:: Yours Truly, Unplugged ::

I started to look up ways to completely unplug from it all when on vacation. I found a bunch of articles that explain how to unplug from work and truly leave the digital world behind while away and realized that for the first time in my life, I have a unique opportunity.

I can truly, wholeheartedly, unplug. I am in a situation where unfortunately, I am not working. That is stressful enough but if I spin it to the positive, I have a chance at something I have never had before. I am not carrying the stress of getting everything on a task list done before I embark on my tropical journey. I have no one to delegate to. I will not have the Monday blues and apprehension about going back to work. I also won't experience the stress usually associated with what would be waiting for me upon my return. None of it. This is a strange and exhilarating feeling.

Now believe me, I could be in complete panic mode because...well, did I mention the fact that I don’t have a J.O.B? The fear of the unknown will be undoubtedly waiting for me, reminding me of that when I return. But sometimes in life, we are faced with the choice to shut down and agonize over something, or be open and trust the process. I for one, have been trying really hard to continue to trust the process. As a result, I am truly looking forward to embracing my current status and allowing my brain to power down and shut off all the noise usually associated with the nine to five. 

This vacation I plan to be present. Spend quality time with my family. Relax. Refresh. Have fun. Even wing it when it comes to exploring. And while I will certainly be taking photos to capture our memories, my hope is to find the balance between enjoying those picture perfect moments, capturing most of them on camera, while accepting that not every moment is to be shared on the ‘Gram.

So with that, I am looking forward to truly being on vacation...unplugged. Powering down and allowing myself to just be free of any hustle. I'm learning that we sometimes have to give in to the struggles that cross our path, that completely knock us off course, and trust that we are a step closer to the comeback of an even better tomorrow.

Until then...there’s an umbrella drink with my name on it.

Holistic Fashionista Magazine | How to Deal with Conflict + Hold onto Your Sanity

Have you always been a believer of setting an intention for your day to keep you focused and grounded on the positive, as well as recording what you are grateful for each evening? That mindset is what I focus on each day, and I still do. What you may find is throughout your day, occurrences, conversations, and interactions may occur to ruin the positive vibe that you’ve got going on. We need a way to stop those interruptions dead in their tracks.

Although this philosophy I’m about to share, may seem to put a little bit of a different spin on that practice, it is necessary to incorporate if you want to learn to deal with conflict and hold onto your sanity and namaste vibe.

This will seem to go against the normal positivity you intend to summon into each day, however you may find that it is necessary when faced with difficult conversations, situations and people, as well as your own thoughts and opinions when the mind wanders to the less positive.

Try practicing as part of your morning ritual to have the mindset of “Not Today”. What do I mean? Let me break it down for you:

<<<Read More Here>>>>

7 Reasons Why Putting Yourself First Is Better For Everyone

As Featured in Thought Catalog - Click Here or Read Below!

△ 1. You become more giving.

When your mind, body, and soul feel full and content, you end up expecting and wanting less of others. You have filled up your own cup so that it’s full and ready to give to the next person who needs it.


Let’s say your boyfriend is going to be home late after a long and stressful day at work. You’ve spent the evening making your favorite dinner and watching reruns of your fave TV shows. You’ve had plenty of time to put your own stressful day behind you.

Then the BF walks in and he’s grumpy. Work didn’t go well. He’s hungry and wants you to make him a snack because he just wants to collapse on the couch and play video games.

It may seem contradictory but putting yourself first can work wonders in your relationships.

△ 2. Your happiness is contagious.
This saying is a cliché because it’s so true. When you’re around someone who is a Debbie Downer those negative those feelings will start to rub off on you.

The good news is that the same goes for positivity. When you make the time to decompress and recharge, others will feed off those vibes and adjust their moods accordingly.

△ 3. You will motivate others.
When you focus on your self-care, you will start to feel more energized. You will inspire yourself and start thinking of dreams and goals that you want to accomplish. You’ll start to inspire those around you to do the same.

When others see you accomplishing your goals – they’ll start to think maybe they can too. Your self-care can have quite the ripple effect!

△ 4. You have more energy.
An important aspect of self-care is keeping yourself healthy – mind, body, and soul. You’ll have more energy for all you set to accomplish! No more excuses as to why you can’t keep up!

△ 5. You’ll be more forgiving.
When you take time for yourself, you exercise more patience and learn that everything has perspective—one which you can more easily keep in check with reality. Taking time for yourself will make you more understanding when life throws its lemons at you. It’s up to you to make it a great batch of lemonade.

