How to Get Healthy After Hitting Rock Bottom with a Bonus: Get Fit & Healthy Shopping List

At the start of 2013, I had visions of great things that I planned to accomplish for the year. Ahem...those things flew out the window, as well as blogging, as I proceeded to get sick, terribly sick, just about every two weeks until the end of April. Being pregnant, I knew that my immune system was weaken but this was out of hand crazy. It wasn't until the end of April that I ended up with my second case of stomach flu this year, and the second time ever in my life. My husband managed to get me to our family doctor, by some miracle, and then she saw me had an ambulance arrive immediately to whisk me off to the hospital. Once there, I was rushed to the maternity ward and put on an IV Gravol drip to help curb things. Thank God it worked and everything was still awesome with the baby growing inside me. 

The larger question still loomed: What the hell had happened to my health in only six short months? I couldn't blame this all on just being pregnant. My health hit rock bottom, and it was sitting there, feeling lifeless and awful, that I realized I had to find a way to fight my way out of this mess. Sometimes when you make a wish, the universe listens and finds a way to deliver exactly what you need.

Making Plans in 2013!

 

Since my last post, a new year has rolled in. It's 2013 and I couldn't be more please to have a fresh start.   I spent most of December and the start of January sick. I couldn't write. I couldn't sew. I could only read. One blog that I have fallen in love with again is Jessica Swift's blog. She offered, for only $15, a PDF download to help set your goals and intentions for 2013.

In between coughs, I took time to complete the intention kit and it was an amazing experience. It's still not too late to grab this, sit at a desk, and think about what you want to do this year.

Doing the kit, I realized that writing was a priority for me this year. It will mean less blogging and being media social, for at least a couple of months, in order to get my novel ready to share with the world. If I can offer one tidbit of encouragement to you for the start of your year is this: 

 Get your values organized so that your actions will create the life you want.

It's No Secret...I'm Chasing Stars!

It's no secret. I want to share my life with you. I can finally admit, or understand, that I'm a perfectionist. It isn't a good thing and it does show up in my life in strange ways. I'm not nutso-crazy about my clothes being perfectly ironed, but I am nutty about my creative projects being completed close to perfection. This isn't good. I self-sabotage the completion of projects because I can't stand looking at something that isn't done the way I intended it to be. (Sidenote: I made that Fall Jacket! And it came out awful! LOL! So that is why I never posted the final result! I had a really good laugh over it once I was done-and this is real progression on my party) Perfectionism has wrecked havoc on my writing career! I write and hide it away. Do you do this in your life? It's kind of funny a blogger does this! At some point, a girl has to decide to change her life.  In order for me to reach the stars of my destiny, dear readers, I will be in hibernation for the next month as I do NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month).

 

I have taken several steps to change and break that perfectionist streak. I have a deadline for my novel-that is big news! I did something else that makes me gasp to see that I'm changing---I hired a babysitter from a sign I found posted at a nearby park. But, the lord works in answering prayers! It turns out that the babysitter that now watches our toddler is AMAZING! She speaks French (tres chic!) and loves to play. I couldn't feel more blessed that life is working with me to accomplish this life dream. I am taking the greatest risk in my life by finally working and being who I am in this moment. I am not limited by memories of the past. I am only in this moment. I might not be perfect, but-heck-who is? I can only be myself and let it shine.

 

 I will try to update occasionally through the month, but that really isn't a promise. Please follow me on twitter where I can post quick notes! Most of all, thanks to every reader that has been at Modern Girl Style and continues to follow all of my misadventures!

Camp NanoWriMo 2012 & Why I Write

Welcome to Second-ever Camp NanoWriMo 2012! I heard about this two days ago via Fiction Notes and decided to take the challenge. I'm not taking the traditional NanoWriMo {which stands for National Novel Writing Month, typically done in November} challenge. I am going to use Camp Nanowrimo to finish connecting all the loose ends in my WIP {work in progress}.  I encourage all newbies or old writers alike to join me in the process. 

For those creatives reading, where do you like to write? Personally, I love writing poolside. The sand on a beach can get messy and then I get distracted wanting to just have fun. Pools work really well for me. I can recall a few years ago that Hollywood screenwriters were being found at the mall in the food courts writing out scripts. So it doesn't have to be a really glamourous place that one writes. One place that I truly avoid is Starbucks and libraries. I always seem to attract people that want to talk and etc. I want to write, not chit-chat! Oh, one book that came out of a NaNoWriMo challenge was The Night Circus:

Why are you talking about Writing at Modern Girl Style? 

