10 things we do every day

We all have certain things that make us tick – the routines that have helped us not just survive the day, but that help energize us and help us maintain a positive attitude. We would like to share our “things we do every day” in the hopes that you might be inspired and encouraged!

Krista:

1.Faith First:

I try to keep “first things first” by pursuing my faith each day. Prayer and reading my Bible or a devotional help keep my priorities straight and give me daily encouragement and strength. Two of my favorite devotionals right now are by Jen Wilkin. Both of her books, None Like Him and In His Image are both so good!

2. Exercise:

I’m one of those weirdos that loves to exercise! I’ve always been an athlete, and the thought of not exercising has never entered my mind. I used to play soccer and run, but a bum knee has sidelined me somewhat. Now I alternate between weights and riding my Peloton bike or mountain biking in the Dash Point Woods. I love feeling fit and gaining the added exercise benefits of stress relief, weight control and better sleep.

3. Plan Healthy Meals:

So much of eating healthy is in the planning! I have 3 young adult sons and a husband, so if we are going to eat well I need to have a plan. Once a week I do my shopping in one day, so we’re all stocked with things my boys can put together on their own, and meals we can all eat together. I love having ingredients for yummy, healthy meals, and it makes me happy to be able to serve my family in this way!

4. Get ready for the Day:

Even during the quarantine, I got up, exercised, showered, and did my hair and makeup. All of my time growing up, my mom, sister and I always consistently got ready like this, helping to cement this routine into my daily life. I don’t wear a lot of makeup, but putting myself together each day makes me feel more motivated! I occasionally wear athleisure clothes, but for the most part I put on more of an outfit. Athleisure clothes make me feel like taking a nap!

5. Laughing!

I love anything funny! Having a sense of humor makes life so much more enjoyable. I come from a family that loved to laugh and joke around. Sharing a sense of humor with my husband has really helped our marriage. I love it when my boys show me a good funny meme or video, and being able to laugh with friends has been the ultimate therapy! I remember when Julie and I met, we both cracked up at the same things, so I knew we were going to be great friends! My favorite comedians are Jim Gaffigan and Brian Regan. Check them out and get ready to laugh your head off!

Julie:

1. Stretch:

Before I even get out of bed, I do a neck and back stretch 3 times. Due to a skiing injury from back in my 20s, I’ve struggled with neck & upper back pain and stiffness. Stretching daily has helped almost more than any other treatment I’ve tried. Here’s a quick summary of what I do: (1) Sit up with legs extended (2) Arch back and let neck drop towards your back completely. Hold for 30 counts (3) Now stretch forward and reach for your toes. Hold for 30 counts. (4) Relax and feel the stretch in your legs, back & neck. (5) Repeat two more times.

2. Exercise:

Unlike Krista, I could happily never workout, so that means I have to be even more disciplined to make myself do it! The more consistent I am, the more I enjoy it, so I try to workout at least 5-6x per week. Currently I alternate spin cycle workouts with a strength & resistance training program. For spin, I use the @onepeloton app. The strength program is one my husband used with great results. It’s written by functional medicine doctor, Dr. Stephen Cabral, who also formulates the nutritional supplements I take on a daily basis. On days off, I usually do a vigorous hour-long walk with my husband.

3. Morning Greens & Smoothie:

I’ve never been a huge breakfast person, but I’ve come to crave my morning smoothie! My body feels so good after drinking it! Before working out, I have an 8 oz. glass of filtered water with a scoop of Daily Fruit & Vegetable Blend powder mixed with a squeeze of a ¼ lime and a shake of sea salt. This gives my body 22 fruits & vegetables, so even if don’t eat my daily goal of 7-9 cups of vegetables, I know I’m still giving my body what it needs for proper nutirition.

After working out, I make my favorite smoothie: 1 cup greens, 4 handfuls frozen organic blueberries, 1 T. raw almond butter, 2 scoops Equilibrium Nutrition Chocolate Daily Nutritional Support protein powder, 1 scoop collagen, ½ cup almond milk, and fill the rest with filtered water.

4. Wash my face:

Every morning and every night, without fail! Normally I put on makeup everyday just like Krista, but I have to admit, I’ve slacked a little during quarantine! Either way, I make sure to wash my face and apply my routine of anti-aging exfoliants, serums, and moisturizers to keep my skin healthy and hydrated. Currently, I’m using Curology and Paula’s Choice for my skincare routine.

5. Pray! :

The bible tells us to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17) and what that means to me is I talk to God & his son Jesus all day long! I first learned as a young child that God wants a personal relationship with me and it changed my life forever. Every desire, every fear, every concern I have I can cast upon him whenever thoughts like that crop up in my mind. He’s my best friend and confidant, and he NEVER disappoints. During my dad’s recent passing, I was constantly being reminded of God’s love in the way he orchestrated things in completely unexpected ways. When I’m not talking to God regularly, or reading the bible, I feel distant from him and it doesn’t take long for things to start to feel out of balance.

It’s not a long list, but if we can at least accomplish these things, we’re feeling good about our day! Anything else is just frosting on the cake. We’d love to hear about your essential daily routines in the comments below!

xoxo Krista & Julie

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