Category: Life advice

37 things I’ve adopted that quietly improved my life

Do you like a self help listicle as much as I do? I hope you find some items on this list helpful. I understand many of these list items not everyone can do and although not everyone can be a SAHM or would even want the life of a SAHM, I do feel absolutely blessed (and thank God daily) and privileged to be in a position where I can pursue my creative interests without the pressure to earn and have a working spouse who gives me full control of our finances. If you want more details of our set up, please let me know!

Here’s what’s been working well for me-

1. Sleeping with my hair combed above my head in a loose knot. Prevents tangles when you wake up and you release your hair and have va-va-voom Texas hair every morning.

2. Using this dry shampoo with a fluffy brush on my roots six days a week – I only have to wash my hair once every week now.

3. Weekly foot massages – my biggest splurge for self care.

4. Finding a signature nail polish for toes and fingers that doesn’t need a UV light and that I wear daily- as natural feeling as clear, but you don’t see any dirt under your nails, and when it starts to chip, no one can tell since it’s so light.

5. Seeing friends for about 2 hours every day – I’m an extrovert and they energize me. Also why is does this feel so uncommon? We did this in high school and college and we were happier then.

6. Scheduling another friend meet up the same day I see them- so I don’t ever forget to see someone, and they are always on rotation.

7. Prioritizing daily breaks away from kids so I can come back and be better for them- gym daycare is underrated!

8. Following this fasting protocol from “Fast like a Girl.” There are times in the month you need more food- it’s not lack of willpower and it’s not all in your head.

9. Putting the boys’ homework and chores on a chart for them to mark instead of telling them what they have to do each day- wow has this freed up my to do list!

10. Using this free app for all errands, recurring chores, and to do list items – cannot live without this! (Called “errands”)

11. Putting every bill on autopay but having the recurring bill pop up on my errands app so I know it’s happening – saves time every month!

12. Investing in index funds and automating payments – cut out the middle man. All the do it yourself books and documentaries recommend this including this book, this book, and this documentary.

13. Switching from whole life to term life and investing the difference- because I want to retire Nate, not my insurance agent.

14. Telling play dates we are healthy before we meet them so they can tell us if they are not healthy, and we can avoid getting sick.

15. Eating raw garlic like this anytime I feel like my body is off or about to get sick.

16. Praying for a different friend every single day- it’s a great thing to do just because but why does nobody ever talk about this in terms of Biblical wealth building?!

Job 42:10.

“After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before.” (NIV)

17. Making Nate’s lunch and lemonade and doing the boys’ chore and homework chart the night before in case anyone wakes up before me- which brings me to my next number…

18. Living without an alarm and allowing my body to wake up when it is fully rested every day- absolutely 100% the best perk of being a stay at home mom. I prioritize sleep over many things.

19. Letting go of overly critical and negative friends, competitive friends, and demeaning friends- life is too short to have these people around calling themselves your friends.

20. Exercising 30 minutes a day, 6 days a week- I exercise for sanity not vanity these days. I’m just a happier, more patient, more energetic person when I do this.

21. Starting the day with prayer, gratitude, and reading the Bible. I use these apps for this-


Screenshot

22. Tracking my daily water intake on this app

23. Hiring a property management company to take over our short term rentals so I can focus on creative pursuits

24. Joining the neighborhood weekday walking group at 8am

25. Doing the budget weekly on this app

26. Switching to a perfume roller so fragrance lasts longer (you waste less product when it’s not sprayed into the air and it stays longer when it is mixed with your skin oils instead of on your fabric).

27. Doing my makeup sitting in the car because it has the best light.

28. Reviewing my goals weekly (26 for 2026).

29. Washing my sponges in the dishwasher weekly.

30. Taking a weekly sabbath with as minimal chores as possible, no work, and as little on my to list as possible.

31. Calling my dad weekly.

32. Weighing in only once a month and only on a scale like this that calculates everything- weight, body fat percentage, BMI, muscle mass, heart rate, water weight, bone mass, etc. Weighing in puts me on an emotional rollercoaster. Any more than once a month messes with my head.

33. Giving the boys chores like mowing the lawn and picking up dog poop- because wow it has freed up some time, it is making them into happy, empathetic, successful adults!

34. Using these whitestrips every week. My teeth are what most people ask me about! “Your teeth are so white! What do you use?”

35. Learning how to cut my own hair and my boys’ hair- because it’s easy and it will save us money our entire lives.

36. Taking off work 1 day every 7 days, 1 week every 7 weeks, 1 month every 7 months, and 1 year every 7 years (haven’t done the last one yet!)- because I want to work until I am physically and mentally unable to but I want regular breaks. Here’s where I write about why I don’t believe in retirement.

