Mid Week Motivation: My Current Health & Fitness Routine

Hello everyone!

It is July 1st! Can you believe it?! Lets take some time and enjoy the view.

Felt this would be the perfect occasion to bring back the "Mid Week Motivation" series (if you missed the previous posts search "Mid Week Motivation" on the search bar to your right).

Today I want to chat about what I am currently doing for my health, fitness, and lets be honest- my sanity! I don't know about you but maintaining a fitness routine helps me be more focused, motivated, excited, and disciplined with pretty much everything going on in my life. As the saying goes, when in doubt, work out!

[Workouts:]

Honestly, I am not doing anything crazy. For the past several months (pretty much since the beginning of the year) I've kept pretty consistent with the cardio portion of my workouts. During the past month or so, I have been incorporating weights and strength training in to my routine, as noted in this post.

CARDIO: So basically, 5-6 times per week I am at the gym. I have found that hitting the gym at around 11:00 am-12:00 pm on most days is what works for me the best (I currently work from home during the first half of my day and then head out to my other job in the late afternoons). Find the perfect time that can work for you and make it happen. Remember that all you need is at least 30 minutes of high intense cardio. 

My routine is currently at 45-50 minutes plus a cool down. I use the elliptical for about 15-20 minutes and the treadmill for the remainder. 

I proudly wear my Spartan shirt to the gym when I want to feel fierce. Little do people know that race almost killed me. But I made it out alive :-D

WEIGHTS: I do workouts incorporating weight training and strength training about 2-3 times per week. Either Monday, Wednesday, Friday OR Tuesdays and Thursdays depending on what I may have going on in a particular week. I have been using my workout DVDs but strongly considering signing up for a gym class incorporating weights at a local gym. I enjoy working out at home but it would be nice to  break the routine a bit, and meet new people while I'm at it.

Post-workout shameless selfie

[Food:]

I dislike being strict with what I eat or denying myself anything. I simply made a decision to make a conscious effort to eat something that is good for my body each time I eat a meal. I currently eat 3 times a day (breakfast, lunch, dinner) PLUS snacks whenever I am hungry. I don't believe in starving to death waiting for a next meal- that's something that can simply set you up for failure. If you are hungry, eat something! Just remember to make a conscious effort to make it healthy.

I cook, I bake, and I love to eat {if you think I'm lying just scroll back to prior posts, there is a good amount of food involved, and more to come}.

Restriction is not for me and allowing myself to eat well is something that has worked for me tremendously in terms of getting fit, maintaining a healthy weight, and keeping cravings at bay (don't get me wrong, I still get cravings but definitely not as much as before). Plus, I never feel like I am depriving myself.

Just yesterday I was watching a show about this "new" diet that allows beer and drinks in moderation. Some idiot on the TV show (one of the hosts) said "oh wow that is genius". I am sorry, but having things in moderation is something people have known for....ever....some people just choose to ignore it seeking the easy way out. I know the word idiot sounds harsh but I'm just being honest. It's been common sense for a while. 

Ok peoples, thanks for reading. What is YOUR current fitness routine? Or, if you plan to start one soon, what are the plans??

Love,

Mabelle

Mid Week Motivation 10: Is never too late (Running the NYPD Memorial 5K)

Hello loves,

My dad and godmother ran their very first 5K this past Sunday. 

I felt so incredibly proud of them. Specially, of my dad. After a health scare this past January, which thankfully he was able to successfully overcome, my dad decided to completely change his lifestyle making great improvements with his diet and exercise. His progress during the past few months has been incredible.

First of all, he didn't got crazy joining gyms or buying powders off the internet. He simply started off by borrowing a treadmill from a family member that had it stocked away unused for about 10 years (yes, is possible to buy a very expensive piece of equipment and never use it). That treadmill has been such a motivational tool for my dad who has been waking up every morning for the past 3-4 months to complete several miles of walking/jogging. He also spoke to my mom about making healthier meals each day. Her help and support has been pivotal and extremely helpful during this whole process.

My sister is a New York City Police officer and they were having their yearly memorial run this past Sunday. We were both already signed up for the race. She then had the great idea of asking my dad whether he wanted to do it and he agreed. He was so excited the morning of the race that he actually woke up super early to walk on the treadmill to "warm up" for the race (talk about motivation). 

