Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Organic Beauty Products

My face is finally healing! Ahhhh

Hallelujah!

It's been a rollercoaster of a journey over the last six years. A ride I never wanted to get on in the first place, but it strapped me in and dumped me off in Scarville.


If you think I'm exaggerating, check out how bad my acne used to be here and here.

Has anyone ever tried Microdermabrasion? I'm thinking about getting a Groupon and having a few treatments done, but I heard your face turns bright red afterwards and it doesn't fade back to normal for a week or so. Not that that's a big deal or anything, but just the thought of having the top layer of my skin lasered off, makes me a bit uneasy. Thoughts?

Even though acne has been a miserable aspect of my life, both physically and mentally, a lot of knowledge and self-discovery has come from it. I can't believe I'm saying this, but if I was granted some magical opportunity to wish away my acne from ever happening, I wouldn't. The struggle was real AF, but it taught me so much, more than I could ever express in words.

After years of burning my face with Proactiv, products prescribed by Dermatologists and just about every soap and face wash known to man, I gave up. I threw out every pill and potion and decided I needed to make a few changes in my life. Screw chemicals; use natural, more organic products that contain pure ingredients!


I started looking inward. Going Pescetarian (and than vegan) was greatly attributed to the hope that my skin would heal, which it did. The more I researched the healing benefits of these lifestyles, the more I learned how poorly most animals are treated. It was an easy transition for me, one that I knew I needed to make.

Would I have gone vegan if I never had skin issues? Probably not...and that's why I'm a firm believer of the phrase "everything happens for a reason." I wouldn't have felt the need to seek out healthier habits and lifestyles. It really forced me to open my eyes in a lot of ways and I'm so grateful for that. I now have a newfound love for organic foods and products!!


Now that I've made a few changes, I want to share my skin routine...

Every night:

I start by washing my face with Dr. Bronners Lavender soap, which doubles as my body wash. Just a bit, because it's highly concentrated. A bottle lasts me about 6-8 months.

Dr. Bronners Organic Castile Liquid Soap

After I dry my face with a clean towel, I apply a dime sized amount of coconut oil.

Organic Virgin Coconut Oil

Lastly; I combine a few drops of Vitamin E oil, Aloe Vera and Shea Moisture lotion into my hands and apply that to my face, over the coconut oil.

Trader Joe's Vitamin E Oil
ArtNaturals Aloe Vera
Shea Moisture Healing Lotion

I know that sounds like a lot of oil, which could lead to clogged pores, but I use them very sparingly and my face has been reacting so positively to this routine!

For my body lotion I use Everyone Lotion

Every morning:

I splash my face with water, mixed with a smidge of Dr. Bronners soap. Super simple.

I also started doing face masks once a week and I'm absolutely in LOVE with them!

Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay


Be aware of what you put in and onto your body.

Much Love Guys! :)

Monday, January 25, 2016

Dream Journal: 1/6/2016

The first scene I remember from the dream, was me standing in the grass on my neighbors lawn. I felt like I had to shit really bad, so I walked to my other neighbor's home to use their bathroom. The house was just recently vacated (in real life) and it was also empty in my dream. I remember seeing a few Christmas decorations, specifically a plastic Santa Claus statue, scattered around the house and I wondered why they left them behind. I walked into the kitchen and out by the pool, when all of a sudden my old childhood friend walked out onto the back patio (the one that used to live in the house). He arrived to return my phone. I patted my pockets and realized it was in fact missing, thanked him and we both left the house. As soon as we stepped outside, I noticed a limo parked along the street, waiting to pick him up. I thanked him again and off he went.


I started walking down the street and noticed Michelle's car parked in one of my neighbor's driveways. I smiled and felt such happiness, just thinking about her. I wanted to walk in my neighbors house and say hi, but I figured she was babysitting. Instead, I decided to text her, to stop by afterwards.

When I unlocked my phone, I got sidetracked and realized Lyft (similar to Uber) was randomly downloaded onto my phone. I opened the app and there was a message from a woman, saying she and her two friends needed a ride and that they were already waiting at my house. Once I got there, she and her two friends (one was a male and the other was a female) were standing on my front porch. They seemed very on edge and out of place. For some reason, the three strangers walked into my house after me and the two girls beelined into my sister's room and started stuffing their purses with her belongings. I whipped out my phone and started taking videos and pictures of them as evidence, while provoking them and telling them the cops were already on their way.

