At 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.
Read MoreOver the past week, I took myself on a little journey across the South. I decided to start in Mississippi and travel down to the Florida coast and then back through New Orleans making a loop home. When I arrived at the coast I immediately encountered a series of thunderstorms. It definitely was a challenge for me to photograph and spend time at the beach due to intermittent raining and required an immense amount of flexibility in my day. I am a planner but you can’t always plan everything. Life is dynamic. In fact, some would say that life is constantly changing and nothing remains the same. I’ve found the thunderstorms bring the prettiest sunsets and rainbows. I think that’s true for life, too. There’s no such thing as only experiencing “good.” You have to have the lows for growth and to appreciate the highs. Without rain there is no rainbow.
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 MoreConfession: I’m a total outdoors gal. You might not expect me to say that being how much I love getting dolled up, but when I’m in nature I’m at home. From sunny days to trips to the beach to aggressive hikes in the mountains… I love it all. When given the option to work out at the gym or outdoors, you’ll find me jogging outside any day. Being that I love time outdoors means a lot of exposure to the sun. With the sun comes wrinkles if I leave my skin unprotected. These days more than ever I find myself being diligent about taking care of my skin and wearing a product with SPF daily is now built into my morning routine.
Read MoreMother’s Day is about a month away and I’ve already begun bookmarking a few items for my own momma. Online shopping has completely shifted my time lines for purchasing items. I start looking much earlier than I used to so I can have things ordered in time of the next holiday. Spring is a the perfect time to stock up on beauty favorites for myself and for mom with the heat coming in a few weeks. As the weather warms up I constantly reach for things like moisturizing and brightening products to give my skin a beautiful glow. Giving the gift of beauty products to pamper her makes any woman feel like a million bucks. Here are my top picks for Mother’s Day!
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 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!
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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.
Read MoreA few years ago I had life changes take place that sent me into somewhat of a downward spiral. Started with a breakup, then a hurricane displaced me and then I got pneumonia. The three events combined that year were a catalyst for depression. Everyone functions differently. Depression can look different for different personalities. My personality is a high achievement. I operate at a fast pace with lots of energy. I prefer environments with order and structure and thrive when faced with challenges. For me, depression wasn’t siting on a couch barely able to get going everyday. In fact, it looked much different than that. Today’s post is to share insight on how sadness affects the brain, signs someone is struggling with depression and how to help.
Read MoreI’ve shared so much lately about bringing joy into my own life. One of the things that was the toughest to go through when I was experience panic attacks a few years back was being happy. In fact, I felt the opposite of happy most of the time during that era of my life. Each day I try to do at least one activity that raises my joy level. Sometimes it’s painting with acrylics while watching The Crown. Other times you’ll find my daughter and I dancing around the house after she gets a high grade on her school work. Being happy is a choice and I can’t think of a better way to move towards joy than incorporating a little play time.
Read MoreWe are already two weeks into 2021 and I don’t know about you, but I’ve found time outdoors is time well spent. Last weekend College Station and a large portion of Central and South East Texas experienced a snow storm. It was odd, but welcomed following a bleak week of political events earlier that week. Social media was soon flooded with pictures of snowmen, snow angels, families getting outdoors and kids having snowball fights. It was one of the most refreshing experiences and I have to tell you it was much needed for all of us.
Read MoreYesterday we had a ton of snow in a winter storm here in Texas. After spending the day playing in all of the flurries I realized my skin needed some extra care and love. I have extremely sensitive and reactive skin. It usually requires attention if I travel to a new environment, make a change in what I eat or experience weather changes. Winter usually brings a drop in temperature and a drop in humidity. I noticed over the past few months my skin has been a little on the dry side. Here are the products I am using in my skincare routine to help combat snow, rain, sleet and dry weather for a clear and health complexion.
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In dark times, we have to collectively choose to be the light. We have to spread good things in negative circumstances. We have to hold true to our core beliefs of love and compassion. Yes, it’s okay to be angry at what you witnessed, but we can move mountains with kindness. We have to find a way to do as many little things as possible right now to make things better. Better for everyone.
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About six weeks ago I started using the @sweat app. I noticed my activity was lower and so was my mood. I lacked motivation and also kept getting cluster headaches. After talking to my therapist, she suggested I try adding HIIT into my workout routine. I am a very busy mom who works full-time, homeschools and runs a beauty business online. I have very little time or mental space to figure out a manageable routine. I decided after browsing a few black Friday sales to give BBG another try. For the past three years I’ve used the app during the Fall and Winter months to get my heartrate up during shorter days where a long walk just wasn’t possible. The workouts are really simple and it feels like I have a personal trainer on my phone! If you are looking to refresh your workout routine for the new year and want something effective I HIGHLY RECOMMEND TRYING THIS APP! Here are details about my results over the past six weeks.
