I know, I know – I went underground for a while there. Quite frankly, I had given up. Since, oh, Harper was born (three years ago!) I have been winging it and making it happen – but it was a struggle to take the time to photograph, document, and write about everything I was juggling. Something had to give, and the first thing to go was this journal (blog).
But you can expect to find me here in 2017, sharing my attempts to create a simple, beautiful life. Which brings me to the subject of this blog post – an overview of my personal edit for the year ahead. My goals include a little business, a little beauty, and a little health & lifestyle. Here goes!
BUSINESS
Document the Process. I have been working behind the scenes on some wonderful interiors projects for some fabulous “Edit by Virginia” clients over the course of the past few years, and I also started working for Beautycounter in May of 2016. I love to make everything in life as beautiful as possible, so it makes perfect sense for me to alternate between decor and beauty! Going forward you will see my journal entries will reflect both “jobs”, incorporating more beauty, health & wellness.
HEALTH & LIFESTYLE
Designed Clinical Nutrition“. In the fall of 2016 I began a nutrition program where through “Autonomic Response Testing,” a very precise and scientific analysis of the body’s reflexes, experts can determine the exact nutrients you need to supplement your diet in order to bring about balance and better health. The point is to discover and correct the cause of health problems so the body can regain the ability to correct itself and attain the ultimate goal: optimal health for life. I have seen tremendous results and look forward to sharing more about my experience with this program down the road!
Whole 30. The premise of Whole 30 is that certain food groups (like sugar, grains, dairy and legumes) could be having a negative impact on your health and fitness without you even realizing it. So, for 30 days, you eliminate all of these things in order to push the “reset” button with your metabolism, systemic inflammation, and change the way you think about food. Today marks Day 13 of my 30-day journey and I can tell you that my energy levels are up, I am getting a great night’s sleep, and have WAY more patience with my small children. All good things.
Seaside School 1/2 Marathon on 30A. As in, I am “running” it. I ran a 1/2 Marathon in November of 2014 and almost immediately after crossing the finish line I swore I’d never do it again. Well, I lied. I needed a fitness goal (see sentence above that begins with “something had to give…”) so here I am, trying to get my miles in. The mental hurdle has been cleared since I have already run one before, in the most horrid conditions ever, I might add. So I am putting much less pressure on myself this go ’round. My goal is to finish, however that has to happen, outside of getting scooped up by the golf cart at the 3 hour mark!
BEAUTY
I have always taken pretty good care of my skin, but I am looking to up the ante in 2017…40 will be here soon and I plan to fight this battle with all I’ve got!
Dry Brushing. My goal is to dry brush before showering/bathing every day for at least 21 days. I read somewhere that it takes 21 days to form a habit, and dry brushing is a great one to have! It improves circulation, assists the lymph nodes with detoxification, reduces the appearance of cellulite, AND give you silky soft skin. Good habit, right? I use the Tampico Skin Brush which is made from tampico fiber – the unbleached stem of the agave plant.
Detoxing. I have long been a fan of a nice, long Epsom Salt bath. I take them almost daily! I recently discovered some detox bath recipes that I am going to give a try and report back. I am also going to commit to a weekly charcoal mask ritual, such as Beautycounter’s Purifying Charcoal Mask, which not only detoxes but also soothes and exfoliates the skin. This mask is one of the best I’ve ever tried – whenever I use it I see immediate results. Glowing, smooth skin. And every time, I think to myself “I should do this more”.
Collagen Peptides. A friend turned me on to “Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides” and now I seem to be reading about the benefits of collagen everywhere – one of the best kept beauty secrets in the world! Collagen promotes youthful skin, healthier hair, and stronger nails while also supporting joint health, the immune system, and improves skin smoothness. I’m in! Vital Proteins is a wonderful company that makes clean and sustainable collagen and I’ve been adding a serving to my coffee or tea (almost) every day and I really can tell a difference in the strength of my nails!
In closing, I wish you all the best for 2017, and I hope that you’ll check back in for updates on my 2017 edit. I promise to share! Okay, gotta go – lots of work to do!
xo,
V