Self Care

60 Journaling Prompts To Tell Your Story

August 14, 2022

I was inspired by a quote I saw today. It was about how we are all unique and have our own story to tell. There are so many benefits from not only journaling, but telling our stories as well. We can work through feelings, think creatively, express ourselves, share our ideas with others, let others know that they are not alone and once we feel comfortable with our story, we become more confident.

60 Journaling Prompts to tell your story

You may be wondering what telling our stories has to do with career coaching. Well, I find that when exploring possible new careers or if you are in the job search process, it takes a certain level of confidence and or courage. You will make mistakes. You will face rejection. You may wonder if you are making the right decision. You may be telling yourself stories about yourself that keep you stuck. That leaves you feeling under valued and less confident.

This type of activity may not work to build confidence for everyone and that’s okay. Take what works for you and leave the rest. You may just want to use some of the prompts to explore. If you are a teacher, these prompts may be useful to some of your students. These prompts can be a fun way to get you thinking outside the box which is something you need for career exploration and or job searching these days. The cherry on top is if you enjoy writing, consider it a form of self-care.

Questions

What is your favorite childhood memory?
What was your funniest memory?
What is precious to you?
What have been your biggest adventures?
What are your travel experiences?
What makes me unique?
Who inspires me?
What is my biggest fear?
What is my biggest regret?
What was the darkest time in my life?
What was the happiest time in my life?
What is your dream job?
What do you remember most about your pets?
What if anything do I admire about other cultures?
How do I stay active?
What is the best way to express myself?

Self Reflection

What do I value?
What do others think of me?
What do I think of myself?
What do I no longer need to Cary with me?
What brings me happiness?
How do I cheer myself up after a bad day?

Autobiographical Prompts

My future goals are…
My childhood was like…
My school life was like…
My favorite place is…
My favorite things are…
My favorite person is…
My favorite things to do are…
My hero is…
My dream home is…
My experience in love has been…
The craziest time ever was…
My most valuable possessions are…
My worst job was…
My biggest accomplishments are…
My favorite feature is…
My family is…
Success means…
My best decade was…
My physical and mental health has been…
My worst habits are…
My experience with religion has been…
My scariest experience was…
The strangest food I’ve ever tried was…
I had the most courage when…
The best conversation I ever had was…
My wish that came true was…

Creative Prompts

If I were writing a book, I’d write about…
If I were invisible I’d…
If I had a time machine, I’d…
My super power is…
If I were an animal I’d be…
If I were something in nature I’d be…
If I wind the lottery I would…
If I could talk to anyone in the world, we’d talk about…
My dreams mean…
If I could live anywhere it would be…
If I could buy anything, I’d buy…

Tell your story with these 60 journaling prompts

Did you try any of these? If so, let me know in the comments. To get my other tips and inspiration, follow me on Instagram.

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Motherhood, Self Care

Self-care for Nursing Mothers: A How-to Guide

October 5, 2021

Nursing is a wonderful way to bond with your baby when you’re a new mom. That said, breastfeeding isn’t always easy! Sometimes it can be challenging, frustrating, or downright uncomfortable. It’s important to take care of yourself during this time. By investing in self-care, you will ensure that you are mentally and physically feeling your best. You will then be able to give your child the best care possible.

This guide covers self-care for nursing moms.

Self-care for Nursing Mothers: ! How-to Guide

Make breastfeeding easier with the right tools

The right tools can help make nursing easier, safer, and more comfortable for you and your baby. People has a list of handy items worth checking out, including disposable nursing pads, breast pumps, and milk screens to check for alcohol in your breastmilk after you’ve had a drink. You can even get a radiation protection cover to shield your little one from the radiation of cell phones and other devices.

Create a soothing space for breastfeeding your baby

Nursing can take up a good chunk of your time every day. Make sure you have a comfortable space to get the job done. Create a quiet corner where you can soothe your baby and relax while nursing. A nursing chair is a great investment. To choose a chair, consider characteristics like comfort, support, and practicality. For example, prioritize models with stain-resistant fabric that’s easy to clean. For more tips on family living and reviews on home products, visit Home Life Daily.

Invest in comfortable yet stylish clothing for nursing moms

You don’t have to sacrifice comfort for style as a new mom. Invest in cozy clothing that will have you looking and feeling your best while also accommodating nursing. Kindred Bravely is a one-stop shop for all kinds of cute maternity gear, from joggers to leggings, nursing tank tops, lounge shorts, pajamas, and more. You’ll find clothing in a variety of colors and materials, ensuring you can find pieces that suit your personal style.

Eat healthy meals to maintain your energy

Did you know that you burn more calories while breastfeeding? According to Healthline, nursing moms burn up to 500 additional calories every day. It’s important to feed yourself the fuel you need to stay healthy and energized during this time. Since you may have trouble finding time to cook, focus on easy-to-prepare meals that you can prepare in batches, freeze, and save for later.

Make time for exercise

Regular physical activity will help you stay fit and can help you shed the baby weight. That said, giving birth takes a toll on your body and it’s important to take your time as you ease back into a fitness routine. Prioritize exercises that are well-suited to postpartum bodies. The Bump offers a roundup of suitable activities, from weight training for arms to core exercises. Best of all, you don’t need a gym and can do these moves at home.

