Back to sleepless nights…this time for completely different reasons. Even though we may not get eight continuous hours of sleep in the foreseeable future, an optimal wake-up time is still within our reach. An optimal wake-up time? Let me introduce SmartWake by Verlo.

I have decided to take a dose of my own medicine.  Before becoming a stay-at-home mom, I worked in a Preventive Cardiology clinic where, day in and day out, I helped patients set goals to better their own health.  The typical method I used when helping people set goals was to make a S.M.A.R.T goal.  

Anyone else burned out over the usual suggestions for New Year’s mom resolutions?  Every year it seems we all aim for the same things… finally lose that baby weight, purge/simplify, be more “present,” stop judging others, and the list goes on! 

Like a hard slap in the face, it occurs to me that my phone not only distracts me from relishing in my fondest memories, but it also prevents me from making new ones. Ironically, the very device that stores and organizes much of my life simultaneously robs me of enjoying and being fully present in it.

It’s been six months since I worked outside the home.  In many ways, it feels like just yesterday that I was pulling into work.  In other ways, it feels as though I haven’t worked for years.  I am, by no means, an expert at being a stay-at-home mom.

It is the 5 (10 on a good day) minutes of the day where I can stop, think, and not be “on”.  Don’t get me wrong. I have a job that I love. But being a teacher, I am “on” all day long.  It’s an honor and a blessing, but it’s also exhausting. 

What do you do to take care of yourself, or how do you choose to spend your quiet moments? Wishing you plenty of quiet moments to yourself that make you thankful for your noise.

Currently, I am on a weight loss journey with my best friend, my husband, Kevin. We have been married for 18 years and have been through many ups and downs in our marriage, including the ups and downs of our weight.

The day was winding down, and the mess from the party had been cleaned up.  I no longer had a 4-year-old, but a 5-year-old.  Despite her obvious tiredness, my daughter was still beaming from the day's festivities.

The below post was submitted by guest contributor, Ashlee Rahmlow.  Thank you, Ashlee, for writing about your experience with Postpartum Anxiety, and, for offering support for so many others.