This episode is all about The Vacation Reset.  How to come home, take a fresh look at your routine, and use everything you felt and experienced on your trip to make your everyday more fulfilling. So rather than having post-vacation blues you have this fresh perspective on everything - what you’re eating, what you’re spending your free time doing, and what makes you feel the most alive.  It a post-vacation breakthrough podcast.  

• You break your routines naturally — new places, new foods, new experiences.

• You slow down and experience joy more intentionally.

• You're more present and tuned into how you actually feel.

Mini Thought: → When you remove the autopilot of daily life, you notice what truly lights you up.

• You can feel what routines were serving you and which ones felt heavy.

• You’re often able to clearly see what you missed (the good stuff!) — and what you didn’t.

• Your nervous system resets — you realize where you were operating from stress without realizing it.

Mini Thought: → Vacation gives you the contrast you need to upgrade your life.

• Reflect: Ask yourself: What made me happiest on this trip? What did I not miss about home?

• Audit your life: What parts of your daily/weekly routines could feel lighter, freer, more intentional?

• Add in Micro-Experiences: Can you add mini "vacation moments" into your normal weeks (like trying new foods, spontaneous adventures, walks without your phone)?

• Declutter Your Calendar: Remove one thing that drains you. Commit to one thing that fills you up.

Mini Thought: → Tiny changes = huge shifts in how your days feel.

• Most people fall into the "Maui Blues" — they mourn that vacation life is over.

• Shift the story: Vacation isn’t the escape — it’s a preview of what more joyful living could look like.

• Plan small things you can look forward to each week (adventures, date nights, slow mornings).

• Keep something “vacation-inspired” going (sunsets, meals outside, afternoon walks).

Mini Thought: → Build your real life to include the things you love about vacation life.

• Being away from your normal environment clears your mental windshield.

• Look at your big goals again — are they still aligned? Or is it time to pivot?

• Use the renewed sense of energy and perspective to make bold moves or corrections.

Mini Thought: → Fresh energy = a fresh roadmap toward what really matters.

Here are some key strategies to help you plan ahead, manage stress, and respond with patience instead of snapping at your loved ones:

1. Lack of Time = Lack of Patience – When we’re rushed, our tolerance drops. Planning ahead creates space for calmer interactions.

2. Stress & Overload – When our mental/emotional load is too heavy, small things set us off. Managing stress proactively prevents snippy reactions.

3. Not Meeting Our Own Needs – When we’re tired, hungry, or overstimulated, we’re more likely to react negatively.

1. Buffer Time in Your Schedule – Give yourself 5-10 extra minutes before key transitions (leaving the house, dinnertime, bedtime routines) to prevent feeling rushed.

2. Set a “Reset” Ritual – Before engaging with your family or team, take 30 seconds to breathe deeply, reset your mood, and remind yourself of how you want to show up.

3. Identify Your Triggers – Notice when you’re most likely to snap (e.g., right after work, during morning chaos) and create a strategy for those moments (deep breaths, stepping away, music, or hydration).

4. Pre-Communicate Expectations – Set clear expectations with your family/team about transitions or tasks to avoid last-minute stress (e.g., “We’re leaving in 10 minutes” vs. “Hurry up, we’re late!”).

5. Use “I’m About To Be Snippy” Signals – Recognize when frustration is rising and call it out before reacting: “I need a second,” or “I feel overwhelmed, let’s pause.”

6. Plan for Self-Care Daily – Even 5 minutes of alone time, movement, or quiet time makes a difference in emotional regulation.

7. Create a Stress-Reducing Environment – A calm home or workspace (organized, decluttered, good lighting) reduces external stress triggers.

8. Sleep, Food, Water Check-In – Low blood sugar or exhaustion makes snippy responses more likely. Prioritize good sleep, hydration, and balanced meals.

9. Practice the 3-Second Rule – Before responding snippily, take three seconds to pause, breathe, and choose a response that aligns with your best self.

