Category: #selfcareis

5 Big Ways I’ve Simplified Our Every Day Life [To Create More Time for What Matters Most]

Nothing has been a bigger game changer for my life and my motherhood than finding specific ways to simplify so that I have more time (and energy) for what matters most.

These 5 things I’m about to share with you have come after nearly 8 years of motherhood. I’m hoping they will save other younger mamas lots of time and angst. Let them encourage and inspire you to make your own simple changes, too.

This isn’t an all inclusive list. What is your favorite way to simplify to create more time for the things that matter most?

Pssssst…. You can listen to the companion podcast episode HERE.

Need extra help in simplifying? Creating rhythms is so important. Grab the free guide today!

Let’s dive in…

1.) Declutter Everything

And I mean absolutely everything. All of your physical surroundings, but also your brain, your schedule, your priorities, right down to the number of tabs you have open on your computer. Everything. No man left behind.

Beyond the obvious decluttering Marie Kondo-style, here are a few ways I’ve also found to simplify my life via decluttering:

  • Toy rotation. Yes, this is even for you if you consider yourself fairly minimalist already. The basic idea is to have specific storage areas for toys. Ours are an IKEA system in the kids’ room, a cedar chest for their train set, a hall closet that contains all their art and games and puzzles and then a coat closet we’ve transformed into LEGO storage. Then each child gets a bin (right now the two boys share one) that houses “extras.” Every month or so we rotate, one for one style, so that old toys feel new again and there’s never too much down at one time. Listen to the podcast on taming the toy chaos HERE.
  • Eliminate pain points. If I find that a particular area (example: our laundry room/mud room) is causing me particular angst then I focus in there. I declutter, rearrange, rethink so that it starts working for us again.
  • Remove duplicates. I don’t have two of very many things at all. I keep my favorite, the very best and let go of the rest. The only exceptions are seasonal items.
  • Cut down on repetitive actions. One example from my personal life are throw pillows. I love a good throw pillow. But just not on our couch. I had them there for a while and found I was picking them up off the floor literally half a dozen times a day. Nope. Don’t need that in my life. So I moved them to our bed and they fit perfectly. Problem solved.

2.) Automate and Delegate

Two of my favorite words in motherhood. Ha. But truly, they are key to simplifying and saving your sanity.

Here are a few ways I apply them to every day life:

  • Get the kiddos involved. Kids love to feel needed (who doesn’t), but even if they’re not thrilled at the idea of helping, involve them anyway. I am always telling my kids, I am just one person. There are five of us in the home. We are all a team and we all have to pitch in order to be successful. We each have to do our part. My seven year old cleans the kids’ bathroom, folds laundry, empties the dishwasher, makes simple meals, pulls weeds, waters the garden, etc. My almost five year old helps with the laundry as well, emptying the dishwasher, vacuuming, pulling weeds, etc. Even my two year old puts away silverware, puts his clothes away, sweeps up small messes, etc. It may not seem like help at first, but before you know it, your kids will be helping to lighten the family load.
  • Find a reliable babysitter. I know this can feel so overwhelming. I am very picky about who watches my kids, so not just anyone will do. I start by asking someone I trust who they recommend. Word of mouth always wins for me. We currently have a sister duo who the kids love and I can trust.
  • Utilize grocery delivery or pick up. Seriously. I rarely step foot in a grocery store anymore. There’s no need to if you live in an area with grocery delivery and/or pick up options. Yesterday I had Instacart deliver groceries from my local market and Costco with in 15 minutes of each other. Fridge cleaned out, restocked, done for the week. Praise.
  • Set up intentional subscriptions. I used to resist them, but now they are my best friend. The trick is only setting up subscriptions for items and services that you already use on the regular. If you find you’re not using it, simply cancel. I keep a running list of my current subscriptions so I can monitor them. Here are some of my tried and trues: Branch Basics for non-toxic cleaning supplies, Butcher Box for the best meat, my local CSA for fresh, seasonal veggies, fruits, dairy, and baked goods, Honest Company for diapers and wipes, Mary Ruth’s Organics for amazing supplements for the entire family.
  • Automatic bill pay. Not much more to say here. I have all our bills set to automatically withdraw. I still get paper statements and review them, but don’t have to worry about missing payment deadlines.
  • Invest in a robot vacuum. I mean, you can invest in a house cleaner, too. I just haven’t made that leap yet because I honestly find cleaning therapeutic AND it’s hard to find a house cleaner who will use my non-toxic products. SO, a robot vacuum is one of my biggest hacks (besides the one load, one space rhythm). I’ve had this basic robot vacuum for almost two years now and it is still going strong. I run it a few times a week and am always amazed how much it picks up.

3.) Create Rhythms

This is a constant refrain of mine, but for good reason. Rhythms have completely changed my motherhood for the better.

Here’s why: they provide a flexible framework for each day, week, month, season so that I can stop reinventing the wheel.

I’ve written in depth about rhythms and share how to create them HERE.

4.) Don’t Over Think Meal Time

As mamas, planning, prepping and providing meals for our family is a huge part of our day to day life. So, I’ve done my very best to simplify the process as much as possible.

Here are a few ways I do that:

  • I make a meals idea list at the start of each week. I list seven breakfasts and seven dinner ideas based on what I have in the fridge and pantry. Generally it’s the same basic seasonal meals on rotation. I might throw in a new recipe now and then. If I do, I pull from my Food + Drink Board on Pinterest. This gives me the flexibility of choosing what I make on any given day, but I have the framework of “what” already laid out.
  • Lunches around here are almost always “board style.” Meaning: I grab a cutting board, pull out all the random odds and ends in the fridge and create a mix of healthy fats, protein, and carbs. Super simple. No plates. Everyone is happy.
  • I use a meal delivery service. I’ve been trying out Hungry Root for a week each month (not sponsored). I plan to use them more heavily during postpartum. I get a box with basic ingredients for 2-3 breakfasts, dinners and snacks, high quality ingredients that I would normally choose. It’s really helped simplify the whole meal process and takes a load off my “plate.” Ha.
  • I do my best to focus on simple, high quality ingredients. You can make a pasta with olive oil, olives, tomatoes, parm and Italian sausage taste like a $20 meal if you use really good ingredients. Even a salad tastes world class when made with simple, high quality ingredients. Don’t over think it. Buy what’s in seasons, buy local. Don’t get locked into the main course, side dishes, three hours of prep mentality.

5.) Capsule Wardrobes for All

Seriously. This has simplified my life in so many ways. And capsule wardrobes don’t have to mean only a certain number or items. Or all neutral. Or that you wear the same three things every day of the week. It can look however you need and want it to look.

For me, capsule wardrobes has significantly cut down on the amount of laundry we have for five people. They have cut down on decision fatigue because we only have what we love and actually wear.

I find my kids gravitate to the same few pieces just like I do. So capsule wardrobes just make so much sense.

I talk more about capsule wardrobes and how to build one HERE.

And I can’t not share my favorite clothing companies that focus on the capsule approach:

For Mama

For Kiddos

Listen to the companion podcast episode HERE.

Go check out other episodes of The Self-Care Sessions.

For more self-care goodness, come join me on Instagram.

If you haven’t joined my email list yet, that’s a great place to find more of the same.

Grab my Rhythms Guide for FREE and get started on creating your own today!

Let’s care for ourselves,

Hannah

10 Ways to Care for Your Body

Today I want to talk about caring for our physical health in specific and holistic ways. Because how we care for our bodies affects how we care for our minds which affects how we care for our souls. It’s all connected.

The topic of caring for our bodies might immediately conjure up thoughts of $100 an hour massages or weekly pedicures or shopping sprees, that’s not what I want to talk about at all.

Now those things can have their place, but it’s my mission to redefine caring for ourselves. So that it’s accessible and applicable for every mama, everywhere. So, in this article I’m going to share ten ways we can care for our souls in consistent, tangible, life-changing ways. That don’t cost a lot of money or take a lot of time.

Let’s dive in…

1.) Don’t overthink eating well.

