Habits I Live By

If you follow along on social media, you probably saw my stories throughout the month of May where I shared my daily habits I live by. These habits came about when I needed to make some major changes to my life. In my recent blog, Change for a Purpose, I talked about finding purpose and how you have to take the action to make things happen! Our daily habits are the basis of our behavior. So, here are the 31 habits I shared over the month of May! I hope little changes like these can help you live your best life!

1. Make the bed! Make the bed right after you get up. It will be an accomplished task for the day that motivates you for more and makes your room look more welcoming!

2. Clean the kitchen nightly! Before you go to bed, have all the dishes done and the counter tops wiped down. Walking into a clean kitchen in the morning not only helps alleviate the stress a messy kitchen causes, it will also motivate you to make something healthy for breakfast rather than just grabbing something at a drive thru.

3. Drink water! I drink over 100 ounces a day! Being hydrated helps keep you feeling full and it does wonders for your skin and hair. Skip the soda and drink water!

4. Take a shower! I know that sounds silly but us mommas are notorious for not taking care of ourselves because we are taking care of little ones. Even a quick shower will revive refresh you!

5. Get 8 hours of sleep. Now, I know if you have really little ones this one may be hard. But, so many of us are guilty of staying up too late and when that alarm goes off we are dragging. Make a bedtime reminder if you need to!

6. Exercise! Even if it is just a leisurely walk with the stroller or the dog. I do 3 miles every morning, walking or running. I try to do it outside for fresh air unless the weather is really bad. Get moving and clear your mind!

7. Turn off the TV! The pandemic shutdown created a lot of binge watching. Guilty here thanks to Yellowstone. Evenings in front of the TV are easy but that is so much time to be productive. I even unsubscribed from Netflix and others.

8. Wash your face! Commit to an evening skin care routine. Wash your face, put on some night cream, and take care of you!

9. Say your Prayers! I committed to reading the Bible in 2021 and it has motivated me to be much more intentional about my prayers: prayers for me, my family, friends, the world we live in, and on and on.

10. Create morning devotional and journal time. Morning is when I do my daily Bible reading, a devotional, and write in my journal. It completely shapes my mindset for the day.

11. During that morning time, I plan out my day. I think we are all guilty of putting too much on our to do list. So, I map out that to do list with the actual hours of the day.

12. And I prioritize the top 5 tasks of the day! If there isn't time for some things then they just get moved to another day. My hours are committed to the top 5 of the day first! The top 5 includes doctor's appointments, a client call, getting groceries, meeting with your child's teacher, etc. I often try to have these "done by 1:00!"

13. Go through your mail each day. Don't let it pile up on the counter. Purge the catalogs and the junk mail. Organize pertinent things on your desk or go ahead and get them done right then!

14. Do a load of laundry. If you have kids, then you have a lot of laundry. I start a load almost every morning then throw it in the dryer at lunch and fold it when I get home. This keeps it from piling up and becoming overwhelming!

15. Get in bed early enough to have some quiet time. Read a book or a magazine. Silent your phone or better yet, leave it in the kitchen.

16. Reflect on the 3 best things of the day. (I do this during my bedtime quiet time.) This could be anything from a rigorous workout that you accomplished, meeting an old friend for lunch, gaining a new client, sticking to a diet plan, etc. Whatever made you feel great that day!

17. Fruits & Veggies! they make a huge difference in how you feel! Knock them out early by having a smoothie for breakfast full of berries and other fruits, plus some kale or spinach, and non-fat plain greek yogurt for some probiotics too1

18. Compliment someone. Preferably a stranger or someone you don't know well. The smile you bring to that person's will make you feel better then they do! A simple, "I love that dress, it looks great on you" or a "I appreciate the great service you gave today."

19. Do a good deed for the day! Return an elderly person's shopping cart, let the mom with little kids in tow cut in line at check-out, let someone over in traffic. It's the little things that spread kindness in the world.

20. Stretch! The older we get, the more everything hurts. Take just a few minutes each day to stretch. Release tension and keep those muscles pain free and strong!

21. Stop and smell the roses. Enjoy the nature in your yard as you come and go. Grab a small bouquet from the grocery store or cut flowers from your own yard and put them around your house. Flowers really do lift spirits!

22. Get the trash out of the car! When you get home, just go ahead and collect it all and toss it in that garage trash can!

23. Reach out to a friend. Someone that you don't talk to everyday. Stay in touch.

24. Stop and break for lunch. Even if you have to eat at your desk, put the work away. Slow down and enjoy it. Keep a book in your purse and read for a few minutes. Go sit outside on a bench and just enjoy the fresh air.

25. Start the morning with 8 ounces of lemon water before coffee. Use the juice from at least half a lemon and drink it fast. This has helped my digestion so much!

26. Put your clothes away! Hang up what is clean and put the dirties in the laundry bin! My bathroom used to stay a mess because I would create stacks around the tub and it only takes a minute to actually put it where it belongs!

27. At the end of the day, tidy up your desk so it is a blank canvas when you sit down the next day.

28. Hug your spouse and kids and tell them you love them. Before everyone goes their way for the day, give a good hug and say "I love you!"

29. When you sit down for supper, say a blessing. We have so much to be grateful for everyday, not just at Thanksgiving.

30. Straighten up your relaxing space. Fluff the pillows, fold the blankets, remove the clutter. Make it the welcoming place you need. The porch is my go-to in the summer time!

31. Weigh-In. I know a lot of people may disagree with this one and that is okay. But, when I decided to get the weight off I had gained, I weighed in every day to track my weight loss. Now, I know the few pounds my weight can fluctuate by and everything is okay. And I know when the scale tells me I have overindulged in Mac and cheese.