Photo courtesy of Heather Ford on Unsplash

If you've recently done a deep clean of your home, either for Spring cleaning or just because you felt extra motivated to clean, or maybe because you had to because you were about to have guests over for a holiday or family dinner, you're likely enjoying how satisfying having a clean home is. Seriously though, despite how unpleasant some tasks may be (I'll always despise dusting), you can't deny how satisfying it is to have everything clean and organized. So now the thing is, trying to keep up with it; because odds are you aren't going to want to spend your Saturdays going through that whole entire chore list again, some chores you probably don't even want to do every week, but you also don't want to just let your space go unmaintained. Especially considering the fact that some chores are even more unpleasant if you procrastinate on them for too long.  

There are a few things I actually feel I may do more often than some people, but there are also some things I do (way) less often than others; mainly either because those tasks are a hassle to do on a daily or weekly basis, or because it's unnecessary to do them that often with my lifestyle, and in a relatively small household of three people (all adults), and a dog. So of course, you should build your cleaning schedule based on your lifestyle, your household, and your own needs and preferences; as well as what you feel you can easily keep up with.

Photo courtesy of Jonny Caspari on Unsplash

Who doesn't love taking a nice hot shower? I know that I certainly love taking a nice hot shower before bed at night; especially after a really hard workout earlier that day. Occasionally though, I actually kind of like to take a cold shower. Well, I like the benefits that can come along with taking a cold shower anyway; I rarely enjoy the process of taking a cold shower. Like seriously, who would? I don't like being cold, so I don't particularly enjoy getting hit with cold water; even if it's my own choice. 

So why do I choose to put myself through such torture, you may ask? I mean no one is forcing me to take a cold shower, aside from myself. So why do it? Well, you'll have to read on to find out...

Photo courtesy of Sylvie Tittle on Unsplash

I absolutely L-O-V-E my bed! So much so that sometimes I really don't want to get out of it, but let's be real, no one wants to leave their bed in the morning. Despite the fact that I don't want to get out of bed, I know that I can't just stay in bed all day; and that getting up at a decently early hour allows me to get more done in the day. As a matter of fact, I actually love the feeling of getting up somewhat early in the morning, once that "morning feeling" passes, and I'm always amazed at how much I can get done before my afternoon workout when I get out of bed by 8:00 AM. (Which I realize isn't exactly early, but I'm naturally a night owl and I go to bed at 12:00 AM, so it feels early for me, haha.)

Still though, despite knowing how good it feels to get up at a decent hour, and how much more I can actually get done in a day when I don't oversleep, as well as knowing that oversleeping makes me feel physically crappy, sometimes I have the hardest time getting out of bed. As a matter of fact, sometimes my feet don't even end up hitting the floor until almost 11:00 AM, and I'll end up feeling not only super groggy from oversleeping, but like I wasted the day away. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with sleeping in, especially on days where you ended up going to bed way late the night before (and for Daylight Saving Time); or for when you're not feeling well. But personally, I find it easy to just make excuses to stay in bed longer on most of these days.

Luckily I do have a few little things that help me get out of bed, and I've also found that trying to figure out exactly why I don't want to get out of bed helps a bit too.

Photo courtesy of Viktor Hanacek on PicJumbo

Sometimes I can't wait to hit the mat or go for a run, other times I seriously do not want to work out, or even get out of my chair (or my bed) for the matter; sometimes I really need a little extra something to motivate me to put on my shoes and start moving. On those days, I need a little extra motivation to help me stay on track and not needlessly miss my workout; if there's no real reason why I have to skip it that day. And even when I'm feeling super motivated, it never hurts to have a little extra motivation to help take full advantage of that energy and excitement so I can make the absolute most of it.

