Change – Melissa Schlies

Is It Possible To Find Career Contentment?

The signs are everywhere. They’re in the window of your favorite coffee shop. They’re stuck in the ground outside the local car dealer. And before you even get to the produce section of your grocery store, it’s a stanchion sign that reads: “Join Our Team.” Then, in bigger letters, “Now Hiring.” If you need a job right now—any job to help you pay the bills—it shouldn’t be hard to find one. Only, our generation doesn’t want just any job. In fact, the pandemic has made this clearer to us than ever. All our time in lock down and, for some [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2021-10-17T21:52:35+00:00October 18th, 2021|Categories: Adulting, Calling, career, Change, Contentment, Courage|1 Comment

My Fall Bucket List & How Fall Helped Me Find Contentment

For as long as I can remember, fall has been my favorite season. It has the perfect weather to wear a sweater, but not need a jacket. To drink a hot, fall flavored latte without overheating. And to turn on the oven, and bake a pie. But ten years ago, Tony and I entered into a difficult life season, and fall became even more dear to me. Fall has the perfect weather to wear a sweater, but not need a jacket. To drink a hot, fall flavored latte without overheating. And to turn on the oven, and bake a pie. [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2021-10-13T23:20:23+00:00October 14th, 2021|Categories: Anxiety, Change, Conflict, Contentment, Creativity, Depression, grief, Habit Making, Health, perseverance, Self Care|Comments Off

When You Feel Behind & It’s Already Fall

In January, when we were all praying this year would be better, I committed to practicing yoga at least three times a week. I needed a physical way to release all the stress my body was carrying—but also, I was out of shape. And rather than begin with an intense exercise regimen that may be hard to maintain, I decided to slowly build back the strength I had lost in 2020. Soon, yoga became a morning routine I looked forward to. It helped me start my days with purpose. Emotionally, I was calmer. And the more I practiced, the stronger [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2021-09-16T10:22:58+00:00September 20th, 2021|Categories: Acceptance, Anxiety, Balance, Change, comparison, Conflict, Failure, Habit Making, Routines, Uncategorized|Comments Off

Three Things To Remember As Fall Begins

Last week, Tony and I got on an airplane for the first time since the pandemic began. We went to visit Family. On our way home, due to a connecting flight, we sat on a hot tarmac in the middle of North Carolina, waiting to take off for Pennsylvania. And though, it wasn’t one of those awful situations you hear about on the news where people get stuck on a plane for hours, It felt like we were waiting forever. While Tony fell asleep next to me, I read. Then from my seat, I looked around the plane. Finally I [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2021-09-10T10:47:09+00:00September 13th, 2021|Categories: Anxiety, Change, Failure, grief, Habit Making, Hope, Routines|Comments Off

Creating Routines With Your Spouse Step 5: Repeat

I am a person of habit. I will drink my coffee the same way for months or years on end before changing it. When we go to our favorite sushi place, I always get their Thai rice noodles. When I listen to music, I’ll listen to the same album over and over before moving on to another. For example, this year, I listened to Taylor Swift’s new albums way more than I want you to know. In other words, If I find something I like, I’ll stick with it until it gets old. As much as I love hiking mountains [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2021-07-25T23:39:11+00:00July 26th, 2021|Categories: Balance, Change, Habit Making, Health, Marriage, Relationships, Routines|Comments Off

Creating Routines With Your Spouse Step 4: Keep Talking

Before he ever told me he loved me, Tony showed me. About four months into our relationship, we went to Maine. We traveled with a group of friends to the northern part of the state to hike Mt. Katahdin. It would be the first mountain I had ever climbed, and the morning of the hike, I began to worry I wouldn’t reach the top. Thankfully, there were plenty of other newbie climbers in our group and they assured me, we’d take breaks when we needed them. The weather was perfect and slowly but surely, we made it to the peak. [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2021-07-18T22:40:46+00:00July 19th, 2021|Categories: Adulting, Balance, Change, Habit Making, Marriage, perseverance, Relationships, Routines|Comments Off

Creating Routines With Your Spouse Step 3: Start Small

If you’ve never finished a 5K, it’s not a good idea to sign up to run a marathon. If you don’t know how to boil water or roast a chicken, you shouldn’t volunteer to make Thanksgiving dinner. And if you and your spouse have never traveled together, you probably shouldn’t sign up to do the Amazing Race. Only in marriage, we do this type of thing all the time. We buy fixer uppers without knowing the first thing about laying tile or putting up sheetrock. We look at each other on New Year’s and say we’re going to work out [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2021-07-05T03:28:00+00:00July 5th, 2021|Categories: Adulting, Change, discipline, Habit Making, Health, Marriage, Routines|2 Comments

Creating Routines As A Couple Step 2: Reevaluate

If you’ve ever been rear-ended in a car accident, chances are your neck was forced in one direction, and then quickly pulled back toward the other. This is known as whiplash. The term is defined as, “An abrupt snapping motion or change of direction resembling the lash of a whip,” (hence the name). Often it refers to this injury one incurs after a car accident. But after this past year, it also feels appropriate to life both in, and after, a pandemic. One year ago, our whole lives changed on a dime. Now, they’re changing again. Those of us who [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2021-06-28T00:11:54+00:00June 28th, 2021|Categories: Adulting, Balance, Change, Habit Making, Health, Marriage, Practice, Relationships, Routines, Social Distancing|Comments Off

Five Routines Worth Revisiting This Season

Sometimes, when I talk about routines, I feel what I imagine my mom must have felt when she used to tell us to eat our vegetables. Like I am encouraging you, my online friends, to finish your spinach. I’m so the life of the party. Routines can feel as interesting as eating broccoli, but I have to tell you—when I find myself in a good daily rhythm, life feels more like cake and ice cream. There’s less pushing through. Instead, when I am practicing the right routines, there is more time savoring my life. Like when Tony and I are [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2021-05-01T11:16:39+00:00April 19th, 2021|Categories: Change, discipline, Faith, Food, Habit Making, Health, Mental Health, Practice, Routines|4 Comments

When Spring Means Change

Friends, bear with me for a moment while I celebrate. Winter is over. It actually came to an end. The forecast for today, as I write this, is sixty-eight degrees here in Pennsylvania. And, is there anything better than the feeling of warm sunshine on your face after a long winter? Ok, coffee and chocolate are definitely up there. But come on, we made it through a whole winter of the pandemic. Spring is finally here, which means good changes are coming. Only, with these changes, some of us may be experiencing an elevated level of stress. So much so, [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2021-04-11T20:36:13+00:00April 12th, 2021|Categories: Adulting, Anxiety, Balance, Change, Habit Making, Hope, Making Decisions, Practice, Preparation, Routines|Comments Off

Is It Possible To Find Career Contentment?

My Fall Bucket List & How Fall Helped Me Find Contentment

When You Feel Behind & It’s Already Fall

Three Things To Remember As Fall Begins

Creating Routines With Your Spouse Step 5: Repeat

Creating Routines With Your Spouse Step 4: Keep Talking

Creating Routines With Your Spouse Step 3: Start Small

Five Routines Worth Revisiting This Season

When Spring Means Change

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