Green Juice: A love affair
I don’t know about y’all, but for me when something is tasty and pretty and gives me all the nutrients I need in a day, I fall in love with it.
I love Green Juice
#wisdomdrop: From Life in a Cult to Life of my Dreams
/why you might be going through that hard time.
Most every person I know’s life didn’t go exactly according to plan. If your life is still going according to plan… then just add a “yet” to the end of that thought.
And it’s a good thing. The plan not working is often our greatest catalyst for growth, opportunity, and miracles.
Once upon a time I was in cult (more on that in the vid — and in future blogs, I’m sure). When I got out of the cult I had a little… baggage.
Not to mention the normal baggage we are all walking around with from our childhoods (most families do the best they can and often accidentally suck from time to time) and from a normal heart break or two.
I tried my hardest to hurry up and become super educated and successful — and rush into the life of my dreams.
So I got my bachelor’s degree in psych. And moved to Dallas to get my master’s in counseling.
This is where things didn’t go according to plan.
#wisdomdrop: how to create/use affirmations get over a break-up (or absolutely anything else):
Quotes:
The mind is everything. What you think you become. – Buddha
Change your thoughts and you change your world. – Norman Vincent Peale
Change your mind about yourself and healing will follow… Accept the joyous as truth. – A Course in Miracles
Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. – The Bible (more…)
ALL THE DEETS: My Trip To Bali
Quotes:
We travel not to escape life, but so life does not escape us. – unknown
I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move. – Robert Louis Stevenson
The miracle of travel is returning home once again to discover that while everything here seems the same, I am somehow different. – Me
.
Affirmations:
There are no limits on the fabulouslessness that my life can be. I create a life I love.
It’s either this or something greater. I am never stuck. (more…)
7 steps to a fabulous valentines day: single or taken
Valentine’s day IS NOT International Hate Your Life If You Are Single Day.
It is also not Expect Your Partner To Do All the Right Things/Buy All the Right Presents/Take You to the Right Restaurant To Make You Happy Day.
No. No. No.
Whether single or attached, I’m declaring Valentine’s Day LOVE YOURSELF DAY!
If you’ve been following me long, you are 100% aware of the fact that I am a self-love junkie.
Self-Love is my jam.
I believe, whole-heartedly that we can not take care of anyone else if you do not take care of ourselves. I try to practice self-love in small ways every day. Sometimes it’s super simple for me. I know that if I keep the dishes done and pick up my clothes that I will feel more comfortable and relaxed in my home. Some of my self-love is in the form of daily practices; eating healthy food, being obsessed with green tea and green juice, taking the time to meditate/breathe, and going to the gym/yoga makes me really happy. It keeps me in a good place. It helps me to be available for my friends, family and clients. Sometimes my acts of self-love are straight pampering. These days (ie yesterday) I am drinking red wine midday at the nail salon and getting a blowout before I feel ready to rejoin society as my best self. {{NOTE: The big pampering days don’t do you any good if you don’t get your MIND in a good place. If you are thinking about everything that sucks and how you hate your life, you don’t actually leave with anything other than pretty nails.}}
WAY before I started #SelfLoveSat/#SelfLoveSaturday with my dear friend, Paige Sauer, I started declaring Valentine’s Day INTERNATIONAL LOVE YOURSELF day each year! To read that original post on the blog, click here.
So, my dear friends, let’s LOVE ourselves today!
If you are single: I know that it is not super fun to see all your co-workers get flowers and talk about the surprise date their hunky hunky boyfriend has planned, but your are too fabulous to pout and sulk, my love. Comparing just makes you feel like crap. ((Comparison is based on the idea that some people are better or worse than others. It implies that we are somehow separate — when we are all one.)) You may be single. And this is not an incurable disease. In my opinion, it can totally be fabulous thing.
If you are attached: You still deserve a TON of self-love. You boyfriend/partner/spouse may or may not plan the kind of date, send the flowers, or buy the presents you want. Either way, it will make your relationship 100% better when you get on the self-love train. When you are not expecting a partner to fill you up and meet all your needs, everyone is happier. Happy relationships are made from two full people who have a lot to give to each other, not two drained people sucking each other dry.
So, yes, I am in a super happy relationship with a guy that adds so much to my life; I’m way fortunate. But I wouldn’t be here without my single years. I don’t take back a second of it. I learned way too much for regret or any of that nonsense. Furthermore, he and I wouldn’t be happy if I wasn’t fabulous at self-love. There were definitely times in our relationship years and years ago where we were tormenting each other trying to get each other to meet the needs that we needed to learn how to meet ourselves.
