In July, we launched and shared about a summer #loveyourlife challenge, focusing on good habits, intentional eating, a 7 day cleanse, and the habits of daily strip and shake, along with adding in more exercise, so that we could feel good and make strides towards our health goals in a season when most folks are just aiming for laying on the beach, BBQs, and a laid back approach to sleep and good routines.
Well, out of our VIP community, it was hard to select a winner, because everyone was motivated and making major strides towards their best life. These changes we make with proper care for, love and balance within our bodies and daily habits, make major ripples into the rest of life.
One amazing lady, Kendal, began the challenge in a tough spot. She knew she needed it, but was unsure when she would have time in her full days, as a mom of 2 and running an in-home daycare, caring for alot of people (which she excels at!) leaves her little time for herself. But for the first 3 weeks of the challenge, she hit the gym every day for anywhere from 1-2 hours! And with this commitment, and her health tools of the daily shakes, she began to see amazing transformations. She told me she was doing this to not only help with her mood, to bring herself to a healthy weight, but also for her mindset, her overall energy, and at the end of a month, she found herself no longer needing one of her medications!!
She went from 220 to 207 in just 3 weeks time, and she told me that she’s just getting started!!
In addition, the things that many of us might take for granted, like hopping on a treadmill to run a mile or two, is not something that everyone can automatically do. With a history of severe RA (Rheumatoid arthritis), even the simple act of being able to run on a treadmill without pain and without her joints giving way, was a huge cause of celebration!! Talk about warrior status.
“How many of my friends have health problems that have claimed to your soul? Health problems that affect you in every way every day. When I started this challenge my first goal was to be able to run on a treadmill. Yeah I know what your thinking. “ everyone can run on a treadmill” well not everybody can. I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in my SI joint at the age of 24 some days it has left me crippled. Some days I feel like nothing has ever been wrong. Until I stepped a certain way or bend a certain way pick up things. This is something I will have to fight for the rest of my life. But….. I am ok with that!! 💪 I have found the most amazing support system. That has helped me in so many ways.i know my time is weak but I hit my goal the more I try the bettering get!! #ididit!!!! #Challengecomplete
(This is not construed as medical advice to change or drop medications, it’s just a story of what worked for one person)
And of course, with new fitness routines, comes new levels of soreness. Kendal started doing epsom salt baths, stretching, and taking the PM recovery complex, and saw improvements right away that motivated her to keep up with her newfound gym routine.
Precisely these moments that we find ourselves in, test us at our core. We discover what motivates us, and what we’re truly capable of.
Not only is she celebrating a lighter life, and how good she feels with the weight coming off (and she’s not stopping now!) but more importantly, for many of us, healthy weight is tied to so many other markers of a better life–less joint pain, less foggy-headed or headaches, more energy and better mood. These are JUST as important as the scale victories, and make the journey all the sweeter, as we learn about ourselves; just what we have inside to give when we dig deep, and additionally, creating habits and positive momentum so that it’s possible to deeply #loveyourlife.
Kendal West is a truly heroic woman, and someone I’m so lucky to call my friend. She is the proud winner of this challenge, and her attitude when she got the news says it all–“I want to share and tell everyone about this, and how good they can feel”
When you have excepted a challenge, that could forever change your life, not knowing what’s going to come of your goals, not knowing if you are going to find the time to make things happen, you have to want it but most importantly need it. don’t start off with a huge goal start small and work your way up to those top 5 goals. #challengesmashed 🏋️♀️💪🧘♀️
She is continuing her journey with the #proveitchallenge kit, which involves a 7 day cleanse, and 30 days of strips and shakes, to be at her best. When I last spoke with her, she was down another 3 lbs, and really, really happy with all the changes that she’s created in her life.
Congrats, Kendal. Thank you for sharing the details of your #loveyourlife journey with us. We know that the best is yet to come for you, and your sweet family!
Ready for your own transformation? Whatever your goals, this is the moment!
If you’d asked me in June how I was feeling about the summer–I would have said–excited and nervous. Going from 3 littles last summer to 4 this summer was definitely an adjustment for all of us. And now, as I pause, and breathe deeply on the far side of our first summer with 4, I want to document a bit about our summer rhythms, and flow, how we grew, and adapted. This year, one of the words I chose for 2019 was integration, that of integrating a new person into our family, and this summer was the true beautiful test of all that. Since Blaise joined us in the middle of our school year routines, his calm, sunny presence changed things a bit but we did early postpartum with lots of quiet at home, and had our school schedule set in place…so when mid June rolled around…I faced the prospect of a summer with alot of time together, & setting new schedules and rhythms with the 4 littles, and I sent up a quick prayer, wondering just how it would go.
And GO it has…nothing like the days flying by when we’re busy…but it’s been truly incredible to see the kids all grow in their relationships with each other, and to see that these days have enriched all of us so deeply, as we pause on the cusp of a new school year.
Another word for 2019 for me has been Intention–and this related to our more intentional use (or limiting use) of technology this summer. It’s such a fight that for many of us mommas, begins with awareness of our own habits. I know my little ones, at all three ages above infant, are watching and modeling, and I wanted to foster more intentional “down time” or “unplugged time” so that the kids would just focus on–being kids, in the summer. This also meant less screen time for me, and I can’t tell you how much freer, happier and more alive I feel when I limit my use of screens during a given day. Understanding why, where, when we reach for our phones, especially when the daily needs and challenges of leaning in to being present to the kids, was calling to me to pay attention, in an urgent way. It has been a transformative time in that regard, and I am entering the fall with much clearer sense of the role I want screens to play in our lives (read, limited).
A baby, a book, and likely a drink nearby: the good life.
As I share in my post reflecting on keeping a humble garden in the summer (coming soon!)…it’s so tempting to keep things tightly scheduled in summer (for kids)–for fear of summer boredom. Boredom is the seed of so much creativity, resilience, imagination and more, but we’re often wary of it, unsure of how it will be resolved…or more directly relevant, the constant pull/challenges of fighting the draw of screen time: with more unplanned hours, there’s more of a draw towards it…which no mother wants to always be battling.
BUT….what we’ve found, in the midst of our mellow summer pace–besides traveling the first 2 weeks of summer, and a mid August local getaway—we’ve pretty much stayed put–is that so much develops and unfolds in a beautiful new rhythm, and I’ve had to be flexible, with what the days should look like–involving 4 little people’s schedules and their needs, as well as those of the momma 😉
It’s a joy to my heart that I couldn’t begin to put into words until it was happening–having them all around, relaxing, and sleeping in until whatever time we want…I LOVE seeing the kids all wake just exactly when their bodies tell them to.. Often they rush in, rubbing eyes, one by one, and just hang out in mom and dad’s bed with us, chatting, without any urgent deadlines, our plans for the day…these moments have felt like such a special gift.
It’s such a brief moment of summer (9 weeks) before back to the stricter schedule, so a relaxed morning structure for them—while it starts to get to me—is balanced with a sense that this rounds out the year. And it means I can focus on my morning rituals as well, before they wake–several times a week I am sneaking out on a walk before things get busy and Joel gets out the door, to get my head clear and ready for a full day of mothering. Those early moments in nature on summer mornings–on country roads with the world just teeming with aliveness–are some of the best thinking moments I have. And then slooww breakfast times, being creative with what we cook up, doing whatever the heck we want around the house and yard, tending to garden, playing with their car, etc…and giving me a moment to do tea with journal, a garden kale omelette, and some spiritual or other reading on the porch.
Momma time-out moments: I fight hard to find those moments, they are truly what keep me going. And I take those time outs for myself, without guilt, and especially since with girls around they can mind the boys for a few min at a time, and are usually adoring on Blaise anyway…as any mom will tell you–sometimes looking at the day as a marathon, rather than a sprint, helps us to plan and conserve/rebuild our energy and mental rest. Because I’m postpartum (5-7 months during summer, I was always focused on my own good energy-building habits, good rest, stretching, and mental time-outs, as needed). See my fav postpartum life enhancing tools here.
Mid morning, during Blaise’s first long nap, I’m always doing a quick clean-up, making sure folks are mostly dressed (even if it’s swimsuits ;)) a load of laundry, checking in with relevant clients, coaching groups and my quick business touch-points–knowing I can come back to it again during an afternoon naptime. I scale way back on my already very low-key work balance during the summer, and most days, it works. Setting up a business to run well on it’s own has taken years, and it’s SO worth it. The blessing of passive income. I use the summer months to dream, think big picture, brainstorm, occasionally try new things (run challenges) but often to just pause so I can let new ideas and plans percolate. This summer I’m in a business incubator, helping me with some new growth focus, but in a very low-key way. I am often torn–excitement and plans for the next course I’m creating/thoughts of blog posts to write, connections to develop, clients to connect with, etc. But when I remember just how short the summer is (no matter how long a single day can be!) it helps me put aside the temptation to multi-task/focus alot elsewhere…and really work on being present to them.
It’s so nice to be able to outsource things like deep-cleaning, save groceries for a single shopping on the weekend (often as an outing with dad), laundry systems, and other things we’ve done to streamline and simplify life, transitioning from 3-4…those all stood us in good stead. I know my time and energy–though very present–should be applied to the right things–starting with the kids. I also welcomed, relied on family members taking the kids out once a week or so, or pitching in for a day that felt extra busy, so that we could all stay balanced…one whole week my cousin stayed with us, and I got to sneak out for salon time, have one-on-one time with my kiddos, and a date night. Having extra hands around is always welcome and always a blessing…themes from my early postpartum that are continuing to remain relevant and oh-so-helpful. It does take a village.
