Trying to Mend My Night Routine

I’ve got the perfect morning routine almost down pat, but my nighttime routine still has some work to do. 

There are elements of my nights that I love, but there are also things that I know need to be added or nixed. 

So, let’s start with what I’ve got going for me: 

+ skincare — when I was younger and first started having to take care of my skin I was awful at it. In college, there were countless nights when I would go to bed without washing my face, even when I had a full face of makeup on. I cringe thinking about it now. But now I’ve gotten to the point of adulthood where I wash my face before going to be. And there’s nothing better than a freshly washed and moisturized face. 

+ sleepy time tea — I took a break from caffeine and instead drank a lot of herbal tea. One of my favorites was sleepy time tea and while I don’t have it every night it is nice to have a mug of something hot to sip on when you get into bed. 

+ about twice a week I read before bed — in my ideal world I would read every night before bed, but I’m not there yet. But I always love the times that I do. 

+ gratitude — sounds cheesy but Michael and I share what we’re grateful for that day, and it sends you to bed feeling really warm and fuzzy inside. 

Things that I like but probably aren’t the best for winding down:

+ Michael and I love watching an episode (or a few) on Netflix at the end of the day. Right now we’re on the last season on The Office as well as the new season of The Crown. I know it’s not good to stare at a laptop before going to bed, but it’s this fun little thing we both enjoy to wind down from the day 

What I need to stop:

+ staying off social media — I’ve gotten a lot better over the years but I used to have to scroll through Instagram until I got through all the new posts. Ridiculous I know. But overall I’d like to cut down on technology before bed. 

What I would like to add:

+ mediation — I go through phases of meditating regularly, but I would love to start consistently doing it at night. And not leave it to the last thing or I will definitely fall asleep during.

+ journaling — while I’m all about morning pages, I would love to add regular journaling at night as a way to reflect on and document my day. I love looking back on old journals, and I think night time would be a great spot to start doing it consistently. 

+ pajamas — ok, last and probably weirdest, but in the past year or two I’ve really wanted to get a dedicated pair of pj’s that I only wear to bed instead of stuff I also work out in. Something about getting into the mindset of sleep is what keeps pulling me towards getting a pair of pajamas.

What are your favorite parts of your night time routine, and what would you change? 

How Charting Can Help You Know You're Pregnant

I absolutely love that FAM can be used for a number of things including natural birth control, learning more about your body, and to get pregnant. Today, I thought it would be interesting for me to share a few of the ways in someone who charts may know they’re pregnant sooner than someone who doesn’t. 

The first obvious one for me is that if you chart then you know the average length of your cycle and you know the different lengths it’s fluctuated between.

Now, there are plenty of women who don’t chart that probably know around when to expect their next period, but there are also a countless number who couldn’t answer the questions of how long an average cycle was or when their last period was (that was 100%  me before I started charting). 

And knowing when you should be starting a new cycle can let you know when to test for a possible pregnancy. And since you’re charting waking temperatures you can see the drop in temperature at the start of a new cycle. 

Moving on, you know when you ovulate, and whether you ovulated that cycle. Because obviously if you’re not ovulating you’re not going to get pregnant. You also know if you ovulated earlier or later than normal. 

Going along with that you know how long your luteal phase is (average is 14 days, but anywhere between 10 and 16 days is normal). Once you get past, or even close to that 16 day of your LP you know you can test. The luteal phase is rarely longer than 16 days unless the woman is pregnant. 

Because you’re charting your cervical fluid you know if you had sex on a fertile day that could result in a possible pregnancy. 

And finally, you know what’s normal for you, symptom wise leading up to your menstrual phase. And while a lot of pre-menstrual symptoms are quite similar to pregnancy symptoms, women who chart can have a better knowledge of what is normal because they can chart data beyond temperature and fluid. 

Now, I’ve never been pregnant so I can’t say any of this with experience, but these are the ways in which I could see charting coming in handy when it comes to knowing what’s normal for you and when to test. And it makes me curious for when the time does come for me (hopefully) how soon will I be able to tell?

And this doesn't even include all of the amazing ways charting can help you conceive a baby (or avoid it). 

If you’ve been pregnant, at what point did you know? Did you chart/practice FAM and did that play a role in you finding out sooner? 

Creating a Morning Routine to Cut Down on Decision Fatigue

Limiting your decisions can help you avoid decision fatigue. While you’re usually aware of when you’re physically exhausted, many of us can’t tell when we’re worn out from making decision after decision all day long. 

Seriously, think of everything you have to decide on throughout a typical day. What to wear, what to eat, how to style your hair, what shoes go with what you’re wearing, how much you should layer up before heading outside, what to pack for lunch. And these are just a few of the things you need to figure out before work when an endless stream of decisions have to be made, all day long. 

Sounds exhausting doesn’t it. 

Well, turns out, limiting the number of decisions you make each day is beneficial overall. 

So, today I wanted to touch on why I have a morning routine that’s pretty much the same thing each day. It’s what works for me, gets me ready for the day and helps save my brain power for the more important things that need to be decided on later in the day. 

For the most part, I get up at the same time every day. I let myself sleep in a little more on my period, but having my alarm set at 6 a.m. every day allows me to start my day with the important task of taking my basal body temperature.

After that, I usually go to the bathroom and then go back to make my bed. I used to never make my bed when I was younger, but now it’s one of the first steps in my morning tidying routine that mentally sets me up for the day.

Then I head out into the kitchen to finish cleaning up from the day before. I also get the kettle going for tea and oatmeal. While that’s going I head to the bathroom to brush my teeth and do my skincare. 

From there I head into the back bedroom where my closet and desk are. I pick out what I’m going to wear. Lately, it's one of two pairs of jeans, and one of three sweaters. 

Thanks to having a capsule wardrobe what I have to choose from is pretty small and makes getting dressed effortless. Never do I feel like I have “nothing to wear” anymore. Nor do I spend more than 30 seconds picking out what to wear. 

If you’re not into the whole “uniform” thing and have more to choose from, try picking out your outfit the night before so you can just throw it on in the morning and get going. 

When I lived with my parents after graduation and went to two jobs each day I would pack my lunch the night before. I would love to get into the habit of meal prepping but I haven’t made it to that point yet. But how nice would it be to just do it all one day and then each day you just had to pull a meal out of the fridge and go? 