37. Grounding any chance I can touch warm earth- because studies show it really is healthy, and at the very least, it feels amazing!

Tips on moving- from someone who does it a lot!

A sunny day in our permanent home

As someone whose husband’s job has us relocating ever so often, I have a lot of tips on how to do it well and thrive in your new community! We have lived in Carnation Wa, Keyport, Wa, Kennewick, Wa, Richland, Wa, and Hillsboro, Or. We are a homeschooling family, so that makes it possible for us to up and leave anytime Nate has a new project. Here are my tips for how to thrive in the new location!

Write a “Better in _____ (new city/town)” list

Sunset by our new place

My dad always instilled in me to focus on what I can control. He said, “If you can do something about it, take action, but if you can’t do something about it, find a way to love it or make the best out of it.”

This way of thinking has served me well my whole life! Moving falls into the second category. I can’t control that we have a lifestyle where we relocate. BUT, I can learn to look for good in my new location. One way I do that is by keeping a running list on my phone’s notes- “Better in ______ (new town/city)

I look for the good. I write it down. Anytime I think of something better in the new location, I add it to the list! This is one way to embrace the present and make the most out of it.

Here’s my current list!

  • Ice maker works 
  • Living room speaker is amazing
  • An entire room dedicated to just being my dressing room 
  • I have one less toilet, tub, sink, and bathroom to clean in this house.
  • House full of light
  • skylight in dining area
  • Super fast internet
  • close to the ocean
  • Ac
  • closer to many things- 
    15 min from Costco, Winco, and Walmart 
  • close to Nate’s work
  • We can make money in Carnation home while here 
  • Naval base is off leash after it closes and is larger than by the lake 
  • Corner store we can bike or walk to 
  • Post office we can bike or walk to 
  • Best caramel ice cream

Keep a running list of places you want to visit in your new town and places you have already visited and want to visit again

A favorite pump track nearby!

When you’re doing your research on the area, write down all the locations you want to check out. I write down hikes, pizza places that have received medals from Italy, pump tracks for the boys, indoor play areas, great beaches for low tide and kite flying, foot massage locations, steakhouse recommendations etc. I’ll ask moms in the area about their favorite grocery stores, taco trucks, sushi places. I’ll ask about the best playgrounds, lakes to swim in, and skate parks. Once I’ve gone to a place, I’ll move it over to the bottom of the page so that I don’t forget about it!

Join all the Facebook groups

Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there! Most people are just happy to be invited to things.

I’ve joined a Christian homeschool group, a homeschool group in the county I’m in, a homeschool adventure group, the local mom’s group, a friend finder group, a neighborhood group, the buy nothing group, and I’ve made my own mom’s group. If there’s a new in town group, I’d join that too! The key is to join all the groups that look like they meet IRL or the groups that look like they want to socialize. This is a tip from an extreme extrovert (100%). You never feel weird about looking for new friends when you are new in town! No one expects you to already have friends! If you wait a year before reaching out, or the longer you wait to try to make friends, the more awkward you will feel. If you’re a newbie you don’t have to think that other people are thinking, “Why doesn’t she have friends?” Not that they are thinking that, butyou might be thinking they are thinking that. Strike while it’s hot. There’s no better time to make new friends in a new town than when you are new to the area. And when you post on the groups, declare it! “Hi! I’m new in town and my two boys, ages 7 and 10 are looking for new friends!”

Post in the groups what you like! I’ve started a hiking group, a board game group, and I’ll be doing a karaoke group next month. All of this is through Facebook groups and messenger. I’ll post “ who likes hiking?” And then if they comment, I add them to the messenger group and I set up hikes and game nights.

I even set up play dates before we move so that we have something on the calendar after we settle in.

We moved April 20th and I have hosted 2 hiking meetups, scheduled a summer bbq potluck for the neighborhood for June, a ladies’ game night in June, gone to two homeschool gatherings, made four individual playdates out of those two gatherings, joined an elementary school game night, and I walk 4 days a week with the neighborhood walking group. Remember if you can only focus on two things for a happy life, it’s having a great romantic relationship and great friendships. All the effort is worth it!

Pray for your new community and neighborhood

Think about what you can give, not just what you can get out of your community

If you’re a Christian, the best piece of advice I can give you for your move is to ask God to bless your family in this transition and ask Him how you can be a blessing to your new community-

“Lord I pray for this neighborhood and this community, that our family can be a blessing to these people while we are here. Show us where the needs are, how we can help. Give us opportunities to serve our new community and neighbors. Thank You that they have already made an effort to reach out to us, be neighborly, and welcome us.”

Have an attitude of gratitude and anticipate and expect good to come out of it! Most people don’t get what they want in life, hope for in life, or work hard for in life. Most people get what they expect they will get.

So expect good things! Hope this helps!!