New Year Resolutions for 2021

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure to learn more.

There has been talk that there is no need to write resolutions for 2021, and I get it. People are tired, fatigued from the pivoting we did in 2020, not to mention all the politics and the social conflict. I understand the difficulty in creating expectations that will challenge us further for the year ahead (stretch us past our limits, some will say), but I beg to differ on the writing of resolutions front.

As C.S. Lewis once wrote, “Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extra-ordinary destiny.”

I have found that the times in my life that have been most tough are the moments right before big change happened. Stead-fastness is what we need during this transition. We need to courage to believe that 2021 holds the potential to be the most amazing years of our lives.

Of course, every individual reacts to trauma differently. Personally, I like to face trauma head on and conquer it (case in point: My Decision to Aggressively Tackle My Student Loan Debt), but even I have challenges that I find difficult to face. However, to give up altogether?! No, that isn’t me, and I don’t think that’s you either.

If you feel like resolutions are a bit too much, just write ONE like I did in 2018, after I went through the most roller-coaster year of my life (which was also the most pivotal!). For the more motivated, try beginning with the end. And for those who really can’t bring themselves to pull out paper and pen at this time, no worries – there is always the opportunity to write resolutions in the middle of the year. Let’s not let the New Year define our opportunities to create change.

I, for one, am excited about what 2021 could bring. My gleaming eyes are looking ahead to a bright future. I’m a dreamer and an optimist, so I wrote a lengthy list of resolutions. 2020 was a year that forced me to slow down. I dissociated myself from my own identity to unearth the real me, an experience that I recently wrote about here.

Each year, I focus my resolutions around a theme. Last year was about self-care in many forms, including taking care of my surroundings and home, focusing on my health, and slowing down enough to give myself time to recharge. In the process, I discovered balance, kindness (towards myself and others), and my place in this world. All of this sets me up nicely for a wonderful 2021.

My focus for 2021 is to make it the year of my most meaningful work.

I feel more grounded in my being that I ever have, and the purpose of creating space the previous year is to fill it as intentionally as possible. This is not to be confused with more work but rather quality work. I am not only referring to professional work either, encompassing work on my relationships, on my home, on my spirituality, and on my self.

In order to set myself up for success, I paired my resolutions with actionable and measurable goals. Maybe you’ll find a few that resonate with you. However, I would highly recommend writing your own first, before allowing someone else’s (mine included) to influence your hopes for the year to come. And if I don’t get around to it, I wish you and yours love and light in the New Year!

My 2021 New Year’s Resolutions

Focus on Health
- Make exercise routine. Focus on the exercises that are enjoyable, like running, swimming and yoga to make it more sustainable. Goal: Exercise 5 days a week.
- Eat more veggies and fruit. Goal: Incorporate these into meals at least 5 days a week.
- Eat to be satiated, abandon gluttony. Goal: Aim to only be 80% full.
- Sleep on a consistent schedule. Goal: Try to sleep between the hours of 10pm and 6am.
- Wake up at a consistent time. Goal: Get up when you feed the cat, instead of crawling back into bed.

Focus on Having Less
- Less Instagram. Goal: Limit yourself to 15 minutes per day.
- Less Shopping for both the self and the home. Goal: Spend only $35 on fun money each month. When you feel the need to buy something new, write the reasons why what you have is enough. Wait at least one month before buying something you want.
- Less obligation and responsibilities. Goal: Practice responding with “Can I get back to you?” to give yourself the space for consideration.

Focus on Creating Your Best Work
- Prepare each morning for the day ahead. Goal: Meditate each morning to clear the mind. Prioritize your tasks for the day ahead, and delegate or de-clutter as many as you can before beginning work. Put on an outfit and get ready as if you are going into work to create that separation between work and home.
- Be on time to show respect for other people’s timelines. Goal: Show up to work, appointments and events at least five minutes early.
- Study dentistry to invigorate a passion towards the profession. Goal: Complete 50 CE units this year.
- Provide usefulness to others via the blog so that I may make a living helping people virtually. Goal: Create digital downloads, consider intentional living consultations, and work on writing a book on living intentionally.
- Create the ideal WFH space. Goal: Carve out a dedicated area in the home for work. Make it a sanctuary.

Focus on Creating a Good Home
- Keep up with de-cluttering. Goal: De-clutter monthly both physical and digital clutter.
- Maintain a clean and tidy home. Goal: Follow this cleaning schedule.

