My 3-Step Journal Prompts Template

After 7 years of morning journaling, there is 1 template I still go to when I don’t know what to write.

— 

1) 3 Priorities For Today

Listing priorities that answer the questions:

• What would I be proud to get done today?

• What does good or done look like?

I have my most productive & focused days when I do this.

But it's not always about being productive, right?

—

2) 3 Things I Want To Feel Today

This is setting the intention for how I want to walk into the day

Confident, calm, purposeful, connected

Doing this is usually the difference between walking into work frantic vs. calm.

But maybe we don't always need to look ahead, and can look at right now…

—

3) 3 Things I’m Thankful For

We dig deeper here, so answering the questions

• What person, thing, situation can you not imagine having in your life right now?

• What person, thing, situation would your younger self be freaking proud of?

Even in the hard phases of life -

it's a moment to stop, look around, and realize you have it pretty good.

Happy journaling :)

I Took Maisy Outside and My Mornings Would Never Be The Same

You can learn a lot standing outside at 6am in 10 degrees and 4 inches of snow.

For 1 year now, I've been going out with Maisy pup first thing in the morning (yes even in the cold).

This reminded me of 3 important lessons about mornings:

—

1) Silence in the morning can bring the best ideas

The best ideas don't usually come from sitting at a desk.

They come when…

• Driving

• Showering

• Standing outside waiting for your dog to go to the bathroom 

My 1st job required commuting 30 minutes through cornfields in the morning - and I wouldn't be writing to you now if it weren't for that. 

Instead of seeing this as annoyance, embrace the mundane and the space for your own thoughts before the craziness of the day

— 

2) Once you do something you thought was impossible, everything else doesn't feel as hard

Bundling up and going out in the cold felt unthinkable.

But once I did that, I had momentum and confidence to take on the rest of the morning.

It's like…

• Writing the 1st paragraph of a blog post

• Running the 1st mile

• Submitting the 1st application

You make 1 decision, make it over the hump of doing it, and it gets easier from there.

—

3) Make sure you like what you're getting up for

Trust me I wouldn't be going outside if I didn't love Maisy…

Good reminder to ask:

• Who or what are you waking up for?

• Do you like that reason?

Work, spouse, kids, dogs, yourself??

Gives you purpose to get out of bed, and we'll need that on the good, bad, and especially cold days.

*Side note: taking Maisy out in the morning is also how I met my boyfriend -  but that's a story for another day ;)

Should You Share Your Goals?

I've never shared my new years goals with someone.

But this year I did.

And the response was interesting…

But before I share that, I've gone back and forth on if you should share your goals.

Maybe you've decided this is the year you're going to do something besides work, start a morning routine, hit the gym consistently, or finally start writing the blog. 

Telling people could:

• Hold you accountable

• Give them a chance to support you

• Provide you constructive feedback from someone who knows a lot about you or your goal

But there is also:

• Fear of judgement of someone giving the "The Look" of you're crazy

• Not constructive feedback from someone who knows nothing about you or your goal

• Extra pressure to make it happen

Rightfully so - it's scary enough for you to say your goals out loud, let alone tell someone else.

But for my 2025 goals, I did tell people. 

People who:

1. Know me

2. Are goal-oriented themselves

3. Won't give me "The Look"

4. Believe in me sometimes even more than I believe in myself

The result:

1. Encouragement

2. A challenge to be more measurable

3. Questions on what I'm going to tackle first & when

4. Shared interest in my goal

So should you share your goals?

Based on my experience - it's being selective about who.

Tell people who are going to help push you forward, not hold you back.

Whether you decide to share or not, remember…

1. You aren't crazy

2. Your goals aren't crazy

3. There is no better year than this year to make them happen

If you want support in making time for your goals, EMAIL ME with what you’re working on and we can chat about how to make them part of your morning!

My Alcohol Journey - and How You Can Make It Past Dry January

I had no intention of getting sober.

But I did wonder, "would my life be better without alcohol?"

This is main question Amanda White poses in her book Not Drinking Tonight.

I picked up the book in January 2022 (here’s my initial blog post on it), after coming from a world where…

• My family is always ready to throw the next killer football tailgate or 4th of July party

• A college setting where one could argue the only activity was to drink

• A social culture where "getting a drink" is the go-to for meeting friends or going on dates

3 years later - I can confidently say my life is better without alcohol, or at least less of it.

