BWYP EP 07: Overstimulation + Overwhelm For Do-Everything Creatives

Overwhelm is realness,

Honestly, it makes me feel like a failure.  Overwhelm often hits me when I'm at my most productive, because usually, I've been doing a lot of stuff + slaying my week and my brain just can't keep up so I'll have to hit the brakes hard until I can slow my brain down.

I'm sure you get it, when you're SLAYING your to-do list & have lots of physical energy to get stuff done, running out of mental energy SUCKS SO HARD. 

This podcast episode hits on all of those feelings & I talk about how I get through it.  It's not something I have completely figured out, but having awareness about it has really been my biggest key so I can feel it coming without getting WAY too overwhelmed and having to do a lot of work to calm down.

Do you struggle with overwhelm?  Do you THINK you do?  Post a comment below to let me know.  I'd love to hear anything and everything you've got to say about it.  It's definitely an ongoing struggle, so share the wealth if you've got tips!!

BWYP EP 06: Why You NEED White Space If You're Creative (or Human)

Hey everyone!  

I just want to let you all know that I'm creating a FREE course that should be rolling out in the next couple of weeks & it's going to be called "Be Your Own Advocate:  Finding and Defending Your Dreamiest Life."  I'm pouring a lot of love into this course & it'll be a perfect complement to episodes like this one to empower you to find + pursue your best life.  I'm so excited to share it with you!

If this feels like it's perfect for you, please sign up for my newsletter!  I've found it to be the best place to roll out and release great things like this, so signing up means you'll hear about it first!  Rolling out a free life-improvement course for my listeners is by far the most important thing I've done this year, and I don't want you to miss it!

So, in this podcast episode, I'm talking about white space:  what it is and how to use it.  It's a big topic, and honestly, I'm worried I might lose a few of you along the way, but please let me know if something is murky or unclear for you.  Opening up a dialogue about living your best life is super important to me & I love answering whatever questions I can for you guys.  

White Space: Time in your day where you can turn your brain off & experience mental rest. on a calendar, it would look like a white, un-filled in space.  Get it?

Here are some easy ways to implement white space in your life:

• Try not to overpack your schedule
  • An empty schedule might SEEM less productive, but you'll actually be able to finish everything & give everything the attention it deserves if you're more selective
• Try to batch similar tasks together to save energy in switching from task to task
  • When you bounce from task to task, you don't let your brain get into a groove
  • Multitasking doesn't work
    • Anything requires mental focus should be done on its own before switching tasks.
• If you use a planner, try to leave an extra 10-15 minutes before a task to stop you from rushing
• Think to yourself "less busy, more productive"
  • Busy doesn't equal productive
    • Try to say no to random projects + obligations that don't serve you
    • The more you simplify your life, the easier this becomes
• Live intentionally
  • Be intentional about your day
    • Take your energy levels into account:  how much energy do you really have?
      • If you're feeling energetic, you may require less white space that day
      • If you're feeling drained, a more restful, white space kind of day might be more sustainable
        • This doesn't mean you're writing off the day, but make an effort to conserve your energy + stay present as you go about your day

This is just a quick overview to give you the gist, but in my opinion, the episode is really where the content shines.  Give it a listen if you haven't, and I'll see you next time!

Lotsa love,

Andrea

BWYP EP 05: How I work when i want + get more done than ever.

On todays podcast episode, I'm sharing a little about how I've achieved consistent productivity by focusing on making my to-do list as enjoyable as possible.  Since productivity naturally tends to ebb and flow, making my list as enjoyable as possible has made my productive days incredibly productive, and has left my slower days restful without being a write-off.  

I talk a lot about mindset in this episode, because it's the most transformational part of this whole method, but I also share the steps I take to make my to-do list more enjoyable, while still getting all of it done.  

