Can you believe Thanksgiving is in just two days? I absolutely cannot. After a whirlwind of a weekend traveling, I just got back to my house and was thinking a lot on my drive home about mental health and the next six weeks. Holidays are a time where schedules seem jam packed, the to do lists are endless and there are so many social events that leave a person drained at the end of the day. Furthermore, many companies are closing out their year with inventory counts, end of year sales and crunching budget numbers. As much as the season brings me joy, I also find so much of it to include a lot of additional stressors. When stressors amount life can get really overwhelming and the season can loose it’s luster. Here are a few ways I’m focusing on my mental health this season.
Read MoreWhether you work from home or have returned to the office, mental health concerns are still on the rise. Things are just different than they were pre COVID. There’s no denying we live in a different world than two years ago. However, no matter what shape things are in, we can still find ways to connect with our coworkers, create a space and environment we love working in, and enjoy our time doing the things that pay the bills. Although I am a work-from-home employee, in recent months my company has been pushing more face-to-face meetings and company events. Our home office employees have returned as have many of my friends. In a very uncertain time, I find it’s best to stay positive and realistic. Understanding that things are going to remain dynamic as we continue to navigate a pandemic and just take it one day at a time because nothing is set in stone. Here are a few ways I’m managing my sanity as I go back to see people face to face.
Read MoreA long walk is just what I need at the end of stressful days. I believe walks at sunset are one of the easiest and quickest ways to connect with your inner self and admire the beauty of the world we live in. After hours of being connected to my phone and computer - getting the chance to disconnect from techonology and reconnnect with nature helps soothe anxiety. Fall is my favorite season for sunset walks. The air is crisper, the breeze is cooler and the earth lights up with strands of gold grass and leaves. It’s truly a magical season and evening walks light up my soul.
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I woke up this morning and stepped out on my back patio to feel the rush of the cool crisp air meet my face. Texas doesn’t get a true fall until about November but we do love our gentle mornings. I quickly made a cup of coffee and walked over to start journaling as I usually do. I felt so grateful in that moment. To be here, in my new house (for years I’ve lived in an apartment) sipping on coffee in sweat pants. It was surreal. Over this past year I’ve experienced a tremendous amount of growth. If I were to sit here and tell you all of the ways you would be astonished, but I am living proof that dreams can come true.
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Over this past year, I’ve written a lot about finding joy. The truth is a few years ago I went through a huge struggle with joy. My life felt flat during that time. Very little brought me joy. I’d later come to find that I was going through depression and I had to realign things in my life. I need more sleep and consistent sleep. I need to shed things that were weighing me down. I needed daily exercise and better support. It took time to transform all of these things, but when I formed a healthy foundation I was able to laugh and feel joy again. Looking back it wasn’t overnight that my life became joyless and it wasn’t an instant change to move it back on track. Both situations were a series of daily choices made over time. Now I protect my mindset above all else. If I am feeling like I’m in a funk, I make small choices that day to find joy in little things. Here are a few practical ways I choose to find joy when I complete everyday tasks.
Read MoreA few years back I went through a period of time where I was really shy. Growing up we traveled all over and I was constantly the new kid. It was so embarrassing to eat lunch alone until I made friends. Later on, I struggled with anxiety and found social interactions intimidating all over again. I started working on better lifestyle habits and slowly gained more and more confidence. Just about that time a friend of mine reached out and introduced me to the most amazing mascara. I partnered with a company and immediately was plugged into a team of girls who really cheered me on! We became fast friends over Facebook and they would give me encouragement when I posted! I had no idea how much I needed that in my life and am forever grateful.
Read MoreBack in June, I realized I was getting bored with my workout routine. Every few months I try to switch things up or I find that I don’t push myself to workout daily. My go-to is to walk or run but I felt like in the heat of Texas summer that was even a stretch to do. Just about that time my friend Courtney reached out and offered for me to try her workout program. I told her immediately I was down! At this point, I could benefit from accountability and a new routine. I’ve been going through the workouts the past five weeks and not only have I seen muscle tone, I’ve also noticed my strength improved! She’s offering 50% off to all of my friends who register through noon tomorrow using this link so I had to pop on and give you all of the details to the program.
