11. November
November always feels like a turning point, and this year was no different. The sun has finally started to show its face again, and honestly, I feel like a completely different human being when the weather warms up. Give me sunshine over gloomy days any time — my whole mood shifts. I’ve been loving those moments where I can step outside and actually feel the warmth again. It’s like my energy gets a seasonal reboot.
We’re in this strange space of the year where, yes, the year is coming to an end and we’re so close to the New Year, and you feel like you should be gearing up for something… but also not really. You’re kind of just doing what you normally do. It’s weird — like mentally preparing for a reset while still living in the everyday.
At the same time, the month has been a weird mix of fast and slow, as I’ve said in my previous monthly reflections. On one hand, it’s full steam ahead into the Christmas and holiday chaos — decorations everywhere, calendars filling up, and that subtle pressure to start present shopping (I am, surprisingly, behind…). But then there are these pockets of calm where nothing much is happening besides work, routine, and everyday rhythms. It’s like November is standing in two seasons at once: speeding toward celebration while still letting you settle into your daily life.
I’ve also been loving doing face masks and watching movies. I’m with myself all the time, but sometimes I still miss me, you know? That little bit of TLC is so needed and so deserved. It gives me a chance to slow down, breathe, and come back to myself in a way that feels grounding.
One of my highlights, though? I went to Jessie Murph’s concert, again — and oh my god. I adore her already, but hearing her live? Her voice is absolutely unreal. My friend introduced me to her music, and now I’m healthily obsessed. I love her music because her lyrics are so real and beautiful — they hit in that honest, vulnerable way that makes you feel seen. I’m such as lyrics-driven person, and she’s one of those artists who just gets it. She also has those songs that have you skipping around the house and dancing in front of your mirror, and they’re important. This concert was part of her “Worldwide Hysteria Tour”, and let me tell you, the name is accurate. There was literal hysteria before she even came on stage. I saw my first punch on at a concert… which was wild, unexpected, had me feeling a little rattled, and honestly kind of on brand for a tour with that title. Chaos aside, it was such an incredible night.
Now here we are at the end of November, and I’m reminding myself (with increasing urgency) that I need to get a move on with my Christmas shopping. I’m usually pretty good and organised, but I don’t know, maybe I need to stop spending so much time in the sun.
Here’s to December: the sparkle, the excitement, the warmth, and hopefully… getting those presents sorted.