Start your new year right

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It’s around this time of year that we see a lot of gift guides online. And as important and lovely giving the perfect present to someone can be – it can also be crazy stressful (hence said gift guides appear all over the interwebs).

And I know there are people like me that need to “get warmed up” for holiday shopping by treating themselves to something nice first ;)

A few weeks ago I shared some thoughts about systems. All the items below help me create routines (or systems). Having systems in place can be helpful when coping with change, creating healthy habits, being more mindful and knowing yourself better.

So here is the treat yo-self/start your (new) year RIGHT gift list for YOU! Sharing a list of items to help you create systems! (Of course, you can start doing these things without these items – but a visual ALWAYS helps!).

  1. Skin care: The first step to self care is about develop and maintain a healthy relationship with yourself. Honestly sometimes, you must demand that time of yourself. Putting yourself first is important so you can find balance with the other priorities of your life. Either an AM or PM skin care routing (or both) can be both soothing for your skin and for your mood. It just feels good to pamper yourself and having a consistent routine for your face (even if it’s just wash/moisturize daily and a weekly face mask) can make that happen for you.
  2. Dress to impress (for yourself): Don’t do it for anyone but you. Dressing up (even for WFH or on a lazy Sunday) helps you build consistency and confidence. Whether it’s a fresh pair leggings and a tunic style sweater, a beachy waves hair do or hoops and a red lip – get dressed for yourself. I always feel more organized when I’m not sitting in two day old gym clothes or when I have all my rings, layered necklaces and bracelets on (haha, don’t ask).
  3. Manifest: Which also includes meditation, journaling, affirmations, vision boarding and just being mindful overall. These activities are considered enduring systems, because they can help one reap long term benefits with permanent effects. What helps me is having a variety of journals (blanked, lined and prompts) and pretty pens – and I naturally gravitate towards this system.
  4. Water & Smoothies: I recently got back on smoothies. I love them because they are easy to eat, help with digestion and it’s a quick way to eat a variety of fruits/veggies. Even better when it’s is a smoothie bowl. Having a smoothie for breakfast or dinner has become a comfort now. I rather mindless sip a smoothie then a bag of chips.
  5. Wake up & Plan your day: Planning has become essential to me. I’ve gotten really good at weekly and daily planning but I’m working on going macro to micro (2-3yrs – today). I have my direction which guides me, but I really want to get more strategic.
  6. Feed your mind: Read, listen to podcasts/ted talks, take micro learnings. This is something that I do when I feel in a funk. Reading and learning is essential for building self esteem, improving memory and reducing stress. It’s also great for when you are feeling stuck, because it can light up your imagination and help get those innovation juices flowing.

Nobody is coming

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Dear Self,

Promise to treasure your time.
Don’t fall in love with potential.
Remember that just because you want it, doesn’t mean it deserves to have you.
Be patient, but don’t procrastinate.
Be hopeful, but not naive.
When it’s right, you’ll know.
You don’t have to force it.

-Unknown

The last few weeks have been a little insane. Trying to navigate some new situations, without losing myself. Trying not to let the stress of the situation engulf me. Know that balance is even more important than anything. And that my goals are to make space in my day and my mind for whats important to me.

So this post is a reminder for me and an inspiration for anyone else who may be dealing with challenge. Don’t let negativity take over, spend time on enhance your whole experience. Trust your gut…ALWAYS.

Self Love, Green smoothie, that girl, wellness, mental toughness, mental wellness

That girl mentality & systems

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Focus on you, and you grow. Focus on sh!t, and sh!t grows – read that again // anonymous

I’ve always known that good routines, habits and the ability to re-focus are important to me.

And I also know I’m a visual person so consistently practicing and seeing my goals in front me does wonders (it’s all about tricking the mind to believe what the heart and soul want are real).

aka #manifest

With all that said, recently stumbled upon the hashtag #thatgirl

If you haven’t heard or seen it, this hashtag has been trending on instagram, youtube & tiktok by that girl as a way to manifest wellness.

The best way to describe it is as a highlight real (like everything else online lol) – but these highlight reels combine artfully crafted wellness video snippets focused on habits that show the person eating healthy, partaking in fitness activities and making progress towards their goals (ie: school, work etc).

There is a lot of talk about how #thatgirl perpetuates a toxic unattainable lifestyle. But I don’t if I see it entirely like that..

Being a visual person and someone who can peel themselves away from the internet – I actually find this trend both aesthetically pleasing and inspiring. I also know that sometimes the day can get away from you and life is full of peaks and valleys.

So how do you focus on your own development while navigating everyday life? Hint the #ThatGirl trend hits it right on the head!

