Personal Development

Nurturing Health Without Financial Strain

In a world where pace and pressure constantly escalate, maintaining a healthy lifestyle is more important than ever. Yet, many people are deterred by the assumption that health equates to high expenses. This article from Navigating Motherhood Coaching debunks that myth, offering insights into how a healthy lifestyle can be both attainable and affordable. By adopting practical and innovative strategies, individuals can enhance their well-being without imposing a heavy burden on their finances.

Affordable fitness

Explore Free Digital Fitness Resources

The digital era has revolutionized fitness by offering an abundance of free resources. Gone are the days when costly gym memberships and classes were the only options. Today, the internet brims with diverse workout routines suitable for various fitness levels, all accessible without cost. This transition not only saves money but also introduces a flexible, personalized approach to fitness, allowing individuals to exercise at their convenience and pace.

Nurturing Health Without Financial Strain

Digitize Health Records for Efficient Management

Efficient management of health records is a cornerstone of proactive health care. Digitizing these records not only saves physical space but ensures quick and easy access to vital health information. Incorporating a PDF splitter into this digital strategy can be particularly beneficial. 

By using a PDF splitter, large health documents can be conveniently divided into smaller, more manageable sections, simplifying organization and retrieval. This tool streamlines the process of managing health documents, resulting in a more effective and organized approach to health record keeping. Furthermore, it facilitates easier sharing and referencing of specific sections of health records when necessary, enhancing overall healthcare management.

Invest in Energy-Efficient Home Solutions

Energy efficiency in the home is a crucial step towards reducing living costs. While energy-efficient appliances and light bulbs may require an initial investment, the long-term savings on energy bills are substantial. This strategy not only cuts down expenses but also contributes to a more sustainable lifestyle, reducing the ecological footprint of households.

Shopping on a budget

Unearth Bargains at Thrift Stores

Thrift stores are treasure troves for budget-conscious individuals. These stores offer a vast selection of items, from clothing to home essentials, at a fraction of retail prices. Shopping at thrift stores is not only economical but also eco-friendly, as it promotes the recycling and reuse of goods, contributing to a sustainable consumption model.

Prefer Generic and Store-Brand Products

Opting for generic or store-brand products is a practical way to economize without compromising on quality. These products, available across various categories such as groceries and personal care, offer the same quality as their branded counterparts but at a more accessible price. This switch can lead to substantial savings over time, allowing for a more budget-friendly approach to everyday purchases.

Saving money

Embrace Natural Clothing Drying Methods

Using natural methods for drying clothes, such as a clothesline or drying rack, is an effective way to reduce energy expenses. This practice not only decreases energy bills but also extends the lifespan of clothing. It represents a simple yet significant step towards a more sustainable and cost-effective household routine.

Embarking on a journey to a healthier lifestyle does not necessitate a hefty financial investment. The strategies discussed in this article demonstrate that with thoughtful planning and resourcefulness, maintaining health can be both affordable and effective. Embracing these budget-friendly approaches not only fosters physical well-being but also ensures financial health, proving that a healthy lifestyle is within reach for everyone.

Thriving on a Budget: Your Guide to Affordable Wellness

For burnt out moms who are unhappy with their current career and want to get unstuck and land a job they love, contact Navigating Motherhood Coaching today!

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How To Make Decisions When You Feel Stuck

If you are preparing for a career transition or another big event in your life, you may feel stuck. You may feel like you can’t take the first step. Maybe you don’t feel courageous. Maybe you feel hopeless about your current situation. You could just be feeling too drained to make that first move. However, there is one thing that stops people time and time again from achieving their goals. This one thing makes us play small and stay in our comfort zones.

How to make decisions when you feel stuck

You probably think I’m going to say fear of change, but while that is a factor, it’s only part of it. The one thing that stops us in our tracks is the difficulty with or inability to make decisions.

Do you ever have this problem? You are thinking about something for weeks or months. You want to make a decision, but you just can’t. You haven’t picked an end date, you’re asking everyone you know what you should do, you’re going back and forth and this decision is hanging over you like a dark cloud. Moths or years will go by and you still haven’t taken action. Why not? Well, because you’re afraid of making the wrong decision. You want to please others and be well liked. You are placing too much emphasis on what others think. Then where does that leave you? It leaves you stuck and with unfulfilled dreams. In this post, I’ll give you several strategies to help you make decisions when you feel stuck.

