Pleasant Distraction-Spa Night

Pleasant Distraction-Spa Night

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This momma is ready for the 3 day weekend that is coming up.  Even though this is a short week, it feels long for some reason but I am glad to be starting the eve of my 3 day weekend off with self care. I wrote a while back about how taking time out for a spa day/night can help to reduce stress.  It’s interesting how stress can cause damage to the body.

What happens when we are driving our automobile and keep ignoring or putting off getting the oil change?  Without regular oil changes, the  motor can locked up and cause extensive damage. One of the responsibilities that comes with owning a car is maintenance.  Maintenance is necessary while having a car. It keeps the car running  at its highest level.

This can be applied to ourselves.  We get caught up in taking care of everyone and everything by giving giving giving or going going going and all of our energy and time is drain from us. We do not take time out to participate in maintenance for our body and mind.  Self care is maintenance.  We have stressful long days sometimes even weeks but we do not do anything about it.  It just keeps growing until it start attacking our bodies from the inside therefore causing health conditions.  We may even convince ourselves that we do not have time to self care but self care is like giving your body regular maintenance to keep it going at its highest level.  It is needed.  It is just as important as brushing your teeth.

No worries, you can help prevent the stress that comes with giving giving giving or going going going.  There are ways to tackle it and spa day/night is one of them.   Don’t wait until your body start giving you warnings signs. Be proactive and schedule a form of self care in your weekly routine.

Spa day/night can be inexpensive and effective. It is as simple as getting your favorite relaxing products and creating a peaceful and soothing space.  I love the zone I get in when I light my favorite candle, turn on relaxing music, put epsom salt  & lavender oil in my water, fav cup of deliciousness, get my fav body wash and lotion and just relax and get lost in the moment of doing and feeling nothing.

I don’t think about to do lists or what needs to be done. I get to participate in a pleasant distraction from everyday life without any guilt.  I love the way I feel after I have lost myself in spa night. I know my body loving me because I am giving it something it needs. Rest and relaxation. When I am finished, I feel calm, refresh and relax.

Added bonus is to place a couple drops of lavender essential oil on your pillow before bed. It helps you sleep.  What are some pleasant distractions of self care you participate in to reduce stress?

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Updated Deep Conditioning-How I added Moisture & Tamed My Hair

Updated Deep Conditioning-How I added Moisture & Tamed My Hair

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Hello loves, this year is almost over. We only have about 50 plus days left before we are heading into 2017.  Time flies when you are not paying attention. Anyways, I always love getting my hand on a good deep conditioner that is not expensive. Would you believe if I told you that I found an Amazing moisturizing deep conditioning for around 8 bucks at a local beauty supply store? I did, I really did. I have been wanting to try this condition for a while but was putting it off because I was loving the conditioners that I had in rotation. But 4 mos post relaxer hit, and my hair was becoming hard to manage. Believe it or not, certain conditioners work better according to the stage your hair is in during your hair journey. The conditioners that I have been using weren’t cutting for my 4 mos post relaxer hair, and I was not feeling getting a relaxer just yet. I wanted to hold out a little while longer. So the hunt began for a new deep conditioner to try and one that would not break the bank. I was at local beauty supply store browsing at the deep conditioners and my eyes fell on Aunt Jackie “in control” and I was like, this may be a good time for me to try it and when I saw the price, I was sold.

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Can I just say or write lol, this stuff is the bomb and my 4 mos post relaxer hair felt like butter after I washed it out.  I left it in for about 1 hour and 30 minutes before I washed it out.  I continue on with my regular routine after a deep conditioner including leave in conditioner and moisturized/sealing.  I was impressed but I waited on the final result, which was the next day because my hair will be fully dry. Well, the next day came and my hair was so soft and it stayed the soft and easy to manager the whole week. I am hooked. The smell is fine but I would like to add that it does contain silicones in it. That would be the only con that I found but I haven’t had any build up. Now, Let’s see if Aunt Jackie can get me to 6 mos post relaxer.

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Sunday Night Session-Reflecting & Planning

Sunday Night Session-Reflecting & Planning

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Hey loves, how has your weekend been? Hopefully relaxing, fun, & somewhat peaceful.  Mine has been relaxing.  Time went back this weekend.  Did you enjoy your extra hour this morning? I think I did. I was ready able to get ready for church earlier than usual.

I hated to see the weekend go. I would love a day in between Sunday and Monday but wishful thinking huh?   Anyways, I like to spend my Sunday night planning with a cup of chai latte, relaxing music, & a scented candle.  This momma gets in her zone and reflect on last week and plan for the new week.

