Posts tagged self-care

Holiday Gift Guide 2022 - Treat Yourself

Now that you have completed shopping for everyone on your list - its YOU time. Check out some ideas below for you to buy when you get that Christmas cash from Aunt Sally.

FOR THE COZY QUEEN

1. skyn ICELAND Nordic Renewal Pre & Probiotic Cream: saying we love this brand is an understatement. This cream in particular is one of our favorites. Its hydrating, replenishing, and made with glacial water. Can’t beat that. (Retails at $40.00)

2. Warmies Slippers: if your feet are always cold, these are for you! Pop them in the microwave and enjoy a warm hug around your feet. Bonus: you can also store in the freezer for a cooling affect. Win-win! (Retails at $34.99)

3. Georgie Cozy Knitted Throw Blanket: Anthropologie makes the best blankets PERIOD. Change my mind. (Retails at $116.00, on SALE for $82.60)

FOR THE FITNESS ENTHUSIAST

1. Blender ProStak: Having the ability to travel with several powder supplements is a game changer for the busy/on-the-go fitness pal. This is a must have! (Retails for $14.25)

2. Walking treadmill: Having the ability to move INSIDE and WHILE WORKING is a perk I will never give up. Its definitely more of a splurge, but its so worth it if you don’t live in sunny Florida. (Retails for $389.99)

3. CRZ Yoga Thermal Fleece-lined 7/8 Leggings: CRZ is known for its closeness to Lululemon quality, and it certainly lives up to that. But LLL hardly EVER carries thermal tights. THESE ARE AMAZING. Not too thick, but adds enough warmth for winter months. (Retails for $32).

FOR THE BOSS BABE

1. Courant Catch All – All courant chargers are great, but we love this one. The colors are chic and it makes a perfect addition to a side table. (Retails for $99, ON SALE for $75)

2. Beis Work Tote - we have tried so many work bags, but the one we keep coming back to is this Beis Black Croc Work Tote. Its so chic and PRACTICAL. It is surprisingly light even with all our things shoved in it. It also has a trolley pass through if you travel for work. We love all things Beis, but this one is our favorite. (Retails for $118 and worth every penny).

3. Ink and volt – We love every product on ink + volt’s website, it was hard to narrow it down to one. So follow the link and explore the organizational tools. They are allllll so good (Retail varies)

FOR THE MAMAS

1. Mama Tee from the Bee and the Fox: This whole brand is amazing and, bonus: run by women. This is just one of the many graphic tees on their site we are loving! Go check them out. (Retails for $35.00)

2. Loop Engage Plus Ear Plugs: MAMAS YOU NEED THESE. These magical ear plugs reduce noise by 16dB without muffling clarity. I cannot recommend these enough, they WORK. (Retails for $39.99)

3. Mama Bracelet: These bracelets are so cute and can be customized to kids, dogs, anybody’s names! They are also gold-FILLED which is superior to gold-plated. (Starts from $30)

Favorite ThingsCarson SilerDecember 11, 2022gift guide, self-care, fitness, new year, holiday

4 Habit Hacks: Change Your Behaviors

Behavior change is actually IDENTITY CHANGE. We need to shift the beliefs behind our behavior to create lasting results. Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you want to become. Ask yourself:

Which beliefs HELP your identity?
Which beliefs HURT your identity?
What actions do you take to vote for the person you want to become?
Which actions or habits vote AGAINST the person you want to become?

INTENTIONAL IMPLEMENTATION: Identifying a specific (intentional) action you can take that brings you 1 step closer to the person you wish to become / your desired outcome/ identity

What is a 2 minute habit you can implement with intention in your daily routine this week?

Examples:

If you want to….run a marathon —- put on running shoes

If you want to…..workout 4 x / week— go to the gym (no time requirement, just literally go and be there and sit in the lobby if you must)

If you want to…..be a better partner — bring my spouse coffee in the morning

If you want to…..drink 1 gallon of H20 —- fill my water bottle each night before I go to sleep

So, what can you do to really start implementing some habits that LAST? Enter my 4 Habit Hacks:

1. THE HABIT MUST BE ESTABLISHED BEFORE IT CAN BE IMPROVED

We all want to be GREAT before we are good; we want to have it all before we put in the work. But that doesn’t work.

So, rather than trying to overturn your entire life, simply take ONE step towards your goal. What is ONE, sustainable thing you can change to get closer to your goal? Establishing the habit and being able to sustain it is the first step. Then, it can grow and evolve into the bigger and better version you wish to achieve.

2. RIGHT HABIT + RIGHT TIME + RIGHT PLACE = SUCCESS

You must have ALL THREE components in order for everything to truly fall into place and achieve lasting results. Whenever trying to create / establish a new habit (and sustain it for the long haul), location, timing and where it falls in your routine is everything. One way of doing this is called “HABIT STACKING.” Habit Stacking is when you sandwich a new habit between two existing habits making it FOOLPROOF.

EXAMPLE: New habit = going to the gym.

RIGHT HABIT: I want to start going to the gym as my goal is to elevate to my best self.
RIGHT TIME- I am at my best in the mornings, so I want to do this before work.
RIGHT PLACE- this must be easy, obvious and convenient (a gym near my office or at least en route on my commute).
HABIT STACKING: I stack going to the gym between getting dressed/morning coffee routine and my showering routine. This way I go from 1, to 2, to 3, without skipping a beat.

3. REDUCE FRICTION IN YOUR ENVIRONMENT

CREATE an environment that encourages your habit and is conducive to the result you want to achieve! For example, if the gym was WAY out of my way, the likelihood of that becoming a successful habit is extremely small. Additionally, if I tried to exercise in the evenings when I am the most tired, I would likely flake on my plans. These are keys to long-term success.

YOU HAVE A GOAL TO STUDY FOR THAT BIG EXAM?

ENVIRONMENT W/ FRICTION: studying next to your loudest, most chatty classmate
ENVIRONMENT W/O FRICTION: studying in a quiet space with minimal distractions on my desk, and my favorite beverage (habit encouragers vs. habit sabotagers)

4. PRIME YOUR ENVIRONMENT

Make it easy to do and gather the supplies you need to make the habit more automatic!

EXAMPLES OF PRIMING YOUR ENVIRONMENT

WANT TO EAT HEALTHIER? Chop up fresh fruits and veggies ahead of time for snacks to reduce temptation to grab not so healthy items.
WANT TO GO FOR A MORNING RUN? Leave your shoes by the front door…literally in the way of leaving.
WANT TO STOP SPENDING SO MUCH? Delete those apps! (Bye bye Amazon, Lululemon, and Target).

I hope these tips help you start creating some lasting habits and get you on the road towards your best self.