I’m capable of making decisions that are best for me

Follow Your Intuition

The most important thing is to follow your intuition. Some of us don’t trust us and have fears of this because we don’t trust ourselves, but this is the only thing in the end that really matters.
If we can feel that a decision is good for us in our body, that is so important. That means it’s a healthy decision for us. If there is negative tension in our body around this decision, we may need to rethink it.

Woman making decision

Set a Deadline

The second most important thing to do is set a dead line. Pick a date to make a decision by and stick to it. Market on your calendar if you have to. Meanwhile you can use the strategies listed below.

Making career decisions

Do Research

Do your research. If it’s something you’re deciding such as which product to buy, how much to spend on certain items, which school your kids should attend, which classes you want to take etc. Google is your friend. Other times research may involve calling a company, driving to different locations, interviewing people, visiting a library etc. Write down the results of your research if necessary. If something doesn’t seem right, don’t be afraid to keep investigating. Your intuition will serve you well here. For example, if you are making a career decision, Talk to people who work for the company you are interested in. Visit their website, check out the company culture and values, look for salary information, look at reviews etc.

If you do the proper research, you can make your decision not only on your intuition and feelings, but the hard facts as well. Using both of these methods, you will make a decision you feel comfortable with.

I believe in my ability to make decisions

Meditation

Meditation can work as well. If you were questioning something major in your life, maybe you want to meditate over it for several days or weeks. Let your intuition guide you. After each meditation, you may want to write down your thoughts and or feelings about what came up for you. Then using what you wrote down, you can use this information to guide your decision.

Pros and Cons List

A simple way is to make a pros and cons list. Which ever list is longer is the one that is your deciding factor. This may be a good strategy for simple decisions, but if it’s something more complicated where you have to weigh all the factors, this might not work for you.

Deciding between healthy and unhealthy food

Ask for Advice

Finally, you may want to ask someone for advice. However, if you have a pattern of struggling to make decisions based on what other people think or fear that they will not like you depending on the decision you make, I would use this sparingly. It should be someone you trust, someone that can keep an open mind and someone who can keep things confidential. Especially if it’s a sensitive topic. Again, someone that is trustworthy is key. I would also suggest against asking too many people for advice. The more people you involve, the muddy or the waters. Unless the decision directly affects someone, you don’t have to involve them. unless you feel good about doing so.

How to make decisions when you feel stuck

Some questions you should ask yourself in the decision making process:

  • Am I calm and thinking clearly?
  • Do I need to step away from the situation before making my final decision?
  • What are the consequences of either side of my decision?
  • Does my decision align with my values?
  • What would I tell a friend if she came to me asking for advice?
How to make confident and clear decisions

To summarize if you are having decision fatigue or you are struggling to make decisions because of fear or people pleasing,, there are several strategies that can help. Following your intuition, setting a deadline, meditation, using a pros and cons list, doing your research and or asking others for advice. What strategies do you use to make decisions? Tell me in the comments.

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How to Adjust to a New Routine

I’ve been talking to my audience and one thing that keeps coming up is the struggle with adjusting to a new routine. It’s September, so that means back to school. That means getting up earlier, rushing out of the house and having to be on your kids about getting dressed and doing anything to get them out the door. If you struggle with this, you are not alone. Here are several strategies to adjust to or create a new routine that your family will love. If they don’t love the new routine, it will be at least tolerable. Maybe even enjoyable.

The Purpose of Your Routine

First, look at your why. Why does this new routine need to happen? It being September, the most obvious reason would be the kids going back to school, but there may be other reasons to start a new routine such as a new baby, a move, the start of a new job etc. Looking at the reasons behind any new routine will help you stay clear and focused.

Planning Your New Routine

To begin creating your new plan, ask the following questions. Write out the answers and share them with family if necessary.

  • What needs to happen in the morning?
  • What needs to happen at night?
  • Who needs to get up when?
  • What could you do to speed up your morning routine?
  • Who will do which tasks?
Mom doing her morning routine

Routine Tweaks and or Suggestions

  • Create a schedule for use of the bathroom if you have to.
  • Maybe kids need baths at night instead.
  • Create a chore chart for the kids.
  • Set out clothes the night before.
  • Pack lunches the night before.
  • Start the routine a couple weeks before the actual change needs to happen.
Mother and daughter morning routine

Practice Gratitude

In order for change to be welcome and to stick, you have to find some benefit in it. It can take at least 21 days for new habits to stick, so don’t get discouraged if anyone in the family slips back to their old ways of doing things.

