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Why I Love My Post-Baby Body More
When I finally had the strength to stand, I waddled to the bathroom mirror only to find the most unpleasant surprise: my post-baby belly looked no different from my pregnant stomach that my daughter called home for the last nine months. The blinding fluorescent hospital lighting further accentuated all the unflattering angles of my new body. If I’m honest, I selfishly felt a little shattered. I missed my old body before this. I missed wearing jeans, my feet fitting in regular shoes without bulging from swelling. And if you’re a mama, I KNOW you understand this feeling all too well. As I stood there examining each flaw, suddenly something stopped…
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How to Make the Most Out of Your 20s: 3 Important Takeaways
If you had the opportunity to have a heart-to-heart with the younger version of yourself, what would you tell her? Would you warn her to avoid certain situations? Would you push her to chase after a dream? What would be your most important lesson? For me, one thing that has been a true blessing is the wisdom from the women who went before me and paved the way. This wisdom has shown up in various forms: It could be a direct lecture from them, mistakes they made that I knew to avoid, or even courageous acts and leaps of faith that inspired me. One thing I am sure of is…
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4 Secrets to Finding Your Passion in Life
Do you want to know the truth about finding your passion? I’ll share a secret: You’ve already found it because it lives within you. If you dig deep down inside, there has ALWAYS been something you desire to do. It could be that thing that came naturally to you as a child, or a theme of events that occurred in your life that led you to believe it is your calling. Re-visit the younger version of yourself. What did you tell yourself you wanted to be before reality set in? My guess is that if you find yourself reading this, you were and still ARE a dreamer. You believe that…
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4 Practical Ways to Teach Your Child to Be Independent
Sitting across from me at our dining room table, I watched as my daughter refused to eat yet another cooked meal due to her personal food preferences. I knew that it would be MAYBE an hour before she’d ask me for a snack, so I refused to allow her to leave the table until all food was finished on her plate. Her face dropped as she slouched over her plate to finish it against her will. And if you are a parent, you know this feeling all too well. The feeling of having them agree to your terms, but also having the guilt linger knowing deep inside it’s not what…
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7 Inspirational Speeches That Will Transform Your Life
Have you ever listened to a podcast, watched a documentary, or read a book that absolutely changed your mindset for the better? In the next few weeks or maybe even MONTHS your habits and mindset improve greatly. But, as time passes, that flame inside dwindles little by little each day until you’re back to your old ways. Why is it so hard to stay motivated? I think the answer is simple. When we set goals, we propel ourselves SO far into the future, that when we take any missteps that push us further away from what we want, we give up altogether. I know I’m guilty of this. I’ll start…
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5 Positive Lessons Anxiety Taught Me for the Better
I assume that if you find yourself reading this, you too must be a perpetual optimist always seeking to find the lesson in every battle you face. I first experienced anxiety a little over a year ago. I was going through a LOT of transitional phases in my life and it all seemed to come to a boiling point. Since that period of my life, I have reflected, grown, and made positive lifestyle changes that have helped me for the better. As a mother, a generally head-strong individual, a Christian, and a person in overall great physical health, I felt guilty for experiencing this. If this is YOU, please know…
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How to Teach Your Children to Embrace Diversity and Self-Love
“Mommy, a friend at the park said she did not want to play with me because I’m brown.” Hearing this immediately shocked me and was followed by a deep sense of hurt for her. After she nonchalantly blurted this out, I asked her how that made her feel. She replied, “Well, not everyone paints themselves brown.” Her casual response shocked me as I realized the beauty of her innocence. It was at that moment, I realized that I still had the opportunity to teach her just how beautiful she is and mold her to be kind and accepting toward others that do not look like her. Since that strange occurrence…
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6 Things You Need For the Ultimate At-Home Spa Day
Why is self-care such a trending topic today? According to a study done by the APA published in 2011, “One in four women admit they are not doing enough when it comes to managing stress while only 17 percent of men feel this way.” So, you ask – what is the obsession with self-care? My opinion is that women today, ten years later, are truly evolving into these amazing, well-balanced, self-assured beings. We are taking care of our mental health and realizing self-care goes well beyond a child-free grocery store trip or going for a walk through your neighborhood. It is recognizing that you are not just a human that…
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Why We Should Be Celebrating Self-Love on Valentine’s Day
I vividly remember my first heartbreak. I was sixteen years old, and my very first relationship came to an end shortly after the start of the school year. As Valentine’s Day rolled around, my mother spent the entire day making sure I felt loved. She bought me tons of gifts and was extra attentive. But honestly, I remember feeling a little guilty accepting all of her tokens of affection because I wasn’t as sad as she perceived me to be. From a young age, I didn’t see the value in spending a lot of time dwelling in sadness over being single. I loved who I was, and I valued the…
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5 Easy Ways to Support Small Businesses for Free
If you’re anything like me, you love the convenience of two-day shipping, groceries being delivered, and the ease of virtually any item you love being rush-delivered to your doorstep all with one press of a button. But, something strange happened over the past few months that changed my mind on how I value convenience over genuine human interaction. To give you some context, I will share a short backstory. My mother is originally from the Philippines. She moved here a little over thirty years ago leaving behind her family and all of their traditions. This past Christmas, I wanted to do something small yet special to help lift her spirits,…