Here are some of the ways I shift my mindset around my to-do list to maintain my energy and get it all done

 

1.  brain dump your entire to do list

• This might take a few tries, try the triple ten method:  write for ten minutes, walk away for ten minutes, then come back to write for ten more minutes

2.  Highlight the things on your list you'll love doing (take a minute to get excited about these things!!)

• For me, this might look like:
  • Walking the dog
  • Chores you like or find satisfying
  • Rewarding work at your job

3.  Put a star next to things you'll have difficulty enjoying

• For me, this might look like:
  • Going to work at my other job
  • Taxes
  • Social obligation I felt pressured into

4.  Give yourself permission to cancel whatever you can.

• You have a limited amount of energy
• You have a right to enjoy yourself as much as possible
• You can't do this with everything on your list, but if you're a people-pleaser to a fault, then you probably have some things you can let go of
  • Commitments that aren't serving you are draining your energy & it'd probably be best to try and redistribute the task
  • If you can't, there are ways you 

5.  Brainstorm ways to make your WHOLE to-do list more enjoyable

• brainstorm some easy things to inject into your day-to-day life that easily add enjoyment to everything
  • I love incorporating essential oils into my day, it makes my life more generally enjoyable
  • Any answer is good if it blends with your productivity goals
    • think of things you can enjoy WHILE you crush your day, like a good podcast, album. drink, candle etc

I've got to emphasize, though, that the mindset work I talk about in my podcast really compliments this beautifully.  Through this shift, I've finally ditched my past of yo-yo productivity (just as bad as yo-yo dieting, tbh) and have reached consistent output & results.  

I've never taught this type of thing before, so I just want to make sure I'm not leaving anyone behind.  While this is super clear in my own mind, I'm not totally confident that I'm going to get my message across successfully (even though I really tried my best!) so please, whether you love it or you're a little lost, post your feedback in the comments!  I read it all and I really want to be giving you the clearest info possible.

Lots of love!
Andrea

BWYP EP 04: Creating a Donation Routine to Attract Abundance

Hello, World!

Hey!  I made this blog post especially for Episode 5 of my podcast, Bloom Where You're Planted.  You can also find it in your podcast provider or on my podcast page.

Whether you agree with me or not, you probably won't change my mind: I think there are laws & principles in place that bring the universe to flow things into our lives.  It doesn't happen all the time, and its definitely not a "get-rich-quick" scheme, but think of the last happy coincidence you had!  Did it feel like you tapped into a little bit of magic, or did this little coincidence maybe make you believe in fate? That's what I'm talking about.

I love that feeling of magic and I'm all about chasing it, but putting yourself into a position to receive is a really big part of that.  I've recently realized that if you're filling your space with stuff you don't need, you're making it clear that you don't have the space in your life for better things to flow in. 

If that seems like a little bit of a stretch to you, maybe think about it like this:  Why am I surrounding myself with excess and things I don't love when I could donate them and let them really improve someone's life?

I'm interesting in starting a habit.  A monthly donation date with myself.  I know I have tons of excess, and no, I don't want to do it all in one day.  I just don't work that way. 

Instead, I'm doing it every month, and making it the most wonderful, blissful experience I can.  It's tempting to turn organization into a task to hate, but in an effort to love myself even through tasks I don't like as much, I'm making my favourite tea, getting comfy af, and listening to my favourite music.  I'll also be taking my time, to really leave myself time to reflect on the impact on my actions.  Not only will I be cleaning and organizing my house, but i'll be donating to people in need while making room for abundance in my life.

So here's what my day's going to look like:  Wake up, have my morning routine, get started with my donating and sorting around, and when I'm feeling "done," I'll head into town and make the donation at my recipient of choice.  

There are a few things I'm going to do to help me out with this task, though.  Luckily, I'm someone who already finds purging and decluttering easy, but if you're someone who dreads going through old things and donating them, this is for you.  Especially if you've been feeling stuck lately. 

