My intention is to post a Thoughtful Thursday column each week and share some of the insights I have learned in the past week. Here are some of the things I’ve learned this week:

Juice & Toya Podcast – The Power of a Healthy Routine

Make movement part of your lifestyle, even on days when you’re busy. Have some type of structure. Make certain things a priority in your day that are non-negotiable and build that structure into your day.
- Ex: my fitness routine in January 2024 for my health:
  - Walk every day (one Ifit workout) – mornings when working from home, evenings when in the office.
  - 10 minutes abs or glutes each day.
  - Lift weights Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays – Tuesdays/Thursdays during part of lunch when working from home

Nutrition: meal plan and prep. Have designated mealtimes.
Create structure around a goal. Make parts of your routine goal oriented.
Use some Juice & Toya workouts from YouTube. They also have challenges on YouTube.
Your nutrition is far more important than your workouts!!
Every day is a chance to grow.

The Unf*uck Your Fitness Podcast – 6 Steps to Starting A Successful Fitness Journey

These are pieces of advice from the podcaster, Kristy Castillo, not me:

Track your food for two full weeks, eating exactly what you are eating without making any changes. Then you will know what you need to change.
If your goal is weight loss, put yourself in a deficit of 200 calories. If your goal is body re-composition, stay at your average amount of calories, but increase your protein. 1 gram of protein per pound of your goal body weight – fill out the rest of those calories with fats and carbs

Some sources suggest 1 gram of protein per pound of your goal body weight is too much. Here is a different recommendation:

Start lifting weights four days a week. Hit 8,000 to 10,000 steps per day.
Start supplementing with protein shakes, protein bars, collagen, reds, and greens.
Get better/more sleep. Establish a wind down routine to get better/more sleep. Manage stress. Start going to therapy.
Start saying no to anything you don’t have time for. It’s okay to not say yes to everything.

The Unf*uck Your Fitness Podcast – 11 Truths You Need to Know About Fitness and Life

Here are the tips that most resonated with me:

You need carbs. Carbs are energy for your body, and the longer you restrict carbs from your diet, the longer your body will have to use stored body fat to compensate for the lack of carbs. The sooner you start to eat carbs, the sooner your body will feel better and shed body fat.

You need rest. Your muscles only grow when you’re resting.

If you don’t have much weight to lose and you want to tone up, you need to stop doing cardio.

I personally still do cardio since I sit all day…

You will need to say no to things that don’t align with you sooner rather than later: people, celebrations, food, parties, etc. The sooner you can figure out that you can say no to anything, the better off you’ll be.

Your fitness journey is a lifestyle. You can start with a 6-week program, but if you’re only starting with a 6-week mindset, you’re going to fail. Your fitness is a part of your life, becomes who you are, and is part of your journey. You have to make fitness a part of your lifestyle.

NerdWallet’s Smart Money Podcast – Saving Money with Credit Card Rewards Points: Travel, Cash Back, and More

The amount of points you will need for a trip can fluctuate. It is important to check in on your points several times each year.
Delta changed the requirements to earn elite status in future years and put limits on some of the benefits credit card holders can use, such as airport lounge access. Alaska Airlines made changes to its award chart, which determines the number of miles you’ll need to pay for a ticket. The lesson is that you should never have all of your eggs in one basket. Having only one credit card that earns points for one brand really limits your options, as travel loyalty programs change or get devalued often with little or no notice.
Carrying a co-branded airline or hotel credit card can be really beneficial for certain perks, such as free checked bags or free travel companions. It is recommended to lean more toward flexible rewards credit cards that often earn more rewards on everyday purchases.

Flexible rewards credit cards often have their own travel points, such as Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi Thank You points, etc. They can be used to book all kinds of travel, not just a Delta flight or an Alaska flight. Many providers allow you to transfer those points to certain hotel and airline providers.
There are still good bonus options for new card holders. Welcome bonuses are an important part of the travel credit card strategy for many people.
If you use Chase Ultimate Rewards at Amazon to check out, they’re worth 0.8 cents each. Those same points can be worth up to 1.5 cents each when you use them to book travel through Chase or even more than 1.5 cents each if you transfer them to travel partners.

Recommendation: seek a card where you will earn flexible points. Don’t get scared off by credit card annual fees. The rewards and the perks can far outweigh the fee itself – if you use the perks! Upon annual review, if you don’t use the perks anymore, reconsider having the card.
Every year, make sure each card you use still makes sense for you in terms of the annual fee (if applicable), and the perks. Don’t just open cards willy nilly without a plan. Keep a spreadsheet of the perks and conditions of each card you have. Make sure you can meet the minimum spending requirements when you do open a new credit card to get the welcome bonus. Have a plan to meet those spending requirements without spending more money than you intend to or would otherwise.
Some cards have bonus categories. That’s why it is not wise to use a travel card for all purchases. To ramp up your points, have one card for groceries, one for restaurants, etc. if possible – depending on the bonus categories. Different cards are better for different categories.

If the largest part of your spending is at grocery stores, find a credit card that offers the most points at grocery stores and a different card for the rest of your purchases.
The interest that you’ll pay on balances that aren’t paid in full every month will far outweigh any rewards that you will earn.
Cash – if you have to pay a surcharge to use a credit card, the surcharge you’ll pay usually outweighs the rewards you will earn.
Credit Card Competition Act – proposed legislation that can impact the points you earn from using credit cards.

Lift Kit – Improve your indoor air quality

When thinking about air quality, consider the pollution that is coming from inside your house: cooking, cleaning, home improvement projects, etc. Ventilate! Open the windows and turn on a fan that vents outside.
Gas stoves burn fossil fuel inside your house. Nitrogen dioxide is present when using a gas stove, which can cause respiratory issues.
Ventilate when you burn things like incense or when you use cleaners. Check the quality of the air outside as well before ventilating.

Keep your house as dust-free as possible. Dust is made up of fibers, hair, dead skin cells, and chemicals. Take off your shoes at the door of your house so that you aren’t bringing chemicals, dirt, and pollutants from outside into your space.
Dust your home regularly. Avoid dry dusting. Use a damp cloth.

Get a good vacuum with a HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filter, which can remove 99.97% of dust, pollen, mold, bacteria, and many other airborne particles.
When you’re cleaning, open a window. Think about what cleaning materials you are using and any potential health risks associated with them.

Look for mold growing in your bathroom and on surfaces like drywall, dust, etc. Mold releases spores into the air that can cause allergic reactions or trigger allergy symptoms. Figure out where the moisture is coming from and where water damage came from before you make repairs. If you do the cleanup yourself, put on some rubber gloves, goggles, and an N95 mask. If the mold is on a hard surface, scrub it down with dish soap and water, not bleach!
Prevent mold in the future by keeping your house as dry as possible. Think carefully before you get a humidifier. Condensation can start creating mold problems.

Get an air cleaner or make one. Air cleaners filter the air in your home using a HEPA filter. Pay attention to the clean air delivery rate.
Air sensors can measure the levels of pollutants in your home: fine particles, ozone, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide. If you buy a sensor, use it to get smarter about what you do at home and when you need to ventilate.

Consider radon testing. Radon seeps into our homes through cracks in the floor or walls or gaps around pipes. It is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, aside from cigarette smoking. You can get an at-home radon test kit. If your radon levels are higher than recommended, you should hire a contractor to fix your home, as it requires technical knowledge and special skills.

https://www.gabethebassplayer.com/blog/question-of-attention

I really liked this blog post from Gabe the bass player this week:

Question Of Attention

January 31, 2024

We spend a lot of time paying attention. Scrolling, clicking, listening, reading, watching.

So it’s worth asking…what do you want to pay attention to?

Our time, action and attention are too valuable to not consider our answer.

»» Keep in mind…the list of things we care about is very long but the list of things we care FOR is very short.

I look forward to reading, learning, and sharing more with you soon!

Thoughtful Thursday posts, Uncategorized

Thoughtful Thursday – January 25, 2024

January 25, 2024 amybenoit

My intention is to post a Thoughtful Thursday column each week and share some of the insights I have learned in the past week. Here are some of the things I’ve learned this week:

Before Breakfast – Bill your time for a week

Try acting like a lawyer for one week by tracking your time and billing it to different projects. The experience will give you some ideas of how to best spend your waking hours.
You will see how many hours you actually work if you have a salary job.
You can even track your workday and track how many hours you spend in meetings, responding to e-mails, etc.
Time tracking is data that can show you the truth of where your time is going so that you can make more rational choices about how you want to spend your time.

I selected a 2024 planner that allows me to timeblock, and it has been interesting! Almost all of my time, aside from work, sleep, eating, and working out, has been spent on classes and schoolwork.

Focus on Marriage Podcast – Maintaining Joy When Your Plate is Full

Continually communicate with your partner about what the high and low of your day was. Continuously find joy and humor.
Watch a funny video short together and laugh.
This podcast recommended this book. I haven’t read it yet.

On Purpose with Jay Shetty – The 5 Relationships You Need to Invest in to Supercharge Your 2024

Belonging – we need to feel a sense of connectedness to others and feel we are part of a group or community.
- Feeling part of a group creates inner harmony and balance, better mental and physical health, and fewer negative emotions.
- We need to be able to share our thoughts and heart without worrying we will be judged.

