by Shelly on October 29, 2018 Leave a Comment

Feel Like You’re Running On Empty?

Feel like you’re running on empty?– In accepting, understanding and ultimately overcoming mom burnout you will begin to experience your life full of love, joy and connection. I see it every day in moms at the library, park or grocery. That zombie look in their eyes just going through the motion of whatever task is at hand. It’s not that they don’t love being moms and taking care of their families but rather that they’re putting everyone else before themselves. There’s never any time or energy left for us at the end of the day.

What to Do for Self Love

I’ve learned that I need to do something for myself, just by myself, once a week. With a new baby and a five year old, showering alone sometimes feels like an oasis. When I’m able to take time to pamper myself, specifically how I look, I’m happier and feel more connected to myself as a person rather than just a ‘mom.’

Eva NYC must have known I was needing some self love action and sent me a box packed full of pampering goodness. This past weekend, after sitting in a car for four hours, dancing at a concert for three hours and sitting in a car for another four hours on the way home, I was exhausted. I felt like I used a whole weekend abusing my out of shape ‘mom bod’ by sitting and dancing and I needed some serious pampering Sunday night.

Eva NYC

My hair hadn’t been washed since the previous Sunday when I’d gotten a blow-out and was definitely ready for some love. I gave my hair a serious wash and followed it by combing the Eva NYC Soften Up Conditioner through my hair. Words can’t describe the de-tangling effects of this conditioner. Remember, I hadn’t washed or brushed it in a week. The Argan oil feeds hair with vitamins and nutrients, while Keravis™ delivers optimal anti-breakage benefits and is scientifically proven to dramatically increase strength and flexibility. After I hopped out of the shower I put on their Skip the Spa Thermal Hair Wrap while my hair was still wet. The wrap is an innovative, deep conditioning treatment that is clinically proven to moisturize, nourish and repair dry and damaged hair. Infused with 38 plant oils and extracts, including Argan oil, this hair wrap uses your body heat to activate the nutritive ingredients resulting in rejuvenated, healthier locks.

Clinical Trials Confirm:

Immediate improvement in damaged hair
7 days of shiny, glowing hair
9 days of hydrated hair

After removing the thermal hair wrap my hair smelled and felt like I’d just gotten an expensive hair treatment at the salon. My last step was to finish it off by spraying the product that everyone raves about: Mane Magic 10-in-1 Primer (it detangles, reduces frizz, strengthens, softens, cuts drying time, adds shine, nourishes, smooths, and protects against thermal and UV damage.) I lightly sprayed the primer all over my hair and scrunched my curls before heading down to watch a movie with my family completely refreshed. I typically let my curls air dry at night and in the morning I’ll refine a few curls with a curling iron and be good to go. My hair the next morning was still so soft and I felt so great about the day ahead.

I loved all of these products so much. I’m so excited that they’re not being sold at Meijer so I can easily grab them while I’m out getting groceries for the week!

3 Ways to Get Out of a Funk

I’m seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. I’ve been in a funk for a few months. In November my site was hacked twice and I had morning sickness all day everyday. There was a lot going on with the holidays and an expectation I placed on myself to be happy because Christmas was around the corner. Fast forward through December and January and here I am clearing the cobwebs from a hazy few months. I did not have motivation to write, pitch to brands or plan for the future (all the things that give me excitement). Simply going through the motions of being a ‘good’ Mom, Wife and employee were the best I could do.

Looking back, I wasn’t happy. My hormones are crazier than ever right now as I’m sitting at 18 weeks pregnant. I cry on a daily basis for big things and small, happy and sad. Earlier this week there was another mass shooting and it woke me back up to give voice to the things that I’m passionate about. There are at least 100 terrible things happening per day in our world but this one hit hard. Whether it’s 18 or 6 so far this year in America, even 1 would be too many. I don’t have a solution but it has ignited me to act and talk about finding a solution.

Along with this desire to fight for peace I have enlisted my husband to help fix my site from the hackings. Now that my site is feeling better, I’m feeling better about getting my content back on the web. I’m not going to let life happen to me but take charge in designing my life in accordance to how I want it to be. As usual, with help from people who care about me.

It’s a month and a half after the New Year and I’m seeking a new start. You don’t need to wait for a new year or a Monday for a new start. I’m making a very honored choice to reset and shift my lifestyle to align with my values. You are the only person that can change your life and make it what you want. Some people take huge life changing tactics to get out of their funk and that might be what you need to change. Others take small steps to create a habit that makes a ripple effect to change your lifestyle. For me, starting small and working big is how I’ll start to get back on track with my business, mindset and health. There are three ways I will focus on to get me out of this funk and that I will use in the future.