That's when my dream got real weird. I was conscious that the man, who was with the two girls, had disappeared somewhere and that's when I felt like I was in danger and went into survival mode. As soon as I had enough pictures and video clips, I called 911 and put the phone in my pocket, praying that the 911 dispatcher would be able to pinpoint my phone and location.

The house I was in turned into a mansion, similar to the one in the movie Crimson Peak. It became two stories, with multiple winding staircases. It almost reminded me of Hogwarts, with the moving stairs that relocate themselves.


Still unaware of the man's location in the house, I began running towards a huge stairwell and climbed to the top. As I peered down from behind a small wall, one of the girls emptied the stolen objects out of her purse and onto the floor, which turned into an altercation. She said she didn't want to go back to prison and wanted no involvement anymore. At that, she stormed out the front door and disappeared.

That infuriated the other girl, who started flailing her arms and growling at the top of her lungs. I ducked down and covered my mouth, not to make a peep. That's when I heard the man's voice again. She whispered to him "we need to kill him, he has too much evidence." My ass shot up and started booking it down the hallway. I had no idea where I was going. I turned a corner and opened a large mahogany double door, entering into this strange room with an indoor pool that had a line of exotic cars parked beyond the pool. I could hear the echoing of loud footsteps coming up the stairs, so I sprinted past the water, looking for car keys, a weapon or an exit of some sorts.



Instead, I noticed something shimmering on the opposite side of this room. It was shining so bright that it was hard to look at directly, similar to looking up at the sun. Instinctively, I was drawn in and began running towards it. The man and woman smashed the door open and they were in full rage mode, bolting after me with profanity rolling off their tongues. I was about 100 feet in front of them, as I continued to gallop towards this glowing light.



My adrenaline was flowing through my veins. The faster I ran, the further I felt like I was getting from this mystical object and the closer the two crazy people were catching up to me. All of a sudden, the exotic cars came to life like Transformers and the engines started roaring. They created a barrier and turned their brights on, temporarily paralyzing and slowing the duo down. I continued running and realized it was a shoe that was causing the dazzling light. As I finally came within a few feet from it, I jumped into the air and my entire body was engulfed by this light.



I was portaled into the shoe, which shot me into a bright, golden tunnel. I was catapulting down this tunnel like a slide, but at the same time, it felt like slow motion, as I reached my hand out and interacted with the light.



I flung out of this golden tunnel and dropped into the sunroof of a car. Dazed and confused, I squirmed into the drivers seat and sped off down the street. I could faintly hear the man and woman screaming "he's getting away!" from afar. I stuck my middle finger through the sunroof and accelerated down the road, laughing with relief, after nearly dying.

The scenery looked like I was in a 1950's suburban neighborhood, somewhere in Southern California.



The sun was shining and the sky was bright blue, with not a cloud in sight. I was really admiring the houses and the random people that I drove past. Then, out of nowhere, I lost control of the car and the mans face appeared on the touchscreen console.



He looked like shit and the girl appeared in the background, pointing a gun at the screen. They were ferociously screaming, warning me that they were going to hunt me down and kill me if I didn't destroy my phone. After denying their exigencies, the steering wheel violently spun out of control and I crashed, blacking out.

Moments later, I woke up and felt all the blood rushing to my head. When I regained focus, I realized I had crashed into a fence or a bush and I was upside down. The vehicle was steaming, so I quickly unbuckled myself and kicked the dented door out. I crawled out onto the street of this random neighborhood, completely unaware of where I was. A white cat appeared and greeted me at eye level, licking my face and rubbing his face against mine.



The cat sat down next to me and smiled. It felt like a lifelong friend that was stopping by to say hi and provide comfort. I stumbled onto my feet and assessed the damage. The car was completely totaled, so I took a deep breath and started walking down the street, as the cat followed behind me.

