July Goals

Hey there, it’s been a few weeks, a beach vacation and a potential change in the Earth’s Schumann Resonance – but I’m here to share my July goals ;)

The best way to build confidence is to set goals. Setting goals gives us a way to set promises to ourselves. When we keep those promises (aka accomplish the goals) we create self trust within ourselves. That self trust turns into self awareness and an understanding that “if I can do this, I can do so much more!”

You don’t need perfection to inspire

Happy Thursday! Lately I’ve noticed a shift in my confidence.  In my desire to get out of my comfort zone, meet people, wear all the jewelry, be extra and bold in my style choices & courage in my work and personal goals. So today I’m sharing some words that really resonated with me recently.  Along with some fit shots from a few days ago… Enjoy! 

Inspire others, progress over perfection, OOTD, Have fun, that girl, Motivate
Inspire others, progress over perfection, OOTD, Have fun, that girl, Motivate
Inspire others, progress over perfection, OOTD, Have fun, that girl, Motivate
Inspire others, progress over perfection, OOTD, Have fun, that girl, Motivate

Imperfection is a form of freedom

Let your process, your struggle and your progress inspire others.

You don’t need perfection to encourage those who are watching you

Inspire others, progress over perfection, OOTD, Have fun, that girl, Motivate
Inspire others, progress over perfection, OOTD, Have fun, that girl, Motivate
Inspire others, progress over perfection, OOTD, Have fun, that girl, Motivate
Inspire others, progress over perfection, OOTD, Have fun, that girl, Motivate
Inspire others, progress over perfection, OOTD, Have fun, that girl, Motivate

20 ways to get out of a funk

Today’s post is a quick one! I’ve been feeling a little off alignment.  So in my research to get back on track and out of this funk – I researched some inspiration and knew I had to share here :)

One thing I do want to say is that, our journey is full of ebbs and flows.  There are highs and lows and sometimes how we operate will be effected by that. What I’ve learned that it’s completely okay to lean into the slow, quiet, idle restful time just as much as the fast paced productivity.

Having an off day, week or month is completely okay & we all go through it.  And when you are ready…read on to learn ways to get back on your path…

  1. Exercise daily
  2. Sleep early
  3. Eat more veggies
  4. Park further away from the entrance
  5. Use the stairs
  6. Reapply your sunscreen
  7. Drink less alcohol
  8. Journal
  9. Watch less TV
  10. Prioritize and plan your day
  11. Visualize your goals
  12. Find ways to give back your time
  13. Review and reflect
  14. Practice gratitude
  15. Be consistent with AM/PM routines
  16. Write down your goals
  17. Don’t listen to the news
  18. Track you progress
  19. Meditate
  20. Stretch & foam roll multiple times a week

5 Productivity Tips to start the month off right

From Pintest

Not many people I know are like me in that they feel the start of a new week (ahem Monday!) or even the 1st day of the month is like the 1st day of school.  It’s the feeling of fresh starts, dreaming big and new routines.  I also love reading about people’s organization methods and goal setting – so I thought I’d share to abundance of resources on Google and share tips for a productive month!

  1. Set up your monthly calendar:  Appointments, Celebrations, Get togethers, Extra Curriculars, Fitness classes, Classes etc.  Getting it out of your head and getting all down in your calendar just makes sense.  I use a combination of Goggle Calendar and my paper planner monthly view
  2. Set up goals for the month: whether it’s finishing a book, getting out 3 fitness classes/running x km or maybe it’s doing something you’ve never done before – working towards something helps get you out of your comfort zone and develop character.
  3. Set up a monthly to-do list:  I definitely think some of the activities on this list will be created from the monthly goals, but it may also include routine items (ie: run the washer clean cycle, sign up for swimming lessons) and bonus items (ie: artistic projects, going to the art gallery).  I personally love the bonus activities – it makes my soul smile
  4. Set a budget: Something is to be said about being mindful about spending.  Not just because mindless shopping and over spending is a waste of time and money.  But because it’s not good for our environment.  So whether it’s a “no spend month” or a cap on eating out, it’s definitely worth a try.
  5. Deep clean something!  I think it’s a good habit that I’m starting to implement whereby I clean something that has piled up.  Whether it’s a junk drawer, a basement closet or the baseboards.  Schedule it in and get it done!
From Pinterst
From Pinterest

5 things I learned from my running streak

I did a thing! I committed to a running streak!

So ….what is a running streak anyway? Essentially it’s a certain amount of time where a runner commits to running with no days off. Running more than anything is a mind game. It’s not about how fast or how far you can run…it’s always about taking the first stride, then the next and the next. It it’s about constantly reminding yourself about you why and finding the discipline to keep going.

Before I get into some of what I learned, I wanted to share a little about my steak.

  • I ran everyday, no days off
  • I ran a minimum of 2km, most days 3.33km and at least 1 5km run
  • I ran outside and on my treadmill
  • I live by my Nike Run Club app – I love that I can track everything there, I love that it captures my run details, cheers and guides me through different runs ++ I can see all the cool accomplishments I make happen!

