Winter Rut Survival: Simplify, Refocus, & Snap Out of It!

Is it just me, or does winter feel like it lasts for years? I loathe bundling up in bulky clothes just so I can step out the door, so I generally don’t leave the house unless I really need to (even though I know it only makes things worse). Because of that, I find myself restless as all hell. I’ll start working on something and then find 50 more things I could do. Before I know it, I’m driving myself crazy learning things I don’t really give a shit about and stressing over a massively unnecessary task list.

The Struggle is Real. Every year.

Perfect example – The other day, I found myself freaking out about my blog. Am I in the right “niche” for what I want to create? I even went down a rabbit hole about AI agents—do I need one? Do I even know what one is? Researching and tweaking and…all of a sudden I have a task list full of bullshit busywork! Why? Apparently I’m bored!

I slammed the brakes and thought “Does any of this really matter? No? Then fuck it!” In this scenario, all I need to concern myself with is creating valuable content that I enjoy sharing. There’s no reason to overcomplicate that.

Simplify and Break Free

I’m sure you can relate, especially during winter. You have this tired, restless energy, but you have nothing useful to do with it so you just stress yourself out. What can we do?

What matters? Make a list. Keep it as simple as possible. Embrace some selective apathy instead of spiraling and drop the guilt about things that don’t really matter to you.
Create small “chaos breaks”. Dance, wash five dishes, or write out a messy braindump (and then throw it in the recycling bin if it ultimately doesn’t matter!)
Get outside, even for five minutes – just enough to feel the cold slap some sense into you. Like I said, I loathe bundling up, but the crisp fresh air does do wonders for snapping me into a different mindset.
Channel restless energy productively. Work on something that does matter to you, whatever that may be.

Bonus : Create something to look forward to. You don’t need to lock anything in – just let yourself dream a little. Personally, I like to brainstorm ideas for summer travel, tattoos, parties, my garden, local hiking spots, concerts, and exterior property maintenance. Most don’t happen, but that’s fine—I like having options.

Conclusion

It’s normal to feel restless in winter, and it’s ok to feel like you’re in a rut sometimes. Check your priorities, cut the bullshit, and give yourself something to look forward to! And enjoy these times of rest and reflection while they last.

If you liked this article, please give it a “like”, share it with friends, subscribe if you’re new, and leave me a comment down below – What do you do when you’re feeling restless?

Rock on!

Where I’m At #6

Where I'm At

“Where I’m at” posts are just random updates about what’s going on in my life at any random time, based on the areas / roles in my life. Any particular goals I’m working on will be highlighted, so you can easily see what I’m actively working on improving. Leave a comment & give me ideas for things you’d like to see me write individual posts about!

planner : Looking forward to spring! Even though it’s still like 3 weeks away lol!! I have to plan the family party for the month – February’s crockpot potluck was lovely, so I want to do a simple fondue dinner thing for March, but hubby wants to do a murder mystery party. We’ll see! I also want to plan an overnight hotel stay so the girls can go in a pool at some point lol
self (body & mind, emotion & education) : Feeling a little more comfortable in my “mom bod”, but I’m still working on improving my diet with more produce & protein, and I’d like to take more time for exercise because I’m tired all the time heh. Otherwise, I’m doing pretty well. A little frazzled because I want to do too many things, of course, but I just keep stepping back & focusing on my priorities!
marriage (relationship & libido) : Doing pretty well here. I’m learning the art of being a “smart wife” lol. We’re finding more moments to steal for intimacy now that the girls are getting bigger, so that’s pretty awesome LOL
mom (BooBoo & Bubby) : The girls are doing pretty great! They’ve been obsessed with this YouTube Roblox video of “Cutie” playing the walking heads event, & it’s creepy as all hell, but…otherwise they’re good LOL

Why?! Why is this even a thing?!?