My first strategy is to have a small donation pile going in my room at all times so I can throw something in there if the mood strikes (sometimes, folding laundry, I'll come across something so worn that I refuse to fold it and put it away. Into the bin it goes!) And I also have a pile going in our spare room for larger donations if I see them on a day that isn't donation day.  

My second strategy is perfect if you're really feeling stuck.  My free download with this podcast episode is a printable checklist of 20 no-brainer things you can declutter right away!  You don't have to follow this to a t, but look it over if you're really feeling stuck.  This list shouldn't lead you to throw away beloved possessions, but it might make you look at your linen closet a little different.  You can download the list below!

Here are some things I'm going to do to make this as enjoyable as possible, because peaceful productivity is all about getting things done as you love your life as much as possible.  I'm going to make sure I'm comfy in my favourite comfy outfit (which is luckily, my favourite sushi eating outfit as well), I'll make a pot of my favourite tea so my cup runneth over, and I'll listen to whatever I feel like (my favourite music, a funny podcast, whatever tickles my fancy).  When I'm done, I'm going to go into town and make the donation, then treat myself to a solo, unplugged sushi date.  My favourite.  Also, this is important:  the whole time, I'm going to make an effort to focus on how good it all feels.

By making this experience as enjoyable as possible, I'm going to fill my brain with good memories that make me subconsciously want to repeat the experience.  I'll also make an effort to make myself actively excited as I approach my second date to try to kickstart that mental momentum.

Are you going to try out a donation routine?  Tell me all about it in the comments, I'm really curious to see how this impacts the lives around me.  You can also get in touch with me on facebook or instagram.  If you're a fan of the podcast, please let me know!  It's such a new project and its so special to me that this early support feels like 1,000 warm hugs.

Lots of love!

Andrea

BWYP EP 3: Leaning Into Comfort through the Winter + Wintertime Favourites

If you're new, check out the official Bloom Where You're Planted podcast page to check out my Lifestyle Strategy + Peaceful Productivity podcast!

This podcast was meant to be something fun, but honestly left me feeling kind of… off.  Winter is a hard subject for me, and it feels really vulnerable to share something so silly sounding with my listeners.  Winter has always been a hard thing for me; I love to be outside but when it's below freezing, the uncomfort that comes along with it just puts me off.  It means I'm staying inside, not being in nature or with plants, and I generally just hibernate and wait until spring comes along.  If I could just hide in bed all winter long, I probably would, but there's a lot I'd be missing out on, so it's definitely not a perfect solution.

The thing is, I exist on this planet and on this planet, expectations don't fluctuate with the seasons (nor should they).  But, equally important, the sun is giving less energy to the earth right now, and that means less energy for me to live my life.  The sun is farther away, and it shines on us a lot less.  Its cloudy, it's dark by 5, it's not like I'm going outside to ground myself or be in the sun's energy, so not only are we expected to keep performing, but we have less resources to pull energy from.

Winters in the past have meant depression, especially when I was in school.  My winter semesters often left me out of control, especially when I was busy.  I thought I was the only one who could be experiencing seasonal depression like this, and as deadlines slipped away and teachers' disappointment grew, I became more and more out of control, while grasping at straws to get my shit together.

In an effort to move past this cycle in my life, I've decided that winter must mean comfort, at least for me.  I can't completely eliminate responsibility in my life for this time (I wish though, right?) but I do my best to minimize my obligations.  Do I have a crazy work week coming up?  Can I take a few social events off the table to leave myself more time to recoup?  Do I happen to have a quieter week ahead? How can I take time to really fill my tank and feel comfort for this season?

Leaning into comfort seems super basic, and I'd be lying if I said that this winter has been easy for me, but it is a simple habit I've implemented that feels helpful.  This has been the easiest winter I've had in a long time, I've gotten a lot more done, I don't feel a strain on any of my relationships, and I've even implemented some really nice habits into my life.  All in all, it's been a banner winter so far, and I think it's because winter gives me the permission I need to set clear boundaries and listen to my body when evaluating my life.

