Blog - Page 9 Of 10 - Written By Chanee

blue shelf with pair of slip-ons and five clothes

Lockdown Wardrobe

Lockdown Wardrobe Challenge: An update of how it’s going

A week ago, I set myself a challenge: to buy nothing new, and to wear things I’d neglected to wear in my wardrobe in new ways. The challenge came about after I realised I buy way too many clothes, and I use shopping as a crutch to get me through a variety of strong emotions. I gave myself a 6 week period, because that’s how long lockdown 2.0 is officially for here in Melbourne.

26 July 2020 No Comments

Corona

Superhero kids: why children are the real heroes of this pandemic

Have you heard of the Coronacoaster? One day you’re loving your bubble, doing workouts and baking sourdough, the next, you’re crying, drinking wine for breakfast, and missing people you don’t even like. Welcome to life on the Coronacoaster, A.K.A, 2020. I didn’t write that, someone on Instagram did, and it’s been shared around the internet, probably because it’s so relatable.

22 July 2020 No Comments

Lockdown Wardrobe

How my Lockdown Wardrobe Challenge made me rethink minimalism

I have a confession to make: I own too many clothes. I’m not proud of it, but it’s true. I harp on about why possessions don’t equal happiness, and why the concept of minimalism is attractive to me, but in truth, I don’t practice what I preach. And I’m starting to feel like a bit of a traitor. I have too many clothes, because I buy too many clothes. And I buy too many clothes, because I love fashion, but I also love shopping. There, I said it. You heard it here first.

18 July 2020 2 Comments

Leaf with glass water - Image: Unsplash: @SarahDorweiler

Minimalism

How living a minimalist life will give you unexpected freedom

Recently, I wrote about why instant gratification is a recipe for disaster. I mentioned in that post that I love stuff, and I’m definitely not a minimalist. Although this is still true, I’ve always been fascinated by minimalism as a way of life. There is something alluring in owning less. I don’t think I could ever reach a minimalist lifestyle, but the concept still holds my interest. Something about it is attractive to me.

16 July 2020 No Comments

Life

Finding peace and belonging in an unpredictable world

I’m sitting at the beach as I write this, parked in my car, with my iPad out, and Spotify on. The beach is a place I’ve revisited many times during this pandemic. While everything else has been changing, it has remained a constant. Sometimes it’s windy and the waves are grey and choppy, other times the water is like a sheet of glass — quiet, still and perfectly uninterrupted. But it’s always there — a reassuring presence, a moment suspended in time. I came to the beach right at the beginning of the Corona upheaval. I wasn’t even sure why I came that particular day, but it was what I needed, and my heart knew it, even if I didn’t. I found myself there before I even knew where I was going.

13 July 2020 No Comments

Imperfection

How to discover the beauty of living imperfectly through an ancient Japanese art form

In Japanese tradition, there is something called Kintsugi. Kintsugi means “golden joinery,” and is an art form where broken ceramics are carefully mended by artisans using gold or silver resin, so that the repairs become visible and highlight the inherent beauty of the vessel. Mending these ceramics leaves an intentional imprint. The history of the vessel and the mark of the artisan are woven into the story of the vessel, bringing out the beauty of it.

9 July 2020 No Comments

Writing

5 key ways to write freely without facing your own self critic

I’d encourage everyone to write as a tool for self expression. Writing feels good for many reasons, even if you never share your work with anyone. You don’t need to be a ‘writer’ to write. In fact, anyone who writes is, by definition, a ‘writer.’ Everyone has something to say, but not everyone gets a chance to express it, and that’s a real shame. The world would be a better place if we all shared our stories. Yes, writing is often challenging, but it’s not the writing part that’s hard. It’s the self doubt that comes along with it. So, I’ve put together a list of five things to help you break free of self judgement and just write. Are you ready?

2 July 2020 No Comments

Life

How a disappointing university course taught me some surprising life lessons

The task was simple enough. It wasn’t meant to be a drama. It wasn’t even a big project, or worth a ton of marks. But it was close to 11pm, and I was still at uni, with the last of the stragglers, plugging away at a multimedia assessment that was beyond my capabilities.The task was to create a two minute audio clip that told a story. I had a plan for it. It was about a young woman entering a coffee shop and hearing a song over the speakers that connected with her, and walking out slightly changed because of it.

28 June 2020 No Comments

Possessions

Instant gratification and the quest for more stuff

I love stuff. I’m not a minimalist. I like colour, prints, patterns, and anything remotely pretty. I collect things, too – craft supplies, wrapping supplies, games, puzzles, fidget toys (yes, fidget toys – I know.) In fact, I love having small collections of things, don’t ask me why.

21 June 2020 No Comments

Positivity

I hope you wake in sunshine, and other small wishes for you

I hope you wake in sunshine, catching the first glimpse through stained glass windows, a kaleidoscope of colour. I hope it continues to surround you, trailing behind you like an invisibility cloak keeping you warm, that only you can feel. I hope the light guides your decisions, filters into the day’s mundaneness, and washes over everything with sparkles.

16 June 2020 1 Comment