teacher (K & PK) : School is moving along fine. BooBoo’s getting better & better at reading, and we’re focusing more on Bubby’s letter & number recognition. BooBoo loves science; we did a “snow” experiment with conditioner & baking soda that they both thought was pretty cool. I can’t wait til it’s warm enough to go outside & explore with them! We’re still debating on whether we’re going to keep BooBoo in karate after she gets her yellow belt, but so help me god, I’m definitely getting Bubby in gymnastics starting in March (she’s so excited, & I’m so excited for her!)
zB : Omg, I’m having so much fun writing posts & creating digital products! I’m super behind this month, partially because of it being a short month, but…at least I’m enjoying it! And it seems to be gaining a bit of traction, so that’s pretty awesome hehehe (HI!!)
homemaker (finance, cleaning, gardening, prepping, travel) : Doing alright here. I don’t have much time for household projects because of homeschooling, but that’s ok. Priorities! Haven’t had a chance to work on gardening ideas yet either, but I do know that I’m not going to listen to Hubby & I’m putting it where I want this year lol. We also need to plan our trips, & I need to nag Hubby to get the bus ready. sigh
witch : I started working on this stuff online more, which has been enjoyable so far! I’m still doing my usual hearthcraft though, of course!
reseller : Yeah. No. lol. I’m SO over it…or am I? I would like to do it a little bit, I just don’t have the time, space, or passion for it right now.

Currently

eating – soup

drinking – spiced wine

watching – Younger, Beast Games, & Sisters Feud mostly

reading – Nothing right now

playing – Sims Freeplay lol. A little bit. I used to be obsessed with it.

buying – Spring dresses on Temu lol

listening to – Green Day & Reverend Horton Heat

celebrating – Spring!

pinning – Green Day, journaling, exercise, home design inspo

planning – a party & a hotel stay, tattoos

feeling – frazzled, excited

Where are you at? Let’s chat in the comments!!

Rock on!

The Great Digital Declutter : An Annual Necessity

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**Well… that’s one way to do it…!**
*Image created with Copilot*

Why Your Digital Life Needs an Audit

Your digital life is your second home – So why let it turn into a dumpster fire of random files and endless notifications? Do you really need screenshots of that recipe from 3 years ago?

The mental load of digital clutter distracts from creativity, focus, and growth. That’s not to mention the importance of securing your accounts and cutting down on unnecessary digital footprints.

It’s time to reclaim your digital life on your terms. I do this at least once a year, and I always feel like everything’s so much easier to deal with afterwards!

The Punk Manifesto for a Digital Audit

In brief : Keep what’s relevant, and what empowers you. Delete what doesn’t. When in doubt or overwhelm, archive ruthlessly into the searchable abyss.
The PARA Method (ref “Stop Scrolling” post) can be applied to almost anything that can be organized and searched.
This is about freedom, not perfection.
There is no “one size fits all” system – Do what works for you.

The Checklist

I tried to be inclusive, so not everything will apply to you. Do whatever you need to do. It may help to rearrange this list by which device it makes the most sense for you to work on each task (for example, laptop, phone, or tablet) – An analog mind map might help with organizing, or a digital file.

It might also help to review this list and select your top 3 areas : What stresses you out most? Where do you spend the most time looking for what you need? Start there.

In no particular order, here we go…

Email – Aim for “Inbox Zero”

Unsubscribe from any boring junk
Flag spam as such
Set up folders / labels for organizing essentials
Create filters for automation (if that would be helpful)
Create a separate “junk email” that you never bother to check
Create a spicy auto reply (”I’m busy doing awesome things, I’ll get back to you ASAP!”)
Phone stuff : voicemails, texts, contacts

Cloud and device files and stuff

Delete or archive old or unnecessary files (duplicate photos, outdated documents)
Organize other files into intuitive folders (use PARA, organize by year, or both!)
Backup important files (only important files!)
Consider backing up to an external hard drive
Delete unused apps, programs, and home screen distractions
Cleanup desktop, and downloads folders
Update software and apps you do use
Utilize your computer’s built in disk cleanup, storage optimization, defrag; clear cookies & cache
List cloud files to tackle (ie Google Photos, Google Drive, etc)
Clean up browser bookmarks & history
Turn off any annoying notifications

Social Media

List the social media you use (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, etc)
Unfollow accounts that are inactive or don’t add any value to your headspace
Audit your profiles for authenticity
Check privacy settings
Avoid oversharing!
Clean up saved posts and playlists

Security and Passwords

Consider using a password manager
Update weak or repeated passwords
Enable two factor authentication on important accounts (Google, banks, etc)
Check for and remove old accounts
Update security software

Subscriptions and Permissions

Cancel services you no longer use or need ($5 subscriptions add up!) – try the Rocket Money app (I plan to soon!)
Audit app permissions (who really needs access to your location?!?)
List the e-commerce sites you use (Amazon, eBay, Temu, etc)
- Remove saved card info (you’ll thank me later)
- Audit wishlists

If you’d like a printable PDF copy of this list, you can find one here!

Make it Fun, & Reflective!