My life now looks like:

• the default is to not drink, but I will on special occasion (maybe 1 a month)

• my fam, friends, co-workers have mocktail options available when they host

• not waking up hungover, and instead getting up to work on my side business

But I'll make it clear it wasn't easy to get to this point, but so worth it.

When friends come to me curious about the Dry January movement of not drinking (or maybe going past January) -

here are the 3 keys I share:

1) Set the default to not drinking

Instead of always saying yes to being offered a drink, the default became no.

This gave me a moment to ask myself

"Am I excited to have this drink?

Or

"Am I getting it because everyone else is getting one?"

Drinking became an intuitive thing and saying yes to only the things I was excited about became empowering and made a drink feel special.

But what if you feel weird having nothing in your hands…

2) Know the mocktail options

So you're not drinking, but still want to join in on the festivities.

Knowing and getting creative with the non-alcoholic options is key!

Over the past 3 years, so many restaurants have added mocktail and NA beer options.

Some of my go-tos:

• At a bar: Heineken Zero

• At a tailgate: Athletic brewing or Brewdog NA

• At work happy hour: non-alcoholic moscow mule

• At a restaurant: fancy mocktail on their menu

This allows you to join in with a drink in a fancy glass that isn't water.

This kind of shuts up the people who are pushing you to drink too.

They do them, and you do you.

But the right environment can bypass this pressure…

3) Get in environments not centered around alcohol

Suggesting to friends or dates to go on a walk, play pickleball, get a coffee.

Doing this becomes eye opening! 

It may become apparent that some friends are your "party friends" and you start to feel distant from them.

But you will also find new friends and new hobbies on this journey.

I'm now in a friend group that plays pickleball.

I'm in a relationship where not drinking was a 2 second conversation on our 1st walking date because we were on the same page.

You see what you're looking for. The more you seek it out, the more you'll find things and people that align.

The secret:

1. It's reps - not drinking 1 event at a time

2. It's being ok being the odd one out in the beginning

3. It's noticing how much better you feel when you don't drink, and how not yourself you feel when you do 

IT GETS EASIER, I PROMISE.

Always here to chat more about it if you want to!

3 Short & Sweet Lessons Shaping My 2025

Every year is the year we think we'll figure it out.

We figure out some things..sometimes we get lucky..while other times we get absolutely slapped in the face.

As a 29-year-old who this year…

• Spoke at Fortune 500 companies

• Got promoted

• Exited her single girl era

• Started playing pickleball weekly

• Built her dream office in her home

• Threw her dog a 1st birthday party

• Went on 4 trips with family

• Enjoyed the little things while still being hungry for more

Also struggled with…

• Imposter syndrome

• People pleasing

• Work stress

• Bad 1st dates

• Acne

• Life direction

• Societal pressure

Here are 3 short & sweet lessons shaping my 2025…

Lesson #1: The consistent, little things add up

• Putting in 20 minutes in the morning to the side business

• The clearly communicated email

• That 30 minute workout squeezed in at lunch

• Putting $100 into savings

• Writing the unexpected thank you note 

The little things are the path to the big things.

But don't forget the big actions too…

Lesson #2: Ask for what you want

• Asking for the raise, instead of waiting for someone to give it to you

• Telling your partner what you need, instead of thinking they should just know

• Asking someone directly to give your side business a chance, instead of thinking they'll just stumble upon it

• Being open with your family/friends about what you want for your life so they can help you make it happen

But be careful what you put out into the world because you might just get it…

Lesson #3: Know where the goal post is

• If you don't know where the goal post is, you never feel satisfied

• If you keep moving the goal post, what you did is never enough

• When you hit a goal, it's easy to immediately jump to what's next

What does a good [fill in the blank] look like?

• Net worth

• Job

• Body

• House

• Side business

• Relationship

Know it.

Meet it.

Celebrate it.

Figure out the next one.

—

What lessons are you taking into 2025? Lemme know as I want to hear!

Thankful for all you who read these weekly newsletter! Wishing you the best in the new year; you got this!

What Eat the Frog Actually Means

Most people get "Eat The Frog" all wrong.

Attributed to Mark Twain, “Eat The Frog” is widely known as doing the hardest thing first thing in the morning. 

It's very "just do it."

