Someone asked me last night how Covid has affected the relational aspect of my life. More than anything, I miss total freedom to gather with our loved ones in the way we used to. With the holiday season coming up, I am grieving the loss of that privilege I took for granted for so long. I am very nostalgic and traditions mean a lot to me. I host a few gatherings with our favorite people around the holidays at my home, and each year I look forward to the planning and preparation ahead of time and the deep sense of community that comes after.

Being a product based business, my busy time is also during the holidays. Gathering with people and cutting loose is a huge release for me and it is one of the ways I decompress. It is one way that God gives me Shalom - a sense of peace and of goodness. I think of an old favorite movie - Babette’s Feast - a slow, quiet, and humble kind of film based on a short story by Isak Dinesen that tells a story of how the act of gathering, indulging in good food and good wine can be catalysts for forgiveness, grace, and healing.

Usually, I am a glass half-full kinda gal, but even I am having a hard time finding positivity at times. This may sound like a dichotomy, but recently, I’ve been trying to allow myself to sit in this grief and just “be” while simultaneously practicing gratitude. We might not be able to gather as we hoped and planned this year, but there will still be some level of togetherness that can be celebrated. There may not be holiday parties like we had in the past, but the decor will still be put up, and small traditions will still take place.

So despite possible restrictions, I’m choosing to move forward, be inspired and center my plans around my core people. Our most recent photoshoot (more coming later!) was a huge source of inspiration for me. Working with Courtney from @savor_style to create my dream fall and holiday tablescapes was SO fun and a great creative release.

I posted on the blog about this last week but I think it is fitting to mention it here: one of my favorite new habits is my Monday Moods Pinterest board. In there, I plan to capture all my inspiration into one place and change Monday from a long to-do-list type of day to a creative catalyst day.

How are you coping with this? Are you planning on seeing and connecting with loved ones over the holidays? Comment below and share your thoughts! And be sure to follow me on Pinterest for more inspiration for fall gatherings.