We tend to get wrapped up in the appeal of the word. Self-care can seem like it's actually skincare, or a spa day or setting aside hours to spend on pampering yourself. And although I love all of that, it doesn’t actually get to the root of what self-care really is. Having gone through many, many years of school, while also trying to manage a long-distance relationship, friendships and living a healthy lifestyle, I’ve learned a few things about self-care.
Read MoreBefore podcasts became a thing, I didn’t really understand what they were for. I had the purple podcast app on my iphone that I never deleted, but also never used. And then suddenly the whole industry just burst wide open. The first podcast I started listening to was Off the Vine by Kaitlyn Bristowe. I have always enjoyed her humour on Instagram and randomly one day just popped her podcast on and was immediately hooked. After bingeing every episode, I was itching for more podcasts to fall in love with. Over the past couple years, I have expanded my podcast library considerably. However, there are a few key ones that continue to be in my repertoire.
Read MoreLiving alone, even if you stay highly connected to friends and family, can really make you feel quite alone. That PLUS quarantine…well… it can amplify a lot of things. Whether you have always lived alone, or you’re new to living alone, and whether or not you prefer living alone…this one’s for you. All of you.
Read MoreI have noticed that my days generally take on their own “schedule”. Nothing is set in stone because I’ve always been the type of person that needs some fluidity in the way I get things done. When quarantine first started, I was very much about following my intuition. This often included a lot of time journaling and connecting to myself and my needs. As time goes on, I’ve found myself craving a little bit of structure. Instead of going fully one way or the other, I’ve started to automatically create a routine that works off of my intuition and still contains a bit of structure.
Read MoreThis past week has felt like a struggle. My emotions have been all over the place. My energy has been lower than usual and my motivation to do anything goes along with that. My joy for the little things has been fleeting. It’s been a difficult week to say the least. I try really hard to stay optimistic about everything and I truly do enjoy being a homebody with fewer obligations and lots more time for self-care. But I would be lying if I said this whole thing was easy. I have my moments, and sometimes those moments can feel really overwhelming.
Read MoreI didn’t really want to write about the corona virus. To be honest, I didn’t take it very seriously a couple weeks ago, and then it blew up and now we are all staying home trying to flatten the curve. It is such a change in our realities that it’s hard to even grasp. There’s so much I could say about it, but I don’t think it is necessary. There are enough people commenting and sharing their opinions about what’s going on out there and I don’t want to add to that stress. What matters most right now is you and your self-care.
Read MoreI’ve gone through a multitude of emotions myself in the last few days. From being judgmental and dismissive to feeling sheer panic and fear, and then to calmness and acceptance and then back to a bit of panic and anxiety. It’s probably the shortest amount of time I’ve experienced all these things in. And I’ve been feeling so compelled to share my heart with you on this.
Read MoreI started thinking about this more and realized that a lot of people struggle with this too. For some people it means that they just don’t stop working. They continue to go and go and go until they crash. For other people it results in immense negative self talk. For others it becomes constant procrastination. Or a whole lot of stressing. All these things can really take a toll on you because not only are you not fully resting, but you also end up being extremely hard on yourself.
Read MoreWhat I’ve created to help you out is a free wellness tracking sheet! It’s a place where you can track all the things you are doing for yourself so that you hold yourself accountable and you can also see how certain things may be affecting you positively or negatively. This information is invaluable when it comes to preventative medicine and holistic health.
Read MoreI really wanted to write a new years post this year. I’ve found it harder this year than usual though. It seems that all I can think about are expectations. With it being 2020, it suddenly feels like the stakes are higher, the pressure is stronger and the expectations are even more intense. I rang in the new year with my family while we played games and enjoyed a home cooked meal. It was simple and it was lovely. And somewhere in that time it became a new year. A moment passed where it was no longer 2019 and it was suddenly 2020. Just a simple moment.
Read MoreI don’t think I was good at listening to my own cues when I was younger. I rarely ever vocalized how I was feeling and never really understood the value of actually caring for myself. The result of this was many blow ups, countless phases of intense anxiety, a lot of crying and essentially a whole lot of confusion.
Read MoreThere’s a lot of talk out there about hustling and creating your own life. Becoming an entrepreneur. Designing your life the way you want it. It’s almost like everyone out there is chasing a dream and making it happen. 2019 is the year of change. Oh but wait, the next decade is around the corner…and you haven’t reached your goals yet. So, now what?
Read MoreSelf-love and self-worth are extremely closely related. When you value yourself and when you see the worth you have, then love follows. When you love you, your worthiness is put above all else. Loving yourself means jumping in with both feet knowing that you will land where you need to. Loving yourself is trusting that who you are in this moment is enough. Loving yourself is growth.
Read MoreDecide how you want to feel. Define it. Get to know it. Understand who you are in the moments that you feel that way. And then choose those feelings. When problems arise or situations come up where you can default back into fear or whatever story you carry - choose to love. Choose peace. Choose joy. Choose gratitude.
Read MoreNo one has come before you in your own life. You are the first person to live the life you live. The first person to have the story you have. The first person to experience your experiences. So we are all by default… trailblazers. You can create the life you want. And even though a circumstance can mirror another person’s experience, it will never be exactly the same.
Read MoreBooks have always been a part of my life. My earliest memories are of my mom reading to me. There was something about the way she read that made everything come to life. I loved being curled up in bed with her, looking up at her as she read the words out to me. Words I couldn’t see, but words I could feel. I could be perfectly safe with her next to me while my imagination would run wild. I think that’s where my love of reading began.
Read MoreIf you feel pulled to be a certain person, play a specific role or define who you are, remember this simple thing: You can be both. You can be all. The dichotomy of two opposites can exist within you and be simultaneously expressed. Your desires and fears can coexist and equally make you who you are. You can be both. You can love something fiercely and not fully understand it. You can be book smart and not street smart. You can be into science and have a creative edge. You can have a wild heart and still be afraid to take the first step.
Read MoreThis year has been the year of self-work and self-growth. Being in school was like hitting the pause button on life. Mind you...life still went on whether I liked it or not, but in most aspects, I could put everything on the back burner. Now that school has been over for a year (!!), it feels like "real life" has finally begun.
Read More