Implementing comfort mainly means actively checking in with my self and my energy levels and doing my best to a) prioritizing only the necessary and b) taking as much time as you can to comfort yourself or refill your tank.  Your body needs a different kind of care during this harsh season, so be aware of that moving forward. 

Here are some of the little indulgences I've made room for this winter:

• Davids tea strawberry matcha
• Soup + Comfort Food
• Warm Socks
• Hot Showers
• Body Shop Banana Shampoo + Conditioner
• Planning my garden for spring
• Getting out of my house/going outside
• My cuddly cats warming me up on the couch
• Chillin with a heating pad
• Coconut oil for extra moisture in my skincare

My podcast, Bloom Where You're Planted, is turning into something that I really feel that I’m sharing important things on.  I feel so good whenever I do it, and often times I feel like I can't stop smiling when I'm done recording.  I really hope that comes across in my recordings!  As always, so much love for all of my readers and listeners, and I'm so so happy to get to connect with you in this way.  I love hearing from you guys, so if you're feeling it, please leave a rating or review on iTunes (even if that's not the way you tune in).  It's such a good way to give back to the podcast if you're looking for a way to do so.

Lots of love!

Andrea

BWYP EP 02: Why I'm Over My Morning Routine + What I Do Instead

I'm so excited you guys!  It's my first real episode of the podcast (my last episode was just me saying hi).  

I'm a morning person.  It's not the time of day when I'm most creative, but a good morning just heals my soul... it's kind of hard to explain.  SUffice it to say, I'm definitely prone to "getting up on the wrong side of the bed" so morning routines have been a big part of my life since I was about 15.  So that meant that abandoning a morning routine would mean breaking an almost 10 year habit, but I knew I had to do it.

I'm so grateful that I finally was able to recognize that my habit wasn't serving me.  There was definitely a period of time when I had a lot of resistance around ditching my morning routine, and I'm not going to lie, the worksheet download I've got for you listeners in this episode really helped calm my nerves and ease into letting go.  If your mornings aren't working for you, I really suggest clicking the link and getting one for yourself!

Here are the highlights:

• No two people are alike
• Repeating the same steps everyday would only make me feel good sometimes
  • I don't always feel like doing the best things
• Now, I prioritize a few things to do every morning, but I leave lots of time to flow from task to task and start the day peacefully
• Prioritize starting your day as positively as possible
• Eliminate draining tasks from your morning by doing them the night before

Thanks so much for listening!  If you loved this episode, please consider leaving a rating or review!  I know podcasters are always saying that but it really helps me get my name out there!

Lots of love,

Andrea

Bloom Where You're Planted EP 01 - I Guess I Started A Podcast!

This last year has been a little overwhelming for me.  I started this blog in October and already I feel that it's growing faster than I can imagine, so I took some time in January to really hone in on my direction and to see what new and challenging things I would take on in 2018.

And here we are.

I've started a podcast, and I'm sooooo excited about it!  I started out with a little trailer for now but expect podcast episodes on Tuesdays and Thursdays that centre all around self-love, mindset magic and life overhauling.  I'm bringing my sparkly self over to the microphone as often as I can, because this is something I really want to be good at.  I like helping y'all out with helpful content, and so far this seems to be the most natural way to do it, so bear with me as I figure out the logistics of this whole podcasting & talking to myself in an empty room thing.

Shownotes

Since this is just the trailer, I'll keep this brief.  I mainly touched on

• The importance of mindset work
• My brain tumour removal story
• Going from blah to bliss in my everyday life
• Embracing your truth, even when it's hard

Be sure to hit subscribe on the iTunes store to make sure you get the second episode on Tuesday, we're talking morning routines!

PS: If you want this goodness all in your inbox, sign up below!  I'll roll out the red carpet for you, and its the best place to stay up to date with all my schemes.

