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:

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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.

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

Smoke & Mirrors

It’s really hard to put yourself out there.  Like really, really hard. You open yourself up to judgement, scrutiny, assumptions and expectations.  But on the flip side, you also allow yourself to be open to love, support, personal growth, and hopefully, making an impact.  It is definitely a balance that you pray leans in your favor. 

I have experienced love and support and it has come from the most unexpected places.

This has been the most special and humbling part of putting myself out there, not realizing how much you are supported by those you never knew were even paying attention to you! And not to mention also feeling the love from complete strangers.

Honestly though, this isn’t all about rainbows and unicorns.  Of course, everything you see on social media looks great and perfect most of the time. It’s mostly smoke and mirrors.  We often portray the illusion that we all have our sh*t together. 

I know that it may appear on the surface that I know what I am doing. It may seem as though I had all this extra time on my hands to sit around and write a book (or two, yes, I ended up writing two).  Unfortunately, that isn’t really the case or premise under which this book was born, and I feel that it is important to share just a little snippet of my backstory -what is behind all the smoke and mirrors, so that anyone who reads this will understand my ‘why'.

For over the last three years, I have been a completely stressed out for a ton of different reasons.  I am not going to talk about those reasons because I don’t want to open myself up that much right now.  Just know that things are not what they seem all the time from what is portrayed by me on social media.  Some of us do a really good job of putting on a smile and refocusing when the world around us feels like it is filled with dark clouds, obstacles constantly in the way, and completely against us.  The amount of stress some of us live and face is unbearable and while there is always someone going through a worse hell, your own hell is what can consume you. 

This has been my life for a while. I have been consumed by things beyond my control. I have had a choice everyday to let it win, or I could do everything in my power to keep fighting the good fight—and there have been many. There have been countless days when I would want to throw in the towel, curl up with a neat whiskey, and raise up the white flag-but somehow, I didn’t.  I decided I was going to take control in any way I could and fight back. I was going to fight for the ‘B’ that is ME.

I had an ah ha! moment one night in early November and realized that I needed an outlet, and that very night, I finally started to write. I needed a distraction and something to focus my energy on and writing proved to be incredibly therapeutic.  I am not even a writer, had no idea what I was doing, but it just flowed. So much so that I ended up writing a second book.  For myself, this was a labor of love and a means to keep my sanity and have something to look forward to. It became my light. I looked forward to holding onto my own sanity and identity each time my fingers typed. 

And it’s true, I didn’t tell a single soul that I was writing because firstly, I didn’t actually know if I would get anywhere with it once I was finished, and secondly, I wanted to do it for me without the added stress of the opinions of what I should or shouldn’t be writing about. And here we are….

This is why when I put myself out there and can feel the love back, I am truly humbled and feeding off of that love right now.  It’s been my baby and my light, and I thank you for shining it back so brightly. I started to feel a little twinge of guilt like I shouldn’t be so excited and happy, anyone can write a book—but then came to my senses and am owning the fact that this is my accomplishment I can look back on, right in this very moment even.

I can say I did it. And I did it for me. I will take my own advice and allow myself to relish in it and have something to be excited about and look forward to right now.  I can feel some of the smoke dissipating and the light is starting to shine through and reflect onto me.  

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

Need a HYGGE?

Lately I have been really wanting to ground myself and enjoy a more simplistic way of life.  I am often regarded as the girl that can do it all, I work full time, have a busy lifestyle and holistic coaching practice, three boys, one of which is a toddler, and life in general is just BUSY.  I find myself needing and wanting to slow things down. In this feat I have come across the Danish lifestyle practice of HYGGE and have been adapting it little by little into my daily life. I have made a more conscious effort to spend more time present with family and friends.  I have enjoyed that cup of coffee and savored that glass of whiskey for a little while longer.  My husband and I have been cooking home cooked meals together at least 3-4 nights a week and have made a more conscious effort to slow things down.  I have turned off the television and have read at least one book a week with a candle burning nearby while wrapped up in a cozy chunky-knit blanket.  I have lingered in the shower for a few extra minutes to enjoy the warmth on colder mornings.

So I have broken down what I have learned about Hygge and what I am starting to practice in hopes that in translating it here, you can adopt some of this practice and also enjoy your time alone, with family and friends and ultimately have more precious moments this holiday season.

What is HYGGE? How to embrace this cozy Life Style Concept:
In Danish, hygge is (pronounced “HUE-gah”). Though there are many ways to describe hygge, it is known simply as the Danish ritual of enjoying life's simple pleasures. Friends. Family. Graciousness. It is used when acknowledging a feeling or moment, whether alone or with friends, at home or out, ordinary or extraordinary as cozy, charming or special.

