What does this have to do with a soup recipe, you might be wondering. But I beg to ask the question, how does sourdough not relate to soup. Maybe it’s the college kid inside me that survived on nothing but broccoli cheddar soup in a sourdough bread bowl for 4 years straight that immediately identifies the connection. But alas, the more sourdough that appears in my house, the more I want soup.

I have a few staples. Vegetable soup. Broccoli cheddar. Chicken Gnocchi. Creamy chicken noodle. And a very basic tortellini soup. All very delicious. But the other day I got adventurous and typed “soup” into the search bar of TikTok. I know, how very bold of me to risk my FYP like that. But then again, is an FYP full of soup recipes not the goal in life?

That’s when I was introduced to this delicious creamy tortellini soup by Paigeejenna. I did things a leeeeeettle bit differently, but I want to make sure credit goes where credit is due. I owe this beauty for the soup I can’t stop thinking about.

How to make a Creamy Tortellini Soup you can’t stop thinking about

This is one of those recipes that’s so simple to make but results an impressive dish. A great one to keep in your monthly rotation or to have on hand for when you’re surprised with dinner guests. It makes a ton of food and is very filling yet inexpensive to make.

Print

Creamy Tortellini Soup

This recipe is so simple but packs a flavor punch!

Equipment

• 8 quart pot

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 medium onion finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic or 2 tbsp jarred minced garlic
• 2 cups bella mushrooms finely diced
• 2 tbsp flour
• 32 oz Chicken broth or vegetable broth if you prefer
• 2 cans fire roasted tomatoes I used 1 can fire roasted and 1 can regular
• 1 can Norther white beans rinsed
• 1 cup Chopped spinach
• 1.5 cup heavy whipping cream Can use half & half if you prefer but may experience separating
• 2 cups tortellini of choice
• Seasonings to taste: garlic powder, onion powder, salt & pepper & Italian seasoning We measure these things with our heart

Instructions

• Melt butter in a large pot
• Add diced onion, sauté until translucent
• Add garlic, sauté until fragrant
• Add mushrooms
• Add seasonings - garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning & salt & pepper
• Add flour, stir until veggies are well coated and things start to thicken up
• S-L-O-W-L-Y stir in chicken broth. I tend to slowly stir in about 1.5 cups to keep the base of the soup thick before dumping the rest of the 32 oz in.
• Add in tomatoes, slightly drained
• Add rinsed white northern beans
• Add spinach if using frozen; hold off and add spinach when you add the tortellini if you’re using fresh
• Stir in about 1.5 cups of heavy whipping cream.
• Taste & adjust seasonings as desired
• Simmer for about 20 minutes
• Pour in tortellini; cook according to packaging.
• Serve and enjoy - add parmesan as desired.

Let me know what you think if you end up making this recipe! I’d also love to know of any modifications you make.

It’s a tricky thing because I am a big advocate of intentional rest. But the truth is, intentional rest and rotting are simply not the same thing. What does rotting mean for me? That’s a great question. I’d love to tell you.

Rotting: when life gets too much and you lean into the space of doing nothing but not intentionally. You find yourself stuck in your pajamas, usually unbathed doomscrolling until your brain, well, rots.

Intentional rest feels good. Rotting does not. Intentional rest is rejuvenating and revitalizing. Rotting is…the opposite.

If you’re teetering on the edge of temptation, but you really don’t want to fall victim to the rot, here’s what you can do.

