Tag: daily journaling

Categories
Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites #139

Hello everyone and Happy Friday!

I hope you have been having a great week and are ready for a spring weekend! I know I am. This week, I finished a big work project, got some time outdoors and started to run outside again, major wins!!

I can’t believe we are at the end of March. The spring season is going by too fast, before we know it, we will be celebrating Easter!

Before we get to a weekend of outdoor fun, maybe some spring cleaning or yardwork, I wanted to share some things that I have been loving this week as I link up with Erika and Andrea for Friday Favorites!

Meghan Markle’s New Show-I know it’s been out for a few weeks, but I just got around to watching, With Love, Meghan. It’s Meghan Markle’s new show on Netflix. When heard the Ducheess of Sussex was coming out with a show I was intrigued what it would be about. Her series, which was already renewed for season two features her and different friends each episodes as they make different recipes and tackle different projects. She makes fruit platters, cakes, chicken, pasta, candles and balloon arches, truly a little bit of everything. The show is very aesthetically pleasing to watch and very soothing, but at certain times unrealistic (who has time to pick fresh berries and make preserves every day?). I do love seeing how she interacts with her friends and the different recipes she makes, some easier than others. Overall, I enjoyed the first season and will definitely be watching season two!

Protein Bars– When I was on the road last month for work I made sure to pack plenty of snacks, including healthy ones for long days when we may miss a meal. I tried two different protein bars, one by Nature Valley and the other by Fit Crunch. I chose peanut butter and chocolate flavored ones since I have a sweet tooth and enjoyed them both. I did find the Fit Crunch to be more flavorful and filling. These wouldn’t keep you satisfied for a meal, but a good snack and they are both packed with protein! A win for me!

New Journal– I got a new journal at the beginning of the year and loved it. It had different self care prompts for each day. However, I didn’t realize it wouldn’t last me for a year, so I had to get another one for daily journaling. This new journal was one II already had as a gift from a friend and it does the job perfectly for what I was looking for in a journal.  There are no prompts, but plenty of space to fill in with thoughts, quotes and mementos. Sometimes I like structure with a journal, other times, I just like being able to put my thoughts on paper. Right now, in my season of life, having a spot to put all my thoughts down is what I need.

Using the Playbooks– I started using The Lazy Genius Playbooks at the beginning of the year in addition to my Simplified Planner. It’s been four months and I wanted to share a playbook update. I mentioned them a few weeks ago in my post about how I reset for the week, but wanted to do a more in-depth review. The playbooks have been a huge help to my weekly and daily organization. There’s one for each season and there are different prompts for have to and hope to as well as brain dump spot. There’s a spot to write down notes or to do each week, which I love! Every week, I will fill out my Simplified planner and play book based off my phone calendar and things to do. I use my Simplified planner for daily tasks and to do and use the playbook for weekly goals and notes. I use them both every day and they have been instrumental in keeping me organized without going organized. You don’t have to use both, but I have found using them as companions have been very helpful for me.

Outdoor Walks– Goodbye treadmill walks, hello outdoor walks! We are finally experiencing spring and I have been loving being able to get outdoors! I have already taken several spring walks, even in windy or chilly conditions. I truly believe the sun makes everything better! I have even gotten in some outdoor runs too! I truly missed getting outside for fresh air and sunshine. Whether I am on the phone, walking with friends or family, walking with my dogs, or listening to an audiobook, the fresh air has been such a bright spot in my days!

That’s a look into life lately and what I’m loving!

How has your March been treating you? I would love to know! Are you ready for the fresh start of a new month? Happy Friday and I’ll see you back here next week.

Categories
Fabulous living

Ways to De-Stress

Hello all!

Happy May! I hope you are having a great kickoff to your month. May is one of my favorite months of the year! Not only is it my birthday month, but I love the transition of spring to summer. I love the fresh flowers, the warm summer-like days and the summer foods and drinks and treats. May can also be a busy time of year as the school season is wrapping up and it can be stressful for many parents and children. In those stressful moments, I think it’s important to take time for yourself during those busy times. 

Today’s post is all about ways to decompress and de-stress during the hectic moments of life. I’ve compiled some practical ways that work for me to unwind and de-stress, maybe you will find some work for you or your have your own ways to cope with the busy parts of life.

Whenever I get overwhelmed with work or personal stress, I remind myself to breathe. Taking a few minutes to catch my center myself always puts things in perspective for me. After a few moments of deep breathing, I try to pinpoint my stress and go about finding a solution, that often comes in the form of writing a brain dump of things that have to get done, things that’s stressing me out or worries that I have. When I put everything down on paper, it doesn’t seem as daunting. 

After a few moments of deep breathing, putting things in perspective and writing down a to-do list, I find my stress levels decreasing almost immediately. It shows that a few minutes can make all the difference. 

A brain dump always soothes my mind and puts my stress in perspective

The second part of this post is all about ways to unwind and de-stress. These are different practices that have worked for me and done wonders to lower my stress levels. You may have other ways to destress, but whatever way you unwind, make sure you take the time to put yourself first when life can get to be too much to handle. 

Here’s some ways that I like to relax that work for me and you might find these practices work well for you.

Reading-This is one of my favorite ways to decompress. I love to start or end my day by reading. You can truly escape the world and your stressors for a few minutes with a good book. Reading is one of my favorite hobbies and it brings me joy every day. I like to start my day with some me-time, before the day gets underway and reading is one of the ways I set some time aside for myself. Whether it’s reading several chapters or a few pages, I incorporate it every day.

A great way to unwind or escape.

