I’m not an athlete (surprise) and never really have been. I prefer a life of moderation, with a few moments of higher intensity or indulgence as my mood suits.

I’m nothing extreme. I eat “moderately” well, trying to cook our meals, vs buy them already prepared.  I hit the gym a few times a week, and breathe hard and break a sweat.

I will often eat cookies.  Plural.

But, when I want my body to deliver, it has to.  It needs to be able to help me live my life, and while it isn’t a life of athleticism, it is an intense life.

It is waking up and organizing 3 kids to catch busses, first one picking up at 730am.  It is waking a sleeping farm, hauling feed and water and managing a 170lb goat (who doesn’t always like being told what to do).  It is sitting for LONG periods at the computer, and then needing to leap into action to chase the hawk away from the hens.

Its having enough energy at the end of the day to enjoy my children, make a family dinner, help with homework and THEN have time to catch up with my husband.

Ok. Maybe I AM an athlete… just not in the sense that you would imagine.

Now, all of this is on a NORMAL day, but add the holidays to the mix, with shopping, wrapping, baking, and extra school events, and my average day is pushed to “insanity”

So. How does one do it?  And do it so that you aren’t destroyed at the end of the holidays?

I believe in bite sized pieces.

Make lists. STICK TO THEM

Yes, you have lots to do (trust me we ALL do).  So write it down, make lists and add check boxes. Organize your thoughts on something concrete and outside of your brain and then work through the list a bit at a time. Not only will it empower you to complete some of the items each day and see your progress, but you will also have a birds eye view of what NEEDS to be done, and you can make a secondary plan for executing it.  Ask for help (yes, hubby CAN get stocking stuffers for your mom) and use your resources.

Start the morning right

My instinct is to be reactive when things get a bit hairy. I fall back on the old staples of toast, or cereal, without any thought to how much value they actually have to my day.

Lately both hubby and I have made ONE change to our morning routine that has made all the difference in our day.  By using the Bulletproof360 method for our morning coffee, we have more energy (and less mid day cravings) to tackle our day.

What is Bulletproof Coffee?

Bulletproof360 morning coffee combines 3 ingredients to elevate your morning java into a day changing experience.  First, brew yourself a cup of Bulletproof Coffee beans, add in 1TBS of grassfed butter, or Ghee, and 1.5TSP of Brain Octane Oil (a super charged MCT oil).

Blend the whole she-bang and you end up with a frothy, creamy MEAL of a morning coffee.

Why Butter and Oil? 
By adding “healthy fats” to your morning cup instead of heavy cream, or milk, you are encouraging your body to a “ketosis” state (i.e., burning fat as energy).   The Brain Octane Oil (or BOO as we casually call it around here) is 16X stronger than Coconut Oil and brings your energy to a whole new place. You feel sharper, and (dare I say) smarter with these healthy fats, and don’t experience those normal coffee shakes, or late morning CRASH.
It also has the added bonus of being an appetite suppressant so you aren’t double fisting cookies into your mouth at 11amBy shifting our morning routine to include a healthier start with Bulletproof Coffee and a helping of free range, fresh collected scrambled eggs, we have the energy to tackle that long, overwhelming list. I like my eggs fresh and free-range and I like my coffee low-toxin and high performance. Bulletproof Coffee has a special way of growing and processing beans that means they are less susceptible to the moulds that other coffees are prone to (EWW!) and they double check just to make sure. Safety first! Everyone is safer when I’ve had my coffee.

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Let go of the non priorities

But, the LIST you say! It just keeps getting bigger. So, let some things go!  No one will know if you meant to flock the tree but didn’t. The magic isn’t less because you only tossed up 1 string of lights on the tree closest to the door.  So what if there is LESS baking this year (trust me, that is probably a GOOD thing)

Let go of the things that aren’t “priorities” and try to remember what makes this time of year so special. It is the special moments with family and friends that matters, not how many sides you are serving with a turkey.

Reduce the list aggressively, and focus on the most important things. For items you NEED, find an easier way (hello amazon) and make things as simple as possible.

Get to BED

I know, there is a new netflix show, I get it. BUT JUST GO TO BED.   Your body needs sleep, especially at this wintery time of year. Allow it to hibernate a little bit, and turn off the tech. (And believe me, if you do try Bulletproof Coffee you will be up WAY before your alarm!)

Find Small moments of Magic

These are the years that memories are made folks.  By focusing on tasks, reducing your list, getting a good sleep AND eating well, you will have the energy and TIME to enjoy those small miraculous moments that happen this time of year.

Snuggle with the kids, gaze at the tree. Embrace the warmth of the fire, and laugh at the holiday movies you have watched year after year.

Make it less about what you HAVE to do, and more about what you WANT to do.  Years go fast, and if we spend them in busy-mode, we will miss the special moments.
So, with that being said, I am off to load up the fire and play monopoly with the kids (again).  I am off to embrace my season… how about you?