Dating Your Husband (Spouse, Partner, etc.)

What happens after you get married? What changes? 

Personally, it seemed like the only thing that changed was the need to change my last name. Why is that so hard by the way? I’m currently still floating in this limbo of being Jones on some things and Zimmerman on others (and I’ve been married for almost a year). 

I get asked “how’s married life” all. the. time. And my honest answer is “not a whole lot has changed”. These is this certain degree of comfort and ease that comes with being married. 

I know some people move into a house, or have some other big life change when they tie the knot, but Michael and I just carried on living in our apartment that we’d already been sharing for the past three years. 

But at the same time, the more I thought about it, the more I was happy there weren’t any “big” changes. You hear all the time about people getting married and then discovering these pet peeves about their spouse, big rifts that ultimately end the relationship. 

My biggest pet peeves about Michael is that he leaves food particles in the dish brush, and doesn’t always get tissues into the bathroom garbage bins. Hardly marriage ending things. 

But what are you supposed to do when you go from “dating” someone to spending a lot of time with them? 

How can you still date your husband? (And I’m not saying this in some silly magazine headline type of way).

Well, here are some things that Michael and I have put an emphasis on:

Keep the conversation alive.

It’s so easy to get sucked into the habit of surface level conversations (I’m guilty of it too!). “How was work today?” “What do you want to do for dinner?” “What should we do this weekend?” 

And while this is true for all relationships (friends, family and work colleges) it’s especially important for healthy romantic relationships. 

Intellectual conversation is worth it’s weight in gold. 

For some it might come naturally to dig deep into conversations. For the rest of us it takes effort.

Set aside time to keep up with current events (there’s a healthy balance to find between being ignorant with what’s going on the world and feeling like the world is hopeless and going to end any day now.)

Read books, challenge yourself to learn something new every now and then. Because sharing funny cat videos are only going to work for so long. 

And don’t be afraid of having challenging conversations where maybe you don’t agree. Don’t get frustrated, neither of you are out to get the other. Keep an open mind, but stand up for what you believe in. 

Keep going on “dates”. 

While there’s a difference in dating at the start of a relationship and when you’re years into it, that doesn’t mean you should stop having date nights. 

Michael and I are nerds who at every opportunity will shout “date night!” when we’re doing anything “date” related. 

Making dinner and eating together at home? 

“Date night!"

Going to cheap movie night?

“Date night!"

Curling up in bed and watching Netflix?

“Date night!” 

As you can see it’s easy to turn almost every situation into a fun “date”. It’s also fun to plan more traditional dates as well. 

It helps some to choose a night of the week. Tuesdays seemed to be the most consistent date night for awhile, but that doesn’t stop us from having some Sunday afternoon fun either. 

Make time for activities besides Netflix. 

Hey, there’s nothing wrong with Netflix. I’m an avid fan (hence the mention in the section above), but for everyone out there that’s ever been in a relationship you know that couples get into “routines”. And while there is absolutely nothing wrong with that (this girl loves structure and routine) you’ve got to spice it up every now and then. 

A great place to head is an event calendar. Find a show or an event that’s going on in your town. Better yet is there a lecture at a local college you can go to together and then have a discussion about your thoughts afterwords? (See how I’m killing two birds with one stone?)

Getting outside is important for all aspects of life, and something that is key for both of us. Making time for outdoor physical activities is a great way to spend time together while being “healthy”. Or relax at a park with a picnic or a hammock and a good book. Sometimes it’s nice to just spend time together while doing your own things. 

Don’t forget to give each other space. 

Normally, when you first start seeing someone you’ll meet up for a date, spend some time together and then go your separate ways for a few days. But when you move in with someone, or marry someone, that time together can get “overwhelming” if you don't make time for yourself. 

There’s nothing wrong with wanting alone time. It doesn’t mean you don’t love each other. 

Because Michael and I both work for ourselves we could literally spend almost every waking (and sleeping) minute together. And I’m sure we spend more time together than the average couple. But we have found a healthy way to separate ourselves. 

During the “work” day he goes to his office and I work from my home office. There have been plenty of times where we’ll both work from home or I’ll go work from his office, and I find that I’m less productive when he’s there (and anyone else for that matter). 

And going along with this, spend time with friends, family and other people who aren’t your partner. Having relationships outside your “relationship” are oh so important. We’ve all had that friend (or been that friend) who only spends time with their partner, or is never without them. But you have to continue to develop yourself as a person outside of that relationship. 

I suppose this advice goes for anyone in a relationship. You definitely don’t have to be married to use any of it. So regardless of whether you’ve been together for two months, two years or two decades, don’t forget to keep things alive. 

Embracing Your Body

#BodyPositive anyone? 

We’ve gotten a lot better recently with telling each other to love our bodies, but that’s easier said than done when we’re being bombarded with mixed messages from all angles. 

And that doesn’t even begin to include what preconceived notions of “beauty” we’ve been instilled with from childhood. 

So, how are we supposed to make peace with our bodies when we’re being told to “strive for a 'healthy' body” but “to love the body you already have”? 

I have no idea. And I don’t think it’s a one-sized fits all solution. But I can offer you my story.

I know, according to "society" I have a body type that is fitting with what others “strive" for. I’m not here to post photos of my thigh gap and tell you to eat your greens. 

I want to share two life changes that revolutionized the way I felt about my body.

I won’t get into how I used to grab at my “saddlebags” and wish for a perkier butt. 

But what’s it mean when someone who is “skinny” still feels they aren’t “there”. Who knows? 

Even the girls in the magazines don’t look like the girls in the magazines. (There’s a quote out there that is basically this). 

But moving right along. Those two changes:

Learning about my menstrual cycle and changing my diet (lifestyle). 

I know I’ve talked about these things before, but they are worth repeating over and over again. 

I don’t even know how to begin to explain the personal empowerment I discovered by ditching the pill, learning about how my body actually worked, and taking control of my own fertility. 

It made me realize how many myths there are about our fertility, our menstrual cycles, our minds and our bodies that are still prevalent today. 

Up until at least the age of 21 I didn’t know that a woman was only fertile for a few days out of every menstrual cycle. I seriously thought that we could get pregnant regardless of when we had sex. 

Knowledge is power, and that power feels good. 

I used to despise my period. It was annoying, unnecessary. It wasn’t fair that I had cramps and continuously ruined underwear. 

But when I discovered the magic behind the menstrual cycle, within the different phases and the purpose of the different functions, my world was rocked. 

