Thoughts: Some Days

Hello my fellow life voyagers,

Some days are good and other days are...well...

Some days you feel the motivation running, pumping through your veins and other days I can barely lift my arm to take a sip of my nine dollar wine.

Some days you are a social butterfly expanding your wings over brunches and mimosas and other days you wonder who you can text so you can talk to someone. 

Some days you crave the need to be at home, never leaving your sanctuary. Other days home seems like a prison.

Some days you have the confidence of John Carpenter winning a million dollars and other days you think about that embarrassing thing you said 10 years ago (you know what I'm talking about). 

Some days you know what you should do and other days you know what you should do..and proceed to not do it.

Some days you check every item off your to-do list and other day you watch the entire first season of a Netflix original series. 

It's called balance and while the other days are a pain in the butt, I believe that we can find value in those days. We can use those days to know how others feel when we are at a high and they are at a low. We can then empathize with them and offer some advice that we may have needed when we were in their shoes.

I believe that we need those days to make the good days feel good, like living-on-a-high good. I believe we need those -shitty, can't get out of bed, wish somebody would talk to me, I haven't been productive- days so that we can put into perspective how far we've come and most importantly, where we can be. Because we have, in fact, been there already.

Those great days are possible, we can make those days a constant in our life with tricks and tools. I know because I've done it. However...

I'm having one of those other days and let me tell you, it's days like today when I feel the human condition. The insecurities, over-thinking, and self-doubt that sets humans apart from other species.

So what do I do?

Just one thing. I either make my bed, do a work out, or in this case- write a short post. So when I look back on my day, I have at least one highlight to be proud of.

Is it easy? No. But as is the case many times: it's best to not think too much of it and just do it.

Forget about the consequences for just this one task of the day.



What's your one task? What can you do today that you would be proud of at the end of the day? We are sharing this same chapter of life together. We can live our best life one day at a time. Comment below and let's connect, I'd love to learn about you!

Words of the Post
Empathize: understand and share the feelings of others

Brunch n Beach Invitation DIY

Hey there party organizers!

Scotty's birthday is coming up, giving me the perfect opportunity to throw a get together. I am not sure how his friend's feel about all my soirees but I've had no complaints yet.

When it comes to planning I believe in starting with a big idea and narrowing it down. The first decision I make is picking the theme. I find it easiest to begin with a theme/color schemes/vision so I know what to look for in details or where to let my mind run when brainstorming.

Scotty is a simple man. Last year for his birthday all he wanted to do was "chill and go to the beach". So we are doing the same thing this year but..."extra". My husband has been working weekends for the past year but will start having a weekend day off every so often. Sunday brunch anyone?

I love the idea of brunches because of

1.  Coffee
2.  Mixing breakfast foods with lunch
3.  Day drinking (and extra hours to get over a hangover)

I've never been a big alcohol consumer but even so, after passing 25 years of living (or 21, who am I kidding), my ability to tolerate hangovers is at a zero.

We live on the coast of California where the beach is only a short distance away. I wanted to take advantage of this (who doesn't love a beach day..) and decided to include the option for our guests to stay after brunch and explore our little beach town or possibly go for a bike ride along the Pacific Coast Highway.

Our guest list includes six people plus Scotty and I, all friends since high school and college. With eight people counted for, we are able to have an intimate gathering while still branch off and catch up with individuals.

This also allowed me to take the time and put some love (a.k.a. DIY) into each detail of the party.

The First Detail
The invitations: I knew I wanted to incorporate color into the envelope and coordination with the actual invitation. What I did not realize was how easy it would be!

I used some invitation envelopes left over from our wedding. I prefer to use envelopes with a pointed flap, however having a straight flap made cutting the backdrop super easy.

The Materials Used

Use what you already have: The thing about living life on a budget is that you have to be creative with what you already have. To Scotty's dismay, I have a tendency to, ahem, safe keep, things to reuse later. I save a lot in crafts because you never know when you could use scrap paper for something. 

The materials I used for these invitations are:

• Leaf cardstock paper (6 in x 3 1/2 in)
• Green "moss" cardstock paper (4 in x 6 in)
• White cardstock paper (3 1/2 in x 5 1/2 in)
• Gold square 3-D stickers
• Copper-leaf 
• Glue stick
• Double-sided tape
• A6 envelopes

To get the dimensions of each paper, I based them off the size of my envelope. Had I used a larger envelope, my dimensions would be larger. Use what you already have: if you've got larger/smaller envelopes at home, play around with the green cardstock size- as the outline, that will be the largest of your three papers.

