2019 Travel + Meet-Ups

I’m going to make this a running list of places we’re traveling to in 2019. And I want to start making it a thing where I have meet-ups, big or small in as many places as possible so I can start meeting you guys! 

So, this is going to be an ongoing list that I add to throughout the year as I book different trips and adventures. 

Keep an eye on it if this is something you’re interested in, and don’t hesitate to reach out if I’m traveling to your area. 

I’m always up for a coffee and a chat. 

JANUARY:

Phoenix, AZ 4th - 19th

FEBRUARY:

Phoenix, AZ 5th - 15th

San Diego, CA 16th - 19th

MARCH:

Charlottesville, VA 16th - 18th

Winston-Salom, NC 19th - 20th

Vero Beach, FL 21st - 23rd

My Most Popular Videos of 2018 | FemmeHead

The end of the year is a great time to get reflective. 

I was curious what my most popular videos on YouTube were this year, and I thought, what the heck, I’ll share the list with everyone. 

So, here are the top 15 videos for FemmeHead this year. If you haven’t watched one you might enjoy it. 

1. Minimalism | Yearly Big Declutter 

2. Favorite Period Products | 2018 

3. Two Weeks in a Carry-On 

4. Difference Between Cervical Fluids 

5. Why I Switched to a Plant-Based Diet 

6. Getting Started | Choosing a Cup 

7. 12 Things that Make My Period Easier 

8. Outfits I’m Wearing From My Capsule 

9. Spring Capsule Wardrobe 

10. How I Get My Life Together | Reset Day 

11. Things That Can Mess With Temp + Fluid 

12. What I’m Packing For Sri Lanka 

13. My 26 Piece Fall Capsule Wardrobe  

14. Making the Most Out Of Your Phases 

15. How I Use My Bullet Journal 

What was your favorite video I did this year? Did it make the top 15?

My 2019 Bullet Journal Set-Up + Supplies

Hey there!

I made a video at the start of the month sharing my new bullet journal set up, and I wanted to make a complimentary blog post to share the details I went over, because when you’re trying to design your own bullet journal some people do better with a blog post over a video.

Let’s start with the supplies I use:

Rhodia dot journal: This is my third year using this journal. The quality is great and that’s why I keep going back, but I wish they had more color selection.

Clear ruler: I use a 15 cm clear ruler to draw all my lines. I don’t know how people make straight lines without rulers, and let’s just say I’m particular about creating straight lines. 

Mechanical pencil — I just use this for outlining before committing with a pen, marking out spacing, etc. You could use any sort of pencil, but I just have a mechanical one. 

Zebra Mildliner Highlighters: I was informed that these are actually MILDliners not MIDliners, whoops. These are new for me this year and I’m excited to incorporate them into my BUJO. I wanted a way to separate between different types of entries on yearly and monthly calendars. I have a different color for travel, races, calls or interviews, appointments, events, birthdays + FemmeHead.

Now my favorite part, fine liners. They are life! The thinner the better. I use these day to day for everything else in my BUJO — the headers, spreads, you name it. 

Kuretake Mangaka 01 : I like this one a lot and use it for day to day writing.

Pilot Razor Point: This one is just slightly thicker so I’ve been using it to write in my gratitude journal. 

Pigma Micron 0.3 and Pigma Micron 0.2: I love these pens and use them day to day

Marvey Le Pen: This one is actually thicker then most of the others so after I used it for setting up my bullet journal I decided to not use it in there anymore. 

Ok, now onto the set up, layout and spreads. 

Starting with the fresh year I create a page for my 2019 goals, which is still currently blank besides the header because I haven’t gone through the brainstorming process of choosing my goals.  And don’t worry I’ll be sharing that in an upcoming video.

The next spread is my yearly overview. Last year was my first year of doing this, and it was a much needed addition. I love having a space where I can see everything that I have coming up, as well as a place to put an event or travel when it’s planned so it’s not forgotten.

My yearly overview is a two page spread with six months on each page. I have a small calendar of each month at the top of each section followed by a blank space under each to write out important dates and happenings that month. 

This year’s overview is still pretty blank because I don’t put things in here until they’re finalized, such as travel. So far you can see where I’ve highlighted people’s birthdays, and a few races I know the dates for.

Next is my monthly overview. This is a single page calendar that is a minimal design of the date and day of the week down the left side of the page. I separate the weeks with a line between Sunday and Monday. 

On the following page is my content calendar, which has a similar layout to my monthly overview but then I add a few check off boxes on the right side for “Notes” “Create” and “Upload” so I can keep track with where I am with each piece of content I’m creating. I often bulk create content so it’s helpful to know where I’m at.

From there is my brain dump which is a two page spread broken up into four sections labeled, “Content”, “To-Do’s”, “Research” and “Ideas” because these are the most common/general categories for what my brain dump consists of anyways. 

And the final spread is my weekly overview. It is two pages with the top half of the first blank for my to-do’s followed for a space for Monday and then Tuesday with the week on the top of that page. The following page is Wednesday through Sunday, with the weekend sharing one section since I usually have less those days. 

So instead of going spread to spread completing each before moving on to the next I usually go through and do each step for each spread before moving onto the next step. And for me those are:

— outline, mark spacing in pencil 

— write everything with a fine liner 

— go back and thicken downstrokes with heavier pen

— go back with fine liner and cross t’s and dot i’s

— go back and erase all the pencil 

— draw all the necessary lines with ruler

— highlight headers using ruler to get straight line

— fill in calendar

— highlight events, etc. with different colors

And the great thing about using a bullet journal system is that you can customize it, tweak it and change it completely as you create it. So, if I get bored or don’t like a design I can do it differently next time.

[Things are hidden in my photos of my BUJO for privacy, duh. Promise it’s not that exciting. And affiliate links are used in this article, which don’t cost you anything, just give me a teeny little kickback if you use that link and buy the item. So, help a sister out.]

The Places I've Traveled in 2018

I thought it would be fun to recap this past year in travel. I’m not going to include most of the little trips around Iowa. And I will link to any videos that I made from those trips. m

January:

1.16 - 2.6 Sri Lanka

We spent three weeks in Sri Lanka and I loved it. We started at Talalla Beach, which was actually an accident because we meant to book a place at Tangalle Beach. But it was a lucky mistake because Handun Villas was amazing and there were only a handful of others on the beach with us. 

From there we did a safari at Uduwalawe on our way up to Ella. We hiked Little Adams Peak which was a quick one with amazing views. There were a lot of great food and coffee options there. 

We took the famous train ride from Ella to Nuwara Eliya, which was breathtaking Nuwara Eliya was an odd little town but we went to St. Andrews hotel, sat by the fire places and the boys played a game of Billiards on a 100 year old table brought from Columbo by 6 elephants. 

