Life Update | If You Stumble, Make It Part Of The Dance.

Posted in Life by Britanie

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“Once the storm is over you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure, in fact, whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what this storm’s all about.” – Haruki Murakami

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I figured I would do a quick life update since I haven’t done one in awhile. Things have been stressful lately – between the new move, my beloved cat recently passing away and our new puppy being sick and in and out of the hospital, I haven’t been getting much sleep and my health has really been a struggle. I’ve been in a lot of pain and haven’t been able to do as much as I would like to. I have been trying my hardest to get everything done that I can on my good days and on the bad days I just give in and let my body rest as much as possible. After years of dealing with chronic health issues I have finally learned to say no when it’s too much for my body and I know when I should and shouldn’t push myself.

I am always working on staying positive and not letting the pain make me hard. I am looking forward to gardening soon. I have some projects I am working on that I am really excited about and I am thankful for the good days that I have and I don’t ever take a pain-free day for granted. It has made me more aware of the beauty in the world and has made me appreciate the little things in life so much more than I think I ever would have had I not dealt with so much pain for so long.

Onto some beautiful images I have taken recently:

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I am so thankful for Matthew and his love and compassion. I never thought I could feel so comfortable and so safe and supported. I fall more in love with him every day.

“Do what you love. It’s going to lead to where you want to go.” — Wayne White

Tayo and Tianna love each other. Who would have thought? Tayo is so gentle with her and watching them together brings me so much joy. They are the cutest duo I ever did see.

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For all of my readers who also deal with chronic health issues, I feel your pain and frustration. I know how hard it is but remember you are not alone and there is a greater purpose for all of the pain. This quote below has been an inspiration in my life and I hope you find comfort from it as well:

I hope you are all doing wonderful. Your support, comments and emails mean the world to me.

xoxo,

Britanie

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*All of my reviews are based on my own personal experiences with the brand/products. I am never paid to give my honest opinions and will only recommend products that I love and use myself! All Photographs are (C) Britanie Faith unless stated otherwise.*

4May2013

DIY | Fresh Picked Dandelion Tea

Posted in Health, Tea Time by Britanie

This is such an easy and fun way to make yourself a delicious healthy cup of herbal tea. Dandelions grow in abundance around our yards and most of the time go unnoticed. I love to pick these beautiful flowers to make myself tea, to use in skincare items as well as to decorate my home with. Go around your surroundings and pick yourself a bunch of Dandelion Flowers. Make sure to wash them really well and then pick off each petal and put in a tea strainer. Boil water, pour into the strainer and let the petals steep for 5-10 minutes before drinking. Sweeten with some Raw Honey and you will have yourself a delicious cup of fresh Dandelion Tea that is wonderful for Springtime and for detoxing!

Some of the many benefits of Dandelion Tea:

Dandelion tea aids in digestion, and functions well to relieve digestive disorders like constipation and diarrhea.
Dandelion tea works great to purify the blood and cleanse the system.
Dandelion tea enhances detoxification, by stimulating urination and, in addition, by replacing the potassium lost in that process.
Dandelion tea is one of the most effective herbs for getting the bloat out and helping relieve water retention.
Dandelion tea has specific action in reducing inflammation, of the gall bladder and of the bile duct, and for rheumatism and arthritis.
Dandelion tea improves the function of and maintains optimum liver, kidney, pancreas, spleen, stomach, and gall bladder functions.
Dandelion tea helps in treating chronic hepatitis and jaundice disorders, and encourages healing of damaged tissues caused by alcohol liver disease.
Dandelion tea helps reduce high cholesterol.
Dandelion tea contains antioxidants that help your body fight off toxic bacteria and viruses.
Dandelion tea helps with weight control—especially with weight loss.
Dandelion tea actively ameliorates disease—it is a potent disease-fighter—and helps the body heal, helps boost immunity, and combat cancer, heart disease, and age-related memory loss.
Dandelion tea aids health maintenance for people suffering from Type-1 and Type-2 diabetes.
Dandelion tea can be made solely from the blossoms, the leaves, or the roots (roasted or not)—or, the entire plant.
Dandelion tea is traditionally served plain (as is), and also made into other beverages—like ale, beer, “coffee”, and wine.
Dandelion tea as a face wash cleanses complexion, improves skin clarity.
Dandelion tea makes a great bath addition, especially when made from older, stronger (tougher) leaves.

