Over the past few days I have done a lot of reflecting on things. I definitely focused on a few things that I hope to never forget in my life. I guess you could call these my personal mission statement. 20 things (in no particular order) in living my life to the fullest.

1. Eat what you love. We should not fear food! Life is too short to waste it eating things you believe you should and not that you desire. Try a variety to find what you enjoy and work towards a balance of healthy food you love and those treats you adore.

2. Believe you matter. Trust that you have a purpose and can have an impact in this world. Trust that others love you more than you can fathom. You have importance and much to offer. Believe in yourself.

3. Do it for your health. Treat your body with respect so it can care for you as well as possible. We too often take our health for granted. When you’re getting in that run or taking that Bodypump class – remember your health. That’s why you should do it.

4. Don’t take the little moments for granted. Reading stories with your daughter. Watching a favorite TV show. Feeling sunshine on your skin. Thinking about one little joy each day brings the moment, and therefore life, from ordinary to wondrous.

5. Pursue a passion. Find something you feel called to do and compelled to follow. Don’t hesitate to go after it and thrive in every bit of joy it brings you. Just be careful the passion doesn’t end up consuming you and act as a detriment to other areas of your life.

6. Reflect often. Whether you want to call it prayer, meditation, or whatever…take time each day to reflect on life, its blessings, and ways you can improve the quality of it.

7. Make time for relationships. People matter! Don’t let chances to connect with those you care for pass by. Try to take a few moments each day to call or email at least one special person in your life.

8. Never fully grow up. We all have obligations to handle. Yet, that shouldn’t mean we can’t hold on to childlike joys either. Smile. Laugh. Color. Play. Get excited over the simplest of things. Don’t stress. Have fun every day.

9. Your perspective can change much, but worrying can change nothing. No matter what life throws at us, we can always choose the approach we take. Hope and a dose of positivity go a long way. Worry just holds us back.

10. Prioritize. Consider what you really have to get done and the things that matter most. Do those first. All the other little things – like laundry or dishes – will get done, but aren’t worth the stress if it takes longer than planned.

11. Get outdoors. You can’t deny that there is something so rejuvenating in heading outside. Do it often.

12. Take a vacation. The memories made on vacations will forever remain cherished in your heart. Don’t allow yourself to become too busy for the occasional vacation. If you can’t travel – at least take a vacation from stress with something like a massage or even a visit to your favorite bookstore. Naps make great vacations too.

13. Don’t judge others. What a waste of energy. Who are you to say whether or not a person is right, wrong, good enough? Love everyone. We all deserve that action. All!

14. Stand up for your beliefs. If something matters to you, don’t feel ashamed or hide behind others or a false image. Own your beliefs. It garners respect.

15. Never stop learning. The world holds so much mystery and wonder. We can  never reach perfection or know it all. Knowledge inspires growth. Growth is a beautiful and exciting thing Seek it with a continued quest for knowledge.

16. Don’t waste time with guilt. If something in the past upsets you, you cannot change it. Simply apply what you learned to the future. Moving forward is all we can do at any moment. Life is a never ending possibility. Don’t let guilt allow life to pass you by.

17. Forgive. Forgive yourself. Forgive others. It is the most freeing action you can take.

18. You can’t be good at everything. And that’s alright. We all have gifts unique to each of us. Take pride in those and use those to your full potential. I almost let the fear of not being good at running hold me back from discovering a new fitness love.

19. The world needs random acts of kindness. No matter how many times you make a small gesture for someone else, it never gets old. You will undoubtedly feel better and brighten someone else’s day in the process. Imagine the impact that could have if we all focused on contributing random acts of kindness to others each day.

20. Be yourself. Nobody can compare to you. So stop comparing yourself to others and love yourself for who you are. Then you have room for all the other things on this list.

Question of the Day – Which of these messages meant the most to you?

Morning/happy early afternoon, friends! Catching up from the weekend?

• Sitting Pretty – importance of prettying up sometimes
• A Bit Late to the Game – movie nights to catch up with popular movies
• Get Me Out Of Here – getting out of the house and sharing some uncertainty
• New Weekly Series – FFF Features
• Self-Love Reflection of the Week – Gifts of the Body

As you may recall from last night’s post, Peter returned to work today. That means I am spending time figuring out and settling into doing things completely on my own during the day. With that in mind, I wanted to get back into regular habits with my new regular routine. I find it much easier to pick up those regular habits in one go because otherwise the more time I let pass, the harder it becomes for me. Kind of like after a vacation, getting back into a regular schedule as soon as possible?

I am not saying I have been on a vacation by any means. I went into labor and then delivered a baby two weeks ago! Duh to that not being a vacation. However, with Peter at home for the past couple weeks and me in that post-baby recovery stage, it was easy to get lazy about certain things. I have felt kind of antsy to start up “normal life” and “normal me” again. Part of that includes getting started with some of my own personal goals.

Over the weekend, we finally did a full grocery shopping trip and I stocked up on many of my favorite healthy eating staples.

I plan on picking up light workouts again starting today. I have felt ready for workouts for over a week and my body feels adequately rested and prepared. I want to go ahead and get cracking on that routine along with everything else as well. I feel ready. And excited!

Today is not the start of some diet or fitness plan. It’s the continuation of what I love to do – eat healthily and be active because it makes me feel good. In the past I would have approached today with a “last supper” type of attitude. It would mean the beginning of restriction and having to be “100% ON” and “perfect”. I wouldn’t have eaten balanced meals yesterday and over the course of the weekend.

I had some treats this weekend…but it wasn’t with the mentality that I had to cram in as many as possible. They aren’t going anywhere.

I simply look at today as a need to continue focusing my priorities on caring for myself in addition to my family. It would be too easy to put myself and my health on the backburner, so I want to pick up the positive momentum from day one of my new normal. I will be working on getting back in shape and losing the baby weight…but in a healthy, balanced, non-restrictive way. There’s no pressure. I’m simply doing what makes me happy and my best self. Time to get started…or I guess I should say…time to keep on keeping on.

Question of the Day – What tips do you have for keeping and getting into healthier habits?