Ever been knocked down hard and you didn’t even see it coming? Well, I have! Actually it happened at the beginning of this year and I’m not even referring to COVID-19. This year didn’t really start off the way I imagined, not that anything ever really turns out how we expect it to. For the past two years I’ve worked on building a life full of purpose. It’s been the wildest ride of my life. When you want to create a mission based life, it requires digging down pretty deep. The more I stepped into the person I wanted to be — the further away from a relationship I stepped. I started drawing boundaries and those boundaries were discarded by someone extremely close to me. It was hard. I never thought that would be the case, but there it was. I had to make a choice be true to the person God created me to be or conform to what someone else wanted me to be.

Last Spring I started gardening again. I attempted gardening a few years back on my patio and the result was a graveyard of 18 massacred plants including french lavender, aloe (two aloes) and many forms of cactus. I thought I sucked at gardening and vowed to not attempt again. Right after COVID-19 hit I ended up in a very transitional place. I stayed at a friend’s home and took care of their garden for a few months while they were out of state. COVID-19 changed my life plans just as I know it did for many of you. My friend’s home gave me the space to take my time and figure it out. After years of subscribing to Martha Stewart Living and pouring over articles about roses, gardens and how to tend to soil I started putting into practice what I learned. When I left there in July I had successfully made two climbing roses bloom that hadn’t in two years and another five bushes bloom. I grew morning glories and ivy from seeds, cultivated gladiolus, lilies and hibiscus. For someone who just a few years prior killed even aloe, this was a massive success. Then, it hit me… if I can make a garden bloom with consistent watering and consistent attention… I could make my life bloom, too.

The title and location of this post is fitting for where I stand right now in life. I’m in between to eras of my life leaving tons of room for growth and opportunity while discarding situations that no longer serve my purpose in life. Being under construction is interesting to say the least - kind of demmoralizing when you are building and revamping a new life. Are any of you in the same place? Not quite moved into your new life, but you’ve left the old one? If so, then read on my friends! Here are a few ways I handling the transitional phase.

A couple of weeks my daughter, dog and I packed up a laundry basket full of goodies and headed to the beach for a summer day. We decided to drive to Surfside, TX which is pretty quick from where we live. Under two hours and that’s with stops. If you live in Cypress, Katy, Brookshire, Fulshear or Sugarland I’d recommend looking at that beach instead of driving all the way to Galveston for a day trip. Less traffic, soft sand and you can find a quiet spot once you drive down past where most people congregate. Very important these days with the pandemic and all. I’m a huge proponent of wearing a mask and keeping 6 feet in distance! I also spend most of my time at home, on long walks or in my car. Basically, my own areas I can control :)

As we approach the last week of Spring and enter the beginning of Summer I like to take a quick inventory of my beauty cabinet to make sure I’m stocked up on the things I’ll need to keep my skin healthy. One thing I’ve learned over the course of my beauty journey is to address problems quickly. If I see my skin needs more hydration or protection from a bright atmosphere - I’ll definitely stock up in advance on spf and moisturizer. Today I’m going to share a few tips for customizing a summer skincare regimen made just for you.

Did you know that your skin sheds cells once every five days? If you do remove the dead skin cells off your face every five days your skin becomes dull over time and this leads to aging and acne. Exfoliating doesn’t have to be a big deal - just throw on a mask while you are making coffee or folding a load of laundry. But the importance of a regular exfoliation regimen is a BIG DEAL. Clear skin, healthy glowing skin requires maintain with and upkeep. Let’s chat about a few ways exfoliation helps your skin.

I began writing Three Heel Clicks eight years ago with the intention of sharing everyday magical moments with you guys. Over the course of the years I realize that not only has this become a passion of mine but it has quickly become my purpose. I empower, uplift and inspire others to live their best life in the best way that they know how. For me, that means having picnic out on the line for a little magic on a Tuesday evening like I did tonight. After a few cloudy days it was delightful to watch the sun cast its golden glow upon the Earth.

Staying at home means everyday meals are an opportunity to create a little magic. Having extra time on my hands has done some amazing things to the soul! How about you? Are you feeling inspired these days? Lately, I take time to do things with a little more effort instead of my normal rushing through life a million miles a minute. It’s been refreshing for my creative side! Dinner became an heirloom tomato tart on puff pastry al fresco. I’ve even started getting dolled up for dinner at home like they used to in the 1800’s. Taking major cues from southern France’s culture!

Let’s start with story time today… back when I was a little girl we lived in Lawton/Ft. Sill, Oklahoma. Most of you have little idea where the heck that is and for good reason. We lived on an artillery base. So if you weren’t into those sorts of things or part of the military it’s unlikely you would know about it’s location. I spent the formative latter years of elementary school there. Summers felt like gusts blowing from a constant furnace across your cheeks in the blistering dry heat and Winters were filled with all of the fun of building a snowman.

Wow am I doing all of the things these days? What about you? Have you found new ways of experiencing joy? I wrote a little bit about that idea yesterday. One of the activities that brings me so much joy is being able to post here on Three Heel Clicks. I started this blogging journey in 2011!! Can you believe it?! How crazy!! So it’s been a minute am I’m so incredibly thankful for all of he support from you guys. I couldn’t and wouldn’t have made it without you. 

Oh my dear - are we all in for a treat of ambiguity on the daily. I don’t know about you, but I am itching to go places. Travel is one of the things I work hard for, and right now that’s limited. I have been anxiously practicing social distancing as if going to the grocery store was human dodgeball, but my soul still loves to wander. What’s a girl to do?

Our world shifted and shifted fast a few weeks ago. It dawned on me that this shift is creating what we might call a new horizon. While we are all boarded up practicing sheltering-in-place, I thought it would be an incredible opportunity to address topics like self worth, confidence building, empowering others, anxiety and overcoming fear. With uncertainty compounding daily, I aim to offer an outlet for those of you who are looking for coping techniques and support during these unexpected times.