△ 6. You pace yourself to avoid burnout.
You push through it all. You stay determined to be that person that can handle everything on her own. Burnout is a real thing. Either you get physically sick or you lash out and feel like totally throwing in the towel because it’s too much.

Don’t let this happen. Love yourself enough to take time for YOU.

△ 7. You will be an inspiration.
When you’ve got it all together, people notice. They’ll think: “How does she do it all and without complaint?”

And you’ll know the answer is “selfish” and they might not understand. They might judge you if they knew you left the kids with dad on Saturday so you could go see a movie by yourself. But little do they know, they’ll want what you have, and if you tell them your secret – it might just inspire them to do the same.

Make being selfish a priority in 2019-you owe it to yourself.

Be (the) Present this December

If you’re anything like me you either vow to be on top of it all and as ahead of the hustle and bustle as possible or....you are the hustle and bustle!
December seems to provoke a time of stress and the expectation of being the best yet. But what if we decide to intentially take pause and take a step back from the busy-ness of the holidays to think about how to make it a season that we will remember. Purposely remember it. Savor it. Memorialize it.
As much as I hate to admit it, it's a lot easier to say, "Be present!" than it is to actually do it. This year I've decided to come up with a (hopefully) plan to make the most of this month, and not just for purpose of the holiday season.
Create a December to Remember with the Be Present Plan
△1: Live each moment in the present. During the holiday season, there is so much going on. There are holiday gatherings to attend, gifts to purchase, cards to mail and more. We tend to get lost and forget that the season is about - giving to others and spending time with those you love. If you find yourself overwhelmed by the chaos of the season, take a deep breath and pay attention to the present moment. If you take a moment to pay attention to what's going on around you, you'll be much more likely to remember it long after the season has passed.
△ 2: Carry out your favorite traditions. Are there things you love to do every year? Are there traditions you miss from when you were younger that you can keep alive? Sticking to the traditions to love is one way to make sure your holiday season will be more memorable. Embracing traditions you know and love really can help to make your holiday more memorable.
△ 3: Be open to new experiences and do something you've never done before. Trying something new -- regardless of what you're celebrating -- is a great way to make a moment memorable. When we do the same thing over and over again, we're a lot less likely to remember it. So if you really want to up your being present game, open your mind to new ideas and don't be afraid to break away from the things you've always done. You never know -- you might just create a brand new tradition for yourself!
△ 4: Capture your moments but also find balance by putting the phone cameras down and enjoy seeing the memories outside of the lens. We fall into the trap of trying to capture moments that are “post worthy” so much that we miss the importance of those moments as they are happening. Really think about what you want to remember this December and be sure capture it on camera and in your memory.
△ 5:  Take the time this December to write about the moments that matter most to you. When rushing around it will be hard to pause and write down the memories you're experiencing, but, believe me, you'll be happy if you take the time to do it. Even if you don't have a ton of free time, set aside a few minutes at the end of every day this month and write about what you've experienced. Write about the things that meant the most to you and strive to focus on the positive things about the holiday season. If you take the time to write it down now, you'll look back in years to come and smile at the memories.
I really, really want to stick to this plan and embrace the moments I'm experiencing. I want to live in the now and be completely present. I am really going to try to live in the moments this December and, hopefully, it will be a December I’ll never forget.

Find Your Square

I give up.

Perfection is overrated.

I am not perfect and have finally given up on striving for perfection.  Maybe this has something to do with now being a solid year ahead of my forties and having a new perspective on the importance of certain things in my life, I don’t know.  I do know that I have always been a Type A personality. No matter what I was working on albeit myself, career, raising three boys, etc. I was striving for perfection. 

I’ve never been competitive with others but have always been trying to ‘one- up’ myself.  That alone can become exhausting and the stress of achieving that level of perfection can really do a number on you and wear you down. 

I am always advising others to bolt out of toxic relationships with their partners, but why not follow my own advice and get out of the toxicity with myself?!

So, starting today, I have made the commitment to myself to do just that.  I have ‘given up’.  I’ve risen the white flag and the towel has been thrown in the ring. 

I have realized that perfection is the enemy and that “close enough” is more than ok and in a lot of aspects much healthier and even more fun!  We are constantly evolving and that’s completely how it is supposed to be right?  Once I let the idea of perfection go, I also felt the burden of being enough go as well.  It is a much less stressful space to be in.