A little bit about the NYPD Memorial run- The run is done each year in memory of an NYPD hero that has died while working. When signing up, you have the option of choosing an officer that you know that has passed away or you can allow the system to randomly select someone for you. I decided to do the latter, and this is whom I ran for:

I tried to look him up in Google but he passed away such a long time ago that I was unable to find any info :(. If anyone finds some data on this, pass it on my way. Would love to know his background and what happened. Either way, it was a true honor to run in his memory. May he rest in peace. Looking forward to doing this race again next year.

We all ran as a family and it was nothing less than awesome. This is a great shot I was able to get of my godmother:

I was waiting for my dad at the finish line and actually found out that he beat me! Yes, ladies and gentleman. He finished the entire 5K three whole minutes ahead of me. His time was ~34 minutes while mine was ~37. I haven't been running outside in over 6 months so I have a lot of catching up to do. I was just simply so proud of him. 

I completed my first 5K ever in 2010 and it literally took me forever (I finished at 49 minutes). My dad runs his first race and finishes in 34. The irony!

Moral of the story: My dad is 55 years old. My aunt is 53. Neither had run a race in their entire life but they have made a decision to turn around their life for the better and live healthier lives. As a health and fitness advocate for a very long time, nothing makes me more excited.

My mom came for moral support- shes been there for my dad every step of the way. She claims will run the next one with us. Looking forward to that!

So, never put excuses in front of the things you want to accomplish. Anything is possible.

Love,
Mabelle

Fortunate Friday {May first Edition}

Hello everyone!

How was your week? Mine was great and busy with zero complaints. Week came with its challenges because obviously that is life, however, nothing I couldn't handle.

I may not be very consistent with my daily posts (*embarrassed*) but at least I can keep up with these Fortunate Friday posts. I was thinking to myself "I don't even know what I am thankful for this week. nothing really exciting happened". And then, as I opened my mind to the question, it started shooting at me several things that definitely deserve a shout out in today's post. With that said, here what I feel fortunate for this week:

1. My health- This is more than a given. Health is wealth and such an incredible blessing that sometimes we take for granted or 'forget about'. No matter what may be going on in our lives-- personal issues, life drama, work drama, and the list goes on; we should be thankful that we are able to get out of bed each morning and tackle the day and whatever it may bring. We should be thankful that we are able to open our eyes, move, breathe, and care for ourselves. That's kind of a big deal.

2. The strong instinct/reassurance that everything will be more than okay- My life is not perfect but I do my best to remain optimistic in the face of challenges. One of my favorite mantras is "this too shall pass". Something inside of me tells me that whatever is not going "my way" at this point in my life is only meant for my good in the long term. If I can weather the storm I can look forward to the sun.

3. My sister and my best friend-- not much to say about this other than they are both such incredible support systems and people I can count on no matter what.

My sister and I (circa 2013- ish)

My bestie and I in New Orleans (circa ~2011 ish)

4. My home- also known as my sanctuary, my office, my space away from the hectic world. A true blessing.

5. My faith, which keeps me sane-- I cant tell you how many times a day my brain goes completely ballistic worrying about this or that or the other-- fear, uncertainty, regret, sadness-- things that try to attack me from time to time. Thankfully holding on to my faith keeps me away from that and reassures me I will be more than okay (see #2).

6. Bonus: a very consistent month when it comes to fitness-- Check this out:

I worked out pretty much every single scheduled day this month. A combination of the gym, Zumba classes and strengthen training with my dear Jillian Michaels. Looking forward to keeping this up in May. Shout out to my Ipad that keeps me entertained at the gym :).

Tip: A visual calendar to keep track of daily workouts is an awesome motivational tool.

...and that's all folks! Thanks for reading. Have a phenomenal weekend.

Love,
Mabelle

Fortunate Fridays {friends, wine, gym and natural beauty, edition}

Good Morning! 

{or afternoon/evening, depending on where you are ;)}

Random though of the day: How awesome would it be wake up in Paris :). One day for sure we will meet again. source

Yet another Friday has arrived. I hope you all had a phenomenal week. As it is the norm each Friday on the blog, I am here to share the top five things that happened this past week which I feel fortunate for.

1. Friday night girl talk {and back to back gym date} with one of my best friends last weekend: 
I've been hanging out with my friend Christina more often the past few months (we went to high school together and pretty much have known each other for over 15 years). Last Friday after work she came over to my apartment and we hung out drinking wine, having some grapes and dark chocolate,  while watching shows off my Roku. We caught up on the week and life events. Always nice to have good friends visiting me.

