New Year, Same Beautiful You
A clean slate, a fresh start, a new beginning—January is a month so steeped in meaning, particularly this year as we also enter a brand-new decade (though apparently we all can’t agree on whether the decade starts this year or next!). Even though beginnings are so rich with opportunity and possibility, they can also feel like a tremendous amount of pressure. But just because the calendar has flipped forward, it does not mean you’re suddenly required to become a brand-new person. Who you are right now is pretty amazing—exactly as you are. You don’t need a list of resolutions or goals for the year or even a word of the year to make the most of your 2020. I have spent time over the past few months pondering what I hope this year will bring me and what I have to concentrate on in order to see those things. At almost every idea of growth and how to achieve it that I have is the baseline of self care, and by self care I mean more than just going to get a pedi!
I keep hearing people refer to this new decade as the Roaring Twenties, a throwback to the exuberant Jazz Age, but what if you don’t feel like roaring? Maybe you feel like being more quiet, turning inward, doing some self-reflection. So how about rather than opting for grand lioness strides, you decide to take some tiny cub steps toward reconnecting with yourself. You whisper to you, and only you, “I’ll try something new—something small, easy and manageable.” Small changes are what add up to major impact in our lives. If you’re up for it, I have shared here a few ways that I am set on continuing to keep in the forefront of my life this year. This is part of how I nurture my creative soul! I’d also love to hear about whatever small steps you’re taking this year to make your life a little easier, a little lighter, a little more enjoyable.
healthy eating
Want to eat better this year but not quite sure where to start? As someone who is crazy-busy, wants to eat well and has a dairy allergy, I get it! It’s a daunting task to find meals that are satisfying, healthy and appeal to my whole family. But putting in a little effort in this area of my life has helped me immeasurably—not only does it help me maintain a healthy weight, but I also just feel better, have more energy, and think more clearly.
One of the key things that made it’s easier for me to eat well is meal planning—stick with me here; I know it can sound overwhelming! But for my clients this month, I’m offering a fun and super-useful freebie—my weekly meal-planning guide. It includes your menu for the week, shopping list, and more! Check it out here.
Or you can venture out with a little meal planning of your own—just come up with two to three recipes you want to try in a week, make your grocery list, and get after it. Here are a few tried-and-true recipes that are on constant rotation at my house:
Salsa Chicken Tacos from NomNom Paleo Super-tasty and simple, plus my daughter loves it! It takes 10 minutes to prep, four hours in the crockpot to cook and 10 min to shred the chicken. Done!
Crowd Pleasing Vegan Cesar Salad from Oh She Glows! Another household favorite! I add baked chicken soaked in balsamic vinegar. There are never leftovers & It is in this week’s meal plan you can grab if you click the link above!
Spaghetti Squash with Meat Sauce: This is one I do without a recipe. A friend made this for us one night, and it’s since become an almost-weekly favorite! I’ll share my recipe with you if you ask for it!
For more recipe inspiration, check out my Recipe board on Pinterest.
exercise and meditation
My brain is always on, and two of the ways I have found to calm the constant chatter are exercise and meditation. Working out is such an individual thing, and it’s all about choosing the right exercise to reach your own goals—are you looking to decrease stress and anxiety? Tone up those muscles? Drop a few pounds? Keep your heart healthy? All of the above? Explore your options to see what feels right for you. Maybe it’s a daily 30-minute walk outside in nature or perhaps you’re more of a gym person.
If yoga is your thing or you’re looking to give it a try in the comfort of your own living room, I’m a fan of Yoga with Adriene. Her videos are free on YouTube, she has a great sense of humor, and her very chill dog Benji is always by her side during the practice. She just started a 30-day yoga practice this month, which you can follow along with, and don’t worry—it’s not too late to get going! You can start any day and just keep it going for 30 days.
For my expectant and postpartum mamas, I LOVE The Bloom Method. Founder and CEO Brooke Cates has developed this incredible combination of tools, techniques and exercises that prepare, prevent, heal and strengthen women’s bodies at many stages of life—from preconception to postnatal up to 12 years. Best of all, it’s available whenever and wherever you are—everything is online, and you can get one-on-one training in person or via Skype. Plus, Brooke is just amazing to be around, and surrounding yourself with people who make you feel good is so important for mental and physical health. I know from personal experience, she has been a friend and client of mine for over a year now. I’ve had the honor of capturing some amazing times for her family!
If you don’t have a regular meditation practice, I highly recommend giving it a go. Meditation is proven to reduce stress and anxiety, improve sleep, increase focus and levels of concentration, and so much more. Personally, I use a couple of different meditation techniques. One is breath awareness, in which you find a comfortable seat, settle into your breath, and just notice the thoughts as they come—don’t try to fight them. You just continually bring the focus back to the gentle flow of each breath. Sometimes I practice Zen meditation, which also involves just allowing thoughts to come (and they definitely will!) but without attaching to them or judging them—I become an observer to the chatter rather than a participant.
I’ve found using a meditation app to be super-helpful in maintaining a daily practice (for me, it’s a minimum of five minutes every morning). I use Insight Timer—but there are so many great ones to try like Headspace, Calm, and Simple Habit. You’ll find the right one that works for you.
decluttering
Once you start clearing some space in your mind, you might think you should do the same for your home or office. But maybe you’re not quite ready to KonMarie your whole house? (If you are, though, more power to you! I’ve only made it as far as her Netflix series.) Here are a few ideas of resources to get you started:
Apartment Therapy’s January Cure: This is like an entire home reset and takes you through tasks each day to organize, tidy and improve your space. And again, you don’t have to have started on January 1 to participate!
The Organized Bee: Tons of great ideas and organizational inspo! I’m loving Becky’s 31-day detox plan.
Thirty Handmade Days printables: This site isn’t specifically about tidying, but Mique has some amazing free printables you can use for organization, including one for decluttering your home, one for organizing school papers and memorabilia, and even an inventory for what’s in your freezer.
You can totally do this—just start with one room, one closet, or even one drawer or shelf.
reading more
Like I’ve said, my mind is constantly going, going, going. But I’ve found one way I can quiet it at night and get better sleep is by reading before bed rather than watching TV. So now I’m always on the lookout for a great read to add to my nightstand. Here is my book list for 2020 so far. I’d love some recommendations, so feel free to leave me a comment with your favorite books!
Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness by Susannah Cahalan
Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
Little Bee by Chris Cleave
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
I’m looking forward to hearing what keeps your creativity flowing, what recipes are a staple in your household and what books are on your list this year!
Till next time friends,