When you strive for perfection you remain in your comfort zone.  You worry about what others will think.  Do you look ok? Was your presentation ok? Did you meet their expectations?

Were you enough?  

Probably not.  And that’s ok because it’s actually a better spot to be in.  It leaves room for dialogue, conversation and opportunity for so much more growth.  It helps you evolve into the best version of yourself which is wonderfully flawed and imperfect.

Know this.  You deserve a place in their circle and if you are misjudged, you go and find a new circle—or even better find your square. Our lives and strife’s are ours and ours alone to define.  We need to let go of what we are working against and stick to our true north.  We need to stop letting someone else dictate if we are too much or too little of something to suit them. Instead focus on what suits you.

Each one of us is evolving and each one of us is SO worth it. 

Speaking of evolving, you may notice that I have a new logo. I feel this represents the evolution of me and my practice.  For me the crescent moon in it’s first phase represents that there are so many stages of growth we navigate through in our lives, if you need me, I will help guide you through them. The lines shooting from the moon signify that your potential is unharnessed, and the sky is the limit.  Overall, I understand it represents a crown, and believe that if we all practice a little more self-love and ‘selfishness’ that we will truly be crowned with the blessings we deserve and owning each and every one of them. And yes, for those of you that have been with me from the beginning, the logo also has an overall celestial vibe to represent my intuitive insight…and a few new things I will be adding to my services soon! Stay tuned.

Fall in Love with YOUR Life

It is so easy to get wrapped up in the day to day routine of our lives.  It happens to the best of us and is something I often focus on with my clients – how can we stop and be in the present and truly appreciate where we are in any moment? 

This is something that I personally am seeking out to do this Fall to keep myself not only sane, but deliberately happier. 

So, as we head into a new fall season, here are some tips to take action and “fall” back in love with our lives:

1. Wanderlust. Designate one day or weekend a month to get yourself out of the city, out of the country or at the least, out of the front door of your house. Be adventurous and journey to somewhere you’ve never been. It doesn’t have to be a far destination and could be as simple as driving to a coffee shop a few towns over that you’ve heard of. 

2. Be spontaneous. Instead of trying to have everything planned out and control every aspect of your life, give your life the chance to surprise you for a change. Push yourself out of your comfort zone. Say yes to the date you would usually reject or the party you’re not sure if you should go to. Sometimes the things we’re most resistant to agreeing to end up being the things we’re most thankful to have done – but you’ll never know unless you give it a shot.

3. Learn to accept what is being offered. Why struggle if you don’t have to? Accept help from friends when they offer it. Accept compliments when they’re directed at you. Let yourself be loved in the tiny ways you don’t always allow yourself to be and watch how much easier it becomes to accept your own love, too.

4. Practice forgiveness. You deserve peace in your life and you won’t be able to achieve that peace unless you can work to let go of any grudges you are harboring. This doesn’t mean you need to accept others back into your life but allows you to bring peace back into your own life.

5. Choose to see the good. Instead of allowing your brain to sway toward bitterness and judgement, try focusing your perspective on the good qualities in others. This will help free up your thoughts and allows you to focus on all that you love and appreciate in others.

6. Make positive plans. Instead of focusing on what could go wrong in the next couple of years, try taking a long look at what could go right. Plan your life as though all of your wildest dreams could and might come true – you’ll be surprised at the effect this mindset has.

7. Dress for success. You deserve to feel good about yourself. Our outer appearance dictates almost nothing about what kind of people we are – but it can influence the way we feel. When we present ourselves in a way that makes us feel confident, that confidence shines through in everything we do. Figure out what that means for you, is it a new hair style, lipstick, outfit, etc., and then go for it!

8. Pick your jam. Listen to the right kind of music.  Listening to music can be a gamechanger when it comes to our daily routine and we can use that to our advantage. By coordinating the music you’re listening to the mood you’d like to be in, you can train your brain to engage in positive (or mellow) vibes as needed and it can also help get you out of a certain mood as well.

9. Challenge accepted. Who challenges you? We all need people to push us a little outside our comfy boxes.  Decide who in your life challenges you to think, want more for yourself, take action…and holds you accountable. You will feel challenged, inspired and should you accept - successful in return. 

10. Laugh a Little. Make laughter a priority. We are so good prioritizing work, school, the gym and other activities – but we’re not as comfortable prioritizing the activities that bring us true joy. Like sharing a glass of wine and a night of jokes with the people we love most. You will quickly find that laughter truly is the best medicine.