As I reached into my pocket to retrieve my phone, the most friendly and welcoming woman ran up and hugged me. She witnessed the accident from her front yard and couldn't believe that I was unhurt, let alone walking, with only a few cuts and scratches. She looked down, greeted the cat and picked him up, asking me what his name was. I told her I didn't know, that I had just met him a few moments ago. She smiled and told me to follow her...

We walked down the street and into her home. As soon as we entered, her husband and two sons were in the front room and immediately shifted all of their focus onto me. I could feel them staring into my soul and I felt very shy in that moment, not wanting to look up at them. The woman broke the awkward silence and began introducing her husband and two sons, pressing her hand against my back, encouraging me to step closer. The two sons were about my age and seemed very immature and bratty at first. I could hear them whispering jokes to each other, insulting my appearance. That's when I realized my clothes had ripped from the accident and I had scrapes up and down my arms and legs. One of the brothers was extremely attractive though.



The man walked over to his wife and put his arm around her shoulder, as they embraced each other, while admiring me. At that moment, I began to see their auras, which glowed with a light purple. The man reached into his back pocket, grabbed a piece of perfectly folded paper from his jeans and extended his arm out to me. At this moment, the boys stopped gossiping to one another and the room fell silent, as they inquisitively examined my every move, with such alertness. I retrieved the paper from the man and examined the four individuals, who were all calmly smiling at me and nodding their heads to proceed. I looked down at my hand and stared at the paper, feeling it between my fingers and wondering what was written inside. The cat rubbed my legs and smiled up at me.

I took a deep breath and began to unfold the paper, revealing my birth certificate. Tears flooded my eyes and I began weeping. It was the first time I have any recollection of crying in a dream. The family wrapped their arms around me. The woman held my face in her hands and echoed "We've been waiting a long time for you."

Than I woke up.

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

New Dream Journal Series!!

Hey guys!

So this past week, my parents invited the new-ish pastor from their church, along with his wife, over for dinner. They are in their late thirties/early forties, very kind people and pretty enjoyable to chat with.

My dad is so tight, he cooked the most amazing veggie soup and made sure it was vegan so I could eat it. He and I don't have a lot in common, so I always appreciate and love when he supports me in my lifestyle choices. I know it's just a simple dish, but those Acts of Kindness mean so much to me. It's definitely one of my love languages.

Check out what yours are here!

My dad is an extroverted, left-brained, analytical, intelligent lawyer who wrestled and went to West Point. I'm none of those things. haha I'm an introverted, total right-brained, imaginative, sensitive, dreamer. Working out and cooking are two of the very few passions we have in common, so I absolutely love talking about food and lifting with him.

I thought that by going vegan (back in October of 2013), I'd inadvertently be distancing myself from my family. Food is very important to us! I knew I would have to give up all the foods I grew up eating and start cooking for myself, but to my surprise, my family has really accepted my lifestyle and it's actually brought us closer. We research ways to make our traditional family dishes, in a vegan way...and most of the time my food ends up tasting better than theirs. My mushroom eggplant meatless balls are making me drool just thinking about them. Ugh I love big, savory balls.


My dad still receives the newspaper (he's old school) and he'll take the time to cut out any veggie dish he finds in the cooking section and leave it on the counter for me. How cute is that?

Anyways...I swear I'm going somewhere with this post. haha During our dinner conversation, our guests began talking about kids and how they're fostering children in the hopes to adopt one day. This segued into my parents joking about the funny things my siblings and I did as kids. One of them being that I always begged to sleep on my sister's floor almost every night from the age of about three to eight.

I had paralyzing nightmares as a child. Not my favorite memories. I know it's common and most children have them, which absolutely sucks because they're especially terrifying when you're young. At least as an adult, you can shake it off after a few minutes, rationalize your thoughts and tell yourself it was all made up in your mind. Getting up and walking into the kitchen to stuff your face with food, really helps as well! But most children don't have the capability to dismiss a nightmare as easily and they get stuck in a loop, replaying the scenes from the dream in their head, which just feeds their imagination and fuels the terror. That's what I did and I HATED being alone in my room.


