Thursday, March 26, 2015

On Hope and Expectations

I had a time in life - okay, pretty much my whole life up until a few years ago - where I was afraid of the word & feeling of "hope". It's supposed to be an amazing thing, but when your life is full of constant disappointment from your family, teachers, love and overall life, you think it's better to live without it.

Then of course the world teaches you to never expect anything. Probably in line with that other word "assume." That's supposed to be a horrible word now isn't it? Don't assume anything. Don't expect anything. Never be disappointed. An easy mantra to get through this life. I didn't have too much of a strong opinion of it growing up, and one day it seemed like the only way I knew how to make it through each day. Can't depend on anything. Don't think anything is ever going to come through. Heaven forbid you actually do half hope something actually will happen, and then that storm comes through smacking you off those few steps you climbed up the ladder and laughs in your face for daring to think of something positive while you lay on the ground.

There is nothing anyone could have said or done probably, for the first 30 years of my life, to make me think things could be much of any other way. It was beyond jaded. It was just checking out. It was acceptance. And that was life.

Whatever I say will probably not convince you either way, but that's not my point. Along with discovering and presenting the world of fitness, beauty, happiness and health, there is a real person with a real story that most of us have a part of or at least can relate to. We all have a world with imperfection and dissapointment, but what if that is the exact thing that can give us a better life?

What if we dared try to hope? What if we actually did view each coming day as a gift instead of something we feared waking up? What if we knew all of the horrible things that might happen, but instead chose to think of all of the amazing things that could happen?
That would be a kind of awesome feeling now, wouldn't it?

It's been a pretty rough week for me, and whoever is reading this now, you may have had a pretty rough week too. That may be an understatement. Or you may know someone who is having a hard time. All I really want to say right now, is that I know very much what it is like to not believe or have any hope, and be terrified of the thought of even having that feeling - but having it - whether or not dreams and hopes will come true, or what tomorrow will bring, anything good or bad... Hope is a pretty awesome feeling, and it's a pretty awesome way to live each day.

I still don't expect things, but I do hope for many things. I'll take things day by day, week by week, tomorrow is promised to no one.
I do know though, that if this world were to end in two weeks, that I would much rather have lived this time with the hope of things that may never happen, than to live this time thinking those things never will.

Carpe diem.



Friday, March 13, 2015

Three New Favorite Skincare Products


Boscia Detoxing Black Cleanser
 This came in one of my 500 Point Perks from Sephora - VIB status. I thought it was going to be just another cleanser but it is WARMING. Super cool. Of course it leaves your face so fresh & so clean as well, and the warmth is like an added 30 second spa treatment. It makes morning showers slightly more enjoyable (I'm not a morning person by any means) and evening showers an extra great way to relax. This has been my favorite product to use from the Boscia Black line so far.


Peter Thomas Roth
Peter Thomas Roth is one of my favorite skincare brands. With Firm X Peeling Gel you can "visibly roll, lift and sweep away dead skin cells when massaged onto skin." The directions state to apply a generous amount onto dry skin and massage in a circular motion. I tried this on a day where I felt like doing some hardcore skin care, and planned to use this prior to using another facial exfoliate or cleanser. My skin felt so clean, clear and smooth after one use of this though that I didn't need nor want anything after. Results in 2 minutes what you could get from a 30 minute mask. No wonder PTR is one of my favorite brands - I already know they are good, and yet they still exceed my expectations.


Olay Regenerist Luminous Tone Perfecting Cream Moisturizer
 Yes. Seriously. Olay. I first received this in the VowVoxBox from Influenster for testing purposes, and that's as far as I thought I was going to go with it. "It's a drug store brand, it's Olay, my mom used to use Olay, I shop at fancy-pants Sephora or Norstroms for my skin care." Thank you, Olay, for shutting me up and proving me wrong about my assumptions of you. I also had to get over my inital judgement of the smell - it didn't smell bad, it did smell good - but I'm normally a fragrance-free on my face kinda gal. Since it doesn't contain SPF I tried this at night. It was like making your skin turn into a soft satin pillow. It blended in well, didn't feel greasy, wasn't thick or heavy, all in all it's probably one of my favorite moisturizers I've put on my face this past year. It's lasted a long time too. Because of my great experience with this product, I am now open to discovering more Olay products (and maybe even more drugstore brand finds as well.)

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Top 10 Natural Home Remedies for Sickness

Here are my top 10 favorite things to have on hand to have whenever I feel a cold sneaking up on me, or anytime I want to add a little natural detox boost help to my internal organs.

1) Lemons





2) Garlic




3) Apple Cider Vinegar




4) Cayenne Pepper



5) Ginger

6) Honey

7) Tea


8) Cranberries

9) Chicken Broth

10) Cinnamon