From there I sit down at my desk with my planner and write down the four or five most important things I need to do that day. (This can also be done the night before, but I like doing it first thing). And from there I just start in on the first task without worrying too much about it. 

Everyone is different but simplifying my routine in the morning and just knowing what I’m going to do makes it much easier to get into the mindset of work, and then have the energy to be able to make big decisions while working instead of blowing that on menial tasks that don’t really matter. 

How do you cut down on the number of decisions you make in the morning? 

Inspiration for Gift Giving

I know Christmas is over and we’ve got a long time until it’s time to celebrate again, but I wanted to share some of my favorite presents that I gave and got this year for inspiration. Because there’s going to be plenty of times throughout this year that you want to get someone a gift. 

Presents I Gave

+ bath bombs — if they like baths, they’ll love bath bombs.

+ incense — nag champa incense is my favorite, and anyone that likes smelly goodness will love incense.

+ a journal — I kept a journal starting last Christmas and wrote an entry every day of what we did, and then gave it to Michael this year. It was a big hit. 

+ power bank — for that person whose phone battery is always almost dead. I got this Anker one for Michael. 

+ inflatable lounge — much more of a warm weather gift, but Michael is all about being comfy, and he likes to go out and sit in a hammock in the summer so I thought this would be good to have in the car for when he can’t find trees close enough.

+ string map — a lot of fun to make, and pretty simple too. Just need a board, nails, and some embroidery string. I made a map of Iowa for a friend, but you could make letters or silhouettes. So many options. 

+ packing cubes — for anyone who travels and appreciates organization. I like these. 

+ chocolate — you can’t go wrong here. 

+ gift card — let them choose their gift at their favorite store.

+ suspend game — I was looking for a white elephant gift that would be good for any age. And I found this one, which is kind of like Jenga. 

+ s’more kit — my dad is the s’more king and he likes anything chocolate. But you could do a hot chocolate kit or any number of food kits. 

+ hygge kits — or at least that’s what I called them. I gave one to two friends as well as my mom and sister. They had face masks, warm sock slippers, chocolate, a candle and incense. 

+ regifted things — you might think this is tacky, but I think it’s genius. If you have something cool that just isn’t your style or you don’t use it, give it to someone that will. 

Presents I Got

+ hanging planter — Yes, a friend made me an awesome hanging planter that’s hanging above my desk now. I love it. It looks kind of like this one. 

+ vegan “meats” — Our friend got Michael and I a selection of vegan meat from this shop we visited in Minneapolis.  

+ knitted socks, hat, cardigan — my mom is a knitting goddess and each year I get some amazing knitted goodies. So, if you can knit or crochet make something!

+ wine — you can’t go wrong with wine.

+ converted home movies — my younger brother sent in all our old home videos to this company that converted them into mp4’s that we now all have access to for the rest of time. One of my favorite gifts. 

What are some of your favorite gifts that you gave or received? 

My 2018 Goals

I know, I just bashed on New Years Resolutions last week, but it’s not setting goals that I have a problem with. It’s thinking that you can only do it for New Years and if you slip up once then you should just quit until next year. 

I first made “resolutions” two years ago. Last year I set separate goals for my personal and professional life, and this year I’m going to do the same.

So, without further ado, here are my 2018 goals!

PROFESSIONAL

+ create two new courses — I already know what I want them to be, and have started working on one, but the goal is to complete them and get them online for people to have.

+ create a workshop — I already have the concept of what I want it to be, it’s just a matter of putting my head down to finish creating it. And then (deep breathe) hold the workshop.

+ talk in front of an audience — Is anyone else shy? I’m really good behind a camera and a computer because I can think through and edit what I want to say. But when you’re in front of a crowd there’s no going back. 

+ expand my second channel — I started a second channel in 2017 (that was actually one of my goals), but this year I’m very excited to see it expand from just a vlog channel.

+ release new merch collection — You guys loved my FemmeHead shirts and totes, so I’m going to release more! I want to create a few new designs as well as offer more of the original design. 

+ 100,000 YouTube subscribers — Yup, the big One, Zero, Zero. I’m roughly around 37,000ish away from it. And I think I can do it! (But it’s never about the number of subscribers for me. It’s about who I’m actually able to help. It’s just been a fun little goal to set myself since I started on YouTube).

PERSONAL

+ learn to play a song on the uke — I bought a ukulele over a year ago, and while I’ve gone through phases of practicing I’ve never learned an entire song. 

+ participate in a race — I think this might become a yearly goal for me. I had the same goal last year and I ended up doing my first 5k, triathlon and marathon. Boom!

+ take myself on solo dates — There are places around town (the botanical garden comes to mind) where I’ve always wanted to go but haven’t because I didn’t have someone to go with. So now, I want to take myself on at least one solo date a month. 

+ keep all of my receipts — Yup, boring, but for accounting and tax purposes it would make it a lot easier if I had my paper receipts. (Thankfully a lot of my buying is done online). 

+ pay off my student loans — When I first graduated I made the goal of two years. And I was on track, but then I met a boy and had to rebalance my finances. Well, I’ve kept paying off more than what I owe and I’m down to just above $5,000. Can I pay that off this year? 

+ hang out with a family member and a friend once a week —spending time with those I love has taken more of a priority over this past year, and I’ve done such a great job I want to keep at it!

+ produce less waste/buy less plastic — When I first discovered the zero waste and minimalist lifestyles I did a great job of reducing the amount of waste I created. Well, so many freaking things come in plastic, and I want to make it a goal this year to cut down on plastic overall. 

What are some of your goals that you're most excited for this year? 

Don't Wait Until New Years to Change Your Habits

I am all for setting goals for the new year. But I think there are a lot of people that put so much weight into their “resolutions”, make them almost impossible to reach, and once they slip up, they think whelp I’ve failed, better go back to what I was doing before and wait until next year. 

I’m specifically thinking of people’s weight loss goals. There’s nothing wrong with setting this sort of resolution. But I think instead of saying I want to lose 20 pounds, you should make your goals other things that will get you there. Things like “This year I want to run a half marathon,” “This year I want to cut out processed foods 5 days a week,” “This year I want to pack my own lunches for work.” 

And going along with this, there is no reason you have to wait until January 1st to make the change. I am constantly setting resolutions for myself all year long. 

I’ve seen studies that say 8% of people keep their New Years Resolutions. Only 8%!

While I set my goals for the new year, I use those almost as intentions. I check in with them almost every month or two, but I set different goals for each month. 

