How I Work On Being The Best Version of Myself

Hey mama,

I have been on a mission to get our living space (And then comes bedrooms) into a space that I really love walking into. Especially being in that gorgeous rental that we stayed in during February vacation! I have also been putting a lot of thought into what it actually means to me "to be the best version of myself". And because this is my biggest goal for the last few years I have been making it a serious part of how I end my days, just writing and creating/manifesting to what this best version looks like.

And since one of the main reasons behind me keeping this blog going is to help you be the best version of yourself I thought I would share all of this in a list form, with a little blurb to hopefully help you form your list.

1. Meal planning & prepping for the week. I also love having groceries delivered every Saturday morning (I like the between 5-7am slot because then I can put them away as I wait on my coffee).

Why: Meal planning eases the whats for dinner stress, I can involve the girls & O in what I plan out and helps us eat out less. It also, allows us to feed ourselves and the girls good for you filling foods because they are already planned out and better yet, sometimes prepped. (** I like to include snacks, lunches for Zoe and Ami, breakfasts and dinners ALL on my meal planning list, which I show on my newsletter.) Everything is always listed, so there is no forgetting and it is all easy to just offer to the girls or grab on the way out , plus there is a lot less waste this way.

2. Everything has a damn place. Yes, yes, yes. When I organize and declutter I try my hardest to find one place for everything. Even kitchen drawers, our serving spoons are in one spot. Scissors I know where those are. Birthday candles: check!

You get the drill. Every space you clean out or "reclean out" should provide a permanent home for things. And this may change as the weeks, years go on according to life.

Why: this cuts the time in looking for things, lessens the frustration of clean up because you know where to quickly put things away. And when you open that drawer you don't feel overwhelmed by the mess.

3. Morning & Night time clean up. I take 30 minutes every morning after Zoe and O leave to make the beds, fold the load of laundry I did that morning, clear off the table/counters, straighten up and wipe down the bathroom and kitchen. And at night after the girls get to bed I put everything away, wipe counters/table and clean up the bathrooms and vacuum if I have to.

Why: I cannot deal with a mess, cannot. It brings me a high level of anxiety that I cannot explain. So putting everything back in it's place after the hurricane that happens in mornings, allows me to start with a clean slate. Obviously during the winter Amani and I spend more time here so the clean up happens a lot through out her playing and tot school but starting with a clean slate in the morning makes the rest so much easier. We also try to keep up with a rule of cleaning up after every activity or toy bin ( I can share more on how we store toys/games later). And the PM cleanup allows for waking up to a clean home, and it's a game changer.

4. Wake before the kids. Most days I do my best to set an alarm that gets me up before my wild child, this is really hard since she is a 5am'er.

Why: This is something I do for myself, to have some quiet and alone time and eventually I would love for this to be the time that I work out too. Just have to figure out how to get Amani to sleep until 6, ha! Waking before the girls allows me to start on the right foot, when I wake up to a clean kitchen, I can take time to write out my to-do's look at our calendars, make Zoe's lunch and set up breakfast for the girls without interruption. But most of all I am happier when I start my day with quiet and I feel AHEAD of the game rather than feel like I am trying to multitask without even having my coffee.

5. Take care of my body. Start my day with hot lemon water, drink half my body weight in ounces of water, move my body for 30 minutes (be it yoga, a long walk during our errands or a ride on Peloton) and break my fast with a green smoothie. This is a big goal of mine for 2020.

Why: I feel my best when I do all of these things. And goes back to doing something for myself every day. Not just one thing but doing many things that are beneficial to ME feeling my best so that I can be at my best with the girls. Yes I would love to lose these last 20 pounds, and look better in a swim suit or shoot, I'd like to look better in clothes period. But these little daily rituals are much more about me, my anxiety and having time where I am not #2, where I am the priority because I am worth it. And me feeling my best is always better for my little family.

6. Dressing for myself. One of the things that has always been big for me is taking time and effort to choose what I wear. This year I want to get back to accessorizing more and actually putting out outfits for the week, so I can inspire all of you to take your look up a notch.

Why: Because glancing in the mirror and loving what I am wearing or how I look makes me HAPPY. I love dresses, and hats, and cute lounge sets and being comfortable but still looking put together and I want to put time into this, even if it's just a leggings look! This also means that taking time to do my hair, paint my nails and wearing a little self-tanner to get that pretend glow. Overall when I take time to look put together I feel better and more confident and look the part of being the best version of myself.

7. Self work. Trying to share something positive every day, finding therapy in writing or talking to someone. Understanding what my triggers are and why. Surrounding myself with people that are also putting in the work to be that best version of themselves and not feeling bad when I separate from anything that pulls me down.

