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Monday Motivation: The Miracle Morning

September 17, 2018 by Leave a Comment

I have a confession to make…I fell off the Miracle Morning bandwagon these past few months. I’m still doing bits and pieces here and there but I haven’t gotten up early in a while. Life happened and things got really stressful for a while so I just needed some extra sleep. But today – today was different. I woke up motivated to get back on track. These things that I am doing will lead me to the right path but only if I’m consistent with them. So it’s time to start over and get fired up. This video from Rachel Hollis is a great motivator.

Needless to say, I finished her book Girl, Wash Your Face ASAP. So here are a few of the Miracle Morning SAVERS that are speaking to me right now.

Silence

I’m still loving the Headspace app, but we did have the Meditation Works van come to work a few weeks ago and it was awesome to get out of the office and really leave those thoughts behind. I like the idea of going to a special place to meditate, even if it is outside on my patio while the weather is still nice.

Affirmations & Visualization

I’m putting these two together because I think I need to have both of them more visible and present in my life. In Rachel Hollis’ book she suggests posting things up in her closet because she can see it every day. While I love my affirmations and visualization apps it might be good to have them a little more in my face on the regular. I LOVE this Maison Rouge Lamartine Shabby Chic Distressed Antique Ivory Wood Wall Memo Board ($70.99).

Exercise

I need to get some exercise motivation, so I was thinking about trying a new class once a week and see how I liked it. I REALLY want to start with cardio drumming and I found the POUND workout series, but can’t find many around where I live. If anyone knows of a good class let me know! I found one on Friday nights so I will definitely share on my social posts if I make it out there, but if anyone knows of a good morning class in Oakland County sign me up!

Reading

As I mentioned above, I recently finished Girl, Wash Your Face and LOVED everything about it. Rachel (I’m going to pretend that we’re on a first name basis) is so inspiring and motivating. I haven’t been this fired up in a while. I’ve also read The Body Book by Cameron Diaz, The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman, Successful Philanthropy by Jean Shafiroff, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo, and The 5 Second Rule by Mel Robbins. I’m currently working on The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas J. Stanley.

Scribing

I’m taking a page out of Katie Dalebout’s book (Let it Out if you haven’t seen my last post on the Miracle Morning) and trying to work on her HappyThankYouMorePlease prompt. This is where you create a note in your phone called “HappyThankYouMorePlease” and anytime a good feeling washes over you, you take out your phone and complete this sentence: “Thank you for_____________________________; more please.” Then you have this wonderful long note of gratitude to pull back out and look at when you are feeling down. It is based on a movie by Josh Radnor (a.k.a. Ted Mosby for all my HIMYM fans) that I have been meaning to watch:

How are you staying motivated for the Miracle Morning? For more Miracle Morning posts, click here.




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The Miracle Morning – One Year Later

January 23, 2018 by 1 Comment

It’s been a whole year since I started doing The Miracle Morning and I’m amazed at the changes I’ve made in my life because of it. As I mentioned in my previous posts, I had a lot of personal changes going on and The Miracle Morning gave me a way to focus on my priorities and not lose myself in the process. If you missed my introduction post, you can see it here, my 60 day post here, my 90 day post here, and my 180 day post here.

Here are a few things I added to my morning routine over the last 365 days:

Silence

I’ve upped my Headspace meditation to 15 minutes from the original 10 minutes. I’m currently working through the focus pack. I also started reading the One Year Bible and I love everything I’m learning. I’ve never read through the Bible in its entirety and it is a breath of fresh air. I also have been trying my hand at memorizing Bible verses. So far I’ve memorized Psalm 23, John 3:16, Mark 12:30 and Psalm 1:2.

Affirmations

I’m still using the Think Up app for my affirmations, one of which has been to drink a gallon of water every day. Since I’ve introduced the Hidrate Spark into my day I’ve gotten a lot closer to hitting that goal on a consistent basis.

