This picture was captured by my incredible husband this past week and I truly felt like it captured my essence. I am finally feeling like I have energy again and wanted to share insights to why I’ve been quiet on the blog this year. The past five and a half months brought a whirlwind of things I did not expect. Many of you guys have followed my journey over the years, but for some of the new faces I had a baby five months ago.
Read MoreSince I’m almost 40 I’ve been paying so much more attention over the past few years to keep my skin looking healthy and vibrant. We recently purchased the Anespa Home Spa System and it removes all chlorine and harsh chemicals out of our water leaving our skin and hair soft and healthy. It also has a Japanese mineral hot stone that does wonders for adding nutrients to your water for clear skin. On top of that, I drink alkaline hydrogen water and slather on several serums throughout the week to help age backward! Here is a breakdown of what I’m currently using. All of them are affordable options with clean ingredients. I tend to have dry, sensitive skin and these add moisture without irritating my pores.
Read MoreHappy New Year! I know we are already over a week into 2024, but I took some time over the first week to set intentions for the year. I hope each of you had an amazing time over the holidays and found ways to celebrate with your loved ones. Before fully moving into the new year I wanted to take a few minutes and highlight last year and share a little about my journey during 2023.
Read MoreInsecurities are something we all have. Many of them were formed in childhood and then reinforced throughout our teenage and adult lives. For some of us the insecurity lies in our physical looks (here is a great post for how to have a better body image) but for others, our insecurities lie in feeling loved in our relationships. I’ve been going through intense therapy this year and we’ve been digging deep into my childhood, doing shadow work, and healing my inner child. I’ll share a few ways that therapy has helped me over this past year and what I’m currently working on.
Read MoreNothing in my life has been a product of chance. God gives us free will to walk the Earth and if we make a decision it has consequences one way or another. On March 22, 2019 I kissed alcohol goodbye for forever. I was at a place in my life where I was lost, miserable and completely heartbroken. It was at least a year of turmoil or more and I was in deep depression. Some of my friends will tell you I was a wreck. Others will tell you that they just couldn’t figure out what was going on. All I knew is that no matter what, the alcohol had to go. At that exact same time, I was in a relationship with someone who regularly drank and partied. I knew that I was on a path to sobriety but I had no idea the things I would be giving up when I made that rock bottom choice. Including that relationship and many more as the years would pass by.
Read MoreLast weekend we met in Salado, Texas at Greenfield Coffee to catch up and shoot these incredible dresses from friends at Wneedu on Amazon. They sent us each a dress to share with you! We both picked out our colors to fit our own personalities. I chose a bold leopard colorway and Tiffany went with a beautiful shade of deep mauve. Great style is available for everyone. No matter what your age or body type you have when you walk with confidence in your own skin a new sense of style seems to follow. That’s one of the things I love about our conversations!
Read MoreToday I wanted to share the new cropped sweatshirt! It comes in mauve, dusty blue, and black. It’s designed to be lightweight enough for Spring and Summer months but also is the perfect amount of soft and cozy to slip on after a workout or when you are feeling like you need a little lift for your mood. I love the perfect shade of this one and how the cut shows off your hips and waist.
Read MoreYes, you heard me. This boss babe right here is intentionally going slower in life. For the first time, ever. I’ve put extra time in between tasks. I’ve taken things off my to-do list. I’ve spent the last few months asking myself what is really important. I’ve gone inward to figure out my priorities. I’ve taken tons of time to journal, reflect and pray. The thing I’ve learned is that we can become addicted to anything including activity. Next time you are wondering what you should be doing with an extra five minutes? Breathe. Yep. Sit down and take 5 minutes to just breathe. I promise your entire life will change from implementing this one tactic. Your heart rate will be calmer. Your thoughts will be clearer. You will feel less rushed. You will be recharged.
Read MoreIt may be February and I’m a minute late to the game but better late than never. As I realize the Earth’s energy is going to keep speeding up I’ve given myself so much more grace for emotions to roll in and out. For the first time in most of my life I am allowing every emotion to surface, be categorized and processed and then released. It hasn’t been an easy process but it is leading me to more vitality.
Read MoreThe mind can be a battlefield. If you’ve ever experienced a panic attack you know firsthand what mental hell is like. In my late twenties and early thirties, I had panic attacks all the time. I mean on the daily and oftentimes multiple times a day. I would freeze and feel like I couldn’t drive my car. I didn’t want to go very many places for fear of getting overstimulated. Being extroverted this felt really difficult. I was torn between what my soul and body wanted to do every day. I needed to bring my body out of fight or flight but being stuck at home to do so in a calm environment was torture in itself because then I was alone with my thoughts. Over time I would get therapy and begin working on training my brain to focus on new things. I would learn different coping techniques that were not full proof but would oftentimes get the job done. It took work. Each day I’d start going down the same worry wormholes and I’d spend time and energy pulling myself out. I figured some of you might be dealing with this, too. Here are three coping tools you can use when you go down a negative mental path:
Read MoreWow! I cannot believe it’s been almost two weeks since I wrote the last post on here. It’s been kind of a blur. Something really life-changing took place last week and created a positive shift in my life. I’ll be sharing more about the experience in the coming weeks, but one thing I’ve learned is to take some time to the first process. That’s exactly what I did yesterday. I took a few hours and went a few miles to clear my head and combat the stress I was feeling. Stress is stress even if it’s positive. When big things in life hit, give yourself a little breathing room. It’s okay. You don’t have to have all the answers. You’ll be able to work things out, but for now just process. I loaded up my backpack with water and snacks, grabbed my boots, and set off with my Mojo coffee in hand for an afternoon of getting lost in nature. It was so healing! Every time I do this, I come back as a better human being.