So a quick note on the creative craziness of my life as of recent. In January, I started learning how to sew. I totally love the new hobby which can really pull me away from my first passion---writing! The truth is I've been ambitiously working on a novel for like five years. I can recall when I first moved to Toronto, met all these new people, and told them I was a writer. The automatic next question was, "What are you writing?" A novel. Exciting stuff! I wrote the first draft that year. After I completed it, I read what I wrote. From first to the last page, I knew I was in trouble. My book was utter and total crap! 

Ink My Heart: A Creative Writing Workshop

Lunch in the Sun: 5 Essentials for an Awesome Picnic!

It takes more than food to make a picnic awesome.  A beautiful picnic blanket, plush pillows, a relaxed summer hat, and extraordinary tableware can make things fabulous! Toss in a sizzling summer read, Southern Charm by socialite Tinsley Mortimer, and you are read to forget doing anything for the rest of the day. Rest and relaxation does need a bit of prep work! Discover some great accessories to help you get the rest you deserve-or... Better yet, discover the cure to the office blues or an awesome way to just escape!

Fashion + Interiors: The Graduate in Reverse

Resources:

Kushcush Swimwear 

{Worn by Celebs like Jessica Biel, Audrina Patridge, Kim Kardashian, & Nicole Richie}

March Magazine Drive

The magazine rack has hosts of magazines that I haven't had a chance to meander my way through-of course, with a seven month old, these days aren't about leisurely reading around the house! That isn't going to stop me. These covers caught my eye. British Glamour hosts the fabulous Reese Witherspoon on the cover and with its small formats means I can literally read on the go. 

Book Shopping: Style Guides

Lately, I've been truly inspired to flip everything about my life. I want to live with better manners, travel more, get my home in tip-top style shape! Holy heck, yes, I am a new mom! LOL! Before my mother left town, we hit the bookstore and these titles jumped out at me. I always see book shopping as a cryptic way of decoding the things you need in your life. I need to travel and get that Parisian sense of style. Parisian Chic will do just that since traveling at the moment seems unrealistic for me! 

I want manners.  I want to write thank you notes, brush off rude drivers in style, and host parties well. Could you help Emily Post? This book has been helping generations to live with manners, which is  another extension of being stylish. It's fantastic that the book is in its 18th edition!

What about a refreshed home? Thank you Grace at Design Sponge. Your book looks fantastic!

Where am I? Where am I going? Or Welcome to 2012!!

Can it already be four days into the New Year?! I've been busy getting my daughter her US citizenship and now that that hustle is over and the holiday is packed up and put away. I'm back at my desk and wondering where was I before Thanksgiving and where am I going? Have you had a chance to slow down enough in 2012 to ask yourself these same questions?

It's a hard question...what do I want out of life. It sounds easy if you win the lottery, but unless that happens a girl needs plenty of mojo to tackle the true desires of the heart.

Weekend Read: Water for Elephants and Effortless Style

Water for Elephants Film Still. Robert Pattinson. Image Source.

Sometimes the only benefit of being an early riser is that you have time to discover amazing books. After hearing all the glowing reviews of Water for Elephants, written by Sara Gruen, I had to pick up a copy. I vaguely knew that it was turning into a movie and I can't deny that after seeing the film stills that it looks absolutely fabulous, too. 

Robert Pattinson and Reese Witherspoon. Image Source.

Water for Elephants published in 2006. Although, it wasn't Sara Gruen's first novel, it was the book that brought her to immediate fame. The book leapt to New York Times #1 bestseller and has sold over 3 million copies. So I'm not the only one to adore this book. Let's get to the plot of things:

BOOK SUMMARY: With its spotlight on elephants, Gruen's romantic page-turner hinges on the human-animal bonds that drove her debut and its sequel (Riding Lessons and Flying Changes)—but without the mass appeal that horses hold. The novel, told in flashback by nonagenarian Jacob Jankowski, recounts the wild and wonderful period he spent with the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth, a traveling circus he joined during the Great Depression. When 23-year-old Jankowski learns that his parents have been killed in a car crash, leaving him penniless, he drops out of Cornell veterinary school and parlays his expertise with animals into a job with the circus, where he cares for a menagerie of exotic creatures[...] He also falls in love with Marlena, one of the show's star performers—a romance complicated by Marlena's husband, the unbalanced, sadistic circus boss who beats both his wife and the animals Jankowski cares for. Despite her often clichéd prose and the predictability of the story's ending, Gruen skillfully humanizes the midgets, drunks, rubes and freaks who populate her book. 