Focus on Spirituality
- Meditate more often. Goal: Use the Tide App 5 times a week.
- More outdoors time to reduce cortisol levels. Goal: Aim for at least 30 minutes of walking or hiking in nature three times a week.
- Have more gratitude. Goal: Write the top 3 things the be grateful for each morning. Thank my food and my things for gracing my life.
- Reflect on a quote each morning. Goal: Find a quote that speaks to where you are in life and share it each day with others.
- Spread goodness. Goal: Volunteer once a month. Call three friends and family members each week and tell them why you are grateful for them.

Focus on Myself
- Make time to read more books, which will expand your knowledge, perspective, and experience. Goal: Read two books a month.
- Learn a language or musical instrument. Goal: Learn French enough to be able to have conversation and learn two songs on either piano or guitar each month.
- Get into drawing again. Goal: Complete two drawings per month.
- Reserve the evenings for relaxation and rejuvenation. Goal: Put the phone away one hour before bed.

The Ultimate Cleaning List

In my opinion, one of the best things 2020 did for us was turn our attention inward – on our relationships, on ourselves, and on our homes, to name a few examples. The latter, especially, has been prominent this year for me. I have spent a decent amount of time introspecting on the first two over the past few years, however, as an avid traveler, work-a-holic, and on-the-go person, the latter was neglected until the stay-at-home culture forced me to, well, stick around.

One of my goals for an intentional 2021 is to keep my living space sparkling clean. It has been transformed in the last year into an oasis from the outside world; a safe haven where we all work, rest, and rejuvenate. My best moments of 2020 have occurred under this very roof. It only seems appropriate to pay my respects in the form of diligent maintenance and care.

On that note, in the process of writing a 2021 New Year Resolution list, I side-tracked to create my own guide to keeping a dwelling spotless. I wanted to share with you guys what works for us, although depending on your home, your list of needs may differ. I separated tasks into daily, weekly, monthly, bi-annually, and annually time frames. Along the way, I added a few tips on how to make this list (which can seem overwhelming at first) a sustainable practice built out of habit. I would venture that after a bit of practice, you may find cleaning your home to be quite the opposite – relaxing and fun in nature. Enjoy!

The Ultimate Cleaning List

Every Day

TIP: I consider every day tasks as habits that are built into your normal lifestyle. At first, they may seem like just another thing to check off your list, but eventually, they should become routine movements that are done quickly and without much thought. These every day cleaning habits will ease the more long-term cleaning tasks, so definitely don’t ignore them!

It’s the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen.
John Wooden

Make the bed
Clean coffee maker
Wash dirty dishes
Wipe down kitchen counters and table
Wipe down bathroom surfaces
Sanitize kitchen and bathroom sinks
Squeegee shower
Vacuum floors (Ever since we switched to this Dyson V8 Absolute, Vacuuming has been such an extreme joy. It work great on our cement floors and the carpet attachment is perfect for rugs! I would highly recommend this product as it is one of the top five purchases we’ve ever made that improves our day to day lives.)
Put things away at the end of the day

Every Week

TIP: It helps to tackle these tasks throughout the week. Finding a schedule that works for you and your home is very important. For example, we do laundry, change bedding and mop floors on Saturday mornings. We toss expired food when we return from our weekly grocery shopping, as we are stowing the new groceries away. I scrub the bathroom tub during one of my showers on a weekday when I am off from dentistry. I wipe down kitchen appliances after an especially messy meal prep. I vacuum the furniture regularly and clean the vacuum whenever I notice it’s messy.

In order to avoid over-whelm or wasting away an entire weekend, use little pockets during your workday to do these tasks. While some people will scoff at the distraction this provides, my argument is that sedentary lifestyles are the bane of our existence and the general cause of our health problems. By committing to one task per work day, you are giving your eyes, mind, and body a break while providing necessary movement and blood flow to your work life. Plus, you’ll get your heart pumping, and I would argue it still makes for a productive day!

Laundry
Mop Floors
Change Bedding
Toss expired food from the fridge
Scrub bathroom tub
Wipe down kitchen appliances
Clean microwave
Sanitize sponges
Dust and vacuum furniture
Clean vacuum

Every Month

TIP: Just like the weekly tasks, I would disperse these cleaning items throughout the month rather than wait until the last weekend. Of course, that is just my personal preference. I know a few people who find greater success in procrastination and monthly deep cleanings. I can only imagine how cathartic that must feel!

