4 Tiny Ideas+Rituals for Coming Home
#7 How to gently settle back in after a trip
Hello friends,
It’s been a bit quiet here for the past ten days, and I have missed writing to all of you.
This past month has been full with my travels to Paris, the celebrations of Eid, and the arrival of Nowruz.
So I took a little break.
Thank you for still being here.
Coming back to this space after a stretch away always reminds me why I write. To pause. To notice. To share something authentic.
And this past month deepened something I already felt: I want a slower, gentler life, right where I am. If that resonates with you, I hope you’ll keep reading.
I’m not offering a life in soft focus.
I don’t live beside lavender fields. (I live smack in the middle of the city of Toronto.)
I don’t step out to gather blue eggs in my kitchen from a coop out back, (though I would love that, and do believe in manifesting your dreams).
I often dream of my friend’s cottage (below), in Minden.
But I don’t believe you need to escape to find that kind of calm.
I love where I am.
Even in the middle of the city, a slower rhythm is possible.
I want to share how slow living can be right where you are.
In our homes, our minds, and our hearts.
Because slow living isn’t solely about where you live.
It’s about how you live.
Slow living isn’t about staying still.
It’s about learning how to return and land gently.
Here are 4 gentle ways I ease back in after time away. Maybe these ideas will help you, too.
1) Return to the Familiar
Coming back from travel, go for some soul food; whatever that may be for you. For me, it is home food, the dishes I ate growing up. My Ami’s pot of dal, garlicky, and bubbling away. I love having it with steamed basmati, because it makes me feel rooted again.
It’s not about elaborate meals; it's about making something I know and love.
Try it—something simple, something yours, and see how it brings you back to yourself.
2) Bake Something Pantry-Friendly and Simple, to Settle Back In
After travel, there’s something grounding about baking.
These soft and chewy almond cookies, called ricciarelli, which I learnt how to make when I lived in Rome, are exactly what you need to make after your travels. I find it comforting to eat something homemade which doesn’t require me to rush to the grocery store to find seasonal fruit.
It’s something you’ll find in your pantry at home. You do need eggs, but that’s probably something you’ll pick up right after getting home from the airport.
The full recipe with method is on the blog—but here’s the imperial version of the ingredients, just for you:
Ingredients:
2 cups almond flour (not blanched)
¾ cup white granulated sugar
2 large egg whites
½ tsp ground cardamom seeds
⅛ tsp sea salt
⅔ cup icing sugar (to dust)
3) Flowers for yourself, because why not?
After travel, I know I have a long to-do list. So I add “go to the florist” to that list. It helps me feel rooted again at home.
My lovely friend Athena, a ceramicist, (and my friend whom I run errands with for those tiny moments of joy) introduced me to hellebores—these beautiful winter roses that bloom when Toronto is still grey. We often practice what I think of as weaving—blending the practical with the joyful.
I walked over to the florist at Av + Dav, and when I saw them, I knew I had to bring them home. A simple way to mark my return, and ease myself back into real life: emails, laundry, groceries, and everything waiting for me.
Luckily, I love what I do (thanks to all of you), so finding my rhythm in work after a trip away is something I welcome. Did I mention how grateful I am to all of you who open and read my letter each week?
4) A gentle re-entry with tea + candles
It’s such a small thing, but taking out the teapot, choosing my favorite cups, and steeping herbs reminds me of the joy of being home. And don't forget to light a candle. Let the room feel like yours again.
After being away, these little customs make all the difference.
To come back to your own space—that in itself is something to be grateful for.
May my 4 Tiny Ideas+Rituals for a gentle re-entry add a little beauty and ease to your days—especially if you’ve just returned from travels, or maybe you’ve had a long week. If something here resonates, I’d love to hear from you—please share your thoughts in the comments (and a ‘like’ ❤️ helps this post reach more readers, so I’d be grateful for that). Wishing you a gentle rest of the week.
All love, x Shayma