We spent a night north of the airport to send our friends off before heading south of Columbo to Induruwa for a few nights. Neither of us were very impressed with that area and so we did a day trip to Hikkaduwa to walk through the tsunami museum before heading further down to Galle, which we were pleasantly surprised by. It was a cute little area and if you’re into shopping that’s your place. 

We spent the remainder of our trip in Welligama, which we both loved. Just a laidback  beach town where you can learn to surf, rent a board or relax in the sun. 

I have two more weeks of footage from this trip to edit, but here’s our first week.

February:

2.16 — San Diego (Encinitas and Temecula) 

2.17 - 2.20 — Phoenix

Michael announced a race in Temecula, California so we stopped through Encinitas while we were there, but nothing to crazy to report from this trip. From there we flew to Phoenix to visit his parents for a few days because they spent the winter down there. We went on a fun little hike on the Hieroglyphic Trail, which is very easy and family friendly. I don’t have a vlog from this trip actually. 

May:

5.17-5.21 — San Francisco (Bay to Breakers)

We went to San Francisco because Michael was announcing Bay to Breakers, which I decided to run. And it still is at the top of my list for favorite races I’ve done. Physically and mentally I felt great. I enjoyed running so much and didn’t struggle at all. The atmosphere is great and there are runners of all abilities, costumes, you name it. Here’s my vlog from that trip. 

June:

6.14-6.17 — Chicago (Julia’s Bach)

I went to Chicago for a weekend trip for one of my best friend’s bachelorette party. We did paddle board yoga, hired a party boat and danced our faces off late into the night. I don’t have a video from this trip because I was too busy enjoying myself with all of my friends. But this was actually the first extended period of time I’ve spent in Chicago beyond staying there overnight to fly out. 

July:

7.5 - 7.8 — Okoboji

7.21 - 7.27 — Colorado (family trip)

We visited a friend at his family’s lake house at Okoboji, Iowa. It was a laid back weekend because the water was too high for boats. Michael and I did take out a paddle board and kayak for some water adventures. But I spent time in a hammock, we rode our bikes around, and kept it simple. 

I had a family vacation in Colorado this summer, which was great because I got to see my family from Seattle that I only get to see every few years. There was plenty of outdoor adventures, puzzle making and quality family time. Here’s my video from that trip. 

August:

8.9 - 8. 12 — Cleveland 

8.26 - 8.31 — Bristol

We went to Cleveland for a long weekend because Michael was announcing a race there, and we were both pleasantly surprised with it. Here’s my vlog from that.

And we ended August by flying out to England to stay with our friends in Bristol before all flying down to France together for our yearly friends trip. This was my first time to Bristol, we went over into Wales as well, hit up the Cotswolds, went on a electric bike ride and had a grand old time. I always loved my trips to England. And I haven’t edited my video from that trip yet, whoopsie!

September:

9.1 - 9.6 — France 

9.7 - 9.9 Dallas (tri)

We flew from Bristol into Geneva, drove down to Saint-Gervias Les-Bains where we watched the UTMB (Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc) which was lucky of us to be there when it was happening. We went to Annecy, Chambery and Alp d’ Huez. It was a great tip, which I have also not edited the video for yet. 

We flew directly into Dallas so Michael could announce a triathlon in Tyler, TX. I decided the week before that I wanted to do it so I borrowed a bike and did it. The 650m swim wasn’t easy for me, my googles broke right before the start gun went off and I’m just not a strong swimmer (there was backstroking involved), but it was a fun challenge. 

October:

10.6 - 10.12 — New York + East Coast

10.24 - 10.27 — Shreveport 

I did Vlogtober this year so I have a handful of videos from our trip to the East Coast. We met up with a friend who was coming in from Germany. We started in Long Island for a race Michael was announcing and then a wedding he officiated. From there we went to New York and spent a few days in Brooklyn before working our way up the coast to New Haven and Portland. I had a great time!

Long Island, NY

Brooklyn, NY

NYC + New Haven, CT

New Haven, CT - Portland, ME

Portland, ME

November:

11.2 - 11.4 — Las Vegas

11.5 — 11.7 — San Diego + Encinitas

11.30 - 12.4 — Phoenix

We flew out to Las Vegas for the weekend to meet up with Michael’s cousin and her boyfriend. It was my first tip to Vegas and probably my last. I know there’s cool areas around the city but Las Vegas wasn’t my cup of tea. From there we drove back to San Diego with them and spent the first part of the week in San Diego and Encinitas. Here’s the video for that trip. 

And to end the year for travel we went to Phoenix for a few days to explore and get a feel for the city. We’re trying to decide between Phoenix and Encinitas for January. I had only been here once at the beginning of the year to visit his parents. I enjoy all the hiking options and I really liked the neighborhood we stayed in (Roosevelt). As of now we’re learning towards here for our January get away. 

Books I've Been Reading | Nov 2018

Usually once a season I like to write a blog post to share the books I’ve read recently. I always find recommendations and inspiration in other’s book lists. 

So, without revealing any spoilers these are the books I picked up recently. 

The Power — This is the book I’m currently reading, and loving. Obama recommended it. I would call it a female utopian novel set in modern times. The power starts with the teenage girls and spreads into the older women. Do the women take over? Are men pissed off? You’re going to have to read it to find out. (I highly recommend this book). 

The Power of Habit — I’m also simultaneously reading this book, and it was the perfect read leading up to my 30 Day Morning Challenge. I thought it was going to talk about creating habits, but it’s really the science (?) behind habits. (Another one I recommend)

You are a Badass at Making Money — I love a good book about personal finance and money mindset and this one does not disappoint. If you’ve never worked through your mindset and attitude surrounding money, now is the time. I always find that stuff starts “happening” after I read these sorts of books. (Yup, recommend it). 

The Artist’s Way — I only made it a few chapters into this book. I was curious because this is where a lot of people say morning pages originated from, but I guess if you already do them there’s not really anything new in this book. But if you’ve just started doing morning pages or are looking into them than this book might be good for you. (I give it a “meh”)

Girl Wash Your Face — This was one of those books that was OK but just really wasn’t speaking to me when I was reading it. And there are so many books out there waiting to be read that I didn’t want to waste my time feeling blah about this book. (A lot of people like it so don’t rely on my opinion). 

We Should All Be Feminists — This was a quick read, but that’s not the only reason you should read it. It is an essay adapted from her TEDx Talk. (Go read it)

Red Clocks — This feels like a precursor to Handmaids Tale in that abortion is illegal in the US in this book. It’s told from several viewpoints and I really enjoyed it. (Another highly recommend)

Astrology 101 — This is a random one on this list, but a cute little book that’s quick to flip through. I love learning about Astrology, but it still feels a bit over my head. This book really breaks it up for you, but it’s one that you should buy rather than check out from the library. (Recommend)

A Darker Shade of Magic — This is the first book I read on the Libby app on our iPad. I was always a staunch “nothing but real books” sort of gal, but there is something so convenient about having books on an iPad. And it’s something I highly recommend for travel. But anyways this book was good. It’s about magic, about different parallel worlds and a magical person who can travel through them. (Recommend it)

Ok, well those are the books I’ve read over the past couple of months. Let me know some of your favorite books that you recommend down below. 

