DAILY ACTIONS WE CAN TAKE TO FEEL GOOD AT THE END OF EACH DAY

There are times - sometimes days, weeks and even months - when we are simply going through the motions of life. As you can imagine, just going through the motions can make you feel as if you have not accomplished enough or as if you have not contributed enough value to yourself, your life, your goals and those around you. From my experience, there have been times when I have sat back and really wondered and asked myself what I have accomplished as of recent. Sometimes I can easily come up with many things (big and small) that I feel good about and other times I feel as if my list is pretty dry, even when it's really not! I believe we consistently add value to ourselves and others every single day but I also feel that we often forget to remind ourselves about those accomplishments and we can also forget that we have a lot of control about the good in our lives.  

Taking your life day-by-day and having small wins everyday will amount to so, so much. This is why it is so important to do some checks and balances as frequently as you can - below are a few ways you can do just that:  


each day is a blank slate


Remember to start each day with a fresh outlook on life. Whatever happened the day before is now in the past and cannot be changed. All we can do is work towards becoming better today than we were yesterday, making better chioces and being more present. 


keep yourself informed


Taking in information gives you the opportunity to learn something new every single day. You can pick up a book and read at least 15-20 minutes each day, you can listen to a podcast or read an article. In short, making an effort to expand your mind and learn new things can you only help you become a better and more well-rounded person. Definitely something worth giving yourself a pat on the back for! 


make healthy choices


Making the right choice can sometimes be hard because we all know how easy it is to stray a bit. But choosing the healthy lunch and dinner options, putting your phone down so you can get an extra 45 minutes of sleep and being conscious of staying active throughout the day are all healthy choices we can make for ourselves every day.


do something for someone else


Being conscious of those around you makes it easy to find ways to add value. This can be a sincere and heartfelt compliment, it can be anticipating a need and helping when you can. The point is that when you do something for someone else not only will they appreciate it but as long as you do it from the right place you will also appreciate yourself for the good deed. 


make notes


It is so important to make note of your accomplishments – they can be a mental note or run down at the end of the day or if you are anything like me, you would write down the little things and the big things you have achieved. For example, I use my planner pretty much every day and I write down the things I have accomplished that day. I think I would probably feel embarrassed to let people read my accomplishments (sometimes I make sure to put down that I gave myself a little manicure!) – the point is that if you do or finish something you have been meaning to do it is worth keeping track of. It almost feels like I am keeping a diary of sorts!

I know that this list can seem daunting but once you consistently begin incorporating these habits soon enough you will start to feel good at the end of your day.  A lot of this is about looking at the bright side of life, the good things that happen every day and the good choices we can make.

Do you actively remind yourself of the positive things you do for yourself and others each day? Share how and what you do below!

A GUIDE TO MANAGE STRESS IN FIVE EASY WAYS FOR THOSE HECTIC WAYS

I really try to keep my life as stress free as possible but there are times when the amount of things on my to-do list can become unmanageable and then the stress begins to creep in. And it is during those moments that I really have to remind myself to remain calm and get through whatever the stressor is. But, easier said than done, right?!

We all know that stress has many negative implications but just as a reminder here are a few ways stress messes with us:

·         Body: Headaches, fatigue, insomnia

·         Mood: Anxiety, lack of motivation, irritability

·         Behavior: Social withdrawal, overeating (or undereating), outbursts

Stress can have some serious negative implications in three core areas of our lives which is why it is of the utmost importance that we know how to effectively manage our stressors. I think that living a stress free life is almost impossible because there will always be things that stress us out but I also think that there absolutely are ways we can minimize the amount of stress in our lives and in turn see less and less of it. But do I think we can get rid of all stress? No, I don’t think so. 

The following six ways are things I do to help me manage those crazy and stressful days:


Think about the good


This is probably my most used method of managing stress. I do my very best at always being aware of the good things and good people I have in my life. Keeping that top of mind really helps me drive home the fact that not everything will be easy and perfect all of the time and that sometimes we really do need to meet challenges along the ways in order for us to mentally grow and evolve as human beings. In other words – always look for the silver lining. It may not always be apparent but there always is one.


Turn up the music


Music definitely helps me get through stressful days. Pick a genre, an artist or a station that energizes you. I really like playing the Odesza station on Pandora when I need some energy and feel good music. With so much of the same music playing ALL THE TIME on the radio I really like to try to listen to music that I will not necessarily hear on mainstream radio in order to break things up a bit, but that’s just me. Turn up whatever floats your boat and puts a smile on your face.


Drink water


It’s amazing how much better I feel when I am well hydrated. It is such a simple thing to do that is so effective yet the thing that most people forget to do. Take a moment and enjoy a glass of refreshing water. It will instantly boost your mood and give you energy all at the same time. Not to mention all of the great benefits of drinking water.


Go outside


You know that saying, “The best things on life are free”? Well it’s very true and it is amazing what breathing in some fresh air can do to you. But I really mean breathing in the fresh air – you need to let it fill your lungs, exhale out and repeat as many times as you need. Breathing in fresh air will give you some clarity, a sense of calmness and will allow you to ground yourself in a way to realize that whatever is causing you stress will pass.


Tidy up


If ever I am stressed out AND my place is looking disorganized I make it a point to tidy up. On those crazy busy days I will set my timer on for 15-20 minutes put on some energizing music and get to it. I’ll put away any shoes and coats that have accumulated throughout the week at my doorstep or on my couch, I’ll take a walk through and wipe down any surfaces, if I hadn’t already made my bed I’ll also do that. Doing a quick clean up, even if it is just at the surface level really, really helps me reduce stress because a messy place has never helped anyone have a clear mindset.

