Conscious by Chloé

Chloé Lepeltier - Conscious By Chloé

A Sustainable Lifestyle Blog focusing on Zero Waste, Slow Living, and Ethical Fashion.

A Review of the List of 23 Things I Wanted to Achieve in 2023

23 for 2023 Resolutions List inpired by Gretchen Rubin of The Happiness Project and the Happier Podcast with Liz Craft

We're halfway through the year and it's time for me to reflect on my intentions for the new year. I have to admit that I haven't consulted my list much since the first couple of weeks of 2023, so this should make for an interesting experiment.

Here is my list for 2023:

1. Read 23 books

I've been a consistent reader and also consider perusing coffee table and home design books as "reading." So far, I'm confident that I will reach my goal this year. Here's my reading list so far.

2. Do the crow pose

I recently remembered this goal and gave the crow pose a try. It was a success. I've been working out with Maddie's Youtube videos and have invested in a set of weights over the last few months, which has helped me gain some arm and core strength. This goal aligns with my one-word theme for 2023, which is "Center." (Read more about my one-word theme for 2023.)

3. Get an MRI and follow up

I can't believe I had forgotten about this goal and the fact that I reached it so early this year when I traveled back to France. My life has been changed for the best since then and I am getting emotional typing this. It's so easy to forget such a big accomplishment since we tend to take our health for granted! No need for a follow up really, the issue was identified and solved in a matter of days

4. Go to the East Coast

I wrote a birthday card to a friend last month and mentioned a visit to NYC in the fall, this means I have to do it, right?

5. Try kite surfing

I love how confident beginning of the year Chloé was in her physical skills. I hear Hood River is a hot spot for this activity, maybe I can tie it with a trip I have scheduled for mid-July...

6. Spend a night in a fire lookout cabin

I cannot believe I'm typing this, but it's booked! I struggled so hard to beat the bots every morning, waking up super early to grab a spot as soon as the reservations opened, and eventually gave up, until I decided to randomly have a look at the openings maybe 2 months ago and there had been a cancellation! Now I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a fire and smoke-free summer!

7. Design and sell digital products

I recently remembered this goal when an artist mentioned digitizing their work and selling it in a podcast I was listening to on my morning walk. I've been keeping a list of products I'm considering creating, so that's a first step.

8. Get a new tattoo

I can say that the stars aligned on my birthday. I suddenly decided to be in touch with a tattoo studio the night before my birthday, to ask whether I could stop by and have a look at their flash book. They replied that yes of course, and that they actually had had a few cancellations for the next day, in case I suddenly got inspired. I never thought I would, but unsurprisingly, I did, I chatted with Mac, it clicked, and I came back a few hours later with a new design on my body!

9. Relax in a hot spring

I'm saving this one for the winter, Octave mentioned our trip to Summer Lake last winter and I'm looking forward to repeating it this fall or winter.

10. Relaunch the Zero Waste Challenge

This one has been carried over a few times and I think I need to admit that it will not happen. It's OK.

11. Celebrate the full moon

I feel like I haven't done anything really special, like baking a full moon cake like my friends Jessie and Maren used to do. Octave and I do go outside to stand under the full moonlight, so it's something. I already have the moon schedules on my calendar but need to really schedule an activity. I'm going to start a group text!

12. Try paddle boarding

I feel like this one is going to happen sooner rather than later since I am at Suttle Lake every Monday night. I just need to head over there a little sooner for a paddle session.

13. Give blood

Everything seems to be going full circle, I scheduled a donation earlier this year since the restrictions have finally changed and I'm able to donate in the US, but, once I got there, we realized that my iron level was way too low. This led to some blood work during my trip to France, getting a diagnosis for my longstanding health issues and a cure! You also know that I pretty recently got a tattoo, so I have written down the date in my calendar for when it will be safe for me to donate again. I cannot wait! If you're able to do so, please donate blood and give life!

14. Swim for the solstices

One done (the easiest one), one to go!

15. Make kefir water

I did it, or more accurately started doing it. I don't know whether the grains I got are bad or need more time to rehydrate, but there's a jar of kefir water brewing on the top of my fridge as I type these words! I'll report back in a week maybe.

16. Learn a new language, get a certification

I was going so well at the beginning of the year, brushing up on my German, starting to learn Portuguese again, and even giving Navajo a try on Duolingo. But I eventually realized that French, English, and Spanish might just be enough for me. Learning a new language is too close to what I do for a living. So I switched to taking courses on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals learning platform and have been feeling like this is a greater use of my time. I started with a short Inclusive Communication module to ease into it.

