I've been taking one day at a time to inhale the things I have to deal with.  If I tell you those, I know for sure you'll say "it's not that hard" but honestly when it comes to everything in my mind right now, I end up speechless. I am in no position to worry about the long lists of possibilities as I'm getting much-appreciated support from important people in my life. It is also, by all means, extended through friends. 

Mentally, I've also been aching to find something new to try as a hobby. Although it comes laughing back at me because I'm not really a creative person, finding an outlet besides writing and photography will be a challenging journey. I guess I have all of December to figure out a new thing to do for the incoming year. I hate entering a new cycle, really. I always get stuck at the very first question. At school, it took me about two hours to answer the question "What job do I want in the future?". Maybe not aiming high enough this time dried my brain. 

I really do like writing though. I miss my blog so much. Being in the real world, I tend to forget to rest and do something creative, well at least my definition of it. I get mentally exhausted when I come home and just lay down for the rest of the night. 

December is so far simply an exciting month for me. Since I moved to Finland, my December is a winter wonderland. This year, winter started pretty early. The temperature lowered pretty much at the end of November and during the second week of December, it went as low as -20 degrees. Unexpectedly, it is good weather to begin the winter activities. I have to find activities suitable for my current health condition. Maybe I'll begin with as simple as winter house cleaning and putting up the Christmas tree. 

It's time for me to set up my December checklist that I have been procrastinating about since the beginning of the month. I honestly only have one more week to clean my house for winter as my parents are coming the next weekend and I don't want them to arrive in a messy home. I also have not begun my Christmas shopping (i don't have a list either). Ah, so much to do yet I have been enjoying my winter holidays relaxing at home. December is a bit hectic huh, well good luck to us. 

How's your December so far?

I am well-rested. The ideas are flowing through my veins and the motivation to stay standing begins again. I've been missing the feeling I lost since I overfilled my hours. I'm not entirely sure whether this is what I should be feeling. Regardless, I am happy to have found myself again. 

Autumn covers my body this month. The cold is an old friend I wish to escape sometimes. I mean, it's a beautiful season with orange leaves falling down to the ground, beautiful scenery that relaxes me, night comes earlier than months ago and the darkness gives me shivers. Am I alright? Hm, these few months I don't usually spend my daylight outside because I'm too busy recovering from long nights but it seems like I will be having more free time now that I plan to take a break from work for maybe a month or so. Before I begin to prepare myself for the winter, I would like to have three main things off my checklist during autumn. 

thrift for autumn outfits

Looking for more sweaters or cardigans to wear because the coldness of Finland seems to linger for almost the whole year. Soon enough the snow will fall and it's never a bad idea to fill my closet with sweaters even though my closet has no space right now. Shopping in second-hand shops is enjoyable, at least for me, I can always find good quality clothes in my style and size. Last August, I bought a couple of clothes from a local thrift shop in my city. I fell in love with the idea and the clothing I bought at prices I never thought of. I made up my mind to buy what I need from second-hand shops. Regardless of the clothes I wear, I end up wearing a jacket all the time. If I could wear a skirt and leggings I would, but Finland's autumn temperature goes down to 3 degrees. Nevertheless, I would still prefer to wear something cozy and adorable inside the jacket. 

8 Key Items That Are Base of My Fall Wardrobe by Wit & Delights

have a cozy night 

With all the stress from work or studies, it is always given to spend a night for yourself to relax and enjoy your own company (or with your partner). I kinda have this idea in my mind to spare one night for a coziness. I'll dress up cozy, light up fall-scented candles, watch a movie, eat popcorn, hot drink, and be covered in pillows and blankets. It sounds simple (or any other nights I've spent) though honestly, this is a much-needed break for everyone, regardless of the situation. Maybe a cozy night is a good celebration to welcome the beautiful fall season. 

5 Things You Need for a Cozy Night In by The Everygirl.

long autumn walk

As simple as it sounds, I need a long walk with my dogs. Last year, I used to walk my dogs longer than we walk now. We explored the nearby forests and usually out for about an hour or so. Lately, we have only been walking only around our area. This year, I barely have saved energy to walk long distances for pleasure.  My dogs used to be adventurous. However, I'm planning to change all of that now soon I will have my weekends back. I want to walk them in a nearby autumn-scene forest, enjoy the outdoor and the cold weather. We wear cozy outfits, and jackets for the dogs. After the walk, we relax by going to our sauna and good food for the dogs. Isn't that a relaxing way to show appreciation for the beauty of autumn?

the beginning of photography

'How did my photography improve all these years?'

Continuing the north story, we spent about a week in Levi, Finland. Every morning we woke up when the daylight comes which is at 11:15 am. We did our normal routine - eat breakfast and drink coffee, then we prepared for winter activities. For most of it, I spent my afternoon learning my newfound love. A friend kindly lent me her snowboarding equipment to practice my boarding. It was difficult. I had to practice in the kid's area as I refused to go to the higher hill. To be honest, I have fears of height, speed, and falling. In my everyday life, I am pretty much as slow as the snails.

Learning to be on the snowboard means I have to face and conquer my fears. I have repeatedly said this a thousand times to myself and to those around me. Many times I refused to learn up to the hill because of my fears. Even though I fell several times, I assured myself that the falls were insignificant. The worst part of having these fears is, they abstain you from doing the things you enjoy the most. I hurt my body as many times as I could to comprehend and prepare myself for the worst part.