In the past few years, I’ve made substantial shifts in my priorities. I found out the hard way that my lifestyle pre-kids was not going to fly once I had two little ones to juggle. I was burned out and feeling really frazzled and unhealthy. The two biggest things that have changed have been my focus on self-care and the way I plan my day. I can’t just work at any and all hours anymore, and if I want to squeeze in things like fitness, reading and seeing friends, I have to be really efficient with my time. I’m happy to say that I feel like I did a decent job at this juggle. I’ve created a routine that works for me. I may still feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day, but I’m doing alright.
This year, I’m focusing on new healthy goals. Most of them are small and achievable, but like with any new habit, they are going to take time to settle in. It’s about self-regulation and self-motivation.
Walk More
I’ve always been someone who’s motivated to stay fit. In my twenties, I spent hours at the gym and running, but that’s not realistic now. I’m comfortable squeezing in quick workouts at home. I hope one day I can get back to a more intense fitness routine, but for now, it’s enough. The thing that isn’t working is that there are too many days where I hardly go outside. I do the school run and then never leave the house again. Even for an introverted homebody like myself, it’s a little insane. My poor dog, too. This year, I want to take more walks. Thankfully, I live near the library and our farmers’ market, which motivate me to get out my walking shoes!
Slow Mornings
Slow mornings are something I implemented in 2019 and have been a game changer. During the week, my mornings are hectic getting the kids to school, but since I work from home, I get to come back to a wonderfully quiet house. In the past, I would dive right into work, but now I give myself a little window of “me” time. It’s nothing fancy, I do dishes; clean up kids toys; and take out garbage. The difference is I savor this quiet time before I’m engrossed in work.
Consume Less Dairy & Meat
A big goal of mine this year is to drastically reduce the amount of meat and dairy I eat. Not only in an effort to be healthier, but to also help improve climate change. One of the ways I’ve been doing that is by drinking less milk. I already love almond and oat milk, but the ones I was drinking were full of sugar. I started using Mooala’s organic plant-based milks and have been very happy with them. The Mooala Coconut Oatmilk has no sugar and is made with gluten-free oats. I also love that Mooala’s milks don’t have tons of ingredients that I know nothing about. They are simple and delicious. Many mornings, I will froth the Mooala Oats ‘n’ Crème and add it to my coffee. A lot of plant-based milks don’t froth well, but this does. I also love that it’s not overly sweet and artificial-tasting.
Another one of my favorites from Mooala’s line is the Bananamilk. I love everything banana-flavored. This is such a nice treat for when I finish a workout. It’s nut-free and dairy-free. I like mine with ice, a dash of cinnamon and a drizzle of honey. It feels indulgent, but isn’t (yay!). It’s also great in smoothies and cereal. Seriously, it’s so good!
Shop At Farmers’ Market
Shopping at farmers’ market is like my therapy. It calms me. We walk to our farmers’ market every Sunday but we don’t always do a lot of shopping. I want to change that. I find we actually spend more money on fruits and veggies at the store and they aren’t nearly as good. I want to support our local farms and get amazing produce, too!
Go To Bed Early
I think I’ve reached grandma status: going to bed at 8:45 p.m. is the most glorious thing! As a lifelong night owl, I can’t believe I’ve changed my ways, but since having kids, I’ve found that going to bed earlier is the key to my sanity. Toward the end of 2019, I started to slack on this. That’s probably because I started reading in bed and would find that two hours had flown by. This year, my goal is to be in bed with a book at 9 p.m. every night and lights out by 9:45 p.m. It’s not easy for me, but I am always happy when I do it.
Thank you to Mooala for sponsoring this post. All opinions are our own. Thank you for supporting the brands that support us.