No longer did I whine “Why me?!” when I cramped, but instead marveled at my body’s ability to do something without any effort from myself. To see what you are learning about play out in real life is quite incredible, and something I suggest for everyone. If there is something that frustrates you that you don’t understand, do some research. 

Moving along to my change in diet, or like I prefer to call it, lifestyle. Because diets seem to be pandered as temporary, quick fixes. Something you only have to do for a period of time before you can go back to what you were doing before. And frankly I think that’s a load of crap. 

I don’t understand how we can expect something that hasn’t been working to somehow work after we take a brief “health” hiatus from it. 

There's a quote that goes a little something like this: 

“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results.” 

Think of the number of fad diets you’ve seen out there that claim you can continue eating everything you love eating, you won’t have to exercise, but you’ll somehow be able to drop all those unwanted pounds?

Anything that is sold as “temporary” screams fake to me. 

The truth is so many of us don’t want to change our habits. We like what we’re doing, but we don’t like the results. We see a potential change as difficult or unenjoyable. 

“But I don’t want to eat just lettuce!"

We think that to maintain a healthy lifestyle and body we have to live in a world of deprivation when in reality for many it’s a world of abundance. 

When you cut out processed foods, animal products and focus on filling your stomach with a whole foods plant based diet you can (*gasp*) eat as much as you want. 

Discovering this world of abundance, energy and vibrance was incredible as a 21-year-old. 

Not only did my insides feel so much better (I had a lot of digestion issues before), but I started to feel better about my outward appearance as well. When you start treating yourself better in one aspect of your life it is infectious, and it spreads. 

Instead of grabbing at and complaining at my perceived imperfections I started noticing and appreciating what my body was capable of. 

If your biggest problem in life is that you don’t have a thigh gap or a flat stomach it’s time to take a step back and find the things about your body that you are grateful for. 

And even if it just starts with “I’m grateful I have two legs,” that’s something to be grateful for. Recently, I’ve been challenging myself physically, and I’m constantly aware of my gratitude that my body is able to run 10 miles, or complete a sprint triathlon. 

The moral of the story here is to find ways to nourish and enrich your body and life. Find gratitude in your days, in your abilities. Learn about your body, what makes you feel good and what doesn’t? And start doing more of what does make you feel good. 

Practicing Gratitude and Mindfulness

One habit/mindset I’ve been trying to get better at is being more grateful and present in the moment.

I saw/heard on TedTalk that we spend 47% of our time with wandering minds. But that we’re less happy when our minds are wandering. 

"When people were mind-wandering, they reported feeling happy only 56% of the time. Meanwhile, when they were focused on the present moment, they reported feeling happy 66% of the time." 

Even if it’s driving to work. You’re going to be happier if you are present rather than letting your mind wander to other things.  

While I’ll always be a daydreamer I want to put a conscious effort into not distracting myself and not letting my mind wander too much. 

So, in the realm of staying present and grateful I wanted to share a list of some simple things I’m doing at the moment: 

+ Time and time again I have heard the benefits of keeping a gratitude journal. Currently this is my "Sparkly Bits” page in my bullet journal. Each day I’ll think back to those little moments I was thankful for. The more consistent I am with this the more present I am during the day. Something will happen and I will have the where with all to recognize it, step back, and enjoy it in the moment. 

+ I’ve been running lately. And I find that the first two miles are the hardest of my run so I’ve started a new thing. I now spend the first mile of my runs saying all the things I’m grateful for. 

+ Sometimes you’ll catch yourself letting your mind just wander and for me I have a new phrase that helps me come back to center. “Be Here.” It’s what I will say to myself to remind myself to be present, to quit thinking about a million other things, and to notice what’s happening around me and within my own body. 

+ Most of us set goals for ourselves. But I find that a lot of the time they are either unreachable, far off, 5 - 10 years down the road sort of goals. And while it’s great to set those long term goals, I think it’s even more important to set goals that have a short timeline. Then after you’ve found something you want to work towards take the time to list the tangible steps you can take day to day to reach that goal. 

+ Meditate. There are countless benefits surrounding being present in the moment and grateful when it comes to meditating regularly. Not to mention it just helps with stress and anxiety. Do it. 

+ When I get those moments of gratitude I stop and soak in all the senses. The other weekend I went camping with some of my girlfriends and while waiting on another friend to go to the bathroom I just remember looking up into the sky, closing my eyes, breathing in the smells and listening to the sounds. 

+ Limiting myself on social media. While I love Instagram it can be a black hole of "oh let me just look really quick" and then 30 minutes later you come to. While I'm not going to give it up I want to be more conscious with how I'm using it rather than letting it use me. 

Now, what are some of the positive effects I’ve noticed from doing these different things?

+ I just feel overall happier and thankful for what I have rather than spending so much time worrying about what I don’t have. And would you guess it, like attracts like, ad with that positive attitude I’ve attracted more of what I want in life. 

+ I feel calmer, more steady. I don’t really get stressed out, but do get anxious here and there. But I feel like I have a better grasp on it and am able to calm myself. 

+ I enjoy the things I’m doing more. Whether that’s something fun like being with friends or something like running or cleaning. I had a moment of gratitude stirring a bowl of dough last night, seriously.

It can be so easy to just allow our lives to be frantic, hectic and stressful. And while I’m not saying this is going to fix bigger problems in our lives, it can’t hurt to have control over our perspective of situations.

What do you do day to day to practice gratitude and stay mindful?  

You Hate Your Period, But Don't Want To

So, you hate your period, but you wish you didn’t? 

I used to be in the same boat. Well, I just hated my period. It never crossed my mind that I could change my perspective on the situation. Disliking your period was just the norm, everyone did it. 

But more and more I hear from gals out there who want to mend that relationship. 

They want to (*gasp*) get along with their cycle. 

Well, if this is you, here’s a few things you can do:

Start learning about your menstrual cycle: 

+ Look into the power of your four phases, the strengths and weaknesses in each and how to use all of it to your advantage

+ It’s amazing how your perspective changes on something when you finally understand the purpose of it (i.e. cramps)

+ Start charting your cycle (tracking your fluid and temperature). You’d be amazed how many cringe at the idea of checking their fluid. If you can’t touch your own vagina, we need to talk. 

Change the conversation:

+ Notice the tone and attitude of conversations surrounding periods with your friends. Do you only complain to each other? 

+ Start saying positive things, little tidbits you’ve learned and things you’ve started to notice in your own cycle

+ Don’t worry. You’re still allowed to say things like “oh my god these cramps!” or “I just bled through everything!"

Upgrade Your Period:

+ Do you hate the period products you use? 

