This universe is not outside of you

Look inside yourself. There is beauty there.

Be a pineapple

"My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style." - Maya Angelou

Self Care Isn't Vanity, It's Sanity

Self care isn't vanity. It's sanity. And self care varies from person to person - it can be a bath or going to the gym or vegging out with your friends or partner or getting a manicure or eating something healthy. 

There's no wrong way - but just take the time to take care of you!

Self-Care isn't Selfish

Self-Care isn't Selfish. In order to take care of others, you need to take care of yourself first. I find that taking just ten minutes for yourself can make all the difference in the world.

• Meditate
• Listen to your favorite podcast
• Take a walk around your neighborhood
• Watch a funny youtube video
• Put on a Cinnamon Honey Face Mask
  1 tablespoon raw honey
  1 teaspoon cinnamon
  
  Mix together and put on your face for 10-15 minutes and rinse off
• Dance to your favorite song or sing
• Do some streches
• Go to bed early
• Sleep in a little extra 

These are just a few ideas to make you feel better and to take care of yourself- because remember self care is health care.

In your soul...

Love this message of self love and acceptance. You are worthy and precious and wonderful and no one can take that away from you. Grow love for your self today and tell yourself how special you are. Even if it feels awkward and weird. We love you. ❤️

Embrace the Shadows

We need both light and darkness to be whole. My invitation to you, and to myself, is to bring what's been hidden in the darkness out into the light to see and feel it more clearly.
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Being in the yoga and wellness fields for the last twenty years, I've seen the damage it can cause to spiritually bypass uncomfortable "negative" feelings in favor of more "positive", "enlightened" acceptable ones. I continue to work on feeling the full range of my feelings and being as loving with myself as possible through the process. It's an ongoing process. 
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And if, as you dig in, it feels like too much, please reach out to a friend or tag in a professional. We are in this together. We need your light in the world.

Henry David Thoreau

I took a walk in the woods and came out taller than the trees. 
- Henry David Thoreau

Spotlight On: Lavender

Lavender is beloved for its soothing and healing properties. The aroma has both relaxing and stimulating properties. It is also antiseptic and anti-inflammatory which makes it perfect for irritated and damaged skin. Lavender has a long history of use as a healing agent in creams, lotions, and salves and is valued for its aromatic and cell-regenerating properties It is commonly chosen to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, scarring, and stretch marks.

Antiseptic and anti-inflammatory- perfect for burns, rashes, and irritated and damaged skin, and it is commonly used as a healing agent in creams, lotions, and salves. It has cell-regenerating properties and is used for reducing wrinkles, scarring, and stretch marks.

Take a Walk Today

Take a walk today and be with nature. 

I used to..

I used to think that if only I were some other way than I am - thinner, smarter, rich, etc. only THEN would I be happier, but I am learning (and forgetting then remembering again) that happiness comes from being who I am and feeling what I actually feel without trying to bury it. It's for sure a lifelong practice but it's worth it.

Wise woman Brene Brown has this to say, “Understanding the difference between healthy striving and perfectionism is critical to laying down the shield and picking up your life. Research shows that perfectionism hampers success. In fact, it's often the path to depression, anxiety, addiction, and life paralysis....The dark does not destroy the light; it defines it. It's our fear of the dark that casts our joy into the shadows.” 
― Brené Brown, The Gifts of Imperfection
 

 

Self Care

Self care has quickly moved from a way to get off the hamster-wheel of busyness to a very hot commodity - including green beauty and clean eating. There are many articles on what self-care should look like and feel like, but is this just additional pressure to be perfect and achieve more?  Rebecca at Kings Road Apothecary speaks to the difference between what looks like self-care in the media and what actual real-life self care is. What do you think? http://thornandwonder.com/blog/2017/7/soft-soft
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#takecareofyourself #selfcare #selflove #bekind #loveyourself #kindness #rootdownriseupgrowlove #nocreepystuff #becauseweloveyou❤️ #love #support #mentalhealth #grow #community

Ingredient Spotlight: Calendula

There's so much to love about Calendula! Calendula is a bright cheery plant loved for the medicinal properties of its vibrant orange or yellow flowers. The calendula flower is a skincare powerhouse. It has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. It is gentle enough for all skin types but especially for damaged or irritated skin. The oil made from the petals is also a favorite in infant and child skin care products. You can make your own calendula-infused oil by grinding the dried flowers and steeping them in a carrier oil of your choice. 

BTW Calendula is also called marigold but this is NOT the same as the ornamental marigolds of the Tagets genus that you buy at the garden store. If you want to grow this great medicinal plant, make sure the genus is Calendula.

Inhale / Exhale

Letting go of what we're holding onto (or what's holding onto us) is necessary to be able to take the next breath, to move forward into our future.

What are you letting go of today?

And I said to my body...

<3 I totally relate. How about you?

Ingredient Spotlight: Rosemary

This wonderful herb is astringent, antiseptic, cleansing, and normalizing for the skin. It aids circulation, has stimulating properties, and helps bring blood flow to the surface of the skin.

It can help protect skin from damage caused by the sun and free radicals. It’s a natural antimicrobial and antiseptic that helps to eliminate eczema, dermatitis, oily skin, and acne. Rosemary is also widely used for hair care in shampoos, hair oils, and lotions. Regular use of rosemary oil helps stimulate follicles, making hair grow longer and stronger.