This summer I also was re-balancing my own social media and tech habits in a big way, craving being outside more than looking at a screen, and feeling SO MUCH more alive when I keep a closer control on when I use it, why and how. The #unpluggedweekend habit is now something I love and look forward to starting…Thursday 😉 These tech habits and our access to screens is something that can just take over our attention and minds if we’re not careful. I’m so aware of how we’re modeling our priorities for the little ones, so this has been my huge and important challenge turned blessing.
This is my mantra in the summer, and shifts my perspective perfectly, whenever I’m tempted to focus on to-dos, inbox, etc.
Being creative in the kitchen (which I LOVE to do with my olders when we’re not rushed), being in my garden, doing art with the kids, talking to them, some yoga on the porch, lounging by the pool, reading good books, hikes and outings, these are the things that make my day rich. And over-documenting can certainly take some of the magic out of the moments too, so there’s a balance to be had. I know many of us are learning as we go, and I welcome your perspectives.
The constant juggle of little needs, for various stretches of the day, has certainly stretched me way beyond my comfort zone, and into the zone of self-gift. It’s a beautiful thing to realize that you’re giving all your energy and falling into bed or a bath at the end of the night, having spent it all on these little people, who are such gifts to me, and as crazy as they make me, I KNOW I want to keep that perspective of gratitude central, and also, this beautiful paradox that giving of ourselves just increases our capacity for more. Our hearts are not limited, even if our physical capacity (or my joke that I need 4 arms) is.
At least once a week I am grateful for babysitter time–a few hours to either focus on something work related, get out by myself, do an errand or self-care (reflexology is a favorite) and just re-balance mentally–it changes the whole week and allows me to be more fully present to them when I’m home.
The challenge—that is a blessing–of learning to be truly present, in the summer, just as they are to whatever they are doing. Taking life moment by beautiful moment, even if that means items don’t get checked off in the planner, or the day’s timing gets adjusted because we get lost in an activity, craft, playtime, or anything else. I am humbled and learning from the way they are fully present to it all, feeling it all (reacting exactly as they feel), and letting it change us.
By 10:30/11am, we’re usually ready for an outing (after Blaise’s morning nap, which can often stretch almost 2 hours–what a guy). The kids have had time to dress, we’ve prepped snacks/lunches as needed, and we’re ready to head out–whether it’s to pool, to pick up friends, a nearby hike, or something else that’s our main event of the day. Occasionally this will be an errand (though I tend to batch errands, save for weekends and mostly get stuff online–in my strong theme of “creating space” that I hone in on in my life design course). Taking 4 kids into a grocery store is almost a laughable excuse for entertaining the other shoppers. But when it needs to be done, we definitely do it 😉 I’ve dropped them all at the gym daycare with their buddies, and done a zumba class with a friend. It’s all about mixing it up, and making sure they have input in how we spend our days, referencing our big summer bucket list hung on the wall often to make sure we’re checking it all off. What a gift, these days are, when we can focus on the good stuff!
Whatever it is, we try to make sure it’s maximal energy expended, and fun, and weather consistent–ie, by water on the hot days, and library or indoor events on rainy days 😉
I have 2 little guys who need their naps, so I try to allow the day to flow around those with consistency. When we’re home all day, Blaise naps like a king–3 naps of 1-2 hours–gotta enjoy this phase while it lasts ;)–so it’s a tradeoff and balancing act of sometimes having the older kids just play in the sprinkler, the yard, do crafts, make their own fun while he naps happily here, or making Blaise push his midday nap back to get an outing in, or he’ll take it en-route in the car, or in my carrier. Ambrose does best with a 4pm ish nap, and usually after a good chunk of beach or pool time, he’s toast. The trick is always transitioning him into his bed…but on a few occasions, when the universe smiles upon me, I’ve had both boys sleeping at the same time (3-5ish) and will even get a quick siesta in my room or on the porch, an uninterrupted late lunch salad & energizing tea, some book time on the porch, and the girls play happily/make their own fun (or are lovingly reminded to read!) without their boisterous and interrupting brothers 😉
Nature, the perfect place to cultivate wonder, and let the hours fly by.
Fast forward to after 6pm, and we’re in dinner mode, I’m in my cooking (don’t interrupt me!) flow, usually planning meals around what I can pull right out of the garden; Joel comes home, and we try to spend a bit of time on the porch, or in the yard before it gets buggy and dark. The kids have chased and caught fire-flies on a few occasions and those are some of the best vivid memories from my childhood that I’m so glad they’ll have too. At least one night a week, we try to get out–whether it’s for a simple picnic, a concert in the park (with picnic), or just an easy meal out on a restaurant patio. It helps me to look forward to an evening or two without prep or cleanup, and we all enjoy dining al fresco and staying out until it’s dark. And sometimes, if the day has been especially crazy (and I didn’t get out in am for walk)…I’ll literally run out the door in my sneakers and head for a few mile run, as Joel jumps in to take over. The craziest days remind me to work hard to maintain my serenity and sanity, and sometimes the best solution is to #sweatitout and get some time away, a needed perspective. These moments can completely flip the evenings when needed…the marathon of dinners and bedtimes after an already full day can leave many mommas grabbing for the wine, but I try to find other outlets, like mindful movement. We find our balance, continually adjusting.
This summer, we did 1 main camp week (tennis) which had its own flow (brought the boys and I back to our daily walk and errands routines, etc), lots of play and swim dates, and other mini adventures like hiking, berry picking, and the pool on the hottest days (and it pays to have fun friends with pools too!:)
I love having the flexibility in the summer for long outdoor hangouts with friends that we’re often lacking of in the structured school year. And of course, sleepovers punctuate it, and make the kids especially grateful for and loving of the freedom to do these any night of the week. Summer nights are simply the best.
Having these slow days at home helps the kids (and I!) anticipate the bigger plans, and while it’s tempting to pack things in, we’re always better when we leave things open. One main outing per day works for everyone (2 smaller things if they are spaced out by a calm lunch and siesta time;), and if we push it too far, someone from any age group will let me know that it’s too much. Respecting this has been the main goal and challenge, and when it’s all over, I will be grateful for the lessons that it’s taught all of us. I also truly loved the days that we were home all day long. For someone who’s always out and about, resetting that expectation and just thriving in our own place helped me be grateful for all the little moments and rituals and watching the kids navigate the stages of the day. Sometimes, I just had to gently nudge them out the door, to remember to just enjoy their own patch of earth, their 2 acres that they run wild and use all their imagination and energy on…it doesn’t take much and I see them growing as a result of these hours of free play and more “encouraged” recreation, at home.
For someone who craves/loves personal development opportunities: working with, loving on, apologizing when I get upset/lose my cool, being present to littles and their needs is one of the best chances to grow and work on myself that I know of. Keeping the gratitude and perspective front and center can be hard from day to day, moment to moment, but I’m extra motivated since they will never be these exact ages/stages again, and it’s so special for each of them, watching them experience life, grow their capacity for love, and bring their particular selves to the summer flow. Their memories of summer time are always the strongest, so I want us all to look back on these days as beautiful, peaceful, transformative in all the right ways.
I’ve been reading Finding Flow, the follow up book to the incredible work Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (highly recommend it, it’s quite rigorous, not a light read at all, but wonderful if you like musing on the topics of what makes a good life). This quote is a good reminder to me, that how we choose to spend these moments is what truly counts.
A friend who has 4 kids told me that she’s found it helpful to have a bit of alone/one-on-one time each week with your kids once there are several. I totally agree and have been trying to implement this in little ways…the girls so appreciate a mini outing when it’s just me and them, and now that Blaise is of an age that it’s easier to pop out and leave him, I’ve aimed for this each week. Their little worlds are just exploding and I love being able to connect with them and work to be that listening ear, that mom that they can count on to be available, fun, and THERE for them. This matters more to me than any perfectly executed meal plan, or having the laundry all folded the same day it comes out of the dryer. Gulp. Priorities and working to do things with a sense of perspective, and most importantly, guilt free, will always be what I fight for. I don’t want to have regrets when I look back on these crazy, beautiful, sometimes overwhelming days.
In the midst of particularly crazy days, I have to pause and remind myself–these are the days you’ll look back and treasure. Trying to keep a sense of humor and not sweat all the small stuff is key for me. The house will be tidier, and quieter, again, very soon–when school starts back up. And then I’ll surely be missing these summer moments…but the very fact that we get to juxtapose them and appreciate each season means I’m able to put some things on hold/aside, and focus in on just the needs of each day. It’s a huge challenge for me (not to be living in the to-do list, the 1 or 5 year plan, or just “ahead” of where we are)…but I’m learning. These 4 are teaching me the absolute wonder and magic of each and every summer moment.
I want to know–if you’re living it or just reminiscing now–what were the best elements of your 2019 summer rhythms? And how did these days shape your heart?
Something I always learn (re-learn) in the summers–how important habits of self-care underlying our mothering efforts are, at every stage. See my post on summer self-care from last year.
You guys. This is SO good. I made peach icecream a few weeks back and got re-acquainted with my kitchen-aid attachment for icecream. BEST gift that I had on my wedding registry–you know, the obscure thing that you think you won’t use, or don’t use…well I’m using it 🙂
I do have the best childhood memories of making ice-cream with an old-fashioned ice-cream maker, the rock salt, hours of churning it on the back porch of my cousins’ house (there were alot of us so we took turns and it went OK–but I remember that it disappeared in an instant!). When I was looking up recipes to inspire my peach ice-cream with freshly picked peaches, I ran into a coffee ice cream recipe, and just left it open, bookmarked in my phone (one of my ways of remembering/noting to come back to something–anyone else?). Anyway, this is entirely my own creation, because low and behold, Trader Joes happens to have this incredible coconut cold brew concentrate. As soon as I saw that, I knew this would be happening.