Schedule some “me” time every day

As a new mom, it’s easy to get lost in your baby’s world. You want to do all you can to keep your little one happy and healthy, so it’s understandable that you’ll give them a lot of attention. However, it’s also critical to schedule some “me time” into your day. Give yourself 15 minutes every day without the baby. Use this time to do something that you enjoy, like reading a book or taking a bath. This is your chance to unwind, relax, and focus on yourself.

Exhausted mom Working while nursing baby

Try to get the sleep you need

The average adult should get about seven hours of sleep per night. As a new parent, this can be tough. Your baby likely won’t sleep through the night at first, making seven straight hours of uninterrupted rest a remote possibility. Luckily, there are other ways to get that much-needed slumber. Experts recommend sleeping whenever your baby sleeps, for example, and using a white noise machine to soothe your baby to snooze.

Connect with other new moms

Motherhood is exciting but it can also be exhausting. Connecting with other women who share your feelings and know exactly what you’re going through can be useful. If you have friends or family with kids, make time to talk to them. If you don’t know many women with children, you can still find a supportive community online. There are many virtual platforms specifically for moms, including CafeMom.com and CircleofMoms.com.

Don’t hesitate to use your support network for help

As a new mom, you may sometimes feel isolated or like you’re in this by yourself. Don’t let yourself fall into this trap. You likely have plenty of friends and family who will be happy to give you a helping hand. You simply have to ask! Getting hands-on help from your support network will free up your time for self-care. Ultimately, this will allow you to be a better mother to your baby.

When you’re a new mom, it’s easy to focus solely on your baby. However, it’s also important to take care of yourself. The above tips will help you keep fit emotionally and physically.

Emma Grace Brown lives her life by her rules; and it works! When she’s not snuggling puppies, Emma promotes female empowerment through her website. Her mission is to help those who live with self-doubt to realize they don’t have to mold themselves to conventionality.

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Motherhood, Personal Development, Self Care

How To Accept Your Uniqueness

December 10, 2020

I had a plan for this week. I was going to talk a little about self-care and do a list of stocking stuffers to pamper the moms in your life. While gift guides are great and we all need to take care of ourselves, I wasn’t feeling compelled to put it together. Right now, there is something more important in my heart. It is still a form of self-care, but it’s not the tangible measurable kind. It’s the kind that you feel in your heart and soul. It’s the kind that helps you feel at peace and at ease with yourself.

Accepting Uniqueness

Today I want to share an amazing strategy for working on self acceptance. Some people say these things are flaws, imperfections or quirks. I prefer to see it as your uniqueness. It’s the stuff that makes you who you are. The stuff that makes you like no one else. The stuff that makes you interesting!

Embrace Yourself

Last weekend, Rosebud really wanted to paint, so I decided to let her paint while I worked on Instagram posts. By the time she was done, there was paint everywhere. It was all over her, her tray and dripping off the paper. It was the kind of painting I couldn’t keep. I lifted it to put it on the counter to dry and the paint poured off. It upset Rosebud, but it went straight to the trash. Honestly, I was bothered by the mess. It took me forever to clean it up and while I know messy play is important for kids, I hate dealing with it. I clean up after kids all day at work. I don’t want to do it here too. It’s not fair to Rosebud, but it’s a fact. I do set up messy play opportunities for her, but they are few and far between.

The No Paint Mama

My anxiety about clean up goes through the roof and I hate feeling that every time. At first, I started thinking about what a failure I am as a mom. How my child needs this and maybe I’m depriving her of something, but am I really or am I too focused on the shoulds and coulds. In that moment, I decided to embrace the fact that I’m not a messy play mom. I told one person on Instagram that I’d be the no paint mama.

When I thought about it, Rosebud enjoys many forms of sensory play like water, the rice bin, kinetic sand, play-dough,, water beads, shredded paper etc. She does drawing, water colors, gluing, cutting and decorating with stickers, so she gets plenty of exposure to arts and crafts. Even after all that, why was I hung up on the paint? She doesn’t need to do messy finger painting every day to be a well rounded child. Those voices popped up in my head. Those annoying shoulds.

What They Tell Us

Then today during a coaching call, I had this amazing break through. This is why I love coaching so much. We were talking about marketing strategies for my business and how to make the best use of my time. I told her how I felt I was making the most of my time by using Instagram, but there are the shoulds. The experts saying that you need to be on all forms of social media and be doing all things. You need to post videos, write blog entries, send out a newsletter, create podcasts, schedule multiple posts on every platform etc.

In real life, this is too much for one person. This involves hiring tasks out. While this is possible for a successful business owner, you can’t always do this when you are first starting out. I need to simplify, so for now I am focusing on one social media platform. While so many people recommend Facebook for this purpose, I had to choose the one I’m having the most fun and best interaction with. Even if it goes against the advice of the so called experts who don’t know me or my audience. I need to follow my own path.