I want people to approach goal setting, and New Years Resolutions differently. So many are setting themselves up for failure, and there’s no fun in that. 

It’s time to start approaching each month as a chance to make a change, each week and every day as a chance to make a positive change in our lives. 

The next part of the equation is the failure. It’s going to happen. It’s a real drag to try and be perfect. No one is. You’re going to fail and that’s just part of the process. But the trick is once you fail to think “Right, no big deal. My fresh start begins now.” 

There’s this place we go for Taco Tuesday, and a while ago the girl ringing us up started asking about being vegan (I asked for no cheese and she asked). She then went on to talk about how she tried to go vegan the previous summer, made it four days and then had some honey glazed almonds, and because she thought she had “failed” threw the whole goal out the window and went back to eating meat. 

You guys, we’ve got to cut ourselves some more slack than that! 

“Oh shoot, those had honey on them. I’ll remember that for next time, but I’m going to continue my journey into veganism.” 

I want to try incorporating running, yoga and weight lifting this winter. Ideally, I would like to get into the habit of doing something each day. But when I miss a day do I just give up completely? No way! 

Setting big goals are great, but grant yourself some wiggle room. 

What are some exciting goals you've set for yourself this year?

Taking a Break From Caffeine

I decided at the end of November to take a break from caffeine. I settled on a month, who knows, it sounded like a good period of time. 

After I graduated from college I took a year-long break from caffeine as a sort of detox from the copious amounts I consumed in order to keep up with everything. 

But this time around I decided on the month of December 2017.

I wanted to take a break for a few different reasons. 

I was having trouble sleeping through the night, felt really tired in the morning, hit a wall around 2 p.m. and stuff like that.

Lucky for me I decided to go off caffeine at the same time I was sick with a gnarly cold. So, whatever withdrawal symptoms I might have had, like a headache, were all masked by being sicker than a dog to start with. 

I know everyone can't align quitting caffeine with being sick. But it just so happened to work for me. 

I knew what I would miss about it wasn’t the actual caffeine but the morning ritual of making a mug of something warm and taking that back to my office to sip on while I started my morning. 

So, I decided to pick up a few herbal teas. While green and black tea have just as much caffeine as coffee, herbal tea is naturally caffeine free. Woo-hoo!

I first bought a tulsi ginger tea and a sleepy time tea. My mom always has a box of sleepy time tea at her house and I have always liked it for when you need a little something to lull you to sleep.

The sleepy time has chamomile, spearmint and lemongrass. And I love ginger anything.

A few days later I also picked up a tension tamer tea from the same brand as the sleepytime tea. It has eleuthero, peppermint, ginger and lemongrass. 

And my most recent addition is raspberry leaf tea. It doesn’t taste like raspberry (obviously, but worth mentioning because I’m not a fruity tea gal). But it’s supposed to tone your uterus, sooth cramps, and is an overall menstrual supporter. 

I’m a bit surprised it was so easy for me to go a whole month with no caffeine. I’ve taken a few days off from caffeine here or there in the past but always found myself reaching for coffee really quickly. 

I think the trick here was replacing coffee with herbal tea. That way I can get the same sensation without needing the coffee. 

And I think once I can find some vegan hot cocoa mix that will just be an added bonus for something delicious and warm to reach for. 

Who here drinks caffeine? What’s your drink of choice? And who here has given up caffeine before?

[It's January now, and I haven't had that first cup of coffee yet, I'm waiting for the perfect one to come along.]

Discovering Lagom + How It Fits Into My Life

I first discovered hygge and it wasn’t long after that I stumbled upon lagom.

While there is no direct translation from Swedish, I liked the definition “not too little, not too much, just right.” 

I saw someone refer to it as the “Goldilocks" amount. And another said lagom is closer to “optimal”. Overall, it is a lifestyle of balance, sustainability, and frugality. 

For a minimalist like myself, lagom speaks to me. I think a lot of people think minimalism is about owning nothing, living in a destitute house of white walls, a mattress on the floor and one plate and fork. And it couldn’t be further from that. 

While yes there are those that enjoy minimalism in its extreme the vast majority of us look at it as a way to go about life. A conscious choice to be selective about what we let into our lives. Whether that’s physical things, people, experiences. It’s all about refining it down to just what brings you happiness. 

Why bother with the rest everything if it’s just going to clutter up your space and your mind? 

Unlike hygge, lagom isn’t a moment or an experience, it’s much more of an overarching concept to live by. 

When you get down to it, lagom is about striving for a balanced life that can lead you to live in your most natural state. 

Funny enough most Swedes will go “meh” at the mention of lagom because for them its something that means average and boring to them. But the rest of the world is jumping on the lagom train.  

I’m all for taking these concepts like hygge and lagom and finding the aspects of them that speak to me and infusing that into my life to make it all that much better. 

So, here’s the bits of it that speak to me:

Balanced Eating — I’ve never been too strict with what I eat. And the great thing about being vegan is I can eat as much as I want on a whole foods plant-based diet. But there will always be a place in my heart (and my stomach) for sweet things. If I’m focused on getting enough nutrition through fruits, veggies, nuts seeds, grains, etc. then I can have my cake and eat it too! 

Wasting Less — I’ve made some big changes over the past two years when it comes to this. And for the most part, they’re  simple switches. Getting reusable shopping bags, coffee cups, not overbuying on food. I don’t leave the lights on when they’re not needed, or the water running while I brush my teeth. I walk or ride my bike when possible (and it helps not having my own car). I recycle, I reuse, and the amount of trash I produce has dropped drastically. I’m still far from zero waste but I’d love to get there one day. 

Getting Rid of the Excess — Decluttering is one of the most beautiful things I do for myself. It is addicting first off because you have this amazing feeling of lightness and freedom after going through your belongings. And there’s nothing better than having just what you need, and when all of those belongings have a home. Decisions are easier, cleaning is easier. It’s a win, win!

Being a Conscious Consumer — If I want to buy something new it first gets put on my ‘want list’ and it sits there while I research the best option, cost, where I can get it from, whether I can get it second hand, etc. And often times I find that things will sit on my ‘want list’ and eventually I realize, meh I really don’t want/need that and it gets taken off the list. Decluttering was a great way to jump start how I viewed buying stuff. The same goes for starting a capsule wardrobe. 