˙ʎɐpʎɹǝʌǝ slɐoɓ ɹnoʎ spɹɐʍoʇ ssǝɹɓoɹd oʇ sɯǝʇsʎs uı ʇnd noʎ ǝɹns ǝʞɐɯ no⅄˙˙˙

Re-aligning to your goals at certain times during the year (months or quarters) helps to keep you connected to your yearly goals. OR (like in my situation) help your get back on track. Systems are activities that focus on the journey as opposed to the end destination.

Systems ensure you find joy in the little things.

Systems ensure that those daily habits become the little steps that will turn into a giant leap.

Systems keep us inspired.

Systems help us stay disciplined, especially on the days, we don’t want to do anything.

Systems can inspire us mentally/spiritually/physically.

Systems help us romanticize our life.

39 Laps (around the sun & running track)

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Last week I celebrated my 39th birthday! I took the day for myself and did all the important things that matter to me to me most. Outside of regular adulting/mom duties – here is how I spent the day…

I woke up, meditated & journaled.

Ran 15.6km (exactly 39 laps around a highschool race track*)

Went grocery shopping and donated it all to the food bank.

Picked up my birthday freebies at Sephora and Starbucks

Came home read a little then watch SATC

After school, the fambam sang happy birthday and the girls ate cupcakes

Had a quick photoshoot ;)

Lastly went to dinner!

Here is a quick video about my special day!

*You might remember I set up this goal for myself earlier this year!

Artist != Athlete

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I’m a little rusty in coding/developing. It’s been 4 years since I last SQL’ed.

    With all that said, I am building my skills. I am completing courses. I am learning and I am getting better with every action I take.

    Just like I do every time I pick up my camera or lace up my asics.

    x = ‘artist’
    y = ‘athletes’
    print (x + ” are not like ” + y + “. ” + x + ” cannot win gold. “)

    txt = x + ” cannot ‘beat’ other creatives. “
    print(txt)

    txt2 = “an ” + x + “‘s craft is subjective.”
    print(txt2)

    txt3 = x + “s create to connect to the people who need their energy. “
    print(txt3)

    txt4 = “Create in your way.”
    txt5 = “, show up, and focus on your unique brand of magic.”

    print(txt4)
    print(“we are all ” + x + txt5)

    Artists are not like athletes.  Artists cannot win gold.  Artists cannot ‘beat’ other creatives.  An artist’s craft is subjective.  Artists create to connect to the people who need your energy.  Create in your way.  We are all artists, show up, and focus on your unique brand of magic.

    How your goals doing?

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    *said with Joey Tribbiani voice*

    I’m here to interrupt your double vaxxed/tired mom summer with the news that – there are 115 days left until 2022.

    Yep, One Hundred Fifteen Days.

    I was definitely feeling like I was hitting a wall in terms of my goals. That’s not to say I haven’t had a winning few months I just feel like I was losing focus and slowing down. And I don’t want to do that.

    So I started vision boarding for the last quarter of the year, and I mean WHY NOT?

    These are my goals and I need to find my motivation. Sometimes adding pen to paper (or picture to board) can help revitalize and re-engerize me. But I also have to remind myself that creating a vision board is just the first step. I then have to come up with actionable steps by month/week to get those goals accomplished. I’m going with the OKRs (being specific and having multiple key results can really drive it home for me).

    My point to this whole post is that you DON’T need to wait till MONDAY or the START of the MONTH or the the NEW YEAR. (Although if that is your thing, September is a great month to get back to it!)

    Another thing we (well me and you, the collective we) need to get better at is sharing our goals. I’m a little torn on sharing progress (sometimes it makes more sense to keep your head down/disappear while you get sh!t done). But something has to be said about putting your big dreams out into the universe (sounds woo woo because it is, IYKYK)!

    So here it is, my Q4 vision board ++ some tips about getting back on track with your goals!

    Vision Board, Goal Setting, Idea to Execution,
    1. Goal Setting: It’s important to know what you want to accomplish
    2. Plan your year, months, weeks and days.  Goals without a plan is a wish!
    3. Get enough: sleep, exercise, meditate, drink more water, eat what your body needs journal and find time to relax
    4. Be grateful: Always looking at future goals can cause fear, anxiety and stress.  Practicing gratitude can balance that
    5. Be disciplined: resist the urge to snack, check social media or skip a workout.  Focus on your activity at hand – that’s how progress is made
    6. Get to the other side of consistency: whether you see great results or no results – everything is in the hard work
    7. Invest in yourself: Read books, seek mentors and growth opportunities.  You don’t have to figure it out on your own.  Find someone who has what you are trying to achieve and learn from them

    Keep coming back to these principals when you feel stuck or even every day to make sure you stay on track.