+ I really didn’t like pads when I first got my period. They just made me feel frumpy. And I distinctly remember when I was finally able to successfully use a tampon. I felt like a new woman. 

+ Maybe you feel itchy, irritated and uncomfortable. And you’ve been associating this nonsense with why you dislike your period so much. Well, it’s time to try out a reusable pad, period underwear and maybe even a menstrual cup

+ Take time to pamper yourself around your period, whether that’s sleeping more, eating better food or taking a bubble bath. Treat yourself like a million bucks, and don’t apologize for it. 

These are three easy things that we can all start doing. And this is kind of my formula for everything in life. (Food, money, etc.) Educate yourself, change how you talk about it, and find a way to improve it. 

Where do you struggle or excel in the realm of menstrual magic?

How I Choose Running Routes

One of my favorite parts about training is getting to go on a new route, or an old favorite. 

Everyone has their own method of getting in their mileage, but this is what has worked for me. 

I tried for about a week to use the Nike Run Club app, which is awesome, but something about hearing how far I had gone and how fast I was going made me feel like I was doing worse than I was. 

I’ve recently started not listening to anything while running, and often times even leaving my phone at home. 

So, how do I know that I’m running a certain number of miles? 

It’s all in the planning stage. 

Usually the day before a run I will sit down to decide my route for the following day. 

As I find new routes I’ll add them to my growing list (which I keep in Evernote). If I’m repeating a distance I’ve already done I will usually choose from that list, but if I don’t feel excited about any of those paths or I’m going a further distance than I have I head to good ol' Google maps. 

I start most of my runs outside my apartment, sometimes I’ll drive to a nearby park I like to run through. 

Knowing that I prefer to run on trails over sidewalks I’ll scope out one of the many awesome trails winding through and out of downtown. 

I just use the directions function of Google maps and add a destination to hit the different point of the route. I just kind of fiddle with a route until it equals the distance I need to go. 

For example, back when I was doing shorter runs I would do something like run to Grays Lake and back, which is 5 miles. Or I would do four to five mile routes through Ashworth Park. 

But now I’ve started adding and connecting different routes together for my longer runs. Which mostly just means running through multiple parks and back home.

It’s very satisfying to create a new route and find the perfect path to get your exact mileage whether that’s 3 miles or 14 miles. 

I got to do 14 miles for the first time today, and to get that distance I combined three different routes to create 14 miles.

And there’s nothing quite like finally finding the perfect route to make those big runs, stepping back and looking at them, going Woah that’s far, and then knocking them out like a champ. 

What are some of your favorite settings to run in? The greener the better for me!

Being an Aunt + the Magic of Birth

While I became an aunt to two awesome girls this past October when Michael and I got married, there was something magical that I got to experience this month. 

My sister giving birth to my nephew, Maverick. 

You see, we didn’t always get along, Veronica and me. But now that we’re both out of school and have our lives, we’ve started to talk more and more. And then over the course of her pregnancy we started talking even more, almost every day.

She let me pick her brain, and ask her everything I wanted to know about pregnancy and her experience with this and that. 

She put up with my obsessiveness to say the least. 

Then she asked me to make a video from his birth, and said I could be in the room. 

How freakin’ exciting!

I left town when she was 38 weeks, and told her to hold him in at least until I got back. 

The following weekend at 39 weeks I got a phone call from her as I was setting up for the last kid’s triathlon of the season. She had been told by the doctors to hang out in Des Moines for the afternoon because she was feeling crampy, etc. 

Then I got a text from my brother-in-law as I was finishing up dinner with the team. “We’re in triage waiting for a room.” 

Once I figured out what exactly that meant I made a joke to everyone about how I had to go catch a baby, and left to go grab my things from home. 

Michael found someone to replace me in the morning just in case I didn’t make it back to the race and I headed up to the hospital. 

She was progressing along nicely, bouncing on her ball, walking laps in the halls, keeping a really cheerful mood throughout it all. 

Then around 1:30 a.m. the nurse told her to try and get some rest so we all tucked in for the night. 

After getting her water broken in the morning, being hooked up to Pitocin and crying through the pain as they kicked up the dosage of Pitocin she was well on her way to pushing. 

Watching her handle the contractions and the pain was impressive, but nothing could compare to what followed. 

Her sheer determination to push that little guy out. And she did it in what seems like record time, not even an hour. If you’ve never watched someone give birth I highly recommend it. It was incredible, magical, inspiring. My sister is a bad ass.

And then he was there. 

To finally see this tiny little human that you’ve been thinking about and waiting months for is such a surreal moment. 

I haven’t been able to look away since. Analyzing every detail possible of his little body. The way he holds his hands up near his face. The way he sucks in his lower lip when he sleeps. His teeny tiny fingernails. The way he cried when he was born. 

As I write this he’s just a few days old. I’m in awe and hopelessly in love. 

To have this human come into your life that you know will be there until you die is a crazy thought to wrap your mind around. 

I cannot wait for all the moments and memories to come with this little guy. Not to mention copious amounts of snuggles and kisses. 

And then I can’t wait to experience it all again. 

Books I've Read this Summer

I’ve been working my way through a number of books this summer, and I always enjoy with others share their reading lists, so I wanted to do the same for you. 

Here are the books I’ve read, and am currently reading:

Nurture Shock by Po Bronson & Ashley Merryman

I picked this one up in the Portland airport before flying back down to San Francisco. I am absolutely fascinated by parenting psychology, and will read just about any book on the topic. It talks about how a number of our modern strategies for raising tiny humans are actually backfiring. It talks about sleep, praise, race and so much more!

How to be Bored by Eva Hoffman

I had no idea there were a series of books like this on by The School of Life. She talks all about how we are overactive and overstimulated. In a world when there’s so much happening, and access to distractions is so simple, we need to make sure were stepping back and unplugging at the same time. 

Goodbye Things by Fumio Sasaki

I’m a sucker for minimalism books, and there aren’t too many out there (that I’ve discovered yet anyways). This is one man’s journey into minimalism, where he shares different examples of other minimalists, how there’s no right or wrong way to do it, and plenty of tips as well as ways he’s changed since making the transition. 

The China Study by T. Colin Campbell and Thomas M. Campbell

This one has been on my wishlist for quite some time, but now a friend and I are reading it together. I knew from the introduction that I was going to like this book. It is jam-packed with information, statistics and studies making the case for a plant-based diet. We’re just a little ways in, but I’m fascinated and excited to keep learning.

