Tag: how to

General, Mindfulness

Lifestyle by Design

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Living a lifestyle by design: consciously planning your life around specific goals you set out for. These goals give you the opportunity to control your time, energy, relationships, and experiences.

One thing I’ve picked up over the years is the truth that us humans have the ability to create our own lives- whatever we desire we can make happen…

We decide on how to think.

We decide on how to respond.

We imagine, plan, and execute on goals.

To sum it up: we control our circle of influence.

Below are some tips & action items (in question form) on how to control your circle of influence to create a lifestyle by design:

Create, review, and update your plan frequently.

Choose a few life categories and write them down in separate columns…

  • What’s your immediate next goal for each life category?
  • Write in why you want to achieve that goal and what success look like in each.
  • Lastly, write out the next couple of steps to make these goals a reality.

Review these goals weekly, updating your plan of attack as you go. You’ll also benefit from reviewing your goals anytime you have a big decision to make.

Learn how to use your time wisely.

After you define which activities are going to get you to your goal, of those…

  • What do you enjoy doing?
  • What must you and only you do?
  • What do you loathe doing?
  • What can you delegate out?
  • What can you automate?
  • How can you make things more efficient?
  • What can you eliminate completely and all together?

Ask more questions before making big decisions.

Before making a big decision that may shift your focus completely off of your current goals:

  • Is this going to get you to your goals?
  • Does this make sense?
  • Do you agree? Why?
  • If not, why don’t you agree?
  • What’s the outcome for each option?
  • Pros and cons?

Think it through before committing your time and energy.

You have the choice whether you commit to something or not- it’s your time and energy someone is asking for.

  • Can you take on more right now?
  • Are you the person to do this or can someone else do it?
  • Does this make you happy?

Say no to people and places that don’t align with your goals.

It’s perfectly okay to say no to an invitation, in fact we all could benefit from saying it more often!

  • Will going out set you back in any areas?
  • Should you go knowing you’ll feel emotionally exhausted for days after?
  • Will this fulfill you and bring you joy?

Place personal development at the top of your priority list.

  • How much do you currently devote to getting better?
  • Are you reading something that will positively impact one of your goals in life?
  • Are you taking action on what you’re learning?
  • Are you eating what’s good for you, exercising regularly, and meditating daily?
  • Are you voluntarily placing positive thoughts into your mind?
  • Are you peeling back the onion to change your old patterns and behaviors to create new ones?

Meet and maintain relationships with people who are on your level, and those who are 10x of where you are.

  • Who should you connect to more often?
  • Who are the people that will help you achieve your goals?
  • Who do you vibe with the most?
  • Who brings you the most happiness?
  • What type of people are you looking to attract into your life?
  • How are you going to build last relationships?

Become financially literate on how to make money and make it grow.

  • Are you handling your money properly?
  • Is there a better way to track what your spending and earning?
  • How are you going to learn more about finances and the options you have to grow wealth?
  • What do the wealthy do with their money that you’re not currently doing?

Experience new things as often as possible.

  • Are you taking time to reset?
  • Are you switching your routines up to keep your mind growing?
  • Do you challenge yourself to do the inner work in uncomfortable or unideal situations?
  • Do you set aside time to explore new places, see new things, meet new people?
  • What have you always wanted to do but haven’t done yet?


After going through these questions, I hope that you have gained some personal insight and feel confident to take control over your circle of influence!

What has been your biggest take-away?
Comment below!

x Corie

Healthy Habits

Speaking Up

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Finding the power to speak up.

Ever find yourself in a situation where you were torn between saying something to someone or not?

It’s like instant tension between I should and nah I shouldn’t…

Why is it that we hold ourselves back from speaking up?

Whether it’s speaking up on an idea, complimenting someone, cracking a joke or smile- why is there a part of us that doesn’t want us to branch out the way we would like to?

Is it because we’re self conscious? Is it because we’ve gotten shut down before? Are we replaying a negative story in our head that is holding us back?

Anytime I feel the urge to stay quiet and comfortable when I have the opportunity to stand out, I push myself to shift the focus on what I truly want:

  • To spread kindness
  • To learn from others
  • To share with others

So to avoid the hesitation, I shift the focus onto other people…

  • How are they?
  • What do they do?
  • What’s a lesson they could share?
  • How are they processing the situation?
  • What are their thoughts?
  • Why do they think that way?

Simply asking questions and being genuinely interested in them.

And as with any habit, the more often we speak up when we want to the easier it will become.

It’ll become routine.

It’s a great way to build confidence and enhance the relationships around you.

Growing up, I wasn’t someone who was outspoken.

I wouldn’t just strike up a conversation with anyone.

I barely made eye contact when I was out and rarely said anything other than please and thank you to strangers.

As I started speaking up more and taking action on the urges to branch out, I found that I feel much more connected with the world around me.

My career is people oriented and this technique has brought me into some meaningful conversations while I’m out.

I smile. I make the eye contact. I stay engaged and fully, genuinely interested.

It’s super simple stuff: connecting with the people around you is how you spread kindness and joy, which in turn brings you your own joy and happiness!

x Corie

Nutrition

Healthy Snacks

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By now in your health and fitness journey, I’m sure you’ve found that eating whole food is the key to feeling better.

If you’re looking for an easy place to start, I’ve got you: healthy snacks.


What are healthy snacks?

Healthy snacks are a small portion of food consumed between your everyday regular meals.

They include a high amount of vitamins, are low in saturated fat, low in added sugars, and have a low-sodium content.

Ideally, these healthy snacks follow the whole-food plant-based diet.

Healthy snacking is essential for those in the midst of a busy day and are looking for an energy boost.


Tips for healthy snacking

Find healthier substitutes for high-fat snacks

If your favorite snack is potato chips and dip, try baby carrots and hummus – or better yet try out a new recipe and make your own chips at home (fun solo or date night idea).

Make snacks interesting

If the idea of a plain piece of fruit doesn’t appeal to you, try a smoothie bowl with fun toppings like nuts, seeds, coconut flakes, chocolate drizzle (cacao powder, plant-based milk, pure maple syrup), sea salt.

Be prepared

Have snacks ready for when you get hungry; make sure to pack a lunchbox and keep healthy snacks with you at work, school, in your car, and at home.

If you have a healthy snack in-sight and on-hand, you’re more likely to steer away from the fatty foods and reach for the healthier alternative.

Remember that the key to long-term results is choosing the healthy alternative time and time again, consistently overtime.


Healthy snacks examples

  • Fresh fruit bowl
  • Apples and peanut butter
  • Oatmeal with pure maple syrup, cacao powder and fruit
  • Nuts and raisins trail mix
  • Baby carrots with hummus
  • Cucumber slices with homemade bean dip
  • Granola cereal topped with fresh bananas
  • Low-fat, low-sodium popcorn
  • Whole-grain crackers with avocado (+ hot sauce)
  • Sliced tomato with black pepper
  • Edamame with sea salt
  • Fruit smoothie with chia seeds (+ flax seeds)

Healthy snacking combos are endless!


Read your labels

As always, remember to check your labels. A jar of peanut butter can have 5 weird ingredients for example, or just 1-2 normal ones (peanuts, maybe salt).

You may have to look at a few brands before choosing the best, however those small switches make all the difference.

Take that extra 30 seconds to be sure of what you’re buying because that’s what you’re ultimately fueling yourself with. Health starts at the grocery store.


Wrapping Up

A great first step to better health is to think about what you normally like to snack on and how can you make it healthier. If you have any questions or need more ideas / feedback, just comment below or message me, I got you!

Enjoy the moment, enjoy the food, one snack at a time 🙂