This topic can feel so loaded. Full of do’s and don’ts. Diet trends and 30 day plans. It can feel so overwhelming that we never even take the first step, or we do and quit soon after.

I have been there. Believe me. I’m a foodie so I’m not into all the restrictive eating and crazy diets. I love to look at eating well as a lifestyle. Not a restriction or a “30 days and done,” but the way that I live most of the time.

Because: I only get one life and one body and I want to be here to watch my babies grow up and have babies. I want to live to the fullest, be vibrant and full of energy way past the typical prime. That’s my WHY.

So, the big lesson I’ve learned? Don’t over think it. Keep it super simple, basic, just like whole foods. A few ingredients. High quality. Put them together and you have an amazing meal that fuels your body and brings healing to every cell.

This is going to look different for everyone, but one great place to start is committing to make a daily green smoothie. I usually make mine in the morning, but sometimes if I don’t get to it then, I fit it in for an afternoon pick me up.

Don’t know which recipe to try? Start with this one, this one or this one. So delicious, so simple and a great way to get whole foods into your body on a daily basis.

Once you’ve got the daily green smoothie habit down, start working on something else. Commit to drinking a warm glass of water with fresh lemon juice first thing in the morning. Commit to incorporating veggies into every meal. Make ingredient swaps like: coconut oil, olive oil, grassfed butter or ghee in place of standard vegetable oil or margin. Swap raw honey, pure maple syrup or coconut sugar for granulated sugar. Swap whole fat, organic, grassfed dairy or clean non-dairy options for conventional dairy products.

One step at a time. One habit at a time. A little goes a long way.

PS This is one of my favorite ladies to follow (her blog and insta are amazing!) for inspiration when it comes to eating well as a lifestyle.

2.) Switch to non-toxic personal care products.

We can’t under estimate the impact products make on our health. Especially when we use so many as women, just in a single day.

Switching out our skincare and makeup products for non-toxic options can go a long way in reducing our exposure to so many hormone and health disrupting chemicals.

Where to start? Deodorant. I know what you’re thinking, but natural deodorant has come a long, long way. I use this brand and really want to try this brand. Also, read this article for great info on detoxing to get the most out of your natural deodorant.

Second: body lotion. Our skin is our biggest detox organ, let’s not suffocate it by slathering on chemicals. Switch it out for something completely natural like this oil or this body butter.

Third: skincare. The quality of my skin transformed so much when I traded in my conventional skincare products for non-toxic ones. Ones where I could read (and even eat!) every ingredient on the bottle. This is by far my favorite skincare company. This one is so amazing, too. I also love this one.

Fourth: makeup. This one can feel really overwhelming, especially if you’re used to a certain feel, result and quality in your makeup. And you shouldn’t have to sacrifice any of those while also putting non-toxic products on your skin. This is my favorite non-toxic makeup company. I also like this one and this one.

Fifth: hair care. This one was the hardest for me to switch out. Not going to lie. It’s really hard to find high quality, non-toxic hair care that actually works. But about a month ago, I came across this brand and I am sold. They don’t gum my hair up or weigh it down. They make my hair feel clean and fresh. But I also feel good about what I’m putting on my scalp. I love this, this and this product of theirs.

PS Check out this blog post for a full run down of all the skincare and makeup products I use on a daily basis.

3.) Grab a heatpack.

A heat – what???? Yes, a heatpack. But not just any heatpack. A non-toxic, 100% cotton, made with love heatpack. It’s something so simple that will change your life.

Because heat ministers to the deepest parts of who we are. Think about a warm bath or sunshine, a cozy blanket or a crackling fire on a chilly day. A heatpack is that little bit of healing heat you can take with you wherever you go, whenever you need it most.

  • I warm mine for about 3 minutes in the microwave and tuck it into my covers to warm up the sheets while I’m getting ready for bed.
  • I also use it to warm up in the middle of the day when I have a chill. I’ll put it over my feet when I’m sitting on the couch watching a show in the evening.
  • I lay it over sore muscles when I need tension relief.
  • I use it between my legs or over my lower abdomen for cramping and period discomfort.
  • I use it across my chest for anxiety relief.

So many uses. Worth every penny. Go grab one – and pick a darling cover to go with it.

PS Lindsay- founder of Simply Handmade Heat – is a dear friend. She has a heart of gold. She also has a wonderful, thriving Insta page. Go follow her and give her some love!

4.) Move consistently.

This can feel like another loaded topic. Along with eating well, we tend to overthink movement. Get sucked into all the trends, the do’s and don’ts.

It doesn’t have to be a punishment or an attempt to “even out the scales.” We have to look at moving our bodies as a way we honor them, honor ourselves. As a way we care for ourselves on the deepest level.

And we don’t need to put qualifications on movement. Or subscribe to one way and one way only.

Movement can look like:

  • a walk in the neighborhood with our kids
  • a yoga flow before bed
  • squats and pushups in the backyard while the kids play
  • a 15 minute HIIT work out
  • an hour at the gym if that’s what lights you up
  • a pilates class in person or online
  • dance cardio
  • tennis
  • swimming

So, let’s not overcomplicate it. Let’s not say it has to look one certain way. Let’s just move our bodies consistently. Because they’ve been so good to us and we want to be good to them.

PS If you need some inspo, here are a few of my favorite, free online workouts: HIIT, yoga and barre inspired.

5.) Find a doctor who is right for you.

This can be easier said than done. I know. But I also know that I’m the one who suffers most if I put off finding a good doctor. Now I go in for a well visit around 12 months postpartum after every baby. Even once we’re done having babies, I plan to go in every couple years to make sure that I am staying on top of my hormone health, my thyroid and any other issues that arise.

When we have nagging physical symptoms we can’t resolve, gosh, that can be so draining mentally and emotionally. I know it takes a lot of work to find a doctor and then go through all the appointments and procedures that may be needed. But it’s so worth it for our health, mama. Especially if we can be proactive and circumvent things from happening in the first place or at the very least from getting worst.

I wish I’d learned this lesson earlier. I might not have been diagnosed with borderline Hashimoto’s when I was pregnant with my third. Or had to wean my baby early so I could do intensive protocols for two major gut infections that were affecting my health. Take it from me.

PS I actually wrote a detailed blog post on this exact topic. You can check it out here. I cover how to find the right doctor, how to prep for your first appointment and several different tests you might want to ask for when you go.

6.) Optimize your sleep.

Whoo. I just keep hitting all these loaded topics, don’t I? Ha. I know sleep can be a touchy subject especially if you’re a mom of littles. Those early years are rough. And sleep is bound to be scarce or at the very least very disrupted. No doubt.

BUT. As a mom to three (almost four!), I’ve learned over the years several ways to optimize the sleep I do get. I’m not going to paint a picture of a 3 hour evening routine and 9 hours of sleeping bliss for you because I know that’s not reality. And would probably have you clicking away faster than I could say snooze.

Instead let me share with you bullet point style several ways to optimize the sleep you DO get. Whether it’s two hours or four or 7 hours broken into 30 minute increments.

  • Wear blue light blocking glasses after sunset
  • Drink 1/4 cup tart cherry juice in the afternoon (high in melatonin)
  • Shut off all screens an hour before bed
  • If you wake consistently around 2-3am try eating a small, protein heavy snack before bed (spoonful of almond butter)
  • Use black out blinds and/or a sleep mask
  • Keep your room cool
  • Use ear plugs if you can or least white noise
  • Go to bed and wake up at consistent times even on weekends
  • Remember that the most important hours when it comes to sleep benefits are between 10pm-2am. If at all possible, aim to be asleep during that time
  • As soon as you can after waking get into natural light or use a sunlight therapy lamp to reset your circadian rhythm
  • Add in a magnesium supplement. I love to take 400mg of magnesium glycinate before bed or use the Natural Calm powder if I need to get my bowels moving.

PS Sometimes you do need help getting the baby to sleep. I wish I could go back and do so many things different with my second. I was exhausted and overwhelmed at the time. But this I know – I could never (or should say would never) live through another season like that without trying several things first. Like taking this course on baby sleep and consistent chiropractic care for baby. Just to name two.