Prayer-This is always an easy way to calm and center myself, whether it’s a big or little issue that’s bothering me, talking to God always helps puts my fears at ease. I typically pray at the beginning and end of every day, but have found myself talking to God more in the car or when I am alone and experiencing downtime. I try to place all my stressors and burdens in his hands, while also remembering to thank him for all his blessings.

Journaling- This is another common practice that I have been doing daily since I went to college. Journaling helps me focus on the positive and finding the good in every day. It also helps me put things in perspective, the little stressors don’t seem as big in the grand scheme of things when you put things down on paper. I also always try to include what I’m grateful for every day. The good always tends to outweigh the bad.

Journaling is my favorite morning and evening activity

Going for a Walk- Whenever I am stressed, sometimes taking a walk right away immediately helps me clear my mind. Fresh air and getting in some steps in relieves my stress. Even if it’s just for five minutes, some fresh air can do wonders, especially if you are inside all day. After a long day in the office, there is truly nothing better than taking my dogs out for a walk. Whether it’s chilly or hot, you switch up your layers to enjoy your walk. I love to go on walks with friends or family, but going on a walk by myself is just as therapeutic too. I even love to take a walk and make phone calls to family and friends to catch up and relax.

A walk does wonders for the soul

Coloring- This was a hobby I loved as a child and picked it up as an adult to de-stress. Coloring soothes and relaxes me especially after a busy day. I enjoy coloring when I’m watching tv or relaxing with family. This practice is mindless and soothing and it’s a great way to focus on a task and get creative too. 

Coloring is a great way to unwind

Turn on a comfort show– If you are looking for something mindless to do to truly unwind, turning on a comfort show or something mindless always helps push my worries away. As I’m typing this post, I have Grey’s Anatomy on in the background. I love the relaxation it provides and how you can chose any episode and pick up right where you left off.

Those are some practices that have helped me unwind and decompress after a long or stressful day. Life can get busy, stressful or overwhelming, and it’s important that in busyness, we take time for ourselves. As the old saying goes, you can’t pour from an empty well.

I hope this encourages you to take time for yourself and put things in perspective in the busy and slow seasons of life.

What are your favorite ways to decompress and take time for yourself? Let me know in the comments below!

Happy Wednesday!

Categories
Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites #77

Hello All!

Happy Friday!

I hope you had a great week! I like this time of year since it really forces you to slow down and rest. I’ve been spending more time indoors, reading, cooking, and watching movies, however, I do miss getting outdoors for fresh air but right now, 32 degrees doesn’t seem too pleasant to enjoy. I’ve also been doing my best to catch up with friends after the holidays. I got to see friends before things got busy in December, but now that things have calmed down, it’s been good to get back into a routine of seeing my people.

Warm soup on a cold day

As we finish up another work week, I’m sharing a fun batch of favorites from the past week as I Iink up with Erika and Andrea for this week’s Friday Favorites.

I have a mixed bag of things I’m loving and using this week. 

Family Switch– Have you seen the Family Switch on Netflix? I had it on my watch list for a while and some of my family members and I watched it right after the holidays. I was really looking forward to seeing the movie since the concept looked cute and I liked the casting. The movie was good, but not great. There were some cheesy and unrealistic parts and lines, but the overall the message was cute. The movie follows a family whose bodies and personalities all get swapped with one another right before Christmas. The theme of the movie is all about living in someone else’s shoes and learning from each other. This would be a good family movie or a good movie to have on in the background if you are working on other projects. Tell me: if you have seen it, what did you think of it?

New Journal-New year, new journal. Every year I get a different journal and I take my time picking it out, based on what I want to reflect on or what I need it for. I got this journal for Christmas, and it fits exactly what I was looking for in a journal for this year. It’s organized a bit more like a planner, so you can use it as a planner if you choose,  but you can fill out your monthly goals and dreams, there’s a spot for daily musings or writings and there’s inspirational quotes and stickers found throughout the book. I always do my journaling in the morning and I’m looking forward to filling out this journal through the year.

New Room Scent– The Christmas scents are done and now it’s time for warm, winter scents. Snowflakes and Cashmere is my new wall flower scent. Like many scents I enjoy, this has a subtle, sweet scent that isn’t too overpowering. I did a post a while back, but I always like to have some scent in my room, whether it be a candle burning, a wall flower plugged in, or a diffuser going. I never have them all operating at one time, but I change them out depending on what I’m feeling and what scent I’m going for. I like the freshness a wall flower provides and how it can automatically elevate a space based on scent. 

Meet the Parents Series– This may seem like a silly favorite since it’s far from new, but it’s a favorite for me this week. My boyfriend and I have been making our way through the Meet the Parents series on Netflix. I have only seen parts of the movies, but we decided to sit down and watch them together over the course of a week after work and on the weekends. One of my favorite things about streaming services like Netflix or Amazon Prime is finding older movies to watch or re-watch. We have been loving watching these movies from the early to mid 2000’s, from the one-liners to the quirky family dynamics, it’s been such a fun watch. If you have any classic comedies or dramas that you enjoy, drop them below!

Green Concealer– I have red undertones in my skin complexion so I often use a green primer or concealer. I had been using NYX green concealer, but when the store didn’t have any in stock, I decided to give Maybelline’s green concealer a try and have been very pleased with how it’s been working. I like how smooth the stick goes on my face. It blends in really well and it works well with the other products I use on my face, from skin care to makeup. I’ll use this stick until it runs out and then I will decide if I want to go back to NYX or stick with this.

That’s a look into what I’ve been loving and what has been working for me. Tell me: what are some things you have been loving this week? 

 I hope you have a great weekend!