Visualization

This Tony Robbins is currently my visualization jam. I want to be a millionaire and I want to go to Fiji and this video has it all. Plus Tony is amazing:

Exercise

Since it’s been so cold out, Sport and I haven’t been able to walk too much so I’ve been hitting up my Gaia app and working out to old “The Firm” videos. I need to buy a set of 8 pound weights and move up to the next level from my 5’s and 3’s. I love doing Cardio Party on Fridays. I currently have this set of 20 pounds total, which are handy to have around.

Reading

Since my last post I’ve read The Body Book by Cameron Diaz, You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero, Let it Out: A Journey Through Journaling by Katie Dalebout, The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts by Gary Chapman, and Successful Philanthropy: How to Make a Life By What You Give by Jean Shafiroff.

Scribing

This is been the hardest thing to get into over the past year, but reading Katie Dalebout’s book really helped give me some direction.

This journey I’ve been on for the past year has changed me for the better in so many ways. If you’ve read The Miracle Morning and are looking for a time to start, now is the time. Join me on the journey for a brighter future! I promise you won’t regret it.

If you’ve already started your Miracle Morning I would love to hear how its been going for you.

For more Be the Best You posts, click here.




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The Miracle Morning – 180 Days

July 21, 2017 by 6 Comments

I just hit the 180 day mark on my Miracle Morning journey and thought I would give you a little update! In case you missed my introduction post, you can see it here, my 60 day post here, and my 90 day post here.

Something amazing is happening! Since my last post, a few of my friends have starting doing The Miracle Morning after seeing my process on a recent girls trip. I love that we are all pushing each other forward! Our texts have changed to sharing fun motivation posts and asking meditation questions. This by far is one of the best outcomes of starting this journey.

Achieving 180 days of The Miracle Morning requires a lot of discipline. When I get questions about my routine, many people ask how I have time to focus every day. My answer is that some days are more hectic than others. The important thing is consistency. If you can’t do a full blown workout – do a 10 minute ab workout. It’s about quantity more than quality on some days. The second you stop doing it, the easier it is to not start back up again the next day.

Here are a few things I’ve added to my routine in the past 90 days:

Essential Oils

I wrote a post on adding essential oils to my meditation and morning routine. Right now I am using peppermint, lavender, rosemary and lemon in my diffuser, but hope to add more to my collection soon. I had a lot of trips scheduled in June and brought peppermint along for the ride. It was so helpful to get me in the Miracle Morning mindset when I was in a different place. Smell is really powerful in bringing you back to your routine.

Meditation

I’m still loving the Headspace app and it recently received an update. One of the great new features is that you can change the time of your meditation daily instead of sticking with only 10 minutes for an entire pack. For example, if you have extra time you can up your meditation to 15 or 20 minutes and then go back to 10 minutes the next day. Headspace also shared this new video – if this doesn’t convince you of the importance of meditation I’m not sure what will:

Reading

I completed The Power of Consistency by Weldon Long and I highly recommend it. Weldon has an incredible back story as a 3-time convicted felon. If he can make affirmations and visualization work in an 8×8 prison cell, what’s your excuse? I would love to read his other book, The Upside of Fear which shares more of his personal journey.

If you’re still not doing The Miracle Morning, what’s stopping you? Watch the following video with Hal Elrod himself explaining how The Miracle Morning can transform your life:

How are you sticking to The Miracle Morning?

For more Be the Best You posts, click here.



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The Miracle Morning – 90 Days

April 25, 2017 by 2 Comments

I am thrilled to share that I recently hit 90 days in my Miracle Morning journey! In case you missed my introduction post, you can see it here and my 60 days post here. Since I started doing the Miracle Morning, I have been more on track and focused on my goals than ever before. I can see a number of positive changes already happening in my life which makes me even more determined. If you still aren’t convinced that getting up early is a good thing, take a look at this article from Business Insider on all of the successful CEOs that are incorporating parts of The Miracle Morning into their routines. I never considered myself a morning person, but if I can do it, so can you!

If you’ve been following along, I’m going to share a few insights and tips I have learned or added to the morning routine for each of the SAVERS.

