Lara Casey's Blog, page 14

3 Email Hacks: Conquer Your Email with Ease

Need a quick fix for a flooded inbox? Climbing Mount Email can be daunting—it feels at times like you’ll never actually get through it. Just when you think you’ve reached the summit, you receive a dozen more emails and have to keep climbing. Argh!

I know how you feel! We just went on an epic hiking trip in the [non-metaphorical] mountains with our kids. The one catch? No cell service. This has its great advantages, but there was one disadvantage: no way to take 5 minutes during our trip to flag things, quickly reply where needed, and delete things to make it easy for my return.

Here’s how I quickly got to 0 in my post-vacation inbox this week—and how you can conquer your inbox every week using 3 simple email hacks!

Speak your emails instead of typing them. This will cut your reply time in half! The free voice to text plug-in for Gmail (for Chrome) is magical! I dictate most of my text messages and email replies on my phone (faster and hands-free) and I do the same on my desktop. It takes a short period of getting used to speaking your words and adding punctuation (“Hi comma Emily exclamation point”), but once you get the hang of it after a couple of tries, you won’t go back! I sometimes correct a couple of things or change formatting here and there manually, but using the text-to-type function cuts my typing time in half. Big win!Canned responses in Gmail. There’s nothing canned about them! When I bake, I start with a recipe and I add various things to it depending on what sounds good—or what the kids like! A little extra cinnamon, allspice, almond extract to pancake mix makes them doubly delicious. This is how I look at Canned Responses for Gmail. You start with a structure and customize it to suit the needs of the relationship or situation at hand. For example, I still get tons of press releases for wedding things from our days with Southern Weddings. I have a canned response handy to let these agencies know about our transition and thank them kindly for their note. This helps me love people well and quickly—with links and text ready to go! Give your replies a personal touch—and reply faster—by sending a voice memo. I have done this for years! I get a lot of longer-form emails from friends and readers. This is one of the joys of my work to be able to send a personal response, not just through a typed email, but using my voice. Using the voice memo app on my Mac gives a personal touch and it’s faster than typing an epic response to personal life and goal challenges. Just open Voice Memos, record, and attach to your emails!

Bonus tip: If you don’t know about keyboard shortcuts on your phone, DO IT NOW. For instance, I’m often thanking readers and telling them, “I’m so grateful you’ve been encouraged!” in comments. I made a short code. I just type in “ggg” and that sentence populates. These are words from my heart and I can spend less time on my phone by using this shortcut!

I have long said to myself in times of inbox overload that email is just a bunch of decisions to make, so make decisions! I’m passing that same encouragement to you. I hope these 3 tips help you to not just get your email done, but to love people well as you do!

Your turn! Do you have an email hack that helps you? I’d love to know!

P.S. I have a LIFE hack for you, too!

The post 3 Email Hacks: Conquer Your Email with Ease appeared first on Lara Casey.

Cultivate Your Life Podcast Episode 020: How To Say No

Okay, moment of truth: Have you had a difficult time saying no lately?

Saying no is hard, so you always say yes:
Yes, I’d love to do that for you.
Yes, I’ll be there.
Yes, I’ll get it done.
Yes, yes, and one more yes.

And now you’re feeling stretched thin—like you have no control over that three-letter word that keeps slipping out of your mouth! I have been there a billion times over!

In this NEW episode of the podcast, my friend Emily P. Freeman joins me to chat all things decisions and saying yes to the right things. You’ll learn the 3 key questions to ask yourself when faced with any decision, big or small, that will help you say YES to what matters and no to all the rest—with confidence!

LISTEN NOW!

In this episode:

— I begin by telling you about some of my own “nos,” including to travel when my kids were younger. That one “no” made so many other decisions easy, and led to many great yeses!
— I introduce you to my friend Emily P. Freeman! She’s an author, a podcast host, and a “curious listener.” She helps women discern their next right thing in love, and she was the perfect guest to chat with about saying yes and saying no. 
— I give you three key questions to ask yourself when you’re faced with a decision. One of my favorites: “Are you being pushed by fear or led by love?” (That’s some goodness from Emily’s book!)
— Then, we chat about two very practical things to do that will help you say no, including a fool-proof phrase when you’re put on the spot!
— By the end of the episode, you’ll know how to decide if a yes or a no is the best next step, you’ll feel confident in your answers, and you’ll believe that every no can lead to a better yes!

Interested in some of the things I mentioned throughout this episode? Here you go!

— You can find Emily on her website, listen to her podcast, or read her new book, The Next Right Thing!
— I share the many ways of saying “no” from my friend Jessica N. Turners’ book, The Fringe Hours.
— Other books I love about soulful decision making: The Best Yes, Essentialism, and What’s Best Next.
— Based around the idea that we can’t do it all and do it all well but we CAN do what matters, my book, Cultivate, will help you sift through the many options in front of you as you hone in on your big picture vision.
— The PowerSheets Intentional Goal Planner is designed to help you make your best decisions and then live them out, little by little. PowerSheets are 30% off right now and going fast! Once they’re gone, they’re gone. 2020 PowerSheets release in October!

LOVE THE PODCAST? SHARE IT! Text, email, carrier pigeon—share this episode with friends however you like! This episode is really special, so I hope you’ll share it with someone you love! Feel free to grab one of these graphics to post about it, too!

WANT AN EMAIL WHEN A NEW EPISODE GOES LIVE? Enter your email address below, and I’ll send you a note when a new episode is up!

