The First Sip is the Greatest

By Hayley McDonnell.

Living a life of intention with ease and flow is for everyone, every time and everywhere, is the mantra I advocate. Ease and flow in this regard is living a life with everything you need, nothing you don't need and bundling it up with everything you love. There are so many glimpses of the seemingly ordinary that can be used to provide mental health and wellbeingand just all-round loveliness in your day. 

Warm drink, anyone?

A morning or wake-up routine (not everyone wakes up in the morning time… new parents and shift workers fit into this category too) is at the heart of slow living, one that works consciously and with intention. By easing into the first or next phase of your day, your mental health and wellbeing will be given a foundation for future success. Small steps are all that is needed.

I choose to work with what I have, my senses, and seek opportunities where all can be fulfilled to some degree. All you need is love (of a warm drink) and yourself to get involved. 

Let's start with preparing, making and drinking coffee or tea, possibly your first drink of the day. 

Sight – are the workspaces in my kitchen area clear of clutter? Are the kitchen tools I need accessible and ready? Is my favourite cup or mug ready, the coffee I want to grind, or the type of tea I want to drink?

As an addendum, a decluttered home really supports slow living. If this is not possible for you right now, then choose to organise and declutter one part of your home. A kitchen work surface might just be all you can do for now, and all that is needed.  

Sound – Can you listen to music? It's your choice, but it should probably be something quite gentle to support the slow-living vibe you are creating. This active choice acknowledges your sense of self and purpose. Small moments to focus on are the sound of the water as you heat it or pour your coffee and the sound of the spoon on the side of your mug as you slowly stir. 

Touch – every tool or surface you touch takes you one step closer to enjoying and savouring this drink. Count to yourself or out loud how many touches you make. Try to remove the light touch process and spend a few seconds on each one before moving on to the next. Doing so lets you notice the contrast between materials, their temperature and texture… and slow down. 

Smell – the coffee itself as you prepare it and then the result itself before you are ready to drink it – tea is not as powerful but still has its distinct aroma. Before you begin drinking:

1. Remind yourself of how far you have come with your sense journey.
2. Breathe in and literally or metaphorically smell the coffee, or simply inhale and exhale.
3. Take a moment, take a few moments to enjoy the smell of your drink before you begin to taste it.

Taste – The intended outcome, the drink prepared just how you like it, with the right temperature, strength and colour. Drink it how you want to, a sip and a rest, a mouthful held and then enjoyed. You choose. Enjoy… well done. 

The process I share can be part of the small-step process: choose to do one a day or one a week; the beauty of this is you can choose. On a busy day, preparing and drinking coffee are easily overlooked as an 'everyday' activity that is almost done subconsciously, but selecting something you do regularly, without thought, is the perfect opportunity to shift your mindset and turn it into a mindful action – one that will benefit you emotionally, spiritually and with a greater sense of intentional wellness beyond the intended outcome – a warm drink to savour and enjoy. 

With everything you have to hand, there is no expectation to go out and purchase additional items to achieve the mindful results you desire. If you can, share the process with others in your home or your social circle.

Your emotional connection to each intentional wellness stage is part of the process and can work together with ease and flow. Remember, nothing much has to happen for a positive outcome. 

Hayley McDonnell is a passionate advocate of the just Hygge philosophy, living each day with intention and ease and flow at its core. A former teacher/middle manager of 24+ years, she has worked through several transitions and continues to do so. 

A mother, wife, friend, sister, daughter and so on; despite these guises, the one golden thread that runs throughout is the desire to be happy and live a life of truth. This is where the concept of Hygge takes prominence.

Hayley hopes her blogs provide a conduit for sharing the Hygee lifestyle and the benefits of 'Nothing Much Happens Here'. You can contact her here.