Showing posts with label Self. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Self. Show all posts
Turn your ‘daily’ shower into an experience
Ever since I became a mom, the ‘daily’ shower has become a bit of an issue. I am lucky when I even get 10 minutes to shower, do my hair, eat breakfast, brush my teeth and get dressed. It is all a part of life as a mom. I have found small ways to make my shower so enjoyable, I look forward to it at the end of the day before bedtime {the only time I have found I can actually take a shower for the full 10 minutes!}.
Today I am sharing my tips with you on how to create a spa-like shower and feel pampered like the super-mom you are.
Today I am sharing my tips with you on how to create a spa-like shower and feel pampered like the super-mom you are.
Being a Modern Day Martha
Ever feel like your to do list is overwhelming? I feel like my to do list is never ending. When I get two things done, four more things are added and most of the time, they take priority over the other things on my list. So now, I not only have added more tasks to my list, but now the priorities change. I feel like I am never getting anything done.
This is how I get to start feeling like a modern day Martha. And no...not Martha Stewart like my husband thought. Martha from Luke Chapter 10.
I feel like Martha. A to-do list a mile long and most of the time not getting the help I would like to get. I feel I am always trying to do everything perfectly and my to do list just keeps growing and growing.
Oh to be like Mary. Sitting at Jesus's feet just to listen and learn. Using the opportunity to grow in faith. When I think of Mary, I think of her being the young, naive sister who has no cares in the world. She has that childlike faith that Jesus calls us to have.
I tend to be a modern day Martha, focusing on the things of this world. But what I should be focusing on, are the things beyond this world. I should be a modern day Mary.
I need to focus on Christ and make it a priority. It is tough and life gets in the way. Here are some ways you and I can try to put Jesus back on the to-do list.
1. Start every day with God. I found when I was doing this regularly, before the start of the crazy holidays {Christmas...a holiday that we should be focusing on Christ}, all of a sudden the to do list was getting crossed off easier. It was amazing what the correct focus at the start of your day could do for the rest of the day. I have been trying to get up before my daughter and read scripture or do a bible study. Some mornings I can easily manage and some nights are too rough that the mornings don't happen as easily for me.
2. Create a Bible Reading Plan. I love this post by my friend Christie at Sparkles of Sunshine. She gave some tips on creating a Bible Reading Plan. I love how she keeps a journal of her readings. This is something I want to incorporate into my life.
3. Find ways to find God in your day. I notice what usually stops me in my tracks is that I don't have "time" to spend with God. What what I need to realize is that I don't need an hour of quiet time. I need 10 minutes in the morning while nursing to pray, I need to keep my Bible app near me {and open that app up instead of Facebook}for times I am waiting in traffic, I can memorize bible verses in the shower or while I do dishes and I can sing praise songs with my daughter all day. All of these times add up and are still times I spend acknowledging God.
4. Remember that anything is better than nothing. I get it. Some days are just so overwhelmingly busy that you cannot even fathom how you would be able to give even 2 minutes to God when you can't even take a deep breath. I really get it. When you do have 2 minutes, find a verse you want to memorize or a parable you want to focus on {like Luke 10:38-42} and write it on some note cards. Stick one above your sink, on your dashboard of the car, in your purse, in the bathroom...anywhere that you might have even 1 minute to read it and reflect and maybe even send out a praise or prayer to God.
So who do you want to be? Martha or Mary? I am striving to be more like Mary. My house may not be the cleanest, my daughter may still be in pajamas until bath time, or I may not get my blog post up, but none of these worldly things matter.
2. Create a Bible Reading Plan. I love this post by my friend Christie at Sparkles of Sunshine. She gave some tips on creating a Bible Reading Plan. I love how she keeps a journal of her readings. This is something I want to incorporate into my life.