Wash car
Wash vacuum filters
Vacuum vents and woodwork such as base boards
Dust and clean light fixtures
Wipe down inside of fridge
Wash shower curtain liner
Clean patio surfaces
Wash comforter
Clean range hood
Clean washing machine using a cleaner cycle
Clean dishwasher
Sweep the garage every month

Every 6 months

TIP: Unlike the weekly and monthly tasks, I do recommend doing these things at the same time. It is most efficient to pick two months out of the year to tackle these tasks. For some, that may be spring cleaning season and right before the holidays. For me, I like mid-year in June and at the end of the year in December. June is my birthday month and December is right before the new year. Both months symbolize a new beginning for me, so I like to start my beginnings fresh.

Deep clean windows
Wash couch covers
Vacuum mattress
Wash pillows
Clean inside of oven
Clean drapes

Every Year

TIP: We only have a few yearly tasks in our household. These are easy to plan ahead for. I simply add a reminder in my planner regarding these tasks and then order the parts when I come to that month. Once the parts arrive, it is only a matter of doing the task right away instead of waiting for dust to collect.

Change AC filter
Change Water Filter

If you happened to like this list of mine, please check out my Weekly Cleaning List Download which I created to help stream-line cleaning tasks around the home. If your resolution is to maintain a clean home in the New Year, this checklist may facilitate that by simplifying and organizing those tasks. Simply print and stick on a fridge or kitchen cabinet, tuck inside a planner, or lay by your nightstand as a daily reminder. Share it with your loved ones, I won’t mind! This is a way for you to support this space and the content you find here in an intentional way, while allowing me to continue making a living without resorting to advertising. I thank you for being in this space and hope that this list provides useful.

Happy Cleaning!

Monthly Goals: September

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure to learn more.

This post is written in partnership with Mal Paper, a UK company creating intentional stationary focused on gratitude and productivity. The company is named after the Swedish word “goal” and is pronounced “mo-l”. The inspiration of their products come from the Scandinavian clean and clutter-free lifestyle that’s extremely popular today. Their mission is simple. Focus on creating products that give the user clarity on what they want to achieve with a clear path on how to get there, all while promoting a positive mindset to carry over on to their daily activities. They recently reached out to me to give their Daily Goal Setter a try. I am desperately in LOVE. I think every American suffering from the over-whelming pressure to do”more” needs to reassess their goals with this planner.

In my quest to discover a balance between everyday life and my mental health during the month of August, I re-discovered a few things about myself. I am an extremely goal-driven person with achingly high expectations. I push myself to do too much, which is why I have such a need to focus on slow and intentional living. (Isn’t it funny how human it is to be attracted to the things we are not?) I found that I was falling off the wagon on a few habits, and then realized it’s because I LEGIT listed twenty-five habits to take up. In ONE month. I set extremely high goals for myself such as “increase production at work”, “work on writing a book”, “post five times a week on the blog”, all of which leave little room for life itself. Yet still, I squeeze “bake a new recipe”, “learn French”, “take up guitar”, and “explore two new places” somewhere in the crevices of my already tight schedule.

So when Mal Planner asked me to try their planner, I was all for it. I adopted a few things that I think will help me to continue my mindful actions in September. Below are all the ways that Mal Planner helps me to slow-it-down and to practice living from a place of calm and peace.

A New Morning Routine

Every morning, I will practice a new routine. It goes as follows.

First, I will write down three things that I am grateful for. This can be something like “For my family” or “For a delicious cup of early morning coffee.” But it can also be things that are often over-looked, such as “For clean water to drink” or “A window in my home for sunlight to shine through.” By practicing gratitude journaling, I will be starting the day with a positive mindset, while also allowing myself opportunity to recognize that perhaps, if nothing else, life is already enough.

Second, I will write down an affirmation. An affirmation is a sentence such as “I am brave enough to tackle obstacles that come my way” or “I am confident in my ability to get the job done.” It can also be something as simple as “I have an ability to make choices” or “I am whole”. Whatever empowering thought there is to carry me through the day, I will focus my energy on that. I will take time to recite and memorize my affirmation of the day.

Lastly, I will read that day’s inspiring quote, which Mal Paper has integrated at the bottom of every day’s page and throughout the entire planner..