I’D LOVE TO MEET YOU! Come say hi on Instagram! I love sharing my life with you! And if you loved the outro, don’t miss the “Ari Raps” highlight on my Instagram!

SUBSCRIBE NOW to the Cultivate Your Life podcast on iTunes so you won’t miss an episode. If you love the podcast, please leave a quick review on iTunes—it helps other women find this free encouragement! Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. I’ll be featuring some of your reviews in a future episode!

The post Cultivate Your Life Podcast Episode 020: How To Say No appeared first on Lara Casey.

Hiking with Kids

“The mountains are calling and I must go!” – John Muir

They called and we went! I’m starting to write the post to you while we’re still on our trip, sitting here in our cabin after five days of hiking with our kids in North Carolina and Tennessee! My legs are toast. I’m listening to a rushing creek outside the open windows. And I can hear the kids talking to each other about our adventures as they drift to sleep. These five days have felt more like two weeks—packed with adventures, 90,000 steps (literally—my Fitbit got a workout this week!), and memories we’ll cherish forever.

One of the most valuable things I’ve learned in my years using PowerSheets is to consistently evaluate where you’re headed in life—and be willing to try new things as you get clearer and clearer about what matters to you in the big picture. As we grow and change over time, our goals and passions do, too! Case in point: A year ago, I had never been on a hike! We took our first trip to the mountains last August. We all fell in love with the North Carolina mountains and exploring trails and waterfalls together. And now, less than a year later, hiking feels like home to me. A lot can happen in a year, my friends! The mountain air, the hard work of the ascent, the unmistakable majesty of the Lord in seeing the world He made—something about it stirs my soul.

Roan Mountain Highlands —in the hemlock forest.

I’m no hiking expert, but Ari and I have learned a lot as beginners in the last year—and several dozen hikes under our belts with the kids now. So many of you asked me questions about our trip on Instagram, that I thought a blog post might be helpful! I’m going to share a few quick tips, favorite hikes, and things you need to know before you trot off to the mountains with your toddlers in tow!

Catawba Falls

Is it hard to hike with kids? Yes! Worth it? YES! Hiking with kids is HARD. The hikes themselves are not your biggest challenge, though—it’s having the determination and peace as parents to keep going through the whining and “Mommy, CARRY ME!!!” moments you will inevitably experience. Be prepared to put on your “Coach Mommy” hat allll day long. You can do it! Only 8,893,943 more steps to go! Almost to the waterfall and I HAVE SNACKS! For us, this has been 1000% worth it. Our kids have gained confidence, strength, perseverance, a love of exploring, and they know so much about plants, trees, rocks, mountains, and history from our adventures. Not to mention the magic of God’s creation their little souls have soaked up with every step forward—all worth it! But, I do have to warn you to set your expectations aright. Hiking with kids can be a test of endurance and patience (and physical strength), but it can also be doubly rewarding! In summary, it’s challenging. It’s worth it. Carry them a lot. SING. For real, singing somehow helped all of our kids get through longer hikes with ease! Help them over rocks. Be ready to motivate those kiddos! Best of all, you can eat a donut at the end—you will have burned up all those calories carrying your kids up mountains!

Toms Creek Falls

How old are your kids? Our kiddos are 7.5, 3.5 and 3. Everyone’s kids are different, but for our kids, a little over 3 seems to be a good age for more moderate hikes. They can follow directions more clearly (note I didn’t say easily—they are 3!), and their bodies seem better able to climb and navigate varied terrain. Grace is a champ at 7.5. If they were younger, I’d carry them in hiking packs!

Rhododendrons at Mount Mitchell

How do you get started? I don’t want to downplay the skill needed for more moderate hikes (my brother was a junior national champion rock climber and I grew up bouldering and climbing with him), but kids are naturals! They use similar skills all day long in the wild of suburbia. They are always running, climbing, jumping and have more energy than I do. Hiking is a natural and fun fit for their usual inclinations! There are just more unique things to navigate and explore around: waterfalls, giant rocks, mountain peaks, wildflowers, wildlife, and creeks. So, how do you get started hiking with kids? Pretty simple. Take them to an easy nature trail. Then warm them up to an easy short hike. Most of learning to hike with kids is teaching them safety and how to maneuver on different terrain. It’s not complicated though—just get out there on an easy trail and see how they do! We didn’t do anything fancy to get started. We just got out there with our kids and did it!

Roan Mountain Rhododendron Garden

What do you pack for the kids to eat on hikes? Okay, this is a big one. We have taken a few week-long hiking trips now and here are my best suggestions: bring all the snacks. All of them. Double what you think you’ll need. I’m not kidding! Pack enough snacks for an army—things that are easy to pass around in the car or toss in your backpack. We burn double the normal calories we usually burn on a daily basis and our snack intake proves it! We’ve gone through 6 bunches of bananas in 5 days, 3 dozen apples, 2 giant bags of chips, trail mix, granola bars, nuts, and I don’t know how many Kind bars. We also brought several large jugs of water in the car for refills! Eat a big breakfast (we had big bowls of oatmeal and fruit and tons of water) and keep those snacks comin’ all day! We had a cooler in the back of the car and it was loaded.

Linn Cove Viaduct

What do you do during all the driving? There was a lot of driving from mountain to mountain (BTW, be sure you stretch a bit between hikes before you sit in the car for hours!). We listened to audiobooks! Very important to know in the NC mountains: there is NO CELL SERVICE in the mountains for the most part. So, pre-load your Google maps and audiobooks on your phone before you head out. We loved My Side of the Mountain—perfect for this trip and the ages of our kiddos. We also started a second run through of the Little House books. My kids also need something in their hands to keep them occupied. So, I loaded a bin with books and small car activities and put it between Grace and Josh’s seats so they could serve themselves. Sarah loves baby dolls, so they came to the mountains, too!