Read MoreAt the beginning of summer, I felt so worn out. I had just come off of a four-month push in my business and at work, my daughter broke her elbow and had surgery, and stress was at an all-time high. I felt exhausted and uninspired. Have you recently been there, too? I’ve learned as the years pass that life comes in waves. Sometimes you are riding a high and then the valleys in life happen. As I approach being 36 in two weeks I’ve been reflecting more and more about these seasons in my life. How do I manage the lows better? How do I encourage the high points to stay high longer? How do I stay inspired when I don’t feel like I have much energy? As I’ve reflected I found a few things that help me get through the waves of life.
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As we wind down with the second half of summer I felt like it was the perfect time to pull out some of my favorite white pieces. Being from the south, classic white cotton eyelet lace is a practical and pretty textile that’s easy to keep clean. Throw the item in the washer and line dry for the best results. White cotton pieces are worn time and time again throughout the years and my go to for getting dressed quickly. I’ve rounded up a ton of pieces below for you to shop ranging from high end to Amazon finds under $20. Whatever your budget is you can find quality pieces in your budget.
Read MoreA few weeks ago I stumbled across a documentary on Amazon Prime about being a highly sensitive person. I had no idea this was even a thing in life but immediately connected with the content. I am extremely sensitive to sunlight, overhead lights, and brightness. If a siren is sounding in the background, I struggle to concentrate on anything except the repetitive noise. After a social event, I feel completely wiped out and want to spend the next day doing my own thing in my environment. Does any of this sound familiar to you? This post may help! 15-20% of people and animals are classified as highly sensitive. They pick up on small details most would overlook and they have a heightened sense of taste, touch, hearing, sight, and smell. When they are bombarded by too many new experiences or strong things they end up feeling frazzled. Welp, that’s me!
Read MoreI believe there are seasons for everything in life. I mentioned in my post last week on listening to your inner voice how I needed to take time to enjoy the things I’ve worked hard for over this past year. After a season of grinding every day from early morning until my head hit the pillow my body was telling me to get more rest. I started incorporating more quiet time, regular massages to work out stress knots in my body, and sleep to help combat the pressure. As the days began to get longer I noticed I also shifted in my sleep schedule. I awoke a little later and went to bed later. Instead of fighting this, I decided it was time to breathe it all in and just go with it. You see, as much as goals are incredibly important so is joy. Without joy, we cannot experience the fruit of our rewards. Savoring the sweetness of summer has never been so vital for me in the past. But here we are and I’m embracing this season. Time is precious and you cannot relive moments.
Read MoreAre you one of those people that gets a strong sense of direction in the pit of your stomach? Like there’s something inside of you urging you to move one way or another? I am that person. I’ve always had a strong intuition but growing up and into my early adulthood, I didn’t always pay attention to it. In fact, sometimes I would rationalize against it. As I’ve aged (hello 35 almost 36) I’ve learned to trust that inner voice. The inner voice doesn’t steer me wrong. In fact, every time I’ve gone against it I’ve later regretted it. I believe intuition is just as important as what our minds can come up with. I find humans rationalize emotional and illogical choices to justify doing them. I also find that we lead so often with our heads and not our hearts.
Read MoreMemorial Day Weekend is forever the milestone to kick off summer. Yes, it’s day of honor and rememberance for those who have fought and fallen for our country. It’s also the end of the school year and the start to summer vacation. Iced coffee, sorbet, and gelato, days on the lake, and a long list of summer bucket activities are now the agenda. So much ahead this summer compared to last year’s lockdown. I’m excited about the upcoming months and changes life will offer as I shed things that no longer serve my life and make room for more creativity, joy, and freedom.
Read MoreI’m sure you’ve heard this phrase before but MINDSET IS EVERYTHING. Whether you think you can or can’t, you are right. I wish I could tell my younger self this. The mind is so powerful and when you are on a fitness journey it will take a mental push to hit your goals. A few months ago I began running. For the first time in my life at age 35 I decided to start and just work my way up to 30 minutes. Each day I showed up and just did it. I pushed myself a little harder and a little harder by adding a minute or two on. Before I knew it I was at two and three miles. A month later I decided to begin training for a 10k.