  • What are the benefits of the new routine?
  • What are you grateful for?
  • Will it give you more time to yourself.
  • Will it give your kids more structure?
  • Will you get more work done?

Relieve Your Anxiety

Is there any anxiety around your new routine? Change can be scary if it is a large change. Humans are creatures of habit so even small changes can be bothersome. If you find yourself resisting, it’s time to look at any anxiety you have around the new routine. Here’s a list of some examples, but you may have some that are different.

  • I’ll be late for work.
  • We won’t get enough sleep.
  • I’ll have to get up earlier and I’m not a morning person.
  • I won’t have enough time to myself.
  • I’ll be yelling at my kids.
  • I’ll feel rushed.
  • My kids can’t do enough for themselves yet and I’ll have to do everything.
  • I’ll be busy looking for things. The keys, a pair of shoes, the child’s homework etc.

Get Organized

One way to beat some of this anxiety is to get organized. Find places to keep things and make sure they are kept there. A basket by the door, a place for the backpack, a hanger for keys, Organize drawers so that clothing or personal items can easily be found.

How to have a morning routine you love

Have a morning routine you love.

Do you feel stressed and hurried in the morning? If so, you will want to create some nonnegotiable rituals. Some examples may be Meditation, exercise, journaling, a cup of tea or coffee, watching the news, watching cat videos etc. Whatever gives you a boost, relieves some stress and can be done in a short amount of time, do it! Even if you have to get up a few minutes earlier. You may have to delegate some tasks or do them the night before. Doing something for yourself in the morning is so worth it. It starts your day on a more positive note and it may only take a few minutes depending on your rituals. If possible, do this before the kids are out of bed. This way you have some quiet time to yourself.

How to adapt to a new routine

To summarize, get clear on why your routine needs to happen if it isn’t obvious. Then create a plan. Who does what tasks and when? Figure out what makes you anxious about the change and then get organized. Decide what you can let go of and what are your non negotiables. Through this process you will create a new routine that you love. If it’s not something you love, it will be a routine you can tolerate. Did I miss anything? What helps you get adjusted to a new routine? Tell me in the comments!

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30 Back To School Prompts for Teachers

Here are several prompts to help you through the transition of getting back to school. You may want to use these prompts to shift your mindset, get clear on your goals for the first quarter of the school year or create a self-care plan.

30 back to school journal prompts to help you through the transition30 back to school journal prompts to help you through the transition

School Related Journal Prompts

  • How do I feel about teaching at this moment?
  • What is my purpose for teaching?
  • What do I enjoy about teaching?
  • What do I dislike about teaching?
  • What lessons have I learned from teaching?
  • What are my favorite lessons to teach?
  • What plans do I have for the first quarter?
  • How will I stay energized throughout the day?
  • What will cheer me up if I have a bad day?
  • My plan for time management at school is…
  • What can I do if I feel unheard?
  • How can I be better at listening?
  • What can I learn from a failed lesson plan?
30 back to school journal prompts

Home and personal Time Journal Prompts

  • How will I take care of myself?
  • Create a self-care plan.
  • My plan for time management at home is…
  • How will I stay present with my family?
  • How will I deal with stress at home?
  • Who can I go to for support?
  • What tasks can I take off my plate and or delicate?
  • The activities that bring me joy are…
30 back to school journal prompts for teachers

Journal Prompts for Moving Forward

  • What is my biggest struggle right now?
  • What is the first step I can take to overcome that struggle?
  • What is coming easily to me right now?
  • How can I bring that feeling to other parts of my life?
  • What am I grateful for in this moment?
  • How can I bring more joy into my life?
  • What are my long-term goals? (Personally or professionally)
  • What action steps do I need to take to achieve my goals?
  • What small actions can I take? (Today, this week, this month etc)

There you have it. 30 journal prompts to help you through the transition back to school. You can pick the ones that call to you and work from there. Even if you write for five to ten minutes a day. Journaling is a great way to process thoughts and feelings as well as a brain dump. You can get rid of all that clutter in your head before starting the day or going to bed at night. Does journaling help you in any aspect of teaching? Let me know in the comments.

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5 Lessons I Learned From Starting a Meditation Practice

You may have noticed that I haven’t been very active on the blog this year. I have had a difficult year and perhaps I will explain more in a future post. I’m still pretty guarded with the details, but I will say that I am now using this time to improve myself. Personal growth can be a life saver in the difficult times, but one lesson I’ve learned is that we should never drop the ball on this.

