Practice – Melissa Schlies

Before Setting Goals, Do This First in 2022

Three months into my first job in youth ministry, I sat in the office of one of my coworkers. My shoulders were hunched. My eyes were heavy. I was afraid I was going to cry if I said too much. I felt so empty. Across from me sat one of the few fellow women leaders on our staff. She was a force, and yet cast a motherly gaze directly into my face. Though I was trying hard to keep it together, she drew out of me what I needed so badly to say: The way I was leading and living [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2022-01-03T01:01:55+00:00January 3rd, 2022|Categories: Balance, Habit Making, Health, Holidays, Mental Health, perseverance, Practice, Routines, Self Care, Social Distancing, Start Here|Comments Off

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

When Building Routines Means Building Trust

Last week, Tony and I had one of our late night conversations. The ones where we say in the dark, what we didn’t say in the light to each other that day. Things hard to speak out loud, and even more difficult to hear. Yet ones needed to be said. As I shared in April, we’ve been in a time of change these past few months. Our schedules have become very different from what they’ve been since the pandemic began. And as restrictions in our state continue to lift, our daily and weekly routines will continue to shift. This is [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2021-05-24T00:55:07+00:00May 24th, 2021|Categories: Adulting, discipline, Habit Making, Health, Marriage, Practice, Routines|Comments Off

Five of Our Favorite Meal Planning Tips

About three weeks into our marriage, Tony and I had a serious conversation about how our life together would go. It was about food. And it happened when a lot of these types of discussions occur; not when we were refreshed and happy, but when we were both tired and hungry. We’d just gotten home from work. I did not have the will to cook. He was willing to cook but didn’t know what we should make. And, for what was probably the second time that week, I suggested takeout. That is when Tony decided to draw a line in the [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2021-05-16T19:43:59+00:00May 17th, 2021|Categories: Balance, Habit Making, Health, Marriage, Practice, Routines, Self Care|2 Comments

The Routines Women Struggle With Most

Yesterday was Mother’s Day here in the US. This means, last week, I was out looking for cards to send to some special women in my life who are known to a few as, “Mom.” And at the store, there was an entire aisle full of pink and flowery cards to choose from. Some were simply stated. While others thanked mothers for all the ways they’ve sacrificed for the sake of their children. Giving of yourself for the sake of others is beautiful. Though I’m not a mom myself, I can appreciate the incredible things parents do for their children. [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2021-05-09T16:24:18+00:00May 10th, 2021|Categories: Adulting, Balance, Body Image, Habit Making, Health, Loneliness, Practice, Routines, Self Care|Comments Off

Reminder: One Size Doesn’t Fit All

For some reason, growing up, my closest friends were always night owls. They never wanted to go to sleep before midnight. When we had sleepovers, as teenagers, it was great. Until the morning, when I was wide awake in my sleeping bag, staring at the ceiling, sometimes waiting hours for them to wake up. I have always been a morning person. I am my best in the morning. I’m the most rested. My brain is clear. And, as a writer, I find the words flow more easily before lunchtime. But this last part, took me a while to figure out. [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2021-05-02T22:00:03+00:00May 3rd, 2021|Categories: discipline, Freedom, Habit Making, Practice, Routines|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

This Season, Be An Amateur

"When did we stop doing things just for fun?” —Annie F. Downs For my birthday last week, Tony and I made pizza for our stay-at-home celebration. As I shared a few weeks ago, I’ve been learning how to make sourdough bread, and pizza felt like the next step. I made the crust from my sourdough starter. I followed the directions so carefully. And still for most of the process, I felt like I was holding my breath. Trying new things feels scary. I am still so new at working with fermented yeast, that I always have this little touch of [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2021-03-28T21:34:56+00:00March 29th, 2021|Categories: Anxiety, Balance, Creativity, Failure, Fear, Habit Making, Health, Practice|Comments Off

The Secret to Keeping Your New Year’s Goals

Every year, the United Nations publishes a World Happiness Report. For many years now, Denmark has been at the top of that list. And I remember, a number of years ago, an article came out saying that Denmark is the happiest place to live, because Danes have lower expectations for their lives. This claim that expecting less so you’re pleasantly surprised with what you get, has since been refuted. It is now said, Danes expect free healthcare, free education, longer maternity/paternity leave, and in general have a better work life balance. Which lately has me wondering—is it possible that they [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2021-02-01T00:00:51+00:00February 1st, 2021|Categories: Acceptance, Balance, Change, comparison, Depression, Failure, Habit Making, Practice, Routines, Self Care, Success|Comments Off

When Building Routines Means Building Trust

Five of Our Favorite Meal Planning Tips

The Routines Women Struggle With Most

Reminder: One Size Doesn’t Fit All

Five Routines Worth Revisiting This Season

When Spring Means Change

This Season, Be An Amateur

The Secret to Keeping Your New Year’s Goals

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