Hi, my loves!

As the weather gets cooler, we often become indoor creatures which often leads to a higher chance of getting a cold or some sort of illness in the house. So, today I thought I’d go over a few holistic habits we can use to either prevent or help us get through it easier.

1. Sanitize your space. So, I often talk about cleaning in general but it is important during this time to really sanitize your surfaces as well as anything you touch or get close to. This includes door knobs, kitchen surfaces, cell phones, etc. This will prevent the virus or germs from forming and spreading quicker.
2. Take Vitamins. I personally take vitamins every day, as a part of my wellness routine but now is the best time to start taking vitamin supplements like vitamin C or vitamin D. We typically do not even realize how deficient we are in these two vitamins so it is vital that we supplement them to ensure our immune system is fighting off colds and other illness properly.
3. Oil pull. I don’t oil pull every day but when I feel I am getting sick I immediately start doing this daily. I think it is a very natural and easy way to remove toxins from the body using an easy technique. To oil pull, simply put an oil of your choice (digestible  – coconut, sesame, olive oil, etc) and use it like a mouth wash in your mouth for 20 minutes and then spit into a a disposable cup (oil will clog your pipes!). This is a way to let the oil absorb the toxins from your mouth which may cause bad breath or other slight infections from the rest of your body.
4. Use essential oils. We all get headaches from time to time but they can become a very habitual occurrence when you’re sick. So, grab a roller ball of lavender and apply to the temples and this will be an almost instant soother for your pain. You can use eucalyptus essential oil on your chest if you are breathing heavier than usual or use peppermint to clear your nasal passages. Honestly, a diffuser is a wonderful thing for sick days.
5. Drink tea, hydrate. When you’re sick it is wonderful to have a cup of tea to not only warm you up but to use a a medicinal drink. Personally, I like to have lemon tea when I’m sick and add some raw honey. One time I actually took a spoonful of honey and I swear my throat was fine the next day. I like peppermint tea when my stomach is bothering me, and there are many other teas you can buy specifically for certain ailments. I highly recommend Yogi tea! Drinking water is also key, and will keep your body hydrated and comfortable.
6. Realize it’s okay to rest. I know we all want to go and go but sometimes our body is telling us literally “no, no”. We often get sick because we are over exerting ourselves and our energy. Simply turn off the phone, e-mail, work stuff, and rest. Enjoy your sleep and don’t push yourself if  you aren’t ready to return to work or “real life”. It is not worth needing to rehab again or get others sick.

I really am wishing you all a healthy time during this season change but if you do get sick maybe this list can help even a little! If you have any other suggestions please do post in the comments! I love hearing what others do to stay healthy during this time.

Love, Julie

Hi, my loves!

Today is a New Moon, which means it is the perfect time to reset. I practice a few different rituals which help bring new and positive energy into my life and helps leave any residue from the prior month behind.

1. Clean your space. I know I mention this a lot on  my blog, but it is actually a spiritual practice when you use the intention of clearing bad energy out of your life. You can tidy, remove clutter, and organize. Take this time to address any paperwork or items in your home that just need to be looked at. I really like this time to look at bills I may have shoved aside or items of business that simply must get done. Try using a smudge stick to really emphasize the removal of negativity or old energy.
2. Pull a few Tarot Cards. I like to get a feel for what the energy of the future moon cycle is going to be and using Tarot is a brilliant way to find some insight on this. You can do a spread of cards or simply pull one or two if you’re struggling with your spiritual focus.
3. Meditate with crystals. Okay, so we all know I love crystals by this point. I specifically love using them during the New Moon and Full Moon because I feel m psychic abilities are highest at this time of the lunar cycle. I often meditate with Shamanic drums or some sort of music in the background but sometimes it is nice to just take a clear, deep breathing meditation and see where your energy is by the end. I personally recommend any variation of moonstone for this or any crystal which calls out to you.
4. Take an energy cleansing bath or shower.  So, obviously we do this once a day already but during the New Moon I like to use this day to cleanse my body in a special way. I’ll take out special body care products and make sure I’m deeply, deeply scrubbing away (not literally) any frustration, upset, or negativity from the previous moon cycle. I do like to use essential oils in this ritual to promote a specific mood or atmosphere. I personally like anything rejuvenating like peppermint or eucalyptus . If you’re taking a bath or even a shower, try to incorporate the use of Epsom salt. It will draw out impurities and make your skin soft and feeling fresh.
5. Set an intention or manifestation. I personally believe in manifesting during the course of the moon cycle. It has worked for me in the past, and it’s something I have absolute faith in. Last moon cycle, I asked the Universe to bring me more money and I was gifted back more than I could imagine! I personally, use manifestation as a prayer – so I say it verbally out loud and then write it down on paper. I personally use the law of attraction, and work with the Universe (God, in my view) to bring it to light. Sometimes, however, the Universe will bring it to you in a way you least expect! So, simply, I pray for it and then I write it down in the present tense, as if I already have what I am asking for. What you are manifesting has no bounds, and it can be money, new friendships, etc.  It works even better when you do all you can to achieve what it is you are asking for because then it will most definitely manifest in your life.

I genuinely believe in the power of the moon and I hope all the positive vibes comes to you during this time! If you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments! Also, if you have your own moon ritual please feel free to share it there too!