Gamify the process by making a points system for every action completed, and treat yourself to rewards for milestones of points earned
Journal through the process :
- How can streamlining your digital life help you take charge of your time and energy?
- What do your digital habits reveal about your priorities?
- What do you actually need to feel organized and in control of your digital life?
- What habits led to clutter, and how can you avoid that next time?

Personally, my YouTube subscriptions were out of control, as was the spam in my email – It’s so much easier to deal with now that I’ve culled the clutter! And archiving has been my BFF for old files that I’m just not sure if I’ll need sometime in the future (but probably won’t, lol).

Tools to Simplify Your Digital Life

I don’t use password managers, but I’ve heard good things about LastPass and BitWarden. If you’re like me & prefer an analog password manager, here’s one I created to print!
Digital note apps : I use Notion, but Google Keep, Obsidian, Capacities, and Evernote are other good options.
Focus apps : I liked Forest when I used it, it’s cute. Freedom is another that I’ve heard of.
To do list apps : I’ve used Notion and Google Keep for that. Todoist is pretty popular. For household cleaning tasks, I’ve been using Sweepy for years!

Try & use whatever resonates with you!

Embrace Your Chaos Free Digital World

Digital audits are less about perfection and more about taking back your time, space, and energy. Take control of your digital world, and rule it like a boss.

If you enjoyed this post, please give it a “like”, help someone else ditch digital chaos by sharing this guide!, and leave a comment down below to let me know : What area are you going to start with? Did I leave anything out?

Rebel With a Pen : How to Journal Like a Rockstar

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(Retrospective note : I may have gotten a little carried away with this post because I LOVE JOURNALING SO MUCH. You’ve been warned. 😘 Though there is a little TL;DR at the end.)

Forget the fluffy prompts about your favorite ice cream flavor – journaling isn’t just for Pinterest vibes. It’s a weapon for clarity, self discovery, and flipping the script on life’s chaos.

I’ve been journaling pretty consistently for over 30 years, and I’d love to share some unique ideas with you!

Why Journaling is the Ultimate Rebel Move

It’s yours; no rules. You do what you want with it. Write messy, angry, sarcastic – Whatever feels real in any given moment.
Supercharged memory keeping. Personally, I have to write everything down or it gets lost in the abyss of chaos in my brain. It’s fun to add pictures, drawings, ephemera, etc to help you reexperience momentous events!
Empowerment through reflection. Your journal can be a safe space to contemplate unconventional ideas, or take control of your thoughts and emotions rather than letting them control you.
Self reflection in a noisy world. Journaling helps you tune out the noise and focus on your voice. Reduce stress, discover yourself, embrace your imperfections, boost your creativity, and gain insight into who you truly are.

How to Journal Like a Rockstar

Step 1 : Forget the aesthetics. Or don’t. Make it yours!

It doesn’t need to be pretty. A beat up notebook and a pen that barely works will suffice. You don’t even need to write full sentences – bullet points, doodles, or rants are all fair game.
Or… Get creative if you want! Use bold colors, write diagonally across the page, tear shit up and paste it in with gum if you like.
Better yet, do both!

Step 2 : Don’t overthink it (unless you want to).

Set a timer for 5 minutes and spew your thoughts out, raw and unfiltered. Being brutally honest promotes personal growth.

Inspiring Creative Weapons to Consider

Analog anarchy. Different sizes and different paper thicknesses are good for different purposes.
Digital nomadic. Apps like Notion and Daybook are good options.
Prompts. The analog Daily Stoic Journal is insightful, the Five Minute Journal has both analog and digital options, and the Rosebud app uses AI to provide prompts and insights twice daily!

Creative and Unconventional Journaling Approaches

I’ve compiled more ideas than anyone could ever want…lol :

