Guide to Nashville

It seems like everyone is traveling to Nashville lately. Whether it's for a bachelor party, bachelorette party, birthday bash, girls weekend, couples get away, etc. my social media feeds just seem to be blowing up with friends and family heading to the capital of country music. I've actually been a part of this trend twice in the past year or so. Last spring I went for my best friend's bachelorette party and last month Todd and I went for a little getaway. After going there twice and seeing the city in two very different ways, it's safe to say that it is worth all the hype that everyone is giving it.

Any time that I travel I like to ask around for what people liked and disliked about the area, places to visit, holes in the wall that are worth discovering, what tourist attractions are worth it and which ones to skip, and most importantly where to stay. These two trips were no exception to my inquisitive pre trip investigation. During my searches, I got an overwhelming amount of feedback from everyone. In fact, I got so much that after two trips I still have not been able to get to all of the amazing recommendations that I've been provided with. While Todd and I were away we had so many people reach out to us about our tips and tricks to navigating Nashville because they were planning to visit in the near feature, so I thought it would be helpful to create the ultimate guide to Nashville for y'all! Brace yourself because this is about to be a long post filled with tons of excitement!

Nashville is unlike any other city that I have visited. It is broken down into a bunch of different sub sections (21 to be exact) that are anywhere from 2-15 minutes away from another. Each community has its own vibe and reputation. Between the two visits, I've made it to six of these neighborhoods.

Downtown: 

This is what most people think of (or at least I used to) when they think of Nashville. This is where you'll find Broadway, the honky tonks, pedal taverns, party barges, and live music all day and night. You can visit here during the day or head here to go out and night, and either way you won't be disappointed. 

Downtown it's also fun to do a moving tour of the city. If you're looking for a pedal tavern, then I recommend Country Music Crawler. When we went, brides got to ride for free. You can also do a barge tour. Both of these options are BYOB and lots of fun! 

Pedestrian Bridge:

When you are downtown, be sure to checkout the pedestrian bridge. The views from it are amazing! 

12 South: 

This cute little section has a more suburban feel to it.  Here you'll find tons of cute restaurants, shopping, a mix of local places as well as chains. This is where Reese Whitherspoon's famous store is found, Draper and James. 

The Gulch and SoBro: 

These two areas are so close to one another that I find it funny that they have two different names. This area is pretty close to Downtown. It is a little more "city-esque" that 12 South or East Nashville. This is definitely a newer end of the city. There's tons of places to eat, murals to take pictures at, and places to shop. The shops here are a combination of chains and local vendors. 

AirBNB recommendation for The Gulch

East Nashville: 

This particular area has a bit more of an artsy feel to it. Here there are tons of local places to eat and not as many stores to go shopping. It's really close to Nissan Stadium and downtown, so if you're looking for somewhere a little quieter to stay, then this is definitely your spot!

We stayed at the Russell and absolutely loved it! It's a boutique hotel located in a perfect location! We didn't realize it until we got there, but we actually stayed there two weeks after they opened. Excellent facilities and helpful staff. 

You can check out their listings on AirBnB or on their website!

The Nations: 

Similar to The Gulch, this is an area that was once run down but has recently gotten a facelift. This location is just a short ten minute uber/lyft ride from downtown. It is a quieter section of the city, but with tons of restaurants it's a great location to stay at. 

In The Nations, Todd and I stayed at the cutest airbnb. The only down side was that we had to drag our luggage up three huge flights of stairs, but it was definitely worth it. 

Check it out here. 

The other sections of the city include: 8th Ave S, Belmont Blvd, Berry Hill, Demonbreun Hill, Edgehill, Elliston Place, Green Hills, Germantown, Hillsboro Village, Marathon Village, Melrose, Midtown, Sylvan Park, Wedgewood- Houston, and West End. 

Other Helpful Information:

Transportation:

Once you are in Nashville, you really don't need to drive much. You can uber/lyft everywhere for about $10-$15 or less. Your most expensive ride will be to and from the airport. The second time I went, we rented a car because we spent half of our time in Pigeon Forge (about a three to four hour drive). 

I definitely recommend taking a scooter ride while you're in town. Each scooter has directions as to how it operates. It will prompt you to download and app to pay for and unlock it. 

Lodging

I would reccomend not staying downtown, but looking into a hotel, air bnb, or Vrbo in one of the other neighborhoods. Downtown can be really noisy and much more expensive. As far as deals go, you're going to get a better bang for your buck not staying at a hotel. Choosing somewhere with a kitchen allows you to cook rather than eat every meal out.  