A New Way of Creating Tasks

Have you ever felt like you’re doing so much but getting nowhere? One of the biggest problems ineffective people face is not prioritizing their tasks well. There is the saying, “Efficiency is doing things right. Effectiveness is doing the right things.”

One of my favorite drawings which I first saw in the book of Essentialism is this:

Essentialism, Greg McKeown | Wise words, Words

It is my favorite drawing by far because I’ve definitely been the person on the left. Multiple times. So this month (and hopefully every month forward), I will try to be mindful of prioritizing tasks in order of importance. The planner suggests listing tasks for the day, then prioritizing them in order. Afterwards, I will try my best to complete tasks based on priority. Focusing on low-priority tasks can make you feel over-whelmed and exhausted, especially when more important tasks are not being completed.

That, honestly, is a waste of energy.

An Old Way of Setting Goals

I have always set goals in a certain way and I am so happy to see that Mal Paper agrees with me on at least one method of planning. I set goals using the SMART Method.

S: Specific. Goals are always specific so that there is clarity on what exactly we are trying to do. Answer the questions Who, What, When, Where, and How.

M: Measurable. Goals need to be measurable, otherwise you will not know if there is progress or not. It is not enough to say, “I want to earn more money.” It would be better to say, “I want to earn 10% more than that I was earning last year.”

A: Achievable. Make sure that all your goals are realistic. Setting goals that are too high (e.g. “I want to be a millionaire by tomorrow) can be very disheartening when they aren’t achieved. Let’s be real. Unless you win the lottery, that would be impossible.

R: Relevant. This is where you answer the question, “Why?” Ask yourself why it is that you want to complete this goal? How will doing so improve your life?

T: Timely. Set yourself a timeline for when you want your goal completed. This will help you stay on track. I divide my goals into Long Term (years), Medium Term (6 months to 1 year), and Short Term (a month to 6 months).

Doing each of these steps for each of your goals will really clear your path to productivity and success.

A New Weekly Routine

Once I make a goal, I will revisit every week each goal and break them down into smaller tasks. Each week, I will prioritize the top five tasks to complete. At the end of the week, I will evaluate how effective I was. I have done this at the beginning of every month, but I see now that I also need to do it weekly.

A New Evening Routine

Lastly, the routine before bed. I know that this is the hardest part because at the end of the day, the last thing you want to do is think. But it’s important to reflect on the positive moments and write down all the good things that happened. Something like “I got a promotion at work” is equally as important as “I got coffee with an old friend.”

Instead of dwelling on all the things that went wrong or that I didn’t complete (which I do dwell by the way), I can focus on the positive moments which will put me in the correct mindset and build my confidence in making things happen.

Then the planner suggests I rate my day from 1-10. I don’t know about everyone else, but I am a numbers gal. I never thought about rating my day, but I think that is very important. The ratings can easily summarize how I feel over a given amount of time. I know that if I start to notice a lot of low numbers in the past few weeks, then a lifestyle change needs to happen. Perhaps I am rating my days lowly because of feeling burnt out at work. That may mean that I need to change something in the workspace or decrease my work load.

Out of all of these routines, I think that the morning and evening rituals are of utmost importance. By coming from a place of gratitude and focusing on the positive things that happen in my life, there will be a greater chance for happiness. Also, reflective evaluation will allow for chances to identify opportunities for growth and improvement.

Of course, my month of September is still goal-driven. But I have seen a shift in my priorities and goals. I hope you see them, too.

PERSONAL:

Go offline 1 day per week
Read two books
Practice French daily
Learn 1 new guitar song
Keep up with the new morning and evening rituals
Be early to work every day

WORK:

Work on growing Pinterest
Apply to affiliates for October
Add Referral page on the blog
Reduce the number of patients seen to decrease burn out

HOME:

Work on upgrading the bathroom
Declutter digital photos

HEALTH:

Run or yoga each day
Take up gratitude journaling
Keep up with evening assessment
Light a candle at 9:30pm + relax every evening.

FINANCE:

Read JL Collin’s
Read Investment book
Revisit Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing Course (affiliate link) to optimize monetization of the blog.

OTHER:

Write the Rough Draft of the book
Read about Self-Publishing
Make 1 new recipe
Explore 2 new places

The planner from this post is from Mal Paper.
The mug is from East Fork Pottery in Morel.
The linen coaster is from Shop Fog Linen in Black Houndstooth.
The nail polish is by Restore ________ in June’s color for mental health awareness.