How to unfunk yourself

1. Recognize the feeling and acknowledge it. Realize you have a decision to make in this moment. Choosing to do nothing (i.e. rot) is still a decision.
2. Decide to do one personal hygiene thing. Remember, a body in motion stays in motion. A body at rest stays at rest. This one thing can be something as small as brushing your teeth or something as big as taking an everything shower. On the day of filming the video below, the one thing for me was washing my face. Remember, it just takes one. Small. Thing.
3. Change your clothes or put on shoes. If you’re already fully dressed, shoes and all, change your outfit entirely. I realize this sounds crazy but it makes an enormous difference.
4. Tidy the space you plan to occupy. Your house might be a total disaster, and it’s too overwhelming to think about cleaning all of it. Pick a place to be and tidy that space. You’ll be surprised how motivated you’ll feel, and you might even keep going.
5. Do something simple – for me, on the day of filming the video below, it was marinating the meat for dinner. Sometimes it’s just changing locations – I’ll pack the kid up and head to a friend’s house to work for the rest of the day. We may go to the store even if we don’t need to buy anything. The point is to shift up the energy, to keep “in motion” so to speak. This does not need to mean being physically in motion. It’s about keeping momentum going.
6. Make a list of what you need to do but add things you want to do into the list. Bonus points if you go an extra step and schedule those things into your calendar, including the things you want to do. Not only does it help to alleviate the overwhelm, by scheduling the things you want to do, it gives you something to look forward to.
7. Pat yourself on the back for choosing not to rot.

I realize these things are not revolutionary. And the reality is, they’re not difficult either. But when you’re teetering on the edge, even the simplest things can feel like too much.

It’s not uncommon for me, when I’m on the edge, to only get through one or two steps. And even those things may happen at a snails pace. But the point here is to do your best.

It’s important to note that my desire to rot the last year or so has been intimately tied to my fragile mental health state. While it’s all fun and games to make light of rotting, it’s also a pretty significant sign that something else might be going on — especially if you find yourself falling into the rot frequently. I worked closely with my primary care physician to work out a treatment plan, and I’m doing much better these days. I feel it’s also important to put on the record that I’m re-starting therapy this week.

Wins, friends. Small but mighty wins.

Until next time. XOXO

I am Monica Geller. Okay, obviously that’s not true because I’m Joey. But everyone close to me says I’m Monica Geller. I used to argue this point until one night I got caught. Once there was photo evidence, it was harder to deny. You see, what happened was… we had friends over for a fire pit one night — totally normal. Well, I left the fire pit really quickly to run in to use the bathroom. And then I just sort of…started mopping the floors. A friend snagged a photo of the act and snapchatted it to me as evidence.

I am who I am, okay?

Amazon cleaning products I love (and will use until they wear out)

The point I’m making here is that I take my cleaning seriously. One, I like a clean space but two, I actually enjoy cleaning. It’s comforting and soothing to me, always has been. I appreciate the opportunity to take care of our space and enjoy the reward of the outcome.

So let’s look at my must-have cleaning products I’ve acquired over the years.

Cleaning products I thought would be gimmicky but had to try

This spin brush (which as I’m writing this is on major sale) — listen; this had its moment on TikTok, and I’ll admit that’s when we fell into the trap. I’d just been hospitalized with a back injury, so the idea of scrubbing anything made me wince. I thought it was hokey until I started using it. Even if you don’t have a bad back, this sucker gets things done. When we bought our house, it was obvious the previous owners really just didn’t take much ownership pride in it. I did my best to get it up to snuff in the months and years since, but one place that I struggled was the nitty gritty of the baseboards. We are slowly replacing them all, so I wasn’t overly concerned about it, but I’m in far less of a rush now that I took the spinbrush to ’em. Holy clean corners, batman!

These e-cloths – I originally saw a Youtuber use these in a cleaning video and I was intrigued but also…gave it a bit of a side eye. But I gifted myself a set just before we moved from my mom’s house into our own home (2020). I didn’t know how these would be any different than the microfibers you can get at The Dollar Store, but I figured worth the try. I realize you’re just going to have to take my word for it, but y’all. These cloths are elite. I love the wet rag + window cloth combo for cleaning mirrors (seriously, game changing). These are also fantastic when it comes to keeping your glass stovetops clean. I have the specific stovetop cleaning, but I can rarely be bothered to grab a whole separate cleaner when wiping the kitchen down. I notice a difference in what I’m able to scrub from the glass top with just regular all-purpose cleaner + these e-cloths.