Living in the Present

My next battle with the shoulds was about creating a marketing plan. The experts say to create a 60 or 90 day marketing plan. While this works great for sales, tracking income etc, it wasn’t working for me with social media marketing. I have a 90 day plan laid out in a spread sheet and you know what? I used none of it. You might be wondering why. It’s because I need to create content around what I’m feeling in that moment. What am I struggling with? What can my audience relate to? How can I be the most authentic?

If I’m focusing on something from three months ago, I may not be feeling that way today. Everything surrounding children and motherhood change so fast, that I have to scrap my plan. This is a metaphor for motherhood, right? Nothing goes as planned. As soon as you have something figured out, it changes.

The Strategy

Speaking of metaphors, that is the strategy. My coach asked me what I took away from our sessions, but she asked me if there was one image that I could hold in my mind that embodied everything I’ve learned. It didn’t make sense at first, but the first image that came to mind was a fluffy white cloud floating along in the sky. The more I thought about it, a girl floated on top of the cloud. As I explained the cloud metaphor to my coach, it started to take shape.

I am embracing my uniqueness and every cloud has its own shape. Clouds are floating. The wind is carrying them, but they have an energy of their own. They are not listening to the other clouds, they are on their own path, reaching their own destination. Their shapes may change over time. They may rise or fall. They may come together to touch other clouds or break away on their own, but in the end, they have their uniqueness. Isn’t that why we look at them? Isn’t that where we find the beauty?

Chipping Away

This strategy isn’t an easy fix. Accepting yourself is life long work. It changes from day to day. I see it like creating a sculpture. Each day, you chip away and get one step closer to where you want to be. The beautiful sculpture starts to take its shape and then is revealed over time.

What is Your Metaphor?

What do you need to embrace? What is your image or metaphor that can help you accept your beauty? Your uniqueness. The things that make you interesting, authentic and wonderful. If you need help with this process, let’s jump on a

discovery call. I’d love to help you celebrate your uniqueness.

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Gratitude, Personal Development, Self Care

50 Journal Prompts to Express Gratitude

November 12, 2020

This is the second post in my gratitude series for November. If you missed it, check out these Five Benefits of Starting a Gratitude Practice. Now that we know why we should practice gratitude regularly, let’s dive into some gratitude exercises. There are different things you can do depending on your preferences, but this week, I will be focusing on journaling.

Why Journaling?

My favorite way to practice gratitude is through journaling for several reasons.

It can be done in five minutes if you are short on time.
The writing possibilities are endless.
You can journal on a small notebook or your phone making it convenient.
You can use photos to capture your thoughts instead of writing.
Writing can be therapeutic regardless of the topic.

You may be thinking, what do I write about? Well, as I said above, the possibilities are endless, but I’m giving you 50 journal prompts to get you started. They are in no particular order. Just use the ones that resonate with you. Feel the joy and gratitude this can bring and don’t forget to have fun with this.

Gratitude for Today

List five things you are grateful for.
Look around the room and list as many things that you see that you are grateful for.
What made you smile today?
What things do you take for granted?
What’s one thing you learned today or this week?
What is your most recent purchase that has added value to your life?
How can you share your gratitude with others?
How can you pamper yourself today?
How is your life more positive today than it was a year ago?
What’s one win you’ve experienced in the past 24 hours?
Take a photo of something you are grateful for and caption it.

Gratitude for Memories

What’s the funniest thing you’ve seen or heard?
List some acts of kindness that people have shown you.
Describe your favorite childhood memory.
Whats the best book you’ve read and why?
Write about a difficult experience you learned from.
What family tradition are you most grateful for?
What gifts have you enjoyed the most?

Gratitude for Yourself

Make a list of the things you are good at.
Make a list of the things you enjoy.
What are your favorite foods?
What helps you relax?
Make a list of your favorite songs. Better yet, make a playlist on your favorite music service.
Make a list of your successes.
Make a list of your favorite quotes.
What makes you unique?
What skills do you have that others may not?
What do other people like about you?
What can you learn from your negative qualities?
Describe the last time you truly felt at peace.
List 10 things you can’t live without.
What is something you’ve recently fixed?

Gratitude for Others

Who supports you?
Write about someone who’s made a positive difference in your life.
What is your favorite memory of your family members? Do this for each one.
Describe your pets and why you are grateful for them.
What do you love about your current relationship status?
What small things do you enjoy with a special person in your life?

Gratitude for your Surroundings

Where is your favorite place to visit and why?
What do you love about your neighborhood/community?
What is your favorite part of nature?
Who inspires you?
What are your favorite things about the season you are currently in?
What do you love about your home?
Write about a great experience with customer service.
Where are your favorite places to shop, eat etc?

Gratitude for Your Past and Future

What are you looking forward to in the upcoming year?
Describe your perfect day.
List 10 things you have today that you didn’t have five years ago.
What are you looking forward to this week?

Do you do gratitude journaling? If so, what are your favorite prompts? What are you grateful for? Tell me in the comments. Be sure to come back next week to learn how to get your kids involved in practicing gratitude! I am grateful for you!

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Personal Development, Self Care

4 Lessons I’ve Learned on my Fitness Journey

October 15, 2020

In January of 2020, one of my new years resolutions was to get in the best shape of my life in the next decade. It’s not very specific, but I decided I was going to exercise every day. I didn’t have a set amount of weight I wanted to lose, but I wanted to get healthier, have more energy and of course, look good. It has been 10 months since I started this journey and here are four unexpected lessons I’ve learned from working out.