Julian Price Memorial Park

What gear do you use? What do you wear? It’s pretty cool here during the day even in June (between 50 to 75), so we stick to long pants and long socks for everyone to avoid poison ivy and raspberry bush scrapes on the trails. I wore leggings, a t-shirt, and a long sleeve shirt over that to have some layers I could take off and throw in my backpack. The kids are all hiking in sturdy tennis shoes most of the time. They would do better in hiking shoes, but I’m not willing to spend money on feet that grow so fast yet! (Also, if you’re wondering why Sarah is wearing rain boots for a lot of the hikes, the answer is she loves them. And Josh ran out of shoes so he wore Grace’s old shoes for several hikes!) They are perfectly happy and slip-free in what they have. As for me, one of the best investments I made was in these Merrell hiking shoes and proper socks—they have made a world of difference for how long I could hike and how my knees felt after. As for my backpack, it’s cheap and great! I bought this one on Amazon for $20 and it folds up into my purse (so cool!). I also can’t recommend this Waterfly pack enough. I keep my phone and car keys handy and I end up wearing it all day. That’s it for gear! Gear tip with kids: have a bin in the back of your car with extra shoes and to throw dirty ones in. We were constantly swapping out muddy or wet shoes. This was a game-changer for us to have a bin we could toss dirty shoes into before getting buckled up into the car!

Crabtree Falls loop trail—they love love love creeks!

How do you not totally freak out hiking with younguns? Who said I didn’t freak out a few times? We were doing a lot of difficult hikes, but I also know my kiddos. I would not have done these hikes with them at 2 years old—they were ready for these hikes and more importantly, we were ready to help them with the terrain of the trails. It was all worth it! Here were our ground rules for safety (so much of hiking is learning safety and problem-solving skills!):

Everyone had a buddy—either I would take care of holding Sarah’s hand and Ari would take Josh or vice versa. This system was key!Mommy always goes first on hard things to check it out first. When we say “stop,” fully freeze where you are (this took some practice!). Ari also gave all of us a full education on military standards and how they work as a team, march in step together, and are good listeners. : ) Josh was really into this!My catchphrase was “sure footing, go slow.” Which meant, step on things to test them (rocks) and be sure they are steady before you put your weight on them.We carried them (Grace included) over hard parts or mud and creeks where needed.Slow feet (no running). It’s just not safe in tennis shoes on rocky trails. Josh has a bevy of knee scrapes from this trip to prove it. Fields and meadows, yes—fly like the wind!And last but not least, don’t touch plants unless mommy knows what they are. We were on poison ivy alert with little hands. Long socks and pants were a great solution to this, too!

What else should I know? One of my best tips is to know thy family. Do what works for you when planning a hiking trip! Our family tends to do better at this stage when we’re not making plans on the fly. If we know where we’re going, we can better manage transitions for our younger kiddos—specifically one with sensory processing disorder. Transitions and new places can be especially tricky, so having a plan allows us to make our kids feel more safe and secure knowing where they are going ahead of time. I hope all of my planning research ends up being a blessing to your family, too!

Hickory Nut Falls at Chimney Rock

Your itinerary looked amazing! Tell me all the details. You got it! Using the tips in the How to Plan Your Year podcast episode and with the help of my PowerSheets, I looked ahead at the entire year and planned trips when they made the most sense—and at (hopefully) ideal times for each locale. A little forethought goes a long way when planning with kids. To plan this trip, I looked up the best time to see the rhododendrons in the mountains—which you know as a plant lady, I had to see! I also did a lot of Googling, looking at TripAdvisor, and generally researching reviews of people’s favorite free things to do in the area we planned to go. Most importantly, though: I used AllTrails! You can search for hikes on the map view and read reviews. This is primarily how I planned this trip! See all my hike reviews and what we did last week on my AllTrails profile. (I’ve linked all of our hikes below too—just make an AllTrails account [free and so awesome] to see them!) Now, on to our itinerary!

Rough Ridge with my buddy

Sunday: We drove to the mountains after church. The naptime window is great for long car trips. We stayed at a friend’s cabin in Matney, NC, for the first 3 nights. This was a great location and we saw so many hummingbirds and even a wild turkey on the property!

Roan Mountain in the clouds!

Monday: We are early risers (highly valuable on a hiking trip!). We took a short drive to Roan Mountain in Tennessee to see the rhododendrons around 7 am. It. Was. Awesome. This was one of my favorite experiences of the trip! Roan Mountain is rich with trails, history, and the smell of the hemlocks was new to me—a little taste of heaven! The rhododendron gardens (a paved easy walk) and Cloudlands Trail were spectacular. We even got to hike part of the Appalachian Trail! I can’t wait to return here again one day. We then spent naptime driving down to one of our favorite spots: the Moses Cone Manor. We enjoyed the craft guild displays, watched a woodworker hand-turn a pen (Grace loved it!), and did a short hike around the Julian Price Memorial Park. After a long day of hiking, we finished the day at the Banner Elk Winery. The kids loved the outdoor area at the vineyard—lots to explore!

It was a little windy for Josh on Rough Ridge ; )

Tuesday: We woke up early once again to be the first on Rough Ridge. This was a favorite hike of both Ari and me! It was super hard with kids, but the views were worth it. After a big snack break, we drove a short way down the Blue Ridge Parkway to hike the Linn Cove Viaduct. After two hefty hikes, we drove home for an hour to relax, and then headed off to Grandfather Vineyard to let the kids play in the creek!