Skinny Bitch: Bun in the Oven by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin

I picked this one up in Florida, after our cruise this spring and gobbled it up. I read the original Skinny Bitch years ago, but I’ve been very intrigued with all things pregnancy, fertility, birth and parenting recently and this one is good. It’s like having a chat from a smart, but blunt friend. And not to mention the push to eat plant-based. 

The Kind Mama by Alicia Silverstone

One of my favorite pregnancy books so far. I love that she is honest and loving, but also optimistic. There is so much fear around pregnancy and birth. And seeing that I want to have a kid one day, and I plan on being vegan I was curious about what that looked like. So, it has been great to discover a few books of vegan mamas. And not only a vegan pregnancy but natural birth, breastfeeding and gentle parenting. I thoroughly enjoyed this one. 

Baby Catcher by Peggy Vincent

A last minute addition to this list, seeing as I just finished this two days ago. I tore through this book in a matter of a few days. It was one that you sat down to start reading, and next thing you knew you were nearly 200 pages in. Peggy is a midwife, and in this book she shares her journey by telling birth stories. I learned a lot about the history of midwifery as well as the potential issues with the future of it. I sometimes wish I would have become a midwife, but I think becoming a doula would satisfy the same curiosity while still allowing me to do other things. A must read. 

My reading wish list grows faster than I can keep up with, and I absolutely love reading, researching, learning and discovering new things. What are some of your favorite books you’ve read this summer? 

My Decluttering Process

Every few months I get this itch, this desire to purge myself of stuff I don’t need anymore.

It’s an addicting sensation, and such a satisfying experience. 

My initial declutter was completely inspired and fueled by the Marie Kondo. Since then I haven’t had to do a full house cleanse, but because I’m not a bare bones minimalist, things accumulate. I don’t pretend to be perfect and I look at minimalism as a spectrum, as a journey, as a way of life. 

So over the next month I have my eye set on four areas in my home that need a good combing through:

My closet:

And not in the sense of my clothes. I will go through them of course, but my closet is also my “storage unit”, where I house all my business related, craft and project related sort of items. And I want to rearrange my closet in order to better organize what I have in there. Because I don’t have a big wardrobe that leaves most of the space for everything else, which currently consists of:

+ six large tubs and two boxes of Period Project items

+ shelving unit where I store sewing stuff, camera gear, screen printing stuff, arts and crafts items, etc.

My bathroom:

It’s in pretty good shape, but I know that I’ve switched out some beauty products, and so I want to go through and get rid of everything I’m not using. I also want to find a basket to store toilet paper in above our washing machine, because currently it’s just sitting up there as is, and it isn’t very well contained. 

My kitchen:

I try to go through my fridge each week or so when I grocery shop, but unfortunately there are a number of cabinets that sit dormant for a few months. 

I want to go through my mason jar collection, because let’s just say I know I have too many. I want to analyze all my utensils and machines and make sure we need each of them. We have way too many wine glasses, I somehow ended up with my mom’s cheesecake pan, things like that.

And I want to go through the pantry, enough said.

My living room:

It’s where the bookshelf lives, which is going to be my focus, but I wanted to look at some old picture frames (that fell of the walls) and our um, growing blanket collection, which has blossomed out beyond my nice wood crate they are supposed to live in. 

So, how am I going to do all of this? 

Well, as you can see, I’ve already started by breaking it up into four areas. And then when the mood strikes I begin!

I’m going to work through it in this order so I’ll talk you through how I’ll go through  my closet. 

The first step is to pull it all out, every last thing. This acts as a shock to the system. A “Wow, I have a lot of stuff” sort of moment. 

I’ll go through my clothing and shoes first, that’s an easy thing. Then I want to go through my items for the Period Bag Project because that takes up one side of the closet. Then the other side is that shelf, which houses so much. I need to go through and get rid of a lot. I’ve already started making a mental checklist. 

Once I have it all separated between “get rid of” and “keep” I’m going to take a look at possibly rearranging my closet because right now I have a shelving unit stuffed into the left side that could be better utilized if I could access the whole thing. 

Along with rearranging, I’m going to look at the organization/storage systems I have and if there is any way I can reallocate that or pick up some new containers to help house my items. 

Once I’m happy with my closet, I take on the bathroom.

Just talking through how I’m going to do it is giving me a sense of accomplishment.

What’s your decluttering routine, and how often do you work your way through different areas of your home?

Some Of My Favorite YouTube Channels

I’ve been watching YouTube videos since high school, and while my interests have changed over the years I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorite people on YouTube. 

In no particular order, here are some people/channels I love:

Sarah Lemkus 

She has an adorable little vegan family, and they live in New Zealand. She shares a lot of What I Eat In A Day videos, as well as her life in New Zealand as well as travel. 

Ellen Fisher 

Possibly my favorite family on YouTube. Ellen has a heart of gold, her husband is a sweetheart and she has two super adorable boys. She talks all things vegan, sustainable living, and her life in Hawaii. 

Raw Alignment 

She talks a lot about self-love and being vegan. She also shares her adventures, her workouts and just general feel good messages. 

Sailing LaVagabonde 

This sweet couple travel the world on their sailboat, and you get to go along on all their adventures. [And it is because of them that I discovered Patreon. It is what makes their adventure possible, and now I have a Patreon for those who want to support FemmeHead.] 

Kathleen Lights 

I’m used to watch a lot of makeup YouTubers, but over the years my interests have changed, but I will always watch Kathleen. And that’s for her personality.

Damon and Jo 

You don’t have to be rich to travel the world, and these two are a complete hoot while doing it. They have vibrant personalities and share practical travel tips. 

Sarah Norse 

She is one of those people who is living the life she wants. She does a lot of traveling, moving countries with her husband. She shares videos all about minimalism, money, travel and lifestyle. 

Alli Cherry 

She has a great esthetic, personality and shares videos on a range of topics. Everything from design, cool flea market finds, sustainable living, natural products and travel and camping videos. 

Ollie Ritchie 

Pure inspiration for beautiful videos. Gives you this nostalgic feeling for memories, places and people in your past. 

Wild Daze 

An eclectic gal sharing her adventures around the world. She’s based in the UK, goes to festivals, shares her wacky style and is unapologetically herself. 

Coolripa 

I always wanted to be the girl in high school who made her own clothes, but I didn’t have the skill or patience to do so. This girl takes her thrift store finds and turns them into adorable outfits that you want to wear. 

Lavendaire 

A calming influence on your life. She talks about minimalism, personal growth, and creating the life you want to live.  

Muchelleb 

She’s all about creating the lifestyle and space you want to live in, covering how to simplify your space, be intentional about your life, goals, minimalism and goodness like this. 

Shameless Maya 

I sometimes struggle when it comes to technology, but anytime I need an answer or some inspiration I head over to her channel. I really enjoy her Tech Talk Tuesdays as well as her just explaining different methods and techniques. 

BuzzFeed Unsolved 

I love watching BuzzFeed, but one of my favorite series currently is BuzzFeed Unsolved. They’re a hilarious duo who travel to haunted places, often staying the night, sharing the history and trying to stir up some ghosts. 

SoSonia on SoulPancake 

She makes me feel good, she makes me think and she inspires me to get creative. 

These aren’t all the channels I like, but I didn’t want to go on forever. Hopefully this will help you discover a new channel or two that you like!

For Those Who Are Worried About You Using FAM

It’s inevitable when some people find out you’re ditching the hormones and choosing a natural alternative. 

There is a lot of confusion around fertility, birth control and our options. 

So, when you get a lot of “But, you’re going to end up pregnant!” try not to get too frustrated. 

Think back to when you didn’t know there was another way, before you knew how our fertility actually works. 

Here’s how to have a polite conversation with someone who is “concerned” about you not being on hormonal birth control. 

Start by sharing some of your favorite FAM, cycle, period facts. Pique their curiosity. [This is where books like “Taking Charge of Your Fertility” and “The Pill: Are You Sure It’s For You?” come in handy]. 

+ Did you know that women are actually only fertile around 7 days each cycle? And that’s mostly because sperm can live in a fertile vagina for up to 5 days.

+ Hormonal birth control alters at least 150 different bodily functions. 

+ FAM is actually very different from the Rhythm Method, and when practiced correctly is over 98% effective.

Tell them why hormonal birth control wasn’t working for you, people are often shocked when you start listing off all the negative side effects you were experiencing and how you don’t have any of those since quitting. 

+ I developed mild depress, anxiety, chronic UTI’s, gained weight, and had a substantial decline in my dental health after starting the pill [just to name a few].

Give them a brief overview of how FAM works. That there are different fertility signs that you track every day and use that information alongside a set of rules and guidelines to determine whether you’re fertile or not. 

Make it clear that this isn’t a guessing game based on past cycles. It’s based in science and what is actually happening in your body. 

And in the end they still might not be on board, but if you continue forward with your journey, learning, practicing the method safely and essentially “prove them wrong” you’d be amazed. 

Sometimes still when I talk about not being on hormonal birth control and using FAM instead people will make some comment about pregnancy or how it doesn’t really work. And my calm comeback is that I have been using it successfully for over 4 years now, I know countless other women who use it too, and that I am much healthier and happier than I used to be. 

Not to mention I don’t ever plan on taking hormonal birth control again. 

At the end of the day it’s your body and your choice. You get to decide. 

[If you're curious about ditching the pill, and what all that entails, grab your spot in my upcoming Ditch the Pill course, which starts August 21st. And if you're ready to learn all about FAM, sign up for my Chart Your Cycle course, which begins August 16th!]

Home Office Update!

Last month I wrote about my journey towards creating the perfect home office space. 

And I’m just about there this month. 

So last time we checked in on this topic I was still out in the main room, using my window desk, but on the search for “my desk”. 

And I found it. 

On Craigslist, for $25. 

It was a clunky old desk, but it had the bones of what I wanted. 

After a morning of cutting it up, rearranging it’s parts and adding some new parts of my own, there it was. My desk.

I took off the cabinet that held up one side, chopped off one of the drawers that made up the other side, bought legs and angled plates to attach them, and my modern desk was born. 

It fits perfectly in that open space that was waiting for it in my back bedroom. 

The very same day I went in search of a chair, not expecting to find it. But then there it was sitting, unmarked at the thrift store. 

How much? I asked. 

Hmm, how about $10 she whispered back. 

Sold! I said. 

I still need to sew up a cover for the cushion (not too big into the pattern), but I’ll get around to that eventually. 

I grabbed my framed print of downtown that was living in my bathroom, along with the candle holder that was with it. 

And the finishing touch? 

An ethernet to thunderbolt adapter for my laptop. 

And we were in business. 

This is my space. 

This is where I go and feel that sense of, “this is where we work, Victoria.” 

And I couldn’t be happier. 

Not to mention I’ve spent less than $70 so far for all of it. 

Thin Privilege

This started with a question by a subscriber to talk about thin privilege. 

So, naturally I had to start by educating myself on what exactly “thin privilege” is. 

And as I was reading through blogs and tweets, I felt uncomfortable. I didn’t want to talk about it, because I didn’t think me, as a person who has had a fast metabolism all my life had the right to discuss this. 

At first, as I was reading, I found myself thinking, well that happens to me in one way or another as a skinny person, but I quickly was able to see the difference. 

When people say “oh my god your arms are like toothpicks” or call me “chicken legs” or tell me “I just want to feed you a burger”. They aren’t doing it because they look at my body as wrong or unhealthy. It’s said almost with a friendly, envious laugh.  

Or when people find out I’m vegan, “They go, oh that’s why you’re so skinny.” But there’s still a lot of junk food available to me as a vegan, and I can eat it without people judging me or me worrying about gaining weight. 

And just like any other person I can put down large quantities of food. But when people see me do it they are impressed. They think it’s awesome. But if I were 100/200 pounds heavier you can bet your sweet tushy they wouldn’t have the same attitude towards me eating that much. 

In college when I would go a few days just eating cupcakes for meals people thought it was funny. What if I were 215 pounds instead of 115 pounds? 

There are so many underlying issues out there today that dictate our lives, our health, our bodies, etc. So many things that are invisible to the naked eye. When people see someone who’s overweight there’s a good chance their first reasoning is “Well, they must eat like crap and sit on the couch.” 

And you know what? There are a ton of people who fall into that category of eating unhealthy and not moving. But do you know how many skinny people fall into that category… a lot. But people don’t question your health in relation to your size when you’re skinny. 

Do I want people to live the healthiest lives possible? Of course I do. But your size isn’t always in direct relation to that. And people shouldn’t be made to feel ashamed, or not be able to do something because of their size. 

And justifying the hurtful things you’re saying/thinking about someone with “oh I just want them to be healthy” is a BS excuse.

Stop doing it. 

I could go on and on about the advantages I have learned I have because of my size, but I challenge you to go seek those out for yourself. 

It’s a great practice to learn about issues that don’t effect you personally, because just because you don’t experience it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. 

What’s an eyeopening experience/lesson you’ve had about something that effects other, but not yourself? 

The Fear of Pregnancy

The ultimate fear surrounding our birth control choice: 

Unwanted pregnancy. 