Read MoreAs a work from home momma who also does distance learning with her kiddo, I have to tell you getting an afternoon to refill my cup is always appreciated! I love taking time to have a slower day on the weekends when my daughter visits other family. Lounging outdoors on a blanket with a picnic is seriously the best reward for a long week of hard work. Texas is just incredible during the Spring with perfect temperatures and wildflowers blooming all over the place. I couldn’t help but take advantage of the day by going to the park and reading a little Emerson for the afternoon.
Read MoreThis week marks another milestone in my life. Two years ago I gave up alcohol. After a series of panic attacks, feeling a lack of purpose, and ultimately needing peace in my life I made the decision to give up alcohol completely. Today I’m sharing the why, what I had to do to fulfill this decision and how it improved every other area of my life. It was also the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Harder than birth, harder that failure, harder than any job I’ve taken. Yet day by day I made it. Two years is 730 days, 1 million minutes and over 67 million seconds. Essentially I made the same decision over an over each day that went by to get to where I am today. Life still throws me curve balls, but it’s manageable now. Before it was not manageable. It was not enjoyable or peaceful - I was miserable. I want to preface sharing my story that I am not suggesting whether someone should drink or shouldn’t - that is a decision that has to be made on your own. I am suggesting though if you are struggling to find joy and purpose to take a long hard look at what you are doing daily and decide if you want to keep doing it.
Read MoreAs I approach the one year mark of being single I realize how important this past year has been in regards to my personal growth. I am pretty sure this was the most significant jump in my entire life. After a huge breakup this time last year I decided before I spent any amount of time seeking a new relationship or even dating much for that matter, I would take time to unpeel the layers of my life and figure out why and how I got to where I was. My last relationship was pretty rough especially towards the end. We were going in significantly different directions and shared minimal life values. It was hard to break up but I knew at the time there was no other choice if I wanted to grow in my own life. I shared in a previous blog post - how to handle a major break up and more about my outlook in the post title how to be single over the holidays. Fast forward to this month where it officially ended a year ago. Here are my own reflections about how life improved, what changed in my perspective and some tips for growth in your own life.
Read MoreIf you are currently feeling constant pressure, it’s time to put a boundary in your life for you. You have to refill your cup before you can fill others. You have to slow down, get rest, read books for fun, put your thoughts on paper, practice good skincare and treat yourself to a day for you. You may be sitting here reading this and think, I wouldn’t even know what to do with myself if I had a day. Start small, carve out time for you to take a bath each night after kids go to bed. Get up a little bit earlier so you can read a book that puts you in a good mental place. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy… so give yourself a little play time. You’ll be able to take care of your responsibilities with a renewed sense of energy and focus. You’ll be able to love on your family better and you’ll be able to recognize when something isn’t a healthy choice in your life. Go ahead and treat yo’self!
Read MoreI recently shared this topic on a Facebook live for International Women’s Day and thought about how impactful the advice I would give to my younger self may have on others! Although there are many things I wish I knew at an earlier age but looking back the biggest thing I would have changed was learning to trust my gut. To just block out all of the white noise around me and listen to my inner voice. I also wish I had implemented a skincare regimen much earlier and taken better care of things like my teeth. But as we all live and learn, the list of self advice continues to grow. Here are five things I wish I could tell my 20-year-old self:
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The past six weeks of my life have been filled with mostly work and taking care of my daughter. Sometimes it’s necessary to grind when you have a big goal you are going after. I’m currently working on saving enough money to purchase a home in cash and that requires a daily focus unlike anything I’ve ever done before. This week my energy was all around low. I was going to bed tired, awaking tired, and feeling tired most days. I knew right then it was time to break away from work and business building and escape to nature for a little renewal of the soul. I grabbed my dog, a few snacks, a thermos of iced coffee and set out to hit up one of our national parks. When I arrived, I was greeted with underbrush fires and immediately decided to turn around and find something else I could visit that was a safer situation. Washington-on-the-Brazos was the perfect location. It’s a beautiful 3.5 mile trek on our state’s birthplace. The perfect way to spend a Saturday afternoon.
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