lifestyle

Let it Go

Filed under: Mom Life · June 4, 2019

Let me start out by saying this is not my average upbeat post because let’s face it life isn’t always upbeat and happy go lucky every single day. Some days life is hard, things might not go your way, the bills might be stacking up, rent is due, the doctor report comes back with bad news, people might hurt your feelings and well it can just suck. We have all had those days or weeks and sometimes even months where you might ask, why me?

Over the past month I have been going to a Bible Study class. It’s actually a small group called connect where we are working on a course created by the pastor called Hurdles. At first I did not really want to commit to bible study on a Tuesday night. Like most moms, I am always exhausted around 7 p.m. and I really just want to go find a quiet space to chill. After receiving texts from two different women from our church, I decided to get my stuff together and give it a try. The first class was so powerful. I left feeling lighter, understood and supported. I think that’s what most women want. Do you feel me?

Throughout the study I have learned a lot about myself. I don’t let things go easily. I hold my feelings in so much sometimes to the point where I am probably exploding on the inside. You see I am very, very good with not letting it show. But this is not a good trait to have. It turns into anger and then anger turns to resentment then to stress and then sickness. To prevent that from happening, you can battle the stress with products such as SelectVape. Last week we spoke about the hurdle of offense. How do you handle when someone offends you or you offend someone else? Do you trip over it or let it roll off of you like water on a wet duck? I laughed cause I knew this was one of my struggles.

There is so much power in letting go of things that no longer serve you. Your thing might be a relationship, addiction, habit, job, old offense…. Whatever your hurdle is there is power in letting go. Calm down with help from using hhcp vape carts. Additionally, the Geek Bar Pulse X vape performance is impressive, offering a smooth and consistent experience for users. This will help you improve your mood and give you a relaxing feeling. The other day I was highly offended by someone that I use to consider a good friend. However, over the years the friendship has been strained and well simply put time to really let it go. After I let my emotions get the best of me I remembered something that one of the elders in the group said. “Most of the time the other person doesn’t even know that they offended you.” This turned out to be very true and all a big misunderstanding but it reminded me of why I needed to let this relationship go. It is unhealthy and no longer serves either one of us. Finally, I am okay with that.

This is our last week of connect groups before the summer break and I am honestly sad to see it end. It has stretched my mind and empowered me to continue jumping over life’s hurdles even if I knock some of them down a long the way. I am not perfect and that is okay. God has equipped you with all that you need in order to get through whatever is standing in your path. Hurdles will be available online very soon and I will be sure to share the details with you all.

XO,

Sharonda

Fashionista Friday: Sporty Chic Inspiration

Filed under: Fashion, Mom Life · February 28, 2019

Can you believe that it is March already? I can’t. The only thing that I can say is that I am super excited about Spring Break. But other than that the days are going by a little too fast for me. Well March is Women’s History month so I wanted to kick off the month with a few of my favorite quotes from a few of my favorite badass women entrepreneurs. Did you know that Women’s History month traces all the way back to the first International Women’s Day in 1911? In 1978, the school district of Sonoma, California participated in Women’s History Week but it wasn’t until 1987 that congress designated the month of March as Women’s History Month. Salute to all of the amazing women that came before us and let’s continue to uplift and support the amazing women in our lives. What are some of your favorite quotes?

“Nothing beats a failure but a try”

Rosemary J.

“You get in life what you have the courage to ask for”

Oprah Winfrey

“Beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself”

Co Co Chanel

XOXO,

Sharonda

Give yourself a break

Filed under: Mom Life · January 30, 2019

The other day I was speaking with one of my mom friends just chatting it up about life. You know how the conversation goes…how are you, how are the kids, what are you up to these days. Same ole, same ole. But after talking for a few minutes, she noticed that I seemed somewhat frustrated. She was right. So once I started sharing my true feelings and let it all out she made me feel so much better by saying that she could relate to what I was going through.

