Two weeks in Mexico City
Read MoreThe Truth about Bikini Waxing 👀 👀
Waxing has always been something that terrified me and for a while I thought about it. I looked up videos of peoples reactions on youtube, I researched if it was worth it, what kind of wax to get, and where to go. Me being very busy, and an appointment oriented person means two things. Since I’m busy, and most of the time in a rush to a meeting.. wether in the morning or middle of the day I shower but most of the time don’t make time to go to town and get rid of any hair that might be growing down there 🙈. As a feminist I truly don’t believe in self grooming for a man. I personally do it for myself because, I personally don’t like all that growing, I like to put a bikini on and not have to worry about anything showing. SO..After finally getting tired of having to remember to shave all the time in the shower I decided to just go for it and not think about it too much because I would change my mind AGAIN. I have to say the whole first wax free promo at European Wax Center is a very good excuse to see if it’s too much or if you can handle the pain. The first time, no doubt was the most painful, as soon as I was walked down the hallway into the room I could just feel the temperature in my body rising. I was panicking a lot does not even begin to describe it. When the wax technician put the first amount of hard wax on my skin, I knew there was no turning back. Man that first rip really hits your soul- let me tell ya. Fast forward a good 15 minutes later, and I walked out feeling a little bit of a faint pain but nothing that can’t be handled. Let me tell you, it is the BEST decision I’ve made one year strong LOL. If you’re thinking about it and are scared I say just GO FOR IT. Is it gonna hurt a little at first, DUH! but at least you don’t have to shave every day or every week… I’m Just Saying 🤷🏾
See you next week with a new post, leave a comment below if you’re loyal to waxing or any questions you may have if you’re thinking about going for it. Hasta la proxima! See you next time!
-Stephezinho
5 Ways to be More Productive This Week
Productivity is something we all struggle with at some point. There are just days when you don't feel like doing much, and laziness creeps up (hello Netflix marathon) and before you know it you've hardly gotten anything done and feel like the days are just passing you by.
Below I have listed 5 ways to be more productive this week, to help you avoid binging Netflix for hours, napping too much or spending hours reading articles online (happens to the best of us).
1. Give yourself a Deadline
Having a deadline for getting work done although at times may feel like it adds pressure. It is more than anything a hard reminder that you must get work done by a certain day. Deadlines push you to actually working even when you feel like being lazy and putting off work. I starting setting calendar reminders for deadlines when I am having the Monday or mid week blues and it ALWAYS motivates me to get work done.
2. Exercise
I know it might seem like exercising is just gonna make you tired but, contrary to that popular belief it does the complete opposite. Exercise clears your head, and since you are solely focusing at the task at hand which could be jumping rope or going for a run, etc. By the time you finish working out you feel more energized than you do tired and are ready to get pretty much anything done.
3. Take small breaks
This can get a little dangerous because you might get distracted by little things here and there and it can all go down hill from there. I personally like taking small 5 or 10 minute breaks when I've been working for an hour or more. It's easy to not notice how long you have been working if you're really focused, but taking small 5 minute breaks every 45 minutes helps to keep you from drawing a blank and dropping everything you're working on.
4. Create a to do list for everyday
This has been the biggest help of all to keeping my productivity levels consistent I write calendar reminders, write it on a small dry erase board where I can see it. This is a constant reminder I have things to do even when I have forgotten or feel like I don't have energy to do anything (which means I haven't had coffee and need some)
5. Listen to upbeat music
This trick works for me every time specially when I'm doing computer work. Listening to upbeat music turns off all the outside noise and distractions at the coffee shop which is where I get a lot of my writing done. It also keeps you focused on what you are working on, because the music keep the writing at a steady pace. I'm not sure exactly to describe it but, this is how I survive hours sitting in front of the computer whether I'm working at home or at the coffee shop.
West Texas Road Trip: Big Bend & Marfa
Photo Cred: Alonzo Williams Jr.
West Texas is full of long stretches of road surrounded by rocky mountains. At sunrise the sun lights up the horizon, with the brightest hues of orange and sometimes purple. With every mile you drive the road takes you further away from home, but closer to wonder and excitement of the unknown. The star kissed sky in Big Bend is breathtaking.
If you thought shooting stars, were rare here they aren’t. One passes every five minutes, and you just cannot get enough of it once you realize there will be more than one grazing the sky during your stay. If you’re up for driving 30 minutes up the mountain from the lodge area, The Hot Springs trail is the perfect place to catch the sunrise.
