Have you begun to notice a theme? The daily habits and themes I share on the Integrated Being blog and podcast can really be summed up as the mind, body, and soul… interconnected. From discussing the importance of what we put on, what we put in, and what we have around our bodies to leveraging the power of the present moment, we continue to grow in the knowledge of how all of this is integrated to create a happy, fulfilling life. In today’s blog & podcast episode, I am going to break this down into 3 simple steps to connect, embody, and act in alignment with your highest self.
Read more4 Tips to Achieve Better Focus in Life
Are you trying to accomplish a goal that requires your full attention? As we transition to a more regular pace of life & find our footing in a post-pandemic world, it’s easy to feel pulled in many different directions. From going in to work or working from home to sending children back to school again soon, our focus is a powerful tool we can harness during this transitional time to bring a greater sense of joy and peace to our lives. In today’s blog & podcast episode, I am talking about how to keep your focus on achieving your goals while creating a flow in life that brings the greatest sense of joy. From moments of setting intentions to handling distractions, let’s get focused and bring a greater sense of presence to your everyday life.
Read more3 Steps to Reset & Reach Your Goals
Did you know that I read every book recommended to or given to me as a gift? As an electrical engineer, a wife, a mother of 6, and a wellness advocate, I find myself in a time of stepping back and reassessing my life in various areas. I was recently gifted a book called The Refounder after speaking at the Pittsburgh Technology Council about power grid modernization. This book is based on a Pittsburgh company and a point in the founder’s life where he, too, was stepping back and reassess his life and career. Chances are you are at this point in life your life in some capacity where you are looking to step back and assess some specific area of your life. Today on the blog & podcast, I’m sharing 3 steps to reset and reach your goals. We are all integrated mind, body, and spirit & it can be beneficial to take seasonal breaks to step back, reassess, and move forward with renewed energy and focus to reach our biggest dreams and goals.
Read more2 Ways to Use Bullet Journaling to Create Healthier Habits
How do you create the space & awareness to do all of the things that bring you joy? They say that the organ that uses the most energy is your brain. We are constantly making decisions all day long & we can utilize this decision-making power to bring about more joy in our everyday lives. Journaling is one of the most effective ways to recognize the habits that are negatively affecting your life so that you can use the process of crowding out to replace them with more positive habits that bring you joy. In today’s blog & podcast episode, I’m sharing 2 ways to use bullet journaling to create healthier habits this year!
Read more7 Benefits of Daily Bullet Journaling for Beginners
Have you ever started the daily practice of journaling just to end up with notebooks full of blank pages? As I was making my lists & checking them twice this holiday season, I realized that the trending topic of bullet journaling (which has been the method I’ve used for years) has helped me stay consistent with the daily practice of journaling. Journaling has been a key factor in bringing awareness to my daily intentions & creating a life that brings me joy. In today’s blog & podcast episode, I’m sharing 7 benefits of daily bullet journaling for beginners (& tips for making it a fun part of your day rather than just another thing on your to-do list!)
Read more3 Tips to Declutter Your Life for a New Year
Do you feel stuck in a personal or professional rut - maybe it’s time to declutter your life? I’m happy to be back with regular blog & podcast episodes again after a short break. I had been feeling stuck in a creative rut lately & unable to connect the dots as to why I felt this way. I took this time to declutter my life - mentally, physically and all other possible ways to help me find that pep in my step again. In today’s blog & podcast episode, I’m sharing 3 simple tips to declutter your life for this new season ahead, especially if you’re feeling stuck in a personal or professional rut.
Read moreHow to Use a Growth Mindset to Better Manage Your Schedule
What is a “fixed” mindset versus a “growth” mindset? A “fixed” mindset cares more about what success looks like from the outside & therefore, tends to avoid challenges, get defensive, and feels threatened by others’ success. This defensive “fixed” mindset inevitably leads to a plateau in success. On the contrary, a “growth” mindset allows you to continue growth to master your area of expertise. In today’s blog & podcast, I’m going to dive deeper into these 2 opposing concepts of mindset & how to harness the power of a growth mindset to achieve your goals in life.
Read moreHow to Connect with People in a Post Covid World
How do we deal with the loneliness we might feel reentering the world after covid shutdowns? It may seem strange to talk about loneliness after covid shutdowns when we are now surrounded by more and more people on a daily basis. Throughout my life, I’ve had the feeling of loneliness in a crowded room come up again & again - even as a mom of 6 children & as a woman whose family all lives within 15 minutes of her & celebrates big family occasions often. Today on the blog & podcast, I’m going to dive deeper into this topic of experiencing loneliness & how to connect with people in a post covid world.
Read more3 Tips for Finding Balance in How to Be Authentic in Life & Work
What does authenticity look like for you? Sometimes the people closest to us can strike the closest to our hearts when they share their honest feedback and opinions. Recently, my older brother made a comment about how the calm & collected photos of me sitting on my front porch sipping coffee didn’t look and feel authentic to who he knows me to be with a home full of love & chaos as I raise a family of 6 children. Today on the blog & podcast, I’m going to dive deeper into this topic of authenticity and how my brother’s comment made me re-think how I share about my personal life within my career.
Read more3 Ways to Lead With An Open Heart & Intentionally Teach Little Minds
How are we leading the next generation of little minds? In order to relieve the pressure of perfection and find real, genuine connection with our kids or the little minds we impact in or everyday lives, it’s important to take a step back and think intentionally about how we interact on a daily basis. While we lead most powerfully by example, there are a few key things we can begin to incorporate into your daily routine so we can help set the foundation for creating a safe place for our children to learn and feel comfortable processing all of life’s emotions as they continually grow alongside us. Today on the blog & podcast, I’m sharing 3 ways to lead with an open heart & intentionally teach little minds how to live more joyfully.
Read more3 Steps to Practice Intentional Living for Greater Purpose & Joy
What if you woke up everyday with a strong foundation that allowed you to live your life as your authentic self? We all start at different places in life and have different goals and motivations that drives us to dream, work, and live life in a certain way. No matter where you are on your journey, it’s important to live your life with intention in order to achieve the things you desire while cultivating a true sense of peace and joy within your life. Understanding what makes you want what you wants & identifying your why is a powerful motivator for creating the lifestyle you truly desire, and that takes time & intention to cultivate. As I look forward to the rest of this year & look ahead to the many years ahead, I feel called to share 3 of the foundational practices I do on a regular basis that allow me to live my life with intention & simultaneously achieve my desire for continued growth & ultimate peace and joy everyday. Today on the blog & podcast, I’m sharing 3 steps to practice intentional living to help you achieve both purpose & joy at any stage of life.
Read moreMy Why Behind My What: The Journey to Becoming Dr. Elizabeth Cook
“Why do we do what we do?” I remember being 16 when I started to babysit after school for my neighbor Rosemary and her 10-month-old son Ryan at the time. Rosemary had her PhD and was able to work from home consulting for others & was paid for it. This sounded very new and exciting to me as a 10th grader, as my Mom worked but as a nurse and away from the home. A seed was planted. I started thinking, “I want to be a Mom with a PhD and have the ability to work from home.” Here’s my story of the Why behind my What - how & why earned my PhD. And how I hope it inspires others & allows me to be an even better version of myself…
Read more7 Simple Steps to Embrace a Positive Mindset as a Working Mom
“Ever notice all of those thoughts that pop in your head as soon as you wake up for the day?” Sometimes these thoughts are positive, sometimes they’re negative. But you don’t have to let those negative thoughts become second nature or ruing your day. Here are 7 simple steps to turn your negative thoughts into a more positive mindset as a working mom trying to balance it all.
Read moreWhy I Started Integrated Being...
“How do you do it all?” As a loving mom of 6 & a professional working woman in the high-powered industry of electrical engineering, I’ve been asked countless times, “How do you do it all?” That’s the question that really inspired Integrated Being. I’m going to take you behind-the-scenes of why I started Integrated Being & what you can expect to get out of every blog post, email, course, or podcast episode you listen to from me here.
Read more10 Time Management Tips to Become a Better Problem Solver
“Be wary of making assumptions about a situation that you know little about”
Our time is one of our most valuable assets.
It should be carefully guarded and spent wisely. That’s easier said than done. Every day there are new challenges, unexpected requests, and other matters of life that can get in the way. Then we have to make decisions and face problems that need solving. The ability to solve problems can directly affect how you manage your time. This makes problem-solving a critical skill: not only are you facing down and overcoming the issue at hand but when you’re efficient, you’re guarding your time. Efficient problem-solving means a better handle on your time management.
Problem-solving isn’t just an ability, it’s a mindset. It drives you to bring out the best in yourself and to maintain clarity in your direction. But solving problems is frenetic – no two problems are the same. How do you become an effective problem solver? First, you need to be both systematic and logical. Here’s 10 time management tips to help you become a more efficient problem solver & make the best use of your time.
10 Time Management Tips to Become a Better Problem Solver
Create specific, measurable goals with clear end results.
Schedule important work for the hours you feel most energized.
Prioritize what’s important and postpone what can wait.
Delegate tasks – you can’t and shouldn’t try to do everything.
Reward yourself – it’ll keep you happy and motivated.
Schedule self-care regularly — yoga, massage, meditation, etc.
Save easy or boring work for lower-energy periods.
Break down big tasks into smaller, more manageable tasks.
Batch tasks: Allot time periods for what you need to do.
Take breaks when you’re feeling stuck or drained - go for a walk, eat a snack, etc.
When you have the tools in place to solve problems as they come (which these 10 tips will help you do!), you’ll maintain control over your schedule and most importantly, your time. Throughout the day, anything can be thrown your way that you didn’t expect – what matters is how you respond to it. With the right mindset (& time management tips), you’ll find the strength to face problems head-on and with integrity, rather than letting them suck your time and cause you to spiral.
xo, Lizzie
This week’s featured essential oil: Pink Pepper
In addition to the right mindset, equip yourself with the right resources. DoTerra Pink Pepper oil can help you stay alert, fight grogginess and brain fog that’s just a part of life. Learn more about the Pink Pepper DoTerra Essential Oil HERE… & purchase Pink Pepper HERE!
Is Life Coaching right for you?
If you’re still feeling under it all and overwhelmed by everything life is throwing your way right now, it may be time the perfect time to look into working with a Life Coach… Maintaining a healthy diet, finding the right balance with your body, and staying on top of family, work and life demands is not an easy trail to navigate. I’m here as a Life Coach to help you sort through all of the information that’s out there and make a plan that’s relevant to you and your specific lifestyle wants & needs. Want to learn more about what life coaching can do for you? Click the link below to schedule a 15 min chat to learn more…
7 Secrets to Finding Joy As a Working Mom
Try to gain insight on what triggers you to react rather than respond thoughtfully
What makes me run? First, recognize this: There is no simple solution or secret to creating an easy life for yourself. We are all going to face challenges and find ourselves feeling overwhelmed and unfocused. If we keep searching for ways to make life easier, we’ll be disappointed. Instead, we need to create moments of joy each day. But how?
The key is to constantly ask yourself questions to find out what makes you tick, what your daily pain points are, and most importantly, where you find your joy. Once you find your joy - what drives you - you can structure your days around it. Then, delegate, deal with, or let go of the rest.
How I Make It All Work as a Working Mom:
Read moreGoal Setting: 5 Tips to Help You Focus on the “Big Rocks” of Your Life & Achieve Your Dreams
Try to gain insight into what triggers you to react rather than respond thoughtfully.
“I want to move up in life, but I’m so busy.” “I have an idea of how I want to progress, but I can’t prioritize.” Does this sound familiar? Whether it’s getting a degree to get further in your career or improving your personal health and wellness routine, it’s important to have goals. It’s equally easy to believe there’s no room in your daily routine to add the steps necessary to work toward something new. If we let it, life can stand in the way of achieving our goals.
Read moreHow to Use Free Writing to Clear Your Mind & Organize Your Busy Schedule
Focus on what unites you with others, not what divides you. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by your never-ending to-do list and unsure how to bring more clarity to your busy life and schedule these days, then free writing may be a good option to consider. I’m sharing how I use free writing to clear my mind, de-stress my thoughts, and organize my busy schedule for a more productive and more peaceful week.
Read more5 Steps to Making Your Dreams Come True
Why Couldn’t Your Dream Come True?
True, it sounds hard. In fact, it probably is hard, with a number of obstacles to overcome. That may be reason enough to put your dream on permanent hold.
Read more5 Steps to Setting Your Daily Schedule (& Being Able to Delegate More Effectively)
Strive to be a better version of who you were yesterday.
A lack of clarity can kill productivity. When you don’t have a clear mind, it’s impossible to get a clear idea of what you need to get done. By taking control of your day – your routine, your goals – you can then determine what can best be done by the people around you.
Delegating isn’t easy. We’ve always heard that to have something done right, you have to do it yourself, right? But when you command your own schedule, you’re empowered to have others working toward a common goal.
Read more