My FAVE journal + how to "WIN YOUR MORNING" with it
In today’s post we’ll chat thru…
① WIN THE MORNING journal is ONE YEAR OLD!!! Plus The SISTERHOOD Membership is OFFICIALLY open for enrollment!!!
② HOW TO USE the WIN THE MORNING JOURNAL.
LET’S DIVE IN. 🖤
HEY HEY 👋🏼 SELF CARE SISTERHOOD community. I am GEEKING OUT for a couple reasons today.
ONE. The “WIN THE MORNING” journal is officially A YEAR OLD ya’ll. And the main topic of today’s conversation.
But before that…SECOND THING I’m PUMPED about…
WINTER in The SISTERHOOD Membership is OFFICIALLY OPEN.
If you’ve been tuning in lately you’ve probably already heard me talk about it but if not I wanna catch you up! First off…we only open The Sisterhood Membership FOUR times a year and RIGHT NOW (thru Dec 3rd) is THE FINAL TIME to join us in 2023 AND the only window to join us to KICK OFF 2024. This is NOT A DRILL ya’ll. Stop what you’re doing before you forget and tap the button below to get your booty in The Sisterhood Membership…esp if you’ve been vibing with my content + such this year.
But you might be newer around here and if that’s you and you’re like “Britt what the heck is The SISTERHOOD Membership?!”…let me break it down for you…
The Self Care Sisterhood is a virtual self care community for hard working women who also want to include THEMSELVES on their to do list. It’s where I put on my coach meet’s community hat and offer up REAL SELF care in the form of tools, resources, and a tribe of women ON JOURNEY to being their best selves. My goal is to equip and empower you to take care of YOURSELF (mind, body, + spirit), so you can go out into the world and LOVE + SERVE from the overflow. Each season there’s a topic centered on various themes surrounding ALL THINGS self care…
ANNNNNDDDD this winter is all about WINNING OUR MORNING -
Creating, Cultivating, and showing up to a morning routine that honors your best self.
WHEN YOU JOIN THIS SEASON YOU’LL GET:
▫️instant access to The SISTERHOOD Membership PRIVATE community + a downloadable resource bundle including a 50 pg workbook paired to the theme, phone wallpapers, book club picks, + more!
▫️monthly coaching sessions, including an expert guest speaker
▫️monthly meet ups…this season we’ve got a vinyasa and vision night, a movie night, AND a book club hang out planned out
▫️bi-weekly zoom “SELF CARE POWER HOURS” where we get an hour to show up and take care of whatever we need in our journeys. Whether that’s a looming task, crushing a workout, or simply taking a moment for YOU.
▫️and monthly plan + prep zoom hang outs so we can stay focused + intentional towards what matters most
IF THAT SOUNDS LIKE YOUR JAM, THEN THE SISTERHOOD MEMBERSHIP IS THE SPACE FOR YOU!
THIS SEASON I WILL GIVE YOU TOOLS + RESOURCES TO HELP YOU…
▫️set an alarm and actually wake up refreshed when it goes off
▫️feel less rushed and more peaceful in the first moments of the day
▫️take care of YOU first thing in the day with things that fill you up
▫️live your life vs watch + scroll others live theirs
▫️wake up excited for your routine + the day ahead
It’s gonna be so stinking good. And on that note…let’s dive into all things WIN THE MORNING journal. 🖤🤟🏼
First off…I gotta take you back a little bit. In the spring of 2022 I know I’ve shared that I got this stirring to lay down my fitness coaching biz and while it felt like I was hearing from God, I wish I could tell you I had the most faith + courage to immediately listen.
I didn’t.
It took me about 7 months to DO the thing I knew I needed to do, but I will say that during that time I worked really hard to slow down and gain some insight into what I should do next.
And during this time, I found that I had this tiny seed of an idea on my heart that maybe I could create a journal. I’ve shared that my morning routine is a sacred part of my days and something I look forward to and in that season of trying to figure out what the next best step would be, I decided to take my model for “winning the morning” and turn that into a journal for others to experience.
