choose happy.

Anyone else like reading your favorite YouTuber's video comments? Well, I do. I know it probably seems a little strange and I promise you that it isn't every video. Only specific videos, like "How to Become a Morning Person" or "Ways to be Happier" and although I am quite the sucker for videos like that, mostly for the good music and the awesome editing, I find that some of the "TIPS" or "ADVICE" in these videos are common sense. Honestly, I don't even know if it's humane of me to be repeating any of what was asked, but then again, none of us know who these people are, and this is my personal space to write whatever the hell I feel and so I'm going to...

One of the many questions repeated was "Can you make a video on how to be happy with yourself and happy with your life?"

Not to mock and I say this with the deepest love: Are you freaking kidding me?! 

Or there was "How do you find happiness?"

Come on, really? My heart is yearning to just swoop these broken souls up into my arms and squeeze them as tight as I possibly can. Not because I feel sorry for them, but because these people are so wrapped up in their egos and their consciousness is swarmed with so much clutter and universal blockage that they fail to see that HAPPINESS, isn't something you find. It just isn't. Happiness isn't lost, therefore we have no viable reason to be "looking" for it. Understand?

You lose your keys, therefore they need to be found, so you go looking for them.

Your phone can be lost because it is an inanimate object. It's something that can be found.

Happiness, however, isn't inanimate, it's a CHOICE.

Believe it or not happiness is something we create. And it can be created in large quantities or small. Whatever you choose. The most important thing about happiness though, is that you are creating it and that you are CHOOSING it, every single day. Maybe not all day everyday, but just a little ounce everyday, makes for a much happier being, which in turn makes for a much, much happier life. And the best part is, it's not something you had to go looking for because it's been in front of you the entire time. Now, obviously I am not going to sit here and say that choosing happy is all peaches and cream, only because I am human, and I completely understand what it is like to be in a funk and find it hard to snap out of. What I will say though... If you make that conscious decision to choose happy thoughts instead of swarming your mind with so much negative, it can do so much for not only releasing stress and reducing anxiety but it does wonders for your self esteem.

It's learning to train your conscious mind to automatically catch a negative thought and replacing it with something that makes you feel good about yourself. Replacing those negative thoughts with something wonderful that happened to you that day or thinking of something you are grateful for or excited for in the upcoming week or month. And at first, catching yourself mid negative thought or word can be weird because personally, I stop myself out loud... with a "oh crap! You shouldn't say that. Now take it back and say something good!" And I do, even if I'm not alone. It's okay if people think you're weird. Everyone is a little weird. Weird is good. Haha.

Just do me a favor? Stop reading this for just a second. And stop everything else you're doing...
Texting.
Watching tv.
Drinking your morning coffee/tea/water.
Just stop.

Grab a piece of paper and a pen or pencil and I want you to jot down THREE positive things about either yourself, how you're feeling, something you re grateful for, someone you're grateful for, an event you're excited for. Doesn't matter how big or how small. Just THREE positive things.
Got it? Okay now, I want you to hang that somewhere in your home out in the open, where it can be seen every time you walk by. As your day continues, I want you to add THREE or and then THREE more after that. Sounds easy right? Thats because it is.

Okay, now at the end of your day you should have NINE positive things written on your list.
Before you go to bed tonight I want you to look at that list of NINE and I want you to say them out loud THREE times, and don't just say them. Feel them and believe in them. After you have done that I want you to say this affirmation before you drift off to sleep or continue your nightly routine...


I have a truly wonderful life and I am blessed.
I am worthy of all things great and I deserve nothing but the best.
I am strong and I am grateful.
I won't ever give up no matter how tough things get.
I am smart and I am fully capable.
I am brave. I am beautiful. I am free.


Truly feel this affirmation. Be this affirmation, because it is TRUE. You are all of such capable, beautiful, strong and brave, beautiful beings! Do not waste your energy on unnecessary negativity. Embrace your energy, conserve your energy and use it for greatness. YOU ARE THAT GREATNESS. Every single day.

