Goodbye.

Today I am emptying out my jar of negative thoughts and emotions. In a previous post, I wrote about my jar, you can read more about it here. Basically, I took a jar and filled it with some water from the ocean. I then took some rocks from the beach as well. Any time I would feel anxious, upset, lost, whatever...I would write down one word to describe how I was feeling. I would then drop it into the jar. I started a little bit after my father had passed away and I found it to be really helpful. I have 7 months of negative emotions and so on saved in that jar. These things I don't need to hold onto because, ultimately, they don't help me in my life. They no longer serve me. So, off I go to the beach to rid myself of them.

"Worthless,scared,unknown,lost,grief,guilt,sadness,depressed,anxious,phobia,doubt,judged....." All these and more no longer serve me. So peace,to you!

I hope this was helpful. Don't forget to breathe.
--Dana

First Impression/Product Review.

Okay, so I've been seeing a lot of charcoal beauty products out there lately and I really wanted to give one a try. I have super sensitive, acne-prone skin, though. So I didn't want something super harsh. I ended up picking up a sample/one time use packet of the Freeman's Facial Polishing Mask: Charcoal and Black Sugar. Here is the brand's website: Click here : )

The product details are as follows:
"Pollution…debris…it's a wonder skin can breathe! This unique mask and scrub works double time to detox skin. First, naturally purifying Activated Charcoal helps absorb oil and impurities without over-drying. Then, Black Sugar helps exfoliate away dulling skin cells for softness and clarity. 

Perfect for all skin types.
Directions: Apply mask to face and neck, avoiding contact with eyes. Leave on for 5 to 7 minutes. Rinse with warm water. Use 2 times a week or as often as needed"

Cons:
I have to say, overall, I'm super impressed with this product. Though, I did wish the package warned me about the slight warming sensation the mask gives as it works. I was not totally prepared for that, but the warmth only lasts for a few minutes. It did not last the entire time I had the mask on. For another con, the mask smells pretty strong and pretty unpleasant. I can't even describe the scent, really. I didn't get used to the scent as time wore on either, which is a little disappointing.

For the pros:
At first, I was scared because it says, 'facial polishing' right on the label. That, to me, sound like someone buffing a floor with one of those...well, floor buffers. It sounded harsh, is what I mean. However, I think it depends on the pressure used when you use the mask. I didn't find it too harsh for my skin when I rubbed very lightly. For another thing, black sugar sounds like break out central...however I do not feel as though this product broke me out. After using this product, as directed, my skin felt like a baby's bottom; super smooth! I cannot wait to put my makeup on tomorrow and see how well it goes on.

I would definitely recommend this product to anyone who wants a good mask as well as an excellent, gentle, exfoliator. I would suggest to use a thin layer of it, as well. I purchased the sample size and I think I can get three uses out of the one little pouch. Also, you just don't need too much of this stuff to get the job done. I would have purchased the full sized version, but my local Walmart did not carry it. For the sample size, I paid around 2 bucks. Not bad! The only real problem I had was the smell.

That's all for now. I hope this was helpful!
Don't forget to breathe.

--Dana

New things and stuff!

Hey all.
So lately I have tried a few new products and also fallen back in love with some old ones that have been floating around my makeup bag, purse, etc. Some are amazing, some are horrible, and some are just in the middle. In any case, I figured I would post this so that in case you have a product listed that you wanted to try, you have someone's honest opinion on it!
Here ya go!

Airspun Loose Powder (In the shade translucent, extra coverage)

Around 7 dollars

I have always loved this powder because of the smell. My mom used to use this powder when I was growing up and every Halloween, she'd set our cat, bunny, bride, and so on face make up with this stuff. It was awesome! I was using this powder for a while and then stopped for some reason. I don't know what that reason was. It keeps my combo skin shine free, makes my make up last, and again, the smell is nice.
I will say that this product does tend to make my face, ghostly white, a tan-ish shade when I use a heavier hand. However, if I only use a small amount it is perfectly fine.