If you want to see a list of my recommended books, check out my bookshelf. 

[This post contains affiliate links meaning if you buy one of these books from this link I get a teeny tiny kick back at no extra cost to you. ]

Self-Care Without Blowing the Bank

I love reading through lists of self-care inspiration because I always stumble upon a few that I think, you know what, that sounds absolutely divine. So today I tried to curate a list of 50 things that I enjoy doing to indulge myself without having to spend a bunch of money.

I tried to group them together by similar things, but it’s really just a random list. Enjoy

1. take a bath (add some bubbles, salt, a bath bomb. light a candle, drink a big glass of water during, turn down the lights)

2. paint your nails (or just give yourself a mani/pedi at home, trim, file add some oil to your cuticles)

3. put on a face mask (whether that’s a sheet mask, one from the store or homemade)

4. put on a little make up and do your hair

5. lather up with some lotion after a body scrub (I always feel extra indulged after doing this)

6. put on some soft warm socks and comfy lounge clothes (tis the season)

7. meditate (either sit in silence for 5-10 minutes or put on a guided meditation)

8. stretch it out (plop down on your bed or living room rug and just spend 5 minutes stretching)

9. light a candle, incense (put on something smelly)

10. buy yourself some flowers (or pick some wild flowers, put them in a container and put em on display)

11. plan out your outfits for the week (cut down your decisions and spice things up)

12. wake up 30 minutes early (extra time to do things you want but don’t have time for)

13. go to bed early (guilt free, crawl into bed, turn off the lights and snooze)

14. take a nap (even if it’s just 15 minutes, it’s like hitting a reset button)

15. enjoy a mug of something warm (coffee, tea, hot chocolate, it’s all yummy and soothing)

16. drink a bunch of water (dewy skin, better digestion, less headaches, what’s not to love)

17. make a big pot of warm soup (not only delicious but you can eat it for several meals)

18. read a book from the library (make time first thing in the day or right before bed to read)

19. journal (morning pages, journaling prompts, there’s so many options)

20. write down what you want to let go of (what’s been weighing you down and not serving you?)

21. write a gratitude list (just all the things that you’re happy have happened or are in your life)

22. write down some affirmations (get on pinterest for some inspiration)

23. write down your bucket list (what do you want to do in your one life?)

24. get artsy ( doodle, paint, scrapbook, whatever your craft of choice is)

25. make a vision board from old magazines (I don’t do this often but I always love it)

26. make a to-do list, organize it between most important, that week, and some day

27. organize your photos (get them off your phone and into somewhere safe)

28. clean out your email (takes some time, but there’s no better feeling than having a clear inbox)

29. clean your house (whether it’s a 15 minute tidy or several hour deep clean)

30. wash your bedding (clean sheets feel oh so good)

31. declutter your closet (what don’t you wear and can donate?)

32. rearrange your furniture/decor (simple, but changes the atmosphere)

33. fold all your under-roo’s the Kon Mari way (and then move on to the rest of your clothes)

34. go for a walk in nature (it soothes the soul, especially when you live in the city)

35. watch the sunset (or the sunrise, just sit and watch it)

36. spend time with someone you love (grab a cup of coffee, visit them, whatever)

37. have a movie night with friends (their house or yours)

38. make a playlist of your feel good songs (and then listen to it)

39. indulge in a podcast (listen while you’re getting ready, cleaning up)

40. take a technology break for a day (or even just a few hours)

41. add a new habit to your day (what’s something you’ve wanted to add?)

42. start and end your day without harsh lighting (put on lamps, twinkle lights and candles)

43. play some boardgames with friends (have everyone bring their favorite)

44. do a puzzle (solo or with someone else)

45. watch a TedTalk (endless library of inspiration)

46. have a solo dance party in your living room or bedroom (put on some tunes and boogy)

47. go around your neighborhood, local park and pick up trash

48. get out of the city and look at the stars (I always forget how bright and beautiful they are)

49. find a body of water (walk around it, sit by it, look at it, get in it)

50. work outside if possible (grab your laptop, have a walking meeting)

There are endless options of self-care out there. Make sure you’re making time for yourself. It’s important and doesn’t have to cost anything. What are your favorite ways to take care of yourself?

30 Day Morning Challenge Info + Invite

This is an invitation to you, from me. 

It’s for those of us trying to add in or trade out a few habits to recreate our morning routines. I don’t know about you but I’ve found that my morning, what I do first thing in the day is what sets the structure for the rest of my day. 

It started because I’m constantly trying to tweak my routine to what works best and sets me up best for the day. Like everyone else I have my ideal routine, but making time for that or sticking to it is the challenge isn’t it? 

And so I got to thinking, what makes you accountable? Having someone else, right? Why not invite anyone who wants to join in to, you know, join in. So, I started putting out a few feelers her and there, and the response has been overwhelming. 

Right now as I write the rough draft for this blog (Tuesday, 7:50 am) I have over 650 amazing people joining in. What? That is insane, but in the best way possible. 

I’m going to talk through what I have planned, and you are invited to join in for as much as you want, or as little as you want. You can just take the free worksheets and use them, or you can join in on every live video, share your triumphs and struggles in the Facebook group, keep up on my vlog and Instagram. Your choice. 

Ok, so let’s get into how this is all going to go down.

First, I’d love if you would go here, and sign up for the 30 Day Morning Challenge with your email, and also get the free worksheets. I’m going to be sending out reminder emails and who knows what other goodies, so it would be great to be able to contact everyone in one place. (Not everyone has Facebook or Instagram, but I think everyone has an email.) 

Next, join the Facebook group (if you have Facebook of course. Props to those of you who never got it or have deleted it). This is where we can all share our goals, the habits we want to add, our worksheets, and our struggles. Plus it can be a place where we can all help each other stay accountable, offer advice and just being a loving supporting community. 

[Just a side note quick: not that I’m worried about this but I’m not down for any negativity, trolls or rudeness. If I see any of that you will be removed. “Ain’t nobody got time for that!”]

And finally you can get click to get a notification for the live stream on YouTube. It’s going to be on my second channel, where I’m also going to be doing updates on my vlog. 

The dates for the live streams are:

11.9 — the first live stream before the challenge begins so we can all set ourselves up for success!

11.12 — the challenge begins! (I’m going to be updating everyone on my vlog as well as my Instagram stories, and we’ll all be joining in on the Facebook group.)

