Been there, done that.

Hi everyone! So much has happened the week of my birthday. Another year older (yeesh!) but so excited to be here! I've come to learn that it's a privilege to become old. So I'm so thankful for another year on this beautiful earth. I have been doing a 30 day meditation challenge and I've made it a point to meditate every day even if it's just for 3-5 minutes. That little bit of silence and thought is golden.


With doing this challenge, I've learned that there are so many places and opportunities to meditate and now that I'm aware of meditating, I find little times throughout my day to do so. Usually during my free time of thoughts I run through prayers in my head of people, family & friends, situations or things I see throughout the day. I still find this important and still do it a lot. But now I've also made time to breathe and soak up silence and empty thoughts. I have a couple of these free apps from iTunes I use at night as well. Well, one app is to help me relax or sleep, one is just a guided meditation for a nice break in your day.


While driving this past week to Atlanta for work I also realized mediation can just be sitting in silence in your car looking at what Mother Nature has to offer. Because man, it's good. It's beautiful out there. Take a good look at it on your daily travels and enjoy it.






Another thing that happened this week (and last week) was my two oldest cousins started high school!!!!! Aghhhh!!!! They're supposed to stay tiny, little, cute girls forever!!!! So with that happening I thought I should write a little something us gals learn when we are older and wish we would have known and followed at that young age.

I've always wanted to write a blog of little tips and thoughts for them. But never had time to dedicate an entire blog to just that so I hope this blog is something they will turn to when it comes to beauty, fashion, life, love & happiness.

Here we go young girls of America. Good luck!

1-listen to your mom. If you don't have a mom, listen to some older female in your life. If you don't have that, please find someone to be there for you. If you can't find that, then I'll be there for you. It's so important to have someone in your life who has been there & done that. They will give you little words of wisdom. Trust me, we've been through it too. I know it may seem like you're the only one going through it, but you're not and we are here to help. And please, Listen to our help. We are looking out for you and we love you.

Everything my mom told me was right. I'm not even kidding. All those boys I shouldn't waste my time with, who to move on from, who to not bend over backwards for, how to handle friends, boys, school, life. She was right. Probably didn't listen to all her advice (sorry!!) but I wish I would have because she was seriously right every. single. time.

Also on that note, I would like to thank my mom for putting up with spoiled, prissy, teenage Andrea. I know I wasn't a horrible teen, but I wasn't too easy and probably almost broke you and dad. So, thank you. I love you two so much and I don't know how I won the parent jackpot.







2-be nice. Be nice to others and to yourself. This is so important to me. People will remember how you treated them for a long, long time. So, if you're around people that are mean, or treat others badly, please just be cordial with those people but separate yourself from others who bring people down. I would much rather be known as the nice person than be associated with the cool people. It will take you much further in life and make you a happier, prouder person in who you are. Stay neutral and be nice. That's seriously the best advice I can give. But also be nice to yourself. I wasn't that kind to myself. Never was happy with myself and I should have been. It caused more trouble than good.





With that being said though-don't take crap! If someone is taking advantage of you or treating you poorly just slip away. Don't invest too much time into them because they will suck the life out of you. But don't be mean. Just smile and say, "hi" when you see them and move on. You don't want to be taken advantage of but you also don't want to stoop down to their level. I'm still learning this about people. It's a life lesson that I will continually be reminding myself of. My rule (which I just started putting into play, should have done this years ago!!) is treat others the way they treat you. ONLY after you have been kind to them and given them a few good shots. After that, you can't keep living your life to please other people. Some people will never be happy so, if you keep trying and getting nothing in return, move on.

3-remember, friends are quality, not quantity. The few good, loyal friends I have to this day are mainly ones I had from high school. I still roll up upon some pretty awesome friends but there still few and far between and I would much rather have it that way. Stick with those friends and be loyal to them. That is all you'll need in life.

4-be honest. So much drama happens when you're not honest with someone. If you mess up, you mess up. Say it out front and move on. Trust me, I mess up all the time and I just say what I did wrong, apologize and work my hardest to not do it again. It's that simple y'all. People will appreciate the honesty & the effort and you just go from there.







5-don't do anything you don't feel like doing. If you don't want to go to a party, don't. If you don't want to do something where you feel like you are compromising yourself, don't do it. LISTEN TO YOUR GUT. This is something you're going to have to really listen to for the rest of your life. And I'm telling you, when you're gut is telling you something, you better listen.

