my everyday style: neutrals for 2019 + slowing down!

As a blogger my work always slows down after Christmas... the "rush" starts in mid-July with the kick off of back-to-school season and goes at a super crazy pace until the after Christmas sales and then it's a slower time until spring and spring break kicks off. Usually most of January and February are pretty slow for me for work. When I am drowning in the craziness of the holiday season I always look forward to January because I know that everything will slow down. But I've found when I get to January I get so antsy with the "slow" pace. In theory I love the idea of slowing down for January. It's a great time to get projects around the house done, squeeze in more reading on cold and gloomy winter days, focus more on my health with more workouts and more meal prep... but when the "slow" arrives I've found it also makes me so antsy. Maybe you feel the same, but I feel like I have two speeds: break neck stressful OR lay on the sofa for two weeks in pajamas (Christmas break style!). I find it's difficult to be in the "slow" and be mindful and thankful for it. Of course, I crave it when it's gone so I'm working to be better about being in the moment and just enjoying it.

The combination of a slower work pace and winter can also be a tricky one for me... since I don't love winter. I suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder with the lack of sunshine and so I'm always combatting that as well. As I've gotten older I've become much better at dealing with it. My favorite way is a vacation! But since that's not always possible I focus on the smaller things that can get me through the season sanely. Warm baths, more reading time, lots and lots of tea, focusing on cozy homemade meals like soup, weekends by the fireplace with movies and of course, the early sunset is a great excuse to start pj hour that much earlier. I'm a home body by nature so I also focus on being thankful for spending more time at home. This is just what works for me... how do you handle slower times in life? Or winter in general? I always love to hear others' ideas.

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2019 is the year of the neutral... again. I think I have said that for like 5 years in a row now. Haha. Hey, if it isn't broken - why fix it? You gals know my deep love for simplicity and neutrals when it comes to my wardrobe. I can't resist. Expect to see a lot more of it in 2019. Neutrals are not only comforting for me to wear but they are also so easy to mix and match. Outfits are simplified, my morning routine is simplified and in the end I feel like deciding what to wear is suddenly the easiest decision I will make all day. Even though the decision is "easy" it's by no means mechanical or uninspired. Quite the opposite... neutrals inspire me endlessly! Here I paired a simple grey turtleneck sweater (that I have been wearing tons!) with a classic camel coat (which is also getting a lot of wear this winter!). I finished it off with distressed jeans (similar or similar), which are always a favorite, and these wedge boots that have made my winter looks much more stylish and practical this season.