Word of caution: When you cut your green cardstock, make sure the back side of your paper does not have any logos/words. I used Martha Stewart cardstock (moss color). The only reason I know this is because it's printed in the back of one of my invites.

Step 1: Design Your Invitation
There are two things that I don't particularly look forward to when party planning. One is designing an invitation. To make my life easier, I use Canva templates and just plug in the party details. I don't just look at their invitation templates- I browse through posters or save the dates and mess around with them by adding text, photos, or elements.

I chose a green color because I will play incorporate palm leaves into the decor and envelope lining. I also knew I wanted my design to have a white background and be as simple as possible because

1.  I would be printing from my home computer and
2.  Ink ain't cheap

So this is what I created. With the help of Scotty, we came up with the text, played around with a couple of fonts and we were done. 

For those interested, here are the fonts that I used.

• Beach/Brunch- Josefin Slab
• N- Euphoria Script
• Join Us- Montserrat
• Test- Josefin Slab
• Date/Address- Montserrat 

Step Two: Print

Remember when I said there are two things I dislike about invitation making? This step is the biggest nuisance to me and 9 times out of 10, will get me frustrated. I cut out printer paper and perform a series of tests to make sure the invitation or envelope turns out how I want it to. I will go through a few pages because I can never get it right. Somehow I get it done by messing around with printer page setting, and computer printing settings. If I have any tips, its: make your image file a PDF and print from there. 

Step Three: Put Your Invitation Together

After failing with the printing step, I always look forward to putting the invitation together. 

Using a double sided tape, I cut four small squares and placed them at the top, sides, and bottoms. Don't worry if the corners stick up- we will use the 3-D stickers to keep them down.

Step Four: The Envelope
After you admire how beautiful your invitation turned out, it is time to move on to the envelope.

To make the front of the enveloped, I did a google search for beach/tropical/palm leaf frames. I found this one on Shutterstock and typed our guests' names and address using Winter Calligraphy font for the names and I'm Fell English SC for the address.

To make the envelope lining, I cut my cardstock paper to 6 inches by 3 1/2 inches.  As I mentioned earlier, I had plans to use a pointed flap and cut out the paper in a triangle shape but this was so much easier!

Using a paper trimmer I cut a 12 inch cardstock in half (to 6 inches) then turned it on its side and cut ever 3 1/2 inches.

I then used my handy double sided tape and cut three square and places them on the corners and top middle of the envelope, right before the sticky/glue used to close the envelope. Before closing the envelope shut (watch out, you're invite isn't inside yet!) I ran my fingernail on the crease to make it nice and sharp. I did not put any tape on the bottom, hidden part, of the liner.

The Extra Step: Gold-Leaf-It
Want to "up" your envelope game with very minimal effort? Gold Leaf It. Let me disclose that I am not a professional and therefore probably don't apply gold leaf the correct way. I am okay with this and I have no complaints about my gold leafing.

A little goes a long way. The palm leaf image I used had a yellow star at the top. I didn't like this so I used a little glue (almost nothing) and covered it with gold leaf. I then ran my finger over it to give it a "rustic" look.

One of the reasons I love organizing and creating parties is for it's creative outlet. I experimented with different gold leaf designs on different envelopes and at the end found my favorite one: using gold leaf on the stems of the plants.

Keep Looking Forward

Tonight, as I was brushing my teeth, these words kept coming into my mind.

Keep looking forward.

There was no antecedent behavior that triggered these thoughts, I was just brushing my teeth and letting thoughts come into my head. I don't know if you all have this problem, but when I allow thoughts to enter my brain it is rarely one or two thoughts. It is normally a mother-load of thoughts that comes rushing through. Talk about a head rush.


To be completely candid in this particular situation I was thinking of friendships. There have been times in my life where a person comes along and I see us forming a long-lasting friendship. Imagine my dismay when I no longer talk to this person after our initial meeting or we don't keep in touch.

Oh and it's not just friendships. Relationships? Am I being overlooked at work? When will I be my ideal weight? I'm sure you can think of many more examples.