3. Find ways to find God in your day. I notice what usually stops me in my tracks is that I don't have "time" to spend with God. What what I need to realize is that I don't need an hour of quiet time. I need 10 minutes in the morning while nursing to pray, I need to keep my Bible app near me {and open that app up instead of Facebook}for times I am waiting in traffic, I can memorize bible verses in the shower or while I do dishes and I can sing praise songs with my daughter all day. All of these times add up and are still times I spend acknowledging God.
4. Remember that anything is better than nothing. I get it. Some days are just so overwhelmingly busy that you cannot even fathom how you would be able to give even 2 minutes to God when you can't even take a deep breath. I really get it. When you do have 2 minutes, find a verse you want to memorize or a parable you want to focus on {like Luke 10:38-42} and write it on some note cards. Stick one above your sink, on your dashboard of the car, in your purse, in the bathroom...anywhere that you might have even 1 minute to read it and reflect and maybe even send out a praise or prayer to God.
So who do you want to be? Martha or Mary? I am striving to be more like Mary. My house may not be the cleanest, my daughter may still be in pajamas until bath time, or I may not get my blog post up, but none of these worldly things matter.
What are you doing to keep Christ a center in your life?
Does a New Year always mean a Fresh Start??
I haven't written too many personal posts yet, and it was never my intention to do so. But when I sat down to write, this all just came out.
Sometimes, we all need a fresh start...
Sometimes, we all need a fresh start...
I was super excited about 2015. 2015 seemed to be filled with greatness {not without trials, but good ones}: I would have a 1 year old = awesome fun, I am blogging = I get to have some me time, my husband going back to school = hard, but something great for him and the family, and a potential awesome vacation this summer. Everyone was happy, healthy and life was good.
Then, at almost Christmas time, it all started crumbling to the ground. I have never prayed so much, cried so hard and wished for a period of time to be over, more than the last month.
My friend lost her baby more than halfway through her pregnancy. This devastated me. It was so shocking and unexpected...it completely rocked my world. So I did the only thing I could do - pray. I prayed for my friends, I prayed for that baby and I prayed for their future. We prayed so hard for that little baby before all of this, it only seemed the natural thing to do.
Then on Christmas day, we found out that my grandmother had the flu. Nothing major..then. A couple days later, she was in the hospital with extremely large kidney stones from being dehydrated. It was a very unfortunate series of events that lead to her passing January 6th.
Her very heartbroken husband, my grandfather, is now in the hospital too and it is only a matter of time until he will be with his wife of 67 years once again.
There has been joy sprinkled in: my daughter started walking on New Year's Eve and dear friends of ours had a baby boy on January 7th. It is just so hard to focus that joy when there is so much sadness around you.
Some reasons why you may choose to push the reset button:
- You gave up on the resolution you wanted to accomplish
- You are ready for a change in your life
- You {like me} have had a bad string of events
Whatever your reason is, it is not too late.
Starting in February I am going to set a goal for myself each month. One goal. It may be something as small as make the bed everyday or don't go to bed with dishes in the sink or something big like change my eating habits for the month. This way, I will still feel like I am accomplishing something even when I have not even done my personal goals for 2015. I will share my goal with you in the beginning of the month - feel free to share yours too - and a recap of the month prior.
The first day of my fresh start - I will keep a journal. Not a typical journal, but a virtual journal. I am going to use Instagram to try and find joy in each day. I know that I will not be able to take a picture of something everyday, that would be an unrealistic expectation. I just want more days than not to look for the joy in my life. Follow along on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook with #freshstartjoy and join in.
Are you ready for a fresh start? I know I am.
The first day of my fresh start - I will keep a journal. Not a typical journal, but a virtual journal. I am going to use Instagram to try and find joy in each day. I know that I will not be able to take a picture of something everyday, that would be an unrealistic expectation. I just want more days than not to look for the joy in my life. Follow along on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook with #freshstartjoy and join in.
Are you ready for a fresh start? I know I am.
Goal Setting for 2015
It's that time of the year when we all start fresh. We can wipe the slate clean from 2014 and look ahead to being a better you. There are a few key "ingredients" when it comes to creating goals.