Legacy – feeling connected to something bigger – finding people dedicated to creating change, inspiring people, and helping others – celebrating growth, exchanging ideas, and creating new friends
- Jay Shetty had a dinner party with several people he didn’t know well and asked them a few questions: What has been your biggest personal or professional win of 2023? What has been your biggest challenge, personally or professionally, in 2023? How can the people at this table help you/what support can they offer you?
Each person personally shared their flaws, roadblocks, and challenges and there was so much trust in the room. Who in your life would you want to spent more time with because you want to share their same legacy? Are these people inspiring you by the way they live? Have they dedicated their life and work to helping people physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually?

Independence – relationship with ourselves – autonomy and personal usefulness
- Sense of feeling you have value – Reflect on what you are doing and who you are becoming. Who you want to become is the most important question you will ever answer. Take action to become that person. Who do you want to become? Who are you becoming? What is that independent autonomous path that you are building and trying to take because you know that that will lead to your higher self? What is the independent desire for who you want to become?
- We only become things that we don’t want because we aren’t sharing the deepest parts of ourselves. If you don’t share who you are, people will expect you to be who they want you to be.

Safety – people who bring security and stability into our lives – people we feel the deepest and safest with
- People who feel trusted become more trustworthy as a result of increased oxytocin levels in their brains.

Service – relationships based on surrender and service
- Who are we serving? Who are we taking care of? Jay Shetty recommends you spend 20% of your time with people who are guiding you, 60% of your time with people who are peers with you who you feel uplifted by/people you uplift, and 20% of your time with people you are serving and giving to – be a teacher and student at the same time to create humility and proactivity.

Self Improvement Daily – Slipping Back to How Things Used to Be

One of the most difficult parts of self-improvement is sustaining the positive changes you’ve introduced into your life. It’s easier to get motivated to start than it is to stay consistent and maintain your desired habits and routines.

Here are a few things to have in place that will support you in actually keeping the good habits you’ve worked hard for:

Have awareness of the slip – have pieces in place that make you aware of if you’re meeting certain expectations in your life. I highly recommend using a habit tracker for a visual record of your consistency.

Clarity – If you’re not crystal clear on what your standards are, then it’s impossible to know if things are slipping. For example, if you say you want to work out more, set a specific standard to provide clarity and measure your consistency, such as “I want to work out for 30 or more minutes five times each week.” Use a habit tracker to make it easy to notice when you’re starting to slip. The clarity gives meaning to the awareness.

System for reviewing your performance – have the resources in place to hold yourself accountable to reaching a higher standard. If you’re not intentional about paying attention to the things that are focuses for you, they’re naturally going to gravitate toward their comfort zone. Again, I recommend using a habit tracker.

You can find several free habit trackers here: https://www.saturdaygift.com/habit-tracker-printable/

Terrible, Thanks for Asking – “Why are drug dealers putting fentanyl in everything?” from Search Engine

Fentanyl reportedly kills more adults under the age of 45 than guns, COVID-19, or cancer.
The Belgian doctor who invented fentanyl invented over 100 medicines. He was trying to find something that was better than morphine for hospital procedures, such as open-heart surgery. Fentanyl comes on faster and goes away faster, doesn’t cause nausea, and is basically the best hospital drug.
The DEA estimated that only 700 people died of fentanyl overdose in 2014. According to NIH, in 2016, almost 20,000 people died from synthetic opioid overdoses, most of that fentanyl.

Fentanyl is much cheaper than heroin because it’s synthetic and made in a lab. It’s also more potent, making it incredibly profitable. It is incredibly addictive.
Much of the supply was being produced in China, where it was quasi-legal. The Chinese government was slow to ban analogs of the drug, so manufacturers used slight tweaks to the recipe that added a molecule here or there but left the basic chemical structure intact.
When pain prescriptions run out, some people seek out illicit heroin on the street. There isn’t enough heroin to feed the demand, so fentanyl steps in to fill the void.

Mexican dealers ship fentanyl to places like San Diego, El Paso, etc. It is distributed by regional gangs.
Fentanyl is cheaper, but it doesn’t last very long. The fentanyl high is reported to only last up to a few hours (sometimes only 15 minutes), leaving people scrambling to find more.
Fentanyl offers a shorter high, a greater addiction potential, and a higher risk of overdose than heroin.

Some deaths from overdoses can be helpful for fentanyl dealers because people believe they need to try it; some say it’s a form of advertisement for how powerful the drug is and they want to try it.
Resources: Dansafe.org to buy fentanyl test strips, drugsdata.org to see what is in drug supplies
Suboxone is a blocker to prevent you from getting the high from heroin. Suboxone doesn’t block the high from fentanyl.

Mentally Stronger with Therapist Amy Morin – The Minimalists: Why You Should Declutter Your Life

Do you own too much stuff? Is your calendar overflowing with so much stuff that it causes you stress? Are you stressed out by how much you have to do all the time? This episode is for you.
More is not always better. Clutter increases stress and increases the risk of mental health problems, financial problems, time management troubles, and social problems.
Living in a small space makes you think twice about what you really need.
How much is enough will vary depending on your age and life changes. Just because something added value to your life before doesn’t mean it will continue to produce that same amount of value. You don’t need to hold onto items just because they are sentimental.

There are three categories that all of your possessions can fit into: essential, non-essential, or junk.
Most of the things we’re holding onto that we don’t want to let go of, we’re holding onto “just in case” or for “someday.” The problem is that we hold onto many of these items that take up space in our homes and in our lives. Let go.
Our memories are not in our things. Our memories are inside us. If we let go of some sentimental things, we aren’t letting go of the memories. You can take photos that trigger the memories, but you don’t need to hold onto things you won’t get value from. Instead, you can give them away and add value to someone else’s life.
There is more grief involved in holding onto something than in letting that dream die.

Spontaneous combustion rule: what would happen if that thing spontaneously combusted? Would you replace it or would you feel a sense of relief?
You can donate items or try to sell them. Some people try to sell anything they can get $20 for and donate after one week if it doesn’t sell.
Physical clutter, hidden clutter (calendar clutter/business) – “if something is not an emphatic yes, say no.”
Resources: 30-day minimalism game (1 item day one, 2 items day 2,… 30 items day 30), theminimalists.com
Ask yourself what value something brings into your life. Sometimes we hold onto things just because they were given to us as a gift even though they don’t really add value to our lives or because we paid a lot for it. Get rid of things that aren’t improving your life.
Use the spontaneous combustion rule.
Create a challenge to start subtracting things from your life.

I look forward to reading, learning, and sharing more with you soon!

Thoughtful Thursday posts, Uncategorized

Thoughtful Thursday – January 18, 2024

January 18, 2024 amybenoit

My intention is to post a Thoughtful Thursday column each week and share some of the insights I have learned in the past week. Here are some of the things I’ve learned this week:

Psych2Go – 11 Things You Should Say “NO” To

Toxic people – toxicity breeds negativity
People who make you feel unsafe –you have the right to feel safe and not on edge
People who disregard your emotional wellbeing and feelings –you deserve to have the freedom to express your feelings
Situations that make you feel unwanted –you are worthy
Negative self-talk –be reflective rather than critical
Comparing yourself to other people –everyone is different and unique, and everyone has their own flaws, abilities, and strengths
Bad partners –you have no obligation to stay in a relationship
Resisting growth and healing –you are your own masterpiece, and you can own every aspect of who you are
Needless waiting –you can’t recover your wasted time.
Letting other people’s opinions determining your worth –people will always have an opinion of you. Opinions are not facts.
Shrinking yourself to fit in –you’re missing out on the opportunities to grow and reach your greatest potential

Say no to the things that aren’t serving you so that you’ll be saying yes to a clear mind and happier life surrounded by more love and light.

Optimal Relationships Daily – Learning Better Marriage Communication Tools

Take more couple time alone – uninterrupted time for just the two of you.
Manage your own irritability and stress. Take care of your health and get adequate sleep.
Use your everyday life to reduce stress. Tune in as your partner talks about their day:
- frustrations and irritations
- the things they are proud of
- the unpredictable events or people in our lives

Couples learn, over time:
- They learned the cast of characters in each other’s lives.
- They learned more about the worries and pressures each faced.
- They offered no advice, criticism, solutions, or suggestions.
- Instead, they offered a supportive listening ear, true friendship and empathy, and support and validation.

Ask for an ally, not a problem-solver.
Use touch to effectively communicate. Actions speak louder than words. Show you care.
Tune in to dreams, hopes, and aspirations. As you learn your partner’s dreams, hopes, and aspirations, both of you will feel more connected.

Life Kit – Popular myths about sleep, debunked

Myth: it doesn’t matter what time of day you sleep.
- Truth: It does matter. Your circadian rhythm is influenced by natural sunlight in your environment. We need to get exposure to natural sunlight. Blackout curtains and wearing sunglasses on the way home in the morning (shift work) can help your circadian rhythm if you are a shift worker.
Myth: Being able to fall asleep any time, anywhere, is a good thing.
- Truth: It takes a well-rested, healthy person 15-20 minutes or longer to fall asleep. Being able to fall asleep right away generally means you aren’t getting enough sleep.

Myth: One night of sleep deprivation will have lasting negative effects.
- Truth: One night of sleep deprivation can happen from time to time and is normal. Try to get back on track as fast as possible.
Myth: Many adults only need 5 hours of sleep or less per night for general health.
- Truth: Not getting enough sleep can result in compensatory naps. Sleeping for 7-9 hours each night is best for optimal health and well-being – improved heart health, longevity, brain health, etc.

The best way to get into the recommended range is to start adding 15 minutes to your overall sleep routine and add more sleep time as needed until you wake up feeling refreshed and have energy through the day without reaching for coffee or energy drinks.
Watching tv is not recommended before bed. Reduce screen time.
Make sure your bedroom is under 70 degrees when sleeping. Increasing temperatures results in more nightmares and more tossing and turning.