Okay so here are the top 5 things I learned:

  1. New habits should be approachable on a daily basis
    This means, your daily “to-do” run should be something you can do without thinking. Granted running requires different kinds of training (long runs, sprints/farlek, hills, cross training & recovery) but for a running streak you need be ready to go without having to think too much about it.
  2. Learn to list to your body
    I am intuitive by nature, but my body gave me stronger messages when I ran consistently.  I think thats a very important skill (tool?) to develop.  It also made me become more aware of functional fitness and exercises that weren’t heavy but helped to developed the way my body moved.
  3. Do the hard thing first
    When I got my run done in the morning, the rest of the day seemed to go much smoother and my mind was able to focus.  The same happens when you have a personal morning routine (wake up early, meditate, journal, sunlight etc).  Getting up (late) to only check email and hustle just doesn’t make sense.
  4. You always do things twice, once in your head and then in real life
    Same goes for running.  You literally see yourself doing it in your minds eye before you actually do it. For me it was seeing the trails or sideways I knew I’d run before getting out there.
  5. Somethings can be multi tasked (but not everything)
    For me it was running an errand.  LITERALLY!  Being able to run to the store to pick up something and then running back home with that something was such a delight!

A day in my life – on a Friday

Day in the life, Pinterest Pin, Blogger Lifestyle, Vlogger, Vlog, That Girl, That Girl aesthetic

I love reading people’s day in the life posts & vlogs.  I find learning about other people’s daily routines and schedules interesting.  So much so, that I’ve decided to share a typical day in the life of my own.  Albeit a Friday! 

Friday’s are a usually a lighter day of meetings which means I will try to add some tasks to get ahead (or catch up), admin and personal activities (related to my goals or life in general).

I also feel that #DITL posts need context.  I have a corporate career, happily married mom to 2 kids with busy extra curricular schedules.  But I’m also creative (running this blog, my Etsy store and pursing creative hobbies to ensure I build skills), habit stacker who is very intentional about how I spend my free time and what content I consume.

That said, there are a lot of things in my day that are non-negotiables, almost to the point that I don’t even think about doing them anymore – they just get done.  (When people ask how I make the the time or prioritize my non-negotiables, I don’t know what to say other then “it’s like when I get up I brush my teeth…I do these things because I do them).

Anywho on to my Fri-yay!

632am –  Today I was working from home but I still I meditate right after awaking.  I love that early morning meditation.  I feel like it works wonders for me.  Following that,  I put on my apple watch, drink a sip of water and journal.  I get my AM hygiene routine out of the away before the rest of the house wakes up.

Journaling, Mindfulness, Spiritual, Spiritual Junkie, Growth Mindset, Productivity Hacks

7:05am – Kids alarm goes off and I’ll hop on over to see how they are doing.  There is usually some fight that needs to be broken up (slammed door, hogging the sink etc) but after that is diffused I’ll head downstairs to start breakfast and pack lunches (the hubby and I will rotate that job daily so if I’m not downstairs, I’m helping the girls get ready).

750am – Kids lunches are packed, breakfast is mostly eaten and we are out the door on the way to the bus stop!

Mom Blogger, Mom Lifestyle, Mom Life, School Drop Off, Millennial Mom

8:10am – As soon as we get back from school bus drop off, I start my workout.  I’ll warm up for a run with my air buds playing affirmations.  This is a new routine and I find it works really well.  As for my run, I have a daily rotation: 20 min, 3km or 4km. During that time I’ll watch a TedTalk or a podcast on youtube.  Because it was Friday – I decided to treat myself to a little Netflix and a long run.

8:45am – I like to do a little resistance as well, so thats when I’ll turn on a motivational podcast (well slightly aggressive motivational speeches.  (Think: Zig Ziglar, Coach Pain, Eric Thomas etc).  I rotate between legs, full body and multiple arm days per week.  After the long run, I wanted to cool down and stretch today.

Runner, Mom Runner, Distance Running, Treadmill, Healthy Aesthetic, That Girl, Fitspo

9:00am to 11:45am – After a quick breakfast, I jump straight into meetings. But because I documented my day on a Friday – my meetings are light.   So I try and keep my time blocked for sessions with my mentees, networking & skill building.  On this day in particular I had a training session and then I did a brain dump of my work tasks before continuing a self study course.

Fitspo, Healthy, That Girl, Oatmeal, Breakfast, Flatlay

Study, That Girl, Healthful, Smart Goals, Goal Digger, Always Learning

1:30pm – Before grabbing a bite, I did a Move with Nicole 15 min Pilates class.  Her classes are soo good!

3:15pm – Today I picked up my daughters early as we were going to my in-laws house.  And it was straight to Karate for them.

6:00pm – Last Friday we celebrated Lorhi.  Lorhi is the celebration to mark the passing of Winter Solstice.  I love celebrating anything that follows the lunar phases.  Time spend with family, playing games, building a fire, throwing peanuts into said fire, eating and drinking great food!

And that’s it!  How do your Friday’s look?  Is it the same every Friday or varied?  These kind of days offer me the most work life integration – which is what I strive for everyday!