Routines – Page 3 – Melissa Schlies

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

What I’m Returning to in 2021

Unless we’re talking about the return of our favorite TV show, the word “return,” doesn’t always feel good. For example, if you’re returning home to move back in with your parents, because you don’t have your next step in life, it may sting of defeat. “Returning to the scene of the crime” doesn’t only refer to a bank that’s been robbed, but also to places where we’ve messed up. Maybe even places where we’ve been hurt. And, “Returning to the gym” isn’t often a very promising phrase either. In many situations, Returning doesn’t have a victorious ring to it. It [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2021-01-22T21:49:00+00:00January 25th, 2021|Categories: Balance, Habit Making, Health, Mental Health, perseverance, Routines, Self Care|Comments Off

Instead of Setting New Year’s Resolutions, Start Here

About eight months ago, we all began looking forward to 2021. About two months ago, a few crazy people on my social media feed started talking about their New Year’s resolutions. Only, now we’re a few days into 2021, and things aren’t looking that much different from 2020 yet. The pandemic isn’t over. Many of our same struggles from last year remain. And we’re still grappling with a world that looks so much different from how it did a year ago. With a new year, many of us want to begin moving toward a new life, only this hard [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2021-01-05T16:48:16+00:00January 4th, 2021|Categories: Habit Making, Making Decisions, perseverance, Practice, Preparation, Routines, Self Care, Social Distancing, Start Here, Success, Uncategorized|Comments Off

Three of My Favorite Reads From 2020 & Why Not to Be Hard on Yourself

Ever feel like you’re not reading enough? Or, if it’s not reading, perhaps you feel like you’re not listening to educational podcasts, exercising, or cleaning your kitchen floor. For some reason, there are random things in my life I always feel I should be doing more often. And I have a feeling I’m not alone. We all have things we feel guilty about not doing. Or at least, we feel guilty for not doing them enough. Only, not reading more is not usually a problem for me. I am the type of person who could be accidentally locked in a [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2020-12-17T02:08:05+00:00December 17th, 2020|Categories: Acceptance, Balance, comparison, Good Books, Habit Making, Lead, Learn, Love, Love Learn Lead, Routines|Comments Off

What To Do When Finding Your Routine Feels Impossible

When I was a teenager, every September, I’d get grumpy. Not because I was upset to be back at school. In fact, if you look at my extracurriculars in High School, you’d see I practically lived there. But each fall, the beginning of a new year was especially difficult for me. (This is where I send a shout out to my mom for loving my teenage self) For almost the entire first month of school, I’d come home every afternoon in a horrible mood. I was exhausted from my day, overwhelmed by homework, and basically hated my life. But then, [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2020-10-16T14:39:15+00:00October 19th, 2020|Categories: Anxiety, Balance, Change, discipline, Habit Making, Health, Hope, Practice, Purpose, Routines, Self Care|Comments Off

Why Sleep Matters More Than We Think & How To Get More Of It

A few years ago, I was listening to photographer, Chase Jarvis, interview Ariana Huffington about her book, The Sleep Revolution. She began by detailing why sleep became such an important and personal crusade for her. She said it all started when she, herself, had a physical and emotional breakdown after consistently not getting enough sleep. And she spoke these words, that I haven’t been able to get out of my head: “Right now, we take better care of our smart phones than we do of ourselves. Like I bet everyone…right now knows how much battery remains on their smart phones—if [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2020-08-26T19:13:41+00:00August 27th, 2020|Categories: Adulting, Balance, Depression, Habit Making, Health, Lead, Learn, Love, Love Learn Lead, Mental Health, Routines, Self Care|Comments Off

How to Create Time When There Seems Like There is None

When I left my full-time job in youth ministry, suddenly, I didn’t have to be anywhere. I had so much free time. No one was expecting me to be showered, dressed, and ready to go by nine in the morning. Or by eleven in the morning for that matter. Needless to say, I discovered quite quickly, I needed a routine. Until I found my next career, I needed a place to be. Or at least, I needed a purpose to fulfill each day, beyond doing laundry or grocery shopping. For some part of each week, I wanted to do something [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2020-08-23T21:29:38+00:00August 24th, 2020|Categories: Adulting, Anxiety, Balance, Habit Making, Health, Routines|Comments Off

The Real Secret to Creating A Sense of Balance In Your Life

Baking bread is one of my favorite creative endeavors. Kneading dough is therapeutic. And the smell of bread baking in the oven is heavenly. Only, when I first began learning how to make bread, it wasn’t great. In fact, I wouldn’t use the words “therapeutic” or “heavenly” to describe my experience. Honestly, using the words “melt down,” would be more accurate. At least, if we’re talking about the day I tried to make Challah bread to bring to a friend’s house for Easter. Yes, I had ignored the cardinal rule—never try a new recipe on anyone other than your family—but [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2020-08-19T10:09:16+00:00August 20th, 2020|Categories: Acceptance, Balance, Body Image, discipline, Failure, Habit Making, Health, Lead, Learn, Love, Love Learn Lead, perseverance, Practice, Routines|Comments Off

On Finding Motivation & Three Ways to Get Your Routines Back on Track

A few years ago, I followed an online influencer for a while who commonly told her followers: “You are in charge of your life.” Over and over, she talked about how we choose how we respond to our circumstances. That we have control over our futures. That life doesn’t have to “happen to us,” in fact, she would ask “what if life is happening for us?” For that season, she inspired and encouraged me to take some steps I needed to take in my life. Only, it wasn’t long before I realized that her words were only half the story. [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2020-08-16T16:33:10+00:00August 17th, 2020|Categories: Balance, Change, Habit Making, Health, Hope, Routines|Comments Off

Nine Signs Your Routine Is Off

Before I experience it anywhere else, I feel it in my chest. I wake up in the morning to an anxious tightening in my lungs that makes it hard to breathe. And it’s as if my body knows before my brain does that I am overwhelmed. I can’t see the forest for the trees. I know I have a lot to do. Only, I can’t figure out what to focus on or accomplish first. I may not even know what day it is. For me, these experiences and feelings are my first clues that my routine is off. That my [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2020-08-12T20:49:26+00:00August 13th, 2020|Categories: Adulting, Anxiety, Balance, Change, Habit Making, Health, Hope, Lead, Learn, Love, Love Learn Lead, Making Decisions, Practice, Routines|Comments Off

The Secret to Keeping Your New Year’s Goals

What I’m Returning to in 2021

Three of My Favorite Reads From 2020 & Why Not to Be Hard on Yourself

What To Do When Finding Your Routine Feels Impossible

Why Sleep Matters More Than We Think & How To Get More Of It

How to Create Time When There Seems Like There is None

The Real Secret to Creating A Sense of Balance In Your Life

On Finding Motivation & Three Ways to Get Your Routines Back on Track

Nine Signs Your Routine Is Off

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