Dear Friday, thank you for being here because this week has been rough and I am sooooo looking forward to some down time this weekend.
Dear Cubs, as much as this mama wolf loves you both I would truly appreciate it if you could both stop bickering at one another and learn to share your toys before I completely lose my mind and drop you both off at a street corner with a sign that says 'FREE' {totally kidding. kind of.}
Dear Coffee, I love you.
Dear Husband, thank you for working so hard this past week and dealing with my over emotional, pms-ing womanly mood swings. You da best.
Dear Lady Gaga, you've officially made my life in the new season of AHS.
Dear Neighbor Girl, I understand that sometimes kids can be annoying but please stop cussing at your three year old daughter. She's only three and you should probably learn better parenting skills. Just saying.
Dear October, you've been a busy month but I am so grateful for you.
Dear Mother Nature, it's fall. Why has it been 80 degrees?!
Dear self, you're overwhelmed but you've got this. Take a breather.
Dear whoever is reading this, you are beautiful, you are strong and you are the creator of all things great. You've worked your ass off this week and deserve personal time. Enjoy your weekend.
Happy Tuesday all! So, before it gets too late into the week I wanted to share my monthly goals. I always write down my goals in my moleskin journal and I've previously shared weekly goals on my blog but I feel in order to really keep myself on track and accountable, I should post my monthly goals any and everywhere!
Blog Goals: revamp and move to wordpress - post at least three days a week - find inspiration in everything - stay consistent - be more active with not only my blog but readers and blogger groups as well -
Mom Goals: be better at reading every night at bedtime and not missing a prayer - organize fun arts and craft activities for the weekends and non school days - research a good parenting book and finish this month - hug and kiss on my boys as much as possible because they're growing way too fast -
Wife Goals: turn our bedroom into our sanctuary - unplug at 7pm and make sure we are getting our time in after the boys are in bed - learn to compromise a little better - watch my stubbornness - compliment my co-alpha as much as he compliments me - find him the perfect birthday gift as his birthday is September 23rd -
Personal Goals: practice my yoga 60 minutes a day - dig deep into my yoga book - find two personal development books to finish this month - get back on track with my eating and fitness goals - less coffee more tea - less wine more water - meditate - cleanse and activate crystals - buy a new hoop -
BIG GOAL: Take it one day at a time. Be in tune with myself and the universe.
Oh my goodness, is it Monday already?! Although, I am a fan of my Monday's now I definitely still feel like my weekends just fly on by! So, here we are again with another fresh start to our week and that means GOAL SETTING! I am huge on setting goals and not just on Monday's. I'm always writing down ways I can better myself and what I do in general so without further a--do:
G O A L one // Is to really grow my YouTube channel. I have already filmed and posted two videos, which is SOOOOO new for me and definitely outside of my comfort zone but it feels so good to finally accomplish something I've spent almost two years on contemplating to do! Which leads me to my second goal...
G O A L two // Keep on stepping outside of my comfort zone every day. The saying really is true that "Life begins at the end of your comfort zone" and that is something I have personally experienced here recently and the excitement and adrenaline it gives me to do something so scary and so uncomfortable is so unreal and feels completely amazing to do. I will find at least one thing a day that scares the crap out of me but I know can benefit me and my life and I will do it! They say that if you're afraid to do something and you have to think twice about it then DO IT so just do it. { Positive and beneficial for your life life of course! :) }
G O A L three // Upgrade and revamp my blog. I love how simple and classy my theme is now but there are new features and new services I am offering and I really want my blog space to reflect all sides of me; so this week I will be working extra hard on acheiving meshing my blog and my features with my growing soul and growing business.
There you have it! What are some of your goals you have for this week? They can be blog related, business related, personal goals? I want to hear them! :)
Be sure to link up your blog and share through social media!
Have an amazing week my loves! Set those intentions high!
Hello lovelies! Happy Tuesday! I hope you all are remembering to set your intentions high and letting the positive energy flow! I've talked about one of my goals for this week being that I wanted to create more meaningful content so I'm here today to share a few tips on how we can all learn to throw in some extra loving throughout the day...
READY!?
ONE //Wake before the sun and make yourself a healthy breakfast. I know that sleeping in can be wonderful but there is something even better about starting the day before the sun and before everyone else. The alone time is essential for clearing out unwanted energy and replacing it with good vibes and high frequencies. Also, starting your morning with a delicious and nutritious breakfast will help aid in keeping up physical energy and help you stay on track for the rest of your day.
TWO //Stay hydrated. I know that this one seems way too simple and it's pretty much self explanatory BUT our bodies are made of 75% water and therefore staying fueled not only helps our internal organs function better but also keeps us consistently flushing out toxins.
THREE //Read a book. Seriously, even on your lunch break. I know for me that being able to dive into one of my favorite books any chance I get helps eliminate the days tension and stress. Reading can take you to another place within your consciousness and you would be amazed at how reading can lighten your mood.
FOUR //Take a bubble bath. Just do it. Add all the bubbles, all the epsom salt and your favorite essential oil(s). {I recommend lavender or peppermint}{Check out Sami Fait's blog for more info on essential oils!} Sit back and let your mind drift away. Meditating in a bubble bath is pretty much my jam and I recommend it to everyone.
FIVE //Buy yourself flowers. Yep, you heard me. Don't wait for someone else to spoil you with flowers, go out and buy yourself your favorite bouquet and be grateful for yourself and your beautiful soul because you are a one of a kind creation and you deserve all the pretty things!
SIX //Coffee date with meaningful conversation. Call up a girlfriend, guy friend, mom, aunt, neighbor, whoever it is, invite them out for coffee and have a genuine, postitive, grown up conversation. Leave out the drama and just soak in the glory of your company. You deserve nothing but good people in your life so attract those good people!
