This Moment Is Everything.

I was fortunate to travel to Alaska for 9 days in June. The wildness, beauty and expanse of Alaska is something everyone should experience in my opinion. I ate fresh seafood, hiked gorgeous hikes, took in all the astounding views. I had my share of ups and downs on this trip for sure, but I walked away with a valuable life lesson.

The view of Denali Nat'l Park

I began this adventure with the mindset of being fully present, as I strive to do on every vacation. I have made goals and aspirations to be present and set boundaries regarding my digital life. As a travel blogger, sometimes setting digital boundaries and being fully immersed in a moment is difficult. You want the content, you want the photo, the perfect shot...but at what cost?

        It's funny how the Universe works.

A few days into this incredible trip, I thought I was doing a fairly good job of mindfulness and being present and I think the Universe decided to hold me to my word and show how I wasn't as present as I thought.

Talkeetna River with Denali in all its glory. 

While hiking along the Talkeetna River, my friend and I were concerned about our trail being correct. I did what I have done hundreds of times, I pulled out my phone, checked my AllTrails app to verify our GPS. As I went to grab a small birch tree, it gave way more than I expected and I fumbled just enough to drop my phone. It bounced on my leg, the ground and then plop!

                        Right into the Talkeetna river. My phone. The river. Gone.

My friend Becky and me at the Talkeetna River

This particular area of the river is where 2 other rivers converge into the Talkeetna, so its extremely wide with a fast current/under current AND is VERY cold. 

I was stunned and it all felt like slow motion and my friend, god love her, was more than eager to help fish it out. After realizing fishing it out was not an option, we both walked a bit up river and back down then came to the realization, it was gone.

I knew it was a replaceable item and I was so thankful I didn't lose the pack or that either one of us didn't slip into the cold water. I was still having initial mixed feelings of worry, frustration and anger at myself, but I knew it would all be okay and that I didn't want to ruin the remainder of our trip. We decided to continue our day with other nearby hikes. 

One of the area lakes in Talkeetna, Alaska. 

The next morning I was journaling and it hit me square between the eyes, this was my lesson.

This was my wake up call from the Universe. This was my challenge to walk my talk of being more present, creating lasting digital boundaries. When the Universe wants to get your attention, it doesn't mess around, that's for sure!!

Right then, I knew this was a blessing. Dropping my phone in the river was just the push I needed to be fully present and set those boundaries I have always had a hard time setting. I will be replacing my phone of course, but I have made a strict list of things I will no longer have as distractions so that I can take this lesson to heart. Unless I make intentional change, this lesson was all for naught. 

Views from Denali Nat'l Park

We aren't guaranteed anything in this life. Every single day is a gift and every single moment is everything. It contains everything we could possibly want or need. We are just too distracted to see and realize the beautiful moments we are letting slip by. 

Every trip gives me new people, experiences, and lessons. This trip was no different. My lesson is one I hope you will embrace for yourself as well. 

This moment. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, open your eyes. There is beauty, joy, peacefulness and love there but we must be willing to see it and appreciate it.

Gratitude.

Thank you Universe. Thank you Alaska. 

Keep traveling.

Much Love, H :)

Slow Down, Be Present.

February, March and April 2020 will go down in history as the time the entire world dealt with a pandemic. A novel coronavirus ravaged the globe with upper respiratory illness and in many cases, death. 

During this time, many of us find ourselves in some form of lockdown or extreme social distancing. As a small business owner myself, this was a scary decision to close my salon. I understand the decision is the correct one, but still scary. 

As many of us are navigating our new normal, I have found myself diving into hobbies I haven't participated in quite some time. 

In the last few days, I have completed a 750 piece puzzle, a hobby I loved as a kid. 

I haven't completed a puzzle in years and it was such a welcome challenge mentally. 

In addition to my puzzle, I have been reading more, gardening more and even painting! I haven't painted in over 4 years! 

I feel that maybe this time inside and slowing down can help us all. Physically, yes we are flattening the curve, but what about mentally? I can't help but think how this time spent with our immediate family, taking things slow and participating in things that fill us with joy, will help our overall mental health. 

