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MORNING ROUTINES:

We have all heard about the importance of a Morning Routine. There are many articles, and entire books devoted to this subject. I think that NOW more than ever having a morning routine gives our day some much needed structure. Here are a few of my favorite Morning Routine suggestions:

https://thriveglobal.com/stories/creating-a-manageable-routine-during-a-pandemic/

Perfect Your Morning Routine With 10 Research Backed Steps

Here is my own  Daily Routine:

• Mediate (10-15 mins)
• Thought download (30 mins)
• Hot H2O lemon (5 mins)
• Workout / walk with dogs (30-60 min)
• Tea / protein shake (10 min)
• Coaching calls/ Homework/ writing (2-4 hours)
• Lunch (15-30 min)
• Cleaning / laundry (endless)
• Painting/ podcasts (60-120 mins)
• Check in with family/friends (1-2 hours)
• Dinner (1 hour)
• Movie/ series (2 hours)
• Shower / bath (30 mins)
• Bed (try for 7-8 hours of sleep)

HABIT TRACKERS:

If you are having trouble keeping track of your routine here are a few habit tracking apps. 

https://www.lifehack.org/668261/best-habit-tracking-apps

I am currently using Productive Habit Tracker. 

FAVORITE PODCASTS:

• Unlocking US by Brené Brown

 Brené Brown is a  #1 New York Times best-selling author, researcher and truth teller. She has started a new podcast called Unlocking Us. In it she explores ideas, books, stories that reflect the universal experiences of being human, from the bravest moments to the most brokenhearted. 

All of her episodes are amazing- this one feels important today.

Listen to Dr. Marc Brackett and Brené on “Permission to Feel” from Unlocking Us with Brené Brown on Apple Podcasts.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unlocking-us-with-bren%C3%A9-brown/id1494350511?i=1000471405243

• The Life Coach School by Brooke Castillo

Brooke is a Master Life Coach. She delivers no nonsense coaching, using The Model. It is a very useful tool in determining how our thoughts affect our feelings and then determine our actions, which give us our results. She has over 300 episodes. I found her “Moving Forward” series very helpful in navigating during this pandemic. However, I have been an avid fan of hers for a few years.

https://thelifecoachschool.com/podcasts/

• Elizabeth Gilbert gives us permission to feel our feelings:

Another #1 New York Times Best Selling Author, Creativity Whisperer and kick-ass Keynote Speaker, Elizabeth Gilbert gives us permission to feel our feelings: It’s OK to feel overwhelmed. Here’s what to do next (Elizabeth Gilbert | TED Connects).

• Gabby Bernstein is a writer, coach, and anxiety tamer does a beautiful meditation that I listen to every morning and every night. Click here for the “All is Well” Meditation.

• Anxiety – Tapping with Brad Yates:

Tapping or EFT ( Emotional Freedom Technique) has shown to be very effective in helping to manage anxiety. Brad Yates teaches us how to utilize EFT method and tap specifically on anxiety. Click here for more information.

Or you can contact me directly at 720-900-4455 or Alliehillcoaching@gmail.com.

Do you ever feel like there are people in your life that are there for the sole purpose (soul-purpose) of testing your boundaries?

I have been working on this “Boundary issue” for years – maybe even a lifetime. It’s the hangover that comes from too many years as a Pleaser and a Good Girl.

For some reason, I was under the assumption that once you dealt with an issue it was over. The other day I was reminded that issues are like onions…they have many layers that need to be peeled back one at a time, revealing a new level of opportunity to grow and expand.

Last week I received a call from a friend I hadn’t heard from in almost a year. She said she wanted to meet for lunch. “It’s an Emergency!” Usually, I try to avoid long conversations with her as they always seem to be one-sided, and I end up drained and resentful. However, my curiosity got the best of me and I agreed to meet her that day. For the next two hours, I listened to tell me in detail about how her hairdresser ruined her life – and by life I mean her hair. She barely took a breath as she recounted each appointment to correct what she viewed as nothing less than a highlight disaster. As she spoke of her quest for hair perfection, I literally witnessed her become happier and more radiant as she lightened her load – and dumped her hairdressing mishap on me.

Thank Goodness it was time for carpool!

This person was not coming to me because she was in a crisis, conflicted or looking for advice or support. She was looking for a captive audience to dump her woes with little regard for my time, my interest and my boundaries.

She is what I call a Boundary Buster.

What I learned is this – we have the right to say, “Enough! I can’t hear one more thing.” We have the right to never go to lunch with this boundary-buster again. And, although it’s difficult in the middle a Narcissistic Monologue to know exactly when “enough – is enough”…. when we recognize that feeling that our boundaries have been trampled, that our soul has been soiled and that we never want to experience anything like that again – we know to say NO the next time that person calls.