E.L.F. Studio Cosmetics Mineral Infused Face Primer (I have the green tinted one to cancel out redness)
Around 6 dollars

This is a pretty good primer, actually. I never was into using a primer until this summer, really. It has just been so hot that my make up has been literally sliding off of my face. Gross. Anyway, this primer is cheap, blurs my pores, and creates an even base for my foundation to go over top of. I have the green tinted one, and I am not sure it actually cancels out any redness. I also have heard that there are parabens in it, which kind of freaks me out a little bit...but I'm sure most of my skincare products and hair care products do too. Overall, this is a great primer if you want to try one out for the first time. I've even applied this lightly to my eyelids before applying my Rimmel powder and it acts as a very good eye shadow base/primer!

Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder (Translucent)
Around 4 dollars

This stuff is amazing! I have to say, it gives my Airspun loose powder a run for it's money. It's cheaper, does not leave my face a different color, and it also smells nice! I find I don't need to use very much of this powder at all and my face stays matte all day long. No shine what so ever! However, you need to be a little careful when it comes to touching up your makeup. I find that if I go to touch up my face with this powder, it can become a little too cakey on my face. Over all, best and cheapest drug store powder!

Nyx Cosmetics Eyebrow Cake Powder (Brunette)
Around 6 dollars

I have never been one to fill in my eyebrows but this stuff has really changed my mind. Your eyebrows really do frame your face. It also helps to make your makeup look that much more polished. That being said, this product is awesome. The first time I tried it, though, I used the brush it came with and my brows looked super duper dark. I happened to have an old angle brush and that worked much better! Use a light hand and be patient. Just follow the natural shape of your eyebrows and you'll be fine. It also comes with brow wax for keeping those pesky hairs in place. I also think it is a good price considering that this will last me forever.

DO NOT BUY
Maybelle Fit Me Stick Foundation
Around 5 dollars
This product is the only one I HATE with a passion. It was just nasty. I applied it to one half of my face and then as I was applying it to the other half of my face, the side I had already applied melted off! Just melted off like...like...like something that melts! It claims to have an anti-shine/powder core to the stick and it just is false advertising. It did not provide any coverage what so ever, either...ya know for the 2 seconds it did manage to stay on my face.This product also made me break out. Not nice. I returned it and stuck to my Loreal True Match foundation.

That's all for now. I hope some of you found this useful!
Take care and don't forget to breathe :)

--Dana

Breakfast this morning!

Hey all!
I just tried this new smoothie recipe and wanted to share :)
I thought why not just list everything I ate this morning while I was at it. Here ya go!

One cup of 'Bite Sized Shredded Wheat' cereal, dry. I usually don't eat cereal in the morning with milk. I'm weird, I know.

One cup of green tea with honey. For the caffeine fix. I've been trying to stay away from coffee. It's hard, but I think I've been doing okay :)

And finally, the smoothie!!

I used:
1 frozen banana
1 cup (about) chocolate almond milk
1/2 teaspoon of chia seeds
1 teaspoon of vanilla whey protein powder
1 heaping table spoon of all natural, smooth, peanut butter

Blend and enjoy :)
I don't like peanut butter in smoothies usually so next time I think I'll add less. Overall, though. It's quite tasty!

I hope you lovelies are having a nice day! Don't forget to breathe :)
--Dana

Today's workout :)

Today I had a lot of fun with my workout!
Word of caution,you may feel like a dancin' fool after this one :P Me, I felt a bit silly in the beggining of it, but when you feel just how much your legs and abs and everything are working, you go for it :D

First I warmed up:




Then, danced :P



Then I stretched with the same warm up video just to reduce the amount of soreness in my legs and butt.

I liked this so much that I may do this tomorrow as well :D It really got my heart rate up but in a fun way! and it's only about 5 minutes!

I hope this was helpful!
Don't forget to breathe.

--Dana

15 minutes a day work out.