I had thought about doing a non-dairy or vegan version of this, it would be pretty simple to do, but the intrigue of using egg yolks, and my obsession with sweeten condensed milk and coffee together (a thai combo that I’ve had before) just led me to keep it straightforward. I’ll suggest the substitutions, in case you need to make it vegan or dairy free.
Homemade Coconut Cold Brew Ice-cream.
*TJ’s coconut cold brew concentrate (I used like 1/4 cup, depends on how strong you want the coffee flavor to be)
*1 can sweetened condensed milk (could use coconut cream to make it vegan)
*1 can evaporated milk (see above)
*2 egg yolks, lightly beaten (skip for vegan)
*1/4 cup raw sugar
*1.5 cup heavy cream or regular milk (use a coconut-almond milk instead like the califia one, for dairy free)
*1/4 c to 1/2 c flaked coconut
That’s it!! Crazy, right? If you have the kitchenaid mixer, just throw all the ingredients in with the pre-frozen bowl (freeze for 24 hours first), and let it mix for 20+ minutes (we were outside in the sprinkler while it was happening. Classic summer afternoon).
Then, place bowl in freezer and try to patiently wait. I was dipping my spoon and getting samples as it hardened and was just blown away by the flavor…
Warning to the wise: I think the caffeine in the cold brew made me stay up crazy late the first night I made it (I had a big helping after dinner, and I normally have little to no caffeine ;))…but SO worth it.
Let me know how you love it, and who you’re with when you enjoy it. Summer moments like these will live on in our memories for a long time.
And hop on my email list (above) for more of this delivered right to you—soon we’ll be focused on healthy kids back to school, healthy fall routines, recipes, and more…but for now…enjoy summer to the last moment!
I LOVE the tradition of showering new moms with meals, after a babe. It’s a simple, perfect way to support her and her family, in those moments when she needs extra rest and less to think about (food shopping!)…so, when I get the chance to do this for friends, it makes me so happy.
I decided on this seasonal meal because it emphasizes eggplant, which is known to be very good for toning/healing the cervix after birth. It’s hearty while being vegetarian, and is a favorite that can please the hub and kids too.
The side dish is a beet and goat cheese salad, filling and beets are an incredible detox food…giving a gentle cleanse to the organs—so perfect for a pp momma.
And for dessert–a seasonal crisp–light and refreshing…we chose blueberry, you can do peach or any flavor that suits you and the season, and who you’re making it for.
And…adding a loaf of fresh bread and a bottle of wine will make it a treat that truly honors the beautiful mother and her family in this special season.
There are a number of steps to this meal, but if you get into a flow and do all of it in overlapping stages, you can get it all done in the space of a…say…6 month old afternoon nap time 😉
Eggplant Parm
*1-2 medium to large eggplants, organic is best
*1 jar of local marinara sauce
*1 log (10-12oz) of fresh/local mozzarella cheese.
*2-3 eggs (blended in a bowl)
*3/4 c. whole wheat flour, for breading
*olive oil, for medium saucepan, and bottom of the 9×13 dish that you’ll be baking the eggplant parm in.
*Salt & pepper to taste
Blueberry Crisp
*1-2lbs of organic blueberries, seasonal.
*1/2 cup butter (softened)
*3/4 cup oats
*3/4 cup brown sugar–sprinkle 1/4 cup on the fruit and let it sit for 30+ min while you’re doing other things. The other 1/2 cup will be for the blueberry crumble.
Beet, goat cheese and lettuce salad
*1 small log organic goat cheese
*1 container of mixed greens, or 2 heads of lettuce
*3 med beets, roasted, peeled, cooled and chopped (see below).
Serve with balsamic vinegar and olive oil, lightly tossed right before serving.
Throw the beets in the oven at 400 to roast in tinfoil. It will take about 40 min to an hour, depending on how big they are. I had one monster one from the farm, and 2 smaller, so I took them out at different times (poke a knife in to be sure its buttery soft)…then peel the skin off once they cool, chop, and they are ready to go in the salad later on.
Next (while those cook) prep the eggplant parm.
Prep the 9×13 baking dish, and heat the olive oil until hot. Take the medium sliced eggplant and dunk to cover, first in the egg, then in the flour–to bread it. Throw 3-4 into the sizzling oil at a time, and cook until slightly brown on one side, then flip. Note, depending on how thick you cut, and their pan cook time, they may not be fully tender in the middle. That’s ok, because you bake them with the sauce and they full cook at that point.
Once you’ve arranged these eggplants in a single layer (usually 6 for me, when using the 9×13)…then we go to the sauce and cheese layers. Dump some sauce to cover, and throw a slice of mozzeralla on each eggplant slice–very satisfying to the organized mind 😉
Complete these steps until you have 2-3 layers, with the sauce and mozzarella on top. Then you can put it aside, to have the baking take place at the new momma’s home (so it’s hot and fresh) or, bake it at your place to simplify things for her. 350 oven for 20-30 min, until you see it bubbling well. (Note, can be baked in conjunction with the crisp…efficiency!)
Finish assembling crisp (fruit with sugar has been sitting), use a pastry cutter to cut in butter, oats, and brown sugar. This is gluten free, and OH SO good. Then crumble the oat mixture on the fruit, and let it sit…again, either bake at home and bring warm, or pop it into the oven at her place so that the smells of baking dinner and dessert are part of the experience.
As a health coach, food is definitely a love language for me, and I love supporting moms (and being supported!) during postpartum, a time of special attention, love and rest for mommas who are doing so much work in healing and feeding, loving on their babies.
I hope you enjoy this and let me know what you think–if you’re bringing it to a friend, be sure to make double so you feed your own family too 🙂 And if you’re a new mom, send this link to someone who will be happy to make it for you!
Currently postpartum? I made a special stretching series that helps us focus on loving & honoring the postpartum body, while building new layers of strength and body image.
I started a postpartum community on FB a few years back, it’s been a wonderful community, chatting all things thriving in postpartum (and that could be 3 weeks or 6 years after baby).
I want to share a series of mini reflections on postpartum life–or, what’s really going on behind all those cute baby milestone photos we love to smile at. Sometimes it’s hard to peel back the layers–to let others in to this truly intense, often emotional, exhausting, time–it can feel that we’re in the eye of a hurricane–quiet but with huge forces of change all around us.
The reality of postpartum is that of a truly transforming existence for mother and child; as they learn to be apart (after the womb life), and learn to be together, in new ways, and in the world. Each week is unique and oh-so-meaningful, and I know, for myself, I want to remember all of it.
I truly believe that postpartum is a time when both baby and momma are meant to thrive. This has been my mission in coaching many women over the past years, and having this focus myself has helped me tremendously in the past years when #postpartumlife was my ever-present reality.
I’m immensely grateful for my tribe of mommas over in the FB postpartum community; they have been incredible in this phase, and I know if you’re not in there already, you’ll be very welcome indeed–whether you’re about to have a baby, or had a baby 6 years ago…
I’m finally ready to write and process some of the beautiful incredible things that made up the first weeks of postpartum life with Blaise. I know this will be part one of a series, because postpartum life is far from over–but there’s something so incredible, so special about the first 40 days, or 6 weeks, when momma is resting and healing and taking time to focus on bonding with babe…and then, the several weeks following that which are a process of unpacking and beginning to take strides to a new normal–new daily rhythms that work well for all–we’re perhaps just now beginning to find these.
Knowing (as this is my 4th) that this phase is both beautiful, intense and oh-so-short…but that postpartum life is more of a marathon not a sprint I wanted to honor and deeply dive into the first 40 days, soaking it all up with intention rather than having it pass like a blur.
*To the first time momma: it’s impossible to have perspective. I remember so clearly wondering: will I ever sleep again? Will my body ever feel normal again? Will this little human being ever stop needing me so much? The answer to all of these is yes, but in the midst of it all you struggle to feel that anything is as it should be*
NOW, knowing what I know, I decided to just truly bask in the first few weeks, to document everything (sooo many pics of the 4th child, he can’t hold that over us)…and to be still, to be offline much of the time, when I needed a mental break, to be quiet with these changes, to watch my family accept and welcome this new life, and to let the big ripples of this major life change, turn into smaller and smaller ripples as everyone breathes and leans into it, and grows. There is plenty of time to start exercising, to be “productive”, to do errands with baby (spoiled me, I didn’t set foot in a grocery store for 6 weeks around Blaise’ birth), and to look the part. (Yes, I do love new clothes in postpartum, but not because there’s a certain goal size waistline or pressure to bounce back).
There’s no going “back” We’re only going forward to new, better levels of ourselves.
Mother fills a distinct role during this time. She needs to be supported to focus on that; her own healing and re-balancing/recovery as a primary need, and with this, the ability to nourish her child as she nourishes and strengthens herself. Anyone who’s been through it can tell you the deep vulnerability and fragility that is felt, and why it’s crucial that she has a strong and supportive community around her, so she can keep her nervous system at peace.
The realization that postpartum life needs to be paced (and this is just my first post in a series, because there are many distinct phases & topics of postpartum)…is something that’s come to me over the years, and helped inspire a group of us to come together to take back conversations about postpartum life, just how different moms’ needs, goals and habits should be during that period, and to honor it as a time to thrive. This requires a tremendous family and community support to do well–mom must be allowed to re-focus her precious energies without guilt.
A short (mini) birth story
Yes, all postpartum experiences begin with the birth. This wasn’t meant to be the focus of this post/series, but I will share a bit about this beautiful birth experience we had with Blaise.
