71 Comments
User's avatar
Jamie Clark's avatar

I am a huge fan of finding the magic. My morning cup of coffee sitting in the quiet with the lamp light before everyone else wakes up is my favorite.

Expand full comment
jessica davidson's avatar

Sooo magic

Expand full comment
Hannah Wilkinson's avatar

Ohhh yes, that’s a pure magic moment right there ✨ Thank you for reading, Jamie!

Expand full comment
Melissa Lee's avatar

Hi Hannah, I really enjoyed this post.

My daily moment of magic is my morning shower. I sprinkle rosemary essential oil on the shower tray, run the hot water, and turn on 'healing frequency' music on my ipad. It's like my own personal spa to start the day. 💚

Expand full comment
Hannah Wilkinson's avatar

Hi Melissa! Thank you so much for reading. This routine sounds absolutely divine. You've inspired me to try this.

Delighted to come across your Substack too, looking forward to reading more of your nature observations! x

Expand full comment
Melissa Lee's avatar

Thank you Hannah! I hope you enjoy it. I’m looking forward to more of your posts too. And do let me know if you try the ‘spa shower’ - I can highly recommend it 💚

Expand full comment
Jessica Alice's avatar

"I refuse to believe that adulthood should solely be consumed by work, finances, and keeping up societally-deemed-appropriate appearances" - SAME! 💯

Expand full comment
Hannah Wilkinson's avatar

🙏🙏🙏 Thank you for reading, Jessica!

Expand full comment
Miriam Hernandez Aponte's avatar

Every Friday evening, my husband and I create our home happy hour. We listen to our favorite music as we sit outdoors and nibble on various finger foods.

Expand full comment
Hannah Wilkinson's avatar

Love this so much!! 🫶

Expand full comment
Lisa Lee Mills's avatar

“To slow down my life and savour time” is such a beautiful endeavor. I gently exhaled as I read those words. Your writing is so well-written that I felt I was in the story, dancing and boxing with you and John Cena, working out and enjoying those quiet, sacred moments before sunrise and at sunset. Even though I live alone, there’s still a sacred quiet that is palpable as I rise before daylight. It seems as though the whole world is silent and I cherish these mornings. One of my favorite evening routines isto light my favorite scented candle, make myself a cup of tea and read. Thank you for reminding us that there is beauty in every day. All we need to do is use our senses to experience these beautiful moments.

Expand full comment
Hannah Wilkinson's avatar

Hi Lisa! Thank you so much for your lovely comment and for sharing your routines. You're absolutely right, we can't forget to use our senses to experience wonder in our days. It's so great to connect with others who feel the same way!

Expand full comment
Lisa Lee Mills's avatar

Likewise, Hannah.

Expand full comment
Brooke Barker-Pottle's avatar

Love this❤️ I deeply relate to the jam packed mornings of my 20s then transitioning to the slower, more meaningful mornings in my 30s. Props for learning the at home gel manicure - jealous! And, I also wait until the last possible moment to turn on any overhead lights. If I'm lucky, I'll have enough lamps to avoid the "big lights" at all cost 😉

Expand full comment
Hannah Wilkinson's avatar

Oh my goodness it’s a lamp life for me too. Thank you so much for reading, Brooke. I’m glad this resonated with you!

Expand full comment
Marta Delpiano's avatar

Hello Hannah, what a lovely reading 💕

I didn’t know you until my Substack feed suggested your last post to me. And you know what? It’s so aligned with my thoughts and writings right now. And so is your experience — I left my job in a big company one and a half year ago now, I’ve travelled for a bit and I’ve opened my Substack to cultivate my writings — my magic rituals is indeed writing while drinking coffee (better with sun rays on the note book).

In my last post I was actually talking about trying to find glimmers and magic on the ordinary to live a better life, to “flirt with life” and romanticize it, as a new daily habit. ♥️

Very happy to follow you!

Expand full comment
Hannah Wilkinson's avatar

Marta! Thank you so much for reading and taking the time to leave this lovely comment. It’s always reassuring to connect with others on a similar path - it certainly makes the journey less lonely.

I love the concept of “flirting” with life! It’s a good way to angle something you might first be afraid to try, approach or consider… Just, flirt with it!