I, for one, can easily be described as a workaholic. These past few days have helped me to slow down and take the time to do things I love. I don't have the guilty feelings as I would if I were working. I see these hobbies as things to help ease my mind and calm my spirit while I am unable to work. 

Maybe this pandemic will be a wake up call for us all to slow down. Maybe after all of this, we will realize that our worth isn't measured by our productivity. Maybe finally, we will see how rest and rejuvenation is just as important as work. 

We will get through this together.  We will eventually get back to work, but in the meantime, dust off those hobbies you loved. Read a book, complete a puzzle, play an instrument or draw a picture... take this time to find what sparks joy. Remember. we are in this together. ❤

Much Love, 

H.

  

From Europe to Africa and back again...

I am so excited to write this blog! I finally made the trek to Morocco and it was an extraordinary experience from start to finish!!

I scored a great flight deal by flying into Madrid Spain from New York. From Madrid I then traveled to Tangier Morocco. 

This trip was mostly about Morocco, but I can't downplay the beauty and kindness I experienced in Madrid Spain. This short visit to Madrid has awakened my desire to further explore this great country!!

The architecture of this city was definitely European with a different flair. I loved the wrought iron balconies and the warm tones of the buildings. Everything was also so ornate! I had a sore neck from looking up all the time. :) 

I was lucky with the weather too, it was mild and mostly sunny the entire time I was in Madrid. I think it was cloudy one day only. 




In Spain they do what is called Tapas, which is small portions of a variety of food. This works perfectly for me because you can then try a variety and not eat too much. I have to say, I have ZERO complaints in the food department for the entire trip!  I loved EVERYTHING!!! 

This small cheese platter was amazing and the perfect amount to go with my glass of wine. I found this incredible open air market just outside the Plaza de Mayor. San Miguel Market is what it is called. They had so many booths offering countless options of food. They had cheese, fish, produce, sweets, pastries, wine, just to name a few!! I visited this market multiple times for a light snack that was always perfect!

It felt like spring with the mild temperatures, blue skies and blooming flowers everywhere. This archway was right at the entrance to a wonderful park that had a big lake, cafes, gardens and live music. The entire area felt alive and I loved it!! 

Thank you Madrid for sharing with me your beauty, love and culture. I'll never forget you and look forward to exploring more of Spain!

From Madrid, I flew to Tangier Morocco. The flight took an hour and before I knew it, I was in an entirely new country, continent and culture!

I have to say, my first hour in Tangier was quite the eye opening experience! I had to first argue with my cab driver on the price then I had to navigate within the confusing Medina to find my Airbnb. I had a nice young man help me find it, then once he walked me to the door, he expected payment! I gave him very little and quickly learned my way around. The sights, sounds and smells were a sensory overload from the start. I had a lovely Airbnb from the start with a remarkable rooftop terrace that had an amazing view of the city!!

I think I could spend all day up here. The sunrises and sunsets were unmatched from this vantage point!  I knew instantly, I had made a great choice in lodging!

The shopping and exploring in Tangier was quite an experience, almost exhausting. Prices were NOT set and haggling was expected. I did, however, get the hang of this and by the end of the visit, I was getting some true bargains. I think of all the shops, I loved the pottery ones the most! The colors and shapes were so unique and lovely!

I ended up purchasing an adorable sugar container for my coffee shop I will be opening and I am so excited to use it!

I was also able to buy a smaller sized rug from a man in Tangier. The rug is a stunning handmade rug that I was thrilled to score! It too will be the perfect addition to my coffee shop! 

I mentioned earlier how the food was amazing this entire trip, well, Morocco had some of the freshest fruit and produce I've ever seen!! I found a great produce stand where I purchased my fruit and veggies.

Everything was remarkable and so tasty!!

Just look at those strawberries and bananas!!!  They tasted as good as they looked, trust me!! The US dollar goes so much further as well! I purchased an avocado, cucumber, cherry tomatoes and a pear all for just $.40!!! And it all tasted like it came straight from the garden!!

I was in Tangier for a few days then took a trip to Chefchaouen, the Blue Pearl. This city peaked my interest when I began seeing images of it on Instagram and Pinterest. I was curious to see if it was truly THAT blue....