Going back to my example, how do I go about this situation?

When we are in a state of pity we are quick to form negative, self-hurting statements. The first one,

1. Why don't they want to be my friend?  Do I not deserve to have friends? I want to feel connected with someone, I want to be loved.

Do you feel identified? Remove the word "friend" and replace it with another item or person that resonates with your life.

Do those words have meaning now?

Back to my teeth brushing experience of tonight. A second statement,

2. Keep looking forward.

Wow! What a difference in energy. Repeat the first statement- what happens when you say it? Try it. How do you feel? Do you feel good? How do you sound when you say it? Is it happiness or sadness and longing? Whatever you say in your head and whatever thoughts are within you is your reality.

Luckily, you have the choice to choose how your think about a situation.  That's powerful.

Thoughts on patience during inpatient times

This week, the topic of "patience" has come up in my life multiple times. Coincidence? I think not. With almost one month left until our wedding, finding patience was a daily struggle (until now).

It all started the moment I send out invitations. Yes, this has been going on for a while.

A few months ago, I eagerly sent out our wedding invitations to all of our loved ones. I couldn't wait until they told us they could make it to the most important day of our lives. We got back a few RSVP's right away from our closest friends who told us they wouldn't miss it for the world.

But then weeks and months went by and we hadn't heard from a lot of our invited guests. And now two weeks until the RSVP's are due, we have yet to hear from a decent amount of people.

Patience is a virtue. This I know. And I also know that I, among many other people, struggle with finding patience. This is why it is an art and it must be practiced.




If you follow my Instagram (@sandsoulandspirits) then you know I have posted several quotes from Joel S. Goldsmith. He is the author of a book I have been reading called The Art of Meditation. I have found so many insightful thoughts within its pages that I felt the need to share, hoping someone could benefit from it like me. Topics range from patience, to being in the present, to finding peace within yourself.




On a personal note, I had been reading this book quite slowly due to wedding planning and starting a new job. I was feeling frustrated about my lack of advancement because I am generally a very fast reader. Let me tell you, I am SO GLAD, that I did not read the book as quickly as I had wanted to.

Why?

I will share with you a tidbit of the book below. This segment helped me through the stresses of life and wedding planning. If I had read these pages months ago, it would have never resonated with me and I would not have stopped to reflect on the words and grow from them.

And this blog post wouldn't exist.

End of personal note...on to the quote.

"Most of us are unwilling to wait until the moment in which a decision is necessary; we insist on knowing the answer in advance, the day before, the week before, or the month before. We want to know what is around the corner; we want to know today what is going to happen next week or next month, and even what decision should be made for next year, instead of waiting until the actual moment when the decision is required..."

It had gotten to the point where I was asking guests if they could make it before the RSVP's were due. I just had to know! Deep inside, I knew that I feared having an empty wedding after all the time and effort I was putting into planning.

"We have acquired the habit of impatience and the result is that instead of waiting for God's decision to be made manifest, we let fear creep in and then, afraid of the possibly unfortunate effects of indecision, rush in and act on the basis of our own best human judgement"

Whether you are spiritual or not, you may have heard of the phenomenon "everything happens for a reason".  For me, if I have 50, 80, or +100 wedding guests, it doesn't stop the fact that I am marrying my best friend and celebrating the union of our families. Finding out whether or not someone can be in attendance to our wedding doesn't make us any less married. With impatience comes the fear of the unknown which in turn leads us to make choice which we may possible regret in the future. Rushing into something can have it's downfalls and consequences.

We get so caught up in this mindset of "I" that we forget to see the bigger picture. In the end, what is meant to happen will happen. Whatever is going on in your life right now can wait for when the moment comes, even if you don't think it can wait.



The way I see it is:

• I can worry about it, have sleepless nights, stress, and do everything in my power to find a solution now 
• Or be mindful and at peace

Either way, the end event/goal/objective will be exactly the same because what is meant to be, will be. The difference between the options above is that only one will cause you to have a mental breakdown. Trust me, I've been there and I choose peace.



I highly recommend taking the time to read Goldsmith's book. I have learned a lot about myself, both spiritually and mentally. I bought my book in a used book store, you never know where you will find hidden treasures! If you have liked what I have quoted from him in this post and in the past months, I have included a link below to the book on amazon (in case your local used book store doesn't have it in stock).