Most of you may not know that I was a teacher before getting married and having a family. When I went off to college I had already buried my dream of being an actress. (That’s another blog post) I decided that I could be a pediatrician and help save children. Then, I wanted to be a pediatric pharmacist. However, after failing organic chemistry twice, I decided to teach cause I could still help save kids and not have to take out anymore student loans, lol. The message is that I never planned on being a SAHM! I am sure most of you SAHM didn’t either. Don’t get me wrong, I love it. It is a blessing to be able to be home with them and attend every possible activity in my power. But what happens when the kids get older and don’t need you as much? Then what? It’s something that I think more and more women are discussing these days. I think it was Glenn Close’s Golden Globes speech that really struck a nerve. She shared the story of how her mom at 80 felt like she hadn’t accomplished anything in life even though she kept up her home, raised amazing kids, grandchildren and supported her husband. She felt empty.

What I learned from that was that it is never too late to start to follow your dreams and do the things that you love. You may miss a game or two. You may not be able to host parent meetings at your house or attend every field trip but it is okay. You have to find personal fulfillment and follow your own dreams too. So, if you are beating yourself up over not being where you want to be… give yourself a break. You are doing an amazing job and the kids will one day appreciate that you did your own thing too. Take small steps towards your dreams but just keep stepping. I am writing these words to you guys but also to myself. For years I have suffered from severe mommy guilt. Fear of missing my daughter’s first 20 point game or my son’s game winning shot. Not being there when they call home sick or so busy that I can’t be there for homework, activities or doctors appointments. But, I am learning each day to give myself a break and I hope that you will too. Here are three of my favorite affirmations to remind you of your greatness and if you want something, go for it! YOLO! (You only live once). And when you need a lighthearted break, slot gacor mpo888 can add a little fun and relaxation to your journey.

XO,

Sharonda

January Lovin’

Filed under: Mom Life · January 25, 2019

Can you believe that January is almost over? It seems like every time that I blink it is Friday. But hey I am not complaining at all. This year is off to a very hectic start and to be honest with you all I am just trying to keep my sh%t together. I have been decorating part of our home for almost a year now but you can’t really tell. Everything is moving so slow. I have window treatments up in one room, missing in another, the bar cabinets are missing and well there’s stuff everywhere. I have hired two interior designers since March and well things just never seem to go as planned. But I guess that is how life goes. I am learning to be patient and to trust my gut. (Side bar: I should have ordered the sofa back in September lol) I also want to have a flyscreens ballarat in my window to enhance its look and provide additional protection.

On a happier note, I have decided to read a book a month and I am proud to say that I am on my second book of 2019 already! I am currently reading “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a f$ck by Mark Manson. It is not exactly how it sounds and even though I am only on Chapter 3, I highly recommend it. I also challenged myself to try one new thing every few months and this month I took a boxing class at Sucker Punch Gym. The boxing and fitness studio is fairly new and located near the Falls. They offer personal training, boxing, spinning, yoga and there is a fully equipped gym located next door. It was so much better than I thought it would be and I must admit that I felt a huge sense of freedom punching the hell out of the bag. Have you ever tried boxing?

I hope that your week was amazing and I want to encourage you to do something for yourself this weekend. Maybe book a spa day, take a class or buy yourself a new pair of undies cause I know we mommas are always looking out for everyone else. (You deserve new undies too) Here are a few other things that I am loving this month. Let me know if you have tried any of them. Have a fabulous weekend!!!!

Must Have Makeup: Becca Ultimate Concealer

Favorite Scent: Louis Vuitton Attrape-Reves

Designer: Marchesa’s designs have caught my eye over the past month. I love the bright colors, lace and flair these days. Normally I would never wear something like this but this is the year of trying new things!!!!

XO,

Sharonda

Change of plans 2019

Filed under: Mom Life · January 2, 2019

Happy New Year ladies!!!! I hope that your 2019 is off to a great start. Did you write down your goals, make a vision board, or sign up for a new gym membership yet? That is what we tend to do every year. On January 1st we come out swinging ready to take on the world. And there’s nothing stopping us, right? Until about two weeks later we realized that those excuses that we thought we buried are still nagging us telling us that we can’t do it.