17. Quilt something

The Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show is coming up, that would be a perfect time to sew my first quilt square!

18. Send cards or letters

I mentioned I sent a friend a birthday card above, so I'm considering this goal reached!

19. Learn block printing

I've experimented on tea towels with a kit Octave got me for Christmas. the experiment was very successful until we used said tea towels and I realized that I had been using ink meant to be used on paper rather than paint meant to be used on fabric. That explained why our hands were suddenly black without us having manipulated the pizza oven!

20. Buy nothing

I feel like I did this in January, but don't we all after a season of celebrations and gift-giving? I'm saving up for a big purchase so I might do a Buy Nothing month again.

21. Make suncatchers

My friend Sarah and I had a Skype DIY session and make suncatchers together. We had mixed results and I noticed that the maker whose instructions we followed eventually updated her recipe, so it might not have all been our fault, I'm still considering making more suncatchers around Christmas time. I need to think about harvesting and drying flowers this summer.

22. Start a breathwork practice

I completed a 30-day free challenge in January and loved it, but the way my brain works makes it so that when a challenge is completed the job is done and I pretty much always abandon the practice right after. Maybe I should sign up for a one-year challenge?

23. Bonus goal

I've been thinking about this bonus goal many, many times, as I've completed new tasks or tried new activities. Of course, none come to mind right now. I was not thinking of one in particular that I was keeping secret from your all, I simply thought that a big project might pop into my head later in January. It's not always easy to think about everything you want to accomplish in the upcoming year right when it starts. I think I'm going to keep this bonus one free and reflect on my accomplishments at the end of the year, let's rename it the catchall goal or the goal catchall.

23 for 2023 Resolutions List inpired by Gretchen Rubin of The Happiness Project and the Happier Podcast with Liz Craft

Wow, I've loved reflecting on my progress so far. Completed: 7, In progress: 7, Scheduled: 7, Abandoned:1, Bonus: 1. That sounds about right.

How are things going for you?

Did you already tackle a big project or accomplish a smaller, but necessary task? I'd love to know

If you're looking to start a list now for the second half of the year or want inspiration for a bonus goal, you can check out my previous lists!

This post is not sponsored, but it does contain affiliate links, meaning if you make a purchase via one of my links, I may make a commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!

3 Newsletters I'm Subscribed To

Marlee Grace Monday Monday Newsletter by Conscious by Chloé

I've been super into newsletters lately, I myself would love to write a meaningful one someday and actually got very inspired thanks to Marlee Grace's Common Shapes podcast episode "The Art of Newsletters". More on that in a future article...

Even though a bunch of you are subscribed to mine, I rarely publish it, not sure about what I would write in it that I do not write here on the blog.

Most often, it consists of a major life update, usually a move or the announcement that my visa got renewed. I feel like I'm waiting for the next big thing: a green card (fingers crossed).

In the meantime, I've subscribed (or re-subscribed) to a bunch of newsletters, letting go of my self-imposed goal of inbox zero.

I've created folders and store my mail there, by sender, by subject. I'm now picturing my electronic mailbox as a cute old-school real mailbox that I come check every morning to see whether a friend has written to me.

I want to know what artists and writers are inspired by and excited about. What they read, what they do, how they work, who inspires them, what inspires them. Do they struggle, how do they succeed? What are they thinking, what's their thought process, what's their daily routine? Did they move to a new place, did they paint their bathroom purple?

If you want to have a glimpse of what my friends (IRL and virtual, that I'm in a one-way or two-way relationship with) have been up to, check out my list:

1. Monday Monday by Marlee Grace

Marlee's work has been on my radar for the past 7 years. I've followed their Insta account, I've funded their Kickstarter, and I've read their books. Their approach to art and work and everything in between is a major source of inspiration for me. They give me the confidence to believe that I too can have an artistic practice. I see myself in their multitude of artistic pursuits and interests, their relationship for money and their down-to-earth approach to marketing one's work. If that doesn't convince you, maybe their more than 20K subscribers could? Marlee's weekly Monday newsletter is free and there's a paying option for the monthly advice column and Friday threads. I highly recommend becoming a paid subscriber ($5/month)

2. Closed Loop Cooking by Hawnuh Lee

I met Hawnuh back in 2018 in Portland. We obviously had a mutual interest in the low-waste lifestyle. Hawnuh has since then created the Closed Loop Cooking blog, hosted a number of delicious Closed Loop Dinners, and more recently opened the much-needed Closed Loop (design) Studio. They write a free, weekly food-focused newsletter for anyone who eats. Delicious reads, plant-based recipes, and all things low-waste living will be delivered fresh to you every Friday morning, the interviews tend to make me emotional, always in a good way. Check out a sample issue.

