I’m open for business!

About two years ago, I set the intention to create my own affirmation card deck, but then the fears got in the way (But, what if I fail? But how will I stand out?) and so I put it on the back burner. Last summer, a little voice inside me gave me the courage to finally START, and I spent the end of summer / early fall writing content for 36 affirmation cards. I hired my rockstar creative team Chantelle Davis Gray and Precious Little Illustration to help with design, and got cracking.

By the end of 2016, I launched my Kickstarter campaign to officially kick things off with “Spark Your Bliss: 36 Practical Affirmations to Set Your Soul on Fire.” The rest is history, and I couldn’t be more grateful for the love & support I’ve received from the community thus far. It brings me so much joy to know that my cards are making a difference in so many homes across the country.

This week is a big one for me as I officially launched my Etsy shop so you can now buy these beauties online! (Individual PayPal transactions … Read More!

One of my favorite tanks I have has the words “No Bad Days” printed in big, black bold lettering. While it may sound a little extreme and preachy to tout that, it’s the meaning behind it that I love most. In reality, there’s going to be tough times and crazy sh*t that life throws at you, but it’s the way you handle those hardships that speaks volumes.

Life isn’t always rainbows and butterflies, and I don’t think we should pretend that it is. (BTW, anyone who claims that’s how is it, I think is living in a different Universe.) However, I’m a firm believer that life is what we make of it, and while we can’t control everything that happens to us, we can control our mindset. My “No Bad Days” tee reminds me that even when things aren’t going my way, it doesn’t have to completely ruin my day, week or heck even month. It just means I may need to take a new turn and look at things a little differently.

Learning From The Tough Times

One of the most challenging times for me was about a year ago when I decided to leave my full-time job for … Read More!

Happy Friday, ladies! It’s been a while (too long!), but I am finally bringing back my weekly Healthy Chicks in the Community series, highlighting rockstar Girl Bosses doing their thang in the wellness community.

I’m psyched about this week’s feature, Ariel Pierre from The Amethyst Mermaid. Ariel and I first connected on instagram a few months ago because she loved my Spark Your Bliss Cards, and I loved her gorgeous handmade crystal jewelry. Clearly, we were a perfect match. Not only does this beauty make fab jewelry, but she’s also a Spiritual Coach, Intuitive Artist, and Oracle Counselor. Follow her on instagram for some serious inspiration; she literally lives and breathes wellness & good vibes. Without further adieu, I’ll let Ariel take it from here!

P.S. Ariel is giving away a handmade Rose Quartz necklace to one lucky reader! You can enter here on my instagram page. 

NAME: Ariel Pierre

DESCRIBE YOUR BUSINESS/LINE OF WORK: Holistic / Spiritual Living

WHERE YOU LIVE: Daytona Beach, FL

ETSY SHOP: www.etsy.com/shop/TheAmethystMermaid

HOW YOU SERVE THE COMMUNITY THROUGH YOUR WORK: I try to share as much of myself as possible and be raw and open. I think that sounds like such … Read More!

Lately, I’ve become quite obsessed with authentic Thai food. I love the warming spices, coconut milk and citrusy notes incorporated in the recipes. To me, that’s comfort food at its finest. This recipe is a fusion between Thai and Italian cuisine. It has the flavors you know and love from Thai food, and a familiar taste of shrimp scampi (without all the extra carbs and butter). With spiralized zucchini and carrots instead of pasta, this recipe is free from gluten, dairy and soy. Enjoy! 

