Last week, I was hard at work as I looked out the window at the sun blazing down from the sky. Little tots were walking around with lemonades + ice cream, women were sporting their new bright-colored lulu tanks with yoga mats in hand free as a bird, and I was cranking out emails and phone calls.

I’m not going to lie: I definitely let that ugly jealousy get to me. “Well, that must be nice,” I thought to myself as I stubbornly continued with my work. It got to me. Hard.

I then took a deep breath, and had a moment. Why was I  judging these fine folks who were simply enjoying their perfectly sunny afternoon (as they should be)? I was essentially throwing myself a pity party because poor me was stuck inside…working.

Then it hit me. I wasn’t frustrated with them, I was frustrated with myself.

And since this was a personal matter, I decided to take it into my own hands. You see, it’s easy to compare and judge and wish things were different in your life. But just as easy is taking a step back and DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

You are the driver of … Read More!

Do you strive to be a real life version of Superwoman? I don’t blame you; I mean she is pretty darn badass. Why wouldn’t we all want to be just like her?

Oh, that’s right, she’s a fictional character. She has special, magic superpowers. She isn’t real.

If you find yourself suffering from “Superwoman Syndrome” trying to do it all (all of the time), it may be time to take a deep breath, and a step back.

I know I had to the other day. I found that I was putting far too much pressure on myself with work. Old habits were coming back, where I was telling myself things like “You’re not good enough.” “You must keep working harder if you want to be appreciated,” “Saying no makes you weak.”

I know now that’s all a bunch of hogwash, but at the time it felt real and I felt the need to over-deliver, over-achieve, and in turn over-work. I got a big hard dose of reality when I broke down one night, realizing it had been weeks since I had some solid “me time” nor time with my man (the future hubby).

As this time, I reached to … Read More!

To do-lists are great. I won’t lie: I love them.

Grocery lists.

Getting-ready-for-vacation lists.

Wedding lists.

Office lists.

Life lists.

There’s something about checking something off that list – be it asparagus, buying my veil (yippee!), or hitting that deadline – that feels so rewarding.

But do your to-do lists ever 100%, completely stress you out? OK, I won’t lie (really, this time). What I meant to say is I love them most of the time. Waking up to a to-do list a mile long (with 5 different colored pens screaming at you!) can be a little scary. OK, a lot scary.

In comes the HAPPY to-do list. In the morning as you sip your cup o’ tea (or coffee) or whatever feel-good beverage you so choose, take some time to write down all your “stuff” you need to get done for the day, you know, your typical “to dos.” Then after you get it all out (the good, the bad & the ugly) write down 2 to 3 things you’re going to do for yourself. A-hah, there’s a catch!

Just as rewarding as crossing all the things off your to-do list, is the ever so satisfying feeling in knowing … Read More!

{cuddle sesh feet pic!}

I often discuss the importance of self care and making more time for yourself. But almost just as important is making more time for your family. Try as we might to spend ample time with our loved ones, sometimes life just gets in the way. That doesn’t make us a bad person by any means; it actually makes us human.

The beauty of it is that we can always work on improving, on become a better person not only for ourselves but for the people we love most. As my man said last night, “We have our whole lives to grow & improve as people.”

Seeing as though I’m getting married in less than 6 months (eek!) I’ve been thinking a lot about taking care of myself & being the best fiancé I can be. It couldn’t be more fitting that this month’s dare for UnitedHealthCare’s Source4Women campaign is “We Dare You to Spend More Time with Family.”

And what better way to get you to do something than by a good ol’ fashioned DARE? 

To participate, all you have to do is enter here, sharing a picture of you spending time … Read More!

I’m honored to feature a guest post by my lovely friend + yogi Cara Gilman on the blog today. (You may remember her from my “Healthy Chicks in the Community” post a while back.) Aside from being the most genuine, smiley gal I know, she also gives killer advice on mindfulness and looking within your soul to find the answers. I mean, she is a yogi after all!

Today she shares her thoughts on why it’s what is on the inside that matters most. I’ll let Cara take the floor from here.

Growing up we were constantly told to not judge a book by it’s cover. To let go of physical appearances and to look deep within ourselves and others to find love. Even in our yoga practice it can be challenging to not get caught up in the physical appearance of the practice. That’s why it’s essential to remind ourselves that our practice gives us so much more if we open ourselves up to it and let go of self doubt and negativity.

Growing up, I was not the nicest teenager to myself.  I felt so uncomfortable in my physical body that I did not allow myself to … Read More!