This pet hair remover I thought for sure this would be a waste of my money. But that’s the glory of Amazon, isn’t it? I figured if it didn’t work, no harm, no foul, off to Kohls to post a return I’d go. Welp. I bought this just before our son was born (2021; when I was crazy nesting). And I honestly don’t know what we’d do without it especially now with a Golden Retriever in our house. We allow our pets on our furniture (I know, I know…). And this makes keeping them clean a breeze. I also love using it on our upholstered headboard.

This damp clean duster sponge This seemed ridiculous to me but I couldn’t help myself and added it to my cart. Again, we have pets. Dust is my nemesis. I’m constantly fighting it. My least favorite thing to do (and the thing I just couldn’t figure out how to appropriately clean) is lamps/lampshades. Like how? Y’all. THIS! This little damp sucker grabs every last bit of hair and dust. I soak it, wipe it, then go in with my normal all-puropose cleaner.

This microfiber dusting kit I mostly bought this because we have a *very* tall ceiling fan in our den. I usually clean fan blades using the pillowcase trick — but there was just no way with that one. Well, I no longer have to use a pillow case — this little kit allows me to dust every fan blade in our house (and there are many…we are fan fans, okay?) easily!

Cleaning products that are worth the investment

This carpet & upholstery cleaner I feel like this one doesn’t need much explanation. But if you’ve been on the fence about whether or not you need one or should get one, just do it. Having it makes all the difference, especially if you have kids and pets. This one is super powerful, compact and easy to use.

This cordless vacuum Alright, listen. I rage bought this vacuum when something happened at my job back in 2022. I was pissed about a decision they made and thought “fine, I’m buying the damn vacuum.” Why is this my go-to? Again, more proof I am actually Monica Geller. That all aside, I’m so glad they pissed me off because I love this vacuum. Having it mounted in our kitchen has made my life so much easier, especially having a little one and pets. It gets used multiple times a day. It’s also a great source of entertainment for my little guy. I take the middle rod out and it becomes a toddler-sized vacuum and he’ll just go to town cleaning my floors.

This powerful corded vacuum As much as I love my cordless vacuum, if you have long haired pets and carpets and/or rugs, you just know you need some extra juicy power. I’ve had this vacuum since 2019, and I still love it today as much as I did it the day I bought it. This vacuum is especially great if you love those scented deodorizers (we like these ones scents we like: lux & Brazilian summer). You want the power behind you to make sure you suck it all up!

This steam mop I want to first say — I still have the old fashioned mop & bucket, and I still use it. That’s my standard mop when I do a deep clean of my house. But trust me, there are situations where a mop is necessary. I don’t love swiffers. And these days, those quick messes often require…cough, sanitizing…if you catch my drift. Enter: the steam mop. I bought this in 2018 and still use it weekly.

Now, these tools may not necessarily keep things up to hospital cleaning and infection control standards — they absolutely help me keep my home clean year-round.

Okay, now that I’ve officially let my clean-freak flag fly, I should probably sign off before I embarrass myself any more than I already have.

Until next time!

XOXO

*Disclaimer

When I was in first grade, my dad agreed to come have lunch with me in the cafeteria one day. As we lined up in the classroom to make our way to the cafeteria, I had this overwhelming feeling of doubt and could say with near certainty that my dad wasn’t actually coming.

It didn’t matter, though, I spent the lunch period scanning the room and watching the door. I don’t know why I know this, I said to my friend sitting across from me, but he’s not coming because he fell off the ladder. She scoffed and told me he probably forgot. I knew better though.

 That night at dinner, my dad took his seat next to me and apologized for not making it. You won’t believe this, he started, rolling up the sleeve to his sweatshirt and grinning, but I fell off the ladder! It was then that he showed me a giant scrape that extended the length of his arm from his wrist to his elbow.