write angry letter you probably shouldn’t send
burn the rulebook : What would you do differently if society didn’t dictate your choices?
collage your emotions or aspirations when words feel limiting
essence journaling : a one sentence summary or highlight of your day, or just give each day a song or TV show title
daily log, like Austin Kleon’s logbook : just the facts (who, what, where)
gratitude (I know, not unconventional, but it promotes a positive mindset and mindful appreciation of “the little things”)
anti gratitude : acknowledge and accept your personal imperfections and flaws – how can you use them to your advantage?
stream of consciousness chaos / morning pages : 3 pages, 5 minutes, whatever constraint you want to use, just braindump everything on your mind and don’t stop writing (even if you’re just saying “I don’t know what to write” repeatedly like Bart Simpson on a chalkboard)
private vlogs and be considered journaling, and can even get you comfortable in front of a camera, which can actually be a valuable skill these days
note peoples’ names, and use them (your barista might eventually gift you a freebie!)
Bullet Journaling didn’t really start as a planning method or creative outlet, y’know?!?
argue with yourself – challenge your negative self talk
write about the same event from multiple perspectives (your own, the other person’s, and an objective observer’s) to gain insight and compassion
mind maps can go in all sorts of directions
track your habits, or moods
commonplacing (link PKM post) : write down quotes or paragraphs that get you thinking, and reflect on them
poems, dreams, sketches, sticker bombs
periodic reflections, like my “Where I’m At” posts
brainstorm your passion projects
goal tracking : “What’s working? What’s not? What’s next?”
daily check in : “What went well? What sucked? What can I do better tomorrow?”
shadowwork prompts, like “What are my biggest fears?” or “What are my darkest secrets?”

A List of Lists to Make When You’re Bored

(Because I’m into lists right now lol)

Things I’ve Been Told I Can’t Do (But Will Anyway)
Lies Society Told Me (and the Truths I’m Replacing Them With)
Ways I Can Rebel Against My Own Expectations
Traditions I Don’t Care About (and Why That’s Okay)
Reasons I’m a Total Badass
Things I Love About Myself That Others Might Find “Weird”
Compliments I’ve Always Wanted to Hear (and Can Give Myself)
Wins I Don’t Celebrate Enough
Things That Make Me Unique (and Why That’s Awesome)
Things I’ve Been Afraid to Admit (Until Now)
Habits That Are Holding Me Back (and What to Replace Them With)
Moments When I Felt Powerful
People, Places, or Things That Drain My Energy
What I’d Do If Failure Wasn’t a Concern
Rebel Mantras I Want to Live By
Songs That Feel Like an Anthem for My Life
People I’d Love to Have a Conversation With (Dead or Alive)
Things That Inspire Me to Dream Big
Tattoos I’d Get (Even If Just for Fun)
Things I Want to Learn This Year That Have Nothing to Do with Work
Ways I Can Simplify My Life Without Losing What Matters
Goals That Feel Impossible (But Aren’t)
People or Things I Need to Let Go Of
Times I Trusted My Gut and It Paid Off
Risks I Took That Changed Everything
Mistakes I Don’t Regret
Dreams I Let Go Of and Why They Don’t Fit Me Anymore
Winter Activities That Bring Me Joy
Ways I Can “Hibernate” to Recharge This Month
Goals I Want to Bloom This Spring
Small Luxuries That Feel Like Self-Love
Times I Took a Stand: List moments where you stood up for yourself or others.
People Who Inspire Me: Write about people who have had a positive impact on your life.
Unapologetic Desires: Things you want in life without feeling the need to justify them to anyone.
Moments of Pure Joy: Instances that brought you immense happiness.
Random Acts of Kindness: Acts of kindness you’ve done or received.
Unexplored Places: Destinations you’ve always wanted to visit.
“Mini Adventures for My Soul”
Boundaries I Refuse to Compromise
Toxic Patterns I’m Consciously Dismantling
My Personal “Fuck It” Manifesto
Ways I’ve Outgrown Past Versions of Myself
Personal Definitions of Success (That Don’t Involve Money)
My Non-Negotiable Personal Values
“Things I’d Tell My Younger Self” (But wouldn’t listen to)

What I Do (For Now)

I use a combination of digital and analog.

Digital :

Notion : I have a database for journaling that includes some templates with prompts, but I mostly just use a daily template for habit and mood tracking and daily “interstitial journaling”. I use my daily logs for weekly (etc) reviews, and for long form journaling in my analog notebook when I have time.
Rosebud AI : It’s a pretty fascinating free app that provides prompts and insights, which I’ve found pretty useful at times!

Analog :

A6 pocket notebook : Kind of a commonplace book and an on the go journal for those rare times when I can take myself out to lunch. I usually just note interesting things I’ve heard or read and would like to write more about when I have time.
B6 Stalogy : I fell in love with this size in my Bullet Journal phase. Now I use it as my “zenBLITZ BuJo”, and write all of my posts by hand in it!
A5 Stalogy : My long form journal. Where I do all kinds of stuff. Nothing is off limits.