Frequently described as ‘coziness’ or ‘togetherness’ in English, the term has no literal translation, making it almost impossible to pinpoint exactly what hygge means. Largely defined as more of a feeling or mood more than a specific word, the concept can be interpreted as a mental state rather than a physical one. 

Hygge is the art form of creating intimacy in any given moment. Normally a social occasion for loved ones to get together to experience the comradeship, warmth and contentment of the event, it can also be enjoyed alone to calm the nerves and sooth the senses. It is about appreciating the small joys in life at all times. 

How to Adapt to a Hygge Lifestyle

1. Light a Candle(s)
Whether scented or unscented, candlelight transforms an interior space into a flickering escape from chilly weather and a simple lit candle is seen as one of the most fundamental hygge moments to achieve. Give it a glow.

2. Add Textures to your Space
When you think of cozy and warming to create the perfect relaxing moment, think of lusciously soft textures for your décor such as chunky knit cushions, faux fur throws and pillows and fluffy woolen rugs. Not only does this create a modern and on trend styled look in any room, when combined with a roaring fire or soft candlelight, there is no setting more hygge.

3. Keep it Simple
You don’t need to overhaul your interior to make it more "hyggeligt", tiny additions to the home can transform any moment. Treating yourself to your favorite coffee or tea, indulging in new bubble bath and add some candlelight or finally putting your favorite photographs on the wall are all instant mood lifters whenever you use/see them, so take the time to enjoy them.

4. Hygge with Family & Friends
Why not invite your nearest and dearest over and get cooking, or enjoy a glass of wine (or whiskey) by a fire? Try hosting a Game Night. Not just reserved for staying inside, hygge can also be found in the great outdoors and joy can be found from simply putting on your warmest clothes and going on a winter walk with your favorite people. The notion of hygge can also be used to uplift others, so test out your baking skills and take your creation round to a friend’s house you haven’t seen in a while to indulge in a spot of hygge together.

5. Take Up a New Hobby or Practice an Old One
Taking up new hobbies to enjoy in the home allows you to switch off and refocus the mind. Turn off the TV and computers, put down the phones, and grow to love something new that you can nurture during your hygge moments in the home or pick up something you used to love to do but don’t have time for anymore. Curl up and read a good book or take on a new crafty hobby such as knitting or sewing.

6. Slow it Down
We are always rushing aren’t we? We always have somewhere to be and we are always thinking about the next thing we have to. To truly hygge you need to slow down a bit to take it all in, enjoy the small cozy moments. There will always be something else to think or worry about but this concept teaches you to take each moment as it is without rushing onto the next. Sleep in! Take the time to really enjoy the mug of coffee you have made, stay an extra ten minutes in the shower to ensure daily stresses have melted away and definitely savor that slice of cake – or you will regret it later.

7. Don't Overdo it
Hygge is never about overdoing it. It’s not about who you can impress or wow.  It is more about creating a warm and inviting space for friends and family to gather—or one that is your own unique haven.  Dinner gatherings should be simple and go back to basics for a more natural, laidback feel.

8. Enjoy the Space Around You
The key idea behind hygge is to enjoy the environment around you and feel that you have your own sanctuary to retreat to and escape and enjoy true relaxation. So whatever you are doing, take the time to revel in the tiny moments that make you smile and uplift the soul.

9. Remember to Hygge Year Round
Hygge is frequently associated with coziness, but it is a life style that can be enjoyed all year round. In warmer months, go to a local park for a picnic, sit out in the sun with a magazine, enjoy a BBQ outside with friends.  

10. Find the Hygge in a simple hug
Remember Hygge is more of a feeling than an activity.  It’s more about the connections made and the state of being.  If you look it up, it is appropriately linked to the word “hug”. 

So go ahead, pull someone close and start your Hygge lifestyle journey- one hug at a time. 

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?

Falling HARD for Fall

It’s already October and this can only mean one thing,

AUTUMN IS ON IT’S WAY. Summer’s over and we are back in the “normal” routine of our lives.  I have always loved autumn, it’s not too hot and not yet too cold.  The leaves are turning on the trees and getting ready to fall.  And fall HARD.  Much like most of us do as we start to reflect on the year and our summers that came to another quick end. 

To me, this symbolizes a time that is bittersweet.  The colors of the leaves change, the nights get darker much earlier and depending on your outlook on it, this is a time that can represent barrenness or the preparation for renewal.  I tend to choose the latter. 

To grow, we must release and let go of the dead weight that is holding us back.  This season should serve as a reminder to shed the parts of ourselves that we need to let go of.  We don’t need to completely change, but adjust in order to blossom new ideas, deepen our relationships with ourselves and others and grow into who we are meant to be.