Read MoreWith only one more day until the end of the year I thought it would be nice to do a quick recap of 2020. This year was full of challenges, setbacks and growth. We saw our entire world shut down, our country go into a state of division, and home life entirely shift. With all of those events I challenge you to reflect upon both the positive and the negative. All circumstances have pros and cons. As I began reflecting through this year I noticed there was an increase in my own life in my focus on self-care, personal development, and mindset. Many of the blog posts I shared with you guys over this past year showed progression of my personal transformation. I hope they serve as inspiration for you to gain perspective on your own life purpose and mission.
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I did something big this weekend - I drove 600 miles along from Texas to Florida. Let’s back up for a minute. Two years ago I was struggling driving to work or an hour away to go to my parents house due to panic attacks. It was debilitating. I felt helpless often because I’d turn things down for fear of panic in the car. Enough was just enough. I couldn’t live my life like that anymore. I realized I just had to find a way and where there is a will… there is a way. I began to do something called exposure therapy. It’s where you expose yourself to a situation in small doses to build up a tolerance. Basically, you are rewiring the brain. I started taking day trips on the weekends when I was alone. First it was an hour or two away, then I traveled with my daughter for a whole weekend in November to Austin. I figured at that point if I could make it through a weekend with the kid chatting my head off while driving, I could do something bigger. And I did just that - I booked a hotel, packed the car up and grabbed my dog for a 600 mile journey!
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Let’s go ahead and just start with how this post can benefit everyone. I mean EVERYONE right now. Whether you want to admit it or not COVID-19 forever changed us and being stuck inside all the time is rough. Currently, I work from home and homeschool my child with virtual learning. By the end of the week my routines feel monotonous and I have an itch to go explore. For most of this past year I’ve taken day trips to surrounding areas like antique shopping or exploring near by honey and lavender farms. Every time I get a chance to leave I come back feeling renewed. I gain inspiration that carries me through the coming days and weeks. My soul literally feels more joy. Last weekend my daughter and I took a trip to Cedar Park on the north side of Austin. Our activities included being mostly outside and socially distant. At the end of the weekend she said this hike in St. Edwards Park was the best thing we did. Whether you face nature alone or take your loved ones, getting a little lost in nature is often times the refresher we all need to get us through the stressful times.
Read MoreThanksgiving is a few weeks away and if you are anything like me you are already dreaming of all of the delicious dishes that will be served. I thought it was appropriate for us to have a quick discussion about health and fitness before diving into the high calorie season. You don’t have to stick to a strict diet all season. You don’t have to jump onto a crazy workout regimen. You can actually enjoy the holidays, move your body and keep the weight off with simple strategies. I’ve found over the years a few things have helped me stay in shape while enjoying all of the amazing foods our holiday traditions provide.
Read MoreEarlier this year I experienced the ending of a very very long relationship. I’m here to tell you that no matter how bad the relationship gets, the break up is not an easy path. Especially if you’ve intertwined your lives by moving in together, getting married or having a child together. I believe there is a mourning period for the end of anything in life no matter how joyful the ultimate outcome is. You can know in your mind and soul that ending the relationship is the best thing for yourself, but actually going through the breakup itself takes time to heal. The thing is, you had a life with this person and dreams and hopes. When a major relationship ends, those dreams end. The life you thought you had will never be that way and the hope for the relationship to improve ends, too. As I’ve watched many friends and famous relationships break up during COVID-19 I realized this is a topic that many could benefit from reading.
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Two years ago I gained weight. Sigh - there I said it (you can scroll to the bottom for a before and after pic). That was a big one for me to let out. I’m very much a perfectionist in a lot of ways. It’s a tough attribute to deal with because no matter how hard I try - it’s impossible for me to attain perfection. I wasn’t just overweight either. I was depressed and anxious at the same time. Can we say double-whammy? I didn’t want to drive anywhere due to panic attacks. I was constantly walking around in a foggy gloom. I wondered if this was all there was to life… I had this corporate job I was frustrated being apart of because I didn’t feel like I made a difference. I didn’t fit in with any of the suburban moms. My friends were married and had multiple kids. I lacked purpose, discernment and everything felt really complicated.
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