Minding Your Investments

Protecting and maximizing the return on your most precious assets — your time and energy

Dear Reader,

It’s Sunday afternoon already here on the island. The washing machine is on its last cycle of the day and a clean collection of his and hers sags on the clothes line, enduring a rapid speed dry in the howling winds and late day sun. You were probably expecting this letter in your inbox first thing this morning when it usually arrives, but these weekend days have mysteriously slipped by faster than what seems normal and yesterday, during the time I reserve for writing you these weekly letters, I instead poured my energy into my home space and on the couch seated next to a friend sipping tea. I hope you too evaded your regularly scheduled program to follow whatever the moment called for.

This is perhaps my favorite way to spend a Sunday — fresh bed sheets, a clean floor, sink scrubbed and a new sponge, windows open and folding sun dried laundry into drawers. It’s ordinary, plain magic; a spell cast for an energetic reset. This is an expression of self care, a love language to a heart that pitter-patters for calm, restorative spaces. A devotion to restfulness, an investment into wellbeing. These last two weeks have begged for regular doses of just this.

As the Hina Luna Winter Shop is reaching its peak of the season, that too means that it will very soon be over. Then what? I am paying attention to recurring messages and nudges to reflect back on the beginning, to revisit and reconsider the foundations that catalyzed this work to what it’s now become. In a way, I’m being asked to hold the past and the future in my hands at the same time. I am being invited to inquire deeper into what I value and how I want to spend my limited time, energy and money. How might I carry Hina Luna forward, creating new, impactful and purposeful offerings to share with you, inspired by my most paired down, stripped back, heart of hearts creative roots? Well, I do have some ideas. One of them includes you and these letters and a good old fashioned, universal simple pleasure. But more on that in the new year.

So, Dear Reader, as the year nears its close and invitations to holiday gatherings make their way to you, and you connect and you retreat and you savor and you celebrate (whilst perhaps holding your grief), I implore you, as you seek your paths to pleasure, to consider your most precious investments.

To where and to whom are you depositing your time and energy?

What are the returns?

What are the losses?

From where can you withdraw to protect your peace (your greatest asset)?

Identify the simple, ordinary things that fill your cup and make an actionable plan to make more time for them. When we feel well resourced, we are able to pour into another’s empty cup and mutual aid is the great invitation of our time. (PS. Everyone’s invited).

So what do Sunday home chores, the deliberation of the creative future of Hina Luna, and reflecting on — with discernment — where you are investing yourself have in common? The reminder that the greatest impact can be made and felt through the simplest means, and that the quality few can yield the most treasured rewards.