Well, it really IS that blue!!! This city had my heart from the first step off the bus! The old medina is where I stayed and the intertwining alleyways do NOT disappoint with the various shades of blue! Getting lost was never a bad thing because you always had beautiful scenery surrounding you!  The city is quite a bit smaller than Tangier and you can definitely feel that. The pace is a bit slower, the people are friendlier and more helpful and the vibe is more laid back. I felt right at home!

I booked a photo tour while I was in Chefchaouen and that was one of the best things ever!! I was able to find some of the best hidden spots and capture some great photos of me that weren't selfies! 

I could add numerous photos from this incredible city and fill the pages to the brim! I am having to limit myself so that you can book your OWN trip and see for yourself the beauty that is Chefchaouen!

I had the pleasure of working with an incredible tour company, Travel Morocco Now and they are such amazing people! If you are wanting to visit Morocco, I highly recommend checking them out.

Their website is: www.travelnowmorocco.com and they will go above and beyond to make your Moroccan experience one of a kind!

Morocco gave me love, light, beauty, culture and feeling of home. I am so glad I finally experienced this incredible country!! 

It truly is a gem of a country. 

Don't be afraid to venture to a new culture or country. This was by far the most out of my comfort zone I've ever been and I feel so much better for it. I was greeted with kindness and love and I left with such a peace and full heart. I do plan on returning to explore more of the amazing country that is Morocco!

Keep traveling and exploring, the world is a great big place and never be afraid to venture outside your little corner! 

Much Love, H :)

The Majority of NONE.

The political landscape in the past year has been tumultuous, to say the least. While there are currently 18 potential Democratic candidates vying for the nomination, there is only one that has FINALLY acknowledged a growing demographic in the political landscape. The nones, or the religiously unaffiliated, make up roughly 25% of the population. They are now a larger group than evangelicals.

Yes, you read that correctly.

But, until now, no political candidate has ever created a position to help communicate with this group or listen to them. Elizabeth Warren is "seriously thinking" about creating a "Secular Outreach Director".

While most candidates have a religious or faith based outreach to appeal to the evangelicals, no one has ever created a SECULAR version.

I applaud her openness to the idea, which was brought up to her by a constituent at an Iowa townhall meeting. I'm leery of it taking hold though. The religious right has such a stronghold on our country, almost brain-washing the entire population to believe we are a christian nation. Which, by the way, we are NOT.

In case you want or need proof, I encourage you to read "The Founding Myth" by Andrew Seidel, a Constitutional attorney.He has perfectly laid out historical facts showing how our country was founded and the ludacris ways the religious right try to show how we are founded on christian principles. 

I am hoping this gains traction because we who are unaffiliated do not yet have a voice in politics. We don't have a caucus, we barely have an open member of Congress. Our political leaders need to remember their oaths of office that are for service to ALL citizens, not just those who believe as they do.

As a small town "none", I was excited at the idea of a candidate finally realizing we are a growing group. Finally, a politician might be seeing that they are missing the boat by forgetting the nones. Maybe, just maybe we will see an increased focus on the secular population. We are growing and we want our voices heard.

We want our leaders to keep that wall between church and state strong and tall.

THIS is the most important wall for the success and survival of our republic.

You Say Hello, I Say Goodbye...

After watching the cycle of Sunday morning talking head political shows, I felt saddened. I usually enjoy these types of shows, among other things, as a way to stay up on politics and the happenings of the moment.

Today, I felt like we as a country have gotten to a place of utter disgust.  I felt like I was watching children having a temper tantrum.  The politicians weren't listening, they were yelling and showing zero respect for the host or commentator.  Both sides are so far from finding common ground on ANYTHING, I don't see how we could ever recover.

Our political parties are so far apart nowadays, they don't even seem to be living in the same realities.  I'm not usually a "negative Nellie", but I'm feeling less than optimistic lately. 

Today, I feel more and more drawn to a life of an expat. I'm figuring how I can make it a reality because I'm not sure I want to live amongst this sort of drama and animosity. 

Why can't grown adults come together to have civil and respectful conversations to find common ground for the good of ALL?! It doesn't seem like rocket science to me, but I'm just an everyday, common working American.

