Hello fabulous Reader,

Creating a transition between your work environment and home environment is an important boundary that helps you perform at a higher level. Clearing out your space so that it is calming, less chaotic, and promotes more mindful and intentional living is one of the things that I stress with clients. It's the second "E" of my signature system - The FEED Method. You set up systems and routines that elevate your environment to reflect that of a high-functioning human - clean, organized, calm, and serene; everything has a home.

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Now - I love some ideals to work towards - but they are not necessary. You don't have to have a clean home. So many of us live chaotic lives that having a clean home is unrealistic. I emphasize having a little corner just for you that feels calm and relaxing so that you can take those mindful minutes during your day to tune out the world and reconnect with what you need.

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Understand the rhythm of your life and learn how you can lean into that. There is a need to show up, accomplish and finish work for specific deadlines - while still being mindful and bringing intention into areas of your life. Accept those long sprints where you need to just put your head down and work. Sometimes deadlines are out of your control, and you may need to work long hours. Make sure to reconnect with your body and mind, create slowness, and be more mindful and intentional with your time. Make sure to rest.

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It has to be said that we are in winter; for most species, now is a time of slowing down and hibernating. Yet we are the only species still expected to perform at a high level. Allow yourself the chance to slow down. Have reset times and days to gather yourself and ensure that you meet your needs. Often we get so caught up in the rush that we forget even our most basic needs - food, sleep, social connection (and showers). Practice having a shutdown routine on the days when you can. Reflect on what has gone well for the day, have a quick 5-minute pickup, and set yourself up for tomorrow. A shutdown routine is often more beneficial to you than a morning routine. The act of resetting at the end of the day gives you a chance to think about how you would like tomorrow to go and list out your top priorities for the next day.

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Learn to prioritize when you have the most energy - do the creative brain work in the morning (if that is when you have the most energy). Leave the more automated work for the afternoon. I've started to get better at having a Sunday reset to prepare me for the week - even if it's just 10 minutes to tidy up, sit down, and write a plan.

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I am 100% imperfect, so remember that this is all a work in progress. No one knows what they're doing; we're all just winging it and sharing in the human experience.

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Take smaller steps when you want to make a change. Yet taking an action that is too big vs. no action allows you to experiment and gather data about what works and what doesn't.

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Find a way to meet yourself where you are and work with what you've got. We often get excited and wrapped up in these big lofty ideas and goals and forget that sometimes it's too freaking hard to even get out of bed. So lower the barrier to entry. How can you embody the feeling you're looking for? I mentioned this in another Newsletter where I talked about doing actions that were still in alignment with your goal but were not the direct ideal action you want to ultimately achieve. Starting with something small that will lead you in that direction is vital.

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As always, everything comes down to awareness checks - tuning in to your body and connecting to what you are feeling, thinking, needing, and experiencing.

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We need to bring more mindfulness and intention back into our daily lives - more presence, more slowing down. When you develop that awareness, you can begin to recognize your patterns. Where are you using energy throughout the day, how are you spending your time, and where are you feeling most rushed and overwhelmed?

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You won't be able to change everything at once. That's not the point. The point is to recognize what is happening and experiment with slowing down so that you can make a new choice or lean into being more intentional with your current choices.

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You don't have to do a whole life overhaul. There are many things in your life that you are already succeeding at. What habits can you stack on to those things that add moments of calm or intention? What decisions can you make now to alleviate some of that mental load later?

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I talk about goals and having a greater vision - all necessary if you want to see your way forward into a new identity. But it's not just essential to create them; you have to use those daily awareness checks to tune in and see if your actions align with that goal. Where is your priority right now? What are the paths that you could take? How can you support yourself in this moment to move closer to that feeling of alignment?

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The more you reconnect each action step with your bigger vision, the more self-trust you will develop when you follow through.

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Implementing the big vision and goals will require immense energy, decision-making, and self-discipline. They feel so big and ominous and far away. So literally wipe all that out of the picture and focus on the smallest step you know that you can 100% make; each time you do that, it is a win. Stretch yourself more with every action step.

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This could look like - if you want to make going to the gym 5-6 days a week a habit - start setting out your workout clothes the night before - ONE day a week. In the morning, get up 10 minutes earlier and put them on. That might be ALL that you do that day. It will all depend on where you are and how much self-efficacy you have. The first week might just look like you putting on clothes and going for a walk. You might not even make it to the gym.

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Maybe you already know how to do all of that and can trust yourself to show up and make it there - that's awesome! Everybody will have their own starting point. Avoid comparing your starting point with someone else. Acknowledge where you are at - even just wanting to make a change is a win!

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Be flexible with your new behavior because life has challenges, and if you've set a goal of going six days a week and miss the first three - you're going to put so much pressure on yourself that you might feel like a failure before you even start. Only you know what you're 100% going to do.

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Could you slow down and be intentional with it? Stack it on to something you already do. Make it easy, effective, and enjoyable (as I said the other day).

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If all you can do is walk around the block - embrace that. Celebrate that. This process is about celebrating every step you make in the direction you want to go. It doesn't have to be perfect or follow a specific rule you believe is the "right" way to do something. It is more about bringing intentionality and mindfulness into everything that you do so that even when you have those busy, rushed moments; you can still self-regulate and remain calm and collected.

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I have my fair share of panicked moments, feeling like there is never enough time, work has to get done, the laundry needs folding, and I have to make food — but at the end of the day, all I have to do is stay alive. We often forget that we are living our lives in this very moment. This is life. It's not when the work day is over or the weekend comes, but now. If you are not slowing down and embracing the slower moments, you will miss it. I promise you have the time to slow down.

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You might have a long sprint of hard work - but taking the time for yourself before and after and being more intentional with the breaks you take in the middle - is how you keep leaning into living while surrounded by the busyness of work.

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By taking those moments to slow down, you get time back and can get into flow more easily when you need to. Take more moments to slow down. Be present. How can you support yourself in those challenging moments when you have to put your head down and work? What can you do now to support that? Is it making a meal for tomorrow, getting in some movement, dancing, hanging with a friend, or taking a nap? Anticipate the ebb and flow of your work day and find ways to support it.

Until Next time,

Thank you for reading all the way to the end! I appreciate you.

Coach Morgan