Creating a Capsule Wardrobe — Speaking of that, it intimidated me at first but once I finally went for it and curated a capsule for each season my mornings have been so much simpler. Why have all of your clothes all together when you probably can’t even wear half of it? This doesn’t mean I’m stuck with only that capsule for the season. If I realize there’s something I need I’ll add it. And it’s a great way to actually see what you need, and what you don’t wear, and can pass along. 

Having a Mindful Work/Life Balance — This one can be tricky regardless of whether you work for someone or you work for yourself. Personally, work and non-work can blend together. Especially since I work from home. But a few things that have really helped is creating a little home office in the corner of our guest bedroom, knowing that “Right, I’m going to sit down to work from 8 -5 today.” I also find that getting ready for work (getting dressed, etc.) helps get me into the mindset. I also don’t jump straight into work in the morning or work up until bedtime either. I make sure I have time before and after my work day to do things for myself. Whether that’s journaling, yoga, meditation, hanging out with friends or family. You need to make time for yourself outside of work. 

Overall, I think there are so many elements of lagom that are already a part of my life. But I’m all for discovering new concepts and finding inspiration in them. And sharing them with you!

Are you into hygge or lagom, or is there another catchy term you are inspired by? 

Nourishing My Five Senses

I’ve been digging into how to create a positive mindset surrounding winter this year, and I have to say it’s going quite well. And one thing that came to mind as I was journaling one morning, surrounded by candles, incense, a hot drink, warm slippers and soft music was how I was attending to each of my senses in one way or another and how calm and wonderful I felt. 

So, I kind of set a goal of making it a priority each day to check in with myself periodically to see if I was taking care of each of my senses. And I have found that when I give focus to each one my days are just so much better. 

Today I wanted to take you through the different senses and different things I’ll do to nourish each. 

Sight | 

Let’s start at the top. Every morning I start with around 15-20 minutes of tidying. I find that when everything is in its place my mind is so much clearer. This includes keeping my desk clean throughout the day.

Another thing I like to do when I first sit down at my desk in the morning is light some candles and flick on the warm floor lamp to create a soft, calm glow instead of clicking on the harsh overhead light. I’ve been avoiding the harsh fluorescent lights first thing in the morning and last thing at night. 

And finally, I like to decorate my space with things that are going to make me happy. Pieces of “art”, photos, a felt letter board, and a growing yucca plant next to my desk. And since it’s that time of year I turn on my Christmas tree each morning and that always gives me a instant fuzzy feeling inside. 

Smell — Moving right along, think of some of your favorite smells, and the feeling they give you. There’s nothing like taking a nice deep inhale of fresh air when you’re outside. Or letting the smoke from an incense waft through your space. Walking into your house after you’ve baked cookies, freshly washed clothes, new babies, the list goes on. Anytime a smell stands out to me (in a good way) I make sure to breathe it in once more and be present with the good feelings floating around inside. In the morning my scent of choice is a nag champa incense.

Hearing — Even though I enjoy driving in silence when I’m alone, I love putting on some easy going background music first thing in the morning when I sit down, or some more upbeat music later in the day when I need a little pick me up. 

Podcasts are also growing on my list when it comes to walking places or for those times I don’t want to drive in silence. 

Taste — Mmm food. I’ve been doing a much better job the past month or so of eating breakfast. I have to make it a point to make sure I fix something for myself or it can slip into lunchtime before I notice I haven’t eaten. 

Another way to hit those taste buds is something to drink. This month that’s been a nice hot mug of herbal tea, it’s normally a cup of coffee, and sometimes in the summer, it’s a big smoothie in a mason jar. 

Not to mention stopping for snack breaks and yummy meals throughout the day while I work. And it’s pretty common for there to be a chocolate bar or something similar tucked into a desk drawer. 

Touch — And finally, possibly the most important part of being “cozy”. I opt for a simple, comfortable outfit. Jeans and a sweater. And when I’m home that always includes knitted socks made by my mom and my slippers Michael gave me for Christmas last year.

I made sure I got an office chair with a nice cushion for my bum and topped it with a soft pillow to lean back on. If I get extra chilly I will wrap myself in a blanket. Not to mention the space heater I have next to me while I work. Once I flip that on and shut the door my space becomes nice and toasty. 

If I find myself feeling out of sorts during the day I’ll step back to assess the situation. Often it’s a simple fix of adding something to nourish a sense I’ve been neglecting. And I know this can sound all a bit woo-woo, but I promise it’s been doing wonders for me. 

What are the ways in which you attend to your different senses throughout the day? 

My Winter Work Out Plan

This summer the majority of my “exercise” was running because I was training for a marathon. 

The next time I train for a marathon I will definitely “cross train” more instead of only focusing on running (while that is still obviously important). 

It’s been a month since my marathon, and while it’s good to give yourself a break afterward I don’t want to “lose” all my training and hard work. 

But I do want to switch it up a little. So I took a look at what I’ll have available to me over the winter, and what I’ll actually enjoy doing. 

And the three main activities I want to focus on are yoga, running and lifting.

Yoga — I dabbled in yoga in college, and consistently went every day for a six month period after graduation. But the circumstances that led me to have an affordable pass to that studio ended and I can’t afford to hand out that chunk of cash every month. Although hot yoga is delectable in the winter. My compromise has been hitting up a yoga class every now and then but then utilizing videos online for a little yoga session in my living room. I don’t have to trek to a studio and I save myself a lot of money.

Running — I’ve come to realize that it’s more work to get myself dressed and outside when it comes to running in the cold. If I bundle up appropriately it’s all fine and dandy. Your lungs burn a bit, but it’s manageable. And I’ve been running for months so why stop now just because it’s getting cold? Running is a great way to get outside and have some time to just freely think without needing to have some form of entertainment. 

Lifting — While I sometimes feel like a monkey lifting weights I do actually enjoy the challenge. Our apartment building has a decent little exercise room with a few machines and a full set of weights. And just like with living room yoga, I’m not forced to go outside to get to the gym so that’s a major perk. I want to focus on getting stronger overall but also focusing on my joints or whatever it may be so when it comes time to train again my knees, and such, are stronger. 

Ideally, I would like to do each activity two or three times a week. So, one sample week would be: 

Monday: Yoga

Tuesday: Run

Wednesday: Lift

Thursday: Run

Friday: Lift

Saturday: Run

Sunday: Yoga

I find that having a “plan” really helps to motivate me and be consistent with exercise. If I can look at something and say “Ok, today I’m going to go run 5 miles, or today I’m going to do these arm exercises in the gym” I find that actually getting there and doing it is much easier. 