But let me use my graceful yoga teacher voice here.

"Eat the frog" isn't about doing the thing you despise the most.

It's about:

Doing the 1 thing that requires your freshest energy and you want to give your freshest energy to

Example:

You may have considered your "Frog" a morning workout because it's the thing you despise the most.

BUT

Maybe a workout is the thing that requires your freshest energy so that's why you do it in the morning.

OR

Maybe it doesn't require your freshest brain power and your workout could be moved to after work when your brain is ready for a break.

--

Identify not what the hardest thing is, but what you want to dedicate your freshest energy to.

When you do this --

"Eating The Frog" it's no longer about forcing yourself do the hardest thing in the morning.

"Eating The Frog" becomes you following through on your commitment to become the best version of yourself.

--

Want to start “Eating The Frog?” The Morning Routine Workbook as a 3-step guide to get you started + 12-month habit tracker to hold you accountable!

Break The Work, Eat, Sleep Cycle: The 2-Step Guide To Start Healthy Habits and Hobbies

At the ripe age of 23, I had my first identity crisis.

I sat at my corporate job knowing I wanted to BE more and DO more than work, eat, sleep.

I eventually went on to:

• Start a podcast

• Complete 200-hr yoga teacher training

• Launch a business

BUT it was a 4-year winding road with a lot of breaks and doubting

Here's how I went from sitting at my corporate job with big ideas to taking consistent action on my health & hobbies

(so you can do it in less time than I did)

1) Start a morning journal practice

Start with answering 1 journal prompt or question each morning to explore who you want to become.

My favorite: The Life Pie Exercise

If your life was a pie, what are the 4-6 pieces?

(health, family, friends, hobbies, etc.)

This represents who you want to be & how you want to spend your time.

BUT DON'T GET STUCK HERE

Start taking action right after that!

2) Habit stack action

Once you get a consistent journal practice down, take action on something that contributes to your Life Pie.

Most common action is doing something for your health or hobbies since these get lost in our day easily.

Example:

• During my journal practice - I got clarity I wanted to start a hobby of podcasting

• After my journal practice - I would work on the podcast

Before I knew it, I wasn't just a corporate employee.

I was also a daily journaler, podcaster, and proud of the person I was becoming. 

THE KEY:

Doing this in the morning!

Pairing a morning journal practice + action helps you…

1. Prioritize what's important to you (so it doesn't get lost in your day)

2. Use your freshest energy on what's important to you (instead of someone else)

3. Gives you purpose to get out of bed (and eliminate the dreadful mornings)

So what are you waiting for? Start tomorrow!

--

Need the push to get started? The Morning Routine Workbook as a 3-step guide to getting started + 12-month habit tracker to hold you accountable!

3 Tips For Doing Your Morning Routine While Traveling

1 of the most important times to do a morning routine is when you're traveling.

Why?

• Your eating is different

• Your workouts are sporadic

• Your sleep schedule is weird

• Your social battery is possibly drained 

So you don't feel like you're completely losing yourself -

take a brief moment in the morning to check in!

Here's a 3-step playbook to make it happen:

1) Have an Anchor Activity

An Anchor Activity is doing something for 1-2 minutes each morning to check in with yourself.

(likely a shorter version of what you do for your regular morning routine)

Journal, take 5 deep breaths, take a walk.

Make your first, feel-good decision of the day and it becomes the catalyst for everything else!

2) Find a spot to do it

Maybe you're crashing on the couch in the living room at your aunt's house and you have limited privacy.

Sneak in your Anchor Activity when you go to the bathroom, go out to your car, take the walk.

This may be your only "me time" in the day so put it to good use.

3) Remember your why

Who are you becoming by taking a moment for yourself in the morning?

Someone who is…

• Aware

• Present

• Motivated

As we enter the busy holiday travel season, how do you want to show up?

1 LAST THING

Maybe you find it is challenging to show up as your best self when traveling or around the holidays.

Remember -

You not doing your routine is the "holiday version" of you, not the "everyday version" of you.

Meaning -

1) not doing it is temporary

2) come the Monday after the holiday you'll jump back into it :)

--

I go deeper into each of these topics in the Morning Routine Workbook. Get it now and start taking action on your morning routine!

3 Tools To Level Up Your Life in 2025

1 thing I know about you is that you want to level-up!