Don't ever forget.

confession thursday

Happy Thursday beautiful beings! So, I have decided to hop in on Confessional Thursday

 because it's just fun to do! So here we go...


I confess...


//  I seriously have SO much cleaning and organizing to do before this weekend because Saturday is big cubs 7th birthday and of course Sunday is Easter. I have been "SPRING" cleaning for almost two weeks and it's embarrassing to admit that even though we have been minimizing, we still have way too much crap to get rid of.


//  I haven't worked out since last Sunday and I may or may not have eaten a few cinnamon rolls, reeses and all the blueberry bagels but hey, it's all good. I have a 90 minute hot yoga class tonight!


//  Along with slacking on my health+fitness the past week, I haven't drank nearly as much water as I know I should, coffee counts though right? Totally kidding (As i sip coffee from my big ol' vintage mug)


//  Also, back to the Easter topic, I have yet to find the boys Easter Sunday attire and I cannot for the life of me decide if I want them to match or not.


//  Oh, and we did laundry last Saturday, the baskets are still sitting on the floor in our room. I may or may not get to them today?


//  I've also been binge watching The Ghost Whisperer on netflix for the past week and a half, even though I have already seen every episode of every season but gosh, I just love me some Jennifer Love Hewitt and she's nothing short of amazing in that show! Am I wrong?!


Wow. I actually feel a little better being able to write those out, even though they are completely first world problems... haha.


So, fess up earthlings.... Also, I hope this week has treated you all stupendously and I hope that you maxed out your FULL potential and crushed this weeks goals you've had set!

AND like always, remember that you are beautiful, you are brave, you are strong and you are a force to be reckoned with.

Don't ever forget it.

xo.

seeing life differently.

You know, as I sit down to write this post, I don't think I really have a plan as to where it's going but I've had a lot of thoughts running through my mind today and the inspiration keeps flowing so I'm just going to write what I'm feeling. It dawned on me today how drastic and quickly people change. And not necessarily other people, I suppose, but how quickly we change, within ourselves. When I think back to the person I was in high school: just wild, young, completely reckless and daring.. Although, at age 17 those things are fun and you really just don't care how you're living, who you're hurting or what you're doing. I was very simple minded. I was selfish and boy did I love to gossip. (What teenager doesn't?) What I'm really trying to express though is how closed minded I was to the possibility of life. There is so much more out there to learn and explore and to think that the only thing majority of people fill their heads with are "I cant's" and "I wish" and "That sucks" and "But I don't have" and it weighs on my soul much more than I thought. Only because, WE CAN.

As 2014 was coming to a close, I had made the conscious decision to change my ways and to open my heart, mind and soul to new possibilities and things of the unknown, and you know what happened? I got exactly that! I cannot quite explain the consciousness shift but I can tell you, there was one, some like to refer to it as a "spiritual awakening" or "enlightenment" I don't care what you call it, it happened to me and it has been an experience of heart wrenching and gut clenching and soul opening, opportunity knocking, can't sleep because I think I'm going crazy, cry over every feel and think I'm going crazy some more. You know though, I think it's an experience every great, successful, big hearted, crazy enough to change the world people have experienced. Until you can see that there is a world much bigger and more beautiful than what is seen with just your two eyes, gosh, you are missing out on all the beauty.

You fall in love with everyone and everything. You see beauty in the most simple things and you laugh. You laugh a lot more than you used to because you realize that without laughter, everything seems so mundane. And the mundane, becomes extraordinary, because it's he way you see it. See, it's all in your perspective of this life. You choose to be happy and you choose to see the good or you choose to live in misery and you choose to see the bad. Our world may not be perfect but the way you view it, makes all the difference. It's when we start thinking of others feelings and emotions before we think with our ego. It's when we make that conscious decision to open the door for that lady who has 5 kids and can barely keep herself together. It's letting that elderly man go ahead of you in line at the grocery store because he has two items opposed to your full cart of groceries. It's the simple, Hi, I hope you're having a great day to a random person on the street. Those are the things that should light up your day. Those are the gestures that mean ten times more to that person than you know.

