One year later, I am doing a call and response to one of my favorite posts of all time. I know I promised last year not to turn this into an existential meditation, but guess what? We’re about to do just that.

Twelve months later, I can look back on those early moments of 2023 and see how I allowed myself to be far more uninhibited and stumbled into a larger, happier life. Wait, I didn’t stumble. That sounds far too accidental.

I went head-first, feet planted, hands in the mud towards the day-to-day I wanted, and came up with arms full. Yes, 2023 was a full-body experience!

In response to my devilishly delightful worst habits, I am sharing the things that keep me on track. I have learned that intentionally cultivating solid ground allows ample space to go buck wild when you need to. It’s the yes/no of living a good life.

1. Meditation, all the time. Sounds hyperbolic, I swear it’s not. We know I’m a Gabby Girl, a lover of Marianne Williamson, but nothing currently compares to my To Be Magnetic practice. We’ve discussed this before, but since incorporating the Deep Imaginings into all aspects of my life— wake-up, bed time, bath time, quick car ride, moment of panic—I can face the sharp edges of daily life with more joy and ease.
2. My Dental Health Routine should be in history books. Humility, a thrill! I’m just very dedicated to floss, brush, rinse no matter what city/state/country/time zone I’m in. If you take one thing from this list, prioritize your mouth health. Your whole body will thank you!
3. I’ve started to stop people pleasing— across all platforms. Omnichannel! No, but, seriously a huge part of 2023 was establishing boundaries on my time, energy, feelings of responsibility with friends, family (tough but necessary!) and strangers alike. I no longer just push through for another person’s moment-to-moment comfort. Trust, I will still talk someone’s head off in a grocery line, but it’s more about little bursts of connection than contorting myself into another person’s happiness.
4. Twice a week sweating— I’ve recently coined my 30-45 minute hard as sin workouts as “Done/Deads.” I gave up regular hardcore workouts post-pandemic because… I simply fucking wanted to! Now, I spin 1-2x/week, fit in one mind-numbingly hard yoga session and call it a day! Perhaps some at-home Pilates. But nothing before 9 am. Ahh, I got it, I’m running the workouts— they are no longer running me.
5. This one was a doozy, but I have cut back on fully-caffeinated coffee. It started when I was going through some tough stuff in October and noticed my daily latte was spiking my anxiety. Ok, the real story is that I had a latte, an iced matcha and accidentally drank a caffeinated Poppi all in a 10-hour timeframe. First woman from Memphis to land on the moon! It was terrible, and took a really hard spin class and a semi-meltdown to get to the other side. The next day I went for just matcha, and the whole thing stuck. The first few weeks were…not great. By 2 pm, I was a true monster— headache, brain fog, homicidal ideation. I have found my groove a few months later, relying mostly on an iced matcha at home for my big caffeine fix of the day. I then sprinkle in earl grey, decaf or half-caff in the afternoon. Coffee is my bbgrl, so this one was no walk in the park. The results have been outstanding— more energy, less anxiety, better sleep, and an opportunity to make a special request at the coffee shop. A barista’s ultimate joy— “Do y’all do half-caff?”

Five good habits is a balanced response to ten bad ones! Get you a girl who can do both. I know it’s no longer Happy New Year territory, but I hope you are finding time in early 2024 for your best and worst sides. Xx