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It’s September and you’re no doubt caught up in the hype of back to school. But what if I told you this is also the month for self-improvement. I wanna say this is not a coincidence.
Usually, when people think of self-transformation it’s at the start of the new year. You know the whole new year new me type shit we all post when we know good and doggone well it’s same shit new year.
Here are three self-help books you should check out for self-improvement month:
Learn how to start putting yourself first and doing the things that make YOU happy with Marchant’s Pause. Understanding the importance of not allowing anyone to make you feel guilty about choosing to take care of you. And the most valuable of all, knowing when to pause by telling others no so you can stop putting so much on your plate.
Based on the app of the same name. It’s a perfect start for someone who is interested in meditation. Calm provides fun easy to follow how-to tips and tricks that will help you find peace and focus, as well as increase your creativity and productivity which will ultimately lead to better mental and physical health.
The purpose of Currie’s book is to help get you out of your shell. Pure and simple. I love it because you can do it alone or with a friend. It’s about stopping to not only smell but enjoy the roses. There are fun and quirky ways to learn, create and grow, and provides simple activities to make every day count. Prompts include: compliment a stranger, be a tourist in your own town for the day, invent a new recipe and so on. While the weather is still warm I’m gonna get out and explore my hood with this journal in hand.
Which journal do I like the most?
Of the three I would consider Calm as my favorite as you can use the book alongside the Calm app.
I just recently downloaded and it’s changed my entire nighttime routine. I don’t pay for the extras cause the freebies give me the type of wind down I’m looking for at the end of a long tiring day.
Which self-help journal are you looking forward to reading for Self-Improvement Month? Have you started one? Share with me in the comments.
The moment I found out National Lazy Mom Day was a thing, I knew I was gonna go balls to the wall to celebrate it. And by balls to the wall, I mean,
I’ve been a mom for a number of years and this is the first I’m hearing of this holiday. Which is quite disappointing if you ask me. But I know about it now and this is why I’m sharing it with you – cause if I didn’t know you probably didn’t know about it either.
National Lazy Mom Day takes place annually on the first Friday of September
I don’t know who created it but I’m sure it was an overworked underappreciated mom in the south or midwest fresh off summer vacation. This woman no doubt needs a statue erected in her honor. Honestly, this holiday should happen on the first Friday of every month, but I guess I would be asking for too much.
The only drag about it is I’m on the east coast and my kids don’t go back to school until after Labor Day. This is why I said this person has to be in the south or midwest as their kids are already back in school. So, that said, I have to work around my kids still being on summer break to enjoy this national day of rest.
Here’s a to-list of things I will be doing in celebration:
That’s right. Nothing.
Since my kids are home I have to make adjustments, and that’s cool. I’ll take what I can get. My plan is to spend the beginning part of the day doing absolutely nothing. Due to Jeff’s work schedule, I can take the entire morning to myself. He leaves for work in the afternoon so that gives me several hours to myself. Then in the afternoon, it’ll be me and the kids. It’s not much but it’s something. And sometimes that little something is just enough to get us feeling good.
So why should moms do nothing on National Lazy Mom Day? The answer is simple,
We do everything year-round.
Full stop.
And, because we do everything here are some guilt-free things you can do right from home (preferably from bed) to celebrate:
Ditch those chores
You better bust out the paper plates and cups and call it a day, and leave the laundry till the day after. There is no reason why you should be doing anything around the house. This also includes cooking. It’s Friday, make it a pizza night.
Binge-watch a series
This is your time to dive into a series you’ve been meaning to watch but never had the time. With all the streaming platforms available you’ll have no shortage of finding something new and exciting to dive into. Or when all else fails just leave it on I.D. Channel all day.
Take a nap
For those of you with kids still on summer break I know it’s hard but it is possible, especially if your kids are older. Have your partner or sitter take the kids out for the afternoon while you stay home and get some zzzs. If your kids are younger you can ask a grandparent, aunt or uncle, or even a friend to come over to keep an eye on them while you close your eyes.
Read a book
Here’s your chance to catch up on that book you’ve been meaning to read or continue reading. What’s the point of hoarding all of those books you have if you’re not gonna read them? That’s a rhetorical question.
Remember, you don’t have to overthink celebrating. Just enjoy the day doing the least amount of responsibility. If you don’t have a whole day to spend doing anything. Here are 30 self-care activities you can do in an hour.
Have you ever heard of National Lazy Mom Day? How are you celebrating it?
FYI: EVEN Hotels provided me a discounted rate on our room and a complimentary gift bag for the purpose of this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
It’s been almost six months since the last time Jeff and I had a date night. Which meant it was time for some much-needed couple rest and relaxation, and with the help of my mom by taking the kids overnight we would be able to do just that. But with the kids gone what would we do? It was my birthday weekend so I didn’t want to stay in house and do nothing. I’m always down for traveling, but where would we go on such short notice? Money reasons would keep us from going too far, then it hit me.
