Month: December 2020

Inspiration & Motivation

How to Gain Clarity and Live a Happier Life

by amandakaybradley18 Comments on How to Gain Clarity and Live a Happier Life
How to Gain Clarity and Live a Happier Life

As I write this, we are on the verge of forever saying “goodbye” to 2020 and “hello” to 2021. It’s the perfect opportunity to reflect back on what was and what’s to come.

How was your 2020? Was it exactly what you expected at this time last year? Or did it take you completely by surprise?

I think I can safely say that 2020 took all of us by surprise.

Not even the most gifted psychic among us could possibly have predicted the chaos brought forth by a global pandemic.

And one of the biggest upsides in all the chaos is the ability to simplify. Maybe taking a break from everything has given you the space to consider whether all the busy-ness actually served any real purpose.

Or was it all just a distraction?

One big, shiny distraction taking you further and further from your goals, your inner peace, and ultimately, your happiness.

It’s funny how when the entire world grinds to a halt, you’re faced with the stark reality that very little of what you do on a daily basis actually matters in the grand scheme of things.

But thanks to the cancellation of basically everything, you suddenly have time to really hone in on those little things. Those things that actually bring meaning to your life.

You have the opportunity to feel that deeper sense of inner peace which comes from living life on your terms.

And it all starts with learning how to gain clarity.

This post may contain affiliate links and as a member of the Amazon Affiliates program, this means we may receive a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Please see our full disclosure for further information.

What is Clarity?

“Clarity doesn’t always mean you know exactly what you’re doing. It does mean you know exactly who you’re being and why.”

Christine Kane

Have you ever had a moment when everything just feels right? A moment of perfect calm when you know you’re living as the person you’re meant to be and everything just clicks into place?

Suddenly all the overwhelming anxiety dissipates and your brain finally finds peace.

You stop second guessing yourself and start making decisions from that place of inner calm instead of from a place of fear.

That magical place is clarity and to understand how to gain clarity it’s vital you understand both what it is and what it’s not.

Clarity is not making decisions based upon fear because those decisions are almost always made to avoid a negative outcome. Fear keeps you forever paralyzed in a state of indecision instead of action. Indecision, in turn, keeps you in a state of constant overwhelm.

When you gain clarity, decision making is simplified because you’re deeply connected with yourself. Fear no longer has a stronghold on your life and you’re free to live as who you are.

Clarity erases uncertainty, obscurity, and overthinking. With clarity comes inner peace and ultimately, happiness.

Read this post to find out how you can stop overthinking.

Barriers to Clarity

“The universe is always expanding your thought about yourself so be careful with who you think you are.”

Roxana Jones

Learning how to gain clarity requires awareness. It requires an alertness for what makes you feel grounded in yourself and what takes you further away from inner peace. Although there are countless barriers to gaining clarity in your life, here are the 3 biggest offenders.

Comparison

One of the biggest barriers to clarity comes from comparing yourself to someone else. Comparison will steal your joy, your sense of accomplishment, and your inner peace every time.

You are unique! Your life experiences are like no one else’s. As are your interests, skills, and talents. You grace this earth with a presence like none other.

And the world is a better place because of you so stop feeding into the lie that you don’t measure up! Stop drawing conclusions about your own journey based on someone else’s highlight reel.

Focus on gaining your own clarity regardless of what anyone around you is doing.

Read this post to find out how you can stop the comparison trap.

Your Self-Identity

Another huge barrier to achieving clarity is your sense of self. We all have a viewpoint about ourselves and who we are as a person. It may come as no surprise to learn that the viewpoint you have about yourself often develops early in childhood before you’ve developed the ability to filter information.

Maybe you were teased as a kid about your total lack of athletic ability. Gym class was torture, partially because you were told you had zero talent and stopped trying altogether. As an adult, you now completely avoid the gym and all types of physical activity because you’ve internalized this story about your athletic impairments. Avoiding the gym and activity in general works well for you until one day something changes.

Maybe it’s a health scare or maybe it’s the desire to lose a few pounds but you wake up one morning toying with the idea of getting into shape.

