intentional living

GRACE IN HOMEMAKING

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Okay friends, for today’s Thoughtful Thursday post I wanted to address something that some of my girlfriends and I were talking about this week. We were talking about this idea that there are different seasons in life that allow for different abilities and different bandwidth for homemaking.

I wonder if some people come to my YouTube channel and see my organized spaces, see my tidy home, hear me talking about my disciplined homemaking schedule and think to themselves: I don’t have the bandwidth for that. Guess what, I have not always had the bandwidth for the way I live now! We are all in different seasons of life, have different responsibilities and obligations, and we all have different abilities. Some of you may have a chronic illness, or depression, or other health conditions that limit what you can do in this season in life. You may have young children with busy schedules, or you have other priorities and commitments outside of your home – whether that is a job or an organization you’re involved in. I just want to let you know, if you visit my YouTube channel, you are seeing one stage in my life. You are seeing the stage of life where I have more margin in my life. My kids are older now and more independent, and in addition to that, ever since Covid I have not been involved in as many things I once used to be involved in. I have enjoyed this slower pace of life, and so have been more intentional with my schedule and what commitments I will make moving forward.

Check out my YouTube channel if you have not already!

Thirteen years ago I went through some health issues that affected my ability to be productive. I had pretty severe anxiety and debilitating acid reflux for quite a while before I learned about my food sensitivities and some of my hormonal imbalances. During that time in life, which was also when my kids were in middle and elementary school, and my husband traveled a lot for his job often leaving me essentially to be a single parent, I had to evaluate realistically what I could do. It’s in these more difficult seasons of life that we must give ourselves grace with regards to homemaking. Sometimes just keeping people alive is enough!

While I have always had a schedule, even when my kids were very young, I have also allowed myself flexibility based on what commitments we had in each stage of life. While I have always incorporated deep cleaning and decluttering in my schedule, it certainly didn’t happen as regularly as it does now. There were some weeks when my kids were younger that I just didn’t have the bandwidth to get it done. In those seasons I had to prioritize other things – like my kids activities, volunteering, and other obligations outside of the home. 

If you have watched my channel over it’s lifetime (which by the way I officially had my four year YouTube anniversary on November 1st!), you will have seen the transformation of my home. While I did my best to keep our home clean, organized, and tidy while my kids were growing up, that wasn’t my priority then. But since starting my channel 4 years ago, with my kids older and more independent, I have done a lot of organizing projects and a lot of decluttering, which I only now have had the time to be intentional about. It took us 27 years of marriage to accumulate all of the things we have today, and it has taken me the last 8 years or so of prioritizing decluttering and organizing to get my home to where it is today. I organized and decluttered our spaces little by little over time, it didn’t happen overnight.

I did want to share this with you to let you know that anything I share on my YouTube channel or my blog comes from a place of where I am in my season of life. I share with you tips and things that have helped me as I get my home decluttered and organized, but I fully understand that not everyone is in a season where they have time to devote to these things. This is why I am such a big advocate for doing things a little at a time, and being intentional about what comes into your home! 

I hope if you are in a season where you don’t have as much bandwidth for homemaking, that you would give yourself grace today. I truly hope anything I share is inspirational to you and doesn’t make you feel discouraged because you can’t do things the way I do them. I only share to inspire and motivate! If you are in a more difficult season, where you don’t have as much time or energy – just be encouraged that seasons change! They always do!

Check out the YouTube video that I shared in conjunction with this blog post!

BEING THANKFUL FOR THE LITTLE THINGS

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Okay friends, for today’s Thoughtful Thursday post I thought it was fitting to talk about thankfulness since it is the first Thursday in November! I wanted to kick off this season of thankfulness by sharing my thoughts on the importance of being thankful for the little things in life.

No matter what challenges you face today, I am sure there are little things in your life that you are thankful for. Sometimes the little things are overlooked because we tend to take them for granted over time. If you live in a western culture and have running water, you have something to be thankful for!

I think especially when we are in a difficult season in life it can be easy to focus on all the things that are going wrong. It can be overwhelming as we try to problem solve to resolve whatever is going on, and that can take up a lot of energy. I certainly don’t want to minimize anything challenging you may be experiencing in life right now! I simply want to encourage you to also focus on the positive things in life and the blessings you have even if it’s something small!