Myth: Exercising within four hours of bedtime will disturb your sleep.
- Truth: Data does not back this up. Exercising can result in better sleep. Exercise releases endorphins, which are mood elevators and can help with the number one cause of sleep difficulties, which is stress.

https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5saWJzeW4uY29tLzEyNzUzOC9yc3M/episode/YTdhZmEwMmQtN2RkYS00OTM2LWI4OTYtYzJhYWQ3Y2Q0ZmM0?sa=X&ved=0CAUQkfYCahcKEwiQkJmwsOeDAxUAAAAAHQAAAAAQAQ

Talks at Google – Shelmina Babai Abji – 8 Strategies for Women to Emerge as Leaders at Work

What value am I going to create? What is it that I would know that they don’t already know? Speak up. You have ideas that matter.
Scan your mental chatter and intentionally pick a response that will allow you to show your worth. You are hired for one reason: the value you create towards the success of your organization.

Intentionally seek assignments that push you out of your comfort zone, that challenge your current competence, and that build new competence. The more competence built, the higher the value you create for your organization. The best way to build more competence is to step outside your comfort zone.
Listen and learn. When you step outside your comfort zone, if you’re not stumbling, you’re not pushing yourself hard enough. You’re learning as you’re stumbling.
Look back at who you were before you learned so much. Look at how far you’ve grown.

Who knows you? How are you known? The conversation about people that people are having in the room while they aren’t present is determining their career projection. The way people talk about you when you aren’t in the room is your personal branding.
Panel interviews – the person who gets the job depends on who around the table advocates for them. Find “sponsors” who will advocate for you.

Create a personal success plan. Every week, set aside time to reflect on what you’ve learned and what successes you’ve had in the last week.
Surround yourself with people who are celebrating you, or you become your own cheerleader. Don’t wait for anyone. Recognize that you have worked so hard to be where you are and achieve what you’re doing.

Focus on what you can control. Do not expend your time and energy on what you can’t control. Uncertainty is always going to be there.
You have limited energy and limited attention, and you get to decide where you’re going to allocate your energy and attention. Always be asking: Is this worthy of my attention? Should I be doing this task? Will it move me closer to my definition of success? Will it contribute toward the success of my organization? If not, learn to say no. Structure your days around your highest priorities.
Saying no can show people that you respect your attention, time, and energy. When you respect yourself, others will respect you.

When you go into a meeting, set intentions. If you don’t set intentions, you will be driven by someone else. When you become intentional, you will not let their behavior drive your behavior. Behave in alignment with the brand you want for yourself. Show up as a leader no matter what. If you show up as a leader when the conversation is highly emotionally charged, people will remember that.

Be very intentional about who you seek advice from. If you have a mentor who is not challenging you, who is not contributing to your growth, or who does not have the capacity to advise you to move forward, you are blocking your success. Have multiple people you seek advice from and seek “sponsors” who support and advocate for you.

**Note that this podcast did not actually cover the eight strategies expanded upon in her book.**

Self Improvement Daily – Defeating Perfectionism

Perfectionism is an avoidance tactic and a form of self-sabotage. Perfectionism can lead to indecision, the limiting belief that you aren’t good enough, and never accepting something as finished. In order to overcome perfectionism, you need to take imperfect action and overcome self-sabotage to become that next, better version of yourself. That can only happen through taking action.

I have reflected on this quite a bit this week because it resonates with me.

Yesterday, January 17, marked one year at my job, a job I love and am passionate about. Yesterday also marked the end of week two of my post-graduate paralegal certificate program, which has been very interesting and demanding so far.

I had been discerning being a criminal prosecutor for *years* since college, yet I was hesitant to accept my current (non-attorney) role due to ongoing health issues and uncertainty in the number of appointments and treatments I would endure. I accepted the job anyway, even though the timing wasn’t *perfect*.

This past year, in my position, I decided to gather more information and talk to actual criminal prosecutors at my job and ultimately decided not to pursue being a criminal prosecutor – something I had been thinking about for *many* years. A paralegal certificate program was never on my radar. In the process of conversation and achieving clarity, I decided to go for it and pursue a paralegal certificate, despite not having it all figured out.

The point is, I was uncomfortable and was waiting for the perfect time for everything: the perfect time to accept this job, the perfect time to gain clarity in my discernment process, the perfect time to start this paralegal program. Yet, if I had waited for the perfect time to take this job (when my ongoing health issues were resolved), I would not have come this far and discovered all I have. I would still be waiting. Boy, would my life be very different today if I had still been waiting for the perfect time to start.

I look forward to reading, learning, and sharing more with you soon!

Thoughtful Thursday posts, Uncategorized

Thoughtful Thursday – January 11, 2024

January 11, 2024 amybenoit

My intention is to post a Thoughtful Thursday column each week and share some of the insights I have learned in the past week. Here are some of the things I’ve learned this week:

On Purpose with Jay Shetty – 4 Lessons I Will Be Taking With Me Into 2024 & How You Can Implement Them

In this world of wanting to be better, grow more, and learn more, we often put ourselves under more pressure and greater stress.

Lessons from Jay Shetty:

#1 – understanding stress as a spectrum – Look at stress as a spectrum.
- Eustress – a positive form of stress having a beneficial effect on health, motivation, performance, and emotional wellbeing. During eustress, feel-good chemicals (endorphins) are released.
- Distress– great pain, anxiety, sorrow, mental suffering, affliction, trouble, etc. We are often referring to distress when we talk about stress.
- Are you putting eustress onto yourself, or are you putting yourself in positions of distress? Are you putting stress on yourself to feel better, motivate yourself, or move yourself forward, or are you putting stress on yourself and being critical of yourself for not getting enough done or not doing enough this year?
- Putting yourself under distress makes you less productive, less effective, and less impactful. Guilt blocks growth.

Rigid thinking/a lack of flexibility – if you stress that you missed a day of your morning routine or an aspect of your daily habits, you are causing distress and you aren’t being realistic.
What one thing could you say you’ve done every day of your life without fail? Probably only breathing, eating, and sleeping

This point was eye-opening to me because I began focusing on daily habits in 2022, and although I have achieved some habits every single day since January 2022, I have been hard on myself when I haven’t been completely perfect with other habits.

When we get into these rigid patterns of thinking, that’s distress. It compounds stress. It’s not a “must.” It’s a “I get to,” “this makes me better,” “imagine what’s possible.”
Unrealistic expectations or perfectionism – caring too much can make what you are creating worse and can make you more anxious. Look at your life and reflect on how you can prepare but not overprepare and think but not overthink.

#2 – finding your center. Give up perfectionism. Accept that you might need to fail at something sometimes. In order to develop a healthy relationship with anything in the world, we have to find the middle and settle in the middle. Try not to be an extremist.
Most stressful events of life: death of spouse, divorce, death of a close family member, injury or illness, marriage, job loss, retirement

This goes along with daily habits. Learn to accept that you might not be able to be perfect every day; other priorities may come up. This is something I am working on.

#3 – being more compassionate and understanding of how others deal with stress – notice how unique and personal your relationship with stress is and how everyone’s experience is unique. Make a list of triggers for stress and create a plan to help you deal with stress.

#4 – Stop sleeping with your phone near your bed. Get a real alarm clock. Allow yourself to wake up and sleep without your phone. Scrolling on your phone results in going to bed later and full of ideas.

This is a tip I have read about time and time again, but I have not implemented it for a variety of reasons.

Know when to push yourself and when to hold back. If you can push yourself positively towards a goal you love with motivation, that’s brilliant. If you’re pushing yourself with negativity or negative self-talk, you need to hold back.

The Clever Girls Know Podcast – 10 Habits of Successful Women

Successful women set goals and achieve them. Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timebound.
Believe in yourself. Say affirmations to yourself, work on self-confidence, and believe you have what it takes to move forward.
Say no sometimes. This gives you ownership of your time and lets you determine where you want to spend your energy and where you don’t want to spend your energy.

Successful women make time for self-love and mindfulness. Take care of your physical and mental health in order to achieve your goals.
Always have a backup plan to fall back on.
Be comfortable with failure. Failure results in lessons in disguise.
Know when to accept help.

Strive for personal development. Never stop learning. Read, ask questions, leverage free resources, and spend time with mentors who help you grow.
Successful women do not compare themselves to others. Comparison is the thief of joy. Instead of comparing yourself, ask others how they did it so that you can learn to achieve those goals as well.
Accept the path and move on from mistakes.

All the Hacks with Chris Hutchins – Top 10 Takeaways from All the Hacks in 2023

Practice getting rejected to help boost your confidence and your ability to ask for things, and it might surprise you over the course of your life. To become more confident, focus on other people’s needs.
- Constantly say, “tell me more.” Let people do the talking and listen and respond to their needs appropriately. What? So what? Now what? What happened, why is it important, and what are we doing next? When presenting, practice WHAT: Why you’re here, How are we connected, Anecdote or two, and Thank you or Toast.
Kindness is so important. Distinction between being nice and being kind – if you are delivering bad news, do it from a place of sincerity. Kindness leads to you flourishing.
- Try to understand who you are trying to accomplish things for and make sure it’s what’s making you happy. This will lead to less resentment and more kindness.

Years ago, I read a book called “Rejection Proof” by Jia Jiang. Jia put himself in several scenarios to face rejection and build confidence.

