“According to a survey conducted by the International Coaching Federation (ICF), those who hire a coach can experience a wide range of positive effects in their lives. 80 percent of respondents said self-confidence improved, 73 percent said relationships improved, 72 percent had better communication skills, and 67 percent said they balanced work and life better.”

Have you set your New Year’s Resolutions yet? Yeah… Me neither. Not my thing. Did you know by January 17th most people have already quit their resolutions? So many people, in fact, that it’s known as the “National Quitters Day?” 92% of people don’t keep their resolutions the full year… So yeah. No thanks.

BUT… That doesn’t mean I don’t use other methods to set myself up for success and a great year! Here’s my system:

Sometimes we can be so quick to move on, that we forget to look back and take stock of how we got to where we are. I use a process each year to reflect, remember, celebrate, and let go… Sometimes I take several days to visit this process, sometimes it’s an hour or so in a coffee shop… Wherever you are this year, I encourage you to take what time you can and give 2022 it’s due. Here’s the process that has served me well the last several years:

We put a lot of pressure on ourselves these days to make our holidays “perfect.” With Pinterest, Instagram, Martha Stewart, and all the comparison we naturally do - it sometimes feels like we will never measure up. Or… We spend all our time and energy striving to out-do our own childhood; or neighbors; or family members… And it kind of sucks the magic and joy right out of the holiday, doesn’t it?

What if there were ways to take care of yourself, tap into what brings you Joy, and still manage to care for those around you?

I’m not suggesting we can do it all… But I am suggesting we can do the things that are most important to us - and let go of some of the others without letting anyone down.

There are days when life just kinda sucks - but there’s no reason to stay in that space. A fulfilled life, a joy-filled life, a connected life - you deserve this. Try these three simple steps to getting back on track - once you know how to do it, these strategies will work every time!

What do you do to recharge each and every day? What do you do to maintain your energy? What do you do to guard your time?

What if the dream is too big? What if, in reality, it’s impossible? What if I can’t actually make it happen?

What’s that quote? “What if I fall? Ah, but what if you FLY?”

Is there such a thing as “too big” of a dream? Isn’t that what dreaming is for? To aim for the stars?

What about those remarkable parts of you that separate you from everyone else? That make you stronger, braver, more resilient? That make you more compassionate, more patient, more …. anything?! What do you have that makes you MORE?

You are so important to those you love - your partner, your kids, your parents, your friends, your co-workers, your neighbors… But if you’re always exhausted, overwhelmed, and burnt out - what are you really able to offer them?

If you feel like you're just bumbling along these days, taking life one day - or hour - at a time maybe it’s time to start fresh and create some new intentions toward living into a life you’ll love.

When we stop learning and growing, we become stagnant, bored, and lose motivation and momentum. Life becomes blah… Have you been there? I know I have.

When we don’t feel clear on something… It takes it’s toll. We feel lost, stuck, drained, or aimless… This happens often when we’re so busy “keeping up” that we lose sight of what’s important. We eventually find ourselves going through the motions instead of being intentional about honoring what’s most important to us.

Even in the midst of summer chaos, I find myself looking for challenges and new-ness. I look forward to getting out of my space, my routine, and my comfort zone. I seek new ways to push myself. And this practice energizes me like no other!

Do you ever wake up and wonder “Is this it? Is this as good as it’s gonna get?”

I’ve spoken to several people over the last few weeks who have echoed this sentiment… They’ve met their goals. They have the partner, the kids, the house, the car… They go on vacations and have thriving social circles. It all looks amazing on paper.

But when they lay down in bed at night, they find themselves wondering “Is this all there is?”

Do you love your life? Is it leaving a legacy that you’re proud of? Do you go to bed at night thankful for another day?

And if not… What’s stopping you?

I read a Facebook post last week that started out “Can we talk about the fact that moms get overstimulated and it’s mistaken for anger?”

I don’t know if I’ve ever felt more seen than when I read that simple sentence. Seriously.

No matter how stuck we feel in our life; no matter how unhealthy we’ve let our bodies get; no matter how unfulfilled our relationships may seem; and on and on - my belief is that we always have a choice as to how we will move forward.

When my life has felt out of my control. filled with uncertainty, and about as lonely as can be - it was always the moment that I realized I could choose something different that brought me to the next right step.

I will always always always remind you that you have a choice.

Productivity is not about how many things can you get done and check off the list in a day. It's not about how fast you're getting the tasks done. It's not about proving how valuable you are to the world...

It's about moving you toward your purpose. Using your time so wisely that you protect your energy, your resources, and your priorities so that you can use them to create the life that you want.