Nutrition by Dawn - Blog

As the seasons begin to change, I find myself naturally moving into a season of reflection.

This is the time of year when I start thinking about what I want next year to look like. What are the "big rocks" I want to put on my calendar first? What deserves my time, attention, and energy? And, maybe most importantly, does the way I'm currently living actually reflect the things I say are important to me?

It's an exercise I come back to regularly because priorities change as life changes. And I want to challenge you to do it, too.

Whether you own a business or not, ask yourself a simple question:

What are the five things that matter most to me?

Then take it one step further. Look at your calendar, your routines, and how you're spending your energy. Are your values and your life actually in alignment?

I'll share mine.

Family

Family is always one of my big rocks.

If you've followed me for any length of time, you've heard me talk about my son, Spencer. He's back at college for his senior year now, and while our relationship continues to evolve as he gets older, his place in my life isn't going to change.

That's something I consider when I plan my year. It's why I protect time for vacations together, visits, meals, and the everyday moments that matter.

Your priorities don't necessarily need to stay in the same order all year long. Sometimes family will need more attention. Sometimes business will. Sometimes your own health will.

What's important is knowing what your big rocks are so you can adjust without losing sight of them.

Fun

Fun is another one of mine, and I take it seriously!

If something isn't fun, there's a pretty good chance I'm going to struggle to do it consistently. So rather than pretending otherwise, I've learned to work with that part of myself.

Even things that aren't inherently enjoyable can usually be made a little better.

Laundry isn't exactly high on my list of favorite activities, but I can turn on some music and dance around while I do it. I can pair a chore with something I enjoy or give myself something fun to look forward to afterward.

Fun doesn't have to mean avoiding responsibility. Sometimes it simply means finding ways to make everyday life more enjoyable.

Travel and Food

I like to say that I travel by stomach.

Over the past several years, I've intentionally incorporated culinary travel into my life because food, travel, and experiencing different cultures bring me enormous joy.

I have another trip to Italy coming up in October, and I'm already looking forward to the experiences, the food, and everything I'll learn along the way.

Because travel is one of my big rocks, it doesn't get what little time happens to be “left over.”

I plan for it.

That's an important distinction.

If something truly matters to you, you have to create room for it rather than hoping you'll eventually find the time.

Sustainable Personal Wellness

You probably won't be surprised that wellness makes my list, and there's a very important word in front of it:

Sustainable.

I'm not interested in fad diets, extreme routines, or doing something for three weeks that I could never imagine doing for three years.

I'm interested in habits that can become part of real life.

Consistent movement. Nourishing food. Recovery. Sleep. Hydration. Tools and routines that support me in showing up as my best self.

Because when you're not taking care of yourself, everything else becomes harder.

Sustainable Success in Business

Sustainability has also become a watchword in my business.

I don't believe a successful business should require you to sacrifice your health, relationships, or things that make your life enjoyable.

That's why so much of the work I do with clients centers around creating sustainable success without burnout.

It's about having systems and processes that support the business you're trying to build instead of creating another endless list of things you need to manage.

I've created a Sustainable Success Scorecard that can help you take a closer look at how your own business rates on the processes I believe are important for building something successful and sustainable. It's one of the resources I'll be talking more about over the coming weeks.

Do Your Calendar and Your Values Match?

Once you've identified your five things, here's where the real reflection begins.

Look at your calendar.

Look at how you've spent your time over the past month.

Look at what receives your energy.

Do those things match what you just said matters most?

There may be some uncomfortable answers, and that's okay. The purpose isn't to judge yourself. It's to notice.

Because once you notice where things aren't aligned, you can start making intentional changes.

Maybe that means protecting more family time. Maybe it means finally scheduling the trip you've been talking about. Maybe your health needs to become a bigger priority. Or perhaps you've built a business that demands far more from you than you ever intended, and it's time to rethink some of your systems.

Your five things don't have to look anything like mine.

They just need to reflect the life you want to live.

So before you start filling next year's calendar with appointments, goals, launches, commitments, and obligations, identify your big rocks first.

Then build everything else around them.

As always, what I hope for you is that you live a life you love without giving up the things that bring you joy.