Building Your Fresh Start Toolkit

In upcoming posts we are going to be covering some super practical and small steps we can take to improve our lives a little at a time. While we're working on easing into a new month, year, and decade here are a few things you'll find useful depending on what you want to accomplish this year. You don't have to try to use everything on the list.

This isn't a comprehensive list but a jumping-off place. You might want to print it out and then circle the things you need or write in your own. If this causes you overwhelm just focus on the main thing you hope to improve in January.

This is not a shopping list! You may just need to locate your lost water bottle or get out those good pajamas you've been "saving." Podcasts and books can be had for free with an app. Like me, you probably have some things around the house that you just need to get out and make use of. Some of these will make more sense as we move through the series but I wanted to give you a heads up.

GOAL SETTING AND TIME MANAGEMENT

Vision Board
Planner
Journal

CREATING A BEDTIME ROUTINE

Comfortable bedding
New pajamas or slippers
Sleep mask
Allery protective covers for mattress and pillows
Diffuser
Lavender essential oil
Bedtime tea

CREATING A MORNING ROUTINE

Puzzles/books/reading material
Any useful apps
Uplifting and encouraging podcasts
Your get moving playlist
Water filter/bottle
Supplements/vitamins


FOR YOUR BRAIN

A book of crossword puzzles/sudoku/word search
Art/craft supplies
Board games
Meditation app
Kindle/Libby for your phone
Books you want to read

FOR YOUR BODY

Water bottle
A list of healthy recipes you want to try
Any vitamins or supplements you want to add to your daily routine.
Exercise equipment or gym membership
One workout ensemble you feel good in
Proper shoes for the exercise you choose

MIND/BODY/SPIRIT 

Classes and workshops
Small group
Church/place of worship
The Bible/sacred texts
Other spiritual reading materials/books/biographies
Find a therapist
Join a support group

HOME IMPROVEMENT

DIY supplies for home projects
Cleaning supplies
Containers for organizing

PODCASTS are the best free time-saving way to get some encouragement or inspiration when you can't sit down to read a book. They are getting their own post, but here's my shortlist of my faves.

Ed Mylett, Don't be thrown off by his appearance and trappings of wealth. He's an inspiration. 

Happier with Gretchen Rubin,  Practical, fun, and like riding to work with your gal pals. 

You're Welcome with Hilary Rushford,  Her theme is less overwhelm and more joy. 

Lewis Howes The School of Greatness, he has a great backstory and uplifting interviews

The Next Right Thing, if you need to quiet the fear of choosing wrong. 


BOOKS

Essentialism
The War of Art
Romancing the Ordinary
The Artist's Way
How To Win Friends and Influence People
The Power of Positive Thinking
The Happiness Project
Better Than Before
The Four Tendencies

This is not a comprehensive personal development reading list but of the hundreds of books I've read, these are the ones that are my favorites but also fit into our gentle January theme. Okay, The War of Art isn't gentle at all but it's short and necessary for creatives. You can also glean a fantastic reading list from the podcasts I've listed.