7.) Make sure you’re hydrating.

I think hydration is one of the most underrated aspects of caring for ourselves. It’s simple, straight forward, but often over looked or even forgotten. But we can make it fun! And comforting! And healing! And a sprinkle of sweet pauses through out our day. It’s all in how we approach it.

I cannot get enough yummy, healing drinks. Of course, some good, filtered
water hits the spot most times. But I like to get a little creative and use my
drinks to not only stay hydrated, but sneak in some good fats, protein and
healing herbs whenever possible.

Above and beyond my 8 glasses of filtered water, I drink 2-3 healing drinks
a day. I love a good, organic coffee, but I try to stay super light on the
caffeine. Sometimes I make this dandelion tea. Or a golden milk latte. Or
some of my favorite mushroom coffee. Any and all of these can be served
piping hot or iced. You can also check out my Instagram highlights where I
share all my favorite coffee substitutions.

PS I have two great resources for you on this topic:

1.) I put together a video with all of my hydration tips in one place.

2.) I put together a FREE guide with all my favorite drink recipes: Grab my Healthy + Healing Warm Drink Guide here.

8.) Take a regular detox bath.

Incorporating a detox bath into my self-care routine is one of my favorite
things to do. I take one 2-3 times per week. It’s calming, healing and
relaxing. A good detox bath is just what the doctor ordered any time of year, but especially when our detox and immune systems need that extra boost.

Here’s a post I wrote with my favorite detox bath recipe, plus the one thing
you can do to maximize the benefits of your detox bath (bonus: it doesn’t
cost much or take much time).

PS Detox in general is so important. And something our body is doing on a daily basis whether we realize it or not. But if we can jump in and support it in its natural processes, so much the better. Other ways to do this?

  • Infrared sauna
  • Sweating it out through movement
  • Dry brushing
  • Staying hydrated with lemon water or dandelion root tea
  • Lessoning the burden on our livers by cutting down on caffeine, alcohol and sugar consumption.

9.) Add in Some Supplements

My number one priority is always to focus on eating whole foods that
support my body and my health in all the ways. But when and where I need
some extra support, I like to have these supplements on hand:

  • A good Multi-Vitamin. I love and use Megafood’s Mama and Baby 2 prenatal. But anything by MaryRuth’s Organics is excellent, too.
  • Collagen. I add this right into my daily smoothie.
  • Zinc. Proper zinc levels help support the immune system, skin health and so many other processes in the body.
  • Vitamin D3 drops. To help keep my levels optimal when I can’t get as much sun (I usually supplement October – April). If you’re not sure what your Vitamin D Levels are, have your preferred practitioner check them.
  • A methylated B-Complex. I take this only in the morning otherwise it can tend to disrupt my sleep.
  • Magnesium. I take 400mg of magnesium glycinate every night before bed.
  • Elderberry. The QUEEN of preventative measures. Especially in the cooler months. You can even make your own. Here’s the recipe I use.

10.) Create Your Own Self-Care Routine

Grab a piece of paper and a pen. Don’t worry – this is going to be fun!

Make three sections: Morning, Mid-Day and Evening.

Write down: the time you usually wake up and then list the things that help you start the day off right.

Do the same for Mid-Day: the time you usually eat lunch and the things that
give you a little pick-me-up (if you’re a mom, you can focus this middle
section around nap time like I do).

Do the same thing for the Evening section. Now you’re done. This is the outline for your self-care routine.

Take it for a spin tomorrow and see how it goes. It will take a little trial and
error, but you’ll figure out a routine that works for you. Yoiu might always do everything on your list every day. It might shift and change with the seasons. But you’ll have a framework to use, to refer to, to make sure you are caring for yourself in consistent, tangible, life-changing ways.

Here’s an example of my morning self-care routine to get you started:

  • Wake up at 7am
  • Do my skin care routine
  • Drink a glass of water
  • Spend a few minutes in the Word + prayer
  • Get dressed
  • Do my hair + makeup
  • Make my bed and tidy my room + bathroom
  • Drink a green smoothie + eat a high protein/high fiber breakfast
  • Do the most important thing on my to do list

PS I wrote a full blog post on creating your own self-care rhythms. Check it out here!

This list is by no means exhaustive. Have anything to add? Let me know in the comments!

Aslo, have any questions for me? Leave them in the comments, too, and I’ll be happy to answer! You’ve got this, mama. Never fear! One breath, one step, one day at a time.

For more self-care goodness, come join me on Instagram.

Or check out my podcast The Self-Care Sessions.

If you haven’t joined my email list yet, that’s a great place to find more of the same.

For more self-care goodness, come join me on Instagram. And if you haven’t joined my email list yet, that’s a great place to find more of the same. Check out the side bar (or scroll all the way down if you’re on mobile) to view all the freebies I’ve created just with you in mind. I hope you find something helpful.

Let’s care for ourselves,

Hannah

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor. Everything health + wellness I share here is based on my own personal experience and research. Be your own advocate, mama. Search, ask, dig. Research and find the answers you need. You are worth it.

10 Ways to Care for Your Mind

A while back on Instagram stories, I put up a poll asking if people struggled with knowing how to care for their minds. A majority said yes.

So, here I am to talk about caring for our mental health in specific and holistic ways. Because how we care for our minds affects how we care for our souls which affects how we care for our bodies. It’s all connected.

And even though caring for our minds can seem rather nebulous and elusive, it’s extremely important. And probably a lot more simple than we even realize. In this article I’m going to share ten ways we can care for our minds.

Let’s dive in…

1.) Do a social media detox.

Let’s start with the big hitters first. There’s no reason to beat around the bush. We live in a day and age when we are bombarded 24/7 with information. Non-stop news. Non-stop pings. Non-stop notifications. Non-stop. Of course this is going to affect our mental health.

Also, our social circles have exploded. They used to contain only immediate family and close friends with maybe a handful of distant relatives or acquaintances. Now with social media we are literally invited into intimate moments of peoples’ lives whom we’ve never met, will never meet. One minute you’re scrolling through the Explore tab on Instagram and the next minute you’re crying reading someone’s post about how their child just died of a brain tumor. We were not meant to carry the scope of burdens we carry.

This doesn’t even cover the struggle with comparison, remaining authentic, being present in our off-screen lives… Perhaps another blog post for another time? Yes, and here it is if you’d like to read it.

So let’s detox. Regularly. Delete the apps. Put the phone in airplane mode. Better yet, just turn it off. Unplug. Let it rest. It will be there tomorrow, a week from now, a month from now. Heck, what did we do before social media? We lived our lives, but with a whole lot less stress and mental overwhelm. Social media can be an amazing tool…when it’s used appropriately. Let’s use it but with firm boundaries.

TRY: designating a day or two a week where you are totally social media free. Maybe even take a longer sabbatical, like a week or two every quarter. See where it leads you. At the very least: turn off your notifications.

READ: Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport and my blog post: Self-Care is a Social Media Detox

2.) Cut out sugar/alcohol/gluten/dairy.

I can’t talk about mental health with out talking about this. Yes, it’s hard. Yes, it sucks. At first. Maybe for a long time. It’s not easy to give up our crutches, especially our mental ones. But it needs to be said: over consumption of sugar, alcohol, gluten and conventional dairy in particular are detrimental to our mental health. They contribute to so many diseases and cause inflammation to run rampant in the body.

I wouldn’t ask you to do anything I haven’t done. I did a strict elimination diet last May and June. I cut out sugar, alcohol, gluten and dairy (plus a few other foods I discovered I was sensitive to) for 60 days. It wasn’t easy, but I felt immeasurably better. I don’t advocate elimination diets for the long term; I definitely feel like the mental health benefits start to wane around the 60 day mark, simply because restriction can mess with your head.

But that elimination diet helped me see how good I could feel without all the junk. And I eat some of the items I cut out now sparingly, in moderate amounts, on special occasions. I don’t feel deprived, in fact, I feel free knowing that I’m caring for my body so I can feel my best.