I have varying opinions and beliefs from my friends, family and clients, BUT I'm able to have open conversations with them in a civil and understanding way. Do you know why??? Because I love them and respect them as human beings. I realize that in most cases, different does NOT mean wrong, it just means different. I think our elected politicians and leaders could use a lesson in this simple concept.

So for now, I'll continue planning my future that may or may not include living in the US. As the Beatles said, 'you say hello, I say goodbye'..... 

Empty Nest, Full Heart

When we hear the phrase, 'empty nest', we usually think of an older married couple whose children have all moved out and they are all alone. In many cases, it has a negative or sad connotation.

To me, 'empty nest' means something so much more. It means evenings spent enjoying a good movie, or reading a good book. It means playing board games with your partner and enjoying a rare sweet victory. It also means watching your favorite TV shows, which might include PBS News Hour, but that's an entirely different blog post..

I'll be honest, my feelings were mixed at first, until last night. 

I'll give you a little back story to set the stage. My husband and I married very young, I was 18, he was 19. We were high school sweethearts who began dating at 15 and 16. For us, marriage immediately following high school graduation was obvious. He was 2 years ahead of me in school so by the time I finished, he had 2 years of college under his belt. He had made the decision to finish his education at Mississippi State University in Starkville Mississippi. 

Plans were set, we would marry then move 8 hours from family and friends to begin our lives. We had a wonderful wedding and our move went smoothly. We were adjusting to newlywed live beautifully! Our apartment was basic, at best, and very affordable since we were in married housing on campus. We didn't care, we had each other and for us, it was a new exciting adventure. 

I worked full time at the local Wal-Mart while Andrew went to school full time and things were going great. We had made new friends and we were truly finding our niche in our new little life and community in Mississippi. 

It's amazing how things can change in an instant. 

It was March and I had come home to visit Missouri while Andrew was on a school trip for spring break. I was staying at my mom's house when I woke up with a terrible stomach ache. I've always had a sensitive stomach but this was different. I couldn't get the pain to subside. It was a sharp pain like I had never experienced. My mom decided to take me to the local ER and they gave me some antacid and said it was a possible stomach ulcer and for me to continue the prescription. 

Fast forward to May, we were visiting Missouri again for my sister-in-law's graduation. By this point, my stomach pain hadn't fully gone away, it had gotten worse and I had lost noticeable weight because I was starting to have trouble keeping food down. We hadn't mentioned much to our family because we were still unsure of what was happening. While we were in Missouri, our family had planned a trip to a Cardinals baseball game. After the game, my stomach had begun acting up and I got sick and I was unable to keep any food down. Once we finally got back home, things had calmed down but Andrew's family were all so worried about my health and what could be wrong. We promised that as soon as we returned to Mississippi, I would find a doctor and get to the bottom of this.

I found a doctor and after hearing my issues, his diagnosis was severe anxiety and obsessive control disorder. He prescribed heavy anti-anxiety medicine and advised that I get a fish.... 

Well, to say that diagnosis missed the mark is a complete understatement. While I was stressed because we were so far from family and friends, it was NOT making me sick. I knew in my bones that was an incorrect diagnosis. BUT, I got a fish, took my meds, lived in a haze for a month or so... and still got sick. I got worse. 

By the time July rolled around, I was barely 90lbs and struggling to work. I was so weak and in so much pain that I had to go back to the doctor to see if they could run tests and see if we could get to the bottom of this. In all of the times at various doctors, I had already had upper/lower GI tests run, x-rays, sonograms, endoscopy tests and they all showed nothing wrong. 

I finally had a doctor's appointment to see the same doctor and tell him his previous diagnosis was glaringly wrong. As luck would have it, he was on vacation so I was seen by his father, who was in practice with him. I'll never forget that appointment. I was so weak that I passed out trying to walk to the scales so they could get a weight, a whopping 89 pounds at this point. The nurses tried at least two times to get a blood pressure reading on both arms and couldn't pick anything up. When the doctor finally came in to see me, I was describing what was wrong and he had his back turned looking at my chart and when he turned to look at me, he said, "You are a very sick young lady". Immediately, he had me admitted to the hospital where they did a CT Scan of my abdomen and FINALLY found what was wrong with me and two days later, I was in surgery to clear an intestinal blockage. 