I feel like right now half of you are probably posting pics of flowers on Facebook and the other half are thinking about deleting Facebook because you are so over seeing the damn pictures.
So, in honor of all of us, I am giving you a list of things that you must certainly do for yourself today to add lots of love to your life whether you are single or in a relationship.
{One} Let’s start the day with gratitude and self-love. As a life-coach and therapist, I reserve the right to ask others to do emotionally stretching activities at any time. Get out a piece of paper and write down everything you like about yourself. Then write down everything you like about your life. Then write down anything else that you are thankful for that comes to mind. When you are finished, go through the items and notice how each of these things causes you to feel. Feel that feeling for a moment. Feel amazing yet? 🙂
{Two} Nourish! Make a healthy breakfast or stop by your favorite coffee shop, juice bar, or cafe. If me, I’d festively make myself a pink juice. If you go out, treat yourself to something you love. Let yourself feel thankful. Smile. Taking care of yourself feels good.
{Three} Keep the happy vibes going! Make a play list of your all time favorite songs. For me, this would be some Don’t Stop Believing type stuff. If you want to listen to my self-love playlists, search for me on Spotify (Amanda Frances McKinney). And I’m going to have to ask you to dis-include anything that makes you think of your ex, makes you feel sad, or puts you in a funky place. ((However, if any sadness or old memories do come up, it’s important to work through. Honor your feelings as valid — feel them, accept them, take a breath, and release. Remember you are right where you are supposed to be.))
{Four} Buy yourself a love present or do something nice for yourself. Pick up flowers. Have a massage at lunch. Mani-pedi with a girlfriend. Do something that you wouldn’t normally do for yourself midday on a Friday.
{Five} Is it 5 o’clock yet? Fabulous. Meet up with your favorite girlfriend, gay best friend, or mom and enjoy your life. Go to happy hour (haha – my mom would totally meet me for happy hour), see a matinée, have a picnic, go to yoga (more on that below), or some other cute and fun activity.
{Six} MOVE YOUR BODY! Go to yoga, run your fave trail/park, or visit a new workout class! Endorphins make you happy! However, if it looks more like self-love for you to give yourself the day off then by all means, do it!
{Seven} You could finish off the day with a Single Ladies Party with close friends, go to dinner with your Man-Friend, or maybe just stay home to make/order in delicious food. You could journal, take a bubble bath, phone a friend, or watch your favorite movie. It’s up to you, but I suggest you do something that makes you feel very special and very loved.
No matter what your day holds set the intention to love yourself, to enjoy others, and to refrain from comparing your day/relationship to someone else’s. You are so much better than that.
Xo,
Amanda Frances
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Why I Travel Alone…
Twenty-ish people have asked me every day since I returned, if I went to San Francisco alone. When I say yes, people look really shocked/confused sort of like. something must be wrong with me and definitely like I could have died on such an trip. They then ask, “WHY?!”
This is my answer in blog-form 🙂
I often say in my blogs and to my coaching clients that one of the most important steps to getting what you want in life, is being super clear on what you want. This step has served me numerous times in my personal and professional life as I endeavor to create the life of my dreams.
However, once you are clear on what you want, there is another crucial step: you have to show up for the life you want – like every day. That means making a daily commitment to the decisions that will ultimately serve you and get you to where you are going.
The obstacles that come up in our lives are simply assignments. Having obstacles is not a sign that you are doing something wrong. They show up to teach us, test us, and help us get to where we are going. The emotions, thoughts, and actions that arise in us in response to our obstacles often let us know where we have work to do. As the New Year has rolled around and I’m endeavoring (as always) to create my best year yet, I’ve noticed that my daily showing up is not always easy. Certain crazy-town thoughts can get in my way.
Showing up for yourself (or rising to the occasion) can mean a lot of different things. It sometimes means saying yes to the thing you aren’t sure you know how to do. It means being willing to be in temporary discomfort or uncertainty while you put yourself out there. It means continually stepping up your game. It means not giving up when you aren’t sure you see your progress. It means looking your fear in the face and telling it to eff off. It means taking good enough care of your body that you feel well enough to do the things you are called to do. It means making the hard decision when doubt is screaming in your face. It means being honest about the kind of life you want and then creating that life.
Right now, showing up for yourself could mean…