She ended up sleeping over and the next morning we hit the gym for some cardio (we wanted to make it to a Zumba class but got there too late). On Sunday morning we texted each other and agreed to go work out again. It was pretty awesome. I've been going to the gym by myself for so long that I forgot how truly great it can be to have a gym buddy to keep us accountable and even more motivated than going solo.

2. A spare of the moment 3 mile walk on Monday night (minus getting sick the next day):
I like being open and honest on the blog so I wont lie that on Monday night I was feeling pretty down on myself. As I've mentioned in past posts, I've been going through a phase involving some roller-coaster of emotions. I am well aware that this too shall pass. However, Monday was one of those not so great down evenings (I was okay during the day).

After a good cry I somehow had the motivation to take myself for a nice walk. I made sure a few of my favorite podcast were on my phone and off I went. I have to tell you my mood changed drastically after that walk! I felt so much better and so much more optimistic. I was so incredibly proud of myself that instead of eating everything in sight inside my apartment and going deeper in to the deeps of sadness; I turned it around and did something positive for myself. So incredibly grateful for this. (oh yeah, I ended up catching a bit of a cold, or allergies?, the next day. thankfully I have a kick ass immune system and Im almost back to normal. Definitely learned my lesson.)

3. Getting 90% of my packing completed a week before my trip:
I have news regarding next week which I plan to share with you guys on Sunday. However, something I feel so relieved about is taking the initiative to sort my stuff, find my luggage, purchase things I needed, and run a few related errands way before my trip. Leaving things for the last minute always makes me so anxious and upset. I am so incredibly glad I took it upon myself to do things differently this time around!

4. Finally getting my eyebrows done!
Nothing much to say about this other than the fact that it was wayyyyy over-due! I barely ever wear makeup. I love the natural look. However, I was feeling really unattractive lately with my [overly-overdue for a threading-eyebrows] so glad I finally took care of that. I feel and look so much better! Thank god for low-maintenance beauty :)

5. Being able to keep up my healthy living habits and reaching new 'personally-set' milestones
Sometimes when I am not feeling so great about certain thing(s) in my life I use food to numb my emotions and right after that working out also takes a backseat. However, I am not sure why but for some reason my habits are changing drastically (for the better).

Instead of wanting to eat my life away as a recovering emotional eater, I find joy and solace in physical activity and healthy eating. To be fair, I think it also has to do with the fact that for the past several months I have been able to keep up a healthier lifestyle and I have been able to keep those habits going in good and not so good times. I've come a long way.

...I'll leave you with an awesome quote I came across while reading my digital edition of Oprah Magazine as I worked out at the gym this week:

I take my Ipad to the gym and its such a great motivator! I usually do mostly cardio at the gym-- a combination of speed walking and running on the treadmill plus the elliptical. I like to read stuff off my ipad during my speed walks. Makes me want to keep going and going. I like to do my strength training work at home. 

..And that's all folks. Thank you for reading. 

Any plans for this Friday evening or the weekend?

Love,

Mabelle

What I know for Sure Sundays II: On the Topic of Happiness

Hello my beautiful followers,

Happy Sunday! As I do every Sunday, I start my day with a delicious breakfast, some reading, and then grab some tea to enjoy another episode of Super Soul Sunday (one of my favorite shows). I should be getting reading to head to church but wanted to leave you guys with today's 'what I know for sure Sundays' post. If you missed the first one from last weekend, you can check it out here.

The other day I was taking a shower after the gym and the following thought popped in to my head:

"I want to be the sole creator of my happiness. Anything else should be icing on the cake". 

Wouldn't you agree that often times we give the power of our happiness to others? I've read (and heard)  countless times that if we depend on outside forces to determine weather or not we will be happy- that is grounds for inevitable disappointment. Why? Because we don't have the power to control others. As the saying goes: "Each head is their own world". Thankfully, we have 100% power over ourselves and that is fabulous. 

I believe this quote (one of my favorites) may put things in to perspective:

"...The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past...we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude...I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you...we are in charge of our attitudes.” 

― Charles R. Swindoll

So, remember this:

"....Tie your happiness to goals not people or objects" 

With that said, this is what I know for sure:

"We are the sole creators {and destroyers} of our happiness. Everything else is icing on the cake".

