So how have things been going for you this holiday season? And how has 2019 treated you? Did you accomplish everything you wanted to, or at least set things up for this year? If I wasn’t able to give you a card this year, which I do myself every year, here you go!
Another New Year is upon us, and with it comes a great deal of changes and hope for a better year than the one we’re leaving behind. Many people make resolutions; I prefer challenges, or as I prefer the word, goals. Goals are more fluid, and they come with game plans. Some of mine are continuations of 2019, one of which is simple improvements in health and wellness. I already know drastic changes rarely last, even with coaching and firm discipline, but small tweaks to established routines are much easier. I can share with you some of mine further down below, and I learn best by the examples laid out by others. So, what’s your game plan?
In 2020, there are changes to work with, just like there are every year. Knowing what you have to work with helps with designing your game plan. Here is a list of 50 new Illinois laws going into effect in 2020 in general, and specifically to real estate, Illinois, and Cook County laws that can have an impact on homeowners and landlord/tenants rights.
So what tweaks to your routine will you make? Here are a few of mine from 2019 that are doing well for me, and perhaps they will spurn some ideas for you:
– Breakfast is usually a green smoothie that consists of frozen spinach, pineapple, and strawberries, plus fresh mint and parsley, a mix of orange juice and water, in addition to a small amount of flax and chia seeds, plus spirulina. (That stuff smells like a butt factory, so go easy on that algae!) I hate bitter foods, like really hate them (yes, even beer, dark chocolate, and coffee), so spinach is as bitter as I go. That’s helped with all the fruit and herbs I listed. I get about two pint glasses out of the deal, blended with a Vitamix (need the strong motor), and I drink them both while scrolling through my Facebook feed. If I want it creamier, I add frozen avocado. I really dislike the texture of bananas in smoothies, but that’s the usual go-to outside of yogurt.
– I added some dumbbells to my workouts. This guy here is who I watch on YouTube- Mike Rosa, but I just call him Brah. (As in, “But would Brah approve of that?”) I like him, since he doesn’t have that off-putting “ExTrEmE!” attitude at all. Many of the sessions are only five minutes long, some with no equipment involved, and he constantly stresses the work is not easy, and that it’s okay to take mini-breaks while still moving. I do have some disabilities, so I can’t do everything he’s doing, or with as much intensity, but I’ve been able to piece together what he offers that I can do. (My back is a mess, and I have an ankle that can’t really bend much, and I don’t use more than 5lbs weights.)
– And as some folks know, my husband is a neat freak, so thanks to him, we’re never more than 15 minutes from a staged level of tidy (though we do have some personal photos and such). He gets frustrated with my more casual tolerance to cleanliness, so on that end, I’ve been doing better to actually help him!
At this point, I do feel weird if I start work before the bed is made and the living room is tidied up. I will admit it’s easier for me these days, since we have modern conveniences like a dishwasher, in unit laundry, and a Roomba, but the biggest impact has simply getting rid of things that don’t add value. So a rule is I have to love it, need it, or it has to make me money. (My action figures, still in boxes, are stored in a closet. So I love them, and they may one day make me money, but I still feel like I should get rid of them.) Our donations go to WINGS which has second hand stores that benefit their domestic violence program. (Have you ever shopped at one? They’ve got NICE stuff!)
– And, I’ve been pushing myself to read more work-related books- at least one a week. I know, sounds like all kinds of fun, right? But, it makes me a better real estate agent, and a more well-rounded person, so it’s a good thing. One of my favorites of 2019 was Make Time: How to Focus on What Matters Every Day. It’s one of those books that everyone can benefit from, and it’s written by a pair of Techies, so it’s up to date.
Hope that gives you a few ideas! Have a wonderful New Year, however you celebrate, and I absolutely want to Thank You for being a part of my 2019 experience.
Lori Dake, an IL licensed broker
www.LoriDake.com
P: (773) 697-4474
F: (773) 717-5500
E: LDake@KaleRealty.com
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Kale Realty
2447 North Ashland Ave., Chicago, IL 60614
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