We should always be growing and learning. Not that there’s anything wrong with where you are at, but in my experience the times where I’ve been stuck are the times when I’ve stopped caring for myself. Some of the things that I use to keep me grounded are gratitude journaling and having my crystalsaround me. One thing I’ve never been good at, but have recently added to my routine is meditation.

I was inspired by a course I was taking. The first module involved creating a morning routine that set the tone for the day. I found that the tone for my morning was frantic, irritated and generally grumpy. I’m a bear in the morning. I’ll admit it! It’s not pleasant, so I wanted to change this. First, I decided to get up earlier and do some journaling about what I’m grateful for. This allows me to focus on what’s good in my life as soon as I open my eyes. Then I added meditation to the practice.

5 lessons I’ve learned from starting a meditation practice

What does it mean to be good at meditation?

I decided that even though I’m not good at it, that’d I’d make it a habit, but when I thought about it, what does it mean to be good at meditation anyway? I’m picturing these people at retreats spending hours in stillness and silence. Other times I picture that people who are good at meditating have all these awesome visualizations and or revelations. I’m lucky if I can stop my mind from wandering. I picture people being able to meditate without any guidance. They can just go into this state of total relaxation and feel so refreshed afterward.

Lessons Learned from Meditation

I am good enough!

I can’t say that I’ve ever been in a meditative state, but I can say it’s relaxing. I can’t always still my mind, but I go with the flow. I have the thought and then try focusing back on the meditation. I use guided meditations, so I have something to concentrate on. Even though I sometimes find it hard to visualize, the guided meditations help with this.

Meditating on the beach

Get in touch with your body

I’m learning that it’s okay not to be in a certain position. Sometimes I sit or lay down. I pick which ever position feels best to me at the time. Usually, I’m laying since it’s right after I wake up, but if I try meditating later in the day, I sit. If you need to be moving to stay focused, they even have walking meditations. Meditation is also a great way to check in with all parts of your body, but more on that later.

Trust Your Intuition

I used to feel guilty or bad if my mind wandered. Now I go with it because maybe those thoughts are the start of a break through. You never know unless you follow your intuition. You can use some of your thoughts while you are meditating for journaling as well if you feel you need to explore something further. You can also use your intuition to find which meditation will work best for you.

What you can learn from starting a meditation practice

You can Meditate on Anything

Is there a specific issue you are working through? There are meditations for just about anything as I’ve recently discovered. Some of the themes I’ve chosen are the beach, letting go, forgiveness, crystal healing and being more confident. I’ve even used a couple meditations for kids with Rosebud to help her calm down after a bad day. I had no idea of the possibilities open to me.

The importance of trying something new

One of the promises that I’ve made to myself is that I will take as many new opportunities as I can. Meditation has never been something I put much effort into, but it was relatively easy for me to try. I didn’t think it would benefit me, but I figured why not try? Here is what I found so far. It helps me get and stay more relaxed while starting my morning. I have a space to either think or zone out. It’s my choice. I can explore specific themes or just listen to some nature sounds or restful music. I can get in touch with my body. Where is the tension? Where do I feel pain? How am I feeling today? Finally, I can feel good about taking ten minutes each day to care for my mind and body.

There are numerous benefits of meditation, but each person’s experience is unique. I have learned that you don’t have to be good at meditation to get started. You should always trust your intuition. You can meditate on any topic. Meditation is a fantastic way to be in touch with your body. Last but not least, you won’t find the good stuff if you never try something new.

Why you should start a meditation practice

Do you have a meditation practice? What have you learned along the way? Do you have any favorite meditations? I’d love to hear in the comments!

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60 Journaling Prompts To Tell Your Story

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?
Telling our stories

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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No More ‘Sunday Scaries’: 11 Resources for a Productive Weekend

This week, I have a special treat for you. A guest post by Elena Stewart. Do you wake up on Sundays already dreading the week ahead? Do you lose sleep on Sunday nights because your to do list is already a mile long? Read on to learn how to overcome those Sunday scaries and have a productive but relaxing weekend.

12 ways to overcome the Sunday scaries

It’s a Sunday afternoon, and your stress levels are rising as you think about everything you need to do to finish up to get ready for the next week. The “Sunday scaries” are settling in, and this weekly phenomenon drains the joy from your final day off. However, if you’re a parent, working with NMC Coaching can help you figure out how to reclaim your time. Plus, these resources are packed with suggestions on getting rid of the Sunday scaries!

