Ladies, we are more aware than ever of our busyness. The need to fill the space around us is insatiable. And yet more than any other generation, ours also recognizes the benefits of mindfulness: stilling our brains from the world swirling around us and remaining present in the moment. Hard to achieve when the deadline is looming, your kids are whining, and you’re late for an appointment, right?! I’m so glad Lorae introduced me to the Calm app on the Company Memo this week. Graham and I played with it last night—practicing a 7-minute mindfulness meditation—and it was so hard! Four times my mind wandered (that’s once every 90 seconds or so) and I had to bring it back. But I can’t wait to try it again today. And with the 2017 App of the Year award, I’m sure you’ll agree it’s a great find. Thanks, Lorae, for bringing us a mindful Memo this week!
Claim Your Calm: The 2017 App of the Year
This week I’m taking a cue from Molly and adding something that will help center my day a bit better in my quiet time. It feels a little odd suggesting something techie and plugged in to create space, but I think we could all use some CALM in our lives. Apple’s 2017 App of the Year is CALM, an app centered around mindfulness, clarity and meditation. Calm has free programs that help you manage anxiety, sleep, self-esteem, and gratitude. You can listen to music and calming stories too. Oh, and you can use it with your kids. A win-win!
Read: The Blue Zones of Happiness
There are so many books on my list to read in 2018, but there is one that seems really relevant to the new year for me: The Blue Zones of Happiness. This book takes a closer look at regions and civilizations around the world where their are higher levels of satisfaction and fulfillment, and examines habits and practices of those who reside there. The book focuses on what author Dan Buettner calls the 3 P’s—Pleasure, Purpose and Pride—to improve our happiness. You may first want to read the Publisher’s Weekly Review. I cannot wait to dive in.
Resolution: No Gym January Challenge
EVERYONE is hitting the gym this month (insert eye roll), we are all trying to tackle those new year’s resolutions, right?! With all the delayed openings, early closings and school cancellations, it can be hard for mamas of school-aged children to plan for that gym time with a schedule in flux. Cooking Light has a great suggestion for January to avoid the crowds but still hit all those goals with their NO GYM JANUARY CHALLENGE. They have all the tools for you, and have scoured for the best YouTube fitness channels, meal plans (including a Sunday strategist column that could be an amazing helper for supplementing your weekly meal plans), fitness apps and videos of proper techniques to make sure that you get the most out of your time. I don’t have a gym membership, but I do have a favorite fitness regime that I plan on getting back into as soon as I can keep my kids in school! Good luck, ladies!
Girl Power: Glennon Doyle and her Niece, Alice!
Glennon Doyle wrote a book called Carry On, Warrior many moons ago that really spoke to a season of life as a mom. She embraces the chaos of motherhood and I have followed her for years and have even heard her speak. This week she shared an adorable video of her niece, Alice, proving that women are making their voices heard and we should never let someone get in our way. ALICE – You go GURL!!!! Let this be our inspiration for the year!
Refresh: Affordable Apple Watch Bands
I have had an Apple watch for a few years and have really been itching to jazz it up with a new band. I know a lot of you out there have them and may be interested in the same. The price point on these cannot be beat especially since the Apple watch bands and the TOMS Apple watch bands will easily eat up some dough. Be careful and read reviews on knock-offs, sometimes they do not hold up to the wear and tear of daily life. Here are two companies that I’ve been dying to try:
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