Month: March 2019

Healthy Lifestyle

I have a heart like the sea…

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a million dreams are in me. – Miss Saigon

Inspired By

  • Every great child was brought up by a caring, Wonderful mother. Please know You did such a great job Raising me, teaching me, and loving me.

Happy birthday mom!

  • The women behind this year’s Whole Foods beauty bag! Before diving into the bag, I want to give tribute to the WOMEN behind the bags. These bags were made by women in West Africa at a center (ALaffia) that provides opportunities for women to make fair wages that used to work in the sex trade industry to support themselves. This hits so hard, after seeing Miss Saigon yesterday and learning about the devastation of the “Children Of the Dust”.  So please, try to support struggling countries and women everywhere. In some way, big or small 🙂

    So a few years ago, a friend and I heard about these beauty bags, got up super early and headed to Whole Foods, expecting to see a swarm of customers. However, we were the only ones. I don’t even think the bags were out yet, we had to ask about them. LOL. Oh, how things have changed. This year. I stopped BEFORE work when the store just opened, to find a hand people already at the door. They were there for the same reason I was. Beauty Bags 🙂 

  • My gut I need to be better at listening to my gut. It is SO hard, especially when you have spent your life carefully planning, thinking about, even the smallest decisions.
  • Such an interesting perspective. We don’t buy things with money we buy them with our time…

Watching

Miss Saigon! Wow. It was phenomenal. It actually has Inspired me to do some research about the Vietnam war. Heartbreaking and devastating. This show and the actors were insane! The talent! Wow. I had tears in my eyes.

Crushing hard on “Chris” , Played by Anthony Festa

Ryder Was so adorable and so sweet he was a true pleasure to watch! He is only four years old!

Reading

Book “hangover”.  Sorry, after two amazing reads, having a difficult time getting into something that catches my interest long enough to WANT to read! Gah!

Need help choosing your next book? Let me help! Fill out this form here

Or read my blogpost

19 books coming out this year you seriously need to read! My top picks :

This one , this (omg!) and this one

I am currently reading this and listening to A grown-up kind of pretty

This week I read and finished Verity. Woah. I have no words. This is probably at the top of my list of favorites. It has everything I love. Dark. Terrifying. Twisted. So good. If you’re looking for a quick read that you do not want to put down I highly suggest this one

Grateful For

My parents. Today my mom, dad, and I went to go see Miss Saigon in Philadelphia. It was so special spending the day with them and seeing the smiles on their faces. We even had to squish ourselves into tiny little seats but did so with a smile on our face‘s. I am so lucky and fortunate to have these two favorites in my life

Interested in doing a free five-day meditation with me? Join me here!

Daily gratitude reminders! Set your clocks now! Going to try this for sure

Thinking

I need to take a break and rest more (and actually enjoy it).  I constantly push myself and I am exhausted (Plus dealing with allergies)  Reminder to self:  Be gentle

HOW am I going to do this? I need an action plan otherwise I just end up saying and repeating and not actually doing it.

This is HOW:  I am going to NYC for a little mini getaway filled with all the things I love and enjoy. I am going to take this trip and make it also an eating experience or experiment. I am going to go off my normal and typical routine meals and eat WHATEVER I want , when I want and really listen to my body!  If I see something that looks and smells wonderful, I am getting it.  This is going to be SO difficult for me as over the years I have shut up and shut down my bodies natural response to do this. I have conditioned myself to eat the same things, over and over and specific times, etc. My body now craves those things and knows the schedule pretty well. I need to take a break from this, and this little “experiment” will be fun! Wish me luck, It is so hard for me to break free from my routines. This is a HUGE step for me!

About trying this new scent for spring

This body scrub smells so good and is so hydrating.

Listening To

So excited that my favorite podcast, O.L.D. podcast, has welcomed back Joc Marie, after her maternity leave! She does the Relationships Daily show and It has been MISSED the past 5 months!  Relationships cover it ALL. Dating. Friendship. Parenting. Co-Habiting. You name it!

As always, I am linking my favorite episodes from the week, in article format for you to read (If you’d like)

Oh man, I have read some interesting and excellent books this week. One of my favorite podcasters, Bad On Paper, finally had their book club discussion for Colleen Hoover’s latest, Verity, wow. I am STILL speechless after this book. So so good. Did not want to put it down.  If you enjoy a thriller, read it!