I’m currently back to cutting gluten out entirely. I feel it’s what is best for me in this season, to support my body and promote deeper healing. Anyways, that’s a little bit of my journey just so you know I’m not just spouting off things you should do without the actions to back them up. I’m with you, mama. You’re not alone.

TRY: an elimination diet. Give up sugar, alcohol, gluten and dairy for at least 30 days, 60 days if you’re brave. See how you feel. It’s possible you might have more mental clarity than you’ve had in years.

READ: Do An Elimination Diet to Uncover Food Allergies or Sensitivities

3.) Purpose to keep actively learning.

I was totally burned out after I finished my masters degree. I read so many books. I wrote so many words. Then I met my husband and our whirlwind fairy-tale began. A little over a year later we welcomed our first child and then…life. It can get away from you if you’re not intentional.

What I’m proposing is to be active with your learning. Intentional. Focused. Make a list of your interests, passions, the subjects that really light you up. It can be anything. Remember: we’re not in school any more. Anything goes. There’s no failure or grades or task lists. Learn for the sheer love of learning. And when I say be active, I mean don’t be passive only. Because I believe we’re all learning all the time. Learning is something that comes naturally to us as human beings. But we can get burned out, distracted, overwhelmed, busy with life and we make the excuse that we just don’t have the time. But we do. We just have to carve it out. Be willing to actively learn. This will go so far when it comes to caring for our minds. What we put in is what we get out.

TRY: keeping a running list of books you want to read, courses you want to take, areas of interest you want to study. Get a library card, sign up for Audible, download podcast episodes so they’re ready to go. Create learning rhythms in your days: i.e. Tuesday evening is screen-free and you curl up with a book and a warm drink… or Saturday you steal away to a coffee shop to listen to a podcast or work on a course in something that interests you. Take it as far as you want to go.

READ: How We Learn by Benedict Cary

4.) Practice being present.

Let’s break this down so it doesn’t sound so “pie in the sky” as it always has for me. Especially if you’re a mom of little ones and you feel like your head is about to explode most of the time. Like HOW can I possibly practice being anymore present. I’m needed 24\7 and I just want to escape. I get it. I live it, too. Motherhood is the hardest and best thing I’ve ever done.

But I’ve realized that my mental health depends on being mindfully aware of the present moment. Here are some specific ways I’m working towards that goal:

  • Limiting social media and screens in general
  • Practicing yoga daily
  • Accepting help so that I have more mental space to be present
  • Learning how to breathe more deeply and fully
  • Meditation
  • Journaling my prayers
  • Keeping a gratitude list
  • Establishing key rhythms that anchor my days and weeks

TRY: any or all of the above. But also try making space and some time to sit down and really get honest with yourself: what do you need personally to feel more present in your life? Write down your answers and then take action. Everyone’s journey will be different.

READ: How to Breathe by Ashley Neese

5.) Daily brain dump

This is such a useful tool. I love to do this before bed, but really anytime that I am feeling overwhelmed. It’s just what it sounds like: I dump all the stuff that is swirling around in my brain out on a piece of paper or the notes app in my phone. When I see it all in black and white what I thought were big things look smaller and sometimes the seemingly smaller things jump out at me and I realize they need to be made priority.

TRY: grabbing a piece of paper or a notebook, a pen and a few minutes of quiet. Write down anything and everything that comes to mind, no matter how little or insignificant it seems. Clear it all out of your brain. Once it’s on paper, you can see it for what it is. Then you can prioritize or scratch it out or just let it be. Let it go.

READ: The One Thing by Gary Keller

6.) Set clear boundaries.

Few things have done more for my mental health than learning how to set boundaries. It’s not easy. It can be really hard and heart breaking. And it doesn’t come over night, it takes time and it’s really a life-long journey. But boundaries are essential to mental health. I went through an intense season after my second baby was born where everything came to a head. I struggled with being anxious, irritable, frazzled, depressed and angry… the truth is I still do at times because that’s life and we live in a broken world. But learning how to set boundaries has eased those things considerably. It’s made my confidence and peace soar. It’s been a game changer.

Here’s the truth, mama: you can’t be all things to all people all of the time. Something has to give. And if it’s always you, you’re going to burn out and end up resenting yourself and those you love most. And that’s no good for anyone.

TRY: identifying a problem area in your life, identify your limits in that area and then setting clear boundaries based on those limits. I wrote a whole blog post on this topic and you can read more here.

READ: Boundaries by Cloud and Townsend

7.) De-clutter trouble spots.

They say that physical clutter is mental clutter, and I have found that to be very true. Maybe you have, too, mama? When my physical surroundings are chaotic, so is my mind. And when I can’t control all of the chaos, it certainly helps that I can control the amount of clutter in my life. We get to decide, mama, what stays and what goes. What is serving us, what we love and use and need, and what we don’t.

It is simply amazing to me how decluttering a physical space in my home or decluttering my phone apps or camera roll or people I follow on social media or bookmarks on my browser or events on my schedule or tasks on my to-do list instantly lightens my mental load as well.

If you feel the need to de-clutter your whole house, have at it. But if you don’t know where to start or want to start slow, start with the pain points, the trouble spots.

A few examples:

  • The mudroom/laundry room situation.
  • The kitchen cabinets.
  • The bathroom vanity.
  • The car.
  • Your closet.
  • The kiddos’ toys.

TRY: picking a trouble spot, setting the timer for 20 minutes and decluttering your heart out. Have three bags: throw away, give away and sell. When you’re done with your trouble spot or the timer goes off, take the three bags and do what you need to do with them: dump it in the trash can, put it in the donation box, or take pictures and list to sell.

READ: The More of Less by Joshua Becker

8.) Get outside.

Do you ever feel like your brain is on fire and you need some fresh air just to cool it off? Just me? Ha. Simply getting outside for 5-10 minutes makes such a difference in my mental health. It doesn’t have to be anything complicated, just stepping outside barefoot on the ground and taking some deep breaths helps so much. Sometimes I’m able to hike a local trail. Sometimes it’s a walk in the neighborhood. In the summer, we try to fit in several camping adventures or longer day hikes. In the winter, we bundle up to walk around the backyard or sit in a sunny window.

Any little bit helps. It helps me re-frame, reset. Just getting fresh air in my lungs can rejuvenate me, get me out of my own head and more into my body. Nature is an amazing thing.

TRY: going for a walk, doing some stretches outside while the kiddos play, laying on a blanket in the yard, sitting in a sunny window with a good book, planning a hike in a local nature preserve or – go big or go home – a trip to a sunny, outdoorsy destination like Glacier National Park.

READ: The Nature Fix by Florence Williams

9.) Give the screens a rest.

In our modern society almost everything we do revolves around some sort of screen or another. Which is amazing progress, some of it absolute magic, like FaceTiming loved ones who are far away. But screens can also steal our mental peace if we let them and even cause physical symptoms like headaches, eye strain, disrupted sleep from blue light exposure or disrupted cell function from EMF exposure. Just to name a few.

It’s refreshing and healing for our minds to do something that doesn’t involve a screen. Like journaling in an actual notebook with a pen. Writing a snail mail letter to a friend. Flipping through a magazine in the bath. Reading a hard copy book in bed at night. Let’s give our brains a break from over stimulation by giving the screens a rest.

TRY: any of the above. Also, try designating screen-free times in your days or weeks. i.e. no screens before you’ve done your morning rhythms or no screens two hours before bed. Maybe you do a screen-free evening a week where you read books, play games or talk instead.

READ: 12 Ways Your Phone is Changing You by Tony Reinke

10.) Automate and outsource.

Relieve some of your mental load, mama. We do so much every day. It’s good and it’s beautiful, but it’s also hard and exhausting. There is nothing wrong with removing some of the burdens, delegating some of the tasks, outsourcing jobs or automating shipments of things you need and use all the time.

Every season is going to look different. Some seasons you’ll have more margin and energy and others will lean super heavy on the automation and outsourcing. And that’s okay. The important thing to remember is this: you were not meant to operate beyond a certain mental capacity without relief. When we’re over-extended and over-whelmed and over-worked all of the time, it will eventually lead to a break down.