So this year I decided to try something new. I am not making any goals… yet. I am going to rest and give myself time to recover from the kids being home for 2 weeks. I am going to declutter my closet, clean out my makeup drawer, wallet, the locker room (aka the trunk of my car) and just chill. Because the truth is I am exhausted and I need more time to get my shit together. My mom says that I always had a plan growing up. Well ladies, I have no plan. I am just looking forward to getting back on a real schedule.

I have started my list of must read books for 2019. Over the break I purchased Jen Sincero: You are a Badass Every Day. It is a daily motivation book to remind you of your bad ass self! When I mentioned it on Facebook a friend told me to get the green book. So I decided to get the audio copy of You are a Badass at Making Money. The audio is working out pretty good for me. I realized that since I spend so much time in my car I can probably finish it in less than a week. (I’m already on Chapter 4) Now that I am thinking about it I should have gotten Michelle Obama’s book on audio too cause I have been stuck on page 101 for a month. #momlife

So please don’t feel bad if you haven’t set goals or made a vision board yet, just do it when you are ready. Well that’s it for now. I am going to chill, sip on some Kombucha and finish listening to Jen tell me that I am a badass so I can keep creating badass stuff and make some money in 2019.

XO,

Sharonda

P.S.

Amazon has a free 14 day trial of Audible if you want to give Audio books a try. : )

The Bikini Slump

Filed under: Mom Life · June 21, 2018

I have a confession to make. I have been slipping a bit since Mother’s Day weekend. I have been skipping out on my workouts. I mean I did a barre class here and there. Had a weekly private yoga class and even made it to the track a few times but I haven’t been working out or eating like I should. I know most of you are probably like oh please you are small, you don’t have to worry about your weight but yes I do and so should you.

For I while I let myself go. I could blame it on the busy May schedule and end of the school year activities or the basketball tournaments and party planning. But, the truth is, I really didn’t feel like working out. Every day I would say I will go tomorrow. It’s not a big deal. But I was eating more carbs than usual and hitting the Starbucks drive thru daily. Pound after pound and week after week it was becoming a big deal and then it slapped me in the face.

I went to the mall last week with the family to have dinner. Our wait time for a table was around 45 minutes so I figured that I would walk around and look for a new swimsuit for our upcoming vacation. I went to a few stores before actually trying on a swimsuit because I honestly wasn’t ready. I knew what was coming. I even bumped into my mommy friend Jess as I browsed through Everything But Water. She too complained about not being the size that she wanted for bikini season. We laughed and just encouraged each other to just enjoy life and embrace our “2018” summer bodies. Then I proceeded into the fitting room with 4 swimsuits.

As I undressed I already knew what was going to happen. I saw the extra jiggle in the mirror. I was honestly so disappointed at first. The hot pink suit that I loved didn’t have enough support up top and my second favorite suit called for a larger size bottom. At least they had it in stock right? I even jokingly said to myself “Hey don’t worry, big booties are in these days. People are paying to have a bigger ass. You better work with whatcha got”! So I purchased a swimsuit in a larger size and said the heck with it.

But the truth is that it was a painful reminder that I have been slipping and deep down inside I don’t really like it. I have to take action and do something about it real fast. So if you find yourself in my situation don’t beat yourself up over it. Buy the larger suit but don’t just settle there. Acknowledge that you may have fallen off the plan and do whatever it takes to get back on it. This month I pledge to do better. I pledge to say no to the junk food cravings and the tall white mochas from Starbucks. I pledge to get my butt on the elliptical machine because it is to freaking hot to walk the track. I pledge to drop 5 pounds by August first. Are you in a bikini slump? What is your pledge?

XO,

Sharonda

Acai Berry Magic

Filed under: Fit Moms, Mom Life · February 11, 2018

By now you have probably seen or tried an acai’ bowl. The acai’ berry trend has been quite popular for a while now but do you know why? I remember hearing about it about 5 years ago and I tried it here and there. But, recently I have found myself craving this berry hemp acai bowl from Raw Juce. Even my hubby loves it and goes out of his way to get one. I know, crazy right? This led me to wonder what’s really in this bowl and why is it so good that I am craving it like I crave chocolate? I know it is organic, full of yummy fruits and hemp but how does this bowl benefit my health? So I did a little research and here is what I found out.

