Motherhood. I could simply say this word and mom's everywhere would be nodding their heads with a reassuring "ahh yes, motherhood". It's hard to describe and put into words because it is simply something you cannot explain, you can only experience. The moment you decide you want to become a mother you start learning lessons along the way. My son's first birthday is coming up this month and like most mom's i'm sitting here stunned that a year has flown by. As I reflect on where this last year has gone I can't help but think about how much my little guy has taught me in such a short time. 

Time waits for no one
This one makes sense and we hear it on probably a daily basis "just wait, he will be graduating college soon" "he'll be asking for your keys before you know it". I get it now. I mean, I was just in the hospital. I was just waking my husband up at 2AM to let him know "this is definitely it, time for a baby!". We blinked and a year went by. Enjoy every little second you can and soak it all in. Spend less time doing dishes, worrying about the future and stressing about the craziness. Soak up every single second you can. Hold your baby, study their face, sit and play with them, learn along side them. 

Take care of yourself
Mom guilt is a real thing but I've learned how important it is for me to get time in for myself. Oh how much I appreciate that 50 minute yoga class or the ten minutes my husband takes little man to go feed the dogs. Whether you can fit in something big or something small, make a priority to fit it in. For me, self care makes me kinder, more patient and a more loving mama. Take the time, make it regular and make it a priority. My self care may not be as leisurely or spontaneous as it once was but it has taught me to be present and intentional with the time I do get. 

Accept help
Baby sitting, help with laundry, a night out, a nap... it takes a tribe to raise a family. It takes grandparents, friends, cousins, aunties and uncles to make this whole thing work. Take the help when you can. We are completely spoiled by being surrounded by a supportive family. I understand that's not always the case for everyone so this is something I don't take for granted. 

It's a season
Some great advice I got pre mama hood was to remember...it's all a season. When your life turns inside out just remember it wont be like this forever. Enjoy it, embrace the mess and remember you are strong enough to get through it all.I have felt exhaustion like I never no I could. We're still up 4+ times a night, Sometimes every hour. But man oh man those quiet moments when we cuddle makes every second worth it. When things seem hard and maybe even impossible, just remember it's a season that will pass. Soak it up as much as you can. And on another note, it's OKAY to be overwhelmed, frustrated and exhausted. Motherhood is a life changing, beautiful miracle that I wouldn't trade for anything. But It's also okay to admit that it's really hard. Be gentle with yourself and offer lot's and lot's of grace. 

You ARE doing a good job
Advice on sleep training, nursing, solid foods, nap schedules and everything in between can make you question yourself. I have had plenty of conversations with God and my husband saying "I DON"T KNOW WHAT'S RIGHT". There is so much advice, resources and different way to do things. Remember, YOU are doing a good job. YOU can love on your little like no one else. Life will go on if you don't follow the perfect bedtime routine or schedule. 

Patience 
From the moment we decided we wanted to become parents we began learning the art of patience. Pregnancy doesn't always happen when we want it to. We don't always (or ever) go in to labor on our due dates. Nap times don't happen at the perfect time every day. As our kiddos grow older and they want to do things on their own ( like walk through Costco over being held) and it forces us to sloooowwww down and step out of our busy, fast paced life. Having patience is one thing I have yet to master but continue to learn on a daily basis.

Unconditional love
I have been pooped on, spit up on, woken up hourly, bitten during teething and I love that little man like no other. I have not been the perfect mom, I've been on my phone too much at times, I've become frustrated, my anxiety has gotten the better of me and that boy just wants to crawl up and cuddle with his mama at the end of the day regardless. The love that a mama and her child has is like no other.

Try, try and try again
This has been a humbling lesson for me. So many times prior to motherhood I would think things were impossible, too hard or I failed too many times. Do you know how hard a baby has to work to do anything!? I mean, Jacks worked so hard to learn how to crawl, walk and the most recent, run without falling face first. I've watched him try and fail over and over again until he could finally, successfully put a blanket over his head and play peek-a-boo. I've watched him unsure on how to climb off the couch until he tried over and over again and it became easy. Being a mama to this sweet little boy has proven to me that anything is possible if we don't give up.