Notes:

Be mindful of where you are picking your Dandelion’s from as many people spray pesticides and herbicides on their lawn and you do not want to be eating those chemicals! Try to pick the freshest of Dandelions that you can or grow your own!

***

xoxo,

Britanie

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18Apr2013

Tea Time Thursday | Belight Tea Review and GIVEAWAY! closed

Posted in Health, Tea Time by Britanie

For today’s Tea Time post I bring you a review and giveaway of the delicious Belight Tea which is an herbal tea blend of pu-erh tea plus 5 Chinese medicine herbs including: Sacred Lotus Leaf, Chinese Hawthorn Fruit, Gynostemma, Hemp Seeds, and Cassia Seeds.

A deep understanding of the principles of Chinese medicine indicates the tea and herbs in Belight may:

Nourish digestive “Qi” (“Qi” is energy or life force in Chinese medicine)
Aid digestion and settle the stomach
Minimize cravings for sweet and salty foods
Reduce stress response and cortisol production
Block storage of dietary fats, particularly when drunk after meals
Clear “dampness” (a pathogenic evil thought to lead to excess fat storage)
Moisten and move wastes out of the lower digestive tract

I have been drinking this tea for a few weeks now and I love the taste of it. I prefer not using honey to sweeten this tea because it has such a earthy flavor to it that doesn’t require sweetness (although it is delicious with honey as well!) I don’t drink this tea specifically for weight loss but I have noticed that my tummy feels and looks flatter after I drink this regularly and my clothes are fitting better as well. If you aren’t looking to lose weight, you can still drink this tea as it’s benefits are more than just weight loss and are beneficial to have daily for regular and healthy digestion and metabolism.

A little bit more about this tea…

Belight is an herbal tea blend with a formulation based on a lifetime of research by a well-respected doctor of Chinese Medicine, an ancient science more than 2,000 years old. With superb knowledge of Chinese herbs, their effects, and synergies when properly combined, Dr. Zhang developed the formula on which Belight is based to help people control their weight. Each herb in Chinese medicine has countless uses, applications, and functions, but only scholars of Chinese herbs can begin to recognize the nuances and synergistic effects beyond textbook knowledge. It was by developing this expertise and studying more closely how hunger/satiety signals, digestion, elimination, and ultimately body weight responded to various combinations of herbs that Dr. Zhang began his formulation. After yet more years of study and experimentation, the optimal combination and proportions were established. And that is the foundation for Belight.

**This tea is Gluten Free, Sugar Free and does not contain any artificial colorings, flavorings, or additives.**

To win your very own box of Belight Tea, please do the following:

Subscribe to my blog (on the sidebar of the main page there is a section that says to “follow this blog via email”)
Like BeautyByBritanie and BelightTea on Facebook (if you have an account)
Kindly leave a comment including your name, email address and what your favorite teas are!

THAT’S IT! I will pick the winner at random on 4/25/13 and announce it back on this post.

*THE WINNER OF THE GIVEAWAY IS SHANDY! CONGRATULATIONS!*

xoxo,

Britanie

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28Mar2013

Tea Time Thursday | Organic Loose Leaf Wuyi Oolong, Wildflower Honey and Organic Beauty Talk

Posted in Health, Life, Tea Time by Britanie

“The Wuyi Mountains are the birthplace of oolong tea in which this classic, dark-roasted oolong is harvested. We create a vintage blend each year from multiple lots of specially roasted Wu Yi varietals to create our signature Wuyi oolong flavor. After blending and curing, we re-roast to make it even and stable.” – Rishi-Tea

