Lately, I have been doing a lot of reading and researching to find helpful tools and exercises to make small, but significant life improvements. I always tell my clients that “baby steps” and gradual changes usually make the most lasting ones, so I am trying to take my own advice.

Therefore, each week I have been actively analyzing my days in terms of: productivity, overall energy, overall attitude and outlook, stress and my general sense of well being.

Basically, I am trying to determine general patterns in my life and also find the most relevant and effective tools and practices to help manage, what I can control, in the best way possible.

This can include: what I eat and drink, how I spend my down moments in the office, what I do on my 1+ hour drive to and from work, how I spend my time after work and how to rank my weekend priorities (fun activities, longer periods of being physically active, leisure/rest time, errands/tasks that I did not accomplish during the week, etc.).

Each of these factors changes week by week, but I find that I am coping better, reducing my stress and still accomplishing my goals. I find by being flexible and also intuitively listening to my body, I am being a lot more mindful in my daily choices and actions. Think: lots and lots of inward reflection (gaaah! scary sometimes right?) haha.

Some days I am focused and productive, feeling great and making strides…

Some days I think that pancakes, sweats and movies are just as good as a medicinal mood booster.

Some days I think, “Stop talking to yourself weirdo?!”

So as you can see, it is a process, but I am learning an awful lot about myself, which is pretty cool 🙂

Things I have learned this week:
1. If I unplug (aka: NO cellphones, TV, computer, screens of any sort) one hour before bed, I actually sleep through the night without waking up multiple times. This literally makes me a different person, a happier person…a less scary person ha!
2. I love coffee. Coffee may not love me. I am removing coffee from my daily routine for 2 weeks to see if it is the source of my heartburn, reflux and general G.I. discomfort. It probably is, which is sad.
3. Making time in my day to donate something makes me feel like I’ve accomplished something, even if my day has not been as productive in other areas.
4. Listening to my favorite song on repeat has the power to boost my mood. Dancing like a crazy person in my car has the power to at least make the driver next to me laugh, thereby improving their mood.
5. Not having a yoga/stretching routine in place while I regularly run makes my lower back not so happy. Core work outs aren’t sufficient…yoga needs to make a comeback in my life ASAP.
6. Tea with fresh mint leaves is not only soothing but darn right delightful. New regular beverage I would say.

7. Spirulina has a lot of great health benefits (anti-inflammatory properties, body cleansing properties due to chlorophyll, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins C, D, A and E, calcium, magnesium, iron, selenium, zinc, phosphorus and manganese).
Too much spirulina in your smoothie makes it taste like mossy mud.
Pinching your nose to drink your “adulterated” smoothie, almost makes the taste palatable.
8. Buckwheat pancakes are my new favorite thing! Also, this week was the first time ever, that I  cooked with buckwheat.

What kind thing have you done for yourself today?