Monday Motivation — v i c k i h a l l

5 Ways I Start My Week Off On The Right Track

June is a crazy month for Mom's with school aged kids. And by school aged I mean anywhere from K to 12. While I'm not pulling wagons anymore...I am busy motivating teens to complete assignments and study for exams, while their tanks slowly run out of gas.. My tank happens to be a little low at this time of year as well. To keep myself on track, so I can keep my boys on track - I follow a few simple tricks (especially on Monday) to make sure we make it through the week...and in this case, the last week of school with success.

Exercise

When it comes to exercise, my drug of choice is Pilates, specifically on the reformer. I'm on the reformer three times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) this really keeps my mind and body on track. It's a side benefit that my arms are slowly looking like Kelly Ripa's. :) On my off day's I make sure I take time to stretch. I always have my yoga mat unrolled beside my bed, this way I have no excuses. There's nothing like a self imposed plank challenge or downward dog to clear your head and get back in the game if you find your mind wandering.

Walk The Dog

Every morning my squad and I walk our dogs. There's usually three of us (well six if you count the dogs), but sometimes it's just two and on the odd morning I'm on a solo walk with my boy. I love my mornings with my Portugese Water Dog Shadow and my friends.. It gives me a chance to catch up with the girl while my pooch gets his exercise.. By catch up I mean talk about what the kids are doing in school, gossip a little, bitch about things - you know, what all girl squads do. There are other rules on the walk but those are reserved for us. We're a pretty tight and private squad. We love our hour together and our doggies love it too. #squadgoals

Smoothies

Ever since I bought a Vitamix I'm obsessed with making smoothies. I usually have my smoothie after my walk and workout. It fill's me up and energizes me for the remainder of my morning. Lately my favourite smoothie is Pineapple Coconut, it makes me feel like I'm on vacation somewhere tropical.

Pineapple Coconut Smoothie

1 cup pineapple chunks

1/2 cup coconut milk

2 tbsp shredded unsweetened shredded coconut

1 tablespoon agave syrup (optional)

1 cup ice

Blend and serve

Fresh Flowers

Ok...I know this is a little decadent, but I always love to have fresh flowers on my kitchen island. There's no science behind it, it just makes me happy when I come down for my morning coffee. I especially love it when I can bring in flowers from my own garden. Warning: watch out for the ants on your peonies.

Breathe

This one seems so simple...but it's so important. Don't forget to breathe. Take the time to take deep cleansing breaths. This is very important especially if you find your self going through a period of stress. Slowly fill your lungs up with air and then slowly exhale. It's unbelievable how this simple act of being aware of your breathing can bring you back to the moment and make you feel amazing.