During reflecting, I journal moments and things that are still on my mind.  Writing them down helps to clear up space in my head because I am one of those people who will dwell on something a while if it stays in my head. This is not healthy and may create all kinds of stress.  By reflecting weekly, it helps me to pay attention to what is really going in my mind.  I call it thought maintenance.  When I write it down, I feel like I have release it. It no longer has a hold on me. And I can start concentrating on new things or moments (not always new but other things that may need my attention).

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During reflecting, I also examine goals that were or were not accomplished for the week.  I write out my goals and tasks to accomplished them. This is the time that I adjust some tasks to help reach goals not accomplished and to add new goals if I am able.  Sometimes life does not go as plan but it is good to have an idea of what you are working towards even if you have to adjust it.

Ready to tackle the week!

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Hope In A Hopeless Place

Hope In A Hopeless Place

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hope-can-be-found-in-a-hopeless-placeAs I look over at this beautiful decor sign “hope” while I get ready in the morning, it triggers the thoughts of thinking positive.  I picked the “HOPE” sign up at Marshalls a few months ago and decided the best place to put it was in the bathroom.  You may wonder why? Well, because that is the first place I visit in the morning.  As I am looking in the mirror getting ready I can’t help but to see it.  Life, or should I say situations in life, has a way of taking our ability to have hope away.  It may not be all the time but sometimes things or events can happened and we lose hope.  I don’t want to be in the state of mind thinking that there is no reason to have hope.

Because despite it all, having hope can help through everyday life struggles. Why?  Remember the situation or event that you thought was going to be the worst and it seemed like you couldn’t see how you were going to make it through,  look back on it and see how you made it through it.  It may not have been how you want it to but you got through it.

I know the desired outcome that we want for certain situations do not manifest but that does not mean that outcome will be for situations to come.  I don’t want a couple situations to let me give up hope because living in a hopeless state is unhealthy and it causes me to miss the time or appreciate the time when I did or will get the desired outcome.

Throughout life, we learn new ways to cope and deal with situations and events.  It is like we have a maintenance kit  composed of tools we have acquired along this journey of life to deal with different moments attached to us that we just have to remember that it is there and use it.  Sometimes, we don’t give ourselves enough credit.

So that time that was difficult and seemed hopeless and you made it through, what coping skill or helping tool did you pick up from that and added to your maintenance kit?

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Unplugging (Rooftop & Chai Latte)

Unplugging (Rooftop & Chai Latte)

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“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes. Including you.” Anne Lamott

This past weekend, I found a beautiful and relaxing view (Paramour) with my favorite cup of deliciousness and enjoyed the moment of unplugging with peace. I took time out to enjoy nature, birds’ chirping, the sound of the wind moving through the trees, etc.  I hope everyone enjoyed the weekend!

Don’t forget to unplug.

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Freeing Up My Time With My To Do List

Freeing Up My Time With My To Do List

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Hey loves, it is near the end of the week already and this year is half way gone.  Where is the time going?  Fall is just around the corner and I am excited.  I always get happy about this season but that is for another post.  I have been thinking of ways to free up my morning and add more time for peace.  I love peace in the morning. It is relaxing.  It helps me start my day off on a good note.

I usually would get my cup of deliciousness (coffee or tea) and write out things for the day in the morning. It has been a part of my morning routine for a while so it may be good to change something in my routine. It reduces the possibility of getting comfortable, bored, or developing the feeling of just going through the motions.

Before I go further, I have to talked about how obsessed I am with stationery.  It seems like I can not go to a store without eyeing this section of the store.  Isn’t my list pad beautiful?  It is by Lady Jayne Ltd.  Okay, now  back to how I am freeing up some of my morning.  I started thinking about my evenings and decided that it may be a good idea to write  out my to do list in the evening or at night for the next day.  I always find extra moments during these times to do none productive things, so adding my to do list wouldn’t hurt.  I am going to try this for a couple weeks and see how it goes.  Who knows? This may work better for me or I may not like it at all but I will not know unless I give it a try.

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Pink Drink, Date Day, Relaxing Sunday, etc

Pink Drink, Date Day, Relaxing Sunday, etc

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Hey loves, the weekend is almost over. I hope you have been enjoying yours?  My Sunday morning consisted of relaxing with InStyle and the “pink drink” from Starbucks.  I don’t know if you are aware of the buzz that has been going around about the “pink drink” from Starbucks but it has been a lot.

