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Category Archives: about me
Checking in on 2013 Intentions
With the first month of the year behind us, I feel like it’s a good time to check in and re-visit lists of new year intentions and goals in an effort to stay on track and re-focus if needed. Below is my list and how it’s going so far. Hopefully by sharing them publicly it might even help me stick to them a little more.
Make Health a Priority
Late last year I had some symptoms that prompted a trip to the doctor, which then turned into more trips to the doctor, and now a pending possible Crohn’s Disease diagnosis. Regardless of whether they find that I do or don’t have the disease (getting a colonoscopy next month UPDATE: I don’t have it! whew!), I want to develop healthy habits I know are good for me and will help me live my best life. After all, without good health, it’s difficult to accomplish much else, right? So far I’ve been pretty good about:
+ remembering to take my vitamins (multi, B-complex, vitamin D, omega-3) – by keeping them together and visible in a frequently opened kitchen cabinet
+ eating sugar in moderation -as those of you who follow me on Instagram know, I have a sweet tooth. The trick to keeping it in check has been not keeping a stash of tempting foods in the house.
+ finding ways to incorporate not so appetizing healthy foods into my regular diet. For example I have a hard time drinking aloe vera on it’s own but by mixing it with orange juice it’s not bad at all.
I need to work on:
+ Making more green juice – As those of you who make green juice know, it’s time a consuming endeavor washing, cutting and peeling the fruits and veggies, cleaning the juicer, etc. So far I’ve been pretty good about making juice about 3 times a week but my goal is to make juice every day. Often times I’m in a hurry or I just feel plain lazy about it. Prepping the veggies in bulk (for 2-3 days worth of juice at a time) seems to be helping make it more doable.
+ Moving more- As an entrepreneur that works from home I can oftentimes be a bit of a workaholic and sit in front of the computer for hours at a time and push working out off the side. I need to work out first thing in the morning before heading to my office (a workout video or a quick run) or else I probably won’t work out at all.
+ Drinking more water- This has been a constant challenge but I’ve been making some progress. What seems to work for me is having a really large glass water bottle on my desk (or wherever I am) during the day. If it’s there in front of me I’ll drink it. If I have just a small glass, I’ll drink it and then neglect to get up to refill it sufficiently. I just need to make it a habit to fill the large bottle in the morning before getting started with work.
+ Regular relaxation- ‘stress is related to 99% of all illness” – this is something I remember reading in the Lululemon manifesto and I think is probably true. Regularly doing activities that relieve stress like taking a bath, reading books with a spiritual focus (like Eckhart Tolle), keeping a gratitude journal, are important for not letting stress accumulate and harm our bodies. I love doing all these things but don’t give myself time to do them enough.
Continue Growing My Business
When I opened my pillow shop a little over a year ago it was very small. I didn’t really know how much it would grow and all of what that growth would entail. As I manage all the aspects of my business, I’ve been growing along with it figuring out things as I go along and always thinking about how I can improve it. This year I’ve started utilizing the time I spend driving, to listen to various business audiobooks. So far they’ve given me great ideas on things I can do to further develop my business and push it forward, which I’m definitely excited about implementing. My current read is The Martha Rules.
Blog More
Admittedly, the growth of my shop has resulted in putting this blog on the back burner. I do miss blogging regularly and so, as I learn to delegate, and develop systems for working more efficiently and being more productive with my business (smarter not harder), I hope to get back to having time to blog at least two or three times a week.
“Finish” decorating the apartment
I put it in quotation marks because the apartment we’re in right now is a short term rental (we’ll be here maybe another year or two?) and we’re on a budget so there are limitations as to what “finished” realistically can look like. Working within our limitations though, I have the bulk of it somewhat done, I just need to shop for, DIY, and install a few more things. I’ll give you all an update soon on how the living room is looking.
Explore
+ Take weekend trips- The past two years we’ve been on a very tight budget as result of the sucky economy, my husband begin unemployed for several months and other setbacks. Though we’re not yet where we want to be financially, thankfully we’re no longer penny pinching as much and can afford to take at least a few budget friendly quick getaways. We’re starting off with Santa Barbara on Valentine’s Day, which I’m looking forward to.
