Nourish
How A Simple Journaling Exercise Can Change Everything
One of wellness coach Ashley Gartland’s most effective tools is “The List,” a simple journaling exercise that helps bring priorities into crystal-clear focus. Read on as Ashley describes in her own words how she discovered The List, and how you can make your own. In conjunction with this post we’re offering 20% off our barre3 “balance” and “shine bright” journals! Details on how to redeem yours below.
You’ve kicked off the new year in the best possible way. With a fresh batch of New Year’s resolutions and a community of barre3 Challengers supporting you along the way, you’re finally making time for yourself—and chances are, you feel amazing.
But what about when the Challenge ends and those resolutions start fading into distant memories? How will you make sure you continue to make your wellbeing a priority? I struggled with this until I discovered a quick journaling exercise that changed everything for me.
Putting Myself Last
I discovered barre3 when the first Portland studio opened in 2008. I took an introductory class and immediately fell in love—yet somehow, it took me nearly four years to get back into the studio.
I loved the idea of being part of the barre3 community, but I just couldn’t seem to make it happen, first as a newlywed and then as a new mom. It was especially hard to justify “me time” after I had my daughter Addison. I simply didn’t believe I had the time, the energy, or the right to be anything but a mom, so I put my interests and goals on hold – including barre3.
A few years later, I had another little girl named Kennedy. Her arrival gave me the chance to right the wrongs I made as a first-time mom. And by “wrongs” I’m not talking about all the “mistakes” I made trying to navigate life as a new parent—I’m talking about the way I treated myself like the least important person in our lives during those early years of Addison’s childhood.
Without really thinking about it, I’d put my life on hold.
I now see that the biggest mistake a new parent can make is trying to be everything for everyone except themselves. It’s easy to self-sacrifice to a fault and to ignore your own needs and wants. The tendency is to say, “I’ll take care of me and make self-care a priority again someday, but now just isn’t the right time.” But by constantly feeding yourself that line, you’re all but ensuring that your time will never come.
The Simple List That Changed Everything
My saving grace was learning about a journaling exercise I now call The List. Here’s how it works: You draw a line down the middle of a piece of paper. On the left side, you write down everything you want to have in your life – people, experiences, feelings, things, and more. On the right side, you write down everything you don’t want to make time for anymore.
It sounds so simple – and it is – but The List changed everything for me. On a single sheet of paper, I’d clarified everything that was important to me and everything that wasn’t worth having in my life. It was all there in black and white. My list showed me that I needed to make more time for things like date night with my husband and reading because these were the activities that made me feel alive and whole. I could also see that I needed to spend less time doing energy-draining activities like indulging in mom guilt or spending hours organizing the house. And the more I learned to delegate those things or just stop doing them entirely, the better my life became.
Even though I hadn’t been to many barre3 classes at that point, being part of the barre3 community made my “yes” column. So when they announced their next Challenge, I didn’t question if the time was right or if I deserved to do it. I looked at my list, saw barre3 on it, and reminded myself that this was something I wanted in my life. Then I signed up and committed to making it happen.
What Will Your List Look Like?
I invite you to try The List yourself. You’ll be shocked at how intuitive it is, how quickly you know what belongs on the “yes” side and “no” sides of the paper. Maybe you want to spend more time outdoors because it centers and energizes you, or perhaps you want to carve out a solid half hour a day to connect with your spouse. You might know without a doubt that you want to farm out your house-cleaning responsibilities, or cut out your late-night TV habit. Don’t censor yourself or judge your wants. Simply write down whatever comes to mind.
Aligning your life with The List won’t always be easy. But having it on paper will help you find ways to make yourself a priority and find time for your self-care and passions. It will help you clarify exactly what you want in your life and what isn’t serving you anymore. And, it will help hold you accountable to make more time for the things you love. When you start to fall into old habits or make excuses that now isn’t your time, revisit The List and let it guide you to create the life you want and deserve.
Call To Action: Ready to make The List? Use a few pages in your journal to get started. Enjoy 20% off our two barre3 journals (here and here!) with the promo code b3list at checkout. We’d love to hear what things made your list—please share in the comments below!
Bio
Ashley Gartland is a life coach who empowers women to live full lives both as moms and individuals. She encourages her clients to strive to balance motherhood and “me” time so they can enjoy parenthood while also pursuing their passions, chasing their dreams, and practicing great self-care. Visit www.ashleymgartland.com to learn more about Ashley.
