When work, men, and laundry have you ready to pluck your hair out strand by strand it’s time to de-stress! Some people need a quite bubble bath, candles and a good book to calm their tension, while others get their jollies by shaking out their frustration on the dance floor. I’m with that latter group and find myself blasting upbeat tunes to loosen up and relax. Chances are even the most determined wall flowers have found themselves dancing around their bedroom (behind closed doors) in underwear, flipping their hair and lip syncing in the mirror. It feels so good, why not?!
So, I thought I’d give us all an excuse to let off a little steam. Here’s a playlist of my favorite hair thrashing songs to get you amped:
Every 4th of July we celebrate our nation’s independence. Really it’s just a great excuse to do what we do best in America, celebrate and party. Friends, BBQ’S, fireworks, and booze equals one fantastic holiday. As with any ordinary day we have the ability to quite the mind and allow ourselves to live and experience all the moment has to offer. Amp up your experience of the festivities this Independence Day by practicing mindfulness. Here are some easy ways to draw your attention to the present today:
When prepping your famous gourmet burgers…
Take your time cutting up all your ingredients. Draw your focus to your soft, slow breathing. Look and really see the vivid colors of the kabob’s bell peppers, guacamole, or other bright dishes. Breath in through your nose and smell the BBQ out back. Hear the laughter of your friends and let your beer settle on your tongue before you swallow. Let all of your senses come alive. Just breathe.
When you’re hanging with friends and family…
Share your energy with everyone. Chat up your friends and be open to new people. Quite your minds dialogue about your social insecurities by focusing on your breath and what’s happening around you. Really listen to what people are saying and look into their eyes. Connect and exist together in that moment.
When you’re getting dolled up for the big night out…Hop in the shower and pamper yourself. Stand under the shower and feel the water dripping over your body. Close your eyes and hear what the water sounds like inside as it hits you. Take your sweet time scrubbing down, and then wrap up in a soft towel. Make-up is next, so be sure to care in how you apply. Instead of your typical mad dash. Look at your color options and maybe you’ll come up with a new way to blend your shadow. Feel the powder on your face and smell the light sent. It’s amazing what we miss!
With these tips in mind, you’ll be sure to soak it all in. Happy 4th!!
The last time I checked we only have one life, one time, one chance to experience the world. Kind of scary yes?! But that’s exactly why we can’t waste a minute on this fabulous planet. What’s the point of negativity, playing it safe, and stress. This is your life and you have the ability to create who you are, and then go play.
Most recently for my 23rd birthday last week I had the amazing opportunity to skydive. While jumping from a perfectly good plane might seem like total insanity to you… it puts life in perspective and throws you into the reality of existence. If there’s one thing I have learned through my very short life it’s that taking risks is the first step in creating change and growth in yourself. Whether it’s bungee jumping, ending a long term relationship, or opening your own business, we must be daring and courageous. When you are at the end of your fantastic run in life you don’t want to look back and regret a thing. Act now, make the decision, and dive in to life!
Without challenge, fear and reckless abandonment for your passions the glass ceiling will stop an inch above your head. In my personal life and probably in some of yours, it’s time to (I hate to say it) but man up and soak up the trials and successes. Because after all, in the end what “matters most is how much did you love, how much did you learn, how much did you live.”
“Once you have tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward. For there you have been and there you long to return.”
-Leonardo da Vinci
Pioneer of Human Flight
GlamSpirit: When your stuck in a bad mood, just pull out your emergency kit? Your bad mood emergency kit that is. There’s nothing like watching Wedding Crashers or listening to a Bob Marley song to lift my spirit. GlamSpirit has put together a kit idea that is sure to send your attitude in the right direction.
FitSugar: Looking to spring clean more than just your closet? Detoxing the body with something like a master cleanse has it’s benefits, but can also have you literally starving for food and much needed energy. FitSugar created a balanced cleanse (that includes food!) that clears toxins while giving you radiant energy.
Marks Daily Apple: It’s not just what you eat, but also how you cook it. We’ve all heard how over cooking or burning food can deplete vital nutrients and even create free radicals in the body. Mark clarifies it all with his helpful guide to cooking right for optimum health.
So lets say you’ve got five places you need to be today. Work first, then lunch, quick meeting, then dash to the gym, stop by the market, arrive home to cook dinner and finally collapse on the couch. I’m sure we could all map out our day in it’s entirety based on all the main events. But what about the gray area in between?
Today I found myself sprinting between activities, as if my life depended on it, and had to stop and think. Where does my mind go when I’m speed walking to my lunch meeting, or do I even see and hear the chatter on the bus to work? It dawned on me that life is really lived in the transitions of the day.
I realized that while I was ravenously anxious to pick up the two tacos I had ordered for lunch, I hadn’t even noticed how beautiful it was outside. I mean the sun was shining for the first time in literally a week, and I hadn’t noticed on my 15 minute walk to the restaurant.
Rushing through life in a fast forward future driven mind had halted my ability to see what was right in front of my face. And by the time I got my tacos they were gulped down in under 10 minutes hardly remembered or tasted. So I didn’t really live while eating my food or traveling to get there. This is no way to live!!
So here is my challenge and yours: tomorrow and the next day and the next day and the day after that, choose to live in life’s transitions. No moment should be more important than the next. Mindfulness is the key.
Hop in the shower and pamper yourself. Stand under the shower and feel the water dripping over your body. Close your eyes and hear what the water sounds like inside as it hits you. Take your sweet time scrubbing down, and then wrap up in a soft towel. Make-up is next, so be sure to care in how you apply. Instead of your typical mad dash. Look at your color options and maybe you’ll come up with a new way to blend your shadow. Feel the powder on your face and smell the light sent. It’s amazing what we miss!