Value your time. We need to value our time better. Get better at outsourcing, dropping things, or delegating things you don’t want to do. Calculate your “buy back” rate. Do a time audit and look at your calendar. Look at tasks you may be able to outsource that you don’t enjoy. Learn to say no to protect your time.
Learn the skill of spending. Get clarity on your spending; understand where you spend your money and be intentional about your spending. Spend on the things you care about and cut back mercilessly on the things you don’t.
There are so many paths to happiness and success.
We are responsible for our own health. Exercise and eat well. Be an advocate for your health.

Eating well can be much easier. Find meal plans or recipes online, use the Paprika app, etc. Use a meal subscription service if needed. Eat the same thing on certain days. Ex: tacos on Tuesday.
You are in control of your own life. Set goals and do what you say you’re going to do. Brainstorm what your life would look like if time and money weren’t a concern: the relationship you have with your spouse, friends and family, health and fitness, travel and transportation, hobbies and personal expression, work and career, self-improvement, giving back, and celebrations and holidays. You may realize that you don’t need more time and money to live the life you want to; you just need to manage your time and money better.
Ditch plan B. It may hold you back. Prioritize spending time with optimists.
Take time to reflect. What did I change my mind on this year? What created energy this year? What drained energy this year? Who were the boat anchors in my life? What did I not do because of fear? What were my greatest hits and worst misses? What did I learn this year?

HBR IdeaCast – The Best Return-to-Office Policies Aren’t One-Size-Fits-All

It’s wild how things have changed. If a company in 2019 had allowed employees to work from home two days a week, they would have been seen as progressive, incredibly trusting, and an amazing employer. Today, if that same employer expected people to go into the office three days a week, it could be seen as unnecessarily rigid. Some managers want to bring people back into the office in the name of collaboration and company culture.
When should employees be in the office? How often? On what days? How should it work? What managers tend to get wrong is instituting a one-size-fits-all approach from the top down.
Leading organizations are shaping their return-to-office approach to help employees feel that they still have a sense of control and agency over their decisions and behaviors, are facilitating interpersonal connections, and are fostering more-inclusive onsite work environments. They are looking to create a workplace environment that employees will want to be a part of.

Many employees are wondering why companies are making people come back to the office if they have been functioning remotely anyway.
Research shows that 67% of employees feel that going back to the office requires more effort than it did pre-pandemic. We have become accustomed to the flexibility and autonomy over the last few years. Many employees are concerned about the cost of going back to the office.

3 areas leaders and organizations should focus on to navigate this transition:
- Balance of structure and freedom to preserve employee autonomy
- Offer meaningful benefits like commuting subsidies, free or subsidized on-site childcare, food options onsite
- Must be intentional about helping employees build connections that can lead to personal and professional growth

Leaders cannot simply rely on the physical space to build connections. Leaders also need to incorporate inclusion into the onsite environment.
Only 50% of employees feel that the onsite environment seems inclusive.
Employers can help defray the costs of coming into the office. Many employees feel that the costs of coming into the office outweigh the benefits. Ideas: have free or subsidized childcare, transportation reimbursement, free or subsidized lunch
Leaders need to bring employees into the conversation and take a data-driven approach to the mandate. Will requiring employees to go into the office solve all concerns about productivity, loss of employee culture, etc.?

Life Kit – 5 questions to ask your partner for a healthy, lasting marriage

Is there anything that you or I are not willing to give up once we’re married? Ex: a certain hobby like yoga or fishing a certain amount of times each week. You must respect what each person needs and set boundaries to create a thriving marriage. Identity your non-negotiables and your areas of flexibility.
Can you handle me doing things without you? There needs to be connection (togetherness) and autonomy. Be able to compromise on what you can do together and what you can do alone. An early sign of emotional abuse in any relationship is that a person wants to control a partner’s time.

When conflict arose, did your family use the silent treatment, calmly discuss disagreements, or slam doors? How will we engage in conflict? The way couples handle conflict is the single best predictor of whether a marriage will flourish. According to the Gottman Relationship Institute, 2/3 of marriage conflicts are unsolvable, so it is important to learn how to manage it. Indicators of divorce: contempt, defensiveness, criticism, stonewalling

What is the most you’d be willing to spend on a lamp? A pair of shoes? A pair of jeans? Are you on the same page financially? We need to have open and honest ongoing discussions about our approaches to finances and about our emotions about money.
Are you able to change diapers at 3 a.m. and miss important meetings if our kid is sick? Both partners should share, over time, equally, their talents and time. You don’t necessarily need equality, but each partner should feel respected.

I look forward to reading, learning, and sharing more with you soon!

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Thoughtful Thursday – January 4, 2024

January 4, 2024 amybenoit

My intention is to post a Thoughtful Thursday column each week and share some of the insights I have learned in the past week. Here are some of the things I’ve learned this week:

Frugal Friends Podcast – Declutter Your Home in 30 Days

Grab a box, walk around your home room by room, and put anything you don’t need in the box. Start with the easy stuff. Do this several times.
Find motivation with built-in deadlines. Set a timer for 15 minutes and do the first wave in 15 minutes.
Donate more. Use your local Buy Nothing group or Facebook marketplace. You can try selling what you would like to. If it’s not sold within a week, donate it.
Have people in your household help you declutter. Have them find things they would like to give away or donate.

Don’t rent a storage unit long-term. If you want to rent a storage unit short-term, pack up boxes and label them with a date. If, after 6 months to 1 year, you don’t go to your storage unit looking for that item, get rid of everything in the boxes, and get rid of the storage unit.
Plan to have people over to give you a sense of urgency to get rid of the clutter. Use that as a deadline for you to declutter.
Don’t confuse the desire to change with actual change. Thinking about change is not the same as implementing change.
Spending money on something does not result in that hobby or activity getting done.

Challenges
- 10 minutes, 10 spaces – 100 items. Get rid of 10 items from each of 10 different spaces, for a total of 100 items.
- Minimalist challenge – get rid of 1 item on the 1^st of the month, 2 items on the 2^nd day, and so on, so on the 31^st day of the month, you will get rid of 31 items. This challenge is often unfinished. You can do this challenge backwards – start with getting rid of 31 items, then 30, etc.
Ask yourself: How do I actually foresee myself using this in the future? How much would it cost if I got rid of this and then suddenly needed to get it again? Where am I going to keep this item?
If you haven’t used it in the last year and it costs less than $20 to replace it, get rid of it.

Last January, I got rid of one thing each day in our local Buy Nothing group. This year, so far, we have started decluttering one spare room that has been filled with boxes we haven’t really touched since we combined our belongings over a year ago. We have organized what we are keeping, we have thrown a lot of junk away, and we have made piles to give away. It is crazy to think about how much stuff we don’t actually need/want! We have several more spaces/rooms to declutter yet, but it is exciting that we started.

Life Kit – The decluttering philosophy that can help you keep your home organized

Start in the easiest place first – not paperwork or sentimental things. Decide what should stay or go. If you decide to get rid of things, get it out of the room/space right then to eliminate clutter.
After you decide to keep things, find a space for them.
The smaller the space, the more intentional you need to be. Ask yourself: What are the 3-5 activities you want to do in this space? How do you want it to look? How do you want to feel?

Fit, Healthy & Happy Podcast – 10 Life Changing Things I Learned in 10 Years of Lifting

You will never be at an “end point.” You will crush goals and create new goals. Learn to love the process and appreciate how far you’ve come.
Training to failure is overrated. Do a specified number of reps and don’t overtrain.
Nothing beats consistency. Set realistic goals.
Lifestyle adaptation – fight laziness and enjoy the process.
You’re not giving 100%. You’re typically capable of a lot more than you think.

Supplements are way less important than you think. Supplements are supplemental to a great diet, great training, and a great mindset.
If you find something especially hard, do more of it. Ex: cooking, hard exercises, fixing sleep schedule. Fix your weakness.
Keep learning and reading. Question everything and try to have a deeper understanding of it.
You should be doing this to be healthy, not just look sexy.
Form will always be one of the most important things. Without the right form, you’re either getting injured or you aren’t getting the most out of the movement.

Whenever someone is doing something you don’t like, let them.
You will be more in control when you use the “let them” theory. You stop giving your time and energy to other people and situations you can’t control. You take your time and energy back and figure out what is best for you.
The more you try to control something, the more out of control you feel. The only way to feel in control in life is to focus on where your time and energy is going.
Everyone has an opinion of you. Unhook yourself from that concern. Their opinion of you is irrelevant to you.

It’s not your job to manage other people’s reactions. When you think about how often you are managing other people’s reactions, managing other people’s happiness, tiptoeing around the topics, shrinking yourself, staying silent, not asking for what you need, trying to fix problems, showing up when you don’t feel like it, doing things out of guilt, you are resisting the reality of the situation. When you think about it, you will realize how much time and energy you have and how much time and energy you can spend on yourself.

You aren’t responsible for other people’s happiness, other people’s boundaries, or managing other people’s tantrums. You’re responsible for your truth, your needs, expressing yourself, and telling people how you feel. You’re responsible for creating what you want.
When we step in and feel the responsibility for bailing people out, we rob them of the opportunity to face the things they didn’t face.
You can’t force anyone else to change or to do something. You can try, but someone only does something because they want to do something.

Optimal Finance Daily – 6 Things You Should Never Scratch Off Your Budget

Savings – emergency fund + retirement – even if you don’t have much money to save now, starting will help ensure that you’ll be better off financially down the line. At a minimum, contribute enough money to get an employer match.
Health insurance – make sure you have insurance in case you experience a major illness.
Debt repayment – have a plan to pay down student loans, credit cards, and other high-interest debts as quickly as possible. Consider getting a side hustle or working overtime to increase your income and pay off debts.

Life insurance – make sure your dependents are covered if something were to happen to you tomorrow. Adjust your life insurance policy as needed; you may need to take out more money as major expenses occur or as you have more children.
Spending money – put aside some money to spend – don’t spend it all at once. Sometimes having something now isn’t worth incurring interest charges down the road.
Groceries – know what you can afford on a weekly basis. Look into ways to cut back without dramatically impacting meals, such as shopping at discount stores or taking advantage of coupons and sales. Remember that eating out often will quickly eat away any extra money you may have had available in your budget.

To save money, we shop at a discount food store, keep some staples on hand, and we frequently plan meals around what we can find at a discount rather than planning around recipes or a list.

Optimal Finance Daily – Stop Using These 6 Ridiculous Excuses For Not Saving Money

The first step to saving more money is to figure out why you are unable to save money.
“I’ll hate my life if I start saving money” ➡️You can still live a great life AND save money. You need to learn how to manage your money better so that you can live the life you want to live, but on a more realistic budget.
“I’ll figure out how to save money later.” ➡️Many people put off saving because they’d rather spend their money now and believe they’ll have plenty of money to save money later. There is no need to spend all of your money now just because you can.

“I deserve and/or need the things I buy.” ➡️Many people believe they need to upgrade to the latest and best technology, clothing, etc. and need expensive vacations. Watch your spending, figure out ways to lower your expenses, and cut out anything unnecessary.
“I enjoy my job and can always make money.” ➡️You should still be saving money. What happens when you can no longer work? You don’t know what the future will bring – a medical problem, a serious life event, or you may hate your job later. You can enjoy your job and save money at the same time.
“The city I live in is too expensive to save money.” ➡️It may take time, but you need to either increase your income or cut your expenses or do both.
“It’s too late for me to start saving money.” ➡️It’s never too late to start saving money. Every little bit helps and can drastically change your future. Saving something is better than nothing.

I look forward to reading, learning, and sharing more with you soon!

Book review posts, Thoughtful Thursday posts, Uncategorized

Thoughtful Thursday – December 28, 2023

December 28, 2023 amybenoit

My intention is to post a Thoughtful Thursday column each week and share some of the insights I have learned in the past week. Here are some of the things I’ve learned this week:

The Mel Robbins Podcast – How to Make 2024 the Best Year: 6 Questions to Ask Yourself

What are the highlights from the past year of your life? Don’t do this based off of memory alone. Look through your journals, calendar, camera roll, social media posts, etc.
What were the hardest aspects of this past year? Reflect on categories such as health & wellness, career/money/school, relationships, and purpose/spirituality/meaning.
What are all of the things you learned about yourself this year?
What would you like to stop doing? Ex: complaining, working so much, saying yes to everything
What would you like to start doing? Ex: strength training three days each week, a morning routine
What would you like to continue doing?

Fit, Healthy & Happy Podcast – 10 Lifestyle Changes to Make You Fitter, Healthier & Happier in 2024

Drop one vice that’s holding you back. Think about what you need to get rid of instead of what you need to add. Where are you wasting a lot of time in your life?
Evaluate your circle. 4 quarters is better than 100 pennies. Aim to have more depth and quality in your relationships. Surround yourself with people who make you the best version of yourself.
Encourage more feedback from others.
Allocate more time to be creative – podcast, workout routines, art, music, etc.

Invest in yourself. That could be with time, money, energy, or all three. Read, take courses, hire a coach, etc.
Re-evaluate and develop a morning routine you can consistently do.
Invest in your sleep routine and sleep space.
Plan a getaway/trip you are looking forward to.
Take a daily media break, whether it be one day per week or even 30 minutes each day.
Go above and beyond. Set some aggressive goals. Aim to push yourself to go further.

Mary’s Cup of Tea – Clean Up Your Digital Space(s) Before the New Year

Cancel the subscriptions that you are not using. Review your bank statements for recurring charges. Do you use all of the streaming services you are paying for? If you share the same address, you only need one Amazon Prime account. You can still have different payment methods.
Clean up your photos. The key to remembering your life is to delete photos you no longer need. Delete selfies if you are done with them.
Delete screenshots you don’t need anymore. Make organized albums if you need to reference them often.

Go through the Notes app on your phone. Make organized albums if you need to reference them often.
Clean up your e-mail. Unsubscribe from e-mail lists you don’t need, block senders, etc. Make a new e-mail for only important stuff! Use your old e-mail for shopping, subscriptions, etc.
Unfollow people on social media who make you feel bad about yourself or who influence you to buy things often.
Delete your downloads folder.

I am definitely going to start working on this before the new year, as I have over 39,000 unread e-mails (mostly marketing e-mails) and thousands of screenshots and photos on my phone.

Hot Girl Energy Podcast – things that have made my life better…habits to take into 2024

These notes are from the podcaster. These are not my personal habits.

Don’t drink coffee on an empty stomach.
Get ready for the day no matter what.
Retrain your hair to wash it 1-2x/week instead of every day.
Create a skincare routine.
Body care – dry brushing, body lotion/oil, etc.
Go to bed earlier and wake up earlier to stay productive throughout the morning.
Add electrolytes into your daily routine.
Learn how to cook and make healthy, delicious meals.
Schedule workouts for the week in advance.
Drink less alcohol.

Here are some of my personal habits.

Some of my daily habits from 2023:

Read every day
Elevate and Lumosity apps (“brain games”) every day
Dishes before bed every day
One Line A Day every day
Podcast every day
One bottle of water each morning before work

Some of the best things I did for myself in 2023:

Turned off push notifications for e-mails and most apps
Started unsubscribing to some marketing e-mails
Took a leap and started a new job in an area I’m more passionate about
Started a wind-down routine before bed (reading instead of tv/electronics)

Started walking during lunch breaks when working from home
Attended monthly group hikes to meet new outdoorsy people and explore new areas
Started prioritizing a social life more, while still allowing myself to say no to some things
Finance: tracked all income and expenses each month and made necessary changes, moved funds to a high-yield savings account, rolled over retirement accounts to Vanguard (much lower expense ratio and more control over my investments), shopped around for home and auto insurance

Possible habit ideas for 2024:

Mental health:

No screen time after ___ p.m.
Spend 10 minutes outdoors each day
Sleep by ___ p.m. each night
Follow a morning and night routine each day
Write down three things you’re grateful for each day
Write affirmations each day
Schedule time for yourself each day where you won’t use electronics

Personal growth:

Read every day
Spend time learning something new each day
Listen to a podcast each day

Creativity:

Journal each day
Cook a new dish each week/month
Listen to a new song every day
Take one photo each day

Cleanliness:

Dishes before bed each day
Set a timer for 15 minutes each day and clean/organize
Put aside one thing to donate each day

Finances:

Save $___ each month
Set a budget and stick to it
Keep track of all income and expenses for the year

Physical health:

Walk ____ steps each day
Drink ___ oz of water each day
Keep a food log each day
Work out each day
Create a meal plan

As you consider habits for 2024, consider the following notes and questions from the book Life Worth Living:

“Life Worth Living: A Guide to What Matters Most” was written by Matthew Croasman, Miroslav Volf, and Ryan McAnnally-Linz, three Christian theologians and professors at Yale who teach the popular class, Life Worth Living. This book served as a guide to defining and creating a flourishing life, contained wisdom from many minds and cultures, and cited 276 sources. This book was incredibly thought-provoking and life-changing.

**I highly recommend everyone reads this!** This book encourages readers to reflect on the following questions (and many more): What matters most? What is a good life? Does our daily routine have a justification? Is what we do getting us what we want? What do we really want? What is worth wanting? Who are you responsible to? What do you admire most about those you admire? What feelings do you think characterize a genuinely good life? What are my highest ideals and deepest values? How big is your forest? Who and what is in your forest? What is worth dying for? Are there people or ideals you hope you would be willing to die for?

Your life is worth living well. Your life is too valuable to be guided by anything less than what matters most.

I look forward to reading, learning, and sharing more with you soon! Soon I will be sharing a list of the books I read in 2023 as well as my plans for my blog in 2024!

Thoughtful Thursday posts, Uncategorized

Thoughtful Thursday – December 21, 2023

December 21, 2023December 21, 2023 amybenoit

My intention is to post a Thoughtful Thursday column each week and share some of the insights I have learned in the past week. Here are some of the things I’ve learned this week:

Mary’s Cup of Tea – 5 Habits that Have Made Me a Better Person

In this episode, Mary reflects on the five habits that have made her a better person.

Reading – many people only “read” audiobooks or social media posts. Audiobooks often cause people to half-listen; they listen while doing something else. Reading books requires you to be fully present in reading. It forces yourself to slow down and process what you’re consuming rather than looking for the next best thing or next glamorous picture on social media. Reading makes you empathetic, thoughtful, conscientious, broadens your vocabulary, and allows you to understand and be understood because you have more words to describe something.

I can relate to this! In 2020, I started reading one book each month for knowledge or personal development. In 2021, I committed to reading 21+ minutes each day. In 2022, I read 30+ minutes each day and read 76 books (and took detailed notes about each one). This year, in 2023, I have read over 80 books so far. I have become more knowledgeable in a variety of topics, have experienced personal growth, have broadened my vocabulary, and have gained empathy and different perspectives.

Journaling – writing down things and looking back at them can make you realize that things weren’t as big of a deal as you thought, can help you brainstorm solutions, and can slow down your mind in the attention economy.