We waited 10 long days from Blaise’ due date to when he was ready to arrive. My patience grows thin during those times, and it becomes harder to care for the kids and do everything as my body preps for birth. I’m no stranger to post-date babies, but this time, with my hypno-birthing meditations each night, I was able to get perspective and embrace/welcome the natural process of things even as my overly planning/impatient mind couldn’t compute it all sometimes. I called on all the help for school pickups, etc, and rested alot, nested more, and stayed in during some of the coldest days of the winter.
The midwives finally did encourage me (when I was mentally done–and spent the morning both crying/swaying on the birthing ball, and bouncing on my kids trampoline!) that it was time to try castor oil. We did that on a thursday morning (Jan 24th) and my husband stayed home from work, and we arranged to go to the hospital by that evening, no matter where things were, because we knew we didn’t want it dragging on. The castor oil was a totally positive experience for me, not at all icky or hard to manage (I snacked alot and drank tons of hydrate/elecytrolytes)…the contractions were consistent all day, not picking up in pace, but remaining, and when we left the kids peacefully and went in to the hospital and met the midwives and team, I was 3cm along, and contracting well but they were ready to get me into a better pattern and prepare to break my water. I was given a little bit of Pit, and then once my water broke, things progressed quickly. I used my hypnobirthing meditations and then went into the tub to labor once a few contractions felt stronger than I was managing well. Once in the tub, I was only there 5 minutes before I told Joel–I need to get out and push. This was 1.5 hours into my active labor. He was used to two over 24 hour labors (Corinne and Ambrose) so he was seriously skeptical, and tried to convince me to stay in the tub just a bit longer, but somehow husbands wisely know not to argue with their laboring wife…sure enough, I was on the table and pushed Blaise out in 3 pushes, before they had time to even finish wheeling in all the materials, and the midwives laughed at me as I held my 9lb 7oz babe with the biggest grin on my face. He spent so little time in the birth canal and I felt AMAZING as soon as he was out. Such a dream labor and delivery–beyond anything I could have hoped for (though I had been visualizing my perfect birth for weeks, so maybe it’s not a coincidence).
Last pregnant picture–this is it!
Born right after 2am January 25th, our little perfect chunky gift of a baby, to start out 2019 with a bang.
I LOVE the hospital for their “baby friendly” policies and he didn’t leave my room once as we recovered. I had the kids visit and then was ready to go home with my parents who drove up the following day. Getting away from it all and being in a different (short) bubble helps me focus in on the important bonding and early postpartum moments, before life, home and kids come rushing at me. Grateful for the right place to make that transition, and wonderful, wise caregivers.
We loved introducing him to the siblings. He was an immediate hit, and slept through all their pokes, snuggles and “kisses”–for weeks, literally 😉
Intentional & restful postpartum
As I talked about before his birth, I had found myself rushing through the other postpartums with the other kids–if I felt great physically, I would push myself too early, take on too much (or travel alot, etc) and end up frazzled and mentally fried. Even if my body could handle it, it was taking a toll on my nervous system, and felt like more of a blur.
This time around, I RESTED. So much. Way more than is normal for me. I don’t consider myself a very restful person 😉 And it was good.
I napped every day for the first 4 weeks–during the first 2, it was hugely important and I craved that break; my mom would drive Ambrose to pick up the girls from school and I would curl up with Blaise and get at least an hour of lying flat rest. The rest of the time I was totally curled up on the couch with meals being brought to me, teas, broths, I literally didn’t cook a single meal or unload my dishwasher for the first 2 weeks. SO so grateful for my mom stepping in and doing everything. The kids loved it, Joel and I even got out on some date nights when my parents were around the first few weekends, and life felt so different and hugely calm, and like a little bubble of love surrounding us, and it was just perfect. The cold evenings we all hung out by our fire, and took turns cuddling this chub. I had imagined it would be fun to hibernate with a baby, and it has suited me so well (ie, needing a major excuse to stay in and enjoy it, rather than itching to get out, and being stir crazy in winter).
I had a no visitor policy for the first 2 weeks (anyone I would have to get dressed to welcome;)). This was challenging only in a few moments with folks wanting to come by, but they did understand, and it gave me permission to focus entirely on babe, nourishing and resting. I’m an extrovert and love hosting, but I like to have things tidy and at a certain level, so this way, the focus was entirely on my own kiddos and those directly supporting. Having family around to socialize with was wonderful—I could chat as long as I had energy, and hide upstairs when I was done (and know that the kids were in the best of hands).
I will look back on and treasure those moments for a long time—I could feel my body recovering well each day, and while I often am high energy and motivated to do things by day 4-5 postpartum, it’s not that wise for me (and I would regret it) so this time I just did less than I thought I could, and was able to get my sleep into good patterns, my hormones and stress levels were balancing, I held baby all the time, whenever I wanted to, and I didn’t experience any deep exhaustion that way; it made it all more balanced and joyful. I didn’t do anything around the house or much kid management at all–since Joel and my mom were both eager to help with that. I did fold some laundry but that’s because I enjoy doing it and insisted 😉 My mom staying here was a huge gift, and having others doing driving of the kids to and from school, etc, made my restful routines at home possible.
As anyone who’s met him will tell you, Blaise is just a chill, fun kid. He’s the dream baby (that I’ve earned:)) who sleeps like a king…and his little lazy self, just drifting into naps whenever he felt like it–on me or anyone holding him, has been inspiring me in a big way, to take my commitment to sleep/napping more seriously. We could all use a little more lazy Blaisey in our life, right?
Postpartum as a time of transformation
I really embraced this experience of postpartum as a cocoon metaphor; we were in an intense and brief period of transformation, and to do so well, we needed to be away from it all//resting//welcoming support in all forms, and really just being quiet and present to the transformation. I journaled (as I always do) daily, and found that to be a hugely beneficial way to process all that I was experiencing and feeling—not always wanting to talk it out, but mothers always have things that need to be processed, and the right supportive helping team provides this for her too. This quiet/inner work went well with the natural hibernating patterns of Jan/Feb up here, and I knew that soon enough, right about when the warm weather came, we’d be ready for adventures, but to enjoy this brief moment fully–not rushing any bit of it.
When possible, I enjoyed moments of getting dressed and getting out—new moms need this too! Staying in pjs all the time is a recipe for losing sanity a bit ;)—but always followed it up with a nap, and we never tried any crazy outings without extra hands to wrangle the toddler–for the first 4 weeks, to make it enjoyable for all.
This level of rest & welcoming help was huge for me, and of course all my nutrition tools–which I’ve had for the past 2 recoveries which made them so good. You can’t underestimate the effects of post-natal depletion–it’s real, and it’s not good. Our bodies have given SO much to create and birth these human beings, and we have to give time and high quality nourishment and rest to re-balance and come out stronger on the other side. It’s possible, but it takes some serious effort and focus. Energized postpartum starts with a strong baseline for the mother, who’s both nourishing/re-balancing herself and giving alot through feeding her baby.
(to check out these tools for your personalized needs, start here—or message me for a quick health consult if you’re in postpartum).
Having been no stranger to some signs of adrenal fatigue in prior postpartums, I can tell you that it’s something that you can’t mess with–pushing to the edge of your physical or mental capacity. Both you and baby need you at your best, so take that extra time and care. That’s been our focus and why we set things up the way we did for this period of time, and especially since I was so clear that I wanted to come out of this postpartum mentally strong and able to exercise (I have a spring race in the calendar), and ready for some exciting things on the business front…so the more rest and rebuilding that I allowed myself in the first 40 days, the more I could be present and ready for the beautiful next phases as they came.
Some other tools in my toolkit for thriving postpartum:
*The Early reclaim program by every mother. It helped me resolve my diastisis in pregnancy and provided an amazing baseline for core recovery and gentle movement in the first 6 weeks.
*Reflexology; I’m a huge fan of Pippa and I had a session right at the end of my 40 day quiet period, to re-balance my nervous system, energy levels and hormones. Such a gift to find someone who truly knows how the body is meant to heal and re-balance itself. I highly recommend this for postpartum if you haven’t tried, and want an optimal recovery.
*Pelvic & core PT: this has become my go-to for staying active/being an athlete and having babies. Melissa is a wonder worker and I went to her at 3 weeks pp, and schedule to go every 3-4 weeks up through my first running races and getting fully back to a new, better level of fitness. Every mother needs this in their life after birth.
As you may know, I’m a huge fan of the book “The first 40 days, the art of nourishing the new mother“–it completely changed my perspective on postpartum life when I read it after Ambrose, and I embraced many of the healing foods of the book this time around, especially broths and all the focus on hormone-balancing foods and snacks, and they helped me so much.
My dream postpartum breakfast: steaming bone broth with a heaping helping of local ice-cream topped with local granola.Breakfasts cooked every day for me for weeks–a true gift, and so that I could focus on serving breakfast to Blaise:)
I also experienced it as a time of clarity about what mattered—-it’s humbling and beautiful to strip life down to the most essentials, not leaving the house, not cooking meals, barely moving from the couch, and reflecting on–what do I want to add back in to my life? Of course laundry and carpooling are non-negotiables (though outsourcing is wise and I’ll reflect more on that in future posts)…but I mean, beyond, what do we want life to look like? How can we create a new balance that includes this new human beautifully and well? I’m so grateful I was able to lean into these reflections and really consider it all without stress or apprehension. It was instead a perfect moment of “creating space”–the term I focus a lot on in coaching and in my new life design course–that of being willing to add blank space to our schedule—letting go of being busy and instead being free to welcome the memorable, surprising, beautiful elements of life that can sneak up on us when we make room in our planners & hearts.
