My Daily “Toolkit” Essentials
When I decided to write a blog on my daily “toolkit” of essentials, I chuckled to myself because years ago, I would never even have a “toolkit”—let alone welcome the idea of talking about it! It’s amazing what changes happen between the ages of 25 and 30 and especially after having a baby! I feel like year 30 was most reflective for me. It marked 6 years of marriage with my husband, 2 years of being a mama, 1 year of running a marketing company that I built from the ground up, and most importantly the year I truly believe I started to embrace my true identity. That being said, this was only possible through placing the right tools in my kit and consistently implementing them into my life. Yes, you heard it right! It takes not only planning, but also doing to see a difference!
Now, I should mention that when I think of my toolkit, I only think of happy thoughts and a box covered in flowers and glitter and sparkling unicorns okay, I went too far there but, you get the gist 😊 This tool kit is unique to me and my needs. But, I am sure there are a lot of folks out there who can relate to some of these tools that have helped me throughout the years, so, let’s dive in!
Tool #1) Quiet time to meditate—This has been a game-changer for me, and yet, one of the hardest to keep consistent! Go figure, the most important part of my day and most days I can barely get myself together enough to read a Bible verse before jumping out of bed and starting the day! You see, I am not a morning person by any means, but, I have discovered that in order to have any sort of me time, it has to be at the crack of dawn, otherwise, it won’t happen! So, my morning routine begins in my bed with my Bible and devotional in my lap. I think finding the right devotional that speaks to you is the key for this. I have gone through so many throughout the years, and finally found one that speaks straight to my heart, every time. It also provides daily scripture reference that allows me to dig into actual scripture as well, which is super important! New Morning Mercies by Paul Tripp is the devotional I have been using and highly recommend! So, in the early morning hours, I gather these little nuggets and pray that I guard them deep in my heart throughout the day.
Tool #2) Keep moving— For me, this movement comes in the form of 6 a.m. Pilates classes 2-3 times a week and as many walks outside as I can make happen! I discovered Pilates last year when I met the owner of my favorite studio, Crescent Trail Pilates at a networking event. I tried my first class and from that point on, I was hooked! For years, I have struggled with the “yo-yo” of what’s too much and what’s too little when it comes to exercise. Then, I experienced Pilates and it was like a lightbulb went off. I realized it was so much more than a “typical” workout—it was an entirely new concept to me—breathing life into my lungs, recognizing every movement, embracing each muscle contraction, and feeling connected to my body for what I may argue was the first time. After consistently showing up for classes each week, I started seeing improvement. Not the kind I was used to: shedding pounds and dropping waste-sizes, but, instead, mental improvement, I was more in tune with my body and mind, and I was getting defined muscles! I started feeling strong and quite frankly, beautiful. Today, I am curvier than ever (thanks to turning 30), but, I am also stronger than ever, physically and spiritually. I have learned through this that daily movement is critical for my mental health. If I don’t get a Pilates work out in first thing in the morning, taking a walk after dinner(especially if I’ve been sitting at my laptop all day) can make all the difference! For me, 30 minutes of moving my body everyday helps me feel refreshed and energized. No matter what that movement looks like for you, I promise it makes a difference!
Tool #3) Make time for your passions—When people ask my what my hobbies are, one of the first things that comes to mind is, what hobbies? I’m a wife, mom and business owner, who has time for hobbies?! However, throughout the years, I have realized how incredibly important it is for me to continue pursuing the things that I love and the things that make me feel alive regardless of what season of life I am in. As a mama to my sweet two-year-old Ava, I notice more than ever just how much she’s watching me and listening. I want her to know that its okay to pursue her passions while still wearing other hats. I want her to know that she doesn’t need to feel guilty for this. These passions come in the form of many different things for me, but my top two are baking and gardening! I fell in love with baking when my husband Dan and I moved to Houston, TX immediately after getting married. I had never been away from my family before and in order to cope with missing them, I turned to a new skill—baking! I found Sally’s Baking Addiction on Pinterest and started making her recipes, which then turned into buying her cookbooks, and fangirling all over Houston until I finally met her in-person and got her to sign her cookbooks! Needless to say, I haven’t stopped loving her approach to baking, which is to have FUN with it and add extra sprinkles! You should totally go check out her Baking Tips because you’ll learn so much about simple hacks to being the best cookie maker in the neighborhood! I try to bake something from her blog/cookbook at least once a week! Even if it’s 9:00 at night and I’m exhausted—I know the days where I need to spend some time with my Kitchen Aid. When I’m baking, I tune everything else out, I focus on each instruction and measurement and my focus is truly on what I’m doing! This is SO incredibly healthy for me, since, all day, my brain is going 100 different directions and I’m rarely able to focus, let alone on something I love. This sounds silly but, watching the dough mix is so calming to me and eating it is even better(obviously!) When in Houston, I started a baking Instagram, dedicated to some of my favorite recipes and creations. If you want to drool over chocolate and peanut butter goodness, please go give it a follow!
Gardening has always been a passion of mine, ever since I was a little girl! I remember planning and planting gardens with my mom and tending to them every day. Today, I continue to nurture gardens all around my house and each spring, I find so much joy in planting fresh flowers that we will enjoy all summer. There’s just something so freeing about being in the dirt and it gives me a sense of grounding that I desperately need in this crazy world.
I hope that these tools that have helped me so incredibly much in my everyday life, will inspire you in yours! May you never forget the importance of having the right tools in your box and may you always remember to use those to live a fuller, healthier and happier life!