Tell me, would you agree with this? Why or why not? Would love to hear your thoughts!

Mid Week Motivation 1: Five Steps to a better life

Good morning sunshines,

Happy "hump day". My workday started pretty much at the crack of dawn and I was able to enjoy this delicious breakfast.

-Organic oatmeal made w/ almond milk. Toppings: Sliced almonds, PB, Cinnamon

-Cafe w/ soy milk.

So, there is this super motivational guy I've been following for years now (probably since 2011). His name is Martin Llorens and he is incredibly awesome. His content is all in Spanish so I apologize to all non-Spanish speaking followers. You can check him out on You Tube, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook.

He recently launched a series of videos on YouTube and I absolutely love them. I took some time late last night after my day was over to really listen to a few of the videos and take note. One of the videos really inspired me. So, for this Mid-Week motivation, I respectfully want to share the incredible message: Five ways in which you can lead a more positive, better life. And here is the run-down:

1. Take one minute every morning to imagine an incredible day ahead and a minute each night to think of at least 3 things that happened during the day for which you are grateful for.

2. Every day make sure you take notice of all the positive things you do and say throughout the course of the day. 

3. When negative thoughts come to your mind acknowledge them and then let them go. Make a conscious effort not to dwell on negative thoughts nor feed negative emotions.

4. Accept when people try to help you. Be thankful for it. Understand that you do enough to assist others in your daily life so there is nothing wrong to welcome help in to your life as well.

5. Start creating positive affirmation and positive thoughts. If necessary, play a 'game' with yourself of always finding the positive and 'flipping' any negative thoughts that come in to your mind in to positive thoughts. If necessary, write affirmations and put them inside your wallet; make boards with positive images and place them around your home.

Some of these steps I've already followed for a long time (i.e: making poster boards, and keeping positive affirmations all over my apartment). Others I found interesting and look forward to incorporating in to my life starting today. I've been on this quest lately to transform my body, mind, and spirit in to the best it can possibly be. It is a work in progress and I look forward to getting better and better each day.

Tell me, who do you look to for motivation? Do you follow any coaches or motivational 'gurus'? Share below!

Delicious Finds #1: Eureka Bread

Hi All!

Hope you are having a great day so far. I've been working away all day. Thankfully had a chance to hit the gym earlier today but then it was back to work.

Anyways, I had such a delicious lunch today which inspired me to share what I ate with all my readers. My lunch was as simple as it gets--- a turkey and cheese sandwich. However, my palate was having a party with the bread, it was delicious!

I actually came across this bread yesterday during a trip to target. At about $3.50 per bag (and organic!) it caught my eye after taking a quick glance at the ingredients. I felt it was a pretty good deal for such a wholesome healthy-looking bread (similar to something I'd find at Whole Foods or Trader Joes), so I decided to give it a try.

This bread did not disappoint. I picked up the "Grainiac" 'flavor but they had pretty much all of them at Target. The excerpt in the front of the bag definitely describes it to the T:

We baked as many organic grains into this chewy, flavor filled bread as physics will allow — 12 to be exact. Try it for yourself and become a Grainiac!

So anyways, from time to time I come across 'serendipitous' finds and I'll be sure to share them with you on the blog as long as I find them delicious enough to let the world know. This bread definitely made the list. As long as the price remains the same (or lower, of course) they've gained a customer. If you'd like to read more about the brand check it out here.

By the way-- Im not getting paid to talk about this on the blog nor am I a sponsored blogger for the brand. I simply found this delicious and had to share!

Thanks for reading.

Tell me, have you come across any delicious foods lately you'd like to tell the world about?

How Trader Joes solves my dinner problems almost every time

Ok Trader Joes is going to have to start paying me commission for mentioning them so much on the blog. If you were wondering what was my favorite supermarket, well, secret is out!

I love to cook. My favorite meal of the day to cook is breakfast (specially when I have time to do so like on weekends) and my second favorite has to be dinner and I like to mix things up a bit. Sometimes when I am running low on ingredients or run out all together, I have to get creative. Tonight was one of those nights.