Author Sara Gruen

Sara Gruen came to the States from Canada in order to work as a technical writer. Two years later, she was laid off and without work. She had that zany idea that perhaps she should write a novel. The rest is history. Amazing history, once it sold to Hollywood and landed Robert Pattinson and Reese Witherspoon. However, toss the movie aside. The first hundred pages have been a luxurious treat not just in terms of plot construction, but in language. The prose is crisp, vivid, and enigmatic. The ambiance and mood is pushing toward a love story that is going to have depth and resonant with the heart. The character Jacob Janowski is someone to love, even with his faults and short-comings. If you've been like me, putting the book aside. Don't delay in reading it. If anything, read this book instead of seeing the movie. I can promise that you won't be disappointed.

Water for Elephants

Blog Reads: Effortless Style 

In keeping with an elephant theme, I found a great old post on elephant envy at Effortless Style. Say that sentence three times fast!

Effortless Style is a sweet weekend blog read!

Effortless Style is winning combination of husband and wife, Jon and Camilla. Their about page is totally fabulous and lists sweet tidbits like in 2005 they bought their first decorative piece, an elephant. Together they offer interior design services that have been covered by HGTV, Apartment Therapy, Casa Sugar, and more. The website is a sweet venture in style and humor. A great weekend read!

Elephant Envy at Effortless Style

One last shot of Water for Elephants! I can't wait to finish this book and then see the movie!

Weekend Reads: Spring Cleaning Reads & Home Sweet Home Blog

Organized Simplicity by Tsh Oxenreider

Want a stress-free summer of breezy parties and lazy adventures? Make sure you take advantage of the time now to Spring clean. In my own effort to get organized and decluttered, I've discovered some awesome reads to inspire your own adventures in the simplicity game. Since I've been following the Simple Mom Project: Simplify, I had to start this post with the book published by the same blogger, Tsh Oxenreider. 

BOOK SUMMARY: Organized Simplicity's aim is to convince its readers that simple living is the absolute best way to live.  Be it with house cleaning, family schedule management, personal finances, and managing the "stuff" you allow within your four walls, the only way to live well is to do so intentionally and simply.  The first half of the book delves into the why behind realistic simple living, giving the reader a nail to then hang the how of living simply discussed in the second half.  And by redefining the too often-used phrase "simple living," a busy home manager living in the real world can then make practical changes that work for the whole family.  There are chapters for cleaning and organizing the home room-by-room, and future project ideas will inspire readers to turn their house in a haven they love.

Living the Savvy Life by Melissa Tosetti and Kevin 

Since most clutter is result of impulse spending, Living the Savvy Life is a fantastic guide to smart spending and it also includes information on how to organize and declutter! Think of this book as the preventive clutter manual. 

BOOK SUMMARY: So many books on how to manage your finances are so technical and, well, just boring! Not Living the Savvy Life: The Savvy Woman's Guide to Smart Spending and Rich Living by Melissa Tosetti and Kevin Gibbons! Melissa actually puts money management into words women can relate to...like "wardrobe", "beauty", "food", "entertainment" and "home". I mean come on, what woman doesn't want to manage her money better so she feels free to invest in a beautiful, functional wardrobe or a well-designed home. Ok, so maybe you're not into fashion (though I think anyone reading this blog is). Some women aren't. But that is what is so great about this book. It teaches you how to save on areas that aren't as important to you so that you have more money to spend where it matters.

Maybe you are perfectly happy with a minimal wardrobe and pared down interior but are a food loving world explorer who wants to try every cuisine in the country or region it is indigenous to (really cool idea actually). You can do it! All it takes is saying no to what's not important so you can say yes to what is. Living the Savvy Life will help you put it all into perspective and show you how to discover your personal passions and financial priorities...there is an entire chapter entitled "What is Important to You" that includes a questionnaire for each basic area of your life. By taking some time and answering this questionnaire in full, honest detail you can determine exactly what is most important to you (not to your friends, not to society) at this time in your life. Once you know what is important to you, you can better decide how to spend your money.