11. Choose optimism over cynicism. It is my belief that optimists have more fun because they choose to see the glass half full. And by making slightly more positive choices in our everyday lives, we will attract more positive results.

12. Unplug. Spend more time in nature.  Taking a half hour walk outdoors may just be the antidote you need for decompressing, reducing anxiety levels, increasing your quality of sleep and boosting your mood. 

13. Keep it simple.  Minimalism is trendy – and with good reason. The less we own, the less we realize we need in order to get by. It’s a simplistic and empowering concept – and one that doesn’t tug on our purse strings. 

14. Shine your light. The best way to intensify a good mood is to share it. Go out of your way to compliment a friend, buy a coffee for the person behind you in line or tell someone exactly why you love them. It’s almost impossible to make someone else’s day and not have your own made as a result. I dare you to try it.

15. Be open to possibility. Life has its drags and slumps. But more often than not, the reason it does all of that is because we have closed ourselves off to it. When we commit to saying ‘Yes’ a little more often with every passing day, we commit to opening our lives back up to possibility. And we may just end up falling in love with wherever those possibilities take us.

Listen to my LIVE Radio Interview on ABMFM: (Click Below)

NOT Today.

Not today.

I have always been a believer of setting an intention for your day to keep you focused and grounded on the positive, as well as recording what you are grateful for each night.  And I still am….although this may seem to put a little bit of a different spin on this practice.

Lately I find myself doing a bit of the reverse and have been setting the intention for myself each day with saying: “Not Today.”

This seems to go against my normal positivity, however I have been finding that it is necessary and helping me keep my sanity when faced with difficult conversations, situations and people…as well as my own thoughts and opinions when my mind wanders to the less positive.

What do I mean? Let me break it down for you.

I get up each morning and say to myself, “Not Today”. This is the answer that could pertain to the following:

•          Will I let someone to treat me rudely?
•          Will I allow for my viewpoint to remain silent?
•          Will I accept the status quo?
•          Will I take a back seat and watch things unfold that I don’t agree with?
•          Will I allow for anyone else to treat me less than I deserve to be treated?
•          Will I let someone walk all over me?
•          Will I over-compromise my own beliefs?
•          Will I allow myself to judge my self-worth against others?
•          Will I accept something that I feel I need more information on?
•          Will I be a witness to something that makes me feel uncomfortable?
•          Will I overcommit myself?
•          Will I feel bad about not reaching a certain goal I have set for myself?

NOPE…NOT Today.  Tomorrow? Sure, maybe I’ll let you push me around tomorrow. But I’m definitely not going to allow for that today. 

It’s like there is this little voice in my head reminding me of the things I don’t want to observe, fall victim to or put up with, and when it goes off, I have this burst of additional strength to speak up for myself and/or take the action that makes the most sense (depending on the situation).

I feel more empowered and ready to face not only potential conflict that may arise, but myself.  I’m more equipped somehow to hold myself accountable to the goals I set such as working out, drinking more water than I ever thought I could, or something as simply not allowing a day to go by without telling someone I love them.  When I find myself hinting toward an excuse to not do something I set out to do, I say, “not today” and make sure I tackle it head on, and smash it.

The result: I am happier. I am accomplishing more goals. I am not dwelling on the would-haves, could-haves or should-haves. I am looking back on the “I dids” instead and feeling more confident tackling whatever else may come my way.  And others may learn that I'm not going to put up with their shenanigans without out least saying something about it. 

Are you up for giving it a try? If so—let me know how your “not today” goes! I'd love to hear from you!

Xo

Gina

Decompress, Recharge & Take Care of YOU This Summer

Summer is here. And for many of us it’s a time of vacations, a time of being free from school or a slow time at work or in your business. It is synonymous with relaxation and taking a break.  Often times this mentality can also cause unnecessary pressure and stress due to the expectations that everyone is going on a vacation or you are going to blink and the summer will be over with nothing to show for it. 

Now is a good time to focus on taking care of you.  It’s time to unwind, decompress and to recharge. Here are some tips on how to accomplish just that.

Just watch the clouds go by.

It is so easy to get stuck in the mindset that you have to do something pretty much all the time. This can add a lot of unnecessary stress. Why not change things up a bit and try doing nothing at all from time to time this summer.

