Live Fit

The seasons are changing, and we are into fall! Who actually wants to hear that?! HA! For my summer-lovers out there, yep, it's here. Kids are back in school, coffee shops have pumpkin spice lattes (GOOD GRIEF), and Halloween costumes are out. In some places, holiday decorations are out ( ).

In this time of change, what are you doing to care for yourself? In this time of covid, what are you doing to ensure you are your best for you and your families?

Taking care of yourself is not fluff. Nope - everyone out there needs this in their lives. It can look different for everyone. Here are some ideas:
🔹Moving - walks, jogs, something lower intensity
🔹Meditation
🔹Reading in your favorite chair with no interruptions
🔹Sitting on your porch staring into space
🔹Listening to an uplifting podcast
🔹Friend time
🔹Bubble bath
🔹Long, hot shower (or cold, you get crazy)

Share in the comments below how you take care of yourself.

I've been thinking about habits lately. How to add one in, keep it going, or evaluate what's not been working (and why) and maybe switch it around.

We want to add new habits into our lives because they will be good for us. Adding in exercise, more vegetables, self-care, more time with loved ones and friends, etc. The habits fill our buckets in some way.

But how do we make them stick?

I want to change up my nighttime routine a bit by adding 10 minutes of yoga and another 10 minutes of meditation to my routine, instead of watching TV then zooming to bed. How am I going to set myself up for success?

Here's my plan:
1. Look at why I want to do these two things: I know I will sleep better, and sleep is very important to my health.
2. Look at what I currently do, what I won't give up, what can move off the plate. I will watch less tv in the evenings and not read in bed to add this habit in.
3. Talk to my spouse. He is my biggest support - as long as he knows I'm doing this, he will help keep me on track, and possibly even join in.
4. Anchor to another habit I do at night: right after I brush my teeth, I will do 10 minutes of yoga and 10 minutes of meditation.
5. Visualize the details of the entire process. I see the entire process from start to finish, and I also feel what it will feel like when I execute my new habit.
6. Test run! I did my new routine for the first time last night and it felt great last night and this morning. Do I feel my sleep was better? Yes.

How do you add a new habit in? How do you make it stick? Share in the comments below.

Wins and Lessons.

We live in a world that preaches wins and losses. Whether it's sports, not making our sales numbers, or being late to pick up the kids, if we aren't doing it 'right' we are wrong.

What if we opened ourselves up to wins and lessons vs. wins and losses? If we can learn from any situation - whether we are crushing it or not - I am here to share you are winning.

Anxious is how NO ONE wants to wake up on a Monday morning, but I did just that - I woke up thinking about all of the things I have to get done in a condensed week. My day started at 4:30 this morning. Lots of time to get myself all wound up about the endless list of to-dos.

Once I realized what was happening - the physical response to my stress - jaw clenching, not focusing on my walk, mind racing, head pounding (from the jaw clenching) - I stopped, took a few deep breaths, and made the commitment to myself to sit for a few minutes to reset myself.

After I did that, my head was clear enough to make a priority list, grab a cup of coffee, and hit it with a new sense of excitement and vigor. Stopping and breathing - for just a few minutes - can help tremendously.

Try it this week - let me know how it goes.