Plan Ahead of Time

I suggest making a tentative itinerary ahead of time because there is seriously so much to do in the Nashville area. If you don't make a plan, then you most likely will not be able to see and visit everywhere that you want to. Each day we made a game plan during breakfast to make sure we could get the most out of our days. We used this website to help us find out what to do in each neighborhood. 

If you're looking for more specifics, comment your email below and I can email you my complete guide! This is a more general guide, but I am considering creating a Bachelorette specific one. Does that sound like something you'd want to read? Drop me a comment with your thoughts!

XOXO

Life Unfiltered

Happy Saturday! 

I'm excited for a weekend filled with family time, but I'm also sad to say goodbye to spring break! It's been so long since I shared a post with you! And I think part of that has been me trying to figure out what direction I want to take with my blog. Today I'm here to share with you some real talk and my current head space. 

This break has been absolutely what I needed- time to take care of me and not worry about anyone or anything else. Eep- I know that sounds selfish but hear me out. If you know me or have been following along for the past six years, then you know that I am an absolute go getter. My grandmother always tells me that I don't like to let the grass grow under my feet for too long, and I have to say she is pretty accurate with that observation.  

At the age of twenty-five I am a second year middle school teacher, a high school field hockey coach, a club field hockey coach, an advisor for a chapter of my sorority, a soon to be wife (December 2019), a sister, a daughter, a friend, a virtual fitness coach, a dog mom, a grad student, and the list could continue on but I will spare you. Anyways, you get the point.. I'm a busy woman with goals. A lot of what I do requires me to put others first, and I'm not going to lie- I frequently forget to take time to take care of me. This is something that I have been working to improve upon the last two and a half months. Pretty much when I turned twenty-five I took some time to reflect on where I've been, where I'm at, and where I want to be. This reflection helped me realize that I am doing so many great things, but by not making myself a priority in my own life.  

I've slowly but surely been finding ways to make time for me through focusing on what makes me feel good. The answer has been making changes to live a healthier lifestyle. I have taken on working out six days a week for twenty minutes and being more mindful about what I fuel my body with. I've also worked to carve out time to do other things for me like reading books that help me grow personally and professionally. Along the way, I have shared bits and pieces of my journey, but I've been nervous to share whole heartedly in fear of what others thought or what they would say.  In a world where we share everything via social media, it can be difficult not to fall into the comparison trap. It is so easy for us to compare where we are at in life with the people on our feeds who are filtering what they show us.  It is so important to put that idea of filtering into perspective. Most people only share the really great things in life not the things they are struggling with. Consequently, we then view their lives as these flawless wonders while we are riding the struggle bus every day. It's taken me awhile to get to this realization. This made me think about the images that I share with others, and how my goal is to not be perfect but to be real. I want everyone to see that life is messy, but these daily struggles are what shape who we are. 

So with all of this being said, I am back to the direction and purpose of my blog. I'm here to provide you with real talk, real bits of life, and help you conquer every high and low. I want to share with you how nobody is perfect and despite the front that we all put up, we are each fighting something.  From an outsider's perspective, I'm sure it looks like I have my life together. But on the inside, I'm just a twenty something trying to figure out who I am and what makes me tick. 

If you get nothing else from my rant of a post, then take with you the fact that your life is so unique from the person that you are comparing yourself to and you need to be proud of you are and what struggles you have faced. 

XOXO

February's Lessons Learned

Happy first day of March!

I cannot believe that February has come and gone so soon.  Today marks the third month of 2019. Back in January, I set a goal to read one book each month for me. As a middle school language arts teacher, I do a ton of reading to keep up with what the students are reading, grading papers, emails, reports, etc.  However, I realized I was not doing enough reading of material that I choose. So far this year I am two for two.  I declared February the month of me. I took time to find ways to love myself.  One of the things I did was choose to do some personal development through reading. Girl, Wash Your Face has been around for about a year and has increasingly more and more raving reviews. I decided I would give it a try. Typically, nonfiction is not my jam, but I thought since everyone was talking about it I had to figure out what all the buzz was about for myself. 

Let me tell you, I was definitely not let down. This book was a quick read for me. I found all of Rachel's advice so relevant to where I am in life right now..minus the part where she talks about being a mom. If you are working to navigate life, take time for you, and start creating healthier habits then this is your next read!

Lessons I learned from Girl, Wash Your Face:

It is important to be careful with your commitments and be honest with yourself.