I was having a difficult day the other day and I was sharing with some friends on the Marco Polo app that whenever I’m having a hard day I like to stop and think of the things I’m thankful for! (Side note, check out this app if you aren’t on it! It is a fun way to stay connected with people!) On that day I shared with them that I’m thankful that I have a flexible schedule. For those of you who don’t know, I have been a stay at home mom/wife for over 25 years now. I did have a couple of part time jobs and I ran my own organizing business for a while and now I’m managing my YouTube channels and social media content, but all of these things afforded me flexibility in my schedule. I’m thankful for my husband who works hard for our family to provide for us financially, which allows me to pursue content creation and to be there for my husband and kids (yes, even adult kids need you from time to time!) 

This is something that I can definitely take for granted at times. It is good to stop and recognize this blessing. There might be days where I don’t feel well, or I don’t want to do what is on my to do list that day. I have the freedom to rearrange my schedule as needed, within reason. I do have deadlines I create for myself, but that is just to help me to stay organized and to stay on top of the household chores and administrative things that need to be done for our family.

It can be easy to overlook the small things that we may take for granted on a day to day basis. Even something as simple as a cup of coffee can allow us to feel grateful! I hope this chat inspired you to be grateful for something little in your life!

When I was talking to my friends, I asked them to share what they were grateful for. I think hearing what others are grateful for can remind us of blessings in our own life that we may be overlooking or taking for granted. It was so fun to hear all of their responses! I would love to hear what you are grateful for if you want to leave that in the comments! I hope your holiday season is off to a great start!

Here is the YouTube video I shared in conjunction with this post!

POSITIVE MINDSET

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Okay friends, for today’s Thoughtful Thursday post I wanted to talk about having a positive mindset. I know that I often talk about positive self talk as a technique to keep a positive mindset. But I realized that when I share that I may make it sound like it’s a simple solution for negative thoughts or beliefs. I wanted to talk today about how I recognize this is absolutely not an easy thing to do.

Like any other healthy habit, positive self talk takes practice and repetition. I sometimes liken it to exercising. It’s not easy, but a necessary part of staying healthy. There are some days when I don’t want to workout, and the same is true for positive self talk. There may be days where I am struggling more to have a positive mindset, but I discipline myself to speak the positive, just like I discipline myself to do a workout on days when I’m feeling tired or just not in the mood to exercise.

The first thing we must do to get to a positive mindset is to be aware of our self-talk. Many of us talk to ourselves all day long unconsciously, not even really thinking about what kinds of things we are telling ourselves. Once we start becoming aware of those times when we are talking negatively or putting ourselves down, then we can start replacing those things with positive things. For a general example: if you recognize that you say to yourself, “I’m not good enough.” When you hear this, negate it by saying something like, “I am trying my best everyday.” Like I said, I acknowledge that this is not an easy practice. Anything we do that is pushing against what we naturally want to do is hard, it’s work. But I think it is worth it to do the work to get to a place where you have a positive self image and feel good about who you are.

Now I’m not suggesting you say something that is completely untrue about yourself with positive self talk. I’m just encouraging you to focus on the good in you, your character, and your talents. If we have a habit of focusing on the negative about ourselves, that is what I am suggesting to break. We still need to be accurate. It’s about creating new pathways in our mind so that we are in the habit of speaking positive to ourselves instead of negative.

I know some days can be really tough – for whatever reason. Maybe it’s a life circumstance, or maybe it’s just hormonal, but there are days that we may feel more down on ourselves than other days. I encourage you to reach out to a family member or friend who might encourage you through those moments. When we can’t speak kindly to ourselves, we may need to rely on others to remind us of the positive. 

I hope you have someone in your life who would speak positively to you, but if not there are a lot of positive affirmation videos on YouTube that could also help you! I actually like to make it a practice to listen to positive affirmations videos either before bed at night or first thing in the morning before getting out of bed. I have found this helpful for me to just maintain that positive frame of mind!

When you’re going through something really tough in life keeping a positive mindset can be extra challenging, so I don’t want to minimize whatever you might be going through that has caused you to struggle with a positive mindset. Like I said at the beginning of this chat, it’s not always easy. I have found that working hard to keep a positive mindset IN SPITE of difficult circumstances has truly helped me during those dark days! 

From my experience, overall I feel like once you experience that mindset shift, it is easier to continue on in it. It is like any other disciplined habit, the more you do it, the easier it becomes. And like I mentioned, you will still have those days that are a little more tough, but once it’s a habit it’s easier to bounce back!