Steal these 3 tools I used to level-up this year that I plan to use again!

(and just in time for the 2025 edition of all of these to be on sale this Black Friday)

—

The Big A** Calendar

If you're a planner and want to make time for the RIGHT things, this large, 3-foot calendar is amazing!

I have mine up in my home office and it's a way to see my whole year in 1 place! It fills me with both excitement and gratitude for the year ahead!

And if you're not following Jesse Itzler (the creator) yet, you're missing out!

—

The Wealth Planner

If you want to track your budget, savings, and net worth - this is a 1-stop shop!

Money with Katie created this extensive excel sheet that has completely changed how I look at my personal finances (not to mention feel excited about my progress)!

She also has a podcast and newsletter that I highly recommend checking out!

—

The Morning Routine Workbook

If you finally want to do a morning routine for more than 3 days, my Morning Routine Workbook is the key to making that happen!

This workbook is based on my proven, 3-step morning routine method that has gotten my clients to:

• wake up earlier

• workout in the morning

• quit their bad phone habits

• start working on their side hustle

Not to mention includes a 12-month tracker to hold you accountable! 

Digital + hard copy will go on sale Black Friday!

You’re This Close To Becoming More -- Get Started With A Morning Routine

When I was 23, I sat at my first job saying "I think there is more than this."

I loved my job, but I knew I wanted to be…

• Healthy

• Seek out new interests

• Live an exciting, well-rounded life

I didn’t really have anyone around me showing me this or to tell my crazy ideas to. 

But I knew I had to do something….

1) I started with healthy habits like journaling and morning routines.

2) I explored interests like strength workouts, yoga teacher training, podcasting, blogging, etc.

3) I started to feel excited to get out bed & felt in control of my life!

I started to believe…

“I am more than this.”

So if you're in the "I think there is more than this" stage, I want you to know

• You're more than your work

• It takes 1 journal entry, 1 morning to get started

• The ideas in your head are not crazy

Don't wake up next year in the same place you're right now.

Start taking action towards the person you want to become.

—

Schedule a free 15 min call this week and we can chat about using your morning to make time for your ideas!

Setting Realistic Goals For Your Morning Routine

You decide you're going to start waking up at 5am to workout.

You make it to Thursday…

• Alarm goes off.

• Hit snooze.

• And there is no way you're getting out of your cozy bed!

You aren't getting out of bed because you're lazy, but because you've set an unrealistic goal!

Here are 3 steps to setting a realistic goal for your morning routine:

—

Step 1: Identify 3-6 pie pieces of your life

Think of your "Life Pie" and the 3-6 pieces represent how you want to spend your time:

• At least 3 to diversify where your happiness & identity come from

• No more than 6 to get clear on what you're prioritizing 

Some ideas:

Health, family, friends, partner, hobbies, work

Get specific on what activities each pie piece encompasses

(hobby activities: podcasting, pickleball, yoga)

Do this step first so you KNOW you're waking up for something that's important to you.

—

Step 2: Use your morning routine to make time for 1 of the Pie Pieces

For example - you could:

• Pick your hobbies pie piece

• Choose to start a podcast

This is a good choice for your morning routine IF:

• You're usually too tired to do the activity at the end of the day

• It requires your freshest energy

• Something your body/brain naturally craves

• A year from now, you would be bummed if you didn't start taking action on it

If it doesn't hit these things, you will likely not wake up to do it.

—

Step 3: Meet yourself where you're and add 10 minutes

You have to make time for this new activity, so let's build that time in a sustainable way!

1. Take your current wake up time - 7am

2. Start waking up 10 minutes earlier - 6:50am

3. Do that for a week - Mon-Fri

4. Prove to yourself that you can be consistent - track it

5. Then add 10 more minutes - 6:40am

After 4 weeks, you will have found a consistent 40 minutes a day to work on your podcast.

—

Setting realistic morning routine goals is about doing something:

1. You've identified as a priority

2. You are excited to wake up for

3. Meeting yourself where you're at before going bigger!

Schedule a free 15 min call this week and we get can set you’re realistic goals!

3 Sneaky Phone Tricks Productive Morning People Are Using

With phones in our hands at all times, the odds of being productive are stacked against us.

Here are 3 sneaky phone tricks productive morning people are using:

1) Don’t look at your phone 1st hour of the day

When we check email or social first thing in the morning, we are allowing someone else to choose what we think about the moment we wake up.

