What My New Self Knows

 My girlfriends and I got together for a Vision board making day.  It was, all at once, therapeutic, relaxing and just really fun. If you don’t know what a vision board is, its just a collage of all the things you want to invite into your life, basically your vision of the future, down on paper.

My girlfriend had posted a quote on hers that struck a chord with me, it said: “What would your New Self Tell Your Old Self?” and I thought long and hard about that.

What would me now, tell me then? Because I have changed whole heartedly. I mean who hasn’t changed over the course of a year, five year, ten years? We all encounter situations that shape us into better individuals or do I dare say, worse off than we were before.

So what would I tell myself? I think I would say to be more spiritual and kind to my body. As I get older I’m realizing how things c-h-a-n-g-e after thirty, and I don’t just mean my metabolism slowing down. I mean, hair loss,  inability to stay up past 9:30, and sensitivity to acidic foods. Maybe I would tell my young self to drink less, eat better and meditate daily. I would want early me to learn to navigate stress better because I’m anxious as all hell now. (But I’m working on it).

I would tell early me to keep making mistakes and not be so hard on myself when I made them. Because ultimately I ended up right where I belong…

What would your New Self tell your Old Self if you could?

Log out.

My girlfriends and I decided that for the month of April we would log out of our Facebook accounts and have a social media strike. Today is day 12. And I feel great. (It sounds like a twelve step program and I am in social media rehab)

I have to admit that the first week was hard. I wanted to log back in, and cheat. I wanted to see if I had any notifications…I wanted to see who was paying attention to my life…

But within the first few days I realized how much the action of opening my phone to check Facebook became a habit rather than a tool for communication. Of course I was communicating sometimes, but a majority of the time I would just grab my phone to out of pure habit. Not because I was eager to be on Facebook, just because it was what I did every morning. (This habitual checking not only became apparent to me when I woke up but throughout the day too, but maybe more on the next time.)

On a typical morning, I would open my phone to check “the news” on Facebook and then get out of bed. Without Facebook, I actually got, well, I got out of bed. (Shocking, I know) I woke up without liking anyones posts, without seeing where my friends were vacationing. I wasn’t reading about the horrible morning my girlfriend was having with an X boyfriend and I wasn’t scrolling past endless vague-inside jokes- that no one but the poster (and the intended tagged individual) would understand.

Although there were some great articles to read and always some amazing photos to ‘like’, all in all it wasn’t worth wasting a half hour (maybe more) of my morning when I could be doing more productive things. Like brushing my teeth for instance, or taking a shower, or…hanging out with my kids.

I’ve realized quitting Facebook might just be something I will do forever. I have more time on my hands now. I have more social interactions with my friends in person and on the phone. And as an added bonus, my friends and I are actually talking to each other…not tagging each other and our location to tell everyone else what we are doing.

I used to think that checking my FB every ten minutes now and then was fine. Which it was, but those minutes do add up. And at the end of the day I realized I lost an hour (or more) just scrolling, and liking, and sometimes feeling shitty that I wasn’t vacationing with my friends too. Or whatever cool thing they were doing.

I have more then half the month more to go, so more on my Facebook logout later!

XO

Mimi

That Dress

Photo Credit Mimi B.C

I bought this dress recently from the Gap and I just about died. I love it so, SO much. Thing is my body right now isn’t where it needs to be to rock it. But thats ok! You see I love to purchase things like this in order to find fit inspiration.(#Finspiration?) I’m sure many of you have an “inspiration ______ (insert item of clothing here)”. So As a homage to my new dress my health changes documented below.

#1: DRINK MORE TEA and NIX COFFEE: Can’t believe i’m (typing) that out loud! Plus coffee has dairy and we all know how much many calories half and half can have!

#2: DON’T EAT FAST FOOD: With kids, and when you are in a hurry this is, very, very difficult. But it can be done.  I’m super guilty of this, so this may be a hard one.

#3: MAKE GYM TIME A PRIORITY: Not that working out isn’t. I think working out is something that we do, but only when we have time. So much like bathing, gym time should be an important part of the day…no matter what you do, some exercise is better then no exercise right?

#4: COOK MORE: This goes in-line with the whole, not eating fast food thing. As a mom, cooking is something that I tend to pretty much suck at. Not going to candy coat it. I’m not a very good cook. But I try, and trying is all that matters.

#5: HAVE PEOPLE AROUND WITH LIKE MINDED GOALS: Of all of the of these health habit changes, this one is my favorite. I think that having friends and family who are supportive of your lifestyles changes (and tend to have a healthier lifestyle in general) make it easier to maintain a healthier balance!

So what is your fit-inspiration? In what ways do you modify your lifestyle to achieve this?

Four Gifts for girls who have everything.

Shopping for a gift for a friend (who has everything) and not sure what to get her? Here are five simple and amazing gifts to grab for your gal pal without breaking the bank.

Photo Credit: mimi B.C.

 

 

1. The Simple Girl: Succulents are beautiful and really inexpensive gifts that are easy to care for! I grabbed this silver pot to put it in from Target for a $1!

 

 

 

 

 

2. The Makeup Junkie: These lipstick holders are amazing for that girl who has a ton of beauty products! These hold between 18-20 and you can find them online for less then $10!

 

 

 

3: The Fashionista: Statement necklaces are really amazing for girls who like to make a big statement with what they wear. Target and Forever21 are great places to find inexpensive necklaces (both classic or statement for less then $20). Just be sure your gal pal isn’t allergic to synthetic materials.