How do you manage your stress? Please share any tips and tricks you have learned along the way! 

HOW TO STRENGTHEN YOUR WILLPOWER TO STICK TO YOUR GOALS

Life gets busy and crazy and before you know it all of the good habits you have worked on for so long have been thrown to the curb. This was my realization a couple of weeks ago. This summer has been incredibly busy in all areas of my life, between getting a new job, working on getting the final touches ready for the candle line, health issues with Nina (my dog, for those of you who don’t know), and trying to be the best aunt I can be to my niece and nephew on top of the regular day to day things we all want to spend time on – like – I don’t know, laundry, grocery shopping, family events - it’s been very, very busy to say the least. But I may be preaching to choir here because I know that we are all stretched very thin with so many daily demands. I’ve been feeling like I am stretched very thin. Maybe the stress has been showcasing itself because even my mom asked me if everything is ok with me! Which I am, there is just so much going on. It is at times like these when I really feel the need to exercise and meal plan and getting back to the good habits I know I’ve gotten the hang of before. Because adding more to my plate will definite help J.

So, while I know what I need to do I am having a hard time doing it. For example, lately, I have been having a hard time making time for exercise and preparing lunch. Lately, by the time 10pm rolls around I am so exhausted that all I want to do is crawl into bed and sleep. And because I have not been preparing lunch I have resorted to buying lunch which is not only expensive, but usually not that great. And as far as workouts go, while I do still work out from time to time, I have not gotten myself back into a schedule where I target a specific area for each workout. On my good streaks, I am good about taking some time on a Sunday or a Monday to I write out what workout I will do each day of the week (usually a Tone It Up or Blogilates routine). About 90% of the time I stick to the workouts I have pre-planned – I think that’s a pretty successful outcome.

This is why I have decided that I need to give myself a reality check and a dose of will power and self-discipline. After much thought I decided that it is really about getting back to the basics and the reasons for creating those good habits – whatever those may be for you. And the one thing that will get me going again is:


Remembering how good it feels to accomplish something


Personally, I have been thinking back to how I would feel after a workout. Aside from being sore and barely being able to walk I would feel energized and look forward to more workouts. The times that I would be very strict with myself and worked out at least 5 times a week I would actually begin to feel a difference in body. My legs would feel stronger, I wouldn’t tire as easily while going up stairs, and I would even get out of bed faster in the morning!

And the times that I have stuck to preparing my own foods I feel better about what I eat for the sole reason that I know EXACTLY what is in it, I use fresh ingredients and it is always cooked to my personal perfection. And as an added bonus, it saves me A LOT of money.

My point is that when we all decide we need to stick to something it is usually because we know some good will come of it. We get so far down the path of have motivational conversations in our own heads (which is really the biggest hurdle for most) that getting it done and sticking to it won’t be as bad as it may seem.  

So, how do you keep your will power and discipline strong? What have you challenged yourself to stick to? Do share below!

3 EASY WAYS TO WIND DOWN AND DE-STRESS AFTER A HECTIC WEEK

I think it is safe to say that we all have very busy lives with never ending to-do lists but some weeks feel much busier and hectic than others. I have had that feeling more often lately than usual and I have gravitated to the following ways to wind down, de-stress and clear my head. Doing these types of activities is great to do at least once a day (even if it’s only for 10 minutes) but I know that it is not always possible. Whenever that is the case then I highly recommend you do something to de-stress at the end of your workweek.

Now, I’ll go into a little tangent here on alcoholic beverages. I have family and friends whose idea of de-stressing is having a glass of wine or a stronger drink and that’s it. Now, I am not saying there is anything wrong with that, BUT, that should not be the only way you allow your mind and body wind down and de-stress. We need to allow ourselves to wind down in a peaceful and regenerating. Now onto the 5 easy ways:


Go on a walk


Take a stroll around your neighborhood; go to a park or along the beach (if you live near one, lucky, lucky you!) Also, I know it is hard to let go of our phones but try to leave your phone behind from time to time and just enjoy your walk and be present.  I know I probably do not have to go into to a many reasons walking is good for you but as a quick refresher walking is great to help you lose weight, good your heart, is a good way to boost your vitamin D intake and last but not least it is a great mood booster.


Bring out your inner child


Grab yourself an adult coloring book and color your heart out. There is something to simple yet magical about zoning out and coloring. Another hidden benefit of this activity is that it will help you increase your levels of concentration and we know we can all use some of that! I have had my coloring book for about 6 months and have pulled it out about a dozen times and when I do I cannot stop – I literally have to be pulled away from it.


Pull out a good book


This is an oldie but a goodie – reading is good for the soul at any time. You can read a book, a magazine, a newspaper. The only caveat here is for it not read from a screen  (unless you are using a kindle or e-reader) – reason for this is since the majority of us are in front of screens for work almost every day we really should give our eye a break and do some old fashioned reading I’ve mentioned before that I try to read every night before bed, sometimes I get into a good kick and stay with it for a few weeks at a time and other times I get sucked into the YouTube rabbit hole! But I will say that I read a lot more nowadays than I did a few years ago and I have also learned so much from the books I have read.

How do you allow yourself to unwind and de-stress after a busy week? Do share below!