Dream Life

I love this print so much for my living room.

Healthy Lifestyle

Underachiever and proud

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Inspired By

Watching

The longer days

Image result for sunlight gleaming

Sun beaming in through the windows

Reading

Finished

  1. The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair (Fiction) So good! I am wavering between four and five stars. I’m hesitant to give it five stars because it was so long. Filled with many ups and downs. I love drama suspense mystery, yet when I finished I had a huge smile on my face was going to really miss those characters that became part of my life for the past few days. That is a good book
  2. The Idea of You: Hmmmm, this is a tough one. Very “Fifty-shades’ish”. This book is getting tons of hype, and I am not quite sure why.  Its a story of a middle-aged woman that falls for a 20-year-old boy band member………Yes. yup. That’s right.   It follows their relationship and “love story”.  Many feel it is a love story, I sort of fail to see that?  Definitely very emotional, brought up many of my own feelings (and insecurities) If you read it would LOVE to hear your thoughts. It IS a very easy and quick read.
  3. Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover – I gave this one 3 stars. It was a great, light and easy read. I am loving Hoovers, books. I am so thrilled that I have discovered her 🙂 Another author to add to my list.
  4. The Girls at 17 Swann Street– 4.5 stars. I have to say this one was DIFFICULT.  It is a story of a young woman that suffers from Anorexia.  This hit me HARD.  As many of you know (or don’t) I have struggled with Anorexia since about the age of 15/16.  I have relapsed several times. However, my last relapse was different. I actually feel like I “got it”. Something clicked. Reading this made my experience personal, and I  felt all those things I had felt during the many recoveries I had. The inpatient rehab facility reminds me so much of my own inpatient rehab experience. I am fortunate to have had such a positive and wonderful experience there. I think I was just not “ready”.  I followed the rules and motions, but never really understood? I made some wonderful friends and connections and it was such a safe place for me, but it was NOT the real world. Only about 33% of anorexics truly recover. This is higher than any of the other eating disorders. This is disturbing. Anorexia is a mental illness. It is not about food or looking good. It is about self-worth.  Please please PLEASE be on the lookout for friends, family, children, students that may be suffering. I am available as a resource to any and all. THIS is exactly WHY I can’t/won’t tolerate diet culture talk, negative (or positive) comments about people’s appearances, fitness obsession. Stop. There is more to life. To people. Please be mindful about diet/fitness culture and industry. It is horrible how gyms and the food industry and other places have caught on that we all feel like shit about ourselves so the easy fix is to fix ourselves on the outside.  Be gentle on yourself and with others

Currently Reading

Verity by Colleen Hoover

Grateful

  • Most Common Writing Errors
    • A bit ashamed to admit, that I, have been guilty of many of these, HOWEVER today, I am aware, I am so grateful of my past year of training(s) in new programs that I use with the students that have really taken ME back to the basics. YUP. I am learning right along with my students #noshame
  • Friends! There are so many pro’s to being friends with people not like you, specifically not your own age. This article is beautifully written to portray how beneficial friendships are to ALL involved! ❤  The Gift of Friendship that Spans Generations

Thinking

  • Do YOU have a type? Interesting read.
  • What does love mean to you? Read the article here.
  • If nobody tells you-you are beautiful, are you beautiful?
    If no one tells you you’re smart and kind, then are you smart and kind?
    If no one likes your photo, did the moment really happen? Self-love is so important. I am still learning the process!
  • Have you ever thought of……….UNDERACHIEVING?  Read this  Underachieving never felt so good

    Looking back,  I was ashamed of the fact that I increased the number of books I read a year so I could feel better about myself relative to others. It was important that I read more books than the average person so I wouldn’t be average myself.

    How sad… but GUILTY.

    Yes and no. I do this. But the difference is it is internal. I don’t really share my accomplishments with others. It’s more internal where it’s competition within myself. Very selfish

Listening To

O.L.D. Podcast. SO excited, next month, my fave of the OLD podcasts (Relationships) Is returning! The host was on maternity leave and will be returning! I hope she is refreshed and had a great time with her newest bundle!  As usual, I am linking the articles from my favorite episodes this week! If any resonate with you, read away!

Forever35 – I am sort of loving all kinds of facial oils and serums now!

Bad On Paper Podcast – Love these books recommendations and hosts

Dream Life

Dreaming of my NYC getaway. Filled with delicious foods, lots of coffee and lots of books. Just some quiet self-time (Is that possible in NYC) For me, yes, because the quiet for me is internal.

