Lifestyle Archives - Midwest Jess

I’m currently in Meridian, Mississippi to attend a training for work. I’m here for 5 days total learning about hydric soils. I’ve only been to Mississippi once, so I’m excited to check out the area again!

The course I’m taking down here will be a mix of classroom work and field work. The weather is going to be almost 90 most days with chances of thunderstorms (read: hot & humid) and we’ll be out in the woods, muck boots on and looking at wetland soils. It’s gonna get sweaty and dirty. And worse yet… 10 minutes into our drive we realized our vehicle for the week doesn’t have AC. Yikes. So I packed all the essentials, and some more to have an outfit change for the days we get really dirty. I definitely overpacked, but I think for this trip it was necessary!

My top 10 essentials for a work trip:

My favorite belt bag. I love this bag! It’s the perfect size for a wallet, chapstick, keys, pens & sunglasses with plenty of room left over. When I’m out in the field walking around in the woods for hours I’ll throw in a granola bar or two. The color is pretty (also comes in a bunch of different colors) and transitions perfectly from hiking to walking around downtown.
Clear toiletry bags. This comes in a set of 3 and I bring the whole set with me! I’ll use one for makeup, one for skincare and the other for medicine and larger toiletry items.
Travel Coffee Tumbler. For taking coffee from hotel breakfast and sipping on it throughout the morning. Save a paper cup and keeps your coffee warmer longer.
Gold Earrings. I am not a jewelry girly! I wear my wedding ring and that’s about it. I got these small gold hoops a couple of months ago and I haven’t taken them out since! I tend to have pretty sensitive ears and these don’t bother me at all.
Polarized Sunglasses. I run through sunglasses. I’ll lose them or break them within a couple of months. These are cute and polarized.
Stanley Water Bottle. My emotional support water bottle. I like the lid of this model of Stanley. It’s still got a straw for convenient sipping but it folds down and is leak proof. It’s also insulated which is great for 90 degree field days.
Packing Cubes. Two sets (8 total cubes), and comes in 4 different sizes. We used these when we went to Costa Rica last year. They’re so helpful for organizing your clothes and keeping your luggage tidy. I use the big one for dirty laundry.
Sunblock I use this on my face before I apply tinted moisturizer that also has SPF in it. It doesn’t make my face greasy at all!
Darn Tough Socks I got these for Christmas and they’re my new favorite socks. They’re made in the USA and guaranteed for life. I’ve worn them out in the field multiple times now in Ohio so they’re definitely coming with me to Mississippi.
Mini Vaseline Lip Balm. I mean first of all it’s so mini and cute. Second, I get super dry lips when I travel or spend alot of time outdoors doing field work. A protective lip balm is a must. This comes in a pack of 3.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases

Thinking about new year’s resolutions and goals can be really overwhelming; I know I’m feeling that way right now. The start of the new me is only days away and I have a lot of big goals I want to accomplish this year.

Last year to cope with the stress of planning for our wedding I intentionally took the time to take care of myself mentally and physically. As the month of the wedding approached, fight or flight mode totally took over and all of the good habits I had built were thrown out the window. It’s been 6 months since then and I still haven’t recovered. This has compounded over the holiday season with shorter days and a chaotic schedule. I’m not feeling my best and I’m ready to hold myself accountable. I know that in order to accomplish my big goals I need to take care of myself everyday in small ways. I’ve found that these 6 super simple habits when done routinely transform the way I move around in the world.

Here are 6 daily habits to instill that will totally change the trajectory of your 2023. These habits focus on setting up a good routine to take care of your mind and body so you can be as capable to tackle all of our goals for the year.

Daily Habit #1 – Nourish your body

You are what you eat. Consume whole foods at home most of the time. The key for success here is to come up with a meal plan for the week, write down the grocery store items you need, take it to the store and do not stray from the list. If it’s not ready and available in your house you can’t eat it. Our weakness in this house is chips and frozen pizza. These items never last more than a few hours.

Making meals at home is rewarding and they can be super quick and simple. If you have a day of the week you can spend a couple of hours to grocery shop and meal prep it’s worth the investment. Most of the time I’ll make double the servings for dinner to have leftovers for the lunch the next day.

Prioritize locally grown meats (grass fed only is best), organic seasonal vegetables and quality dairy products. It takes time to research where to find the best products but food is medicine. We found a local farm that raises their cows on grass and they deliver directly to our house.

Taking a quality daily vitamin can pick up where your diet lacks.

Daily Habit #2 – Intentional Movement

In the winter time I’m sitting at my desk for 8 hours of the day. Taking time to workout before work helps set the tone for the day and the list of excuses to not work out only gets longer as the day goes on. Prioritizing a workout first thing in the morning leaves me feeling accomplished for the entire day! I don’t like to go to the gym and it’s convenient and totally fine to do home workouts. I subscribe to obé and I love it! There are variety of classes (strength training, pilates, yoga, etc) and I personally need someone to tell me what to do and I need to follow along for a workout to get it done. Working out is something I really struggle with but it’s so important to incorporate into your daily routine. Get it done in a way that works for you!

Daily Habit #3 – Get Outside

Fresh air and sunshine are so important for humans. As I mentioned earlier I spend a lot of time sitting at my desk so most of the time I like to enjoy the outdoors with a 45 minute walk around my neighborhood. It’s gets me on my feet and out of my head. Ideally I like to spend at least an hour outside a day but even 10 minutes has proven benefits. I like to put on some ankle weights and pop in headphones and listen to a podcast as I walk. You can also spend this time calling a friend or loved one. I’ve found the best time to fit in this walk is after work which replaces laying down and watching TV before I make dinner. I’ve actually found I have more energy for the evening after walking outside instead of relaxing on the couch.

Daily Habit #4 – Creating a Routine

Creating a night time routine is a great way to signal to your body and mind that it’s time to start winding down for bed. My favorite night time routine is to have a clean kitchen to wake up to and then head to the bathroom and do a skin care ritual. I love to dry brush before I shower, especially in the colder months when I feel like my skin isn’t stimulated as much as in the summer. It gets the blood circulating and exfoliates dry skin. As soon as I get out of the shower I moisturize my face and body with a nice body butter. I get really dry skin in the winter and there is nothing worse than going to bed with itchy, dry skin. In the winter I finish my skincare routine with an oil on my face to really lock in hydration. This goes along perfectly using a gua sha on your face and neck to incorporate the oil and promote lymphatic drainage. This is a routine that works for me, create whatever routine calms you at the end of the day.

Daily Habit #5 – Journal

Start the day with gratitude and write down your intentions for the day. I love this undated 12 week daily wellness journal. If I miss a day it doesn’t stress me out because I just fill in the new date and move on with my life. At the end of the night I come back and check off what I’ve done, and there is a larger space on the page where I like to journal any thoughts and feelings I had for the day, or dump tasks that I need to do tomorrow. I like to break the year into bite size pieces and I love that this is a 12 week journal so that in 3 months I can reassess my goals for that season and pivot if I need to.

Daily Habit #6 – Read or enjoy a hobby

AKA get off your phone and stop doom scrolling. You don’t want to know what my weekly screen time has looked like the last few months. Spending 30 minutes to an hour every evening reading or working on a hobby or skill is rewarding and beneficial for brain health. This is a great time everyday to work towards one of your 2023 goals; whether it’s reading more, taking an online class, or creating a spreadsheet for your monthly budget.

It’s also a great way to connect with your partner. Reading together inspires discussion, playing a game or doing a puzzle together is quality time together that’s screen free.