Silence

I am still loving the Headspace app more than ever! Now that it has warmed up and I’m walking the dog again, I’ve been using the Walking Meditation available in the Singles section. I haven’t mentioned it yet, but after the first 30 days I wanted to add some devotions to my silence. We had a copy of Jesus Lives in our guest room and I have been doing that every day after my meditation.

Affirmations

I’m still loving the ThinkUp App for my affirmations and I recently discovered that you can categorize them. So I could have a set that I listen to in the morning and some on the way to work, etc. Over the past 30 days, I have hit two of the goals that I have been saying daily affirmations for. I can’t tell you how exciting it was to do that. One was a money goal that I set a specific time limit to (end of Q1) and the other was my water goal. Ever since I got the Hidrate Spark, I went from barely getting in 8 ounces a day to exceeding 100 ounces everyday! Both were HUGE accomplishments for me. Stay tuned for a full review of the Hidrate Spark in an upcoming post. I also want to create a group of bedtime affirmations that are specifically targeted for the next day and start a night routine as well. I’m sharing this video just for fun – you have to own your affirmations people!

Visualization

This is the area I have the most trouble with. I am still using my HayHouseVB app but think I need to step it up a bit. Someone in the Miracle Morning Facebook Community suggested YouTube visualization videos and I am just starting to incorporate them into my morning. For example, one of the things I am visualizing is taking a trip to Paris, so I found this video which is 100 times better than just looking at photos:

Exercise

Now that it has warmed up again, Sport and I are back at our morning walks. I try to get 10,000 steps each day which is hard to do without our walk. About a month ago I accidentally flushed my Fitbit Zip down the toilet so I couldn’t track my steps anymore. This was the perfect reason to upgrade to the FitBit One, which I love! This added a sleep tracker and the ability to set an alarm. So I now have an alarm set on my Fitbit to vibrate and wake me up in the morning. How cool is that?

Reading

I finally finished Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. That one was a harder read just because of the outdated language, but the principles are great. I took a short stop to my next book to read Michael Ellsburg’s manifesto What Does it Mean That Your Life is Perfect? This was recommended in one of Hal Elrod’s podcasts and it is a free download and only about 40 pages.

Scribing

This is another SAVER that I am still working on. One thing I want to incorporate into this next round is adding one thing that I’m grateful for each day.

How are you sticking to The Miracle Morning?

For more Be the Best You posts, click here.



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The Miracle Morning – 60 Days

March 18, 2017 by 2 Comments

I wanted to give a little update to my original Miracle Morning post. I recently hit the 60 day mark and wanted to share some of my tips and tricks for my SAVERS and hopefully get some tips from you if you’re following along at home.

Silence

I am OBSESSED with the Headspace app. The first 10 days are free and then you subscribe for a nominal fee. I recommend doing the first 10 days free and then subscribing afterwards. I have a few free month trial codes if anyone is interested. The first two people to email me at elizabeth@detroitduchess.com can have them. I will put you on the list after that in case I get more. Also let me know if you are using this because we can be meditation buddies!

Affirmations

For my affirmations, I got an app called “Think Up.” You can type your affirmations and then record yourself saying them. Every morning I play them back to myself.

Visualization

To help visualize my goals, I downloaded the HayHouseVB app, which is essentially an online vision board. I like that you can create a bunch of different boards and I have a lot of fun with this. Plus they are always with me and I can look at them anytime.

Exercise

Since we are in the winter months, I’ve had to find some alternatives to walking as it is FREEZING outside. When I lost weight in the past, I was an avid follower of The FIRM workout plan. I found out that The FIRM was acquired by Gaia and that you can get all of their workout videos from the Gaia app. So I went ahead and got myself a subscription. This has been one of the best investments I’ve made! I LOVE these workouts and I love being able to do them on our Apple TV. You can find all of The FIRM workouts here. I also like that I can get any kind of workout I want at anytime anywhere from Gaia. Here’s a little taste from YouTube in case you’ve never done one before:

Reading

I finished 10% Happier, my pick from the first 30 days and now am onto Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. This one was recommending by Hal Elrod and he noted it was where he first heard about affirmations. The book is interesting because it was written in 1937 and published during the Great Depression. Most of it still holds up today and I love that it is a collection of real world examples of 20 years of studying successful people.

