DAILY BULLET JOURNALING

I love my bullet journal. When I first heard about the idea, I was skeptical. Then, I heard Anna Newton, from the Anna Edit, rave about it and I knew I had to try it.

Here’s how I do it and why it has changed my life:

• I jot down only the things I want to get done today
• I check off completed tasks to give me a sense of accomplishment
• I migrate uncompleted tasks to the next day (without judgement)
• I look at consistently migrated tasks to learn where I’m stuck and ask myself if they’re really important
• I get a clear visual of whether or not I’m trying to do too much
• I get consistent reinforcement which creates strong habits
• I benefit from intentionality and focus, and building of neural pathways, that comes from handwriting*

My bullet journal consists mostly of daily to do lists. I tried to do the future log and the monthly log but they didn’t work for me in the long run. I do like to create a monthly goals list at the beginning of each month. I also use the index feature (kind of like a table of contents). Sometimes I insert special to do lists, like all the tasks I need to do for a big on-going project, or lists of things that I do for self care. I also have a list for clothing purchases to help keep me honest.

My daily lists are short bulleted phrases. Events get a circle bullet and time. When I complete a task, I put and X over the bullet. When I write the list the next day, I draw a right-facing arrow over the bullet of any incomplete tasks from the previous day and add it to the new day. If a task or an event doesn’t happen and I know it can’t or won’t in the future, I draw a line through it. I try to be equally happy with things that happened (as planned) and things that didn’t. Sometimes I’ll add items after they’ve happened and check them off. It helps so much to see all I’ve done. Almost everyday I include things like meditate, workout, take vitamins, do writing. Doing these basic things everyday, seeing them completed, reinforces my ability to reach my goals. And then I build on that foundation. It retrains my brain. It may seem overly simplistic but it has been life changing.

Gingerade Recipe

INGREDIENTS:
I CUP PEELED & SLICED GINGERROOT
6 CUPS WATER
1/2 CUP LEMON JUICE
1/2 CUP APPLE CIDER VINEGAR
1/2 CUP HONEY
1 PINCH OF SALT

INSTRUCTIONS:
BOIL WATER
ADD GINGER
BRING TO BOIL
SIMMER FOR 30 MINUTES
STRAIN GINGER LIQUID
MIX IN OTHER INGREDIENTS
POUR INTO JARS
ALLOW TO COOL
REFRIGERATE

I LOVE A SMOOTHIE BOWL.

I used to think the whole idea of a smoothie in a bowl was weird and didn’t understand it. They seemed so unnecessarily complicated with all the layered fruit and coconut and chia seeds and I wondered why people bothered. Now I’m totally on board. I totally get it. My creations are quick and easy to make and thought they vary slightly, they generally include banana, mixed frozen fruit, spinach, protein powder, almond milk, and then are topped with granola and kiwi, strawberry, or blackberries if I have them. I blend them with a Ninja Bullet blender. I actually prefer mine to Playa Bowl’s.

I like this brand of protein powders. Both the vanilla and the chocolate.

Hello friends, fruit lovers. 

When I was a child, the only juice in our house was orange juice. It was made from a can of frozen concentrate, the cheap generic brand. And my dad watered it down. We drank it only at breakfast.

Fast forward to today, our grocery list includes some if not all of the following: OJ, lemonade, cranberry juice, cranberry/pomegranate juice, grape juice. We ofter mix them with carbonated water from our SodaStream. Our fridge also contains Gatorade (only “the blue”), Celsius energy drinks, Fairlife protein shakes, Diet Coke, and La Croix (lime).

I know juice has a lot of sugar and is only marginally better than soda. There was a time when many people thought juicing was super healthy. Then they questioned whether they were actually just consuming a lot of fruit-based sugar without the benefit of fiber. Back when I was in college, my mom gave me a giant industrial juicer which I never used. When our apartment was robbed, and they took the juicer I was actually grateful.

Now I’m sort of wishing I had one. I do have a Ninja Bullet for making smoothies and smoothie bowls and it’s great, but I suspect I need a juicer in order to blend hardier things like carrots, celery, apples, and the like. Just like with my smoothies, I think the trick to limiting the amount of sugar in a juice is to include veggies. Kale and spinach are practically undetectable. Coconut water or almond milk add liquid without adding more sweetener when you already have frozen fruit in there. Protein powders, oats, chia seeds and almond butter all add fiber and/or protein, not more sugar.

If you’re in the market for a juicer, here are a few options I’m considering. (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Just so you know.)

PRETTIEST/SPLURGE  |  BREVILLE

GREEN JUICE

When I was in Mexico recently, I tried Jugo Verde. It was amazing. When I asked what was in it, they said, “cucumber, cactus, parsley, orange, and pineapple.” If I had a juicer, I would definitely make this.

I interviewed 4 women, at different stages of life, to find out what they do to feel their best. Here are their responses.

EMILY, AGE 26

How do you feel about your body?
I feel relatively good about my body. I’ve always struggled with my weight and body image but with age am getting better at giving myself grace.

What diet works best for you?
I’m a volume eater. To keep my portion sizes under control while still feeling full, my meals are usually at least 50% veggies or leafy greens. I always include a protein and I try to avoid dairy. Other than that, I don’t restrict myself to a particular diet. I think everything is fine in moderation.

What’s your favorite kind of exercise?
I love running. I have a hard time meditating so I find long runs to be both good for the mind and body! Recently, I joined Orange Theory for some cross training and it’s awesome. Since I started, my mile time has dropped significantly. Plus it’s a great way to socialize with other people who love fitness as much as I do!

How do you overcome negative thoughts?
I struggle with this one. Staying active helps to keep my mind at ease. I also like using the boxed breathing technique. You inhale for 4 seconds, hold the breath for 4 seconds, and exhale for (you guessed it) 4 seconds. It helps to center me when I’m extra stressed or feeling negative.

JENNIFER, AGE 55

How do you feel about your body?
I love it! I’m super grateful for it. I love that I enjoy it, and value it. I will say though, I would like to be physically stronger, like, build more muscle mass.

What diet works best for you?
I eat mostly organic greens, and vegetables, and focus on eating a high protein/low-fat diet. I get most of my animal-based protein from dairy.  I really love Greek yogurt. I sprinkle cinnamon on it which tastes almost sweet!

What’s your favorite kind of exercise?
Pilates. I need to do it more! I also like yoga, dance, and tai chi.

How do you overcome negative thoughts?
I practice positive self talk. I read books or internet articles about positivity. And practicing healthy habits really helps. Exercise helps! Someone once said, “Move a muscle, change a thought.”