Traveling Coffee Girl

  • You Are Not Behind: Start From Right Now

    You Are Not Behind: Start From Right Now

    Marie Magoch

    Does this year  feel like it’s going too fast? I swear I was making my 2026 goal list only a week ago and now it’s the start of summer. Where did the time go, and why is it going faster than a peregrine falcon diving for its dinner? 

    On days like this when I look at my list of goals and panic about being behind. Especially when I’ve gotten distracted by work, traveling to visit family, and my cat’s sassy moments when she insists she should be the only thought on my mind. 

    A former version of myself would have frozen up on getting anything done and then rushed to the goalline as fast as possible, while dropping incomplete tasks hither and thither, then bursting into tears knowing I was too far behind to get anything done. 

    This is where we change our thinking. Here and now. You can’t change the past. So, first thing we do is — Breathe. It’s always going to be Breathe. This is the most important thing that I will repeat over and over. Years ago, I took an Improv class from Jef Rawles of Jester’z Improv Comedy.  We were given our roles, I knew what I needed to do, and I froze. It wasn’t stage fright. I just completely forgot what I planned on doing. Every thought was gone and my mouth tried to form words, but I probably looked more like a fish and sounded like a mouse. 

    “Breathe,” Jef told me. I realized I had been holding my breath. It’s what happens when we freeze up. We forget to breathe and since our brain needs oxygen – well, you know the rest. So, again, breathe. You might get distracted and the best solution is starting now.

    Three Things. Because, that’s the Rule of Comedy: Setup. Setup. Twist. That’s all you need right now. Pick out three things you want to focus on. It can be goals for today, the week, or the month. The time frame is up to you.

    A few examples to give you ideas: 

    June Goal List (General) 

    • Drink one gallon of water daily. (Coffee doesn’t count and it’s already Prevening, so it’s a good thing there are 27 more days in the month and I can do better tomorrow)
    • 30% Less Social Media (I say as I notice the responses waiting for me)
    • Read more books (This means more fairy smut, because it’s summer and your brain needs a rest)

    Daily Goal List 

    • Write article about not being behind so I don’t panic about being behind
    • Yoga practice 
    • Catalog books (because I don’t want to misplace the fairy smut)

    Add more as you go along, if you wish, but keep three key goals as your focus, so when that batch is done, you remind yourself that you aren’t behind.

    But, what about those days when you want to get more done, but just don’t have the energy? I have a few ideas in queue for those days that help a lot when my energy battery is low. Come back for next week’s Cozy Coffee Notes or subscribe to get them dropped directly into your Inbox next Thursday.

    Do you need a little extra help on getting through your to-do list? Visit Tiny Tasks and schedule a Free Coffee Chat.


  • Revisiting Summertime and Making Your Days Happy

    Revisiting Summertime and Making Your Days Happy

    Marie Magoch

    Did you take a little time last week to slow down?

    Did you sip your coffee outside? 

    Work on a project you’ve been putting off?

    Did you just get that one moment to close your eyes? How did it go?


    It’s summertime and despite the old song lyrics, living isn’t always easy. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I still have the image of the happy summertime fantasy I read about in books, saw in movies, and sometimes think I remember from childhood: long  summer days of reading, playing, swimming, and frozen otter pops.

     Whether you still have children in the house or if you’re an empty nester,this is the year to bring back that lazy summertime feeling.

    Years ago, I read a book by Peter Jones (yes, Peter. I’m recommending it again) called How to Do Everything and Be Happy. It’s a wonderfully cheeky and humorous book that gave me ideas about celebrating Boxing Day once a month, concentrating on three goals at a time, and writing lists and more lists in my daily diary.  Over a decade later, I still occasionally go back to the book and rediscover something new. 

    My children used to see the familiar yellow smiley cover of the book all the time because I checked out the book multiple times from the library before finally buying an ebook copy about three years ago. 