Love,

Julie

Hi guys! So I decided to revive an idea I had for some posts, which was the Inner Goddess Self-Care. I think I’ll actually turn this into an E-book at sometime which was my original idea. However, I thought I’d share some parts of this with you as I work on it because I believe it is essential for everyone (gods and goddesses!).  Below is a very basic working of part of a chapter in the book. I hope you enjoy it!

Nurturing Behavior

There is often a disconnect between the way we treat ourselves and the way we want to treat ourselves. We always have the intention of being kinder or softer to ourselves but in the moments when we are facing difficulty our self-talk becomes so quickly negative and demeaning. Why is this? Honestly, I feel it is because we are treating being gentle to ourselves as something so unnatural it is difficult to automatically revert to a state of self-love when we feel pressure from others or situations outside of ourselves. Have you ever been in a situation where you could feel your self-loathing come up so quick it was impeccable? Did you respond with more disdain or did you greet your pain with open arms and soothing words?

We all have our past, our present, and our future, however, today I am asking you to not live anywhere but the now. I do not want you to beat yourself up about the way you have spoken to yourself in the past, I don’t want you to feel sorry for it because right now you have the opportunity to change. Making the decision to love yourself may happen instantly but the process is long and takes great strength to achieve, especially if you have been conditioned to dislike yourself. We will always have self-doubts, but if you choose to nurture yourself and your thoughts instead of condemning them you will find your way back to your authentic self and will experience self-love.

When you nurture instead of place judgement on your thoughts, beliefs, and reactions you will find you can forgive yourself in an instant. If you believe you have said something you regret, you do not need to question yourself for days why you responded in that manner but instead approach it as “it’s been said, I can move on from this, I did the best I could in this situation”. Take time to make peace with the fact that you are human and you are trying the best you can. Think of this as you think of others too, and the expectations we hold for them. We are all human, and we are all on different paths but our common ground should be love and understanding.

I ask, for today, that if you are experiencing negative self-talk or are struggling to be kind to yourself that you slow down, take a deep breath, and know that everything is going to work out in your favor and that the Universe is working towards getting you to a point where you can believe it.

^^ I hope you all enjoyed this little piece!

Love and Light,

Julie

Hello, my loves!

Today I am going to be talking my current favorite vegan skincare products as well as a bit of body care. I recently switched over to vegan skincare as I am on a vegan diet now and honestly, it was not as difficult as I thought it would be because I was already using a lot of natural products.

I will walk you through my simple routine.

1. Face Wash/Make-up Remover. I use the Pacifica Sea Foam Complete Face Wash. I can honestly say I’ve tried a lot of make-up removers in the past an

   d this is the best one I have ever used. This completely removes my make-up and I do not even need to double cleanse if I didn’t feel like it. I typically hop in the shower after this step, so my makeup does come off if there is any residue left behind. I am completely impressed with this product though, and I recommend it to anyone who wants a fast and simple makeup remover that is vegan.

2. Toner. I like to use a toner after I get out of the shower to balance and hydrate my skin. I’ve been using the Avalon Organics Wrinkle Therapy toner with Rose-hip oil. This is a wonderful toner which is actually hydrating instead of drying. I enjoy it because it is more of an oily consistency than an alcohol one. I think this works great at getting any left over dirt and also just making the skin calm. It is supposed to act as an anti-aging product but I do not know if it has helped as of yet.
3. Vitamin E Oil. I like to either apply a lotion, or vitamin E oil at this point and I give myself a facial massage. I think doing facial massage with vitamin E oil has benefited my skin more than anything else. There is something so soothing about giving yourself a massage and releasing muscle tension from the day. Vitamin E oil is great for scars, aging skin, and providing your skin with nutrient rich oil. You can literally find this oil anywhere!
4. Moisturizer. As stated, some nights my skin is really dry so I add a moisturizer. I either use the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream [vegan as far as I know…] or I just purchased the Mad Hippie Face Cream which is a lighter cream that is perfect for sensitive skin or acne prone skin like mine.

Body Care:

1. Coconut oil.  Everyone knows about coconut oil and it is a great body moisturizer, especially going into colder months. I have seriously dry skin on my body and it’s good to bring serious moisture back into it. I recommend using this at night because it can definitely get greasy at times.
2. Lavender Body Lotion from Fresh Thyme. I found a brand which is vegan at Fresh Thyme, which is one of the local more organic food stores near me. I think it can be found online though or in other states than where I live – but anyways, they have a lovely lavender scented lotion which is thick and hydrating.
3. Coconut Essence Hydro Mist by Pacifica. So, this doesn’t exactly go with body care but sometimes I like to spray this refreshing mist on my face or my chest when I want a warm smelling pick-me-up or simply to re-hydrate dull make-up.
4. Tahitian Gardenia Perfumed Hair & Body Mist. I cannot rave about this product enough. If you are looking for a heavy duty, long lasting body mist you are in luck. Pacifica carries the nicest scents and they are so worth the money as you are getting a ton of product and not much is needed at all. Actually, be careful at first if you or someone around you is sensitive to fragrance because this may offend some people. Highly recommended though!

I hope this post helped anyone looking for vegan skincare options! I really think it is easier than ever to switch over than ever! If you have any suggestions you think I’d like, please let me know I seriously am always looking to improve my skin.

Have a nice evening and a lovely tomorrow ~

Julie