11.19 — the first check-in which I have scheduled as a live video on YouTube. We’ll go through a worksheet I’ve created to access how we’re feeling, how we’re doing, where we can improve and how we can make those improvements.

11.26 — the second check-in, which is also a live video.

12.3 — third check- in!

12.10 — final check in + wrap up. I haven’t made the worksheets for this yet, but I know there will be a few 😉 

I hope you join in if it is something you’re interested in or curious about. Plus it’s completely free. You’re very welcome. Let me know what you’re looking to get out of this experience with me so I can craft it into something that benefits you.

Reasons I Love Fall 🍁

Sometimes I like to brainstorm my favorite things so I can get excited for whatever that thing is, and in this situation it’s fall. I always love fall. It’s full of good feelings, but it has this bittersweet taste because it means winter is just around the corner. 

So, in no particular order I wanted to share a list of the things I love about fall. 

— the changing color of the trees

Seriously, we drove to Louisiana this past week and boy oh boy the foliage in Arkansas was amazing. I love picking up a fallen leaf and twirling it in my fingers. 

— the cooler weather

We all love summer, but half the time you can’t even go outside without automatically being drenched and sweat. It can get too hot to enjoy any outdoor activities so I’m trying to make the most out of the cooler, but not too cold weather to do outdoor activities. 

— hot chocolate, hot apple cider, hot tea, etc.

You get my point, hot drinks of all flavors are delicious, and there’s nothing like curling your hands around a warm mug to sip on something delicious. Warms your soul. 

— curling up on the couch with blankets and warm socks

My mom is a knitting fiend so I have quite the collection of socks that have made their debut. We keep blankets under our coffee table and I love snuggling up to watch a movie or something. 

— fires (or candles if you don’t have a fireplace)

Both my parents and Michael’s parents have a fireplace and there is something so special about a crackling fire burning away in the background. 

— s'mores

You didn’t think I was going to mention fires and not talk about s’mores did you? It’s one of those things that takes me back to being a kid, but s’mores are a favorite. 

— halloween, thanksgiving and the start of the “holidays"

Candy, scares and warm comfort food, what’s not to love?  Plus time to spend with friends and family.

— wrapping a big ol’ scarf around your neck

I love scarves, they’re like a blanket for your neck. You automatically feel more cozy, warm and it adds a little something to any outfit. 

— that certain nostalgia that comes with the fall

Does the change in the season take anyone to that ‘back to school’ sensation? It always hits me in the fall and it’s filled with positive memories of returning to school, seeing my friends again and fresh school supplies. 

— it’s a season of change

I’m constantly in self-improvement mode but I find that there’s something about fall that gets me into that let’s switch around some habits and get my life on track. I feel inspired to take on new goals and it’s a great time to reflect on the year and plan for the coming year. 

— soup

Who doesn’t love soup, and bread? There are so many variations you can go for and it warms you from the inside. Not to mention it’s delicious. 

— reading

I read year round, but there’s something about the cooler weather that makes you want to curl up with a good book. I’ve been working my way through quite a few books lately, and have started reading a book before bed instead of scrolling through my phone. 

— season of hygge

Ok, I know hygge is a year round thing, but you have to admit there’s something about the cooler weather that really just makes you want to go full blown hygge mode. 

What are your favorite parts of fall? 

My Experience Being Homeschooled

I’ve shared that I was homeschooled before, and I’ve had a number of women respond by asking me to share my experience. 

So, this is for those of you who might be thinking about homeschooling your kids some day. 

First, the back story. 

My mother was a stay at home mom from the time I was born. I’m the second child and at that point it made more sense for her to stay home with my sister and I instead of my parents paying for two kids in daycare. 

I also have two younger brothers, so four kids in total. Both my sister (who is 21 months older) went to preschool and kindergarten roundup (a week long thing before kindergarten). But from kindergarten to 5th grade both my sister and I were homeschooled by my mom. 

And technically I “skipped” kindergarten and started 1st grade at the same time as my sister even though we were a grade apart. I don’t think I missed out on too much skipping my kindergarten education. 

Looking back I have nothing but positive memories of being homeschooled. 

Because it wasn’t a matter of keeping us busy for 8 hours while our parents were at work, we were able to get our school work done in just a few hours (depending on how focused we were that day). 

And then we were free to go outside, play and explore, which I think was worth it’s weight in gold. I grew up on 90+ acres of mostly forest, with horses, cats, dogs (and two pigs and three cows at one point.) 

Not only the time we were able to spend with our mother, which is beyond valuable and I will be forever grateful for, the life skills we got from being able to spend so much time outside in nature and with animals is an amazing thing looking back. 

Because there were only four of us vs. a normal class size, my mom was able to devote so much more attention to our individual needs and interests. Whenever there was something we were curious about my mom did such an amazing job of helping us investigate whatever it may be. 

There was one summer where I went to art camp while my sister attended a theater camp at the playhouse. There were countless art classes I was able to attend where I was the youngest in the class by about 50 years. (Let’s just say that made me pretty popular). 

Another benefit was our mother’s patience with us. The public school system has obvious constraints when it comes to learning styles and needs, and if you don’t fall within the norm you can be penalized. 

We were all fairly energetic kids, and while in a normal school setting we may had been punished for our excess energy, our mother taught us how to focus on what we were doing, learn when to take breaks and that after completing whatever it was we were free to do as we pleased. 

If I fell out my chair from squirming too much, she didn’t yell at me. She would let me fidget, get it out of my system, climb back into my chair and get back to work. This only took maybe 10 seconds, and could have been a much longer ordeal. 

The only downside I can see to my homeschool experience, which I think has an easy fix for those of you interested in homeschooling your kiddos, is the social aspect of it all. I had my siblings, and the kids from our homeschool group, but I didn’t really have my own friends. 

I was slightly socially awkward when I went into public school in 5th grade, but quickly adjusted, and now I’d like to think I’m fairly social. And this is definitely something you can take care of easily for your own kids. 

Who else out there was homeschooled, and what was your experience?  And what about parents who homeschool or want to homeschool their kids? 

Fall Exercise Ideas

I thought it would be fun to sit down and brainstorm different activities and exercises to do now that it’s fall. 

I’m the sort of person that is great at consistency if there is something I am training for, but it is much easier to talk myself out of something if I’m not. 

Make a point to do things that were "too hot" to do in the summer. Don’t use the excuse that “oh man it’s too cold out now”. Going for runs  as an example. I was terrible at waking up early to go running before it got hot, but now it’s crisp but I just need to grab a pair of gloves and a hat and I’ll be fine. Plus I’m a much better cool weather runner. 

There are also plenty of great indoor activities to do for those days that it might be a bit too crisp outside for you. So, in no particular order, her his my list of brainstorm list of fall exercises: 

+ Go to your apartment gym or try out some at-home exercises. There’s no excuses if you don’t even have to go outside into the cold. And this is a quick thing to do if I need a break from work for 30-45 minutes. I’ll just go down to my apartment gym and do a focused workout.  I just look up a workout on Pinterest depending on what area I want to work that day.