It's funny because there are several persons I know who think they find their joy out of owning a 7 bedroom house, with 3 cars sitting in their driveway and a walk in closet full of clothes big enough to supply for an entire orphanage or family shelter, and not help one single person. And then, at the end of the day, they are still left feeling empty. You know, that hole in your soul that makes you feel like you're missing out on something so much bigger? So, they go out and buy more stuff and more stuff until, they have any and everything materialistically they could ever dream of and still left there. Empty. Not a very good feeling to have. Just remember though, when your time comes to leave this life you're currently living, all of your crap will still be here because you can'y take it with you.

We need to get back to what matters most and that is not buying loads of shit and not focusing so much on how much money we have or how long we have to wait in line for the next iPhone. (Don't get me wrong, I love my iPhone. That isn't my point though.) We need to get back to our real happiness. The real focus in life and that is spending time with the ones we love. Getting out in nature and soaking in as much sun as we can. Laugh. Sing. Dance. Eat amazing food. Yoga. Meditate. Cook. Bake. Write. Read. Swim. Bike. Smile. Run. Fall and get back up. Roll down hills. Experience life. Do crazy unexpected things that you can laugh at. Make memories! Make as many memories as your little heart can hold because that's what's most important! Those are the experiences you remember. Cherish the people in your life every single day. I don't care how often you talk, don't talk, see each other, don't see each other. Our connection and relationship with the earthlings in our lives is what matters. Earthlings, memories, and experiences, because in all honesty, what else matters?

Stop stressing about how much you hate your job and stop complaining about why you hate betty and why Jim is a douche, and if you aren't happy with your pay grade, do something about it.

Stop spending all of your time on the internet and online shopping when it's 75 degrees outside and your kid has been pulling at your leg for 20 minutes to go outside and play at the park. Take them outside.

Stop complaining about how so and so has this and has that and start focusing on yourself. Be happy for those people. Jealousy kills very slowly.

Start focusing your mindset on yourself and your happiness. And for god's sake start living a meaningful life that gives you REAL purpose.

Tomorrow isn't promised to anyone and if we don't let go of our ego's now, I can tell you that there would be a lot of regrets and negative energy floating around this world.

We are all cut from the same cloth and we are all made from the same energy.

Even though we may look different and our actions and character make us appear different, in reality I am just like you and you are just like that person you might not like. Suck it up.

Love everyone. For everyone and everything are s o u l s. And to yourself, remember how you want to leave this world remembering you.


xo.

best vegan skin care for sensitive skin.

Happy Monday sweet souls! I hope you all had a wonderful and fulfilling weekend and I also hope that you all took FULL ADVANTAGE of the first day of spring yesterday! It was such a fun and productive day for my little tribe! We had a wonderful family breakfast and sipped coffee (the hubs and I of course) and we spent all day at the baseball field! I'm thinking we are going to have to make it an every Sunday family event! I would love to hear what everyone did over their weekend!?

Aside from that, in today's blog post I really wanted to share a few of my FAVORITE all natural skin care products I have been using as of late and let me just say... I AM IN LOVE. It is so hard to find affordable but reliable and all natural products that you know aren't hiding any harsh chemicals or nasty, scary things that are just horrible for your skin. So, I wanted to share some of my favs. They are especially amazing for anyone who has sensitive skin. (like myself) Now, these products are all one brand and probably the only brand I ever plan to use for quite a while. PERFECTLY POSH.

And want to know something super crazy? I never even heard of this company until my hottie hottie friend, Jasmine, over at Classy, Sassy, & a bit Smartassy had mentioned to me that she was a consultant and the products were VEGAN. That had me sold, and so it took me a while to do my research and check out what this company was all about and thank the beauty gods that I did because not long after that, I signed up as a consultant (honestly, just for the discount) and I seriously got my moneys worth. So, without more rambling I'm going to share the products I am LOVING right now.

1.) The Complextion Perfection face cleanser. When I say this product smells BOMB, I mean it smells so heavenly. It's a mix of peppermint and walnut and even though you can feel the walnut exfoliating your face, it isn't too strong, and the peppermint helps smooth redness and any irritation. It has evened out my skin tone and it leaves you face not only feeling fresh and smelling amazing, but it brightens with every use. I absolutely love this!