I like things just so. My life up until I was an adult felt so radically out of my control that once I realized I had some say in how I experienced my day-to-day, well…let’s just say I like my plans, schedules, itineraries and routines.

It’s not a secret that the last year has been…different. My life doesn’t look anything like the plans I laid out at the start of 2023. I was supposed to be working full-time for an awesome company. I was supposed to have my son home with me but have regular help. I was supposed to be keeping up with my fitness routine and maintaining healthy habits and living the best version of my life in a very sweet season.

Instead, I got laid off. We faced developmental issues with my son making childcare difficult. And I ended up hospitalized for 3 days after a pesky back issue became debilitating.

I’m having a hard time in this season. That’s just the truth. I am. I’m having to figure out things in real time that were never part of the plan. And some days I feel like I’m failing at all of it. I don’t actually know what I’m doing a lot of the time: with parenting, with actually pursuing this whole author thing, even with returning to the online space.

I had gotten to a place in my life just before this season where everything felt so good. We were comfortable. Comfortable. Now I’m anything but 90% of the time.

Something I know but tend to ignore is to be wary of comfort zones. They choke out growth. So I know as uncomfortable as I am right now, I’m also growing. I am very grateful for that.

And so, that mantra I mentioned earlier has been on repeat in the back of my mind for months. It’s only wrong because you’re making it wrong.

I had a plan. I had everything perfectly mapped out, and I was comfortable. But that plan, that vision, would only ever keep me exactly where I was. I would never have stretched to figure out how to keep my son home full-time while working, getting irreplaceable time with him. I would never have returned to writing, releasing another book and writing another. I’ve made this season of my life wrong because it goes against the plans I had. The plans that, when you really look at them, would have kept me stuck.

In reviewing old content, I came across this post I’d written in 2017. I mention in it that while these principles where revealed to me in the midst of a difficult return to my yoga practice, that they could be applied to pretty much anything.

And well, I can tell you, now 7 years later (how the hell is 2017 SEVEN YEARS AGO?) how right I actually was. I haven’t done yoga in years. But these four principles sure offer me the comfort and necessary guidance in the midst of this hard season.

The four principles you need to remember when you’re in a difficult season

Stay focused.

It’s easy to get distracted. It’s even easier for our minds to race, doing what I call “rushing to resolution.” As an anxious person, I want things settled right now. When distracted, we diffuse our productivity, getting no where fast. When we focus in, even on the tiniest change, we make forward progress so much faster. So while your mind might be racing, do your best to stay focused on one thing at a time, making small but powerful progress every step of the way.

Go at your own pace.

We weren’t ever supposed to be this connected. To friends. Family. Acquaintances. Strangers. Any of it. It’s so easy these days to look at what everyone else is doing, and how fast they’re doing it and let that cripple you into inaction. Years and years ago, I would occasionally watch a YouTube Indie Author’s videos. I was initially inspired by her content but very quickly that turned into whoa, Joey. Why aren’t you turning out books at that pace? I let that stop me from working on my WIP as the time. I was clearly doing something wrong.

I did eventually learn, a year or so later, that she was skipping a step in the publishing process that is non-negotiable for me. And I believe it’s that step that allows me to produce the kind of books that average a 4.5 star rating.

What someone else is or isn’t doing has nothing to do with you or your process. Do what feels right to you in a pace that feels sustainable.

It’s important for you to remember that mental well-being will often play a huge role in helping you to stay productive and creative. Some individuals explore options such as transcranial magnetic stimulation when they are looking to get additional support with focus, mental clarity, as well as mood improvement. Taking care of your mind would allow you to move forward at a pace that is right for you.

Rest when you need to.

A lesson I’ve learned over and over again is that rest isn’t lazy, it’s necessary. And if you don’t make sure you’re giving yourself the necessary rest, your body will force it on you. And often times, that forced rest will sideline you longer than intentional rest ever would have. I’m only just now started to really honor the fact that rest is a integral part of a productive process. Take it from someone who has found themselves fetal in the middle of a true burnout induced breakdown that rest. is. necessary.