This one sounds so simple, but is probably the most powerful takeaway I got from reading this. Throughout this chapter, the book talks abut how it is important to treat yourself the way you treat your friends. If you wouldn't break a promise to a friend, then you need to stop breaking the promises you make with yourself. If you tell yourself you're going to start working out, then do it. If you are going to stop a bad habit, then actually work to make that happen.

 I like to think that I am a pretty good friend to the people I care about, but when I stopped to reflect on how I treat myself it was quite different. I realized that I need to spend some time fixing the relationship with myself. I need to take the time to honor the promises I make to myself. 

Re-order your list:

Lots of us are list makers. We make the impossible to do list because for some reason writing it down on paper and checking some of it off just feels so satisfying. The book talks about how each time we make this list it usually has the same types of items on it. However, rather than just making these impossible to do lists- we have to start creating them with intentions. The order that you make your bullet points should reflect the priority of each item.  

It is easy for us to make these long lists and put ourselves at the bottom, but we have to start being more intentional at making room for ourselves at the top of these lists. If you are not taking time for you, then you cannot truly help others. 

Deal with it:

As Americans we definitely live in a society where it is so easy to judge others. Scrolling through social media, watching tv, at the gym, etc. In the book, Rachel Hollis discusses how we all need to take a step back to reflect on the fact that these judgmental thoughts are actually rooted in our own insecurities. It is so important for you to take a look in the mirror and think about what is truly going on with you, and during that reflection find out what you need to do to be the best honest version of you. 

You are in control of the fight:

It is easy to feel overwhelmed and point blame on everything except you when life gets hard.  You have two choices: give up or put up a fight.

"Your dream is worth fighting for, and while you're not in control of what life throws at you, you are in control of the fight."

This made me think about all the obstacles that come my way and how I can shift my mindset to conquer my goals in life. 

Name your goals and say them out loud:

One of Rachel's tips to achieving your goals is to name them. Yes, you have to actually say them out loud.  This can be done by creating a vision board or by simply writing them down somewhere. No matter how you choose to name your goals, this act brings them to life. The more you say it, the more you believe in your goals, which contributes to your drive and willingness to work to achieve them. 

Encounter a guru:

It is so helpful to spend time searching for a guru to help you with where you are in life. Whether it's reading a book, listening to a podcast, watching a TED talk, or actually going to see someone speak we have so many rich opportunities to seek advice. The book shares how every piece of advice you get will not resonate with you, but it is valuable to spend time to seek help and knowledge. 

Who is your guru? What do you do to seek personal development?

XOXO

 

Meal Planning with M

Like many of you, I am on the go Monday through Friday, which leaves me with very little time to think about what to make for dinner.  The days that I don't plan for I end up eating something unhealthy, eating out, or not eating at all. None of these are great options. One thing I have learned is that meal planning is definitely the way to go. It saves time, money, stress, and unhealthy temptations. This trick of the trade is something I learned from my mom years ago. She would always ask what we wanted to eat, look at our schedules, and make a grocery list from there. Growing up, I was always used to going to the grocery store with a list of items to check off. During college I tried to adopt this routine, but it was definitely something I struggled to maintain on a regular basis. Fast forward to #adulting. A month ago I moved out of my parents house, and I've been forced to learn how to meal plan and eat on a budget.  Todd and I have adopted this routine and it has been a huge help.

On Thursdays I usually sit down to inventory what's in our fridge and cabinets, checkout our schedules for the upcoming week, preview the weather (because yes it determines what we want to eat), and get some food inspiration. This all sounds like a lot, but it ends up being a fun process for me. It's no secret that I'm a foodie, so I genuinely enjoy planning out meals and finding new recipes to try. When it comes to recipe seeking, I consult Pinterest, cook books, Instagram, and recommendations from my fellow foodies.

The next step is to plan out the meals and make a grocery list. I like to build in leftover days because these ensure that we eat everything we are cooking and it gives us a buffer. When planning, I usually include work day lunches, work week dinners, and a couple of make anytime meals. These anytime meals are for when we forget to defrost protein or change our minds about what we want. As for lunches, I like to select one meal prep option and make four portions of it. I'm sure you're wondering why four and not five. I refuse to eat the same thing day after day, so Wednesdays or Fridays I break up my lunch choice with leftovers or something else. For breakfast I usually eat oatmeal or yogurt with fruit and granola.  In year two of teaching, I've done a much better job at eating breakfast on the daily. Last year I did an awful job at this, which definitely impacted my energy levels.