My 3 words for the year of 2019: First is integration–focused on integrating well as a family of 6, and integrating new routines, etc with baby as a focal point. Another word is intention…and living with the highest level of purposefulness that we can. Life with an infant brings this into sharp focus. My 3rd word for 2019 is impact–and already we’ve shifted things to make this possible in new, smarter ways. Blaise is a huge part of the expanded vision and focus I have, and it’s so exciting to know that family goals can accompany our larger life vision. These weeks really allowed us to delve into these themes and make them real in so many ways.
Thank you for taking time to share in this beautiful, unforgettable chapter of life with us. All the lovely notes, gifts, meals brought, helping hands and beautiful reach-outs just made it all the more special as we enjoyed welcoming and falling in love with our new guy.
The series will continue with posts on topics like: postpartum fitness (lots to say there, as I’m smack in the midst of it all), postpartum and work, postpartum & mental health, and much more. If you have topics you’d like to see discussed–reach out and email me. It’s so important to me to emphasize the beautiful layers of postpartum, and to build a culture that helps moms and babies thrive during this time.
If you’re not on my email list yet–you can hop on at the top of the page to catch the rest of the series in the coming weeks.
A few musings on the occasion of my 34th birthday…
1) you’re going to have to learn how to trust & lean into a bigger, better picture of your life. Controlling or planning all the details doesn’t always (ever) work, and instead just steals the joy and wonder of the journey. Lean into the unknown & watch beautiful things (better than your plans) unfold.
2) loving and living with your best friend in marriage will deepen your appreciation of life at every level, but is also going to take a lot of work. Yes absolutely you can wake up more grounded and in love 10 years from now, but to do that you’ll need to lean into every challenge and choose trust, hope, gratitude, growth.
3) 4 beautiful human beings will come into your life and absolutely change you, forever, in so many ways. Nothing can prepare you for this, but do everything that you can to stay open to the all the lessons & joy of those moments.
4) Your professional life will look radically different from what it does now, and nothing like a “standard” path. Lean out, whenever you need to, towards your family priorities and be overwhelmed with amazement at the opportunities and a new fulfilling balance that falls into place. Pursue what feels scary and exhilarating, with a heart ready to serve.
5) Listen to the longings of your heart. Unearth & explore them. They will continue leading you toward your ideal life—involving nature, vitality, family, simplicity, abundance.
6) Care for your physical & mental health as a top priority…you may even have to learn the hard way, but understand that radical self-care is for radical service. Never feel guilty about making health & optimal energy a priority—you can absolutely be stronger & healthier as a mother and in your next decade, with the right daily habits. You will also learn proper self love & acceptance through marriage and mothering…and while it won’t be easy, you can heal old unhealthy patterns around self image, and a beautiful freedom can emerge.
7) Choose courage & intuition (and the H.S.) over peoples’ understanding or approval. Build your confidence around saying no to things that aren’t serving you. Drop the guilt & experience real freedom.
8) Commit to personal growth, see challenges as opportunities, and journal daily so that your experiences and gratitude builds on each other, watch life unfold in all of its unexpected glory, and leave room in your heart for everyday miracles.
9) Gratitude first, pray alot, have fun everyday. The rest will take care of itself.
10) Find your deep worth in being rather than doing. This one is both a cliche and a great challenge. When you get closer to peace in who you are, rather than seeking affirmation in accomplishments or what you DO on any given day, then life gets lighter. More joy and flow arrive.
Perhaps you’ve heard of this concept of vision boards and it’s sounded cheesy and weird to you—like something for a high-school sleepover party (young girls picking out their dream weddings), or more recently, just an offshoot of a pinterest driven lifestyle.
But it can be so much more than that. It’s not just a visual wish list of home decor items, or a gallery wall of photos, but rather a visual map to your best life, usually one year at a time.
I’ve had so many folks ask me about these, and I wanted to share more of an in-depth look into what I do to create mine each January, as well as some of the overarching framework for approaching goals/plans and dreams for each coming year.
I know this practice of vision boarding has literally changed my life since I put it into practice 5 years ago. For some of you, this may be the year this practice catches your interest and you run with it to your best life.
We’re also doing a module/focus on it in my Life By Design course—be sure to get on my email list (up top) if you want some of the fun content and details I’ll be sharing about that in the coming weeks (yep, it’s already been prepped, before babe). Ideally this vision board practice is part of that larger 5 week lifestyle transformation that we’re undertaking, in a fun and easy to implement program that’s for anyone, in any walk of life!
If you’re someone that doesn’t like traditional goal setting, has already forgotten what your New Year’s resolutions were, or, if you were like me, and are very driven/connected to goals but sometimes lose sight of the bigger picture of WHY they really matter (so checking them off is not as satisfying), creating a vision board is the habit you need. It’s about leaning into a bigger picture perspective of how your life is ready to expand, to transform, to be different.
We all know life will be different in 365 days, but a vision board can be the key to having a strong hand in shaping and creating that difference, and not just letting it happen to us.
I love this quote. It’s been on my vision board for the past 4 years, and it helps me frame what we’re about.
My First Time Vision Boarding I Was Afraid
The first time I did a vision board it was tough and somewhat scary to really try to fix on what I wanted. What visuals, materials or pictures represent my life? (But that exercise is exactly where the magic begins.)
And of course, there’s the objection I got (and continue to get) from folks: “well, what about what if I don’t know what GOD has planned for me, aren’t these just my selfish desires being put out there, and how can I know if I’m actually supposed to be wanting this stuff?”
Well, I have lots to say on that topic, but I’ll try to just pose this question: what if you can make the process of developing a vision board a prayerful exercise?
Vision Boarding as an Expression of Hope
You can discuss things with your life partner/spouse, make plans based on where you see your family and life going, and with prayer, put it out there in the form of a vision board. We know God is ultimately in control, but you entrust your hopes and dreams into His care with the knowledge that He wants to make good things happen for, through, and with you. If life plans do a big shift—through a job change, or an unexpected move, a child coming, or anything else planned or un-planned—then you adjust. The vision board isn’t going to be “wrong” at any moment, it might just need to be updated as life unfolds and you continue to hone the muscles of discernment along with life-design.
I find that so many folks are just not intentional enough, or don’t believe enough that their own vision, desires, needs and goals CAN and SHOULD shape their real life, so I like to encourage you to take this seriously, and then simply perfect it with your overall goal setting/discernment as you go. My family vision boards are very different than when we first started making them…they are much more specific and focused on our core values, because that’s where we can do the best work and where we’ve seen fulfillment over the years.
These boards are not just a list of things you want to purchase or a home design pinterest board, they can be a record of the way your desires and values shift and change as you get to know yourself and your God-given purpose better with every passing year.
See, the more specific we get with letting our heart and desires shape reality, the more God actually can work, and move things for us.
I love the following quote, and I think we can understand the sense of divine intervention/support for our deepest desires—they are in alignment.
“And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”
So, I’m going to now share a few vision boards we’ve made over the years, and some details on how I like to set ours up now-a-days, in line with our circles of focus: such as social, spiritual, success/skills, etc.But there’s really no right or wrong way to do these—as long as you have fun with them (ideally do them with good friends and a glass of wine or champagne, we’ve done vision board brunches before, so fun)…just have at it, and see what unfolds in the process!
My 2016 vision board: I had some travel, business and other goals come to pass (and we set up for a job change and prepping for our big move!)–also, I have images on here of being pregnant with a boy…baby boy shoes…and a month after making this I conceived Ambrose, he was born that October 😉My 2015 visison board: I seriously get chills when I look at this: travel to Europe, business expansion, the kind of new family car we upgraded to, the giving back focus, and upon some key themes and words that I needed to embrace (including from scripture).
Topics for our vision board this year: grouped into these 6 main categories:
Family
Travel
Business growth/focus (this could also be a hobby or passion project)
Giving back/philanthropy
Personal growth/Inspiration (spiritual, emotional, mental)
Fitness
Of course I have intentions/focus in a few other areas; Spiritual etc, but the visuals for those can be grouped within these, above, as you can see.
If you have a word for the year, or words, or themes you want to emphasize, those go well on this board as well. You can see my 3 words, with visuals surrounding them–Intention, Integration, Impact. For me, words are another powerful trigger, so I find ones that will really pull me into the feelings behind the goals/vision, in each section, and quotes are huge for me too.
I love getting the kids involved in this process and they make their own; it’s fun to help them shape their sense that they can put dreams, visions and goals onto paper, and then focus in to make them a reality. Something we’ve all had the ability to do, but often lose as “practical minded” adults. Make it a social activity! This was a vision board brunch event we did a few years back with teammates and friends.
In summary, this practice is something that I laughed at at first, finally tried with the encouragement of some wise mentors, and then got hooked on, and have gotten better at (more specific, building around a family vision and focus) over the years.
It’s incredible to me how the visions of what life could be like several years ago back when we lived in an apartment in Brooklyn, have become our reality. I had country sheds and gardens and all these things that seemed totally incongruent with that current lifestyle.
Last year, it was hard to make a vision board with anything that was a stretch beyond what I currently had, and I was cultivating/focused on contentment.
There’s always a balance to be found: some people can be tempted to live in the future and only focused on what they want that’s coming/hasn’t arrived yet. This practice isn’t meant to encourage that spirit. Rather it’s about creating space, giving sight and vision to allow MORE good to come, to allow ourselves to be pulled out of our comfort zones, and to become more of who we are meant to be (which after all, is what this is all about—not just what we have, where we travel, or any of the material stuff). It starts with a deep gratitude for where your life is at, and perhaps even some visuals/prompts around that, if you need it.