At the base of Linville Falls

Wednesday: Linville Gorge Plunge Basin was on the way to our next destination (Old Fort, NC). This was a HARD hike with kids. Ari loved it. I loved the end. We then visited an orchard and hiked Catawba Falls (be sure to read my reviews on AllTrails of these hikes!). Then, it was time to check in to our next cabin in Old Fort, NC. We stayed at this magical place Ari chose called Kibbin at Mackey Creek. It has an interesting history that was featured in Cabin Life magazine. The kids loved playing in the creek there before dinner!

Pinnacle Peak trail near Mount Mitchell — a favorite!

Thursday: Mount Mitchell was first on our list (the highest point east of the Mississippi!). Well, with high elevation comes low temps and unpredictable weather—it was 45 degrees (what!?) and totally clouded out. So, we left winter for a bit to hike our favorite of the trip: Pinnacle Peak. This was an off-the-beaten-path hike and I don’t know why more people don’t do this one. The photo above is at the top—the view was spectacular! After climbing down from the summit, we headed back to Mount Mitchell in hopes of finding clear skies, which we did! Finally, we drove the Blue Ridge Parkway down towards Asheville to Hickory Nut Gap Farm to play in the creek. Then another big driving loop to Chimney Rock State Park (it was a big day!). Chimney Rock was interesting, but the kind of place you need to spend the whole day to justify the cost (I would skip this in our itinerary next time—it was also really crowded). And, finally, we landed back at the Kibbin and I made a huge dinner or us!

The “Kibbin”

Friday: We did our favorite waterfall hike on Friday: Tom’s Creek Falls, We went around 8 am and we were the only people on the trail! The waterfall was huge (photos don’t do it justice—I could have stayed here all day) and it was just perfect for the kids. Highly recommend this one! Then, we drove back down to Lake Lure to explore the Flowering Bridge and do the Hickory Nut Falls Trail.

Toms Creek Falls

Saturday: We kicked off the last day with one more big hike on the way home: Crabtree Falls. Then, time for some non-hiking fun for the kids! We went to Rockfest and the gem mine in Emerald Village. Grace got fairy hair. Josh had a hot dog. Sarah got a balloon. Everyone was happy after a long week of adventure! A stop at Chic-fil-a on the way home and mom and dad were happy, too!

Crabtree Falls—our final hike of the trip!

Our favorite hikes of the trip: Ari loved the Linville Gorge Plunge Basin (he liked the obstacles), Pinnacle and Toms Creek. I loved Rough Ridge, all of Roan Mountain, Pinnacle and Toms Creek. Going to Mount Mitchell was also a favorite. The kids loved anything that had a waterfall at the end they could play in!

Your turn! Do you hike? I’d love to hear your tips and favorites! Where should we go next? I hope this post encouraged you to get out there and enjoy the majesty of the mountains!

Psalm 121 : )

The post Hiking with Kids appeared first on Lara Casey.

Cultivate Your Life Podcast Episode 019: 10 Things We’ve Made Happen (And Some We Didn’t)

Have you ever wondered what makes a really great business tick? Have you ever wanted to pull back the curtain and see what it’s really like to cultivate what matters in work?

Today, we’re taking you behind-the-scenes of ten years of Cultivate What Matters. We’ll walk you through ten things we’ve made happen (and a few we didn’t!) in the last decade of business. Not because they’re all great decisions or the only right decisions we could have made, but because they’ll show you what it can look like to live out what matters. We hope they’ll help you have the confidence to live out what matters in your own life and business, too.

In this episode, you’ll see how your small, intentional decisions, all tied to a purposeful WHY, can add up to a meaningful legacy. Let’s talk!

LISTEN NOW!

In this episode:

— You meet my friend and coworker of ten years, Emily Thomas! Emily is our Chief of Staff at Cultivate What Matters and served as the Creative Director of Southern Weddings for many years. We begin by chatting about how Emily came to work at SW (it’s a good story involving a certain journal!).
— You’ll learn how we decide which things to make happen – and which things to say a gracious “no” to.
— You’ll hear about the beginnings of Southern Weddings (and how my musical theater degree was actually really helpful!). You’ll be encouraged to ask, “why not?”
— You’ll hear about one of the scariest things I’ve ever done—hiring my first employee. I also share my number one tip for hiring great team members.
— I tell you how I came to write my first book (hint: it had something to do with this blog you’re reading!).
— We tell you about one of the things we did NOT make happen—a TV show!—and why.
— We talk about why we changed the format of our Making Things Happen Conference, and how to know when to adapt to a new season.
— Our WHY and mission also led us to open our shop (first the Southern Weddings Shop, then the Cultivate Shop!). We chat about the profit of people and why that led us to partner with Southern Living Magazine (plus pies!).
— Remember the Lara Casey Shop?? And the first set of PowerSheets? We talk about why we added COLOR to PowerSheets and changed the name of our shop – two of the biggest and scariest changes we’ve ever made! We talk about how we move forward when the pain of staying the same is worse than the pain of changing.
— We end by telling you one of our favorite stories of all time, about the day Southern Living came to Lara’s house. Listen until the end—it’s a good one

Cultivate Your Life Podcast Episode 018: 3 Steps To Make The Rest Of 2019 Count – No Matter How It Started

Well—2019 is almost halfway over.