I was putting off trying this drink. It is the strawberry acai refresher but coconut milk is used instead of water.  I thought that I was not going to like it but I finally gave in after researching the benefits of coconut milk and I’m glad that I did.  It is yummy and due to the benefits of coconut milk, it may become a regular in my drink routine.

It is always GREAT to throw in a date day on a relaxing Sunday.  After twenty years of marriage, I still enjoy dating my husband.  Date day  or night should be on the to do list as well as everything else we have to do run a family.

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We went for a late lunch & a movie. I got the chicken fajita and my husband got a steak from Chilis. Everything was delicious and we watched Central Intelligence with Kevin Hart and Dewayne Johnson at the movie.  The movie did not disappoint. It was funny and we enjoyed it.

The weekend is over.  I ended the weekend with filling out my weekly planner.  Sometimes the week may not go as plan but I like to write out my to do list to give me a guideline consisting of what needs to be done. So, I am ready to tackle the new week.  How did you enjoy your Sunday?

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Wake With Gratitude

Wake With Gratitude

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It is always beautiful to find gratitude throughout the day.  It helps your day run smoother and you know that our goal here at “Life Through Fancy Eyes” is to find ways to improve our daily way of living.  We can not control some things or events that happen daily but we can control how we react to them.

Gratitude is a simple and inexpensive tool that can be use to help us with our reactions.  You react differently when your mind is feel with grateful and thankful moments.  This mug carries a powerful message, “Wake With Gratitude.”  I know you may hear or read this a lot about the way we start our day has a lot to do with how the rest of our day goes.  I guess a lot of people have figure it out and just want to share with others.

There is so much chaos going on in the world until we need messages fill with simple and inexpensive tools to help us get through.  We need to be reminded that there are some things to be grateful for through it all.  We need to be reminded that everything is not all bad.  Because thinking of all the chaos can take a toll on the mind and body.

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I can remember times when things were not going as I wish or hope and it was tiring me out mentally and physically.  But every time that I took time out and thought of what I am grateful for I felt a load releasing from me.  I felt better instantly.  We have to remember how powerful our mind is and how much control we really have over the way we think.

There are so many different ways to practice gratitude. My favorite is journaling. It is just something about writing it down and seeing it on paper. I know thinking about it changes your mind frame but adding that writing step just help activate it more and give you more time to really soak it in.

After I woke up this morning, I began to thank God and think about some things that I am grateful for and write them down. I could feel my mind and body go into a relaxing and calming state.  And within that moment, I knew I was ready to tackle the day and whatever comes with it.

How do you start your day?   How do you arm yourself for the stressors that comes with everyday living?

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Simple Relaxing Saturday

Simple Relaxing Saturday

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The week was long and Saturday could not come fast enough.  I have been waiting on the weekend since the last weekend.  I literally was counting down and it felt like it was going in slow motion.  Anywho. Wait, do people still use that word?  Well, I am excited to be getting a lazy day.

I hope you are able to get one in also.  The morning starts off with coffee and breakfast with hubby.  I actually like chai latte, so tea for me.  We chill and enjoy the peace that comes with doing absolutely nothing.

Of course, we add netflix to the mix and quick meal and just chill out. Snacks may find their way into our routine. Ha, pig out together.  I love binge watching on tv shows and the hubby loves movies.  This is when compromise comes and saves the day. We alternate and it works out even though he finds himself in the middle of a season when binge watching is going on but the time together makes it Okay.

I know my mind is thanking me for this lazy day.  Make sure to get you a lazy day in to give your mind and body a break from everyday life.

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Need to Relax? Try Adult Coloring

Need to Relax? Try Adult Coloring

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have-you-tried-adult-coloring

Sometimes I find myself dazed off thinking about how fast my children are growing and thinking about the different activities they love to do.  If we stop and think, we will realized that we participated in a variety of stress reducing activities in our childhood.  One particular activity that comes to mind is coloring.

Lately, there has been a buzz about adult coloring and it is known to reduce stress.  So, I began thinking about coloring and the liberation that is felt through coloring.  Of course as a child you are not looking for liberation. You just enjoy the activity.  But looking back as an adult, you find yourself describing the feeling and wonder why you stop doing it anyways.  Because with this activity, you are able to create your masterpiece however you desire. You are able to control the outcome.  It can look however you want it to look.

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Maybe today was not a good day and you felt the lack of control over the moments throughout the day.  You find yourself with high levels of stress. Grabbing a coloring book and designing the color sheet with whatever color you want can help bring about peace that you may have been yearning for all day.

I picked an adult coloring book the other day and decided to just color.  It was calming and peaceful and I felt relax.

Have you ever tried adult coloring?

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