6-don't do drugs. Just don't. I never did and I am so happy for that. I don't regret not doing drugs. I don't regret not drinking. I honestly don't know one friend who regrets not drinking or doing drugs. Trust me, I know you've heard it before. But seriously, just don't. I feel in control of myself and my life and my body because I've never had anything in control of me. And i like it that way. I'm proud of that. And trust me, I never missed out on anything because I decided not to do drugs or drink in high school. This will not make you popular or cool. Just be who you are.




7-be who you are! If you're not sure who you are (and honestly, we are always changing so be aware of that and go with the changes and flow of you and your life) then now is the time to figure it out! Hike, paint, draw, study up on things that get you excited! If you don't know what gets you excited, find out! The sooner you find what you love and what makes you happy and the sooner you can find that within yourself, you will live a very happy life. Once you find what makes you happy, don't apologize for it or change who you are for anyone! If people don't like you for it, then don't have those people around. You need people around you who will lift you up, not bring you down. Don't keep people that make you feel bad for being yourself around you.


8-be smart with boys. I know they're the center of your world right now but they don't need to be. There is so much more that you can enjoy in high school and yes, have a boyfriend, whatever. But don't let it consume you. Don't let it take over your personal time, time with your family or time with your friends. Any time I picked a boy over my family or friends I still regret to this day. These boys will come and go and keep a hold of your heart. You've only got one and don't just give it away that easy. Be who you are and if they don't like it or they want to change you-say bye bye!! If you feel in your gut that something's not right or you feel like you need to breakup or say no, DO IT!! Don't waste your time with anyone (boy or girl) that you don't feel ok with. It's not worth wasting your time. Our time on this earth is important and don't waste it on just anybody.

With that-don't just kiss every boy you see. Please. Don't let boys think that you and your kisses are that easily given away. You want to be respected and looked at like a lady who has it together and has a good idea of who she is and who she's going to give her time to. Seriously, I never wished I had kissed more boys. It's better than having lots of regrets on the ones you kissed. So just take it easy ok?



9-be thankful. Geez being a teenager I had stuff just handed to me. Life was pretty darn easy and I was not thankful at all. Just be aware of life and what's been given to you and be thankful for it. Write down all the things you have in your life. We have so much, we need to be aware of that. Be thankful for your teachers, your friends, your life, that rockin body that you have that you think is fat, all the things your parents give you, waking up every day. Just be aware and be thankful. LOVE YOURSELF! Accept your "flaws" and things you regret and situations that make you sad or upset and move on. Don't let these things mold you. Learn from them and become a better person! As Joe Dirt says, "Keep on keepin' on!"







10-take advantage of the opportunities that come your way. Pick the college you want to go to. You, not your friends or your boyfriend. You! If opportunities are thrown at you, take them! You're young! Now is the time! I had lots of opportunities thrown at me that I didn't take. I was lazy, I didn't want to leave someone, blah blah...still wish I would have taken them! So, basically just be you and be proud of that and don't let anyone take your shine!!!

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Dig Deep & Do!

I just deleted that entire blog post...yeesh. This happens more than it should and every time it gets deleted I feel so good about the post too. I feel like it's the best darn post to date and then I delete it...but then I rewrite and it always turns out even better than the first post. So, here's hoping this happens on this one.

Blog is not going so well...3 days later and I feel like I've lost all that goodness that was in my mind. Ok, I'm trying to write again!

Ok, it's been a while since I have written. I feel like the past few posts I've written have had this as the intro. I apologize for having huge gaps in my posts and that has got to change! And change it will! I keep saying that too, but this time I'm serious!

So much has happened since I the last time i posted. So I will catch you up on some things. I have had so many realizations. I've been working on simplifying my life. I want a simple, good life. I want to look back and not base my self-worth on my career or material items. I want memories with family and friends not clothes and purses in my closet. I really started laying out exactly what was important to me and what I wanted. Once it was all laid out it was simple what I needed to do. (Simple, yet risky. But isn't it always that way?) I needed to follow what I really wanted. Take a risk and do it. With that, I had to let go of my little comfortable parachute job that was consistent money and go for what I really need to do. I was working way too much and wasn't enjoying any free time with my family, friends or for myself.