Did these quotes ease your mind on something? Do you think you'll read Goldsmith's book? How do you practice patience during those hard times? Leave a comment below for myself and other readers to reflect on!

What to Expect in a Music Therapy Session

Just how no two children are alike, music therapy sessions vary from client to client. What goes on inside a session depends greatly on your child’s/client’s needs and preferences. A typical session will include a hello song to indicate the start of the session, music interventions to work on social/emotional, perceptual/motor, language/communication, preacademic, and musical skills. A goodbye song closes the session and the work done within.

Without knowing the needs of you or your loved ones, here are some things you can expect in a music therapy session.

Music in the form of singing, dancing, playing, or listening
As you can expect, music will be present in some way, shape, or form in music therapy. Whether we sing a familiar song to facilitate speech or play the piano to strengthen and coordinate finger dexterity, you can expect to be filled with some sort of musical element during the session.

Patience
Music therapists have years of training with a wide variety of clientele in order to work with specific needs. With this training and vocation comes the skill of patience as music therapists know that the goals you are working on come with time. Like any therapist you may have worked with, research around your area and find a professional that meets you and your child’s needs.

Safe Environment
Depending on the music therapist’s specialties, their therapy space will be designed to work best with their clients. You may find a small, empty room for children who need close spaces to succeed, or a large gymnasium-type facility for those working on rehabilitation. Regardless of the specifics, the therapy space is a safe, confidential environment where the goal is to reach each client’s goals.

Learning and Self-Improvement
The purpose of music therapy is to guide you or your loved one into achieving the goals and objectives outlined either through an assessment, IEP, or other therapies. Each session is a stepping stone to the goal and each session will be a step closer to the desired direction.

Board-Certified Music Therapist
No matter the variables between professionals, the one thing in common for every music therapist is their certification. A music therapist will have completed an approved bachelors, equivalency, or equivalency masters college music therapy curricula, internship, and passed the national examination offered by the Certification Board for Music Therapists. When researching professionals, be sure to check that they have completed these steps and are in good standing with their certification.

For more information about music therapy, please visit www.musictherapy.org

WHY WE DO THE CLEANSE

About a month ago I wrote this post about my idea to start a cleanse. I had quickly glanced over the program details and menu plan and saw healthy foods and thought, this is it! Over the course of the month, I managed to round up some pretty spectacular people who were ready for the challenge. 21 days as a raw vegan is no easy feat.

I didn't realize exactly what the cleanse entailed until day one into it. Raw veganism. Have you heard of it? I had seen a video about it once but that was the extent of my knowledge. Being vegan seemed hard enough. Basically, it is being vegan as well as not cooking the foods above 118 °F (48 °C). So it is now day four of the cleanse and we are doing our best to keep going to the best of our ability (disclaimer: we are cooking our dinners). 

The idea of this raw vegan diet sparked a though in my mind. WHY? I understood the animal rights/cruelty argument but this cleanse was not about that for us. We were also not interested in the weight loss aspect of a diet. For us, that seemed like a natural consequence.

We were interested in the health aspect. I wanted to rid myself of gastrointestinal problems after my gallbladder surgery and Scotty, well, he eats what I cook. 

It wasn't until I started the cleanse when I wondered about the specific health benefits and why I couldn't cook my foods. I read some blogs and learned about the reasons behind this type of diet and let me tell you, I came out more motivated than I ever imagined. Let me share to you why.

THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE CLEANSE ... well it's science for me

Alkaline. Before the cleanse I had never heard of this before and now, it's the main concept of our diet. Through my research I learned that high alkaline foods lead to more alkaline urine pH levels which leads to healthy cells and balanced essential mineral levels. 

This article gave me all the information for this post, but basically you want to keep your pH (potential of hydrogen) level of the blood at about 7.365-7.4. And this is determined through the foods you eat. Your pH level is a balance between acidity and alkalinity in your diet.

Examples of (healthy) acid foods: 

• Blueberries
• Dry Beans
• Seeds
• Agave
• Pecans
• Walnuts

Examples of alkaline forming foods:

• Leafy and root vegetables
• Cayenne pepper
• Onion
• Garlic  
• Fresh green vegetable juices
• Almonds

We are currently eating all of these foods in our cleanse and are incorporating them in ways that I had never imagined! I guess you have to when you want to spice up your meals. Our current favorite recipe for example, has us chopping up walnuts in our food processor and using it as "taco meat"! Sounds crazy but it works and is surprisingly yummy!