Restore ______.

This post is in partnership with Restore _____., a nail polish company focused on raising awareness on current social issues, especially those pertaining to women. This polish company donates a portion of their proceeds to non-profit organizations centered around these issues. Their subscription model ensures that monthly donations to multiple non-profit organizations are being made. If you’d care to learn more about this awesome company, read on. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own. And thank you for supporting the companies that support this space.

If you could restore one thing in your life right now, what would it be?

Health.

Hope.

Peace.

Love.

Freedom.

Faith in a better tomorrow?

We’ve all been through tough times. During these moments, we experience different degrees of loss. Sometimes, it’s enough to just survive one more day. Currently, I just try to survive the news.

But what if we knew that there was a community holding us up? What if, during the tough times, there are people who have our backs? Wouldn’t that make it easier somehow? What if, instead of facing things alone, we face them united?

Restore _____. was created with that in mind. Painting nails seem like such a frivolous activity, but adding meaning and purpose behind this simple act is something we can all get behind. The concept is as follows: we paint our nails a specific color during a particular month of the year to stand in solidarity against current social issues. The founder, Natacha Cabrera, wanted to grow support while raising awareness, especially around issues that affect women. The themes include pregnancy and infant loss, sexual violence, body image, mental health, women’s history, infertility, adoption, and motherhood.

A portion of the polish proceeds goes towards funding a non-profit organization related to the theme of the month. This allows people to donate towards a cause while doing their usual shopping. The clever idea of having a monthly subscription option means that monthly donations are being made to a number of different organizations. You may want to secure your spot, however, since there are only 100 monthly boxes going out per month. If you like surprises, you can also opt for a mystery box which comes with three different nail polish colors.

As far as the paint itself, it’s amazing. First, the polish is seven free, vegan, and cruelty-free. It is also made in the USA. Lastly, it paints on very nicely. Two coats is all it takes, and the polish is quite fluid which allows an even layer. I absolutely get bothered by globby nail polish that paints on bulky and bumpy. Painting with Restore ______. is a breeze.

I, myself, chose the color for my birthday month – June. June was focused around mental health, which was also my own personal theme for the month of August. Painting nails is a way for me to force focus on one thing. It is a pause from the constant musings of my mind. Consider it a breather. It may seem strange to hear, but I set aside time specifically for this activity once a week. As in, I pencil it into my planner. It’s also one of the few ways in which I show myself care. I am not an overtly fashion-centered gal, but having neat, trimmed nails makes me feel put together even when my outfit of choice is a pair of scrubs.

I think that restoring that bit of time for myself was something I’ve struggled with my whole life. That’s the over-achiever in me. Perhaps that’s my word for the month. I am focusing on mental health, after all.

Restore self.

What about you?

FACTS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH

1 in 5 Americans has experienced some form of mental illness.
29% of Americans say they’re embarrassed to speak to people about mental health, even to medical professionals preventing them from seeking help.
800K suicide deaths occur globally each year, with over 41,000 in the U.S. alone. It is the second leading cause of death worldwide for 15-29 year olds.
70-90% of people who seek proper treatment for mental health disorders witness a significant reduction in symptoms.

If you or someone you know is suicidal or in emotional distress, call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline:

1-800-273-TALK (8255)

For information on mental health and treatment services in your area, call the Treatment Referral Hotline:

1-877-726-4727

Intentional Living: Night-time Skin Care Rituals with True Botanicals

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure to learn more.

There are routines, and then there are rituals. One is a basic repetition of activity, the other carries a more sacred underpinning. There IS a difference. That old adage of “It’s not so much what you do, but how” applies here. I believe that the former helps facilitate fast-living, whereas the latter defines slow. And while my planner is chock full of routines to get me by, my heart lives for the tiny rituals that ease me into and out of my most trying times. I have a list of morning rituals that prepare me for a brand new day, and a set of winding-down evening rituals that release the stresses I’ve managed to corral under my skin.

One of my nightly rituals is skincare, a relatively new focus of healthcare for me. I began 2020 on a journey to find out why a year-long battle with a skin rash has been untreatable by my dermatologist. Tired of getting nowhere and purchasing a million chemical formulae stuffed into plastic tubes, I reached out to a wellness coach instead. Turns out, the best solution I’ve found is reducing stress. Also avoiding chemicals and eating fruits and veggies. I ditched those plastic tubes and switched to amber glass bottles.