Push through the discomfort.

I’m not telling you to push yourself to a place that’s unhealthy. Remember, I’m all about sustainable success over here and that’s just not possible if you push yourself physically and mentally beyond the limits that keep you in a healthy place. But what I am telling you to do is to push through the discomfort that usually either scares you or stops you.

Any time you’re growing and learning, you’re stretching. And stretching is usually uncomfortable. But comfort, I’ve learned, keeps you stuck. And everything you want is just on the other side of that discomfort. You’re more capable than you realize.

This wasn’t ever the plan. No. But it was the dream. And sometimes when I’m being choked out by imposter syndrome I forget how much I wanted this in another life.

Now it’s here.

If you want a chattier version of this content, it’d mean a lot to me if you’d watch this video.

There was a time where I just didn’t get the hype of online shopping. We’ve already established I don’t like shopping for clothes or dressing myself, but that translated to all online shopping initially.

Hold on…I’m pretty sure I can hear my husband (and bank account) laughing in the distance.

Boy, have the times changed. We live in a very remote area. Popping into a store just isn’t a reality out here. But Amazon? Oh, Amazon. At this point I should probably add a place at the dinner table for our Amazon delivery driver.

I love knowing what people use regularly, especially if they actually improve their lives. For instance, the first item on this list is because a YouTuber I follow had a baby just before I did and she just happened to mention it in a video and I was like oh, my Gosh — that’s a solution to a very specific problem we’re having. Sold.

Amazon products that actually made my life easier

This Portable charger

I bought this thing so fast once I realized it existed. At the time, it was a much needed solution to a baby monitor situation we were having. (I know, we were weird but didn’t want a monitor that connected to our phones. The unit would die so quickly, but I didn’t want to have to be attached to a wall. And of course, as a first time mom, I wanted that monitor ON MY PERSON at all times. Enter: this portable charger.)

While that was our original purpose for it, it serves a whole myriad of solutions. It has every type of cable you might need and a regular USB and a USB-C port that you can plug other cables into as well. We use it daily and probably need to buy a second because we fight over it.

This Affordable Cordless Stick Vacuum 

Okay, confession? This was a rage-induced purchase. Something happened at work that pissed me off so much that I literally bought a vacuum cleaner without thinking twice. Yes, I realize it’s probably weird that a vacuum would be my go-to. But I promise, if you know me, like really know me, you’re nodding your head right now going yup, that checks out.

That rage-purchase was 2+ years ago, and I still claim this is the best gift I ever gave myself. Our son was an infant, and we had a dog and a Maine Coon cat. We’ve since added a golden retriever to the mix. I do a lot of vacuuming.

The hubs installed it in the kitchen for me, which also happens to be pretty central in the house. And I use it multiple times a day. There was also a period of time when the little demanded to play with it on the regular — and surprisingly the battery is still holding up even after all that abuse.

If you keep convincing yourself that you don’t need a cordless vacuum, let me stop you right there. Because that was me for years and years. I wish I would have just have given myself the gift of ease years ago. You won’t regret it, I promise.

An Amazon Alexa Echo Show

I honestly don’t know why I bought this. Like, I can’t think back to the reason it ended up on my kitchen counter at the start of 2023. But dang it, I’m glad it did. I use it for everything. This little friend keeps my frazzled mind organized, keeps my toddler entertained, provided critical assistance in eliminating screens for the toddler (see how here), and so much more. My husband even figured out how to watch ESPN plus on it!

Do you need it? Probably not. Will your life improve because you have it? For sure.

This Ice cube tray

I know everyone is buying those pebble ice machines. And trust, I’d love to get one eventually. But this ice cube tray is what has actually stopped me from splurging on the machine time and time again.

So here’s the deal. We have an ice maker in our refrigerator. In fact, it was the ice machine that got held at gun point by my husband on our second night in our house (ask me to tell that story…it’s hilarious and terrifying).

