A few weeks ago I discussed If you’ve found yourself feeling kind of stuck in the grind there are some easy things that you can do to start to pull yourself out of it. I’m sharing five of my favorite ways to make the most of every day, even when every day feels busy and over-scheduled.
When I can make these five things happen, I find that it helps ground me to what is truly important in life. And that’s not being a robot/task-master/highly-performing employee/super mom/any of the other highly-stressful expectations we put on ourselves.
Find time for play.
My girls are the #1 best reminder that I have for this. Whether it’s taking 5 minutes to get on the floor and have a cuddle party with them when I’m working from home or taking them out for walks/activities/trips, they never fail to remind me that there’s always time for play…and that play is FUN!
Connect with someone.
My BFF Dorie is my grounding force when it comes to connection. She has truly taught me how to pull out of all the stuff I have going on for check-ins, whether they’re 5 minute chats or 3 hour long wine nights.
I try to add more connection into my life by calling my family, rehashing the day with Tanner while I’m cooking dinner every night, texting or SnapChatting my close friends regularly and planning at least one friend get together a week. I don’t always succeed but I’ve gotten so much better. Life is so much richer with meaningful relationships and connection.
Get outside.
I crave fresh air and sunshine and getting outside does wonders for my head and heart space. Sometimes getting outside looks like sitting on my back deck for a 5-minute work break and soaking up the sun, sometimes getting outside is going for a walk or a run and sometimes getting outside is getting out of Charlotte and to the mountains or the beach.
Practice non-distraction.
I don’t know about you but I feel like I can spend 30 (or 60!) minutes on my phone or laptop, and it feels like 2 minutes. I am guilty of seeking distraction, as many of us are these days. I find that I have to make non-distraction a practice. Like, I’m going to close the Facebook tab open in my browser and focus on my work without having to check every notification that pops up. Or my laptop is not coming on the couch with me. In the car I try to listen to podcasts or audio books and keep my phone out of site. One of my friends religiously puts her phone on do not disturb every night at 9 p.m. and I think that sounds like a pretty great idea. It’s all about creating boundaries with distraction. Again, this is an area where I am definitely a work in progress.
Take the best care of your body, heart and head.
Body: exercise regularly, get enough sleep, eat healthy foods, get massages or other bodywork, wear sunscreen, establish a skincare routine, stretch and roll out, supplements when needed.
Heart: nurture relationships, be vulnerable, talk about your feelings, be choosy about the people you surround yourself with, learn how to breathe, strengthen and learn to trust your intuition.
Head: pray, meditate, journal, read, stimulate your brain, talk kindly to yourself, be gentle with yourself, give yourself space and time to think things through.
This post was inspired by this video from CocoaVia® about how Ryan Stutter lives with heart. In the opening line of the video he says, “To me, to live with heart means to make the most of every day.” And YES. That’s what it’s all about. Today is all we have, and it’s up to us to be present and living life to the fullest.
The CocoaVia® campaign is about encouraging people to “Live Your Life with Heart.” It’s a mission that brings together living with passion while also promoting the best in you every day. CocoaVia® is a daily cocoa extract supplement that delivers all the benefits of cocoa flavanols in each three capsule serving or one single? powdered stick pack. Numerous scientific studies have demonstrated that cocoa flavanols promote healthy blood flow from head to toe†. So taken daily, CocoaVia® can help support the best in you.
And today, I’m giving away a sample pack of CocoaVia® capsules and powdered stick packs. To enter for a chance to win, leave a comment telling me one thing you do to make the most of every day…or share a tip on how you decrease distraction in your life.
Giveaway closes on Sunday, September 4 at midnight EST. U.S. only. One entry per person.
Disclosure: I was asked to participate in the CocoaVia® “Live Your Life with Heart” campaign. I was compensated for my time.
†This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
