Weekly Finds: What's on my radar this summer + a recent journal entry

July 26, 2019

Hi Gang,

We made it through another work week. Hopefully, the temperatures have dropped in your area. We were having a ton of brown-outs/ black-outs in the NYC area, but it seems like the intense heatwave is behind us... for now. As far as this week has gone, things seem to be turning around. Well, truth be told, none of my situations have changed, but I am feeling a lot better and my attitude is wayyyyy healthier and better than it has been in a while. And that's something I can be grateful for. I've been putting in a lot of work to make myself feel better though; it's not as if I just randomly woke up today feeling strong. Here is a list of a few things I did this week to help "future Nia - or I guess, now present Nia" feel better:

I forced myself to go to the gym multiple times this week, even though I REALLY didn't want to.
I woke up early to listen to podcasts and journal.
I stopped avoiding my therapist and actually responded to her text messages - lol
I dressed up a little bit more and took extra time in the morning to look and feel more confident (this seriously makes a huge difference)
I disregarded my "I should be making X amount of money by now" rule and accepted that it's ok to still be in an early growth stage of my career... but sidenote, that doesn't mean that I'm not going to work hard to make more money lol

But guess what, the most impactful thing I did for my mental health this week was I admitted that I'm not healed yet!. I finally admitted to myself that I'm not fucking 100% back to my bad-ass self yet, and now I'm ok with that. Honestly, after watching Big Little Lies, I realized that healing from past traumas and self-deprecating actions is a long process. I am just so used to instant gratification, that I was lying to myself and saying "you're better now Nia. You should have accomplished X, Y and Z by now". Like wow, I have to freaking stop bullying myself. And I have to find peace in the fact that pulling myself out of the dark places that anxiety and depression drag us into takes years. There are constant ups and downs, progress and regressions, sunny seasons and dark seasons, but that's ok. It all makes us stronger in the long run, as long as we keep showing up for ourselves, even if that just means getting yourself out of bed and out the door, at least you're still fighting, and that's a reason to always be proud of yourself.

Ok, I did NOT intend to pour my heart out when I started writing this post. So before I start crying in this coffee shop, let's move on to a few things that have been on my radar this summer. Hope you enjoy!

Captain Planet: These Reformation Climate Credits are dope! I always feel so freaking guilty about the amount of waste I produce and how terrible taking a flight is on the environment. Lucky for us, we can contribute to organizations that help to reverse our actions by purchasing these credits... pretty cool, right? Or at least, I think so haha. This is also another reason why I love this sustainable clothing company; there aren't many fashion brands taking actions to protect our environment.

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I also think their sustainable travel guides are pretty inspiring as well. Sustainable travel is something I need to do a better job of incorporating into my life!

Gotta Get My Mind Right: This is a cool IG mental wellness account I found out about this week. I don't remember who shared it with me, but I'm very grateful.
Menu: I cannot wait to make this for dinner this weekend or next week!

And because I've adopted a low-carb dietary lifestyle, I was super psyched to find this almond flour blueberry muffin recipe. I miss muffins!!

Beat the Burnout: I thought this was a great article that talks about actually disconnecting from work when you take days off.
Summer Entertaining: I want to host an al fresco brunch for a few friends soon, (when it's a little cooler) and this tart would be the perfect sweet to serve!

And this is the perfect low-calorie margarita to make when I host a summer happy hour for friends.

Lean In: Women have it rough in pretty much every industry, and our current political environment is making equality even harder to achieve. LeanIn.org https://leanin.org/ is an incredible female-empowerment resource that Katie Couric endorses. I really hope you check it out.
Support the Girls: It's no secret that I have a lot to support when it comes to my chest area, and finding a quality strapless bra that actually supports the twins has been a struggle since I was in 8th grade. That's why I was so excited to stumble upon this strapless bra guide for busty women. I'm adding one to my shopping cart ASAP.
Simple Living: Is there anything better than taking a stroll through the farmers' market in the summer? I think not! I love this guide for making the most of the farmer' market this summer. Overalls are optional... but I'll be wearing mine to the farmer's market this weekend because they are fun and sexy in an unexpected way.
Shop Til You Drop: Here are some great sales this week:

Gap- 50% OFF EVERYTHING - valid through 7/27
H&M- Sale up to 70% off - Ayyyyyeeeeee!!!!
My Theresa- Extra 20-30% off sale items. This is a great site for anyone wanting to buy discounted luxury items! - valid through 7/28
Zappos - Extra 20% off select styles with the code BDay20 - valid through 7/28
Kohl's- Friends and Family sale!! Extra 20% off with code FFTAKE20 - valid through 7/29

Shopping Cart: So I know that I included a ton of links about sustainable fashion/living, but it is out of a lot of people's price range. I've had my eye on a few things for the past few weeks. Some sustainable and some fast-fashion. I've included a mix of the two below that range in price. P.S. These are affiliate links so I may receive like 50 cents-2 dollars if you make a purchase from the links below.

Hope you have an amazing weekend! And thanks so much for stopping by to read this post! I know I say this in every post, but you support seriously means the world to me!

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Inspired Living: Positive Quotes To Live By

July 15, 2019

Photo by Alisa Anton

So the start to my week was a little rocky, but I wanted to share some amazing quotes that serve as great reminders that brighter moments and brighter days are right around the corner. I know that a lot of people are going through tough times, so I wanted to share some uplifting messages. I hope you curl up with a warm cup of tea, grab your journal and feel a little more inspired, regardless of the day you’ve had. And remember, no matter what you're going through, you're never really alone. That's one thing I love about the internet and social media. Technology has made it possible for me to connect with so many incredible, talented, kind, loving people, and for that, I am in awe and eternally grateful. You truly deserve all the love and happiness in the world, and I know we are both on the right path to receiving just that. Until next time my friend.