Buying tennis shoes and signing up for a gym membership sounds easy enough. Except for one thing.

You’ve spent the last however many years telling yourself that you’re terrible at all forms of physical activity and will therefore fail anything you attempt. After further thought, you abandon the idea entirely and go back to living the way you were before.

Do you see how clinging to your identity as a terrible athlete got in the way of achieving better health?

The same thing happens when you cling to old and outdated views of yourself when trying to gain clarity in your life. You have to be willing to challenge your self-identity and embrace positive change in order to truly gain clarity.

Distraction

We live in one of the greatest eras of distraction there ever was. Netflix, Hulu, TikTok, and social media are all designed to draw you in and keep you in for significant amounts of time every day. If you don’t believe me, check out The Social Dilemma on Netflix.

Thanks to technology, we have gained the ability to be “entertained” 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

I will be the first to admit that I am highly addicted to both Netflix and Hulu. Spending hours upon hours in front of a screen comes quite easily and naturally to me.

And there is some truly inspiring and uplifting stuff out there! Shows which make you think and shows which make you laugh. And everything in between.

But have you ever stopped to notice how you feel after binging hours of television? Do you feel empowered and aligned with who you are? Do you feel a deep sense of inner calm and true happiness?

Or do you feel more aligned with the characters on the screen than with yourself? Maybe you even feel frustrated with yourself for spending more time than you intended in front of a screen.

Becoming more deeply grounded in who you are demands that you take control of your surroundings and minimize distractions.

How to Gain Clarity in Your Life

“Doubt increases with inaction. Clarity reveals itself in momentum. Growth comes from progress. For all these reasons, BEGIN.”

Brendon Burchard

Clarity is a funny thing in that you’re the one who must find it for yourself. No one else can find clarity for you. It must come from within. But there are very specific steps you can take to find that inner peace and happiness which comes from gaining clarity.

Gain Clarity by Clearing Your Mind

In order to gain clarity, you must have a clear mind. There are several ways to calm your mind and clear your head.

One of my favorite ways is exercise, especially cardio. I feel my best after I’ve had a really tough workout and it’s partially because my body is exerting so much energy that my mind can’t get stuck in a loop of overthinking.

Another way to clear your mind is by doing an activity you truly enjoy and which is somewhat all-consuming. For me, this is either playing piano or dressage. Either is quite effective in grounding me in a place of true inner calm and perfect clarity. Each gives me a sense of deep fulfillment and happiness.

Meditation is yet another way you can effectively clear your mind and gain clarity.

Gain Clarity by Taking Action

There have been times in my life in which I have a general sense of where I want to go but am unsure of the steps. As a perfectionist over thinker, my tendency is to remain stuck in a cycle of thinking through all possible outcomes before moving forward. This generally manifests as procrastination because I’m unable to visualize all the steps I need to take.

But in life, you really only need to know one step. And that step is the one after the step you’ve just taken.

Clarity never comes from mulling the same problem over and over and over. But you can find clarity by taking action. It doesn’t matter if that action ultimately ends up being sideways because as long as you’re moving, you have momentum and progress.

Get out of your head and take some kind of action. You can always adjust course as you go but it’s impossible to adjust if you’re not moving at all.

Pay Attention

Have you ever heard that saying, “Garbage in, garbage out?” It’s so true.

Start really listening to the influences all around you. Who are the 5 people you spend the most time with? Are they encouraging and supportive? And are they trailblazers? How do you feel when you’re around the people you’re with most often?

Pay attention to your internal talk. Is it positive, compassionate, and uplifting? Or is it harsh and overly critical?

Learning how to gain clarity takes time and patience so there’s no room for criticism, either from external or internal sources. Although clarity comes from within, the influences of those around you can interfere with your ability to remain positive and focused.

It’s also important to pay attention to stress in your life. Are you letting stress overwhelm you? Or are you taking charge and changing what you can about the stressful situation? It’s incredibly difficult to gain clarity when stress is your main focus.

