Learning to Take Time for Me

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Learning to Take Time for Me | Duluth Moms Blog

Something happened to me in 2017, I woke up one day and realized how unhappy I was. I couldn’t put my finger on why. I have a wonderful husband, active and healthy kids, a supportive circle of friends, and a full-time job. 

But I wasn’t happy! 

So, I decided to do something about it. I dove into a wellness program, a program that not only focused on fitness, but healthy eating and personal development. 

I thought personal development was a joke – that I didn’t need self help books to figure out what I needed. But then I was challenged to add 10 minutes of personal development into my day through reading books or listening to podcasts. 

Slowly the fog started lifting and my negative thoughts in my head quieted. Who knew that 10 minutes a day could change my mindset?

Through my personal development, I was able to start having open conversations with my kids about how stressed out I got about certain things and things that we all could do to make sure that the stress level at the house stayed relatively low. It’s not perfect – I still freak out sometimes over the littlest of things. But now, my daughter recognizes I’m stressed out about a deadline and will tell me it’s ok and to just take a deep breath.

We have a happier household, all because I took 10 minutes of time to work on myself. 

I wanted to share with you some of my favorite books and podcasts that I have discovered on my journey.

Learning to Take Time for Myself | Duluth Moms Blog

Books

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi – An easy read about a physician in his last year of residency finding out he has terminal cancer. When Breath Becomes Air is an unforgettable, life-affirming reflection on the challenge of facing death. This book reminded me how short life can be and how important it is to seek out what makes us happy. 

The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod – The not-so-obvious secret guaranteed to transform your life before 8 am. This book is probably the one that started a lot of my mind shift. He introduces the concept of SAVERS – 6 morning actions that will change how you approach your day. SAVERS – Silence (Meditation), Affirmations, Visualization, Exercise, Reading, Scribing (Journaling). This practice doesn’t have to take long, but I can promise you if you implement these six steps into your morning routine you will see improvements in your life. “For those who are in the midst of adversity or enduring times of struggle – be it mental, emotional, physical, financial, relational or other – The Miracle Morning has proven time and time again to be the one thing that can empower anyone to overcome seemingly insurmountable challenges.”

You are a Bada**: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero – This book had me laughing the entire time! She shares hilarious inspiring stories, advice and easy to follow exercises, with an occasional swear word or two that helps you to identify and change self-sabotaging beliefs and to create a life you totally love. I loved this book, it was an easy read and I could totally relate to the author. It helped reaffirm that I was on the right path and how to stop listening to those negative voices telling me I can’t do this.

Finish by Jon Acuff – I’m just finishing up running a virtual book club with this book because that is how much I enjoyed it. How many perfectionists do I have reading this blog today? This book will help you finish those goals you have started without letting perfectionism sabotage it because you can’t do it perfectly. Did you know that 92% of New Years Resolution fail? This book will walk you through how to finish those goals. Your first step: not quitting when it’s not perfect.

The 12 Week Year by Brian P. Morgan and Michael Lennington – This book was all about action! It had me setting goals, tracking them and moving forward at a faster rate than I thought possible. The 12 Week Year helps you learn how to take back control of your day, increase your income, balance the priorities in your life, lower your stress, and accomplish your goals in record time. This how-to-book will have you accomplishing more in 12 weeks than you did in all of last year. 

My next book I’m reading is The 5 Second Rule by Mel Robbins. 

Learning to Take Time for Myself | Duluth Moms Blog

Podcasts

I have to admit that I have become a podcast junkie. It’s amazing how listening to one on the way to and from work keeps me motivated to move my passion forward. I have found that sometimes I get so wrapped up in the podcast that I stay at a red light long after it’s turned green. Sorry, if you’ve been behind me! 

My all time favorite is Earn Your Happy with Lori Harder. She has on the best guests, talks about real life struggles and the importance of seeking out your tribe. She’s got great energy and she talks about creating a life you’re obsessed with! 

The Life Coach School with Brooke Castillo is another one of my favorites. Her podcasts focus on managing your brain (and the thoughts within it) to create your desired results. 

Be Wealthy and Smart with Linda P Jones. She’s a wealth mentor that breaks down financial investments that makes sense to the average person! She’s got me thinking about how to remove those self doubt barriers I’ve created when it comes to making money. 

Achieve Your Goals with Hal Elrod. Did I mention how much I love Miracle Morning? This is a great compliment to his book! 

My challenge to you  is to schedule 10 minutes a day for the next week to spend on your own personal development. 

Do you have any recommendations for me? Leave a comment and let me know your favorite books and podcasts. 

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Tonya
Three years ago, Tonya would have never imagined answering to the name of Grandma, at the age of 40, but that was before she met her husband, Tom. They have a blended family with 8, yup 8 children from age 10-28, with a 5 year-old granddaughter, a 1 year-old grandson and a 3 month granddaughter. She's grateful that she has found her tribe in Duluth. Through her fitness journey, she launched her own wellness coaching business, SchillerLand Wellness to help other women learn to love their bodies through fitness, nutrition and personal development. She, along with a couple of friends are launching a new food service business opening in April 2018. Check out my Facebook page SchillerLand Wellness for more information.