I have people write me all the time saying they want to quit whatever form of hormonal birth control they’re on because of x, y or z but there is absolutely zero chance that they can handle a unplanned pregnancy at this point in life. 

So what are their options, they want to know.  

I’m not here to promote unplanned pregnancies.

I just want to say that right now before I go any further, because people jump to conclusions when you start talking about supporting others quitting hormonal birth control and learning how to chart. 

I’m here to promote knowledge. 

Because so many of us don’t know much of anything about how our fertility works. 

And so naturally if you don’t know how the menstrual cycle and fertility works, I can totally see how people think charting is some dangerous hippy method. 

But if you take the time to learn about your body, learn how your fertility actually works, thoroughly learn a charting method, and practice that method correctly every time, you can ditch those synthetic hormones and still be responsible and effective in preventing pregnancy. 

Others think that to use a charting method, and avoid pregnancy that they can never have sex. And this is something I wanted to throw in here today. 

There is a seven day period that you are “fertile” every month. 

But I think we need to talk about something else here. There is so much  more beyond penetration when it comes to “sex”. I honestly think people forget about the amazing spectrum of sexual activity that comes along with being “intimate” with someone. 

My advice, quit being a bore. Use those seven days to think outside the box that is penis in vagina sex. Yeah it’s awesome, but that shouldn’t be the only thing on the menu. 

So, get out there, learn about your body and learn about your sexuality too.

And just remember that regardless of what method of birth control you are on, hormonal or not, there is going to be a small chance of pregnancy. So, yes I know, pregnancy would be just about the worst thing possible for a lot of you out there. But by having sex with someone you are making that choice to put yourself into the lottery for an unwanted pregnancy. 

Regardless of what method you’re using, learn all you can about it, how it works to prevent pregnancy and how to use it correctly and therefore effectively. 

Oh, and finally, don’t forget about protecting yourself against STI’s, because most birth control options do nothing to keep you from catching something someone else has. So many think that being on the pill or having an IUD is all they have to do to be safe and responsible. Get tested and use condoms. 

Zero Waste Update | Where I'm Doing Well + Where I'm Not

I first started learning about the not so great side of plastic around the same time I was getting into minimalism. 

I see both of them as a spectrum that you fall within. 

And while there have been a few big changes I’ve made in regards to the waste I create, there are still a few areas that I can/need to still improve in. 

So, today I wanted to go through how I’ve been excelling at creating less waste, and then cover a few spots I’m not doing so hot at. 

And because I’m a positive person I will start with the changes I’ve made that have helped me create less waste.

+ Using reusable bags instead of plastic bags when shopping

This was one of the first and easiest switches I made. I have a few totes/reusable shopping bags I’ve acquired, as well as a few I made myself from old t-shirts. 

And while I remember to bring them along 98% of the time, there is still the shopping trip every few months where I forget them. Instead of getting plastic bags, or even paper bags I just ask them to put the groceries back in my shopping cart once they’ve rung them up. I then just walk the shopping cart out to my car (which I normally do anyways) and put my groceries straight into there. 

+ Sending my food scraps to my mom’s to compost

If you take a look at what the vast majority of your trash can consists of it is food scraps. 

I played with the idea of creating a in-apartment compost system for a long time, but couldn’t figure out what I would do with the compost once it was done. 

My conclusion was that I needed to find a place where I could send my scraps to get composted. I did a little research to see if there was anything convenient and easy around town, but eventually just settled on asking my mom if she could take it. 

Which, as mom’s do, she gladly accepted. But eventually sent me home with an old kitty litter tub to collect my scraps in so they didn’t leak in her car as she transported them home. 

+ Recycling

I took the time to see what was accepted as recycling here in Des Moines, got a little recycling bin (and eventually a bigger one as a wedding gift), and started recycling. 

It was easy even though I always let it collect in the big bin in my hallway closet a bit too long. 

And I discovered that a local grocery store recycled plastic bags for those few suckers that made it into our house. 

+ Reusing

There are some items that could just be thrown away or recycled. But I try to get as much use out of them as possible before sending them on their way. 

Glass jars, while I have too many of them, in various sizes, I love using them as food storage containers. 

And because I’m not completely zero waste I still create some garbage (a lot less than before, but still some) and repurpose those few plastic bags that still get into my house as garbage bags instead of buying new ones for my bathroom garbage. 

+ Buying second hand

I’ve done this for awhile, mostly because it was just better for my financially, but once I learned more about fast fashion and how wasteful the retail industry is, I have made more of an effort to find what I need second hand first. 

This doesn’t just mean clothing either. I recently made my desk out of one I found on Craigslist and found my desk chair at the thrift store. 

+ Overall being more conscious of what I’m buying

I think this journey as well as minimalism combined has really changed my mindset on buying stuff. 

I put more time and thought into stuff before buying. 

Do I really need it? Will it be something that I can use/wear for years and years to come? 

And one trick that helps me with this is keeping a Want List on my computer, and as things come to mind that I want to buy I put them there instead of impulse purchasing them. This has helped me realize what I really do want/need and gives me time to find the perfect item that I will love forever. 

Ok, now that we’ve got all those done, let’s touch on a few places where I’m not doing so great at this whole zero waste lifestyle and how I can/will improve. 

+ Buying groceries that come packaged

Unfortunately the store I buy in bulk at packages a lot of their items in plastic. When I first started in on this switch I was getting everything from just one store and not buying anything packaged (even bread). 

And I should get back to this, even though it ended up costing more money. 

+ Forgetting my reusable coffee cup

I have a handy little stainless steel coffee cup, but I don’t always remember it. 

I need to get a lid for it, and then just put it in my bag before I head out anywhere. 

The same goes with bringing along a mason jar for those spur of the moment smoothie trips. 

+ Making the switch to bamboo, compostable toothbrushes

This one is an easy one that I literally just have not gotten around to. 

And it also requires me to remember to say no to the little goodie bag they give you at the dentist. 

+ Continuing to switch out packaged beauty products for unpackaged products

I actually have quite a bit of gift card money to Lush that will be perfect for this switch. 

My skin went through a bit of a difficult time this past winter and I caved when I discovered the whole Korean 10-step skincare routine. I didn’t go as far as to get one use masks, but I did get a nice toner and essence, which did wonders for my skin.

But now that my skin is back in order I have been able to simplify my skincare again. 

+ I need to buy bamboo utensils and to-go containers

This is the final area that comes to mind when I think of where I’m failing. 

