How to find your groove in 2024

My 8 game-changing wellness strategies + journaling prompts to discover yours 🌟💪📓

✺ ✺ ✺ The word I chose to guide me through 2023 was fearless. As I went through a couple of major lifestyle changes, including entering a completely new career and moving to the other side of the world, that’s the energy I wanted to channel. Whenever I had to make important decisions, I asked myself: “Am I being too cautious here?” and “What would the 100% fearless version of Inês do?” I think this strategy paid off as I have definitely stepped out of my comfort zone (and still am!). It’s causing ripple effects like this newsletter, which is clearly a product of living more daringly and intentionally. 

In this issue of Longe, I’m inviting you to find your own word or words, and develop your own strategies to feel aligned throughout the year. Deep self-reflection exercises have been the source of a lot of positive change in my life and I think you’ll love to read what comes next. Similarly to clothing consumption, I advocate for slowing down and taking the time to find what makes sense for you, your taste and your unique personality.

Hiking in the Blue Mountains in December 2023 during our end of year self-reflection trip.

As a side note, there are over 60 newsletters in the archives touching on the topic of slow fashion and personal style I wrote between 2021 and 2022 for you to explore! 

Moving to Sydney was motivated by my relationship (my boyfriend, Nick, is half Australian), but also by a quest for a better, healthier lifestyle. As I’m in my early thirties (I’ll be 34 in two days haha!), the topic of longevity and ageing is becoming front of mind. I am witnessing older relatives ageing, and it’s clear to me that what I do today for my body and my mind will have an impact on how I’ll feel and be able to do in a few decades from now.

This year, I’m implementing 8 wellbeing strategies, some of them inspired by my new coastal living situation, in order to support myself holistically. I’ll detail them below for inspiration and offer a journaling prompt for each so you can reflect on your life and find yours too.  

Hiking in the Blue Mountains in December 2023 during our end of year self-reflection trip.

1 ✺ Practising hot yoga regularly

I discovered hot yoga last year in London as part of the offering of ClassPass. I tried the Saturday morning class at the Fierce Grace studio in Primrose Hill and got hooked almost immediately. Their classes run for about 75 minutes, in 38° degrees heat, and are largely self-paced. It's slow and intense, and despite what they say, I wouldn’t recommend it to a beginner. However, if you’re familiar with the various yoga sequences, definitely give it a try! The deep warmth of the studio was so comforting for me on an icy winter day. My local gym here in Sydney offers hot yoga classes, and I’ve already booked my weekly session every Sunday in my calendar. It hits a bit differently given the temperatures, but I still notice the benefits. At the end of a class, I always feel the same way as after a full body massage. 

Journaling prompt - What movement will bring you a sense of ease this year? 

2 ✺ Journaling and setting daily intentions

Journaling has helped me enormously when I was looking for a new job, in a new industry last year. Every morning, I would set intentions and write something I was grateful for. It’s easy at first, but it gets repetitive and that’s why sticking to it is really important. Your brain starts doing a whole gymnastics to find something new to be grateful for everyday, and that’s exactly how you change your thought pattern, and ultimately your perspective on certain situations… like rejection. This year, I’m journaling about my transition from London to Sydney, the process of finding clients for my freelancing business, creating content for social media, etc. using my guided Wellness Papier journal, which I have personalised with my name on the cover. 

Journaling prompt - What will you add and remove from your life in 2024 in order to achieve your dreams?

3 ✺ Being extra careful around sugar, especially before bedtime 

Ever since reading Glucose Revolution by French author Jessie Inchauspé last summer, I changed some of my very deeply ingrained habits around sugar (including fruits) and carbs (rice, pasta, bread). I am following her advice of having a savoury breakfast rather than a sweet one, and whenever consuming sweets doing it preferably at the end of a meal or before a workout. Besides the book, her Instagram account is packed with advice you can access for free that can help you understand how sugar affects your body and mind. This year, I’m continuing to watch my relationship with sugar and deepening my knowledge around holistic nutrition.  

Journaling prompt - What will you start and stop doing in 2024 to support your body and mind?