I did some traveling for my aesthetics job that i have and had a realization that I'm really darn good at that. I'm good at facials, educating people on their Skincare regimen, I love ingredients and helping people, meeting people, making them feel good. Doing that makes me happy and my love for it shines through when I'm talking to people. I realized that yes, I work in a world of materialistic things like high-end Skincare, makeup & beauty but it's not just that. This is what some people love, it's what Some people need to boost themselves up and it's what makes them feel beautiful. And if it makes you feel beautiful then I'm all for it. I just have to just embrace What i love and I can't force a life that is not mine and is not genuine to me. I'm a bad faker.




Now I don't believe that certain labels and products and brands make me beautiful. That's not me, but i do love certain products and I will still write about them and share them with you all. But, my goal on here isn't to just write about products. I want to write about things that make you feel beautiful, not just what you need to look beautiful. I've found different things that make me feel beautiful from a yoga workout to a lipstick to a walk in the park! So that's my new way of being a "beauty blogger."

This is a journey. Beauty is a journey and I'm your tour guide! Yes, your beauty tour guide! I say a journey because we will never reach the destination of completeness and perfection in beauty. That's the beauty of beauty & happiness! It's a continual growth and change! We are constantly growing and changing our paths and goals. A few years ago all I wanted was to be neck-deep in fashion and high-end beauty products, and I was! Then I realized I really don't care for all that. It doesn't define me. I didn't feel fulfilled. Some people do feel fulfilled in that type of lifestyle and that's great! If you have found what drives you and makes you happy, then go for it! But to me, I felt like I was playing a part. Then I go into a world of complete health and fitness and I love that too! But-I wanted to be so far into it that I feel like I let go of a lot of who I am. I was so caught up in it that I lost my excitement and passion for makeup and Skincare. It's not that I didn't care about Skincare and makeup, I didn't make enough time to spread the love around equally to fulfill all my loves. Now, here we are in present day and I feel pretty balanced. For now. Haha. I love working out and trying new things, working out makes me feel good and makes me feel beautiful but so does trying out a new lipstick or makeup look. So it's truly a balance and it's whatever really makes you happy.



You'll have to dig dip down and think about what you really love. What do you like to study up on and read about in your free time? What would you do if money wasn't a factor at all? Just think about your wildest dream and what you always wanted to do. If you had millions of dollars, what would you do? What do you do that makes you feel alive?







That's what I decided to do. I realized if I don't quit all this extra stuff that's safe and that takes up my free time and that gets in the way of what I really want to do, then I'm never going to do it. It's a risk but I'm willing to take it. Doing facials and helping people with their skin is what I love and it's what makes me happy. Helping people love themselves in their skin makes me feel alive and I'm ready to devote that time and energy to it! It's scary and I don't like posting about myself on my beauty page. I'm so much better at promoting others, but it's time to put that energy into my business. So, here I go!! Here's to you to dig down deep and do the same!



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My Juicing Experience

I did a 3 day juice cleanse a few weeks ago and I wanted to write about my experience. The first juice cleanse I ever did was a little over a year ago to really kick-start my healthy eating Goals i had. I was working a very time-consuming job, and I was trying so hard to fit healthy eating and exercise into my life. So I decided to go right into a juice cleanse inspired by the documentary "Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead." Joe Cross was the man in the film who was sick & tired of living am unhealthy life and decided to do something about it. He did a 90 day juice cleanse where he just drank juices, ate fruits, veggies, nuts & seeds. His health & life completely changed! He was a new person and it changed his life so much he wanted to spread the word and share his new life experience with everyone. It's a great documentary and I definitely recommend it for anyone who is interested in juicing.






I followed that juice cleanse for 7 days and it changed everything about the way I ate. So basically I did fruits, veggies, beans, nuts & seeds for 7 days. I could juice, blend or just eat them all raw. I ate a lot smaller portions after the cleanse and really just wanted to eat fruits, veggies and salads. It made me appreciate food more and it made me realize what foods can make you feel good and feel worse. After doing that cleanse, it really helped me start eating whole, clean foods. Now don't get me wrong, I still would stray from time to time and eat something bad and that's just going to happen on occasion. But it was amazing to see that I was only drinking juice and fruits and veggies and I felt so good! I had tons of energy and it was amazing to realize that you don't have to eat a ton of food to get energy, you have to eat the right food.







I have been on this healthy lifestyle journey for years. I feel like I keep growing & learning & getting into new things and ideas and beliefs and it's so much fun! I feel like we are always changing and I don't think I will ever be 100% content in this journey. It's not that I'm not happy with where I am, I just feel like I'm always wanting to learn more & try new things. So that first juice cleanse really pushed me into a new method of eating. I ate really clean and tried to focus on eating alkaline and acidic foods separate. That did make a big difference in my life. I was more mindful on what I ate and also I could feel a difference when I was more kind and thoughtful to my digestive system.