“When someone shows you who they are…believe them the first time.” —Maya Angelou

 

 

This is the time to just let go…..

Let Go of Expectations

Let Go of how things “Ought to Be”

Let Go of that which no longer serves you

Let Go of relationships with people who drain your energy

Let Go of “Your Story” – it’s in the past

Letting Go means being in the present moment. You can’t change the past, you can’t predict or prevent the future.

Today, this day…this moment is all you have for certain.

When your inner and outer worlds aren’t in synch nothing seems to feel quite right. It’s like putting on your favorite jeans that you accidentally put in the drier for two hours, and suddenly you can’t get them over thighs…they look and feel the same, but they’re not – you’ve literally outgrown them.

The same thing happens when we evolve internally.

Outdated, beliefs, habits, and patterns that no longer serve us are easily let go and replaced with new, healthier habits and beliefs.

If we want our new inner world to match our outer world we have to adjust accordingly.

This is what happened to me after a process of digging deep…discovering my Core Desired feelings through the Desire Map process…teaching workshops and actually living those feelings.

And then this little book came along:

 

It should really should come with a warning:

“Proceed with Caution, or read at your own risk!!!!

I had the pleasure of reading this small, unassuming book this summer. I thought – oh another book about getting organized- maybe if I read it, my house will become neat and tidy by osmosis. However, what happened was nothing short of a household-Tsunami- in a good way.

Kondo’s premise is “if something doesn’t bring you JOY get rid of it.” Well, I had no idea how many joyless articles of clothing, books, and household stuff I had lurking in my seemingly organized house. (P.S. Just because you have bins labeled, arranged by season and alphabetized – does not mean you are organized, or that the items in the bins bring you joy!)

My process started with an update of my office and a quick look into my 3 clothing closets. In the end, I purged 8 racks of clothes, 15 pieces of furniture and a whole library of books. This is just the tip of the iceberg, as it turns out, the more streamlined you become the less tolerance you have for clutter, disorder, or even superfluous stuff.

During the purging process, I will admit there was a brief moment of panic of letting go. I am a sentimentalist, and everything carried with it a memory, that I didn’t want to let go of. In some cases, I’d paid a lot of money for an item and letting it go brought up guilt and even shame for buying it in the first place. Yet, when I truly examined my desire to hold on – it didn’t bear up to the JOY test…. so I let it go…. and go… and go…

The truth was I was done with them- they’d served their purpose. The silver lining is – just because something no longer gives you joy, it may be the perfect thing for someone else. Consigning my clothes and furniture felt both empowering and expanding. The more I let go, the calmer I felt, and it had a ripple effect.

What started out as a little closet-declutter turned into an entire office and home makeover. I realized that who I was 14 years ago when I decorated my home and bought clothes is not who I am now – and I was feeling out of synch with my surroundings.

My before and after photos of my ever-evolving office say it all. Before I wanted to be surrounded by anything I might possibly need, cards, pens, post-it notes, pads of paper, journals, notebooks, calendars – Office Depot/Papyrus/Target I had it all in spades, and every in every color.

Now I crave space, tranquility, beauty and simplicity – and I’ve got it! My closets used to reflect my Girl Scout of attitude – “be prepared”. I kept things just in case; for example I may need that grey leopard print scarf, or perhaps pink, floral raincoats come back in fashion. My closets were overflowing with castoffs and some great pieces – but which no longer reflected who I am today.

What I’ve learned in this process, which by no means is over, is that the more I become in tune with my clothes and surroundings, the more I attract people, experiences and things which are a true reflection of me today.

My Desire Map training taught me to focus on how I want to feel..and to design my life, day, home based on those feelings. When I examined my own Core Desired Feelings:

Divinely-Connected, Creatively-Inspired, Vibrantly-Healthy, Joyful-Gratitude, Anchored -in-Ease

It was obvious my inner and outer world were out of synch.

What’s the expression – you can’t unsee what you’ve seen. So now I see the areas that still need work – hello basement! The difference is I can’t wait to tackle them now – because I know with the letting go – comes transformation- and with transformation comes another step closer to my becoming whole, to reaching my potential, to being my Best Self.

PS – I supposed when a title of a book includes “Life Changing” one might expect things to be different – for me, after reading this book, JOY is my compass and I know I am heading in the right direction.

Transformation is easier with a little help from my friends! Home Designer extraordinaire – Kristina Sterling, www.seekinteriordesign.com

The darling and daring duo of Home & Closet declutter and beautification – Susie Houston and trusty assistant to Hector Loya.   Susiehouston@yahoo.com

With Gratitude,

Allie