Last year VERSION ONE came out right around this time and THIS YEAR…as we celebrate it’s first birthday, I am releasing a NEW, UPDATED, + IMPROVED version that I’m really pumped to see you use.
Side note. I think that’s the most fun part of this process…and I suppose a nugget of wisdom for you if you’re in a season where you don’t really know what’s next and you’re worried you might “get it wrong.”
JUST START.
You don’t need the whole stair case to take the first step, right? And over the last year I’ve watched so many of you USE the journal (myself included)…and thru that use I realized I could do better. There was room for the journal to improve. But I wouldn’t have been able to MAKE THE IMPROVEMENTS if I didn’t just start, right? So you gotta start. Imperfect and all. Because I’d rather be a year into my process a little imperfect and getting better as I go than perfectly thinking thru how to even begin. Ya feel me?
So today in honor of the ✨UPDATED✨ WIN THE MORNING JOURNAL releasing into the world (shameless plug that you can snag one on Amazon!!!), I wanted to do a blog where I walk you THRU how to use the journal to make the most out of it!
This journal is not just another notebook. I designed it to be a way to kick start your day with INTENTION + FOCUS. Each journal is built for 3 months at a time and it’s undated so you can start whenever. Every monthly section begins with two plan + prep pages, followed by 30 days worth of daily journal pages. Let me break down how these are laid out and how you can BEST use them!
HOW TO USE THE WIN THE MORNING JOURNAL:
MONTHLY PLAN + PREP PAGES:
①REFLECT + PREP
Each month kicks off with a REFLECT + PREP section. This is a one pager is designed to help you look back on the previous month and check in. I ask you to rate various areas of your life (your rest, nutrition, professional life, mental health, etc) and then reflect on what you’re celebrating from the previous month and what challenges or lessons you learned. Finally, in prep for the next month, I offer space to envision what would make the next month a success and any obstacles that might get in the way of your best efforts.
②FOCUS + INTENTIONS
The next page is all about setting goals, focus, or intentions for the next month. I give you 8 sections - movement, rest, nutrition, relationships, professional life, fun + hobbies, spirituality/faith, and mental health. The idea is to get focused on what matters most to YOU in the upcoming month. At the end of this section you have a spot to write down an overarching affirmation or reminder for the next month…something you want to stick with you as you go along your journey.
DAILY JOURNAL PAGES:
There are four essential parts to the daily journal pages that make this journal a game-changer for your daily routine, mental health, and growth. Each morning you’ll be able to lay a healthy foundation for the day, reflect on the previous day, set some intentions, and then nourish your soul with the 4 G’s - GOD, GOALS, GROWTH, + GRATITUDE. Let me break down each area:
① MORNING CHECK IN - Setting the Foundation for Your Day
Your mornings set the tone for the entire day. The Morning Check-In section is your first step in winning the morning. Start by assessing how much sleep you got the night before, setting your water goals for the day, and planning your movement for physical and mental well-being. This intentional start is the foundation of a focused and energized day ahead because you are truly honoring WHAT YOUR BODY NEEDS before you do anything.
This section is new to the update for a few reasons. I realized when checking in on water and workouts in the first edition, they mig ht not have happened “yet.” Instead of making it a check off, I wanted to create a space for you to set the intention of what your BEST SELF is going to show up and do that day. In the first edition of the journal, I also had a space to check off if you hit snooze or not, but honestly, some days I just needed the rest and I couldn’t help but think that other women out there were feeling the same. I didn’t want this journal to feel like another check list. I wanted it to feel like a CHECK IN, ya know? So I updated this so you could truly SEE how much sleep you’re getting and then decide what kind of movement would be beneficial. Brownie points for writing down REST DAY and owning that stuff, sis!
② REFLECTION - Because awareness MATTERS.
Something I’ve never seen in a journal before (and not that it doesn’t exist but just that I haven’t seen it) is a space to look BACK on the day before. Honestly…when I sit down in the morning I usually don’t have thoughts yet for the day ahead. I have to get OUT what’s looping in my mind from the day before. Most journals that look back on the day are in the form of a PM check in and TBH…I’m not picking my journal up twice in one day. So I included this right after we write out our sleep numbers, water goals, + movement for the day so we can REFLECT.