I also relate to this in a small way. I have been using my dated five-year One Line A Day journal for the past four years. I write a sentence or two about each day and am able to see what I wrote on that date over the course of five years. It has been interesting to read about my growth and life changes (careers, marriage, house hunting and home buying, etc.) and it is has often reminded me that the things I was stressing about turned out to not be such a big deal in the long run!

Photo courtesy of Buzzfeed

Singing and dancing randomly – fun, sparks creativity, happiness

I don’t do this often aside from singing in the car, but it sounds like a great idea to try!

Spending sober and cellphone-free time with loved ones – be fully present in mind, body, and spirit with those you love – swimming, playing board games, etc.

I love this idea. Two days ago, my Fitbit broke, and yesterday I spent time with friends (without my Fitbit and without my cell phone). I had so much fun and felt that I was fully present with them rather than worrying about what time it was, who was texting me, and what the latest notifications were. It was lovely!

Shopping second hand – buying things you want at a low price, buying quality items and saving money

I love a good deal on things that I actually want or need!

Healthy Beyond 40: 5-Step Method for Creating Lasting Healthy Habits for Weight Loss & Fitness

Think about your habit identity. Think about who you want to be and how your habits support that. Ex: “I want to be a healthy mom with patient, be present with my kids, and have energy.” That’s your habit identity.
What healthy habit will help support that identity? Focus on your fundamental needs: mindset, movement habits, or food freedom. Pick one habit out of one of those areas. Ex: meal prep.
Time – where are you going to find the time to do this? Plan out a schedule. Ex: meal prep on Sundays. Block out time to work on this habit.
Make a habit loop: cue, routine, and reward. Ex: the order you get ready in the morning. Idea: Any time you make a meal, cook extra protein for future meals.
Track your habits using a habit tracker. Slowly stack in new habits.
You probably have more time for habits than you think. Do a time inventory for at least one day. See how long you use your phone each day. Turn your phone off or disable notifications and remove distractions. Time block to get things done.

You can read about some of my habits and my habits journey here! I will post about my 2023 and 2024 habits at a later date! https://wordpress.com/post/readlearnshare.blog/44

Psych2Go on the GO – 8 Little Habits You Don’t Know Are Signs of Anxiety

Hair twirling
Picking at your skin – peeling skin, picking around nailbeds
Daydreaming or checking out mentally
Fidgeting or playing with something (tapping a pen/pencil)
Sleeping too little or too much
Being on social media too much
Talking too much or too little or arguing
Forgetfulness and lack of concentration

The Productive Woman – 10 Gifts to Give Yourself for the New Year

Time – give yourself the gift of time by simplifying your life, your schedule, and your space to leave more time for the things that matter to you. Evaluate whether your schedule and space are serving you. Eliminate things that are using up your time that could better be spent on things that really matter to you.
- Tangible gift: new planner, hiring help for tasks you don’t like to do (cleaning, yardwork)

Health – Often, when life is very full and we have several responsibilities and are taking care of everyone, the first thing we drop is taking care of ourselves. Schedule your medical, dental, and eye checkups. Carve out time to eat well, get enough sleep, and move your body every day. Evaluate your physical, mental, and emotional inputs and eliminate those that don’t contribute to your health and replace them with things that do.
- Tangible gift: gym membership, personal trainer sessions, treadmill, fresh flowers, therapy sessions

Learning – be a life-long learner. Commit to setting aside time to learn something new each day or week. This can be through reading, podcasts, researching, or taking lessons.
- Tangible gift: classes/lessons, conference, book

Perspective – learning to see things from a broader perspective is valuable for our well-being, our creativity and problem-solving abilities, our relationships, and our ability to resolve conflicts. Read or listen to something that comes from a different background or culture than yours. Have a conversation with someone you disagree with. Travel to a place different from where you live. Intentionally cultivate curiosity instead of judgment. Try the improv comedy technique: “yes, and…” You can dismantle limiting beliefs that have become habits of mind while cultivating the flexibility that will help you think creatively about future challenges.
- Tangible gift: travel

Friendship – a strong support system. Be a support system for others. A life that matters most often matters in relation to other people. Schedule time to get together with friends. Pick up the phone and call someone you haven’t spoken to in a while.
- Tangible gift: planning activities with friends (classes, getaway, etc.).

Forgiveness – Harboring unforgiveness and resentment impairs our own quality of life and productivity. Let go of the burden of resentment or blame and choose to forgive others to enhance your quality of life and allow yourself to be more productive.
Peace – get rid of conflict, strife, anxiety, and fear. The stress of constantly conflicted or anxious thinking can impact our physical health. Give yourself the gift of peace for your well-being and to be more productive. Practice quietness of body and of mind. Meditation and reading can help. Teach yourself to accept what is instead of fighting and resisting against it.
- Tangible gift: investing in a meditation app, signing up for a retreat

Joy – happy people are more productive. Recognize, seek, and foster moments of joy. Intentionally create a life based on your own values and priorities. Look for joy in the small things. Ex: the laughter of a small child, a sunset, a gathering of loved ones. Stop comparing yourself to others. Comparison is the thief of joy.
- Tangible gifts: arrange experiences that bring you joy

Adventure – make memories. Do one big adventure (a few hours) and one small adventure (one hour) each week or start by planning to do one new thing each month.
- Tangible gifts: “Tranquility by Tuesday” book, set up an adventure somewhere new or try something new

Grace – give love, forgiveness, kindness, and peace. Give grace to yourself and others. Don’t be perfect; be real. Give yourself permission to not do everything. Never feel selfish for taking “you” time. Do one thing a day that you are proud of. Every day, look for something you are proud of in the people who are closest to you.
- Tangible gift: buy yourself a piece of art that reminds you to extend grace.

I loved this post from Gabe the Bass Player this week! Are you setting your own deadlines? Are you in the driver’s seat of your life?

https://www.gabethebassplayer.com/blog/relying-on-deadlines

Relying On Deadlines

December 15, 2023

If deadlines are the only things that motivate you to get stuff done, then it pays to get better at setting and enforcing your own deadlines.

The alternative is waiting on other people to set deadlines for you. But then you’ll always be dependent on others for you to get your stuff done.

The problem is we hold the deadlines other people set for us as more valuable and important than our own promises to ourselves.

On the same note, this post on Seth’s Blog this week was a great reminder. We are in control of our lives and where we direct our attention.

Focusing attention is a skill

Focusing attention is a skill

Where we choose to direct our gaze determines not only what we learn or believe, but how we choose to see the world.

Typing is a skill. Juggling is a skill. So is project management.

It’s easy to overlook the fact that we can get better at what we think about, create and consume.

If we’re not happy with how external forces are stealing and redirecting our attention, we can change it.

I look forward to reading, learning, and sharing more with you soon!

Thoughtful Thursday posts, Uncategorized

Thoughtful Thursday – December 14, 2023

December 14, 2023 amybenoit

My intention is to post a Thoughtful Thursday column each week and share some of the insights I have learned in the past week. Here are some of the things I’ve learned this week:

Self Care IRL – 8 acts of self respect to start your new year

Say no regularly. By saying no, you have more time to focus on yourself and the lifestyle you want to create.
Remove yourself from drama cycles. Don’t surround yourself with people who often complain and leave you feeling burned out and exhausted.

Stop gossiping. It provides escapism, causes you to judge yourself more, and does not create a healthy relationship with those you gossip with.
Find things that make you happy and do them. Find things you love and are passionate about.
Release the need for external validation. Needing external validation can lead to avoidance and the inability to take action. The highest level of respect we can give ourselves is to validate from within.

Find a way to give back or help other people.
Move your body. Move your body, change your mind.
Learn your own values. Most people are living within other people’s values or actions. Do your actions and priorities align with your values?

Fit, Healthy & Happy Podcast – Secrets to Getting Super Fit for 2024

Start executing on your goals now. Do not wait until a specific date or the perfect situation. If you have a big goal, get started now.
Create a circle around you of people who are also fit, healthy, and happy. Surround yourself with people who are doing better than you and who inspire you.

Have a coach to optimize and plan your nutrition, training, and accountability.
Plan ahead – meals, workouts, commitments.
Be willing to sacrifice what you want now with what you can get later. Practice delayed gratification.
No excuses. Look for reasons to work out, not excuses.

Mary’s Cup of Tea: the Self-Love Podcast for Women – The Best Book on Communication

Book – Nonviolent communication

Violent communication: results in hurt or harm. Judging others, bullying, having racial bias, blaming, finger pointing, discriminating, speaking without listening, criticizing others or ourselves, name calling, reacting when we’re angry, using political rhetoric, being defensive, judging who’s right or wrong
Nonviolent communication: integration of consciousness, language, communication, and means of influence
Learn to sense the needs of other people and tune into empathy and bring it back to the feelings and the needs as opposed to being defensive, offensive, trying to be right, trying to convince someone otherwise, trying to prove your point, or trying to be more understood. Sense the needs of other people and what they are feeling beneath the words they are expressing.

I have not read this book, but after listening to this podcast, I will be adding it to my list of books I’d like to read!