One of wellness coach Ashley Gartland’s most effective tools is “The List,” a simple journaling exercise that helps bring priorities into crystal-clear focus. Read on as Ashley describes in her own words how she discovered The List, and how you can make your own. In conjunction with this post we’re offering 20% off our barre3 “balance” and “shine bright” journals! Details on how to redeem yours below.
You’ve kicked off the new year in the best possible way. With a fresh batch of New Year’s resolutions and a community of barre3 Challengers supporting you along the way, you’re finally making time for yourself—and chances are, you feel amazing.
But what about when the Challenge ends and those resolutions start fading into distant memories? How will you make sure you continue to make your wellbeing a priority? I struggled with this until I discovered a quick journaling exercise that changed everything for me.
Putting Myself Last
I discovered barre3 when the first Portland studio opened in 2008. I took an introductory class and immediately fell in love—yet somehow, it took me nearly four years to get back into the studio.
I loved the idea of being part of the barre3 community, but I just couldn’t seem to make it happen, first as a newlywed and then as a new mom. It was especially hard to justify “me time” after I had my daughter Addison. I simply didn’t believe I had the time, the energy, or the right to be anything but a mom, so I put my interests and goals on hold – including barre3.
A few years later, I had another little girl named Kennedy. Her arrival gave me the chance to right the wrongs I made as a first-time mom. And by “wrongs” I’m not talking about all the “mistakes” I made trying to navigate life as a new parent—I’m talking about the way I treated myself like the least important person in our lives during those early years of Addison’s childhood.
Without really thinking about it, I’d put my life on hold.
I now see that the biggest mistake a new parent can make is trying to be everything for everyone except themselves. It’s easy to self-sacrifice to a fault and to ignore your own needs and wants. The tendency is to say, “I’ll take care of me and make self-care a priority again someday, but now just isn’t the right time.” But by constantly feeding yourself that line, you’re all but ensuring that your time will never come.
The Simple List That Changed Everything
My saving grace was learning about a journaling exercise I now call The List. Here’s how it works: You draw a line down the middle of a piece of paper. On the left side, you write down everything you want to have in your life – people, experiences, feelings, things, and more. On the right side, you write down everything you don’t want to make time for anymore.
It sounds so simple – and it is – but The List changed everything for me. On a single sheet of paper, I’d clarified everything that was important to me and everything that wasn’t worth having in my life. It was all there in black and white. My list showed me that I needed to make more time for things like date night with my husband and reading because these were the activities that made me feel alive and whole. I could also see that I needed to spend less time doing energy-draining activities like indulging in mom guilt or spending hours organizing the house. And the more I learned to delegate those things or just stop doing them entirely, the better my life became.
Even though I hadn’t been to many barre3 classes at that point, being part of the barre3 community made my “yes” column. So when they announced their next Challenge, I didn’t question if the time was right or if I deserved to do it. I looked at my list, saw barre3 on it, and reminded myself that this was something I wanted in my life. Then I signed up and committed to making it happen.
What Will Your List Look Like?
I invite you to try The List yourself. You’ll be shocked at how intuitive it is, how quickly you know what belongs on the “yes” side and “no” sides of the paper. Maybe you want to spend more time outdoors because it centers and energizes you, or perhaps you want to carve out a solid half hour a day to connect with your spouse. You might know without a doubt that you want to farm out your house-cleaning responsibilities, or cut out your late-night TV habit. Don’t censor yourself or judge your wants. Simply write down whatever comes to mind.
Aligning your life with The List won’t always be easy. But having it on paper will help you find ways to make yourself a priority and find time for your self-care and passions. It will help you clarify exactly what you want in your life and what isn’t serving you anymore. And, it will help hold you accountable to make more time for the things you love. When you start to fall into old habits or make excuses that now isn’t your time, revisit The List and let it guide you to create the life you want and deserve.
Call To Action: Ready to make The List? Use a few pages in your journal to get started. Enjoy 20% off our two barre3 journals (here and here!) with the promo code b3list at checkout. We’d love to hear what things made your list—please share in the comments below!
Bio
Ashley Gartland is a life coach who empowers women to live full lives both as moms and individuals. She encourages her clients to strive to balance motherhood and “me” time so they can enjoy parenthood while also pursuing their passions, chasing their dreams, and practicing great self-care. Visit www.ashleymgartland.com to learn more about Ashley.