I sure hope these tips are helpful and if you try out any then please let me know! They have worked wonders for me and I hope wholeheartedly that they benefit you as well. Now, go out and show yourself some loving you beautiful creature you.
Happy July you beautiful beings! I hope that everyone had such a magical holiday weekend! Monday is here again and we all know what that means! Let's remember to set our intentions for this week! I know it's taking me a little bit to get reorganized and back on track but that's all the beauty of it. When life gets so chaotic the one thing that helps me stay sane {besides Jesus and coffee} is knowing that I can pick right back up and get my life together again!
LAST WEEK GOALS //
Goal One // Be more present. I want to live my life with
intention and in doing so I am focusing more on being present in each
moment. I want to really feel my feelings and be aware of the things and
the people around me. Really enjoying where I am and giving thanks for
each breath.
Goal Two // Create meaningful content. I have spent a great
amount of time and energy these past couple of weeks on finding out what
my mission statement is for my blog and what direction I want my blog
to go in and I'm feeling pretty confident about it all coming together. Goal Three // Manage my time better. This is pretty much self
explanatory. I want to go into this week prepared and end this week
feeling accomplished
THIS WEEK GOALS //
GOAL ONE:Create meaningful content. Life has been insane lately and I haven't gotten to sit down and actual write any content so this is high on my priority list this week.
GOAL TWO:Write 750 words a day.
GOAL THREE: At least 60 minutes of vinyasa or free flow everyday. The hustle and bustle of life has me com-bobbled and I haven't been focusing on my practice like I should be.
I cannot wait to see what you all have for your weekly goals!
This is the first of many sweepstakes for the rest of 2015
To join in as a co-hosting blogger, fill this form out: part of the fees go to the charity listed below.
In this first Spa Kit Sweepstakes, you will have the opportunity to:
Win health enhancing products by: Piping Rock Health Products
Receive a Wellness Consultation by Sami Fait on how to use the spa kit for home health
FAQ's:
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Why a Spa Kit? Not everyone has the luxury of going to a spa, nor the funds to buy what's needed to have in their home for personal care. It's incredibly important to Sami, Piping Rock Health, and Be Mindful, & You're Creative that you are given the tools to keep up on your health and if we can provide you one way to do that ... that's well worth it!
Why would I want essential oils? Essential oils are extracts from mother earth's plants, botanicals, and herbs and trees and have been used for thousands of years for medicinal purposes, long before traditional medicine was around. These extracts have healing powers and very potent aromas. Smell is the most sensitive of five senses and it has been studied that emotions are associated with scent. The aromas from the oils travel through our mind and body and interact with the systems and delivers an emotional response. By bringing these into your home for health and cleaning resources, you are contributing towards a natural living lifestyle and freeing your body of harsh chemicals.
But what if I don't know how to use any of this? Don't Worry! That is why a free wellness consultation from Sami is included in this sweepstakes! You'll learn all about how to use the products in the spa kit & how to continue using thereafter.
Rules:
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Happy Monday dearest souls!
It feels good to be back after my little hiatus. I've had some personal challenges I've had to deal with this past week and I am just looking forward to moving on and collecting good vibes for this week to come. Things have been so crazy in my life that I haven't really gotten a chance to sit down to think about any goals that I have. Isn't funny how sometimes life hits you with a million and one things all at once that it's hard to slow down? I don't like that feeling. It isn't good for my energy. I am however, very grateful for days like today. Days where I can finally sit back and take a nice big breath and slowly exhale all the things I thought I couldn't handle but did and now I can sit back, relax, reflect, recharge and be grateful for this moment.
So, my three goals for this week are:
Goal One // Be more present. I want to live my life with intention and in doing so I am focusing more on being present in each moment. I want to really feel my feelings and be aware of the things and the people around me. Really enjoying where I am and giving thanks for each breath.
Goal Two // Create meaningful content. I have spent a great amount of time and energy these past couple of weeks on finding out what my mission statement is for my blog and what direction I want my blog to go in and I'm feeling pretty confident about it all coming together.
Goal Three // Manage my time better. This is pretty much self explanatory. I want to go into this week prepared and end this week feeling accomplished.
Where do I even begin to express the love I feel for this beautiful being? I would have never thought that meeting you nearly 11 1/2 years ago would land us here. I find myself constantly asking how I got so damn lucky to find my soul mate so early in life but then again I try not questioning it for the simple fact that I couldn't care any less how it happened, I'm just so freaking happy that it did.
I want you to know that there is absolutely no other being on the face of this earth that could ever replace the beautiful creation that you are or the love you so selflessly share. I knew the moment that I met you, you weren't like any other human I've crossed paths with and looking at the man you have become today, my instincts were utterly and without a doubt, absolutely right.
The bond you have with our boys is unbreakable and I hope you know how much they love and adore you. I want you to know that we notice everything you do for us. I want you to know how much we appreciate your hard work and your strength, your dedication and ambition to always be bettering yourself as a father and a husband and a man of God.
I want you to know how grateful we are for the little things that you think go unnoticed, like today, when you washed the dishes. I know how much you DESPISE doing dishes, but you did them anyway. I noticed. OR when you come home from work and you're exhausted and the last thing you want to do is help with bath time or story time or bedtime but you do it anyway and not because you feel guilty or obligated but because you want to. I admire you for never wanting to miss a beat in our children's lives and I can't help but completely admire you for being so selfless.
