We talk about training our pets. We talk about training our kids. And some of us talk about training as in exercising or preparing for a competition. The reality is, we are in training every day.

Every decision we make is training our brain. We are creating habits, reinforcing habits, or working to break habits with every choice. This isn't a bad thing, at least most of the time. The more automated our routine stuff can be the easier it is to focus on the things that truly need our attention. 

Yet sometimes we fall into habits that don't support our true desires and goals. We get out of the habit of working out or getting enough sleep or whatever it may be. Perhaps that habit is reacting to the kids instead of responding. Perhaps it is getting in a routine that puts you in a rush to get to work. We all have some habits we created that we want to shift. 

The thing is, changing a habit takes commitment and conscious attention. Thirty days is a good start but it isn't going to become a new HABIT until at least sixty days of continuous follow through. In fact, depending on how long we have held the current habit, it could take longer even. 

I don't say this to be discouraging. I say this because today is National Train Your Brain Day and the whole thing about old dogs and new tricks, it's a bunch of bologna. Anyone can be taught if your are using the method that speaks to them. And any habit can be redirected and recreated into something healthier when needed. But we have to be committed and knowing the process can help remind us to stick it out for success. 

I'm in training. Each day I do my best to make conscious choices. Some days that is more apparent than others and more successful than other days. 

I'm grateful to realize the power of my choices. I'm grateful to recognize the days when I need to give myself grace and back off and the days I can push for making positive changes. I'm grateful to know change doesn't happen overnight so that I can mentally commit to the long run. I'm grateful for all the changes I have seen succeed. I'm grateful for the ones that I still struggle with that keep me humble. I'm grateful to practice gratitude and keep training my brain to see the positive. 

What changes do you want to see? How many consecutive days have you committed to this change? How are you gaging your progress?

May today remind us to give ourselves grace for the missteps and celebrate the progress. May we always be committed to being in training and growing. Have a beautiful day!

I love when a mixture of personalities and their coinciding requests can come together to please everyone. I do my best to make sure we get some energy-boosting activities before lunch as a way to get the blood flowing, work up an appetite, and wear the girls down for their afternoon rest time.

Personally my two favorite ways to do this are by taking a walk or by having a dance party. The first one is not great at this stage because my littlest one doesn't get far and ends up in the stroller or being carried which means no real exercise for her. My preschooler would rather explore everything than just walk, because let's face it the world is pretty awesome to explore at that age so why pass it by. 

We end up having a lot of dance parties. We mix it up with different kid tunes. Dancing the Penguin Polka or Playing Possum are big hits right now. We like All the Little Fish and Shake Your Sillies Out. There are always the classics too.

Today I had the little one standing at the window yelling her favorite mantra, "out! out!" while the older one begged for some tv time with a Daniel Tiger video we picked up at the library. I was in need of some movement but we didn't have a lot of time before lunch. So we compromised. 

Out on the deck we turned on some YouTube videos. We did Head Shoulders Knees and Toes in English and then in Spanish. I will definitely have to go back and actually learn the words a bit better for the Spanish version but it was fun. We did some Hokey Pokey and Shake Your Sillies Out. We had a good time dancing with the videos and the little one even joined in between attempts at eating things off the deck. 

I'm grateful for some outside time. I'm grateful to mix it up. I'm grateful my girls like music as much as I do. I'm grateful to compromise and meet all our needs at one time. I'm grateful for YouTube which has come in handy several times in this homeschool process, especially with sign language and Spanish. I'm grateful my youngest daughter loves nature as much as I do. I'm grateful my oldest has been so cooperative for the most part on schooling directions from me. I'm grateful for some fun and to be silly. I'm grateful for a nice big deck that allows plenty of space for playing.

How do you like to get active? What are some creative ways you have come up with for compromising but still getting exercise? 

May today remind us that there is a link between physical and emotional health. May we find fun ways to stay active and people to share the experience with too. Have a beautiful day!

Often times I tell myself "this is just a test" as a way of saying it will pass. The thing with using that phrasing is back in school when tests were a common thing I had pretty bad test anxiety. I couldn't sleep the night before, the whole bit. So why I choose this phrase when trying to comfort myself I am not sure. The irony of it occurred to me last night.

Sometimes I use the phrase "challenge" to describe something difficult or even just outside my comfort level. It has become a pretty common term in my language the last six months. So how do I change the script, the mentality, the energy?

It's an adventure! This is another phrase I use a lot, but not all "challenges" are adventures. And for me, calling it a struggle feels heavier than a challenge. So what if I just change my response?