Celebrate your success

When I started out, I was out of shape and I could definitely feel the burn. Sometimes for several days after trying a new workout. I’d get discouraged if I couldn’t do as many reps as suggested or I didn’t feel like I could stretch very far, but I kept going and it paid off! I started noticing my progress. I could reach further during my stretch routines, I felt less tired on the elliptical and I’ve increased the weight during my strength workouts. I’ve also noticed that my clothes fit better or no longer fit in some cases because they are too big.

When I’d notice these things I was proud of my self. When your clothes fit better, celebrate! Reward yourself. It’s an excuse for a new wardrobe. Well, a new pair of jeans or a cute sweater at least. Be sure to share your good news with someone who supports your fitness goals.

Success comes from capability, not appearances

This is a big one. We get way too caught up in what our bodies look like. We spend so much time focused on our appearance that we forget to focus on what our bodies are capable of. Success comes from within. It’s all about your mindset and not your outward appearance.

To track this, measure your progress. Where were you when you started? How many reps could you do? How many minutes could you run? What is the distance? How are you feeling afterwards? Are you feeling strong or tired?

Over time, you will notice that some workouts will get easier because you will get stronger and your body will get used to moving in certain ways. Maybe some workouts won’t get easier, but you will notice that you are able to do more and feel less tired. Maybe you can lift more or exercise longer. It’s amazing to measure your progress from where you started. You will be saying, wow, I can’t believe I can do that now.

Full disclosure, this is me with jumping jacks, holding squats, stretching gets easier etc. You will end up celebrating your body. It’s fantastic. Your body is amazing and it should be celebrated regardless of the number on the scale!

It’s not about losing weight

Well, in a way it is, but it’s so much more than that. Exercise is a mood booster that also helps your body physically function better. The discipline you need to stick to your workout schedule helps build character. After a while, you will feel healthier and view exercise as a form of self-care. It started out as a goal to get in the best shape of my life. I know, it’s not specific enough, but I promised myself to exercise each day. At first, it was all about losing weight and looking good, but now it’s about feeling better and I have made my fitness a priority.

Sample Fitness Goals

I will run 1 mile each day.
I will do a 30 minute strength based workout 3 times per week.
I will lose 10lbs in the next 60 days.
I will drink 8 glasses of water each day.
I will do one yoga class per week.

Pay attention to your body

This is the most important lesson I have learned from my fitness journey.

When you are exercising, you’ll notice all the sensations. Mostly when you start to get tired or maybe you feel like you can’t take one more step. It’s important to step out of your comfort zone when exercising because the burn means it’s working, but you have to know the difference between building strength or endurance and pushing yourself too hard. You will feel it if you pay close attention. If your body needs water, rest or needs a harder workout, it’s all okay. It’s your fitness journey and your body knows what it needs.

If you have to stop, it’s okay, but get back into it when you are ready. Too often we push ourselves too far and that’s when we can get injured.

Last week, I was sick and wasn’t feeling up to working out. I felt guilty about this and wanted to get back to exercise as soon as possible, so this week, I hopped back on the elliptical. Suddenly, the bolt popped off and my machine was broken. I will have to buy a replacement part, but in the mean time, I’ve had to switch up my workout routine. I tried a workout that was totally new to me. Cardio mixed with strength based exercises. Towards the end of the workout, I had drank my entire bottle of water and was feeling so exhausted. I kept pushing myself, but finally in the last couple minutes of the workout, I just had to stop. I had to listen to my body at that point. While I was disappointed and felt out of shape, I had to remind myself that it was a new workout and I did the best I could.

Some days your energy level is higher and your body may react differently. That is also okay. Our bodies are unique to each of us and we should be celebrating what they are capable of regardless of our body shape. Even though I started this journey to lose weight because I didn’t like the way my body looked, I have come to appreciate my body a lot more.

Are you on a fitness journey? If so, what have you learned? Let’s talk about it in the comments!

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Personal Development, Self Care

40 Summer Journal Prompts to Keep You Inspired

July 28, 2020

Since summer is the half way point in the year, some people find it helpful to reflect on the previous months or to think about what they want to accomplish for the rest of the year. One way to do this is through journaling, so I have gathered a list of some of my favorite prompts for the summer. They include prompts for goal setting, creativity or reflection. There is a journal prompt here for everyone. Enjoy this list of summer journal prompts to keep you inspired.

Summer Prompts

Does summer feel different than other seasons to you? Why or why not?

Does your family have any summer traditions? What makes them special?

What part of summer do you look forward to the most every year? Why?

Take your journal outside and describe your surroundings. How are you feeling? What are you noticing?

What is your favorite summer memory from your childhood?

Create a summer bucket list.

Write a love letter to your body.

What is your favorite summer treat? How would you describe it?

What is your favorite outdoor activity? How can it translate into other areas of your life?

What are your favorite summer self-care ideas? Which ones can you do this week?

What does your dream summer day look like?

Journal Prompts for Reflection and Growth

What do you need to forgive yourself for?