THE REAL YOU

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Okay friends, for today’s Thoughtful Thursday post I wanted to talk about being authentic. I heard this message this morning from a Christian teacher, Christine Caine. I really love her messages, they are so inspirational! I will link her YouTube channel here if you want to check that out. She said something that really resonated with me. She said, “The real you is who you are when no one is looking.” This resonated with me because when she said that I thought to myself, I truly want to strive to be authentically myself in every situation in life.

Being authentically myself does not necessarily mean oversharing. I really value boundaries on social media and online. It can be a tricky line to walk, because you do want to be relatable, but I believe that it is okay and actually healthy to keep some things about your life private. I think this is especially true when it comes to relationships in your life. I just don’t think it’s fair to share things that are not your story to tell. And oftentimes in those situations, you hear one side of the story, which is also not fair to the other people involved.

What I am talking about, and what I thought of when Christine said that, was that I would be consistent in whatever situation I’m in. That my values would guide my behavior, my words, and the way I treat people. Now with that said, most people are multifaceted! They have many facets to their personalities, so we are not just one way all of the time. I just say this because I recognize in different situations, different parts of our personalities may be more obvious. It doesn’t mean we are being inauthentic, it just means that in that situation that aspect of our personality is showing more. 

Christine shared this analogy of building a building. There is so much that goes on behind the scenes when you’re building a building, or I thought about when I’m doing a makeover on a room. There is a lot that has to happen before we get to the part where we get to decorate and do the finishing touches. So often on social media, people just see the finishing touches. They have no clue what is going on behind the scenes or what went on behind the scenes. Like I said, not that we have to share everything that is going on in our lives on social media, but all too often people just portray this external façade, that just isn’t real.

Listening to her just got me thinking, how can I truly be authentic while also having those boundaries? How can I be vulnerable and relatable while also honoring the privacy of others? I hope I share openly enough online that others can see my authenticity. Also, while I do like to be relatable, creating YouTube videos, Instagram posts, and blog posts are a creative outlet for me, so I am going to present them in an artistic way. Something else I have thought about is that some people might think: it’s unrealistic for someone to clean their house dressed nicely with makeup on and their hair done. Perhaps, but this is how I have always cleaned, even before I had a YouTube channel. And then there are some days where I don’t get dressed and stay in my workout clothes all day, and if you have watched my videos for any length of time you have seen that too! That is authentically me, and that is how I have always been!

Here in my Thoughtful Thursday posts I like to share positive and encouraging things. Things that will inspire you, or motivate you. And that is how I am in my real life as well, with my family and with my friends! I may have some down days, or rough days where I don’t feel as positive, but for the most part I am a positive person!

I hope I come across to you as authentic. Today, I’m evaluating the way I portray myself to others, and thinking about if there is any way I can be more authentic! Well friends, as always, I love to hear your thoughts on my thoughts down in the comments. Please let me know what you think about this idea of being authentic and “the real you is who you are when no one is looking.”

Here is the YouTube video I shared in conjunction with this blog post!

CHANGING SEASONS

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Okay friends, for today’s Thoughtful Thursday post I wanted to encourage you, if you are in a difficult season in life, it is only a season. I have been thinking about seasons as we are finally changing seasons here in Austin! We are finally having some fall weather where the mornings have cooler, crisper air. When people talk about challenging times in life they often refer to an analogy that the winter was long and hard, but the spring is coming. For those of us in Texas, an analogy that resonates more is the summer was long and hard, but fall is coming! By late September, I am SO tired of the hot weather and I’m just longing for the crisp, cool mornings of TRUE fall!

Sometimes when we are walking through a difficult season in life it can feel so long and like it will never end. Somewhat like summer feels if you live in the southern states! Just like it’s hard to imagine the weather being cooler at the end of summer, in hard seasons of life it’s hard to imagine that things will feel positive and hopeful. I want to assure you, no matter how long you have been walking through a tough season, there is hope on the other side. You will one day feel the crispness of fall! 

I myself have been walking through a pretty tough season that has lasted quite a long time. I am just now seeing glimpses of hope that remind me that we will not forever be in a difficult season. There is hope for a change that is coming! I know more than anyone the perseverance it takes to live in a season that is challenging, so I can assure you that you can make it out on the other side!