So, accept the help, mama, but if the offers don’t come, go out and get it. Ask for it. Hire it. Pay for it. Because your mental health is worth every penny.

TRY: looking at your to do list and determining if anything can be outsourced or automated. Think about: having your groceries delivered, a meal service to deliver ready-made meals or meal kits to cover a couple nights a week, subscriptions to items you routinely purchase and need, a house cleaner to do a monthly deep clean, or automating all your bill pay.

READ: Less Doing, More Living by Ari Meisel

What do you think, mama? Was this helpful? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Listen to the companion podcast episode HERE.

For more self-care goodness, come join me on Instagram. And if you haven’t joined my email list yet, that’s a great place to find more of the same. Check out the side bar (or scroll all the way down if you’re on mobile) to view all the freebies I’ve created just with you in mind. I hope you find something helpful.

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Let’s care for ourselves,

Hannah

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor. Everything health + wellness I share here is based on my own personal experience and research. Be your own advocate, mama. Search, ask, dig. Research and find the answers you need. You are worth it.

10 Ways to Care for Your Soul

Today I want to talk about caring for our spiritual health in specific and holistic ways. Because how we care for our souls affects how we care for our minds which affects how we care for our bodies. It’s all connected.

And even though caring for our souls can seem a little woowoo or “out there,” it’s everything. So I want to try and make it accessible and applicable to every mama, everywhere. In this article I’m going to share ten ways we can care for our souls in consistent, tangible, life-changing ways.

Disclaimer: I’m coming from a specific worldview in this article. I am a born-again believer in Jesus Christ. I have a personal relationship with Him. I believe that He died on the cross for my sins and the sins of everyone who has ever or will ever exist, that all we have to do is accept that free gift in order to be saved, that He was buried and that He rose again three days later. I believe I can speak to Him anywhere, anytime without anyone else mediating. I believe that every word in the Bible is infallible truth. And I believe that when I die, I’m going to be instantly present with Jesus.

Let’s dive in…

1.) Immerse yourself in truth on a daily basis.

In our modern world we are bombarded day in an day out with bad news. Truly. It almost feels inescapable sometimes. We certainly can’t control all of it unless we want to live in a bubble, but we can control a lot of it.

We can choose who we follow on social media platforms.

We can choose what shows and movies we watch.

We can choose whether or not we tune into the news.

We have a lot of choice in the matter. Bottom line. We may not be able to control anyone or anything else, but we are in control of ourselves.

So how do we immerse ourselves in truth on a daily basis? The number one way I do this is by reading the Bible every day. Almost always first thing in the morning before I leave my room. Some days I only have a few minutes, some days longer. Some days I read a chapter or part of a chapter, but I almost always try to read at least one verse that can go with me into my day.

I start by letting truth in, than I move through my day intentionally keeping the lies out. I don’t watch or read the news. I don’t follow people on social media who don’t speak the truth or lift me up. If I feel doubts or fears creep in, I ask for God’s protection. I’m not always as quick as I should be to recognize spiritual attacks, but I’ve learned a lot over the years and am better able to spot the tell tale signs.

I finish every day by praying physical, mental and emotional protection over myself and my family. I literally pray for God to send His warrior angels to guard us as we sleep.

TRY: Making it a point to read a verse or a chapter before even getting out of bed. Pick a book of the Bible to work through verse by verse, download the YouVersion app and choose a Bible study to read through, check out SheReadsTruth and use one of their studies (it’s free to read online and you can even have it automatically emailed to you each day). Pray through out the day, pray for protection, be specific – pray that the lies of the Enemy would be silenced and that truth would reign in your heart. Unfollow people you need to unfollow, turn off the news, be the gate keeper of your mind.

2.) Practice gratitude.

There is a whole lot of rough stuff happening in the world right now. Which is to be expected because we live in a broken world and this is not our home. So much difficulty and hardship and unknowns and pain and suffering and spiritual oppression. It’s real.

So, I’m not telling you to play Pollyanna and sweep all that under the rug, live in denial. I am telling you that practicing gratitude on a regular basis transforms our perspective.

I know it’s been true in my life. When I have felt weighed down by everything around me, naming my gratitude instantly shifts my soul.

My favorite way to practice gratitude is to list five things I’m thankful for each day before I get out of bed. Just five. You could even do this right before bed. Or at both times.

TRY: listing 5 things you’re thankful for each day. You can make it a mental list or you can start a gratitude journal that you add to each day. Find an empty journal and keep it by your bedside. Make it a habit to find those 5 things and I promise you it will bring lightness to your days and your soul.

3.) Harness the power of truth-filled affirmations.

I was pregnant with my third baby, my husband was in Seattle trying to sell our house that wouldn’t sell, I was with our two kids living with my parents in Oklahoma while we were waiting. There were so many unknowns. Fears. I hate being separated from my husband. And, as grateful as I was for my parents’ help during that season, it was really hard to be without a home. In-between. In limbo.

In the midst of everything, I remember praying consistently like I hadn’t prayed in a long time. And I also started writing out truth-filled affirmations that I spoke over myself and my family every day. These were like prayers but spoken as statements of faith.

Do you want to know something? Every single affirmation I wrote on that list became reality. And many of them were HUGE, felt seemingly impossible. Which still blows my mind. I am so grateful that I chose to harness the power of speaking truth-filled affirmations in that season.

TRY: Writing down a list of 3-5 truth-filled affirmations. An example from my list during that season: “We will sell our house at the perfect time for more than we ever thought possible.” Keep the affirmations somewhere you will see them every day. Make time, even just a minute, to read through them out loud. Out loud makes a difference. I know it sounds silly, but the spoken word has power.

4.) Meditate on Scripture.

Tying into the first point because it’s that important. What we fill our minds with will affect the state of our souls. We have to keep the truth front and center.

This is why I like reading my Bible first thing in the morning. Usually at least one verse or a part of a verse will jump out at me. It’s a piece of truth I can take with me into my day.

I’ll either write it down at the top of my to do list or simply call it to mind periodically. Either way, I’m intentionally taking truth into my day and keeping it at the forefront of my mind. On the days I do this, the impact on my soul health is huge.

TRY: Asking the Holy Spirit to show you truth when you’re reading the Bible. Take that piece of truth with you into your day. Create a lock screen for your phone, write it on your to do list, jot it down on an old-fashioned index card and keep it where you will see it often.

5.) Make time to dream without limits.

It might feel silly at first, but remember how natural it felt as a kid? To daydream. Let your imagination run wild. To think about all the things you wanted to do without coming up with reasons why you couldn’t.

Do more of that. Tap into your inner child. Don’t make excuses. Don’t over think it. Just let yourself dream. This is so vital to the health of our souls. God wouldn’t create us with the capacity to dream if He didn’t intend us to utilize that capacity our whole life long.

TRY: Making space to sit and dream. Grab a notebook and a pen. Or your laptop. Even the notes app on your phone. Just sit and dream. Where do you want to go? What do you want to do? Write down three things you would do if money and time were not an object. Start there. Let yourself dream without any qualifications.

6.) Declutter anything that holds you down.

And I do mean anything. In an area of your life. But certainly just plain, old stuff that piles up in drawers and on counters and in corners and under beds weighs us down. It might not seem like it would have an affect on our spiritual state, but it most definitely does. Physical clutter translates to mental clutter translates to emotional clutter translates to soul clutter.

It’s helpful to identify which areas in your home need to be decluttered the most. Which are your biggest pain points? Start with one of those. Set the timer for 20 minutes and declutter. Have a bin for trash, one for giveaway and one for selling (if that’s you’re thing). You might also have a bin for things you need to store. When the timer goes off, take care of everything you decluttered. Do what needs to be done so it doesn’t migrate back to where it came from.

TRY: having a 20 minute decluttering session once a day or even once a week until you’ve hit all the pain points you listed. Take care of everything you declutter right away so it doesn’t migrate back to where it came from. You will feel your motivation grow as you see the results that come from decluttering things that have been holding you down.