Hey all.
So I've realized that setting goals of working out EVERY single day for half an hour, up to two hours, every day...is just not realistic for me right now. I think this is a big reason that I stopped working out for about 3 weeks. Anyway, I've now committed myself to working out 2-4 days a week, aiming for 3 days a week, for 15-20 minutes at a time. This way, I feel I have no excuse for not working out. 15 or 20 minutes a day is an easy enough time to set aside!

So here are some work outs I've been doing for those 15-20 minutes :)

I always start out with this warm up before doing any yoga routine:



Then, I will usually do one, or if I'm feeling really good, two of the following:













Then, I usually cool down by doing some light stretching or one of the following yoga videos:




I have to admit, I absolutely HATE doing any ab work out. HATE it. But, when a video is less than 10 minutes long for the abs, I feel I can better commit to it and actually get up and do it. The goal right now for me is to keep up with the workouts as best as I can 15-20 minutes a day, 3 or more days a week. Hopefully once I make this a habit, I can create bigger, yet attainable goals for myself when it comes to my workouts :)

I hope this was helpful to some of you!
Don't forget to breathe.

--Dana

Lower back pain: tips, remedies, and so on.

Hey all.

Lately my back has been flaring up with it's stiffness, pain, and just all around comfortableness. It sucks. Anyone who suffers from back pain, can definitely agree!

Here are a few things that have helped my chronic back pain over the years as well as recently. I hope it helps some of you back pain sufferers out there!

Yoga has probably been the number one thing that has helped my back pain over the years. Not only does almost every move in yoga strengthen your core, which then helps to less strain on your back (or so I hear), but a lot of yoga poses help to stretch out the back.

Here are some poses that have helped me:

Downward Dog

Child's Pose

Child's pose can be done with the hands/arms behind you as shown, or you can place them out in front of you, stretching forward. When doing the second option, sometimes it feels really nice on my lower back to shift my knees further a part rather than closer together.

Variation of Child's Pose

Knees to Chest

This pose is extremely helpful, especially when I first wake up in the morning and need a good stretch. You can even do it right in bed! Also, while holding your knees, as shown, you can gently rock back and forth. This really helps to release any lower back tension.

This is just ONE of the many youtube videos for lower back pain yoga stretches that have really helped me.

Remember, yoga, especially when it comes to relieving any kind of pain, is not about how perfect you can get the pose or how flexible you are. Listen to your body and do what feels good, back off of things that don't. Also, you have to keep at it. Although some stretching can help instantly with pain and discomfort, yoga is meant to be practiced. Even if it is 5 minutes before bed, your back will surely thank you!

Other things to consider:

• Do you do a lot of bending and or lifting through out the day? If so, make sure your bend from the knees and not through your back. If something is too heavy, ask for help. This is something I have definitely been doing to help prevent injury but also to help lessen the usual chronic pain I have with my back. I work retail and it can be very physical at times. If I feel there is a potential I could hurt my back, I take my time and ask for help when I need to.
• Are you drinking enough water? Water is IMPORTANT. Not only can water improve your skin and over all health, but it can actually help your back immensely! Water helps to keep our bodies (joints, muscles, and so on) moving so drink as much water as you can.
• Consider seeing a chiropractor. I know that seeing a chiropractor really helped me when my back pain first started about 6-7 years ago. I can remember being so scrunched up and tight that I couldn't even sit upright without being in excruciating pain. I am a firm believer in taking pain as a warning sign. If you are in more than just a little bit of pain and it persists, see a doctor and have them refer you to a chiropractor if that is the best thing for you.
• Ice and heat. This is another thing where you should just listen to your body's needs. Usually a hot shower or warm/wet heat (as in a wet and warm washcloth) can help more than an ice pack for me. However, some times ice is also useful in my case. You can also use things like icy hot or aspercream if you find they help. However, creams and rubs have never really done the trick for me. Like I said, it is all about listening to your body. There's also over the counter asprin/advil/alieve you can take for inflammation and so on. However, those have never really ever touched my own back pain.
• An herbal remedy that has helped not only my back pain, but my chronic knee pain as well, has been a tea, actually.  Yogi tea makes a tea called 'joint comfort'. This tea has been something I have had to get used to just because it does not taste the best. It tastes kind of minty...herbal-ly? I'm not the best at describing tastes. Anyway, I usually use one-two tea bags a day with one green or black tea bag as well as some honey/brown sugar. When I combine it with another tea bag, it tastes pretty good actually! This tea also has ingredients that are meant to calm inflammation. It's awesome :)

