Note from Kat: Today’s post is from the lovely Jenni Keller

Four of us stood around the kitchen island while our kids played downstairs. While we talked about the start of school and getting settled into new routines, our conversation took a sadly, familiar turn to the topic of body image.

While we four women have very different body types, we shared one thing in common: the struggle for contentment. And as one woman shared, I looked at her and couldn’t see what it was that she saw in herself and so clearly could not accept. We nodded our heads as she spoke, because we all have the same thoughts rattling through our heads at times.

Hi friends! I’ve been very busy working on a fun project for you and I’m so excited to share about it today.

As you might know, I wrote a book called Maximize Your Mornings and it’s all about helping you to develop an amazing morning routine. And we have a community challenge called HelloMornings that is designed to help you build that habit with a community of other women. (Actually, registration just opened this week and we’d love to have you join us. Spots are filling up fast, though, so make sure to sign up soon.)

Well, The HelloMornings Team and I have created two NEW resources that I think will be amazingly helpful for those of you wanting to make the most of your mornings.

This post is written by regular contributor, Lisa Walters.

Why is it that even though I know how important exercise is and how much I need it and how good it makes me feel when I actually get out there and DO it, I’m constantly in a battle to make it a regular part of my life?

Anyone?

I wish I could share with you today all about how I’ve created regular space in my days to add in the “Move” aspect of the HelloMornings theme: “God, Plan, Move.”

I can’t.

Don’t get me wrong, I really do enjoy exercising! When I’ve managed to keep consistent with it for a few weeks at a time, I understand and feel all the beneficial effects. But I struggle with the discipline of it.

Dinnertime is relentless, isn’t it? It comes every single evening without fail.

How many weeks in a row can we eat spaghetti and tacos and that easy crockpot potato soup before my family notices I only have three poorly executed recipes in my arsenal? (Also, it’s summer and 80+ degrees. Nobody wants to eat my potato soup right now.)

If it were up to me, we’d eat breakfast dishes every night. I make delicious cheesy eggs and perfectly browned pancakes. My bacon is just the right level of crispiness (that’s extra crispy, thank you very much), and let’s not discount the efficiency and cost effectiveness of a simple bowl of cereal.

I mean, think of the time we’d all save if we ate cereal every night. Seriously.

But I live in the real world with things like my family’s health and happiness to consider. You, too?

Photo Credit: Thomas Hawk via Compfight cc

(Note from Kat: Today’s post is from regular contributor Jenni Keller.)

I’m a first generation athlete. I grew up in a family that valued health and watched their diets, but athletes, we were not.

After my second pregnancy, I was up about 50 pounds and feeling desperate to reclaim my body and my health. And so my journey began.

I’m not sure at what point I crossed over the line and began to embrace and believe it; but after six years, I finally believe I’m an athlete.

One very important lesson I’ve learned in my pursuit of health and in my life, is that my “norm” is always changing. As I eat more healthy food, healthy food tastes and even sounds better to me. As I push my body to new goals, my endurance, my muscles and my mental toughness continue to evolve.

Note from Kat: Today’s post is from my friend Christie Elkins.

One of the things that the Lord has been impressing upon me lately is His omnipresence. Summer months can derail a morning routine quicker than you can say “sweet tea” due to the changing schedules of children and spouses in your household. I have found this particularly to be true over the past week or so, when my boys have shared this bizarre virus that is floating around (Seriously, who gets this stuff mid-June?) and has left their mama depleted and in much needed time with God. Yet, there are three places I can count on when I really need to hear His voice. When I feel like I am hitting a brick wall in my quiet time, I can do a simple retreat to clear my mind and hear His voice with increased clarity: