Hey Friends,
As I write this, I'm sitting in a warm coffee shop and it's dumping snow here in Bend, Oregon. It's beautiful, but I'm eagerly anticipating my winter trip down to San Diego.
I've been thinking a lot about how last year just absolutely flew by and here we are, already sitting in 2022. As someone who is very goal-oriented, it's been sobering to remind myself to be grateful for each and every day that we are gifted with: these precious minutes, hours and days that are our lives.
Over the past 6 months, I've really been prioritizing my mental health, physical health, and daily habits and rituals — and it's fascinating how all three are interconnected. I wanted to share a few things that have been helping me to feel my healthiest self, in hopes that they spark something creative or new in your own life and routine.
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Daily Movement
This one is huge for me. A year ago, I pulled the trigger on a Peloton, which is set up in our Berlin Skin HQ. It felt like a big purchase at the time, but all of the gyms were still either closed or partially open, and I was tired of waiting. To say that it's been life changing would be an understatement. I don't cycle a ton, but I use their strength, yoga, barre and weight classes almost daily. My body has become stronger, and I feel more mentally clear and energized. I've come to realize that one of the best investments we can make is in our health, and this has never been more clear than over the past 2 years.
The 5 Minute Journal
I have been using this journal daily for the past few months, and it has been really powerful. Each day there are prompts to start the day with gratitude and a positive affirmation. It's hard to have a bad day when you start out by recognizing all that you are blessed with.
Creating Vision Boards
I'm a highly visual, creative person and I learn by seeing. When I can easily pull up images and words that remind me of who I am, who I want to become and what I want to accomplish, it's daily motivation to stay focused, positive, and confident. A vision board can easily live on Pinterest, or you can pull a bunch of images and quotes and make your own collage. I also write these goals down into categories: my relationship with God, family, friendship, business, fitness, home, and finances. When I'm feeling uninspired, it's really helpful to pull these up and refocus.
Digital Minimalism
The path to digital minimalism has been a long one. I started writing about this years ago, and it's extremely hard to do in our modern world that functions via tech. But I deeply believe that in order to stay mentally healthy, do creative work, and simple feel more human — we have to unplug and create strict boundaries around our devices. If this is a new idea to you, I recommend you read Deep Work and/or Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport. These books changed my life. A month ago, my husband and I took things a step further and bought light phones: a phone that is tiny, light, and has no internet or apps. Some people think it's enough to simply dumb down your smart phone, but the truth is that smart phones are highly addicting and hard to resist. The smart phone doesn't have blue light, but rather E-Ink (think Kindle). I realize that this dumb phone lifestyle might not be for everyone, but I'm telling you, it's amazing. The Light Phone is meant to accompany your smart phone and/or laptop. Since I use my smart phone constantly for my business, I'm still trying to figure out how to use them both, but right now my plan is to have a number for my Light Phone (home) and for work hours (iPhone). TBD on how it all pans out.
Slow Skincare
I'm someone who is all about efficiency and it's hard for me to slow down. I've been challenging myself to not rush through my skincare routine at night, as it's an opportunity to wind down and practice daily self-care. My winter faves right now are the Coconut & Aloe Cleanser, Blue Tansy Cream, and Cocoa Eye Butter. This season is all about beating that dry skin, and these three products are amazing at nourishing and locking in maximum moisture for the skin.
Consistency is Key
Whatever you're committing to in 2022, I've found that consistency and daily habits are everything. Sometimes I only work out for 10 minutes a day, but I choose to show up, and that's half of the work.
Cheers to living out your best days this year!
— Monica Watson, Founder & CEO