It's crazy to even think about this being your SEVENTH Father's Day and each year you surprise us more and give us more reasons to love and appreciate you. You are the true definition of a great father and I know I tell you all the time but I hope it really resonates within your soul when I tell you how freaking proud I am of you and your endeavors. I know we have been through some pretty rough shit in our lives but the fact that you stay strong and consistent and full of faith is what helps remind me to do the same. I couldn't ask for a better spiritual leader for our family.
And just a reminder for you as you're out working hard for our future today, I am so grateful for you, just the way you are. I want us to continue to prove the haters wrong and I want us to continue to grow in our marriage and grow as individuals and show young couples that it is absolutely possible to work through any and all problems and come out stronger together. Almost 12 years strong and you are more than the man I fell in love with in high-school. You get me. You've helped me grow and you've been there when everyone else wasn't. You are the definition of true love and life just wouldn't be the same without you. Thank you for this beautiful life and our beautiful family.
You will forever and always be my best friend, soulmate, confidant and H E R O.
Don't ever change.
I love you more than all the words, in all the books, in all the world. Times infinity.
I have gone back and forth about sharing this post because it is a subject that weighs extremely heavy on my heart almost every single day. This is why I'm just now getting around to posting it. Before I really get into the depth of this I just want to let everyone know a couple of things, 1. // I am not sharing this because I am looking for sympathy or needing someone to feel sorry for me. Honestly, I'm writing this for me because if I don't find some healthy way to express these emotions then I will keep them bottled up and I will eventually explode and turn into the person I once was and that's what I'm trying to avoid. 2. // I am utterly vulnerable and this topic has always and probably always will leave me with mixed emotions and mixed feelings so just love me through it.
Ok? Here we go.
Now, I cannot recall my precise age {somewhere between 6-7} but that doesn't make my memory any less capable of understanding what was happening in my life. I always remember my parents having problems and from what I can remember, it was always my father to the rescue. I remember living back in my home town of Greenbrier, West Virginia. My younger brother by only a year and a half {it even feels weird calling him my little brother as he's almost six foot four.} We lived in this red brick house that had farm door shutters and a backyard every country kid lives for. I had a fairly 'decent' childhood. Woke up before the sun and played all
day in the fields until the street lights came on. I was grateful. It was my grandmother who raised us for the most part because my dad worked out of town and my mother, well, I can't really tell you what she did on a daily basis because she was in and out so quick I can't really remember her face.
What I do remember clear as crystal is the day my dad finally came home for good and with him was a new car. Little did we know, that car would be transporting us thousands of miles away from everyone and everything we knew. When my dad gave us the news about us moving to Kansas, I don't think I really had too much feeling about just because at the time he worked so much that when he did finally come home, we just wanted to be wherever he was. So, that next day, we packed nothing but our clothes and we packed up our things in dads sports car, said our goodbyes and that was it. That was the last time I saw that part of my life. The last time I got to see her. My mother.
Now, as time went on and we got settled, life moved on. I didn't think too much about my life back home or the people. Everyone and everything just slowly faded into the back of mind. I would sporadically get thoughts of my grandma and of course my mother, curious about their well being and praying that they thought of me once in a while. See, whatever happened between my parents when we were back home, I'll never really know the truth, and I really don't even know if I care to know but what I do know is whatever did happen, ruined my chances of ever getting close to mother again.
Years went by and my father dated. MOST of his girlfriends I didn't care too much for but in 1998 that all changed. He had met this woman he worked with and it was getting serious, seriously fast. I remember one night after dinner, my father sat down with my brother and myself and he let us know that there was a special woman in his life and he finally wanted us to meet her. Not only meet her but her TWO kids. No. I was not happy about that by any means but it wasn't my decision. Besides, I was only a child. I just knew I didn't want my father with anyone who wasn't my mother. The funny thing is, I turned out to love this woman and her two daughters like they were my mother and sisters. Days would go by where I would be waiting for something to go wrong and it would just be back to my dad, my brother and myself; and not because I wanted something to go wrong but just because I was used to things in my life falling to shit. Finally, it felt like a big weight was lifted off of me and I was starting to feel a sense of completeness. {The completeness I often daydreamed about having with my biological mother.} Like I said, I kept my emotions bottled up and I got so used to it that it would take a life changing situation to cause all of those emotions to rise again so my heart was finally feeling happy. It was patched up just a little and then BAM! We were a family of six who did normal, fun family things and who would soon be a family of seven which would make our household feel that much more full. Five girls and two dudes. Life was good and all of those bottled, mixed up emotions seemed to fade away in the distance.
Want to know how that chapter ended? That's just it, it ENDED. They eventually split up and it happened so freaking fast, it gave me whip lash. There we were again. Left alone. Another family torn a part and completely broken and I knew that no patch, no matter how strong could fix it.
Those bottled up emotions I had spent so much time trying to hide and get rid of, washed over my soul so heavy that I started to drown in depression. Was there something wrong with us? Were we bad kids? Were we not good enough? I couldn't process or understand why everyone was leaving us. I sank so deep into depression and anxiety as I hit my teen years that I a truly did not give a shit about anyone or anything. I did what I wanted and authority was irrelevant to me. My thoughts were this: 'What was the point in listening to anything an adult had to say? They lie and make promises they can't keep.' I knew that where I was in my life was not ideal but I kept screwing up in school anyway. I made boys my number one priorty and penicillin became my best friend. I sniffed it so many times a day {even in the girls bathroom at school} that I would forget which class I had to go to next.
I was a big ball of mess. I started drama with other girls in school. I purposely stole other girls' boyfriends. I was sniffing so much penicillin that I could literally run my own pharmacy and I was getting mixed up with all the wrong crowds. I started stealing from stores and even from people I loved, just to be able to afford my weekends out at the football games and buy the clothes and shoes and unnecessary things I was buying to fill this void. So many hurtful and dumb choices I was making just to fill this gigantic hole in my soul. So many people I hurt and lied to just to try to make some sense of what my life was and who the hell I was. I lost a lot of people during this time in my life and the rebel in me kept doing stupid shit on purpose because I had already lost so much, whats one person or one more situation? During these years in my life I never once talked to my mother. As time went on, I started to ask the questions I felt I needed answers to and although I got answers, they were so one sided that it made me ask more questions. I mean, what's a girl gotta do to fill this void I've been feeling for most of life?
It wasn't until I gave birth to my eldest son back in March of 2009, I remember receiving a message on Facebook that said my mother was trying to get in touch with me.....
My first thought was why? After all of these years of no phone calls, no visits, not even letters. Why now? My second thought? Thank you Jesus, because I have missed this woman more than anything in this world. Finally, after all these years of pain and open-ended answers, I was finally going to be able to have that mother/daughter relationship my soul so desperately long for. I remember just sitting and praying. Praying for forgiveness for all the wrong I had done and I even remember trying to make deals with Jesus, that if he just kept my mother close to me that I would never do another bad thing as long as I lived.
We talked almost everyday after that. I thought at first it might be weird because so many years went by but it wasn't weird at all. Hearing her voice made the rest of the world disappear. Even though she was thousands of miles away, it was like she was sitting right next to me. Best friends, like I always dreamed for. We talked about our days, we talked about boys, we even hit base on a lot of touchy subjects I was eager to get answers about. I kept her updated with her first grandchild's milestones and we even made plans to come out to visit her so she could finally meet him and the man I fell so deep in love with. My life was starting to make sense again and my soul was feeling so full.
Well, After time went by, our talks got shorter and the amount of phone calls between us simmered down. Her number changed a lot so I never had a reliable phone number to contact her on. Eventually we only talked on occasion and our conversations were always brief. I think at this point I was already so immuned to being rejected by most of the people in my life that once again, I went back to bottling up my emotions and tucking them away because at this point I was completely and utterly exhausted with life. I guess I was just content with the few times I did get to hear from her. Whether we talked everyday or once in a blue moon, I was just grateful for the chance to hear her voice every chance I got. Not too long after that, I stoppped hearing from her completely and there went my heart, soul and mind shattered yet again into an infinity amount of pieces that there was no way this shit was healing. I was absolutely devastated. She's gone again with no warning. Like I've been dreaming this whole time. Heart broken is used so lightly these days. There I was left yet again wondering what was wrong with me? I obviously had to be problem, right?
This is the part that is so hard for me express. I'm literally bawling my eyes out as I type this.
.....December of last year, we had just moved here in October in hopes of better opportunies. I had just started cosmetology school and things in my life were actually ok. I had my husband, I had my kids and for that I was grateful. Up to this point, everything else rarely crossed my mind. It's crazy to think that we can train our minds to completely shut out an entire part of our lives as if it never existed and that is what I did. It worked for the most part and that worked just fine for me.
Then... the week before Christmas, I had a facebook messenger notification pop up on my phone from my aunt. I was actually getting ready {for what was only my 5th day of cosmetology school so, a week in.} that morning so I postponed reading it so I could finish what I was doing and I would get to it before I headed out. Well, when I finally sat down to read the message, I was really wishing I hadn't. In the message my aunt had informed me that something had happened to my mother and she was in the hospital. Now, after an on and off messy, sporadic relationship with this woman I called my mother, I shouldn't have cared as much as I do care and a part of me even tried not caring but I couldn't help it. I had asked for the number to the hospital in which she was staying and after revving up enough courage to call, I did...
Here I am thinking, what in the world do I possibly have to say to her now? Our relationship {if that's what you call it} had permanently been ruined and I wasn't sure I would be able to hop back into it with her. I was so focused on what I was going to say and it turns out that none of it really mattered. This was going to be time that I got to express how the past years have made me feel. I was finally going to ask her that one question I've been dying to know the answer to...
"WHY DID YOU ABANDON ME AGAIN AND AGAIN?"
Well, I never got a chance to ask any questions. I barely even got a chance to process what was actually happening. When I had talked to the nurse caring for my mother, she had informed me that my mother had had a stroke and it caused a brain aneurism to rupture and she had been put on life support ONE week prior.
ONE WEEK ON LIFE SUPPORT...
LIFE SUPPORT. LIFE SUPPORT. LIFE SUPPORT. Kept running through my mind like a really bad folk record. Why? Is she okay? What exactly does all of this mean? The nurse also informed me that they were keeping a close eye on her vitals and brain activity and that they would keep me updated on any progress she had made....
Fast-forward to a couple of days later when I had received another phone call. It was the same nurse who informed me about the updates on my mothers health and not one good thing was said. She then proceeded to tell me that my grandmother had consented them to move my mother to hospice....
That same day, my grandmother was admitted into the same hospital for having a heart attack. {she's okay now.}
What the hell did this all mean? It meant that I was about to be handed one of the biggest and scariest decisions a person could ever make in their life.
"I'M SO SORRY TO INFORM YOU THAT YOUR GRANDMOTHER HAS BEEN ADMITTED BECAUSE SHE HAD A HEART ATTACK DUE TO STRESS."
"BECAUSE SHE IS TOO DISORIENTED TO MAKE ANY BIG DECISIONS AND YOU ARE NEXT IN KIN, WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT YOU WANT US TO DO."
"YOUR GRANDMOTHER'S ORIGINAL PLAN WAS TO TAKE YOUR MOTHER OFF LIFE SUPPORT AND LET HER DIE NATURALLY."