Who do you need to forgive? Write an unsent letter to them.

If you could travel into the past, what would you do?

If you could travel into the future, what would you do?

Write about your biggest life changing moments.

What is the most valuable lesson life has taught you?

Describe the happiest version of yourself.

What do you do when people are unsupportive?

How do you know when to let go?

Make a list of the treasures in your life.

Prompts for Goal Setting

What quotes remind you of your goals and dreams?

What goals have you accomplished in the past six months?

Have your goals changed from the beginning of the year?

Have you accomplished what you wanted to so far this year? Why or why not?

What are your goals for the rest of the year?

Where do you see yourself in five years?

Where do you see yourself in ten years?

If you could attract anything into your life, what would it be?

What does success mean to you?

What holds you back from achieving your goals?

What are your goals for the month?

Journal Prompts for Creativity

What do you like to create?

What kinds of things did you create as a child?

What creative hobbies would you like to try?

How has creativity helped you?

How are you unique?

Make a list of things you enjoy doing.

Take a photo of something beautiful.

Make a hand written card or write a letter to someone you love.

Do you have any favorite journal prompts that you like to use for the summer? Tell me in the comments. Happy writing!

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Personal Development, Self Care

50 Affirmations and Quotes to Inspire Self Compassion and Kindness

June 15, 2020

How kind are you to yourself? If your friend was going through a rough time and you were comforting her, would you say the same things to yourself if you were in a similar situation? I’m guessing you’d be a whole lot harder on yourself. In most cases, we are our own worst critics.

I was on a conference call with two other coaches. One of them asked how we were going to be kind to ourselves this week. She wanted us to come up with a mantra or affirmation that we could tell ourselves to show some self compassion. She reminds us that we are human. We make mistakes, but we do the best we can. We need to look at ourselves with the same kindness and compassion that we give to others. When it was my turn to speak, I honestly couldn’t think of anything. I stumbled over my words and totally drew a blank. However, if you asked what was one kind thing I could say to a friend, a family member or even a stranger, I could come up with something in a second. Eventually, I said, “I’ll show myself some patience and forgiveness when I make a mistake.”

I felt very put on the spot, but I realized that I’m generally not kind to myself. I have no idea how many times a day I put myself down in my head. If I kept track, it would probably be shocking. I would never do that to someone else, so why would I do that to myself? I know I’m not the only one who struggles with this, so I was inspired to create this list of 50 self kindness and compassion quotes and affirmations to remind you to be. Kinder to yourself.

You can copy and paste these to print or put up on your wall. You can add them to a screen saver or image on your phone. You can create a vision board, write them in a notebook or create your own affirmations. Use these quotes to inspire self kindness in a way that resonates with you.

Affirmations

I am worthy of love.

I am worthy of infinite and unending compassion.

I deserve love, compassion, and empathy.

I am powerful, confident, and capable of reaching all my dreams.

I have a warm and caring heart.

I am exactly who I need to be in this moment.

All of my decisions are inspired from inner wisdom and compassion.

I am a beautiful person.

I love and treasure my body.

I honor and respect my limitations.

Happiness flows freely from me.

Love rises from my heart in the face of difficulty.

I have infinite capacity for love and affection.

I am successful.

I believe in the person I dream of becoming.

I carry strength and resilience with me.

I have the ability to overcome any challenge life gives me.

Changing is never simple but it’s easier if I stop being hard on myself.

My mistakes just show that I’m growing and learning.

It’s okay to make mistakes and forgive myself.

I am free to let go of others’ judgments.

My life is a celebration of my accomplishments.

My every step is one of courage.

Abundance and love flow from me.

I honor my own life path.

Quotes

“Self-compassion is simply giving the same kindness to ourselves that we would give to others.” Christopher Germer

“We are each gifted in a unique and important way. It is our privilege and our adventure to discover our own special light.” Mary Dunbar

“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.” Sharon Salzberg

“I now see how owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing that we will ever do.” Brené Brown

“Too many people overvalue what they are not and undervalue what they are.” Malcolm S. Forbes

“There is a magnificent, beautiful, wonderful painting in front of you! It is intricate, detailed, a painstaking labor of devotion and love! The colors are like no other, they swim and leap, they trickle and embellish! And yet you choose to fixate your eyes on the small fly which has landed on it! Why do you do such a thing?” C. JoyBell C.

“Did your mom ever tell you, ‘If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything’? She was right–and talking nicely also applies when you’re talking to yourself, even inside your head.” Victoria Moran

“You’re always with yourself, so you might as well enjoy the company.” Diane Von Furstenberg

“I love myself for I am a beloved child of the universe and the universe lovingly takes care of me now.” Louise Hay

“Often, it’s not about becoming a new person, but becoming the person you were meant to be, and already are, but don’t know how to be.” Heath L. Buckmaster, Box of Hair: A Fairy Tale

“You can succeed if nobody else believes it, but you will never succeed if you don’t believe in yourself.” William J. H. Boetcker

“I was once afraid of people saying ‘Who does she think she is?’ Now I have the courage to stand and say ‘This is who I am.’” Oprah Winfrey

