It’s that time of the Year!
When November had started rolling it, I was already feeling festive and anticipating not only the new year but also the very season for these:
- Peppermint beverages!
- Christmas decorations!
- Spotify and Youtube playlist now full of only Christmas music (Yes, including the classic ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’
- Christmas and New Year Sale, anyone?
- The season of gifting
As the main list is more of Christmas and all the jolly merry goodness December will bring, the sublists under them get pretty long. For one, I’m a very big fan of the classic Peppermint flavour – it can be mint chocolate, pure mint, frost mint. All things mint and I’ll always get so excited, there’s always just something so comforting for a hot mug of peppermint mocha or mint chocolate.
Due to the refreshing flavour notes of mint, the word itself is also a noun to define something in a good, almost new state. For example, when you want to sell old books you have and label them ‘in mint condition’, it means that they are in good condition and were well taken care of.
So it got me thinking of how much I love the peppermint flavour and how I feel whenever I get to take a sip and savour each taste because not only do I always feel refreshed and comforted, but I also feel motivated. Just like the flavour, I feel refreshed.
Perhaps that’s one of the main reasons why it’s exciting to look forward to December each year, especially when Peppermint flavour becomes sought after and enjoyed through the festive season, as of December ends and then the new year starts, that means it’s time to welcome a new start – a refreshing new start.
Here are a few things to think about when thinking of being in mint condition:
It’s Okay To Reflect
If we take a step back to reflect on the events that have been happening since the year 2020, I’m sure that it was more than just a roller coaster for all of us. We were hit by a global pandemic and suddenly the world was being thrown into confusion but people have started to feel the need to make adjustments in their lives being affected by the pandemic.
When the world comes to a pause or making slower progress, it was also one of the best times for people to take time to reflect on their lives. Career decisions, social life, personal responsibilities among other things.
It’s okay to take time to reflect, it’s more okay to wonder and look back through the years and see what changes need to be made.
As for me, these two years have been the most reflective one for me so far. I have made very big changes that have impacted my life, some of those decisions have given me great opportunities – from work to personal.
When the world is slowing down or taking its time, it’s very much okay to take much time you need to slow down with it.
Taking Up New Challenges
It sounds intimidating, isn’t it? I can assure you that it is not as intimidating as it sounds, promise!
Challenges can be very subjective to many different people, it depends on perspective and preferences as well. It does not have to be something very big or grand like trying rock climbing (although that’s a good challenge to have), trying to make a new dish, etc.
New challenges can be the following:
- Re-learning a language you try to catch up on
- Waking up in the morning to do a morning journal
- Taking a 5 minutes walk outside the house
- Make a nice homemade latte
- Spend 30 minutes watching tutorials on illustrating
- And many more
The main goal is that if it is a challenge to you because it’s something new and that it feels like a fresh start to do it, overcoming that challenge will not be the main priority as much as it is to get started and to acknowledge that you have taken on a new challenge!
Pretty exciting, isn’t it?
Ensuring Reliable Support System
Remember how many times we get a new gadget or a new device, we will get a warranty and it’s essential to keep up with the maintenance of them? It does not just apply to gadgets!
You need that maintenance too. Now, here’s the important thing about understanding self-care and self-love: Checking in with yourself and understanding the maintenance you need to be in your good condition (mint condition!).
One of the keys to good maintenance of your well-being is knowing and trusting your most valuable support system. It can be emotional support, mental support – as long as you feel supported, treated with kindness and respect in your own safe space by the people you trust and love most, that’s what having a reliable support system is all about.
For me, one of my biggest support systems is my cats. I always feel much better when my cats are around, even on days where my mood have its sour swings and there were times I would feel lonely, my cats would come to me and cuddle close – instant happiness right there. Since then, I have always identified my cats as part of my reliable support system.
Taking care of yourself through this year has surely been hard and that’s okay, it’s good to acknowledge when you have difficult times, the easy times and the in-between times.
I hope that when you take a sip of a cup of hot Peppermint Chocolate or Mocha, you will be in mint condition and ready to feel refreshed to take on the new year to a fresh start.
Jasmine RCK is a content writer under Headliner by Newswav, a programme where content creators get to tell their unique stories through articles and at the same time monetize their content within the Newswav app.
Register at headliner.newswav.com to become one of our content writers now!
*The views expressed are those of the author. If you have any questions about the content, copyright or other issues of the work, please contact Newswav.