Why Journaling Matters for Us “Rebels”

It’s a tool for liberation from overthinking and self doubt
It’s a way to recharge by reflecting on where you’re at and where you want to go, without anyone else’s input
It builds self awareness by helping you find your truth so that you can fight for it

Things to Keep in Mind

Try to keep things mostly positive or light hearted. Like 80/20. It’s good to vent, and a journal can be a cathartic place for that, but it’s not good to ruminate. Draw the line somewhere.
Switch up methods as needed. It’s yours, so do you!
Review and reflect! It’s essential to browse through what you’ve written and created from time to time so you can gain some insight and perspective from your experiences. You might just be surprised.

Conclusion / TL;DR

Rockstar journaling is about breaking away from expectations (even your own) and writing your way to clarity, confidence, and self love. The key is to make it fun and personally meaningful. There’s no shortage of ideas to inspire your creativity, but just using a pen and paper to vent your mind is a beautiful creation in its own right! It’s yours – do as you please.

So grab a notebook, ditch the rules, and start journaling your way to a life that’s unapologetically yours. Your story deserves to be heard – even if it’s just by you.

If you enjoyed this post, please give it a “like”, share it with someone you think would enjoy it, and be sure to share your own unconventional journaling techniques in the comments below!

And if you’d like to watch a couple of quick videos about journaling that I’ve recently enjoyed, check these out :

Rebel Self Care : Redefining Love and Wellness for Yourself This February

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Self care has been hijacked by overpriced candles and Insta-worthy aesthetics. It’s time to take it back and make it your own – honest, accessible, and tailored to your needs with unique methods of accepting your authentic self!

What Rebel Self Care Really Means

Rebel self care is about rejecting the cliches by only saying “yes” to whatever fuels you (even if it is cliche). It’s also about rebelling against “hustle culture” and complete selflessness. It’s about embracing boundaries and prioritizing your needs. Self love isn’t narcissistic and self care isn’t selfish, they’re necessary for self preservation.

Create a Self Care Plan That Doesn’t Suck

Step 1 : Identify what drains you

List 3 things you despise doing, and brainstorm how you can minimize, delegate, delete, or make them fun.

Step 2 : Identify what fuels you

Ask yourself “What makes me feel like me?” Make as long a list as you can.

Step 3 : Commit to regular acts of self care

Schedule days, make it a habit, and don’t let anything get in your way.

9 Rebel Self Care Ideas

Physical Wellness Basics Done Your Way

Forget 8 hours & calorie counting – What fuels your energy and makes you feel alive? What is your body asking for more or less of?
Make exercise a celebration, not a punishment – Dance like you’re in a primitive tribe, host a personal silent disco, go for an urbex hike (carefully!), or punch a pillow
Hibernate like a boss or schedule a Do Nothing Day – Rest isn’t lazy, it’s recharging for your next move

Break the Mental and Emotional Self Care “Rules”

Twisted journaling – write angry letters that you’ll never send, list what you won’t do this week, or create a mood board with magazine clippings
Practice selective apathy – Choose where to care and let the rest go
Therapy or vent sessions – Whether a pro or a trusted friend, let it out
Mindful daydreaming – Occasionally indulge in intentional fantasies about your ideal life, overcoming challenges, etc. Positive, productive daydreaming is akin to visualization, which can improve confidence and mindset.
Rage bake a masterpiece – Embrace the inevitable mess and channel some frustration into a chaotic, experimental baking session. Disaster or not, it’ll be cathartic.

Whatever you try, be sure to practice healthy boundaries and responsible self care. Your mental health is not a trend, it’s your life.

Why Rebellious Self Care is Essential

It’s not just about you. When you take care of yourself, you show up better for your loved ones and your work. “You can’t pour from an empty cup.”
Choosing to protect your mental health in a world that wants you burned out is revolutionary.

Conclusion

Rebel self care is yours to define. Reject the cookie cutter version and build what feels true to you.

This February, ditch the rules and create a self care plan that’s as bold and unique as you are. Start small. Start now. Start by putting yourself first – unapologetically.

