From the Front Porch
A few weeks ago, one of my journaling prompts was, “If you could design the perfect morning before starting your workday, what would it look like?”
I didn’t give it much thought at first because we have a pretty solid morning routine already.
But once I started jotting ideas down, I realized there were tiny little things I could do to make the mornings even better.
None of the ideas were outrageous or expensive and most were within my control.
I know it can easily feel like a happier, more organized, or more beautiful life is slightly out of reach.
But let me ask you, when is the last time you actually sat down and thought about what you really wanted your life to look like?
I’m not talking about big cars or fancy houses or millions of dollars in your portfolio, although don’t get me wrong, those things are all nice.
I’m talking about the moments that make up your day-to-day…
Dream about waking up to a clean kitchen? Clean it the night before.
Tired of reminding your kids to do their chores? Set a timer and have Alexa remind them.
Struggle with mealtime? Try easy crockpot or Instapot recipes, buy ready-made meals at the grocery store, go out to eat, hire a personal chef, or get a food delivery service.
Love having flowers on your breakfast nook table when you wake up? Buy a beautiful bunch from the grocery store, collect them from your cutting garden, or buy the best quality faux flowers you can afford.
Want to have quiet time in the morning? Go to bed earlier so you can wake up earlier.
Tired of the mess and clutter? Set a timer and start picking up the trash around the room. Then start putting away the items that belong in a completely different space. You’ll be surprised at how quickly things begin to take shape.
Feeling reactive instead of proactive? Take time to map out your week.
Having trouble sticking to your workout routine? Find a workout you enjoy so much you don’t want to miss it!
Long to travel? Set up a vacation club account with your bank, a card that earns you sky miles, meet with a travel planner, and book the trip. If you’re still saving, no worries, create a Pinterest board and fill it with bucket list favorites. That way, once you’re ready to go everything will be organized!
Need the motivation to finish a big goal? Find an accountability partner, join a mastermind, or a community of like-minded individuals that can help cheer you on.
Want more money? Figure out how you can cut back on extras to save more, scale up at work, start a side hustle, obtain additional education, or consider investment opportunities.
I know some of these things might seem out of reach right now.
The one thing these ideas all have in common though is they require intentional action.
So, stop telling yourself you’ll “start on Monday” or the “first of the month” or “someday when you have ____________” and start giving yourself what you need to be successful today.
Even the slightest shift can make a big difference.
I’ll be cheering you on!
PS: Thank you to everyone who prayed, lit a candle, and sent lots of love and light for my family’s safe return. It feels so good to have our pod back together again.
Welcome home, Mom. These pictures you took in Venice were two of my favorites!
A Few of Our Favorite Things from Around the Web…
Don’t miss this historic stone house!
This Manor House Apartment Will Make You Fall In Love with the French Countryside
Yes to everything in this French Connection Renovation by reDesign home Chicago
Have you seen this pantry yet?
This Beard Avenue Project by Bria Hammel Interiors might be helpful if you have more dark furniture than light in your home.
How to Replace a Garage Door with French Doors and Sidelites (we need to do this at Loblolly)
Just added this to our Mother’s Day menu. It looks so good!
Love the way Jen, added pops of pink to this Mother’s Day tablescape. It’s so pretty!
Leave it to Inspired By Charm to come up with the perfect way to picnic or snack this season.
I sent this style inspiration post to my Mom to help her pack for Europe. All the ideas are chic and simple.
Quiet Luxury Isn’t Just a Trend, It’s a Lifestyle
Do this if you only have 20 minutes to work out.
I can’t remember if I’ve already shared this tote or not but it’s so elegant for summer and would make a great gift idea too.
Words to Live By…
On My Nightstand…
(Amazon and Target affiliate links have been provided for your convenience. As an Amazon and Impact Media Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Any sales made through such links will support us with a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can read our full disclosure policy here)
I basically devoured April’s Book of the Month, Living Fully: Dare To Step Into Your Most Vibrant Life by Mallory Ervin.
I loved it so much that I got the companion book All In as well.
While I’m taking this book at a slower pace so I can do all the activities, I think it would be a fun project if you’re looking for more ways to grow and change over the summer.
It’s set up almost like a workbook with prompts and pages to help you gain clarity and craft a vision for living fully each day.
I’m hoping to get through both the 5 AM Club and The Miracle Morning by the end of May as I’m doing a bit of research on mornings.
So far, The Miracle Morning has been more relatable than the 5 AM Club which is not to say the 5 AM Club is not a good book. I personally just think the way The Miracle Morning is set up is a lot easier to follow.
As always, you can find a complete list of the self-discovery books we’ve read here.
April Menu Ideas…
Home Décor and Spring-Inspired Finds We Spotted Online at Amazon This Week…
(Amazon and Target affiliate links have been provided for your convenience. As an Amazon and Impact Media Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Any sales made through such links will support us with a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can read our full disclosure policy here)
Patio Cooler * Dress * Dining Set * Patches
Umbrella * Block Print Tablecloth *Pullover * Planter Box
Lounge Chair * Polish * Glasses * Topiary
Sunscreen * Rug * Garden Stool * Beach Towels
If You’ve Missed Anything from the Blog Recently or the Archives, Here’s a Peek At What We’ve Been Up To…
Our Favorite Cleaning Essentials
Podcasts We Love and Listen To
Custom Monogram for Mother’s Day
May Bucket List…
- Celebrate May Day, Cinco de May, Debry Day, Coronation Day, Mother’s Day, & Memorial Day
- Attend Dance Recital and Graduation
- Make Ice Cream
- Sunset Picnic at the Beach
- Buy Piper a Swimming Pool
- Map Out a Solid Plan for Loblolly Refresh
- Work on Back Patio Refresh
- Continue Quarter Challenge in Q2
- Continue Trampolining Workout
- Morning Pages & Journaling
- Finish Photography Class
- Read the Book of the Month
- Continue Q2 Devotion
- Continue Skincare Routine
- Keep Sundays Sacred
May Word of the Month: Nourish
Activities to Enjoy:
- Prioritize Self Care
- Create a Simple 5-15 Minute Makeup Routine
- Buy New Bras
- Book a Relaxing Trip to the Spa or Treat Yourself to a Mani/Pedi
- Sign Up for a Local 5K, 10K, 15K, Half or Full Marathon
- Take a Power Nap in a Dark Room
- Buy Flowers for Yourself and a Friend Who Least Expects It
- Put Together 7-10 Outfits You Feel Amazing In
You can find our complete list of Word of the Month Ideas here.