Don't forget, breathing can sometimes prove beneficial. Just breathing! think about it, when you're driving to work or school and you don't even remember how you arrived at your destination. Were you even breathing correctly? Were you slouched in your seat the entire ride? Noticing things like this can really help your back pain in the long run, at least it has for me!

I hope this blog post has helped some of you out there and feel better!

Don't forget to breathe, again.

--Dana

All Natural Face Mask!

Hey, all! I was just thinking to myself, wow I'm really stressed out. I'm so stressed, I'm breaking out! So what did I decide to do? Kill two birds with one stone, of course!
I made myself an all natural face mask using organic honey, lemon juice, and clove powder. Oh yeah.

Not only was it a nice, relaxing thing to do for myself, but the ingredients also help to fight acne!

Instructions:

First, make sure your skin is free of makeup, primers, moisturizer, and so on.

Then, you want to prepare your face-mask-mixture.

I eyeballed everything, then realized I should have measured it out because I had WAY too much face mask for my one face.

Use: a table spoon to a table spoon and a half of honey, a few drops of lemon juice, and then about a teaspoon to a teaspoon and a half of the clove powder. If you don't have clove powder, you can use ground cinnamon or even nutmeg...or all three :)

Once everything is mixed into a paste in a bowl, you want to either wash your face with warm water, or take a warm towel and let it sit on your face a few minutes. This opens the pores for the mask.

Pat your face dry and then apply the mask. Wait 20 minutes and then wash off! BAM!

Clove, as well as lemon and honey, are great natural antiseptics and honey is actually antifungal. In other words, it kills all the bad stuff that can cause a break out! Lemon juice also is very good for lightening acne marks and scars. I would do this mask 1-2 times per week or whenever you need a little pick me up :)

I hope this was helpful and don't forget to breathe!

Ocean Meditation

Right now I'm taking a meditation class in college. For the rest of the semester each student is responsible for choosing a form of meditation, presenting it to the class, and guiding the class through their meditation form. 

It's been awesome so far, but today was by far the best. One of my classmates chose ocean meditation. Since she obviously couldn't bring the entire class to the beach, she brought in jars of sand, shells, and water from the beach. I thought this was an amazing idea. So much so that I figured I would share. 

And hey, I don't even like the beach!

Here's my spin on my classmate's meditation...

First, you'll need:

• A comfortable sitting place and position. (ie: yoga mat, pillow, a bed, a chair, so on.)
• A jar of some kind, preferably with a lid
• Sticky notes/paper, and or pebbles/shells large enough to write on
• A permanent marker or pen
• Meditation music and or the sounds of the ocean
• Sand, water, sea shells from the ocean
• A quiet space to practice

First, assemble your jar. You can really do this any way you like. Mainly, the important thing is to have the sand at the bottom and fill your jar with the ocean's water. From there, you can add sea shells or even blue food coloring to make the water a bright blue color. There's no right or wrong! However, make sure you leave enough space in your jar to throw negative shells/rocks/paper. 

Be seated, comfortably. If you have back issues, make sure it's leaning on something or is supported either in a chair or against a wall. 

Have your feet flat on the floor to ground you.

You can even play this video as you meditate, it's super helpful! 

Concentrate on your breath for a few moments. Breathe comfortably, yet deeply. Try to see if you can match your breath with the sound of the waves crashing on the beach. 

If it helps, you can keep your eyes open for the moment and stare at your ocean in a jar, focusing on your breath and the sound of the waves.