 

 

 

4: The Working girl: A cool pen set from their favorite designer is always a fun accessory for the working girl to keep at their desk.

Before you shop for Makeup…

Want to buy makeup? Here is what you should know before you head to the makeup counter:

1. Make sure you know exactly what you want: or at least how much you are willing to spend. It is really easy to buy items you don’t need when you are with an artist who know what they are doing. (Meaning, works off commission and is extremely good at getting you to buy ‘extras’). Not saying that all artists are out to take your money, but many do have commissions and sales goals to achieve.

2. Not all artists are created equal: Remember the saying “don’t judge a book by its cover?” Well it applies here. Some of the BEST artists I know don’t wear makeup at all. Just because they don’t wear it on themselves doesn’t mean they can’t make you look gorgeous. And that artist with crazy liner and bright orange lips? Well, just because they have ‘crazy’ makeup also doesn’t mean they can’t make you look like a natural beauty. I suggest asking for recommendations at the counter before you get your make up done. “I’m looking for a _____ look. Who would you recommend?”

3. Research…: With the internet being what it is there are literally hundreds of ways to find different products that you will love even before you hit the mall. Doing a little research will save you time and money!

4. …But be realistic: One of my favorite things to hear when I worked at a counter was: “I want to look like (insert famous person here).” The thing is, her skin, eye shape, bone structure and lips…you guessed it– all different. And imagine her displeasure when I told her that she just can’t look like that because of x,y,z. As makeup consumers we have to be realistic about what we want to achieve with it. Do you want a dewy look? but have insanely oily skin? Maybe that look isn’t for you. Do you like really chiseled, contoured looks but don’t have time to do it? That might not look good on you either. There are ways to achieve the same style of makeup but remember to work with and enhance what you have. You may just be missing a beautiful feature unique to you.

5. Think about the time of day it is: Unless you already know what you want, going to a makeup counter on a Saturday during prom season, is a REALLY. BAD. IDEA. Or during a holiday. Just Saturdays and Friday nights are horrible days to have a lot of questions. If you have lots of questions try visiting counters early in the morning when traffic is typically lower, maybe a weekday morning, or late evening when everyone is home for dinner. Having (lots) of questions about makeup during a busy day can lead to a bad experience for both you and your artist.

6. Request a consult: So you HAVE to go on a busy Saturday, request an appointment. If you are buying a ton of product anyway, odds are you will be able to put that money towards a full face makeup application. So call your favorite artist ahead of time, schedule an appointment with them and everybody wins.

Xo-Mimi

Splurge Vs. Save: Makeup

So the question I get A LOT is: What are the best products to use? And I think “best product” is too general of a term, and I can write about those in another post.  I do have a preference of splurging and saving. There are particular products that I feel are worth a good splurge and some that you can save a ton on! Read on…

Save: Mascara- Unless you are born (blessed) with amazing lashes, (that I am not by the way) Mascara is something that almost everyone uses, and can be purchased at amazingly inexpensive prices. The brush ‘style’ and ‘fiber-enriched’ will differentiate many formulations, but what I tend to say is, if it works for you, the cheaper the better.

Splurge: Foundation- Great skin can be faked, but great skin can also look very cheap depending on what color and formula you are using. So buyer beware! Best to have your color matched with a makeup artist at a counter to help you find a shade that MATCHES your neckline, works with your skin type and has right type of coverage for your liking. Spending a little more helps put your freshest face forward.

Save: Lipliner- Lip liners are great items to buy at a drug store, the colors and styles are all very similar to what is offered by more expensive brands for a fraction of the price.

Splurge: Eyeshadow- Eyeshadows aren’t created equal. Some shadows are more pigmented than others, so what you are seeing in the case isn’t necessarily what will show up on your skin.  How shadow applies to the skin is super important for making your shadows look great and stay that way!

Save: Liquid Eye Liner- Dare I say this? I have been using drug-store-old-school liquid liner on clients for the LONGEST TIME. There are some amazing waterproof liquid liners out there (If you are afraid of the formula budging) and now the brushes are even better too!

Splurge: Pencil Eyeliner- Conversley, a good kohl eye liner is hard to come by. The water line, where pencil is typically applied, is such a sensitive spot for liner. If you are rubbing a (cheaper) liner in that area of the eye there is a good chance that irritation can occur. Have a makeup artist recommend a good kohl liner and test its application on your water line to see if it ‘tugs’.

Xo-Mimi

Military Chic for under $120

Holidays are amazing times to double up on coupons for clothing. I was able to get this amazing transitional winter-spring look for less then $150! With a little searching (and patience) you can get some really good deals!

Never underestimate the power of coupon codes. I LOVE a fantastic deal, and I got one with this. These destroyed black Jeans are American Eagle, and I purchased them during a clearance blowout! They were offering and additional 60% off clearance price and offered free shipping! Practically giving these amazing jeans away. Original price: $39.99. My Price: $15.

The Marc Fisher booties where also an amazing steal. Macy’s had an additional 20% off clearance during their Presidents day sale. Original Price: $120.  My Price: $60.

Last up, the Lucky Jacket was purchased at Tj Maxx and If you are willing to hunt, that place has the most amazing deals. Original Price: $89.50 My Price: $60!

This would have cost me somewhere in the 200+ Range had I purchased full price. Moral of the story, sign up for emails and keep an eye out for good sales. Often times you can stack those coupon codes.