3. Fluorescent Smorgasbord by Julie A Hotz

How many times have I told this story? Julie and I met during an Insta meet-up (remember the early Instagram days?) and the rest is history. Initially connecting about photography, we then realized we had so much in common. Julie is a multimedia artist and storyteller––a commercial and documentary filmmaker and photographer. Their perspective on life, nature, art, and human connection is beautiful to witness. Their experience walking the Pacific Crest Trail had a major impact on their life and informs the way they approach life, art, and work. I was lucky to go on a hiking trip with them and cannot wait for the next one! Julie also shared with us the magnificent gift of escaping into nature during the pandemic through audio via bonus episodes of their moving and personal podcast UN/ROOTED. The Fluorescent Smorgasbord is a free monthly newsletter, a glimpse into the life of a multi-faceted and "multi-fascinated" artist. Check out a sample issue.

I thought I'd have more to share, but that's all I'm coming up with right now, and I think that's good, we want quality over quantity. I'm only getting started in this subject matter, so, of course, I gravitated toward what I know and feel comfortable with. I'm looking forward to expanding my horizons, discovering and supporting the work of artists and writers from different backgrounds and walks of life.

My most recent Substack subscriptions include Our Medecine by Two Spirit sister, doula, & storyteller, How to Cure a Ghost by NYC-based, Australian-Canadian multi-disciplinary artist with an interest in her wellness, Muslim identity, race, self-care pop culture Fariha Róisín, and Unsupervised by Anna Fusco aka Lordcowboy. I've only received one edition of each so I'll keep you updated in my next newsletter round-up.

Now it's your turn! I'd love to know what newsletter you read, but mostly what attracted you to them. Please send them my way!

Also, you can sign up for my biannual (lol) newsletter & get my blog posts straight into your inbox!

Image: Screenshot of Marlee Grace's Substack homepage

This post is not sponsored, but it does contain affiliate links, meaning if you make a purchase via one of my links, I may make a commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!

The Conscious List

Camping Tent View for Conscious by Chloé

Happy Friday! What are you up to this weekend? I'm gonna go camping!

Picture by Dominik Jirovský

This post is not sponsored, but it does contain affiliate links, meaning if you make a purchase via one of my links, I may make a commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!

Summer Activities

ball floating in swimming pool summer for Conscious by Chloé

Happy summer!

I love crafting, cooking and creating but sometimes find myself realizing that certain activities require planning (I have missed nettle foraging season 2 years in a row!). So, at the beginning of this year, I decided to fill my planner with lots of fun seasonal activities such as wreath, candle, and soap making, mushroom and plants foraging, bird watching, natural dyeing, and so much more!

Item 19 of my 22 for 2022 list was also "Write a list of seasonal activities" so here's the fourth and last installment of my seasonal activities list!

I'd love to add more, please share yours in the comments below!

Summer activities

Outdoor activities

  • Camping
  • Stargazing
  • U-pick Berries freezing
  • Lavender
  • Cocktail party
  • Bow & Arrow
  • Horse back Riding
  • Ice Cream Truck
  • Surf
  • Boat
  • Waterfall
  • Tulips
  • Sleep under the stars
  • Sunrise
  • Backpacking
  • Outdoor concerts
  • Swimming
  • Tubing
  • Rafting
  • Beach
  • Mountain Biking
  • BBQ
  • Drive-in or outdoor movie
  • Watch sunset
  • Skinny dipping
  • Farmers markets
  • Pickleball
  • Disc golf
  • Paddle boarding

Foraging

  • Blueberries
  • Rhubarb
  • Sage
  • Rose hip

Indoor Activities

  • Dehydrating
  • Canning
  • Flower pounding
  • Natural dyeing

Cooking

  • Popsicles
  • Fruit leather
  • Ice Cream
  • Kombucha
  • Bubble tea
  • Ice tea
  • Ginger ale
  • Fire Cider
  • Tomato sauce
  • Flower ice cubes

What are you excited to do this summer?

This post is not sponsored, but it does contain affiliate links, meaning if you make a purchase via one of my links, I may make a commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!

The Conscious List

Artist Studio Practice for Conscious by Chloé

Happy Friday! What are you up to this weekend? I'm gonna celebrate a friend's birthday and graduation!

Picture by Seema Miah

This post is not sponsored, but it does contain affiliate links, meaning if you make a purchase via one of my links, I may make a commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!