This year has not gone like you thought it would.
Time feels like it’s flying.
You feel like it’s too late to make progress on anything this year.
You started all wrong, you’ve gone from feeling behind to feeling like the year is over.
You feel like you’ve failed.

But, this year isn’t over—not even close! In today’s episode, I’ll walk you through three steps to make the rest of 2019 count, no matter how it started. (Whew!) You’re going to hear from women just like you who are struggling with their goals, and you’ll learn how to break free. We’re going to finish this year strong together—with joy! Let’s talk!

LISTEN NOW!

In this episode:
—I start by giving you an update on my own 2019 goals—which ones I’ve made progress on, which ones I’ve tweaked, and which one I’m closest to completing!
—I tell you my Enneagram Type and how it relates to Mid-Year Goals Prep Week (this week!). I tell you about some of the (many!) important things I have started on days other than January 1st.
—I walk you through three simple steps to finish this year well, having made progress on what matters most to you.
—Then, I put my Goal Coach hat on and troubleshoot the issues YOU’VE told us you’re having with your goals at this point in the year. I give specific solutions to help you move forward!
—I end by giving you four simple goal setting hacks I use to make little-by-little progress. I think one of them will work for you, too!
—You’ll end the episode believing what I know to be true: what matters far more than how you started this year is how you finish it, and you can finish it well.

Interested in some of the things I mentioned throughout this episode? Here you go!

— When you write your goals down, you’re statistically more likely to get results! I use my PowerSheets goal planner to set and achieve my goals—the things that really matter to me. Buy yours now at a 30% discount! (They won’t last long at this rate!)
— I taught a live class this week for Mid-Year Goals Prep Week, and you all were on fire in the comments! Watch the replay!

LOVE THE PODCAST? SHARE IT! Text, email, carrier pigeon—share this episode with friends however you like! This episode is really special, so I hope you’ll share it with someone you love! Feel free to grab one of these graphics to post about it, too!

WANT AN EMAIL WHEN A NEW EPISODE GOES LIVE? Enter your email address below, and I’ll send you a note when a new episode is up!

I’D LOVE TO MEET YOU! Come say hi on Instagram! I love sharing my life with you! And if you loved the outro, don’t miss the “Ari Raps” highlight on my Instagram!

SUBSCRIBE NOW to the Cultivate Your Life podcast on iTunes so you won’t miss an episode. If you love the podcast, please leave a quick review on iTunes—it helps other women find this free encouragement! Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. I’ll be featuring some of your reviews in a future episode!

The post Cultivate Your Life Podcast Episode 018: 3 Steps To Make The Rest Of 2019 Count – No Matter How It Started appeared first on Lara Casey.

May Progress + June PowerSheets Goals

We’re almost to the half-way point of 2019 and you’re feeling it.

Life keeps happening.
Daily pressures keep pressing.
You want to make progress on the things you’ve always wanted to do. But, you’re starting to think it’s not possible to achieve your goals this year—it feels like it’s too late.

It’s no surprise you feel this way! The world tries to convince you that that, in order to have a meaningful life, you have to do it all and be it all. You have to have made perfect progress on your goals from January 1 to now. You have to have it all together. You have to take big shiny steps forward. You have to do “big things” to have value.

Ugh!

I’ve been there, too. Feeling like I have to do it all and be it all. Escaping to social media, to distractions, to comparison, to whatever we can find to avoid that voice that keeps telling us we’re not good enough.

There’s a better way forward! A simple way. Like my garden, it’s the way of growing slow and well.

My little buddy exploring the community garden down the street from us!

Starting next Monday, I’m going to guide you through 3 steps to finally make progress on your goals—no matter how your year started. Ready for a life reset without the pressure, guilt, or that feeling of never catching up?

Welcome to your LIFE RESET.

Whether you’ve made progress this year, completely forgot about your goals, or never set them in the first place, Mid-Year Goals Prep Week is for you—and it’s going to be FUN!

3 steps to get ready for your Mid-Year RESET:
1. Grab your PowerSheets—no matter where you are in your goals, I’ll help you get refreshed!
2. Follow Cultivate What Matters on Instagram for Mid-Year Goals coaching and fun all week.
3. Sign up for my free live class next Monday at 1 pm ET. Let’s make it a date! I’ll guide you through the 3 steps to make the rest of 2019 count—no matter how it started (and of course I’ll send you the replay if you can’t join live!). Save your spot now.

And now, a quick progress update from my May PowerSheets goals! May was a big month! Grace finished 1st grade, all the kiddos started the transition-to-summer, and Mommy eased lots of big emotions for sweet little hearts who don’t love transition! : ) We had a refreshing trip to the beach, planted the garden, and ate breakfast outside. It was a good month!

May Monthly Goals:
— Love the Word (above all else!) – One of our work benefits is an allowance for books, so I got a new ESV study Bible and have been loving it alongside my Write the Word Prayer journal, which I’m almost done with!
— Make our family summer plans – Done! We’re headed to the mountains in June and August and have simple summer fun plans thanks to many of your suggestions and the Summer Wildcard Page pack.
— Train team members (2 Corinthians 3:2 is my verse for this!) – So much progress here that I am very grateful for! I work with amazing women.
— Make our summer homeschool plan – Done! We ordered all of our 2nd-grade books, too! (By the way, the new version of the Cultivated Homeschool Planner is coming soon! Stay tuned!)
— Plant the garden + Josh’s farm – FINALLY!!! Listen in here for the story of how this almost didn’t happen.