Clay, owner of Juice Brothers, friend & my juice guru

Since that time last year I've done pretty well. For months After the cleanse i did well and up until some major life changes that happened later in the year, I did quite well on my eating habits and I've learned to not beat myself up when I did eat something not so great. After the holidays and all that craziness that happens, I've picked myself back up and gotten into more cooking and healthy eating. I still try to eat my alkaline and acidic foods separate for ease of digestion. But I also have cut out processed foods and only eat local meat from our local butcher shop. Not only have we cut out processed foods but we try to eat mainly organic, whole foods. But every once in a while your eating habits go a little off track. It happens to everybody and that's ok! Just get back on track and I find that juicing really helps me.











I usually will make a couple of my staple favorites juices in bulk and keep them in the fridge for 2-3 days and drink on those while focusing on getting my eating habits back on track and it usually works. But this time I really wanted to push myself. My friend Meg who teaches awesome yoga in my community drinks tons of juices and always does these cleanses with a company called Juice Brothers. I was intrigued by their juicing combinations and they just looked so beautiful and sounded so yummy.












Now I try to spend my money wisely (usually doesn't happen, but I try!) so me justifying a juice cleanse when I have a juicer at home didn't make much sense. So I went to my friend Meg's yoga class at Yogassage and after class I talked to her about the juice cleanse and she made so much sense about it. She discussed that not only is this a juice cleanse that will give your digestive system a break and help detox your body but it will also give you a great opportunity to cleanse your fridge & cabinets, it also cleanses your mind. You're not sitting around thinking about what you need to buy at the grocery store, when you're going to be able to juice & when you have time to clean that darn juicer! So it's also about giving time to yourself. So all that time you spend cooking, cleaning, planning-give that time to yourself while you're on the cleanse and take a detox bath & just relax.














Once she said that to me I was sold! Signed up for the next juice cleanse and was ready to go! Ordered my juice, met Clay, the owner of Juice Brothers and now my juice guru, and i started it on a Thursday. He was so passionate about juicing and so educational, I knew I was in good hands. The juices were so beautiful and brightly colored and they were huge! The first day I was roaring and ready to go. I went for a lovely hike that morning, drank my morning time juice which was a kale, celery, lemon, apple blend. Took a yoga class and then went to work. I was so full after drinking that first juice that I didn't drink my lunch time juice until I got off work. I was feeling great and had tons of energy. I got to my last juice of the day and was so surprised at how yummy and creamy it was. It was very filling and satisfying which is nice because I'll admit, but around 6:30, I was hungry. But I drank that last juice and took a nice detox bath (I'll write about that soon!) and went to bed.















I slept like a baby, woke up, drank my breakfast juice, did a little yoga and went to work. I'll say I had a little headache. I'm sure it was from the cleanse but I also have horrible allergies and sinuses and I heard so many people complain about it that day. So I had a feeling sinuses and allergies had a factor in it as well. Clay wrote me to see how I was doing which I really appreciated. It's nice to know someone is there cheering for you. I'll say the second day is probably the hardest. But, it was alright. I reminded myself that I did this, I wanted this, and it'll be great and I'll feel accomplished when it's through. What I found quite interesting was what little I really wanted to eat. I didn't want anything bad, I was just craving a banana, some almonds, an apple. It was quite nice to actually just want something so simple and so good for you. The second day I drank the morning juice during work and got off work pretty early so I went home, sat outside to enjoy the beautiful day and drank my second juice. This one is amazing! It's a watermelon, lemon, juice blend. I can't remember all that was in it but man, it's good! It was so refreshing and something about that light watermelon juice for lunch was the perfect pick me up! It was also nice to just sit outside and enjoy the sunlight and the day--highly recommend that daily! I finished off that day with a walk with my husband and had my last juice and went to bed quite early after my detox bath.














On the third day I woke up and felt like a million bucks! People complimented me all day and it was just crazy! It's like they could see this glow from drinking all these nourishing juices and giving my digestive system and organs a break to actually do other things like produce collagen & elastin for my skin, or get the blood flowing more. I couldn't believe how good I felt and it was just an awesome feeling! I drank my first juice while at work. By the way, the girls at work LOVED all my juices!! So, got home from work, drank my yummy, hydrating, bring you back to life watermelon juice and then finished up with that yummy, creamy, super satisfying beet, ginger, apple juice blend. I couldn't believe how rich & creamy a juice could be! But that was the perfect juice to end off the night with!