Oolong tea benefits have been known for a long time in China:

prevention of obesity and active contribution on weight loss
combats aging skin
prevents heart disease and cancer
reduces high blood pressure
improves vitality and life span
strengthens teeth and prevents tooth decay
relieves physical and mental stress
improves brain power
lowers blood sugar levels
treats skin problems such as eczema and rashes

I bought this particular Wuyi Oolong tea by Rishi-Tea at my local Whole Foods Market. It is really delicious. I love my vintage rose tea cups. I always feel so happy to bring these out for an afternoon cup of tea. I am obsessed with everything rose and tea related so when the two are combined it’s perfection.

This 100% Raw Wildflower Honey by Vintage Bee is my newest favorite. I fell in love with the adorable bear jars and have not been able to get enough of the delicious and decadent honey. It is the perfect consistency and is possibly the best tasting honey I have ever tried! I found these adorable jars at Home Goods. They are perfect to upcycle and I have been using empty ones for storing my herbs and other concoctions!

I am enjoying my cup of Wuyi Oolong tea while I read the interview I did on Organic Beauty Talk.

I am truly honored to be featured on the site and will be doing monthly makeup looks for the site starting in April. You can check out my entire interview here.

***

Have you ever tried this or any other Oolong tea? What are your favorite brands?

xoxo,

Britanie

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26Feb2013

Afternoon Tea | Organic Rooibos, Rose and Raw Honey

Posted in Health, Life, Tea Time by Britanie

It’s no secret how much I love herbs and concocting. I love to try different teas but the one that I keep going back to every afternoon is this very easy to make blend of tea that only contains two ingredients, three if you want more sweetness in your cup

Ingredients:

Organic Red Rooibos tea is full of anti-oxidants and has many benefits for skin, hair, nails, immunity and digestion.
Organic Rose Petals are a natural anti-depressant and naturally balances hormones. It can relieve stress, anxiety and insomnia.
Raw Honey has anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal properties. It promotes digestive health, is a powerful antioxidant, strengthens the immune system, eliminates allergies, and is an excellent remedy for skin wounds and all types of infections.

When Rooibos and Rose are combined, the taste is fragrant and some-what nutty. When Honey is thrown into the mix, it adds a perfect amount of sweetness to this tea!

I love drinking Tea morning, afternoon and nights but I pick each tea based on the time of day and the benefits of the herbs. The teas I drink in the afternoon are typically calming (without being too sedative) and are very balancing and fragrant. Afternoon tea is my time to wind down before the evening comes and then I usually opt for an even more relaxing tea like Chamomile and Lavender or pure Rose Tea.

I love to sit in the sun and enjoy this fragrant, calming and yet up-lifting blend of tea. I always feel more relaxed and balanced after just one cup.

I hope this post has inspired you to go make yourself a warm and healthy cup of tea. If you try this blend or have tried this blend in the past, please do share your thoughts with me! I love talking teas and could do so all day!

***

xoxo,

Britanie

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22Feb2013

The Power of Positive Thinking: Tips on how to be more positive

Posted in Life by Britanie

“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.” – Abraham Lincoln

The power of Positive thinking is an every day mission for me. I receive many emails from readers who ask my advice on how to cope with chronic health issues and other frustrating things in life. My biggest advice is to think positive. I can’t stress enough how important it is to always replace a negative thought with a positive one.

I have struggled in the past with negative ruminating thoughts that would plague my mental and emotional energy. I would feel so frustrated about my health issues and start to feel sorry for myself and I got into a horrible cycle of never-ending negative thoughts. I finally got to the point where I realized that thinking negatively would never help me to better myself in any way. I started to slowly incorporate one positive thought at a time into my daily routine and over the years it has become much more natural to me to automatically replace a negative thought with something positive. It is still a challenge and I work at it every single day. Positive thinking can help immensely with the management of stress and can help to improve your health.

