#MotivationalMonday: Never cease from dancing

I slacked off a little today with finding the lyrics that spoke to my soul. Nothing like being exhausted from a super active toddler to keep me from getting stuff done! But then, in the midst of a tantrum, I remembered...turn on some music and dance!

I love reggae. The music just speaks to my soul. I spent a year in New Zealand right after college and learned about Katchafire there. I hadn't really been exposed to much reggae at that point, but I loved Bob Marley and was a fan of popular reggae. In NZ, I didn't have an opportunity to see Katchafire live, but I did get in a Black Seeds show.

I love these lyrics because they resonate so well with me. Ever feel like the world is crumbling around you, only to hear an awesome song that totally gets your heart pumping? Next time that happens, DANCE! Dancing brings joy to my heart, and even if you don't care for it I bet it would totally brighten your mood. Why more offices don't do this I will never understand - talk about a productivity and mood booster!

Curious what song we danced to? My kiddo is addicted to Itsy Bitsy Spider, and because mama loves reggae, we groove to the sounds of Basho & Friend's version. This is my favorite kid's CD...win-win cause we're both happy!

#MotivationalMonday: learn to fly

I've always been a fan of #motivationalmonday - so much so that every time I manage a social media account I still create and share these graphics. It may be played out, but I love it. We can never get enough positivity in our lives, especially considering we're inundated with such negative content, news and images.  

I've created my own theme for my Monday posts - song lyrics. Music holds such a special place in my heart. I met my husband because of music (he used to be a hip hop MC!). I was saved through music worship. Music brings back memories...can make my cry, brighten my day and even stops me in my tracks to dance. Even my toddler loves a good dance party! So I thought what better way for me to share my emotions - and a positive vibe - than through some lyrics.

I love the lyrics from Blackbird so much. So simple, but has a big impact. We can all relate to a time when we felt broken and defeated. If only it was simple enough in those moments to just learn to fly again. But I share this today because it can be that easy. I am a believer, so I know that through Christ I can learn to fly again when I feel broken. 

2 Kings 20:5 says: ...Tell him, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your ancestor David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears. I will heal you... (NLT). In the Gospel, there are more than 30 documented healings by Jesus. But the ultimate healing is Jesus rising from the dead and ascending to heaven. Y'all, we are saved by grace and healed through Jesus!

Whatever it is you believe in, I hope you find that inner strength to mend your broken wings. And, if prayer is what you want, feel free to leave it in the comments and I'll happily pray for you. 

Back in the sky with dandelions

So, it's been a while. It is not that I didn't have much to say, it's that life was so hectic with a demanding career, new family and the responsibilities of being a new home owner. I decided that it was time to get back to documenting what I am up to. Not far any particular reason other than wanting a creative outlet in my new season of life. See, I used to write for a living.

Used to? Yup, that's right. There have been some interesting changes going on in my life. In December, I took a huge leap of faith and left an amazing job and organization. It was a tough decision, and ultimately came down to a few things: I wanted to spend more time with my family (because I worked more than 60 hours a week average), the pay was higher at the new gig and the commute was much less than 15 minutes. What I didn't take into account was the security of leaving a huge, multi-billion dollar organization to a mid-sized local company that some people love, and many others have never heard of.

Three months later and the company decided to eliminate my position and the department I was overseeing. So, that was that. And now I am just trying to figure things out as I look for my next opportunity, dabble in the idea of owning a business, run from playdate-to-playdate and entertain myself with all my makeup and clothes.

That's me (at least circa 2017) in a nut-shell. I hope you'll stick around and join my conversations. Seriously, I'm not just here to talk to myself.

Shop Local, Save Lives

So last Sunday I decided that I needed to get a jump on my wedding invitations. I had just changed my mind on my old design, so needed inspiration stat. We had our best friends over that night, and the energy in the room really gave me that oooomph I needed! After they left, I stayed up till 1am creating the design.

Originally, I was going to get them printed with Vistaprint – quick and easy. Then, I realized these are my wedding invitations! So at about 1:30am I filled out a quote with Market Mail Print. I know these guys well through the Hispanic Chamber, and they were always great to work with. So, I figured, why not?

I was off on Monday, so I slept in. By the time I woke up, I already had a quote from them – and it was way under Vistaprint. They literally blew my mind! So this is how the week went:

•  Monday: Dropped by MMP to see my invite in printed form (not a proof, but just to see how colors/design looked)
• Tuesday morning: Dropped by MMP to pick up my proof of the whole set
• Tuesday night (after hours): I put in my order for the invites, RSVP cards and envelopes 
• Thursday: I got a call that my order was ready!