Instead of facing the challenge or pushing through, how can I add humor? Who accepts challenges well? How about a show I haven't seen in a long time? How about the always-up-for-a-challenge, Barney Stinson. I will admit that most of his challenges were nothing like the ones that are going on in my life...as most of them had to do with picking up women. But it makes me laugh all the same. Challenge accepted!

Holding this new framework in my mind, each time something seemed hard today I pictured Barney and I told myself "challenge accepted!" It gave me a private giggle which also improved the outlook of whatever the challenge.

Two children melting down and screaming at me, one in hunger and one in protest of getting dressed, can I find my inner zen? Challenge accepted. Washing dishes while holding a baby and letting my preschooler operate the sink sprayer...challenge accepted. Add an extra new element into our school work that I had not planned or prepped for because my daughter requested it from her memory of last year... I have paper, I can do this. Challenge accepted! Hop like a bunny, scoot like and inchworm, and do an entire cd of animal dance party moves? Challenge accepted!

I'm grateful to add some humor into the days that offer challenges. I'm grateful to have had a lot of fun meeting the challenges. I'm grateful for my daughter's ability to hang with me through a longer than usual school day. I'm grateful for some dance party, animal acting, crazy time. I'm grateful to let go and be silly. I'm grateful to be reminded how freeing it is to just be goofy. I'm grateful to be finding a balance. I'm grateful to redefine or at least find a new response. I'm grateful for a good day!

How do you respond when things are a little bumpy? What is your answer to challenges? How do you frame these things in your mind? I would honestly love to hear your ideas!

May today be a day where we approach challenges with confidence. May we find it exciting instead of stressful and may we bound passed whatever tries to get in the way. Have a beautiful day!

Teachers give their students their all, working extra hours and spending their own money just to make a lesson extra fun or help it be understood. They are truly the saints of the living world and do so much to help make the next generation decent and intelligent.

As I find myself stepping into the role of homeschooling teacher/ mom there is a mixture of excitement and nerves. I stayed up late last night creating a four foot long cardboard school bus to help make my daughter's first day of (the second year) of preschool special. 

I know she is missing her friends. I know she misses getting to be out of the house, socializing and playing with someone else's toys. But I also know that she loves "playing" school with me and is happy to not have her separation anxiety tested this year. 

I did my best to plan this first week with special things like the school bus to get us off to a good start. Overall it was a great first day! We practiced writing her name, talking about some of her favorite things, learned a couple new ASL signs and "played" circle time which is her favorite. Honestly, I think I had as much fun as she did which made me all the more committed and excited to make sure this is a fun, positive experience for us as we both grow and learn this year.

I'm grateful for this opportunity to step into the role of homeschooling my preschooler. I'm grateful for her eagerness to learn. I'm grateful for her playfulness that keeps me from getting too caught on the details. I'm grateful to have taken the time and energy to make her a bus. I'm grateful for her excitement to "ride" it to "school" a room away. I'm grateful to have the focused time together. I'm grateful for all the ways we will both grow and learn this year. I'm grateful to be more excited after our first day.

What does this season have rolling in for you? How is life going for you in these times of change?

May we remember to look for the blessings that are happening in the current environment. May we find strength and excitement in the challenges we take on. And may we give so many thanks to the amazing teachers out there who are going to work and giving it their all even in these crazy times. Have a beautiful day!

I have really been making a push to keep up with my self-care lately. It is often the first thing to fall off the schedule if there is too much to do, but not this time. Even with the long list of stuff to get done this week I have made sure I am getting the care I need, aside from some missed hours of sleep courtesy of my girls. 

Yet today I find myself still feeling lacking. My cup is not overflowing. I am in need of a vacation, a change of scenery, some fresh air, even just a small break. 

While the pandemic numbers are rising and kids need taken care of, there is not the ability to just hop on a plane and take off for the beach. But I can take a few days off work. I can take a few days off my blog and bring my gratitude daily practice back to my notebook, taking it a little deeper and a little more brutally honest. I can give myself elements of a vacation, even if I am right here. 

Today is not the day for it as I still have lots of prep for my daughter's birthday party and schooling. But I am mentally preparing that next week is my vacation. It is also my oldest daughter's 4th birthday and I'm sure she will be more than happy to have some hammock time out on the deck with me. 

Sometimes we just need to change things up. There has been plenty of change lately but I am in need of having some form of change that I feel some control in, not just in response to a bigger change. I am ready for some time that is soothing to the soul.

