Jul 21, 2017 |
by Molly Jo Realy @RealMojo68
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Five Things Friday
I don’t know ’bout you, but it seems the more I take care of things, the more things there are to take care of. Am I right? I’m constantly on the go. Having so much on my plate to take care of, I sometimes forget to take care of the plate holder [that would be me].
Now, eating right and getting enough sleep is not just something your mother or doctor tell you. Get this: It actually works. But sometimes it’s not enough. Sometimes we need a little extra boost, and emotional empowering to get us through the day, yah?
Some days you gotta forget the rules the world tries to impose on you. A little self-love focus can set things right.
Here are five simple ways I tell myself I’m worth it:
- Friends and family. I know, I know. Everyone has friends. But when I’m super busy and forget to check in for a few days, I get cranky. Making time to chat with my girls or text my daughter really can boost my spirits. A three-second “Busy day but want you to know I’m thinking of you” is one of greatest messages I can send, or receive. It honors the recipient by demonstrating no matter what’s going on, they’re important. So, in case I forgot to tell you today, YOU’RE IMPORTANT!
Frankly, My Dear . . . : New FRIENDS
- Five more minutes. There are things we do daily that can be enhanced and lift our mood. Use scented body wash instead of soap. Heat soup on the stove top instead of in a microwave. Listen to music while cleaning house. Take a breath between coffee sips. Sprinkle essential oils on your pillow before bedtime. A little more attention to the how of doing things can make a big difference in getting them done, and feeling better when they are.
- Schedule “ME” time. It’s never selfish to take care of yourself. Have a date with yourself: Make your favorite foods, pop in your favorite movie, read a new good. Dance in the living room. Go for a walk. Do the things you want someone else to do for you. If you’re worth it from them, you’re worth it from you!
- Sing out loud, loudly. At home, in the car, and yes, in public (although not always). Singing can be aerobic. It can be a prayer. You don’t even have to have a song. Just la-la-la your way through the day and see if you don’t feel better.
Frankly, Meow Dear . . . : I just gotta sing!
- Indulge the inner child. Oh, I don’t care what y’all think. I still color and play games. You know why? They’re fun. Who says growing up means growing dull? Nuh-uh. Not in this household. I eat ice cream on a stick. I slurp through a straw. I do logic puzzles and play MTG. And, yes. I color outside the lines.
Frankly, My Dear . . . Color Your World!
TWEET THIS: Frankly, My Dear . . .: Five Things Friday: Feeling Good @RealMojo68 #franklymydearmojo #fivethingsfriday #selflove
TWEET THIS: Tweet: Frankly, My Dear . . . : How do you show #selflove? @RealMojo68 #franklymydearmojo #worthit
How do you treat yourself? Tell me in the comments!
And Franky, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
Jul 20, 2017 |
Eeee! Insert super hero girl scream here! Peeps, I’m so incredibly excited to welcome my Mississippi bestie to the blog, also known as SuperGirl. We met at Blue Ridge three years ago and became instantly inseparable. How could we not? She’s the Monica in my FRIENDS post, and identifies herself as That Bedford Gal. BEDFORD. I mean, you know. #wonderfullife #itsasign. Yeah, we have a lot in common and one is our passion for living great. So when I pressured her she agreed to blog once a month on essential oils I could hardly contain myself! Welcome to CEO: Cara’s Essential Oils. Enjoy!
Cara Pearson: An Intro to Essential Oils
by Cara Pearson @ThatBedfordGal
I just wanted something that smelled nice.
Because we all know how a lotion smells is the most important factor in whether or not we buy it. I absolutely love to splurge and treat myself to new body and bath products; who doesn’t? I mean, those do fall under “necessities” of personal hygiene and all that jazz. I would even stock up on gifts for my girl friends during those “buy two get one free” specials.
Then one year when DIY was just becoming all the rage, I thought I’d go the extra mile and make myself and my girl friends some bath products. The recipe I settled on called for essential oils. Knowing no better, I ordered a bottle through Amazon and that was that.
Several years and loads of education later, I’m still making my own bath and body products. One day (hopefully soon), I’ll have my own product line.
Cara Pearson – An Intro to Essential Oils
I’ve learned quite a lot, and I learn more every day. What to mix (and what not to mix); how to get desired results; how to package; why natural products are my passion; and the importance of quality in ingredients. Knowing what I know now, I shudder at my Amazon oil purchase. More important than how a product smells is what it does to my skin and body after application. Many essential oils on the market today are diluted with synthetics in order to give buyers cheap prices. But purchasing a compromised oil cancels out many health benefits offered. That’s why I chose a more natural ingredient path with my products using only quality materials—beauty truly is more than skin deep. Often the outward signs (acne, psoriasis, eczema, etc.) are just an indicator that something isn’t quite right on the inside. Layering on chemicals, toxins, and expensive prescriptions wasn’t the answer I was looking for.
In the process of my “journey to my best self” (pretty sure I stole that from an inspirational guru), I cleaned up my diet by eliminating most processed and preservative-filled foods. I found an exercise routine that works for me. And, upon learning they were responsible for introducing countless chemicals into my body, I cleaned out my cosmetics and skincare products.
Most of the products I use now I make myself. The few items I don’t, I spend a little extra cash on and get high quality from companies I trust.
This lifestyle doesn’t have to break the bank. There are memberships and personal accounts you can hold that will save you dollars (mine save me 10-55%). You can look around and compare for yourself, but here are a few of my favorites:
From Nature with Love. Not only do they have an impressive offering of natural ingredients, they also have a nice online library of recipes, tips, and tricks for creating your own handmade products. I also earn back 10% of my purchase in rewards points to redeem for free product.