Photo courtesy of Viktor Hanacek on PicJumbo

If you spend any significant amount of time on the internet, or if you follow a lot of health and fitness blogs, you've likely noticed that meditation is often suggested as a way to manage stress, anxiety, depression, and as a way to relax in general. Now, I'm definitely not going to deny that meditation is helpful, as a matter of fact, I've found that short guided-meditation videos really can provide at least a little bit of relief when I'm feeling really stressed or anxious. But the thing is, trying to sit still in Sukhasana for an extended period of time and trying (and failing) to focus on nothing but my breath is just not my thing. Perhaps this is because meditation is a practice, and I don't really do it all that often, so it's extremely difficult for me to clear my mind and not to fidget; but I really just can't get into it.

But knowing how beneficial it can be to take the time to at least try to clear my head (or maybe just sort through my thoughts) and not do too much, it's definitely worth trying to do something meditative. Even if the traditional sitting still and saying "ohm" type of practice that you may typically think of is really not your thing, there are still plenty of ways you can clear your head and ease some of the tension in your mind. Which in turn can relieve some of the tension you may physically feel in your body; as well as help you feel more focused when you're trying to work or sleep a little better at night. There are a lot of benefits to taking up meditation or finding some way to be mindful, clear your head, or just relax; and you can still get them even if sitting still in silence for long periods of time isn't for you.

Photo courtesy of Moose Photos on Pexels

As someone who absolutely loves to create, and is rather particular on the small details, I am constantly trying to take up new skills so that I can figure out a way to create whatever it may be that I want to create on my own. Whether it's designing and coding my own layout for my blog, or creating graphics and artwork, I absolutely love being able to do it on my own (while also utilizing whatever tools and resources I have available of course). I suppose you could say I'm a little bit on the ambitious side; though I think all bloggers are in one way or another, and that ambition is a good thing!

The only thing is, taking up a new hobby or skill, especially one you know next to nothing about, can be rather overwhelming when you're doing it without any formal help. Not to mention if you're taking up something where even the smallest error could throw everything off such as with HTML/CSS and JavaScript coding. I could go on and on about the frustrations that can come along with taking up a new hobby, and being 100% self-taught because you don't really want to pay for formal training or classes, without knowing whether you'll really stick to it or not.

But even though taking up a new creative skill without any formal training or help can definitely make the process quite a bit more difficult, as well as frustrating or even stressful at times; it definitely can be done as long as you have passion.

Photo courtesy of Julia Kouzenkov on Unsplash

Do you know how when you're a child they tell you to never grow up; or not to grow up to fast? Well, I kind of listened to that, as best as I could as an adult anyway. I may not be playing on the playground anymore, then coming home and playing with Bratz or Barbie dolls until my childhood 9:00 PM bedtime, and I definitely have a few more responsibilities now than I did when I was 10; but I have still found ways to keep in touch with my inner child. As a matter of fact, I have found that I actually have a greater appreciation now for some things from my childhood than I did back then; whether it's through a greater understanding of the subtle adult humor in kids shows, or pure nostalgia of simpler times from my childhood or even my teen years. 

Whatever the case, I like to regularly get in touch with my inner child; as for me personally, connecting with that side of myself is a form of self-care. And I'm going to be perfectly honest with you, I actually don't mind being a little "immature" or childish in some cases. I mean do I really have to grow up all the way, just because I'm in my 20s? I suppose that is definitely a matter of opinion, but personally, I want to hold on to that inner child as much as I can. And there are definitely some great ways to do it, whether you're in your 20s or even beyond. 

Although looking back on it now, I can honestly say I'm kinda grateful I was an outcast in school, that wasn't always the case. Especially when I was in middle school and at the age where it felt like being popular (or at least fitting in) was of utmost importance. I did some pretty stupid and silly things to try to win over the popular kids, or to at least try to make friends and just be accepted. Many of the things I did were just cringe-worthy, and I have no idea why I thought they'd actually earn me the acceptance of the cool kids; since apparently shows on Nickelodeon and Disney Channel aren't reliable sources on how to be cool in real life. Some things I did were just straight up stupid, and not even really worth it. 

I'll be honest though, there are also a few things I did that I actually don't totally regret or cringe at, but I wish I had done them because I wanted to; not to try to impress others.