Scribing

This has probably been the hardest area for me because I’m not really sure what I’m supposed to be doing here. I did end up purchasing the official Miracle Morning Journal because I like the SAVERS checkboxes. You can get a free sample here.

How are you sticking to The Miracle Morning?

For more Be the Best You posts, click here.



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The Miracle Morning

January 15, 2017 by 14 Comments

Hello readers! I’m back!

Long story short, 2016 was tough on a personal level and I was definitely pushed to my breaking point. This forced me to re-evaluate my priorities and focus on what was most important. I worked really hard and ended the year on top with a big promotion at work. I had planned to kick off the year with this post, but got hit with a bad case of pneumonia, which is why I’m hitting the restart button on 2017 now.

Last year, I was turned on to The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod and have been following parts of it ever since. I decided that I would really commit to it in 2017 and wanted to invite you to join me.

I first heard about The Miracle Morning on Episode 37 of the Marriage More podcast with Jeff and Mandy Rose. They interviewed Hal Elrod and I was blown away by his story! From being on top of the world to a horrific car accident, Hal had every reason to give up. But that’s not what he did. His optimism inspired me and I was hooked. From the podcast I was inspired to start getting up early and doing some of the things that Hal outlines in his miracle morning. After hearing this, I started listening to Hal’s podcast and then I bought and read the book.

Essentially, The Miracle Morning is a lifestyle change that will help you achieve Level 10 success in every aspect of your life. The crazy thing is it’s really simple. The premise is that you have to wake up early and then do a routine of self-improvement activities (Life SAVERS) before you start your day.

I’m inviting you to start this process with me for the next 30 days and I will outline a few of the things that I am going to focus on with my Life SAVERS.

Silence

On one of Hal’s podcasts, he recommended the Simply Being app to help with meditation and the times I’ve used it, I thought it was extremely helpful.

Affirmations

The next step is to write your affirmations down and review them every morning. Here is one that I liked and will use to kick this off.

Visualization

I plan to do my Miracle Morning in our office, so I want to create a larger vision board that I can focus on during my SAVERS. I have a few small ones right now, but I want to make a bigger board for 2017.

Exercise

Normally I love to walk Sport in the morning, but right now it’s too cold so I will be hitting my morning yoga class until it is warm enough to start walking him again.

Reading

To kick off the first 30-day challenge, I am planning to start reading 10% Happier by Dan Harris. Dan is a Nightline anchor who had a nationally televised panic attack on Good Morning America. Afterwards, he decided to make a change and learn about meditation. I’ve been listening to Dan’s podcast for a while and love it! I had no idea so many people meditate every day. I figured this would be a good book to start with as I will be meditating now.

Scribing

The last SAVER is scribing or journaling. I am terrible at this, I hate writing my thoughts down on paper, but there are a number of benefits to doing this. Hal recommends The Winners’ Journal for this and I also have The 5-Minute Journal app to get me started.

Will you start The Miracle Morning Challenge with me? I loved this quote from the book and thought it would might help convince you.

For more Be the Best You posts, click here.



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Thoughts on 38

July 6, 2020 by 3 Comments

Tomorrow I celebrate my 38th birthday! Finishing out my year with a global pandemic wasn’t really what I had in mind, but it’s helped me to focus on what’s important and where I want to go in my 38th year. Before I get into celebration mode, I wanted to reflect on what it means to me to have 38 years of experience under my belt.

There’s a popular TikTok sound going around about romanticizing your life and it goes “You have to start romanticizing your life. You have to start thinking of yourself as the main character because if you don’t — life will continue to pass you by. And all the little things that make it so beautiful will continue to go unnoticed. So take a second, and look around and realize that it’s a blessing for you to be here right now.” You can read more about the trend here. I really LOVE this trend and thought that I would make it my theme for my 38th year. So here are 38 ways I’m going to “romanticize my life” this year.

1 Treating myself at least once a week

I have a few things that I consider “treats,” just little things that make me feel fancy. This doesn’t have to be expensive, it could be something small. They include getting macarons, going for a pedicure, stopping by Sephora for my PERK facial (if it opens up again), or anything that makes me feel special. I will start sharing these on my Instagram with #TreatYoSelf!