+ Go running. Either on the road, bike path or trail running has been my favorite recently. You actually warm up pretty quick so you don’t even need to wear that many extra layers. And because it’s not overly humid with the sun beating down, you might actually be able to enjoy it more. 

+ Go to a hot yoga class. I need to get a punch card for the one here in Des Moines because there really is nothing like warming your bones and even working up a sweat when it’s frigid outside. And yoga is great because you can take it easy or push yourself just by tweaking how far you push the moves. And you can always just lay in child’s pose and soak up the heat. 

+ Go on a walk outside to enjoy the changing leaves. You can walk around your town, hit up a park or even find some trails to hike through. Walking gets your blood pumping but is great for those days that you’re not feeling very energetic. 

+ Go to a rock climbing gym. This isn’t a frequent one for me but I always love it and man my arms do too. You can go alone and do some bouldering, make a friend to belay you on the walls or bring someone with you. 

+ Go to a swimming pool. Our local YMCA just finished theirs, and I haven’t gotten over to try it out yet. Swimming isn’t one of my strengths but what better place to just practice than a pool? Then maybe I wouldn’t feel like I was drowning when I decide to do a random triathlon out of the blue. 

+ Go on a bike ride. This is another one of those things that you might put off when it’s too hot out, but can be great when it starts to cool off. Just put a thin hat on under your helmet and some gloves should do the trick. 

+ Go run a 5k. Get your family to sign up for a turkey trot on thanksgiving together before you go home and fill up on food. If you’re here in Iowa that’s where I’ll be Thanksgiving Day (downtown putting on the race). 

+ Go do your own sprint triathlon at your local gym/YMCA. Ok, so this one might seem a little out there, but if there’s a pool, stationary bikes and a treadmill or a track you could totally do it. And you can even change in between your swim and the final two legs to make it more comfortable. Do a 750m swim, 20k on the bike, and finish with a 5k run.

There are so many fun things you can do for exercise this season, and these are just a few of the things I want to try out. What type of exercise are you exited to do?  

Fall is Like Your Luteal Phase

I love the concept that the seasons exist within your menstrual cycle, and I definitely believe there is some truth to this. 

And by exploring this I believe you can gain a better understanding of your cycle. So, in honor of the changing seasons we’re going to talk about how fall is like our luteal phase. 

First off, your luteal phase is the end of your cycle before your period comes and your cycle starts again. Depending on the length of your particular cycle it is roughly the last week of your cycle. 

So, fall is like your luteal phase, but what about the rest of your cycle? 

Well, winter is like your menstrual phase (your period), spring is like your follicular phase and summer is similar to your ovulatory phase. 

And some cycles I feel like my luteal phase is more like what I expect my menstrual phase to be, than what my period is actually like. 

It’s like vacation, often there’s a lot of build up and excitement leading up to vacation that actually lasts longer than the trip itself. And I find that my period is like that. My body and mind prepares for it longer than it actually lasts. 

So, the first similarity between fall and our final phase — we slow down. 

The energy and excitement of summer, and our ovulatory phase, wears off. If you stop to pay attention you will notice this. 

Our physical energy wains, but that isn’t necessarily a negative. Because even though physically we are pushed to slow down, mentally we’re very active and creative during this phase. 

I don’t know about you but I’m already thinking about next year, about potential goals, things I want to do and accomplish. 

And just like that our luteal phase is the perfect time to focus inward, to reflect, think and dig deep within ourselves. 

For anything you’ve been hanging onto, dragging around with you, that’s no longer serving you, this is a great time to let that extra baggage go. 

As your physical energy slows down, you may find yourself more tired than before. This reminds me of the dreary, gray weather we’re currently experiencing here in Iowa, and how this always effects my energy level. 

I feel like it’s mother nature’s way of preparing me for the hibernation of winter and my period. Yes, there are those who are super active during the winter. (We don’t have any mountains to snowboard down here unfortunately. And I’m a bit of a hermit in the winter. I like to be warm, snuggled up and cozy.) 

But I’ve been working on my relationship with winter. Well, I started last year trying to change my attitude towards the season. And learning about hygge really helped me. 

These next parts are necessarily season specific, but I’ve been feeling a draw towards them currently as the season is changing. 

I have this pull towards evolving, stepping outside my comfort zone. Doing things that are obviously going to benefit me, but I’m feeling uncomfortable about doing. 

I’m trying to break down a few walls of comfort in an effort to evolve as a business, a brand and as a person. I’m working towards being uncomfortable, whether thats in a professional way, or pushing myself in my own life. 

Instead of retreating back to where I feel comfortable when I hit that resistance, I’m trying to be ok in that sensation. Because I know that’s where growth happens. 

It’s not fun, but it’s important. 

The luteal phase is also where I find myself wanting more space and time to myself. So, I try to schedule that in. I’ve been working from home more. I find the balance between being social and being by myself depending on where I am in my cycle.

I made sure I had this past Sunday at home to get all the little things done around the house that I wanted to. I just really wanted to make a cup of coffee, put on some music and clean my apartment. 

I find something about ending my week that way very cathartic, and it sends me into the upcoming week feeling fresh, revived and ready to go. 

And just like that I like to plan out some time to do things that I want during my different phases. 

What do you feel yourself drawn towards at the end of your cycle?

My Goodbye to Summer

It was like one day it was summer and 90 degrees and the next day it was 60 degrees and the leaves were changing. And I’m not even exaggerating when I say that. It happened overnight. 

Mother nature just decided, yup it’s time. 

Now it’s in the 50’s and 60’s, and currently as I’m writing this it’s gray, raining and 48 degrees out. 

I’m sipping a hot cup of 500 mile chai at my favorite little tea shop in the  East Village (of Des Moines). 

It’s always a bittersweet goodbye when summer is over. 

I’m usually happy for the drop in temperature. 

Summers here in Iowa get pretty toasted and humid. 

There’s something so nostalgic about fall. 

Even when you’re not in school anymore you still get that sensation of it’s 'back to school' season. The excitement of change, of seeing your friends again. Of new pens and notebooks. 

Now it feels like we’re scrambling to plan our January escape from the cold. 

But for today I want to reminisce on some of my favorite aspect of summer. 

The smell of sunscreen. If there was a sunscreen scented perfume, I’d wear it. I love the slightly greasy sheen that sunscreen leaves on your skin. 

Bodies of water and getting into them. I didn’t do this nearly enough this summer, but there’s nothing quite like shrieking as you laugh yourself off a dock into the water without a care in the world. 

Enjoying the shade from some trees because it’s noticeably cooler. I love walking places on the shady side of the street. Enjoying the warm weather, but also keeping out of the sun. 

