Slowvember—it’s November, but slower—is an anti-capitalistic way to approach what is usually a hectic shopping month leading up to the major holidays.

You know we like giving you permission to take it easy on yourself (and to buy less).

For November, we have a few strategies for making this month feel like a journey not a race. First off, give it a name, “slow-vember,” and you’ll instantly find yourself in ritual territory. To anyone who can’t understand, you can just say the following: It’s SLOW-vember! Time to CHILL.

Get Ready To Slow Down

Make a rough list (this is not homework, we’re chilling, remember?) of your favorite ways to take it slow. Ours: petting cats, reading for as long as we want, cozy fireplace hangs, pizza night. Consider scheduling them so you actually do them. This is valuable time spent connecting with yourself or your loved ones and recalibrating your nervous system. It deserves a place on the calendar.

Spend Time Not Money

If you’re feeling pressure to give tons of lavish gifts this holiday season, consider another way. Tell your dear ones that you’d rather have a dedicated evening in their company instead of a present. Suggest a hang where nothing but love is exchanged. If you want to add a gift that’s not money, consider sharing recipes, a poem you chose just for them, or a beloved book. By rejecting the greed machine that feeds Black Friday consumerism, we also have a chance to reflect on what really matters.

Get Into Nature

November is a magical time of year to explore some woods, forests, or urban parks near you. Try walking without headphones to settle your mind. Take as little or as much time as you want. If you’re having trouble relaxing, look for one small thing to marvel at—like a leaf or tree bark. Try to really look at it. The act of focused observation can awaken a state of enchantment that sometimes feels out of reach.

Connect With Your Creativity

Spend some time rekindling your creative fires, whatever that means to you. Slow down for long enough to get a little bored. Then see what creative sparks start flying. Sometimes we’re too busy to let our most creative selves in. See what happens when you take a more expansive approach to time. Create without a deadline—do it just for its own sake.

Have A Should-Less Day

Put one day on the calendar when you do exactly what you want to do without any obligations! The minute you feel a “should” creep in (e.g., I “should” really do the laundry), shake it off and ask yourself what you feel like doing instead. Then do that.

Connect With Community

If you’re feeling anchorless this holiday season, as so many of us will, find a way to connect with your community. Whether that means volunteering with a local organization, helping a neighbor run an errand, or donating dollars to a cause you believe in—finding a footing in community can help us weather the loneliness that tends to creep in this time of year. If you need inspiration, check out this list of organizations that we redistribute funds to.

Need some more ideas for going slow and feeling better? Some books we adore on the topic:

The Book of Delights
Enchantment
Saving Time
Laziness Does Not Exist

Happy November, loves.

Written By Vera Kachouh