But we have a Samsung refrigerator. And if you know, you know. And if you don’t know, well. Consider yourself lucky.

We went about a year and a half just not having ice in the house. Occasionally, I’d remember to buy a bag on my way home, but who wants to have to remember to buy a bag of ice on the way home? Not me.

A friend used this ice cube tray in front of me on a marco polo one day and that was it. I was sold. (Some might say I’m easily influenced. Whatever. It’s worked out in my favor.)

Anyway, if you have a need for ice and don’t want to splurge on the pebble machine or a new fridge, we like this one so much we have two.

This veggie chopper

You’re not living under a rock. You’ve seen a veggie chopper before. You might have even wondered if you need a veggie chopper. That was me. I’d see it and think huh, that’s cool then keep scrolling.

I make two dishes for lunch pretty often. The first is a greek bowl (with cucumbers, tomatoes & onions in it) and what circulated the internet as “The Jennifer Salad” that was later revealed not to be “The Jennifer Salad.” This dish has a buttload of cucumbers in it. I chop a lot of veggies throughout the week.

And I thought to myself, is it really all that time saving to use a chopper? Isn’t it easier to just use a knife because doesn’t the chopper then open up a whole new cleaning can of worms?

The answer, my friends? Yes, it does actually save time. And yes, it does make my life easier. And cleanup? Well, it’s all dishwasher safe so that’s a breeze. I can chop all the veggies I need for the week all at once to store in plastic bags in under 10 minutes. You gotta love that.

This inexpensive hanging storage

Our house is small. And storage is super limited. I like to pretend I’m an organized person, but if I don’t have a simple system in place — things go sideways…fast.

I needed two very specific storage solutions, but again, you know me and I don’t like to spend money. I don’t even know how I found these, but they’ve worked out perfectly and I’ve been so happy with them!

The first solution: I needed somewhere to store my hair stuff (specifically, my shark flexstyle & all the accessories) in a way that made grabbing it to use simple. This has been PERFECT! I’m able to store the barrels in the side appropriate side pocket, so I know exactly what I’m grabbing without having to think. I have it hanging on the inside of the door of our linen closet in our bathroom but it would also work perfectly on the inside of a cabinet door.

The second solution: I needed somewhere to store plastic bags and other random odds and ends in the kitchen. I use plastic bags to dispose of meat containers (I don’t put them in our house trashcan because they stink almost instantly). I have one of these hanging on the back of our appliance closet and it’s been great!

Okay! That’s it for me! Until next time, friend! XO

My dad died 8 years ago. He was sick, but it was also unexpected. He had recently been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease. And at his diagnosis, his doctor assured my mother when your kids Google this disease, they’re going to see a 5 year life expectancy. That’s old information.

My father died 2 years later.

I’m the baby of five — we’re all spread out across the US. It was New Years Eve, and my mom had just texted the kids’ group chat with a pretty grim update. Not a one of us responded.

We didn’t know what to say.

We didn’t know what to do.

My husband came home from work and found me sitting numb on the couch. I gave him the update and he asked why I wasn’t on my way home. We were living in Charlotte at the time — my parents were in Raleigh.

I don’t know what to do, I confessed to him. No one has made the call. Not only did we kids not respond to my mom’s message, we didn’t contact one another, either. I think we were all just stuck in this state of inaction. Like, is this really happening?

I don’t want to make the call, go home and have this be nothing, I told him.

What my husband said next, I’m fairly confident all five of us kids are thankful for.

Make the call. If you all go home and it’s nothing, then you had a nice visit with your family. If you don’t go home and it’s something, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.

There it was. We needed someone else to make the call — to tell us what to do. It’s a strange place to be in, smack dab in the middle of a life-altering moment. You think you’d know what you’d do. But the moment feels much different once you’re in it.