Setting Goals
1. Be realistic. I will not be running marathons if I haven't run in a year. I will not be able to buy a house this year if I have not been saving. Why set a goal this year that you know you will not achieve. Instead, I may set a goal to run a 10K or save $1000 toward a house.
2. Set a time limit. If you do not have a date on it, your goal is still a wish. Using my examples above, I may set my goal of Run a 10K by October {and actually sign up for one} or Save $1000 by December 31st.
3. Create a plan. In order to create a plan, you need to have your realistic, specific goals with a goal date. So I may look for a 5K training plan over 12 weeks and then find a 10K training plan for the next 12 weeks. For saving, I may use a 52 week savings plan printable <link to a printable> or I may challenge myself to cut out $20 a week from my spending {which also gives me 2 weeks of oops weeks or 2 extra weeks of saving}. This plan should be your actual goal that you write down and try to achieve.
4. Put it where you will see it. Every year, my husband and I make family goals and I write them down on poster board. We hang this either in our bedroom, the kitchen or office {when we had one}. This way, the goals are always right there in front of us. My blogging goals are hung on the wall next to my desk with washi tape.
5. Follow up on your goal progress. I put on my calendar quarterly to check in and see how we are doing toward our goal progress. This gives us a pulse on what we need to work on still. You can check in monthly. quarterly or even weekly if you wanted. We found that quarterly allowed us some time to work on the goal but if we were off track, we could easily get back on.
Blogging Goals 2015
I am setting some blogging goals to help me stay focused and gives me some accountability. Being so new to the blogging world, it does give me a more broad focus.
P.S. I will be touching on my personal goals in future posts. Be sure to follow along by subscribing or following us on bloglovin :)
1. Be realistic. I will not be running marathons if I haven't run in a year. I will not be able to buy a house this year if I have not been saving. Why set a goal this year that you know you will not achieve. Instead, I may set a goal to run a 10K or save $1000 toward a house.
2. Set a time limit. If you do not have a date on it, your goal is still a wish. Using my examples above, I may set my goal of Run a 10K by October {and actually sign up for one} or Save $1000 by December 31st.
3. Create a plan. In order to create a plan, you need to have your realistic, specific goals with a goal date. So I may look for a 5K training plan over 12 weeks and then find a 10K training plan for the next 12 weeks. For saving, I may use a 52 week savings plan printable <link to a printable> or I may challenge myself to cut out $20 a week from my spending {which also gives me 2 weeks of oops weeks or 2 extra weeks of saving}. This plan should be your actual goal that you write down and try to achieve.
4. Put it where you will see it. Every year, my husband and I make family goals and I write them down on poster board. We hang this either in our bedroom, the kitchen or office {when we had one}. This way, the goals are always right there in front of us. My blogging goals are hung on the wall next to my desk with washi tape.
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| I hand-wrote in my Social Media Numbers {See Picture Above} |
I am setting some blogging goals to help me stay focused and gives me some accountability. Being so new to the blogging world, it does give me a more broad focus.
- Post 3-4 days a week - I plan on posting at least 3 times a week. This allows me time to spend with my family as well as get caught up on things around the house and hobbies I would like to do. In January I signed up for a Blog Challenge, to post 31 blog posts for the month. It is definitely a challenge and I want to come as close as I can, but I don't want to sacrifice family time.
- Double my social media following and page views per day by July. This gives me 6 months to increase my following. In July I will set a new goal for December. Here are my current numbers now #fulldisclosure
- Facebook - 165
- Pinterest - 107
- Twitter - 78
- Instagram - 32
- g+ - 10
- Pageviews Last Month: December {Google Analytics} - 638
- Make friends through blogging. I know this is not a "real" goal because it is not measurable and there is no date, but friends cannot be overlooked. And being new to blogging, friends come in handy :).
I plan on checking back on this at least quarterly to make sure that I am on track. I have printed these out and made them pretty. They are displayed on my desk and inside of my blog planner.