I’m curious to hear if you have a particular work out plan as well as the winter, and if where you live has had an impact on what you plan on doing. 

Recovering From My Marathon

I’m about five weeks out from the marathon, and I would say that after three or four days I felt basically back to normal. 

My knees did seem to bug me for a week or two after.  I’ve been on a couple easy three mile runs, and my knees were definitely cranky that first run after. 

So, here’s a list of things I’ve been doing to “recover”:

+ Epsom salt baths and just hot baths in general are my go to “feel better” activity for every situation. Have a cold? Take a bath. On your period? Take a bath? 

+ Using my heat pad or a bag of ice on my knees and ankles. Towards the end of training, I got much better about icing my knees thankfully. But there was a lot of heat and cold applied to my knees, ankles and feet for the two weeks following my race. 

+ Stretching and rolling out. Boy oh boy can I get stiff, especially now that we’re into the colder months. But before running as well as after I’ve tried to do a better job at stretching and then rolling out my back, hips and legs. 

+ Yoga is the perfect exercise for all seasons, but especially in the winter. I’ve been working on doing exercise a few mornings a week, and I’ll definitely be incorporating it into my training plan next time around. 

+ Something I started doing a few days after my marathon was walking places. If I was going to a coffee shop, the library, or anything less than a 20 minute walk away I would skip the car and bike and walk there to work out some of the kinks and pains. And I’ve continued doing this as a little break in the day to get outside. 

+ I’m not always the greatest at this but the two days leading up to my marathon and ever since I’ve made it a point each day to make sure I’m staying hydrated. 

+ While I woke up the day after my race feeling like I’d been hit by a train I found that the week following my race I was a bit knackered. So, I made it a point to make sure I was getting enough, if not more than enough sleep afterwords. 

+ And the final little thing I’ve been doing to recover but also keep inspired is watching little documentaries on YouTube about running. And I’ve found watching videos on ultra-marathons quite fascinating. While I can’t imagine running 50-100 miles I’m amazed and inspired by those who do. 

In the end it’s really not a big feat to recover from running a marathon. You just have to make sure you’re taking care of your body, take a few days to slow down. Refuel your body with food and water and stay inspired for the next one!

Light + Our Menstrual Cycles

Recently I keep seeing passages in books and paragraphs on blogs about the effect of light on our cycles and fertility. It has really intrigued me so I wanted to dig into that a bit more and share some of what I've found today.

In her book “Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom” Christiane Northrup shares:

“Living in artificial light without going outside into the natural sunlight regularly can have adverse consequences on fertility, because light itself in a nutrient. Far too many people are not only stressed at work, they don’t get outside much. When I was trying to conceive my first child, my basal body temperature rose very slowly at ovulation.”

“The ovary produces progesterone at ovulation, which in turn produces this rise in body temperature."

“I decided to walk outside in the sunlight without glasses or contact lenses for twenty minutes each day. Natural light has to hit the retina in the eye directly. We shouldn’t look at the sun directly, but we must be out in the daytime. Within one menstrual cycle, my basal body temperature rose very sharply at ovulation — a big improvement in the pattern. I got pregnant within two cycles of doing this, having tried for five months before."

There seems to be a correlation between the amount of melatonin and what signals our body is sending and receiving. We need to be getting an adequate amount of natural light during the day, and blocking out the artificial light at night. 

When light hits our eyes, this tells the pineal gland (in our brain) to decrease production of melatonin. And the opposite happens when it’s dark, a.k.a. melatonin  increases. 

Research shows that in some women, melatonin may affect our cycle regularity and our overall fertility. 

It looks like some women might have too little melatonin, and when melatonin is too low, estrogen rises. And some women have found success in blocking out all types of light while they sleep, which has, in turn, increases melatonin and progesterone levels. 

In the book “Fertility Cycles and Nutrition”, Joy DeFelice "has found that eliminating light from the sleeping area can improve cycle irregularity and infertility. Women who have carefully reduced night lighting in their bedrooms have experienced improvements in their cycle lengths, their bleeding patterns, their mucus patterns, and their temperature patterns, including longer, more normal luteal phases.   Such changes generally occur within three menstrual cycles of reduced night lighting. Pregnancy among couples previously experiencing infertility has been achieved following elimination of night lighting, and early miscarriage rates have been reduced by eliminating night lighting while sleeping."

Another interesting note is that it looks like caffeine reduces melatonin, and that paired with night lighting greatly decreases melatonin. 

I haven’t figured out a way to black out the window in my bedroom (it’s pretty big). I have cut out caffeine this month, and there's been a drastic change in how well I have been sleeping.

It had become just a normal thing for me to wake 3-4 times a night to go to the bathroom, and at the end of November when I had a cold I was only getting a few hours of sleep a night. 

Just for that reason alone, the break from caffeine has been worth it because since cutting the caffeine I've been sleeping through the night. 

I’m curious to hear if anyone has tried blocking out artificial lights at night, and if they’ve noticed any change in their cycle (or sleep quality). I’ve started another round of Vitex this cycle so it wouldn’t be a variable free time to guinea pig myself with cutting out the light. But I want to give it a go in the future, even if it's just for an even better night of sleep. 

If you’re ready to learn more about your cycle, what’s going on in your different phases, with your fluid and temperature patterns, not to mention find an effective form on natural birth control, you have a few days left to sign up for my Chart Your Cycle course. Come join in and learn all about the sympto-thermal method!

The Good That Comes From Knowing Your Cycle

Where do I even start!?

I just filmed a video about a few reasons why I love my cycle, which I’ll link so you can go watch. 

An easy simple things that comes from charting is you know when your next period is supposed to come. And this comes in really hand when planning for travel, different events, etc. 

One of the biggest things that comes from charting, and knowing your cycle is that you know when you are fertile. And we all know this comes in really handy when you’re either trying to avoid pregnancy or when you’re trying to conceive a cute little munchkin. 

That will forever be one of the coolest things about FAM for me. That the same exact method is both a birth control method and a pregnancy achievement method. 

If something goes wonky with your cycle you know there’s something off in your body that needs to be taken care of, and you can then address it and heal it.  If you’re obvious to your cycle or suppressing it you might be missing out on something big that could be an easy fix but might cause you harm down the road. 