• The Smile Reset – Physically smiling (even if forced) can shift your mood.

• Walk Away Before You Snap – Give yourself 60 seconds to reset.

• Turn Snippy into Funny – If you feel irritation rising, flip it into humor instead of frustration.

I hope this episode helps you to reframe your approach to stressful interactions so you can respond as the best version of yourself.  Have an awesome day! 

This episode is all about documents your highs in life, so you can create more of them. As a person who’s thought a lot about joy and happiness and fulfillment - if we just try to simplify all of that - I really think it comes down to stringing as many awesome days together as you can. Identifying what made you feel the happiest, the strongest, the most fulfilled… all of it. You probably know I’m obsessed with designing our days rather than letting our days just happen and all of that starts with first figuring out what we actually love, have the most fun doing and what and who makes us feel our best. My goal in this episode is to help you develop a quick and easy system to keep track of your most awesome days and then create more of them. TIPS! -keep a notebook next to your bed- just for this. -take notes on what you did or didn't do you a day when you go to bed feeling awesome. -take notes when you’re body feels especially good, rested etc. **because when you know what fuels your days best, you can plan for more days like this. It works so well!  Reflect back on this journal when you feel off or need a push or feel lost! Link here to my planning system for designing your days and your life! https://lindsay-dickhout-7734.mykajabi.com/ultimatecourse CHEERS to designing your life of lots of awesome days!

Most of us feel like we simply don’t have enough hours in the day to do all the things.  To do the things we WANT to do and also the things we HAVE to do.  Today we are talking through overall strategies we can use to make the most out of our days… and also very specific examples of ways you can do things more efficiently so that you simply have more time.  If we can eliminate decision fatigue, schedule specific times for tasks, do things faster, do things ahead of time, eliminate things that don’t need to be done and batch work similar items together - we will wind up with the extra time we’ve been looking for!   Let’s dive into all the ideas and find the extra time you need!  Let’s go!  One question that people ask me often is… how do you get so much done?  And it makes me so happy because I work at it constantly and I love talking about it.  So let’s do it.  Best tactical way to see where you are spending unnecessary time - for one week- keep a log of what you do every 30 mins.  Can be just a few words- but you’ll find out real fast where the lag is!  -Only touch things once  -Be ready for the day - clothes laid out, morning routine set (keep a list yesterday)  -Have a wind down routine and stick to it  -Have a plan for the day ready when you wake up. -It’s easier to avoid distractions and stick to the plan.  -If something takes 2 minutes or less, do it right away, don’t add it to a list.  -Batch similar items together. Answer your emails all at once.  -Have a system that you use to run your days.  -Limit decision fatigue with things like meals and getting dressed.  -Create a “home” for everything in your home. So much time is lost finding things. -Automate anything that can be like bills, etc. -Unsubscribe from emails you don’t need.  -Turn off notifications you don’t need. -Work on sprints for high focus. 25 mins on, 5 mins off. Pomodoro technique. Set a timer.  -Outsource or delegate- virtual assistant, babysitter time, grocery delivery.  And more specifically…  -On emails -On laundry -On groceries -On getting ready in the morning -On prepping for your morning- know what you will wear and eat.  -On household clutter - set a timer for 10 mins a day to declutter- then big piles never come up.  -On replying to texts and emails- use voice to text and do them twice a day.  -Set-up tomorrow the night before!  Setup priorities so you have a clear direction when you wake up and other people don’t decide for you how your day will go.  Episode 259 is a very specific one on how to save time by not running errands.  We live in the greatest time ever to be alive and there are just so many opportunities and so many ways we can be distracted and wander around or we can be hyper focused and productive.  Let’s work to find that hour a day then fill it with things that make us feel so fulfilled and awesome!

The 2.0 Method works over a long period of time because it includes the most important principles of behavior change.

It takes what you already want to do and helps you create a system to do it and feel successful at it.

We know that in 20 years we’d give anything to be this age again and this healthy and have this time. 

