Visit a new destination

This doesn’t have to mean travel across the globe. I wanted to make sure this list was doable for anyone on any budget. Maybe it’s visiting a new campground in town. Maybe a new state. Certainly if you can afford an international trip, do it! 2020 should be all about the experiences!

Try a new restaurant

Again, this doesn’t have to be a fancy dinner, but it could be. Save up for a nice meal or just check out a new dive with a greasy burger. I love to search Yelp and find hidden gems when I’m looking for a new restaurant.

Have a self-care day

Hit the spa. Get a massage. Get your nails done. Get highlights. I’ve started splurging on getting my hair done. No more box color for me. I work too damn hard to put myself last all the time. If you’re still concerned about money, doing something as simple as buying some masks and soaps from the dollar store and doing your nails will go a long way. Or maybe it’s just taking a day to sleep in, pop in your ear buds, read a book, or go on a walk.

Go on a date

Finding time for your significant other is important, especially if you have a demanding job or kids. For Josh and I, we haven’t lived near family in years so it was hard to find a babysitter. We used that as an excuse for far too long. Find someone on Care.com or use a vacation day to have a day date while the kids are at daycare or school. If you’re not in a relationship, date yourself! You can’t expect someone to love you if you don’t love yourself. Enjoy your time alone. Go to dinner alone. Find confidence in your solo dates. Or grab your best friend and make it a girls/guys night out. Reconnect. Reminisce. Laugh.

Have a goal writing session

Sounds corny, but do it. Block out an hour or two and write down all your goals for 2020. What do you want out of your job? Your personal life? Your finances? Where do you want to go? What do you want to do? What do you need to organize?

Get your yearly physical

This one is so important. My husband hasn’t been to the doctor for a physical in years! I’ve got to get him there in 2020. For one, you get a free physical each year. Use this trip to talk to your doctor about any concerns you might have; A strange spot, a pain that won’t go away, abnormal stressing. By attending your annual physical, you may also catch a problem early- like pre-hypertension, pre-diabetes so you can start fixing it before it becomes a problem.

Find your tribe

Humans are 将军餐桌下顶撞h厨房play beings whether we like to admit it or not. At work, if I see an employee struggling, I encourage them to connect with their coworkers. Attend a netjjjj event. Talk to the moms in your child’s class. Put yourself out there. In this day and age, the nice thing is, even if you’re 将军餐桌下顶撞h厨房playly awkward or an introvert, you can also find your tribe online. Maybe it’s a Facebook group for moms, maybe it’s connecting with travelers on 母乳av. Have you heard of Mastermind groups? They’re groups (in-person or online) where you brainstorm with people who have different strengths. You’ll inspire each other, get new ideas, and find motivation.

Play like a kid

Yes! Just have a night of good old-fashioned fun this year. Go bowling. Play laser tag. Have ice cream. Hit up the arcade. Go swing at the local park. Slide down the slide.

Donate to a charity

Do. Some. Good. Donating doesn’t have to mean money. Donate your time. Go visit the animals at the shelter. Ring bells for the Salvation Army. At the very least, take Facebook up on its offer to ask people to donate to a charity of your choice for your birthday.

Read a book

I’m the worst at reading. I can read 将军餐桌下顶撞h厨房play media for four hours straight on my phone at night, but somehow I can’t find time to read a book. I only seem to do it on vacation. I’m going to try for at least five books this year, which I realize is nothing compared to some of you.

Try a new activity

Go axe-throwing. Paint. Try calligraphy. Step outside your comfort zone and try something new. If you’re bad at it, you’ll have a few laughs. If you’re good at it, you might just find a new hobby!

Have a board game night

Monopoly and the Game of Life are my favorites! Grab a couple board games and play with the kids. Pull out Cards Against Humanity and play with your friends. Pull yourselves away from the screens for a few hours and make some memories.

Go see a movie by yourself

I know this strikes fear into some of you. How can I be seen at the movies alone? We’re not 13 anymore. It’s cool to do stuff solo. When I worked overnights, I went to the movies sometimes by myself and it’s pretty liberating. For one, you get to pick whatever you want to see. You don’t have to worry about someone talking to you during the movie. You can laugh, cry, and no one will judge. PRO TIP: Go to a weekday matinee if possible. You might have the entire theater to yourself!