I am a big lover of natural concoctions packaged in glass. I know that the appearance of a product might prove vain but that’s the thing with rituals. Beauty matters because it helps to pull at the heart strings. Rituals are one of those things that require sentiment. I also feel happier knowing that my products do not contribute to plastic oceans.

Glass bottles, however, are more than just beautiful. They promote purposeful movement. I am more careful with breakable containers. I take my time setting them down, never rushing through my skincare regimen. As for the “natural” part of the equation, I am more at peace knowing that what I am absorbing through my pores is nothing more than certified non-toxic ingredients.

Mind you, I am not talking about Aesop.

A previous Aesop devotee, I am here to announce that there is a new amber glass bottle in town.

True Botanicals has swept me away with their collection of skin products. Carrying conscious ingredients of the natural and organic variety, they’ve got your well-being in mind. They are equally as focused on spreading their skin intel via their blog “Rituals“, providing know-how to their avid subscribers, as they are sharing their products. I think talking about skin is just as important as treating it.

I have switched my night-time ritual to be 100% True Botanicals-based. I start with the RENEW Nourishing Cleanser, which has very gentle and milky on my extremely dry skin. I only use this cleanser in the evening because I find that cleansing twice a day leads to even drier skin. In the mornings, I simply wash my face with water so that I can keep a little natural oil on me. Oh and this thing smells amazing! Scents of grapefruit, lavender, jasmine, and vetiver put me right into that relaxing evening mood.

I follow up the nourishing cleanser with a gentle pat-dry. I take the Nutrient Mist and spritz, patting around my face and waiting a few moments for it to absorb. This Nutrient Mist has been my best friend all summer. It is a must-have at the beach as well as on the plane. I carry it around with me whenever I leave the house. It’s small size is perfect to carry.

Lastly, I use the RENEW Repair Serum after moisturizing. With a dose of free-radical fighting ingredients fighting for me in my corner, I have nothing to fear. This serum has been said to equate if not beat La Mer. I can personally feel plumper, tighter skin. More importantly, it feels hydrate without feeling grease-stained. They’re calling it a miracle in a bottle. I can get on board with that.

Other rituals reserved for the evening:

Drinking matcha tea for a little detox.
Limiting phone use after 9 pm to reduce blue screen exposure.
Unwinding with a book before bed.
Lighting candles, sometimes.
Turning on the Humidifier with Vitruvi’s Sleep Essential Oil Blend.

Gift Guide: Well-being and Mental Health

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure to learn more.

Well-being and mental health have become increasingly imperitive for those living life in the fast-lane. I count myself in the tally. Before switching to a slower pace, I was constantly in a state of low-grade panic. Instead of taking breaths, I was holding them in. I was literally throwing away my life force towards menial tasks that got me nowhere. I was also throwing my money around like it was free. Sound familiar?

Twas nice to finally put on my metaphorical brakes and force myself to a complete STOP. Well, if I was being truly honest, it was COVID that gave my life pause. There were a couple of weeks where I literally had nothing – no job, no responsibility, no travel plans, nowhere to go, no one to see. The stay-at-home mandate was a sudden wake up call, as well as a slight shift in perspective.

I had already been pursuing slow living, but it was still a pursuit. With me, everything is a pursuit. Even doing nothing is a pursuit. Who could blame me? Our society trains us from day one to achieve. Which competes with our wishes to be.

Anywho, we could all use some healing right now. This month, I alluded to mental health as being one of my main foci in my August Goals post. Whether you have yourself or someone else in mind, here is a gift guide for well-being and attending to our mental health.

A planner centered around gratitude and intention.
An app for meditation.
Live plants and natural surroundings (try their monthly subscription!).
Reviving products for stressed out skin.
Happy pills, but good for you (receive 10% OFF your first order with the code NUEAFF10)
The gift of good sleep (with $40 OFF a purchase of $200 or more).
Beautiful sheets that prompt a whole day in bed.
Towels worthy of a bath soak.
Pillows for sinking into and creating reading nooks (with 15% OFF using my code: debtist15) .
A beautiful new mat for an early morning routine.
Something soft for our weathered feet.
A polish whose proceeds are donated to a non-profit helping those with mental illness.

Less Waste: Period.

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure to learn more.