“A moment of self-compassion can change your entire day. A string of such moments can change the course of your life.” Christopher K. Germer

“Happiness is when what you think, what you say and what you do are in harmony.” – Mahatma Gandhi

“Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it. Embracing our vulnerabilities is risky but not nearly as dangerous as giving up on love and belonging and joy—the experiences that make us the most vulnerable. Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.”―Brené Brown, The Gifts of Imperfection

“An important aspect of self-compassion is to be able to empathically hold both parts of ourselves–the self that regrets a past action and the self that took the action in the first place.”—Marshall Rosenberg, Non-Violent Communication

“People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.”—Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

“The reason we struggle with insecurity is because we compare our behind-the-scenes with everyone else’s highlight reel.”—Steve Furtick

“When you say ‘Yes’ to others make sure you are not saying ‘No’ to yourself.” —Paulo Cohelo

“Flowers don’t open and close according to whose walking by. They open and show their beauty regardless.” Rebecca Campbell – Light Is The New Black

“Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without.” Confucius

“When you recover or discover something that nourishes your soul and brings joy, care enough about yourself to make room for it in your life.” – Jean Shinoda Bolen

Learning to love yourself is like learning to walk—essential, life-changing, and the only way to stand tall.” – Vironika Tugaleva

“There are days I drop words of comfort on myself like falling leaves and remember that it is enough to be taken care of by myself.” – Brian Andreas

Do you have a favorite affirmation or quote that you use to be kind to your self? Tell me in the comments.

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Motherhood, Self Care

How to Stay Connected While Social Distancing

May 26, 2020

Things are starting to slowly reopen, but we’ve spent the last couple of months in our homes. Depending on where you are living, things may not be fully open yet and it’ll be a while before we can resume a life where we go out to dinner with friends, have birthday parties, play dates, book groups, fitness classes etc. A lot of us haven’t seen family members in months and our networks that were there before may be gone. This can make life extremely isolating for moms. Especially single moms who may have no one else to depend on.

Being an introvert, I miss some people, but I’m okay with having a lot of alone time. However, some people thrive on being connected with others and this time has been especially difficult for them. Our children struggle with this as well. Rosebud misses her friends. She loves playing with other kids and having the structure that preschool provided. One of my goals for NMC Coaching is to connect like-minded moms. The isolation can be overwhelming in normal times, but the pandemic has created a whole new set of challenges surrounding isolation. This gave me an idea to create this list of ways to stay connected to loved ones and or to meet new people.

Virtual Play Dates

Many people are using Zoom or FaceTime for meetings now, but kids are getting on it as well to talk to each other. Depending on the ages of your children and their level of interest, meeting over FaceTime can be a good way for kids to stay connected. This works for you moms to stay connected with your friends too. Here are some ideas for virtual play dates.

Read stories,
Have the children play with similar toys,

Draw pictures to share with each other.

Sometimes, just a simple conversation will do the trick.
For more inspiration, check out these 12 virtual play date ideas.

Virtual Game Night.

This is perfect for families who are used to getting together to play games or have parties. People have gotten creative with game ideas for virtual get togethers. It can be a fun way to pass the time and feel connected with others.

For more ideas, check out this post, Hhow to plan a virtual game night.

Virtual Book Club

One way to connect with others is through common interests. If book club is your thing, there are many of them going on virtually now. Some meet over Zoom and others are just simple Facebook groups where you have online discussions. This can be a great way to meet new people.

Online Courses

If you are interested in anything, there seems to be an online course for it. You can learn about blogging, creative writing, business, Crystal healing, nutrition and cooking to name a few. There are universities offering free college courses and many low cost short E-courses on websites like Udemy. There are different formats as well. Some are courses that you take on your own, but others involve Zoom meetings and or Facebook Groups which I’d recommend if you are taking a class to connect with others. There are offerings for children as well. I’ve seen story time, yoga classes and even preschool held over Zoom.

Find a Common Goal

Are you working towards weight loss? Are you starting a business? Are you working on home improvements? Maybe you’re just working on being your best self. Whatever your goal, there is a vertual group that you can get involved in.

I have several goals around blogging and my coaching business, so I’ve found groups where I can connect with others who are working on similar goals. We work together to share ideas and hold each other accountable. Make a list of five to ten goals and then pick one or two to focus on. Chances are, there are others who will be working along side you. I’ve been using an app called Active for my fitness goals. While I prefer to work on this alone, they have programs you can follow and ways within the app to connect with other people. Sometimes an accountability partner or a cheer leader is all you need to crush those goals!

Search for Locals

Just because you can’t meet in person yet doesn’t mean you can’t connect now. There are apps that connect local people for friendship such as Bumble BFF. There are local communities/groups on Facebook that are based on interests in your local area. Some ideas for mom groups include

Moms from a specific city or town,

Baby wearing,

Moms of toddlers,

Breast-feeding moms,

Working moms,

Homeschooling moms,

Crunchy moms.

You get the idea. If you have passions outside of motherhood, that is great too!

Maybe you are interested in crafts, DIY or volunteering in your local community. Do a quick search to see what’s out there in your community. Who knows. You might find a new friend or your next amazing opportunity!