Read this post to find out how you can banish anxiety and live a more peaceful life.

Your Physical Self

All the mental work in the world is worth nothing if you don’t take care of your body. Adequate rest and appropriate nutrition are absolutely essential to gaining clarity in your life. Find a daily routine for yourself which supports both physical and mental health.

Do your best to maintain a clean environment as it is difficult to achieve peace surrounded by chaos. Between working full-time and 3 kids, this one is an ongoing challenge for me! At the end of the day, I simply don’t want to spend my remaining energy cleaning.

But … I’ve found that when my house is clean, it’s so much easier to connect with my inner peace and I simply feel calmer. It’s incredible how much your physical surroundings influence how you feel mentally!

It’s Your Turn to Gain Clarity

As we step into a new year, I truly hope you seize this opportunity to gain clarity in your life. Take this opportunity to embrace the New Year and celebrate the positive changes you’ve made thus far.

Let go of comparison. You are amazing, just the way you are! Celebrate the victories of those around you and remember that success is unlimited.

Release stories about your self-identity that no longer serve you. Stop letting who you were in the past hold you back from who you are now and from your future potential.

Stay laser-focused on your goals. Distractions are inevitable but you can overcome the urge to give in.

Take action instead of giving in to the temptation to overthink your next step. You can always change your course but it’s impossible to course correct without any movement whatsoever.

Do more of what makes you feel grounded in who you are. Look for opportunities to ignite your inner joy and passion.

Follow these steps and you will quickly find the inner peace and happiness which only comes from gaining clarity. If you’re looking for even more inspiration, check out one of these highly impactful and thought-provoking reads.

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I truly hope you have found inspiration from this post and that you resolve to gain clarity in the coming year. As always, please drop a comment below with your main take-away from the post!

All the best to you in the coming year and beyond!

Inspiration & Motivation, Mom Life

8 Ultimate Christmas Movies to Watch This Season

by amandakaybradley14 Comments on 8 Ultimate Christmas Movies to Watch This Season
8 Ultimate Christmas Movies to Watch This Season

One of my favorite holiday activities is curling up on the couch with my family to watch Christmas movies. It’s such a fun and entertaining way to get into the holiday spirit!

Or at least it always seems that way in my mind. Reality is often the polar opposite of imagination.

In our house, movie night typically starts with everyone eagerly awaiting the movie. Our 3 kids, ages 10, 6, and 4, are generally quiet and attentive for the first half an hour or so.

But just as my husband and I start to get sucked into the flick, the energy in the room shifts. Maybe it starts with an argument about which character is better. Or maybe one kid annoys another kid with incessant talking.

Whatever the reason, it’s not long before one kid is headed for time out and another is bawling their eyes out over some perceived atrocity.

We proceed with the movie, pausing multiple times to calm and re-focus the kids or abandon movie night altogether if the train goes entirely off the tracks.

More times than not, movie night ends with an early bedtime and unfinished film.

Ah … the joys of parenting!

But as the song says …. “You’re gonna miss this.” And someday, I’m sure that will be true. For now, I’m doing my best to take it day by day and enjoy the little moments with them, even despite the fighting.

And with that, I give you my ultimate list of favorite Christmas movies!

This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Please see our full disclosure for further information.

1. Elf (2003) PG

I’m a sucker for Will Ferrell because I absolutely love laughing! He is one of those actors who can immediately flip my mood from cranky to joyful and he definitely delivers in this lighthearted Christmas movie.

In fact, I love this movie so much that I watch it multiple times throughout the year. It can typically keep my kids fairly engaged as well, which as you can tell from the beginning of the post, is a challenge!

This movie follows Buddy, a human raised as an elf in the North Pole, as he travels to New York to track down his biological father. Along the way he meets a variety of characters, infecting them with his insanely upbeat holiday spirit.

Despite the hilarity, there is a strong message which comes out over and over again from this movie and why it’s one of my very favorite Christmas movies of all time. The message is that even when challenges come your way, if you maintain a positive outlook, good things will happen. And I don’t know about you, but that’s a reminder I can use throughout the year!