Have fun creating your 2019 vision boards! I hope you’ll share with me whether this article inspired you to give it a try, and even share with me by email a pic of your vision board when it’s finished!
8.5 years ago, when prepping for my first postpartum (and maternity leave from work)…I had not a clue what life would be like, and I also didn’t feel like many of the mothering resources or moms I knew really got into details after the pregnancy and birth. Except for the idea that you won’t sleep as much, I didn’t have any insight into what recovering from birth would be like. I thought it would be like my best ever 8 week vacation, with a cute babe snuggling in my arms…
I remember distinctly after my first was born, about the blurry 2 week mark, when a dear relative gave me the best gift a postpartum mom might ask for…she brought a huge basket of food (already prepared snacks/etc), and held my fussy baby, while sending me down the street (we lived in Brooklyn) to a deep tissue massage. With everything physically and mentally feeling upside down, even just stepping out into the September air, by myself, and having that healing treatment before rushing home to my babe, was such a gift.
And, being a go-getter and priding myself on bouncing back fast (and having relatively easy recoveries, in my 20’s as I like to say;)—I went back to work after my two girls (part-time) at 8 weeks (and 7 weeks), took a several week road trip when Corinne was 3 weeks old (ok, it was to my moms and MIL, and then a work conf). No regrets, just not the smartest for my overall well being;) And with Ambrose, even though I needed to give myself more recovery time after an intense labor, I was running around town as if life was normal after 5 days…but really, it wasn’t, and I realized the hard way, just how much rest and true recovery time is needed after baby. It’s not selfish, lazy, or anything other than wise to rest for 2 full weeks postpartum (doing very little) or more, depending on the kind of birth you had, and there’s something especially important about the first 40 days, or the 6 week mark, that needs to be honored and given to moms and babies. I read this book: The First 40 days: the Essential Art of Nourishing the New Mother
while postpartum with Ambrose, and it changed my perspective on postpartum entirely. Obviously, nerding out on the incredible nutrition and recipes related to just what the mother’s body needs to heal, but also how, culturally, we’ve lost a sense of what a sacred and important time this really is for a mother. So….I’m aiming to do things quite differently this time, and while I won’t drop offline or do absolutely nothing for 40 days, I will be treasuring the ability to create a cocoon of care, quiet, warmth, nourishment, and support during those weeks, which conveniently coincide with a cold CT winter…hibernation and babies just might be the thing that works for someone like me (my first 2 were summer girlies, and I struggled to stay home and quiet during that amazing season!).
There’s a lot at stake here for mothers, notably, a large rise in PPD and PPA in recent years, which can be connected to so many things, but especially can be quickly triggered (even with all the hormone and other things that are in flux) by a lack of proper rest, care for mom as well as babe, and giving her permission to get off the fast track life, or for others, perhaps isolation with baby, being alone too much during those first weeks can augment it. It’s a delicate balance of people being able to help, but in the ways that she needs, and not having to play hostess and simply show off the babe in rotation, without thought for her. In any regard, these recipes are focused in on the essential nourishment of mom–body, mind and spirit–and therefore babe…and I enjoyed creating a few of them from my experience/what I already know I usually crave after babies, and a few are straight from the postpartum cookbook, which you’re going to want to get for all the new moms in your life, as a tremendous gift. We’ll take back the culture around a truly restful postpartum experience, and help moms everywhere thrive, with their babies right there with them.
For me, I know I’ll want to keep my head in the game a bit, and that’s the beauty of this work/business that we’ve been able to create…but you’ll see more guest blog posts here, which is super exciting, prepare for some great ones! Postpartum is a terrific moment to just be willing to ask for help, and for some of us, that can be harder than others…but it’s always beautiful to see the response from our community (and create one intentionally, that will support you putting baby and momma needs first).
If you are on maternity leave and feeling that pressure that real life will come rushing at you all too quickly, I get it (been there)—definitely savor these weeks and fight off pressure to do anything except the stuff that matters for yourself and babe.
This book when I discovered it in my postpartum with Ambrose (it had just come out)–spoke directly to my wearied heart—moms in all cultures and times have been given a sacred space and time and had rituals surrounding postpartum rest–often with family members coming and living with them, daily massages with oils, not being allowed to entertain/host “guests” etc…but to simply rest…and this current culture of idolizing the “bounce back”–whatever that means–is perverse and not helpful for women or their babies, from what I’ve seen, especially with working with many women from a health coach perspective in their postpartum stages. Her perspective is unique and valuable, as a high-powered career focused woman in LA who expected popping out babies is just a blip in the radar, who yet as 2nd generation chinese American, had a tie to the past cultural norms and support that we now have no concept of, and it led her to start the company called Motherbees to precisely address this need she perfectly expresses in this book, and which resonates so much with me and those I share it with.
You will want to grab this (it’s linked above through amazon) to send to any new moms in your life, just about to enter this stage, or even better, grab it and prep some of the meals for the new moms in your life–and bring them over with some of the awareness of what moms need from their “guests” that the book addresses–like the willingness to clean her sink or hold the babe while she naps, while you’re there.
Postpartum bars for energy and hormone balancing
These ingredients were languishing in my pantry so I mixed this up for complete hormone balancing via yummy snacking–if you’ve never heard of seed cycling, it’s a fascinating and natural approach to balancing hormones and cycles with various types of seeds, and this recipes uses all of those super-seeds.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup coconut oil
2/3 cup almond or peanut butter
1/2 c maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup flax seeds
1 cup pepitas
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1 1/2 cup organic coconut flakes (unsweetened)
1/4 cup organic chia seeds
1/4 cup organic maca powder
Directions:
Melt coconut oil, almond butter, maple syrup, and vanilla together in a medium saucepan on med-low heat, until fully combined.
Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl, then pour in and mix in the saucepan ingredients in slowly, stirring well to fully combine, using a spatula, scoop it into a 9×13 pan with freezer paper or parchment paper lining it, and then pop it into the freezer for min of an hour. I love how they taste cold and right out of the freezer, so you can store them there for a month. Or you can also keep at room temp. They are super tasting and pack an amazing hormone balancing and energizing (maca powder) punch.
My goto for preventing PPD (along the topic of hormone balancing) is this fantastic GLA complex that I start taking in 3rd trimester daily, and it really seems to do o the trick for warding off PPD tendencies in the first weeks following birth. There’s now so much more research and focus being put into natural methods that can help moms–this article shares some encouraging ideas, and I hope that these ideas of prepping and eating well, as well as all the holistic care for postpartum focused on of the art of nourishing in the new mother in the book mentioned above will give support to anyone who’s looking to navigate that season with support and good resources.
Here’s apeek into my postpartumfreezer–some of my go-to soups, snacks and more.
Last week I got busy making some soups that I knew I’d want to have at the ready when baby is here. In the First Forty days book, she goes into detail on why it’s important to start with soups for momma, no matter what the season—slowed digestion after birth, and needing to replenish vital nutrients quickly and easily are some of the main reasons. I’m a soup fanatic anyway, and this winter baby/hibernation agrees with what I’m naturally craving, so it works out. I did 2 bone broth based soups, and 2 vegetarian ones. There’s a good reason why it’s great to focus on bone broth for replacing essential amino acids and healing/supporting the mother’s gut while nourishing her back to strength…a classic healing tool, but it will be best combined with other warming spices that increase her circulation, and vitality, even as she continues to release blood after birth. I didn’t include this Weston Price recipe for a postpartum soup in my freezer, but if you can stomach pigs feet, it’s a good concept 😉
Soups
*Split Pea Soup (made in my crock-pot from my new year’s ham bone, and a whole foods split pea soup mix–super easy, and I added onion and garlic)
*Chicken, Red dates and ginger soup (from the first 40 days cookbook)
*Stock some containers of homemade bone broth as well–I use organic rotisserie chickens, as this saves me a step. You can drink this straight, or have your support folks whip up easy soups for you.
Vegetarian postpartum healing stock/soup *5 celery stocks, chopped *5 carrots, chopped *1 head cauliflower, cut, and roasted for 20 min at 425 with EVOO/salt/pepper *9 cups water *3-5 cups of spinach *Garlic–1-2 cloves *Salt, pepper
Cook celery, carrots and water together, simmering an hour until soft. Roast cauliflower (I prefer that flavor), and then dump into the pot as well. After 2 hours, toss in spinach to cook for the final stretch (15 min or so is fine), then let the soup cool. When cooled, pour it into vitamix in batches to blend into a puree. Then put into mason jars and freeze!
Other Freezer foods
Chicken pot pie—this is a cross-over of something I know I’ll crave in postpartum (I loved it after Emma), but will also feed the family in a pinch. Use any recipe (I don’t even follow one exactly at this point, it’s so 2nd nature to me–sorry!), I just recommend making your own broth, as that’s the key nourishing element, along with the veggies and chicken.
Quiche–with ham and brussel sprouts. Another super easy-to-freeze meal that’s hearty, will check off many of the boxes of what moms need postpartum (protein! veggies!) but also will satisfy other tastes in the house. Yum! Again, make whatever your go-to quiche recipe is, and be picky about the crust–either make your own or get an organic/whole wheat one if that matters to you.
Voila Also, decaf & organic local coffee (see if you can avoid caffeine as a new mom, it can affect baby’s sleeping cycles, your own, as well as contribute to adrenal fatigue which I totally have had to face in postpartum, not fun) And a GF waffle option which are super quick and easy and I LOVE them with almond butter…some shortcuts are valuable to protect mom’s postpartum focus.