So why should we not cook our veggies? Simply put, when exposed to different heats, foods loose their nutrients. This is very hard for us to grasp as we like the comfort (the dreaded word) of a warm meal. We are working on this, kind of.  

THE BENEFITS OF AN ALKALINE LIFESTYLE
I say lifestyle because a diet is short term and you need to keep at these habits to see the benefits. Through research, the benefits of consuming alkaline forming foods are found to be:

1. Protecting bone density and muscle mass
This was particularly surprising to me as we always think of protein as being the muscle provider to our bodies. But this makes sense as an alkaline diet balances ratios of minerals that are important in muscle formation and decrease muscle wasting as we get older. Since we learned this, this has been our main motivator during the cleanse. 

2. Lower risk of hypertension and stroke 
This happens through decreased inflammation. Other benefits in this realm include reducing risk of high cholesterol and kidney stones. The article mentions memory loss as well, but I would like to see more research on this. 

3. Cancer protection!
I had heard of this before. It seems that those following this lifestyle do so because of previous health concerns like cancer. So I'm thinking, why not adapt this lifestyle now to prevent future diseases or illnesses? To read the study behind this claim, click here. 

4. Weight Loss
By eating less acidic foods your body decreases leptin levels and inflammation which affect hunger and fat-burning abilities. This one is pretty self explanatory, all the weight loss diets you see around involve some sort of veggies on your plate. From my own personal experience, I gained 10 pounds transitioning from a pescatarian diet to eating meat, while maintaining the same lifestyle and activities. We are not trying to loose weight so we don't limit our consumption during meals.

Other benefits I have noticed in myself within four days of clean eating include 

• A surprising amount of energy, considering I have not been drinking coffee or matcha
• My skin looks noticeably better
• My gastrointestinal problems has decreased enormously (more on this later)
• I feel lighter. 

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE CLEANSE?
The cleanse lasts 21 days but for a lot of people, this type of food consumption is their reality! I have found it incredibly hard but I have learned a lot about myself in just four days. 

I have learned that food is primarily for comfort in my life and I see  saw no nutritional value in what I was eating. I have also learned to empathized with vegans and vegetarians when it comes to eating out. I live in Southern California and even here it was hard to find raw vegan restaurants.  Most importantly though, I have learned to take care of my body. I feel great and I see benefits already in my body.

Remember my cleansing goal to end my gastrointestinal problems? Today, on day 4 of the cleanse, I felt zero GI discomfort for the first time in a year. This to me is all the victory and result I need to know this is good for the body.

So before you run to the store to try and fix whatever is going on with your health, try switching things around in your diet and find a natural solution to your ailments. Your body is stronger and more capable than you think.







Thanks for making it this far on this post. Quite lengthy and more science based that I normally write but my life is changed if I keep this up and I would love the same results for you! If you are doing the cleanse leave a comment with updates, tips, or stories! I love having a group of strong people to share this journey with. If you are not doing the cleanse, what's stopping you? What health issues do you struggle with and what solutions are you looking to find?  xoxo Lety      
 

Wednesday Wedding Inspiration: Turkish Bridesmaids Bath Robes

Getting ready robes... you know what I'm talking about. The ones I've seen are usually flowery or solid colors. That's when I came across the featured robe, I went crazy!

Every girl wants their wedding to be different however with social media and Pinterest at our fingertips, it's hard to do so. It seems like everything has already been done!

I'm all about traditions though, so in that sense, I am happy to see things being done again and again. When it comes to style though, I love seeing how each bride plays with their own personality to create the perfect wedding for themselves.

The "getting ready" portion of the wedding is wonderful! It's truly the only (uninterrupted) time you'll have with your friends. It's also the perfect time to take some cute pictures! Not only are the robes functional during this time, they look awesome on camera! And with that in mind, the robe search begins.

Everybody has different taste and there are so many different robes to choose from. Today, I want to focus on these Turkish style bathroom robes that this bride and her crew rocked! I've also included a couple of other options just in case that's not 100% what you're looking for.  


