June: Stop, Start, Continue

What I'm doing (and NOT doing) this month!

I’m so glad you’re here! I’m Sarah Von Bargen, a long-time online writer, marketing consultant, and coach. Every week we’ll be exploring ideas around spending our time, money, and energy on purpose + how to build a life we love that doesn’t make us broke or exhausted.

A weird thing that happens when you work with business owners: Their business-y vocabulary and frameworks trickle over into your daily life.

And - I regret to inform us - a lot of those frameworks are actually pretty useful outside of the cubicles.

While I’m not quiiiiiite saying synergy unironically to my friends at backyard barbecues, I can say that I see the wisdom in that “rocks, pebbles, sand” framework a lot of my clients use to plan their business projects.

Another one that’s surprisingly helpful? That “stop, start, continue” framework that lots of bosses use when running yearly performance reviews.

I thought it might be fun to start off the month with my own list, shared to create outer accountability. If I tell you I’m going to start taking yoga classes, now I have to do it! And I also weirdly always love to read other people’s lists like this.

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Something I’m Going To Stop Doing:

• Consuming any caffeine after 11 am. 😭
  
  Like most 40+ women, the quality of my sleep is terrrrrrible. Even though I walk 4+ miles most days! Even though I read an actual, physical book before I go to sleep! Even though I sleep in a cool, quiet, completely dark room!
  
  Several times a week, I wake up at 3 am, toss and turn for an hour, get up and read on the sofa where I fall asleep around 5 am and wake up when Kenny gets up and I’m drooling and onto our not-really-meant-for-sleeping throw pillows. Fun! Here’s hoping that stopping caffeine even earlier in the day will help.

Memorial Day hike, the same chives I've been regrowing for the last three years, Fort Snelling state park, alpacas, strawberry shrub, butterfly house

Things I’m Going To Start Doing:

• Taking free yoga classes at my co-working space
  
  I’m usually quite good about making the most of the stuff I’m already paying for but have I taken advantage of the three-times-a-week yoga classes at my coworking space? I have not.
  
  In late July, I’m doing a five-day, four-night inn-to-inn hike in Scotland so - in addition to taking longer hikes to train and doing some weight training - I know I need to work on my flexibility. Also, they’re freeeeeee.
  

• Working with a new retainer client!
  
  I’ve talked before about how I inadvertently designed my ideal work situation by being an easily dissatisfied so-and-so; I can’t say enough good things about the retainer model. You get the schedule flexibility of freelance with the financial stability of W2 work!
  
  This client is experimenting with launching a paid Substack that will feature the sort of content that people typically put into an online course. It’ll end up costing their subscribers just $180 (which is MUCH cheaper than most online courses) and since they meter it out weekly into small bites, people are a lot more likely to actually implement the things they’re teaching!
  
  Sidenote: If you’re an “accidental accountant” - you got roped into doing accounting and bookkeeping for the small business you work for or you're doing it for your family or spouse’s business, but you never actually … learned how to do bookkeeping, their Substack is for you!

30+ years of friends, cat sitting, Duke university, garden tomato sandwiches, hosting my extended family, mailbox sculpture

Things I’m Going To Continue Doing:

• Eating “fake caprese” for breakfast
  
  I’m a) lazy b) never eating enough protein c) not that into sweet things, so “fake caprese” has been my go-to summer breakfast for a while now. It takes 45 seconds to put together and is legit delish.
  
  Aldi full cottage cheese (I’ve tried all the brands and this one is my favorite!) + cherry tomatoes cut in half + basil if you’ve got it + “Everything but the bagel” seasoning if you’ve got it. So good!

• Doing weekly themed meals + a tv show with my mother-in-law
  
  My MIL (who I like!!!) rents the lower unit in our duplex and once a week, we make a themed dinner and watch one or two episodes of a tv show. It’s so fun! We just finished Somebody, Somewhere (so, so good!) and made lots of Kansas-inspired food - barbecue, chili + cinnamon rolls, and many, many corn-centric dishes.
  
  We’re starting Outlander to prepare for our Scotland trip, but I’m not sure I can handle watching that level of, uh, spiciness with my MIL. We agreed to give it three episodes. I cannot handle three sex scenes and one attempted rape in every episode!!!
  

• NOT listening to anything while I walk to work
  
  I’ve been working with a health coach who encouraged me to find a version of mindfulness that works for me - a person who’s not great at meditating. I decided to experiment with not listening to anything on my four-ish mile walk to and from my co-working space every day and ohmygod I will never go back!
  
  I work through so many issues during those walks, write blog posts like this in my head, and am a lot more likely to chat with neighbors I encounter. I notice which flowers are blooming, how that big house remodel is coming along and arrive at my destination much calmer and more centered.

But I want to hear from you! It’s always so interesting (and informative!) to read other people’s lists like this. I always get so many ideas for other things I want to try when I read what you’re up to. 😊