2 Keep putting myself first

After I started the Miracle Morning I saw some amazing changes in my life. I am committed to doing the SAVERS as many days as I can and I can only hope to keep growing!

3 Meet a friend once a month for tea

You all know how much I LOVE my tea time so I thought it would be fun to meet a different friend for tea every month. It could be at one of the amazing tea rooms around town or at my house or on a Zoom call.

4 Celebrate the small (and large) wins

When I first started my business, I would bring home a bottle of champagne for every small win. I’ve stopped doing that along the way and need to get back in the habit of celebrating every small victory. I heard Rachel Hollis mention naming your bottles of champagne for different goals which I love!

5 Plan a monthly brunch date

I LOVE having brunch with the girls and/or John. It makes for such a fun Sunday that I always end up wondering why I don’t do it more.

6 Spend time outdoors everyday

I was listening to Kelly LeVeque’s podcast a while back and she interviewed a cognitive neuroscientist about memory. He shared how important it was to start your day by getting outside and seeing actual sunlight to help boost your Vitamin D production. I could take my morning tea outside or just stand outside when I let Sport out every morning. I also love the idea of connecting with the outdoors on a daily basis.

7 Fresh Flowers

would love to have fresh flowers around the house all the time! Even if I just pick up a bouquet at the grocery store, it’s enough to really brighten up the house. Maybe this is the year that I get a monthly flower delivery like Flowers for Dreams or one of those everlasting flower boxes.

8 Enjoy every second with Skyler

I adore my 2 year-old niece Skyler! She loves to play and get into all sorts of things. I want to remember to always make time to play with her and not get too busy and to get into the sandbox or play in the water with her even if it means I get dirty or ruin my manicure. These are the things I’m going to remember when she’s older.

Getting my feet buried!

9 Schedule regular spa appointments

I LIVE for massages and facials and as soon as I can get back into my favorite places I want to start getting a monthly massage and Hydrafacial. Or at least try to alternate and get one every other month.

10 Read more books

As a child, I was always reading. As soon as I opened a book I couldn’t put it down. That’s why I’m so excited about my “The Book Was Better” Book Club to hold me accountable for reading more this year. If you haven’t joined yet, get to it! We started out with Little Fires Everywhere.

11 Invest in a magazine subscription

When was the last time you spent the day reading through a magazine front to back? I used to get so many magazines in my youth, but sadly I only get them now when I’m at an airport or maybe pick one up in a waiting room. This year, I want to find an awesome magazine that I can take with me to all my appointments and really enjoy. Let me know your recommendations!

12 Celebrate every holiday like crazy!

This year I want to go all out for all the holidays, even the little ones like French Fry day! Sometimes I get lazy and forget to decorate or don’t get as into the fun of each different celebration. This year I want to throw all the parties, wear themed shirts and really enjoy every moment! What are some of your favorite holiday traditions?

13 Monthly Godiva

Did you know that you can get a free Godiva truffle every month as long as you sign up for Godiva’s reward program? Every year I tell myself that I’m going to take advantage of the program and I always forget. This year I’m going to treat myself!

14 Eat at the table

We have a nice dining room table and I own five sets of china (with a sixth set on the way) and most nights, we eat in front of the TV. Even if it’s only once a week, I would love to get the table set and dinner ready to go for my husband and make it a big production. John does most of the cooking so this would be a treat for him!

15 Stock the bar

For a while in quarantine, I was trying to make a new signature drink every week. I tried an Aperol Spritz, a blueberry cucumber Collins, and a Mojito. I would love to have a few things on hand to make these during happy hour or when a friend stops by to visit. I also want to work on my wine collection and collecting wines that age well.

16 Try something new

I’m a creature of habit and tend to stick to a lot of the same foods and routines. This year I want to enhance my experiences by trying new experiences. Maybe this will be taking a class and learning something new like going to the shooting range or it could be trying a new type of food. I am open to ideas!

