A Simple Meditation for Someone Grieving

A Simple Meditation for Someone Grieving (1)

They say when you lose someone you start noticing death and the passing of family, friends and other acquaintances more frequently. I never believed it to be true because I thought I was already in tune with death (and recognizing death) in my social circle. But recently, I can’t scroll through my social media feed without reading the news of someone’s recent passing: grandparents, friends, aunts, uncles, and more often than not, parents of all ages, always way too young.

Not a day goes by that I don’t think about my mom. Memories exist all around me, from episodes of Law and Order: SVU to dried mangos I buy while at Home Goods. More specifically, I think about what my life is going to be like without my mom. At only 24, there are too many milestones, birthdays and celebrations to count that she should be here for. That’s something I harbor and face every single day, and feelings I know will never fully heal but instead evolve over time. What hurts more is seeing and hearing friends feel a similar pain. Learning that other men and women in their 20s, a formative time in our young lives, are growing up without a parent or parents for that matter.

Just weeks after my mom passed, a friend told me to meditate to help clear my mind and channel some of my stress, anger and sadness. While I’m no expert at meditating, and honestly should do it more frequently, I found one specific meditation that connected me to my mom and brought me some comfort during my time of grief.

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President’s Day Sales You Can’t Miss

My “No Spend January” has come and gone, and I can happily say that I didn’t go binge shopping that first week of February! But now President’s Weekend is here with markdowns on everything – clothing, shoes, home goods, skincare and haircare products. With coupons in my wallet, Nick and I ventured out this weekend in search of the best deals and steals on every day items we need, as well as items we simply want. I can happily share we each spent under $300, scoring 5 pairs of shoes, athleisure, stemless wine glasses (6 pairs for $8 at Marshalls!!), a few pieces of workwear and some items for our furry best friend.

For those of you who didn’t make it out this weekend, I’ve sourced some of the best sales from my favorite brands and stores that you can still get online. If you’re reading this and don’t have my sense of style (preppy, classic may not be your thing and that is a-okay!), I highly recommend using HONEY when online shopping to ensure you get the best deal possible. HONEY is an online browser extension that takes the search out of bargain hunting and automatically finds and applies the best coupons currently available. I promise you it will be a game changer for your shopping experience.

Kate Spade Surprise Sale –

Enjoy 75% off a variety of Kate Spade classics, from handbags and wallets, to jewelry and clothing! I got a new wallet for just $49 and a coin purse for $29. If you’re new to Kate Spade or looking to expand your collection, now is the time!

Favorites under $100 (yes, Kate Spade under $100!!)

 

 

Mikas Pond Lacey Wallet || Felicity Street Karla Tote ||

 Magnolia Street Izabella Crossbody || Hayes Street Vanessa Bucket Bag  ||

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How I Survived “No Spend” January

 

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Spoiler alert: I did it! I made it one month on a spending freeze!

If you read my goals for 2019, you know that I am trying to accomplish (3) “No Spend” months this year. After a hectic and expensive December full of gifting, hosting and attending multiple events, my wallet needed a time out. I vowed not to step foot into a Target, Home Goods, and clothing store for the entire month of January, plus stop eating out for lunch and no more weekly coffees. I stopped being #Basic for the month and here’s what happened.

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5 Heart Healthy Tips to Follow this Year

Modern Design Lecture Series

The month of February isn’t just about paper or candy valentine hearts. It’s actually about that beating heart in your chest. For those who didn’t know, February is National Heart Health Month and the perfect time to talk about smart heart habits people should and can start at any age to raise awareness, and increase knowledge of prevention.

Over 8 million adults live with one or more types of cardiovascular disease in the United States. Unfortunately, heart disease takes the life of 1-in-3 women in this country. In order to keep your ticker happy, healthy and beating for love this Valentine’s Day, follow these heart healthy tips from the American Heart Association this month and every month!

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Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers

Are you ready for Super Bowl Sunday? If your answer is no, don’t worry – you still have some time. Rather than disappoint your guests with chips and salsa and a takeout pizza, make your own game winning appetizers that will have your friends cheering for more.