May Weekly Goals:
— Weekly family Sabbath. – Many naps with Josh transpired! And we had an especially sweet Shabbat with some friends at the beach, complete with a seder meal and singing!
— Do something for the joy of it—HIS joy! – Goodness, I loved this goal. It was a reminder to live with joy! From being silly with the kids to telling funny stories to making fun things for breakfast, this was a delight.
— Be in the Word with Ari – This was pretty simple – a reminder to have spiritual conversation with him!

May Daily Goals:
— Old Testament Bible Reading – Yes, and continuing to LOVE this reading time with friends each morning!
— 10k steps every day – Progress not perfection here. I’m so glad I set this goal—it motivated me to move!
— Read aloud to our kids – We already finished some of our second-grade books and made some good library trips. Mr. Putter and Tabby Pour the Tea has us rolling in laughter every time!
— Write the Word – Yes, little by little steps forward here, too!
— Exercise it out! – Progress! I’ve been walking and running in our driveway while the kiddos play in the garden.

Here’s a little marriage advice we shared this month that resonated with many of you!

Don’t miss these from May!
—One of your favorite podcast episodes launched in May! In How to Let Go of A Dream, I share the story of letting go of Southern Weddings and the surprising thing that happened next.
—Learn how to take back your summer before it starts!
—Feel like it’s too late to start a goal since it’s not January 1? Here are 3 reasons to start your goals today.
—See big change in 5 different goal areas. Check out our NEW Downloadable Goal Guides in friendship, finance, relationships, parenting, or wellness!

On to June! It’s a new month and I’m ready for that mid-year reset! I’m excited to dig into these June PowerSheets goals (Goal Setting Sticker Book in hand, of course!)!

New goals for June!

June Monthly Goals:
— Seek His wisdom
— Ask His wisdom
— Pass on His wisdom (There’s clearly a theme in June! ☺️ )
— Enjoy the garden
— Train leaders—pass on wisdom
— Dig into summer homeschool
— Do all of the new goal guides! Ari and I are halfway through the Couples Goal Guide and it has been AMAZING.
— Learn to number my days (life is short—play in the sprinklers!)

June Weekly Goals:
— Sabbath rest
— Spread joy around like manure—encouraging things to grow! Ha!
— Love people well
— Simplify + systemize my work
— Finish reading Letters to the Church, Rocket Fuel, and The Out of Sync Child

June Daily Goals:
— Write the Word (P.S. Brand new Write the Word journals are coming in July and they are so good!)
— Bible reading
— Run!!
— Read aloud to the kids

Your turn! Do you have goals for June? Comment below (NOTE: The WordPress comment area isn’t working for some reason and we’re working on it—till then, comment with Facebook below!) and I’ll pick one of you to send a special surprise box of goodies to from the Cultivate What Matters shop. I love sending real mail, and I love hearing your thoughts! Congrats to May’s winner, Tiffany!

P.S.  Let’s have a coffee date on Monday! Join me for the free live class where I’ll guide you through the 3 steps to make the rest of 2019 count––no matter how it started (and of course I’ll send you the replay if you can’t join live)––save your seat now.

Affiliate links are used in this post.

The post May Progress + June PowerSheets Goals appeared first on Lara Casey.

Cultivate Your Life Podcast Episode 017: Take Back Your Summer

There’s something you want to do, and it’s not done yet. It really matters to you, though, and you’re frustrated that you haven’t done it!

On top of that, summer is coming and you’re feeling it. You’re feeling the pressure to finally do that thing or… accept defeat.

I was right there a couple weeks ago. There was something I really wanted to do, and I was stuck. I thought it was too late and that I had missed my chance.

In this episode, learn how my garden almost didn’t get planted, how I took back my summer, and how you can, too!

LISTEN NOW!

In this episode:
—I begin by telling you why there’s been a little break between new episodes (spoiler alert: I can’t do it all and do it well, either!).
—You’ll hear allll the reasons I thought it was too late to plant my garden—and the one reason that helped me push past the excuses and get out there in the dirt.
—Want to know what we’re planting this year? I’m spilling the beans!
—Have you been frustrated lately? I share how our times of frustration can lead to our best breakthroughs and our most passionate work!
—I remind you that there are almost 100 days of summer, and summer hasn’t even started yet! You have time to grab hold of the memories right in front of you, and I give you three simple steps to do so (don’t forget to break it down!).
—Finally, I tell you why I think goal setting is FUN! Yes, really!

You want this summer to be different

Friends, what a fun few days it has been! Thank you so much for your encouragement in the launch of our new collection—every kind word, email, Instagram post, story share, live chat (we love chatting with you!), and more have been a gift to our team! After keeping new tools quiet for so long, it’s the biggest joy to share them with you all.

Ready for a peek behind the scenes of creating these products and preparing for launch?!

Here’s where we start with every new collection we launch: we start with YOU! We take time to think about where you’ll be in your year when these products arrive. What will be challenging for you in that given season? How might we come alongside you and make it EASIER for you to do the things that matter to you—those things you’ve always wanted to do?

Because that’s why you love your PowerSheets: they’re a practical tool with a proven process that actually allows to you do the things you’ve always wanted to do with ease and joy:

— To be a better friend
— To pay down debt or save more money
— To have more fun as a family
— To create a life-giving home

And much, much more. Each of those goals is accomplished with small steps forward in the right direction, one after another after another. Anything we can do to help you take those small steps—that’s why we’re here!

And that’s what this collection—and this summer—is all about! Simple tools that will help you take the next best steps toward the life you want in the season ahead.