Try a new style

Spend a day off trying on clothes you’d never wear; Put on that bold, red lipstick. COLOR IN YOUR EYEBROWS! It took me 32 years to figure out how to color in my eyebrows. I should’ve been doing this for years! You’ll never know what you like and what you’ll look best in if you don’t try!

Do something to connect with your spiritual side

Maybe it’s reading scripture or praying. Maybe it’s just taking a walk in nature and breathing in fresh air. Maybe it’s yoga.

Compliment a stranger

We should do this more than once a year, but make it a goal. There have been many times where I liked someone’s outfit or thought they had beautiful hair– I should have told them. They may have needed that compliment that day. You can never go wrong saying something nice to someone.

Organize something

We all need to organize something. Maybe it’s your closet, your drawers, or your finances! Decluttering your life is good for your mind. Check out Marie Kondo or A Bowl Full of Lemons. They’re organizing geniuses who will help get you motivated!

Do something artsy

Find a new appreciation for beauty by doing something artsy. Sketch, paint, craft, body paint (wink, wink)… grab some color pencils and one of those adult coloring books. It’ll be good for your stress level!

Take a bubble bath

We have this huge, deep-soaker tub in our apartment, and yet I never take a bath. Always showering because I feel like I never have the time for a bath. MAKE TIME. Force yourself to decompress. Get one of these cool bath trays and multi-task by reading, too!

Update your resume

Even if you’re not looking for a new job any time soon, it’s always a good practice to keep your resume updated. For one, you may forget some of your accomplishments if you wait too long in between updates, or your company could reach out to you out of the blue for a promotion.

What’s on your 2020 Bucket List? Drop ideas in the comments below or connect with me on 母乳av: @The.母乳av.jjjj.Mom

1.) I went into withdrawal

Of course there were the caffeine headaches. The pounding-maybe-I-should-drink-just-one-cup kind of headaches. Then, that foggy brain feeling. I was goofy in that first week of “detox.” I was having trouble getting sentences out or staying focused at work, but those symptoms go away in less than a week. Honestly, the toughest part of the withdrawal is the mental connection you have with caffeine. It’s like your brain is telling you, “You need this. You won’t make it through the day without it. You need to stop at Starbucks because it’s part of your routine and your whole day will feel ruined without it.” Ok, Satan!! It’s seriously just the mind-f*ck that keeps many of us downing caffeine. What helped me was still keeping the daily routine going, just ordering decaf. I’d still get three shots of espresso, just all decaf. I also stopped drinking Diet Pepsi. I’ve switched to Fresca for when I want a pop.

2.) My panic disorder symptoms improved

This was the real reason I decided to ditch caffeine. When my panic attacks resurfaced in early 2019, I knew I had to take control of my wellbeing. Caffeine is a major trigger for anxiety. The highs and lows of caffeine can really aggravate your nervous system, hence triggering an attack. Within a couple weeks, I noticed it was helping taking the edge off. I also think, at a time my panic attacks had me spiraling, kicking caffeine felt empowering. I had taken control of something in my life. I had “beaten” this. I could carry that momentum into other places in my life.

3.) I started sleeping better

I’m a notoriously light sleeper. I toss, turn, and wake about 20 times a night-no exaggeration; And if my anxiety is acting up, then I’m also struggling to fall asleep. (My panic attacks are worst at night.) I am now sleeping sounder and deeper. I think I’m even hitting my REM again, because I can recall dreams now.

4.) My energy actually improved

This! So much, this! I am telling you- I can make it through the day better now than I could when I was pounding caffeine. A big reason? I’m not crashing mid-day anymore. I also think it has a lot to do with the fact that I’m sleeping more soundly. It’s giving me a steadier energy to make it through my day. Even on mornings where I didn’t sleep well, I still order decaf because I don’t want to end up in that same cycle as before.