I'm grateful to be making self-care a priority. I'm grateful to sit and honestly look at why that isn't filling my cup right now. I'm grateful to see the need and honor it. I'm grateful for this blog and to be able to put something positive out into the world. I'm grateful to honor myself and take next week off and tune back in to gratitude on a private, deeper level. I'm grateful for my family. I'm grateful to celebrate four years with my daughter and four years of being a mom. I'm grateful for my beautiful rainbow girl, even on her spicy days. I'm grateful for two girls who fill my heart more than they know. I'm grateful to take a vacation and get back to the basics.

What are you needing today? When was the last time you took a day off?

May we listen to our needs and do what we can to meet them. May we live in a place of cups overflowing and abundant love. Have a beautiful day!

Tonight I find myself in need of a mental redirect. I am facing a week ahead of lots of to do lists, yes multiple lists of multiple categories of what needs done, and it is easy for me to think that the list items outnumber the hours in the days. 

I recently listened to a podcast about stress and how we react makes all the difference. Some people meet stress with anxiety and compounded stress so that it feels heavy and crippling. Other people find stress as a challenge to conquer and meet it head first with a gusto. 

If I am being honest, most kinds of stress I tend to react in the first way mentioned rather than responding to the challenge. After listening to the podcast I was reminded I have the choice in how I choose to respond...but this is the first real test to that. Time to put it to practice.

I can do this. I can manage my time well and have a very productive week. This is my chance to really dig in and see what all I can do when I use my time intentionally. I also get to use this opportunity to decide which things on the to do lists are important as I cross of the most important things first. And in finding this balance I also get to make sure my priorities are still intact with my family coming first. 

Thankfully I have a lot of help this week as well! My work schedule is light. I have an amazing husband ready to help. My girls have been doing a great job playing together which allows me a few extra minutes here and there to get things done. I have one evening of help from my parents already planned. I have my mother-in-law coming to help too. As a team, we've definitely got this.

I'm grateful to use this blog as a good mental redirect. I'm grateful for the podcast I heard that reminded me of my power to choose how I respond. I'm grateful to put this to practice tonight and all week. I'm grateful for my awesome team and all the help I know I have if/when needed. I'm grateful for the fun week ahead and everything great that will come from all this effort. I'm grateful to trust and remind myself that I've got this.

Which type of response do you tend to have to stress? How do you direct your thoughts to a powerful response instead of reaction? 

May we always seek to claim our personal power and positive perspective. May we meet stress with a gusto and meet the challenge. May we give ourselves grace if it doesn't quite go as planned. Have a beautiful day, you've got this!

Sometimes when an activity is getting ready to end and I know my girls will have a hard time walking away, I sing a little countdown diddy. "Five, four, three, two, one...the water bucket is all done. We'll come back again to play on another beautiful day." The words change a little depending on what we are ending but the countdown and "all done" is the important part. 

Other activities are not fun but sometimes as adults we get stuck in a rut, continuing them even though it isn't fun. Last week I was in a bit of a pity party. I was struggling with some depression and worries. 

The funny thing is, I was reading my older daughter a book about worries and it was saying the best thing to do is talk about it. So I reached out to a few different people to talk about it and got mixed results. The first couple people I talked to I wasn't clear what I was asking for or needing and so what came back to me was unhelpful, through no fault of their own. Finally I managed to express it clearly and the answer surprised me. It hadn't been what I was expecting and yet it was exactly what I needed to hear. 

It showed me, in a kind and gentle way that this beautiful friend has, that I was actually in the midst of a pity party. She helped me see the other side of things and my perspective naturally changed. I'm not saying that stress magically melted away; but it sure did help to get a clearer view. 

This morning I woke with the ditty I sing to my girls in my head. This time I turned it around for myself. "Five, four, three, two, one...this pity party is all done. This is a game I don't want to play, let's go have a beautiful day!" 

I'm grateful to feel my feelings as they came up. I'm grateful to recognize the stress and try to voice what was behind it. I'm grateful for the first participants who were great sounding boards as I tried to put words to my feelings. I'm grateful for the final friend that helped me gain a new perspective. I'm grateful for her kind, gentle words that were still so powerful. I'm grateful for the wonderful blessings in my life. I'm grateful to know that I have a great support network when I get in these funks. I'm grateful to get back to a positive state of mind.

What could be counted down in your life? What are you wanting to end or shift? What are you wanting to begin?

May we remember that endings can be beautiful. May we open our arms to the wonderful blessings that can come from closing a door. Have a beautiful day!

There was a plan for today. There was a plan on what we were going to do and where we were going to be. It was going to be a little hectic but very fun. 

Then last night we didn't get much sleep, which happens from time to time in this season of parenthood. I woke up still prepared to carry out the plan. Then it started raining. I thought we could work around it and still do our outing. Then came the meltdowns. 