Let her die? She can't die. I could not let her leave me again and this time for good. There were so many things we never talked about. There were so many things that I never knew about her and she never knew about me. She hadn't even meant her grand-kids or son in law. This could not be it. I prayed and I prayed and I would dream of her getting better and I would dream of that trip we used to talk about and I hoped that she knew how much I loved her and I hoped she knew how much I missed her.
My mother passed away on December 24, 2014 and not a day goes by that I don't think of her.
My soul will always wander and cry out for her and that closeness we could never quite reach.
I won't ever have the direct verbal answers I have been yearning to know since I was a little girl.
I won't ever be able to hear her soft, gentle, country accent that still lingers in my thoughts.
I won't ever be able to see her face, or hug or or kiss her.
She won't ever be able to know what her daughter was like or what type of woman I grew up to be.
We won't ever be able to do those things I've always dreamed of doing with her because she was taken from me so fast that I never even got to say goodbye.
I spent so many years angry with her and so confused as to why she was always in and out and now that she's gone, I don't care about any of that.
I just want her to know that whatever situation(s) was happening in her life that kept her strayed from me, is okay.
I want her to know that I'm not mad at her and I forgive her.
I want her to know that her grandchildren are amazing children and even though they have never met her, they love her unconditionally, regardless.
I want her to know that my husband is a godly man and she would be so proud.
I want her to know that I don't blame her for anything.
Most of all though, I want her to know that I am finally in a good place in my life and my soul has never felt closer to hers.
Mom, you will always be a part of me and wherever this life takes me, I know you're here to guide me through it. I feel you. I miss you. I love you. Forever.
Yours,
Sissy.
Sandra J Bittinger
'The Original Sailing Soul'
Aug 13, 1961 // Dec 24, 2014
She was 53 years old.
The one thing I do remember and will cherish for the rest of my life is this song and us dancing shamelessly to it together. ...until we can dance together again in heaven.
- Good morning. You are strong. You are loved. You are worthy.
- Remember today is a new day, make it count.
- Don't forget to stop and breathe when you feel overwhelmed.
Dear Self,
- You are a great mother. Stop freaking out over everything.
- You have a husband who adores you and is always here for you.
- Stop stressing over yesterday's happenings. Let the past be the past.
Dear Self,
- Read a book today during nap time. - Call a loved one and see how they're doing. - That folded laundry, get to it later.
Dear Self,
- Count your blessings. - Eat a good breakfast. - Paint something pretty.
Dear Self,
- Remember to love who you are. - Speak nothing but kindness and truth. - Compliment someone today.
Dear Self,
- Give all glory to the Divine. - Always vibrate higher. - Be aware of your emotions and not to mix them up with others.
Dear Self,
- Above all, live today to the absolute fullest. - Pace yourself. - Always be grateful. - Also, remember that you are only human and it's perfectly okay not to have it all figured out.
Happy Monday love bugs! This past weekend has probably been the most relaxing weekend I have had in a while. I got to catch up on some much needed rest and I am feeling so full of life and energy this morning! So, let's hop right into my three goals for this week!
GOAL ONE : Wake up at 6:30am every morning and go to bed at 10pm every night! I am such a night owl and that obviously causes me to sleep in later in the mornings so I am making it a goal to get to bed at a decent time so I can start my day off right!
GOAL TWO : Get some business cards made. If anyone had any recommendations on a site or someone who is good at designing business cards then please send them my way.
GOAL THREE : I still have yet to post my YOUTUBE video but don't worry, it's all edited and ready to go! I will be posting it this Friday! Whoo!
There you have it. What are your weekly goals!?
Also, just a heads up for all of my Twitter lovers! Jasmine and I will be hosting our #SYBLChat on Twitter. Starts this Wednesday and our topic is all on Fathers! Come join in on all the fun!!
Happy Monday earthlings! I hope that everyone enjoyed their weekend! I know it was nice to finally unwind and spend some quality time with my loved ones! So, we are back again and we are talking goals! I'm just going to jump right into my three goals for this week...
Goal #1 : This goal was my first goal for last week and that was to film my first YOUTUBE video and although, I have filmed it, I am still trying to get past the actually watching it and editing it and then having the guts to actually post it SO, I am going to make it a goal this week to get it edited and hopefully *fingers crossed* uploaded.
Goal #2 : Start Kayla Itsines Bikini Body Guide 1.0 and stick it out through the entire 12 weeks! I am awesome with starting workout programs but I am terrible at finishing them. I will finish this one!
Goal #3 : My third goal is top on my priority list this week and it is to start posting more educational content that pertains to more natural, holistic and creative living since that is what I'm all about! For anyone who has any suggestions on topics they would like to learn more about, I am definitely all ears!
Now... let me see your goals and I always like to remind you to set your intentions high for this week and be aware of what you're feeding your energy with! Always vibrate higher!
I can't believe that it is already Thursday yet again. This week has been so busy yet it feels like it just flew right by. I know I am definitely looking forward to the weekend but I wanted to share yet another #ThankfulThursday post because there is always something to be grateful for, right?
I am thankful for : My yoga practice for helping me relieve this past weeks tensions and bringing my focus back to just breathing and being aware.
I am thankful for :Jasmine, and our blossoming friendship! It has been SO amazing bonding with this beauty and I cannot wait for our many project together! Love you girl!
I am thankful for : The divine's new morning mercies and everyday grace.
I am thankful for : Coffee, always and forever because for me, it's a lot deeper than just a cup of caffeine... but that's a different blog post.
I am thankful for : My sweet co-alpha and his many efforts in helping me through my many struggles this past week.
I am thankful for : Blogging and this blogging community. Seriously, you all are incredible beings and the love and support you have shown me here has been most appreciated. I love you all dearly.
I am thankful for : The little things in my life that remind me just how much I am blessed.