The Mayo Clinic notes that positive thinking can bring about a longer life span, a greater quality of life, reduced risk for cardiovascular disease, lower stress and depression levels and even a better immune system. Positive thinking can alter your life outlook so that you feel a greater sense of health and vitality, and project that feeling into real results in your health.

The health benefits of positive thinking

Researchers continue to explore the effects of positive thinking and optimism on health. Health benefits that positive thinking may provide include:

Increased life span
Lower rates of depression
Lower levels of distress
Greater resistance to the common cold
Better psychological and physical well-being
Reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease
Better coping skills during hardships and times of stress

Start With These Tips:

1.) Out With The Old, In With The New

The minute you feel yourself thinking something negative – quickly replace that negative thought with a positive one. If you feel like you cannot possibly think of something positive when you are sad, depressed, angry, etc — let me tell you that you can. It can be anything positive from the weather, the way someone smiled at you, something you love about yourself or someone else, your animals, a good book, anything will suffice as long as it’s a positive thought.

2.) Fake It Til You Make It

You do not have to truly believe in what you are saying as long as you say it enough to the point where your mind and body start to believe it. You will get to that point once you practice thinking positively on a moment to moment basis. It won’t always come easy but having a desire to better yourself is the first step to change.

3.) Lick Those Wounds

Let yourself be sad. This might seem counterproductive but I think instead of trying to never feel upset, that we should accept that many things in our life are hard and may be sad and let yourself feel sorry for yourself for a little bit if you need to (but not for too long). Lick your wounds and get back up and be positive.

4.) Find Something Positive In Everything

This goes back to a point I made in the first tip. There is always something positive in everything that we do and everything that we experience. It is a matter of having the will to dig deep into what those positive things are and holding onto them with all that you have. Don’t stress yourself out if you feel blocked and can’t think of anything good. When you give up the pressure to have to feel or be a certain way you will slowly start to see that it isn’t so hard to find something positive in all that you do.

5.) Like Attracts Like

Let’s be honest – as much as most of us want to avoid all negative people, it can be hard to do. The best thing you can do is try to not let your energy be sucked out from “energy vampires” as I like to call them. If someone is being negative, don’t let yourself go to that negative place too. Help them out of it. Give them positive reinforcements. In time you will find that the more positive you are as a person, the more positive people you will attract in your life and vice versa.

6.) Positive Mantras:

Start off your day by reciting something that is happy, uplifting and positive. It can be anything from “today is going to be a good day no matter what comes my way”, or “I accept whatever this day will bring me with open arms” and end your evening with positive thoughts like “today was hard but I am so proud of myself for getting through it with a smile”, “I will do even better tomorrow”, “tomorrow will be amazing”. These all might sound cheesy to you but they really do work when used daily!

“Of course there must be lots of Magic in the world,” he said wisely one day, “but people don’t know what it is like or how to make it. Perhaps the beginning is just to say nice things are going to happen until you make them happen. I am going to try and experiment.” – Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden

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I hope some of these tips are helpful to you and please feel free to share your experiences with positive thinking in the comments!

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If you liked this post, you might also like…

How To Be Happier: Five Easy Tips

Rest, Relax and be in a let go

Accept and Progress / 2013 Resolutions

♥

xoxo,

Britanie

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16Feb2013

Beauty Is As Beauty Does | BijaBody Health + Beauty

Posted in Health, Reviews, Skincare by Britanie

If you haven’t tried anything from BijaBody, you are sincerely missing out. They are scientifically advanced, holistically intelligent, anti-aging body care & beautifying, fair-trade tea blends to enhance your entire gorgeousness. I was lucky enough to be sent some wonderful samples to try out. I am sent many products to test out and to review with my utmost honest opinions (I would never give my readers anything less than my full honesty!) and 9 times out of 10 I am lucky in that I truly like the product but it’s a little rarer that I fall in love with the products and the brand.

BijaBody is one of those brands that I instantly fell in love with after only trying out for A DAY. I love their principles and clean ingredients and the packaging is so classy and delicate.