When you start tracking and charting you know what to expect, and it helps handle PMS and makes other cycle related things easier. For example, I don’t get angry about cramping anymore, I understand when and why I’m irritable, and I know why I’m tired and that I just need a quick 30 minute nap. 

When you learn about what happens to your body in the different phases you know how to better take care of your body and mind in each phase. For me this means being really social around ovulation, and sleeping more during your period 

It’s surprisingly such a good conversation piece to connect with other people who menstruate. You can compare cycles, offer advice, and talk about what you use during your period. 

When you get into the emotional and mental side of each phase you can dig even deeper into scheduling out your time. This is because you have different strengths and weaknesses in each phase that you can use to excel in life. 

Honestly, learning about how my cycle and my body works was one of the most amazing things I could have ever done for myself. It’s been empowering and enlightening and I want to share it with anyone who’s interested. 

For those of you out there ready to learn how to use the sympto-thermal method to understand more about your body and as a natural form of birth control you have a week left to sign up for my Chart Your Cycle course.

Winter is Like Our Menstrual Phase

I’m on a real winter kick right now.

But I had a bit of a revelation when it occurred to me that winter was an awful lot like our menstrual phase. 

When I went to look into it I saw I (obviously) wasn’t the only one who’d made this connection. 

I’ve seen beautiful illustrations where the seasons have been linked to the phases of our cycle. 

Winter = Menstrual

Spring = Follicular

Summer = Ovulatory

Fall = Luteal

So, seeing as the first day of winter is on its way (December 21st) I thought I would sit down and talk about why I think winter is like the menstrual phase. 

+ slow down

If you think about summer it seems like someone is always inviting you to a BBQ, picnic, to go for a bike ride, etc. We’re always trying to get outside, enjoy the weather, and go, go, go. 

This doesn’t mean we completely stop living in the winter, but it changes does it? It calms down, there’s not that same urgency. 

It’s the perfect time to get together with friends and family, sit around and have a glass of something or share a meal. To reconnect and have a good laugh.

+ rest

Bears hibernate in the winter, but humans don’t. And while I’m not promoting a sedentary lifestyle it’s definitely a good time to get your beauty rest. 

While I go to bed by 10 p.m. most nights regardless of the season I know plenty of people who have fun-filled nights that last early into the morning. 

This doesn’t mean you can’t go out and have a good time but maybe make an effort to get your eight hours during the colder months. 

+ reflect

We’re naturally more reflective during our periods, and I think the same is true in the winter. I’ve had some profound mental and emotional journeys within myself curled up on the couch, under some twinkly lights and a mug of something hot or a glass of something red. 

Winter is the perfect time to get back into journaling. So, grab yours, dust it off and just sit down with a pen each day. 

+ renew

Picture the caterpillar in its cocoon. Think of the feeling of complete refreshment when you come out of a really nourishing menstrual phase. 

This is a time I like to focus on self-care. And yes, I pamper the heck out of myself. I’m talking Epsom salt baths, face masks, manicures, pedicures, hydration, eating my plants, all things to nourish myself so I came come out of it as one spectacular butterfly!

I plan on going about this winter just as if it were my menstrual phase, and I’m really excited to see how it differs come spring from years past. 

[We’re a week and a half out from the next session of my Chart Your Cycle course which just so happens to start the day before the first day of winter. Learning how to chart was one of the most brilliant things I could do for myself, and I encourage anyone interested in connecting to their body and their cycle in a new way to give it a go!]

Running a Marathon on Your Period

The week before my last period I had a moment of “oh crap”. And that was because I realized I was most likely going to still have my period during my marathon that weekend. 

Why hadn’t I realized that before? 

Well, when I originally did my calculations I was supposed to just have finished up my period when it came time for the race. 

But because my Sept/Oct cycle was longer than normal (30 days instead of 26) the rest of my cycles had all been shifted back 3-4 days. 

Thankfully, my cycle was back to “normal" and I had a 26-day cycle, with my period starting on November 9th, and the last day of my period ended up being the day I ran, which was perfect. 

No need to worry about changing out my cup or leaking while running. 

But I wanted to share my game plan if I would have had a heavier day during my run. 

+ Use menstrual cup, which I did anyway. This would be my top tip. It would have been a pain to fit in tampons even though I had a little pouch on my hydration belt. With a cup, you don’t need anything extra. Just pull it out, dump it and put it back in. 

+ Wear your best, most “I’ve got you covered", pair of period underwear. Even though I knew it was one of my last days of my period I wasn’t going to mess around. My period has a way of doing mysterious things when I run. I grabbed my “thickest” pair of Modibodi underwear, which could have supported me through a heavy day without a cup.

+ Don't wear anything too tight around your waist. Not sure about you but I find I bloat and cramp when I’m wearing tight things around my uterus during my period. Thankfully the pair of Michael’s thick tights I ended up wearing fitting me nicely but not nearly as tight as my normal pair. 

+ Have a water bottle with you to clean off your hands if needed. Regardless of if you’re on your period or not you’re going to have to use porta potties on the run. If you need to rinse out your cup or your hands before using the hand sanitizer that’s where a water bottle comes in super handy. I had two on my race belt, and while I just drank out of them, I could have used them to spray off my hands (into the toilet). 

+ Go with it. The last thing you need to be worrying about when you’re getting through those miles is leaking. So go prepared, wear dark pants, and say, Well I’ve done all that I can and then just focus on the run. 

Has anyone ran a race on their period, what was your strategy, and what advice do you have?

Also, we're two and a half weeks out from the next session of Chart Your Cycle! S,o if you're ready to learn how to use the sympto-thermal method in all of it's greatness, grab you spot today!

Getting Into the Winter Spirit

I saw a quote online that is currently up on my felt letter board:

“Summer is a state of mind.”

I saw it and I thought, heck yeah.

While obviously summer is so much more I decided to see what I could do about my attitude and mindset towards winter.

And I started by asking myself “what are your favorite parts of this season, and how can you make the most out of them?"