Running in the mornings because it’s cooler. Still muggy, but bearable. My running falls off as it gets cold out. But there’s nothing quite like starting your day with an early morning run. Especially if you run with someone else. 

Kids triathlons. If you’ve never been to one, I highly recommend it. I think my favorite task is helping the kiddos out of the water. The relief and sense of accomplishment for completing the first part of the race. 

Being tan from all my time outside, even though I always wore sunscreen. All shades are beautiful, but my skin does something special with a little bit of sun. The humidity helps my dry skin, the sun evens out my skin tone, and my skin just doesn’t break out as much in the summer. 

Tan lines from my sandals. But I think those will make it until next year. They are harsh lines, but I love them. They remind me of all the hard work and fun I had outside. 

Warm summer nights. This always reminds me of my younger years, but gosh there’s still just something about them.  

I love summer, but so does everyone else. What I’m working on is my relationship with the colder months, which are on their way. 

What about fall are you excited about? 

Pushing Yourself Outside Your Comfort Zone

I am one of those people who can be a bit of a hermit. I know what I like, don’t like and what I’m comfortable doing. 

It is always a challenge when I first push myself outside my comfort zone, but it is usually always so rewarding.

And the three areas I’m going to talk about today are social, work and athletic.  

Let’s start with the easy one — athletically.

I’ve never considered myself an athletic person really. I was like the only one in my family that really did sports growing up, and I wasn’t ever really on varsity. 

But being an adult and having more control over what you do is a great thing. And I’ve been able to discover different things that I love. 

You’re probably aware that I didn’t really get into running until just last summer. Michael challenged me to run a marathon, and I thought what the heck, why not. So, I trained for a ran a marathon. 

Through that I also discovered trail running. I’ve always enjoyed going on hikes and walks, but trail running is so much fun. Plus, I think I prefer it over just regular running. 

Also last summer I decided to give a sprint triathlon a try, even though I hadn’t been training for one (outside my marathon training), but I wanted a new challenge, was bored with just running, and felt in decent shape. 

The challenge for my with doing triathlons is that I’m not the most efficient swimmer. Like I’m not going to drown, but I feel so slow. 

But at a certain point you just realize, what’s the worse that’s going to happen? I’m going to have to get pulled out of the water? Or maybe backstroke? 

Who cares?

I did my second sprint triathlon around a month ago, and I have not been running or training for anything currently, so I’m not in as good of shape as last summer. 

But I know what my body is capable of, and I was pretty sure that I could push myself through it. 

Once again I was nervous about the swim, and like 30 seconds into starting the race I thought, shit, I might have to get pulled out of the water. 

But I kept pushing myself, let go of feeling embarrassed and did the back stroke, and made it through the swim. 

There’s something I like about deciding to do a random tri without training. But maybe one of these days I will train for one. 

Work is another area that I find myself challenged in, but that’s a huge positive for me. I think I would get bored if I didn’t keep stretching myself, and pushing further and further. 

It was outside my comfort to start a YouTube channel, but look where that got me. 

It was outside my comfort zone to create a website, courses, to coach women about how to chart their menstrual cycles. But I wouldn’t be where I am without that. 

I was outside my comfort zone to do my first sponsored video, to talk to others about “what I did for work”. 

But looking back those steps seem so easy. 

And I try to remind myself of that when I’m facing my next challenge, whatever area of my life that is in. 

What’s something outside your comfort zone you’ve challenged yourself to, and how did you go about it?

2018 Goal Check-In

As we near the end of 2018 I thought it would be a good time to take a look back at the goals I set for myself at the beginning of the year and see where I’m at. 

Are there still goals I want to complete, are there goals that won’t serve me and I can ignore? How can my list influence 2019?

Today we’re just going to focus on my personal goals. 

So, here they are:

[ ] learn to play a song on my ukulele

[x] participate in a race

[ ] keep all of my receipts 

[ ] pay off my student loans

[ ] hang out with family/friends once a week

[ ] produce less waste/buy less plastic

At the moment the only one I have crossed off is participate in a race. I’ve actually done a few. I ran a 15k in San Francisco, a half marathon here in Des Moines and just did a sprint triathlon in Texas. 

But…

There are quite a few others that are more of a ongoing goal than a one time thing. 

For example, I’ve been keeping all my receipts in a manilla envelope in my desk, so I’ll be able to check that one off. 

I usually stop to stay hi to my mom at her work on my way to or from either the coffee shop or library. I try to get down and see my sister usually every other week. We’ve been hanging out with Michael’s family as well. Friends have been a bit harder because we all have different, demanding schedules, but we make a good effort towards it. 

And buying less plastic and producing less waste is definitely an ongoing goal I’m working towards. I will probably check it off, but it’s not like a concrete thing you know. 

I won’t have my loans paid off by the end of the year, but I’m making monthly progress towards it. I’m below the $5000 mark, which feels great and I’d love to get down to the $4000 mark by the end of the year. 

And I still have yet to learn how to play a song on my ukulele but there are still three months left to complete that.  I’ll pull it out every now and then, pluck at it, and put it back.

So my list will probably look more like this (at the end of the year) 

[ ] learn to play a song on my ukulele

[x] participate in a race

[x] keep all of my receipts 

[ ] pay off my student loans

[x] hang out with family/friends once a week

[x] produce less waste/buy less plastic

Ok, so next year. I don’t have any concrete goals, yet. 

I’ll have "do a race” again, because I feel like that’s a good goal, and one I can check off. 

I’ll put something to do with my loans on there, whether I decide I want to try and pay off the last bit or whatever. 

As for the rest of them I’ll definitely need to brainstorm what I want. And it also depends on what the rest of this year bring me and inspires me to do. 

What are some of your goals this year, and have you hit them yet? 

Get More Consistent With Journaling

I recently did a 30 day challenge to start journaling more.

I also made a video where I shared my journals and notebooks.

And I’ve talked about the many benefits I find in journaling consistently. 

+ clear mind (brain barf what’s in there)

+ more focused on what I’m trying to accomplish 

+ able to work through things (free therapy)

+ document my life 

+ less anxiety

+ calmer mind

So, today I wanted to talk about ways you can get more consistent with journaling if it’s something you’re interested in. 

Give different types of journaling a go.

I don’t just keep a ‘normal’ journal. I also have a gratitude journal, morning pages notebook and my bullet journal. And each of these serve a different purpose for me but I enjoy doing them for different reasons. 

I’m more consistent with morning pages and my gratitude journal than my normal journal. 

But there’s also photo journals, art journals, doodle journals, you name it. 

Choose a time of day to sit and do said journaling.

Morning pages is first thing in the morning and I write my gratitudes right when I get into bed for the night. 

Having a specific time that I do them each day helps to create that routine. And because there’s not really a good time on a daily basis for me to sit down and write in my normal journal I do it less consistently. 