2.) Moisturize 911 face creme. Now, let me just start by saying I am not a big fan of face lotions only because I have very complicated skin. I break out at the drop of a hat so I always skip this step, until THIS PRODUCT. It isn't too heavy, which sold me. And the scent isn't over powering either. Actually, the smell is so light and fresh. AND, it really does tighten and brighten the skin. I have noticed a huge difference around my smile lines and forehead!

3.) The Ritual face mask. ALL HAIL. No joke. This deep cleansing mask makes me feel like I'm sitting at a spa in Greece or something. Dramatic? Maybe. But never-the-less I love this stuff. It is pink, which is obviously a plus but the best part is, you can actually feel it pulling the toxins and icky from your pores. I love wetting my face with hot water first and then applying it. This stuff is that good, I like to use it at the beginning of my week and the end.

4.) The Caffeinator skin stick. Used to tighten and brighten around your eye and t-zone area. YES PLEASE. I have to admit, at first I was a little skeptical because most tightening sticks I have used, left a really sticky residue behind on my face and I was definitely not with that. Especially wearing make-up. Ew. But, to my surprise, this stuff is actually incredible. Can we say no more dark circles or wrinkles around my eyes! I LOVE this stuff. Let's face it, I'm a lot closer to 30 than I am 20 and this stuff is a miracle in a cute little stick. The lemon smell it has is also a plus because you leave your bathroom feeling like you literally just got pampered for the entire day!

Alright, well there is my little review snip, I suppose on these Perfectly Posh products. Basically, they are AMAZING and I would recommend them, obviously to everyone because I love them that much, but especially to anyone who may have combination/sensitive skin like myself. These products literally saved my skin and not only can I feel a dramatic difference but I see it too. Hence, why I never feel the need to wear makeup in my instagram pics because HEY! I woke up like this. HAHA. Totally kidding, well not really, but you catch my drift. (I may or may not be hopped up off coffee at 1am as I'm writing this post.) Anyway....

Thank you SO much, for stopping by my little internet space and reading my thoughts.

I hope you have a phenomenal week and again, remember that you are brave, you are beautiful, you are STRONG and you are a force to be reckoned with. Don't ever forget it.

xo.

seven must-do's to OWN your life + LOVE it.

Happy freaking fri-yay earthlings! CANNOT appropriately express my excitement for the weekend finally being here. This mama has gotten a total of maybe 3-3 1/2 hours of sleep all week and I'm definitely paying for it today. Never-the-less when inspiration strikes I CANNOT pass it up, so today I am here to share with you 7 vital MUST DO's to help you rock at your life because lets face it, every now and a again, we all need something to boost us back in the right direction. Now, I personally practice these steps every single day, because what would be the point in sharing them with you if I wasn't practicing what I preach? Correct? So, without further a-do....

GET OUT OF YOUR OWN HEAD. I mean it just how it sounds, when it comes to us trying to get anything done, we are our own worst enemy. In order to accomplish any kind of goal or dream or task in life we must first know and believe with every fiber of our being that WE CAN. Stop filling your head with doubts and negative notions because one cannot and will not have a positive life with negative thoughts. I understand that this can sometimes be easier said than done but if you practice this every single day, you will master it in no time. My best advice? Every ime you feel a negative thought coming on, immediately think of something positive and switch it around. I am a FIRM believer in the law of attraction and you get back what you send out to the universe ten fold so seriously watch what you're thinking because you're creating every second of your life right now.

ESTABLISH AND SIMPLIFY A DAILY ROUTINE. You want to be successful at anything in this life then it all starts with your daily habits. Sometimes we wake up and go through our days on auto-pilot and not even realize the unhealthy habits we are creating. We want our conscious self to be in control of our actions but in reality, our subconscious controls everything. That's what we are trying to shift here. You need to try going through your day being consciously aware of every motion your taking and when you notice yourself doing something that isn't benefiting you, write it down and then try replacing it with something that's going to help you get to that next step, not quicker, but smarter. Be intentional about your routine. AND DON'T MAKE IT COMPLICATED. Keep your routine as simple and intentional as possible. If what you're doing isn't benefiting you in a healthy way or setting you up for success the next day or that upcoming week, get rid of it.