While I normally just throw in a fork/spoon from my drawer I would much rather have a designated set of bamboo utensils that are easier to travel with then actual silverware. 

And figuring out how to order take-out and use my own containers. I know people might be confused, but I think just asking nicely can get you a lot of things. 

I want some to-go containers that aren’t my glass tupperware I use at home. I’m always worried about this getting broken. 

And there you have it. 

Not all my triumphs and failures, but what I could think of today. 

Where do you excel/flop when it comes to zero waste? And what advice do you have for others wanting to lead a less wasteful lifestyle? 

26 Thoughts On the Past 26 Years

I’ve been 26 for around a month and half now, and I always like to take my birthday as an opportunity to reflect. So, I wanted to share 26 thoughts with you today:

+ looking back I didn’t give my mom the credit she deserved as a parent

+ as a pre-teen, young teenager, I really wanted to grow up

+ don’t be so quick to hate where you’re from

+ knowledge is power

+ take care of your body 

+ my parents set me up to be an entrepreneur 

+ travel, get a new perspective

+ finding gratitude each day leads to a more positive existence

+ be nice to people 

+ keep an open mind 

+ don’t settle, job, relationship, friendship

+ eat your veggies

+ learn about your body 

+ don’t be afraid to reach out to someone you admire

+ having more doesn’t equal being happier

+ journal, write, document your life

+ don’t compare yourself to others 

+ you can learn anything you want

+ spend time with your family 

+ a child’s imagination is a magical thing

+ money is not the enemy 

+ stand up for what you believe in, but educate yourself along the way

+ failure is inevitable, but it’s not the end 

+ your job doesn’t define you, who you are as a person does

+ getting out into nature is important

+ treat everything and everyone with kindness and compassion

To be honest, I thought this list would take a long time to compile, but each thought came to mind one after another, and before I knew it my 26 things were here. 

In the end, take the time to stop, step back and reflect on life. 

It’s a beautiful thing. 

The Power in Our Four Phases

First a quick refresher of the four phases of our menstrual cycle:

1.  menstrual phase 

2.  follicular phase 

3.  ovulatory phase

4.  luteal phase

Next, let's move into why I'm a fan of each phase. 

I love the menstrual phase because:

     + it’s a chance to slow down

     + rest, renew, reflect

     + it has taught me to listen to my body

     + i’ve learned to let myself sleep more and I'm loving the benefits

I love the follicular phase because:

     + starting around the end of my menstrual phase into my follicular phase I get this burst of energy (if I slow down during my period)

     + it’s kind of like coming out of hibernation. I’m ready to go each day

     + it also reminds me of my love for Mondays as a fresh start

I love the ovulatory phase because:

     + I’m most social and outgoing in this phase

     + I’m best at interacting during this phase

     + I love the process of the fluid getting more fertile, waiting for that spike in temperature

I love the luteal phase because: 

     + there’s not a bunch of spotting like there was at the beginning of this year

     + knowing how many days it’s going to be and when to expect my period 

     + the decline in energy reminding me to start slowing down

     + It's when I’m most in tune with my emotions

Knowing about the different phases has opened up this whole new world:

+ I’ve learned to love my cycle

          - learning about what’s going on inside your body, as well as your mind just makes it all click and make sense

+ How you feel makes sense

          - if you are feeling tired, or emotional you can point to why

+ I can use this knowledge to my advantage

          - can schedule around this, don’t load a bunch on your plate during your menstrual phase. schedule big meetings around ovulation. 

A book I love on this topic that taught me so much is “The Optimized Woman”. So, if you liked today’s post I recommend going and picking this book up. 

My Current Meditation Practice

I am far from perfect and consistent when it comes to meditation, but never-the-less I wanted to talk about mediation today, and share why I love it so much. 

I went to this talk/presentation about meditation while in college, and ever since then I’ve known that meditation was something I wanted to add to my days. 

But I struggled for so long because I didn’t understand how to do it. 

My solution came with a guided meditation app. 

And this might end up sounding like a sponsored ad, but it’s not. If anyone from Headspace is watching, hit me up. I’d love to work together. 

But yeah, Headspace is my meditation app of choice. (You get the first ten guided meditation practices free). 

I’ve found that the most beneficial time to meditate for me is early in the day. 

It’s just one of those things that sets you up for a good day. 

+ makes me a calmer, more balanced person. turns out it lowers your cortisol levels. 

+ helps me with focus, motivation and creativity. 

+ helps me sleep better, not laying there with 20 million things running through my head.

+ I better handle confrontation or stressful situations

+ feel so much brighter, lighter and positive overall

It’s one of my go-to’s if I’m ever feeling flustered, frustrated, distracted, upset. 

If I’m meditating for whatever reason I’m more likely to want to work out, eat fresh foods, which all in turn make me want to just take better care of myself. 

I try to do 10-15 minutes, which when you think about it, who doesn’t have 10-15 minutes? 

And you can do it anywhere. At home, outside, on the train to work, on a plane, in the car. 

But I can’t do it at the end of the day. I’ve tried to do it before bed, and I just end up failing asleep. 

It’s something I really would recommend everyone tries. 

I also think it’s cool that there’s even simple meditation practices for kids. I’ll definitely be doing that when I have kids. 

And as this process has gone along I have realized that I have found a similar meditative quality in other activities, whether that I journaling, listening to music, going on a walk, or being out in nature. And I am very grateful for this new awareness I have in my days. 

Trying to Create the Perfect Home Office

When I started creating FemmeHead from my apartment I didn’t really care to have a space. I always just sat at the kitchen island because the stools were slightly uncomfortable, which helped keep me focused. 

You see, I can’t work from a couch or anywhere too cozy or my mind will slip into “Hey, I’m comfy, let’s watch some videos or some Netflix.” 

When you work from home you have to learn how to create a “work" environment that is separate from your “home” environment. 

I know what keeps me on track, and structured chairs are part of that. 

A few months ago I found myself in a work funk. The usual motivation I have for FemmeHead wasn’t there.

I was frustrated and confused. 

Then one day I realized, I need my own work space, I need a desk.

But where was I going to put a desk? I really didn’t have much space. Michael had a desk in the back bedroom that he used every now and then. But it was too clunky and the internet wasn’t strong back there. 

I wanted to be able to sit in front of one of our windows, which meant I needed a taller desk. 

So the next morning I went over the shop my mom works in and built myself a desk out of three scrap pieces of wood I had, that I’m fairly sure were one table sleeves (wood pieces that you slide into the middle of a table to extend it). 

I had a desk, but then my next issue was I didn’t have a chair/stool that was the right size. My solution was to take one our kitchen stools and put it up on blocks to raise it to the right height. 