Taking Care of Your Body

It’s hard to continue eating healthy and working out on the weekends. Here’s how to keep up with these habits through Sunday.

● Using a smartwatch with a fitness tracking app will keep you on top of your routine.

● To make sure your smartwatch fits properly, you’ll need a snug watch band!●

By meal prepping on Sunday, you’ll already have your breakfasts, lunches, and dinners portioned for the week.

Don’t forget to take your vitamins and supplements on Sunday night!

12 Resources to help you overcome the Sunday Scaries

Prioritize Your Mental Health

Maybe you’re used to feeling stressed every Sunday — but it doesn’t have to be this way. These resources will help you approach Sunday with a more positive attitude.

  • ● Step away from the world for a while by having a home spa day.
  • ● This bedtime yoga routine will give you sweet dreams!
  • ● If you tend to have racing thoughts every Sunday night, meditation could be the solution.
  • ● Taking care of little ones? A coach who works with parents can help you with stress management. Contact NMC Coaching for more information.

Clean Up Your Space

Starting the week with a clean home allows you to stay focused on things you need to get done.

  • ● Block off an hour or so to take care of any clutter in your closet. ● Don’t start the week with a dirty kitchen! Wipe it downafter cooking on Sunday.
  • ● Spruce up your bathroom in no time with these handy speed cleaning tips.

If you feel your mood dip every Sunday, it’s time to turn things around. You can turn Sundays into a day that you look forward to instead! By following the tips from the resources outlined above, you can overcome the Sunday scaries. 

How to have a productive weekend

Is parenting making it tough for you to manage your time on the weekends? NMC Coaching can help you get your schedule under control! Contact us through our website to get started.

About Elena

Elena made the jump from a corporate job she wasn’t entirely happy with, to running her own business that gives her the financial freedom and flexible lifestyle she’s always wanted. As a life coach, she now gets the happiness of helping others get to the places that might seem out of reach. To learn more about Elena and her services, head on over to Elenastewart.com!

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How To Achieve Your Goals in 5 Easy Steps

Since this is a beginning of a new year, it’s the perfect time to think about setting goals and of course, achieving them. If you didn’t make New Years resolutions, don’t worry about it. If you have already fell off the resolution wagon, that’s okay. You can start over. I will show you how to achieve your goals in five easy steps.

How to achieve your goals in 5 easy steps

Step 1: Choose Your Non Negotiables

What will you make non negotiable? Meaning what will you focus on? What areas of your life light you up or which areas need to be improved?

Deciding what you need to focus on is the first step towards achieving your goals. For me, one area that I focused on last year is fitness. Specifically, exercising daily. I didn’t specify how much weight I wanted to lose or what size I wanted to drop to. I focused on one specific measurable action. To exercise for at least a half an hour daily.

Once you have decided on area to focus on and a specific action to take, it’s on to step 2.

Types of Goals you can achieve

Business goal: To have 10 coaching clients by December 2021.

Specific action: Reach out to 10 people per month on social media and invite them to a discovery call.

Personal goal: Read 20 books in the next 6 months.

Specific action: Read for 15 minutes each night before bed.

Relationship goal: To have one date night per week.

Specific action: Make a list of 20 date night ideas.

Parenting goal: To be more present with my children each day.Specific action: Put phone in another room for 1 hour each day.

I would suggest starting with two or three areas that are the most important to you. Then make one, two, or three goals for each area.

Step 2: Make your goals measurable

Remember that specific action from step one? It’s time to break those down even further.

This will help you track your progress and celebrate your wins! It will also make reevaluating your goals easier.

Here’s one example from my business goals. My over arching goal is to get 10 paying coaching clients by December of 2021. One strategy I will use to promote my services and find clients is using Instagram. Here are two measurable action steps I can take.

1. Post once per day,

2. Comment on at least four other people’s posts per day.

Since I can’t control the actions of others meaning whether they will sign on as clients, I can control my level of engagement. Building relationships with people through engagement is my strategy.

Here’s another example.

Goal area: Fitness

Specific goal: To lose 20 lbs in 6 months.

Measurable action steps: 1. Run 30 minutes each day.