I eat vegetables almost every single night (yes, I am one of those weird people that actually likes to "indulge" in broccoli, mixed veggies, and Brussels sprouts). I only had a very small stalk of broccoli left so I decided to do some sort of "stir fry" with mushrooms, garlic, and onions. I steamed the broccoli first before mixing it all together. I seasoned it all with these two amazing powders:

Obviously that was just the "side". Here is where TJs really saved me. I steamed up one of these delicious Cheese & Green Chile tamales:

...and I was pretty much set:

Perfectly delicious and wholesome dinner for a long day! Now I am indulging on some fruit, tea, watching The View on my Roku and blogging for a bit. Hows your night going?

Tell me, Have you ever tried real Mexican tamales?

{The Return of} Fortunate Fridays

Hello my dear readers!

I had whole-wheat blueberry pancakes this morning with eggs and sausage plus my cup of Joe with soy milk. I enjoyed my meal while doing work and reading the paper (new obsession: Wall Street Journal). I forgot to take a picture. So, thank you Pinterest for lending a helping hand:

Source

I haven't followed up with this series since last summer! I apologize. This is a part of my life that I love to share-- not with the purpose of bragging about my life by any means. But, more than anything, as a personal reminder that regardless of any challenging times we may face, there is always something to be thankful {and feel fortunate} for.

Sometimes is hard for us to remember our blessings, I include myself in that bunch, the FF posts is a way in which I help myself do just that. I encourage you to do the same. Doesn't have to be on a Friday but whenever you feel it would be beneficial to you.

These are the top five items I feel fortunate for this week:

1. My sister giving me a ride to the gym: My car is stranded behind a pile of ice and I have been unable to get it out this entire week. I called AAA and the customer service department was of no help. Whatever. My loving boyfriend and future husband {the one whom would help me with this} is somewhere in the future.  As I wait for him to get here, I am hoping my friend or dad can come help me get it out this weekend. In the meantime, my awesome sister drove me to the gym and that was pretty awesome of her.

2. Being able to help a friend in need: Although my career is still a work in progress and I am not making the income I want to make just yet, I was still able to lend  a helping hand to a friend in need this week. If you know me, you know I am super frugal and meticulous about my money. However, there are times where exceptions need to be made and this was one of them.

3. Doing what I love for a living (a work in progress): I don't even know where to begin with this. Since quitting my insurance job last May, my career has been an emotional roller coaster with incredible amazing times as well as times where I am scared about whats to come. However, one thing is for sure, I am doing what I love and I wake up each morning (and go to bed  each night) with so much motivation and excitement. That is completely and utterly priceless. I know with hard work and dedication the financials will take care of themselves. Patience is virtue. More on this topic coming soon.

4. Having a place to live that is cozy, comfortable, and mine: So, one of the days in which my sis drove me to the gym I had to walk myself back home because she had some errands to run. The walk is about 15 minutes on a regular nice day but it took me 30 minutes thanks to the ridiculous amount of snow and ice on the streets. I felt like I was walking through a spartan race obstacle course. Anyways, despite the struggles of that walk; I kept reminding myself that I am not homeless nor was I just walking aimlessly, which sadly, is something that many people do daily. I was walking myself home. My warm, cozy, home. If this is not something to be utterly and completely thankful for, I don't know what is.

Source

5. Remembering that I am not alone-- Despite my relationships ups and downs in the past year I have to remind myself that I have tons of people that love me and care for me. I also have a strong sense of faith that everything that happens in my life is working towards my benefit. So, regardless of the tough times I remind myself that happiness always returns. As you may have notice--- this is one of my favorite sayings :)

What are YOU thankful for this week? I hope you all have plans for a phenomenal weekend whether you spend it doing fun stuff or simply cozied-up at home.

Thank you for reading <3

Mabelle

The best thing I do after workouts

Hey everyone!

It is now November!! Can you believe it?

It is a rainy Saturday here in New York City. Its also a little chilly. I love days like this as long as I can chill at home with some movies and some relaxation. I actually just came back from a nice gym workout! Relaxing always feels a lot better after putting in some work.

I've been a little bit busy these past several weeks. I'd like to share a little something with you guys but will wait a bit before I go in to details. I am super excited about it, more on that coming soon. So far things are hectic and crazy and busy  but I wouldn't have it any other way. Is true what they say-- when you find your passion work never feels like work.

