"I'm Fine" (and other lies we tell ourselves)

Yesterday morning I caught myself scrolling through my phone before my feet even hit the floor.

Thirty minutes vanished into the digital void while my 'intentional morning' slipped away, and led to running late, yelling, and tears getting the kids to school😩

Maybe you recognize some of these patterns in your own life:

→ Scrolling your phone while your coffee gets cold

→ Saying "I'm fine" when you're actually overwhelmed

→ Staying up late because it's your only "me time"

→ Eating lunch at your desk (again)

→ Promising to start that morning routine "next week"

But the beautiful thing about awareness?

Once you see these patterns - and importantly, what they are creating in your life - you can actually do something about them.

✨ I N S P I R E

"The space between who you are and who you want to be is what you do daily." - Unknown

✨ T H R I V E

The truth about lasting change: It's not the big moments that transform your life.

Research shows ~ 40% of your daily actions are habits, not conscious decisions.

That morning phone scroll that derailed your day? It wasn't a lack of willpower - it was an unconscious pattern.

Here's your simple roadmap to close the gap between where you are and where you want to be:

🌅 Start Your Day With Intention (Not Your Phone)

• Keep your phone in another room overnight (or at least across the room)

• Drink a full glass of water before checking anything digital

• Take three deep breaths and set one intention for the day

• Why it works: You're breaking the autopilot pattern and training your brain to be intentional from the moment you wake up

💭 Choose Presence Over Autopilot

• Pause before picking up your phone (that's 100+ chances daily to practice this)

• Pick one activity to do without multitasking - eating, walking, listening to your kids

• When you feel overwhelmed, ask: "What does my body need right now?"

• Why it works: These micro-moments of presence compound into greater self-awareness and help you catch those patterns before they derail your day

🗣️ Speak to Yourself Like Someone You Love

• Say "I'm doing my best" out loud once daily (especially after those chaotic school drop-offs)

• Replace "I should have" with "Next time I will"

• Celebrate small wins - finished that difficult email? Acknowledge it

• Why it works: Self-criticism keeps you stuck in shame spirals; self-compassion creates momentum and helps you bounce back faster from those inevitable "human moments"

🌙 Turn Today's Experiences Into Tomorrow's Wisdom

• Ask three questions: What felt good today? What drained me? What do I want to repeat?

• Write down one thing you're grateful for (even if it's just "everyone survived today")

• Set your phone aside 30 minutes before bed

• Why it works: Reflection helps you notice patterns and make conscious choices about tomorrow instead of repeating today's chaos

⚡Protect Your Energy Fiercely

• Say no to one thing this week that doesn't align with your priorities

• Set a "communication cutoff time" and actually stick to it

• Take a 5-minute walk outside without your phone

• Why it works: Boundaries aren't selfish - they create space for what truly matters and prevent those overwhelming days

The gap between who you are and who you want to be isn't a problem to solve.

It's a space to honor - filled with daily opportunities to choose growth over comfort, presence over autopilot, and intention over reaction.

You don't need to overhaul your entire life this week.

You just need to begin where you are✨

Have a beautiful week friends!

Carolyn

✨ FURTHER READING

The Beauty of the Slow Down: How pausing creates space for the moments that matter most

The Power of Consistency: Why small, repeated actions create lasting transformation

How to Challenge Your Self Concept: Breaking free from limiting beliefs about who you think you are

A Simple Question to Start Your Day: One powerful question to create intention and focus 

PS ~ Join AMAZING people getting daily tips like this to live a happy, successful, intentional life

PPS ~ Know someone who could use this reminder about the power of daily choices? Forward this to:

→ The friend who's always talking about "someday" goals but struggles to start

→ Anyone who needs encouragement that small changes lead to big transformations

→ The perfectionist in your life who's waiting for the "right time" to begin