Where I’m At #5

Where I'm At

planner : I have a lot of projects planned for February! I’m finishing up my digital audit as I’m writing this, which is always quite a relief – I must have deleted a zillion things I didn’t even know I had! I still have to audit 10 years of Google Photos, but that’s another project all its own. (ETA : I realized I should add auditing my PKM to the list too, because the chaos I’ve created there is stressing me out – “actionability … only save things that contribute to current projects & areas … it’s not a museum of knowledge if you don’t absorb or utilize the information!”) Next month’s projects include a “What a Crock-Potluck Revival Party” (we haven’t had a crockpot party in a while, so I thought we’d get back on that wagon), I want to make an “Oh Shit!” notebook (in case I get hit by a dump truck & my husband needs to know things he doesn’t normally care about), as well as planning for fun stuff in warmer weather (travel, tattoos, concerts, etc)
self (body & mind, emotion & education) : Forever working on my eating habits – I’ve been focusing on eating more consistently throughout the day because I have a bad habit of barely eating until dinnertime, and then going a little too crazy (cuz I love my dinner recipes! 😋) I’ve been sleeping kind of crappy because I really like my quiet time in the mornings, and I should probably get back to my exercise routine, but…not right now 😆 My brain’s been doing pretty good lol – Lots of fun ideas abound, feeling pretty chill (albeit a little cabin fever), and learning all kinds of interesting things about blogging!
marriage (relationship & libido) : Not doing too bad here, actually! Humor keeps things interesting lol
mom (BooBoo & Bubby) : The girls are doing pretty good, though I’m sure they can’t wait til it’s warm enough to go outside every day! They’ve been keeping busy drawing, painting, & playing with their dolls mostly. And enjoying a little bit of Legs Marvel Superheroes on Xbox hehe
teacher (K & PK) : They’ve been doing really well with school, though it was hard getting back into the rhythm after the holidays. BooBoo surprises us (& herself!) every day with how well she can read already, and Bubby is getting really good at tracing lines
zB : Having a lot of fun (& driving myself absolutely crazy!) trying to choose which direction to go with everything related to the blog & products to create & everything. I know I’m overcomplicating everything though lol! I’ve been learning a lot about SEO, optimization tools (like Buffer for automating social media posts), and everything in between. (My brain hurts. 🤪)
homemaker (finance, cleaning, gardening, prepping, travel) : Everything’s fine & dandy here! I need to rebalance our general finances, which I keep putting off. Been maintaining the cleaning, but not really making any progress (no time!) And I’m looking forward to travel & garden planning soon!

Currently

eating : crockpot dinners

drinking : hot lime water, & hot grapefruit water (way better than lemon water!)

watching : Hubby keeps trying to make me watch movies. I don’t generally have the attention span for movies. Blink Twice was pretty good. Back to Action was pretty terrible. The show Younger hasn’t been too bad. And surprisingly, the series Maxton Hall has been pretty interesting. And Ripley, omg, that was actually pretty good lol!

reading – Nothing. I haven’t really had much interest in any particular books lately. But I’ve kept up with my Daily Stoic Journal every day!

playing : Board games with the girls, especially Candy Land hehe ☺️

buying : Not much. Went a little crazy on Temu because I really needed a new winter coat. I also ended up with a couple gifts for hubby, gloves, some new eyebrow rings, and a bunch of other things I’ll be surprised to see when they come 😅

listening to : My “Tunes” playlist on YouTube – lots of Green Day & Foxboro Hot Tubs, Reverend Horton Heat, & “Wish I Knew You” by the Revivalists (me & hubby’s dating anthem hehe)

celebrating : Midwinter & Valentine’s Day

pinning : wallpapers, self care, Green Day

planning – projects, a party, goals

feeling – generally good, but a bit restless!

Where are you at? Let me know in the comments below!! 😀

Winter Zine 2025

Zines

Here’s my zine for this winter – If you’d like a copy, just print & cut according to these instructions! Enjoy!!

Stop Scrolling! : Mastering Intentional Information Consumption

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Do you ever feel like you’re hoarding information, and not doing anything with it? Saying to yourself “Oh, I’ll totally need to know that someday!”, & that day never comes? All those articles & notes you have saved are really a burden, not a badge of honor, if you never use or even review them! In this post, I’m going to share some no BS tips for using information intentionally to get things done.

Why Information Overload Sucks

Endlessly scrolling through social media or blog feeds sucks the energy right out of your brain. This can then suck the life out of the rest of your day, causing decision fatigue over every little thing (”blue shirt or black shirt – argh!”), & distract you from making important progress in different areas of your life.

The truth is, you don’t need more info – You need a system to make the info you do consume work for you.

Game Plan = Filter Ruthlessly

One filtering method would be to avoid saving anything that doesn’t contribute to a project you’re working on or a problem you’re trying to solve.

Tiago Forte has some good tips for information management (check out his website at Forte Labs). One tip is to keep a list of “Favorite Problems” – complicated life problems that don’t have a simple answer, & which should be edited occasionally to keep it relevant. For example, one of my favorite problems is “How can I create a reasonably profitable business that fulfills my need to help others, without consuming too much of my time?”