May need to pay a visit to the Halal Guys for their falafel!  oh my

Image result for halal guys nyImage result for halal guys ny falafel

This Cronut® from Dominique Ansel Bakery

Image result for Cronut® from Dominique Ansel Bakery

This cheesecake from Juniors, looks pretty amazing…..

Image result for cheesecake from juniors nyc

 

Chocolate Babka from Breads Bakery?  May need to get one to bring home…

Image result for chocolate babka from breads bakery nyc

Artichoke Pizza from Artichoke Basilles

Image result for artichoke pizza from artichoke nyc

Vegan Taco Salad from Chloe

Image result for vegan taco salad by chloe

Healthy Lifestyle

Working to Have Fun

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Inspired by

“Setting boundaries is a way of caring for myself. It doesn’t make me mean, selfish, or uncaring just because I don’t do things your way. I care about me, too.” ~Christine Morgan

  • My Needs Matter Too 
    • It continues to be a work in progress for myself. Setting boundaries have always been difficult. Telling others no or exactly how I feel, always caused anxiety. It is scary not knowing how others will react, but what is more telling is how they DO. Been learning a lot about myself and others, if you struggle with boundaries, read this
  • Rejection sucks! Whether it be in your love life, family members, a new (or existing) job opportunity. The only way to get better at rejection? Do it, then do it again. It’s exposure therapy. The more comfortable you feel being rejected, the less you’ll fear it……Ouch, yes,  BUT A much needed “Ouch”. Read about it here: You Win Some, You Lose Some. 
  • Purge untrue thoughts. You must learn a new way to think before you can master a new way to be.  Behind every stressful feeling is an untrue thought.  Before the thought, you weren’t suffering, but after the thought, you began to suffer.  When you recognize that the thought isn’t true, once again there is no suffering.  When you change your thoughts, you change your life.  So next time you catch a thought stressing you out, ask yourself these four questions:
    • Is it true? – This question can change your life. Be still and ask yourself if the thought you’re dealing with is true. Can I be absolutely, 100% certain that it’s true? – This is another opportunity to open your mind and to go deeper into the unknown, to find the answers that live beneath what you think you know.
    • How do I feel when I think this thought? – With this question, you begin to notice internal cause and effect.  You can see that when you believe the thought, there is a disturbance that can range from mild discomfort to outright panic and fear. 
    • What do you feel?  How do you treat the situation (or person) you’re thinking about, how do you treat yourself, when you believe that thought?  Be specific.
    • Who would I be, and what would I do differently, if I were not thinking this thought? – Imagine yourself in your situation (or in the presence of that person), without believing the thought.  How would your life be different if you didn’t have the ability to even think this stressful thought?  How would you feel?  Which do you prefer – life with or without the thought?  Which feels more peaceful?

 

  • “Work at learning to have fun. Apply yourself with the dedication to learning enjoyment. Work as hard at learning to have fun as you did at feeling miserable.”Image result for have fun

Watching

The turtles coming out to sunbathe in the warm sun!Image result for turtles sunbathe

Reading

Articles

Books

 

Dream Life

  • I love bookstores and libraries. How cool is this library travel guide! I hope my parents get to check out the one in Poland while they are there!
  • Most adorable comics of introverts. I think I can relate!

Grateful

  • That I have not stayed in any of these hotel fails!! Dying!
    • Check out the sink………..The Sink In My Hotel Room (Helsinki)

Thinking

  • What did heck did we/I do before the internet!
  • Healing Emotional Triggers
    • Some of my emotional triggers:  Food and diet talk. Appearances. I have made great strides in these areas, these are more along the lines of people still caught up in “backward” concepts about the diet and health industry. Compliments are actually what REALLY trigger me. I hate it and dread when someone tells me something nice. I don’t take it that way. I take it as pressure UPON MYSELF to continue to keep up with that image. It’s a trigger to me because I’m trying to do the opposite I’m trying to rest and relax more and not keep pushing myself. Yet others see this is such a positive trait. I agree it can be positive and work towards my benefit but it can also be debilitating