What are you earthlings thankful for today? I would love for you to share!
"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not
arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable
or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the
truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things,
endures all things" -1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Love is patient and kind, although sometimes I'm not too kind to myself let alone patient. Especially not here lately. You know, I've been feeling this block on my soul for a couple of weeks and I can't seem to shake it. I keep telling myself maybe if I buckle down and get a routine going then I'll feel a sense of energy lift... and although, organizing and scheduling never hurt anyone, that just isn't the problem. I still feel this sense of disconnection; from myself, from the universe, from the divine. It's gotten to the point where I can't enjoy my yoga practice and I can't focus on my meditations.I've come to the conclusion that it's because I am being way too hard on myself and I am depending way too much on my own understanding and I'm not giving it all to the Divine.
I am hard on myself every single day and as of lately I have been feeling guilty about not accomplishing something I feel I should have before I go to bed. Like, cleaning out the storage closet or running that 3 miles I said I would do 4 days ago. I have eaten like shit the past two weeks and I've slept in a lot longer than I probably should have and you know what; I'm DONE feeling guilty about all of that because, well, it's burning up my energy and the anxiety and stress and worrying is eating my soul alive.
Instead, I am going to focus all of energy and my entire being on loving who I am and reminding myself that it is entirely okay to not have everything figured out. The Divine's mercies are new each morning and for that I am forever grateful; and although through life's hustle and bustle, it can get difficult to remember to stop and breathe and pray for the clarity my soul is crying out for, I know that if I just quiet my mind and listen, the Divine is guiding me in the right direction. I just have to tune in and feel it. Soak it all up and let go of the worries.After all, what good is a prayer if you don't have the faith?
So, I am making it a point to stop the worrying, stop the stressing and love myself for who I am every second of the day and accept the fact that I cannot control every.single.little.thing and that is perfectly okay.
If you're being hard on yourself, stop it. You're doing wonderfully. You're beautiful. I love you.
Happy Monday + the first of June loves! It's a fresh new month that started with a beautiful full moon + that can only mean two things! 1.) A fresh new start + 2.) Fresh new energy. I hope that you are all super excited for our Coffee Talk Link Up today where Jasmine over at Classy, Sassy and a Bit Smartassy want to hear what your 3 main goals for this week will be + you can even share with us how you're going to accomplish those goals! Today is perfect because we all get to start with a new month so let's not hold ourselves back! This is the month where we learn to step outside of our comfort zone + go for those big goals! Let's set our intentions together!
Here are my THREE goals for the first week of JUNE!
Goal #1 : Film my very first YOUTUBE video. This is on my high priority list because it is something I have been dying to do for so long but the fear of what others think always stop me in my track. Well, not anymore. I am stepping outside of my zone big time with this one + I'm just deciding to go for it because what if it turns out to be something truly incredible?!
Goal #2 : My second goal for this week is actually a monthly goal but I figured I would share it anyway and that is to read more. I am crazy obsessed with reading, mostly personal development books but I have slacked a little this past month just because things have been super busy for us. My goal is one book a month and 2-3 chapters a night before bed time!
Goal #3 : My third goal for this week is to take a little time out of each day just for me. I am always running around taking care of something or someone and sometimes I forget that I need a little tender, love + care just as much as the next person so even if it's just an hour to catch up on a tv show, take a cat nap or sweat it out with yoga, I am making it a point to do that for myself because what good am I to the ones I love if I'm not in my right mindset?
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I cannot wait to see who all joins us for our link up + what goals you share for this week!
Hi loves! Happy Friday! So I'm coming at ya with a late post, I know but I wanted to get this up so I can stay on track with my posting. I really only have two favs for this week so I'm just going to hop right into them because I'm craving me some coffee [shocker, right?]
First fav is the beautiful Mindy Kaling + I'm pretty much obsessed with her + The Mindy Project. I've been searching for a good show to watch because I am SO picky about TV series. After the first episode I was hooked! She is seriously my spirit animal + the fact that she is HILARIOUS puts the cherry right on top of the cake! DO you guys watch The Mindy Project?!
My second fav for this Friday makes me SOOOOOOOOOOOOO excited because Jasmine over at Classy, Sassy & A Bit Smartassy + I are teaming up + hosting a weekly link up every Monday. We want to to help everyone start their weeks off with the right intentions so we want to hear THREE goals you have for the week + what steps you're going to take to accomplish those goals! It will be so much fun + I hope you all come join us! The link up buttons are on our sidebars! ;)
Well, that's it for today sweet souls. I hope you all enjoy the rest of your Friday + have an amazing weekend! XOXO
Not that I am not grateful every single day but I thought I would share some things that I am feeling extra, super grateful for this morning and why I am grateful for them...
I am thankful for: the rain... because for me it can mean washing away the negative and unnecessary baggage that no longer serves a purpose in my life and inviting in new intentions and more positive energy.
I am thankful for: my blog and the amazing blogging community... because; like I have mentioned before, I have spent majority of my life trying to find myself and my purpose and with this blog and wonderful blogging souls I have already connected with, I am learning to take it one day at a time and just feel it in my being. This feels like home.
I am thankful for: early mornings + coffee alone... because, I am a true introvert and being able to start my mornings + my thoughts off on the right track, keeps my frequency high + vibrant and allows me to have the mind set + motivation I need to enjoy my days.
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Comment below with 3 things that you are grateful for today.
I would love to hear your thoughts!
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SUMMER VIBES
So, for a little fun I thought I would share a little OOTD of my first official dress I have worn in over a year. Want to know a little secret about me? I've always felt uncomfortable in shorts, tanks, dresses, you name it because I was extremely self conscious about my body weight after having two kids so, for me this dress is a huge step and I have to admit, I don't hate it. Now, I am in no means a model and I felt completely awkward the whole time but stepping outside of comfort zones are fun and I kind of felt like a rebel.