In no particular order:

+ baking cookies (delicious results and a comforting process)

+ staying warm and cozy (knit socks, warm clothes, and blankets)

+ spending more time with those you love (schedule time to hang out)

+ pumping up the skin care (moisture, moisture, moisture. I’m in the process of ordering a few new products)

+ taking hot baths (my go to remedy for everything)

+ snuggling up in fluffy blankets (what’s better about cold weather than being able to curl up on the couch in a big blanket)

+ reading all the books (less time outdoors doesn’t mean you need to lose yourself in your Netflix account)

+ finding fireplaces and sitting in front of them (my parents have one, Michael’s parents do too)

+ warm drinks and hot soup (nothing better than wrapping your cold paws around something warm)

+ drinking red wine (I drink white in the summer, red in the winter)

+ sledding, snowboarding, building snowmen or snow forts, getting into a snowball fight (we haven’t had much snow in the past few years, but I’m going to make the most out of what we get this year)

+ the holidays (mostly eating good food, cuddling up next to a fire and spending time with loved ones)

I will continue to add to this list as the season goes on, but I’ve already noticed a switch in my attitude. I’m making it into something worth enjoying instead of something I have to suffer through. 

And the biggest lesson I've learned about winter over the years? 

If you're properly prepared and bundled up, it's really not that bad out.

What are some of your favorite things about the winter?

My Diet + My Period

There’s no one size fits all approach to diet and menstruation. Different foods react differently person to person. And it takes a little trial and error to find your sweet spot. 

I started educating myself about nutrition my last year of college. I was having a lot of digestive issues, where I almost constantly had a stomach ache, that got worse after I ate, not to mention I would get quite bloated as well as only have a single bowel movement a week. Yeah, not good. 

Through education as well as adding and subtracting different things from my diet I have found I feel my absolute best with a balanced diet of whole plant based foods. The less processed I eat, the better I feel. 

Not only has this revolutionized how I feel, but also has shined through in my menstrual cycle as well. 

I’m no where near perfect, and there are a million different ways to be “vegan” and unhealthy. And so I can tell you there’s a huge difference between a period where I focus on staying hydrated, avoiding sugar and processed foods and jam-packing my diet with as many fruits and veggies (mostly veggies) as possible, and a period where I’m eating processed foods, breads, pastas, sugars, etc. 

My diet definitely changes with the seasons (as it should due to what plants are available and in season) but you can adapt a whole foods plant based diet to any season. 

While we usually crave comfort food in the winter as well as on our periods there are so many incredible “healthy” options. I love to make giant batches of veggie soup in the winter. I try to limit my coffee intake around my period as well as the amount of sugar I'm consuming. We all hit a wall whether it’s cold and gloomy out, or if we’re going to be starting our periods. I do my best to listen to my body instead of forcing it through the day jacking myself up on coffee. 

Avoiding sugar and grabbing something refreshing like some fruit as a snack is a great afternoon pick me up. Getting outside to run some errands or get a bit of exercise are other great options to get that pep back in your step for the rest of the day. But then there are those days (and I have at least one a month) where the only answer is a 30 - 60 minute nap (guilt free). 

Obviously, if you work in a more traditional job a nap during the work day might be out of the question, but maybe a quick cat nap when you get home and before you start your evening activities is the solution for you. Or maybe it's staying in that evening and having a low key date with yourself on the couch. 

You have to listen to your body around your period. Make sure you are eating enough, drinking enough and moving enough throughout the day. 

Some of my favorite meal/snack options:

+ noodles and veggies

+ rice and veggies

+ a big, hefty salad (yes that’s a thing)

+ veggie soup

+ fruit like clementines or grapes

+ bagel with hummus 

+ oatmeal (I'm currently burnt out on this but it's an option worth including)

+ smoothie (if it’s warm out or I’ve worked out)

+ chickpea toast/sandwich (avocados are gone for the winter, and this is the next best thing)

I say this all the time and I’ll say it again, pay attention to what you’re eating and how it makes you feel afterwords. Screw counting calories, if you’re focused on eating as many whole foods as you can, then there’s no worry about calories. 

What are some of your favorite plant based meals for the colder season?

If you're curious to learn more about your cycle, hop on over to my Chart Your Cycle course and sign up for the next session. 

Cold Weather Morning Routine

I have come to the conclusion/realization that fall is the luteal phase and winter is the menstrual phase. And this year I’m going to approach this season in a similar mindset that I do for these particular phases. 

And I’m a big believer in how you start your day impacts how the rest of your day will go. 

I start each day at 6 a.m. when the alarm on my phone goes off. I take my temperature right after turning my alarm off, and then put it into my Kindara app before going to the bathroom. 

Michael and I just got a sunrise simulator clock, which we have set at 6:00. It is a delightfully peaceful way to start your day. Normally I wake up somewhere in it’s 20 minute “sunrise” leading up to the 6 a.m. alarm. So, after taking my temperature and going to the bathroom I usually snuggle back in to enjoy my “fake” sunrise. I give myself a few minutes to just lay there with the bright light filling up our room before I get out of bed. 

Once I’m out of bed I head to the kitchen to tidy up from the day before. Yes, I’m one of those people who leaves dirty dishes for the next day. I just prefer doing them in the morning than the night. 

This usually takes 15-20 minutes, and at the same time I’ll make myself a cup of coffee. 

Once the kitchen is done I head back into our room to make the bed (not every morning because our rule is last one out of bed makes it). 

After this I’ll head into my bathroom to do my skincare routine because my skin needs much more TLC when it’s cold out. I usually rub a little oil on my nails and cuticles as well. 

From there I grab an incense and head to the back room where my desk is. I light a few candles, put the incense in an old candle, and turn on the floor lamp. (It’s still pretty dark out at this point). 

I pop on the space heater next to me, wrap up in a blanket and take usually 30 minutes to do my morning pages. While I’m doing these I usually have a bunch of random ideas and to-do’s that pop in my head so I write those down on a separate pad of paper. 

After morning pages is done I’ll pull out my bullet journal and plan out my day using the goals list for that week as well as anything from my scratch pad that needs to get done. 

Then I settle in to the first task or two for the next hour. 

At a certain point I’m usually ready for another cup of coffee, so I’ll take this opportunity to get dressed and ready for the day, which usually takes less than 10 minutes. 

I’ll go back to work until I’m hungry which is usually around 10 a.m. so I’ll head out to the kitchen to make some food.

I’ll watch a YouTube video or two while I eat my food and then get back to work for the next few hours until  it’s time for lunch. 

The final thing I do is reheat my coffee a few times throughout the morning because it gets cold before I finish drinking it. I need to get a mug warmer. 