It escapes from behind the mountains slowly to greet you. It’s a slow and beautiful progression of different shades, going from a subtle purple, that turns into yellow, and suddenly the brightest orange. The scenery here is beautiful in the early morning, but plan to get here at the crack of dawn if not a few minutes before while it’s still slightly dark. From a distance you’ll notice the rises from the stream at the end of the trail. When you park you’ll see a casita (ca-see-ta) is the pronunciation in Spanish. Walking toward the hot spring, you’ll pass up a lot bushes, I loved that there was a palm tree, where if you stand in the right place while the sun is coming out is a great photo opp. As you make your way through the fog, you forget that at night this is were a lot of animals rest (there's evidence on the ground), but seeing all the fog, the sun rising and being in that moment makes you forget all about it.. Beautiful isn’t enough to describe it you just have to see it, I even forgot it was in the low 30s just standing there taking in the view.
If you’re patient an hour or so after you arrive. And you might think “yeah, well I’ve seen the sunrise countless of times.” but here’s the truth you haven’t seen it like this before. After a lot of driving to get to the park and to that specific spot, it was the perfect way to begin the day, it felt like the sun brought us back to life.
All inexperienced National park goes raise your hands.. UP HIGH. Okay.. It’s easy saying let’s hike up the mountain to see the Balanced Rock, and whole different thing is hiking your way to the very top to see said thing. The trail to get to Balanced rock is in the Grapevine Hills in big bend, the trail is mostly gravel and dirt, and not too bad, but the last quarter mile is a steep on. Having to hand onto heavy boulders to get to the top, stepping as carefully as possible on your way up, although you might want to take many pictures on the way up that last quarter mile isn’t the best time. Reading the sign which tells you the rail is 0.5 miles is encouraging, but 0.5 miles will never be the same again to me.
The longer we hiked the more you feel the elevation weigh down on your body. The trail up to the top teaches you a few things, there are endless photo opps you might miss on the way up but will most definitely notice on the climb down. Prime example is me getting on top of a huge boulder that was 20 times my size. It reminds you the kind of attention to detail you have to have in that moment to remember exactly where you walked through. It reinstates the a certain fear/respect for natures
sine you're in the center of two steep mountains which could make you a target if there were animals around.
I kept thinking “oh my god what if a giant mountain lion pops up out of nowhere.” Thinking back about that I laugh. Last and most importantly remember the distance is always longer than it seems because you’re walking at an incline, and the elevation makes it harder on your body to breathe. Once you finally make it to the top the small struggle is, well DEFINITELY more than worth it. From up there you can see out for miles in multiple directions, but the most satisfying for me was to see how far up we’d hiked that view was beautiful.
* All pictures included here were taken by photographer Alonzo Williams Jr. click anywhere on this post you see his name to see more of his work*
What's on my Playlist
Hey there lovely people! I am back with another What's on my Playlist post and this week I have a list of ten new songs that I just cannot stop listening to. If you like music, and variety in it as much as I do read on. Don't be afraid to click the links below which will bless your ears with beautiful sounds!
I love this song because, it has a calm vibe. It talks about falling in love in a different way than other songs do. Chris Martin never fails to impress with his lyrics.
Can't help falling in love - Cover by Andie Isalie
I discovered Andie Isalie on YouTube purely on accident she's from Australia and her voice is soulful and soft. She can turn pretty much any song into her own, even though she didn't write it. Her covers have a twist, depending on whether she uses the ukulele, the guitar, bass or the piano.
I love the feel of this song. The lyrics are empowering, and I often find myself writing to it. Reminds me to keep going. I'm surprised it didn't get much promotion other than for the movie it was featured in.
This song is definitely a pump up song, I work out to it, write to it, dance to it. Although the lyrics are simple which I'm not always a big fan of, it's fun and catchy.
The search for everything was definitely a new side to John Mayers music, this album had nostalgia mixed with all the new things he's realizing and experiencing. I definitely love every song on it. But I specifically like helpless because he talks about a love that doesn't correspond ( we've all been there) and the take is kinda like he wants someone to yank him out of that state of mind where he wants to keep trying even though it's pointless. It's not a sad song, it's actually very upbeat my favorite on this album.
5 Things I've Learned This Year
5 Things I've learned this year, and how they have changed my outlook plus an ootd
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