With summer brings endless invitations to cookouts, festivals, weddings, happy hours, and more. That’s not to mention your own personal plans to take the kids on field trips, complete projects around the house, and whatever other plans are on your agenda. Even though summer is the perfect time to slow down, it can be so hard to actually do that because who wants to waste a beautiful sunny day?
Last year, a friend introduced me to the Yellow Conference, an event for creative women who want to do good. Both inspired and intrigued, I logged on to their site and the rest has been history. I haven’t been able to make it to the conference yet but I get to enjoy the next best thing: membership with the Yellow Collective community.
Can we talk about “mom guilt?” Why is it a thing? Like a crippling, debilitating AWFUL thing? A thing that we as moms *whispers* sometimes do to ourselves?”
Motherhood has taught me many lessons. Among them is the fact that kids will outgrow clothes in the blink of an eye. I count it a true blessing that Caleb has more clothes than he needs and doesn’t want for a thing (besides this shirt). When he can no longer wear something, I decide if I want to save it or donate it.
When I have adult clothes to give away, I usually take them to the Goodwill. However, I feel differently about baby clothes. If a mom needs baby items, I want to make sure that she can find them for free.
Welcome to June aka summer time! Well, at least if you are in Chicago. Last month, I didn’t set any official goals in my Powersheets, but I did commit to some things so May wasn’t a total wash. That being said, I set some intentional goals for June related to parenting, fitness, faith and relationships. While May ended on an incredible note, the middle weeks were a little all over the place. Without having a clear sense of what I needed to accomplish, I was flying by the seat of my pants as far as what I was and wasn’t doing. That is not what intentional living looks like!
Last week, our family left rainy Chicago in search of sunnier skies on the Gulf Coast. My oldest stepson graduated from high school down there so our trip was the perfect excuse to celebrate his accomplishments, catch up with my husband’s family, and honestly just whoosah.
Leading up to the trip, I was burnt out to the max from work and some other tasks on my plate. I have been saying “Yes” to too many things, people, and projects. And, it finally took a toll on me. Honestly, I’m still in “generosity recovery,” but that’s another post for another day.
Last week, I was showered with love and fuzzy feelings as I celebrated my second Mother’s Day. Motherhood has brought me so many incredible moments but I have to admit that I am still struggling with some of the physical aftereffects of carrying Caleb.
Thanks to Whole 30, I’m below my pre-baby weight, however parts of my body just aren’t the same as before. One of the biggest insecurities had to do my how poorly my bras fit post-baby. After breastfeeding, my girls just weren’t themselves anymore.
All of my life, I have held myself to incredible performance standards which propel me far but not as far as I know that I can truly go.
I cut myself off at the knees and think things like, “Well, those things worked because you were fortunate. Don’t go any further or people will see you for who you really are.” That last part… That fear of being “exposed” has haunted me my whole life. It has affected everything from personal relationships to passion projects. Remember Real Women Give?
I love a good TED Talk. Whether it’s checking them out on the website or catching snippets during the TED Radio Hour on NPR, I look to these engaging videos to inspire me, educate me on a new topic, and introduce me to new perspectives from some of the smartest folks on the planet.
Whether you volunteer at a community center or are leading a non-profit organization, it’s important that we stay motivated and reminded of the beauty that comes along with making a difference. As such, I’ve rounded up 6 inspirational TED Talks to give us the right amount of motivation as we pursue purposeful living and seek to change the world.
Welcome to April! Knowing that we are on the verge of spring temperatures has me feeling super energized and ready to knock out some major goals over the next three months. I’ve been using Powersheets to help map out my year. In 2016, I had the tool but didn’t use it like I should have. However, I’m doing MUCH better this year. One of the things that I like most about the Powersheets are the 3-month refresh pages which allows you to take stock of the prior months and what you did or didn’t do. This refresh also helps with assessing whether or not your annual goals need to be tweaked.