There are two sections - acknowledge what energized you and what drained you from the previous day. Reflection is such a POWERFUL tool for personal growth bc once we become AWARE of something, we can start to do something about it, right? By identifying these elements, you gain insights into your well-being and can make informed decisions to enhance your daily life…whether to keep up a behavior/habit or kick it to the curb.
③ PREP - FOCUS + INTENTIONS.
The PREP section empowers you to set the tone for the day ahead. You have space to write down your focus and intentions for the day ahead so you can yourself to align with your goals and aspirations (remember the top of the month plan + prep?! This is where we’re putting that into PRACTICE). And after that I’ve included space to rewrite your monthly affirmation or mantra OR create some fresh inspo for whatever challenges the day may bring.
④THE FOUR G’s - GOD, GOALS, GROWTH, GRATITUDE.
This section is truly the heart of the WIN THE MORNING journal and what you’re most likely used to seeing if you’re an OG around here and have the original version. This is my model for focusing on four essential aspects: God, Goals, Growth, and Gratitude.
GOD - One of the first things I love to do to start my morning routine is release anything that's on my heart or mind. This is your space to lay down your thoughts + feelings at the feet of your Creator. Full transparency, when I started my faith journey I felt like I needed to come to God polished and ready for something profound. Through time and growth I've come to realize that a relationship is what my creator is seeking. And in relationships we talk, right? So that's what this section is for.
For me, I love to pour a cup of coffee, cozy up in a comfy spot on the couch, and put on some soft music. Then I write. Whatever is on my heart. Whatever is on my mind. I pour it out on the page. I find when I do this it frees up so much mental space. All of the things that are consuming your thoughts will be released out of your mind and onto these pages. It's going to be freeing and that is going to feel powerful. Sometimes it is messy. Sometimes I'm wrestling with something heavy. Often it's about an interaction or a situation I'm trying to process. My point is, it doesn't have to be neat.
And a side note about religion…I’ve had women tell me that they aren’t really “religious” so they wonder if this journal is for them. To that I say “Awesome…neither am I. And YES…it is for you.” I don’t consider myself religious either, but what I do have is a RELATIONSHIP with my spirituality. I won’t tell you WHO your higher power needs to be or what religion to practice. I will empower you to start journaling in such a way that makes life BIGGER than you and allows you to start sorting that out for yourself with your higher power. It’s pretty powerful when you begin to see thru your daily writing that the universe, God, or whatever you believe HAS YOUR BACK. Because it does.
GOALS - If you were to close your eyes for 5 minutes and get still...what would you see? What is the life you crave? How do you desire to show up? Who would you like to be? If you could do anything (time + money not a question) what would you do? Have you ever heard the phrase "a dream without action is just a wish?" When we write out our goals daily, the dreams on our heart start to become the forefront of our minds. and the powerful thing is...the more you start to envision these goals and dream for them, the more you're going to start taking actions that align with them. I promise you this.
Your goals can be written in a variety of ways:
Dreams that are laid on your heart, but feel far away:
"I am a 7 figure contributor to my household"
"I own a home on a lake."Goals that you're working towards in this moment:
"I run my 5k under 30 minutes"
"I unplug from my phone every night at 7pm"
Or ways you want to show up in the world:
"i am a loving and present wife"
"i am disciplined in my morning routine so that I can be energetic and productive in the rest of my day"
These. are. your. dreams.This is the vision of your ideal life. And my friends, it's possible for you. I believe that. If you can see it...you can create it. Dream big. Think big. Don't be shy. This is your one precious life...so dare you to think of all the things you'd love to do with it and the type of woman you'd like to be along the way.
GROWTH - I have this practice that I love to do at the top of a fresh month on my social where i ask my followers "what went well" from the previous month. It can be anything. Big. Small. What were the wins?! And you know what's wild?! It's always such a battle for them to be able to find anything worth celebrating. It’s usually my LEAST interacted with polls. And for good reason ladies…we don’t celebrate ourselves enough.