Let’s make this summer different—refreshing, purposeful, and joy-filled! A little more about your favorites from the new collection…

POWERSHEETS | For eight years, the PowerSheets® Intentional Goal Planner has helped women just like you live their best summers—and beyond! They’re not magic, but they ARE a powerful tool. Using your PowerSheets and accessories, you’ll use our 3-step proven process to uncover a plan for your unique season ahead, break your plan down into simple steps, and live it out, little by little!

And friends, get ready!! Mid-Year Goals Week is coming (June 3—7), where we’ll refresh our goals (or set new ones!) to prepare for a great second half of 2019 together. Remember, there’s NOTHING magical about January 1st—today is the best day to start! I can’t wait!!

THREE NEW NOTEPADS | We often get asked about the difference between to do’s for your to do list and action steps for your goals. It’s a great question! Your Tending List is for monthly goals and weekly and daily action steps that move you toward your big picture goals.

You know we are big fans of breaking it down, and sometimes, we need to break even our action steps down into smaller chunks—and that’s where a to do list comes in!

Keep your daily to dos on one of our new notepads – the generously-sized Garden Memo notepad, the unlined New Day notepad, and the lined To Do List notepad.

They key to taking advantage of summer’s sweet longer days? Being as efficient and organized as possible with my must do’s so that I can enjoy my want-to-do’s—the stuff where memories are made!

CULTIVATED LIFE POCKET TEE | You might think because I’m the Chief Goal Getter over here I’ve got this whole goals thing down pat. While I have found a system that works for me (PowerSheets!), I still need a daily reminder to choose the cultivated life! You have loved our apparel options in the past and so with this collection, we knew we wanted to create something sweet, colorful, and meaningful to wear this summer. Here it is (almost sold out!)!

GARDEN PEP POSTCARD SET | Like you, our team loves a good pun. We also share a desire to be known for spreading love and happiness—a legacy of light! It sounds like a lofty goal, but it’s lived out in tiny ways day by day, and that’s where these postcards come in. They’re the simplest way to make a friend’s day! Will be restocked in a few days!

SUMMER WILDCARD PAGE PACK | You’re obsessed with the wildcard downloads included with your PowerSheets, and so are we—I use them every month! These limited-edition summer pages will equip you for adventure, rest, and connection—everything you need for a refreshing summer! I’ve already filled out the bucket list and posted it on my fridge!

DOWNLOADABLE GOAL GUIDES | Last but certainly not least, our new digital Goal Guides will provide the perfect focus for the season ahead, no matter which topic you choose—your relationship, parenting, wellness, finance, or community. Use them alongside your PowerSheets and get ready to see a part of your life completely transformed by the time fall rolls around!

These have been some of our most popular products since they debuted, and the finance one in particular is a tool I’m just so glad we offer! Ari and I try to work through the Couples or Parenting Guides every three months, which is part of the reason why we transitioned these to a digital platform—now you can print them as many times as you’d like, for years to come!

Our team is so grateful to introduce this collection to you. Creating these products is a joy, and it’s all for YOU! We know the best is yet to come—when we get to start using these products alongside you!

Many of these items are limited edition so SHOP NOW before we run out!

The post You want this summer to be different appeared first on Lara Casey.

Cultivate Your Life Podcast Episode 016: How To Let Go Of A Dream

There’s something in your life you’re considering letting go of.

But something is holding you back from making a decision.
You want the perfect plan, outcome, or path before taking that leap.
You want assurance that you’re making the right decision—and that everything will work out well when you do.

I’m pulling back the curtain today on the story of letting go of Southern Weddings, about the day we were going to be at $0—and the surprising thing that happened next.

It’s okay to let go of a dream to make room for a new one! Listen in to learn how.

In this episode:

— I begin by telling you a story – the story of Southern Weddings Magazine. It’s a story that’s deeply entwined with the story of my life – my grandparents’ legacy in the South, my husband going to war, my marriage, and so much more.
— I tell you about the crossroads we came to in 2017 – with two growing, successful businesses, both doing good work that was changing people. I answer the question, “Why couldn’t you just do it all?”
— I walk you through the questions we asked to decide whether this was the right decision, the one God desired for us, and then, once the decision was made, how we prepared to tell our audience – and what the announcement day was like for our team.
— Then, I tell you about the season that followed – possibly the hardest one we’ve ever faced as a team. I tell you about the one bow I REALLY wanted to place on the top – and about the fruit we received instead.
— Are you walking through your own season of transition? I’m grateful to share with you seven simple steps that might help you move forward if you’re facing an important decision.
— I also pass along three tips that gave me the strength to keep going in our difficult season. I needed them all!
— By the end of the episode, I hope you’ll see that endings can be new beginnings, and that it’s okay to have more than one dream. You can do hard things, and you can write a new story!

Interested in some of the things I mentioned throughout this episode? Here you go!

— Here’s the post I shared on the day we announced the new chapter for Southern Weddings.
— The Southern Weddings archives are still alive and well – visit them here!— I mention my books – Make It Happen and Cultivate (buy them both together!).
— I also mention PowerSheets – a crucial tool that helps me uncover my best decisions and then walk them out day by day.
—Here’s where you can find more information about C12. Meeting with my group is a highlight every month!
— Many of you have asked about the beloved (and now sold-out) Southern Weddings Planner. I’m thrilled to say we are working on a solution to get it back in your hands. Sign up to be the first to hear more:

LOVE THE PODCAST? SHARE IT! Text, email, carrier pigeon—share this episode with friends however you like! This episode is really special, so I hope you’ll share it with someone you love! Feel free to grab one of these graphics to post about it, too!

