Kimono Work Breaks

Earlier this week, I began a somewhat unexpected vacation that will last until early August. After months of thought and indecision, I made the choice to leave my current position and company for a new opportunity. The new role is still in the finance industry; however, the work environment will be entirely different and will present many new areas for growth and development.

The main reason for uncertainty was that I would have to leave my coworkers and team, who have truly become like family over the past two years. Like any normal family, we bickered, joked, teased, and argued; however, when it came to the important things, we supported and encouraged one another.

I was truly blessed and fortunate to have experienced a working environment such as that and know that I will greatly miss my work family in the near future. Luckily, my sudden and unexpected last day is not "goodbye"; I know I will return to visit my beloved colleagues and still will be attending several branch events with them.

Outfit Details:

Kimino // Zara

Top + Pants // T. Babaton via Aritzia

Shoes // Topshop

In the meantime, I have been using the two weeks I have off in between jobs to prepare myself for my new role. For instance, I have been careful to practice as much self-care as possible by sleeping early, waking up early, and keeping a productive schedule for each day. Although I am "vacationing," I don't want to fall into the habit of late nights and waking up late as I want to accomplish many things that were not possible while working full-time. As well, my new role allows me to work earlier, regular office hours (hallelujah!)-- so, sleeping earlier is in my best interest.  

I've also been setting small goals for each day and checking off long neglected to-do lists. Socially, I've been catching up with good friends to the point that my two weeks are almost fully booked. Physically, I've been cooking healthy meals at home, working out everyday, and taking long, scenic walks in the beautiful summer weather. In fact, I was able to wake up at 5:20 am yesterday with my best gym buddy in order to attend a 6:00 am bootcamp at my local recreational centre-- something I have not done since finishing university. More impressively, I was incredibly productive after bootcamp and did not need to nap at all during the day! 

Spiritually, I have been regularly using the early morning hours to read my Bible, pray, and read The Purpose Driven Life (which I have been reading together with my husband). Intellectually, I've been reading articles related to my new field of work, reading meaningful literature, and watching interesting documentaries (ie. Chasing Coral). Last but not least, the husband and I have been making concerted efforts to declutter and clean our apartment-- and keep it that way. The feeling of throwing out old junk is much more therapeutic than you would think and the satisfaction of a clean home is very much worth the exertion. 

After only about four days, I must say that I already feel incredibly refreshed and excited to set about my life with renewed purpose. What are your best methods for self-care and renewal?