+ Visit museums – I love going to museums and they’re inexpensive yet it’s been a few years since I’ve been to one. Must visit at least the LACMA and Griffith Observatory this year.
+ Go salsa dancing with my husband -been wanting to for a while now and would make fun date nights
+ Go hiking and biking more – this goes hand in hand with moving more. As the weather gets a little warmer I’ll be making it a point to head outside to do these things on the weekend.
Please tell me I’m not the only one with a list a mile long. I always find it inspirational to hear about other people’s goals and so if you’re up for sharing, I’d love to hear what you’re aiming for. What are some of your intentions for the year? How are they materializing so far? Maybe we can all help each other stick to at least a few of our intentions.
Posted in about me
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Turning 26
Today I officially enter my late twenties. My early twenties brought some wonderful unexpected things. My younger self wouldn’t have guessed I’d be married at 21 (I thought I’d get married in my late twenties), that I’d adopt a dog (I used to have a fear of dogs), that I’d be a design blogger (a few years ago I had no idea what a blog even was!) and that I’d start my own business (I thought I’d be content in the corporate world). I’m excited to see what life enhancing twists and turns the next few years will bring!
image credit: marlein overakker
Posted in about me
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The Birthday Ritual+10 Things
image via here
“And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.”
-Abraham Lincoln
Happy Birthday fellow Scorpios! This week I’m in the process of setting intentions -things I would like to have happen in my life between now and my next birthday. Self-care pro Cheryl Richardson has a great little self-honoring ritual she does every year on her birthday as a powerful way to create a life with intention, and I’ve decided to give it a try. Here’s the ritual:
- Schedule at least an hour of uninterrupted alone time.
- Think carefully about the year ahead and the intentions you have for your family and self.
- Review the prior year’s intentions, and write about whether or not they came to pass and how they’ve affected your life.
- Set new intentions for the upcoming year, taking into account all areas of life. Your intentions might relate to your finances, your health, your career, spiritual growth, the dreams you keep putting off, or the areas of your life that need your attention for a while. Whatever type you set, keep them simple. What matters most is that they feel right to you. You’ll know this is the case when you look back over the list and think, “Yes! This is exactly what I need to focus on or what I’d like to have happen!” Make sure to choose intentions that you’re ready to put your time and energy behind. Setting intentions in and of itself is only one part of the process. Taking action to fulfill them is what inspires doors to open and pathways to clear.
- Finish the ritual by writing a letter to yourself, acknowledging how you’ve made a difference in your life and in the lives of others.
As Cheryl notes, it’s sad but true: Most people spend more time planning their vacations than their lives. If we don’t take the time to stop and consider where we’d like to be in a year, we may not like where we end up.
The beautiful, Micaela of Dolce Vita, was sweet to include me in her list of fabulous Sugar Doll bloggers and asked me to share 10 things about myself. I thought it’d be fun to make the 10 things about me, 10 things from my list of intentions. In no particular order…
1. Live in the now and appreciate where I am in life.
image via here
2. Finally take that trip to the wine country.
image via here
3. Take more photographs to document my life.
image via here
4. Make those albums and scrapbooks I’ve kept pushing back to do later.
image to left via here; image to right via here
5. Read one book per month from my reading wish list.
image to left via here; image to right via here
6. Meditate everyday.
7. Take the time to practice yoga 3 times a week.
Posted in about me, gracias, mentions
8 Comments
10 Honest Things & 7 Brilliant Bloggers
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image via here
As mentioned yesterday, I was tagged by Kristin over at Discover Interior Design for the Honest Scrap Award. Following the award rules, I am to share 10 Honest Things about myself :1. I permed and highlighted my hair in high school…it was pretty much a frizzy dry mess!
2. I’m so bad at maintaining my plants. They certainly don’t look this good:
image via here
3. Although I took a few levels of advanced calculus in college, should someone need help with that subject, I’d be totally useless because I can’t remember a thing!
4. When I was younger I hated my name because when we’d go to theme parks, I could never find a souvenir with my name on it.