Just go for a walk in the woods. Sit by the ocean and take it all in. Or lie down in the grass and just watch the clouds go by.

Do only that, savor the moments of summer and feel how the inner tensions flow out of your body and mind.

Disconnect.

Don’t go online unless it’s necessary. Try to check your emails once a day. Leave your smartphone at home while you are out in the sun enjoying a book.

You may find that you haven’t missed much by not being available all the time. And discover that your stress levels have dropped quite a bit and it feels easier to fully focus on your family, friends and the moments that you are spending making memories.

Half of 2018 has now gone by and it’s easy to get stuck on focusing on what went wrong or on your own setbacks or mistakes. So take a break from that. Try flipping it around and ask yourself: What can I appreciate about what I did and I accomplished during these 6 months?

It doesn’t always have to be big things. And be sure to appreciate what you did, the effort you put in even if things didn’t go exactly as planned.

Slow it down.

This will also dial your stress down. And, perhaps even more importantly, help you to be in the moment and to fully enjoy all the sights, sounds, smells and people of your summer. Instead of being lost in a memory while life and perhaps something really wonderful is happening right in front of you. In other words…be fully present.

Say no to the ‘shoulds’ of summer.

There are sneaky shoulds in life. They can make a vacation filled with things you “just have to do before the summer is over “and they’ll leave you more tired than you were before your time off even started.  Avoid them and you may find that it makes it easier to simply relax and to say no to doing something because you realize that it just isn’t that important anyway, just to be able to say you did it.

Spend more time doing what you love.

Maybe it’s hanging out at a marina with friends. Or reading books. Or playing with your kids or hanging out with an old friend by a fire.

No matter what it might be, think about how you can fit more of what you love doing into not only your summer, but the rest of your 2018. Think about what you spend your time on during a normal week.

Then find 1-2 things during your regular weeks that you can spend less time on. Or things you can simply say no to so that you have a bit more time and energy over each week during the summer, fall and winter for what you love doing.

Change the Game

Change the Game

What you can do when you feel like giving up!

“It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.”

William Shakespeare

Some days are light, fun and filled with inspiration. Some days are just routine. And on some days, you may feel like just giving up on…

 Your new habit of working out or eating healthier.

 Your own small business or blog because you haven’t had the results you expected or wanted.

 Dating because you can’t seem to find the right person or maybe even have a good date at all.

When you find yourself in these predicaments and feel like just giving up and throwing in the towel…don’t.  It’s what you do in these circumstances that will determine a lot about where your life will go. 

Here are some tips on how to deal with those days and change the game.

1. Keep it Real.

If you read no further than this, it’s ok as this one is SUPER important.

Usually if something sounds too good to be true, it is.  Make sure you have realistic expectations.  Allow for mistakes and failure.  Heck even allow for the disappointment.  It’s ok to be cautiously optimistic.

It’s totally acceptable to have hope, keep the faith and believe that things are going to go your way, but when you keep it real, you are safeguarding yourself from letdown.  You are also preparing for a plan B in the event things don’t go as expected and sometimes, that journey leads you to an even better destination. 

2. Remember your WHY.

It’s easy to lose the big picture in our busy everyday lives. If you feel like giving up, try reconnecting with why you are doing what you are doing in the first place.

Is it to: 

 Support and keep your family safe.

 Live healthier and longer so you get to watch your kids grow up.

 See the world and explore new things.

Write down your why. Then, whenever you feel like giving up pull out that piece of paper with your most powerful why(s). It often helps.

3. Remember: The light will shine through the darkness.

This thought has helped me to hold on when things have felt very difficult and I felt like giving up. I have found it to be true.

When you find yourself at that low point it will force you to change something in how you do things.

But life seems to also always have some kind of balance if you can just keep going. Try to keep taking action instead of giving up-when we keep pushing through, this is when the magic usually happens.

4. It’s ok to readjust or change the path.

When you run into a plateau or a longer rough patch try to learn more, and course correct. Reconnect with the basics and examine how you do things.  Be honest with yourself and admit to what isn’t working.  Try replacing those things and see if things work better, even if it means you have to step out of your comfort zone. 

5. Try something different or something else.

Sometimes it is not time to give up. But it may be time to quit what you are doing and to try something else.

If you feel like giving up or you are bored a lot, if you feel no real passion or excitement on your current path, then ask yourself these two questions:

 Am doing this because I truly want it?