Living outside of Philly, cheesesteaks are a must at all sporting events and parties. But making cheesesteaks for 20+ people can be time consuming and costly. Philly Cheesesteak Peppers, on the other hand, are bite size, low carb, inexpensive, and super easy to make. Talk about a win, win, win, and WIN! This recipe makes 30 mini stuffed peppers in just 20 minutes for only $17.50. If you want to break it down by CPP (cost per pepper), you’re spending less than 60 cents per delicious app. 

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10 Ways to Make New Friends in a New Year

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The saying goes, New year, same friends, but what about New Year, New Friends?

For some reason, we get into this mindset that we don’t need new friends. Assuming that my readers are also millennials in their 20s, we have our friend group(s) that we’ve curated over the years, from recess at elementary school to roommates in college. These friends are there for us through thick and thin and we can’t imagine anyone else by our side. But let’s face it – friends move apart in distance thanks to job opportunities, families, significant others, you name it. Technology keeps us together and weekend gatherings are a no brainer, but who do you call when you just want to go to grab a coffee or head to the gym?

I’m not suggesting we replace our O.G friends (if they have put up with us for this long, they aren’t going anywhere), but why do we have a hard time expanding our horizons and opening ourselves up to new people?

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How to Paint a Wood Fireplace for Under $50

Let’s face it – as young adults, we don’t have millions (not even hundreds!) of dollars to spend on our home decor and furnishings. We’re 20-something year olds most likely in entry level positions learning how to navigate bills and budgets with our newly acquired paychecks. Thanks to the help from the three main F’s – family, friends, and Facebook Marketplace – we are able to curate a hodge podge of furniture from different generations, in different textures and colors, for our first home or apartment. While nothing matches or looks like something Joanna Gaines would have styled, it was free or cheap furniture so you can spend your hard earned cash on food (and beer and wine) instead of  on overpriced furniture.

But what if beautiful furniture didn’t have to break the bank? What if you could have the style you want at a fraction of the cost. Spoiler alert: You can!

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Breakfast Hack: Egg Muffins

Who loves a homemade diner style omelette in the morning, but hates the work (and clean up) involved? I know I do! Every morning I find myself racing against the clock to get ready for work, leaving only a few minutes for a bowl of cereal, toast and fruit, or worse, a granola bar. Rather than skip out on the most important meal of the day, I started making these easy egg muffins at the beginning of my week so I can enjoy a healthy breakfast without the hassle. Make a bunch in advance and store them in the fridge for up to five days. When you’re hungry, just pop ’em in the microwave and start your day in the most egg-cellant way!

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My Goals for 2019

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Is anyone else having a hard time believing that 2019 starts tomorrow? On one hand, I feel like I just celebrated the 2018 New Year, yet on the other, 2017 and the start of 2018 honestly seems like it was ages ago! Usually I am excited about ringing in a new year. It means more opportunities, advancements, adventures and growing older (if you haven’t learned this about me yet, I always want to be older than I am… I wonder at what age these feelings will change!) However, this year I am a bit nervous and scared to see what the new year brings. For the first time, I am not looking forward to the clock striking 12AM on January 1, 2019 because it means a new year without my mom. A full 365 days without her supporting me, pushing me, loving me, believing in me.

Before anyone messages me, I do realize that my fear is irrational. I can’t be afraid of a new year. And I have to know by now that my mom is with me in spirit every day.  She sends me so many signs that I know she’s by my side every step of the way. But a new year means more firsts without her, and that’s my fear. It means more moments I can’t share with her, more envy I feel towards friends and complete strangers who get to build relationships with their moms, and more moments of feeling lost and alone. Each day I am learning the intricacies of grief and how to move forward each day. 

The best way I move forward and push myself is through goals.

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Risalamande: Danish Rice Pudding

‘Tis the season for baking and cooking! These last few weeks I’ve noticed so many articles online sharing the “Top 10 Recipes to Make this Christmas” or “Best Crockpot Recipes for the Holidays!” While I love these lists for quick appetizer ideas and time saving recipes, it makes me sad that many young couples are not recreating family recipes and traditional meals from their heritage. It made me wonder how many people still have a traditional Christmas dinner or favorite meal that they have just this one time of year!

During my junior year of college, I was fortunate to study abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark. The best part of my experience was that I stayed with a loving host family who cared for me as one of their own, and shared all of their family traditions with me – including Christmas! (If you haven’t already, check out my post on the DIY Advent Calendar that my Danish host mom made me!)

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