What goals have you set for yourself this year? Personal or Blogging.
P.S. I will be touching on my personal goals in future posts. Be sure to follow along by subscribing or following us on bloglovin :)
Managing the Stress from Christmas
This year, Christmas caught me completely off guard. I was completely unprepared for what Christmas would bring: from the decorations to the presents, it was all stressful.
My daughter's birthday is December 12 and we spent the last several months preparing for her BIG 1st birthday party. After that, I didn't even get a day to relax before I was making a Christmas Present list and ordering our gifts on Amazon {thank you for free 2 day shipping with Prime!!}. As our gifts started rolling in, the idea was to wrap them as they came in..didn't happen.
I was out on the 23rd shopping for last minute stocking stuffers, my husband was out on the 22nd getting our presents and I was up until 3 am on the 23rd wrapping presents so I wouldn't have to do it Christmas Eve. So we {my husband & I} decided that we need to make a plan for next year so that this is not us again.
So I am putting my plan here in blogland for 2 reasons:
1. Accountability - I give you permission to yell at me if I don't uphold my plan.
2. Reminder - I can come back to this next year and make sure that I have a plan to follow.
The Plan:
Shop through the year/Start early: For my husband, mom, dad and brother - no one gives me a list of what they want. So, it is up to me to be creative. For my daughter, I can always pick up stocking stuffers. Throughout the year as I am shopping, I am going to be picking up things as I find them. I will put them in our Christmas Eve box {if they fit} or in our "other holiday" box in our storage area. I have created an Excel Spreadsheet that I can update throughout the year, and created a shortcut on my desktop, if it's not easy to get to, I won't keep up with it.
Create a Decorating Plan: Pinterest is great. It gives you so many awesome ideas for decorating for the holidays, wrapping presents, Christmas card inspiration and food ideas. It is also overwhelming. I have put on my Google Calendar November 1st to start coming up with a decorating plan, for each room. I end up having decorations up until February and put away somewhere else because I don't know what I have or it goes up so late I hate to take it down so soon.
Put Everything on the Calendar: There are some things I can add to my calendar to do. For example: Christmas cards. I have put on my calendar a date to think of what picture I would like to include, when to get the picture done by, when to order cards and now when to have them all sent out by. {Confession, I just sent out my last Christmas cards today}
Start wrapping December 1st: I love wrapping presents. I actually would love to be one of the wrappers at the mall. I just love wrapping presents. However, this year, my present wrapping was the worst it ever was. I was rushed and it felt more like a job I had to do than something fun I enjoyed. It completely diminished my Christmas Spirit.
Create a way to remember the real reason for Christmas: With all of the worldly stresses from this year, it wasn't until Christmas morning, reading from Luke that I took a moment to reflect on why we celebrate Christmas in the first place. It's not for the gifts or the wrapping or the cookies {even though they are good} it is to celebrate the birth of Christ. I will come up with an idea for this and share it here when I have it :)
Thank you for taking the time to read this and help me to be accountable. What are some ways you help to alleviate the stress from the holidays? Please I need the tips!!!
I was out on the 23rd shopping for last minute stocking stuffers, my husband was out on the 22nd getting our presents and I was up until 3 am on the 23rd wrapping presents so I wouldn't have to do it Christmas Eve. So we {my husband & I} decided that we need to make a plan for next year so that this is not us again.
So I am putting my plan here in blogland for 2 reasons:
1. Accountability - I give you permission to yell at me if I don't uphold my plan.
2. Reminder - I can come back to this next year and make sure that I have a plan to follow.
The Plan:
Shop through the year/Start early: For my husband, mom, dad and brother - no one gives me a list of what they want. So, it is up to me to be creative. For my daughter, I can always pick up stocking stuffers. Throughout the year as I am shopping, I am going to be picking up things as I find them. I will put them in our Christmas Eve box {if they fit} or in our "other holiday" box in our storage area. I have created an Excel Spreadsheet that I can update throughout the year, and created a shortcut on my desktop, if it's not easy to get to, I won't keep up with it.