 Or am I doing it because someone told me to or because so many people around me seem to have done it or are working on it?

What you want isn’t easy to know before you get started though. You may need to try different paths before you find one that fits you. For instance, just because everyone around you seems to love yoga or running, doesn’t mean that you have to love it or that you have to give up on the habit of regular exercise that works better for you. Try a new way of doing what you want and see if it is a better fit and more enjoyable for you.

Stop the negative self-talk and realize that you are your own worst critic.  Don’t expect to be in a judgement-free zone if you are constantly judging yourself and that bar you have set so high for yourself is stressing you out! 

It’s time to change the game and show yourself some love. 

xo,

Gina

New Year...New Promises

Who is ready to step into 2018? Every New Year it seems brings the perfect opportunity for all of us to BE BETTER and DO BETTER than we were the year prior, right? I have always set goals versus resolutions each year with the hope of achieving them before the year ends- do you all set goals for yourselves? If so, what are yours for 2018?

This year I have decided that I’m not going to set ANY GOALS. No-sir-ee! Instead I am making PROMISES. Promises first and foremost to myself. My thought behind this is that I NEVER go back on a promise. I am a girl of my word. If I promise you that I will or won’t do something, you better believe I will follow through with it and won’t let you down. So why on earth would I make a promise to myself and let mySELF down? Not going to happen.  Makes you think differently, am I right?!

2018 is upon us, and so is the promise of what is to come. Promise yourself you’ll work towards being the best version of YOU-mind, body and soul. Then work on the promises you’ll make to keep for your loved ones, etc.

Last but not least, as we get ready to say goodbye to 2017 and hello to 2018, I just want to wish every single one of you a wonderful and amazing New Year. As we say goodbye to this year, and reflect on things that we accomplished / are grateful for- I just want to say thank you all so much for an amazing 2017- together you have helped me accomplish so many things far and beyond my dreams and I am so extremely grateful.
I can't wait to see all the awesome things that we will explore, experience and achieve in 2018 together. Have the most wonderful New Year. I promise I will do my absolute best to help make that happen for you in any way I can.

xo,

Gina

Holiday Self Care Challenge! Simple Ways to Take Care of yourSELF During the Holidays...and beyond.

Simple Ways to Take Care of YourSELF During the Holidays.

Most of us are in the throes of the season. With that unfortunately is us getting sick and feeling rundown due to the expectations and pressures that we put on ourselves to create the “best holiday ever”.  Unfortunately, the stress that comes with this magical time of year seems to be accepted by many and par for the course.

Tis the season to socialize more, spend more, do more, eat more, and sleep LESS. If taking care of yourself doesn’t come naturally, and you still insist on putting everything else before your own needs, you probably go into over-serving mode during the holidays. You go out of your way to make sure everything is ready, and neglect taking time out to care for yourself. Does this sound like you?

If you fall into this mode, or if you are just in need of some extra good TLC during this time, try one of these simple ways to take care of you during the holidays...and into 2018.

1. morning routine
If every day, you make a little time for yourself first thing, you can move through your day with more grace and intention. Your morning routine might only be 5 minutes long to start, but even that will help. Use the time to sit quietly with a cup of tea, meditate, journal, walk, or include other activities that feed your body, mind, heart, and soul.

2. candlelight
I love listening to music with candles burning or just sitting quietly in candlelight. As the days get darker, add light to your day.

3. take a walk
Go outside and take a walk. Bundle up if it’s cold and head out with the intention of noticing the magic of the season. Don’t worry about burning calories or tracking your activity, just enjoy yourself and the moment.

4. respect your budget
Once you figure out what you can spend on extras like holiday gifts, events, and other holiday things, honor that. If you splurge now, you pay even more later. And later comes sooner than you think. Why not invite those you usually exchange with to spend quality time versus gift giving. It eliminates the stress of what to buy and provides memories that will be priceless.

5. indulge and eat well
Indulge in your favorite holiday treats, but keep a balance by eating well during 85-90% of the time. Don’t eat the treats you don’t really care about just because it’s there, and savor the first few bites of your indulgences. It’s ok to give it all a try in smaller portion sizes and enjoy without the guilt.

6. live without a schedule
Make room for holiday magic to unfold and cancel some of your planned activities.

7. nap
Give your body and brain a chance to recharge on those go-go-go holiday marathon days. Even 15 minutes can make a big difference.