Get clear on priorities
We unfortunatly are working through our first sickness with mister Jacks. It is heart breaking, difficult and a sure way to get clear on priorities. When your baby needs you and is sick, the things you were so worried about don't seem to matter anymore. Mamahood helps you get clear on the things that are truly important to you.

I am learning new things daily and this list could go on and on... but these are some things that have really stood out to me. I would love to hear about your journey and lessons that you've learned along the way too!
xx,
Hanna
​

Hey sweet friends,
I remember when I first began my journey towards health. It was confusing. It was difficult. It was extreme. It wasn't very.....healthy. I was lost and there was a whole lot of conflicting information out there. Over the years I've been able to learn through trial and error and I would love to share some of my thoughts.

1. Remember you are a unique person.
We all have different needs. With that in mind, make changes that work for you, not for the stranger you see on Instagram or your best friend who tried a diet and lost 30 pounds. It's so easy to see all this conflicting information and get so confused. What it comes down to is different things work for different people. Don't think it's a black and white picture.

2. Start so small it seem silly.
When we want to change our health it can get overwhelming when we start adding up allll the new habits we want to acquire. Start so small that it seems silly. I bet 90% of people won't do this because it seems SO simple but I challenge you to try. If you want to change anything start here.  About four years ago I was a stress case. I was going to start meditating in the morning, so me being me, I wanted to set the goal of meditating 20 minutes every morning. Sounds great right? The issue is there is no way I would have stuck with that in the long run. At the time I was working on this with a therapist and she suggested I start smaller. What did we come up with? Something I could not fail at. 30 seconds was all I had to do. It seems so small it was pointless. WRONG. I stuck with that until it became a habit because it was so simple and so easy. Now I use the Calm app to help me.

3. Focus on how you actually want to feel.
When it comes to our health, It's so typical to get this number in our head and think when we get there life is going to be rainbows and butterfly's. We can reach any number on the scale but if we're not feeling the way we want to feel it's not going to do anything for us. Instead of thinking about a number...think about what you're hoping to feel like. Calm? Refreshed? Happy? Now ask yourself what things make you feel that way. You can read more about that here. 

4. If you can't do it forever, do you need to be doing it?
Ask yourself this question. For me, if i'm tempted to try something new I ask myself "Could I keep this up forever?" What I've come to learn is what I can do forever is balance. Nourishing and honoring my body but still enjoying a sweet treat when I want it. Some days I rest, most days I move. I listen to my body and trust that it knows what it wants. This takes time to do but it is such a cool thing when you get the hang of it.

5. Be gentle with yourself and no it's okay that you're not perfect.
Allow the ups and downs. Allow life to happen. Some days you'll get to yoga and some days you'll be busy and forget. Both are okay. Be kind to yourself. Allow yourself to be human.

ACTION ITEM: 
Get cozy and take some time for yourself. Pull out pen and paper and make a list of what you want your life to feel like. Next, jot down what things make you feel that way.

I hope some of these tips help you. They're all things I've had the honor of learning in a messy way over the years. 

xx
​Hanna

Hey There Friends!
We are in the last week of 2017 and I can hardly believe it. Looking back I am amazed at the amount of growth we've experienced this last year. It's funny to me how time goes by and you don't realize the change that happens until you take the time to look back at where you started. This is a great time to get intentional about what you want 2018 to look like. If I've learned anything this past year it's that action creates change. We are capable of having whatever it is we desire, we just need to take the steps (and sacrifices) to achieve it.
I wanted to share with you some things that I enjoy doing to honor 2017 and welcome 2018. Pick and choose what you like and if you have any ways that you get ready for a new year let me know in the comments below.

1. Journal about your accomplishments.
It is so easy (and normal) for us to be on over drive and always forward thinking. Take the time to reflect on this past year and think of all the things that went right. What achievements did you have? Big or small it's a good idea to acknowledge your journey. What are you grateful for? What lessons did you experience over the last year? Take some time to reflect on these things.

