In a world where being connected is everything, nurturing the connection we have with ourselves is often an afterthought. Here is a coveted self-care secret: a heavenly lifestyle starts with creating heavenly days.
Cultivating a set of joyous rituals and following them religiously keeps us grounded in gratitude, intention and happiness. As a writer, filling my daily routine with cherished habits feeds my creative process. These seven little luxuries are simple but elevate everyday living dramatically, and will make your daily grind absolutely heavenly.Continue Reading
Over the last few years I’ve managed to hone in on a few things that help me look and feel my most beautiful. I’ve streamlined my skin care regime and cherry picked the best products to help me achieve that often illusive clear skin glow. I’ve carved out time to get my roots done regularly and have my lash extensions cared for (said lash extensions are kind of my new favorite beauty find by the way!) I’ve discovered the perfect apps to help me maintain a consistent, quick and relatively easy workout routine and I’ve mostly stopped buying the latest trends in favor of fits and styles I know are more flattering to my figure. It’s taken me about 20 years to figure out what I most need, what truly works and how I really want to feel and I thought I’d share my findings with you. As I started listing and linking to all my favorites I realized I needed to break this post up into parts. It was getting a little overwhelming and way too long to be easily digestible so I decided to start my beauty share with my favorite lash extension line, my 10 minute or less makeup routine and the two apps I’m using now to help rid myself of the last of my baby weight. The next post will have all the info and links to my all time favorite skin care products and after that I’ll dive into my go to jeans, tops and sweaters that help shape, lift, minimize and flatter me the most. I’ve discovered that feeling beautiful is beautiful and that there’s no shame in passing by a mirror and smiling at what you see!Continue Reading
As I write this I am sitting in a pretty little brunch spot called Persephone in downtown Jackson Hole WY…by myself…all alone…so so alone…and it’s amazing! I mean I’m not totally alone, I’m surrounded by all the other patrons. There are quite a few of them, this being a busy September weekend in Jackson. Yet despite the throngs of humanity that surround me, I am alone. Alone meaning, no husband, no kids, no companion of any kind. Just me, my chai latte and my brioche. I can’t even remember the last time I ventured into the world on my own. I haven’t sat in a cafe by myself since…I truly can’t even remember. I’m not gonna lie, it was a little unnerving at first. I was a bit hesitant to head out the door, but now that I’m here well…I feel a perfect and quiet contentment. I am free to do whatever I please in this moment. I could just sit here and stare out the window for awhile. I can write this post with total absorption for as long as the place stays open. I could eat two more of these amazing brioches and drink six more chai lattes. I have no dishes screaming at me to be washed, no children interrupting me every two seconds, no dogs to feed, no house to tidy. I am footloose and fancy free for this one afternoon in Jackson and it is just what my body, mind and soul needed. A chance to sit and breath. To indulge my own needs and desires and creativity in a beautiful place just far enough away from all the demands of my day to day life.Continue Reading
In the seven months since Joshua Jr was born I have managed to slowly but surely drop my pregnancy weight with only 10 pounds left to lose. I gained almost 50 pounds during my pregnancy and I’m not gonna lie, I had moments of sheer panic that I’d never be able to lose it all. I had hoped to only gain 25-30 pounds like my mother during her pregnancies but found that just wasn’t possible for me. Despite starting my gestation out on a pregnancy friendly meal plan and hiking my butt off 5 days a week my weight kept creeping up. At a certain point, probably around 4 months I gave up the struggle and tried instead to respect my body’s needs and trust my instincts. About ten days after Joshua Jr’s birth I got back on the scale to see where I was at and how far I had to go.Continue Reading