8. get lost in a book
Unplug. Close your computer and other digital devices and curl up with a good book. Instead of reading something for self-improvement or work, read something for your heart and escape into a good read.

9. laugh
Call or spend time with those that make you laugh harder than anyone else. Then laugh until you cry.

10. find the blessings in your messes
For some reason we really like to beat ourselves up at the end of the year for all that we’ve done and left undone. Sometimes it takes a big, heart wrenching mess to wake us up, to inspire change, and to finally release us from the guilt of getting there in the first place. Understand the lessons and the blessings and move forward.

11. forgive
It’s not too late. Your forgiveness will not only heal their hearts, it will heal yours.   P.S. You don’t need an apology to forgive someone.

12. be grateful
Directing more of our attention towards gratitude for the things that make our lives wonderful are scientifically proven to make us healthier, more energetic, less stressed and anxious, and help us get better sleep.

13. say goodbye to guilt
Usually guilt is not guilt at all, but instead it’s sadness that you couldn’t do more to help, disappointment that you didn’t achieve something you set out to do, or anger because you said “yes” to something that deserved a “no”. Let that go.

14. give
There are so many opportunities to give, so many people and organizations in need. Pick something close to heart and give the way you want to give instead of how you think you are supposed to give.

15. make something
Be creative. Write a poem, start a book, draw or paint, and express yourself. Make. Create. Enjoy the process with no expectations.

16. breathe
Frustrated? Breathe in. Breathe out. Worried? Breathe in. Breathe out. Overwhelmed? Breathe in. Breathe out. Confused? Breathe in. Breathe out. Exhausted? Breathe in. Breathe out. Start there and you can often avoid over-thinking and over-reacting.

17. let go
There are benefits to moving through life, work, and relationships with a lighter step, a lighter look, and a lighter heart. If we want to be light, we have to let go of what is weighing us down.

18. stop and drop
If you’ve already overdone it, consider a full stop. Sometimes backing off isn’t enough. Take a whole day to yourself and vow to do nothing more than take care of yourself all day long.

I hope that you will take care of yourself over the holidays. It’s the best gift you can give yourself and everyone you love.

Happy Holidays to You and Yours!

Xo

Gina

Your Life...Styled | Gratitude Challenge

Your Life...Styled | Gratitude Challenge

November is a month that is celebrated for giving thanks and reflecting on all that we are grateful for as we quickly find ourselves in the throes of the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. It is important to be thankful during this time, however more importantly we should practice gratitude daily.  I firmly believe that the simplest and most effortless habit for living a happier life is to take one or a few minutes every day to focus on what you are grateful for in your life.

Last year I posted something similar to this, but this year truly awakened me to the power of being grateful-as hard as it can be at times to find something to be thankful for. For the past year, I have sat down just about every night and wrote out 3 simple things that I was grateful for that day. I simply reflected upon my day and picked 3 things that stood out as something to be appreciative for no matter how small it may seem.

I give myself only ONE line for each item because I want this process to be quick and simple. No explanations or long drawn-out journal entries here… just a short and sweet log of the things that made me happy and appreciative that day.

At first, I had a hard time coming up with 3 items to write down each day. You see, I wasn’t in a gratitude mindset when I first started. Life can be HARD, very hard as I am sure you all know with the challenges you face regularly or from time to time.

Something however that is pretty unexplainable has happened to make me a firm believer in this practice and my perspective has permanently shifted.

First what happened was instead of staring at my 3 blank lines not knowing what to write, I somehow just knew what to write.

You see, by logging my gratitude each day, I began looking for more things to be grateful for. I woke up wondering what things life would put in my path that day that I’d be able to include in my gratitude log that night.

I found myself on a daily search for things to be grateful for, because there were so many things to focus on that were causing me pain. I started to notice all of the things that I had previously been taking for granted.

Do you know what gratitude really does, though?

It squashes your negative mindset. It challenges your thoughts. It changes your behavior. It allows for more positive to be attracted to you.

Keeping a log of all the things you are grateful for slowly conditions your mind to believe (and rightfully so) that you actually have a LOT to be grateful for. It takes all of those negative thoughts like “I don’t have enough _____ (you fill in the blank: time, money, friends, talent, fun) and turns them into positives.

Suddenly you find yourself constantly thinking about the things that are going well in your life. Even if they are super-tiny ones like a warm steamy shower, that hot cup of coffee that smells and tastes so good in the morning, a great new book, a hug.