But maybe you sit down with your normal journal at the end of every day before you get ready for bed. 

Ask yourself why you want to journal. What do you hope to get out of it? 

If you don’t have a purpose or a driver to why you want to journal you’ll be less likely to do it. 

Struggling with what to write about? Try journal prompts. 

There are so many books filled with journal prompts, get on Pinterest or find a favorite blogger who shares their journal prompts. [insert Vienda here]. 

Let go of the idea of perfection. 

Hard, I know. Especially with your journal journal. That journal that one day might get published after your death (unlikely, but hey it’s passed through your mind) or the idea of someone reading one day. Wanting it to be well spoken, prolific, all those things that keep you from just writing. 

Make it a challenge. 

A 30 day challenge is a great place to start. I don’t know about you but my mindset changes when I’ve been challenged to do something. I’m not a competitive person, but there’s more of a drive to complete something set out before me. 

Give a template a go. 

This isn’t something I do, but I’ve read from countless people that this is what keeps them consistent. 

Some ideas to add to your template:

+ main thing you did that day

+ anything noteworthy or interesting

+ what did you accomplish

+ anything you read or watched

+ something you want to document 

+ what are you grateful for

+ what’s one thing you need to accomplish for work

+ what’s one thing you want to accomplish in your personal life

There are so many ways to journal and there are no wrong ways to journal. You just have to set out a goal and get started. 

How do you journal? 

Mindmapping Habits I Want to Add

I wrote a blog earlier this month about how I tried out mind mapping for the first time. And one of the first thing I mind mapped was habits I wanted to add to my days. 

Most of these are good habits that I’ve had on and off for a few years, but all that I knew would have a positive effect on my day to day. 

I wanted to dig into how I could add them into my day, specific times that might work best, what my specific goal was for that habit, and the benefits to each habit. 

So, I had a rough idea of what these habits were that I wanted to add, and the six I came up with were:

+ exercise

+ journal

+ meditate

+ hydrate

+ gratitude 

+ wake up early

Now, these might seem like pretty general habits most people wanted to add, but today I wanted to share how I broke each down into something tangible for me. 

So, the first thing I asked myself about each habit was what is my daily goal for this habit? 

exercise = 30 minutes each day

journal = write in one journal each day

meditate = either meditate or sit quietly for 10 minutes

hydrate = drink 80 - 120 oz of water each day

gratitude = write three gratitudes each evening 

wake up early = 6 am

I have to set specific goals, as I guess most people do, to follow through with them. 

The next thing I asked myself was, what specific time of day could I fit this goal into. Another important step to actually getting it done.

exercise = a morning walk or run, bike or walk places, take the stairs

journal = morning pages first thing, normal journal late afternoon

meditate = either in the morning before work, or when I need a break

hydrate = all day obviously but a glass before coffee and breaking it up between hours 

gratitude = first thing when I get into bed

wake up early = morning, duh

And finally I thought through different benefits I saw in each. 

exercise = important to move my body each day, good way to take a break during the day, get out in nature, clear my mind.

journal = document things, brain barf, more focused, think through things, clear mind, less anxiety, free therapy.

meditate = less anxiety, calmer mind, free therapy. 

hydrate = better skin, digestion and energy.

gratitude = more grateful and positive, less anxiety

wake up early = more productive in the morning, get my day started, get to have coffee. 

I thought through each habit one at a time, starting in the center with “habits” and branching further and further from there.

I then made a list in Wunderlist where I could store all the notes in an organized, tangible fashion. And it’s nice to have them in an easily accessible place where I can go check in on them and get inspired again if need be. 

I’ve been really good at journaling, daily gratitude and waking up early and not so great at hydrating, meditating and exercising. 

And I think that’s an important note to end on. You’re not going to seamlessly add this new habit into your life straight away. You’re going to mess up. Hell, you might even forget about it. But that’s ok. Failure doesn’t mean you can’t keep trying. 

Keep tweaking when you do it, how you do it and you’ll find the sweet spot in your days to add it to. 

What are some habits you’ve been working to add, or maybe remove from your day to day life?  

I'm a Big Fan of Making Lists

I love writing things out to think through them. 

+ shopping list

+ want list

+ what I’m going to make that week for food

+ what I need to get done for work

+ my plan of attack to clean my apartment

And so on and so forth.

There’s definitely something about physically handwriting out a list, especially if I’m brainstorming something. 

And then once I have brain barfed it all out I can then go in and organize the items or tasks into where they need to be stored so I can actually make it happen. 

They usually get sorted either into my bullet journal, my Evernote or my latest addition, Wunderlist. 

I recently decided I wanted to find a new (to me) app for creating lists, and I finally ended up downloading Wunderlist. 

And I’ve switched over a whole bunch of lists into it to better organize them. 

I have created folders, and some of my favorites are:

+ creating videos (checklists for before I film, while I film and after I film)

+ books to read (everything from self-help to business and fiction)

+ content ideas (for FemmeHead, for my second channel and for the blog) 

The checklists for creating videos has allowed me to make sure I’m remembering to check my audio, set my ISO and everything correctly to get the best possible footage. And if I’m ever just on the struggle bus I can go to that list and be told what I need to do. 

Now, the lists for books I want to read has probably been my favorite project I’ve taken on with Wunderlist. So, before I just had the book titles in a document on Evernote, but I never really used that list because it was just a bunch of titles and I could never remember what the books were about. 

So, in my Wunderlist I have gone through and added the book summary under the notes tab for that item, as well as whether my local library has it. And if it does I add the call number, and if it doesn’t I add the Amazon link for that book. 

Yeah, I know, amazing right? 

I’ve had an ongoing content ideas list for a few years now, but I’ve taken it one step further on my Wunderlist and started brainstorming 'future' future content ideas, like beyond the upcoming month. 

And by that I mean I have lists under a “Content Ideas” folder such as:

+ fall 

+ winter

+ lifestyle

+ cycles

+ charting

+ business

+ second channel ideas

It’s awesome to have separate categories for my content ideas, that way I can go through and say man, I really need to brainstorm cycle related topics. Plus they’re organized, duh. And now for the next five months I can go off of a base list of ideas that I’ve come up with for fall and winter. 

Moral of the story is make lists, but find a way to organize them in such a way that you can actually use all that awesome brainstorming power for good. 

It doesn’t do me any good if I have all these ideas tucked in some wrinkled notebook forgotten in the bottom of my desk drawer. Nope,k I’ve taken them and put them in an easily accessible location that I won’t forget about. 

What are your lists you couldn’t live without and what’s your favorite place to organize them? 

Staying Minimalist | Keeping a Want List

So, I want to share one of the best things I’ve done for myself in the realm of minimalism. 

And no it’s not decluttering my things. 

It’s creating and keeping an ongoing “want list”.