Take the power back and challenge yourself to not look at your phone the 1st hour of the day or until your morning routine is over.

This creates a full hour you can dedicate to your self care, ideas, or interests!

2) Bed is a “no phone zone”

When we bring our phones into bed with us, we are allowing the world into our space.

Think of your bed as your safe, private space, and make it a “no phone zone.”

This can reduce the scrolling you’re in the morning and replace it with something you’ve been wanting to make more time for!

3) Special Spot is a “no phone zone”

Your Special Spot is a place in your home where you do your morning routine. For most people, it’s a place to find calm and check-in.

Challenge yourself to make this a “no phone zone” so you can start the day in a calm, present, productive way.

—

I recommend choosing 1 goal that resonates the most and go from there!

Eventually you will have to use your phone, but can use it in an intentional way, such as making it a reward for when you've completed your morning routine!

—

Schedule a free 15 min call this week and we can chat about getting these sneaky tricks integrated into your morning routine!

3 Goals To Set To Get Out of Bed Faster

It takes the average American 24 minutes to get out of bed.

Based on my experience as a Morning Routine Coach, it's not always because we're too tired.

It's because we're getting out of bed without a purpose.

Here are 3 goals to set if you want to get out of bed faster & with purpose:

Goal #1: Set alarm for time you want to wake up for you

Most of us set our alarm for the time we need to wake up for work. 

What if you set your alarm for the time you wanted to wakeup to do something for you?

Something that feels very purposeful for you?

• Journal

• Workout

• Just sit outside with your coffee

Starting your day on your terms is more motivating than starting on someone else's.

But what about when that alarm does go off… 

Goal #2: Only hit snooze once

If you’re a frequent snoozer, going from hitting snooze 5x to 0x can feel unrealistic.

Set an intentional goal to:

• Only hit snooze once

• Create a “sleep buffer” that allows you 10 minutes to slowly wake up

It's the sweet spot between not rushing out of bed and still getting up in a timely manner.

But be aware of what you could plan to do in the morning to make getting out of bed easier… 

Goal #3: Do something you crave

Many of us try to force ourselves to do things in the morning we don't naturally want to do. 

When choosing what to do for your morning routine, make sure it’s something your brain or body craves in the morning.

(besides laying in bed)

• Do you feel most creative in the morning?

• Do you need slower activities in the morning?

• Do you want to get organized in the morning?

Get in tune with what you need (and how the other people in your home operate), and sync your schedule accordingly.

Plan smarter, not harder!

—

Schedule a free 15 min call this week and we can chat about how you can get out of bed faster!

3 Reminders When You Feel Judged For Your Idea

I've gotten "The Look" a lot.

6 years ago - I got it for the first time.

Today - I get it less, but it's still there.

"The Look" I'm talking about - 

The confused, possibly judgmental, face someone gives when you tell them about your idea, interest, endeavor, or business.

• Starting a podcast

• Opening a business

• Posting online

It's a look of "you're crazy" and it's the #1 thing that holds us back from pursuing our idea.

If you've experienced this -  

3 reminders that helped me overcome the "The Look" and kept me moving forward on my ideas (so that you can too)

— 

1) You're not crazy

Believe in your idea - because if you don't, no one else will.

Who knows - your unique perspective and life experience may be exactly what the world needs.

(and you may be doing the world and you a disservice by not sharing it)

But I understand it can be scary to share…

—

2) Some people will never get it, and that's ok.

Doesn't mean you need to cut people out of your life who don’t get it, yet it's not our mission to convince them of our idea.

Remember - "The Look" may even come from a place of confusion, instead of judgement.

The right people will cheer you on along the way!

But sharing your idea may give you the opportunity to meet "your people"…

— 

3) Your people are out there

They're on podcasts you can listen to, online communities, and events in your city.

The people who truly get it and want to know more.

But you'll never know until you put your idea out there.

--

The Key:

Even if you get the dreaded "Look," keep showing up!

Morning routines can be a great way to make time for your idea!

And if you want to connect with someone who definitely won't give you "The Look" -

Schedule a free 15 min call this week and we can chat about your idea + how you can use your morning to get it off the ground!

You Don't Need To Wake Up At 5am

I am a morning routine coach and I don't wake up at 5am.