Create a Decorating Plan: Pinterest is great. It gives you so many awesome ideas for decorating for the holidays, wrapping presents, Christmas card inspiration and food ideas. It is also overwhelming. I have put on my Google Calendar November 1st to start coming up with a decorating plan, for each room. I end up having decorations up until February and put away somewhere else because I don't know what I have or it goes up so late I hate to take it down so soon.
Put Everything on the Calendar: There are some things I can add to my calendar to do. For example: Christmas cards. I have put on my calendar a date to think of what picture I would like to include, when to get the picture done by, when to order cards and now when to have them all sent out by. {Confession, I just sent out my last Christmas cards today}
Start wrapping December 1st: I love wrapping presents. I actually would love to be one of the wrappers at the mall. I just love wrapping presents. However, this year, my present wrapping was the worst it ever was. I was rushed and it felt more like a job I had to do than something fun I enjoyed. It completely diminished my Christmas Spirit.
Create a way to remember the real reason for Christmas: With all of the worldly stresses from this year, it wasn't until Christmas morning, reading from Luke that I took a moment to reflect on why we celebrate Christmas in the first place. It's not for the gifts or the wrapping or the cookies {even though they are good} it is to celebrate the birth of Christ. I will come up with an idea for this and share it here when I have it :)
When your best isn't good enough
Have you ever felt like nothing you do is good enough? Like everyone in the world is aginst you? You just can't keep up with the house, the kids, the laundry? You feel drained, depressed and just plain worthless.
I have. A lot more than I would like to. My husband always gets upset when I confide this to him, like it's his fault or he could change something. It wasn't and he can't. This is a ME problem. My insecurities, my shortcomings. It's only something I can change.
We talked about this one week at the Mom's group that I attend. It really impacted me and I have been thinking about this for weeks. I know that I am faced with this feeling of being worthless much more then I would like. And I found out there that there are many more women/moms who feel the same way. Some have better situations than I do and some do not, but I find it doesn't matter what financial/marital/education/spiritual position you are in, we are all faced with this feeling.
I have been doing some soul searching over the last couple weeks, really dwelling on this dilemma that I am faced with. What can I do when I feel worthless to realize my true worth? Here are some things that have helped me.
1. What are you good at? Make a list of 3-5 things that only I can do{or do best}or have done today/yesterday/this week .
2. Take a breath. Take some time for myself or do something I'm good at. Even 5 minutes to take a shower and use your special shampoo that smells amazing, dance to your favorite song, go for a run, do a quick craft, or even just take a nap.
This may sound selfish and will be very hard to do. But taking this 5 minutes will just clear your head so you can think clearly. Many times, this feeling comes because we are too stressed, too tired, too hurried to realize your value so our judgement is clouded.
3. Be Selfless. Do something for someone else. Take a meal to someone. Help someone with their groceries. Do anything for someone else. When we help others, we get this intrinsic satisfaction. It's not selfish or wrong to feel good when you help someone, I think that feeling was put there for a reason - so we would help people.
4. Pray. Meditate, do yoga or talk to God. Sit in silence. Quiet your heart. Quiet your mind. Think back to that list you wrote down {probably} quickly and think about everything that goes into each item you listed. You did that. You were the key to that being done.
5. Be You. Stop comparing yourself to others. Stop comparing yourself to someone's idealized view of you. You can only be the you that you are. You are only capable of whatever YOU can do.
I am for sure not the mom who is dressed to the nine's when they go to the store - I am the mom who is in jeans with snot stains and spit up on her shirt. I am not the mom who has the photo ready house {I would like to be} - no I shove everything into closets and hope no one notices the dust under the sofas when people come over. I am not even close to the perfect woman, mom or wife - but I am the best woman, mom and wife that I can be.
- Take a dollar bill, preferably brand new, no rips, tears or bends. How much is it worth? 100 pennies. This is you.