DoTERRA essential oils. This was the real game changer for me. I spent over a year comparing different brands, researching the scientific findings, and talking to my oil-using friends. I did the rounds of buying oils from companies big and small. I wanted to be able to say truthfully that the oils in my products were the best available. I no longer wanted just a nice smell, but the therapeutic benefits as well.
There are a million reasons why I absolutely love this company, but for this post, I’ll stick with the economical side. Through my membership, I save 25% with every purchase. On top of that, I earn an additional 30% of my purchase back in rewards points to redeem for free product. Oh, and any shipping I pay? I earn that amount back in rewards points, too. I could stop with that. But there’s more. In addition, when you enroll with a membership in doTERRA, you do so under another member. This gave me personalized education on oils and doTERRA. Since I enrolled under my sister, she gets to earn a percentage of everything I purchase. And when I share with my friends and family, I get to earn $$ off of their purchases. So I’m getting the products I want, with impressive savings, all while supporting my friends and family. This was such a win for me.
OilLife. While there aren’t memberships available here, they have most of the packaging/containers that I need to hold my DIY products. They also have educational resources available.
Willow and Sage. I subscribe to this beautiful magazine. Again, this doesn’t have a huge savings attached to it, but it is chock-full of recipes, beautiful photos, inspiration, education, and insight on your natural journey through skincare. It is worth every penny.
When making your own products, start off simple. Master the beginner recipes, then move on when you’re ready.
The simplest DIY you can find is a relaxing foot/bath soak. Epsom salts are great for detoxifying your body. The Himalayan Salt, in addition to making the mixture look pretty, can help blood circulation–which may help reduce cellulite!
For the full recipe, click here: Cara’s Essential Oils: Soothing Bath Salts.
CEO: Salt Soak
Most people love lavender for its light, soothing floral scent. Its calming properties can help you relax after a long day and help you sleep better. But it’s also great for your skin.
Like Lavender, White Fir is a relaxing oil, and is helpful for muscle fatigue and inflammation.
Marjoram is an amazing oil. It works with your body to relieve tension and all sorts of muscular issues. Which makes it the perfect addition to our bath soak (use with caution during pregnancy).
I love to add dried lavender flowers to mine–it looks so pretty. But if the thought of little petals floating about in your bath water disturbs you, they can easily be left out.
TWEET THIS: Frankly, My Dear . . . : Cara Pearson: An Intro to Essential Oils. @RealMojo68 @ThatBedfordGal #essentialoils
TWEET THIS: Tweet: Frankly, My Dear . . .: Essential Oil Salt Soak Recipe. @RealMojo68 @ThatBedfordGal #essentialoil #eo #recipe
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
Cara Pearson
Enigmatic. Fragile. Tenacious. Reader. Writer. Musician. Grace. These are all words to describe Cara.
A superhero/barista by day, she makes coffee and plots epic stories in the Deep South. Evenings, she can be found on the ranch, making her own natural skin and beauty products and helping others reach wellness goals through essential oils.
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Jul 19, 2017 |
by Molly Jo Realy @RealMojo68
Hey, peeps! I’m gonna try something a little fun and participatory.
The Unemployment Cookbook: What’s on your plate?
So, I’ve decided part of my new meal plan should include recipes from The Unemployment Cookbook so I can also do a foodie blog. I know, I know . . . DUH. But I guess I’ve been so focused on writing NOLA and keeping a clean house (insert sarcastic laughter here) that I didn’t give much thought to it.
And then it hit me. It hit me like a sweet tea on a humid day. Like a misty shade tree on a concrete jungle. Like, well, like an idea worth sharing. Are y’all ready?
I want you to decide what I make.
Yup. You read that right. The fate of my weekly meal is in your hands. That’s not to say I’m only eating once a week. More like, you’re responsible for the meal I make. A meal. “One of”. Not the “only”. Anyway, let’s continue . . .
Here’s how it works: Each week I’ll post three recipe choices on my Facebook Page and pin the photos to the top of the page. You get to hop on over and click “like” for the photo of the recipe you want me to make and blog about. Now, normally, I’ll try to have the selections available for you Monday through Wednesday. By 9pm Wednesday, the photo with the most “likes” will be the recipe I make. Depending on my schedule, the recipe blog will post no later than the following Monday, at which time a new recipe selection will be available. Once a recipe has been made, blogged, and eaten, it’s out of the running.
Now I know today’s already Wednesday, so I’ll give y’all until Friday noon to make your choices. ‘Cause when I leave work Friday, I’m going grocery shopping!
At this rate, it will take quite some time to get through all the recipes, but hey. We’ve got time, haven’t we? And hunger? And a budget? So I’m thinking this could totally be a win-win situation.
Oh, and don’t worry if you don’t have Facebook. You can also vote by leaving a comment on the blog posts.
So, you wanna give it a try?
Which recipe should I make this weekend? Tell me in the comments.
TWEET THIS: Frankly, My Dear . . .: What’s on my Plate? You decide! @RealMojo68 #franklymydearmojo #ameating #cookbook
The Unemployment Cookbook: Slow Cooker Ratatouille
The Unemployment Cookbook: Hamburger Pie
The Unemployment Cookbook: Hot Dog Casserole
With a Cookbook, a plan, and a tea in the desert,
Happy eating!
~Molly Jo
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