You can read all about the Founder of BijaBody, Melissa Picoli , the story behind the brand and learn about BijaBody’s Principles. To say their principles are impressive would be a drastic understatement. All of their ingredients must be as natural as possible, and any ingredient that is not fully natural must be naturally derived, non-toxic, biodegradable and serve a very distinct purpose that cannot be achieved with a natural ingredient alone.

♥ BODY ♥

Anti-aging body care beautiful enough for your face, especially formulated for your body.

Daily Body Serum: antioxidant. protective. nourishing

Description: This serum is a serious barrier between our skin and everything trying to attack it daily. Potent levels of White+Green Tea, Alpha Lipoic Acid, Vit C+E, and Lycopene, which have shown to provide botanical solar/pollutant protection; in our signature HoneyOil base. Goes on silky, and leaves skin moisturized but not greasy. And smells divine.

Key Ingredients: HoneyOil, Lycopene, Alpha Lipoic Acid, White + Green Tea Extracts; Vitamin C+E

Body Treatment: anti-aging, pigment-preventing. pro-gorgeous

Description: This regenerative treatment goes way beyond a lotion with a pretty smell. Advanced, highly concentrated Turmeric extract, known for its pigment preventing and anti-inflammatory properties, blended with Peptides, White+Green Tea extract and Resveratrol in our HoneyOil base. This combination slows down the relationship between our beauty and time. Layer over Daily Body Serum during the day for added benefits, or wear alone in the evening, particularly on areas that get the most wear and tear such as knees, arms, hands & chest.

Key Ingredients: HoneyOil, Turmeric, White + Green Tea Extracts, 3 Peptides, Resveratrol, Vitamin C+E

Bedside Manner: lip + hand treatment, beauty balm.

Description: Suitable for lips, smiles lines and hands, this HoneyOil beauty balm contains peptides, two algae shown to increase moisture retention and plumpness of lips, vitamins and nourishing botanicals. Perfect for any facial treatment, manicure, or with ultrasound on smile lines and wrist lines.

Key Ingredients: HoneyOil, Peptides, Laminaria+Portulaca Algae extract, Beeswax & Shea, Vitamin C + E

***

♥ BEAUTY TEA BLENDS ♥

BijaBody tea blends are loose-leaf to maximize the abundant goodness of ingredients. Tea leaves do not respond well to being crushed and stuffed into tiny tea bags. It causes premature oxidation, and basically makes it less amazing. We’re not so into powdery, weak cups of tea. We like our tea leaves to unfurl slowly, releasing their goodness over multiple steeps.

Daily Beauty Tea

Blend of fair-trade, organic Oolong and Pu-erh Tea with beautifying herbs and spices -including Cacao Nibs, Burdock, a dash of Cayenne, and so much more- supports a fiery metabolism, internal ph balance, natural detox and digestion, and your skin’s exquisite function. Enjoy this blend for balanced energy levels, proper digestion, improved defense against colds and viruses, and as a peaceful, beautifying ritual throughout your day!

Nightly Beauty Tea

Blend of aged Pu-erh with calming, beautifying herbs and spices-such as Gotu Kola, Chamomile, Red RaspberryLeaf, Lemongrass and Ginger- strengthens digestion, healthy skin function, mental/physical calm and enhances your dazzling elegance. This blend is soft and calming, focused on effective digestion, calming your mind/spirit, and supporting your body’s crucial overnight processes. It will not make you sleepy, but it does help slow everything down, just enough.

The Daily Beauty Tea has become an instant staple in my morning routine. I drink one cup of this every morning, after eating breakfast and it helps to improve my digestion and gives me a great steady-energy without making me feel jittery like many other caffeinated teas can often do. I usually don’t like much spice in my teas at all but the Ginger and Cardamon really give a slight kick without ever feeling overpowering. This is truly one of my new favorite teas and that is saying a lot because I am somewhat of a tea snob and can tend to be very picky!

Nightly Beauty Tea featured with BijaBody’s Fair-Trade Glass Tea Tumbler with Feather Design.