I pass EVEN Hotels Downtown Brooklyn all the time as I live nearby. It looked decent and the location was great. And as I would learn online this hidden gem is a health-focused hotel that prides itself on giving their guests an experience that will relax their mind, body, and spirit. This was the place for us!
About EVEN Hotels
We checked in on a cold and windy Saturday excited to escape the stress of life and parenting. We arrived a little after 2pm and were immediately met with a warm welcome, like literally, the receptionist gave us warm cloths for our hands. She took her time checking us in going over everything the hotel has to offer with a fine tooth comb.
The main floor when you walk in is bright and colorful, and is broken up into five sections: the lounge area (which comes with board games and shuffle a shuffleboard table, meeting space (with computers and wifi), bar area (this speaks for itself), cafe (which is mostly stocked with healthy food and drinks), and the outdoor patio area (this is a perfect area to chillax in the warmer months).
After a quick tour we headed up to the room. We were given sweet ass room on the 12th floor (1202). It’s right off the elevator near the exit door. Now usually I don’t like being by either location due to noise, but neither one of us heard a peep. But I’m sure at some point our neighbors probably heard us. I’ma Jersey gal living in Brooklyn, which means I have no clue how to use my inside voice. Sorry to those who heard my overly loud conversation and laughter.
But back to this room – it was HUGE! And the fragrance that greeted me, it was like a mix of healthy living and kale. But seriously, it smelled like the epitome of cleanliness and tranquility. You can easily tell the staff really makes sure their rooms are top notch. Now I usually travel with a can of Lysol to spray the room and I never take my socks off. I didn’t need that here. I took my socks off and paraded around the room like I was home. That’s what EVEN Hotels is, home away from home.
Health and wellness is more than a motto to the EVEN Hotels brand, it’s a way of life. A life they take very seriously. For starters, they have a mini gym in all of the rooms. It comes complete with resistance bands, ball, yoga mat and plenty of accessories – including a fitness manual to make sure you use all the equipment properly.
As you can see this was one of the best amenities in the room. It’s a polite low key way of saying, there is no excuse for you to not be doing some form of exercise. But if that isn’t enough for you, venture down to the lobby to use the two-level gym that is only accessible by your room key.
Yup! This overnight stay at EVEN Hotels is gonna be just what the doctor ordered.
What did we do during our stay?
So what exactly did we do during our overnight stay? The answer is, nothing. We relaxed. Which is exactly what this hotel wants you to do. We took long hot peaceful showers, cause you know kids don’t let you bathe alone for long. We lounged in the pillow top bed and watched t.v. shows that weren’t on Sprout or Nick Jr. I worked out for all of 5 minutes. And because I love to eat we took a quick walk around the corner to Target Atlantic Center for dinner and snacks.
I love when hotels are centrally located making it easy for guests to spread their wings and learn about the area they’re in. Being a stone’s throw from BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music), Fulton Mall, Barclay Center and City Point, this makes EVEN Hotels Downtown Brooklyn a perfect choice for locals and tourists. But that’s not all, Even Hotels is so centrally located that you can take damn near any train that runs into Brooklyn to get there including the LIRR.
Yes, after a cozy overnight stay Jeff and I sadly checked out feeling refreshed, and looking forward to the next time when we can kick our feet up in room 1202. We could have done this exact thing at home but sometimes staycations right in your hood turns out to be the best remedy for rejuvenation.
What do you think about EVEN Hotels? Have you ever stayed or are you thinking about staying?
*This article also contains an Amazon affiliate link, which goes provides this website a percentage of sales that goes towards keeping Mommy R+R active.
This is a contributor piece originally posted on Brooklyn Active Mama. Only an excerpt will be provided.
Popsugar founder and Power Your Happy author Lisa Sugar (pictured right), is one of the happiest people I’ve ever met. By happy I don’t mean bouncing off the walls hyped – although she could be I just didn’t see it. I’m talking about more of an air about her that exudes happiness as well as peacefulness and positivity.
We all know someone like this – no matter when we see them they’re always smiling and telling us to not let the negative thing in life keep us down. This is Lisa! When I attended the Power Your Happy event (appropriately named after the for the release of her first book) I discovered that powering your happiness is not only possible but a necessity.
So, how do you power your happiness? According to Lisa you can power your happy by:
Following the Signs
If you enjoy doing something and you find yourself continuously surrounded by it and/or pulled in the direction of it, then that could be a sign that you should be doing it. Since I can remember I have always found myself sharing stories and coordinating events, this ultimately lead me down the path blogging and hosting events. Without even realizing it I followed the signs to my happiness. Had I stayed at my previous job I would be stuck in a cube maze doing the same boring job. I would not be as happy and fulfilled as I am today.
Mommy R+R is a self-care escape exclusively for moms. It was created after attending one too many playdates where I noticed the only thing other moms talked about were their kids. That lead me to wonder who they were prior to being a mother, and Mommy R+R was born. It’s time for moms to get back in touch with who they are so they can rediscover and reconnect with themselves.