So lovely to meet you :) x

Expand full comment
Kim Tay's avatar

Since moving from the city to a small island I have found so much peace and joy in my daily rituals. From drinking my turmeric latte while journaling in the morning to my 20 minutes of yoga or pilates (because menopause is no joke) I find each of them grounding and I am so in need of grounding these days. This is beautifully written and reminds me that I'm in good company in my pursuit for a slower, more intentional life.

Expand full comment
Hannah Wilkinson's avatar

Thank you for sharing, Kim. I'm glad to be in the pursuit of it alongside you!

Expand full comment
Gina's avatar

Quiet mornings, alone with coffee, patio lights on, notebook and pencil to capture thoughts that fly though my mind like a comet. A needle & thread in hand to mend a well worn sweater. Cooking dinner - not preparing, but thoughtful cooking. Walking in the woods with my dog where the only sounds are birds, water and wind.

Expand full comment
Hannah Wilkinson's avatar

Stunning! Doing things with my hands (sewing, knitting, crotchet) makes me so happy too. Your daily routines sound beautiful, Gina. Thank you for reading!

Expand full comment
Julianna Cassata's avatar

I can also relate to the chaotic, corisol-spiking morning routine of my 20's and now that I'm in my 30's, am embracing slower, quieter mornings. Your morning routine sounds magical, especially the part about putting your clothes on the radiator to warm them up.

I love to read in the morning, it helps me wake up more steadily (though it's hard to put the book down sometimes). Daily walks are also non-negotiable for me!

Expand full comment
Hannah Wilkinson's avatar

Thank you for taking the time to leave this comment, Julianna! Reading in the morning is something I’ve recently started too - game changer!

Expand full comment
HelenInOz's avatar

I once thought Facebook was fun.

But Obama was shaping up as a presidential candidate, and comments were showing up from friends who declared themselves Republicans and took way too much pleasure in making snide comments and forwarding really ugly ones. So I jumped ship forever.

One of my best decisions ever in living a more gentle life.

Expand full comment
Hannah Wilkinson's avatar

Hi Helen! Thank you for reading and sharing your experience.

Social Media can bring out the worst in people, unfortunately... Good on you for leaving Facebook behind.

Anything that doesn't make us feel better after doing it doesn't deserve to be in our lives! (Besides bleak things we have to do like taxes and ironing...)

Expand full comment
Nick Bowles's avatar

Nice post, I like the golden hour idea. Related, I think the morning sun, blue and yellow wavelengths sets us up for the day. I’ll always take 10 outside with my morning coffee and try to soak up as much light as possible (sunglasses not allowed)

Expand full comment
Hannah Wilkinson's avatar

Couldn't agree more, Nick. I've started doing the same — it charges up batteries for the day ahead!

Expand full comment
Giselle's avatar

I’ve recently started slow mornings too. My morning walks have been my non-negotiable.. I walk around the neighborhood observe people’s mornings - kids waiting for the bus, dog walks, and the music of the birds singing. It’s spring here so it’s been beautiful to watch the trees grow leaves and the flowers bloom.

I also started a small vegetable container garden - started talking to them too, hoping they’ll hear me and grow.

🥰

Expand full comment
Hannah Wilkinson's avatar

This is beautiful, Giselle. I love people watching too - and I long to have a garden to grow veggies in… one day!

Thank you for reading and for taking the time to share! ☺️

Expand full comment
katie morley's avatar

Simply lovely, especially clothes on the radiator - why have I never thought of that before?!

Expand full comment
Hannah Wilkinson's avatar

Thank you for reading Katie! And yes… clothes on radiator or hair-dry under your sheets before bed on a cold night. Game changers 😅

Expand full comment
Emma Todd's avatar

I love the idea of having a slow morning routine, one without my phone, one that actually feels fulfilling and not draining.

Expand full comment
Hannah Wilkinson's avatar

Yes! Why does modern life make it so hard to achieve?! Thank you for reading, Emma x

Expand full comment
Christine's avatar

This is a beautiful read. I live on the East Coast UK and love to watch the sunrise from my garden or the beach.

My life is changing in a way I could never have imagined and I am embracing the magic of the simple things in a small life.

I stood in the rain and watched a rainbow appear this week. Magic.

Expand full comment
Hannah Wilkinson's avatar

All these things are so magic. Thank you for reading and sharing Christine!

Expand full comment