Starting from experience, not from scratch.

After spending the month of July running th M.F-er challenge, it's time for me to spend some time resetting myself! As we gt busy, we tend to de-prioritize our own health and wellness and I am not immune to letting my own habits slip. I've been spending some time journaling, re-evaluating current habits, seeing what serves me and what does not. Mid-summer is a great time to reflect and let go of some old habits. I'm re-evaluating some things like hydration, sleep and stress management and seeing where I can let go of things that cause stress and are no longer serving me. The best thing about keeping journals and tracking habits is being able to start from experience, not from scratch. Keeping notes about habits that you tried before that didn't work or didn't suit your life at the moment can save you time when thinking about taking on a new habit. Sometimes we've grown and adding back a habit that wasn't successful before is a great move, sometimes re-reading notes about why an old habit didn't work reminds us that we should work on other goals, or break it down into smaller steps before trying to tackle it again. Or sometimes, some wellness routines aren't for us and that's ok as well. The best wellness routines are the ones that you stick with.

One of my new habits is going to be some additional journaling! I journal in a stream of consciousness in the morning to get all of my tumultuous thoughts on paper and out of my brain so I can start the morning fresh. When I was in Columbus this weekend celebrating my fiance's birthday I picked up a book of journaling prompts and I am planning on adding that to my wind-down routine in the evening. My in-laws must have known because they got me a new journal! The world works in mysterious ways,

As the heat continues to build this summer, stay hydrated. Don't leave the house without a hydration plan; fill bottle up with ice and keep them in the car. Pack a small cooler with drinks and electrolytes. Dehydration happens quickly this time of year and can cause us to become irritable faster, nauseous, can lead to headaches, fainting and worse sysmptoms if allowed to persist. Try to avoid sugary sports drinks (you know the ones), soda, juices and carbonated beverage in favor of plain water that isn't too cold. Try to pre-hydrate; start your morning with water before coffee or tea to get a jumpstart on the day. Get out there and be your own best friend!