We're deeming 2020 the year of the self. Not in a 'do a face mask and treat yourself to a bottle of wine' kind of way, but the kind in which we welcome growth. Self-work as an act of self-love. Ringing in the new year with a natural disaster comes with a generous amount of reflection and perspective. In a time where evolution is critical to survival, these are our pledges building positive impacts on our worlds and ourselves.
Ellen Presbury
Market & Beauty Director
New Year’s resolutions are all about the small things. And so for me, this year, it’s about voicing how I feel. Wild, I know. Also, YouTube workouts – 10 minutes on the floor of your lounge room is all you need to make a difference so I’ve been rotating through Fitness Blender and Yoga with Adriene (so far). And… that’s it from me.
Ella Jane
Production Co-ordinator
2020 for me is about putting in the work to grow. I’ve become increasingly interested in Somatic Experiencing, which is grounded in the belief that thought, emotion and bodily experience are inextricably linked, and change can be accessed in one area of experience by mindfully opening another. Like therapy with more homework.
Ella Jane
Production Co-ordinator
2020 for me is about putting in the work to grow. I’ve become increasingly interested in Somatic Experiencing, which is grounded in the belief that thought, emotion and bodily experience are inextricably linked, and change can be accessed in one area of experience by mindfully opening another. Like therapy with more homework.
Natalie Petrevski
Fashion Editor
A New Year's resolution to exercise more, how ground-breaking. Though a top priority for me in 2020 is really to do more Pilates. One of the few forms of exercise I actually find enjoyable and also makes me feel good too. Another goal of mine is to channel stress and negative feelings in a productive way – to not dwell and live in the moment more. This will be aided by continuing to see my therapist (which saved me last year) and finally taking up meditation. It’s never too late.
Jess Blanch
Editor in Chief
My self-work for the time ahead is about what I can give of myself. I want to put my phone down and do more with my hands, giving my unreserved time and attention to those I care about or those in need. I’m ashamed to admit this is about simple things I’ve been taking shortcuts on like sending someone a song when it makes me think of them or writing a note to tell someone how I feel. I want to remember birthdays. Write thank you notes. Return those sunglasses people leave at my house rather than letting them sit there for months. I also want to help the disadvantaged more and have been doing a lot of drop-offs and arranging to see my friends in productive ways like preparing meals at Our Big Kitchen.
The internal work – besides meditation (mixed success here) and reading (the list is long) is about reestablishing my measure of living as discussed here.
I say this with affection and my tongue firmly planted in my cheek but ‘the hot girl summer’ which, essentially is that pressure to spend every sunny day on Bondi’s sand followed by nights of cool cucumber soups and cocktails at Sean’s … I think I’ve finally moved on from this.
Jess Blanch
Editor in Chief
My self-work for the time ahead is about what I can give of myself. I want to put my phone down and do more with my hands, giving my unreserved time and attention to those I care about or those in need. I’m ashamed to admit this is about simple things I’ve been taking shortcuts on like sending someone a song when it makes me think of them or writing a note to tell someone how I feel. I want to remember birthdays. Write thank you notes. Return those sunglasses people leave at my house rather than letting them sit there for months. I also want to help the disadvantaged more and have been doing a lot of drop-offs and arranging to see my friends in productive ways like preparing meals at Our Big Kitchen.
The internal work – besides meditation (mixed success here) and reading (the list is long) is about reestablishing my measure of living as discussed here.
I say this with affection and my tongue firmly planted in my cheek but ‘the hot girl summer’ which, essentially is that pressure to spend every sunny day on Bondi’s sand followed by nights of cool cucumber soups and cocktails at Sean’s … I think I’ve finally moved on from this.
Gabriela Hidalgo
Senior Designer
Being the optimistic Sagittarius that I am, I can feel my expectations for a fresh new year escalate as the bygone year fizzles out. During that unclaimed time between Christmas and New Year, I’d usually fill pages and pages with plans and ‘resolutions’ but am keeping it short, sweet and pragmatic for 2020. It may be a new decade but it’s the same me.
My main focus is not associating ‘down time’ with ‘screen time’ and plan to re-direct this precious time to connection – with myself and others. I want to have more undivided face-to-face conversations, volunteer, see more galleries and make art – even if it’s not great. I want to host more dinner parties (is cooking a love language?) and if I must be in front of a screen, I plan to make it count. For that short but punchy dose of self-reflection, I’ll be reading and watching the School of Life’s short videos on a variety of topics across self, relationships, ideas and work.
Andréa Tchacos
Deputy Editor
Being late is an optimist’s game: ‘this time it will be different, the outfit will only take two minutes to steam and the bus will be on time’. This year, in that department at least, I’ve resolved to be a realist. Free stress relief, better relationships and many dollars saved on Ubers. Also – I’m taking shorter showers, because it’s entirely necessary in this devastating drought. I’m lucky to live by the beach, so will be seeking my aqua therapy there instead.
Andréa Tchacos
Deputy Editor
Being late is an optimist’s game: ‘this time it will be different, the outfit will only take two minutes to steam and the bus will be on time’. This year, in that department at least, I’ve resolved to be a realist. Free stress relief, better relationships and many dollars saved on Ubers. Also – I’m taking shorter showers, because it’s entirely necessary in this devastating drought. I’m lucky to live by the beach, so will be seeking my aqua therapy there instead.
Megan Nolan
Designer & Creative Services Manager
I’ve always prided myself on my ability to remain relatively stress-free and not let the little things get to me however 2019 felt incredibly stressful. 2020 for me will therefore be about working smarter not harder (physically and emotionally).
Whilst in my work life procrastination is almost non-existent this somehow hasn’t translated over to my personal life yet … why is it that my time management goes completely out the window when it’s my own time I’m wasting?
After listening to this podcast on how habits form I’m starting new ones for 2020 in a bid to remove the stress from my life. Getting up 5 minutes earlier to stretch every morning, ticking off life admin before it even makes the ‘to do’ list and actually sticking to the study schedule I make for myself each semester.
If there is anything else 2019 taught me it’s that nature is the best stress relief of all and with my procrastination free new life I should have plenty of time for camping, hiking and soaking up the rest of summer.
From top: Helmut Newton, Vogue Paris, 1976; PHOTOGRAPHY Kelly Geddes;
CHANEL SS 12; @bitothisbitothat; @mafoninastylist; @sonia_szostak; @alexandraagoston; @russhmagazine; RUSSH.com; PHOTOGRAPHY Gabriela Hidalgo; @matteau; @russhmagazine; ECKERSLEY’S brush; Sienna Miller in Alfie, 2004; The School of Life, Phone Detox; Tim Anderson, JapanEasy, Hardie Grant Publishing; IN BED apron; MAISON BALZAC Champagne flute set from MyChameleon; Jil Sander SS 18 Campaign; @luiny; Cindy Crawford; @dyspnea_; @jana___yana; pjohnsonfemme; @mimielashiry.
