I mentioned before that my friend gave me a sourdough starter as a farewell gift so that I can try making bread when I move to Norway. A few weeks in and here I am, in what I would consider to be one of my biggest achievements.

I’ve always been a city girl, so everything was fast-paced, and I would typically buy most of my food already prepared. It was both a humbling and a rewarding experience to make this bread with my own hands.

The entire time I made this bread, I was texting my friend in Singapore, who lives 7 hours ahead of me. She helped me troubleshoot every step of the way, patiently guiding me through my frantic text messages of what to do, how to handle the dough, and when it was ready to bake.

Many times, the main ingredient I needed was simply… time. And with time comes patience. I have been in Norway for a few weeks now and shaking off the city girl in me does not happen instantly. I do enjoy the slow days at home as I try to get creative with the blog and vlog, but when I set my mind on a project — like building a laundry rack and preparing posts to share — I still find myself trying to railroad my way into finishing the task and staying many weeks ahead of schedule.

It is a beauty and an art I still need to learn: to sit still and enjoy the process of a project. Same as waiting for the dough to rise before baking, I would gain much from allowing myself time to rest and grow within my natural environment. Moreover, it is not a one-time learning. As with many things, it is a constant exercise to remind myself that with every project I can slow down, take a walk, and have a warm drink. I hope you too enjoy practicing the same in your life.

In the meantime, have a joyful Christmas season with your loved ones. 🎄