Tiago’s CODE framework is another good tip, which focuses on actionability – Capture useful information, Organize it by how the information can be used, Distill it down to the main points, & Express it as a new article or idea. But make sure you keep note of the source!

Build a Personal Knowledge Management (PKM) System That Works

Like many people, I prefer to use a digital notetaking system because it’s easy to organize & search through. An analog system (such as a commonplace book or Zettelkasten) can be useful to help you remember important information, but don’t stop there!

Tiago’s PARA method works well for organizing information. Projects are considered anything you’re currently working on that has a short term end date; Areas are ongoing aspects of your life (household management, personal health, etc); Resources are topics of interest that don’t fit into the first two categories; and Archive is for anything that is currently irrelevant but may be useful in the future. These four main categories can be broken down further and used as folders or tags for whatever system you choose to use – I use a Notion database, but you could also use platforms such as Google Keep, Evernote, or Obsidian for digital note organization.

Another benefit of a digital PKM is that you can easily link relevant notes together, or even link them directly onto a project page (which Tiago refers to as “Intermediate Packets”).

Stay Out of the Info Trap

Set some rules to avoid saving all the things, & stick to it!

Limit how much time you spend browsing new information
Don’t save it if you won’t use it
Review & delete or archive outdated stuff – Your PKM isn’t a museum

Conclusion

Information is useless if you don’t use it.

Audit your info intake today, & turn knowledge into momentum – Share how you’re cutting the clutter in the comments below!

Goal Planning for Actual People

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Now that the new year has begun & lots of people are already fizzling out on their lofty but well intentioned resolutions, let’s get real & talk about goals.

I’ll admit, I’m a serial overthinker. I’ve had elaborate goal planning systems that I’ve worked with to varying degrees of success in the past. Even a slight peek in an online search of “goal setting” will overwhelm you with complicated systems that guarantee your success.

Let’s get real. It’s not that serious.

You can’t give yourself a bunch of new stuff to do. You’re not gonna do it. You know this; I know this. It’ll just stress you out & piss you off, even if you have the most efficient execution system on the planet. Just pick something. One thing. Add other things when it won’t piss you off.

With that said, I’d like to share my simplified goal planning system. Feel free to try it out for yourself, & alter it however it would work best for you!

Annual

To start each year, I like to do some journaling & establish a few things :

Word (or theme) of the year, & why. Of course, this can be changed any time during the year if needed, but I like to have something simple & specific to focus on. Mine trend along the lines of “intention” & “simplify”.
A few questions :
- What would you like to do this year?
- What would you like to have?
- Who would you like to be?
- What would be the single coolest thing that could possibly happen this year?
- What sort of legacy do you want to leave behind when you die?
What does your ideal life look like? The next level version of you? Consider the roles / areas / buckets of your life (whatever you prefer to call them). – How would you like to show up for these things in your daily life? Do you ideally need more or less of anything specific?
Create a vision board. Don’t get too crazy. The purpose of a vision board is to remind & inspire you. Only add images that truly resonate with you. Bonus points if you use your own photos!

Periodically

Every couple months I also like to do a “Level 10 Life” & “Role Review”. Beside a list of my life roles, I rate my satisfaction with each on a scale from 1-10, & I will sometimes choose what to work on based on my lower scores. If I feel the need to elaborate, I’ll do a brief review of each role by writing down how I feel (good or bad), why, & what I’d like to improve.

Each of these practices are intended to get you contemplating different goals that you could work on. Could being a key word because you really should only be focused on one thing at a time, so I encourage you to pick something that would have the greatest positive impact on your life, & aligns most with your values. Then…

Plan Your Goals

Define the goal. What exactly do you want? What is the ideal end result? Why? Is this a task based project, a habit forming lifestyle change, or both?
Create a plan & a system. What action steps can you take to move toward that ideal end result? Only give yourself functional tasks that will contribute real progress toward your goal. What systems or habits can you implement into your daily life to ensure you make consistent progress? And how can you keep yourself accountable?
Execute the plan / system.
Reflect weekly, and monthly. Ask yourself “Am I making progress here? How, or why not? How can I improve next week / month?” This is an essential step, so don’t skip it!
Pivot, if needed.

That’s it. That’s what every single goal planning system boils down to. Don’t worry that you’re forgetting something – If it’s important, you’ll realize that & pivot thanks to your regular reflections! Just live your fucking life, & don’t overcomplicate it. (There’s a good goal idea!)

