe the gift of life we are handed every day.

Enjoy your week, my loves, and take care.

Until next time…

xoxo,
Avalon