      I was an easy target in elementary middle and high school. I already had a “different” family, Polish traditions, Polish language. I was ashamed of this for a long time. I wish I could travel back and time and tell myself to let those things SHINE. Those are what make me unique and set me apart. I had a brother who was on the severe end of the autism spectrum and nonverbal. This was unknown at the time and people were “Scared” I had many other things going on as well. I took it upon myself to be the perfect daughter, student, and everything. When I couldn’t live up to that I felt like such a failure. I became a very easy target I was picked on and teased and came home upset more often than not. It resulted in school avoidance and really struggling in social and academic ways. I am very angry with those who bullied me. I do understand that they had their own issues and it was easier to take the focus off them and put it on me. Yet I am very bitter that they have caused so much pain in my life. Maybe deep down angry with myself for allowing it to affect me as it did. I was a child. I thought there was something wrong with me. Now, I see it clearly….It was not me that was the problem. Today I am building and growing strong. In a way it was a blessing, I would’ve never gotten to where I am today if it were not for my previous experiences. Maybe this is the reason why I teach….
      Other emotional triggers: my choice to be child-free, single (and happy), being an introvert, and people abusing drugs and/or alcohol

  • Sometimes the reason we struggle with stress and insecurity is because we compare our behind-the-scenes circumstances with everyone else’s public highlight reel.  Give it up.  Don’t compare your Chapter 1 to someone else’s Chapter 15.  Follow your own path, write your own life story, and never give up on yourself.

    Next time you catch yourself comparing your life situation to someone else’s, refer to these two formulas:

    Happiness formula = Do YOUR very best and feel good about it.
    Unhappiness formula = Compare yourself to everyone else.

    • Thinking so much about this lately. I feel pretty confident in myself and CAN say I am really content with who I am. Do I think I’m perfect? NO WAY.  Far from it. Yet the one thing I have not done for quite some time (and trust me I have many things I do instead that are not very desirable), is wish I were someone else. I like who and what I am so much, I want to keep it all to myself. I fear someone will “steal” that away from me. This is something I am working on, so in a sense, this is my way of comparing myself. Maybe deep down I think my uniqueness will be taken away?  I don’t know. I know it is irrational and silly. It is not a pleasant feeling. Yet I want to keep it all to myself, like a selfish little toddler.  I like who I am and I like the uniqueness in the choices of the foods that I eat the activities that I do the way I do things etc and want YOU to come up with your own uniqueness.

Listening To

O.L.D. Podcast

Frienshipping Podcast

Forever 35

Healthy Lifestyle

Love (and marriage)

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Inspired By

Image result for moorestown high school theater 9-5

  • My mom and aunt. img_3918They have such a nurturing passion to take care of others. This reminds me so much of my grandmother.  They both have passion and expertise in cooking and baking.  I am inspired by how much time, energy, effort and most of all LOVE they put into their cooking.

I do not have the pull, and quite honestly am completely happy and satisfied eating the same old things…..this article talks about it and I am not ashamed (anymore). I am who I am, like what I like and that’s all! I think if I had a family, things would be different because I am not sure everyone would be satisfied with the same foods all the time, but, my quirks are all mine and I am quite content with them

 

Watching

  • My mom and aunt make pierogies 🙂Image result for pierogies
  • The sunshine for longer days!Image result for daylights saving
  • 9-5 by the Moorestown High School theater. What a great show!! So much talent! (quite funny too!)

 

Reading

Read

All Your Perfects by Colleen Hoover

4 stars. Such a great book! Could not put it down. It was a light read with some serious topics (trigger warning: Infertility)  Follows a relationship through its ups and downs. Relationships always start out with so much hope. Is it possible to have that last?

***Spoilers***

This book was so different. It was not your typical “romance fairy tale.” It had depth and emotion. The true struggles of relationships. And the importance of communication.  The devastation of infertility and the problems it caused. I believe the couple in this book had great communication skills, which ended up saving them. So many people (myself included, I am still learning) lack this. I really believe communication needs to be stressed more than ANYTHING else in schools, life, work.  We put a lot of emphasis on other things and yet this is the most important thing for any relationship.

Infidelity was also covered.  It is difficult to say whether or not infidelity would be a deal breaker for me.  There are so many different situations and reasons for it. I personally have not seen it bring people closer, but do know it is possible.