Why: this one is pretty self explanatory. But to be the best version of myself I have to put in the work every single damn day. Some days more than others but it is always work. It is understanding myself, forgiving my past self and working on understanding this future self that I am evolving to be. WORK. I work on it every day, and will continue to do so, so I can be that version of myself that I am proud of.

These are just a few of the big things that I am sharing in hopes that you can put some tweaks into your daily routine and feel your best too!

xoxo

Natalie

Find Your Passion Mama

We are on a little staycation in Amagansett, NY, by the beach and just really enjoying a slow paced suburban life. And you guys the beach is a walk from here. Goodness gracious there is something pretty incredible about sea air to just help reset, I feel like it clears all of my energy and the fog that that life can bring. Allowing my to really hyper focus on some big things that I am putting into action this year.

I have been starting to plan out my "Mamas that Rock" interviews for this year, which is a series that highlights some incredible mamas that are living THEIR dream, we dig into all the good stuff in the interviews so be prepared for a relaunch of this series soon!! And the more I plan the more that it has me thinking about the importance of finding your passion as a mama. Finding your side hustle, your hobby or even your next career that you ACTUALLY LOVE. This whole search is less about survival and more about filling that tank of yours with moments that bring you joy and fulfillment that have nothing to do with anyone else but YOU. Crazy right? In this whole journey of motherhood I have let all of those thoughts of what brings me joy outside of my family to the far left, wwaayyyy left.

One of the goals I wrote out for 2020 simply says, find the things that bring me joy in a way that I walk away a better version of myself. And I know that I have also said this many times before, but this blog is one of those things. Writing, sharing and inspiring women to be the best versions of themselves has really been something that is important to me. And this blog is a space that I can do that but this year I plan on taking it to the level that I always imagined it. So be prepared for more here.

Now back to you, I want you to sit down and on blank sheet of paper start listing the things that you do that have nothing to do with your family and/or your job that get you excited and bring you the first date butterflies.

Do you enjoy planning parties, decorating for friends? Is it creating recipes, making bows or designing clothing? Is it arranging flowers or photography. Is it reading the new books? Or training for marathons? Do you want to open a store? Do you want to turn your hobby into a class for others, take your essential oil obsession into a bill paying side gig? Girl, whatever the heck it is, I want you to write it down. And I want you think of how good it would feel to have that other consistent thing in your life that brings you joy. **other meaning besides your sweet babies, hubby/family.

I am going to use myself as an example, I'd love to write more authentic from the heart pieces here on the blog, to hopefully help inspire other mamas and I'd love to bring more new readers to my blog that really connect with what I am sharing. Because to be completely transparent sometimes I feel like no one is there, so more true engagement to these posts from the heart, more women that I can inspire and help is really important for me to keep my momentum here.

Then I want you to write one thing that you can do every day this week to make that dream possible? (If you are stuck here email me, I want to help you.) For me it's going to be that I am going to publish 3 or more new posts every week. With one post being from the Mama Diaries series where I am just sharing something completely from the heart with no real intentions other than to maybe connect with someone feeling or going through the same thing.

Please share your lists on your stories and tag me, because I want to hold each other accountable!!

xoxo

Natalie

Mama Diaries: Take The Time Out Mama

One of my biggest goals this year is to regularly take time for myself. And to do this without any guilt. This means everything from workouts, to making food for myself as healthy as I do for the girls and getting away every single month. This weekend I took 24 hours (the 2nd 24 hours away since Ami was born) to connect with one of my best friends, to plan out our own goals for the year, to inspire each other, to brunch, watch a movie uninterrupted in a comfy hotel bed and try some of the wellness services I have been wanting to try. It was a little bit of time crammed with so much good that I walked away with a full tank.

Grateful for my husband who went with my request, held down the crazy town fort and for my GF Deej who went to literally sit in a puddle of sweat with me in an infrared sauna and then froze in cryotherapy, and beyond thankful for this journey of motherhood that looks different for everyone.

Just remember that it doesn't matter if you're the "old you", a new version of you or a whole complete different person after becoming a mother. It's actually normal for the evolvement as we age but especially when we have had such big life changes.

What does really matter is that you go with your gut on what truly makes you happy. I had this really strong feeling of failure after having Zoe and deciding to stay at home. Failure because I was so different than the woman I was before having her. Different than the woman I always imagined myself, even different than the mother than I had imagined. But this year, after a lot of self work, after a lot of searching and diving deep into my thoughts/heart, I have realized that this new me that is a mama/chef/housekeeper, and entertainment for tiny humans is pretty great.

I AM more than just a mama but I also know that my biggest and most important role is, mama. And since I am being brutally honest it's the version of me I really love, respect and admire.

So here is to a new year, a new decade!!! Full with more joy, self discovery, fun and finding more things to keep my tank full. And a wish for you to do the same.

xoxo