 Another mini used book haul~ Hello ~ So I’m wondering, how do you feel about New Year’s resolutions? My 2017 resolution was to stop spending so much on printed books and working so much. I actually went on a book buying fast for several months in 2017 and cut way, way back in 2018. It was difficult because I so love books, but it is made easier when I think about having to either ship them or store them when we move again. And the working so much? Well, I have taken a bit more time off and am back to daily walks, which help me handle the stress a lot better. Just getting away from my desk and out in nature has made a big difference.  Behold the beautiful New Mexico Mountains!  Bring on the veggies! I also vowed to eat better - which I'm still enjoying. :D
Some resolutions really change your life, others not so much. So for 2019 I am working on buying used books (cheaper and recycling is always a good idea) and also being picky about how many I keep. I'm going to continue eating the clean, veggie rich diet and make more time to travel. I think we may visit Sweden this year as well as some short trips in the US. So how about you? What are your resolutions and are you keeping them?  We can't always run away to the ocean, sadly. Happy Monday! So how are things? I am finishing up a nice weekend off. #WIN I don’t know about you, but lately, I’ve been coming home from work EXHAUSTED! I promised myself I would stop complaining about how tired I was from work on here, but I was asked recently how I relaxed after a stressful day. Honestly, in the past I just sucked it up and keep going. I used to tell myself that this was my life and that I had to keep going, people were depending on me. End of story. But over the past few years, I’ve realized that if I want to continue to kick-ass at work, I need to make my health and well-being a priority. I have to set firm boundaries and build in downtime for myself. I stared by creating a routine to help me relax when I get home. This gives me time to unwind and de-stress and makes the rest of the evening so much better. Talking to other women it's the same. Let's face it, it hard to relax after work when you have so much to do at home or if you run a side business, and especially if you have a family. OMG! The work never ends!  OMG! The laundry never ends! I’d get home and think about the 10,000 different projects I wanted to get started on, plus all the normal day-to-day stuff like gardening and laundry that needed to be tended too and then stay busy until I fell into bed, sometime around 11:45. Relaxing wasn’t something I was totally comfortable with. So if that sounds familiar and you need some help in the relaxing department, I have put together a few easy ways to relax after a long day at work. Change Out of Your Work Clothes Begin the minute you walk through the door. There’s nothing better than getting home from work and changing into a comfy t-shirt and losing the bra! Changing out of my work clothes tells my brain that its time to relax, and that I can enjoy a few hours to myself, without the stress of work weighing on my shoulders. Turn off Your Phone I’m on my phone all day long, and if I’m not on my phone, I’m on my computer. I’m answering e-mails, returning voicemails, processing paperwork, so when I get home, my brain needs a break. I’m legit sick of my phone by the time I get home, so I’ve been making an effort to unplug for a couple of hours. I’ll leave my phone in my bedroom for an hour or two and I’ll go out to the family room to do anything other than check my social media. This has helped my sanity tremendously. #BIGWIN Meditate/Do Yoga After a long day at work, it’s so great to spend a few minutes meditating. I'm actually a meditating expert, (I teach meditation), and because of that I know that anyone can learn this simple form of relaxation. Begin by just sitting on the floor for five minutes, and do nothing other than focusing on your breathing. This is also a great time to give thanks for the day and just be still. But if you’re not a fan of meditating or you’re just not ready for it, do some yoga or at the very least, stretch. Chances are, you’ve been sitting on your butt all day long, and your body needs some stretching. Trust me, you’ll feel SO MUCH BETTER! Another great way to unwind is reading. Grab A Book It's no secret I am a total bookworm! I love to sit in the garden or my reading nook and just relax with a good book. Even if you can only read for half an hour it will help you relax.  Take A Bubble Bath I swear, I think my bath tub is my favorite part of my new house. If it wasn’t for the fact that you get all wrinkly after sitting in the tub for a while, I think I’d stay in there for hours at a time. After a super stressful day at work, there’s nothing like slipping into a hot bubble bath. I use two different kinds of soaking baths- eucalyptus/sea salt and lavender- both are amazing for helping me achieve a few minutes of pure relaxation.  And speaking of scents... Use Essential Oils Right before bed I turn on my diffuser. I keep it filled with essential oil and not only does it relax me, but it helps me fall asleep quickly. I have one in my bedroom, one in the guest room and a large one in the formal living room. Plus I'm thinking of adding one to my office. I love oils THAT MUCH. Light Candles After a long day at work, I love lighting candles. It really sets the tone for the evening and it helps me remember to take it easy. It signals my brain that the rest of the night is for unwinding and a gentler pace.  Herbal Tea
Unwind with a mug of soothing herbal tea. The feel of your favorite mug in your hand and the wonderful aroma of a soothing herbal blend work together to help you relax. There are so many different blends to try, just make sure you get an organic tea that is pesticide free. How do you unwind and relax from a stressful day? I'd love to hear your tips - leave me a comment below and let's discuss. Now I'm off for a long soak with a good book and a warm cuppa! Catch you later-  Used books are often treasures that are out-of-print or rare. Hi, So I am off my "book fast" and currently building my TBR stack. I enjoy spending time browsing online and in person at used bookstore because you never know what you will stumble upon. Some authors might argue that books shouldn’t be sold in this manner since they don’t earn royalties on used books. I understand that, but as is the case with libraries, used book stores are a great place to discover authors and their work and add to your collection. If you are like me, once I find an author I like I usually purchase the entire catalogue.  Ignore the stickers...  Today's treasure were:
Another reason I'm drawn to used books is they offer a sense of their personal history. “To Jim, with love, Margret” makes me wonder about Jim and Margret and about their connection to the book. How did the book find it's way here? How many hands did it pass through? I rarely see a book with lots of highlighting and comments in the margins. Most often they maybe a bit worn from repeated reading, but I actually take that as a positive sign. So other than book shopping it was a normal day of work and usual errands. I plan on taking next weekend off to read and finish the details of my upcoming December trip.  I admit I love travel planning! After much research I have narrowed it down to two lovely guests houses for my next trip. This weekend I plan on booking one as I map out the rest of the adventure. This jaunt has a lot of moving pieces as I have a multiple state expeditions planned and have to schedule in work around sightseeing. I know by December I will be ready for some warm weather, but I'm happy now to pull out the boots and jackets.  Overall I'm enjoying the cooler weather this week. How about you? The fall weather is so nice! I dug out warmer leggings and last years boots earlier in the month and was pleased to see the boots are now a bit big on my legs. #ThankYouYoga While I'm still not where I want to be, the scales has finally started tipping in the right direction. Plus I feel so much better as well. Between yoga, walking more and eating better I feel much more like myself again. Now I'm ready to go adventure! Just as I was ending this entry, the post arrived with MORE BOOKS!  I purchased these online from Thrift Books and they are in excellent condition.  So excited to dive in!  Warm reading "nest" is calling... See you at the airport (or a used book store)~  How are you? It's a chilly 42' this afternoon in overcast New Mexico. (I love it!) And because I have a MEGA amount of traveling coming up I am out walking around trying to do anything but work, lol. So behold the beauty of a chilly afternoon walk...  Its cold, but still nice to be outside.   40 layers of clothes, lol  Layers of socks too! More videos soon, I may even finally post the Iceland videos. Better late, than never.
Catch you later~  Confession Time:
I have been doing yoga off and on since I was a teenager. But sadly the last few years I haven’t practiced more than once or twice a month, if that. :( In August I committed to a daily workout and couldn't be happier. I currently spend about 30 minutes every morning stretching and relaxing in different poses. Yoga makes my body feel good. It feels great on my spine, and I can feel the tension in my back releasing as I perform the different poses. From there it is easy to flow into my morning meditation and writing. #BIGWIN And yes, all this happens before work. Last year I could not have imaged having time enough in the mornings for more than that cup of coffee as I ran out the door! But since I have hired extra help in the office, I have gotten my life back. Thankfully my entire morning has changed for the better. How am I finding extra time for yoga? Waking up earlier (and going to bed earlier) ensures I have time for Yoga in the mornings. I used to stay up late working and then felt like crap the next day. Now I have a set schedule and relaxing night time routine. Not only do I feel better, I'm also calmer and unruffled all day long. The yoga has helped me feel less stressed mentally and my body feels more open and relaxed. This is true even when work gets crazy and I have to work those long hours. I have also noticed when I do morning yoga I'm less likely to eat crap or have another cup of coffee. What is your favorite form of exercise? Does it help you beat stress too? I’d love to hear. Also tune in tomorrow for more of September Blogging Challenge. Something Your Proud of Accomplishing Recently
Hmmm, I had to think on this one… I’m proud of a lot of stuff.
What are you proud of this week? Let me know in the comments section below. And see you tomorrow for “Favorite Fashion Trend”  Blogging Challenge Day 1: Goals for September OMG Where do I start? My Goals for September are pretty ambitions. Because of course, I have my business goals, (for my day job), my blog goals and my travel goals. My travel goals are ALWAYS ambitions, lol. Plus my normal monthly goals: Walk 10,000+ steps a day, eat better, make art, spend more time with my son, world peace, etc. When people start to understand how much I have going on, they seem amazed. I’m often ask how I get as much done as I do? My short answer is I stay organized and set goals. Without clear monthly goals I personally, wouldn’t get anything done. Are you a goal setter too?  BIG SEPTEMBER GOALS
February I sucked it up and hired more help. Since then I have hired two more people and things are really shifting now. Honestly, I should have done this last year, but somehow I convinced myself I didn’t have time to train them. Sure… SMH Both of these new lifesavers are ambitious and productive. They are assets to my business and are helping me remember why I do what I do again. These angels are also allowing me time to step away from the office and breathe. This is making work enjoyable once more and not the life sucking, black hole of deadlines and never-ending paperwork it had recently turned into. #AnotherTrueStory So with this new found time on my hands I committed to going to bed, (most nights) at a reasonable hour. I usually always woke up early, but now I don’t feel like I was hit by bus! I started a practical morning routine to help me stay motivated and plan out my day. I now have time for yoga, plus a morning walk and time to make a leisurely breakfast and visit with my son. Plus with the extra sleep I feel so much better. Now when I’m at work it’s pleasant and even enjoyable again. This also helped me get to the bottom of what and why I procrastinate on some projects and not on others. I farmed out the tasks that make me crazy and got those stuck projects moving again! #Win Another big change in my professional life was I stopped taking on ‘all things’ offered to me. I also got picky with my clients. I don’t except everyone who contacts me. If I know we aren’t a good fit I refer them to someone else. With these simple changes I only commit to new, worthwhile projects that lead towards my goals. I stopped overthinking and listened to my gut/heart on this and freed up so much energy! Then a total miracle happened… I actually have time to travel again! #WTF?! Which leads me to the another BIG Goals for the rest of 2018 -  2. Plan More Trips!