I’ve already dedicated an entire post on less waste and periods when I first spoke of how I managed my visits from Mother Nature using a single cup. But I feel as if this requires a revisit, for the glaringly obvious reason that there are a few scenarios wherein Lunette failed to prove itself a friend. While the cup has been mostly sufficient for all my feminine care needs, I have found that when it comes to travel, a more dependable plan B needs to be in place.

Walking down the streets of Mexico City does not seem like a problem, until you realize that their bathrooms generally don’t have private loos that contain sinks in the same stall. Where to empty a cup? Even if sinks were available, could one trust the running water? The last thing I want to do is explain myself in Spanish why I have a bacterial infection while wallowing in pain from the ever-so-common downfall of all menstruating persons.

Likewise, traveling on a 15-hour flight to New Zealand and Australia isn’t much fun with Lunette. While the airplane does have a private sink, the tight quarters make the entire process tedious and, once again, I worry about running water. Always the water.

Still determined to find a way of managing my monthly miseries that’s good for the planet as well as good for me, I decided I needed a plan B.

So I thought of Thinx. It’s a purchase-with-purpose underwear that has a mission to provide reliable access to safe menstrual hygiene products for those in need. With partners like Girls Inc., Safe Horizon, and the Alliance of Border Collaboratives, Thinx plans to expand access to basic hygiene products and community services like reproductive healthcare and mentoring.

On top of that, it is a REALLY good product. I am a minimalist by nature, who does not subscribe to single use items. This means I do not buy pads or tampons, at all. Thinx checks those boxes for me. It is a re-usable panty that is reliable in what it claims to do which allows me to continue living life scotch free of worry or discomfort.

Thinx has versatility, with multiple styles to fit your personality and preference. I own the boyshort in black which I wear under my running shorts, the sport in dusk which I wear under my leggings, and the super hiphugger for my everyday needs. Each style has a different level of protection, so that heavy flow days could be as carefree as lighter days.

And the upkeep is simple too. Hand-wash in cold running water and hang to dry. I have only three pairs but by hand-washing right after use and cycling between them, I can survive an entire cycle without missing a beat.

Lastly, it saves people money. If I assume that a box of tampons is purchased every month, with each box costing $7 (to be on the more conservative side), then there is a savings potential of $84 a year. The Lunette cup lasts you 3 years, so that adds up to $252 in savings. I would wager Thinx can last longer than that. It may seem like chump change but let’s assume all females adopted Thinx over the course of their entire life. And for each Thinx purchased, let’s say it saves another female in financial need from buying tampons and pads. You create a whole chain of events that end up saving the world a lot of money, and the oceans a lot of waste. Not to mention saving young girls in low-income communities from missing school and other opportunities.

Just think.

What a world that would be.

Intentional Living: Vitruvi

The world’s been pretty topsy-turvy. The trees outside the bedroom window have assumed their once-a-year summer blooms. Bright pinks and yellows littering our skyline, but I haven’t had the time to notice. I teeter-totter between slow-living and stress, which makes the time pass with such speed. I haven’t taken the time to stop and ask, but now I do.

“How are you?”

Are you coping like us? Is there suffering? What can I do?

During this time, I hope you are finding time to focus on wellness and mental health. I know I haven’t had as much as I would like, but I sure as heck try. It’s all we can do, anywho.

One of the things I’ve been attempting is simply breathe. Essential oils by Vitruvihelp to set the mood I need to get through one more day. Or rather, one afternoon after an especially trying work day.

I don’t have a fancy humidifier by any means. I have a plain white bulky thing that I purchased about a year and a half ago using a Nordstrom gift card which I received from my father-in-law. It was a gift for turning thirty. I think the humidifier is meant for babies. Either way, it works.

I add a dash of Vitruvi essential oil blends to get me in the right mindset. I prefer the blends because it simplifies my life. Of course, if you’d prefer you can order the essential oils separately and mix your own potion.

I love turning on the humidifier and using the SLEEP blend right before bed. Think fresh linens and soft florals. It runs until I wake in the morning. It is also a good choice during a soak in the bath, or while reading in bed. Other great evening blends are NIGHTCAP and DUSK.

In the wee hours, after I’ve had my morning coffee, I switch to the BOOST blend by Vitruvi. Notes of Juniper, Grapefruit, Bergamot and Lime really liven me up as I write a long list of things I want to get done. If you are struggling to face the day, perhaps switch out the task manager with a list of things you are grateful for.