2. Explore you values.
I'm a huge believer that if you live life aligned to your values things just kinda fall in place. Take some time to explore what it is exactly that you value. Is it time with family? Adventure? Maybe it's authenticity and living a brave life. Whatever it is that you value get real with yourself and ask if you're living aligned with it or not. After you explore your values see what things in your schedule need to go and what needs to be added.

3. Unfollow and unsubscribe.
Take the time to go through your social media and unfollow anyone that doesn't make you feel happiness when you see their stuff. Go to your inbox and unsubscribe from all the emails that don't bring quality to your life. Clear the space so you can start 2018 on a positive note.

​4. Plan for the year you want.
My husband and I typically sit down and look at the year together. We decide what trips we want to take, what family days we want to have, and what business training's I want to be a part of. Take some time to look at your year and schedule in some things you crave. . 

5. Get grounded.
Get outside (free from electronics) and dream a little bit. Go for a walk and dream about what you want 2018 to look like. What goals do you have? What's your vision?  Let your mind wander a bit and explore what 2018 could look like. 

6. Get specific
If there are a few new habits you want to adapt, narrow them down and make them specific. An example of this might be you want to work on your health. Take some time to explore what that truly looks like for you. What is one small thing that you could do to help you with that? Start small and work your way up from there.
​
I hope some of these help you out. If you have any fun things you do for new year prep I would love to hear about it in the comments below.

xx
​Hanna

 Hey There Friend,
​
When was the last time you felt really good? You know, one of those moments where the universe just seemed to line up + things just felt, right? Maybe it was during some quality time with a friend, maybe it was when you were walking out of your workout class like a superstar or maybe it was in your leggings + messy bun dancing in the kitchen with your little one. Whenever it was, I want you to fall into that moment for just a second. What was different? Why was this moment so wonderful? 

As humans, we typically crave change. We set goals, we have dreams, we crave something new. It's all great and wonderful and i'm willing to bet it feels amazing when we reach our goals. What if we went about goal setting in a new way. Instead of setting goal _______ and hoping it made us feel________ what if we flipped it? Hang with me.

What usually happens when we go to set new goals? We tell ourselves things like, I want to start meditating every morning, I want to go to the gym 5 days a week and I want to apply for that new job I saw last week. We want all of these things because overall, we think they're going to make us feel a certain way right? Well, what if going to the gym 5 days a week caused us to feel anxious instead of happy and getting that new job made us burnt out instead of content?

We set goals because we want to feel a certain way, but 99% of the time we never acknowledge those actual feelings when setting our goals.It's kind of like taking a shot in the dark and just hoping that our goal has some power to change our life. So here's the point where you're thinking, "That's great Hanna, but WHAT do I do about it?" Well you're in luck because I know a simple way to get started.

1. Forget about all your goals you have for yourself. I know. Sounds counterproductive, but trust me. Whether your goals are to lose weight, get more active, find a new job or anything else, put them on pause. Grab a piece of paper + pen, get nice and cozy. Now, create a list of how you want your life to feel like. What came up? For me, I discovered I want more peace, simplicity, fulfillment, love and connection.

2. Once you have those feelings written down, start jotting down what things make you feel that way. For example, being outdoors makes me feel peace and scheduling in quiet time with my family helps me feel connection. 

3. Next is the fun part, grab your calendar and plug some of those activities in throughout your week. By putting them into your weekly calendar you will start experiencing those feelings you're searching for. And the best thing is you're filling your days with things you enjoy, not things you feel like you have to do.

So, let me know, what were some of the feelings you want to experience in your life on the regular and what activities are going to help get you there?

xx
​Hanna

Hey there ladies,
​
Today I wanted to chat about something that is such a common struggle for people, but especially women, negative self-talk. These negative thoughts that seem to continuously pop up into our head become such a normal occurrence that most of the time we don’t realize its happening. Whether it’s thoughts like I’m not good enough, I don’t deserve that or anything else along those lines, hang tight, I’m going to give you some pointers to overcome them.