I want to plan at least one trip every other month and one or two small, weekend get aways on the months I’m not leaving the state. This gives me something to look forward to and feeds my wanderlust in a productive way. If I don’t plan out days off, they just won’t happen and I need up burned out from over working. 3. Blog Everyday Another goal for September is to blog everyday. Some posts are gonna be short and sweet and some are mini novels, lol. I actually have over ten finished and queued up waiting to post. So do come back visit this silly little blog again soon. (Who knows, there might even be a new post up?) Do you set goals? How do you stay motivated and on track? I’d love to hear. Working for yourself and being a parent is taxing. Honestly keeping lists and setting goals are the only way I can survive. See you at the airport~ Hiya!
I am sorting the pictures from last weeks hiking trip and took more video than I thought... *Warning some of it looks like I didn't know the camera was on! But regardless I took it as a sign that it was time to finally start a Youtube channel for this blog. I have two other channels for work that I'm hard pressed to update, so might as well add one more into the mix, right? lol Anyway, I promise a proper post of the hiking trip and info on this really cool, ancient sacred sight shortly. In the meantime, have a look at this video and let me know if you think I should try and post some of the old videos I have of Europe or just start fresh. I would like some feedback, if you have time. See you at the airport!  Hey! I really was thinking about editing my subscription boxes. On the one hand I love them! Its like Christmas every time they arrive! New, fun goodies and surprises! But on the other, this is more stuff I may or may not use and sometimes I feel that for the price you don't get much more than samples, you know? It's such a dilemma! So how come I'm opening a new box then? Well, as I was having this very conversation with a buddy of mine, she recommended this box. "If you're going to cut down on boxes, I'd keep this one." Keep it? I never even tried it! She looked at me like I was living under a rock! Turns out this company is so much more than just a beautiful subscription box. I went over to their website and ordered after reading and seeing all the value you get for the money.  And then my box arrived.... Did I mention everything is FULL SIZE no samples here! Use my link to save and Get your box! (We both win!) Here's the details: They ship out seasonal. so 4 boxes a year. But you can get Editors Boxes (like I did) anytime - plus they also have sales and add ons and oh so much more! This is what was in the Editors Box:  Nice! A good amount of info about the contents.  Nice attention to detail.  Looks pretty full! You also fill out info about yourself so that get products designed for you. Which seems like such a good idea, rather than making it a "one size fits all" box.  I really thought there would be more than one mask?  But look at all this cool stuff!  Love the salt!  Pink Himalayan table salt! How cute this that? Grab your box here and join the Fab Fit Family! The details: Boxes cost $49.99 (including shipping) Use the link to save on your box. They are very highly rated and loved by so many people! They do ship to Canada and Puerto Rico! But Shipping is an additional $8 for seasonal boxes and $10 for shop orders for all Canada, Puerto Rico, Alaska, and Hawaii orders.  Ethical, I like that a lot.  I was just about to buy a jump rope! Great timing!  French Lavender -This smells really nice! Not overly perfumed or like chemicals.  I will be donating this....  I know I will use the VEGAN bag!  Nice, right?  This may have been the reason the box had the oil spot! But it looks contained to the bag...  But I think it might have been this one.  The verdict? I'm going to try the regular seasonal box before I pass judgement. I liked most of the items but that mask valued at $36 is crazy! I actually wrote them to see if it was a mistake. No answer yet... but I will keep you updated.  Especially when I can get a set of 6 from Anthropologies for the same price. What do you think?
Have you tried this box before? Was it worth the $$? I'd love to hear about your experience! *This Post is continued here* Catch your later!  Its that time again!  And just in time the December Vegan Cuts Snack box has arrived! Who needs sugary, artificial crap when we can snack on organic, healthy treats like these!  Plus I don't have to go out in the cold to search for the goodies! They come right to my door!     Love Crunchy!  OMG! I am always surpised - there are so many healthy products I never knew existed! These healthy, authenic foods make you happy as you snack on them!  Always good Yogi tea!  Now that the day is over I'm going for a real run and then back home to watch the rest of Timless and snack - See you on the coach, lol
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Author Welcome to my (I used to travel) blog, my healthy Vegan lifestyle blog and my life! It's a lot, but it's my passions and I just love to write about it. Here I share tips, stories and photos from my adventures and life. This is the place where people can find daily inspiration to travel and motivation to live healthier lives and laugh a bit too! 
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