The Sunday R.E.S.E.T. #9
my holiday bucket list, how to curate your own winter retreats, & 5 great articles to read while you sip your coffee.
Hello, hello!
I am currently writing this from about as far north as you can get in the U.S.A.— a cozy cabin up the Gunflint Trail in Northern Minesota.
Each year since we’ve been married, my husband and I have done a winter trip up here & it’s become one of my favorite traditions. And this year, we have a rambunctious 16 month old in tow!
While it is uncharacteristically warm this year, I recently shared a video peek at the once-in-a-lifetime hoarfrost during this trip three years ago on slide 4 of this instagram post. It was one of the coolest hikes (or, technically, snowshoes) of my life!
Okay, Northern Minnesota magic aside, let’s get into this week’s Sunday R.E.S.E.T.!
READING: A hodpodge of articles, posts, and creators that I’ve enjoyed lately.
ENJOYING: Two words— tongue scraping.
SEASONAL INTENTIONS: My holiday season bucket list & a newfound desire to establish traditions for our family unit.
EXPLORING: A peek into our current winter weekend getaway ◡̈ How we are spending our time & the must-haves of a relaxing winter retreat.
TRACKING: Habit tracking 101. Sharing my go-to method (and favorite tools) for gettin’ stuff done and staying consistent during this semi-chaotic time of year.
Let’s get into it!
One of my favorite things about this platform is discovering & connecting with other writers, thinkers, & creators. Here’s a hodgepodge of some recent posts that I’ve enjoyed!
“I am very sensitive to beautiful things” by
“How to Manage Health Anxiety” by
“The Titanic, espresso martinis, and racecars” by
“What to Listen to on Your Next Roadtrip, Walk, or Commute” by
“My writing schedule as a mother maker” by
“5 Things I learned from Nancy Meyers Films That Make a Home Feel Cozy” by
A perfect lineup for perusing while you sip your morning coffee. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.
Something I’m enjoying (and have been enjoying for a few years actually) is tongue scraping.
Simply put, this is the act of using a simple metal tool to “scrape” the tongue and remove any debris, excessive white film, bacteria, sulfar-compounds, etc. Tongue scraping is a traditional practice that has been around for centuries in India, Europe, Africa, and South America… but it remains largely under-utilized in the U.S.
While rooted in beautiful tradition of Ayurvedic medicine, this practice is also backed by modern-day science! As we all know, the oral cavity is home to bacteria (both good and bad), and these various chemical compounds can either support good breath and oral health… or fight it.
Don’t think it makes a difference? Here are a few facts that my intrigue you:
Tongue scraping for just 7 days significantly reduced bacteria counts in the mouth and significantly reduced malodor of breath. (source)
It can impact how you taste food! Those that tongue scraped for 2 weeks consistently had a significant improvement in taste sensation and a significant reduction in white coating of tongue (source) Another study showed that tongue scraping improved symptoms of constipation (this is thought to happen by stimulating the tongue’s nerve endings and associated internal organs.) (source)
Tongue scraping greatly outperforms tooth brushing at removing volatile sulfar compounds from the tongue. Tongue scraping removed 75% of volatile sulfar compounds, while brushing the tongue only removed 45% (source)
HOW TO DO IT:
Grab your tongue scraper (I personally use this one!)
After brushing your teeth, stand in front of a mirror, open your mouth, and stick out your tongue.
Take your tongue scraper and set the edge rounded at the back of your mouth (If you are worried about the gag reflex, feel free to start at the middle of the tongue as you adjust and get used to the feeling!)
Using GENTLE pressure, “scrape” the metal tool forward towards the tip of the tongue. (ALWAYS start at the back of the tongue and scrape “forward” towards the tip of the tongue.)
Spit out any build up that the tool collects and rinse the tool with water between scrapes. Work down the center of your tongue, the sides, etc., and repeat until you’ve scraped the entire surface of your tongue.
Wash the tongue scraper with warm water after each use/swipe. Since the one is use is copper (and copper serves as a natural antimicrobial) a rinse with hot water is just fine! Then, every so often, I do a “deeper clean” with a gentle soap and/or alcohol swab.
The whole process should only take 1ish minute— it’s super simple & quick!
There ya have it— a brief peek at tongue scraping! This is something I’ve done for years, and I really notice a difference in how clean my mouth feels. It may take a few times to get the technique down and get used to the feeling, but just experiment and find the method that works for YOU :)
While I’ve always enjoyed the holidays, this has been one of the years I am most excited for the holidays as an adult.
I think it’s because it feels like my first “real” Christmas as a mom? While Miles was here last year, he was essentially a cuddly blob of breastmilk & nap stupor. This year, he feels like a little boy. [Cue sappy tears]
Like, I’m the *parent* now— and it has felt inspiring to cultivate traditions of our own as an individual family unit.
I don’t want to do anything over-the-top of overly-complicated. I want things that feel peaceful. meaningful. cozy.
One way I am cultivating this is an advent calendar with small, non-gift ways to cultivate holiday cheer. I have never done an advent calendar before, and I decided to do one in my own way— with each day of December having a small slip of paper with a simple prompt to connect our family to the spirit of the season.
I wanted it to be REALISTIC on even the busiest, most ordinary day.
Most days, it’s something small— “what are 3 things you’re grateful for”, “eat dinner by candlelight”, “dance to a Christmas tune” and then 1-2 times per week it will be something bigger “make Christmas cookies”, “watch a Christmas movie”, etc. (that I strategically placed in days where I knew we would be off work, have no conflicting plans, etc.)
And while Miles is admittedly very young for many of these things (ahem, almost all of these things😆), it still feels exciting— and somehow already nostalgic— to be cultivating traditions of our own.
Speaking of traditions— every winter since we’ve been married, my husband and I have done something kind of random—