The postpartum pantry
Yes, it’s true, the combination of new years energy/focus, plus nesting, and my love of #konmari after living a #sparkjoy lifestyle for 3 years, means every space in my house is absolutely de-cluttered and sparking joy–much to my husband’s teasing–though secretly he’s the same way and loves it (And I’ll have to be ok if that slips a bit in the months following babe, because the simplified life still serves us)
L-R, on bottom: dates, quinoa, sunflower seeds, trail mix, chia seeds, coconut flakes, rice, and behind: seeds, organic honey, coconut oil and molasses, nutritional yeast. The spices are all going to be found in the soups and are known for their ayurvedic warming properties–helpful for re-balancing the postpartum body.
Not too much to say here about my pantry staples, except, if you ask any new mom, the effort involved in cooking a simple meal can feel insurmountable at times…so having things prepared but also easy to reach for (rather than calling take-out, though that’s a great option occasionally too;))…will help not only me, but also my support team, to be able to easily whip things up.
Some of my favorite postpartum snacks etc that I’ll make with these ingredients are below, and the First Forty days cookbook has a killer ginger fried rice recipe (eggs, scallions, bacon, broth based) that I’m already dying for someone to make for me. You want to avoid going crazy with grains in the first few weeks (or if you’re grain free or GF like me), plan for alternatives while your digestion kicks back into gear…though never underestimate a nice beer for lactation needs, and alot of my recipes do include oats, which is a nice compromise for me. Nutritional yeast is awesome to have on hand to add to things (b vitamins!), as are the chia seeds (fiber and protein packed super seeds), and I make my favorite postpartum natural energy drink with them (energy tea, hydrate and chia seeds, so good!).
Postpartum healthy snacking
All these can be made ahead and stored in freezer for up to a month, or in your fridge for a week. So delicious and check off all the boxes of what your body needs in these early days, especially when establishing BF-ing habits, the oats and protein and healthy fats are key.
*Hormone balancing snack bars (recipe above)
*Energizing protein bites–pictured above–I ALWAYS have these stocked for myself, and my kids. Clean, delicious snacking #FTW.
Postpartum Nutritional tools—key to recovery, energy, rest and balancing hormones.
I couldn’t omit these from this post–the game-changing nutritional tools that I didn’t have after my first birth and postpartum experience. I felt SO depleted and low energy and not myself–for over a year. With these tools that I’ve used in the past 2 postpartums, I am always amazed and grateful at how much energy I have, how “easy” some of the recovery aspects are—in terms of muscle soreness, establishing rest, handling post-birth constipation/digestion issues, and reducing inflammation, setting up well for a great milk-supply and breastfeeding experience (the alfalfa is everything), and then, with the life shake, easily and gently losing the baby weight and feeling great. Of course, it’s the rest of life and the transitions that’s the challenging part, but for momma to feel her best is KEY, especially as baby’s thriving is so tied up with that in the first weeks and months.
So, here ya go.
Alfalfa: Not only does this prevent water retention/bloating for me in the 3rd trimester (say what!?) it also helps a ton with post-birth relief and reducing water retention in the early days following birth, when your body naturally begins to release it. ALSO, game changer for consistent, great milk supply. Without it, I always cycled between over supply and under-supply, and this seems to balance mine out wonderfully. If clogged ducts or any issues in that realm appear, lecithin helps miraculously.
Herblax: a gentle, very effective herbal laxative, so helpful for so many moms I know–hemorroids are common after birth and some of my friends say their’s were more painful than birth itself! Thanks to this, you can avoid all of that (and check out reflexology and pelvic postpartum care to further handle any issues in that area)
Vitalizer: the worlds best pre and post-natal supplement. Helps tremendously with replenishing iron stores post birth, probiotic is key for digestion, and the many Bs are super key for mommas who need their balanced energy with less sleep on the agenda. Also has iodine for thyroid support, and a weak/sluggish thyroid is typical for postpartum so it needs all the support we can give it.
Recover PM. So this is a tart cherry supplement used by athletes, and if birth isn’t an athletic event, I don’t know what it is. I LOVE this for my post-long run muscle recoveries, and as a natural form of melatonin, it helps with deeper sleeper cycles, so yes, a key one to have around.
GLA. This is the stuff I swear by for mood balancing and bringing the hormones back into balance. Start taking it a few per day in 3rd trimester, and you’ll notice a world of difference. I had one postpartum without it (my first) and while I didn’t have a strong case of PPD, just felt so much more moody, and with this my most recent postpartums have been a breeze in that regard. So grateful.
Cal-Mag is key for restful nights sleep and reducing feelings of anxiety/anxiousness. I’ll do epsom salt baths regularly in postpartum too, but supplementing with magnesium in the evenings (and needing calcium since I don’t do dairy) helps me get a great night sleep–and hopefully babe too:)
Pomegranate Energizing tea. If you can only get one of these amazing tools, this would be my suggestion–such a wonderful natural pick-me-up (without caffeine, just B vits and amino acids)–so many moms I’ve shared it with just swear by it for afternoon energy and a non-jittery option. Tastes amazing, pomegranate flav—with seltzer, or my fav combo, with chia seeds and the hydrate drink for a powerful nutrient punch.
Finally, Vivix. LOVE this stuff for postpartum–it’s reduces inflammation and helps with overall healing in all parts of the post-partum body–contains the anti-inflammatory benefits of a special type of grape that makes 1 serving more potent (anti-oxidant wise) than 50 glasses of red wine!! (Though you can enjoy a few of those too;))
Since I had hoped to have this freezer and pantry stocked before babe, and sharing this post is the icing on the cake, now I just can’t wait to make use of all these things to help the first few weeks flow smoothly. I hope this supports all the mommas out there–if you know someone who’s prepping for birth and would enjoy seeing these ideas, share away.
If you have recipes you swear by for post-partum, I’d love it if you could share links below in comments or email me!
Now that Christmas and New Years are behind us, my focus has turned fully to baby prep–starting with this, and organizing the space in our room for babe, and I’ll hopefully share another post on my postpartum freezer & pantry–how I’m stocking up to be prepared for a nourished/streamlined postpartum (yep, super passionate about that topic, as you might imagine;)).
At this point, everything is, “if baby hasn’t come yet”…(insert, plans) and while that’s hard for someone like me, it’s exactly where my heart needs to be.
I’ve been lucky enough to deliver my 3 babies with 2 different midwife groups, in hospital settings. This baby will be delivered with the same group that delivered Ambrose, and in one of 12 “baby friendly” hospitals in the country, that emphasizes new research on the importance of mother and child being together uninterruptedly after birth. They have AMAZING rooms overlooking the beautiful Hudson river, where I’ll be recovering, and I’m so excited for that. This post is not meant to be about the pros and cons of birth setups–there is no RIGHT or WRONG way to have a baby, but this combination has worked well for us; we have loved the quiet wisdom and presence of the midwives at our births, as well as being able to feel confident that we’re in the best medical setting if any complications arise (and I’ve had both natural and medicated births, and both have been beautiful and powerful in their own ways).
These are a few of the things I’m bringing with me for baby and I, and while I did put this packing off until after Christmas, I knew that sharing a bit by post would help motivate me to pull it all together. My husband knows that when I pack the bag, I’m finally mentally ready, and he starts to gear up as well. But baby can take his sweet time, we’re in no rush, each day is a beautiful gift that we treasure with these 3, knowing that it will all shift and re-balance as it’s meant to, but the reality of a newborn is very real by now, the 4th time around. He is the first babe in this home/space and I feel really peaceful about how our rhythms and life are set up to make this work. Plus I’m calling in all the support for postpartum–finally learning my lesson; there’s no point in pushing myself and getting frazzled/exhausted by trying to do too much during that all important and beautiful healing time.
I’ll be curious to hear (share your thoughts in the comments)–if any of these tools are helpful, inspiring or new for you, if you’re in the stages of prepping for your own babes. I find that being able to focus in on these details helps me so much with the mental state for embracing and enjoying (if possible:)) the inevitable process of birth. It’s like anything we do with great intention, focus, and in this case, acceptance–we can gain great value, even if it’s difficult.
FOR BABE:
The beautiful thing is, babies don’t need alot at first–just their mommas! Which is why I always encourage folks to pamper and love and nurture the mommas right after baby–they need it most, and their thriving = baby’s thriving, in so many ways.
*2-3 Cute outfits, the sheep sleeper was picked out by Ambrose back in the fall at our favorite kids consignment shop. It’s fun for me to have a few brand new things for each baby to mark just how special it is (though I’m also thrilled I have 2 years worth of fun boy hand-me-downs from Ambrose for when we get home from the hospital).
*These booties from Target were calling to me, it’s likely going to be quite cold when we bring this guy home.
*This swaddle just arrived from Be a Heart, and I’m in love. It’s so perfect for those first hours and days when you want a light layer for them and tons of skin-to-skin time. Having this at the ready will help me keep the context for relating to mother Mary as much as I can during this time. Such a great gift to the new moms in your life, if you haven’t seen these yet.
*Diapers/wipes–I’m trying out these water wipes from my Noobie box, and babyganics which come highly recommended…no, I don’t cloth diaper and have zero guilt–my laundry room and my life don’t need that extra layer of complication right now. But I am all about using gentle and organic wipes and diaper options when possible.
*Cutest cuddly outfit for warm transport: this one kept Ambrose warm his first winter and I love it. Baby Gap all the way…don’t know if they carry the exact one anymore.
FOR ME:
*New nursing nightgown (I think it’s key to have something comfy, that makes you feel good, I’m excited to live in it for a few weeks;)–this one’s from Gap…
*Bathrobe from Anthro: this one was calling to me when I found it on sale a few months back–I can’t wait to live in it postpartum. Again, things that you love that make you feel beautiful and cozy are all-important for new moms.