While it can feel refreshing to exit a season of hardship, change is really never easy. At least for most people! Even when things are changing for the good, it can be scary to deal with the unknowns. Being aware and realistic with ourselves as we head into that new season can really help with this transition. While I was so excited for the cooler weather to return to Austin, I realized I had to change my schedule and go for a run a little later in the mornings now because it was not as comfortable first thing in the morning. It made me realize that we do need to be aware that change, even if it’s good, is not always easy.

Leaving a difficult season of life can bring so much opportunity for personal growth, finding purpose in life, and embracing a new perspective from what you learned in the season of darkness. So often it is in the difficult seasons of life that we actually grow the most – learning empathy and compassion, becoming more strong and resilient, and becoming more self assured. Also, in a season of hardship we may learn the value of self reflection as we process the difficulties we have endured and the value of acceptance as we may have had to learn to accept the way things are for that period of time. We must take these lessons with us as we move into a brighter and more hopeful season! This can be a great time to reevaluate your life because of the new outlook and potential new opportunities!

Well friends, I hope this Thoughtful Thursday was inspiring or encouraging to you today. As always, I love to hear your thoughts on my thoughts! I hope you might share your thoughts on this topic of changing seasons down in the comments!

Here is the YouTube video I shared in conjunction with this blog post!

HOW TO DEAL WITH CONFLICT

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Okay friends, for this week’s Thoughtful Thursday post I want to talk about a bit of a tough subject, and that is conflict resolution. I wanted to talk about the importance of conflict resolution and to share some healthy and unhealthy ways people tend to deal with conflict in life. We have all had to deal with difficult relationships or situations in life that require conflict resolution skills. Really no one can escape dealing with conflict at some point in life because we are all flawed, imperfect humans.

First I wanted to share the four ways people tend to deal with conflict, which I learned from a therapist. There is the conflict avoider, which is avoiding the conflict at all costs and appeasing others to do so. There is the passive aggressive approach, where the person makes snide or underhanded comments to try to convey their opinion. There is the aggressive approach where the person is overbearing in sharing their opinions and often raises their voice or looks visibly agitated. And the fourth is the assertive approach, which is the most effective and healthy way to communicate opinions, needs, or concerns. The assertive person shares in a respectful and loving way but is able to confidently address the issue at hand.

I will share that for most of my life I was an avoidant. And admittedly, I still avoid conflict with certain people or in certain situations. But as I have aged I have learned that sometimes when we avoid, that leaves us feeling frustrated, angry, and/or resentful. I got to a point in life where I did not want to continue to live in such a way that others were in control of my emotions. Being a conflict avoidant person goes hand in hand with being a people pleaser because you don’t want people to be upset with you, and you don’t want people to feel uncomfortable in general. But I would argue that it develops deeper and more meaningful relationships when we are able to share our hurts, opinions, and needs. There may be times when you can overlook an offense and move on, but you must really evaluate if you are overlooking and moving on just to keep the peace and you actually still hold onto resentment towards someone, or if you have truly let it go.

Next is the person who is passive aggressive about their hurts, opinions, or needs. This person can be very difficult to deal with. This type of person leaves you to read between the lines in trying to decipher what they are saying. They often feel like they have said enough that the other person should be able to figure out what they mean. But we can’t read their minds! The reality is, if you have a problem with someone and you don’t clearly and concisely address it – you can’t blame them for not doing anything. Only you are responsible for your own thoughts and feelings. If there is something you can’t let go, you must address it because people can’t read your mind.

The person who is aggressive can be just as difficult to deal with. Although they may be sharing their thoughts and feelings openly, they often do it in such a way that places blame – using “you” statements instead of “I” statements. They tend to not take ownership of their feelings, but instead blame others for their feelings or for the situation being the way it is. I don’t know if you have ever encountered someone who is aggressive in communicating, but it can be very unnerving and can cause a lot of anxiety which in turn hurts the relationship. People tend to begin to fear those who communicate aggressively, leaving that person more likely isolated as others don’t want to have conflict with them. Their relationships can then become very shallow.

Obviously, the best and most healthy way to handle conflict is assertively. When you share your needs or concerns in a gentle way, using “I” statement (like “I feel blank because of this fill in the blank situation”), it is more likely to be well received. I am forever thankful for the amazing girlfriends I have here in my neighborhood. Several of them do this assertive communication so well, and it has taught me that it is okay and safe to share my thoughts and opinions too. It does take practice and you won’t always do it perfectly, but hopefully the person on the receiving end will have enough grace for you as you do your best to convey things in a kind and loving way.