Coconut Shrimp Scampi with Carrot & Zucchini “Noodles”

• 2-3 large zucchini
• 3-4 carrots OR bag of frozen “carrot noodles” (I found them at Trader Joe’s)
• 1 pound cooked fresh of frozen shrimp
• 1 c. grape tomatoes
• 1 can artichokes, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 TB olive or coconut oil
• ~ 1/2 can coconut milk
• juice of 1 lemon
• ~2 TB fish sauce (add more if needed)
• handful fresh basil
• sea salt & black pepper to taste

1. Sauté garlic in a little olive or coconut oil on low heat. Add in lemon juice, fish sauce & coconut milk, and stir.

2. In the meantime, thaw your cooked shrimp or if fresh, peel and de-vein. You … Read More!

Last week when I was chatting with Beth Hopkins of Shamanuti for an article I wrote for Well Insiders, we got to talking about the things that brought us the most joy as a little girl. Beth told the most beautiful story of how at just five years old, her and her cousin would make floral waters to sell to friends of her grandparents and the local community of the Gardener’s Cottage she grew up in. Each year, she’d wait for the violets and lilacs to bloom, since those made the loveliest waters.

Little did she know that years later her passion for hand-crafting floral waters would lead to the start of her business, Shamanuti, which specializes in natural products utilizing plant-based ingredients found in nature.

It’s funny how our passions as a little kid tend to stick with us, and perhaps maybe we should think more often about what made us happy growing up. I too had a similar story as Beth, and was inspired to dig a little deeper last year when gearing up to leave my full-time job.

I vividly remember sitting with my Energy Healer Katie, pouring my heart out to her about feeling … Read More!

I don’t know about you, but I love to eat. I absolutely adore food, and love filling my body with the foods that work for me.

When you really tune into your body, you’re able to notice which foods work well for you (your “humming foods”) and which bring you down or suck your energy. It’s also important to note that this may change over time, with the seasons or in different chapters in your life!

One food group that doesn’t mesh so well for me (and hasn’t for a while) is gluten. Therefore I’ve adapted a mainly gluten free diet for many years now, and a few months ago made the decision to go 100% gluten free for health reasons. You can learn all about my journey with Hashimoto’s & optimizing my diet here!

Anyway, when I first began eating gluten free in college I wasn’t very smart about it. Let’s just say I ate a lot of “gluten free” junk food at the time, and didn’t really understand the fact that ingredients matter…like a lot.

I now know that the QUALITY of your food is so extremely important, and just because something is “gluten … Read More!

Even though it’s been rather cold & dreary in New England lately, I’m feeling all things spring. Every year, around this time I tend to go through a major reflection period. I find myself asking more questions, checking in with how I want to FEEL & spending more time with myself. I take a good, hard look at all aspects of my life — from career to finances to home environment — and dig a little deeper.

I’m blossoming.

I’m changing.

I’m growing.

Are you feeling that energy too?

prAna Love: Sustainable Wear for Free Spirits

With that being said, springtime is also the perfect time to refresh your wardrobe! Seeing as though my dresser consists of 90% “athleisure” wear, I was psyched to check out prAna’s new spring collection.

For those of you who haven’t shopped with prAna before, their clothing is absolutely dreamy and I know you’ll fall in love. Whether your thing is yoga or hiking, they’re all about designing clothing for people who “live life fully, play long, and travel well.” Um, hello that’s me! 

While the free spirit in me totally digs their mission, what I appreciate most is prAna’s dedication to sustainability — and … Read More!

Happy Spring, friends! ‘Tis the season for renewal, detoxification and new beginnings. Springtime symbolizes fresh starts, cleansing, and blossoming opportunities & relationships. I absolutely love the longer days, perusing flower shops and bringing back my obsession with iced coffee 😉

Bright, refreshing produce starts to come into season like snap peas, asparagus, artichokes, sprouts and strawberries…and everything simply feels more alive.

And it’s the perfect time to start fresh by taking care of your mind, body & soul!

Join myself & fellow Cerified Health Coach /Yoga Guru Kelley Abatzis for a 14-day Spring Self Care Challenge & finally start putting YOU first. Our signature self-care challenge is back by popular demand, with themes of renewal, detoxification and cleaning out your space.

The program begins Monday, April 17th + includes:

1. Daily morning dose of positivity + clear action steps sent straight to your email (even better than your morning iced mocha!) with feel-good action-steps to implement right away throughout the two weeks.

2. Access to our private ‘Soul Sisters’ Facebook group to hold one another accountable – We’re a firm believer that the main reason we don’t follow through is because we have no one to keep us accountable. P.S. … Read More!