Maybe you swapped the wine for water after dinner.
Maybe you spoke with patience to a new hire.
Maybe you cleaned the kitchen right after dinner so the dishes weren't impossible to clean come the morning.
If I asked you to celebrate all the tiny wins you had yesterday, would you be able to come up with any? And when was the last time you paused and celebrated yourself?
My friend, you are winning in so many tiny ways each and every day and it's time we don't shy away from all the little stuff that adds up. It's so much easier to focus on how we aren't measuring up...how about we flip that? I don't know all the ways you won yesterday, but you do. And we're going to practice seeking them out each morning in our WTM journal. It's the little things that add up to the big things over time. You are growing. Bit by bit. Choice by choice. Day by day. And growth?! Well it looks really good on you.GRATITUDE - The last section of your "WIN THE MORNING" journaling routine is gratitude. As ambitious women…we’ve talked about this before…it's easy to focus on the gap between where we are and where we desire to be; constantly focusing on what's missing. And even worse, it's really easy to get caught up in the "I'll be happy when..." trap. But my friend...this moment is your life and there is so much to be grateful for. right here.
With where you're at.
With what you have.
With who is in your corner.
When we start the day in a posture of thankfulness it centers our mind that what we have in this moment is exactly enough. We look around and see blessings and abundance. I want that for you. Your gratitude practice can reflect the big stuff or the small stuff. People. Things. Opportunities. Conversations. A helping hand. Work. Income. Your fur babies snuggles. A warm cup of coffee. Meeting a new friend. Anything that is bringing you joy + contentment, right where you are.
And if you ever get stuck, I challenge you to consider this:What would you be incredibly sad about if you woke up tomorrow and it was gone?
Those are the things to be grateful for.
The thing I love about the WIN THE MORNING journal is it’s not just another task. It's the ULTIMATE check in with YOU. Embracing the morning check-in’s of sleep, water, and movement. Reflecting on the previous day’s energy givers + energy drainers. moments. Setting intentional goals and then aligning them to your day to day focus. And the life giving, soulful exploration of the 4 G's. With all of this combined, I believe you're paving the way for a day filled with focus + intention towards LIVING YOUR BEST LIFE. It’s not just about winning your morning…it’s about all of those daily deposits ADDING UP into something pretty stinking awesome. And I love that for you.
If today’s episode spoke to you and you’re looking to dive into a journal routine, or even a morning routine that serves your BEST SELF as we end one year and prepare for a fresh one…there are a few ways you can get started WINNING YOUR MORNING.
① First. You don’t even need anything other than this blog and a blank notebook. Grab a notebook of your choice and use this as a guide for how to set up each month + day. This is how I started my journal routine and it’s 100% a-okay! Get into a groove and make it your own! Oh…and tag me on social bc I love to see you + celebrate you!
② If you want to take it a step farther, though, and you don’t want to mess with rewriting the daily prompts, I GOTCHU. 😉 Snag a WIN THE MORNING journal on Amazon. And then tag me as you’re using it each morning so I can celebrate you and cheer you on. I love seeing what you’re up to!
③ And if you’re ready for the WHOLE ENCHILADA then join us this season in The SISTERHOOD Membership where we’re taking a DEEP DIVE into WINNING OUR AM routines! Plus you’ll get exclusive PLAN + PREP meet ups each month where we WALK THRU the journal together + set up our months for success. This is where you THRIVE bc you get to do it surrounded by a tribe of women who are on journey WITH YOU!
If you’re ready to…
▫️set an alarm and actually wake up refreshed when it goes off
▫️feel less rushed and more peaceful in the first moments of the day
▫️take care of YOU first thing in the day with things that fill you up
▫️live your life vs watch + scroll others live theirs
▫️wake up excited for your routine + the day ahead
THEN YOU’RE GONNA LOVE WHAT WE’VE GOT PLANNED THIS SEASON.
Friendly reminder that this is the LAST CALL for joining us in 2023 and the ONLY TIME to join us to kick off 2024. Tap the link below and I can’t WAIT to welcome you in. 🤍
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