Day 364: One Full Pandemic Year

Sometimes it feels like, is anyone out there? You’ve been following my year but how has your year been? How are you doing? I’m here if you want to talk, text, email, or Tweet. It’s me on the other side of your screen. Some days I feel good like I can handle this, I got it, I’m doing good. Other days I melt into the couch in loungewear wondering when the hell this will be over. I binge-watch shows and eat too many snacks. Then go to bed early, in my same clothes, and wake up hoping for a good day. Day 1: Social Distancing was published on March 14, 2020, it’s been one full pandemic year. My biggest accomplishments have been growing my hair out, writing this blog, and surviving. Getting through this has been hard and just making it to Day 364 is an accomplishment, so man people aren’t with us today. Although our old ‘normal’ seems a lifetime away, there are things to look forward to. As vaccines continue to roll out, and stores start to reopen, we’ll get back to some kind of normalcy. Yes, you still have to wear a mask and it might be sometime before we’re all vaccinated, but the days are longer, patios will open, and things will get better. One thing we can all take from this is the joy of slower living, the hygge of having a space that feels cozy. How important it is to have best friends, or how a call from someone can turn your day around. Some of the best times I has this year were long walks with friends or hanging out in the park. I have great memories with our cottage friends and spent lots of time reading on the dock. I’ve talked to…

View Post

Day 353: Can’t Break My Stride

Feeling good this week. It’s like that full moon energy is in my blood! I’m on a 3-week Peloton streak and have been running each day. It’s still cold but I don’t even mind. Fresh air and exercise are something I look forward to each day. I am SO looking forward to warmer days. I went through some summer clothes the other day and can’t wait to put away my winter gear and bust out the fun stuff. I know it’s gonna be a while still but I love having something to look forward to. It looks like our lockdown order is going to be extended next week. We’re moving from Stay-At-Home order to Lockdown which means just about everything is still closed. Sean and I will be spending next week at the cottage. I wanted to be there to mark 1 full year of the Pandemic. So crazy it’sa been this long. I hardly remember pre-panini life! Hang in there! We will get through this. Look for little things in your day to bring you joy. This song is my whole vibe today, can’t break my stride! Put it on and have a dance party. I promise it will make you happy! I love rapping along w/ the lyrics, can you believe I still remember them from the 90’s?!

View Post

Day 326: Built My Own Little Fire

I was slow getting outside this morning, posted something on IG, listened to the radio, put on my running gear. I didn’t realize how windy it was and walked out the front door. It hurt my face. I turned around, then back around again & just went for it. My headphones weren’t connecting to music on my watch so I ran into the wind away, from the sun, in silence. Who needs an ice roller when you have -5 air with a windchill hitting your face? I nearly turned back a few times. Heard a noise from my headphones and connected them to a playlist of happy tunes. I didn’t give up ran to the end of the path. On my way back the sun was on my face I felt my toes start to warm up. I even unzipped my leopard print jacket a little. ‘Stand by Me’ came on and it was like the cold wasn’t there anymore. I started to heat up, built my own little fire inside. I kept running to finish the 2k I set out to do. Got home just after 9 am, ready to start the day. I feel good. Energized. Wearing a new sweater from Zara Kids that matches perfectly with one of the first scrunchies I made in the summer. Wearing jeans these days feels so fancy haha. Next week I’m heading back to the cottage with Sean and took a few days off work to reflect & recenter myself. I can’t wait.

View Post

Day 325: Sleep Goal Achieved

Yesterday I was so exhausted. After watching Y&R (as usual) from 4:30-5:30, I put on my pajamas, washed my face, and got ready for bed. Had a couple of phone chats with friends and finished S2 of BONDiNG on Netflix. Good show, it’s about a Femme Domme, a comedian, and their relationships. Got an advance copy of a new book on Kindle via NetGalley called ‘The Girls Are All So Nice Here‘. It’s a suspense thriller about two best friends and comes out on March 9th, 2021. This month I’m determined to read more books, I read heaps at the start of the Pani and fell off my reading game over the summer. I did a Peloton sleep meditation before bed last night and woke up feeling refreshed. According to my watch, I slept 9 hours & 24 minutes and my average sleep per night has increased in the past 14 days. I’ve really been loving the Calm SleepStories but decided to switch it up, I know, WILD. I used to stay up late but given the current circumstances, I figure I might as well get as many ZZZs as possible and make some new habits. I’ve been finding it harder to get up in the morning so I’m actively trying to fall asleep earlier. If I get a good 8 hours, as the days get longer, I’ll feel more like doing my morning workouts. At least, I HOPE THAT’S WHAT HAPPENS.