My Overall Thoughts: I could smell the body products all day long without ever tiring of the delicious scent. They are so sweet and decadent. I literally can’t stop smelling my arms when I wear the serum and the body treatment. The beautiful hints of honey, rose and green tea were enough to make me fall in love with these products instantly and then when I felt how quickly both the oil and the cream absorbed into my skin, I loved it even more. The hand + lip treatment is incredibly hydrating. I have been using one sample for my lips and the other for my hands and am loving the formulation. I recommend all of the products I tried but my favorite (aside from the teas would definitely be the body oil!).

If you want to place an order on BijaBody use code “lotsalove” and get 10% off your order!

Have you ever tried anything from BijaBody? If not, what are you waiting for? Your skin, mind and body will thank you for it!

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♥

Check out BijaBody’s Website | Like on Facebook | Follow on Twitter

xoxo,

Britanie

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11Feb2013

How To Be Happier: Five Easy Tips

Posted in Life by Britanie

I think it’s fair to say that we could all use a little more happiness in our lives. Regardless of what obstacles we face or what pain we endure, everyone can benefit from a few easy and healthy tips that will help to make you feel happier and calmer. These tips will also make you more appreciative of the little things in life and teach you to live in the moment.

1.) Live In The Now:

Living in the moment and being mindful is a state of active, open, intentional attention on the present. When you become mindful, you realize that you are not your thoughts; you become an observer of your thoughts from moment to moment without judging them.

Many of us get caught up in an unhealthy cycle of worrying about the future or dwelling on past experiences. When you give up the worry of tomorrow and the regret of yesterday, you are allowing yourself to live in the moment and to relinquish unnecessary worries and negative thoughts. In order to find the balance that many of us seek on a daily basis, we must step out of the current moment, pause and breathe. You must get comfortable with resting in stillness and once you can do that, you will be able to focus on just being in the moment where you are. Live in the now and forever be at peace.

2.) Surround Yourself With Love:

“Eventually, you will come to understand that love heals everything, and love is all there is.” – Gary Zukav

Whether it be with friends, family, or a significant other, make sure that you are surrounding yourself with people who truly have your best interest at heart. Being around people (and animals) that you love can make all the difference in the world. Having unconditional love in your life can help you through the toughest of times and brings a sense of peace. Everyone deserves love and everyone can have love. Love is, after all, the highest vibration of healing. So start loving more and letting yourself be loved more.

3.) Start Your Mornings Off Right:

How you start your morning is what sets the standards for the rest of the day. If you make a decision to start off your mornings right and feed your body with the right fuel, you will be happier for doing so. I like to start out by drinking a fresh Green Juice or making a Green Smoothie. I also usually brew myself an Organic cup of Low-Acid Coffee and a cup of Detoxing Tea. I follow that with a protein filled meal and by mid-afternoon I don’t feel hungry and I feel much more balanced. I also like to do some type of stretching when I first wake up to really get my body moving. Yoga and Pilates are wonderful. Another tip to get your thyroid, digestion and blood circulating is to Dry Brush your body before your morning shower. Check out my post on Dry Brushing if you aren’t familiar with the massive beauty and health benefits that it provides.

4.) Meditate, Meditate, Meditate:

Meditation doesn’t have to be a scary or intimidating thing. If you start by focusing on closing your eyes and listening to your breath, you are meditating! Meditation won’t always come easy if you are a stressed out person but if you get in the habit of forcing yourself to sit down and close your eyes and meditate for just five minutes a day, you will see and feel a difference. Slowly build up to sitting and meditating longer until you aren’t even focusing on anything else but your breathing. Don’t overwhelm yourself, start slowly and just breathe. Meditating will come easy after practicing it daily and you will feel calmer and be happier for doing so.