1.Check your facts.
Most of the time these crummy thoughts that happen between our ears have been developed over the course of our life. Maybe you slipped up during a speech at school and now you label yourself as a terrible public speaker. Maybe you were always told you were shy and now you tell yourself you stink in social situations. Whatever the ‘talk’ is let’s check the facts.
 
First you want to check for evidence. Are these thoughts I’m telling myself really true. What backs it up? Is there actual facts or is it just how I perceive the situation?
 
2.Put yourself in new shoes
If this were a friend you were talking to would these same thoughts still be coming up or would you have some more grace with them? An important question to explore if this is the case is why don’t you deserve the same grace you give to others?

3. Notice your thoughts
These thoughts have become so normal for us, most of the time we simply don't even realize we are thinking them. Take some time to pay attention to these thoughts. When do they come up? What are they typically about?

4. Change them up
This is when we really focus on changing what we are saying. It can be SUCH a challenge at first but so important. It might be one of those times we just need to fake it until we make it, or in this case fake it until we rewire our brain!
An example of this could be "you've tried this a million times, it wont ever work!"
My goal would be to change that with "I am SO proud of myself for making ME a priority. I may not be perfect but I never give up!"

Give yourself some grace and all the love you can.
​xx Hanna

Hey There,
Maybe you're here  because you're ready for a change to happen in your life, a shift to take place or a direction to follow. Maybe you're here because you've tried to create change endless times and things keep coming up for you that derail your progress. No matter where you're at on your personal journey I think this topic can speak to all of us.
We all experience barriers that pop up in our life. These can be things like negative self talk, being stuck in a not so ideal job, limiting beliefs, not having the support we need, and the list can go on and on. Basically, anything that continuously pops up for us when we try to work towards our goals + lifestyle we want to live. So what happens when these barriers come up? We typically start to feel uncomfortable, maybe we try to fight these barriers + than usually we say forget it and promise ourselves we'll try again when the time is right.
The time is never going to feel right. If I've learned anything in the past five years as a business owner, new mother, student + dream chasing, half hippie mama, THE TIMING NEVER FEELS RIGHT. 
I'm serious you guys, we think we can wait until next Monday, next month or next year to start working on our dream life, a life of wellness, a life where we look forward to a new day. Those times will come and go and everything will stay the same unless you get okay with being uncomfortable. 
When it comes to these pesky barriers, limiting beliefs + whatever else we want to label them as, what if we approached them with a new mindset? Instead of constantly trying to push them away + fight them off, what if we sat with them for the time being + just acknowledged their existence? You see, when we spend so much of our energy fighting these bad habits and trying to push them away, it takes away all of the energy we can put into our new habits, mindsets and beliefs. What if we took all of that energy and poured it into our new goals + habits, even if it felt uncomfortable.
Take a moment and imagine you're in a pool with a blow up beach ball, the harder you try to push that ball under water the harder it is to achieve. It takes all of your energy + focus and the more you try the more it pushes right back at you. Now, if you let that same beach ball go it usually just floats along side near you, you know it's there but none of your energy is being put into it. Imagine if we did these same things with our barriers. What if we acknowledged they were there but we stopped giving them so much of our energy? What would that look like? "Yes sometimes I feel self conscious, but i'm going to do__________ anyways. Yes I can't stand my work environment, I'm going to continue working towards my goal regardless. Yes sometimes i'm really hard on myself, i'm going to put my energy into repeating a positive affirmation about myself as many times as I can this week. " How much do you think our lives would change if we worked through the uncomfortable feelings + focused our energy on the new self talk, the new habits + the new mindset. Where would you be a week from now? A month from now? A year from now? 
 I think it's important to give this some thought. I think it's important for you to explore this idea + be honest with yourself about what barriers have been holding you back. Why not now and why not you?  Life isn't going to slow down + wait for you to make a change. Get uncomfortable, find your purpose + start living a life you know you deserve. The season's are changing, a shift is happening, now is the time to take action. You got this + I am here to support you every step of the way. If you're ready to make the change + you need support from a community of women that get it, click the button to join our Wellness Group. You'll be welcomed with open arms. Keep working hard for that life you want, the magic happens on the other side of discomfort.