Being assertive builds stronger bonds in relationships as you are able to be authentically yourselves with one another. I don’t know about you, but I think it feels so good to be in relationships where I am seen and heard. It makes me feel closer to the friend or family member when I’m able to be vulnerable like this. Even if it’s not intuitive for me, I still choose to find the bravery I need to address what needs to be addressed. And if they are genuine and true friends, they will receive your concerns thoughtfully and with grace. Even if in the end you agree to disagree, that’s okay too!

Well friends, I know this was a rough one – well, really it was just a rough thing for me to hear and learn to make healthy changes in my own life. I hope this chat was encouraging for you today! Please let me know your thoughts on this topic in the comments!

Here is the YouTube video I shared in conjunction with this blog post!

BALANCING MINIMAL AND COZY

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It’s that time of year where we all want our spaces to feel cozy! Fall equals soft blankets, candles burning, cozy sweatshirts, and baking all of the fall goodies! But today I wanted to talk about the struggle I have had as I pursue minimalism to create spaces that are minimal but also cozy!

When I first started pursuing the idea of becoming minimalist I thought I could never be a minimalist because I really enjoy decorating our home to make it more cozy and inviting. Eight years later, I’m realizing that “minimalism” is not a one size fits all. There is no true definition of minimalism, or a box you can put it in. To me, it just means living with the things I use and love. With this in mind, I wanted to share with you the ways I make my home cozy and inviting while still striving towards minimalism.

It can be challenging to find the balance between minimal and cozy for me as I love decorating and making our spaces feel inviting, but I also don’t want my spaces to feel too cluttered. For me it has just been a process of trial and error, living with decor set up and deciding how it feels and if I hit that balance. I feel like the longer I have pursued minimalism, the better I get at figuring out that balance.

I do like having some holiday decor pieces, however I also like to have some items that I just leave out year round and might rearrange them for a new look. Rearranging my decor helps me to keep minimal extra decor stock in my home, because it feels fresh and new when I move it to a different room, or set pieces up in a different arrangement. I also like having pieces that transition well into multiple seasons so I’m not taking all of my decor down for each new season.

Another way to achieve cozy and inviting spaces in your home has nothing to do with physical stuff, but it’s more about making a space feel a certain way. This is the idea of Hygge (pronounced HOO-GUH). This is a cultural practice that was first used in Denmark, but has been used throughout the Norwegian countries. I’m not sure if you have heard of this term before, but it incorporates focusing on the five senses, using different textures like with pillows and blankets, using ambient lighting, having calming music playing in the background, having a scented candle burning, an oil diffuser going, or even something cooking or baking in the oven. Having a delicious home cooked meal, or a homemade loaf of bread can make a space feel cozy! You don’t necessarily need stuff to create that cozy and inviting feeling in your home.

Another way to achieve that cozy feeling while still keeping things minimal is creating an environment where people feel welcomed – whether that’s family or friends. Focusing more on the relationships – conversations, hugs, or cozying up with one another under a blanket provides that inviting feeling. Arguably, stuff just distracts from those intimate moments!

Something else that makes a space feel cozy, even if it’s minimal, is a space that is in order. Of course I’m going to mention the importance of organization and cleanliness to create that cozy and inviting feeling. Chaos in our physical space can breed chaos in our minds, which does not lend to a feeling of coziness or peace. Just having a clean and orderly space can help you achieve that feeling of coziness, and obviously that is easier to do with less stuff to take care of.

When I first started pursuing minimalism and would see some of the images in blog posts or in videos, I wasn’t sure that was for me. I didn’t like the idea of living in a space that had sparse things. But now I’m learning there is a balance and I can achieve both minimal AND cozy! I love to hear from you in the comments! Let me know if you are trying to pursue minimalism and have that balance between minimal and cozy. Or let me know how you make your spaces cozy for the fall season!

Here is the YouTube video I created in conjunction with this blog post if you would like to check it out!