Support

If you are struggling with a specific challenge such as a chronic illness, mental health issues, death/grief etc, there are so many support groups out there. There are many on Facebook, but there are also specific websites made for this purpose. If you do a search for a support group related to your specific challenge, you will get results. You can narrow it down by location if you wish. It can be difficult when you are isolated while trying to deal with these additional challenges, but there are lots of people who want to be supportive and helpful. If you are struggling, please reach out to someone you are comfortable talking to. If you know someone who is struggling, please reach out to them as well. It can make all the difference for people to know that someone cares.

As you can see, there are many reasons and ways to connect with others online. While it’s not ideal for many of us, it has become our new normal for the time being. If we are able to focus on the positive, we can remind ourselves that we can stay in touch with our loved ones, we can meet people we would have never met otherwise, we can learn new things and most of all, this too shall pass. How are you staying connected with your loved ones? Have you done anything creative to bring people together virtually? Tell us in the comments.

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Personal Development, Self Care

How To Show Self Compassion

May 6, 2020

How are you doing? Where are you in this strange world we are living in? Maybe you are one of those people who is maximizing your time by taking courses, organizing your home or being productive with your work. Maybe you are on the other end of the spectrum and it’s all you can do to get out of bed and get dressed. Chances are, you are probably somewhere in the middle. Especially if you are a mom trying to hold down a job, homeschool kids and take care of the house. Where ever you are at this moment, I want to remind you to show some self compassion.

I’m writing about self compassion today because it is a struggle I am having. Chances are, I’m not alone in this. When the stay at home orders first started, I was thankful that I had some extra time to put towards my coaching and this blog. I was excited to have extra time with my daughter. I always wanted to stay at home with her, so I was looking atthis as an opportunity. For the first couple of weeks, things were going great. I had lots of motivation and my daughter was loving having me at home.

As time passes, I have lost the motivation to write which leaves me discouraged. I’ve also noticed behavioral changes in my daughter. She’s angry that she can’t go back to school and she misses her friends. She always tells me that she’s scared, but when I ask her what is scaring her she tells me, “monsters.” I’m wondering if it’s really monsters she’s scared of or is it something else. Is she scared that we may get sick? Is she scared of something she can’t put into words? She’s only four, so much of this is beyond her comprehension, but she is piecing things together and trying to make sense of it all. I’m trying to help her stay motivated with her learning, but she can’t focus. Quite frankly, neither can I.

Is it time to get back to the drawing board? Probably. We need to take a new approach. I’ve started with toy and book rotation, more snuggle time and a lot more going with the flow. As a coach, it’s my job to help others stay motivated and working towards achieving their goals, but I am only human and I am definitely feeling overwhelmed, sad and frusterated.

Your Challenges

What are your struggles?

Is it a lack of motivation?
Is it work/life balance?
Are your kids having trouble adjusting to the changes?
Are you unemployed and or in a career transition?
Is it cabin fever?

Whatever your challenges are, let’s start by being kind and compassionate with ourselves. We are in extraordinary circumstances.

What is self compassion?

The definition of self compassion is is the extension of kindness, care, warmth, and understanding (instead of beratement and criticism) toward oneself when faced with shortcomings, inadequacies, or failures.

When I think of self compassion, I picture this situation. When your friend is going through a tough time, what do you tell them? If your friend tells you she let the kids eat junk food because she didn’t feel like cooking or that they sat in front of the tv for too long, what would you tell her? You would probably tell her to be kind to herself. You’d tell her to try again tomorrow and not to worry so much. You wouldn’t tell her that she’s a terrible mother for not feeding organic or putting the kids in front of the tv so that she can get a moment of peace. If we are kind and compassionate with our friends, why do we criticize ourselves for the same actions?

Tips for Self Compassion

1. Say kind things to yourself.

If those negative statements pop into your head when you lose motivation, snap at your children or forget to take care of yourself, try using a positive statement instead.

I will use calm words with my children.

I may be overwhelmed, but I am a good mother.

I will start fresh tomorrow.

I have achieved these goals and will achieve my goals in the future.

Whatever your negative self-talk is, think of positive statements to challenge these beliefs. Write them down if you have to.

2. Stop and practice gratitude.

Whether it is in your head, on paper or in your phone, stop and write a few things you are grateful for. It may bring you joy and help you feel centered again.

3. Practice self-care.

If you are able to take just a short break to something for your self, it can make all the difference. Here are some ideas.

Journaling,

Meditation,

Taking a walk,

Take a bubble bath,

Have your favorite drink or comfort food,

Read a book or maybe just one chapter.

4. Connect With Others

If you can’t seem to give your self any compassion, reach out to someone who will lift you up. Call a friend, a family member or others in your network. Sometimes, it helps to talk things out. You may come away with a new perspective or will feel better in knowing that someone else understands and has your back.

Where ever you are at this point, it is okay. If you are on fire with ambition, that’s awesome! If you are feeling down, be kind to yourself. If you and your kids are driving each other crazy, take a break if you can and find something you can enjoy. That’s what I’ve been doing this week. I’m taking care of myself so that when I come back, I will have more positive energy and a renewed sense of purpose. Most importantly, I am showing some self compassion and I hope these tips help you do the same.