View Post

Day 321: Pandemic Fatigue

Feeling pandemic fatigue today. Thinking back to summer days, long walks with friends, patio hangouts in the sun. Flowing dresses and warm nights. It’s almost February, the shortest month, march will be here before we know it. We’re getting close to one year of the pandemic, 365 days, and nearly 365 blog posts. I’m so glad to have kept this diary but in my heart, I’m dreaming about covering events, movie premieres, galas, park hangs, and media previews again. I’ve learned a lot and grown heaps the past year but I miss the way things used to be. I’m looking forward to the day when the lockdown is over and we move through life a little more grateful for everything we have. Sending love, stay safe. Miss you. xo

View Post

DAY 319: That Sister Connection is Real

Today I felt like I needed some summer vibes in my life so I braided my hair and put on a yellow sweater. Was the first time I did this style since summer when I used to braid my hair all the time. It wasn’t until later in the day that I posted a photo of my hair on Twitter and I know for sure that my sister didn’t see it. Well, do you know what? Jenie called me at night and said she braided her hair today too, her first time since summer. I can’t tell you how many times we have shown up in almost identical outfits or done something super random like this on the same day. We aren’t twins but I am 100% convinced the universe has us intertwined with a sister connection. That’s all for today, just a little positive story. Appreciate the little things my friends!

View Post

Day 317: A Writing Prompt for You

Hello & happy Monday! Getting a good start on Monday gives me the energy I need to carry me through the week, or at least until Wednesday haha. I did the Daily Calm meditation as I crawled out of deep sleep and made my bed. Put on my running gear right away and did 2km on the path. I did about 300 jumps on my rope while the kettle boiled & before making coffee. Was at my desk and ready to rock the day for a meeting at 9:15 am. LFG! Today’s blog is inspired by an Instagram post from my friend Ama Scriver. I’ve used Ama’s writing prompts before and decided to share this inspo with you today. Creative writing is so FREEING, just write, let the words flow with nowhere to go, get them out. Side note, Instagram is weird about embedding posts now so I have linked to her original post on Instagram here or in the image below. Feel free to take it and write something today! I wrote this without thinking, only feeling. It took under 5 minutes. I think something really important about the creative process is to just create, make something without the pressure of having to monetize it. JUST CREATE. It won’t always be a masterpiece but you need to consistently make things to practice your craft. Future Me, by Casie Stewart, 25 Jan. 2021 Future me is free, she is fit and healthy. She smiles into the sun, long hair flowing in the wind. She travels to the beach and spends summer at the lake. She loves freely and supports her friends. She sees challenges as an opportunity and she can face anything. She is bold but soft, caring, and strong. Future me knows her worth but in her heart she’s…

View Post

Day 310: No Blue Monday Here

On Monday I like to get up, exercise, and get fully dressed for the day. Read my post about why from Day 254 in November 2020. I *really* try to make Monday a productive start to the week. As mum would say ‘start out as I mean to go on‘. Ran 2k at 8am, had a shower, listened to some tunes, and felt the sun on my face. As I was getting dressed, for some reason, I felt it was a good time to wear the yellow Playsuit I ordered from Biddell this summer (Day 124). I didn’t realize it was Blue Monday. I hadn’t really been on social media yet but I guess the universe knew I needed to be a burst of sunshine. I posted my outfit and shared a dance video with a friend. It’s a small thing but seeing my sun shining (and smile!) brought joy and a smile to a couple of others today. We all need a little more sunshine this time of year. Don’t be shy to share yours with someone today, or any day. Post from Blue Monday 2011 Post from Blue Monday 2020

View Post

Day 292: New Year’s Eve 2020

Here we are, we made it to the end of this insane year, New Years’ Eve 2020. I had a nice day & went to bed before midnight. Feeling good about the year ahead. We have a lot to be grateful for. Looking back at everything that happened this year, I learned a lot. Despite being home/cottage for 90% of the year I did a lot of new things, ditched some old habits, made some new ones. On a side note, I’m really glad to have grown my hair out. I wanted to do it for years and this is the most un-dyed it’s been since I was a teenager. I’m celebrating the growth. My word for 2020 was BLOOM. At the end of 2019, I had a deep-rooted need for change, I wanted something different in my career and was well on my way to leading a healthier lifestyle. In my mind, by the time spring arrived in 2020, I’d be ready to bloom. In January 2020, I went to Cuba, stayed in a hotel, went to events. One weekend in February, I met with some friends and one specific conversation bloomed into something really great career-wise. In March, most of my work was canceled and I ended up on CERB until the end of summer. During that time I did a lot of creative things, I wrote every day, did tie-dye, learned to propagate plants, read books in the sun, and worked out heaps. There were a lot of hard times too, don’t get me wrong, but for the purpose of documenting this memory, I want to be thankful for all the ups and downs. I am grateful for the opportunity to slow down, to create, to be in the moment and not the rat race. As a…

View Post

Day 275: Start The Week Off Right

Monday is my business day at work and I look forward to it each week. I spend some time yesterday working on brand development for a new client just to get a jump start & start the week off right. I really love being back in an agency and it’s great to work from home. I met our agency co-founder at a party once almost a decade ago saw him briefly for a few meetings this summer when we could. Other than that, I’ve only met everyone virtually! I wonder how many companies will keep doing things this way? I did my first run on the treadmill before my first meeting and it’s SO GOOD. I really loved using the treadmill at the gym last year so I feel like I’m back on my groove. I’ve also got similar weights to those at the gym so no excuses, gonna be even more fit in 2021!

View Post