If you ever wondered what the inside of my brain looks like. It’s this :)

Happy New Year! I started my “new year” the week my kids started back to you school!

Finally, time to decompress!!

I start every new year depleted. Searching for the answers as to what happened, and why... and how to not let this happen again. I feel awful inside and out. I’m mean. I feel completely like my emotions are running the show. Deep breathing and “Selling the Drama” by Live are the only things that calm me down. This is my New Years burn out yelling that YOU NEED TO TAKE A BREAK... If you’re starting the year feeling this way, I totally get it. It’s so tempting to look at a bright new year and think OMG! Blank slate! Here’s my opportunity to do it all differently!! And to start your resolutions before giving yourself time to rest. And if you’re anything like me, it all blows up in your face.

5 WAYS TO RESTORE FROM A BUSY HOLIDAY SEASON.

1. Be kind to yourself.

Rest. Give yourself a grace period before diving into your resolutions. I consider the day my kids go back to school New Years Day. It’s the first day I can get back to my every day routine that is full of intention and practices that serve me. It’s only then that I can get in the groove, rest, rejuvenate & move forward.

2. Add a daily practice to your schedule that adds something to your day.

When I begin experiencing burnout I go straight to my psychological guru, pinterest and search “What do you do when you have nothing else to give?” Through a series of clicking, perusing, and article devouring I usually find something that starts me on a worthy path. This year, I found a really great video on happiness by shawn Achor. Super simple, easy, & effective ways to add happiness to your life, and all of the mind blowing ramifications of doing so. They are bite sized and so easy to add to your day.

3. Think about how to add energy to your day.

One part of my cyclical burnout is a terrible habit of removing every energy adding practice that I’ve cultivated and replacing it with work. work and more work. This never ends well for me. Food & Exercise both add energy to your day. The right food nourishes the body and exercise adds energy and fuels inspiration. This year I’ve made it a daily practice to exercise with music that I can totally get in sync with. Music that makes me feel something.. alive... motivated... joy.. heard... something. Afterwards, I sit down to write for 30 minutes and it’s incredible how the words flow because of my work out.

4. Learn something new.

If you really want to shake things up, read The Code of the Extraordinary mind, by Vishan Lakhiani. I ABSOLUTELY recommend starting your year with this. It’s making me be accountable for all the areas that bring meaning to my life. I can’t recommend it enough.

I read this brilliant passage from the book about thinking about food for Fuel and food for ritual. When you’re with your family eat for ritual. Have a meal make it about connection with your family. When you’re alone think about adding as much nutrition into your body as you can. My new way to do this is through smoothies. I love that this way of thinking is not giving your strict ways of eating or rules, but ways to look at things in a different way. One that serves you.

5. Find something creative you love to do & make it a habit.

“The only unique contribution that we will ever make in this world will be born of our creativity.” -Brene Brown

According to Brene “If we want to make meaning, we need to make art. Cook, write, draw, doodle, paint, scrapbook, take pictures, collage, knit, rebuild an engine, sculpt, dance, decorate, act, sing – it doesn’t matter. As long as we’re creating, we’re cultivating meaning.”

This year I’m embarking on a 365 project. One photo/day for 365 days. I participated in one 4 years ago when my daughter Kate was very tiny. It’s how I got really serious about photography. Dedication, tenacity, & curiosity turn average into incredible. If you have a new creative skill you’d like to learn and you don’t know where you’d like to get started 100% check out creativeLive. They meet you with informative creative videos, in any creative subject, at any level of expertise. From just starting out to expert if you want to learn. You can learn here.

I hope you and yours had a lovely holiday!!!

Happy New Year everyone!

Mandy