The dress I have on was actually purchased through a lovely soul on Instagram and sadly I cannot remember the name of the account or I would post her link but who else is dying over floral this season!?
I could probably live in summer dresses and half top knots for the rest of my life now.
[Boots are from F21.]
Anddd the boots. My ultimate favs! I don't care how hot it gets, some girls have their uggs + I've got these beauties. Although, I get crazy looks and people always questioning why I'm wearing boots in 80 degree weather + my answer is simply YOLO. Love it? Then wear it and rock the eff out of it because who cares?
Well, I'm off to enjoy my second cup of coffee + get my wild cubs ready for the day.
P.S. Try something outside of your comfort zone today, k?
Hi there beautiful beings. Today I really wanted to touch down on a subject that I am vital about, and that is staying organized. As a WAHM [work at home mama] I have gone through so many different systems to try and get a routine working for my crazy household and it wasn't until I realized that I needed to come up with my own system that worked for not only myself and what I need done but for the cubs and the co-alpha as well. After many trials and errors I have finally found a schedule and routine that helps keep me organized and balanced without the extra stress.
I want to share this tips with all of you in hopes that maybe it can help you if you arent already doing one of these. Enjoy and please comment below one of your organizing tips. I would love to hear!
My Five Tips TO Staying Organized
1. Time Management: Listen. In order to become and stay organized the first step for me was learning how to manage my time in a day. I would find myself running ragged like a mad woman trying to accomplish a weeks worth of work in 24 hours. Listen to me when I say JUST DON'T DO IT. It adds more stress and at the day leaves you feeling guilty and unaccomplished. Which leads me into tip number dos.
2. Purchase yourself a notebook or planner: I know, it's a new day in age and everything is digital now but I will admit that I am so old school. Don't get me wrong, I'm absolutely obsessed with my iPhone but there is something reassuring about seeing my plans written down on paper. Make sure that the notebook/planner you purchase makes you want to plan. I'm a sucker for super cute things so you want to buy something you will want to use everyday.
3. Do one task at a time: The last thing you want is piles on piles of chores and lists of things you know you need to get done. What I like to do is separate my tasks by priority with the biggest priority at the top. Depending on what my day looks like I will schedule in the top 3 most important and make sure that those are spread out in my day and then those tasks with the lowest priority I make sure to schedule in for the next day. SO MUCH EASIER.
4. Learning to say NO: This is still something I, myself have to work on because I am such a people pleaser and all I want is for others to be happy so I catch myself saying yes to more things than I probably should and definitely puts more stress on me and less time to do everything else I should be doing. Sometimes it's okay to tell the in-laws that you can't make it to dinner on Saturday because, well hell, you just don't feel like going. It's perfectly OK.
5. SIMPLIFY. This is my FAVORITE tip only because I can personally tell you what a huge and positive difference this makes with everything. I'm guilty of that junk drawer in the kitchen... hell, I'm guilty of TWO gigantic junk drawers in my kitchen. Don't judge. It happens. I have cleaning out my junk drawers as my TOP priority for Saturday mornings! It is nearly impossible for me to concentrate and stay focused when I know my energy and house are cluttered. Get rid of what you don't use and what you know you don't need. It's all about throwing out what no longer serves you in order to make room for a.] clean energy flow b.] clutter free life.
So, there you have it. 5 easy steps to a more organized space and self. I can tell you that I have been applying these 5 tips to my family's lifestyle for exactly 27 days and my goal was 30 days to see how everything worked for us and I am pleased to share that applying these tips have made my days flow so much smoother. I definitely plan to keep going and change or add a few things if need be.
Good morning my loves and a very happy Memorial Day! I hope your three day weekend has been treating you all wonderfully. Today's post is just going to be nothing more than an early morning thought entry. I thought I would just brew myself a fresh cup of coffee to start my morning, as I always do and just sit down and share my minds thoughts with all of you, because as you will learn, I am an open book full of wander and dreams and ideas and inspiration and it just wouldn't feel right keeping it all bottled inside. See, I am extremely OCD and I am always making lists and schedules for everything. I have to have a plan and sometimes I catch myself trying to control and handle every bit of every situation. It's not something I'm proud of and it's most certainly something I have to constantly work at but that is what life is about right? Learning new and different things, scary and out of the ordinary things, so we can continue to grow for the better and finally start living our lives with purpose. I'm a gal who lives strictly by faith and by love. I don't really think it matters what all a person believes in because at the end of the day, as long as you're living your life with positive intentions and good doing then everything else is irrelevant. I've gone through a huge transition in my life this past year and as I'm getting older and becoming more wise, I start to realize that life truly is about the simple things. Like early morning coffee with my co-alpha or getting a text from a loved one I haven't heard from in a while. Being able to make breakfast for my cubs and snuggle on our cozy couch watching cartoons before we start our crazy day. It's the fulfillment in my heart I get right before I climb into bed and say a prayer each night feeling genuinely grateful for my life and many, many blessings that have been bestowed on my little family.