- Take that dollar bill and crumble it up. Throw it on the floor and step on it. You are representing life knocking you down, throwing you down and stepping on you.
- Pick that dollar bill up. Open it up. Doesn't look as pretty does it? But if you walked into a store, what would it be worth? 100 pennies. Realize you still have the same value as you did before life beat you down.
I keep my dollar bill on the refrigerator. I am in the kitchen most of the day and it serves as a constant reminder of what my true value is to...myself.
"People" {people in your present, past and in your thoughts} will always find ways to make you doubt yourself. They will always find a way to make you doubt your service to your home, your kids and your spouse. I have found in the last several weeks that these things help. They help to silence the "people" who I hear telling me I'm not good enough or I'm not doing enough. Specifically when I pray. When I pray, I am always brought back to the thoughts that I am always good enough for God. This page is in the last page of our book. I have ripped it out and keep it by my bedside.
I have. A lot more than I would like to. My husband always gets upset when I confide this to him, like it's his fault or he could change something. It wasn't and he can't. This is a ME problem. My insecurities, my shortcomings. It's only something I can change.
I have been doing some soul searching over the last couple weeks, really dwelling on this dilemma that I am faced with. What can I do when I feel worthless to realize my true worth? Here are some things that have helped me.
1. What are you good at? Make a list of 3-5 things that only I can do{or do best}or have done today/yesterday/this week .
2. Take a breath. Take some time for myself or do something I'm good at. Even 5 minutes to take a shower and use your special shampoo that smells amazing, dance to your favorite song, go for a run, do a quick craft, or even just take a nap.
This may sound selfish and will be very hard to do. But taking this 5 minutes will just clear your head so you can think clearly. Many times, this feeling comes because we are too stressed, too tired, too hurried to realize your value so our judgement is clouded.
3. Be Selfless. Do something for someone else. Take a meal to someone. Help someone with their groceries. Do anything for someone else. When we help others, we get this intrinsic satisfaction. It's not selfish or wrong to feel good when you help someone, I think that feeling was put there for a reason - so we would help people.
4. Pray. Meditate, do yoga or talk to God. Sit in silence. Quiet your heart. Quiet your mind. Think back to that list you wrote down {probably} quickly and think about everything that goes into each item you listed. You did that. You were the key to that being done.
5. Be You. Stop comparing yourself to others. Stop comparing yourself to someone's idealized view of you. You can only be the you that you are. You are only capable of whatever YOU can do.
I am for sure not the mom who is dressed to the nine's when they go to the store - I am the mom who is in jeans with snot stains and spit up on her shirt. I am not the mom who has the photo ready house {I would like to be} - no I shove everything into closets and hope no one notices the dust under the sofas when people come over. I am not even close to the perfect woman, mom or wife - but I am the best woman, mom and wife that I can be.
Do this exercise.
{We did this at our Mom's group so I am not taking credit for this, but it helped}
- Take a dollar bill, preferably brand new, no rips, tears or bends. How much is it worth? 100 pennies. This is you.
- Take that dollar bill and crumble it up. Throw it on the floor and step on it. You are representing life knocking you down, throwing you down and stepping on you.
- Pick that dollar bill up. Open it up. Doesn't look as pretty does it? But if you walked into a store, what would it be worth? 100 pennies. Realize you still have the same value as you did before life beat you down.
I keep my dollar bill on the refrigerator. I am in the kitchen most of the day and it serves as a constant reminder of what my true value is to...myself.
"People" {people in your present, past and in your thoughts} will always find ways to make you doubt yourself. They will always find a way to make you doubt your service to your home, your kids and your spouse. I have found in the last several weeks that these things help. They help to silence the "people" who I hear telling me I'm not good enough or I'm not doing enough. Specifically when I pray. When I pray, I am always brought back to the thoughts that I am always good enough for God. This page is in the last page of our book. I have ripped it out and keep it by my bedside.
What do you find most helpful when you are feeling like your best isn't good enough?
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