Winter has always asked something different of us. Not speed. Not output. Not constant connection. Winter asks for noticing.
This year, with Curiosity as my Word of the Year, I am paying closer attention to what pulls me out of my life instead of deeper into it. One of the clearest answers has been my phone. Not because it is bad, but because it is loud. It interrupts curiosity instead of supporting it.
That realization led me to create my first signature analog basket. Not as décor. Not as a trend. But as a quiet, physical invitation to live this season with my hands, my senses, and my attention fully engaged.
This basket lives where my phone usually lands. And that is intentional.
What an Analog Basket Really Is
An analog basket is a small collection of items that support presence. It removes the decision fatigue of “What should I do instead?” and replaces it with a ready-made answer.
When the phone goes down, the basket comes out.
The purpose is not productivity. It is participation.
The Winter Curiosity Basket
A gentle structure for slower days
Winter curiosity is inward. It wonders quietly. It asks small questions and lingers with the answers.
This basket is designed for those moments when the day feels long, the light fades early, and scrolling seems easier than starting.
What’s Inside My Winter Basket
1. Well loved books
Not a “should read.” A comfort reread or a book I have been curious about but saving. Winter is not the season for pressure.
2. A single notebook
No planners. No lists. Just blank pages for noticing. Questions. Observations. Half-formed thoughts.
3. A favorite pen
This matters more than we admit. A pen that feels good invites writing instead of resistance.
4. One prompt card
Mine reads:
What am I noticing right now that I usually rush past?
That is my Curiosity anchor for winter.
5. A sensory companion
Tea, a candle, a small textile, something that grounds the body while the mind wanders.
6. Notecards, postcards
One recipe I know well enough to make without my phone. Soup, bread, something forgiving.
This basket does not ask for time. It creates it.
How I Use the Basket
I do not schedule it. I respond to it.
When I feel the reflex to check my phone:
I place the phone face down.
I lift the basket.
I choose one item only.
Ten minutes is enough. Curiosity grows through repetition, not duration.
Why This Fits My Word of the Year: Curiosity
Curiosity is not loud. It does not compete with notifications. It needs space.
This basket gives curiosity a physical home. It says: Here is where wondering happens.
Instead of asking:
What should I consume?
I ask:What am I curious about right now?
Instead of scrolling answers, I sit with questions.
That is the work of this year.
The 2026 Analog Basket Series
One basket for each season
This winter basket is the first in a yearlong practice. Each season will have its own basket, rhythm, and kind of curiosity.
Spring: The Beginning Basket
Curiosity outward
Seeds, planning pages, garden notes, watercolor sketches, lists of what might grow.
Summer: The Living Basket
Curiosity in motion
Picnic notes, neighborhood walks, shared recipes, family games, memory keeping.
Fall: The Reflection Basket
Curiosity through memory
Journaling prompts, cooking projects, reading that invites reflection, gathering rituals.
Each basket will:
Replace passive scrolling with active living
Support the natural pace of the season
Invite curiosity without overwhelming it
An Invitation
You do not need to copy my basket. In fact, I hope you do not.
Instead, I invite you to ask:
What would help me participate more fully in this season?
What pulls me away from my phone and back into my life?
Start small. One basket. A few objects. A quiet corner.
Curiosity does not require more time. It requires attention.
This winter, I am choosing to carry mine from my upstairs office to my downstairs family room whenever I make that trip.
Stay tuned for conversation cards, a shopping list, and a preview of my spring basket!
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