Do you ever look at someone who's doing more than just the basics of everyday life, you know that next-level adulting stuff, and think, "wow she really has it together"? I'm picturing someone who reviews her finances regularly, updates her kid's memory book in a timely manner, prints an annual family photo album, and sends out birthday cards that aren't always belated.
Read MoreFor the past couple of months, I've been taking a long walk every Wednesday morning with a friend. We have a beautiful cemetery and arboretum in our neighborhood with walking paths and so we walk about 3.5 miles (or about 8,000 steps according to my watch). I'm smiling as I write that because a little over a year ago, I was barely taking 2,500 steps in a day. Now, I'm starting my day with a walk that gets me anywhere from 2,500 to 8,000. Past me would be blown away 🤯 at how much progress I've made.
Read MoreI kind of can't believe this myself, but two weeks ago I got to inbox zero for both my business and my personal email addresses. And I've managed to maintain it!!! My mind is blown 🤯! I mean, it lasted for all of 10 minutes before new emails started rolling in, but I have to admit it felt, and still feels really good. For years I've been curious about whether having a well-managed inbox would make a difference or not. My inbox wasn't necessarily out of control, but it's always been full. I've just learned to zero in on the important communications and tune out the rest.
Read MoreVacations are precious, regardless of who you are. But for working parents in particular, they hold a special weight. They use precious time from you PTO balance. Precious resources (i.e. money). And they're meant to create precious memories with our kids that we’ll always remember. That last one about the memories really got me into trouble a few summers ago. If I could sum up what went wrong in one word, it would be expectations.
Read MoreEvery Tuesday night for the last 6 months, I've finished my dinner, said "see ya later" to my family, and walked up to my office for 2 hours of coaching class. The program started in the middle of winter when the sky was already dark and I remember having to will myself to stay awake when all I wanted to do was curl up under a blanket and relax. Now that it's summer, I've spent the last few months sitting inside while my kids are out back playing and having fun in the warmer weather.
I'd be lying if I said it didn't feel like a pretty big sacrifice on my time.
Read MoreI'm sure you can think of dozens of examples of when you felt completely alone, overwhelmed, or exhausted. I'm curious if your initial instinct was to ask for help. If you're anything like I used to be, you're probably really good at thinking up excuses as to why you don't really need to bother anyone else. Instead, you suffer through the overwhelm and exhaustion on your own until things get better.
Read MoreDo you ever get stressed and then feel stressed about being stressed?? 🤣 You know you're "supposed to" keep stress levels low. High stress impacts your health in all kinds of ways. So, stressing about how stressed you are is not helping. You know this, but it's so hard to stop! I get it. I'm right there with you.
Read MoreDoes your family create a summer bucket list? You know me - I love going into a new season (literal or figurative) with some intention. Whether that's the holidays, Maycember, the start of school, or for those of us in the northern hemisphere - summer. Transitioning with intention simply means thinking ahead and choosing how you want to spend your time as opposed to letting life just happen to you.
Read MoreDo you find yourself rushing from one thing to the next? Grabbing your to-go mug of coffee while putting on your shoes and asking everyone if they've gone potty while you rush out the door with zero seconds to spare. Or slamming the laptop closed as soon as you hit send on that last email as you rush to not be the last parent at pick-up today. It's not that you mismanage your time. It's that there's just so much to squeeze in. And you want to get as much out of your time as possible.
Read MoreThe best time management strategies won’t make a difference if you don’t first know how to set boundaries. I know, I know. It's not what you wanted to hear. You wanted to hear that implementing Trello for your to-do list is going to change your life. That time blocking is the best way to get more done. Or that I have a strategy for keeping up with your inbox so that nothing falls through the cracks. And while I do have ideas and proof of tools that I've seen work for the hundreds of women I've coached, before any of those things will work for you, you have to learn the skill of setting and maintaining boundaries.
Read MoreDo you have a garden that you're getting into this time of year? I come by my love of plants and gardening honestly. My mom has the greenest thumb of anyone I know. Her garden and landscaping at my childhood home are seriously jaw-dropping. It's magical to be there during the summer. But I always used to tease her about the pictures she would take of her landscaping.
Read MoreHappy Maycember! The month that rivals December in the number of activities, events, and commitments, especially for parents. IYKYK. This is the time of year when everyone realizes that it’s almost the end of the school year and so we rush to fit all the things into the calendar while also juggling the holidays and other events that are fixed in May.
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