5. I get nervous if I’m traveling to a new place and I don’t have my GPS navigation system with me.
image via here
6. I can be a total crybaby.
7. On days when my hair is “second (or third) day dirty”, I’ll put it in sleek ponytail…it usually looks better than when I try to do a ponytail with freshly washed hair.
image via here
8. I wish I had paid better attention in my accounting classes -it’d really come in handy right now that I’m starting my own business.
9. I live in a big city but eventually I plan on moving to a smaller city, particularly one where there’s less traffic. I love being in laid-back relaxed environments, preferably near the beach!
image via here
10. I hate washing the dishes and usually leave that chore for my husband to do 
Now, to pass on the award to 7 brilliant bloggers, here are my picks (in no particular order):
I hope you’ll spend some time checking out each the blogs above. You’re sure to find great inspiration! Have a lovely weekend!
Posted in about me, gracias, mentions
11 Comments
7 Things About Me & 7 Fab Bloggers
image via luke1_37A huge thank you to everyone for all your supportive comments on the business card design and name. I truly appreciate all your feedback!
A special thank you to Ashley from At the End of the Day who selected me as a Kreativ Blogger and Kristin from Discover Interior Design who tagged me for the Honest Scrap Award!
Ashley’s award asks me to list seven things about me that people may not know. Here are my 7:
1. I’ve memorized pretty much every line in the movie Anchorman with Will Ferrell and love quoting it randomly.
2. I majored in Sociology at UCLA and was the first in my family to graduate from college (and high school for that matter!).
image via concrete and honey
3. I was very much involved in competitve cheerleading (did you know it’s a sport?) during jr high and high school and I loved defying cheerleader stereotypes.
4. I can be very clumsy.
5. When I was in grade school, I was a huge Baby-sitters Club and Baby-sitters Club Little Sister books.
6. My absolute favorite thing to eat is cherry tomatoes sprinkled with chili powder. Simple but sooo yummy!
7. One of my many goals is to write (and publish!) a socially conscious children’s book within the next 3 years.
The award also calls for seven Kreativ Blogger nominees. I’ve chosen the authors of the following fabulous blogs (be sure to check each of them out!):
Tomorrow I’ll select 7 other bloggers for the Honest Scrap award and share 10 honest things about myself. I hope you’ll stay tuned!
Posted in about me, gracias, mentions
8 Comments
Camping at Lake Cachuma
Today I will be spending the evening packing for a little family camping trip. We’re taking advantage of the last summer days and the long weekend to visit the beautiful Lake Cachuma in Santa Barbara. Going to this lake is particularly special for me because its where I got engaged!
Around this time two years ago, here’s how it happened:
After some persuasion I agreed to join David on a late night walk to take advantage of the beautiful night. I was feeling lazy from the day’s activities and just wanted to sleep on the hammock and it took awhile for him to get me to get up. Anyways, I followed him as he took me through the trees, past all the other campsites…I could barely see in the dark… until we began to approach the lake where the moon was reflecting on the water…and it was just gorgeous. He led me towards a point at the edge of the lake. As we approached it, I noticed several small candles arranged amongst the rocky platform. He stopped and turned to look at me. As I turned, I noticed a bright flash of light in my face. My sister and her boyfriend had been following us with a video camera (either they were really slick or I must have been half asleep because I can’t believe I didn’t notice!). At that instant I realized exactly what was going on…I took in the moment… “Will you marry me?” he asked as he pulled out a pink ring he had gotten from a 25 cent machine (seriously) that we had previously joked about giving me as a proposal ring. He told me my real ring wasn’t ready (the jeweler messed up the engraving) but that he wanted to propose at the lake and reminded me that i said i wouldn’t mind if I was proposed to with a 25 cent ring. I laughed and said yes of course I would marry him!!!
I have video (which we have yet to transfer to a digital format) but no photographs of the actual proposal. The pictures above are set on the scene of the proposal. Imagine it at night…with the moon light reflecting on the lake…and small candles spread among the rocks…
Posted in about me, out and about, summer
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