17 Build a sleep wardrobe

Who else sleeps in leggings and a t-shirt? Or the oldest pajamas you own? This year I want to commit to getting a new set of luxurious pajamas each month (a set that I would not be embarrassed to get the mail in). Did anyone watch Revenge? I always LOVED Victoria Grayson’s sleepwear. She looked fabulously put together 24/7.

18 Date Night

I’ve been 50/50 about planning date nights with John. Sometimes I’ll get in a good grove for a while and other times it might be weeks before I plan something special. This year I want to make sure I have something special planned for us every week, even if it’s a movie date with special snacks and a theme.

19 Set phone/screen limits

I just discovered that you can set up screen time limits on your phone. I sometimes find myself mindlessly scrolling and I loved the idea that my phone can snap me out of it and tell me I’ve had enough for the day. I have SO many other things to do and don’t want to waste all my time reading comments on Facebook

20 Enjoy my house now

We’ve done some great updates to our house during quarantine, but I’m terrible about getting furniture on the walls and updating the decor. I also have dining room chairs that I’ve been dying to recover into something more modern. My goal this year is to start enjoying my house and make small improvements instead of waiting to finish a room in one big sweep.

21 Gratitude

I’ve started a little bit of a gratitude practice with my Start Today Journal. Every day you have to write down five things you’re grateful for. I’m trying to do a better job of really being in the moment and enjoying the wonderful things I have.

22 Take more pictures

I’ve been horrible about taking pictures of myself or me with friends as I get older. On my birthday this year, I had to remember to snap a few with Skyler because I always end up with a bunch of pictures of her, but us together. I don’t want to look back on these years and not be in any of the pictures. At the beginning of every get together I need to snap one with me and whoever I’m with to memorialize the moment.

23 Correspondence

Over the last few years I had started sending close friends birthday cards and special holiday cards in the mail so they would have something fun to open on special occasions. Plus who doesn’t like getting actual mail (that’s not bills or junk)? I’ve let it fall off a bit and REALLY want to get it going again. It was such a fun thing to do.

24 Music/Playlist

I rarely listen to music because I’m obsessed with podcasts but I’ve been thinking that I should add more music to my life. I mostly work at home now and want to start curating a few playlists for myself for work and for when I’m driving with people in my car. For now I’m partial to the French Cooking Music Radio on Pandora.

25 Have more fun

Most of the time I tend to stay at home and do work just because it’s there. If it’s not work for my business then it’s blog work or some other chore that needs to be done. I want to be more mindful of taking time out for fun activities instead of only working or spending my free time scrolling social media. This could be playing a board game at home, reading a book, or planning happy hour for my husband.

26 Channel Creativity

Creativity breeds creativity. To come up with more creative ideas for work I need to spend more time being creative during my personal time. I mentioned a few of my passions in this post including practicing the piano, calligraphy, and cake decorating.

27 Romanticize my relationship

Many years ago a friend told me about a website called The Dating Divas. I was trying to come up with some fun date ideas early in our marriage and let me tell you they have TONS of great ideas. I’ve seen their emails for years and want to try a few this year.

28 Start a weekend ritual

I love the idea of having something we do (or I do) every weekend. Whether it’s strolling up to the farmer’s market every Saturday, visiting a patisserie on Sundays, or having a spa day every Sunday night, I want to come up with something great. Let me know if you have ideas on this one!

29 Volunteer

During the first eight weeks of the pandemic, I volunteered at the Michigan Mask Donation Center on behalf of The Glamorous Moms Foundation. I loved being able to help during the crisis and hopefully can do more this year.

30 Friend dates

This year I wanted to make a special effort to see all of my friends on a good rotation throughout the year. Whether that’s over dinner, drinks, or brunch just making a plan seems to ensure these outings happen more regularly.

31 Pump my own tires

As someone in public relations, you think I would have an easier time of pumping myself up, but when it comes to writing bios, updating my career page, and promoting myself I find it difficult. Unfortunately, I don’t have that luxury now that I’m a business owner. This year I want to push past my comfort zone and really start to get out there as a business owner.