WANT AN EMAIL WHEN A NEW EPISODE GOES LIVE? Enter your email address below, and I’ll send you a note when a new episode is up!

I’D LOVE TO MEET YOU! Come say hi on Instagram! I love sharing my life with you! And if you loved the outro, don’t miss the “Ari Raps” highlight on my Instagram!

SUBSCRIBE NOW to the Cultivate Your Life podcast on iTunes so you won’t miss an episode. If you love the podcast, please leave a quick review on iTunes—it helps other women find this free encouragement! Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. I’ll be featuring some of your reviews in a future episode!

The post Cultivate Your Life Podcast Episode 016: How To Let Go Of A Dream appeared first on Lara Casey.

April Progress + May PowerSheets Goals

You’ve done a lot so far this year.

You’ve faced a lot of challenges.
You’ve checked a lot of boxes.
You’ve gone to many places (even if just to the grocery store many times over!).
You’ve made a lot of decisions.
You’ve made progress on your goals!

But, there are a few things that don’t seem to be moving forward, no matter how hard you try. In fact, it feels like you’ve gone a few steps backwards.

And that’s frustrating—to want something so much but feel like you’re making reverse progress! Like there’s nothing to show for all of your effort.

Let’s step into my garden for a minute. When I plant a seed, I often come out the next day hoping to see that it’s sprouted. I can’t help it! I’m so excited to see that little hint of green in the soil, signifying new life. But, many times I run outside to check on my seeds, and do you know what I see?

NOTHING.
Dirt.
After all that work of cultivating the soil, and getting on my knees planting those tiny seeds, and watering them, there’s nothing to show for it.

But, if we went below the surface of the soil together, you’d see something miraculous. Do you know what’s happening beneath the surface when you plant a seed? EVERYTHING! It’s letting go of its outer shell. It’s soaking up water and nutrients to be able to throw out its first roots. And it’s getting ready to press toward the LIGHT at just the right time.

Whatever it is for you that you wish would happen yesterday, imagine this: what if waiting is a time of ripening? Perhaps your trials are the very things that will bring you to a day where you can’t help but stand in awe and say, All of that time waiting—I was actually growing, even though I couldn’t see it above the surface! Thank you, God! Thank you!

In April we had a Spring product shoot, the Gardening 101 class, our team summit, welcoming 3 new team members, planting our office garden—the list goes on!

This month was a turning point for me. I didn’t manufacture it or plan it or expect it. I really wanted the turning point to happen months ago. But, no matter how hard I tried, it didn’t happen. Until last week. That seed you plant—that step of obedience to say no to something or close a chapter or start something new—may not grow above the surface right away. Give it time. It’s okay to grow slow.

I’m at the Carolina coast with our family right now, typing this to you during nap time, so in lieu of my monthly video update, I’ve noted my PowerSheets progress below!

April Monthly Goals:
— Pray over everything—ask God / There were larger decisions to be made in April, from hiring three new team members to products and projects—and many personal things, too. I may think I have the best answer, but He always does! Even in times when it seemed like I was constantly stopping meetings and interrupting decision-making, I had to stop to pray and ask Him first.
— Do my Making Things Happen action items. / You may only see a little progress marked on this one above, but rather than say, “I didn’t make much progress!” I’m claiming PROGRESS! Little by little adds up.
— Make our home come alive. / I played more great music for the kids, we read more books, we got outside more (when #Pollenmageddon wasn’t in full force here in North Carolina!), and generally enjoyed the warmer air and blessing of our home and each other.
— Teach the Gardening 101 live class! / Yes! Done!
— Plant our garden. / Not done. I decided to wait till we get back from the beach next week to get started.
— Train leaders. / Our Team Summit was Spirit-led and a turning point for all of us. Praising Him for this!

April Weekly Goals:
— Weekly family Sabbath.
— Read Letters to the Church with Ari / We hit pause on this book temporarily in favor of another book Ari wanted to dig into. I’m excited to get back to it!
— Sing for joy to the Lord. / From our church’s singing night last week to many hymns sung over the kiddos, I’ve so enjoyed this!
— Read lovely words to the kids. / Yes, we’ve read lots of great stories and I purposefully brought a giant stack of books on vacation with us, too! This will be my summer focus, as well.
— Sabbath: renew our hearts and minds. / Yes, I’m still loving “Shabbat naps with Josh,” and Passover was especially sweet this year.
— Pray for the Lord to use us to meet needs. / We opened our NCF fund! Progress!

April Daily Goals: / Little by little progress was made on all of these below. not perfect progress, but perfect isn’t the goal!
— Old Testament Bible Reading (Need a great 5-day Bible reading plan? :))
— Write the Word at night before bed
— Sleep
— Analog evenings
— Work it out!

April’s podcast episodes you don’t want miss:
—How To Start A Garden
—You have to Pull Out Old Plants From Last Year Before You Can Plant New Ones
—You’ve Planted Seeds But Haven’t Seen Anything Above Ground

The Gardening 101 Class may have included an unexpected introduction to a chicken! Learn how to grow your own garden in my NEW class !

On to MAY!
—Need help prioritizing what to spend time doing (and not doing!) in May? Download this FREE Yes/No List.
—Looking for inspiration to kick start your goals? You’ll love these stories.
—Need some reassurance that your hard work will pay off? This episode is for you!

It’s a new month and I’m grateful! I forgot to bring my Goal Setting Sticker Book on vacation, though, so color-coding my PowerSheets goals will happen when I return!