So anyways the purpose of this post is to share something I've been doing after workouts which helps to re-energize me and adds on to the endorphin that I already get to enjoy after every sweat session. After doing a quick stretch and confirming my workout was recorded on my iphone app; I drive home to enjoy this:

Okay lets be serious. I don't live in the middle of the Caribbean (anymore) and I don't go home and break myself an actual coconut. By the above I mean that for the past month and a half I've been incorporating coconut water in to my routine post workouts and is the best thing I've done in a while! I used to make myself a green juice post workouts (which is still great) but I was getting bored and needed a change. I had been coming across articles on the amazing benefits of coconut water, specially after a workout, so I decided that would be a perfect alternative.

Imagine my surprise when a few weeks ago, as if the universe was giving me a big nod on this new routine, I received an email from  Cocozia asking whether I'd like to give their product a try! To be honest I was not very familiar with the brand so I jumped on their website. After reading about the quality of the product and confirming their drink is an 100% organic I was super excited to try it out.

To my surprise, the delivery arrived exactly on my birthday on October 25th! How cool is that?! It added on to the amazing things happening that day:

I even texted my sister who is a huge coconut water fan {a lot more than me}

{lets just say she was jealous but yes, i shared one with her ;)}

The drink is delicious and the container size I received has 40 calories per serving. Each container has about two servings. Something I immediately noticed after my first sip is that the drink is not as sweet as the brands I have been drinking since I started my 'coconut water routine'. It is organic for a reason, as it tastes just like water from a coconut. Here are some of the amazing benefits which are posted right on the container:

I asked my sister her opinion and she loved it as well. I'd definitely recommend this drink for those people out there looking for a refreshing and replenishing drink post-workouts. As I said, you wont be caught off guard with any overly-sweetness. You'd get to simply enjoy and a nice cool drink filled with electrolytes and only the good stuff!

I received the original, however, the drinks comes in five different flavors. Check out their website for more information. You can also follow them on Facebook or twitter. If you'd like to give it a try and order a few, check out their amazon page. 

This drink is definitely approved in my book. Its definitely something I will be picking up at my local grocery store once I run out of my current "stash".

...ok time to finish drinking this and heading to the shower:

Thank you for reading!

Tell me, what is your favorite drink (or food) to have post-workouts?

*Cocozia sent me a free trial of their product. All opinions are my own. 

Apples & Avocado

I had an amazing lunch today. Far better than I've had in a very long time. I did not go to a fancy restaurant and neither did I spend hours in the kitchen creating a culinary masterpiece.

In fact, it was the complete opposite.

I added a little less than 1/4 of a creamy avocado to my usual kale/banana/strawberries smoothie. I then added sweet apple pieces to my tuna salad. The "added twist" was using sprouted cinnamon raisin bread (toasted) for my tuna-fish salad and made a quick sandwich.

And that was all. This resulted in the creamiest and tastier smoothie I've had- probably ever. And an out of this world delicious tuna fish sandwich.

 

I died and went to heaven.

The best part? the lunch was enjoyed right after a nice 4 mile walk/run at the gym!

Tell me, have you tried any of these additions before? if not, I highly recommend it. If yes, let me know below how you've made it your own!

Hope everyone is having a great day!
Love,
Mabelle

How to find Joy again {when life throws you lemons}

The other day while watching Oprah's Super Soul Sunday, the following quote came on the screen:

"Find a place inside where there is Joy, and the joy will burn out the pain". Joseph Campbell

I would be lying if I didn't admit to the fact that the past several weeks have been tough for me in a personal level. After coming back from a phenomenal summer in Washington D.C; and a nice vacation in Hawaii- a relationship that was very dear to me came to an end {once again}. I had the heart wrenching breakup talk and for weeks my world felt like it would crumble. If any of you have gone through a breakup you know the type of indescribable pain I am referring to. The tough part is that this was the same person with whom I was dealing at the beginning of the year. I wrote about the first breakup on this post.

We agreed to get back together only to call it quits again a few months later. I have heard somewhere that if something ends is good to let it go for good.  If something didn't work the first time around, what would make us assume that things would be different the next time? Obviously there are circumstances where people get back together and things are so phenomenal that they stay together for good. However, my personal experiences have made me conclude that those circumstances are the exception, not the norm. People rarely ever change. Hence, we have to accept people for exactly as they are or let them go.

Nonetheless, such is life my friends! No need to wallow in sorrow and self-pity for the rest of our lives. If there is one thing I have learned in my thirty years on this earth is that life is full of ups and downs and I remain an optimistic person whom looks forward to a phenomenal and amazing future. So, stay strong during the tough times and remember this: everything is temporary! The sun will shine again.