7.) Make time to be alone.

I used to resist this. I was afraid to be alone with my own thoughts. It just felt safer to keep going, keep pushing, keeping moving. Then to stop and actually have to face anything that might be impacting me.

But our soul health suffers when we don’t regularly make time to be alone. With ourselves and God. Just there, with no agenda, but to listen or share with Him what’s on our hearts. To breathe in the silence, let our minds rest.

The demands on our souls in this present age is huge. I’m not sure if you’ve felt it, but I have felt a dramatic increase in the spiritual realm over the last few months. It’s palpable and it’s a lot. Add to that just being a human…and then a wife and a mom. So, dealing with other souls on top of my own and all the spiritual “noise” that feels like it’s screaming at me right now.

I need time alone. So do you, mama. Just to be able to think, to process, to cry, to release…whatever it maybe. Don’t be afraid of being alone.

TRY: setting aside a few minutes every day to sit with yourself. To be alone. Bring a journal and a pen. Bring nothing. But bring yourself and do what helps the most. Sitting quietly, expressing any fears or worries, writing out some goals or dreams or prayers. Speaking your affirmations again. Perhaps you need more than a few minutes? Take the car and drive to a sunny spot and just soak up the silence. It doesn’t have to be fancy. A little goes a long way.

8.) Change your scenery.

Whatever this means to you, make it happen. Have an itch to rearrange your bedroom furniture? Your living room? Maybe clear out a closet to make yourself a mini-office?

Or maybe you just need to hop in the car and take a drive, a day trip? Even an over night. Grab your people, all the road snacks, and go somewhere you’ve never been.

Change your scenery. Serve dinner picnic-style on the living room floor. Set up a sheet and projector and watch a movie under the stars. Anything that moves you out of the rut, the mundane and into a new, fresh space. It doesn’t have to cost a lot of money, but it will certainly breathe life into your soul.

TRY: Any or all of the above. Switch up a room, art on the wall or even how you’ve organized a drawer (it’s good for your brain to get out of autopilot, too!). Research local day trips, find any body of water, pack a picnic and spend the day exploring. Let your imagination lead you.

9.) Be content with what you have + where you are.

Being content isn’t necessarily a trendy topic. It sounds pretty unapproachable and goody-two-shoes. But an amazing thing happens in our souls when we decide to love what we have, right where we are.

Because it is a choice. OUR choice. To stop being consumed with wanting, craving what we don’t have, imagining we were somewhere else other than where we are in this moment. It’s not easy to sit with unfilled desires, to lean into unmet needs or embrace the ache of missing something/somewhere we want.

But learning to be content even (and especially) in the difficult times, the sad times, the hard times fortifies our souls in ways that instant gratification never could. We were never meant to live perfectly fulfilled lives with every need met right when we ask – not here on this earth. That ache reminds us this is not our home.

TRY: naming your discontent when it arises, journal it out, physically open your hands and give it to God. He knows our every need, our every desire. He is good and gracious and gives us only what is very best. Refer to #2: list out all of the things in your life that you are currently grateful for, anything and everything. Naming our blessings snuffs out discontent.

10.) Don’t forget to breathe.

I went years holding my breath. Not always literally…but, yes, sometimes. I would hold it for several seconds at a time without realizing it. When I was stressed, when I was concentrating, when I wasn’t feeling good.

It took me years to learn how to breathe. I’m still learning. To breathe in, breathe out. To let go of what I can’t control.

Breathe with me, mama. Deeply. In through your nose for a count of 4. 1-2-3-4. Hold at the top for 3. 1-2-3. And out through your mouth for a count of 6. 1-2-3-4-5-6.

Repeat when necessary, as many times as necessary. Breathe in peace, breathe out peace. Breathe in joy, breathe out joy. Breathe in love, breathe out love. Keep it going now…

TRY: practicing some deep breathing before you get out of bed, whenever you feel stressed or overwhelmed, in your bath or shower, before you lay your head on the pillow at night. It doesn’t just affect your physical body. It calms your mind and delivers spiritual oxygen straight to your soul.

Listen to the companion podcast episode HERE.

Have any questions for me? Leave them in the comments and I’ll be happy to answer! You’ve got this, mama. Never fear! One breath, one step, one day at a time.

For more self-care goodness, come join me on Instagram. And if you haven’t joined my email list yet, that’s a great place to find more of the same. Check out the side bar (or scroll all the way down if you’re on mobile) to view all the freebies I’ve created just with you in mind. I hope you find something helpful.

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Let’s care for ourselves,

Hannah

Self-Care is Placing Our Hope in the One Who Will Never Let Us Go [+ Three Ways to Refocus Your Hope When It Starts to Drift]

Don’t you see, you planned evil against me but God used those same plans for my good. Genesis‬ ‭50:19 MSG‬‬

Last night I was praying. Which has honestly been very difficult lately. What do I pray? At one point, I found myself repeating the Lord’s Prayer through tears in the shower. Because the words just won’t come. I haven’t known what to ask for.

But last night the words from Genesis came to my mind and I prayed them out loud. Lord Jesus, in these times, let what Satan intends for evil be turned into good. For Your glory. Amen.

And I felt a peace resonating in my soul. Confirmation that what I was asking was God’s will and I have never been more convinced that: He is doing it. It’s already done.

We are living in interesting times. That seems like the understatement of the year. I know the phrase “flipping the script” has been trending and, boy, here we are and has it ever.

So, what now, mama? I’ve seen so much negativity and “woe is me” and panic and fear being spread, I felt the need to write this out. In clear, calm words. If even one mama reads it and is uplifted, that’s all I’m asking for:

We were born for this.

Don’t think we weren’t, that you weren’t. Because we were, mama. You and I, we were born at the perfect time in history. There are no mistakes with God. Just as Esther, we are here, right now, breathing in and out, for such a time as this. Don’t doubt it.

We might feel weak, overwhelmed, afraid, but so has anyone who has ever lived through interesting times. That doesn’t mean we weren’t born for this, it doesn’t mean we should give up, give in to panic, throw up our hands in resignation.

The world and this country is being shaken, sifted, but what does God’s Word say?

I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Psalm 16:8

As I’m sure is becoming quite clear, things and people will let us down, “normal” can shift wildly into the unknown at any moment, and what seemed like it would last forever can be completely taken away.

So, here’s the question I’m asking myself (and maybe you are, too, mama?): Where are my eyes focused? My mind? My heart?

Here are three key ways I am re-focusing when I find my eyes, my mind or my heart drifting:

1.) Go back to the Word. What does God say is true? What has His Word shown us? In the darkest of times (think: the Cross), there was still hope. There is always hope because of Jesus.

It is no mistake that all of this is happening in the days leading up to our remembrance of what Jesus did for us – His death on the cross for the sins of the world and His resurrection.

All seemed lost, but it wasn’t. Nothing made sense, but He had a plan. The darkness threatened to take over, but it didn’t. It looked like death had won, BUT THEN HE ROSE AGAIN.

All the hope we need for these interesting times we’re living in is found in Jesus. He is our source. Don’t forget it, mama.

2.) Turn off the news and unfollow anyone who chooses to spread panic or fear.

Talk about social distancing – now is the time to pull back from anyone who pulls you down into despair. By any avenue. The news, social media, acquaintances or personal relationships. Shut it down. Turn it off. Tell them to stop.

Not because we want to live in denial, our heads buried in the sand like ostriches. No – BECAUSE WE KNOW THE TRUTH. And the truth is what sets us free in times when we feel hemmed in.

There is no panic or fear or difficulty or darkness that was not answered by what Jesus did on the cross, by what He did when He walked out of the tomb whole and alive.

Now more than ever we need to be vigilant that we’re not looking to other things or people for our hope or our peace. So, turn it off, unfollow, shut it down, mama.

3.) Do something to care for yourself. You know I was going to say this. Choose that one thing that grounds you instantly.