With that being said, here is this weeks...


WEDNESDAY WEDDING INSPIRATION: Turkish Bridesmaids Bath Robes

How gorgeous are these robes and the women wearing them? I love the combination of colors and pretty much how I've never seen them before. That's enough for me to get them.

You can get this cute robe here!

Photography by Top Shelf Photo

I found a similar style through Amazon. I love Amazon because I feel pretty confident in their shipping and to be honest, Amazon Prime is a game changer. Free Shipping? That'll save you some $$$. I also love how this robe has a hood! I could totally see myself walking around my house with this robe on long after the wedding festivities are over. Perfect for spa days.

For this more traditional robe click here!

The classic floral robes are just that...classic! They are beautiful and honestly that's why they're so popular, you can't go wrong with them. I love how there are so many colors to choose from, so no matter what your wedding colors are, you can find a robe that will fit your theme.

Now, you know I love good deals. This robe is the best value for the least money. Not only is it cute, it's cheap AND it has pockets! Sold.

I hope you found this Wednesday Wedding Inspiration useful and could see yourself rocking one of these robes on your special day! If you liked this list and would like to see more on robes, let me know! I love to hear your feedback! xoxo

Nutella Churro Balls

A few days ago I posted a poll on my personal Instagram account. The question was whether I should make Nutella Churro Balls or Magic S'mores Bars. See, what I love about the holidays is the tradition to give gifts to your loved ones because it makes me take time out of my day to think about those who have blessed me with their friendships.

I would love to be able to gift my friends things they need, however with budgeting this year Scotty and I realized that it would not be possible to overspend on presents. I didn't want to miss out on the opportunity to thank my friends for an awesome year so I decided to give my girlfriends home-made candles and our guy friends some treats!

This is where the poll comes in. Both options are equally temping however, the Nutella Churro Balls won the polls with a whooping 80% to 20%. Therefore I present to you a deserving recipe:

NUTELLA CHURRO BALLS

Thrillist uploaded  a video of the recipe, which you can watch here. And if you really want to go the homemade route, Cafe Delite posted their original recipe here with homemade dough.

I've tried my hand at baking enough to know I'm no good at it, therefore I went the Thrillist way and bought dough in a can. It makes the process super fast and super easy!

If you do decide to make your own dough, I would love to hear about it! Feel free to comment below if you make these amaze-balls. And let me know how they turn out!






UPDATE: This treat was a success among our friends! Everyone loved them and texted us immediately after eating them. Buying pre-made dough makes this recipe extremely easy and it took me about 20-25 minutes to make one batch of these (18 balls). I 100% recommend you make these for someone today. xoxo

FREE 21- DAY WELLNESS CLEANSE

Well, 2017 is coming to an end. It's about now when we look back and reflect on the year; what we would have done different, where we'll be next year, etc.

I believe that every year we are working to get closer to our optimal selves. 2017 was a good year for the realization of that. I have incorporated yoga and meditation into my life but I know that something is missing, something extremely important. Diet. 

I don't mean diet as in I want to lose weight, I mean diet as in cutting out processed foods, eating more veggies, not eating as many sugars. Have you set out these goals for yourself before? I know I have.

So why am I bucking down now?

To be honest, I want the challenge. I am writing this as I sip on my morning cup of Joe. In this challenge there is no caffeine. The thought of this intimidates me because a part of me feels that I depend on coffee to get my day going. Through this cleanse I will learn "mind over body".

Coming to terms with the aforementioned, I am committing myself to 21 days of an organic plant based diet.

21-DAY WELLNESS CLEANSE
The idea came from one of my yoga teachers who leads a 21 day cleanse here in southern California. I loved the idea of starting off the new year with this cleanse and quickly went to get more information.

I understand that eating well and buying organic foods isn't the cheapest option but I was shocked when I saw that signing up for the cleanse would be more than $400! I completely believe in the value and think that having a professional leading the group is worth the money. To be honest, I would do it but reality is, I am not there financially to where I can drop $400 for a 21 day group.

I was sad and disappointing that my financial state would deprive me of something I thought would improve my life. I didn't let my sadness get to me though. 

My solution? To find a cleanse online and do it myself for free!

Sound hard? I think so. 