5 THINGS MINIMALISTS DON’T TALK ABOUT

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For today’s Thoughtful Thursday post I wanted to talk about something I was wrestling with and thinking about during the process of decluttering old fall decor, and adding in the new pieces this year. If you missed it, on Tuesday I shared a video on my YouTube channel with my fall haul and old fall decor declutter. But I wanted to share with you what was going on behind the scenes in my mind. It did take me several days processing with friends and evaluating my reasoning behind why I decided to purchase new fall decor before I felt confident in my decisions.

If you have been reading my blog posts for a while, I am sure you have heard me talk about how I have been pursuing minimalism for several years now. As I processed through my decision to add new fall decor this year, I thought of 5 things most minimalists don’t talk about. I wanted to share these with you if you are on your own journey to become more minimal, or just on a decluttering journey. 

The first thing I wanted to share is that minimalism looks different for everyone. As a matter of fact, I wrote a blog post about this very topic. Because minimalism doesn’t have hard and fast rules, it can be difficult for me to navigate becoming more minimal. To be honest, I am the type of person who works better under rules, but I do appreciate the fluidity of minimalism. Everyone is in a different life stage, requiring different things. Everyone has different passions and hobbies, and different things are important to them. For me, I love making our home cozy and inviting. I do that with home decor, pillows, blankets, and art.

The second thing I wanted to share is you don’t stop purchasing things altogether when you are pursuing minimalism. One of the most difficult things for me is making decisions on bringing new pieces into my home. I like to be very intentional about what comes into my home, so I know I tend to overthink and overanalyze every purchase. It makes it difficult for me to make decisions, and I often feel guilty when I buy something new. But, I know logically that this is not healthy. I don’t think when you begin to pursue minimalism that means you will never buy anything again. That’s just not practical. For me, since home decor and styling is a passion and hobby of mine, that means I will be removing old decor that I don’t love as much as I once used to and replacing it with new items.

The third thing most minimalists don’t talk about is how decluttering is an ongoing process. Like I mentioned, there will most likely be new items coming into your home regularly. I am sure there are a small percentage of minimalists who purchase nothing new, but for most decluttering is just a part of the process. This is why you will see a monthly declutter with me video on my YouTube channel where I share everything I decluttered for that month. Decluttering is an ongoing habit I have incorporated into my routines. This is how I can keep our home minimal.

The fourth thing I wanted to share is that pursuing minimalism helps you to be more honest with yourself when evaluating your purchases. When I first started pursuing minimalism, I didn’t realize how this would cause me to be really cautious about the items I purchase. One of the things I spoke with a friend about regarding my new fall purchases was the idea that I might just be doing this for content and would I do this even if I didn’t have a YouTube channel. She wisely encouraged me, even if I was doing it for content, that would be okay! It is my job after all, and creation is part of the job! Even if that didn’t bring me solace, ultimately I do think I would have still replaced my old decor even if I wasn’t sharing it on YouTube. I am hyper aware of sharing on YouTube in an authentic way, while still creating aesthetically pleasing content.

The fifth and final thing minimalists don’t talk about is the struggle to remain balanced. It can be a challenge to fight against consumerism. Many people in Western culture buy new home decor every season! I think this is why I overanalyze my purchases. I wonder if I’m getting sucked back into consumerism, or if I am truly being thoughtful and intentional with my purchases. It can be difficult to remain disciplined about what you bring into your home. I think most minimalists don’t talk about how difficult it is! I hope one day I can get to the place where I’m confident in the balance.

I do find it a little comical in hindsight that I was feeling bad about replacing fall decor that I have now owned for almost 20 years! I remember purchasing a good portion of that decor when my son was a baby, and now next month he turns 20! So, I think it’s okay to replace it!

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING CONSISTENT

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Okay friends, for today’s Thoughtful Thursday post, I wanted to talk about consistency. I really believe that one of the most important virtues for success in life is consistency. This applies to almost any area in life. Whether it’s relationships, health and fitness, hobbies, or positive habits.

First I wanted to talk about how consistency is important in relationships. Relationships don’t grow organically. We must be intentional about spending time with those we love. We must show up consistently to foster those close knit relationships. Also when we consistently follow through on promises, meet deadlines, and maintain our commitments, we gain the confidence of others. People are more likely to trust us when we exhibit dependable behavior, which leads to strong relationships both personally and professionally.

In addition to being important in relationships, consistency is a great pathway to mastery. In any hobby or professional related endeavor, the best way to get better or to master something is consistently practicing it. Have you ever played an instrument? If so, you know the importance of consistently practicing to get better or to master it! 