Here’s a timeline for those of you whose minds work better this way:

6:00 — wake up

        — take BBT

6:02 — go to bathroom

6:05 — crawl back in bed

6:15 — get out of bed

        — tidy up kitchen

        — make coffee

6:30 — make bed

6:35 — skincare

6:40 — morning pages

7:10 — plan out day using bullet journal

7:15 — get started with work

8:30 — second cup of coffee

        — get dressed

10:00— breakfast

         — watch a YouTube video

10:30— get back to work

What’s your perfect morning routine look like, and what are you tips to creating/keeping to a routine?

Discovering Hygge + Taking on Winter

To be honest, I think I discovered this on Pinterest. I think it was outlining what Hygge was, and I remember finding myself thinking, alright I like the sound of that. 

And it inspired me to make the conscious decision to approach winter in a different way. A similar way to how I now view my menstrual phase and the days leading up to it. 

It’s not my favorite phase, but I’ve amazed myself on how I’ve been able to change my mindset towards it. And that’s what I plan to do with winter this year as well. 

You see, I’ve always told myself I’m not a cold weather person. That I’ve never “liked” winter. There were even a few years in high school that I “protested” by not wearing a winter coat. Who do you think that impacted? Yeah, me. 

If you think you don’t like winter the last thing you should do is under dress for it. 

This year I’m preparing in every way possible. Physically, mentally and emotionally. Dramatic? Possibly, but I need a drastic attitude change. 

And I’m going to use hygge to guide me. 

I know I’m behind the times, and this was pretty popular last year, but if you’re unfamiliar to hygge here’s how it’s defined in a book I’m reading, “The Book of Hygge”:

"Hygge (pronounced “hoo-gah”) is a quality of presence and an experience of belonging and togetherness. It is a feeling of being warm, safe, comforted and sheltered. 

Hygge is an experience of selfhood and communion with people and places that anchors and affirms us, gives us courage and consolation.

To hygge is to invite intimacy and connection. It’s a feeling of engagement and relatedness, of belonging to the moment and to each other. Hygge is a sense of abundance and contentment. Hygge is about being, not having."

When I got back from France it was 30 degrees colder, and gray out. Instead of wallowing at home about the abrupt change, I decided to act on my desire for a different approach. 

I went to two stores, bought a new comfy sweater at the thrift store, and then soft sweatpants and two candles at a discount store. 

I headed home triumphant with my new things, lit my candles, took a nice hot bath and then snuggled up in my comfy finds ready to accept the cold weather with grace. 

Since coming home I’ve made a conscious effort each morning to “nourish my five senses”:

+ tidy up and light a few candles (sight)

+ put on soft music (hearing)

+ grab an incense (smell)

+ make a nice cup of coffee (taste)

+ and to wrap myself up in a blanket after clicking on my space heater (touch)

And then throughout the day I make sure that there’s something “comforting” for each sense. 

Another element of hygge that I’m really drawn to is the connection aspect. So, I’ve made it a goal to spend more time hanging out with friends and family. 

It doesn’t have to be in an extravagant way. My ideal “hang out” is being snuggled up, warm and comfy, drinking something hot or sipping on a glass of wine and just having good conversation. 

I know there’s still a lot I’m going to learn when it comes to this concept, but I’m wholeheartedly investing in it in the hopes of changing how I view winter and the cold from here on out. 

Getting Back to Reality After Traveling

Ok, so you’ve just gotten back from a great trip and you have to get back to reality. 

Here are some strategies I’ve found that really help me get back at it. 

+ Clean your home

All the way down to the vacuuming and dusting. Get all those stray dirty dishes popped into the washer, your laundry cleaned and put away, and take this opportunity to get all the little random bits and bobs back where they belong.

Nothing helps me more than getting my house in order. 

+ Go grocery shopping

I always aim to eat healthy while away, but in reality that doesn’t always happen. So, when I get home I am always rejuvenated to go get a healthy plant heavy grocery haul. 

And it’s just another step to getting everything in order at home, which once again does so much to make me feel better about being back and at it again. 

+ Tick off some to-do’s

Go through your mail or other things you’ve been avoiding. I took the chance Sunday morning to sit down and order a few things I needed offline including a new bullet journal and accessories for that (yay!) as well as a sunrise simulator alarm clock (more on that in a bit). I also ordered a new credit card seeing as I lost mine in Avignon while there (I think I threw it away).

+ Add in a habit or element discovered during trip

One thing I really noticed during this trip was how little I was on my phone, computer and such. And it was amazing! I always like to think I can disconnect myself, but it’s so nice to be forced to sometimes. So, I’ve been trying to carry that forward now that I’m home. 

Other things I do more of when I’m traveling: I read more books (so I went to the library), I have more adventure (Michael and I went rock climbing last night) and I came home with a renewed desire to meditate and journal more.

+ Accept the weather of where you are

It’s hard, especially when it’s 30 degrees colder, but I’m making a conscious effort this year to accept the cold weather and make the most out of it (snuggling into cozy slippers, blankets and all things warm). 

Right after I got back in town I went and bought a few candles, a new sweater and sweatpants and snuggled into my house.

Another thing I’ve done to help with this is ordered a sunrise simulator alarm clock for Michael and I. And it does exactly what it says. It mimics a sunrise in your room, and I can’t wait to get it because I can tell a big difference between waking up when there’s light out and when it’s still pitch black. 

+ Visit family and friends

I went and saw my sister and nephew the day after I got back, I had a nice long phone call with my mother the day I got back, Michael and I hung out with a few friends last night and I’ve made plans to get together with a few friends this week. 

+ Indulge in what did you missed while you were away

What I missed most were things like work, my own space and a routine. I really savored the first moments of getting back to work this morning, I was very aware and conscious of being in my home and therefore wanted to spruce it up and take care of it. 

+ Take some time to pamper yourself

I steamed my face with a warm washcloth, exfoliated it, put a hydrating mask on it and lathered my entire body with avocado oil after soaking in the bath surrounded by candlelight. 

It was magic.

I always fell a bit worn down and rough at the edges after traveling so it’s nice to take some time out for myself to get me back to 100%. 

+ Alter your schedule

I love using travel as an excuse to change things up.

For example I love being able to make the most out of jet lag and wake up earlier than normal. 

What do I went to spend more time doing, less time doing? 

Overall, while I love traveling, I am so thankful that I love coming home. But when I get home I like to hit the “refresh” button and do all these things before digging back into my day to day life.