Hey friends! Happy International Yoga Day! I just looked at my Facebook notifications and completely forgot that today is the day to celebrate and do a ton of yoga! This post is inspired by not only International Yoga Day, but also this company called Cotopaxi. Cotopaxi is a foundation driven to help people "do good". Their mission is to sell fitness wear, hiking gear, or as they call it, "good gear", like their famous hiking backpacks, in order to give back to communities in poverty and also help fund or grant organizations that also give back and create jobs and opportunities in third world countries. As a benefit organization, they strive to promote wellness and livelihood wherever and however they can by donating a percentage of their profits and contacting passionate influencers like me!
My personal mission is to give you guys some helpful health hacks that can benefit your guys' wellness and increase the interest in self improvement and hopefully your overall being! I know that trying to eat and act "healthy" can make people think of going on diets and strange fitness regimes—all that phony stuff that you should not pay attention to. I want people to know that making small, smart choices will overtime help them achieve their personal goals without making the wrong, unhealthy choices like over exercising and "dieting". I am no expert but, I do believe that there are many different ways (depending on who you are) that can impact your future well being. I hope my advice can help at least one person looking for some help or a reminder (because I know I don't always follow this advice myself). Here are things that I think some people need to hear:
1. Embrace Who You Are & Stop Comparing Yourself
A lot of people (including myself) tend to sometimes compare our features to these "praised", media celebrities on magazines, television, ads, and the internet. It can be hard to ignore them because of the technology based society we live in, so I understand how it feels when you see tons of posters and billboards that try to shape our standards of beauty. I think everybody has insecurities that are fueled by these photo shopped and overly-contoured men and women we see all over. I wanted to stress this issue because I believe that the first step to self improvement is self love.
Accepting who you are can be hard. We always think of someone better than us, someone who has more than us, someone who is something that we tell ourselves we have to be. And we shouldn't. That person probably thinks or envies another person the same way! We all have flaws so why not embrace the differences we all have and love who you are? It takes strength to see what other people see in you. Many people strive to be something they're not so, seeing the best in yourself can better your own self improvement and help you understand how amazing you actually are!
2. Surround Yourself With Positive People
Friends change and sometimes it's for the better to move on from people that don't make your life a positive one. I never want someone who is going to bring in bad energy to my life; it could be someone you can't seem to ever trust or someone who talks about you behind your back. I think that life is not about having those kind of people around at all. If someone is making you unhappy—what's the point of having them around? Be with people who make you laugh, happy, and let you be your awesome self!
I feel good around people who let me be weird and "derpy", as my sister and friends would say. I can't hide underneath a shell my whole life and not let my humorous self go sometimes! That's just who I am. If someone can't accept who you are for some crazy reason, then they shouldn't have the privilege to be your friend, in my opinion. Living a healthy life also means living with people who make you feel happy and comfortable.
3. Find a Workout or Activity That You Love Doing
Not everybody is a pro, self proclaimed, athlete. You don't have to do like a P90X workout just because the internet told you to do so. Everyone has their own preferences when it comes to workouts and physical activity. You don't want to push it too hard when it comes to exerting all of your energy on something that might not even benefit the parts you need improving on. We all have our own body types and I think it's important to find a physical activity that gets your body moving and (hopefully) outdoors.
Whether it is riding a bike, running, hiking, dancing, playing sports, swimming, or even doing yoga, these are all great ways to burn the "cals" and get your heart rate up (without being really boring). After my home league soccer and softball days, I wanted to continue exercising and being active. I found that yoga was my favorite way to do this because I hate running and I really wanted to do an exercise that wouldn't just help me physically but, mentally too! I found an activity that I can do anywhere, anytime. I have been doing yoga for over a year and have seen tremendous improvement on my body and have done things that I never thought I could have done if I didn't just try it. Find something that you're passionate about and stick with it! The results will be amazing if you do the things you love doing.
4. Moderate Your Indulgences
I don't believe in diets. Going on a diet is a straight road to Hell if you ask me. You are physically and mentally constrained from pretty much everything. "Oh, I'm going on a no carb diet", said everyone who didn't know what else to do to be healthier. I believe that in order to control your body weight, you have to have a balance (considering the food you eat and the exercise you do).
Eating like 20 salads a week is probably not going to do much at all. If you really want to come out of a bad eating habit, you need to realize the food that you already put into your body rather than the food you are going to put into your body. Once you understand what you normally eat, then you can manage what you need to take out and what you need more of. If you end up having like a couple glasses of beer a week and you eat a ton of processed foods, you'll need to make a few changes. Making healthier choices each day by substituting a Poptart for like an apple is a great way to start changing your diet! My Dad has always told me to eat sweets and fast food in moderation, which is going to make more of a difference than drastically changing your whole eating system.