The moral of the story: shop local. Not only was the service impeccable and personal, but I couldn't be happier with my invitations. They did everything as I wanted, even printing them in my unique size option.

Whether you are a bride or a business, MMP should be your new printer. I guarantee you won’t regret it. And because of their urgency, it helped my sense of urgency – I addressed all the invites late Friday evening and got them in the mail by Sunday!

Now, let’s see how the RSVP’s go…

Reunited and it feels so good...

{my "first meal" - Fuji Salad at Panera}

Well the cleanse is over and I feel absolutely fantastic! I officially ended my juicing yesterday, but went ahead and had one more this morning as my breakfast. 

I want to say that this is one of the best things I’ve ever done. I know I already said that, but seriously – I feel great! I lost another 5 pounds (even though it’s not about that) and really feel full of energy. In addition to the cleanse, I started oil pulling this weekend – so I just feel great.

Just to review what was in the Skinny Limits cleanse – I opted for the tropical with the Scorpion Lemonade as a substitution:

·         Pure & Simple: Kale, Cucumber, Spinach, Apple, Parsley, Celery, Lemon.

·         Balance: Kale, Cucumber, Spinach, Apple, Parsley, Celery, Lemon, Ginger.

·         Green Firefly: Kale, Cucumber, Spinach, Apple, Parsley, Celery, Lemon, Pineapple.

·         Scorpion Lemonade: Lemons, Agave Nectar, Cayenne, Filtered Water.

·         Green Firefly: Kale, Cucumber, Spinach, Apple, Parsley, Celery, Lemon, Pineapple.

·         Crescent Moon: Raw cashews, Vanilla Bean, Cinnamon, Agave Nectar, Filtered Water.

The highlight of every day is Crescent Moon, which tastes like Horchata but is much healthier and dairy-free. 

You get 6 juices per day for 3 days.  The juice is so fresh – as if I had just juiced them myself. Except without all the mess and having to buy produce. This is a total #win!

My journey to a decent bridal body

So, I am getting married in October. While I could go on and on about my wedding, I really wanted to talk about another journey inspired by my impending nuptials.

I’ve always battled with weight and my love of food. I came to terms with it years ago, but after starting my new job with a national healthcare nonprofit, I decided I needed to make some major lifestyle changes.

In January, after realizing how bad I was really eating and taking in too many cupcakes to count at a bridal expo, I decided to cleanse my body by juicing for three days.

In comes Skinny Limits – one of the best things that have ever happened to me! Not only do their juices have an incredible taste, but they are all natural, cold pressed fruits & veggies. So, both my fiancé and I decided to give it a go on January 13 and completed a three-day cleanse.

Fast forward to today. I have now dropped 47 pounds and am on my way to a truly healthy lifestyle. We’ve pretty much maintained healthy eating, eat at home much more than we used to, and I walk 4-6 times per week plus I go to Zumba once a week.

I decided to visit Skinny Limits this morning and do another three-day cleanse. One of the biggest reasons I wanted to do the cleanse again is to ward off all my bad cravings. In May there were graduations, parties and even a Quinceañera and I had way too much cake. Really, I’ve just had a hard time saying no to sweets since that first cupcake. After my juice cleanse in Jan, I didn’t crave any kind of sweets, and couldn’t have enough veggies.

So after a pretty bad weekend of some mimosas and a big sugary waffle, I went ahead and picked up my juices this morning. So far, so good…. It helps that I get to daydream about the last drink of the day: Crescent Moon.

Don't shut your virtual door, be social online

{source}

There's something my boss said recently during an interview that has been on my brain lately. He said that a recurring theme for small business owners is that they are too busy working in their business, they miss out on the opportunity to work on their business.

I think we all know this to be true, but we rarely take a moment to think about it. And I believe this is a problem when it comes to being social online. I hear from many business owners that they are concerned about how much time they will spend online, but what many folks don't realize is that it is important to nurture your client relationships both in person and virtually.

People are spending more time online, and this is just increasing. Case in point: I am always on the hunt for fun, retro office supplies and even though there are great places in Austin I could shop, there is one website that pops up on my favorite blogs and on my Facebook feed quite often. They are always on my mind, so next time I plan to shop for office supplies, I will probably turn to their website before I check out any stores.

We all listen to our friends (word of mouth is king!), and this is a great opportunity for your customers, friends, and family members to be your ambassadors. Just a quick "wow this is great!" or a snapshot of a product or service can help drive traffic to your business - both in person and online.

Don't shut your virtual door. And when you make the decision to be online, make sure you engage your audience. It is not just about what you have to say, but what your audience has to say.