I would wake up in the middle of the night, frozen by fear in my bed. I was so tripped out by my nightmares, that I began wetting the bed. Once I was able to physically move my body, I would wobble down the hallway, whimpering to my parents room and gently shake my mom until she woke up. This became such a reoccurring phenomenon, that my mom kept a wooden rocking chair in my room and she would sit next to my bed and stay there until I fell back asleep. Bless her heart, she spent multiple hours of her life in that chair. Eventually I didn't want to be in my room alone and I preferred to sleep on the hard floor in my sister's room, than to be in my own bed.

I felt comfort being in the presence of someone else. My sister used this as leverage and to her advantage whenever I annoyed her in anyway, she'd say "alright, well you can't sleep in my room tonight than." haha what a bitch. A smart bitch. Thankfully I outgrew that by the end of 3rd grade.

The nightmares became less frequent as I got older and I was able to block them out of my mind. I still get them, but I try not to lose sleep over them anymore. However, to this day, I'm unable to sleep in complete darkness. I just can't. I have to turn my Himalayan salt lamp on and use it as a night light. It's a comfort thing.

I've been researching lucid dreaming, which is when you're able to control your dreams and consciously recognize that you're dreaming. It's quite fascinating, really. I figure the more I'm able to successfully lucid dream, which is becoming more and more frequently, the more I'll be able to control my dreams and redirect them in a more positive direction.

For Christmas, one of the gifts Michelle got me was this journal to write in.


I always send her lengthy text messages of my dreams and it's almost become a joke because I'm able to remember such minute details from them and she's unable to remember any of hers. haha I don't know if that's a blessing or a curse. I began writing my dreams in this journal, but I figured it would be more beneficial if I used the journal for something else and made a new series on my blog, detailing the dreams I have!

Yay to a Dream Journal Series!

It'll be fun and very entertaining for you guys!! Every time I wake up and research the meaning of my dreams, I always catch myself thinking 'damn, I really need to document and blog this outrageous shit.' I'd basically be giving you a free psychedelic trip.


My girl Dorothy gets it. 

Much Love Guys!

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Hello, 2016.

It's nice to meet you!

Here's to a year of self-love, of adventure, of abundance, of magic.
 
Be kind to yourself this year.

I updated my website, so check it out here and I'll love you forever.

Here's some of my most recent work:


 





On New Years Eve, my best friend Michelle and I went to a house party, which was thrown by a friend of her co-worker. I only knew about a half-dozen peeps at the party, but everyone was so warm and friendly. As the night progressed, about 30 people showed up, which was awesome because we had a huge group of people to play Cards Against Humanity with. I had only ever played this game one other time in college and I forgot just how ridiculous and silly it is.


Around 12:30 AM, Mich and I decided to head back to her place, since the ball had already dropped. As we were saying our goodbye's to everyone, I walked up to this incredibly handsome guy that I had met at the beginning of the night. As I reached out to shake his hand and inform him that I was leaving, he said my name. I was surprised, because other than introducing myself and taking a shot with him at the beginning of the night, we didn't really talk at all until that moment. Luckily, I remembered his name as well and he told me not to go.


(Naturally) I laughed because I assumed he was tipsy and just being friendly, but the small voice in the back of my mind liked to think he may of been flirting. Who knows, my gaydar is broken. After I said I had to go, he told me that I "need to stay for at least another hour and a half" haha The conversation just kept flowing and he was really engaging and fun to talk to. We talked about his travels, since he was visiting SoFlo and what he does. But after about ten minutes of chatting in the kitchen, a girl came out of nowhere and abruptly grabbed his wrist and yanked him away into the other room. The conversation ended so suddenly, that I decided to look him up on Instagram a day or two later and now we follow each other. Look at dem muscles...


Once we finally left the party and got back to Mich's place, we dimmed the lights, turned on her diffuser, played some chill music, ate some Darrell Lea strawberry licorice and made 2016 Goal Lists!!


This year I'm putting all my faith and trust in God's hands. I know He aligned my life so that I am exactly where I need to be at this moment in time. If you're not necessarily where you want to be in your life, just know that progress=happiness and as long as you're actively striving for growth, you'll achieve it. The Universe is working for our greater good and God is working things out for you, even if you don't feel it.

I hope to completely blossom into a new person this year and glow a whole lot brighter.

Much LOVE Guys!!