What would you like to work on this year? Let me know in the comments below – Maybe I can help!

Morning Routines That Actually Work: How to Start Your Day With Purpose and Power

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I know that I don’t know WTF I’m doing throughout the day if I don’t follow my morning routine. I jump around like a chicken with my head cut off, trying to figure things out. It’s exhausting & disorienting, which is a terrible way to start the day. That’s why I developed my ever evolving morning routine, & in this week’s post I hope to help you do the same!

Why Morning Routines Matter

My husband always wakes up cranky, groggy, & feeling like shit. He stumbles off to the kitchen to make a smoothie, & then reads depressing news on his phone for like an hour before sometimes making breakfast for the kids & then struggling to figure out what to do with his day. He’s inevitably cranky fairly often. He refuses to create a better morning routine.

Starting the day with an intentionally beneficial routine can set the tone for a productive, engaged, & fulfilling rest of your day! A set routine can reduce the decision fatigue of trying to figure out what you’re doing at any given moment. It can also help ensure you’re finding time to work toward your goals!

Some Challenges…and Solutions!

Poor sleep hygiene. Sleep is pretty essential, so perhaps you also need a useful evening routine (though that would be another post altogether). The goal is that you can wake up early enough to accomplish the routine you want or need.
Lack of motivation. Your routine should motivate you! If it seems like a drag to do, you need to switch your activities up a bit so that it feels beneficial.
Distractions. Limit them as much as possible. Put your phone on “do not disturb”, don’t even think about checking social media (or depressing news feeds!), & get up before your family members if at all possible.

You can always find a way around any challenges that arise if you’re open to creative & adaptable solutions!

Design a Routine That Works for You

Before diving into the design process, there are 2 things I want you to keep in mind :

KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid!) Don’t overwhelm yourself with all kinds of stuff to do. You’ll set yourself up for needless frustration.
Remain adaptable. Some days you may find yourself with an hour, others may leave you with only 5 minutes. Figure out your bare minimum activities, & work from there.

So, what would you like to focus on in your mornings? What would help situate a positive mindset for the day ahead? Do you need to prep your clothes, healthy drinks & snacks, & task list? Do you need distraction free time to get some work done before the kids get up? Do you need time for self care?

Once you come up with some ideas for what you need, you should figure out how much time you typically have available. It can also help to set times for certain activities throughout your routine – For example 10 minutes for journaling, 20 minutes for exercise, & so on.

Quick Ideas for Morning Routines

My routine gets changed whenever I feel like it. If I’m not looking forward to it, it’s time to switch things up. Here’s what it looks like right now :

Get lemon water & say good morning to Alexa (she tells me the weather, a joke, & plays some lofi music)
Review my inbox of thoughts, notes, & tasks from the previous day, & organize them appropriately
Plan my day
Journal & exercise
Get dressed
Get some coffee & a snack, & watch a quick YouTube video before starting my tasks for the day (which usually includes a focus hour to work on this blog!)

A routine focused on self care could look like this :

10 minutes body : cardio / yoga / strength
10 minutes mind : journaling / reading / learning
10 minutes soul : meditation / prayer / being outside in nature
heart : call or text a friend or family member

If you’re focused on productivity, your morning routine could include :

Get tea / coffee
Review plan for the day
Quick exercise
Get dressed / quick shower
Quick journaling / braindump
30 minute deep work session

Burned out? Cut it back to the essentials & build from there :

Get water; Make tea / coffee
Review plans for the day, timeblock if necessary, & consider meal plan
Stretch or meditate for 5 minutes

Pick one, hack it, make it yours!

Consistency & Setbacks

The key to consistency is to avoid overwhelm. Adjust your morning routine as extensively & as often as you need, to make sure you’re setting yourself up for a pleasant day!

You could track your consistency with a simple calendar, & reward yourself for your small wins – A week of sticking to our habits deserves a luxurious $10 hot cocoa supreme (or a cheap bottle of wine lol)!

Don’t beat yourself up for missing a day – Fuck your senseless guilt & just try again the next day! Persistence over perfection!

Conclusion

Morning routines are essential for starting your day on the right foot. Stay adaptable & compassionate with yourself, & design a routine that works for you at different times in your life. Pivot, & adapt as needed!

Share your current routine, or any challenges you encounter, in the comments below – I’d love to hear from you!

And here’s a free printable brainstorming space if you’d like, created with Canva – Just download, resize if needed, & print!