5.) Positive Affirmations:

Let’s be honest – We all have insecurities. We wouldn’t be human without them. It’s okay to feel those moments of insecurity or self-doubt but the sooner you start to replace those negative thoughts with positive ones, you will see results. Finding the good in something is always more effective than focusing on only the negative. Start by telling yourself every day that you are beautiful (it sounds cliche but it works). Another tip is to write down things that you love and appreciate about yourself. It is not about being narcissistic or cocky, it is about honoring the qualities within yourself that are there in all of us but can so easily become masked by self-degradation. You don’t have to believe it in order to say it. Just start by telling yourself one thing that is positive. For example: “I am worthy of love and acceptance”, “I am a good person and I deserve happiness”, “I am beautiful at any size”, “I accept myself for who I am”. It might seem like these affirmations won’t matter much but the more you practice them on a daily basis and with positive intention, you will see results and you will start to appreciate and love yourself more.

Other simple steps to becoming a happier and more balanced person: Practice yoga, Read more, Get adequate sleep, Take Vitamin D3, Try aromatherapy, Get a massage, De-Stress your life, Organize your goals, Write down your daily intentions, love more and always be compassionate.

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I hope some of these tips that I incorporate into my daily life will help you out. If you have ever tried any of these tips please let me know how they worked for you and please feel free to comment and share your own tips on how to be a happier person!

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♥

xoxo,

Britanie

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5Feb2013

Video | January 2013 Beauty and Health Favorites

Posted in Reviews, Skincare by Britanie

PRODUCTS MENTIONED:

28Jan2013

Rest, relax, and be in a letgo.

Posted in Life by Britanie

“Rest, relax, and be in a letgo. Letgo is the secret of life. Letgo is the secret of religion. Letgo is the greatest secret. When you are in a letgo many things, millions of things, start happening. They were already happening but you were never aware.” – Osho

ॐ Om ॐ

***

Lately I have been really trying even harder to stay present in the moment and to surround myself with the most positive of energies that I can. I have a lot going on with my health right now and I could easily choose to just give in to the stress and the frustration of it all, but instead I am trying to focus on the things I am not lacking in: i.e.- love, support, inspiration, faith, hope.

It can be very easy from an outsiders view to look in on someones life (especially nowadays with blogs, facebook, twitter, etc) and to judge someone’s life based on a mere glimpse of what that person chooses to share with the world. I try to share the things that are hopeful and happy in my life. I will not ever pretend that everything in my life is perfect because there is no such thing as perfection. I also will never be actively negative on my blog or any other source of an outlet for myself and others.

I believe in being honest and real but there is nothing good that can come from focusing solely on the painful and sad things in your life. It’s normal and okay to share those things with people you love and trust but always bear in mind that negative energy can easily be contagious and projected and is not usually ever useful for neither yourself or anyone else.

My goal in my life is to find ways to cope with the hardships I have been given for whatever reason they may be. I plan to take whatever possible good I can from every painful thing I experience, both physical, emotional and mental. From pain comes knowledge and strength. I choose to keep pushing on through the setbacks so that I can find the light at the end of the tunnel. No matter how bad things get there is always something to be thankful for.

♥ Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health ♥

I am lucky enough to live very close by to Kripalu which is one of the most calming, beautiful and meditative spots around. I love to go here and take photos, explore the grounds, visit the cafe and shop and just sit and look out at the magnificent view.

♥ St. Francis of Assisi ♥

Many of the stories that surround the life of St. Francis deal with his love for animals. Perhaps the most famous incident that illustrates the Saint’s humility towards nature is recounted in the “Fioretti” (“Little Flowers”), a collection of legends and folklore that sprang up after the Saint’s death. It is said that, one day, while Francis was traveling with some companions, they happened upon a place in the road where birds filled the trees on either side. Francis told his companions to “wait for me while I go to preach to my sisters the birds.”The birds surrounded him, intrigued by the power of his voice, and not one of them flew away. He is often portrayed with a bird, typically in his hand.

♥ Organic Wild Rosehip Seed Oil & 100% Pure Unrefined Shea Butter ♥

I have been wanting to try pure Rosehip seed oil for awhile now and when I found this one for just $15.95 I had to get it. It’s an added bonus that it’s Organic. I also picked up some more Shea Butter because I go through it so quickly and this one in particular is so soft, it’s almost whipped! It goes on like a dream. Both of these are super hydrating (and affordable!).