So the next step is to go grocery shopping now that the list has been created. Our new home gives us lots of great food shopping opportunities- Whole Foods, Trader Joes, and Wegmans. Wegmans is great because they have an app that tells you exactly what aisle the items are in and how much they cost. It's been super helpful for us since we are #ballingonabudget.

Some things that have helped me find time to meal plan and prep include using a crock pot, spending some time on Sundays prepping lunches, preparing certain meals ahead of time (think those that require more chopping), and sharing the cooking nights with Todd.

This week's recipes:
Lunch: Orzo with butternut squash, spinach, and blue cheese
Monday: Kale and Kielbasa Soup
Tuesday: Chicken Tortilla Soup
Wednesday:Pork Chops with wild rice and green beans
Thursday:leftovers
Friday: Pizza and salad
Weekend options: Quiche, fried rice, Sweedish Meatballs, or macaroni and cheese

What's your strategy to eat healthy?

XOXO

101 in 1001 Update

If you've been reading for a little bit of time, then you know that I love a good list. Naturally, a few years ago I opted out of making new year resolutions and opted to try a Mackenzie Horan inspired 101 in 1001 list.  The first time I created one, I basically created it and forgot to come back to it. I seriously think I crossed maybe a total of twelve things off the list..pretty pathetic.  Two years ago I decided to give it another try. You can read the post here. This second time around I haven't been great about sticking to setting goals from here to check things off the list, but I am definitely doing much better than before. My current list expires in September, and I still have 66 tasks to complete.  As of today, I've completed 34 of the items since the start. 

What have I crossed off in the past year?

7. Publish three “how to” posts 

Looking back, this is one of my favorite types of posts to write. There is something about inspiring  others that I really enjoy writing about. 

How to Organize A Teacher Agenda

How to Pack For the Beach

How to Stay Productive During the Summer Months

17. Learn how to give myself a blowout
I went most of the summer without applying heat to my hair because my hair was reaching a really unhealthy point. When I went back to school,  I purchased a new blow dryer and since then have slowly been mastering the blowout. I watched this video over and over again to help. I've gotten to the point where I can blow out my hair, go to bed, and then wake up to just run the flat iron to smooth out the bumps from sleeping on my hair. This has significantly decreased the amount of heat that I've exposed my hair to. 

18. Move into my first grown up apartment/home 
In December, Todd and I bought our first home together. We skipped the whole renting phase and went straight from our parents house to owning our own home. It's a two bedroom two bathroom condo, so it's smaller than the single family home we thought we wanted. However, the smaller space is perfect for our current lifestyle. I'm excited to share more home updates with you guys soon! 

23. Read a book a month 
As a Language Arts teacher, I feel like I am constantly reading. Whether it is for my own pleasure, a book my students are reading, or a read aloud I'm doing with my class I am always in the midst of a book or two. Something that I have learned professionally is that you have to model a rich literacy life in order for students to buy in. This means that sometimes I am reading during class while my students are reading.  It is important for them to see me modeling what I ask of them. 

January: Tangerine by Edward Bloor, February: March:To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, April:Nine Women, One Dress by Jane Rosen, May: Words Their Way , June: A Handful of Stars by Cynthia Lord, July: Small Great Things by Jody Picoult, August: Mrs. Bixby's Last Day by John Anderson, September: Fish in A Tree by Lynda Hunt, October:Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan, November: 180 Days , December: Dear Martin by Nic Stone

30. Obtain a coaching certification 
This year I returned back to the field hockey club that I played for in high school. I've transitioned from player to coach. I also started in a new high school coaching role. Between these two opportunities I was required to obtain several certifications. Most of these were related to safety. 

39. Go for a hike somewhere new 
If you're looking for something cheap to do while traveling, hanging out with friends, or while on a date, then I definitely recommend hiking. There are so many trails near you that you probably don't even know about.  This summer we went to North Carolina to visit friends and spent an afternoon exploring some trails. It was lots of fun and a great way for us to get some exercise while catching up. 

59. Take dance lessons 
I took a dance lesson last year, but not the type of lesson I had intended for when writing this list. For a friend's bachelorette party we took a booty popping class. It was so much fun! I still would like to take ballroom dancing lessons to prep for our wedding. 

72. Plan a ladies’ weekend
One of the highlights from last year was that I was the Maid of Honor in my best friend's wedding. One of my big duties was to plan her bachelorette party weekend.  We ended up going to Nashville. I am planning to share my Nashville travel tips some time soon!

