The importance of rest

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This weekend was very busy, we had plans it seems like every moment but it made me really appreciate the little bit of down time we had and how much it’s important to rest. Especially in pregnancy, my stamina is far less than my normal levels. I was able to take a nap this afternoon and at first couldn’t fall asleep so I just layed down in bed to breath and rest, I eventually fell asleep and woke up about an hour later, just what this body needed!

I also took a break from social media, I’m on quite a bit during the week to run my online business so the weekend is a time to rest my brain from the hustle and bustle of online. I feel like I may miss out on a few things but taking a break on the weekends or at least cutting back significantly helps me be more productive during the week.

That’s all for now, I hope you had a beautiful weekend!

XO

Pregnancy with baby 2 vs baby 1

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Today I took Honor to the park for a picnic and although I thought it would be relaxing I ended up being on my feet the whole time and watching her play. It was fun but wow exhausting!

Being pregnant with baby 2, I often think how different this pregnancy is compared to round 1! Being pregnant when I didn’t already have a child to care for was challenging on its own. I was super exhausted, especially in the first trimester and still pretty tired most of my pregnancy. I had morning sickness which lasted all day and was intense the first trimester and when it did let up around week 16 or 17 I would still have nausea sometimes, although far more mild than morning sickness. I could take naps after work which was nice, I worked more days at the office so that part was harder.

Pregnancy with baby2, having an active toddler this time around, I have spent a lot of time on the couch watching her play and feeling super guilty that I wasn’t able to have fun with her too. I took her out for short play dates at the library or shopping, the park was too exhausting which we tried a few times but with the FL heat and being pregnant it would take me the rest of the day to recover. I have called my husband most work afternoons to see when he’s getting home from work because especially in the first trimester I was so exhausted by that hour I needed him to be home to take care of our daughter and help with dinner and getting her in bed. I dreaded the nights he had to work later than usual or had plans to play soccer or go to a networking event.

So yes it’s been challenging and my pregnancy is having an effect on my whole family, they are seeing mommy more tired and in need of help. It’s a short season in life. I feel like I never hear people talk about this type of thing only what life is like when baby 2 arrives. I am super grateful to have this baby in my belly, there is no doubt about that! I’m excited to have her complete our family! We can’t wait to meet her in March 2019!

 

Book-ending your day!

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How you start and end your day is really important. Most highly successful people have morning routines as well as evening routines. This helps set you up for a successful mindset at the start of your day no matter what else happens during the rest of your day that is out of your control-having a ready mindset from the routine will improve your chances of having a better day. This helps with anxiety and overwhelm too when you can set up your brain right at the start of the day.

I first heard this from Lewis Howes on his podcast a few months ago so I thought I would mention that today. The podcast is Episode 685.

I have started with my morning routine and it’s simple and takes less than 5 minutes and I notice a profound difference in my mindset and have far less anxiety when I fit in my morning routine. Sometimes I only have that 5 minutes to myself before the whole family wakes up, I prefer an hour of quiet in the morning and feel even better and more clear-headed on those days.

My morning routine is get up drink water, then grab my gratitude journal and write at the top the date, time I woke up, 1) drink water, 2) I am statements, 3) gratitude- 3 things I’m grateful for, 4) prayers for people or something on my mind, 5) service- how can I serve others and goals I want to meet through service. That’s it! It takes little time and then ideally I get in a workout afterwards.

At the end of the day to book-end it I like to take a quick shower especially if I missed my morning shower then go chat with hubby for a little bit or watch t.v. together. On those nights I feel best getting into bed instead of having my phone in my face until lights out. I get more restful sleep when I end on a calming note.

How do you book-end your day? What new habits are you going to implement?

Pregnancy Gingivitis

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Today I went to my dentist for a regular checkup, my teeth have been bleeding when I floss. A pregnancy side effect! I didn’t know it had a name, it’s called pregnancy gingivitis. The hygienist said it’s due to hormones from the pregnancy and it will clear up after having baby. I also have a water pic and when I use that my gums don’t bleed so I need to use it more. I need to continue brushing and flossing daily, articles online suggest gargling with salt water as well.

Some insurance plans offer an additional dental cleaning during pregnancy to help prevent tooth decay and find problems that may arise.

About a month ago, I chipped a filling while flossing. I didn’t think my dentist could fix it because I’m pregnant but she was able to add the ceramic filling, it was a small chip. So it’s always a great idea to get checked out if you have dental issues come up during pregnancy.

 

References:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4385665

http://americanpregnancy.org/pregnancy-health/swollen-gums-during-pregnancy

Comparison steals your joy

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Tonight I’m going to keep it brief. I keep falling into the trap of comparison and most of the time I just want to see how others are coaching and doing their business, how they present it on social media and what type of response they appear to be receiving from what they say. But then I easily fall into comparison mode that these people are so much better at showing up on social media so why should I bother or when I go to write my own post and connect with others, I lose my confidence and don’t know what to say. It’s actually a terrible cycle!

What I am doing to reverse this and step away from comparison is to focus on what I want to share first. I write that down, I make a plan for the day or the week, I talk with my success partner and coaches on my team that are working on similar goals and that helps so much! I started feeling good this week and have exercised with weights a few times and gone on longer walks with my daughter and that really helps to clear my head.

If you fall into the comparison trap know that you’re not the only one but you don’t have to stay stuck in that space. You have something of value to offer, you are unique and amazing, after all there is only one of you!! XO