Throughout all of this scary sick time, Andrew was incredible. When I would get sick in the night, he would get up and change the trash bag and help me get cleaned up. He would draw me up the hottest baths to help me relax for a few minutes. He was thrown into this situation and handled it with so much love, grace and patience. 

Last night I was reminded of how carefree our first six months of marriage was. We played games, played video games, watched our favorite movies and ate ice cream straight from the carton. As Andrew grabbed his carton of ice cream and a spoon, we were gearing up to play Dominoes and I had to smile because here we were, 22 years later, feeling that same carefree feeling. 

So, an empty nest for us is a reminder of all we have been through and the excitement knowing that its just us two carefree kids again enjoying the simple things like a game of Dominoes and ice cream. 

Overwhelmed and Understimulated

Is it possible to be overwhelmed with your career/job and to also be under-stimulated at the same time?

This is an interesting question because I think it's possible. I am currently feeling this way and let me tell you, it's weird.

I can tell you, I have felt overwhelmed with the day to day operations of running my salon and working behind the chair to take care of my clients. There are days where it feels never ending. But here's the weird thing, I have also felt under stimulated in my career. I feel as though I've lost my passion or spark in working behind the chair with my clients. I am finding that I no longer want to venture out and be as creative as I once was. I feel as though my mind and heart are no longer engaged in my career, but I feel stressed at the same time.

Why, and more importantly how, does this happen? I'll tell you why and how... it's called burnout. It's a very real thing. I think burnout happens when we don't set appropriate boundaries in our careers. I see this happen so often with those who are business owners. We give and give and give in order to satisfy our customers and in turn, give too much and teach our customers how to treat us. We aren't setting healthy boundaries. We are so worried about losing the sale or losing that client, we can't find it in us to say "no".

I wonder where we got this idea of "the customer is always right" or "customer is king". These ideas and mindsets are why small business owners are retiring early or why people are feeling so defeated in their careers. We are overworked, underpaid and understimulated. In a word, we are suffering burnout.

So, what are some things we can do to set boundaries to help keep that spark or passion alive?? Here are a few things I've personally tried and have had success with.

1. Ask for help. Maybe it's as simple as asking your spouse or significant other to watch the store for a couple hours while you go for a walk or take a break. Or maybe you need help with completing a task, two sets of hands are always better than one!

2. Reconnect to your why. Take a look inside yourself and remember why you started this business. Why are you working this business? By defining or redefining your 'why', you can get that motivation back to stay focused and achieve the goal.

3. Adjust your schedule. Maybe you need to dial back and give yourself an extra day to just be you. Maybe that means a lazy day with no one at home but you. Or perhaps it could be a day where you allow yourself creative freedom to create art of some kind. Allowing yourself that extra time might just be what your brain needs.

4. Make a list of your top 3 things to accomplish for the day. Once those are marked off, make another top 3 list. A list of three isnt nearly as overwhelming as a list of 10. Take the tasks in smaller bite sized chunks so when you accomplish the three items, you feel success.

5. Go for a walk, run or get some fresh air. Sometimes just simply walking away, closing the shop and getting outside is all it takes to reset your mind and get it focused again. I know, personally, there is nothing better than a nice walk to help me clear my mind and get things back in line. 

6. Journal your thoughts, ideas and frustrations. Sometimes simply writing these things down helps clear your mind allows you to see things for what they are. I have found that blogging helps me get things out and once I do that, I feel a release. 

I hope these tips will help you in the day to day in your careers. The key is to know that you aren't alone. So many others feel what you're feeling or have felt it in the past. Remember that you are only one person and boundaries are a necessity for a healthy work/life balance. Don't be afraid to take care of yourself first. After all, you can't take care of your customers or clients if you have nothing left to give.

So remember when you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, under-stimulated and just plain blah...  take some time to step back, set healthy boundaries and take care of yourself. You'll be glad you did! 

Take care, keep traveling and much love! 

H