87. Go on a road trip
When you're balling on a budget road trips become your favorite way to travel without breaking the bank. Todd and I are at the point in our lives, where our friends live all over the country. In order to see a lot of our close friends we have to travel, so road trips have become our new specialty. You can checkout our guide to road tripping here. 

93. Take a trip with my mom 
It's no secret that my mom and I are very close. One of the great things is that we are both teachers, so we tend to have off the same days. Last Spring Break, we ended up taking two mini trips. We kicked off our break with a road trip to upstate New York with my dad and our dogs.  My brother's college lacrosse team had a game, so we decided to make an adventure out of it. While we were there, we got to see Lake Ontario. It was a tad bit chilly, but definitely an experience that we will always remember.  We then came home for a day and packed our bags again to head to Virginia. We were in search of a new place to travel to for our family vacation. We found a sleepy little town that we ended up going back to this past summer for an entire week. 

100. Visit NYC
This was actually one of the first things I did to kick off 2018. Thanks to a series of snow days, I had the opportunity to spend a weekend in the city with my sorority sisters from college. One of them lives outside the city in Hoboken, NJ.  We spent half the weekend exploring the city and the other half in her town. It was so much fun, but I definitely recommend a quality jacket if you're going to explore the city during the coldest weekend of the year!

So how in the world am I planning to come anywhere near close to finishing this list? Well, to be honest, I know that I will not be completing every item by September. I started grad school a little bit later, so I won't have my Masters or reading specialist certification. Realistically I think I can complete about 35 more things on the list by September. My plan is to make a monthly checklist to be able to cross things off. 

So looking ahead at January and February. The following items are on the agenda: Start coloring in my adult coloring book, Continue to read, Send birthday cards, Continue to get back to running regularly, and Collect addresses

A few of these items I have already been in the process of completing, so I am hoping to finish them in the next month or so.  There are a few other items I am in the process of checking off list, but I'm not quite ready to share them with you guys yet. 

What are your goals for the upcoming month? 

Have you ever created a 101 in 1001 days list?

XOXO

Guide to the Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sale

In case you didn't know, the Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sale is Monday beginning at 8 a.m.  You can gain early access in stores this weekend or shop online January 7th-8th. I've shopped the sale quite a handful of times both online and in person. Some years have definitely been better than others as far as pricing and sizing goes. 

The last time I wrote a guide to the Lilly Pulitzer sale was in August of 2016. At that time I shared that I wasn't shopping because I was saving for "adult things" like a car and to move out.I kind of laughed at this when I went to look back at what I written before because I've achieved both of those things. At this point in time, I'm undecided if I will end up purchasing anything or not. With buying a home, my budget is pretty tight. But part of me wouldn't mind finding a cute dress for a wedding I have in May and something for my bridal shower (I'm hoping we can have it in this summer).  We will see how good my self control is because I originally said I wouldn't be logging on to eve browse, and if you know me then you know that I'm pretty much a shopaholic plus a Lilly lover. Thinking about it, a lot of my dresses don't fit like they used to, so I definitely wouldn't mind adding a few new pieces. 

You may or may not know already, but Lilly Pulitzer rarely has large sales... in fact they only occur two times a year (August and January).  They used to do an in person summer warehouse sale, but they no longer do it. Anyways, due to the low frequency there is always a lot of hype surrounding these sales.  You have to be strategic about your shopping and it helps if you know some of the secrets to conquering the sales, especially the online ones. I have a few tips to help you out, in case you've never shopped the sale.

Create an account

If you're able to, it's always best to create an online account ahead of time. I recommend adding your card into your account ahead of time too because it speeds up your checkout process. The faster you check out the more likely you are to get what you want. Fun fact: adding items to your cart does not guarantee that you will get them. 

Once you're in the virtual line, DO NOT HIT REFRESH!

This is probably the biggest thing you need to know. It can be annoying waiting in line and sometimes it moves pretty slowly.  It is tempting to hit the refresh button to see if anything will change, but I'm warning you that you will regret it. Hitting the refresh button will take you to the very back of the line. I've waited in line for two hours before... just find something to do and stick it out. Your other option is to shop later in the day. This is a great option if you aren't looking for something specific. Usually by 4 pm there is no line. 

Know Your Size
It's important to know your size because all items purchased during the After party sale are final sale, which means there's no returning. If you do purchase something that does not end up working out, then you can always sell it at a consignment store, Facebook marketplace, or to a friend. 