Next morning I woke up, juice cleanse was done. I was feeling great and i ate a banana and was completely full!! So full, I didn't eat anything for a few hours! Ate a salad later in the day and was completely content!














I loved how the cleanse helped me realize what my body really needed and just what little it really did need to feel content and happy. I loved actually eating these awesome foods that truly do make you feel better as you're consuming them. It's amazing when you eat good foods and how you can feel energized from them. That's what the juice cleanse did for me. Not only did it cleanse me from the built up junk hanging out in my body. And yes, it kick starts a wonderful way to healthy eating. But it also helped me realize what my body really needs and wants rather than I want see and think I want. It made me very thankful for what I was eating and made me enjoy it more. It brought more awareness and gratitude to myself, my body & my food. I would highly recommend it again and I still add juicing into my daily diet. Try it, you'll like it!











Meg, owner of Yogassage, friend & awesome yoga instructor









If you live in the Nashville area and are curious about my yoga friend, Meg, or my juice man, Clay. Come see them at the Donelson Farmers Market every Friday from 4-7! He has his awesome juice there so you can try it out and they are both so educational. Come by and say hello!

Www.yogassageme.com

Www.facebook.com/yogassageme

Www.facebook.com/pages/juicebrothers

Www.facebook.com/andyturnerbeauty


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Yoga Challenge

Hi all! I set off to challenge myself to 14 days straight of yoga 2 weeks ago and I just completed that challenge. I did not skip one day and was diligent about fitting yoga into my daily life. Needless to say, my daily routine will never be the same again. After completing 14 days straight of yoga it actually became even more clear to me how important yoga is.









My first yoga DVD
WWW.GAIAM.COM

I have been a complete yoga lover & believer since around 7th grade. It all started at Target when I picked up my first yoga video. It was Rodney Yee's Yoga for Abs (& i still love Rodney Yee to this day). I was so excited about it! I popped that tape in my tape player and did my first yoga practice on my parent's living room floor and it was awesome!! I have never felt like that before. My body felt so strong yet so relaxed. It was pretty amazing to know that you could feel like that's and after that first practice, I was hooked. Now I wasn't an avid yoga follower right from the start. I would pop that tape in and use it every once in a while, but not consistently. I loved yoga & the way it made me felt, But how many devoted 12-year old yogis do you know? So anywho, I would pop this video in every once in a while and love it and then go back to focusing on my dance classes that I did 3 days a week.






Www.wellandgoodnyc.com
Christy Turlington, a yogi and an amazing woman I admire





Www.vogue.com

When I got into high school I remember My aunt having all these VHS (yeah, remember those??) tapes of yoga practices. I was always intrigued with yoga and I honestly don't know why. It's not something I grew up with, or really knew anything about. I don't even remember the first time I was introduced to yoga, I just remember seeing that VHS at Target and those VHS tapes of my aunts and I couldn't wait to get my hands on them. I was drawn to it for some reason.






My sweet Coco next to me as I document my yoga challenge doing an at-home practice.

I would try all different yoga tapes and practice them at home. I always wanted to grow in my practice and become a "yogi" but I was young and it was just added to my very long list of things I wanted to do. I dabbled in yoga from 1997 until just recently. Not until college Did i have the opportunity to try yoga in a real studio setting which changed everything!! After college and not having a free gym, i didn't do much in-studio yoga, i just stuck with videos here and there. I would pop a video in when I felt tense, or my back hurt, or when something just didn't feel right. I knew yoga helped and it made me feel great, i just wouldn't take it to that deeper level or consistency or pushing myself further. I finally took the leap to a real studio almost 4 years ago & i finally tried a strictly yoga studio. Wow, was that an amazing experience. It was different from what yoga I was used to. It was hard, and I sweat, and I felt stronger, and sore, and calm all at the same time. Once I started at yoga studios I knew I wanted to dive deeper into this amazing practice.








Some snapshots of my yoga challenge

My new job gives me the opportunity & time to workout and try new things which is what I love and appreciate so much. So, with that and the goals I set for myself (which once again, I will post that blog soon on goal setting) I decided I was going to take advantage of where I am with my life and do this yoga challenge. I was practicing yoga maybe once or twice a week but I wanted more!








