Living INTENTIONALLY

(Thank you to my new friend Meg Miles for inspiring this post.)

Giving birth is quite honestly the most incredible and all encompassing experience I have thus gone through! It has stretched me in all the good ways and I am endlessly grateful for the sacred privilege it has been.

I have seen myself slip in the important things and I realized I need to live life more intentionally! Here are some simple things I have found that have helped me take control over my happiness and the peace that is in my life!


Prayer  

My sweet baby wakes up around 6:00 a.m. to eat, and after I feed him, I generally go back to sleep grudgingly that I *felt* like I was up all night. However, TODAY I decided to put him back to sleep and get on my knees and start my day with prayer. It's not like I have stopped praying, but since my daily routine has felt out of wack, I haven't STARTED my day with prayer. Expressing my gratitude to my Father in Heaven, conversing with Him about everything that I am feeling and experiencing, and seeking His guidance and counsel for the day that is ahead of me helped lift my spirits and got me excited to face the day head on!


Positive Affirmations 

While I was pregnant, my husband and I took a birthing class (which was AMAZING.) This class not only prepared me to labor unmedicated, but it introduced positive practices to do in our everyday life. One was positive affirmations. I would repeat positive affirmations about birth, my body, and my baby multiple times a day and have them posted around our apartment. I saw how powerful our minds are and that these positive affirmations were a game changer. So I decided to make positive affirmations for the stage of life I am in right now. I have them written down and posted around our apartment just like my positive affirmations preparing for birth. Mine today say, "I am confident and competent." There have been many times when handling with my baby's oxygen that I don't feel like I know what I am doing. However, I am his mom! I can do this! I have another that says, "I am loved and appreciated." Inviting the power of positivity in my life and mind space has been empowering.

Self Care 

I then showered! This may not seem like a big deal, but what a blessing it is do be able to shower. (New moms... am I right?!) Warm water is healing to my soul.

After a simple shower, I cooked a quick and nutritious breakfast. Once again, something so small. But if you are like me and literally had Top Ramen for breakfast yesterday..... 
you know what a difference this makes! Scrambled eggs with artisan bread. It takes a matter of minutes and my body and mind could feel a difference. (And while breastfeeding, it is SO important to get all the goods in for the goods to come out, right?)


Spiritually Fed 

 During this breakfast, reading a general conference talk was like feasting on spiritual food. I have put on general conference talks in the background of my day, but I hadn't sat down to truly study one for the past little bit. An invitation from our prophet says, "I exhort you to study the messages of this conference frequently- even repeatedly- during the next six months." -Pres. Russell M. Nelson April 2018.

Get Outside and Get Movin'! 

I then had a window of 15 minutes that my husband could be with the baby before needing to get ready for work. I am 3 weeks postpartum, and though I feel great, I am waiting to get cleared from my doctor to exercise. So I went on a walk this morning. Now, once again, this may seem small. But since my little one is on oxygen, we only use his portable oxygen tanks for doctor's appointments, so I haven't been out and about much! (Or..... at all!) We live in a beautiful neighborhood in the mountains, and feeling the peace and calm that comes with a spring morning was stunning. The birds were chirping, the sun was rising, and it just felt good to be in awe at God's creations.

{No I did not take this photo. Yes this is off google. :)  }

And that's it! I feel energized and rejuvenated on a whole new level!
What things do YOU enjoy doing to invite positivity and gratitude in your life?