Just a great story. Realness

Currently reading:

All These Beautiful Strangers

The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair

Want to read:

Verity by Colleen Hoover

Thinking

Image result for nyc

  • Marriage as an institution? A friend recently went live with this discussion. Quite interesting. I have so many thoughts about this!  There are many components that make up marriage and factors that play a role. I am divorced and not sure I would ever get married again. However, my experiences have molded this and I am very aware of that (and very ok as well).  The relationships around me have not always been the healthiest, therefore my own relationships had never been healthy.  I am finally learning myself and only allowing things (and people) I want into my life. I am continuously working towards remaining true to myself and others, and this is not always well accepted. I am ok with that! I wasn’t for a very long time. Image result for i am ok with that meme
  • Something I recently heard, from the wise Ashley Ford, that really stuck with me and describes how I feel in words that I can not better express.

“I have learned to enjoy being by myself and loving myself, I have learned to enjoy those little moments by myself to enjoy my solitude.  If you are to show up in my life, you need to be BETTER than my solitude.”

YES.  That is all. 

That is going to be tough.

My entire life was spent trying to find ways to fit into THEIR life, (friends, boyfriends, family, husbands, etc) I did not have too many preferences for how I wanted my life to go. Now I do. I won’t ever give that up.

 

Listening To

Bad on Paper Podcast

Forever35

O.L.D.

Friendshipping

Dream Life

Unconditional love and acceptance, of myself, for myself, by others, for others

Image result for unconditional love painting

Picnics, books, and iced coffee 🙂

Image result for picnic and reading

Grateful For

  • longer days
  • My VERY clever colleague and friend for recommending speechify app.  Initially, I thought this would be great for my students AND it is, but I can also LISTEN to blog posts, emails, and much more! Love it and SOOOO easy to use!!  Check it out! So many awesome features. You can even change the voices to real people names 🙂  Clever!

Your Turn

  1. What are YOUR thoughts about marriage?
  2. West Side Story or Seussical ? which one!
Healthy Lifestyle

Cause AN Effect

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Inspired By

“Shift your thinking from life is a series of “cause and effects” happening to you, to the understanding that you can CAUSE AN AFFECT by focusing your mind on what you want to create” Thank you Lisa Greenberg Gonzalez for this message

People willing to make a change

Watching

Want to watch:

Dirty John

FRYE Fraud documentary

YOU series on Netflix (Read the book)

** I really want to be able to watch television!  I don’t know why I struggle so much with this. It is definitely personal. I feel it is not productive enough for me. Now, this does not mean I frown upon OTHERS that watch television. It is personal. I am so damn hard on myself. I feel I always need to be productive. Have a difficult time turning my mind off to watch something. With reading, I tell myself I a still DOING something. Yet cannot convince me that watching something is ALSO doing something. #stupidproblems

People. In coffee shops. Their interactions – This is one of my favorite things to do!

 

Reading

This week I finished

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

I was so invested in this book and loved reading about the struggles black people have encountered. I loved the message. It was infuriating and made me see my white privilege even more so.  The writing was beautiful. The story, the connections, the small subtle changes. I think it was painful to read this as I wanted to change to happen FASTER, SOONER, etc, yet realized this was not the case. I felt so hurt and sad and angry reading this. As much as I loved the information and message and personal stories. I did not like the ending.  I realize that books and authors and stories are personal preferences, and for me, some reason this was just a flop. Even with the strong feelings I had.  I rated it 3/5 stars.

Currently Reading

All These Beautiful Strangers

All Your Perfects by Colleen Hoover

Want to Read

Verity by Colleen Hoover

The Girls and 17 Swann Street

The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair

The Idea of You

Thinking

  • About heading to NYC next month to see one of my favorite Podcasters live taping 🙂  It would be a fun little solo trip in the city! TICKET PURCHASED!

Any hotel recommendations (reasonably priced) near/in Times Square?

  • Poland. In August.

Listening To

Podcasts (With links to my favorite articles)

O.L.D. Podcast

Friendshipping

Forever 35

Thinking about listening to:

Dirty John

Dream Life

 

Grateful For

Yoga

Seriously, It has taught me SO much about myself and has given me the strength and courage and determination to push through those hard things in life.

My anxiety has decreased. I am becoming more of a proactive vs. reactive person, in all aspect of my life!

Image result for yoga handstand bigger body

Headstand goal – ACCOMPLISHED!
Next up, Hand Stand 🙂

Sweaty sauna talks with friends

Image result for sauna talks

 

Your Turn

  1.  What is your favorite Genre to read?
  2. Is there anything YOU Want to do but feel guilty about doing it?
  3. Tell me ONE great thing from your week!