Raw Juce

Berry Hemp Bowl

The main ingredient is the acai so I will focus there. The acai berry is known as a superfood with anti-aging and weight loss properties. It comes from the acai palm tree and is native to South America. Most studies show that acai is richer in antioxidants than cranberries, blueberries, blackberries raspberries or strawberries. Acai is also believed to help control appetite. Hello! It can increase energy and may even help with metabolic functions. Some cosmetics and beauty products even include acai’ oil for its anti-aging benefits. Additionally, with this product, you can slow aging thanks to NMN molecules. There are tons of drinks and teas available just about everywhere. To enhance your beauty, visit the Salt Aesthetics clinic.

Raw Juce

Goji Berry Bowl

Here are a few reasons why you should add acai’ to your diet.

*Antioxidant

*Healthy Fat

*Dietary Fiber

*Amino Acids

*Electrolytes

*Trace Minerals

*B-Vitamins

As I approach the big 40 I am definitely here for the anti-aging benefits and it tastes so good. They say it even helps with stretch marks, dry skin and crows feet. You can make your own acai bowls, smoothies, and teas at home . Whole Foods, Publix and most local grocery stores have a great selection of prepackaged frozen acai’ blends where you just thaw and add your favorite toppings like strawberries, bananas, blueberries, granola, hemp etc. So far I have tried the Sambazon smoothie pack and it’s great. I personally prefer to get a fresh bowl loaded with all the good stuff from Raw Juce or Grown, but this does add up. Most bowls run from $10- $14 a bowl. Besides making a gorgeous Instagram photo the Acai’ bowl is actually really good for you! Cheers to good health!

DIY Recipe

XO,

Sharonda

“2016”

Filed under: Mom Life · December 26, 2016

This year has been quite interesting. I have learned a lot about myself and those around me. It is true what they say, one minute you can be on top of the world with everything going your way and the next minute well you can be laid out wondering WTF just happened. It is the roller coaster of life and some parts just plain suck.

But instead of venting and stressing over all that didn’t go as planned let’s be thankful and celebrate all of the victories that we had this year. Like, we are still here. Still standing. Still breathing. We have another chance to get it right. Another chance to love those around us. To forgive those that hurt us. And a chance to reach those goals that we didn’t quite conquer in 2016.

Motherhood is hard. Being a wife is hard. Life is hard, but you are strong, beautiful, brilliant and a survivor. So adios 2016 and all of the politics, failures, loses, disappointments. I am ready for 2017. Ready for the challenges. Ready for the blessings. Ready to make a difference. Are you ready?

Let’s do this!

XO,

Sharonda

#noexcuses

Filed under: Mom Life · April 15, 2016

It’s no secret that we live in a busy world. I was talking to another #bossmom on Wednesday about how fast paced Miami is and how we are always on the run. How do you find time to workout, eat clean and make time for yourself when you are always on the go? I use to make excuses I don’t have time to workout, I don’t have time to cook, why eat clean? Well four months ago I decided to quit making excuses and just give it a try.

With the help of healthier fast food options like Grown and Dr. Smood, I have cut back on a lot of processed foods and swapped out fresh juices and smoothies instead of Starbucks everyday. (Yes I went to Starbucks every weekday) I also try my best to shop at Whole Foods where I know I am surrounded by healthier options. It is a little more expensive but hey you get what you pay for. I never thought I would eat raw oats or drink avocado smoothies, but they actually taste pretty good.

Making time to workout is a must nowadays. When I don’t go to Pure Barre or hit the track I feel out of whack. I do not workout everyday but I do at least 3 days a week. This is my “ME” time. I am working on building a stronger body and a calmer mind lol! Don’t get it wrong, I also schedule lunch with a friend at least once a week.

As a result I have dropped a few pounds and I feel great. I know it is not easy but if you believe you can do it and set small goals you will get it done! Yes we live in a busy world where everyone is trying to keep up with social media and television but remember most of those posts are not authentic. You have to do what works for you. #yougotthis

XO,

Sharonda