Intermittent Fasting – Top 10 Anti-Inflammatory Foods

Berries (specifically, wild blueberries and cherries)
Fatty fish – sardines, anchovies, mackerel, wild salmon
Cruciferous vegetables
Olives and cold pressed single source organic olive oil (in a dark bottle)
Avocado
Nuts (walnuts, almonds, macadamia)
Tomatoes
Peppers
Green leafy vegetables
Dark chocolate

The Mel Robbins Podcast – Reset Your Gut in 5 Days

Dr. Amy Shaw is a medical doctor trained at Harvard, Cornell, and Columbia University.
Bloating is normal and is caused by having unhappy gut bacteria.
FFF morning routine: fasting, fitness, and fermented and fibrous foods
Stress can cause bloating. Stress can cause your nervous system to interfere with your gut’s ability to properly digest food and keep your gut bacteria balanced.
Fiber: leafy greens, avocados, asparagus, cucumbers, celery, spices (turmeric, ginger, cilantro, parsley), fruits (bananas, berries, pineapple, papaya), sourdough bread, yogurt
5-step method to heal inflammation, reset your natural hormone balance, and heal food sensitivities

Dr. Amy Shaw recommends you fast for 12 hours (supper to breakfast) to heal your gut.

Rest your gut in 5 days

Five day reset:
- Day 1: fasting (12 hours), fitness, fermented and fibrous foods. Add 30 minutes of exercise. When you start moving your body, the distention starts to move. Physically twisting your gut will release some gas and get things moving. Ex: yoga, abs
- Day 2: fasting (12 hours), fitness, fermented and fibrous foods. Eliminate dairy, gluten, white sugar, or whatever you think may be triggering you.
- Day 3: fasting (12 hours), fitness, fermented and fibrous foods. Start eating foods your gut loves. Spinach, asparagus, fruit, yogurt, etc. Protein: soaked black beans, fish, tofu, eggs, cottage cheese, yogurt, nuts. Your gut doesn’t want “fake” protein – fake meat substitutes, bars, shakes, etc. Processed red meat can cause inflammation.
- Day 4: fasting (12 hours), fitness, fermented and fibrous foods. Enjoy. Spend time with people who are good for your mental health and gut health. Spend time with people who make you feel your best.
- Day 5: fasting (12 hours), fitness, fermented and fibrous foods. Put it all together: exercise, protein-rich food, enjoy.

It can take up to three weeks to figure out what foods you’re sensitive to with an elimination diet.
You may feel better in as little as three days!
When you eat probiotic foods, the bacteria are delivered to the bacteria that are already in your gut, and our body is more likely to incorporate natural probiotics into our gut ecosystem compared to probiotic supplements.

Sad to Savage – Getting 1% Better, Habit Stacking, Waking Up Early and Willpower

Ways to get 1% better: daily walk, hit 10k steps, read every day, write self-love affirmations, clean up your space, dishes before bed, clear off table every day, lay out clothing for tomorrow, listen to a podcast, call a friend, habit stack
Habit stack ideas: podcast or audiobook while working out, folding laundry, cooking, or meal prepping.

You will never walk away from a book without learning at least one thing.
Waking up early will change your life. It allows you to create time for yourself before you give your time to others (through work). You will have the most willpower in the morning.
Consistent schedule – Monday through Friday – pick a time you want to wake up and a consistent morning routine. To wake up, sit up in bed and chug warm water. Put your phone on the ground so that you must physically get up to turn off your alarm. Use an automatic light bulb to wake you up at a specific time.
Elevate your morning, elevate your life.

I am working on establishing my morning routine and slowly working on getting up earlier. It is something I have been struggling with, as I sleep through multiple alarms.

Inside Out Money – Simple joys and the art of saving money

Simple joys that can keep you from spending money: a walk out in nature, talking with a friend or family member, playing in the yard with kids, reading a good book from the library

Gratitude daily – GLAD method: Something you’re grateful for, something you’ve learned, something you’ve accomplished, something you’ve delighted in.
I love this idea and am looking forward to trying it!
Find something you’re grateful for that you often take for granted.

If you have too many items, your family won’t know what’s important to you when you die.
Clean to have an organized life.
Make a list of what you’re shopping for and stick to it.
Consider a no-spend month and use what you have OR allow yourself to only spend on a certain day of the week so that you must delay instant gratification.
Limit time on social media to avoid being influenced into buying more items.

Questions to ask yourself while decluttering:

Is this my favorite?
Do I love it?
If I lost it, would I replace it?
Would I buy it again?
How much would it cost me if I had to replace it?
What’s the worst thing that could happen if I let it go?
Is this thing in solid working order?
Is this item plastic?
Would this item come with me if I were moving/downsizing?
Does this item spark joy?
Did I bring this items into my life?
If I were free from guilt, would I still keep it?
Will I have more space to do the things I want?
Do I need to save it for tax or legal reasons?
Have I used it in the last year?
Do I want my kids or others in my family to have to take on the burden of this item?

I look forward to reading, learning, and sharing more with you soon!

Thoughtful Thursday posts, Uncategorized

Thoughtful Thursday – December 7, 2023

December 7, 2023 amybenoit

My intention is to post a Thoughtful Thursday column each week and share some of the insights I have learned in the past week. Here are some of the things I’ve learned this week:

Self Care IRL – 7 Pieces of Advice That Will Change Your Mentality

Celebrate your unique journey. You are a one-of-a-kind masterpiece. Celebrate your flaws as part of your unique story.
Conquer the comparison game. Comparison steals your joy and peace.
Embrace the power of now. Understand the true value of now and embrace each moment. Find joy in the little things and live a life filled with purpose and passion.
Cultivate a grateful heart. Gratitude is a mindset. Train your mind to always see the good in something to bring yourself more joy and reduce your anxiety.

5. Transform fear into action. When you do something you’re fearful of, you will boost your confidence and growth.

6. Build a vibrant community. Surround yourself with people who support you, challenge you, and inspire you to be better.

7. Empower yourself. You have the power to change your life. You can overcome adversity and achieve greatness.

The Mel Robbins Podcast – The Science of Your Gut

Bloated vs. gaining weight.
- bloating= burping, farting, and/or constipation. When you’re bloated, your gut bacteria is off balance. The biggest tip when you are feeling bloated or distended is to not wear pants with buttons on them. Wear stretchy pants. Bloating can be caused by foods. Bloating can also happen when you’re swallowing a lot of air when eating too fast.
Foods that cause bloating in many people: brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, sparkling beverages, gluten, dairy, artificial sweeteners, sugar, and alcohol

The gold standard for food-related gut discomfort is an elimination diet followed by adding that item back to your diet to see if that is causing your bloating.
If you’re already bloated, don’t go for raw vegetables like cauliflower and broccoli. This will cause further bloating.
Ibuprofen or aspirin will make you more bloated if you’re already bloated.

Give your gut more rest than the (up to) 8 hours you’re sleeping. Stop eating at least 2-3 hours before bed to give your gut more time to rest. Try to aim for 12 hours a day of giving your gut a rest from food.
Morning routine to reduce bloating: fasting (have I fasted for 12 hours?), fitness (any type of fitness, such as a 30-minute walk), then fermented and fibrous foods
The best form of debloating is exercise. Exercising in sunlight produces short chain fatty acids.
Your first meal of the day is your best chance to improve your gut and hormonal health. A perfect breakfast would be something like yogurt, nuts, berries, and ginger tea. A tofu or egg scramble with veggies is also great. Ginger and peppermint (even as a tea) can make your gut bacteria happy.

On Purpose with Jay Shetty – 8 Strategies for Deeper Sleep & Boosting Your Energy All Day

Location has energy. Time has memory. When you do something in the same place at the same time every day, it becomes easier.
Take the tv out of your bedroom so that you are not using your bedroom as a space for being wired into something. It’s important to use your bed for only sleep and rest.
Your sleep is impacted by how you live when you’re awake. Slowly drink warm water first thing in the morning to kick off your digestive process.
Two hours before bed, lower the thermostat to between 60-70 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature in your room impacts your sleep.

Cave-like darkness – blackout blinds and no lights. Darkness helps to stimulate the production of melatonin, a hormone that helps you fall asleep and stay asleep until you complete all sleeping cycles. Darkness promotes relaxation, which helps you fall asleep quickly. The brain is very sensitive and can detect even the slightest amount of light and stop the production of melatonin, which plays a huge role in helping you get quality sleep.
Circadian rhythm – when you get bright light in the morning, it can help you feel more alert during the day and helps you fall asleep faster in the evening. If you’re exposed to bright light within two hours of your bedtime, it can make you less sleepy and fall asleep later. Get exposure to sunlight within the first hour of waking up.
Getting a good mattress plays a role in quality sleep. Find the right material and support for you. 5-7 years is the average life of a mattress.

Yoga nidra + deep breathing exercises to lower your heart rate, your blood pressure, and stress levels to help you drift off to sleep
Know the best sleep positions. This chart is from Healthline.

Life Kit – How to make a better to-do list

Decide what matters to you in this moment. Come up with a big picture goal and consider the one thing that would make everything easier or better.
What do I want to be? What do I want to experience? What do I want to have?
Once you have a goal, break it down into actual steps and deadlines.

Decide whether you will have a paper or digital to-do list and hourly or daily or weekly layout.
Block out scheduled time for the task!
2-minute rule – if it takes less than two minutes, do it right then and there. Don’t add it to your list.

Limit your to-do list to four or five doable tasks at a time. Don’t add to it until you’ve checked something off.
Pick something to let go. When you choose what to fail at ahead of time, you’re really changing your mindset and won’t feel like you’re failing. You’ll see it as a reminder of your values in this moment and what you’ve committed to.
To-do lists exist to serve us.

Inside Out Money – Step-by-step path to grow wealth

Have some savings. Create a gap between your income and expenses.
Have 6 months of expenses in an emergency fund in a high-yield savings account.
Pay off all your debts except the mortgage.