If you’ve made mistakes, forgive yourself and let them go. If you’ve made choices you regret, free yourself of them. If you have even purchased items that no longer serve you, donate them to someone they can serve. Letting go requires us to acknowledge facing the unknown and trusting in ourselves to grow even stronger than we were before.

As you think about the “leaves of yourself” that you are letting go, it is the perfect time to cozy up and comfort yourself in the process with all the delights of the season.

Here are some things I recommend you do to help give yourself support through the process of falling hard this autumn season:

• Practice positive affirmations 
• Set aside time each day to decompress and slow down 
• Wrap yourself up in a cozy sweater or blanket and read for a while 
• Drink a warm cup of tea, hot chocolate-or pumpkin spice anything, or you know a nice neat whiskey :)  
• Light a candle and take a relaxing bath (if you’re a mom-don’t forget to lock the door!!!)
• Cook some favorite Fall inspired comfort food like apple crisp and chili 
• Sit outside by a fire 
• Get in the car and take a scenic drive to see the foliage 
• Catch some z’s early and treat yourself to some much needed restorative rest 
• Write in a journal about what you are releasing
• You can take this a step further and write your thoughts down on a piece of paper and then burn them in that outside fire to truly let them go 
• Create a Vision Board that is themed on renewal and self-care for the season ahead 

What will you do to Fall Hard and take care of you SELFishly?


XO, Gina

Time to Level Up!

How many of us go through life wondering do we belong here? Who genuinely loves and cares about us? Who is in our inner circle? Who will miss us when we are gone? Yes, this post is off to quite the start, but I must share, these are all the thoughts that have been in my mind recently. I fully admit that I wanted to keep it a secret that I was turning 40 last month, yet at the same time felt myself telling everyone?!  I don't know why, but I did. Holy confusing I know. Am I OK with it or not? It's time to make up my mind--so I decided it is time to embrace it and level up.

I would like to equate it to feeling like I hit a new level in my life. A whole new level of my life, that I will navigate using my prior learned lessons. I was (ah hemmm still am) sad to kiss my 30s good bye, but at the same time I feel like if I take a step back and observe my own life from the outside, it's kind of like wondering what the next season will bring.  Just like a television series, there is the wonder of excitement, the unknown that sparks intrigue yet also some fear.  Each year and each decade if we look back, we often realize that major life shifts have happened. We have navigated through the storms, the trials and tribulations but if we are lucky enough, we have loved harder, danced longer, laughed crazier and enjoyed all those other precious moments in between.  

For me, this new decade of turning 40 is truly about leveling up. I vow to focus on the simple and sacred moments that money can't buy.  Because just like any series you watch, you just never know when your favorite character will be off the show, or if new characters come into focus for you to get to know, or even if the entire series has an unexpected series finale.  I want to make sure I experience each moment purposefully.

One of those moments happened for me during my 40th birthday evening with my closest family and friends.  At the party, everyone was handed a white illuminated balloon and each of us tied a wish for ourselves to it.  We released them into the night sky at the same time.  It was a magical moment.  What was also magical was most of my family and friends came up to me afterwards and hugged me, wished me a happy birthday and told me in various ways how much they loved me and how much I have helped them in their lives.  Some even told me that they wouldn't be where they are today if it were not for me and my guidance.

It's ironic because as a little girl, I was always conflicted.  I possessed wisdom beyond my years but didn't understand how I could have the knowledge that I did.  I’ve come a long way since then. It’s not that I didn’t feel loved and cared about before this party, but this night was for ME, my family and friends came to celebrate ME.  The love that I felt surrounding me was a really nice affirmation, that only reconfirms I do belong here and serve a concrete purpose for those in my life. It was the perfect springboard into the next level of my life.

With that being said, I have been thinking a lot about my work advising others. I am leveling up my practice to encompass the more seasoned and confident me.  I have years and thousands of hours of client service behind me.  Experience and time is an extraordinary teacher and I am ready to expand my wisdom.   I have leveled up my own personal growth and know without a doubt that I am living my purpose and concretely help people find and live theirs.  I am ready to live my truth and pass that truth onto others.

I am excited to officially launch my new website www.ginaclapprood.com! I hope you will visit me there for more information, inspiration and motivation on how I can support you in designing the life that you want. Subscribe to stay in the know on all promotions, workshops and events. (There just may be a little something for you too if you do!)

If you are ready to truly participate in your own life and live each moment for you, level up with me!  I will help guide you to style the life you want, the life you desire, and even more important, the one you deserve.  

You deserve to live a life that is styled for you...by me.

Let’s do it!

Xo,

Gina