I went to the ER yesterday afternoon after having severe spasms in my stomach for the past few days. It got worse yesterday and I decided it probably best to go get it checked out. I deal with chronic digestive issues on a daily basis but these spasms were consistent and different than usual. I spent four hours in the ER, had x-ray’s and blood work and thankfully they didn’t find anything serious. I am scheduled for exploratory surgery on Friday to rule out any possibility of an Ulcer, Diverticulitis, etc. If everything comes back normal than it’s most likely my Spastic Colon that’s causing the pain. I will feel better once I have everything ruled out though.

I will go back to what I said earlier in this post and that is that I am focusing on the good that came from this situation. I ended up meeting someone at the hospital who recommended a specific medication for my chronic nausea and so far it’s been life changing.

There is a reason for everything we experience (good or bad). It may not always be our destiny in this lifetime to know the reason why, but it is up to us to decide what to do with the information we are given and whether or not we wish to turn it into something positive.

xoxo,

Britanie

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Beauty By Britanie

finding beauty in everything – a natural beauty, health & lifestyle blog

Tag Archives: health

Life Update | If You Stumble, Make It Part Of The Dance.

DIY | Fresh Picked Dandelion Tea

Some of the many benefits of Dandelion Tea:

Notes:

Tea Time Thursday | Belight Tea Review and GIVEAWAY! closed

A little bit more about this tea…

To win your very own box of Belight Tea, please do the following:

Tea Time Thursday | Organic Loose Leaf Wuyi Oolong, Wildflower Honey and Organic Beauty Talk

Have you ever tried this or any other Oolong tea? What are your favorite brands?

Afternoon Tea | Organic Rooibos, Rose and Raw Honey

The Power of Positive Thinking: Tips on how to be more positive

The health benefits of positive thinking

Start With These Tips:

1.) Out With The Old, In With The New

2.) Fake It Til You Make It

3.) Lick Those Wounds

4.) Find Something Positive In Everything

5.) Like Attracts Like

6.) Positive Mantras:

Beauty Is As Beauty Does | BijaBody Health + Beauty

♥ BODY ♥

Daily Body Serum: antioxidant. protective. nourishing

Body Treatment: anti-aging, pigment-preventing. pro-gorgeous

Bedside Manner: lip + hand treatment, beauty balm.

♥ BEAUTY TEA BLENDS ♥

Daily Beauty Tea

Nightly Beauty Tea

How To Be Happier: Five Easy Tips

1.) Live In The Now:

2.) Surround Yourself With Love:

3.) Start Your Mornings Off Right:

4.) Meditate, Meditate, Meditate:

5.) Positive Affirmations:

Video | January 2013 Beauty and Health Favorites

Rest, relax, and be in a letgo.

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Some of the many benefits of Dandelion Tea:

Notes:

Share this:

Like this:

A little bit more about this tea…

To win your very own box of Belight Tea, please do the following:

Share this:

Like this:

Have you ever tried this or any other Oolong tea? What are your favorite brands?

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

The health benefits of positive thinking

Start With These Tips:

1.) Out With The Old, In With The New

2.) Fake It Til You Make It

3.) Lick Those Wounds

4.) Find Something Positive In Everything

5.) Like Attracts Like

6.) Positive Mantras:

Share this:

Like this:

♥ BODY ♥

Daily Body Serum: antioxidant. protective. nourishing

Body Treatment: anti-aging, pigment-preventing. pro-gorgeous

Bedside Manner: lip + hand treatment, beauty balm.

♥ BEAUTY TEA BLENDS ♥

Share this:

Like this:

1.) Live In The Now:

2.) Surround Yourself With Love:

3.) Start Your Mornings Off Right:

4.) Meditate, Meditate, Meditate:

5.) Positive Affirmations:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Follow “Beauty By Britanie”