Contribute up to the company match in your company’s 401k.
Once you’ve contributed up to the company match, contribute to a Roth IRA
Once you’ve contributed the maximum amount to the Roth IRA, go back to contributing to your employer’s 401k and work toward hitting the maximum contribution. Most people are not able to contribute the maximum due to their incomes/expenses. I am in this boat!
If you have maxed out your 401k for the year, max out your HSA account if you are eligible for an HSA.
If you have kids and are contributing to college expenses, contribute to a 529 plan. Some parents try to target around $200,000 total for funding a 529 (college plan)! Others don’t contribute to a 529 plan. That decision is up to you.
The next step is to pay off the mortgage.
Once the mortgage is paid off, open a taxable brokerage account. Invest in low-cost index funds across a broad market.

The podcaster discourages listeners from investing in target-date funds. There are very large bond mixes in them and they tend to be conservative in their allocations.

I look forward to reading, learning, and sharing more with you soon!

Book review posts, Thoughtful Thursday posts, Uncategorized

Thoughtful Thursday – November 30, 2023

November 30, 2023November 30, 2023 amybenoit

My intention is to post a Thoughtful Thursday column each week and share some of the insights I have learned in the past week. Last week I skipped Thoughtful Thursday and decided to post a Thankful Thursday post on my social media in honor of Thanksgiving, so here are some of the things I’ve learned in the past two weeks:

On Purpose with Jay Shetty – 10 Ways to Manage Stress & Anxiety During the Holidays

Remember you’re allowed to say “no.” You don’t need to go to every party or event. Say “no” ahead of time if you know you don’t want to go. Prioritize those that matter to you the most.
Take your paid time off. When you don’t take time off, you don’t take time to refuel.
Add some healthy meals and healthy habits between holiday events. We tend to stray from our normal eating patterns during holiday events.

Prepare yourself to know that some people and conversations will be triggering. Don’t waste your energy trying to convince them otherwise. Expect that it will happen so that you aren’t caught off guard. Expecting triggers is better than hoping they won’t happen.
Stop doing things just because someone else wants you to do them. The holidays are a time for you, and you should take time to do some of the things YOU want to do.
Make a budget for gifts!
Make sure you’re clear with people about what you want for gifts. As we get older, it becomes harder and harder for people to read our minds about what we want.

Plan ahead. Look at your calendar and make sure you aren’t going to be overwhelmed. Make sure you can be fully present at the gatherings you attend.
Make time to reflect this year. What do you want to add next year to make it better? What do you want to subtract next year to make it better?
Don’t abandon your self-care practices. The holiday season is often when we need self-care most to deal with the stress.

Mentally Stronger with Therapist Amy Morin – Stressful Holiday Season? How to Manage Your Mental Health

Design your holiday season. What kind of holiday season do you want this year? Figure out what your ideal holiday season would look like and how you are going to make this year ideal. Once you decide what you want the holidays to look like, you can decide whether to accept a holiday invitation or host a party.
Use the last year test to determine how important something is. Ask yourself, “what did I buy that person last year?” If you have no idea, it probably doesn’t matter.
Set time limits on certain activities. Ex: shopping for a gift, decorating, how much time you spend at a party.
Create a list of what not to do. Ex: don’t go over your budget, don’t keep holiday cookies in the house, don’t say yes to invitations you don’t want to accept, etc. You can make your own list.
Practice acceptance. You don’t have to force yourself to feel happy this time of the year. Keep going anyway without forcing happiness on yourself. You can also practice acceptance when it comes to dealing with others during the holidays (ex: political comments during the holidays).

Inside Out Money – End-of-year financial sh*it you need to do!

Max out your 401k or make sure you are maximizing your employer match. I know for many people, including me, contributing the maximum $22,500 is not feasible. Note that some employers allow you to contribute a dollar amount or a % of each paycheck, and some only let you contribute a dollar amount.
If you max out your 401k early, you are losing out on your employer’s match for the rest of the year.
Max out your Roth IRA contribution if you would like to ($6,500 for 2023).

Max out your HSA if you are eligible for one.
Make sure you use your FSA if you aren’t allowed to roll over any amount into the next year. Spend the money this year.
Choose your medical plan for the next year. If you’re married, decide which plan to go on (your own or your partner’s).
Schedule any doctor’s appointments that are still covered before the end of the year (physical, OBGYN appointment, dental visit, etc.)
Optimize around your deductible. If you’ve met your deductible and you need a colonoscopy or procedure, try to get it done this year.

Review your credit card rewards and ensure they don’t expire at the end of the year.
If you want to reduce your taxable income in 2023, look into charitable contributions.
Review your PTO balances and make sure you aren’t losing any that can’t be rolled over into the next year. Plan some of your days off for 2024.
Prep for your taxes.
Check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
Review your expenses and set a budget for 2024.

https://www.gabethebassplayer.com/blog/if-you-work-hard

I loved this post from Gabe the Bass Player. This is his post:

“If You Work Hard…

November 24, 2023

…you will become better.

It doesn’t mean you’ll become great, or get paid, or get famous, or get to quit your day job, or win the comparison challenge, or break new ground, or get the credit, or get noticed, or be respected in the field.

It might. It could. I hope it does. Hard work might turn into all of those things for you.

But if you keep working hard you will get better. The increments might be big or small and the word ‘better’ might evolve in its definition over time…but better is where you’re heading if you’re willing to work.“

The perfect conditions

I loved this post from Seth’s Blog about how the perfect conditions will never happen; we need to take action anyway.

The perfect conditions

Somewhere, there is the ideal soil for growing mangoes. Or the best possible wave for surfing. Or the most romantic sunset for a proposal.

But it’s not right here and it’s not right now.

Our success has a lot to do with how we dance with conditions that aren’t quite perfect.

After twenty years of symptoms and pain, I recently had surgery and was diagnosed with endometriosis. I have been trying to educate myself about it since my diagnosis. This podcast and book were very educational!

The Women’s Vibrancy Code – Reclaiming Life from Endometriosis

Resources: Below the Belt documentary about endometriosis + Beating Endo book
The notes I am choosing to share are from both the podcast link and the Beating Endo book.

Symptoms: Endo can affect every organ system. Many are incorrectly diagnosed with IBS due to having constipation and/or diarrhea, bloating, and painful bowel movements. You can have painful periods, pelvic pain, penetration pain/painful sex, urinary frequency, UTIs, fatigue, exhaustion, and infertility. Everyone has different symptoms.
Endometriosis is an inflammatory disorder that impacts every part of the body. It causes gut issues, and those with endo have higher likelihood of autoimmune diseases.
Endometriosis is not just in the uterus. Endometriosis is external or outside of the uterus. Endo is not found in the uterus. Endometriosis is when we have endometrial-like cells outside of the uterus, and there’s no exit point for them.

Endometriosis can’t be seen on imaging unless there are cysts. True diagnosis is a surgical diagnosis. A positive diagnosis is possible only via analysis of excised tissue. Most doctors are doing the wrong surgery (ablation/burning of endometriosis). Excision (removing the endometriosis) is the recommended surgery.
9% of female fetuses have endometriosis!
If the mom, grandma, aunt, or sibling has endometriosis, that daughter/granddaughter/niece/sibling is 7-10x more likely to have endometriosis.

It’s never too late to reclaim your life. Many people are diagnosed in their 30s and 40s. You can’t cure endometriosis, but you can take steps to manage symptoms.
Any relief from symptoms does not achieve the eradication of your endometriosis. The disease may still progress even when you are treating its symptoms. The only treatment is to cut the endometriosis out of you, and it can grow back.
Treatment to manage symptoms (does not cure endometriosis): pelvic floor physical therapy, working on anxiety/stress reduction, and integrative nutrition (anti-inflammatory diet and identifying triggering foods). Endometriosis is inflammatory in nature, so we need to take steps to combat inflammation. The authors emphasized that pro-inflammatory categories of food should be eliminated: gluten, dairy, soy, sugar, and artificial sweeteners.

2 surgery options
- Ablation – applying heat to endometriosis. This is surface level! It shrivels the inflammation, but it’s still there. This is the most common surgical method, but the least helpful.
- Excision – physically cutting out and removing the endometriosis.
Some endometriosis specialists have done an extra fellowship in endometriosis. Make sure your diagnosis is done correctly and the specialist you’re seeing is actually trained in endometriosis. Make sure more than one biopsy is taken.

The Beating Endo book contained so much educational information and many resources!

Self Improvement Daily – “Happiness ‘when’ starts with happiness now.”

So many of us choose to postpone our happiness until another day. We tell ourselves:

I’ll be happy when… I get a promotion or earn more money.
I’ll be happen when… I get married.
I’ll be happy when… I go on vacation.

If you’re not finding ways to be happy right now with what you have, you’re not going to feel all that different when your circumstances change.

So instead of being “happy when”, what can you do to start being “happy now”? How can you set an intention, adjust your attitude, or otherwise change your mindset?

Tony Robbins says “happiness is progress”. If we have something that we’re improving at, it gives us something to be excited about, something to look forward to, and something to find purpose in.

I look forward to reading, learning, and sharing more with you soon!

Tag: #thoughtfulThursday

Thoughtful Thursday – February 1, 2024

Question Of Attention

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Thoughtful Thursday – January 11, 2024

Thoughtful Thursday – January 4, 2024

Thoughtful Thursday – December 28, 2023

Thoughtful Thursday – December 21, 2023

Relying On Deadlines

Focusing attention is a skill

Thoughtful Thursday – December 14, 2023

Thoughtful Thursday – December 7, 2023

Thoughtful Thursday – November 30, 2023

“If You Work Hard…

The perfect conditions

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