Find it: Hulu with Starz add-on

You may also enjoy reading this post about how to have a more positive mindset.

2. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) PG-13

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is one of those laugh out loud films which doesn’t take itself too seriously.

It follows Chevy Chase as Clark Griswold, a family man desperately planning a memorable Christmas for his family but who is met with resistance on every front. From power outages to unexpected visits from irritating family members, he does his best to make the most out of every situation.

And obviously, hilarity ensues.

Part of the charm of this movie is that almost everyone can relate to his struggles. I mean, who hasn’t found themselves inadvertently locked in the attic while the rest of the family gathers for Christmas shopping? Ok … maybe not that one.

But who hasn’t expected that huge Christmas work bonus which somehow doesn’t quite materialize? Maybe you’ve even spent hours upon hours putting lights on your house only to find nothing sparkles or shines when you plug the whole works in.

Highly disappointing.

But when it happens to someone else, suddenly it’s all hilarious!

Similar to Elf, I find this movie inspiring in that despite everything thrown at him, Clark perseveres. He keeps going in his ultimate quest for the perfect Christmas. It’s a great holiday reminder to never give up!

Find it:

You may also enjoy this post about how to stay motivated when things get tough.

3. Jingle Jangle (2020) PG

If you loved The Greatest Showman, you’re in for an outstanding holiday treat with this one! Jingle Jangle is the story of a famous toymaker who loses everything. His brilliance, his inventions, and ultimately, his family.

It’s only when his granddaughter visits for the holidays that he realizes everything he needed was right in front of his nose the entire time.

This film combines spot-on musical numbers with exciting and engaging choreography throughout. Although we had to watch it in multiple sessions, my kids were engaged throughout and dancing right along!

This film delivers powerful messages of forgiveness and gratitude, messages we could all use after this especially tumultuous year.

It’s a fabulous film which I’m confident you’ll add to your “must watch” list of Christmas movies year after year.

Find it: Netflix

4. White Christmas (1954) NR

It only seemed fitting to follow-up a brand new Christmas tradition with an old one. And by old, I mean a film which has been around for the past 60+ years.

This film is the epitome of the classic musical tradition. Not to mention its title track is the ONLY Christmas song I enjoy any day of the year.

The story follows two best friend entertainers as they travel across the country to save the inn of their former military general. And there is, of course, a romantic twist to the musical. Because what would a classic musical be without a bit of romance?

Watching this movie always brings me back to a simpler time before computers, Nintendo, and social media. It brings me back to what’s truly important in life. Doing good and being there for those you care about.

In this complicated and sometimes frightening world, I love the reminder that simplicity and authenticity still exist. After watching this film, I think you’ll agree that there’s a reason why it’s one of the Christmas movies to withstand the test of time.

Find it: Netflix

5. The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (2018) PG

If you’re looking for a new twist on a classic story, look no further than The Nutcracker and the Four Realms.

As a second grader, my daughter had been listening to The Nutcracker in music class when this movie first came out. She loved it and insisted we see the movie in theaters.

And so, I took both her and my son, age 4 at the time, to the theater to see it. Although skeptical about his ability to sit through the film, he actually remained captivated the entire time. The film was so well done that it would be difficult to imagine anyone losing interest.

Between the brilliant casting, costumes, scenery, and music, this film expertly weaves elements of old and new together seamlessly. It was almost as if I was watching something both entirely new and vaguely familiar at the same time.

This film also delivers a powerful message of never giving up, regardless of the challenges you’re facing. It’s an outstanding movie that you definitely don’t want to miss!

Find it: Hulu with add-on

6. The Polar Express (2004) G

Following up a number of live action Christmas movies finally comes an animated masterpiece. The Polar Express follows a young boy as he makes the life-changing decision to board a train bound for the North Pole on Christmas Eve.

Along the way, he learns the value of friendship, sacrifice, and the true meaning of Christmas. This is another of those classic Christmas movies which truly withstands the test of time.

