I’m not typically one for New Year’s resolutions. I think they’re a bit hustle culture-esque and contradictory to my desire to be more mindful and present. And to be honest, the idea of envisioning goals society will even deem “worthy” of chasing for an entire year is kind of exhausting. But this year I felt…
Wide Open Spaces in Portugal.
I created this blog in 2015 about the literal and metaphorical journey of exploring new spaces. I was 19 at the time, and quite honestly, I was feeling a bit lost. I was attending university in my hometown and feeling like I wanted… needed … to be anywhere else in the world. I felt stuck….
Why I Stopped Using My Apple Watch
About 8 months ago, I strapped my Apple Watch back on my wrist, resolved to add an extra layer of commitment to my fitness journey. I’d already been committed to fitness for years. I’ve oscillated between 3-4 workout weeks to 6-7, depending on my goals, for at least 5 years. I say this because I…
Reconnecting with Faith and Quitting my Pursuit for Perfection
There aren’t a lot of twenty-somethings talking about spirituality. There’s an unspoken idea to “have fun now, worry about that serious spiritual stuff later.” Like many, I put it on the back burner and didn’t think of it often. Its importance in my life has wavered, especially over the past 5 years as I’ve entered…
Mindfulness
mind·ful·ness/ˈmīn(d)f(ə)lnəs/ a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations. I was introduced to the concept of mindfulness a few years ago, at which time I thought it sounded too hippy dippy for me. I thought it was reserved for the…
Sunday Stroll
Airpods in and hat shading my face, I walked along the sandy shores for 5 straight miles, unaware, for the most part, of the overcrowded beach to my left, the seaweed crunching under my sand-filled running shoes, and the salty waves ascending up the shore to my right. For an hour or so, I truly felt present.
Feeling Inspired When Circumstances Aren’t Inspiring
The world is a mess right now — and that’s not news to anyone. To every person reading this, I hope you and your families are staying safe, healthy and sane. I hope you still fell joy and still believe that there is much more color in the world than darkness, even when it might…
Untying from the Dock
Have you ever felt like your life goes a little stale– you know, things just feel routine or stagnant, and you’re craving an adventure? Same. Maybe it’s the idealistic dreamer inside me, or maybe my subtly rebellious attitude towards life’s restrictions, but I don’t believe life is meant to be ordinary. I don’t think we’re…
My Relationship With Relaxation
Relaxation is not my forte. Relaxation is foreign and unfamiliar. Relaxation is a stranger to me. I view relaxation as an ominous and intimidating beast. Ironic, I know, to associate the concept of relaxing, defined as “the state of being free from tension and anxiety,” as an experience that induces anxiety and fear. Don’t get…
Soul-Centric
What if we spent only 10 minutes of our morning trying to look good and 50 trying to feel good, trying to focus on how we can make the world good that day, how we can impact the lives of others, how we can go out of our way to be more kind and helpful than usual, than yesterday? What if our morning routine was soul-centric instead of appearance-centric?
Gut Health
Gut health was all the rage in 2018. From kombucha to probiotics, digestive juice cleanses to influencer sponsored supplements… gut health was the kale of 2018. […] but I’d like to start a new gut trend in 2019: being in tune with your gut.
The Illusion of Destinations
When I was 19 years old, I started to understand the pressures of the world—the pressure to start figuring things out as an autonomous adult, and the pressure to make decisions that could seemingly alter the trajectory of my entire life. Dramatic, I know. But society loves to promote this idea that we have to…
She Needed Wide Open Spaces 