Have a Positive Attitude
Just like anything you do, there are things that might frustrate you about this sale. There's a chance that you might not get the item you've been lusting over. Be prepared, the site might crash. I feel like the past few sales it has happened within the first hour or so. Yes, it's annoying, but it's just due to the insane amount of Lilly lovers.  Being optimistic through the whole shopping process will make it much more enjoyable. Let's be real, in the whole scheme of things, you probably do not need these clothes that you are buying. They are a want, and it is important to keep that in mind. After all, who can be grumpy when shopping at Lilly?

Self Control
We all know that Lilly Pulitzer items rarely go on sale. It can be quite tempting to go a little overboard when shopping the online sale. Try to make a budget and stick to it. You don't want to regret over spending your money on items that you won't be able to return. 

A few of my favorite Lilly outfits from the past year or so:

Best of luck shopping. I cannot wait to see what you purchase!

XOXO

Page 2 of 365

As promised, I'm back with another post. Shocker..I know right? I made a vow to be a better blogger, and I'm doing my best to keep my word. Today was day two of the new year. It was page two of our 365 day book. This 365 day book of mine is one that I am incredibly excited for. With a new year comes an opportunity to set the reset button. It is kind of funny to think about because realistically not much changes between December 31st and January 1st.  Many people spend the month of January obsessing over their resolutions just to fall off the train by mid February.  I have never been one to set resolutions. In the past I have set goals and done a 101 in 1001 list. The 101 lists have been so fun to make, but I'm always the worst at following through with checking things off the list. However, goals and intentions are where I usually thrive.  I find them much easier to achieve, and they don't seem to overwhelm me as much. You might be thinking they are the same thing, but they are actually different! Goals are something you hope to achieve but might fall short. Whereas intentions are setting the mindset you want to have.

This year my intention is to simply form good daily habits. Now that we are in our own place, I've had to adapt how I live in many ways. The daily Starbucks trips have come to an end, the random trips to eat out during lunch because I was too lazy to pack have stopped, the shopping sprees without thinking twice are no longer, and even more simply my daily routines are totally different. I've taken on more responsibilities both physically and financially. #adulting is in full swing now, and it is now time for me to pull it together. Sure I could set some resolutions related to this, but I feel like setting the intention to be mindful of my daily habits will take me further. After-all, nothing changes long term if you don't make any short term changes along the way. 

Goal Getter

I'm a huge fan of setting goals. I like to set goals that are achievable with a little challenge. If it is not reasonable, then you will just end up feeling defeated. This year's goals are related to self improvement. 

101 in 1001: I absolutely love these lists, but I think I was a little out of touch with reality when I made my list. There are some things on here that I know won't be crossed off. This current list is set to expire in fall of 2019.  With the little bit of time I have left, I want to work to reach at least 50% of the items before it's time to make a new list. I think I can easily get fifteen items crossed off.

Fitness: The item that is on everyone's new year resolutions list.  I seriously need to start sweating for the wedding now that we have hit the one year mark. I have been awful about working out regularly since I've started #adulting. I feel like the past two years I've gone in waves of being really good about it and then I fall off again.  Today I started the BBG twelve week plan. I completed the first four weeks at the end of the summer, but back to school and coaching took up all of my time (or at least that's what my excuse is). I'm ready to make myself a priority, which means making time for daily workouts. I think these workouts will be great for my current schedule because they require minimal equipment, are flexible, and not too time consuming.

Daily Routines: We moved almost three weeks ago, but with the holidays I have yet to form daily routines. If you know me, then you know that I thrive with routines.  I'm hoping to form routines filled with healthy habits over the next month or so. This includes silly things like sitting down to eat breakfast before leaving for work, reading daily, going for a walk with the dog each day after work, picking my work clothes out for the week, meal prepping, daily skincare routines, etc.


Find balance: If there is one thing I sucked at in 2018, it was finding balance in life. I'm the type of person who commits whole-heartedly to anything and everything that I do. If I'm going to half-ass something, then I just would rather not do it.  There's definitely pros and cons to my all or nothing attitude. The pros are that I usually excel at what I put my mind to, but the cons are that it usually means another part of my life suffers. It's no secret that my plate is full, but I need to be better about balancing coaching, teaching, time with friends, time with family, blogging, fitness, and simply time to take care of myself. I am hoping that my intention of 2019 will help me find this balance.

Whether you are setting goals, intentions, or resolutions it is important to hold yourself accountable. The first month is easy because you are surrounded by so many other people who have this rejuvenated mindset, but as the year goes on this tribe tends to dwindle providing more temptations than before. Know that you are not alone in your new endeavors. There is always somebody out there cheering for you or going through the same struggles you are. 

What are your goals or intentions for the new year?

XOXO