And despite the animation, there are plenty of hair-raising action scenes which will leave you on the edge of your seat. It’s guaranteed to suck you right into a completely different and magical world.

And I love the take-away message that one decision to take a tiny step can completely transform your life which is applicable year-round. If you’re short on holiday spirit this year, The Polar Express is virtually guaranteed to restore it!

Although my kids have yet to see it, I’m hoping to incorporate this film into our Christmas Eve this year. Fingers crossed that they’re as captivated by it as I am!

Find it:

You may enjoy this post about how to de-stress during the holidays.

7. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) PG

Although there have been several Grinch movies, the Jim Carrey one has and always will be my favorite version. He has a way of bringing the Grinch character to life unlike any other actor.

His portrayal of the Grinch flips you from absolutely hating the guts out of him to feeling empathy and even love for the guy by the end. He makes the Grinch absolutely relatable in many ways.

Who hasn’t felt utterly left out at some point in their life? Or that perhaps others are not to be trusted and a life in solitude is thus safer? Perhaps you’ve even felt that if you can’t have fun, then no one else should either?

Maybe none of us have ever gone to the extremes the Grinch does but regardless, we’ve all had these feelings at one time or another in our lives.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas is a reminder that in order to have a friend, we have to be a friend. We have to be willing to put ourselves out there but with an open heart, we will find acceptance.

Find it: Netflix, Hulu with add-on

8. Mulan (2020) PG-13

Ok, ok. I know this isn’t exactly a Christmas movie but I still wanted to make mention of this incredible cinematic masterpiece. It’s by far the best movie to come out this year and I would be remiss to not mention it.

Having somehow missed the cartoon version, I had no idea what to expect from the movie. I was absolutely blown away by the acting, the film score, and the story line itself.

Mulan is a woman raised in a society with strict gender expectations. As a woman, she is expected to bring honor to her family by marrying well and having a family of her own.

But Mulan’s interests and skills are far from domestic. She is athletic, intelligent, and brave, qualities which are better served on the battle field than in the home.

When a fierce enemy threatens her country, Mulan makes the difficult decision to disguise herself as a man to defend her beloved country and bring honor to her family in a way which is true to herself.

Although the story takes place centuries ago, echoes of gender expectations are still heard today. Women still earn less than men in many companies and are still largely in charge of domestic duties in many households.

We have yet to see a woman president.

Closing the gender gap is still miles away.

But this film inspires hope. Hope that if Mulan could bring honor to her family not as a wife and mother but as a warrior, we too can break away and follow our own paths.

Mulan is exactly the inspiration we need to spark incredible change in the coming year!

Find it:

It’s Your Turn

And there you have it! 8 ultimate Christmas movies to watch this season. Are any of the ones I mentioned also on your list of favorites? Or did I miss your favorite one? I’d love to hear about your favorites and maybe add a few flicks to my own “must watch” list!

Inspiration & Motivation, Mom Life

5 Easy Ways to De-Stress During the Holidays

by amandakaybradley22 Comments on 5 Easy Ways to De-Stress During the Holidays
5 Easy Ways to De-Stress During the Holidays

Ah the holidays. There’s a chill in the air and cars filling parking lots from now until Christmas. Everywhere you look are reminders of the holiday season.

And although words like joy, happiness, and peace show up on Christmas cards, ads, and store fronts, you may be feeling anything but calm and centered.

Dread, stress, and overwhelm may instead be dominating your life during this holiday season.

But stress doesn’t have to hijack your holidays! You can remain your fabulous self by learning how to de-stress during the holidays.

And if you can de-stress during the holidays, you can definitely learn to de-stress during other chaotic life phases too!

Stick with me and I guarantee you’ll be feeling more Zen in no time!

This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Please see our full disclosure for further information.

1. Stick to Your Routine

Do you have a solid daily self-care routine?

Establishing a daily routine which carves out non-negotiable time for you is one of the keys in being able to de-stress during the holidays. Although there may be some deviation from a strict schedule at times, this is not the time to completely abandon self-care rituals!

