03: My 5 New Habits, Areas I’d Like to Improve, Seeing Each Season as a Gift

In today’s newsletter…

• Healthy habits that have shaped my year
• 3 areas I’d like to improve
• Seeing each season as a gift
• A few books, links, and songs I’ve enjoyed this week

Healthy habits that have shaped my year

It usually takes a big life event to change your habits in a meaningful way— ones such as moving to a new home, starting a new job, or maybe having a child. But this past year has been interesting in that nearly every single person in the world has had their normal lives disrupted (to some extent). I’d venture to say that more new habits were formed this year than in many prior years combined.

With that in mind, I wanted to take some time to reflect on several of the beneficial habits that I’ve picked up this past year in hopes of carrying them forward into the years to come.

Here are 5 new habits I hope to keep around:

1. Making a green smoothie each day. I know green smoothies aren’t anything brand new or mind blowing, but this past year I’ve gotten into the routine of making them every day. Like a lot of kids, it’s a struggle to get mine to eat their veggies… until we started making green smoothies. And now they not only get an adequate amount of nutrients, but it’s a fun part of our day that they can help with. 

2. Daily walks with the kids. Each day that we’re home, when 10:30am rolls around and our schooling is finished for the morning, we head outside. This mid-morning break has been such a consistent part of our day that I rarely hear complaints about the weather, and it serves as a great physical and mental break for all of us. 

3. Laying out my clothes for the next day. This task has been one of the best habits that I’ve created the past few years and one I rarely neglect to do, because it’s too easy not to do! I’m a morning person and cherish my calm, quiet mornings before the chaos of the day begins. It’s one way I can make my life easier in the morning so I can be ready to take on the day when the kids run out of their room. 

4. Greeting my kids warmly in the morning. While reading The Lifegiving Home by Sally Clarkson, she mentioned how giving a morning blessing to her children was such a positive way to begin each day. So when my kids come out of their rooms, I’ve learned to stop whatever task I’m doing and embrace them with a hug and a greeting such as, “Good morning sweetheart, I’m so glad to see you. It’s going to be a good day. Did you sleep well?”. 

5. Getting to bed earlier. I realized early on as a new parent that it wasn’t the best start to my day when I was awakened by a baby or child in the morning. So getting myself to bed early (about 9:30pm) has allowed me to arise an hour before the kids typically wake up, making for a much more calm start to my day. 

3 areas I’d like to improve

While this year has allowed me to pick up a few good habits that I try hard to continue, I also have areas that I still want to grow in. 

Here are my top 3:

1. Being less serious with my kids. One of the ways I truly admire my husband’s parenting gifts is the way he interacts and plays with our kids. My main role in this season of parenthood isn’t just to keep the house tidy, laundry completed, and food on the table– but instead to cultivate a deep relationship with my kids. Taking time to play dolls, have a tea party, or build a lego tower are ways that I can choose to be more open to establishing memorable times with my kids. 

2. Be a question asker. I have several people in my life that have the gift of being a great question asker and it’s been something that has been really encouraging to me lately. Being the object of someone’s interest shows that they are curious about you and want to continue to be in a relationship of growth. This is one area that I’m striving towards doing better, as I see how meaningful it can be.

3. More single tasking, less multi-tasking. The ability to hold multiple tasks, conversations, and thoughts in your head at once is a valuable skill to have. However, the constant pull from one thing to the next sometimes leaves me feeling scattered, as if I never actually accomplish what I had set out to do. I realize that when I limit the amount of tasks I have going on at the same time, I’m more able to accomplish those few things well. 

Seeing each season as a gift

Recently, my daughter has been asking me to tell her stories about when I was a child or teenager. “Mommy, tell me about a time you got in trouble or did something wrong, or when one of your sisters made you sad”.

My response to this question is usually that I truly don’t remember many of the difficult times (not because they didn’t happen), but because I’ve chosen to not hold onto them. Instead, I’ve learned to look back on those years and see the happiness that resulted. 

If I choose to let hardships of a season shape what I remember most about those times, my memories will hold negative feelings and I’ll likely hold onto the “if onlys”, by neglecting to see how those opportunities shaped who I had become. 

Seasons filled with anxiety led me to a greater understanding of letting go of my own comforts and the desire for control. Seasons of waiting allowed me to see how events were orchestrated and how often the timing of things are beyond my doing. And seasons of raising babies has reminded me that childhood is filled with busyness and tears, but also laughter and innocence. 

This particular season that I’m in has proven to be a challenging one, with my kids being ages 5, 3, and 1, each having their own desires and needs. I could easily see this season as tiring, overwhelming, and sacrificing. But at the end of the day, I have a choice to make. 

Will I hang onto those hard parts and view them as obstacles that hold me back, or will I see them as ways that I can grow and rewrite a difficult season as one of triumph? Allow yourself to view each season as a gift, even the ones filled with struggles. Don’t let yourself dwell on the burdens, but look for the ways in which you’ve been shaped and growth has occurred.. They’re always there, it may just take some looking inward to see ☺️

A few books, links, and songs I’ve enjoyed this week…

The Lazy Genius Way– I read this book last month and have since applied what I’ve learned countless times. Kendra Adachi gives 13 principles towards living a more productive and organized life and her writing style is so enjoyable to read! You can also check out her podcast too, The Lazy Genius Collective, which is one of my favorites. 

Does Digging in the Dirt Make You Happier? 

“Digging in the dirt really does lift your spirits. The digging stirs up microbes in the soil. Inhaling these microbes can stimulate serotonin production, which can make you feel relaxed and happier.”

Sorry Parents, Millennials Don’t Want Your Stuff 

“If you’re the parent of a millennial, I’ve got some bad news. They don’t want your stuff. If you have plans to gift your children your antique furniture, fancy dishes and flatware, or your beloved collections, it’s time to reconsider those plans. Because chances are good that your kids don’t want your stuff.”

Hearts Content

I recently heard this familiar song again as it randomly came on my Spotify playlist. I was in the kitchen at the time, so I grabbed one of my kids and started dancing. Now, my daughter frequently says “Alexa, play Hearts Content!” because she knows that it’s our new fun dancing song. Give it a listen! Or go watch Safe Haven and hear it there ☺️