Documenting my 14 days of yoga

I started at one of my favorite studios that I haven't been to in a while. It was actually my first real yoga studio I ever went to. It felt good to be back in this beautiful studio that I loved so much. The look, the feel, everything about this studio is what I love to my core. The studio actually reflects a room I have in my house, and this is before I even had been into this studio, so it was kind of cool to see myself in this room that I had never even been to before...hopefully that just made sense. It does in my head, but that doesn't mean a thing!









An at-home practice with my yogi helper, Coco

Anyways, I started out my challenge at the studio where it all began. I set my intention for that practice to really start cleaning up the Edges of my practice and diving deeper into this thing that I loved so much. I wanted to feel what I felt at yoga, throughout my day and share that with others. I wanted to be the person I've always wanted to be. And that class set the tone for the rest of my challenge. To me, I've always wanted to be that person that works out, lives a healthy lifestyle. I've always wanted to be that person trotting around with a yoga mat and really understanding the terminology of yoga and health and fitness. I wanted to know what the benefits of yoga are & what they can do for your body and not only know them, but benefit from them because I'm practicing yoga daily. I wanted yoga to be an absolute in my life.









A sweaty mat documented this day

I feel like I have accomplished so much already just practicing 14 days straight of yoga. The first day was a great class to really break down each pose and make sure I was in the correct positions and angles. I thought it was nice to go back to the basics and make sure my form was correct. Then the second day I jumped into an intense, hot yoga practice. The teacher pushed my mind a lot further than I thought I could ever go. I tried poses I never even imagined doing and held poses for waaaaay longer than I ever thought I could have. This teacher pushed your limits, your thoughts, your practice, your poses, your body, your mind, everything! I left so proud of myself for not breaking poses, not quitting when it hurt and really pushing myself to see how far I could go. It was only Day #2 and I had already learned so much about myself.









Another home practice with my helper by my side

Every day the need for yoga grew more & more. Now that I've incorporated it into my life for 2 weeks straight, I will never be able to live without it. Even if it's a quick couple of flows at night, or a couple of sun salutations in the morning, I'm going to have to do yoga in my day, even if it's for just 20 or 30 minutes. After practicing for 2 weeks straight my flexibility has improved drastically, my mental clarity is amazing & I'm so much calmer and happy! I understand the terms better and I can even flow through some moves on my own which makes me pretty proud!









My last day I did a practice outside in our backyard, in this beautiful weather as my sweet Lucy protected me from the deck.

Doing 14 days, I got to try different types and it really helped me see what kinds I really enjoy more. I appreciate them all, but I do feel like there are certain types for you. I've connected with old friends doing my challenge, I've grown my goals more and really become proud of myself. It feels good to have conquered a personal goal and better yourself in the end. I was diligent with this challenge and I'm really proud. I learned so much & I'm so glad I can see the change in my life already and in my daily routine.

What have you always wanted to do? What have you always wanted to push further into? Take that leap. Because guess what? That person you've always wanted to be is there. You have the opportunity to be that person. You just have to do it!

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Beauty Journey

I know it's been a while since I've written a blog. It's not that I haven't wanted to, I just have been trying to transition my blog and I've been thinking & researching & really just sitting on my ideas for a while. So here I am. I'm ready to go!

In my blog, "Changes are a Comin" I talked about my goals of change that I wanted to see in my blog. I have been thinking of new ideas and trying out nee things, so now I feel ready to blog! Instead of writing about the latest products and trends to look pretty, I want to focus on how to feel pretty. Once you're happy with yourself, your true beauty will shine through. I'm working on that with myself. I'm tired of chasing this idea of beauty that is unattainable and not realistic.



There are things that I really want to do & there are things that I want to be and achieve and I find that making these goals & working hard to reach towards them makes me feel prettier than any lipstick would. I actually wrote a post on December 31st that I still haven't published, but I will, about goals. So that will come up next! But I have some goals and things I want to achieve and I'm going to blog about my journey.


This blog is going to transition into different aspects of beauty. Not just makeup and Skincare. I'm going to go over health tips, recipes, workouts, and all sorts of different journeys that will lead you & me towards self-acceptance and happiness, which then will of course lead to beauty within ourselves.


I am right now right in the middle of a 14 day yoga challenge. I've really enjoyed it. I've learned so much about myself. Not only do I feel better, my balance has improved, my focus & breathing has gotten better and my mindset has become stronger and more positive. I've learned a lot about how far I can push myself.



