Year in Review |

I have a few priorities and activities in the next few weeks so I’m not yet cramming in trying to create a vision board or create a word of the year. (And hey if you are, that’s cool too – read more about My Vision Board process here) But true to myself and my interest of the art of leisure and mental fitness, I wanted to share a few ways we can all out perform our 2023 selves!

Of course these techniques are not reserved for Jan 1, you can do them any time so I wanted to share as they are very useful.

Develop these Mindsets:

If 1000 people win, I AM ONE OF THEM.
If 100 people WIN, I AM ONE OF THEM.
If 10 people WIN, I AM ONE OF THEM.
If 1 person WINS, I AM THAT ONE.
If NOBODY wins, I DIED TRYING.

Develop New Healthy Habits:

It’s very important to have productive habits because they will turn into routines. Motivation can fade, and that is when discipline prevails.

Here are example of healthy habits:

write specific goals down for the following day before bed.
Journal & evaluate your day before bed.
Sleep early or get a good night’s sleep.
You are aware of your bad habits, change to the opposite.

Get 1% Better Daily:

This is MY FAV technique! Prioritize incremental progress over perfection. Don’t get lured into the fantasy or “fast result”

Knowing this will keep you consistent.

Some high valued 1% skills include:

Read for 10 pages daily
Learn for skill a least 10 min a day
Meditate for 5 minutes
Exercise for 1 hour
Create art daily (photography, doodling counts)
Reflect on your day
Practice gratitude

Prioritize Physical & Mental Health:

Add activities that makes you feel good physically and mentally to your routine.

Get some outdoor time daily
Journal everyday
Eat clean & drink 2-3L of water
Go on solo & friendship dates
Hang out with family/loved ones.
Read a self-dev article
Use diffusers or scented candles in your home
Clean your space (do a quick tidy)

Diversify your income streams:

Making money and more specifically women making more money is good for society and thr planet. In 2024 consider upskilling, changing jobs, seeking high-paying clients or even a side project that your are passionate about. Start small but stay consistent. Not only will there be a dollar amount change but also you’ll be developing your always learning attitude.

Get a new certificate your career field
Digital Marketing
Content Creation
Sell your art on Etsy
Influencer marketing
Audience building
UI/UX Design
Data Analysis Skills
Master No-Code

All images c/o Pinterest

What is the first thing you do when you wake up?
If it’s a workday: Turn off my alarm, grab my glasses, phone/journal/pen. After regular getting up activities, I put on my apple watch :)
If it’s a weekend: And I haven’t been woken up by an alarm or by my kids, I check to see what the kids are doing. After regular getting up activities, I put on my apple watch lol!

What gives you energy?
My creative hobbies, completing a priority task, hugging my kids/husband or a really good run, confidence in my experience.

What is your secret life hack?
Practicing gratitude using the DayOne App with the built in Five Minute Journal templates.

Name a book that changed your life?
I have two from the last 10 years: The Alchemist and Light is the New Black.

Tell us about your relationship with your phone? Does it sleep with you?
I charge my phone on airplane mode on my nightstand, so no it absolutely does not sleep with me. I’ve had a goal to get our phones out of room at night. First step is to buy 2 alarm clocks and convince my husband to charge his phone elsewhere in the house overnight.

How do you deal with email?
Work email on a typical workday: I check my email too often. Both due to the nature of my work (I am a manager in the innovation & strategy space) and because it’s been a habit of my career. I would say several (5-10) times an hour.
Personal email on a typical day: Not as often because I only check it on my phone, maybe 3-5 times a day.

You unexpectedly find 15 minutes in your day, what do you do?
Pull out my e reader and hope that its charged so I can read!

When was the last time you felt burned out and why?
Over the Winter Break! It was the first time I had taken 2 weeks off since 2012. We hosted several dinners, I cleaned the house 4 times, had to take care of the kids full time for a few days and had to make the Christmas magic (mom’s you know what I mean). It was fun and exhausting. Definitely glad to be back to our regular routine after a full and lively break.

When was the last time you felt you failed and who did you overcome it?
Motherhood is the most humbling journey and I fail every day (i.e.: maybe I lost my patience, I yelled, looked at my phone too much in front of my kids or didn’t play with them when they asked). I don’t put myself down for every “failure” – I am human and a millennial mother in a digital age (we are the first generation of mothers/parents in this type of society) I overcome it by talking about what happened (with my kids or husband) and lots of hugs.

Share a quote that you love and that gives you strength or peace?
Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself // Leo Tolstoy