Here are some great substitutes and tips to think about when eating or making food:
- Drink water instead of soda or juice
- Trade out white bread for whole grains
- Instead of candy, try fruit
- Lean meats like chicken and turkey have less fat compared to beef and pork
- Eat snacks in between meals so you aren't going back for more when you have meals
- Eat a healthy breakfast so you have the energy you need during the day
- Alcohol like beer has a ton of unnecessary carbs and calories that your body doesn't need
- Treat yourself once and a while so you don't go crazy!
I feel like the major struggle that comes with being more fit is continuously keeping up with these healthy choices that you are making. We all get caught up with life and we become a little too busy than we hoped sometimes. Life's distractions shouldn't be the reason you have to go get Burger King for lunch but, I understand completely. Its happened to me. It happens to everyone!
Self improvement takes time and you need to build the strength to keep up with it and I think that's the hardest thing you could ever do. Staying motivated to exercise or eat healthier is hard. Accepting that feat and being patient and persistent with it will show miraculous results in the end. Take it day by day and keep up the good work! You won't have rock hard abs overnight.
If you thought this was going to be some sort of, "Ways to lose weight", type post then you are completely in the wrong place because 1) You should have read the title and 2) You are perfectly beautiful just the way you are. Making these choices and using these tips I made should only make you all more confident in yourselves about who you want to initially become. If some of this advice helped or sparked some sort of revelation, please let me know! I am more than happy to hear your guys' thoughts on creating better ways to stay healthy and to be happy with who you are. If you have any tips for me, please share! I could be missing a ton of other important things, too. In the meantime, "do good", and inspire others like Cotopaxi inspired me! Oh , and happy International Yoga Day everyone!
If you thought this was going to be some sort of, "Ways to lose weight", type post then you are completely in the wrong place because 1) You should have read the title and 2) You are perfectly beautiful just the way you are. Making these choices and using these tips I made should only make you all more confident in yourselves about who you want to initially become. If some of this advice helped or sparked some sort of revelation, please let me know! I am more than happy to hear your guys' thoughts on creating better ways to stay healthy and to be happy with who you are. If you have any tips for me, please share! I could be missing a ton of other important things, too. In the meantime, "do good", and inspire others like Cotopaxi inspired me! Oh , and happy International Yoga Day everyone!
Xoxo, Nat
Hey! So, today I was feeling a fashion post was needed and I have compiled a few of my favorite pieces that I have been loving this season for you all. I feel like my sense of style gets a bit worn down when summer comes because I think that fashion is so limited due to the heat—but, it's not! I sometimes get in the habit of wearing like running shorts or jean shorts all the time and my inspiration honestly struggles during this time of year. I'm working and going on trips so, the last thing I usually think about are my outfits (scary to say but, so true). Every now and then when I go out with friends I like to dress up and think of something cute to wear, however, it's not always easy figuring them all out.
Another trend that has been showing up in my town are these really flashy, cork, sandals. Birkenstocks, everyone. Or "Birks" as all the cool people call them. I felt at first as though that these chunky sandals should have stayed in the 70s! I was not a fan of them once they first made their way back as a popular trend. I mean, style never goes out of style I guess! Besides the nice arch support they give, the ones I have don't look too flashy right? They kind of look like normal sandals if yuh ask me! I always slide them on now when I have no idea what else to wear. Sure it's a bit of a statement and not everybody agrees with them but, hey, try something new for once maybe?
I have always loved statement sunglasses. I feel like everyone has their own type of sunglasses that they never stop repurchasing! Aviators are my kind of shades. I have a round face so these glasses really shape my jaw line and cheek bones very well! I bought these at an H&M once for like 5 bucks on clearance (and I haven't stopped wearing them since). I love reflective sunglasses so much and I always have mine in my purse or just laying on my head during the summer!
I don't always carry a purse around and that's because I'm just too lazy to carry a huge bag of crap around to... like the super market or something. I love purses, don't get me wrong but, I also don't like huge amounts of stuff to carry around like the next person. I have been enjoying this awesome little wristlet from Fossil. I can fit all my cards, cash, change, and my phone in it, too! It's really nice to just bring along and not have to lug a huge bag around. I can also attach my keys onto the loop which is also really nice!