I took a hot yoga class this week that pushed me so much further than I have pushed myself before. The teacher challenged us to focus and not give in when things get uncomfortable. When I don't like something, I don't do it. Plain & simple, I just don't. But it was interesting to see what one does when times get tough, in yoga we tend to wipe sweat, get a sip of water, fidget with our clothing to break from an uncomfortable position. I now know I did. Once it was brought to my attention I was amazed at how often I slip out of something when I don't feel good. That class made me focus on that and really push through the tough times. I was amazed at how far I could go!


I realized the mind is such a powerful thing and it can either push you to quit or it can push you to go further than you ever thought you could! I did poses i i never have attempted to try and held positions longer than I could have imagined because I was so aware of my thoughts, my intentions, my goals & my breathing. There were times when it was tough and it hurt, but you just breath and you know you'll get through it. And guess what? You do! And when you do push through it without breaking a pose or taking the easy route, it feels so darn good! You'll be so proud of yourself and the next time won't be as bad. You can look back and go, "wow! Remember when I first did this and I could barely get through? Now look at me."



That class was such a wonderful lesson of life and a nice eye-opener in myself. When times get tough you just have to breath and push yourself through it with a positive mindset and focus. You'll come out so much stronger than before.


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New Year! Let's Start This off Right!

So I wrote this blog on New Year's Eve 2013. I never posted it because I wanted to tweak a few things but, I just let it sit in blogging purgatory until now. So humor me, remember this is from 4 months ago but it's still pretty good stuff...well I think so, but I also wrote it. Check it out!


Ok, ok. I know this time of year we all go through the same shenanigans. We end each year completely stuffed with holiday treats and fast food eats because we have been so busy! We binge and we push our bodies to the limit in usually the worst way and then we see the new year as a new beginning.

I am so thankful for that! I love a nice, fresh start. And now is the time to do it! This past year has probably been one of the craziest years I have ever had! I'm officially 10 years past my high school graduation. I thought I would have my stuff together by now but I feel like I'm just getting started. Honestly, I feel like if we do it right, we are always changing, We are always learning and we are always wanting to be a better version of what we are. I don't feel like I have wasted any of my moments or years, I just feel like this has all paved the way to where I want to be. This time last year I had a completely different idea of what I wanted but I wasn't truly happy. My plan was something of a superficial, safe, sounded-good plan. It looked nice & shiny on the outside but deep down, it wasn't me and it truly wasn't what I wanted. But-it was a nice, safe idea. It was easy. If I wanted to really take the time (which I had no time to even think about this at that time) then I would have really dug deep and realized I was basically going the exact opposite direction of my true happiness.

This year I did A LOT! I had a job that paid well, had good benefits and had a nice shiny name to it with lots of promise, but-I truly wasn't happy. When I was younger this is what I thought I wanted. For a long time this is what I thought I wanted. Even while doing aesthetics I always wondered about more of the high-end, fashion side of beauty. But once I was neck-high in the nice, fancy things, I realized, "whoa! I don't want this! I don't want this at all!" I was thrown in to the fashion & business world and realized "nope! I'm good!" Not only did I "think" I wanted to be in the middle of this fashion world but I also thought I wanted to really succeed and be a business woman. It felt good to do well and succeed. It can almost be addicting and I'll admit, you can almost convince yourself that certain things you sacrifice are worth it, and if you truly love it-those sacrifices are worth it, but this was not my path. I realized I was giving up my free time, my family time and time with my husband and friends and it was just not worth it. I spent so much time towards it and I love beauty and fashion but it's not important to me anymore. We change and our interests and passions change, and mine had. I have been really committed to working out and eating right for about the past two years. It's been gradual but this last year , starting about March, I really jumped in head-first into health & wellness. As time went on and I got more & more involved in working out and eating right I realized to me, what's more important now is feeling beautiful. I'm over the "you have to buy this to look beautiful." I'm more attracted to the "this is what makes you feel beautiful!"

My priorities changed completely. I was tired of missing out on family time and seeing my husband and friends and have me time! The more I thought about it and the more I looked into it, I knew this was not the path I wanted to go. I took a huge leap and a big risk and quit my job. I am doing makeup on my own, freelancing for lines I love and believe in, and working at a store that completely supports me and helps me follow my dreams and goals. This company actually gets you to write out 10 year goals. It's pretty amazing! I have found that really setting your goals that far in advanced help you make big crazy goals and it actually helps you see what you really want and it helps narrow down your goals in 10, 5, and 1 year goals.

