What did you CRUSH this year?

There’s an old Chinese proverb that says:

Tension is who you think you should be. Relaxation is who you are.

Pretty profound when you think about it, right? 

So often we get caught up in all the things we think we SHOULD do … 

Or the things we should have done BETTER … 

Or how we will change things so next time they will be MORE EFFECTIVE.

But what if instead, you looked back on the past year and asked yourself:

What are the top 1-3 things I’m really PROUD of myself for? 

Even better, here are a few other wins to consider: 

• What big challenge did you take on?

• What new thing did you try?

• What did you do, even though it scared or intimidated you?

• What hard decision did you make?

• What did you start doing to move forward?

• What did you STOP doing, that was holding you back?

• What did you try, fail at, and then try again?

• How did you step out of your comfort zone?

I encourage you to take some time to think about the things you did in 2022 that make you proud. It’s important to acknowledge your achievements!

When we challenge ourselves – when we do things that make us proud – we build something called “self-efficacy.” 

That’s a HUGE trait to have. It’s a special kind of confidence that means you know you can count on yourself.

And there’s nothing more empowering than that.

Let me know what YOU are proud of this year by leaving a comment below! 

PS: There’s no time like now to get a start on your 2023 goals! We’re already planning our Sugar Busting Challenge. We will be starting right after the New Year, so keep your eyes peeled!

Making yourself a priority

Do me (and yourself) a favor!

Take a sec and relax your shoulders and your jaw. Right now!

Then, draw in a nice slow breath … and feel those muscles relax even MORE.

Forget everything on your to-do list (for just a second). 

What are you doing for YOU today? 

A LOT of people put their fitness & health on the back burner this time of year.

“I’ll start again after the New Year,” they say. 

And I’m not just talking about weight gain … it’s about how you feel in your body every day – mind, body, and spirit! 

When you stick with your healthy habits (workouts, healthy diet, 7-8 hours of sleep a night, etc.), you just plain FEEL better. 

You have fewer cravings … your immune system works better … you are in a better mood … your self-esteem goes up … and you enjoy life more!

And I can’t think of a better gift to yourself (and your loved ones!) for the holidays than that!

So schedule those workouts … and double down on healthy food choices. It really will make a huge difference for you starting TODAY.

 

As part of my own holiday plans, I’m making time this week to help 5 people with goal-mapping sessions. If you’d like to reserve a spot, just hit “reply” to this message and we’ll get you set up!

Remember: Don’t let the urgent get in the way of the important – because YOU and YOUR needs are important.

Last-minute budget-friendly gifts

The other day I sent a message about how over half of us feel stressed over the holidays – with financial stress topping the list.

If that’s you, I put together a list of budget-friendly holiday gifts that your family and friends will love!

(BONUS: You can find most of these gifts at local shops in your area, which means you’ll also be supporting small businesses!)

13 Budget-Friendly Holiday Gifts

1. Coffee or herbal tea sampler, with a vintage cup

2. Cozy socks or warm mittens & a hat

3. An air plant in a unique container

4. A milk frother so they can make their own homemade lattes

5. Satin pillowcases to help them wake up with smooth skin and hair

6. A wall calendar with fun or beautiful images

7. A unique deck of cards for game night (and/or Phase 10 if they don’t already have it!) 

8. A cookbook with healthy recipes

9. An infuser water bottle, so they can add fruits or other flavors to their water

10. Art created by a local artist

11. Inspirational sign 

12. Artisan-crafted jewelry or mantra band

13. Anything made locally

Hope this helps make your holiday shopping easier!

Holiday Checklist

It’s not just you — a study by Healthline found that when it comes to health and finances, not only do 44% of people think the holidays are “somewhat stressful”...

18% of them classified them as “very stressful”!

The good news?

You can conquer both areas – you just need a roadmap.

 

Thriving Through the Holidays Checklist

• Make your plans TODAY.
  If you love last-minute shopping, leave a couple of small things undone, but get all the big things handled ASAP … and make packing or organizing lists if your holidays involve travel or entertaining.
  
  

• Make time for movement EVERY DAY, no excuses.
  This will help you destress, sleep better, and boost your energy, metabolism, and immune system.
   

• Eat till you’re satisfied (not stuffed!).
  Decide NOW that this will be your plan of action!
  
  

• But still enjoy the “worth it” favorite holiday treats.
  
  

• Make time for sleep.
  A rested body & mind = better mood, less stress, and more vibrant health.
  
  

• Go outside for some fresh air and sunshine every day.
  This is a proven stress-buster!

• Create a fallback plan.
  I talked about this a few weeks ago but it’s worth bringing up again. Things will go sideways at some point. But when you have a plan, you won’t stress out when it happens.

When you boil your to-do lists down to the actions that really make a difference – and eliminate the things that don’t – it’s amazing how much you can accomplish...

WITHOUT the stress.

This is the same approach we use with our clients. We create a roadmap of the BEST actions that will propel them toward their goals.

Here’s to less stress and more of what really matters!