Staying home more means moving less. I have to make myself move. I take some meetings on the phone so I can walk. I try to drink more water so I have to pee more. I walk up and down the stairs twice every hour just because. I walk to the mailbox and keep going, I have to pick a “landmark” to turn around, each day is different. I have established a walk routine that has become something I now have to do to feel normal.

I don’t drink as much water when I am home all day, or when it is cold outside. I created a habit of finishing a water bottle before breakfast, another before lunch and a third before dinner.

As an introvert, social interaction is a skill that needs to be constantly sharpened or it is lost. I am thankful for my in-person clients, and all my zoom meetings, for keeping me sharp!

The longer I am home, the more I think about food. A lot LOT more. If food is in sight, I will eat it. So I prepare and leave vegetables out on the counter, and I eat those.

I don’t like to make the bed if I am not leaving the house. So I forced myself to start making the bed anyway, and feel like I accomplished something.

I need to brush my teeth right when I wake up, instead of waiting until after my first cup of coffee. Life gets too busy, and then I feel the “fuzzy teeth” at 2 o’clock in the afternoon and realize I’ve forgotten to brush my teeth, again.

Pajama pants are very different from sweat pants. I can feel lazy and unproductive in my pajama pants, but if I change into my sweatpants, whoa world, watch out!!

The definition of productive comes down to perception. I can program a month of work for 15 clients, or I can brush my teeth and take a shower. Somehow both feel as productive depending on the day.

There is a ghost in our house that places random, multiple drinking glasses in each room, and leaves the toilet paper roll empty! An exorcism is not worth my time.

One tank of gas lasts barely a week when I drop off and pick up both kids to school each day. I love saving money & the planet, but wouldn’t trade that time in the car with my kids for anything.

Our small home gym was the best money spent. Even when I am feeling unmotivated, I can still squeeze out a podcast while on the rower, or push through a strength circuit. It helps me prove consistency brings progress, not motivation.

I try to wrap myself in complete silence when I can. Earplugs. They saved my life, and my relationship with my teenagers.

Teenagers. Take. Everything. We are still alive, so I must be doing something somewhat o.k. (reference the earplug advice above).

Work, and life, is as much about preserving time as it is creating meaning. My job can define me or it can destroy me. I have the freedom to choose, even when I think I do not.

I get outside in nature each day, it is an absolute. Nature can be a walk down the street, a bike through the woods, a cup of (hot) coffee on the porch.

Write notes. Lots of them. I write notes to myself, notes to my kids, notes to my partner, even notes to my dog. I like to write notes to you!

I had to create an evening ritual, and a morning ritual. They are short, but help my body and my mind know when it is time to wind down, and when it is time to wake up.

This year I’ve worked on trusting the cultivation of my own food story, and letting go the story from my childhood. In turn, believing in my own story has created a food culture for my family that I am proud of. It is worth diving into your beliefs and cultures around food!

There are very few people I can spend a lot of time with. Ok those people are really just my kids, it’s what the word unconditional means to me. My intention is to peel away at those feelings, so that I can give others besides my kids that same level of me. I have yet to succeed.

I stopped watching and listening to the news so much. I started watching more Nat Geo films, and listening to podcasts. I might be the last one to find out about an impending asteroid hit, but I’ll be the first to hear about the newest sports supplement for muscle growth!

This year’s word is Nourish. As I look back, I was striving to nourish my family, my mind, my body. Nourishing my family with quality time, conversations, connections and nourishing my mind with books, continuing education, writing and nourishing my body with movement, sleep, healthy foods.