Consistency also helps us to overcome adversity in life. Life does not always go smoothly or the way we plan, and challenges are inevitable. Consistency equips us with the resilience to deal with the difficulties of life. When we are consistent, setbacks become opportunities for growth and learning. The ability to remain focused on the long-term goal, despite temporary setbacks, helps in overcoming obstacles and achieving success.

Consistency is important for developing healthy habits. Consistency is the best way to have success in any healthy habit – whether it’s eating healthy, exercising, a good skin care routine, or healthy sleeping habits. If we want to see change, we must day in and day out continue to be consistent.

Along those same lines, consistency works far better than perfection when we are trying to make a lasting change. We will all have days or even weeks where we don’t remain consistent with something we have committed to. Maybe it’s a sickness, or a family emergency, or even going on vacation that causes us to not follow through on our commitments. We can’t allow these things to derail our progress or derail the momentum we have. If something in life causes us to fall away from our routine of consistency, we must get back to it as soon as we can! 

Something else I wanted to share is that consistency inspires others towards remaining loyal and dedicated. Our dedication and tenacity towards something can be an encouragement or inspiration to others around us. When they see our unwavering determination it can inspire them to follow suit and pursue their own goals in life. Consistency can set a positive example to our children and others who look up to us, but even to our peers, colleagues, or family members. We can foster a culture of growth mindset for those who are in our lives!

Ultimately if we want long term, sustainable success, we must be willing to be consistent. In this time of distractions and instant gratification, consistency can be the compass that helps keep us pointed in the right direction. It’s the steady progress over time that leads us to long term success. When we are consistent in our pursuits in life, we are more likely to reach our goals and maintain a healthy balance in life. It’s not easy to remain consistent in life, but when we do we will begin to see lasting changes.

Here is the YouTube video I shared in conjunction with this post!

FOCUS ON YOUR HEART!

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Okay friends, for today’s Thoughtful Thursday I wanted to share a quote that my friend Jo shared with me. Jo also has a YouTube channel, Minimal Zebra! This quote is from Mother Theresa and it says, 

“People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. If you are honest, people may cheat you, be honest anyway. If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway. The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good. Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway. For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.”

It can be challenging to deal with people who are unreasonable and self-centered. Oftentimes this behavior is a result of internal struggles the person is going through. When we recognize that people who are unreasonable and self-centered are likely going through or have gone through really difficult things, it can make it easier to have compassion on them and forgive them.

One thing I have learned from having a presence on social media, well and really just in life in general, is that people may misunderstand you. This is something that is really difficult for me as a people pleaser. But I am learning to realize that all that really matters is what is in your heart. People will interpret your actions and words however they want, but they don’t know what is in your heart. All we can do is focus on being the best we can be – a kind, caring, compassionate, and loving person. Also recognizing that we will make mistakes and we won’t always be perfectly kind, caring, compassionate or loving. But all we can do is our best. I’m learning to focus on the internal more than the external, because behavior, if even seemingly good on the outside, doesn’t always reveal true heart motives.

People often misunderstand you when they don’t know you well. Either acquaintances in your real life, or people seeing your content online. They don’t know what your life is really like. They don’t know what you endure day in and day out, especially if you are going through things that you don’t share openly about on social media. You know your heart and your motives, so if those are right you have nothing to worry about!

Ultimately we are only responsible for ourselves. Our behavior, our motives, our thoughts. We can’t control what others do, say, or think. In my opinion, it is better to live in such a way that we do the best we can do each day. “Give the world the best we have” as Mother Theresa says. It might not be “enough” by the world’s standards, but when you know you gave it your all, then you can sleep well at night. When you live with integrity, you have nothing to be ashamed of and nothing to hide. And when you do make a mistake and don’t live in such a way that you are proud of, then you make a different choice tomorrow!

As someone who is a people pleaser, or like I like to call myself a recovering people pleaser,  it can be easy to get wrapped up in trying to convince people you are a good person. I’m realizing this is a complete waste of energy. We must put our energy into BEING a good person and let the chips fall where they may so to speak. As Mother Theresa so wisely pointed out: “it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.”

It is not always easy to do, but focusing on your own life, your own happiness, and your own goals without worrying about others’ opinion of you is the healthiest way to live!

This is the YouTube video I shared in conjunction with this blog post.