The biggest challenge I see for myself is the determination to keep going. I can imagine it will get tough and I will want to quit. But this is exactly why I am doing it. I know I will want to quit. I know I will be tempted to eat a cheesecake (yum). But I want to train my mind to be stronger. This is that training.
 
And you know what? It's 21 days. Who knows how I/you/anybody will feel after 21 days of detoxing but I will find out.

So where do you, reader, come in?

I want you to join me! The 21-Day cleanse begins January 11, 2018- January 31, 2018.

The class my yoga teacher leads has a group of detox-ers that meet every week. While we are doing this remotely, I would like to have a group (internet, text group, whatever) of supportive individuals. When one of us gets down or wants to quit, we are there to support them and remind them what they are doing this for.

Not only are we building a connection of like minded people that want to better themselves, we are showing support for those who want to better themselves.

Does this sound like something you'd be interested in?

Joining is pretty simple. Shoot me an e-mail saying you want to join or leave a comment below with your name and e-mail and I will get in touch with you.

This cleanse is completely free. I will e-mail you back with:

• A meal plan with outlined meals
• Recipes in the meal plan
• Informational booklet

All you need to do is commit to 21 days. You can do it! The more people the bigger the support group. And there is strength in numbers. Join!!


I hope you will join me in this challenge. Whether you are doing this to lose weight, transition to a vegan diet, to train your mind or for any other personal reason- rise up to the challenge and begin the year with accomplishments. This is completely free and there are no hidden costs. I'm doing it and don't want to do this alone!

30 THINGS YOU CAN DO INSTEAD OF PLANNING YOUR WEDDING

If you have ever planned or are planning a wedding, you know it can be stressful. There are so many moving parts that it's hard to keep everything in order, especially when there are many emotions involved. In the midst of all the planning though, it can be easy to forget why you are going through all the stress. It is so you can spend forever with your significant other!

So whenever you feel like your head is going to explode because your planner isn't communicating or your family wants to add more guests to the list, take a step back and shut your brain off with wedding details. Here are some ideas that you can do, but really, as long as you're not thinking "wedding", you're doing it right!


30 THINGS YOU CAN DO INSTEAD OF PLANNING YOUR WEDDING

1. Yoga
2. Go for a walk
3. Watch Netflix/Hulu/Amazon
4. Have a glass of wine
5. Have a sunset picnic with your S.O.
6. Read a book
7. Make your bed (it will make you feel better, trust me)
8. Watch funny Youtube videos
9. Count your blessings
10. Crochet

11. Volunteer in the community
12. Listen to music
13. Reorganize your drawers/closet
14. Write letters for your loved ones
15. Drink a glass of water (you know you need to drink more water)
16. Vacuum your room
17. Go for a run
18. Meditate (even for 2 minutes)
19. Donate the clothes you don't use anymore
20. Practice mindful breathing

21. Make a smoothie
22. Create a music playlist for stressful moments
23. Order take out of your favorite food (you deserve it)
24. Nap
25. Take pictures of your favorite people and things
26. Take a candlelit bubble bath (Extra: Put Netflix on)
27. Call a friend to say hi
28. Make a homemade face mask and indulge
29. Put your computer away for the day
30. Make cookies and give some to your neighbors


My favorite anti-stress routine is number 24! What's yours? Did you find this list helpful? Leave a comment below and let me know! Thanks for reading today's blog post!

TURNING 25: EXPLAINED BY GIFS

Birthdays! They come once a year and we should treat them for what they are... a celebration of life! While I can describe the joys (and trials) of turning 25 I thought I might let the gif's speak for themselves.


TURNING 25: EXPLAINED BY GIFS

1. Waking up like...

2. Entering an existential crisis when you realize you are a quarter of a century old

3. And you're pretty much an adult

4. How you expect to be greeted at work 

5. How you actually get greeted at work

6. Realizing you have a year until you're kicked off your parent's insurance

7. But on the plus side, you can now rent a car without added fees

8. You have to reply to endless Facebook posts

9. You know you'll be spoiled by the people that love you 

10. How you imagine your night to go

11. But you're a responsible adult now, so you go to bed early

12. Happy birthday, you wonderful you!








If it's your birthday, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Isn't 25 great? What do you think? What's the best/worst thing of being 25 years old? Don't forget to comment and share with others who might enjoy this!