Here's why: 

I don't have to and you don't have to either.

(except for 1 reason that I'll get to at the end)

95% of people's first goal for a morning routine is to go from waking up at 7am to waking up at 5am.

And I've observed 5% of people make it past the first week.

This is because they're aiming for a TIME instead of a WHY

To help identify your why for a morning routine (past society telling you should it’s good for you…

ASK:

• Why do I want to have a morning routine?

• Who do I want to become?

• How can I use my morning to help me become that person?

Then identify what time you need to wake up in order to do that.

Wake up:

• 10 minutes earlier

• 90 minutes earlier

• 2 hours earlier

But if you do get to 5am, make sure it's for a good reason:

To do something that gets you closer to the person you want to become.

Because aiming to wake up at a certain time is not going to get you out of bed on the hardest days.

Your why will.

—- 

If you want support in identifying your why…

Schedule a free 15 min call and we can find what would get you out of bed!

3 Steps To Make Time Weekly For Your Crazy Idea

The crazy ideas you have likely aren’t crazy at all.

Whether it's….

• Starting a podcast

• Opening a wedding venue

• Creating a website for your (potential) business 

I recommend this 3 step method to start taking weekly action on your idea!

—

Step 1) Start writing it down

When you think of an idea throughout the day, write it down or put it in your phone.

Whether you're sitting at your 9-5 work desk or walking the dog, jot the note down!

Start writing it down because…

• You will forget later

• It's a way to build on your ideas

PRO TIP:

This also allows you to get the idea out of your head and onto paper, making it feel…

• More real

• You feel less crazy (because you aren't crazy!)

• Wanting to make more time to think about it… 

—

Step 2) Set designated writing time

If you want to start making time to think more about it, start journaling in the morning!

To make this easier:

• Wake up 10 minutes earlier than you normally do

• "Habit stack" or place journaling after something you already do (like brushing your teeth) 

PRO TIP:

Journaling is a key place to start, but don't get stuck in this step! 

Journaling is a safe space to understand ourselves, but the uncomfortable next step is likely what moves the needle forward…

—

Step 3) Start taking action

Since you already have designated time setup to journal, you can now "stack" taking action on it right after you journal.

Journal, then write the blog post.

Journal, then email that connection.

Journal, then start researching.

This allows you to brain dump and then take more organized action!

PRO TIP:

Doing this journal + take action method works for many people because it's…

• Purposeful - gets you out of bed

• Doesn't require perfection right away - gets the brain dump out, then organize

--

You're already waking up early.

You have the time set aside.

You have the momentum.

Now get after it!

—- 

If you want support in taking action in the morning…

Schedule a free 15 min call and we can talk through your not so crazy idea!

2 Ways To Stop The "So What Do You Do?" Question

Why is "SO WHAT DO YOU DO?" the go-to question when meeting someone new?

Probably because…

70% of us see WORK as our purpose!

We've likely learned this idea from: 

• Older generations passing it down

• College focusing solely on you getting a job

The challenge with WORK being our sole purpose:

• Puts pressure on work to be perfect

• Happiness is coming from 1 thing

• Becomes our identity (that we can sometimes lose)

INSTEAD, what if we…

1) Started seeing ourselves as more than work:

Family, hobbies, entrepreneur, cook, reliable friend

2) Asked different questions to give others the opportunity to be more than their work:

"Do anything fun this weekend?"

"Have anything exciting coming up?"

You're so much more than your work.

So why not start living like you're?

29 Powerful Questions That Helped Me Grow Personally & Professionally

I turn 29 this week - and I thought I would have all the answers by now.

Surprise, surprise I don't - but I have learned to stop & ask myself powerful questions!

Here are 29 questions that helped me grow this year (organized by category):

 —

Personal Health & Values

1) What do I do just for fun?

2) What do I believe? Where did I learn that belief?

3) How many days a week do I need to workout to feel healthy?

4) What do I want my relationship with social media to look like?

5) What would make me happy?

 —

Relationships

6) Who are the most important people in my life and how can I make time for them?

7) Do I put my perfectionism onto other people? Is that fair?

8) What is my ideal day with my partner?

9) Do I give other people the same recognition & appreciation I expect to receive?

10) How could I meet more people?

11) How can I listen & learn more about people?

 —

Corporate Career

12) How do I want my professional connections to describe me?