So, I called my big sister, the oldest. She was at work but seemed to be in the same stuck state that I was in. I think we have to round up the troops. Form there, she called the others. And there it was, the beginning of the end set into motion.

My father was sent home on hospice. He slipped into a coma shortly after. And he passed twelve days after I called my big sister and asked that we all go home.

The next day, my sisters and I sat in a funeral home with the most delightful funeral director you’ll ever meet (shout out, Heather!) making arrangements and picking a casket. My father was set to be buried in a veteran cemetery, so we didn’t have to worry about choosing a a plaque (like headstones made in bronze), so that was at least one decision off our plate.

The first few days that followed were a total blur of familiar faces, warm embraces and those deep belly laughs that only surface when you’re reliving a hilarious, heartwarming memory.

But then reality sets in. You’re figuring out finances and passwords and death certificates, canceling membership and figuring out what’s next?

And then it was all over. I was hanging my black dress in the back window of my car and making the drive back to my house. Back to reality. Back to normal. Except nothing, nothing, was normal.

There’s a shift in your reality when you lose a parent. I wasn’t particularly close with my dad. But even still, the world is altered. Your family dynamic is permanently changed. And it’s a change no one, for whatever reason, can properly articulate.

My family is no stranger to loss. Big loss. Painful loss. And yet, this was different. It wasn’t just a loss, it was an obliteration to the family unit I’d known my whole life.

In the years that followed, we sold my childhood home. My mom bought a house of her own and moved in by herself. After a lifetime of chaos and noise and partnership, suddenly, there was a new quiet life in a brand new house.

A house I’m not sure will ever feel the same as home.

I was 29 when my dad died. He missed my 30th birthday. My mom’s cancer diagnosis. The birth of my son. Life. He’s missed a whole hell of a lot of life.

And yet, our lives keep going. Back to normal. Except nothing is normal.

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If there’s one thing I’ve learned in the last 15 years, it’s that literally everything is temporary. Good or bad, nothing is here to stay forever. And while that can certainly be a depressing thought. It can also be tremendously reassuring if you’re in a season of difficulty. I also try to keep that thought front of mind when we’re in a sweet season in effort to remember to cherish it. Everything is fleeting. And as we get older, the days seem to fly by so quickly.

When I was in college, I had a friend who was slightly older than me tell me that each year will pass quicker than the last. And now that I’m a parent, that statement is more true than ever before.

Sometimes the time passes so quickly that it’s easy to look back and think what have I even done with all this time? Often, we’re just surviving the days, attempting to get through one difficult thing after another. Raise your hand if you’re guilty of ever saying “we just have to get through this next week and then everything will slow down.” 🙋🏻‍♀️GUILTY!

But here’s the thing — sometimes in that time that’s passing so rapidly, we introduce tiny, micro-habits that end up changing our lives. Has that ever happened to you? For better or worse, we are what we do repeatedly. And when we live on auto-pilot, we tend to hand over the control for our lives to our circumstances. We operate out of defense, not offense.

When we’re on autopilot, we don’t plug and play choices that we’ve made into action. Instead, we allow our circumstances to fully dictate how we operate. And there’s nothing wrong with that. There are certainly seasons of life where this is all we can muster. And that’s okay. But the point I’m trying to make here is that if you’ll look back over a period of time, you’ll see a life lived. Whether by choice or not, the time passes, and we do. We do something.

This year, even though it’s been a bit of a dumpster fire year, I’ve tried to pay attention to the things I’m doing. Whether on purpose or not, I wanted to see how I was spending my time. There were certainly periods where I was just surviving (because y’all, that’s all I could do). But there were also times where I was super intentional. And the cool thing is, time continues to pass. We’re gifted a fresh start every 24 hours.

My life looks completely different today than it did six months ago. And, my God, it looks entirely different than it did a year ago. Some of that is due to circumstances for sure. But a lot of it is due to what I’ve chosen to do with my time.

If you’re itching for some change, be sure to watch my Youtube video. It’ll help get you where you want to be in six months!