Once you've settled into your breath, you can slowly close your eyes. Imagine you are walking along the beach. Visualize carrying two buckets in either hand. One, sea shells or perhaps rocks/sea glass that represent positive emotions, feelings, places, people in your life. In the other bucket, there are sea shells, rocks/sea glass that represent negative emotions, feelings, places, people, attachments and so on in your life. 

Imagine yourself walking slowly, mindfully, with these two buckets. Be mindful of your breath.

Now, visualize yourself throwing the negative bucket into the water. Water is a purifying element (from Buddhism and many other religions/philosophies) and by throwing your negativity into the ocean, you are cleansing your spirit of the negativity it held onto.

Again, focus on your breath, slowly and gently lengthening your breath. If you have any thoughts that seem to bog you down or hinder you in this meditation, simply notice them without judgement and let them go. You can always come back to them later. 

You can ask for help in any way that you feel can best serve you in this moment. You can ask for guidance, if you wish.

Always ask that this help be the highest and best.

Now, gently and very slowly open your eyes. Once again, stare at the jar in front of you. Concentrate on your breath once more. 

When you're ready, write on your piece of paper, rock/sea glass, shell, etc. something or someone that has a negative attachment for you. If it's a piece of paper, fold it up. 

Again, when you're ready, place that negativity inside of your jar. Know that the water has cleansed this negativity. It no longer belongs to you. You no longer need to carry it with you.

Gently, rub the palms of your hands together, even rub your hands on the tops of your legs to bring yourself back.

Namaste ("The Spirit within me salutes the Spirit in you").

I hope this was helpful!

--Dana

Today's Workout!

Hey, all. I'm completely exhausted from work and school and just life in general. Nonetheless, I did manage to  squeeze in a work out today. For the actual workout, I kept switching from using 5lb weights to using no weights at all. It was just too difficult to use the 5lbs all the way through for me! Anyway, here it is:

As a warm up:


Then, the actual workout (and yes, I did miss working out yesterday due to lack of time, so the title of this workout is pretty fittng)

And finally, I did this cool down. Which felt amazing after sweating and panting!

That's all for now. I hope you're having a good night and don't forget to keep breathing! --Dana

Skin update/How I helped clear my acne.

Hello, all.

I thought I would make a blog post about some changes I have made to my skin routine/life style that have really helped in clearing my acne up. Now, I am not brave enough to post a before and after picture, but trust me, there HAS been a significant improvement in my skin. (I will link all products so you can check them out!)

First, I have started drinking more water and less sugary/soda-like drinks. This isn't rocket science, guys and gals. Sugary drinks like soda can make some people, including myself, break out. That's not to mention all the other chemicals and bad crap they put in soft drinks and all. Bottom line, they just aren't good for you. And besides, water is, in most cases, free. So drink as much as you can, daily! You can even add lemon, frozen berries, mint, etc to water to make it a little different. Or, try carbonated water, just make sure there is no added sodium.

Something I find interesting is that when I was 18 I saw a dermatologist who basically told me that diet has nothing to do with breakouts. Can you believe it?! Of course diet has a hand in breakouts! You are what you eat! I still do drink soda occasionally, but it is now about once every 2-4 months rather than having 2-3 sodas in a day, 3 or more times a week. Also, working out has helped clear my skin as well. Since a lot of my acne is caused by stress, working out regularly helps to better release my stress so it doesn't cause as many breakouts :)

Second, I have switched my actual skin care routine. Before (about 2-3 years ago), I would have a face full of make up and just use an acne cleanser at night to remove everything. WRONG. There is so much gunk that stays in your pores when you do that! Instead, I now use baby wipes or make up removing wipes to remove not only my eye makeup, but my face make up as well. You'd be surprised how great baby wipes work, and how inexpensive they are when compared to makeup removing wipes!