Is it a detox bath? Walking outside barefoot? A yoga session? Prayer journaling? A power nap? Meditating for five minutes? Making a warm drink? Reading a book? Decluttering something? Turning up the music? Making something to fuel your body?

Whatever it is, do it every day. And choose to make it an active form of re-focusing for yourself. As you’re soaking, walking, flowing, praying…call your eyes, your mind, your heart back where they belong.

The ultimate act of self-care is reminding ourselves where our true hope lies.

Hint: it’s not in our self or anyone or anything else.

It’s in Jesus. The One who died and rose again. The One who lives so that we might live. The One who is the Beginning and the End. The One who is not surprised by these interesting times.

The One – the only One – who can take what Satan means for evil and turn it into something good for us. Amen.

This post is part of the #smbsfreestyle series. Where I write a stream of consciousness type post once a month. Less structured and more journal entry feel. The topic(s) will be something from my heart about everything from motherhood to self-care (of course) to health + wellness and beyond. More like a relaxed conversation between friends and less like a “how to” lecture with bullet points.

I’m over on Instagram and, if you haven’t signed up for my email list, I’m there, too. If you sign up, I’m giving you my Healthy + Healing Warm Drink Guide FREE.

Let’s care for ourselves,

Hannah

Self-Care is a Social Media Detox [A Candid Conversation About Why + a Few Tips on How]

Last week I wrote a post on 10 Ways to Care for Your Mind. As number one, I suggested doing a social media detox. Easier said than done, I know. And what exactly does that look like? I’m going to #smbsfreestyle this post, so it’s going to read more casual, as if we’re having a face-to-face conversation. I’m going to share why I regularly detox from social media and a few tips for how. It may not be exactly how you want to go about it, but I’m just going to put my two cents out there and you can use it in parts or none at all.

There is an invisible tether between our brains and social media. A magnetic pull in moments of boredom, moments of waiting, moments of overwhelm…all kind of moments. Even the beautiful ones, the precious ones that we should probably just hold close to our hearts instead of broadcasting to the world.

I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t always manage my relationship with social media well. I’m human and I struggle, too. With the silence, the gap, the desire to check out, the need for validation, looking for connection in a screen instead of my loved ones standing in front of me.

Here is my “why”: I can see a direct correlation between my well-being on every level and how much time I’m spending on social media.

If you asked me: “So, HOW do you do a social media detox? What does it look like?”

First, I’d tell you, there’s no right or wrong way. Second, I’d share a few tips I’ve picked up along the way…

Tip #1:

Delete the app(s). If I need a hard reset (which I do often), I delete the app(s). Usually every weekend. But then I take longer sabbaticals every quarter or so, for at least two weeks, sometimes longer.

I use that time to put my phone away and focus solely on what’s in front of me at the moment. I spend a lot of un-distracted time with my people, a lot of time reading, maybe watching some shows, listening to podcasts and writing. I seem to get huge amounts of inspiration and light bulb moments when I’m off social media. Go figure. Fresh ideas mean lots of note taking, journaling, thinking. I also spend time connecting with friends in real life as much as possible and via text or email.

I highly recommend the hard resets (just like our computer or our phone needs to reboot) even if it’s just for one day a week or the weekend or one weekend a month. You decide. It’s a great breather, allows the mind to clear, the thoughts to settle, everything really to just REST. There’s something about knowing the app isn’t even on my phone that frees me from the constant pressure to absorb information, create content, respond to every notification…

But here’s the thing, you don’t have to be doing a hard reset in order to detox from social media. Just like our bodies are always detoxing by default, it makes the most sense for us to be detoxing daily from social media even while we’re using it – especially while we’re using it – and not just waiting for those times we delete the app(s). We need to be supporting ourselves by limiting the “toxins” we come in contact with and making sure all those detox pathways are open.

Which leads me to…

Tip #2:

Turn off notifications. Do you really need to know the second someone likes your post? Nope. In fact, you can even take this a step further and turn off all your phone notifications. Quiet the mental chatter a little. The only time my phone makes a sound (unless I choose to turn my ringer on) is when my husband texts or calls. He gets the special bypass because he’s my priority. Plus the sound of his texts and calls make my heart flutter instead of my adrenaline rush. Amen?

Tip #3:

Choose your social media platform(s) wisely. I am only on one social media platform because I know that’s all that I can handle. Years ago I quit Facebook. I tried Twitter and couldn’t figure out the point. Instagram stuck because I love photography and I’m a visual person. Now TikTok is the rage and I’m just sitting over here watching like I guess this is what it feels like to be old, because I don’t get it.

Anyways, I think a lot of that has to do with me. I get overwhelmed by input very easily. Paralyzed would actually be a better word. Ha. Even just being on one platform, I think about getting off multiple times a week. Just being honest. The only thing that makes me stay… well, two things really: 1.) I believe it is an amazing tool to share my message of self-care and 2.) I’ve made some genuine connections that I would miss.

So, honestly evaluate why you’re on the platforms you’re on. Make sure they are adding more than they’re subtracting from your life. Have clear reasons why you’re staying if you choose to stay.

Tip #4

Set clear boundaries when you’re in the app(s). I only post and story on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. I communicate this to my followers so they know my rhythms and what to expect. It also helps me stay accountable to my boundaries. I might hop on to answer DM’s or comments, but I don’t actively “do” social media the other days.

Even still, I am no stranger to the scroll. Some days are hard and long and I’m tired and my brain is mush and somehow scrolling seems easier than being present right where I am. Which sounds so silly as I type that out. I always feel like crap afterwards, never better. There’s never a time when I’ve escaped to the scroll and afterwards been like “Whoohoo! I’m ready to take on life again, I’ve got so much energy now!” Nope. Not once. So, quit the escapism scroll, Hannah. Just quit it.

Caution: mini tangent rant ahead. The Explore tab is my nemesis. I always feel so weird scrolling through peoples’ faces, peoples’ lives when I can’t possibly know or care or connect with more than a tiny handful of them. So, the question I always come away with is: why? I mean, I understand why the Explore tab is there, but why should I scroll through it? I can’t think of a single good reason.

Tip #5

Be very selective about who you follow. I follow very few people for the simple fact that there’s only so much information I can take in on any given day. Also, I am very sensitive to outside stimuli, so I curate my feed to be upbeat, truth-filled, real. I routinely purge who I follow. It’s just how I do because life is too short and, really, it’s just an app.

Let’s all repeat that together: It’s JuSt a FreaKin’ ApP! Puts everything into perspective, right?

Anything else to add, mama? Let me know in the comments.

This post is part of the #smbsfreestyle series. Where I write a stream of consciousness type post once a month. Less structured and more journal entry feel. The topic(s) will be something from my heart about everything from motherhood to self-care (of course) to health + wellness and beyond. More like a relaxed conversation between friends and less like a “how to” lecture with bullet points.

I’m over on Instagram and, if you haven’t signed up for my email list, I’m there, too. If you sign up, I’m giving you my Healthy + Healing Warm Drink Guide FREE.

Let’s care for ourselves,

Hannah

Self-Care is Decluttering [5 Simple Steps to Lighten Your Physical + Mental Load]

Mama, do not underestimate the power that decluttering has to lighten your physical and mental load.

No matter what your opinion about Marie Kondo or whether or not you think decluttering is for you… I promise it is. It’s for everyone. And, no, you don’t have to fold your underwear a specific way to benefit from letting go of the things that aren’t serving you.

I’m going to walk you through five simple steps that will help you declutter your mind, your to do list and your physical space. We’re going to talk about brain dumps, turning those brain dumps into action steps, tackling those action steps, riding that momentum into our physical spaces and getting rid of the stuff that holds us back. For good.

Here are 5 simple steps to lighten your physical + mental load:

No.1 Do a brain dump.

Grab a blank piece of paper and a pen. Sit down and just start writing. Anything and everything that is on your mind. Catch up on the laundry. Finish the book on my nightstand. I feel super tired. Do some yoga. Schedule hair cuts for the kids. I really want to soak in the tub tonight. Text my friend to see how she’s doing. Clean out the fridge. Just like that. Freestyle. Get it all out. Feel better?