How I Use My Bullet Journal to Manifest my Perfect Morning

This page contains affiliate links which means I may earn a commission if you use them.  I only ever recommend products that I know and trust.

As I've gotten older, I've become increasingly aware that my life will be as joyful as I make it.  Period. 

I don't think that I'm the first one to have this realization, so I hope you know what I'm talking about when I say that it's not really quite that simple.  Being in charge of your own happiness isn't really as straightforward as it sounds; it's a lot of trial and error, of prioritizing and reprioritizing, and observing yourself as you and your desires grow and change. 

My main tool through this process has been my bullet journal.  By organizing and writing down my plans and my life, it's easy to quickly look at my schedule and see if I'm really prioritizing what is most important and beneficial to me.  It holds me accountable to both include more things that bring me joy and exclude things that make me overwhelmed or anxious, and it’s customizeable enough that I can design special pages around specific goals or trends.  It's like having a reference book and agenda in one. 

Recently, I did a special spread detailing my ideal morning, in an effort to make my life a little more peaceful.  I love mornings and have no problem getting up early, so in my effort to redesign my life, it's no surprise that I started there.  I decided that even though my days can vary lots from day to day, that I wanted this exercise to serve as the basis for a new, daily routine that I could do, regardless of whether or not I'm working that day.

Yep, my bullet journal has pencil lines.  I stress about it being perfect, and you shouldn't either!

I've noticed a really nice shift.  By getting specific about all of the things that make my ideal morning, including a timeline (this should really only serve as a guide!  Don't stress yourself trying to follow this too closely), I'm able to clearly visualize what my ideal morning looks like.  I'm not stressing, I'm not worried about fitting my timeline, and sometimes I don't get everything done on my list, but in general, I've been able to attract & manifest a new, peaceful morning routine into my daily life.

My life isn't always perfect, and of course, things come up, but adding so much more peace and good vibes into my life has really helped take the edge off when things do go wrong.  It's nice to be able to step back and react from a place of calm instead of panic when things go wrong, I even find that there's usually a better chance of saving the situation that way.

But before we get started, I've gotta let you know that I'm holding a free 5 day email challenge January 1st to 5th that will teach you how to bullet journal from start to finish!  If bullet journaling is really piquing your interest lately, this will be a really chill, step-by-step way to learn the ropes and start designing your best life.  You can sign up to join the challenge below!

And in case you're stuck on where to start, this is the bullet journal I use (but there are tons of options!  Just check out Amazon!) and in terms of pens, try find one that won't bleed on to the back of your pages. 

Leuchtturm Notebook A5 Soft Cover Dotted Black

Now, I'm going to share with you exactly how I got super specific about my ideal morning and how it helps me shape my perfect day.

First, I had to eventually realize that when my mornings flowed easily, the rest of my days did, too.  I'm someone who likes to get a lot done in the morning, so a really laid-back morning wasn't a good option for me, but neither was a super rushed morning where I finished my routine sweaty and overwhelmed at 9 am.  Since I'm an early riser anyways, I decided to  get up a little earlier to give me some padding, which is probably the most important part to this whole thing.

After I came to this realization, I had some steps ahead of me.

1. Write down a checklist of everything you have to and want to do in the morning
2. Find a great Ideal Morning tracker on instagram, pinterest or make your own!  (You can use mine too if you'd like!  It was inspired by this post)
3. Fill in your tracker!  I find that being as specific as possible is the best way to do it, setting aside separate time blocks for as many tasks as possible makes it easy to fit everything in. 

When you're filling in your timeline, keep in mind that it's just a guide.  You shouldn't be stressing out every morning about following the timeline to the minute; try flowing from task to task while staying focused and calm.  Leaving white space where you can will help with this, but mindset will too.  If I'm worried about time, I'll visualize myself calmly finishing everything I have to get done, and it really helps me flow more easily through my morning.

I really hope this was a good resource for you, and if this post gets you closer to your ideal life, can you comment about it?  I'd love to know!