This practice has shifted my perspective in a much more positive direction. It has granted me the ability to look at life with an abundance mentality, sometimes during the most difficult and trying times, and I know that it will do the same for you!

Don’t just keep the gratitude on the inside. Express it.

Make other people happier too – and help them to perhaps pay it forward later on – by expressing how you are grateful for having them in your life. Plus, their smile and the joy in their eyes when you tell them this will make you happier too.

Now, that gratitude could just be a small sentence. But it can have a big impact on someone’s day, week or even life sometimes.  I believe that we all have reasons to be grateful, some days, weeks and months it is harder than others to truly feel positive and grateful, but I am consciously making an effort to journal what I am grateful for each night before I go to bed.  This helps me keep things in perspective.  I also must stress, if we all get into more of this practice-you never know how your kindness, advice or love can make an impact and be what someone else records in their journal.

What are YOU grateful for? This month, I challenge you to start a life style of expressing gratitude.  

Write down 3 things that you are thankful for every day or evening. Tell the people in your life that you appreciate them.  Show yourself some love.  Enjoy that hot cup of coffee.  

Knowing how this could change your entire perspective on life, I really hope you’ll give it a try. If you accept-let me know!!! There will be something in store for you in return :).

I am grateful for all of you and I am wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving and holiday season.   

Xo

Gina

Style Your Zenful Life: Tips for a Calmer Lifestyle

Style Your Zenful Life

Our lives can be busy, hectic and at times overwhelming-on the daily. Most of us start out with good intentions to bring a little more decompression and calmness into focus, but often times that seems like a wish more than an action we can accomplish.  It doesn’t have to be so hard.  What I’ve learned is that the smallest changes can add up over time and become more of our daily routine.

Here are some tips to Bring on the Zen…

1.     Don’t overcommit and set limits. If you find that your life is overfilled, you may need to set some limits. So stop doing some of the least important things, the things that honestly don’t matter that much. Set a limit for how many times you will check inboxes, Instagram, Twitter etc. per day. And say no to anything that will overextend you if you really don’t have the time.

2.     Find a way to decompress that works for you. I like working out to release tensions and curling up with a good book. Get in the car and drive with the tunes on high. What works for you? Long walks, or a run, yoga, meditation, going down to the water or taking a nice hot bath? Find out and do that.

3.     Get out of your own head. Don’t make mountains out of molehills. This can create a lot of unnecessary stress. When facing what looks like a mountain ask yourself questions like: Does someone on the planet have it worse than me right now? Will this matter in 5 years? These questions help you to zoom out and realize that things may not be that bad and that you can handle them.

4.     Slow it down. Your emotions can work backwards too. If you slow down while walking, moving your body or talking you can often start to feel less stressed (compared to if you move/talk fast). Slowing down to decrease stress goes for many other things you do in everyday life too like eating, working at your desk and having a conversation.

5.     Unclutter your space and unclutter your mind. Give yourself just 5 minutes to declutter your workspace or the room you’re in-or start smaller with a drawer at a time. A uncluttered, simplified and ordered space around you brings clarity and order to the mind. So don’t stop there. Declutter, simplify and organize your home and life too to live in a more relaxing environment.

6.     Use a minimalistic mindset. Eliminate the distractions. Once you have decluttered your space take pride in the simple things you surround yourself with. Rid yourself of distractions here. This will brings you a sense of peace and makes it easier to focus.

7.     Be 10 minutes early. It’s a small habit but it can transform much of your travel time during the year from a slightly or very stressful time to periods of relaxation and recharging.

8.     Ask instead of guessing. Reading minds is pretty much impossible. But still we often try it and create anxiety, uncertainty and misguided conclusions for ourselves. So ask and communicate instead. It may sometimes be a bit hard at first but it can save you and the people around you so much trouble in the long run. I can’t stress this one enough!

9.     Disconnect. Disconnect or at least limit your internet activity and the checking of your smart phone.  Spend more of your time and give undivided attention on your family, friends, hobby or maybe being out in nature.

10. Breathe. When stressed, lost in a problem or the past or future in your mind breathe with your belly for two minutes and just focus on the air going in and out. This will calm your body down and bring your mind back into the present moment again.

When implementing even a few of these tips, you should feel more grounded, less stressed and the presence of a zenful lifestyle beginning to take shape. Namaste.

(Hey and if all else fails--you can always enjoy a nice whiskey!)

How do you Style the Zenful life YOU Want?