Welcome to Earth Month, Ambitious Fam! This month I will be sharing content geared towards reducing toxins in your life and being a friendlier inhabitor on Mother Earth. I hope that some of my insights spark interest in making a small life change that our planet will thank you for.

Here is how I am finding balance this April:

SIOP

This will be my second year attending the annual conference for the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP). I shared my experience about traveling to Chicago for the conference in this post. Last year, I went simply as an observer; eager to soak up information about the latest research happening in the field. This year I am presenting a poster with my team! It has been my goal to present research at another conference ever since my experience at presenting CO3 (Conference on Comparative Cognition) as an undergraduate student. I look forward to learning and sharing information at the conference this year!

City Center Lanterns

City Center in DC always has the cutest decorations for the season. Every time I see photographic evidence of the display changes, I make a mental note to visit so that I can shop and see the installations in person. Currently, there are the cutest pink lanterns on display and I REALLY want to go. Here’s to hoping that I finally make it there!

Avengers: Endgame

I warned y’all in my last bucket list post that I do not play around when it comes to new Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) releases. I cannot begin to describe all of the feelings that I have about the coming movie. Will we get the resolution that we have been waiting for? What happened to all of our fallen heroes?! Is my theory that I developed after seeing Captain Marvel true!? Gah, I can’t find out soon enough. You better believe that both my little brother and I will be glued to our seat for the entire 3+ run time of the Infinity Saga finale!

Admire the Cherry Blossoms

For as long as I have lived in this area (aka all my life), I have never gone into DC with the sole purpose of seeing the cherry blossoms. I just never felt like the crowds were worth it. I’m singing a different tune this year and I hope that I make it before the magic is over. There are also other cherry blossom attractions around the city that I look forward to engaging in.

Eco-Friendly Period Solutions

To know me is to know that I am passionate about finding small ways to reduce waste. Being female means that I lived a good chunk of my life contributing to waste through the use of single-use disposable feminine hygiene products. Did you know that the average woman can use somewhere between 12,000 and 16,000 disposable pads, tampons, and liners in her lifetime? Not only does the practice produce a lot of waste, but it also exposes um…sensitive areas to toxins. This month I want to test out some eco-friendly period management products to see if I can make a switch to a more sustainable product. This may be a little TMI, but I do think that it could be useful information to share with you all!

Try Blue-light Glasses

Ok, finally giving in to testing this whole “blue-light blocking glasses” craze out. What’s it all about? Does it really work? Stay tuned.

Bedtime

This bucket list item was added as a challenge from one of my gym besties and fitness coach extraordinaire. Apparently, shes worried that I don’t get enough sleep, and wanted to challenge me to get at least 7 hours of sleep a night for an entire week so that I can see how I feel. Challenge accepted. I’m always down for a challenge, but I am a little concerned about how early I would have to go to sleep to account for how early I wake up most mornings. However, I’m in it to win it (and by it, I mean the benefits of actually getting enough sleep haha). I currently get somewhere between 5-6 hours most days, for the record, and I’m still chugging along.

Fab Four Smoothie Challenge

I recently read Kelly LeVeque’s book, Body Love. In her book, LeVeque challenges her new clients to try to swap out their breakfast for a Fab Four Smoothie for an entire week. She insists that everyone will see a difference and trust her method of a Fab Four lifestyle. What is the Fab Four? The term stands for a meal that consists of enough protein, healthy fat, fiber, and greens. LeVeque suggests that meals like these help free you from being controlled by food. I’m curious to see if she can convert me into a believer.  

This month, I am hoping to incorporate balance into my life by completing challenges aimed at improving my wellness.

How are you finding balance in April?