Exercise and other forms of physical self-care ground you with purpose and a sense of accomplishment. And exercise comes with the added bonus of an immediate mood boost from endorphins!

No self-care ritual would be complete without emotional fulfillment either. Whether it’s journaling, reading, or any number of hobbies which bring joy to your life, keep it up! Don’t give up those things which light you up inside, especially when life gets crazy.

The holidays are stressful enough without eliminating those easy sources of daily accomplishment, personal growth and encouragement.

Abandoning your daily rituals during the holidays (or other stressful life events) is like rolling out the welcome mat for stress, anxiety, and overwhelm. It’s asking for trouble. Cling to those positive self-care rituals like your life depends on it!

And if you’re having trouble coming up with ideas for your daily self-care routine, here are some ideas to get you started.

  • Journaling
  • Walking the dog
  • Meditation
  • Practicing an instrument
  • Trying out a new hobby
  • Reading a personal development book
  • Taking a bath
  • Hiking
  • Quiet time set aside to dream big
  • Catching up with a friend

2. Abandon Perfectionism

I recently started reading this powerful book about the habits mentally strong women avoid. One of the very first habits discussed in the book is perfectionism.

This dangerous mindset trap can trick you into believing you’re not good enough. It convinces you that everyone else is happier, calmer, and more successful than you. And even if you’ve gotten a handle on it in the past, it can sneak its way back into your life during particularly stressful times such as the holidays.

As women, we tend to struggle with perfectionism and unrealistic expectations to a greater extent than men. We feel greater levels of internal pressure to always put our best face forward. To achieve, succeed, and to never let anyone see us sweat.

And the holidays are no exception. You likely have all these expectations about the “perfect” Christmas without even realizing it. All these completely unrealistic ideals you’re constantly striving to meet. Despite their unrealistic nature, you continue to see the gap between your ideals and reality which drives you further and further into negativity. Not to mention all the extra work required for you to make your ideas reality in an already packed schedule.

But what if, instead of busting your butt and getting all stressed out, you simply let it all go? What if you dropped all those unrealistic expectations and simply lived in the moment?

Now is the perfect opportunity to confront your perfectionist tendencies and take a step towards a more positive mindset! Let this holiday season be the very first in a lifetime free from perfection.

If perfectionism is a struggle for you, check out this post for help!

3. De-Stress During the Holidays by Living in the Moment

One of the reasons perfectionism is so damaging is that it takes your mind off the moment. It forces you to focus on the gap between expectation and reality instead of on simply living.

It’s the perfect set-up for stress and discontent.

Think how much happier and more peaceful you would be if you let all that other stuff go. How much easier the holidays would be if you stopped worrying about finding the perfect gift or baking the ultimate cookies or spending hours upon hours decorating your house.

What if you enjoyed each moment for what it is and felt grateful for all the gifts in your life?

Stop trying to force your life to be something it’s not. Instead focus on all the tiny moments which make your life worth living.

The wonder in your kids’ eyes as you drive around looking at Christmas lights. Sneaking in that hot cup of coffee in the morning before the kids wake up. Cuddling up and watching an inspiring movie with your spouse.

Instead of getting caught up in the stress and commercialism of the holidays this year, look for opportunities to breathe in the small things and to simply enjoy the moment.

4. Forget Comparison

Comparison is another of those sneaky mindset traps which sucks you into believing everyone around you is happier and farther ahead than you are. As if there’s some type of timeline we are all supposed to be following in life and you’re failing if you’re not at a certain point by now.

And although the holidays are a time for joy and peace, they can also be a reminder of what you don’t have. Maybe you haven’t found your dream job yet. Or maybe between work and home, you’re struggling to find time for yourself. Maybe your kids fight constantly and you can’t remember the last time you had date night with your spouse.

We all struggle in one way or another. We’re all fighting internal battles which we don’t share with the world.

You don’t see your neighbor posting about their struggles with depression. Your best friend is also not posting about their dysfunctional relationship with their parents. Or the fact that they dropped out of college because of overwhelming anxiety.

But do you know what is shared with the world? Triumphs. Beauty. Success. The good stuff.