I'm going to share a few pointers I learned while setting my goals. One I liked was put your goals in present tense. When you talk about living in your beach home in Florida, describe it. Don't say, "I will have a beach house someday." Say, "I wake up in my beach house on a beautiful sunny day." Make big, scary goals! If they don't scare you, they're not big enough! One of the things that helped me realize what I really wanted to do was asking that question of "if you won $100,000,000 what would you do?" I knew I always wanted to work even if it was part time. Even if I won the lottery (I'm trying to keep myself grounded here) I thought I would love to work where I work now. Hence why I followed what I wanted and went for it! I knew I wanted to have more time to work out, take hikes, I would want a big farm house with tons of land and garden and really be able to plant and eat a lot my own foods. I wanted to cook more and learn how to can items from my garden. Maybe eventually be a fitness instructor. If I won the lottery I would definitely go to India and get my yoga instructors license as well!

I look at these goals and think these are possible! Lottery winnings or not, I can do this! Why not do it! I mean we have one life to live and if this is what I want, go for it! I feel like writing out your goals make them seem more realistic and it helps you really lay them out and break them down more to be more attainable. I also think sharing your goals helps because you can hold yourself accountable of your goals and so can others who know them. We need to support one another, cheer them on when they are on their way to achieving their goals!

I've been thinking about some resolutions, I'm still working on them. But I'm starting to write them down and keep a physical list of my goals, I will constantly check back at them and reassess them and keep working on my goals and being the best version of me.

I definitely want to do yoga at least 3 times a week. I want to meditate daily, even if it's only 5-10 minutes. I want to sweat at least 20 minutes a day. I want to grow closer to my husband and keep growing our relationship and keep our communication going more and more.

These two links helped me out a lot!

http://blog.lululemon.com/vision-goals-why-we-love-them-and-how-to-get-started/

http://blog.lululemon.com/how-to-write-your-10-year-vision/?CID=FBVAG
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Simple struggles

"Eat Nothing, Taste Everything!"

I heard this quote and thought, "Hmm. That sounds interesting."
I was watching Bethenny Frankel's Talk Show "Bethenny" and heard this quote. Some people love her, some people don't, I however, love Bethenny. I might not agree with everything about her but what do I know?? I don't know her on a personal level so I don't pass judgement on what the media highlights. What I do know about her is she's all about empowering women and helping women feel good about themselves and she helps you better yourself and live a more fulfilling life. That is why I like her. She is a great person to follow through business, life, health, I just love her.

I like how she eats what she wants, I mean obviously she does, she started as a chef so of course she loves food. But she's smart about it. She will eat whatever she wants but she doesn't eat the entire thing. I like that. My struggle with eating healthy and trying to maintain happiness with my body has been a struggle. (I will write about this later too) Depriving myself of certain foods and enjoying life has always been a hard balance. I love food! When I go out of town, restaurants are where I start my planning. I want to try new things, eat at local hot spots, enjoy what foods this area is known for. I don't want to go to some fabulous dessert spot and get a fruit cup and then look back and regret not splurging. I want to enjoy life and feel good about myself.

I have changed my "cheat meals" into "treat meals." And you don't have to lick the plate clean if you do splurge. Split those indulgent plates with friends. If you're by yourself split the meal up and save some for later. On the "Bethenny" show she said treat your eating habits like a bank account. If you just have to have that brownie for breakfast then just know you will have a salad for lunch and pass on the pasta and bread for dinner, and eat some grilled chicken and veggies instead. It's all about laying it all out for the day and not depriving yourself.

I just reached this point not too long ago. I was sick & tired of being mad at myself all day long after I ate something bad. That's no way to live. I finally reached the point where I work out, and I'm smart with what I eat. Now if I want to have a brownie for dessert or pizza for dinner, it's ok. I worked out, I ate right that entire day and I will for the rest of the week. Just get back to your regular routine after that and enjoy it while splurging and move on!

I find that's one of the most common problems with splurging. You splurge and then you never get back on track. You push off until the next week, then push it off the week after. Just eat what you want, in a reasonable portion, enjoy & move on. No need to beat yourself up over and and obsess. Just eat a small amount of it and get back on track.

I just wanted to share this little bit of info because I found it very nice an a great way to balance everything. When I eat well, I feel better mentally and physically. But, we're human here. I crave Mexican and chocolate chip cookies! And I like to enjoy good food with family and enjoy a local special dish so I really enjoyed hearing Bethenny's take on enjoying food.


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