EAT HEALTHY AND MOVE YOUR BODY. Honestly, this is a no brainer and it definitely should have been my first on this list but it doesn't make it any less important. I couldn't be any more serious when I tell you that everything, your happiness, your attitude, your energy, your relationships, your entire outcome in life can DRASTICALLY IMPROVE if you take the time to feed your body right and exercise at least 30 minutes a day. SELF LOVE IS and should always come first. I don't care what anyone says or how you feel about it. You make the time for the things important to you. ITS CALLED PRIORITIES. You need to make yourself your NUMBER ONE priority. Period. Nothing will run smooth through your life if you aren't taking care of your well being. Trust me on this, bad personal experience that I won't ever go back to but that's a different story. Just love yourself. It's not about how you look physically but how you feel mentally and emotionally. You just function through life better.

ELIMINATE UNNECESSARY ENERGY. By this I mean anyone, everyone and everything that isn't supporting you, lifting you higher and helping you grow, GET RID OF IT. You want to stay in sync and on the same frequency as the universe and the vibes you're trying to keep. Allowing people or situations to put you in a certain mood or mindset is only setting you up for failure. I don't care if it's family, long time friends, your neighbor, your boss, the crazy cat lady in your yoga class, DONT WASTE your TIME or ENERGY on anything serving you no good because its bad business. Misery loves company and it's not a good space to be in.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT/JOURNALING. READ books that are going to help you build your self esteem and create a stronger mindset. Just 15-20 minutes of a good personal development read puts me in the highest mindset to crush any and all goals I have set for that day! When you feel inspired, write it down in that moment, because you don't want to forget it later. You can always use it at another time. Personal development has been a game changer in shifting my life around because yes, some books may contain those things we already know deep down but they are powerful affirmations our subconscious mind doesn't just pull up on a daily basis. You have to train your conscious mind to start being in control. I have a few personal favorites I would love to share if anyone is interested.

SPEND YOUR TIME INTENTIONALLY. Again, our habits become our lives and we need to make sure that we are living our days intentionally. It's easy to get on Facebook and instagram and scroll through your feed and before you know it an hour and a half went by and OH SHIT, you still have a list of like 9 things you were supposed to get done but didn't. I'm a social media freak, don't get me wrong, my job runs through social media, but theres a time and space for things like that. Set a schedule and set a side time for extra things like that. I'm telling you, efficiency is everything.

TAKE ACTION. Okay, so my last little tip here is probably the MOST VITAL and of course we all know why. Plans are just dreams if you don't put any work into them. You need to take all of these tips, find a way they can work for you and then MAKE SHIT HAPPEN. You can have a positive attitude all day but having a positive attitude isn't getting a task done. You have to find that passion and love every second of it because if you don't, the motivation and determination can slide down hill so fast that you're stuck wondering where the hell time went and why you're stuck in the same place you were six months ago. The universe only works if you do. Believe you can do it, like WHOLE heartedly believe you can conquer the effing world and then you go out and you do it. Live your life with DRIVE. Make every single day count. When you wake up, have that fire in your belly and when you feel it fading, think of why you started in the first place and what you want your outcome to be. Your life is what you make it. Go to bed feeling accomplished and happy and FULL OF LIFE.

The human spirit is capable of such beautiful and powerful things if we just learn to dig deep and tune into that power. Use it for good and create a life by your own design. You are the master artist of your life. Create something so breath taking that others are addicted to that magical light.

and remember that you are beautiful, you are brave, you are strong and you are a force to be reckoned with. Don't ever forget it. xo.

three simple tips to simplifying + minimizing your life.