13) How can I improve this process (not settle for the status quo)?

14) What actions do I need to take to make it easy for someone to give me a raise?

15) What is my ideal work situation & how can I make that happen?

16) How can I be a leader as an individual contributor?

 —

Entrepreneurship

17) Who do I need to connect with to grow my business?
18) What are my quantifiable goals and why that number?

19) How can I build my business around my life? (and not my life around my business)

20) Who do I want to help and what is my mission?

21) How can I dream a little bigger?

22) What progress have I made already that can motivate me to keep going?

23) Am I spending more time planning or taking action?

24) What data points did I gather (instead of declaring something a failure)?

— 

Finances

25) What is my net worth and how can I grow it?

26) How much money will make me happy?

27) What am I saving for?

28) What am I proud to spend money on?

29) What could multiple streams of income look like?

—

The Key -

Using morning journal session to reflect on these questions - absolute game changer for my growth!

Boost Your Professional Brand By Changing Your Morning Commute

If doing a morning routine before work seems like too much, level up your workday with a "transition" instead.

The transition from personal life to work life in the morning is often overlooked and underutilized.

Take your drive into work for example.

This may currently feel rushed, frantic, possibly a waste of time.

But you could look at this as your "transition" to the workday and use this time to:

• Mentally prepare for the day

• Pump yourself up

• A moment to breathe

That could tangibly look like:

• Identifying the 1 thing you want to get done today to make your priorities clear

• Putting on pump up music to set the energy & focus for the day

• Taking 5 intentional breaths to ground yourself

For my work-from-home friends…

Your "commute" or "transition" could be stepping outside for 2 minutes before you hop on your laptop to do these same things.

This could be the difference between you starting the workday…

Rushed & scattered brained 

Vs.

Calm & clear-minded

How does this impact your work?

• Who is more present in that first meeting?

• Who's decision-making do you trust more?

• Who do you want to be around?

Rushed & scattered brained person

OR 

Calm & clear-minded person

Even if a morning routine seems like too much, a morning "transition" could determine the professional brand you're building for yourself.

Find 90 Mins A Day To Pursue Interests By Changing How You Use Your Phone

I get asked all the time how I have time for anything other than work.

Things like:

• A side business

• Dog training

• Pickleball with friends

• Workout classes

Disclaimer: it doesn’t have much to do with being single with no kids — and everything to do with what we all have!

A phone!

Here's how I found 90 extra minutes a day to pursue my interests by changing the way I use my phone:

—

1) Making my desk a "no phone zone."

This means when I'm at my desk working, I don't use my phone. It's face down or on do not disturb.

This allows me to:

• Be present at work

• Get work done faster

• Leaving me working less hours

• Having time for other things

Getting up from my desk to use my phone can make a great, intentional break too!

Saves: ~30 minutes

--

2) Having little to no notifications on my home screen.

99% of notifications that pop up on our home screen don't need our attention THIS MINUTE!

This:

• Distracts us

• Slows us down

• Keeps us from doing other things we want to do

We can adjust our phone settings so the only things we need to be notified of NOW show up (like texts from loved ones). 

3 phone settings to not overlook:

—Remove email notifications from popping up on home screen

That way you get to choose when you look at emails instead of someone else choosing for you

—Mute group chats

These can blow up your phone! Mute it & choose when you want to check it instead of 10 other people choosing for you 

—Limit social media notifications

Sorry not sorry but you do not need to know when Eggnog the Bulldog posted a new video! Even consider if you need your DM notifications on.

My apple watch friends - think about how you can apply this to your watch too!

If you're worried about staying in the loop -

I like having an intentional time to check these notifications like lunch or evenings.

Saves: ~30 minutes

-- 

3) Delaying phone usage in the morning

I like to challenge myself to do my morning routine before picking up my phone.

The time I would spend scrolling in bed first thing in the morning is replaced with:

• Hobbies

• Interests

• Self-care

The morning is the most underrated time to get these things in; don’t pass it up!

Bonus!

Delaying your phone usage allows YOU to choose what you want to think about first thing in the morning & set the tone for your day!

Saves: ~30 minutes

--

That's 90 minutes a day you've found to pursue interests without even thinking! 

The key:

YOU can take control of your time & attention, instead of someone else taking it from you!

You will be amazed the time you get back & the things you can do!