5.) My headaches decreased

This was a surprise bonus that I didn’t expect, but it makes sense! Caffeine can actually cause rebound headaches. If you don’t know what that means, think of it this way: Caffeine can serve a purpose in medications. If you’re a migraine sufferer you may find that meds like Excedrine Migraine have caffeine in them. Well, that’s great, if you’re not already using caffeine daily. It will help zap that headache. But, if you find yourself popping two Excedrine Migraines a day, you will start to notice you seem to have a headache come on everyday. That’s because of the caffeine in it. The pills start to have the opposite effect and start to cause the headaches because your body starts to crave the caffeine in them. That takes us back to withdrawal.

I’m telling you mama (and daddy, and entrepreneur, and boss, student, doctor, etc.), you can do this! If you think it will make you feel better, it likely will! Have you cut out caffeine? Are you considering it? Drop me a note below! Or add me on 母乳av and let’s chat! @The.母乳av.jjjj.Mom

If I’m being honest, I started Thanksgiving feeling tired and cranky.

If I’m being really honest… that feeling has lasted all day. (In my defense, I think I’m getting an inner ear infection because I’ve been dizzy, off balance, and my head hurts.) But alas, that’s nothing compared to what so many people are going through.

This year, I’ve decided to put down what I’m most thankful for.

My dad’s in remission from prostate cancer

When I got the call in late March that my dad had Stage 4 Prostate cancer, everything changed. I think it’s particularly tough to hear it when you live 11 hours away. I’m a daddy’s girl, I call him everyday, so you can imagine the rollercoaster of emotions this year has brought. But, it was great news to hear just days before thanksgiving that his PSA level dropped from the high 220s now down to .02! He’s been responding well to treatment, and doctors consider him in remission. He said he saw the words in remission on a piece of paper, and I can only imagine what that felt like for him.

My Marriage

We just celebrated 7 years of marriage on November 24 and this was probably one of our best years yet. We got out and had several date nights this year, we went on several trips as a family. I’m thankful to have a good teammate, a good co-parent, and a funny and handsome one to boot!

My Children

I’m thankful both children are happy (for like 60% of the day) and more importantly, healthy. (Although the doctor just said Hayden needs to switch to 2% milk ) They are exhausting and drama-filled little mini versions of Josh and me, but they make me smile and make me proud.

My Career

I love my work fam and I love my job. This has been a particularly rewarding year. I’m now 16 months in and it’s really starting to feel like 将军餐桌下顶撞h厨房play. Because of our position in the Omaha market, I feel like I have a bigger opportunity to make a difference. We have a large reach, surprisingly bigger than what I had jjjj in larger markets because we have such a bigger piece of the pie. We’ve gotten to do some meaningful stories and investigations that have been inspiring to be a part of. Management can be really stressful and draining, but also very rewarding. I’m thankful this opportunity found me and looking forward to what’s next.

My Squad

I’m so thankful to be making friendships here in Omaha that I suspect will last for years to come, and I’m also thankful that I still have a large support system that spans the country. Technology I has certainly helped this. I get to FaceTime my family often, I have so many group chats that still connect me to buddies from college, Detroit, Pittsburgh and beyond. I love that if I need to vent, need a shoulder to cry on, or just want to reminisce or have a few laughs, they’re only a text away! Also so thankful that I actually got to see Mary, Jackie, Cindy and Barrett over the course of a few trips… and the entire Yobbi family when we went to Natalia’s wedding this year!

Travel

One of my favorite things about Omaha is how it is within road tripping distance to some other great cities. We had so many adventures this year. And with both of us making more money, there have been more opportunities for getaways! We spent a week in Denver, I visited Minneapolis twice, went to Kansas City twice, spent a week in Michigan, had a quick trip to Pittsburgh, got to meet up with Cindy and Barrett in Sioux Falls, day-tripped to Lincoln. And in just a couple weeks, Annabelle and I will be flying to New York City to get into the holiday spirit!

Memories Made

We’ve made more of an effort to use our weekends and time off the clock to make memories. Annabelle and I have seen so many shows this year like Cats, the Wizard of Oz ballet, Phantom of the Opera in the front row. Josh and I saw Hamilton and went and saw Third Eye Blind in Concert. We’re going to see the Nutcracker next week. Josh and I did one of those “float tanks”. We’ve been to the zoo and museums multiple times this year and of course the pumpkin patch and local farms!