KNOW YOUR INTENTION. Living a simple and minimal life goes so much deeper than thinking you have to rid of all of your belongings (but getting rid of things is a pretty good start) and pitch a tent in the mountains, although that does sound like the perfect little life. Living simple is about intentionally making the decision to part ways with the things that you feel no longer serve any purpose to you. You need to have the mindset of quality over quantity. Just take a second to think to yourself... do have things that you haven't used in over a month? Do you have multiples of something in different colors but you couldn't pass it up because it was just too cute? Do you find that you convince yourself to buy this or buy that because the deal is just too good to pass up? Trust me, I know the feeling. Until, I had to take a step back and realize that I was surrounded with so much clutter of "things" but still had an empty feeling, which led me to buying more because I thought that in doing so, I would fill that "void" or "hole" or emptiness I was feeling. So, be intentional with WHY you want to simplify and make sure you're doing it because it's going to help you put your energy towards what's really most important, whether that be more time with family or picking back up on a hobby you haven't done in years or trying something new. Something to get you connected again with nature and those who matter most.

GET RID OF UNNECESSARY ITEMS. Obviously, a part of simplifying and minimizing is getting rid of things you just DO NOT use. We tend to old emotional attachments to 'stuff' because society has dug it into our brains that we are basically nothing without owing tons of things. Don't let stuff define you as a person. You are not that $400 Kate Spade purse and you are not that $100 pair of sunglasses. All that money you're spending on materialistic things could be used to something so much more important, like a vacation or road trip, renovating your house, or saved and put away for an investment you might have. If you haven't used it atlas twice in 30 days, get rid of it. If you haven't worn something in 2 weeks, get rid of it. If it's been sitting there collecting dust or you've just forgotten you own it, get rid of it.

CREATE A WHITE SPACE. And by this I mean, a clear space in your home where you can go and relax and not have to stress or worry about your day or events that have happened previously. Living simple and minimal, like I said goes deeper than 'stuff.' It includes your relationship, mindset and overall everyday happenings. Use this as your sacred space. Only allow positive energy and keep the decor as simple as possible, but that doesn't mean it can't be cozy. Make it a space of purity and cleansed air. Make sure before stepping into this space you are not carrying in any negative vibes or energy. Also, you want to make sure you are completely unplugged in this space. Keep all electronics out. Part of living simple is learning to take time away from your phone, laptop, tv and internet. Just breath, and slowly get back to yourself.

So, there you have. Straight and to the point. These tips have been life savers for me because I am still new to this minimal lifestyle but it's a lifestyle I have grown to love and I couldn't ever go back to the way life was before. With doing this I have grown SO much happier with not only myself and my home but my relationships and using my finances for more important things that don't clutter up my space. I have more time with my family, I spend more time in my own thoughts and I'm more connected to universe than I ever have been before. It's beautiful and I am SO grateful that I have found this new, sustainably way of living.
I hope that these tips were helpful and if you do decide to try them out, please keep me updated.I hope that you beautiful earthlings have the most magical day and remember that you are beautiful, you are brave and you are a force to be reckoned with.Don't ever forget it. xo.

i'm back!!! {HSS happenings}

HELLO BEAUTIFUL EARTHLINGS!

It has been entirely way too long and I have to admit it feels a little weird writing a post after so long but never the less, I am happy to be back. I ton had happened in my life, but that's everyone's life, right? My intentions for this blog are to finally keep up and help it flourish into my little online journal of my daily thoughts, motherhood, simple living, and as we continue to minimize our belongings and live as simple as possible. The older I get, the more I realize what's most important to me and that is getting rid of things that no longer serve me and my little tribe and unplugging and spending as much time as possible with my little cubs as they grow each day, and spending as much time in nature and living as natural and we possibly can. With that said, I AM SO VERY ECSTATIC to be back to my little space and I look forwarding to sharing my all new experience with each and every one of you beautiful wild flowers!

Alas, I will leave you with a few of my favorite photos taken over the course of time that I've been MIA. I hope you enjoy & I'll talk to you all in my upcoming posts this week.

You are beautiful, you are brave and you are a force to be reckoned with.

Don't ever forget it.

SMILE BIG.

xo.