There’s no more waiting to train for a marathon, start writing a book, lift weights- whatever it is.  There’s no perfect time to start anything - the perfect time is always today. 

Let’s talk through the science behind what we do and use that knowledge to create the perfect plan for you.

A lot of this is being 100% truthful with yourself.

By focusing on the daily habits that move you forward, you stay focused (not distracted) and you feel fulfillment knowing that you are making progress each day.

You make a strong plan on Sunday then throughout the week, all you have to do is execute. You’ve mapped out what actions you want to take to feel how you want to feel and be the person you want to be.

Stick to the plan and you’re on your way to the best version of you, what we call 2.0. 

This is one of those things that I wish I would have understood as clearly in my 20s and 30s as I do now in my 40s… but I guess that’s living and learning. It’s the understanding that the small things are what matters.  The small things we do or don’t do everyday.  It’s what Warren Buffet describes as the power of compounding interest.  It’s building a little snow ball and rolling it down a very long hill.  It’s slow then it’s fast.  This is my problem with the whole - don’t sweat the small stuff thing. I appreciate not having anxiety and worrying about every little thing but at the same time - when you give yourself a pass on the habits that would add up to the person you want to be - things like - making the sales calls, lifting weights, eating healthy, taking your supplements, doing regular doctors visits, having the uncomfortable conversations, avoiding toxic things in the environment and toxic people…  You miss the little things - that add up to the big things. We’re unpacking it today!  You wake up one day with a chronic disease and you’re like when did this happen?  It started 20 years ago.  When did this happen? It happened today!   It’s the TINY decision you decided to do or not do that didn’t seem like it mattered.  It compounds - and it’s almost invisible. It’s slow then it’s fast. That’s why it’s so easy to overlook the small things.  If you are competitive like me - know that most people overlook the small things - which gives you a competitive advantage if you obsess over the small things.  This mindset change is everything. It’s realizing that small actions - hundreds of small actions stack up over time to create big change.  Here are some examples across different areas of life: Personal Development    *    Reading for 10 minutes a day: Over a year, this adds up to about 12–15 books, enriching knowledge and perspectives.    *    Journaling one line of gratitude: Shifts mindset to focus on positivity and resilience.    *    Writing down one lesson learned: Helps build wisdom and awareness through reflection.    *    Practicing deep breathing for 2 minutes: Builds mindfulness and reduces stress, with lasting effects on mental clarity. Health and Wellness    *    Stretching for 5 minutes: Enhances flexibility and prevents injuries over time.    *    Taking the stairs: Improves cardiovascular health and builds strength in small ways.    *    Drinking a glass of water first thing in the morning: Boosts hydration and kickstarts metabolism.    *    Adding one vegetable to meals: Slowly shifts your diet toward more whole, nutritious foods. Relationships    *    Complimenting or appreciating one person daily: Strengthens connections and builds goodwill.    *    Spending 5 distraction-free minutes with loved ones: Deepens emotional bonds over time.    *    Sending a quick check-in text: Maintains friendships and relationships without requiring large time commitments. Professional Growth    *    Writing or brainstorming for 5 minutes: Over time, this can result in innovative ideas or improved skills.    *    Networking with one person weekly: Grows a professional network exponentially over time.    *    Learning one new word or skill daily: Adds up to 365 small improvements in a year. Financial Habits    *    Saving a small amount every day: Even $5 daily grows to $1,825 in a year, which can compound further with investments.    *    Tracking one expense daily: Builds financial awareness and helps identify patterns over time.    *    Skipping one impulse purchase: Redirecting that money toward savings or investments compounds into financial stability. Creativity    *    Doodling or sketching for 2 minutes: Enhances creativity and visual thinking skills.    *    Capturing one photo a day: Trains your eye to see beauty and inspiration in the mundane.    *    Writing 50 words daily: Adds up to a novel in a year! Remember it’s building a little snow ball and rolling it down a very longgggg hill!!