How are you and your children coping with all of this? Tell me in the comments.

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Personal Development, Self Care

10 Self-care Tips for the Busy Mom

April 22, 2020

As moms, we are always jumping from one task to the next and taking care of ourselves is an after thought. What do you picture when you hear the term self-care? Maybe you picture days at the spa or a weekend at home in your pj’s with your favorite comfort foods. What if I told you that self-care can take 10 minutes or less? Here are my 10 self-care tips for busy moms that can be done in under 10 minutes.

You may be thinking 10 minutes is too short to make a difference. You might be dying to have a whole weekend to yourself, but let’s be realistic. A refresher is better than nothing and during this pandemic, most of us aren’t leaving the house anyway. If you regularly schedule these five to ten minute breaks in your routine, they will become a habit and it will start to add up and make a huge difference in your outlook, health and wellbeing. Okay, I know your busy, so let’s get to those self-care tips now.

Journaling

Journaling is one of my favorite self-care routines. I don’t journal as much as I’d like to, but journaling has so many benefits. Personally, it has helped me work through feelings, visualize my future, keep track of goals and ideas, remember my dreams and preserve memories. With all these ways that journaling can help you, why wouldn’t you want to try it? The great thing about journaling is that there is no right or wrong way to journal. You just write from the heart. If you are not much of a writer, you can make lists or even sketch instead. The best part for us busy moms is that you can journal in less than ten minutes. You can include it in your routine first thing in the morning or before you go to bed or maybe you find it more beneficial to jot down notes throughout the day. Here are some ideas to get you started.

A gratitude journal; make lists of what you are grateful for.

Write using journal prompts.

Write down your dreams when you wake up.

Write down your goals and big dreams each day.

Write about your day.

Make a journal using photos.

Meditation

Many people use meditation as their form of self-care. There are numerous benefits of meditation. There are so many forms of meditation out there, so try several and figure out which meditations work best for you. Even if meditation is hard for you, just try to find a time to be in calm and stillness. We are always juggling and rarely get to stop to sit with our thoughts. There are many meditations that can be done in ten minutes or less like these.

Stretch Routines

If you are working at home now like I am, you may be sitting for hours at a time. It’s really important to get up and move around. A quick five to ten minute stretch routine is the perfect way to do that.

Workouts

If you have the energy and motivation, why not schedule a ten minute workout? If you are low on energy, doing even a short exercise routine is a great way to beat fatigue! If you have an exercise machine at home, do that, but if you don’t have any exercise equipment, I’ve got you covered. There are many strength based workouts that you can do from the comfort of your home that only use your body weight and can burn just as many calories.

Favorite Snack

What are your favorite snacks? This will look different for everyone and that’s okay. For some people self-care is grabbing their favorite comfort food and for other people self-care includes eating something healthy for their body. Whatever the case may be for you, prepare some of these snacks for you and your kids so you can have them throughout the week.75 Healthy Snack Ideas

No Bake Blueberry Protein Balls

Strawberry Granola Yogurt Bark

Looking Good to Feel Good

Maybe you don’t have time for a spa treatment or to do your regular makeup routine, but it’s so important to feel good about how you look. Since we are staying at home, many of us are not even bothering to get dressed or do our makeup. I don’t know about you, but when I’m not dressed and ready for the day, I don’t feel very motivated. Here are some ideas to help you look and feel good that take only a few minutes.

Put on your makeup.

Wear jewelry.

Do your nails.

Do a facial.

Style your hair in a different way.

Reading

Reading is one of my favorite activities because I learn new things or I can escape into the book depending on what I’m reading. Those are just a couple of benefits of picking up a book or listening on Audible. Reading doesn’t have to take up a lot of time. You can just read a few pages at a time, but if you totally get absorbed, that’s okay too.

Outside Time

How about taking that book outside and enjoying the peace that comes from being in nature? These days it can be harder to get out with our social distancing practices and stay at home orders, but as long as you keep these things in mind, you can still safely enjoy the outdoors. If you have a dog, take him for a walk. The dog needs to get out, so why not take this time for yourself as well? If you have a baby, it can be nice to just put them in the stroller and go enjoy the fresh air. Maybe you’re working and you can take your laptop outside. Being outside for a few minutes can bring some calm not only to yourself, but to your kids as well.

Creating a Peaceful Environment

This may be an aspect of self-care that you haven’t thought of. If you are working at home, think about the environment that you are working in. Is it uninviting? Is it complete chaos? One way to make your day more peaceful and or motivating is to change your environment in subtle ways. Here are some ideas.

Put pictures on your desk.

Add motivational quotes or affirmations where you see them.

Use crystals.

Add fresh flowers.

Use peaceful sounds like these.

https://youtu.be/UJZxtO9XNno

Social Connection

During this time of isolation, it’s so important to reach out to others. What’s better than a good chat with a friend? Maybe you want to reconnect with someone you haven’t talked to in a while or maybe you want to make some new connections. Whatever the case may be, reach out. It could make your day or someone else’s. It can also help us to slow down and listen and or be heard.

Self-care is so important, especially during these uncertain times. What are you doing to take care of yourself? Tell us in the comments.

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