32 Shop local

I’ve been wanting to start a new series called Sip n’ Shop where I visit a new neighborhood each weekend for a cocktail and to hunt for amazing items. Supporting local businesses during this time is so important. Stay tuned for that new segment coming soon!

33 Enjoy the local arts and cultural activities

To add to #32, I also want to spend more time enjoying arts and culture at the great places we have around town. I can’t tell you the last time I was at a museum and that definitely needs to change!

34 Do nice things for other people

I always try to do this, but I want to be more intentional this year. Throwing in some random acts of kindness and also doing things like sending cards to friends, dropping off a casserole during a time of need, or offering help to a new mom. Let me know if you have any ideas!

35 Take time out for meals

I don’t know about you, but most of the time I find myself eating in the car or in front of the TV. I would love to have breakfast al fresco in my backyard or take an actual break for lunch instead of trying to do five things at once.

36 Travel

This will be a different year for travel, but just because we probably won’t be leaving the country doesn’t mean I can’t travel throughout Michigan and still explore our great country! There are so many places I haven’t been yet!

37 Get organized

Your space can reflect your mood! If you have clutter in your house or your favorite spaces it can make you feel stress. I have seen so many organizer TikToks lately and it is motivating me to get my spaces organized and create a fun ambiance so I can enjoy them.

38 Invest in a special scent

I have SO many perfume samples, but I don’t have one special scent that’s my go-to. I would love to invest in a fun one that I wear on special occasions or when I’m having a big day. Maybe even different scents for different occasions as I build up my collection.

What are some ways that you’ve romanticized your life?

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The 5-Hour Rule

February 3, 2020 by 1 Comment

I read this article last year, about how the majority of self-made millionaires spend an average of five hours a week (one hour a day) learning or practicing. This article mentions titans like Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Warren Buffet, Bill Gates, and more that all adhere to the five-hour rule.

I’ve been doing some of this with my Miracle Morning practice, but wanted to do more. In my youth, I took a number of classes and learned a ton of different skills that I’ve let lapse over the years. I thought a great goal for 2020 would be to bring some of these talents/skills back to life. I also find that having creative outlets helps to inspire me in my daily work.

Piano

I took piano lessons for many years, up until we moved to Michigan and I started high school. A few years ago, we moved the family piano to my house and part of the reason I wanted it here was so I could pick it back up again.

I can still read music pretty easily and have a number of songs I can play, the problem is all of my instructional books are for children. I can play plenty of rounds of Hickory, Dickory, Dock, but I’d rather play something more in line with my age. I found this book, called Returning to the Piano: A Refresher Book for Adults ($19.99) and it’s perfect for someone like me who can already read music. It has a number of adult songs like “What a Wonderful World,” Sweet Home Alabama,” and “Stand by Me.”

I figure if I commit to 30 minutes of practice a day, I could definitely master some of these songs.

Cake Decorating

My sister and I spent a few summers taking these fun classes offered at our school, which included Wilton Cake Decorating courses. I didn’t do much with it after that until after I graduated college. I really got into it then and made a number of fun cakes. I stopped before we got into fondant, but I can do flowers and roses. People LOVE a themed cake, the reaction you get is always the most fun. I think it would be fun to do a monthly baking project to keep my skills up-to-date. It’s been so long since I made a cake that all my impressive creations are in a shoebox somewhere. I once did this insane cross cake for Easter with tons of little flowers and roses that I spent so much time making in advance.

Horseback Riding

In the summer after the third or fourth grade (I can’t remember exactly), I started attending horsecamp with the Girl Scouts. I spent weeks learning to care for and ride horses. I loved it so much that I started taking lessons, until we moved and I started high school. I was at the point where we had started to do some small jumps. Unfortunately, I haven’t ridden in SO long, but I would love to get back into it. Not just the riding part, but grooming and caring for horses as well. I found a few places in Michigan where I could get back into lessons. It might be something Skyler and I could do together once she gets older. First things first, I need some ducky boots and a riding helmet. Ducky boots are great for riding, because you need a heel, but you can also wear them to muck out stables and anything else. I liked these Liyuandian Womens Lace Up Duck Boots Waterproof Two Tone Combat Calf Rain Shoes ($40.98).