2. Eat one serving of fruits and vegetables with each meal.

3. To drink 4 glasses of water each day.

Do you notice how the action steps all relate to fitness, but they are different? Let’s say the person misses a few days of running, but they are still able to eat healthier and drink more water. Technically, they are still working on their goals and it can still be a win even if you don’t do all your action steps each day. Having more than one measurable action is like having a backup plan.

Achieve your goals with an accountability partner

Step 3: Accountability

The third step towards achieving your goals is holding yourself accountable. Meaning how will you commit to your goals? Will you write it down in a place where you will see it everyday? Will you tell someone who will check in on your progress? Do you work best when you work on your goals alone?

Often, we achieve our goals faster if we have an accountability partner. I know for me, if I’m going to check in with someone about the goals I’m working on, I feel worse if I have nothing to report. Finding an accountability partner may be a good motivator to stay on track. It may also help if your partner is working towards the same goals, but it’s not necessary.

Some things to consider when looking for an accountability buddy are:

  • Who will you choose?
  • When will you tell them?
  • How often will you check in?

If you’re a person who works best alone, here are some suggestions.

  • Put a sticky note where you will see it everyday.
  • Create a vision board representing your goals.
  • Send reminders to yourself using your phone.
  • Write your top goals each day when you get up each morning.

How to achieve your goals step by step

Step 4: The hard work of achieving your goals

You’ve chosen areas of your life to focus on, you’ve created goals and specific action steps and you’ve found ways to keep yourself accountable. Now it’s time to do the hard work. It’s time to put your plans in action and make your dreams a reality. This is where people often get stuck. This is the most important step and where you can start seeing your progress which will look different depending on your goals. If you are crushing your goals, that is fantastic, but if you get stuck, ask yourself:

What do I need to put in place to help me achieve this goal?

It could be anything from a physical item to getting rid of thoughts of self doubt.

How will my life change if I achieve this goal?

By answering this question, you will reach the why behind your goal. You will see what will be different if you keep going.

Finally, if you feel the goal is too big,

How can you break it down into even smaller steps?

What is stopping you from achieving your goals?

If you are on the hard work of step 4 and you are feeling stuck. It would be the perfect time to reach out for help. Let’s have a chatso that we can get you back on track.

Journal to reevaluate your goals

Step 5: Reevaluate your goals

Reevaluating serves two purposes. First you see what progress you’ve made. Maybe you’ve already achieved your goal and can move on to the next. Maybe you are progressing, but need to keep going as you are. Finally, your goal may be too large, not specific enough or not as important to you anymore. If you don’t reevaluate, you’ll miss out on this important information. It’s a good opportunity to be honest with yourself about what you truly want.

When you are doing your planning, you’ll want to decide when you will be checking your progress. Will it be weekly, monthly, quarterly etc? These time frames will be different depending on the goal. Here are some examples.

Business: Make a 90 day marketing plan with at least one item to do each day.

Progress check: Have you done each item on your plan?

Personal goal: Write in your journal each day.

Progress check: How many days this week did you write in your journal?

If not, what stopped you.

Personal goal: Losing weight

Progress check: Weekly weigh in.

Have you lost weight? Gained weight? How many days this week did you exercise? Why or why not?

Here are some questions to ask yourself when you are reevaluating your goals while feeling stuck.

  • Is this goal still important to me?
  • What is getting in the way of me achieving this goal?
  • How can I remove these blocks?
  • What different measurable action steps can I take?
  • If this goal is no longer meaningful, what are my new goals?
  • How can I hold myself accountable?
  • How am I feeling about this particular goal?
  • How will I feel when I accomplish this particular goal?

Summary

To summarize, there are five easy steps you can take to help you achieve your goals.

  • Step 1: Pick 1, 2 or 3 areas to focus on and make specific goals.
  • Step 2: Make it measurable. Write 1, 2 or 3 action steps that you can take to achieve your goals.
  • Step 3: Keep yourself accountable. Find an accountability partner or write your goal in a place where you will be reminded every day.
  • Step 4: The hard work. This is where you put your plan into action. This is the most important step. You can get stuck, but you can also make things happen!
  • Step 5: Reevaluate. Here’s where you see your progress. You will learn what is working and what you need to change.

What are your goals for 2021. I’d love to hear about them over a discovery call. If you are feeling stuck, need some help prioritizing your goals or need an accountability partner, I’d love to work with you!

