I’m not drowning, but I’m treading water. I’m not failing, but I’m barely succeeding. I’m not poor, but I’m just paying my bills. I’m not rich, but I’m grateful for all that we do have including a home, food, a car, etc. I’m not a gourmet chef, but I’m feeding my family (sometimes chicken nuggets…
Tag: happiness
Motherhood: I love it and I hate it
This goes out to all the moms who didn’t grow up their whole life wanting to be a mom. This is for the moms who decided much later in life to have kids or it was a surprise. The women who laid up at night while pregnant scared of what kind of mom they would…
I Am Worthy!
Last night I couldn’t sleep again for what feels like the umpteeth time. In my anxiety fueled insomnia, I attempted to repeat a mantra to myself. It was simply, “I am worthy!” I am worthy of praise. I am worthy of the love of others and of self love. I am worthy of that raise….
Self Care for Mamas
Are you a new mom? Are you struggling to find time to take care of yourself let alone eat and shower when you need to? I know I am. I can barely keep up with eating enough to sustain myself while breastfeeding my son and now all my clothes are hanging off of me. Everyone…
That First Ultrasound
Words can’t describe how happy we felt to see our baby for the first time this weekend! For six weeks now we’ve known a baby was growing inside of me, but it didn’t feel real. I felt it every time I got nauseous or exhausted, but was I really growing a baby inside my uterus?…
On a Quest to Heal Myself
Towards the end of 2018, I set out to find answers and to seek help. I was finally done with suffering and just accepting it as my reality. I wanted to feel happy and healthy again or in some cases for the first time. Healing isn’t easy though even when you finally have those answers…
Setting Goals for the New Year
I’m back! I, unfortunately, lost track of my goals this autumn as life got busier and more stressful. I was doing great keeping up with making a new recipe every Sunday and blogging about it until about mid-November. At that point, the bills were piling up and my husband still didn’t have a job. He…
Rejuvenation, Self Care, and Sisterhood: The Importance of Women’s Retreats
As women we tend to take care of everyone around us, but do a poor job at taking care of ourselves. We are expected by society to be motherly and nurturing to our children, husbands and friends, but are considered selfish and lazy if we take time for self care. Even if no one around…
Reflections on Life at Age 31
Yesterday was my 31st birthday and I woke up next to my husband in a very comfortable bed in the Luxor hotel in Vegas. Although slightly hungover from having 2.5 drinks (I know right!), I felt good. I checked my emails and found a letter I wrote to myself in August 2013 sent through futureme.org…
My Next Adventure: Cooking!
It’s taken me several months to come back to this blog. In some ways it just symbolizes this part of my life that is over now. I used to think that a life of travel was all I needed to be happy. I wanted to abandon the 9-5 and be an adventurer for life. I…
How to Beat the Unemployment/Post Travel Blues!
I’ll never regret quitting a job to travel, but it’s returning afterwards that is always super tough. It’s easy to get depressed when you go from traveling and seeing and doing new and exciting things every day to sitting at home applying to jobs and being broke. I’ve been in this situation twice and it…
Pura Vida and American Prices in Costa Rica
“Pura vida,” the older couple shouts over their shoulder at us as they walk away. We are starting to catch on that this comment is the popular tag line of Costa Rica and the white tourists are eating it up. Everyone ends and starts their conversations here by cheerfully spouting off the words like a…
Overcoming My Limits: Rainbow Mountain and Red Valley
I’ve never been so challenged in my life! This trip has really helped me see past my self-imposed limits and know that we truly have no limits. I was terrified about climbing Rainbow Mountain, but this trip is all about facing my fears. So we went for it! We had a 3am wake up call…
Transitions are Hard, but Worth it!
It seems about every 2-4 years, I go through a big transition. Just when things get comfortable in my life, I either decide it is time to shake things up or the Universe does it for me. There is something about routine and comfort, that I just can’t handle. As soon as I start to…
A Letter to My Mom for Mother’s Day
Dear Mom, I love you to the moon and back. I love you to infinity. I love you this much You are my inspiration. You may not have known it, but I was always looking up to you. You turned an at-home daycare into a blossoming business with multiple locations. I loved visiting your office…
Dear Worry: It’s Not Me It’s You…
Dear worry, We need to talk. I think I am finally ready to call it quits. No, this isn’t like the last hundred times when I pushed you away and then came running back to you when I couldn’t deal. This is for real this time. You’ve done nothing but bring me down and it…
Ways to Stay Positive When Life Gets Tough!
Life has not been easy the past two years. Last year, I discovered I had some health problems I needed to deal with. My partner and I also had a head on collision that caused a considerable amount of stress and pain for both of us. Finances have ebbed and flowed. We’ve tried our best…
How I Learned to Say Yes to Me!
We live in a culture that encourages us to always say yes. Yes to our boss. Yes to our partner. Yes to the salesman. But, does it encourage us to say yes to ourselves. In the United States, you are valued for how hard you work. If your boss asks you to take on an…
Snow Days Bring Out the Humanity in Us!
When I was a kid, we played outside until it got dark. We hated when our mother’s would call us inside. Year round you could find us running with our friends from the block or riding our bikes to the local candy shop to buy something with the pennies we’d collected. The internet and smart…
Traditions Make Me Happy!
I realized this past weekend, how addicted I am to keeping my traditions. Halloween just came and went, but I wouldn’t let it go before I at least practiced a few of my favorite traditions. I get really depressed if I can’t practice my traditions for every holiday and season. I made sure to visit a…
An Active Relationship is a Happy Relationship
It is easy when you are in a long term relationship, to settle into a routine. You get up each morning to the dinging of an alarm, one of you hops in the shower while the other prepares breakfast, you kiss good bye, and then each evening you make dinner and stay in watching your…
Fear Part two: The Barrier Between You and True Happiness
Not only does fear cause xenophobia and racism, but it also stands in your way of happiness. Our fear of the unknown, prevents us from ever realizing our true potential or taking that leap towards greater happiness and opportunity. Fear acts as the silent kidnapper, tying you down to a chair and preventing you from…
Stop Waiting for Friday!
“Is it Friday yet?” is probably the most common question asked in offices. Most of us know that feeling, when the weekend ends and we have to face the most dreaded day of the week: MONDAY!! Monday is the day, you have to wake up early and realize the weekend is over and you have a…
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