52 Weeks to a Simplified and Organized Home Challenge…
Focus of the Month: Shared and Common Areas
- 05/07 – Organize Household Books & Magazines
- 05/14 – Home Office or Guest Room
- 05/21 – Home Office or Guest Room Closet & Drawers
- 05/28 – Create a Summer Bucket List
TCG Housekeeping Notes, Dates to Remember, and Upcoming Posts…
- 05/01 – Shop for Birthday and Special Occasions Cards and Gifts
- 05/01 – May Day
- 05/04 – Star Wars Day
- 05/05 – Cinco de Mayo
- 05/06 – Kentucky Derby
- 05/06 – King Charles Coronation Day
- 05/13 – National Dog Mom’s Day
- 05/14 – Mother’s Day
- 05/20 – National Rescue Dog Day
- 05/29 – Memorial Day
- 05/30 – National Creativity Day
As always, we appreciate you more than you could ever know, and we hope your weekend is peace-filled and relaxing. We can’t wait to share even more with you next week!
Until next time, I’ll see you on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.
Many blessings,
CoCo
This is so true! Thank you for sharing. These are my favorite posts each week! Have a great weekend!
That’s so sweet of you to say, Susan, they’re definitely fun to create each week. Hope your weekend is filled with all good things, CoCo
Love your words of wisdom today!! Nothing changes if you just think about it, you have to put intentional actions in place to get new results! I’m so happy your family had safe travels and those pics are amazing!! Here’s to a wonderful week! Hugs, Donna
YES! It’s definitely not enough to think about it – you have to go do the thing. I know it’s easier said than done sometimes but there is nothing worse than feeling or staying stuck! Hugs for a happy weekend, CoCo
I had forgotten how much I enjoy these posts every week! They fill my mind and heart with so much goodness!! Saving this one because I need all the motivation I can get!! Thank you as always for putting all this amazingly helpful information together!! Have a blessed weekend! Hugs!
That’s such a sweet and kind thing to say, Christine, thank you so much! I promise I need pep talks like these myself – all the time. Sending you so much love and hugs and continuing to lift you up, CoCo
CoCo
Happy Friday! I’m so glad you shared the custom monogrammed idea again. I remember it from last year but had not thought about it again.
Thanks for sharing my Beet Salad Recipe.
.
You are so welcome, Rachel! We’ve given the custom monogram to multiple people and they’ve loved it. It really makes an extra special and thoughtful gift. Hope your weekend is a fun one, CoCo
Hi Coco,
Just read your from the front porch post. Loved it, so true how we can make small changes that bring big impact or even small impact……..any change that can help. I think part of the problem is that people just
fail to take inventory…..we just get so busy with life…..we don’t put on our thinking caps!! lol
I know something that has helped me sooo much is when I have a big project like cleaning out my closet
or cleaning out cabinets, or whatever it is for you…….We are stopped in our tracks because it is so big we
are over-whelmed before we start.. I read somewhere that if you break it down in small pieces it makes
all the difference, so I tried it and it works awesomely well. You decide the project, then figure out how
much time you could give to it daily……main 10, 20 or 30 mins. or more, it is your choice. Then you
commit to that amount of time, say it’s 20 mins. then everyday for 20 mins. you work on the project,
and you are allowed to stop at 20 mins., many times I will go passed that time, but the freedom is knowing you can stop at your commitment time. and it doesn’t have to be everyday, you might choose 15 mins.
every mon. wed, friday. The choice is yours………..It takes that overwhelming Monkey off your back.
Great post Coco, with so many great solutions. Have a wonderful day,
Blessings, Nellie
YES to everything you said, Nellie! It’s so nice to have the freedom to know you can do anything for 15 or 20 minutes and if you want to keep going great, if not that’s ok too but at least you’re working towards your goal. Small steps really do make a huge difference. Sending you hugs and hoping your weekend is a special one, CoCo
Happy Monday, CoCo.
Thank you so much for sharing my Mother’s Day tablescape. I always appreciate it. I hope your new week is off to a great start!
~Jen
You are so welcome, Jen. Hope your week is all that you need it to be! Big hugs, CoCo
I am dying to know more about your trampoline workouts! How are they going? They sound like they are fun. It’s so refreshing to read your encouraging posts – we often forget that many of the little things make a big difference and that we really can make little changes. Did you ever see the movie “What About Bob?” ? baby steps baby steps baby steps.
I love them, Anna! I’m going to wait to share a full recap until I’ve done it a whole month but I look forward to it each morning. It’s a good workout but easier on your body than I thought it would be. YES – it’s all about the baby steps! Hope you’ve had such a great week settling back into the swing of things. I’m working on an email for you now. Big hugs and welcome home, CoCo