We are all on different journeys and are faced with distinctly unique challenges. It’s impossible to compare your journey with someone else’s because they’re not even close to the same.

Don’t even waste your time trying. Live your own life. Find your own joy.

Check out this post for more on how you can ditch comparison.

5. Plan Ahead

I know the holidays are already upon us but a practical way to de-stress during the holidays is to plan ahead. Every year I resolve to start the gift buying process earlier in the year but have yet to actually do this.

I will say that I am taking full advantage of Amazon and the Wal-Mart pick-up feature to reduce my in-person shopping time and Covid risk.

And with the pandemic being what it is this year, we are all facing a pared down holiday season with fewer festivities and events.

As someone who works exclusively with the age group most susceptible to Covid fatalities, I am fully supportive of people staying home and reducing the risk of spread. Despite my support of quarantine, the thought of missing said festivities is sad but ultimately for the greater good.

Take this opportunity to focus on what truly matters this holiday season. Strip the commercialism out of the holidays and simply spend time with loved ones, even if it’s via Facetime.

Plan out how you will celebrate the season and maybe even how you will celebrate next Christmas. There’s no time like the present to plan ahead for next year!

Bonus Ideas to Help You De-Stress During the Holidays

Despite your best efforts, it’s entirely possible that stress will creep in during this season. Try one of these tips to take back your calm and to once again feel the peace.

Quick & Uplifting Reads

Here are a few of my very favorite reads to transform your mindset and give you a more positive outlook. The first one was absolutely mind-blowing in all the best ways!

I find Rachel Hollis to be incredibly inspirational and relatable. She has a way of getting through to me like few other authors are.

And lastly is the book I mentioned above and am still in the midst of. Thus far it’s also been incredibly inspirational.

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Sleep Better

Sleeping after you have kids has its own set of challenges. You make it through the baby phase of frequent nighttime feedings and diaper changes and then hit the toddler phase. In this phase, your littles may be overcome with fears of monsters and nightmares, prompting you to have them sleep on your floor or in your bed just to get a few precious hours of shut eye.

And then they hit school age where they may flip on every light in the house just to stumble to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Don’t forget the slammed doors and other loud midnight noises.

And then there’s your spouse. You love him dearly but he also feels the need to flip on every light in the house on the way to the bathroom, waking you just when you had finally drifted off after tucking those little monsters in.

All this nighttime waking leaves you feeling tired, groggy, and crabby the next day.

I know because this was my life. Until one day I had an epiphany. What about a sleep mask?

I went to Amazon and found a mask I love and haven’t looked back since! It’s changed my sleep game and if you’re struggling, you should definitely check this one out!

Get more tips for better sleep here.

Up Your Exercise Game

Until Covid hit, I was a faithful gym-goer. But as going to the gym is one of the more risky things you can do right now, I have shifted to home workouts.

I’m a huge fan of Beachbody and have seen fantastic results from several of their programs.

Despite my love for Beachbody, I also love running. But I live in a cold weather state and running outside in the winter is treacherous at times. Between the freezing cold temperatures and the ice, it’s tough to enjoy outdoor winter running.

And so, after much deliberation, I decided to take the plunge and invest in a treadmill.

We’ve had it almost a week now and it’s hands down one of the best decisions I’ve made! This particular model is suitable for both light walking and faster running and the machine itself is so quiet you can barely hear it in the next room. It’s truly been a smart investment in a healthier future!

An Inspirational Movie

And if you’re looking for an inspirational movie, look no further than the live action version of Mulan. I have no idea how I missed the cartoon version so had no idea what to expect but was blown away by this film.

Don’t miss out on this one! It will leave you motivated, inspired, and ready to take on any challenge that comes your way.

It’s Your Turn

I truly hope this post has inspired you to find ways to de-stress during the holidays. This is not a typical holiday season but figure out how you can make the most of it anyway! We only get one life and your job is to make the most of it, especially during the challenging times.

Drop a comment below with how you de-stress during the holidays and know that I’m sending you warm holiday wishes!