When my older daughter had her third meltdown before we had even finished breakfast it became clear that it wasn't just the baby and I that hadn't gotten enough sleep. I tuned in and could see my preschooler was needing my attention, not an outing where my attention was divided among several people and situations. 

I am not the best at rolling with it. I am not always the best at handling the disappointment of changing our plans from something fun outside to staying home. But I am good at being aware that I am modeling for my girls. I am good at recognizing my own exhaustion and the strain our plans would put on all of us as they lay at odds with my own and my girls' needs. Time to tuck and roll. Bring those sweet babies in and snuggle up at home for a different kind of good day.

I'm grateful to recognize my need to get some rest. I'm grateful for a few minutes to do a quick meditation. I'm grateful to have had lunch pre-made for an outing. I'm grateful to recognize my weaknesses and strengths and draw on my strengths to choose the best option. I'm grateful to listen to our collective needs. I'm grateful to cancel our outing and get some extra cuddles. I'm grateful to get some extra one on one time with my preschooler. I'm grateful to create a great day by being able to roll with it.

What helps you roll with change? What beauty and reward do you notice when you are in the flow?

May we remember plans are just suggestions and there is always a plan b. May we listen to our needs and allow changes to create something beautiful. Have a beautiful day!

Last night's insights were great but those "aha" moments only go so far if I don't take action. So I asked myself what steps I need to take first and foremost to get myself back on track, back in a parasympathetic state. 

I got a little more sleep last night, though that will still need some catching up for a while. When I woke this morning, fifteen minutes before my husband's alarm, rather than lay there restlessly I got up. I went into the hall with my headphones and listened to a meditation. When my mind is monkeying around, it helps to have someone else's voice to follow to get me back into the rhythm. 

After that I did some minimal yoga stretches as I could hear everyone beginning to get up and around. Then I told my preschooler the exciting news; we were going on a hike. We packed out camelbaks with lunch, water, and the usual necessities like a magnifying glass. Once the baby was up from her morning nap we headed out. We just did a half mile loop trail and I took the wagon instead of the baby carrier but it went well.

We had fun exploring along the trail and enjoyed our picnic lunch. It was a great time and for the first time in a long time I wasn't checking my watch to make sure we were on schedule. I just enjoyed being out. Even with the intense heat of the day, we still had a great time!

I'm so grateful to get out in nature. I'm grateful my girls love being outside. I'm grateful to have so many trails near us. I'm grateful to suggest to my husband we make more time to hike and be out in nature as a family, and have him agree. I'm grateful for the insights of yesterday and even more grateful to put them into practice today. I'm grateful to take steps to make myself accountable so I can work to make this into a habit and routine. 

What helps you stay accountable? What helps renew your spirit and calm your mind?

May today spur us into actions that get us a step closer to our goals. May we walk the path in joy and seek gratitude along the way. Have a beautiful day!

Like most people I am "over" being home. I go to work and come right home. I pick up ordered groceries from my car without the luxury of getting to choose my own items and then I return home.

I enjoy being home. I enjoy spending the quality time with my girls. But we could all use a change of scenery more than just the section of sidewalk we walk and our home. We miss swimming lessons and going to the pool. We miss playdates with all our friends. We miss going to the zoo and playgrounds. 

Part of me wants to just say "let's just go!" I want to get back to living. The other part of me knows that there have to be precautions and steps taken to ensure the safety of us as well as the grandparents. It can't be a decision made from mental exhaustion and isolation. It has to be made strategically and with one step at a time.

Once again I am reminded of a study I read years ago where people were asked to plan trips. Just planning the trip increased their happiness level. So that is a great place to start. I will start planning outings and see which ones I feel most excited about. That will help me know which one would be best to research further and make a real plan to try. Even so, I recognize it may be a couple more months before some of these things are options for my family. But at least we can plan and dream!

I'm grateful to start planning. I'm grateful for the excitement of the idea of getting out and doing something normal. I'm grateful we have been able to spend time with grandparents as we stay home and remain relatively low risk. I'm grateful for all the time I have gotten with my girls to focus on them and just play. I'm grateful to see how nice it is to not have errands to cram into each week. I'm grateful to start exploring options to balance while still keeping safety as a priority. I'm grateful for the wide range of beliefs my friends hold that allow me to get other perspectives. I'm grateful to trust my decisions.

What steps are you taking to balance home, safety, and normalcy? Where would you go if you could go anywhere, covid-free and no price limit?

May we find balance that works for each of us. May we stay safe and still get the mental support and balance we need. Have a beautiful day!