As I am finally recovering from that pain and I am on my way to the "other side", I want to share with you guys the top 10 things that have worked for me in bringing me back to joy:

1. Be around people that love you unconditionally: I must confess that I practically moved in to my parents house after things ended. I have my own place but it was kind of depressing to be home alone, specially during the evening hours. I had plenty of time to nourish my soul by having talks with my mom (whom was such a support system for me) and fed myself back to happiness while enjoying some homemade goodies and being around the people that I know love me no matter the circumstances. I also went on runs with my sister and made sure I kept in to contact with my best friends, whom also offered words of encouragement. Even if you live away from family or loved ones- make an effort to reach out to the people in your life that you know will always be there for you. Simple phone calls or a venting email can go a long way!

My sister and I after a 4 mile run/bike ride the other day

2. Get some exercise in to your life- Immediately: I must admit that the last thing you want to do when you feel miserable is put on your workout gear and move anywhere. However, I eventually talked myself in to hitting the gym. The endorphins that come from a nice run, a brisk walk, or even some quality time with the elliptical are phenomenal. Exercise and sweat can definitely be the best medicine. As that infamous instagram quote says: "I really regret that workout" -said no one, ever.

3. Make a conscious effort to eat good, clean food: Eating like crap will only make you feel good for about two seconds. Food is fuel and is amazing how it can be used to heal everything and anything, and that includes a sad mood. Eat for happiness! Some foods that have been proven to boost your mood include: Dark chocolate, salmon, walnuts, spinach, grilled chicken, avocado, Greek yogurt, green tea, berries!

4. Keep Busy: This is the time to excel at work and go above and beyond. Working can often be the best distraction. Even if you "hate" your job, it can be a blessing during tough times. Even if you are unemployed, this is the perfect time to give your all to that business idea that has been lingering in your head for ages. Take a leap of faith. They say the best business ideas on earth usually emerge during tough times. Check out this great article on the Entrepreneur website.  

5. Loose yourself in a favorite hobby: This may go hand in hand with the above. However if you have a hobby that you love be it outdoor running, bike riding, readings books or magazines, traveling, or anything in between, this may be the time to loose yourself in that. For me personally, there are a bunch of books I've been meaning to read and some overdue magazines that have been sitting in my apartment for months! Perfect time to catch up on the things I love.

6. Find your "Happy Places" and spend time there: What places bring you joy just because? Many of us have places where we love spending time. We may have no clue why we love  those places but they simply bring us joy. For me personally some of those places include: Barnes and Noble, the library, browsing around stores such as TJMax or Marshalls, my parents house. What places bring you joy?

7. Write out your goals for the future: There is no better feeling than to sit down with a pen and paper and write out exactly what you want for your future. You can go sit at a local Starbucks and write away! For some reason putting pen to paper in a journal feels "nicer" than typing it out on a computer. However, do whatever works for you! First list your plans for what you want everything from relationships to career plans. Then elaborate plans of action to make those things become a reality. If you want to take it to the next level, why not create a vision board with the things that you want for your future ?!(more on that coming soon).

8. Take a break, Focus on yourself again: I've decided to learn to love myself again , pamper myself, and be selfish. Its been a while since I've done that and this is the perfect time. This doesn't mean I cant meet new people and/or make new friends but I feel that is the perfect time for some "soul searching" and to start my path towards what I really want and what's really meant to be in my life. I encourage you to do the same!

9. Know in your heart that everything will be okay and amazing things are ahead: Never, ever, ever let anyone steal your joy or your expectations for a phenomenal future. Someone may have tried to steal your happiness temporarily but no one on this earth should have the right to strip you away from knowing that your future is bright and amazing. Don't give anyone that much power over you--ever!

10. Feel Gratitude for the things you have in your life: When things aren't going "perfect" we tend to forget that we have so much to be thankful for. For some reason humans have  a tendency to focus on the few things that are going wrong instead of focusing on the things that are going right---which is usually a much larger percentage. I am guilty of this myself but I am quickly changing my ways by realizing that God has been very good to me. It would be a shame for me to forget all the good things in my life (and everything I've been protected from! things happen for a reason)-- and the same goes for you, my friend!