After I remove my make up, I cleanse my face with Lush's Fresh Farmacy. It is the ONLY acne cleanser that has ever truly worked for my skin. It's also a lot more natural than a lot of over the counter/prescription acne cleansers out there. It also helps to balance out my skin and I have noticed my skin has become a lot less red over the time I have used this product. It has also, in my opinion, helped to fade some of my acne marks. So, go Lush!

I then treat any acne bumps/breakouts I have. I use Say Yes to Tomatoes Treatment Spot Stick or Burts Bee's Herbal Blemish Stick. Both work equally as well, it just depends on which store I am purchasing an acne spot treatment at. Unfortunately, a lot of stores by me have stopped carrying the Say Yes to Tomatoes Spot Stick.

At night, if I feel my skin is dry, I apply my moisturizer, but most nights I do not. I do, however, use my Palmer's Coco Butter Formula Daily Facial Lotion every day, whether I am applying makeup over it or not. Although it does not smell the best, this stuff really does work well with my skin. It isn't greasy, yet it moisturizes my skin enough. I was using Aveeno's Positively Radiant Moisturizer, but 15 bucks every 2 months for a moisturizer was a bit too steep for my wallet.

Finally, the largest improvement in my skin is most likely because I have been on a birth control pill for over 2 years now. At first, it caused me to break out worse than I had in years, as well as making me gain about 3-5 pounds. My body simply needed to get used to having all of the hormones of the pill and after about 6 months, I saw a dramatic improvement in my skin. I no longer get the huge, painful, cystic acne break outs; the ones that were responsible for a lot of my acne marks and scars. (I also lost the weight I gained from introducing the pill). Whenever I break out now, it is less frequent, and I can almost always tell when I am going to have a break out because my hormones are now regulated. The actual blemishes are a lot smaller and a lot easier to shrink or get rid of, as well. I know there is a bit of controversy over 'The Pill' and whatnot, but this is just what has worked for me in my life and for my own body.

The pill was a last resort for me, really. I had already used every single proactiv, murad, clearasil, and so on product. I know enough about acne products to know what I am allergic to and what will definitely make me break out. I had already seen a dermatologist, who in the end, basically told me I would 'grow out' of my acne (which never happened, by the way).

My skin, as of now, is not perfect by any means but no one really has perfect skin. I still occasionally break out and I still have acne marks and scars. To me, I don't really care as much what others think about my skin. I know that it has come a long way from where it was and I have to say I am happy with how my skin is right now!

Some tips:

• Wash your makeup brushes and pillow cases regularly
• Remove your makeup before washing with a cleanser
• Drink less sugary/soda-like beverages
• Workout to relieve stress hormones
• Consider birth control, after speaking with your doctor
• Drink more water!
• Be careful of what makeup/topical products you use; read the ingredients!
• Don't strive for 'perfect' skin, strive for 'clearer' skin
• Try more natural-based products and see what happens

I hope this was helpful to those of you who are struggling with acne! Hang in there, and don't forget to breathe :)

--Dana

Today's workout

Hey all!
Today I only managed to get through 25 minutes of this yoga video. It's an improvement from only being able to get through 10 minutes of it! My goal is to keep at it until I can do the entire video!


Time for a protein shake and to relax! Have a good day and don't forget to breathe!
-Dana

Today's work out!

Hey, all.
I got sick last week and so my work out suffered. I sure made up for it today with killing my arms and rest of my body!

Pre-workout:
I drank two large glasses of water with my breakfast of an apple with peanut butter. Then, I also drank a small mug of green tea with honey. I did this about an hour or so before I worked out. I also drank another tall glass of water during the workout, itself.

First:
 
This work out was meant to be a warm-up. However, it was a LOT harder than I thought it would be. This is especially true for my shoulders and arms.

Then:

Again, this workout video was a lot harder than I imagined it would be, but I found it to be fun, nonetheless.
I used 5lb weights in each hand and by the end, they felt like they were 20lbs instead of 5!

Finally:

After doing the two previous videos, I thought it would be good to do a cool-down and so I did this Jillian Michaels one. It was relaxing and a super nice reward after killing my body!

