Wellness about 1 year ago by Liz Adams

Shifting Your Mindset

shop this look: Mille Dress (wearing a small), Schutz Flats (also love these and these), Tuckernuck Earrings

The last day of February (how?) and somehow it feels like the past two months have been a complete blur. Like life is moving so fast but it’s also at a standstill. Like every day you’re churning along and it all sort of feels the same. Not necessarily in a bad way. It just is. And then the world feels heavy and your job is to be on social media, it almost feels paralyzing to move forward or be present. So instead I tend to focus inward, stay in my bubble, where I feel safe. And I know that is with extreme privilege that I get to type those words but it’s the truth.

And then I think about the past two years where this paralyzing feeling – of being scared to move forward, not wanting to move backwards so you’re just sort of stuck in the waiting – that feeling has been overwhelming. I seek approval in everything I do because I am never quite sure if my choices are right or okay. Two years of walking on egg shells has left us all feeling a little uncertain. I want to talk about that more. Because now I think we are at a point where we should get back to normal and as soon as you come up for air, something else happens in this world that forces you to withdraw again.

Two years ago, on March 1, 2020, we launched our “wellness month!” One month of dedicated wellness content including interviews with trusted wellness advisors, challenges, workouts, recipes and more. Halfway through our month, the world shut down due to Covid. It was a very wild coincidence and all of us were forced to pivot, redefine our personal wellness journeys and our lives. Since then we’ve all lost a little bit of who we once were and are maybe finding a new normal that is better (hopefully!) or different or both.

My personal opinion of wellness has changed so much over the past two years. I’ve realized that wellness and a healthy lifestyle doesn’t exist without mental health and your own mental wellbeing. We can do all the things when it comes to self care but nothing matters if you’re not in the right MINDSET. We are bringing wellness month back for March but with a different approach. This time around I want to have open conversations, talk about what I do to maintain my own self care/wellness, discuss filling your own cup, connecting to your creativity, doing things for yourself, creating a community around you, shifting your mindset and refocusing your energy. I am in no way an expert but it’s something that is important to me and that I’m working on every day. And I think that is more relatable than sometimes hearing what you should be doing. So this month you’re going to come along on my journey and I’m going to be open and share all the things that have helped me shift my mindset over the past couple years. I’m a work in progress but it’s often hard to do it alone.

And I’m going to put less pressure on myself and really make this month casual and open. I would love your feedback on what you’d like to discuss, if you’d be interested in ZOOM calls, what you want to learn or what you’d like to walkaway from this month gaining. It’s so helpful to hear from you!

In the meantime, you can check out our wellness page to see so many wonderful posts from the past! And here are all of our posts from our Wellness Month from March 2020. A few favorites include my friend Amy answering all of your sex and relationship questions, my friend Jackie answering your personal empowerment questions and my friend Laura answering your questions about dealing with anxiety and depression.

Do we call this Mindset Month? I don’t know. All I know is I hope that on the other side of March 2022 you feel lighter.

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  1. This space motivated me to start running – three years in and now an active gym goer, I’ve really improved myself physically and mentally and it’s done wonders for my parenting and marriage. You and others have helped me realize focusing on my needs isn’t selfish. One thing that’s helped me is to write down (or send via a Instagram answer box) my win(s) of the week. It could be 12 miles or taking the time to do a skin care routine – anything that put a pep in my step and that I shouldn’t feel guilty for even if it didn’t fall into the “mom”, “wife”, “employee” or “volunteer” categories of my life.

  2. YES to a mindset month! Reading your words to decribe how you are feeling validated all that I have been feeling as I am sure so many others as well. THANK YOU for doing this- we all need to shift our mindset as life is uncertain but with the right mindset we can always strive to be our best selves!!

  3. Liz, thank you for the great post and honesty. You hit a cord with me when you said the last two years we’ve been walking on eggshells, and yes that’s exactly how it has felt. It has felt that way in all aspects of life from covid to politics to future hope to now this war. It also has that feeling in just conversations we have with people. It feels like we can never say the right thing without being corrected. At the same time, I love knowledge and learning and growth and listening. Its been a mental drain, where like you, I have a privilege to be able to sink back into my bubble to save my sanity. So yes, Mindset Month sounds wonderful.

  4. Yes, I love this Liz. If there is 1 thing my motherhood journey thus far has taught me, and force me to change and grow in, is the importance of solid mindset. It truly changes everything.

  5. I’m an empty nest Mom. I was so fortunate to have that bonus time w/my then college boys March-May 2020, I really shifted my mindset to “this could be a good thing”! Hubs was working from home (still is), we cooked, we baked, we took long walks (got outside) everyday, played games, did puzzles, spent time together and I exercised like never before. I ultimately quit my dream job as a personal stylist for a major retailer (people stopped shopping in person) and just hunkered down happily at home. 2 years later, my oldest graduated, got a job, moved out of state, younger one about to graduate. Hubs an I having fun and still enjoying a slower pace of life. He runs 20 miles/week. I work out everyday. We still walk a ton. I understand we are extremely fortunate with our lives and our health, but I believe our positive outlook and mindset helped us through this crazy-ness as a gift of time we wouldn’t have other wise been given.

  6. Yes to Zoom calls. Learning from and hearing about how other moms do it, how we stay balanced, why balance is bullshit, etc.

  7. I’m excited! It’s always so comforting hearing from others and knowing we’re not alone in all the things. I would love to walk away feeling renewed and refreshed. I’m open to it all. Would love more ways to incorporate easy workouts at home. Knowing even if I didn’t get to go for a walk or run that day I got some type of fitness in for myself at home. I struggle with making it a priority and I know it would benefit me. Like what kind of mindset do you have doing it from home bc home workouts are a struggle for me to get started but it’s really the easiest with two young kids. You always make the best videos and your music motivates me on Instagram. Videos with your trainer back in Chicago? Or more healthy eating tips and ideas for us and kids. How to take care of myself better bc I’m really good at taking care of others but def don’t do it enough for myself without feeling the mom guilt.

  8. I sent this post to a friend just now because you have encapsulated everything I’ve been feeling recently and couldn’t put into words. There’s this hesitation to everything — my thoughts and actions — and it makes me feel exhausted and unsafe so much of the time! Love the dedication to mental health and mental focus — we need this!! You’re killing it with the blog this year. From your fashion shifts (that have become my fashion shifts 🙈) to this post, just wanted to comment to say thanks!

  9. I love this so much. I’ve been following you for years and my oldest just turned 8 this past week. So much of what you have openly talked about, I have experienced as well in parenting, life, people pleasing, questioning, and it’s exhausting! I’ve been on a journey for years on how to care for myself while also trying to care for others in a compassionate and sustainable way.
    Any way, what I’m trying to say is, I totally relate and I’m excited for this. Excited to hear others input, takeaways and ideas. Thank you for this. Happy March and looking forward to what it brings.

  10. Yes! I echo what the other Claire said. You are killing it Liz. Love your style and earthy bright candor. Moving sideways is cozy, but it’s feeling overly tentative and often utterly monotonous 2 years on.

    Excited to shake things up. I had a dream about running last night. Gonna do it. Thank you for the inspiration! Beautiful dress on you!!!

  11. My friends and I always joke about “second-hand therapy” – I have gotten some of my best advice from friends who are willing to be transparent about their therapy journeys and share things their therapists have taught them that have changed their lives. Therapy is expensive and (unfortunately) a luxury for many folks. Maybe you can survey readers on the best advice their therapists have ever given and share it in a post!