And that’s what I’ve been using for the past few months. And it has been great to have a space to go to each morning, and for my mind to know, right here is where we work. 

But now I can feel that it’s time to graduate to a bigger work space. One that I can work in and film videos from. 

This has all come at kind of the perfect time. Michael just signed a lease on an office in the East Village (Des Moines, of course). This means he isn’t going to be working from the back bedroom, which means I can take that space over. 

Right before my birthday I went on a little decluttering spree in that room, went through it all, donated and moved quite a bit before finally rearranging the room so it was basically just a bed. 

So much room for activities. 

Not to mention an entire wall that opened up is just perfect for my little office corner. 

Now, comes the fun part, designing and decorating it. 

The first step is that I have to find a desk. But I’m not just going to buy a desk to have a desk.  

Nope, I’m an annoying conscious consumer. I’m only going to buy something that I absolutely love, and that can move spaces when the time comes. 

And I don’t want to spend a butt load of money. Seriously, why are desks so expensive? 

I’m going to hunt around town through the antique shops and such. I’ll know my desk when I see it. 

Once I find the desk then I can choose the perfect chair, and then I’ll have the necessary bones. 

From there I want some greenery, some prints or photos, and probably a spot to store my pens. 

Everything will have a place, and it won’t just sit on my desk like it all does now. 

Having a space to work from gives what you’re doing a certain amount of legitimacy that you don’t get from your kitchen counter or a coffeeshop bench.

And while I love the freedom I have to work from anywhere (I’m typing this on a plane ride from San Francisco to Portland at the moment) I know the structure of having my spot at home will do me a world of good. 

I also want to be able to film from that spot as well, which I already have started to. But at the moment it’s just a blank white wall. Clean, but kind of boring. 

As for the internet, Michael and I ran an ethernet cord through the ceiling all the way from the front room, so a simple adapter will give me lightening fast internet. It doesn’t get much better than that does it?

I can't wait for this process to continue, building my space as well as building my business. What a fun time it is to be alive, am I right? 

Nature Feeds My Soul

I grew up in the country (outside the city, in nature), on over 90 acres of land. 

On top of that I was homeschooled through fifth grade, meaning I spent a lot of time around home, which I absolutely loved. 

I was in the middle of the woods, surrounded by nature and animals. 

The most ponies/horses we’ve had at one time was 13 I believe. We have always had two dogs, a handful of cats, a parrot that’s older than I am, and we once had two pigs, two jersey calves and a crippled angus calf around the same time. 

I also grew up with three siblings. A sister 21 months older than me and then two brothers, three and five years younger than me. We would run around the woods creating make believe worlds, and swim in a particular part of our creek we called the Frog Pond. 

But as I got into junior high and high school I started to resent this little slice of heaven I grew up on. I wanted the city and I couldn’t wait to get as far away from the country as I could. 

But as the years pass the more I can feel myself pulled towards the trees, the birds and the ability to see the stars at night.

When the occasion comes to get back down to my parent’s place I relish in those moments spent outside. I soak in how incredibly calm and peaceful it is. 

I forget until I get back out there how much nature nourishes me. 

I find myself in these moments, out there in the trees, where I can just stop, breath deep and look up towards the sky. What better time to stop and become present in that moment, to find gratitude for being in that place. 

And I am reminded each time, how much good this does for me, and how I need to continue to find space for nature in my life. 

My 2017 Summer Goals

Seeing that summer is almost here, I thought it might be helpful to set a few summer goals for myself. I know you’re supposed to focus on setting actual tasks that can be ticked off a list, but I’ve realized quite a few of mine are more over arching themes. 

And I’m OK with that. 

ONE — spend more time being active outside

Over the winter, when I was home, I got pretty good at doing my 2 p.m. yoga session in my living room. But now that is is beautiful out I love finding ways to do my daily physical activity outside. 

This means going and riding my bike and my long board. As well as going on walks and maybe even a run (jog) every now and then. 

TWO — take advantage of nice weather, and appreciating it

I know this one connects itself to number one on my list. But, I spend so much time in the cold months cooped up inside because I just really dislike the cold. But now that it’s warm out, I need to get into the habit of taking myself outside to enjoy the weather I spent so many months wishing for. 

Sunshine and blue skies feed my soul. This can be as simple as sitting in hammocks, going on walks and going camping. 

THREE — get back into journaling, meditation and yoga.

When things got a bit crazy last month a few things had to give way to what had to get done. Unfortunately it was these things that I know have such an incredible impact on my overall well-being. 

Before we went to Bali I was doing a daily meditation and it was great. 

While in Bali I did a ton of yoga and my body felt great. I even came home thinking I might want to get my teacher training done. 

And up until last month I was consistently journaling every single morning.

All things I enjoy, and all things I want to get back into the habit of. 

FOUR — read more

Once again, normally I am always reading, but I didn’t have time to do it last month. 

I’m going to put together a summer reading list and start knocking it out. Summer is a great time to read books. Grab a blanket, grab a hammock, get outside and read. Not to mention reading before bed instead of being on your computer or phone. 

The current book I’m working my way through is actually one I’ve had on my bookshelf for a few months. “The Greatest Experiment Ever Performed on Women: Exploding the Estrogen Myth"

FIVE —  start a second FemmeHead channel

This is a tangible step. One I know I’m already going to do. I want a place to share more behind the scenes life vlogs and videos. 

And to be honest. It might even have happened by the time this goes up. 

SIX — more time with family and friends

I’ve been doing a good job at this so far this year, but it’s one that I want to keep up on. Since quitting my job in January I have found that I spend quite a bit of my time alone, at home, working. Which is great, it is where I am most productive and focused. But this also means I need to put more effort into that time outside of work, and fill it up with social interaction, or I start to go a bit batty. 

SEVEN — drink more fluids (a never ending goal)

Do I even have to go through the benefits? [better complexion, digestion, energy, everything]. 

I’m really good at drinking my coffee every morning. But rubbish at drinking water. 

Spicy foods really helps. As well as making sure you have a glass or some sort of container of water near you at all times. 

EIGHT — eat more fresh fruits and vegetables

This is one of those things that is easy and natural. These are the things I crave. But winter can be a time of comfort, of seeking out warmth. 

But as the seasons grow warmer it is not only easier to find fresh fruits and vegetables, but that's what I find myself gravitating towards anyways. 

In the end these are all pretty simple, achievable goal themes for the summer. But I find that taking the time to sit down, think through what I want to accomplish, and write it all down helps guide me through my daily activities.