How connected are you feeling to Y-O-U these days? If your answer is “not so much,” we see you. 

For many of us, this is an incredibly busy time of year … and it’s only going to get busier as the holiday season kicks off. And when life feels stressful or overwhelming, our relationship with ourselves tends to deteriorate. Who has time to revisit goals and take inventory of our emotions when there are errands to run, gifts to buy and meals to prep? 

We’ve heard it since we were kids — we need to have patience. Patience when learning how to tie our shoes, patience when learning how to ride a bike, patience in waiting to get our license, and patience in turning another year older so we can do all the things grown-ups do. 

But life is different than it was even two decades ago, and there are many things we don’t have to wait for. We no longer have to patiently watch ads that interrupt our TV shows or wait weeks by the mailbox for something to arrive.

Would you ever tell your best friend she wasn’t doing enough, wasn’t worthy of great things, or worse, call her an idiot? Would you ever berate her for making a tiny mistake? 

Of course not! You’d never bully anyone you cared about like that, and yet, how often do you do it to yourself? 

Our hope is you answered “never” — but, sadly it happens more than most of us even realize. We tell ourselves we’re not good enough, not attractive enough and kick ourselves when we’re down. 

How do you feel when you wake up most mornings? Groggy, irritable, and craving coffee, or energetic, cheerful, and ready to take on a new day?

How you feel in the morning largely depends on how you slept the night before, and how easily you were able to slip into dreamland once you hit the pillow. If you could use a little help catching consistently good zzz’s, today we have a few tips to help you nod off with more ease. 

Last week on Instagram we asked how you were feeling about your job, and 65% of you said: “not good!”  

According to Forbes, millions of employees plan to change jobs this year. If you’re not sure if your job is the right fit (or if you just want to enjoy a moment of fun!), today we’re offering a little quiz to help you decide if your job is still serving you, or if you’re ready to move on to something else. 

Hope you enjoy!

I think we all can agree, 2020 took us on an emotional roller coaster, and 2021 feels like more of the same. With all the ups and downs, it’s been challenging to feel that sense of security we’re so used to and love, and even more challenging to stay optimistic. 

As challenging as it may be, there’s value in keeping your eye on the bright side of things. Like Henry Ford said, “Whether you think you can, or you can’t — you’re right.” 

It’s easy to go through life worrying about the worst possible outcome to a situation, or waiting for the other shoe to drop. It’s so easy to do it, for many of us, it’s become a default way of approaching life. 

But in order to live a happier life, we need to expect great things to happen for us. We need to trust that even when it doesn’t feel like it, that life loves and supports us and things are working out in our favor. 

Do you ever feel like you have to “earn” the chance to relax? 

Do you wait until everything else is taken care of before you take a moment to breathe? 

Do you feel a twinge of guilt if you sit down with a book, or head out for a walk when items on your “to-do” list are still unchecked? 

If you answered “yes” to any of those questions, you’re not alone!

Ferris Bueller said, “Life moves pretty fast, if you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you might miss it.”

While we don’t mean to, many of us are missing out on a lot of what life has to offer. Thanks to smartphones, social media, and the internet, it’s easy to distract ourselves from present reality and fall down the online rabbit hole. 

Waiting in line for coffee? Check Instagram. Flight delayed? Start a movie on Netflix. Getting your teeth cleaned at the dentist? Put on a podcast. Sound familiar?