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How to Choose Your Word for 2021

Since 2020 is finally wrapping up, I want to start focusing on 2021. Honestly, I’m grateful that 2020 is ending. It has been a horrible year for many. However, I will be taking some things from 2020 with me like the importance of slowing down, continuing to build my business as well as the personal progress I’ve made this year. While I know all the terrible things won’t go away the moment the ball drops, it’s important to look ahead. Have you been thinking about New Years resolutions?

How to choose your word for 2021

The truth is most people make resolutions and then lose their motivation after a month or two. This is why I’ve gotten into the practice of choosing a word for the year. Even if you change or drop your goals, your word can still guide you. You don’t have to feel guilty about not sticking to those New Years resolutions. You can use your word as a guide for your daily actions and even if you skip a day or a week, you have nothing to feel guilty about. Doesn’t that sound much better? Here is how to choose your word for 2021.

Word for 2021 Brainstorming Exercises

You may already have a word in mind or you might not know how to start if this is your first time. The first step is to brainstorm and you can go about this in several ways.Journal and planner for 2021

Journaling

Write in your journal. Describe what you want 2021 to look like. Don’t forget all areas of your life. Personal, family, professional, social life, hobbies etc. The sky is the limit.

  • Do any themes reoccur?
  • Do any words pop out at you?
  • What feeling do you get?

Make your dream come true

Vision Board

If you are a more visual person, you may want to create a vision board for 2021. If you spend time visualizing your goals, you will achieve them. Just the act of visualizing your goals can bring them closer. If you don’t know where to start or don’t have any inspiration, there are tons of vision board images and tutorials online.

You can create a physical version with a sheet of poster board and some cut out pictures or you can create a digital version.

Here are some things you may want to put on your board.

  • Inspirational quotes or phrases,
  • Words that resonate with you,
  • Places you’d like to travel too,
  • Items you’d like to have,
  • Pictures of your dream home,
  • Pictures that represent your goals such as money, fitness, schooling, new hobbies etc.
  • Family life: Children, weddings, new partner, current partner etc.

The sky is the limit with this exercise too. Let your imagination and creativity go and make something you love!

Word Cloud

Make a word cloud or list of words that resonate with you. Whatever pops into your head. You can either do this exercise first or be inspired to make your list by one of the other exercises. Anything goes here as well.

  • What word or words pop out at you?
  • Which words connect to your goals?

Goal Setting for 2021

Set Goals

If you haven’t already, set some goals for the new year. I know that I’ve said you may not want to set New Years resolutions, but there still may be goals or dreams you have in mind for 2021 and beyond. Maybe you want to get in better shape, find a new relationship, be more present with your kids, take a family vacation etc. List your goals and the steps you need to take to get there. For more specific goal setting tips, come join me on Instagram!

For now, just make a list of your top goals and see if any of them are connected. Perhaps, that’s where you will find your word.

Let’s take my goals for 2021 as an example.

  • 1. Get ten coaching clients.
  • 2. Take a course for marketing on Instagram.
  • 3. Create my new weekly newsletter.
  • 4. Meet the man I have been talking to online.
  • 5. Be more present with Rosebud.
  • 6. Try a new hobby.

Most of these goals relate to beginning, creating, or starting something new, so I have chosen the word beginning for 2021. When I picture 2021, I picture a year of beginnings. A fresh start with opportunities to create something new. Wiping the slate clean and drawing a new picture. Rosebud has this new writing tablet and when she is done with her picture, all she has to do is push a button and it disappears. You are left with a blank screen to start over. That is my metaphor for 2021. Beginning again.

List of Words for Inspiration

If you aren’t inspired yet, here are a list of words to help you get started.

Adventure, Abundance, Change, Confidence, Connection,

Direction, Excitement, Focus, Friendship, Gratitude,

Happiness, Joy, Kindness, Learning, Love,

Movement, Positivity, Present, Productive, Reflection,

Renewing, Results, Self-acceptance, Self-care, Sharing,

Tolerance, Trust, Truth, Wealth, Wonder.

Choosing your word for 2021

What is your word for 2021? Tell me in the comments. I’d love to know. I wish you a happy new year. May 2021 be filled with peace and prosperity for all of us. I hope 2021 will be a time to reconnect and reunite. As always, stay safe and healthy.

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How To Accept Your Uniqueness

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.

Do this one thing to appreciate your uniqueness.

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.

Happy girl with paint on her hands. Messy play.

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.

Overwhelmed multitasking mom with dishes, cup of coffee and baby

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.

Single isolated cloud in blue sky.

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.

Woman sitting floating on a cloud

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.How to accept your uniqueness

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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