Allow Me to Reintroduce Myself

As a wife, mom of a very active toddler, and full-time employee, this past year navigating life amidst a global pandemic has been challenging to say the least. Trying to maintain a sense of control feels nearly impossible. I’m sure many of you can relate. Can we all just take a collective deep breath together? (Breathe in through your nose…3, 2, 1…and out through your mouth.) That felt a little better, right? It’s currently 12:41 AM and in a little over an hour, the clock will “spring forward” as Daylight Saving Time begins. This also means the first day of spring is exactly one week away. I’ve always loved the spring season and what it symbolizes: coming out of winter hibernation and moving into a state of renewal. This year, I really want to take full advantage of this time as an opportunity for a fresh start.

In preparation for the new season, here are 5 steps I’ve taken towards optimizing my space, time, and energy.

1. Out with the Old, in with the New; Don’t Buy Anymore Clothes

Change is hard. I’ll be the first to admit I have some habits I need to break. One of them being compulsive buying. I can walk into a store with no intentions of buying anything outside of the one thing I came there for and walking out with $100 worth of stuff. It has to stop. I’ve made a commitment to go through my wardrobe and pack up anything that I haven’t worn in the past 6 months and items I can’t fit anymore. Goodwill, here I come.

2. Creating Good Feng Shui

Feng shui is the ancient Chinese practice of arranging items in living spaces in order to create balance and harmony between an individual and their surrounding environments. There are many different aspects I could expand on, but one of my main focal points for improving the energy in my home is the entryway. Before, there were shoes everywhere, junk mail, the garbage can, empty boxes, and other random things cluttering the space. Now, we have a nicely organized shoe rack, a small table to place the mail, and an essential oil diffuser. Our entry way is clutter-free and scented with the most inviting aroma. Hello tropical paradise.

3. Learning to Delegate

A dirty dish here. A pile of laundry there. You let a few things slide and say you’ll get to it later. The next thing you know you’re looking at a mountain of tasks that need to be completed and instantly become overwhelmed. I’m a little bit of a control freak so I tend to want to do everything myself so it’s done exactly how I want it. Well, let me tell you, that is not a sustainable model for the long-haul. People are designed to lean on each other. So, I’m being more intentional about asking for help and not letting myself get burned out.

4. Finding “Me-Time”

Taking care of myself first has always been a tough concept for me to grasp. “Isn’t that just being selfish?” Au contraire. The saying “You can’t pour from an empty cup” is 1000% true. A car has to be refueled, a phone has to be recharged, and your cup has to be refilled in order to give your best everyday. As an introvert, merely interacting with people drains my energy. Don't get me started on the Zoom fatigue between work calls and check-ins with friends and family. So, my remedy is finding time to be alone for at least an hour a day. Most times that hour becomes nap time. (yes, I'm an adult who takes naps; don't judge) Regardless, it's a way for me to reset. I’ve also started carving out time to do the things I love the most. That includes taking walks and soaking in the sun, baking, reading, watching Netflix, and writing (of course). I'm having fun rediscovering my talents and passions.

5. Planning Ahead

Benjamin Franklin once said, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” If you’re anything like me, you have a million little thoughts running through your head at any given moment. I’m an overthinker. So to manage my own anxious brain, I’ve begun to plan out my days ahead of time. That includes creating a calendar of important events/dates, weekly meal planning, designated days for laundry and cleaning different rooms of the house, etc. I realized that organization isn’t that daunting, if you approach it in bite-size chunks.

I strongly believe that sharing your goals publicly, as well as sharing your progress towards those goals, increases accountability. So nice to meet you accountability partners! Here’s to us all hitting the reset button and working towards living our best lives.

Cheers!