I heard this quote in today’s ‘Daily Calm’ in the Calm app and it stuck with me. I got out of bed went right to my computer looked it up, found the author, and got his book on Audible. Finished my latest read yesterday and wasn’t sure what to read next but usually, when I least expect it, something happens to inspire my next read or listen. “When you press the pause button on a machine, it stops. But when you press the pause button on human beings they start,” argues my friend and teacher Dov Seidman, CEO of LRN, which advises global businesses on ethics and leadership. “You start to reflect, you start to rethink your assumptions, you start to reimagine what is possible and, most importantly, you start to reconnect with” ― Thomas L. Friedman, Thank You for Being Late: An Optimist’s Guide to Thriving in the Age of Accelerations I’ve been working on more of a slow-living type of life and honestly, it’s bringing me so much joy. Exercise, more sleep, good food, less drinking, and lots of time with my thoughts. Slow living means going through your life in a more thoughtful, meaningful way. Before the pandemic, I was always on the go, for like, my entire life. That 2-year pause we all went through + living up north in the woods, taught me so much about myself. I am resilient, creative, and determined. I’m thankful for each day and there is so much happiness to be found in what you already have, who you are, and the people around you. In other news, today I signed up for a course starting in January that I am so excited about. I’ll share what it is soon. If you can guess I’ll give you a prize. Until…

Hello & happy Monday! Getting a good start on Monday gives me the energy I need to carry me through the week, or at least until Wednesday haha. I did the Daily Calm meditation as I crawled out of deep sleep and made my bed. Put on my running gear right away and did 2km on the path. I did about 300 jumps on my rope while the kettle boiled & before making coffee. Was at my desk and ready to rock the day for a meeting at 9:15 am. LFG! Today’s blog is inspired by an Instagram post from my friend Ama Scriver. I’ve used Ama’s writing prompts before and decided to share this inspo with you today. Creative writing is so FREEING, just write, let the words flow with nowhere to go, get them out. Side note, Instagram is weird about embedding posts now so I have linked to her original post on Instagram here or in the image below. Feel free to take it and write something today! I wrote this without thinking, only feeling. It took under 5 minutes. I think something really important about the creative process is to just create, make something without the pressure of having to monetize it. JUST CREATE. It won’t always be a masterpiece but you need to consistently make things to practice your craft. Future Me, by Casie Stewart, 25 Jan. 2021 Future me is free, she is fit and healthy. She smiles into the sun, long hair flowing in the wind. She travels to the beach and spends summer at the lake. She loves freely and supports her friends. She sees challenges as an opportunity and she can face anything. She is bold but soft, caring, and strong. Future me knows her worth but in her heart she’s…

When it comes to goal setting or creating a new routine, there is no day like TODAY to start. You are the director of your life and you make the decision each day how you live out your 24 hours. Just because we’re starting a new year, you don’t need to lead with the ‘new me’ mentality. I’m moving forward with my quest for constant improvement and giving myself the freedom to follow what gives me joy. I’ve mentioned how over the last year my focus has been on health & fitness. Working out has been a big help in getting me through the cold, dark days of winter and months of quarantine. This year I’ve added a few new things to the mix, I’m focussed on mindfulness, skincare, and what I put into my body. My commitment to fitness has become a lifestyle and I wake up to workout first thing each morning, even on weekends. I’ve been stacking my habits by adding a few extras to things I’m already doing. It helps me stay on track and it feels like less work. Here’s a few new things I’m adding to my daily routine! The NRC & Zero apps are free and I’ve linked to free trials for Calm and Peloton. 10-minute meditation before I get out of bed each morning in the Calm app and a sleep meditation at night A shot of Apple Cider Vinegar w/ water first thing in the AM for digestive health Fresh lemon juice in my room temp water each morning Running at least 2k/day w/ Nike Running Club App (Last year I started with 1k/day!) 1 workout in the Peloton App (at least 10min) Washing off makeup before bed and using face oil + night cream (I need it for my wrinkles…