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De-stress & Make Progress

Starting a new year can be refreshing... or slightly less refreshing if you've got a major hangover this morning... in that case, i would say go back to bed get some good rest, then come back and read this.

Now that the holidays are over, and the new year has started.. its a short work week and we have all day to get things together for the rest of the week.

Even if you're a little slow this morning .. you can still start better habits.

i'm often asked how i always have motivation.. and i would say its really just the practice of good habits. keeping motivation is a constant battle i try and push through every morning, sometimes i lose. but, here are some of the main things that i do and help me every day;

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GET ORGANIZED;

i use a daily/monthly planner.. i like to write out the tasks i have due for that day, work life sorted into one and home life in another and i go though and check them off as completed. i write down as much as i can for that month.. even if its something as simple as someones birthday, or a bill i have due. the more i have it in front of me the more likely i am to get it done. despite my room always being a mess.. i am an organized mess. there are a lot of ways to start getting organized; phone calendar and alarms, sticky notes around the house, a white board, wall calendar.. anything.

WRITE IT DOWN;

write everything down..i write down almost everything.. i keep a dream journal, notes in my phone, and a note book with random notes, and 2 different planners .. sometimes we forget how busy we are and rush though everything, but having a place to look back to is beneficial for small and major tasks. if it helps you, post reminders somewhere you're going to look at it every day. .. in the bathroom, by the coffee pot, in the fridge.. put it multiple places if you need that sort of reminder. set a phone alarm, or make whatever it is you need to get done - new goals, new accomplishments, bills, anything.

GET OUT OF BED;

as much as i love doing nothing and watching netflex as the next person.. most things you can't get done while sitting around in bed. i'm definitely one to hit snooze more than once most days ; honestly i can't think of a single person who actually LIKES to wake up. but to help get up, pick one thing that you enjoy doing ... and do it right when you wake up.. right away. it could be writing, going to workout, cooking, showering, listening to music.. anything. - make whatever that is your first thing to do when you get up. it will put you in a better mood in turn making a better start for your day and in turn making getting out of bed less of a drag.

GET PAST THE BULLSH*T;

this is one of the hardest things i have to do daily.. and i'm still working on it. but getting past all the little things that irritate you in a day. no you don't have to ignore it. it's unrealistic to think everyone can just "ignore" every minor or bad thing that happens to them in a day.. but it is possible to get past it. if you getting past it means you need to yell.. call a friend who you can vent to for a second, or write it down, make a post about it - if that's how you need to get past it, do it. ... i'm not saying to just "let it go" either. it's hard to do that. feel how you're feeling in that moment.. every emotion, and notice it; anger, sadness, irritation, anything.. let your mind process and recognize it, but then do something to change your mood. go for a run, call a friend, anything to just get past it so you can continue with your day and not let all of the minor inconveniences ruin it.

YOU CAN ALWAYS CHANGE YOUR MIND;

this is the biggest point and i need to remind myself of it daily. it is always okay to change your mind. it is always okay to ask yourself why you're doing what ever you may be doing, who you're seeing, what relationships need to come to an end, or even if you aren't happy at your job anymore. you can always change your mind. you have to make so many decisions that effect other people on the daily.. which means sometimes people get in the habit of wanting to please everyone. it most likely wont happen that you can make everyone happy.. so make you happy since you're the one around you most. if you don't want to do something you're allowed to say no.

FIND A ROUTINE;

Incorporate it in your every day. but find one that works for you. waking up at 4am didn't always work for me and at first the thought of it sounded terrible. and i am still not a morning person, but getting one task out of the way right away in the morning already starts you out for an accomplished day. if you dont like routines or they're harder for you to stick to; create a task list for the day and then go with it. knock everything out one by one. its hard to not get overwhelmed with the amount of things we have to do in a day, but if you break it down it just seems like small or minor tasks, which are a lot less stressful than thinking about the 50+ emails, all the housework, and any other tasks you have for the day.

ALWAYS MAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF;

there is always enough time in the day for you. even if it's 10 minutes or even 5. do something for you and do something you like. write, or read. listen to some music or have a glass of wine. watch something you recorded or the replays on espn. do one thing that you love and makes you feel good about yourself, or your day. if you end the day by doing something you love it'll make the day .. if it was a rough one .. seem a little better.