The authors of LTSL know that the first step to being savvy is being organized. You will be aided in organizing your closet and pantry and will be given practical tips on setting up systems so you know what you have at all times. How to set up a bill paying system, checking account management system and manage credit card debt are all covered and of course, it wouldn't be a book on savvyness if it didn't include that little well-known concept of "pay yourself first" (retirement funds and savings accounts ladies!). And if you just really do want more information on how to grow your hedge fund, well, that's not actually covered by the authors but they tell you where to find sources that do cover such in-depth subjects in the "Favorite Resources" section! --Bobbie Michelle Harman, of Euro Chic 

Secrets of Simplicity by Mary Carlomagno

Treasuring what is truly important might be difficult to understand in a home a clutter. Secrets of Simplicity is a journal option to help sort out the means of identifying the excuses that have prevented you from living life with serenity. I personally keep this book on my desk because I love the seven different chapters on how to release, simplify, treasure, focus, invest, discover, and thrive.

BOOK SUMMARY: My father grew up during the Great Depression. His attitude about stuff is a product of those times and his upbringing by immigrant parents making their way in a new country. Waste was considered a luxury for the rich, a philosophy he maintains today. One summer, while helping him find something in the attic, I discovered that my father is a clutterer. It turns out that he likes to save things, lots of things. He has all the classic symptoms: saving multiple copies of the same document, keeping copious notes to accompany every transaction, and storing newspaper clippings, magazines, and manuals, most so outdated that they have surpassed any relevance, other than family trivia. He had carefully stored decades-old tax returns, old issues of Consumer, and toys that had belonged to my siblings and me. I asked my father why he kept these things. "I might need them some day. Why throw them away? They’re not bothering anyone," he responded. My mother put up several strong arguments about fire hazards and messiness, but his piles were carefully maintained, exquisitely labeled, and seemingly not combustible.

Among the collection were some definite keepers: my brother’s Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots, a red Schwinn bicycle, my Barbie collection, and classic Golf Digest magazines, including the first issue that featured Jack Nicklaus on the cover (a discovery that earned me high-fives from all the men in my family). Now that’s worth keeping, I thought, realizing that these treasures said more about my dad than any old energy bill could.

Ironically, my "clutterer" father had unwittingly taught me the secret to organizing and simplifying: it is not what you discard, but what you keep.

As we go through life, we are all challenged to carve out a healthy relationship with our things. Below are ten tips for treasuring what is truly important, so you can do what you were meant to do: enjoy your life!

1. Value the relationship, not the item. Let’s talk about what’s really important. Can a chest of drawers really replace a loved one? It is nice to keep reminders, mementos, and family heirlooms, but not if they are keeping you from getting on with your future.

2. Know your local antique dealer. Consulting an expert regarding collectibles and antiques will help you better understand what you have, even if you do not want to sell it.

3. Consider local consignment, antique and resale opportunities to recoup money on bad purchases, unused items, and duplicates. Take the money and donate it to a good cause to honor the memory of a loved one. That’s a legacy that will outlast any piece of furniture.

4. Protect what is valuable. Whether you are storing a collection of Hummel figurines or your passports, making space for the things you value will allow you to enjoy them and find them when needed. Consider adding the most valuable possessions to your homeowner’s insurance policy to protect their value.

5. Not sure where to begin with a completely cluttered room? Start with the raw space. Take everything out of the room and before placing it back in. Be brutal, making each item earn its readmission to the room. Invite a friend or family member over to act as judge and jury.

6. The best time to get rid of things you do not need is before you move. Do not fall into the trap of thinking you will get organized at the new place—this is unrealistic and costly. Why pay money to move things you will likely throw away anyway?

7. Consider weather when storing items. Garages and basements are not always weather or moisture proof. Use airtight storage containers, and keep clothing linens, pictures, and documents where they won’t get damaged by the elements.

8. Make a home headquarters for keys, mail, and cell phones. Create involvement by including the family in the project. Inviting input and encouraging consistency from everyone will help ensure that the spot gets used and stays tidy over time.

9. Beware of becoming a replacer, someone who constantly churns items in and out of the house looking for the latest and newest design. Understand that the job of retailers is to persuade you that you need to buy more. Demystify the sales pitch, take stock of what you have, and only buy what you absolutely need.

10. Make sure you purge your home of unneeded items before you buy storage bins and containers; nothing says waste of money better than buying bins to hold stuff that really should be discarded. Purge first, determine what you need, and then head out to shop for storage containers.--Mary Carlomagno

Weekend Blog Reads

Images via Home Sweet Home

Want some beautiful pictures of real interiors that are clutter free? Home Sweet Home is a blog devoted to photos of personal space. Feel free to send them photos of your own home! I need to keep excavating! Here are some of my favorite images via Home Sweet Home,

Images via Home Sweet Home

Images via Home Sweet Home

Images via Home Sweet Home

Images via Home Sweet Home

Now what will you actually do this weekend?

Image via Pink Preppy Lilly Lover