Have a nice day and don't forget to breathe!
--Dana

Today's Work out

Today I worked on my lower body! My butt is still on fiah.

First, for a warm up, I did this video:

Total Body Warm Up

Next, this:

Lean Legs Work Out with Cassey Ho

And finally:

Firm Booty Work Out With Cassey Ho

By the time I did this one, my legs and butt were dead. Next time, I'm going to switch this one (this one is harder and longer) with the lean legs work out. Whew. I feel the burn still!

Journaling and journaling ideas.

Lately I have been really into journaling. Not so much, "Dear, journal...today I did this, that, and this." My journal is more about self-care routines, what I think about future goals for myself and how I think I can attain them, what I'm grateful for, stress management, and just other random feelings/circumstances/and so on. In this blog, I wanted to share what I've found helpful in coping with stress and just daily life things that sometimes can get in my way.  (My journal pictured above!)

The first thing I wrote about in my journal was actually something from a book I was reading, 'The Complete Idiot's Guide to Buddhism' by Gary Gach. In the book I saw this really interesting looking set of lines and thought to turn it into a journal exercise:

Am I suffering? What's the situation? (Be brief)

What keeps me from being happy? What am I attached to about my suffering?

How do I identify myself with it? Is it real? Does it have a life of its own? Is is physically present here and now? Is it in my mind? Is it permanent?

What if I let got of my attachment to all in the situation that's not immediately present, and the self-image I identify with that situation? Then would I be happy?

How can I cultivate a better way of living that doesn't let me fall into the same patterns I fell into over again?

Here's a picture of my journal entry:

I've made journal entries using the same exercise and every single time, the answer to, "Is your suffering permanent?" has been 'No.' Try it! Don't worry about being precise in your writing or having to impress anyone or yourself with the answers. Just write whatever pops into your mind at the time. Then, Once you're finished, read over your answers and reflect :)

Some other journal exercises I have done are:

• Write three things that made you happy today (do this before bed and reflect)
• Self-care assessment tool, found here: Take it now!
• Mandala; gratitude mandala (seen to the right)
• Writing down random feelings or thoughts that come into my mind
• Journaling about meditation

(Gratitude Mandala)

Finally, and I just did this exercise today, is drawing a picture of how I feel when I am stressed. Then, I wrote down things that make me stressed out. After reflecting on my picture, I think my next journal exercise would be to draw how I feel when I am happy/optimistic...then write down things that make me feel that way. I will post when I do that one! 

For now, I leave you with my awesome (and by awesome, I mean bad) drawing. I hope this has given some new ideas to you out there who journal! 

--Dana.

Healthy Changes

Hello, all. I have recently decided to get back into the whole blogging about my health and fitness stuff. (I'll also be posting random journal entries, book reviews, and so on as seen in previous posts) I've missed it. I've also really gotten into taking care of myself, more so than I was before. I don't claim to be a personal trainer, nutritionist, or anything of the sort. Some of you may think I should be working out for an hour or two at a time or something else. This is just what works for me. I'm not trying to lose weight, really. I just want to have more energy and be a bit more in shape. Go at your own pace and do whatever feels right to you :)
 So, I plan on posting recipes, workouts that I do, and even some holistic health things! Stay tuned! For now, I'll show you the work out I just did and my post work-out snack.

First I did:
5 minute butt lift

Then:
Waist Whittlers-100 Challenge
This one was especially hard. It works your arms, back, shoulders, as well as your entire core. It burned, made me sweat, and it was surprisingly fun!





Finally:
Get Happy Routine
This I did as a sort of cool-down.

My post-work out snack I kind of oops on. I was making myself a smoothie: Vanilla protein powder, about a half a cup of almond milk, a handful of frozen peaches, and (it was supposed to be) a half a frozen banana. Instead, the banana was really a nub of frozen ginger I had mistaken for a banana. Oops. It still tasted good, though! Ginger is also very good for your immune system!