If you feel like you’ve been complacent in your lifestyle- it’s time to ‘reset’. To take a step back and get a fresh start.
Because sometimes, you have to step away to step forward.
-Jenna Kutcher

3 Ways to Get Out of a Funk

PLAN– My most popular posts are about planning, and I’m realizing now, it’s not just because people are trying to do it better but also because it’s what helps all types of people to accomplish their goals and how they live their lives. I’ve got time carved out tomorrow to work on my blog content calendar which will keep me consistent with being active online. I’m also making sure I’m in more of a routine for my family/life. Routine is what makes me feel calm so making sure we’re consistent with Ninja class and extra circulars on the weekends helps me be balanced.
WRITE– The more I write, the more confident and comfortable I’ll be with writing. I have seasons within blogging where I’m on a roll or in a rut. Writing consistently keeps me on a roll. I’m also lumping in reading here. The best writers are constantly reading and so I will focus on not only listening to podcasts during my free time but reading more books. I’m slowing way down on social media and only using it consciously at my desktop in order to have more time for reading.
LOVE– I’m constantly preaching self love and making sure to put yourself before your family and friends so you are better able to love them. Taking the RIGHT actions for self-love is also key here. Watching ‘This is Us’ was a terrible way to give myself self love because it was too upsetting. In general, for me, watching shows at night is a bad use of time. It often causes me to be angry or sad right before bed which in turn affects my sleep behavior. I’m not throwing our TV away to accomplish better habits but putting a boundary in place (and telling my family) that I’m interested in watching movies on the weekends but during the week I’ll be writing, reading or playing games with my family before bed. Realizing what kind of self-love works best in caring for your body and mind is something you might have to work on but it will be worth it once you do.

Because I know that everyone is different, I’ve asked some of my tribe how they shift gears and get out of a funk.

Here’s what they had to say:

‘I packed on a massive amount of weight during the six years that I had five children. I tried doing everything at once: adding in exercise, changing diet and eliminating my trouble foods/beverages. I failed on day 2. I recently started by taking on one problem at a time and I’m succeeding. It took me six years to gain this weight and develop bad habits and practices, I can’t expect to lose it all at once and get out of this in one swoop.’
-Katy Mann of Indy with Kids

‘For a quick fix, I tend to escape into a great movie. It’s nice to live in someone else’s world for awhile. If it’s a deeper and lingering issue…I put it on paper, and get to work disecting it. I’m a problem solver by nature, so breaking things down to understand them better is how I shift my mindset.’
-Sierra Holmes of Eclectic Kurves

‘When I’m in a funk, I just like to go back to things that inspire me. Luckily, I’m inspired by organization and list-making, so I make that the first thing I do!’
-Brittney Mason of The Pretty Plus

‘Right now for instance, it’s middle of winter, my kids have been home sick with the flu, I’m fighting it off, yet I have a deadline to get a feature documentary out of my edit suite and out the door. After returning home from vacation, the last thing I actually want to do is nose to the grind, but I know I have to. When I’m spinning my wheels, I go to bed, take a walk. Those are temporary fixes. If the funk is of a large proportion, like the one I am in right now, I make a goals list of the things I want to accomplish after this is done. That list is what I am working towards. It gives me an incentive to get to this finish line so I can focus my effort on something that will give me joy.’
-Kathryn Dickson of Kathryn Anywhere

‘When I’m in a funk I like to make a list of things I’m looking forward to or want to accomplish. And if I can’t think of anything I realize it’s time to get something on the calendar. This year I have nothing specific planned for summer so it was messing up my ability to day dream so I got out the map and planned our trip to PA with the kids. We looked up places to visit and stuff to do. Now I’ve got something to look forward to, goals to work toward and activities I’m saving for!’
-Katie Ruvalcaba of Ruvalcademy

‘My go-to way of resetting myself and getting out of a funk is usually a few days of self-care and self-love… that consists of really good hot yoga classes, daily meditations (even just 5 minutes or so), consciously seeking fresh air (walk outside, sit on our screened in porch and read, go to my family’s lake house, etc.). Getting out of a funk is all about flipping your perspective. Taking yourself out of your daily grind and placing yourself back into an environment that fuels you.’
-Greta Snell of The Moon and She‘

Every year I choose a word to focus on. This year it is peace. Past years have included: surrender, beauty, perspective, and gratitude. It’s powerful to see life through that one lens every day for a whole year.’
-Ali Wren of Ali Wren

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by Shelly on November 2, 2017 4 Comments

Top 24 Cauliflower Recipes: Cheap and Healthy Alternative

Top 24 Cauliflower Recipes- I just finished up a year of working with a health coach to get me on the right track towards having another baby. Every couple weeks there was a new habit to add to my repertoire of healthy living. My biggest takeaway from the program was the importance of finding what food is good fuel for my body. There was a lot of trial and error through this process. While exercise is important for muscle growth and a healthy heart, a balanced diet is what helped me improve the most.

Neither my husband nor myself enjoy cooking. I learned that in order to eat good food I must meal plan on the weekends, purchase the groceries and prep the veggies. Prepping the veggies was key when it came down to making the meals. It is much easier to batch prep work all at once making dinner time a breeze. I also needed to be more creative with my meals. We’re on a tight budget currently so we’re not able to eat as much fresh fish and expensive meats as in the past. That’s where veggies come in! There are a lot of ways you can replace a main entree (meat) with a veggie and it doesn’t feel like you’re being forced to eat your veggies as a kid.

Cauliflower is my new favorite vegetable because it can be used in so many different meals. Honestly, you could eat cauliflower for breakfast, lunch and dinner and have such varied tastes that you wouldn’t realize you were eating the same food. I’ve rounded up the best of the best from the internet for you to give a try as we head into the new year and stay on track during the holiday season.