A little preparation goes a long way

This past weekend was a chilly one here in Chicago. On Sunday, I spent 7 hours outside in the elements, supporting a football tournament my husband was hosting. When we arrived at 7:45am, it was about 15 degrees (brrr). While I live in Chicago and have been in the area my entire life, I’m no fan of the cold weather. But, I wanted to enjoy the day and find a way to embrace the weather. 

Preparation was key. 

The night before I carefully planned what I would wear. I prepared my hot water, laid out all of my clothes, and cold gear. It seemed like a lot of clothes, but it gave me options to easily shed layers as the day “warmed up” (I use that phrase loosely). 

In the morning, all I had to do was get dressed and head out the door. I was toasty warm when we left, hoping it was enough. Miraculously, after arriving and acclimating to the cold, the temperature didn’t bother me. The sun was bright, the air was crisp, and I was even WARM at one point. I was pretty proud of myself for being this well prepared. As a result, the cold wasn’t a factor, I was able to enjoy the day, and happily peeled out of layers when it was time to head home.  

Preparation is key. 

And it often starts the night before: 

• If you’re planning to meditate in the morning - set your space before your go to bed. Make sure you have your cushion placed, your meditation ready via app or zoom (here’s the one simple breath if you’re looking for a meditation to practice), and your journal and pen ready for post meditation soul journaling. 
• If you’re planning to run or walk in the morning - lay out your clothes including your shoes, have your phone and headphones charged, water bottle filled, and have your audiobook or music ready to go. 
• If you want to drink more water, boil water before you go to bed. Fill your thermos, and place it where you’ll see it first thing - whether that’s next to your bed, or on the bathroom or kitchen counter.

When you prepare, you set yourself up for success. You make it easy to follow through. You take negotiation out of it. All you need to do is plug into what you already set in motion for yourself the night before, and begin.

What will you use this for tonight?

With love,
Jodh

P.S. We’re meditating together on Thanksgiving morning at 6am cst. If you’re joining us, and I hope you are, you can practice Wednesday. A little preparation goes a long way.