I'm not one to wear scarves during the hotter months, however, isn't this one so adorable? I might be starting a new trend with scarves in the summer! Maybe bring out my inner Audrey Hepburn by turning this into a cute, retro head scarf (to protect my non-existent hair treatment)? LOL. Maybe you're going out late at night and need a little something to keep you warm or you're on an exotic beach with some "Fabio of a man" and you just want to play flirty for a night? Anyway, I thought that scarves shouldn't stay in winter! I think a light and fun, colored one could be perfect for this season. You can do a lot with scarves: wrap it around your neck, tie it around your hair like a headband, use it as a cute shawl over a sundress, or even tie it to your purse. Not many people ever think to wear them during spring or summer—start a new trend maybe?
I don't want to let my summertime diminish my fashion inspiration at all! I hope these pieces help you guys stay inspired to try out some new trends and possibly bring back old ones. I wish everybody a great rest of their week and please share your favorite fashion pieces to wear in the summer below!
Xoxo, Nat
Hello friends! We all have daily tasks and routines and sometimes they're things that we aren't really motivated to do. Especially during the summer, not all of us are off on vacation. No matter your age, I think everyone is entitled to some responsibilities that are more or less "fun" and "exciting" to do (even during the summer); paying your bills, doing laundry, studying for summer school, cleaning your house, running errands, mowing the lawn, things that we have to do but, don't really want to do. It can be hard to do some of these things when the effort is not there. Sometimes we forget about the main goal of these little, tedious, tasks and I think we all could use a reminder as to why we do them even though we don't want to. Here are some tips on how to tackle these "unbearable" but, very important tasks:
1. Remember the Main End Result or Goal
If it's something like doing those last minute errands or maybe it's just getting all of your household chores done, remind yourself of how awesome it will feel after you've finished everything! If it makes it any easier, make a checklist of the things you need to get done. I love to cross out all of the things I have completed so it makes my mind a bit less stressed out. It also makes me more motivated to keep going.
If this is something long term like studying for finals, remember what you really want to achieve like two weeks before the exam. If you want the A, you need to put in the effort and time into studying for your tests!
2. Don't Procrastinate and Always Prioritize
Telling yourself that you can just do it all on Sunday is not going to help the issue. Procrastinating all of your chores will only add to all of the stress and probably make you even less motivated to do anything because you'll be rushed to get it all done in one day. Prioritize the time you have a make sure you get the most important tasks done first so you don't have to worry about the "big stuff" later.
3. Wake Up Early and Manage Your Time
Sleeping in a few hours on chore day won't give you the energy or the time you need to do all of the things you have to get done. Manage the time you have by waking up a little bit early so you won't have to be up later in the day still doing chores! Even if it isn't chore day, being productive means getting a good nights sleep! About 8 hours should give you enough energy to do everything you have to do the next day.
4. Pay Your Dues
Nobody likes paying bills, taking out loans, working late, budgeting for things we will need in the future like college but, it's something that we are all gonna have to do at some point and I think it's only necessary for us to make sure we pay our dues to the things that matter most. If you pay your bills on time or save and put off money every time your paycheck comes, it will relieve some tension financially and you won't have to worry about it later. I know that I can't relate to paying bills but, I am starting to save money for college and that's a pretty hard task in itself. Every time I get paid, I save a fraction of it and put it away in my savings account. Penny by penny will really help in the long run!
If you would like some financial assistance on student credit cards, you can visit this website at Creditcardinsider.com, I found it very helpful for figuring out how to manage your student credit card and all things student loans for college!
5. Make a Schedule to Plan
I have this sticky note, weekly calendar that you can tear off once your done with the week and I find it so helpful to use to plan out all of the events that are happening. It's so satisfying to tear off the week and start fresh after you've done everything!
I actually like doing chores--I am probably the 10% of people that actually don't mind doing chores and errands and that's totally okay if you are that 10%, too! Join the club :) I think people get too caught up in our daily tasks and "struggles" and don't realize how important they are sometimes. We're all human and we all have things that we need to do that we don't sometimes want to do. It's only a matter of motivation and effort that will help you succeed when doing these things.
I hope these tips have helped any of you struggling with chores and are feeling a bit "laggy" when it comes to daily responsibilities. Not everyone likes doing chores but, always remember the end result and what you are initially trying to achieve: a clean house, a good grade on a test, good credit, and so on. No matter the chore or task, or even your age, everyone has some things they need to check off the to-do list. Don't let any task discourage you from getting it done and finished so you can relax and be stress free later!
What are some things you do to keep you motivated to tackle your daily responsibilities and chores? I hope everybody has a great week!
Xoxo, Nat
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