Read MoreOver the past six months, I’ve been taking collagen daily. Although I’ve personally seen results throughout the past few months it wasn’t until last week that I realized just how big of an impact it’s had on my overall physical health. From my hairdresser commenting on how thick the back of my hair has gotten to diminishing cellulite - I’m here as proof that this magic stuff really works. A few months ago I wrote a blog post on the benefits of collagen. You can check it out here for an introduction to what it is and a few benefits. Today I’d like to focus on how it’s specifically impacted me and my own results. Here are three ways my body has transformed since I started taking collagen.
Read MoreA few years ago whenever I looked in the mirror I saw someone who was a failure. I talked to her that way, too. I’d say things like, “You are not getting things right today.” Or “This isn’t your day.”
I began avoiding mirrors. I saw every single flaw in myself every single day. Then, one day a mentor of mine told me to say one positive thing for every negative thing I said.
Looking back, what I was going through was depression. I was so tired every day. I was angry at how life turned out and I felt like everything was my fault. Depression is a lot of work to manage. It’s a level of fatigue that makes taking a shower feel like an Olympic sport. But I kept going. Each time I said something crappy to myself, I stop and say something positive.
Read MoreMental health. I’m so glad this topic has been on the rise especially since the pandemic hit. Now more than ever more and more people need resources. My anxiety journey began about 10 years ago. Through a series of trials, errors, and lots of therapy I am now able to manage panic attacks and anxiety without medication. This post is in no way meant to replace medical advice. If you are struggling I absolutely recommend seeking professional help. Today I’d like to share a resource I use in my own mental health toolkit called a “Coping Checklist.” I’m going to share with you guys a few benefits of having one and the science behind it, how to create one, and when to use it. The biggest key in your coping checklist is to use it as soon as you feel anxiety come on. The more you go through the sequence the easier the panic becomes to manage.
Read MoreIf you are new around here you probably should note that I still go on hikes often because I love the outdoors so dang much! After spending a few days in West Texas hiking and driving through both Caprock Canyons and Palo Duro Canyon I decided to head more north to celebrate New Year’s in Colorado Springs, CO. I’ve made several trips to Colorado over the years with friends but this was the first time alone. I decided that if I only did one epic activity it was to get to Pikes Peak Summit. I quickly researched the ways to get to the top - you can hike about 14 miles… um… no thank you. That’s pretty aggressive to get to one of the tallest peaks in the US. You can drive it but winds a lot and steep grades. It is Winter… and again… no thank you. Then, I stumbled across the train! You can take a three-hour round trip up 9 miles on a train to reach Pikes Peak Summit. That I could manage!
Read MoreUp until about six months ago I really didn’t think much about the word collagen. The only time I knew about it was when an MLM gal reached out to me on Facebook or I saw someone with overdone lips. About six months ago a friend of mine reach out and shared with me some of the benefits of collagen. We have similar lifestyles - active, healthy, adventurous, and fitness-oriented. I knew that it was worth a shot to try. Instead of injecting, I opted to grab it in supplement form. Fast forward to last month when Younique announced they are launching a collagen shot! I am so excited! Mine arrived today and you can grab during early release!!
Read MoreOver the past few months I’ve gone hiking almost every single weekend. I love the feeling of getting outdoors and pushing my body! Although I live in a somewhat flat terrain in College Station, TX I’ve found with traveling a few hours away I can get a completely different geographical setting. This post includes a mix of day hikes, aggressive backpacking and camping ideas for Fall travels. If you are looking for something laid back and shaded I would try Davy Crockett National Forest or Mission Tejas State Park where the El Camino Real begins and dates back to the late 1600’s when the Spanish settled in Texas. For more aggressive hikes try Lost Maples State Natural Area or Goodwater Loop and Trail which both offer stepper terrain! For a waterfall sighting Crockett Gardens in Goodwater Loop and Trail along with Riverplace Nature Trail in Austin both offer a pretty sighting. Below you will find a list and photographs of actual travels over the past few months designed to restore your love for nature in Texas!
Read MoreOver the past few months I’ve gone hiking almost every single weekend. I love the feeling of getting outdoors and pushing my body! Although I live in a somewhat flat terrain in College Station, TX I’ve found with traveling a few hours away I can get a completely different geographical setting. This post includes a mix of day hikes, aggressive backpacking and camping ideas for Fall travels. If you are looking for something laid back and shaded I would try Davy Crockett National Forest or Mission Tejas State Park where the El Camino Real begins and dates back to the late 1600’s when the Spanish settled in Texas. For more aggressive hikes try Lost Maples State Natural Area or Goodwater Loop and Trail which both offer stepper terrain! For a waterfall sighting Crockett Gardens in Goodwater Loop and Trail along with Riverplace Nature Trail in Austin both offer a pretty sighting. Below you will find a list and photographs of actual travels over the past few months designed to restore your love for nature in Texas!
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 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.
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