A brain dump always helps me get every thing that’s been swirling around in my mind down on paper. When I see it in black and white, I can determine what I need to do now and what I can do later. What I’m going to say yes to and what I’m going to let go. At the very least, I’ve decluttered my mind. And a decluttered mind is a quieted mind. Which is to say: hallelujah!

No.2 Turn your brain dump into action steps.

Grab a warm drink… Wait, have you snagged my warm drink guide??? If you haven’t, you can grab it now, whip yourself up one of my favorite recipes and then head back here. I’ll wait. No worries.

Okay, now that you have your warm drink in hand, take that piece of paper that you filled with your brain dump and let’s turn it into something actionable. Take a fresh sheet of paper and divide it into three columns: 1.) Do now 2.) Do later 3.) Let it go. Everything you put on your brain dump sheet goes in one of those three columns.

Tip: it’s helpful to cross out items on your brain dump sheet as you transfer them so you can clearly see where you’re at.

Now that you’ve got that done, let’s take a closer look at column no. 1, the “do now” column.

No.3 Set a timer for 30 minutes + tackle your “do now” column.

Take your “do now” column and number it by priority. Then set that timer for 30 minutes and dig into number one. Yes, just 30 minutes. It doesn’t sound like it will be enough time to get anything done, but I promise it is. I’ve found that when I focus – really focus – for even a short burst of time I am so much more productive.

Keep working until the timer has gone off or you’ve completed your list. If you still have items on your list (which you probably will because life), make an appointment with yourself for tomorrow and do the same thing. Thirty minutes, knock it out. Repeat Steps 1-3 as often as needed.

Phew. Now that you’ve lightened your mental load (and perhaps by default your physical load!), we can move on to decluttering your physical space – your home.

No.4 Make a list of all the spaces in your home.

Okay, we’re going to ride all that momentum you’ve built from tackling your mental space, right out into the physical spaces in your home. This is going to happen in stages, in layers, just like peeling an onion. It’s not going to be once and done in a single sweep. It’s going to take time.

What’s important is starting. We’re going to focus on doing one entire sweep of your home. What I’d like you to do now is make a list of all the spaces in your home, room by room. If you have a rogue closet or storage space or cupboard floating around, write that down, too.

Now, you don’t have to do this step, but it’s been helpful for me so I’m going to mention it. Put a mark by the space or spaces that are causing you the most angst right now. Usually for me, those are my laundry/mud room, the art closet and my closet. Narrowing it down will give you a great place to start the next + final step.

No.5 Choose one space from your list each day + declutter it.

Congrats, mama! You made it to the last step. And this one is so much fun (well, to me, but maybe I’m a weirdo, ha)! It’s tangible and you will feel the results almost immediately. Okay. You’re going to take the list from step 4 and declutter one space per day until you’ve decluttered every space on your list. If you marked the space(es) that give you the most angst, start with one of those. Or, if you feel overwhelmed, start with something small-ish and straight forward like a bathroom or a linen closet.

Either way, choose one space per day to declutter until you’ve worked through your entire house. There are a lot of philosophies out there about how to go about decluttering. I say, do what works best for you. When I declutter, I usually go item by item and make separate piles to give away/throw away/sell. And, honestly, I usually end up giving items away before I spend time trying to sell them, but that’s just me. Unless it’s a big ticket item, it’s usually not worth my time.

Now – and this is key! – after you’ve decluttered every space in your home, load everything up and take it to your local donation center ASAP. No excuses, no delays. If you are decluttering large amounts of stuff, you may want to do a run after every couple of spaces. It’s up to you. Just get it out of your house, out of your trunk and out of your life.

This set of decluttering steps are something I hope you’ll revisit as often as you need to, mama. I know I do. It’s so important to do regular decluttering sessions for our mental health and for the peace of our physical spaces. Remember: it’s not once and done. It takes time to slowly remove the layers. And, as you do, you’ll get braver and braver and better and better at letting go.

This post is part of our #selfcareis series. If you’re new here and not sure where to start, how about reading my self-care story and then jumping on my email list by grabbing My Top 10 Self-care Tips for FREE. I promise I’ll never spam you, mama. My heart is to help you care for yourself well.

XOXO,

Hannah

Self-Care is Gratitude [My November Intention + 4 Ways I’m Walking It Out]

November is synonymous with thankfulness. And this year (perhaps as I’m getting older), I feel such a deep gratitude. For every moment, every day with the ones that I love. It’s all a gift. I don’t want to take it for granted. And I don’t want to neglect saying it out loud, acting on it, letting the truth of it transform me.

So, I set an intention for the month of November, to be purposeful about expressing my gratitude. As a way to give feet to my words (or wings?). So it’s more than just a sentiment.

Here’s how I’m walking my intention out:

I start the day with this Psalms of Gratitude study. Of course, you don’t need to get the study and I’m not getting paid to promote it, but it’s been wonderful food for my soul in this season. It’s simple but significant. It’s been a wonderful way to focus my mind before the day begins.

Usually I’ll turn on the fire place, make my warm lemon water and sit down with the study. A wonderful dose of truth right when I need it. Perhaps morning is the best time for you, too? To carve out a little quiet time + soak your heart in God’s truth + tune your mind to thankfulness? Like I said, you don’t need any particular study. Perhaps read + pray through these verses or do a word study on thankfulness or just start keeping a running list of your praises.

I record the things I’m thankful for (big + little). I’ve been using the journal pages in my study to make my lists each day. Sometimes I’ll use the Notes app on my phone. Sometimes I write them out in a caption on Instagram. Another great idea is just to have a piece of paper or a notebook open on the kitchen counter with a pen ready to record what comes to mind in odd moments throughout the day.

I guess the whole point is just to keep your thankful list front and center. To be consistent about recording what your thankful for. I know that if I have a page of things I’m thankful for staring at me, it’s a lot harder to get upset about the little things.

And I know that you might not just be dealing with little things. Maybe there are some big things going on in your life. Hard things. Difficult things. And making a thankful list isn’t to trivialize that…but hopefully to shine some light in the darkness. God is there. He hasn’t left you.

I purpose to give thanks before every meal. I’m horrible at this. It seems so simple, I grew up doing it, yet I forget far too often. In the rush to get everyone fed + happy, food on all the plates, drinks to quench their thirst, and don’t forget about yourself, mama! Feeding yourself is just as important. But I forget to say thanks. Sometimes my daughter will remind me and I feel a pang of guilt.

God sees our hearts, he’s not keeping score. But I still want to remember to pause, take a breath in the chaos of meal time and tell Him thank you. Thank you that we are together. That we have food to give our children, food to nourish our bodies. Thank You that You are with us even when we neglect to acknowledge that You are. Forgive me, Jesus, and help me to acknowledge your presence more consistently.

I verbalize to my husband and children why I am thankful for them. So often these thoughts get stuck in my head and never make their way to my tongue. Other thoughts do. Mostly critical ones. And I want to change that. Instead of speaking criticism, I want to speak thankfulness. I want to build up and recharge and fill the person in front of me.

So I’ve started saying out loud things I’m thankful for about that person, to that person. It changes the dynamic of everything. It changes my heart. It shifts the presence in the room and brightens the eyes. I want to do it more, as much as I can.

How about you, mama? As we step into this holiday season? Now with November half over, we don’t have to consign thankfulness to just one month. Let’s step into every new month, every new day with this heart, this attitude that every moment is a gift. Let’s let our lives be woven through with thankfulness.

Speaking gratitude, giving feet to our thankfulness, this is #soulmindbodyselfcare. It’s foundational. If our hearts are content and brimming with gratitude, then our bodies are going to reflect that. And our minds will conform to that.

What are you thankful for? Won’t you list out a few things in the comments?

This post is the first in our #selfcareis series. If you’re new here and not sure where to start, how about reading my self-care story and then jumping on my email list by grabbing My Top 10 Self-care Tips for FREE. I promise I’ll never spam you, mama. My heart is to help you care for yourself well.

XOXO,

Hannah