*Cozy socks—I distinctly remember this being the best thing I brought with me after having Ambrose–it’s the little things that make you feel good that are all important in those first hours/days after birth, when nothing else feels normal
*Blanqi postpartum leggings–the best. These are what I’ll go home in, and wear as much as possible, along with their nursing tanks. Total game changers, just like their pregnancy wear.
I’m using hypnobirthing this time around, with recs from a friend, so I’ll have those meditations loaded on my phone, as well as the playlist my husband is making for me. I distinctly remember how much this helped me with Emma’s birth, when I was in transition in the busy triage room and had a wild/exciting birth from there—the music helped me tune it all out.
Essential oils: The ones I’m bringing with me are a clary sage blend for hormone balancing, and clary sage is known to support the birthing process. I truly love and believe in the power of oils setting the mood and working effectively for us. The Frankinscense is for baby after birth, known for it’s sacred quality. Incredible stuff. For my best oils hookup–my dear friend Sophia is a doula @ Wild and Wise Birth, and very experienced with oils for pregnancy, birth and postpartum. Here’s her email if you want access to these and tons more education and info in that regard!
Hydrate: Just like I would be prepped for a half-marathon or intense workout, I would never attempt childbirth without this stuff now that I have it in my life. It’s the natural electrolyte drink used by olympic athletes, and if birth isn’t an endurance sport/activity, I don’t know what is 🙂
Fun new bottle for my hydrate–my husband will keep it filled for me…and yes, surround yourself with things you love for this beautiful process, just like any other moment of life.
White Chocolate Cinnamon protein bars–yumm. These totally saved me at the end of Ambrose’ labor–a very long and grueling one, that left me with very little energy when it was time to push. I asked for this bar, gobbled it down, and was ready to do the final effort to bring him into the world. 20g of high quality protein, they are also a great recovery food and postpartum staple when baby and momma protein and energy needs are high–but ability to make meals is low.
Vitalizer. My fav pre-natal that I’ve been using for 6 years and don’t go a day without. More has been written about it here…and here/..:)
Arnica oil is what my midwives use during delivery, and it’s powerful stuff–I felt it helped my birth and recovery tremendously with Ambrose…and we use it on the daily scrapes/injuries of kids–double duty 😉
Shea butter spa cream–I use it on my pregnant belly–prevents stretch marks, contains Vit E–and I have a feeling I’ll be so grateful to bathe in this (until I can take a real shower) to freshen and moisturize after birth.
I’d love to hear–what, if any of these, are you going to incorporate into your births if you’re reading this and in the business of babies (now or in future), and what did you bring and remember loving from your last birth experience?
Appreciate all the support, love and prayers for babe and I as we head into this all important preparation and the big moment.
This is my absolute favorite time of year. I love the energy of New Years, a fresh start, new perspective on our lives, and the ability to hit the reset button and embrace change. Ever since I was a little girl, I was fascinated with new years concepts. I used to sit on NYE (as young as 8/9 years old) and write down my planned themes/virtues to work on in each of the upcoming months…and made up a game for my family called “New Years Eve puzzlers” that I roped them all into–and it had questions like–“what did you like most about the previous year”, and “what are you looking forward to about the coming year” and while for many of those years it was a bit of a joke, and we laughed alot as family members made it silly; the themes stayed consistent with my entry into a career as a coach. I just love the concepts of personal transformation, and the idea that we can, with the right intention, introspection and support, truly make big changes each and every year, and grow in the ways that matter most, related to what we’re called to be and do in the world in a larger way.
Now, heading into 2019, I’m very excited to launch my Life by Design/Fulfillment in 5 course in the coming weeks, which you’ve all been helping to shape and bring to reality—one of my very own big dreams and projects (like this blog) that wouldn’t exist without the confidence that we’re meant to be moving forward, continually, in love, greater service, and seeking to use our little methods of communication and impact to make a difference in the world. I’m also so grateful that even as I prepare to have a baby and give myself space to focus on and care for him and my family–with the help of some amazing blog collaborators (guest bloggers) and partners, the amazing technology tools we have, and more, that we’ll be able to really cheer each other on in the coming weeks, continue expanding our serving and offerings, and to support all of your big and small transformations that are right around the corner.
And for you–I know you have those big dreams, projects, and desires on your heart–starting perhaps with just embracing a new level of health or organization, or taking on new habits that will serve you for the months to come. Something I love to do is to pick themes for the year (that are over-arching over the goals, and connect the dots so to speak) and I also love having a word of the year–either generated through this fun site, or discerned and chosen through journaling.
I was eager to pull together this list of some of my favorite tools and health packages to get us all off on the right foot. It’s my favorite thing in the world to see my clients, family and friends make great strides in feeling better, doing better, and increasing their inspirational impact in the world. Thanks for joining in with us, and share which of these tools you’re most excited about bringing with you into 2019!!!
As promised–I am now sharing my 3 themes prayed about and decided for 2019. They are Intention, Integration, and Impact. And the word of the year that I got from the word generator was FAMILY…totally embracing it in this coming chapter.
I hope to do a January blog post to flesh these out as I begin living them more fully, and in the meantime, share with me what themes and words of the year are coming up for you!
Top 10 Tools for a Thriving New Year (across all areas of life)
2. Meal Planning & shopping notepad. I’ve been using this one weekly for over a year and love how it streamlines our weeks, makes shopping strategic, and save us time and money. The key is for it to be something you enjoy looking at and using. You can also check out the fun meal plan downloads being offered with our Jan cleanse kits (4 weeks free meal plans valued at $21). This is such a game changer for so many busy people and families. Embrace it!
3) Need extra motivation to get back to the gym or back to working out? Some new, fun athletic wear certainly helps. I love Athleta (they have great sales going on now), New Balance for J. crew were some of my fav picks last Jan, and pro tip–you can find amazing Lulemon pieces and other great brands (sometimes Albion!)on Thredup for a fraction of their original price–eco-friendly and sustainable shopping! The link above gets you $10 off your first order, and currently 20% off using code CHOOSEUSED. Happy upgrading and getting your sweat on!!
4) Speaking of sweat, how about this great athlete’s package for the new year? Some of my favorite products are in here–a natural (powerful!) electrolyte drink that is low-glycemic and used by olympians…a super charged recovery shake, my favorite deep sleep aid/muscle recovery tool, and a quick energy boost for pre-workout–this is a must-have for the aspiring or experienced athlete. Last year I had so much fun watching a few running friends run some PRs and have an amazing season with these tools, along with some cross-fitters who swear by these. Try ’em out for support in reaching your 2019 fitness goals!
6) Healthy Cleanse kit. This is a no-brainer for anyone ready to lighten up, clear their mind, sleep better, change your cravings after the holidays (from sugar back to the good stuff!) and to reset your metabolism and get you back to your best self. Your energy levels will sky rocket, and you’ll be texting me (perhaps, it happens alot) deep cleaning your house at midnight saying “what is all this energy?”–yep, it’s that good. And we offer tons of support, recipes, and more to accompany it. Use it with the healthy weight and cleanse kit if you want to dive in and jump-start a more serious weight loss/lifestyle upgrade (remember, diet is truly a 4 letter word). Cheers, and see you in our cleanse communities on FB!
7) Foundational energy boost. The strip and shake are the exact daily health tools that I’ve been relying on to be at my best, with high energy, mood, focus and great sleep, for over 6 years. My husband and I can’t imagine life without these daily tools, and we love how many of our friends, clients and family use them too. If you’re looking to improve your health with just a few simple daily changes–start here for a personalized approach to your best 2019. So excited for your energized new year!
8) Are you looking to learn how to visualize and manifest more of the good stuff in your life in 2019? I have to say this incredible, funny, irreverent manifesting guide from Denise Duffield Thomas has helped me SO much, I come back to it often as a play-book for upgrading my mindset and lifestyle following some easy but powerful steps. Check it out, it just might be what you’re looking for to jumpstart a 2019 that’s filled to the brim with the good stuff! Keep an eye out for my upcoming post on creating a vision board for 2019-she mentions them here and I’ll go into all the fun details on how I use these as a more powerful framework for traditional new years goals. Super fun to do with friends, too.
9) A beautiful new journal. If you adopt only 1 other daily habit in 2019 (besides exercising, and your strip and shake ;)), this might just be the one to embrace. Journaling is proven to reduce stress, improve immune function, lead to better emotional habits, and boost memory and mood. Sounds like an all-around winner! And be sure to carve out a fun corner in the house to create and solidify the ritual–I always do mine with morning tea and prayer time, in the same cozy spot. I always find fun journals at Anthro, here are a few of my current favs—some on sale! And if you have kids and want to help them get started on this great habit, we’ve been loving the 5 min journal for kids for Emma–she really enjoys it.
Free scour off (natural oven and deep cleaner made of cherry pits, avocado and sand! LOVE IT!)
10) Committed to a greener lifestyle in 2019? And loving your space in new ways now that you’ve de-cluttered? Start your deep January cleaning spree with these amazing non-toxic cleaners–literally allowing you to toss all the chemicals and junk that makes you dread cleaning and perhaps even gives you a headache (or is “natural” but doesn’t work!) Clear homes, clear heads, beautiful spotless counters. Pair with your favorite essential oils scents for the ultimate natural clean. Bring on a sparkling 2019!
Thanks for letting me share a few of the things that I love to have at hand when welcoming a fresh start and a full reset—and to help my coaching clients embrace as we start out on our best new year. Truly, we know that thriving is within reach in 2019–and it’s ours to claim it, and make this coming year the best year yet. Let me know which of these you get inspired by and can’t wait to connect with you more in the coming weeks for more fun new years inspiration and life design!