I like to start my Monday mornings off super early [5:30am usually] because it helps me really focus my soul and set my hearts intentions for good for the rest of my week. It's my time to reflect and tune my frequency with the universe. I feel completely off balance if I don't. There is just something so relaxing and reassuring about being able to start my mornings off alone and with the Divine, reading my devotionals and making sure I am writing down and planning out my goals, short term and long term, because like they say ''a dream without a plan is just a dream'' and I know I've spend a big chunk of my life putting my goals and dreams on the back burner because I was pretty good at blaming life but really it was just my own fear. Fear of what you ask? Honestly, failure and success. Fear of failure because the obvious answer is no one wants to fail. Fear of success because what if I can't handle the change whether it be good or bad? Worrying though, has done nothing good for me and I am so grateful that I have learned that fear is in the mindset and if I want to go out and achieve life then I have to do those things that are uncomfortable, like sitting here at my desk with my granny flannel pj's on, top knot mess, sipping on my coffee and pouring out my hearts feelings on a blog that I contemplated on starting for months but here I am, doing one of those things that scares the hell out of me because I'm human. I have to keep remembering that.
You know something crazy? As I sat down to write out this post, I really had no clue what I was going to say. I've been planning out my posts and the different topics I am thinking about discussing here on my blog and it got me thinking... why the hell am I stressing about what to write? I want to reach out and inspire others with my posts but I also want to be able to use my blog as my own personal journal so I can look back and remember these things and feel them all over again if I want.
As a newbie blogger, I would be lying if I said I don't care if others are into my blog because of course I want others to be able to relate to me and I want nothing more than to help uplift and inspire someone every single day but I don't want to forget about the reason why I started blogging, which is for me and my creative outlet. Writing has been something I have admired since I bought my very first diary at the age of 10 and although my diary entries were the basic boy crushes and school drama, it still gave me that outlet to express my feelings when no one else understood. It's the same with blogging, except now I know that there are others out there who are similar to me who need the same creative outlet and it's helped me realize that I'm not alone. We all have a purpose to serve on this earth and I'm just trying to find what my purpose is in the hopes of helping others do the same.
I hope that today is full of magic and endless possibilities for every one of you rad souls and thank you so much for sticking through my little thought bubble.
Good morning sweet earthlings! I wanted today's post to focus on something that for some of us can be quite difficult to keep ourselves aware of, and that is GRATITUDE. Did you know that the more you practice gratitude, you are reducing your stress levels by 75%? Now, imagine practicing gratitude every single day for 30 days.
It's actually pretty simple and takes a lot less energy to practice being grateful than it does stressing and worrying about people and situations that do not serve any purpose in your life. A year ago, I was that person. The person who blamed and everyone and everything for my problems. I was constantly angry at the universe and always questioned why things never worked to my advantage. Which in return, the universe was sending me like situations that then lead to more obvious stress and blaming life for my problems. NOT a good way to live.
In order to live a life you truly admire and can say you are proud of, you must erase everything you think you know about how the world works.
1. Start with how you think. If you find yourself constantly saying negative things and you surround yourself with others who do the same than the Law Of Attraction says, the universe will send you like situations. For the next 30 days I want you to set a goal of saying nothing but positive things. Raise your frequency higher so your like situations are situations you enjoy.
2. If you don't have a journal. GET ONE. For the next 30 days I want you to write down 10 things you are grateful for. 5 in the morning when you wake up and 5 before you go to sleep at night. Now, don't just write them down as they come to mind. You have to truly feel each blessing as you're writing it. Feel the love and remember to give thanks after writing down each one. Say, 'thank you, thank you, thank you, for my many blessings' after each one you write down.
3. When you find yourself having a bad day or you just aren't feeling whatever it is around you, go back to your journal. Read it over and any negative thoughts you might have, switch them to where they benefit you. So for example, instead of blowing up how stressed you are about having to fix the tire on your car and you have work in 30 minutes, you have to stop and re-evaluate your situation. Yes, flat tires suck but you know, it could have been all four tires or your engine or your transmission. Stress does nothing but add more stress and more stressful situations and stress definitely doesnt help fix your problems. Instead, stop and be grateful for the fact that it was only one tire and then you focus on how to fix your challenge. In a positive way. I promise that you will start to notice a drastic change in yourself and the things happening around you.
For me personally, I have been applying gratitude and the LOA to my everyday life for a year and the upcomings and many more blessings that continue to flow in are so surreal because I was one of those skeptics that just believed life sucked and the universe was against me. NO. The universe gives you exactly what you send out. Your frequency is everything. We are connected and intune with all that is and once we get ourselves to truly believe that, is when the true magic happens. Be aware of your feelings and emotions and most importantly, your thoughts and actions.
Our thoughts become our life and where you are in your life today was completely set on how you have been handling your situations. Want to see change in your life in ALL aspects? Then you must start with a grateful heart and vibrate your energy higher. We all have low and high frequencies. Low frequencies cause the stress and negativity and the fear that most of us face day in and day out. It keeps us in a box and comfortable because its what we are used to. Don't live your life that way. Your frequency has to be at its highest every single day to reap the FULL benefits of a truly happy life. Punch that fear in the face. Step outside of your comfort zone and let the universe know that you're ready to make this change. The change to better yourself and better your life and fill your soul with the satisfaction of hard work, consistency, GRATITUDE and positive thinking.
The human spirit is so powerful and most of us don't even know the power we hold within our very beings. If I told you that you have the power to change everything about yourself and about your life, would you believe me?
Give it a try.
Ask: Focus on what you truly desire.
Believe: Believe that whatever it is, you already have.
Receive: Express gratitude every single day, do whatever it takes to get you to your goal and keep your frequency high at all times to receive your deepest desires. [no matter what that desire requies]
Look at the universe as your business partner. You give out those thoughts and those desires that you hold dear in your soul and the universe in return will feel your frequency and send you those back in return; but you must do your part as well. 50/50 partnership. You want certain things to change in your life, you must take those steps to reach your highest potential while the universe is working to give you those desires.
It's simple. Show gratitude, think positive, be kind, work hard, serve others, live the life you desire.
I hope you all walk away from this post with your best interests at heart.
I love you and I hope you make the best of your Thursday.
