getting cozier with jacey: monthly musings & listening to the body's wisdom

hiii my fellow homebuddies!!

the first month of the new year has come & gone and I'm feeling really proud of how I stayed rooted in what feels good instead of giving into the urgency that usually comes with the start of january. my word of the year is SPACIOUS and after getting back from an amazing new years trip to costa rica, I spent the rest of the month in true homebody fashion: diving deep into my creative flow, exploring new content formats (hello youtube!!) and ways of creative expression (using these to spend less time on my phone has been feeling so good!). it’s so important to me to incorporate moments of play during my week and find time to connect to my inner child. i feel like so many of us feel like we need to earn time to play or relax, but i really feel like play is ESSENTIAL for every aspect of our wellbeing. even if you feel like you don’t have time - creating space for even 10 minutes of something you enjoy can be a game-changer for your mental health. (not sure where to get started? i posted a video on how to find your hobbies on youtube to help you out!!)

this month, my partner Ben and I are spending February working and exploring in Buenos Aires! i did no research before coming here, so i wasn’t sure what to expect but i have been loving it so much. one of my favorite things to do to explore a new place i’m traveling to is immediately looking up all of the specialty coffee shops in the area and trying a new one each day. we went to las flores the other day, which quickly became what i think might be my favorite coffee shop of all time. think: magical fairy garden meets spacious, high-ceiling cafe AND an entirely gluten free menu??? paradise. everyone is so much more relaxed here than in NYC and my nervous system is reallyyyy loving the slower, quieter pace of the city. we are getting some much needed winter sunshine + finding a really good routine here!!

❣️ what I’m loving lately….

📚 reading:

• "The Secret Language of the Body" - nervous system regulation & cultivating deeper listenign to my body has been a big theme for me as of late! i started seeing a new somatic therapist who i’ve been LOVING and doing a lot of research on somatic practices. I've been highlighting so many passages in this book, but something that is really sticking with me is that "You can't think your way into right feeling, you have to feel your way into right thinking." What I love about this is how it flips the script on how we usually approach our wellbeing. We often try to "fix" our feelings through thinking - analyzing why we feel a certain way or trying to logic ourselves out of anxiety. But our bodies actually have this incredible wisdom that our minds sometimes override. The book explains that our emotions actually start with signals from our body to our brain - like an ongoing conversation between the two. So when we're feeling stuck in our heads, sometimes the best thing we can do is drop into our bodies instead. Maybe that's through taking a deep breath, doing a little stretch, or even just noticing the sensation of our feet on the ground.

• "Rhythm of War" (Book 4 of Stormlight Archives) - I always like to have one fiction + nonfiction book going at the same time, so yes - I’m still deep in this epic fantasy world created by Brandon Sanderson. I’ve been reading this series for over a year (each book is 1200+ pages 😅) but I love it so much. I really feel like I’ve built the entire Cosmere in my head and I love diving into it each night before bed.

🎵 listening: ben finally convinced me to get YouTube Premium and I’ve been exploring so many different DJs instead of using a spotify playlist. i love watching how they build their sets - it's like crafting but with music! my current relaxing favorites to put on while I’m working are….

• relaxing experimental ambient mix vol. 2 with RAICA

• ambient & experimental vinyl mix under warm light for self-healing | Life. Record. [4K]

• focus no vocals deep house mix

🎮 playing: hello kitty island adventure! this game just came out at the end of jan and i’m already obsessed. i’m not even a hello kitty superfan, but i feel like anyone who likes cute + cozy will love this game.

🎨 creating: watercolor has been my go-to lately! Just finished making some affirmation cards (inspired by my crafty bestie ARTGURL. If you’re looking for more winter craft ideas to get you through the winter, I just posted some here!!

🤳 coming soon: more vlog-style content! i asked you guys what you wanted to see more of in the homebuddies channel and so many of you said you wanted more lifestyle content!! i’m currently editing my first vlog-style video for IG/Tiktok + filming some longer vlog content for youtube!!

💡 before i go… just leaving with you that the reminder that whatever you’re currently navigating, you don’t have to have it all figured out at once. all you can do is just take the next step that’s in front of you, and trust that future steps will become more clear over time! trust in yourself, your capabilities, and your limitless potential. you got this!!!!

thank you so so so so much for being here. connecting with you all means the world to me and there’s not one day i take it for granted!!!

stay cozy & be gentle on yourself!!!!

jacey 🤍

P.S. reply and let me know how you liked this first newsletter, what you want to see more or less of, or just share what’s been bringing you joy lately! hearing from you makes my day :)