    Inspired by knowing absolutely nothing about the book other than the title and cover design, my two youngest children created their own list on Being Happy. My children are adults now, but their list is timeless. This summer, you can either take a few tips from Matthew and Juniper, ask the children in your life to help with a Summer Happiness List, or dive in and make your own fun list. No matter what you decide, the main goal is all about making summer FUN

    Matthew and Juniper’s Advice on Being Happy

    1. Jump rope
    2. Eat ice cream
    3. Pet your dog
    4. If no dog, buy or borrow one
    5. Get a cat. Make sure the cat doesn’t eat the dog.
    6. Have a root beer float
    7. Eat more ice cream
    8. Learn to play guitar
    9. Eat Oreos
    10. Go camping
    11. Take a nap
    12. Make paper airplanes
    13. Watch birds
    14. Draw
    15. Sit on a comfy bench
    16. Have a water balloon fight
    17. Read a book
    18. Play with friends
    19. Take a walk
    20. Have fun

    Take some time this summer to play and have some fun despite the busy world we live in. Over the next few months Cozy Coffee Notes will be exploring more ways to relax and focus on self care. Subscribe to the newsletter and get Cozy Coffee Notes sent directly to your inbox. Be sure to come back Sunday morning for a little bit of extra Coffee Adventures.
    Feel free to explore the rest of the site and if you want to help keep the lights on or become a sponsor, check out Buy Me a Coffee or donate to $TravelingCoffeeGirl.

  • What Happens When You Slow Down Your Morning Routine and Drink Your Coffee?

    Marie Magoch

    I am currently sitting in one of my favorite coffee shops, slowing down my morning routine slowly sipping on a hot cup of coffee as I look up academic research papers about time management. Don’t judge me. I know it’s nearly summer, but I consider iced coffee a drink for a refreshing afternoon break. Mornings are for hot coffee. Just coffee, creamer, and maybe a little raw sugar or spice when I’m feeling extra frisky.

     The music is upbeat. The company is inspiring.  My mind feels relaxed. Too relaxed. Have I actually been doing something useful or am I just goofing off? Immediately, I think of all the things I should be doing to remain productive and my brain panics for a moment as it searches for that comfortable fight or flight mode and reaches for the soft landing I’ve spent months teaching myself.

     I hesitate, and give myself permission to breathe. Never forget to breathe. Even while I’m fidgeting and my mind is running through the to-do list of tasks that aren’t even scheduled for this week, my mind takes that one last lunge and jumps before settling back to what I am focused on. It’s not something you would notice in passing. Eventually, I hope this part of the process becomes a thing of the past. 

    Although I am writing notes and have a lot of brand new ideas that can expand over the next weeks and months about relaxation, slow living, and saying no to frustrated hustling and busyness, I am so used to that adrenaline rush of productivity and the hurry-it-up society that I immediately feel lazy when I am at my most productive. Once I let my mind and body finally relax and focus I accomplished more in one hour over the cup of coffee and notebook than I would have if I had chained myself to my laptop first thing in the morning. 

    The fact that this is considered some kind of coffee house writer’s fantasy instead of reality tells us a lot about why we have become so stressed and overly stimulated. We feel like we’re on a constant treadmill of life, always moving forward, yet never reaching a worthwhile destination. We have become convinced there will never be enough time. 

    When was the last time you went on a vacation? A real vacation. Not the kind that has a minute by minute agenda. Or, when did you last have a weekend all to yourself? A weekend where you didn’t spend all your time running errands. Think about it. Remember to Breathe. Picture it in your mind. Do you remember that feeling of ease? That time when you ate better, had more exercise in a few days than you had in the last year, or that day when you got so much done, yet still had time to rest? 

    Did you notice how time slowed down? It wasn’t a never ending pattern of time that rushed past without any meaning. There was time to savor the moments throughout the day. You made real connections. Tasted each bite of your food without rushing. Maybe you even saw the sunset for the first time in years. You probably told yourself, “I need to do this again” and yet…

    What happened? You still have the same 24 hours. Yet, you feel like nothing’s getting done. You’re constantly burnt out and even when you sleep you wake up tired. That’s because we were never meant to live in this mindset of hurry. You know it. That’s why you’re reading this. 

    So, what are we going to do about it? Again, Breathe. Don’t rush forward yet. Just Breathe. Next pick a weekend, a day, an hour. Any moment of time to just exist. No rushing. I’m not saying you don’t need to do anything, but be a little more mindful with your pace. Enjoy slower moments. Drink your coffee before starting your work for the day. Try it this weekend. Let me know how much actually gets done when you slow down a little. 

    Slowing down isn’t about doing less. It’s focusing on the right things first. Tiny Tasks helps clear the mental load with appointments, menu prep, event planning, and getting rid of that paperwork pile, so you can get more of your time back for yourself. When you’re ready to make this part of your ritual Cozy Coffee Notes lands in your inbox every Thursday.