So, you know when you’re scrolling through social media or walking through a store and you see something and think, “OMG I need/want that!” 

This is a list to curb those instincts. 

When I have that rush of “gimme gimme gimme” instead of buying whatever it is, I put in onto my list. 

And it sits there.

That’s right, I’m not allowed to buy it right away. 

This allows me to research and find the perfect one of whatever it is. 

I can find the style I want, the company I want to buy from and the price I want to spend.

I can keep an eye out for it in the thrift stores, search online, ask around. 

And then when I do buy it whether that's a month, or several months later I’m in love with it beyond that initial high you get from getting something new. 

And do you know what? 

Sometimes I don’t buy it. 

Sometimes it sits on my list, sits and sits, and then I go to put something new on my list and I’ll look back over it and see an item and go, huh, you know what I really don’t want that anymore. 

And then I delete it from my list, and yes, there’s a lot of satisfaction in that. I just saved X amount of money.

Let’s talk about my current want list to give you an example of this. 

So, at the moment I’ve put my want list into my Wunderlist app on my phone. That way I have access to it at all times. 

Here’s what’s on it:

+ a Keep cup

+ lace barrette that can show

+ toe rings

+ acne pimple patches

+ underwear

+ tight black tank

+ striped linen pants

+ hair bandanas

+ delicate gold jewelry 

+ black loafers/flat mules

+ new iPhone

So, right off the bat, I recently bought that bralette, some new underwear and I found three bandanas in the bottom of Michaels drawer. Boom check those off the list. 

I want a keep cup because at the moment I only have a stainless steel coffee container that isn’t really an on the go option. I need something with a lid. But I’m not at the point where I’m ready to commit to a keep cup. Maybe I’ll find a better option I like more. 

There’s no rush really to what’s on my list. 

I haven’t looked into any toe rings or delicate gold jewelry yet. 

And as I’m thinking through this blog post I’m remembering other things that I’m on the hunt for. I’m on the hunt for a pair of cloth (not denim) overalls. 

And I’m waiting for the new iPhone to be released so I can get the 8 at a cheaper price. 

I can add links to certain things I like. Such as those flat black loafer mule things, whatever they’re called. I can spend some time looking for the ones I want, and if I find a few I like I’ll add the link to the document, but I don’t buy it yet. 

It’s mostly just about letting stuff sit on there. 

Do I need a new pair of shoes to survive? Or acne pimple patches? Absolutely not. 

It’s a practice of patience and really figuring out whether I need/want something or if it’s just that rush of “I need this now!"

And I’m happy to report that this has helped curb my shopping by a lot, and I wasn’t a big shopper to begin with. 

Do you have a want list or the equivalent of it in your life? How do you use it? Or what do you do to stop and think before you buy something? 

I Tried Mind Mapping

Mind mapping. 

Mind what? 

So, this was first something I saw on Muchelleb’s channel, and it was a while ago she first mentioned it. 

But there was a period of time where I would hear her talk about it and think, nah that’s not for me. I thought I needed to be more structured and neat than mind mapping. That it was too scattered for me. 

But it just kept popping up and finally, I thought what the heck, I should give it a go. 

So, I rewatched her videos on it and chose a few things I could mind map. 

I think of it as a new way for me to brainstorm. 

I wouldn’t use it to take notes (I’ve seen people who use this technique to study). 

But brainstorming, I could handle that. 

So, the first thing I decided to mind map, an easy place to start, was with a few habits I wanted to add. 

Before doing the actual mind mapping I sat and thought about what those habits were, and I came up with:

+ journal daily

+ exercise

+ mediate

+ 80-120 oz of water

+ gratitude journal

Ok, so journal daily? 

First off, I was like you know what, I’m going to make that into a 30-day challenge. 

And as I was going through brainstorming these different habits I realized I needed to have a specific time of day to do them. 

That’s probably my biggest tip because I’ve noticed the things I do at the same time each day are the things I stick with versus the things that I think oh I want to do that at some point today. Not gonna happen for this lady. 

So I decided that morning pages would be the first thing, my gratitude journal would be as soon as I got into bed, and my normal journal would be for things to remember.

I went through and wrote out different benefits and why I wanted to journal more. And most of it was mental health, free therapy, clearer thinking and so on. 

And I would just add one thing at a time and spend a few minutes thinking through why I wanted that as a habit, and how I could actually hold myself accountable for doing them. 

Habits started connecting. For example, if I woke up early I would have more time to go for a run, do my morning pages, meditate and not feel so rushed to get my day started. Exercising would lead to drinking more water. And things like that. 

In the end mind mapping is a fun little exercise that I recommend giving a go. There’s no right or wrong way to do it so I’d say don’t spend too much time worrying about the technique. 

Do you mind map? Share your experience below! 

Irregular Cycles, Are You Ovulating?

The first thing I always think, and often ask, when people ask about their irregular cycles are:

+ have you been charting your cycle?

+ do you know if you’re ovulating?

So many people think that they can’t and shouldn’t chart their cycle if they think it’s “irregular” but there is so much insight that comes with having a chart to look at. 

I definitely believe it can help figure out what’s going on. And it definitely won't hurt the cause. 

And the next thing I wonder, which helps if you're charting is whether you’re ovulating. Because often, not ovulating means really long, messed up cycles. 

So, if you’re not already charting, I suggest starting. 

If you want to learn how to properly and effectively do it I’ve got a course you can check out. 

If you’re not going to be using it as birth control the two important things to chart are your basal body temperature and cervical fluid. 

So, grab yourself a basal thermometer and start taking your temperature when your first wake up at the same time each day. 

I recommend an app like Kindara to input all of your data. 

And you can start checking your cervical fluid a few times each day when you go to the bathroom. Before you go take a minute to “swipe” across the opening of your vagina and take note of what you feel and see. 

You’ll want to look for a spike in your temperature that is higher than the previous six temperatures to signify that you have ovulated. You can also look up chart examples of those with a regular cycle and those with an anovulatory cycle. 

And charting your cervical fluid is good because you can see whether there is a pattern or if your fluid is all over the place. 

Now, obviously there is a lot more that goes into charting, even to just track your cycle (and especially if you’re going to use it as birth control), but that’s a good place to start. 

And another tool you can use to see if you’re ovulating are ovulation test strips. You can get a big pack of cheap ones off of Amazon pretty easily. And you can start testing around day 10 of your cycle. This tests for a surge in LH, and a positive test is when both lines are the same darkness. Unlike with a pregnancy test, a faint line on an LH test is actually a negative. 

If you see that you’re getting two lines but not a positive for an extended period of time means that you’re probably not ovulating. 

So, this post isn’t about fixing your irregular cycles. No, it’s about that first step into figuring out what might be going on. And there’s no one size fits all fix for irregular cycles. And there are many different things that could be causing them. But keep learning, keep charting and keep asking questions.