Calligraphy

Ever since I found out that Meghan Markle used to do calligraphy to help out when she first started in the acting business, I’ve been wanting to get back into it. This is one of those things I took a class on in my childhood and loved it! My pens are all old now, so I would need to get some new supplies, but I think it would be really fun to start practicing with my Start Today Journal. I found this Modern Calligraphy: A Beginner’s Guide to Pointed Pen and Brush Pen Lettering ($24) on Amazon to get me started.

Softball

I’ve mentioned before how I’m a big Yankees fan, it’s a fun tradition between my dad and I. When I was younger, I used to play softball and would practice all the time with my dad. I wasn’t a star athlete by any means. but always made up for it with enthusiasm.

Look how cute I was!

A while back, I heard that the Yankees organization runs a fantasy camp for women and I thought it would be really awesome to go one year. BUT, I am totally out of practice and would have to work on it. I definitely need a new glove so I could practice with my husband. I love this Rawlings Player Preferred Adult Baseball/Softball Glove Series ($40.27), it’s classic.

What skills do you want to brush up on or learn in 2020? My goal is to spend five hours a week working on each of these things, I will probably re-master one at a time instead of trying to do them all at once. How can you make the 5-hour rule work for you?

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Glamorous Moms Foundation

January 13, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Ever since I started my Miracle Morning journey, one of my goals has been to get more involved in charitable causes whether that was by donating, supporting events or volunteering my time. One of the books that really charged me to define the causes I felt most passionate about was Jean Shafiroff’s Successful Philanthropy. Shafiroff encourages readers to identify the causes that are most important to them and really focus on them versus trying to do a little bit of everything. One of the causes that I am most passionate about is supporting mothers and children.

When my friend Shannon, from Glamorous Moms, launched her own nonprofit organization, the Glamorous Moms Foundation, I was thrilled to join the board and support mothers and children. Our mission is to provide support, inspire, and build confidence in women and children in our community to enhance the quality of life, leading them to health, happiness, and safety. We provide a giving and comforting community that educates, strengthens and supports moms, expectant moms, women, and children who need it most.

We support other service organizations by providing comfort and life necessities (education, daily needs, and monetary support) to women and children to make meaningful change. Our first project was a toy drive over the holidays that allowed us to donate to a number of organizations over the past few months.

We have a number of exciting things coming up including our annual Glamorous Luncheon on May 16. If you’re in the metro Detroit area, I would love for you to join us!

I’m thrilled to be involved in this organization and to be able to get more involved with the cause. I can’t wait to see what we can do in 2020 and beyond!

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One Little Word: Discipline

January 6, 2020 by 2 Comments

Last year was my first year choosing One Little Word and I had a pretty mind-blowing year. It’s one thing I can definitely credit to my word selection. In 2019, I chose Accomplish as my word, and boy did I Accomplish some stuff. My biggest accomplishment was starting my own business, something that I had been dreaming about ever since starting the Miracle Morning. So let’s just say 2019 will be a hard act to follow.

Now that I’ve “accomplished” some pretty big things, 2020 is more about maintaining and building on these accomplishments. I wanted a word that embodied hard work and consistency. One of my favorite quotes from Jim Rohn is “Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.” This sums up what I need to do in 2020.

For 2020, my word of the year is Discipline! This year is all about staying on track and keeping the momentum from 2019. I hit up Target right away to get my own Rachel Hollis Priority Planner, Start Today Journal, and 2020 Vision Calendar so I could stay motivated. I’m loving them so far!

Last year I had a fantastic bracelet that helped keep my word top of mind and pushed me forward. This year I need something similar and I found this great bracelet on Etsy with an Abraham Lincoln quote that’s speaking to me, “Discipline is choosing between what you want now, and what you want most.” It’s only $25 and you can find it here.

Here are a few additional quotes and bible verses that reinforce Discipline for me:

What’s your word for 2020? If you are using Discipline this year I would love to see any other quotes you’ve found for it! Cheers to a fantastic 2020 everyone!

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