Hope these tips help someone out there. If you have tips that have worked for you personally I would LOVE to hear them. Comment below or send me an email at dolcemabelle@gmail.com. :)
Thank you for reading <3

Revamping the Blog, and Whats New!

Hey Everyone!

No need to panic. You are in fact in the right place. You may have notice some "small changes" around this page the main one being that I changed the name of the blog (will explain why). I also updated the "about me page" as well as the travel page as I just came back from an interesting trip.

So, why "Mabella Vita"? Well, first and foremost I am obsessed with European countries. My favorite country being France (I am obsessed). Anyways, I initially wanted the name to be "Mabella Vida" but the name was taken. Hence, next best thing was "life" in Italian which means "Vita". Mabella is a nick name Ive had since I was a little girl. Hence, I felt the phrase "Mabella Vita" would be a perfect name for a blog where I want to continue documenting my life developments. My goal is now to take this blog a step further and expand from personal stories and more in to self-help and motivational articles for my fellow ladies out there. In a nutshell- I will strive for constant content on the following: 

1. My personal life (travels, outings, friendships, family, love and beyond)

2. Health and Fitness topics (my conscious efforts towards leading a healthy life one day at the time- from traditional habits that have worked for me to trying new things)

3. Personal Finance topics (this is tentative. Is another one of my passions but I already have a blog on the works for finance-specific topics)

Excited for what's to come...stay tuned! Thanks for reading. Blogging is my therapy, my escape, a huge passion. Would love for you to join me on this new phase.

Hugs,

Mabelle

Fortunate Friday {New Beginnings Edition}

Hi!!

Many of you may be thrilled today is finally Friday. Although Fridays are always great today is a little bittersweet for me because is my last Friday in NYC. Next week I will be starting a new life (even if temporary) in a whole 'nother state. This is what I love about life: That it is unpredictable and sometimes serendipitous-- you never know what will happen to you tomorrow or the next day or the next month. Today you can be sitting at your local café and a year from today you can be exploring the wall of china with your husband and new baby. Life can be so random and that's why we love it.

Anyways, enough rambling. This was a week of a lot of activity. I finally purchased everything I needed for my trip (including luggage) so now is just a matter of packing and putting everything together.

Here is what I feel fortunate for this week:

1. An AMAZING canoe trip this past Saturday. We had such a great time. It was my very first time getting in a canoe and I almost didn't do it. In all honesty, I was scared of falling over or going down some crazy waterfall/rapids and not being able to survive (a vivid imagination can be brutal). However, once I realize how calm the water was and how  safe everything was I was able to calm down, chat, and enjoy quality time. Would definitely do this again.

2. Finished buying every single thing I needed for my trip. I went to target and went a little crazy/over-confident grabbing stuff only because I had about 3 gift cards with me. When I got to the cashier I even had to stop her midway through the ringing up of my stuff to ask her if the balance was accurate (yes, it was that crazy!)...$150 on "Basics" seemed unreal. Thankfully the gift cards brought my balance down to $25 bucks.  You don't know how fortunate I felt that very second!! Halleluiah.

3. More quality time with friends-- I kinda' made it an "unwritten" plan to see as many of my friends and loved ones as possible before I leave to VA/DC. Thankfully, that's exactly what happened. I saw 3 of my very close friends and got to catch up during dinner or a leisure lunch. Great times indeed. Here is a pic with my friend Ana and I:

 

 

Dinner with my Friend Yosie involved this delicious salad:

4. The fact that my internet is still working! I was under the impression my cable company was going to cut off everything today but is still going and I am able to write this post. Yeyy. So yeah, I cut off all bills in my apartment while I am gone. 'Gotta save as much as I can.

5. Fitness-- I know I say this almost every week but being able to keep up an exercise regime has kept me sane and feeling good these past weeks. Sometimes we forget how amazing endorphins are when we go through our "leisure hiatus phases" as I like to call it.

6. My parents-- (yes, again) they came this week to help me clean out and rearrange some stuff from my apartment before I leave. They seriously cant be any more amazing.

And that's all folks! I am going to leave it at that although I am sure I can think of a lot more stuff (there is always something to be thankful for). I have a few more errands to run and I woke up a little on the later side today so I am looking forward to making the best out of this day. Next time I post it may or may not be from another state (we shall see)!

Tell Me, What was the best part of YOUR week? Any plans for the weekend?