Want to know why? Because even the small wins add up to big wins…. so a win is a win.
This last week I started to feel like my digital shop wasn’t going anywhere and over the weekend I made some goals to hold myself accountable. I also felt like maybe I had my vision everywhere and was not organized. I started to feel like if I filled this cup over here another cup might become empty.
It is so great to have multiple ways to achieve your goals, but if you don’t hold yourself accountable how can you win?
I started this blog to go alongside my passions: photography, digital design, and a little bit of lifestyle in between. It was hard but you know what? I started. I did it. and THAT is a win. What do your wins look like?
Here are some of mine:
Post daily
Batch create content
Do something creative
Today, I have done all of those things, but even if I did just one it would be a WIN. If you are here because you like what I create, AWESOME (& me too— it’s not just working around here it’s mostly fun)! If you are here for some new ideas: EVEN BETTER. & if you are here because maybe you have a small business and are wanting to take it to the next level: FABULOUS. I’m here for you. I’m rooting for you!! & I have resources on my Etsy Page that can support you.
It has been a while since I’ve been active on my blog and to be honest, I haven’t felt like posting or writing anything, but I am back and ready to be more consistent!
Recently, I have been proactive with healing my body from the inside out and it, and I thought this would be a great start in sharing especially before the new year! Here are my top 5 must-dos for healing your body and mind:
Read often
Meditate or pray daily
Journal your thoughts or talk to someone (even voice recording yourself to talk things through)
For me, taking probiotics and wanting to heal my body has been a big thing for me. Most recently I’ve struggled with hormone imbalances that made my postpartum anxiety and depression linger for way too long. I’m sure a lot of us mamas can relate to feeling more than “off” from time to time. I can say with not taking hormones, therapy, exercise, vitamins, and good probiotics I don’t have those issues anymore. I’m not here to be all about me but it is important to heal your body along with your mind.
I wrote this over a year ago with the intent to publish it but was scared to put on paper my struggles as a new mom when I felt like the world was closing in on me–– I hope you enjoy it.
Having a baby during a global pandemic sure changes a lot of things as many of you know. It changes relationships, how you thought your story might go as a mom, and who you become as a mother. I had a beautiful baby boy at the end of January 2021 and I never thought that part of my recovery physically would also be to recover my mind. My little guy spent a week in the NICU and I was desperate to feel “normal” and connected because my family could not possibly understand what it is like to be a mother in a pandemic AND have your baby not come home with you. I was the first of my major girlfriend group to get pregnant and have a baby and so they just didn’t understand how I was feeling. I really needed people in my life who understood where I was at in my journey and especially who understood the struggle of a NICU pandemic mom.
I faced not only the struggles of navigating new motherhood but came home with postpartum anxiety and depression. Bonuses I did not expect to come home with.
I kept telling myself I had all the support I needed though—I had my husband, my family, and friends. I realized over time that while these people were all great, they just didn’t get it! Being a mom that went through trauma it was so refreshing to have other women know and understand how hard pregnancy, labor, and NICU stays, and how hard being a pandemic mom truly was.
Flash forward two years and the pandemic seems like a blip in time. I am thankful for therapy, my immediate family and friends to get me through. I can say I made it! I made it through a time that was so very hard for me.
Whatever you are struggling with right now, know you are not alone. You can get through it and you might need some help along the way.
By no means am I a pro mom… only been doing this gig for a short time! Shout out to my mom for being the best and teaching me how to be a great mom. I’m truly in awe of all mothers (but especially mine) after becoming a mom. P.S. These are also great ideas for baby shower gifts!
I have seen a lot of posts about needing inspiration on baby must haves which inspired me to come up with my own realistic list! A lot of other blogs have outdated must haves or I found the products/ needs were unrealistic. Let’s just get to it & not sugar coat it! So here are my top 10 baby items and top 5 postpartum items + the links that I couldn’t live without.
Baby Must Haves:
Baby Shusher This thing is amazing! It is a portable sound machine plus it saves your voice, back and lips from drying out shushing so close to baby’s ear. This provides a shushing noise and makes it sound like the womb for babies to calm down.
Hatch Sound Machine This has so many sounds and also a nightlight. When it’s too quiet baby can’t deep sleep so the white noise is perfect for baby plus you’ll sleep better! Which trust me, this a must when you have to get up every 2-3 hours not only to get better sleep but it also doubles as a light so you won’t have to turn every possible light on.
Bottle warmer – self explanatory; most babies like room temperature or warm milk (my baby does)
Dr browns bottles – helps with colic and from sucking too much air. I was recommended these from another mom, and honestly so didn’t like all the pieces and then discovered the hospital I was at used these. My little dude was hooked in the hospital and liked these the best! We also like these because they prevent gas and colic and in the middle of the night I’m thankful for a less fussy baby. Get the pitcher for formula too!
Blooming Bath – this bath helps so much when your fresh newborn is tiny and bath time seems scary. This made it easier and a more comfortable bath time for baby (and me)
Halo & Happiest Baby Sleepea Swaddle- the Halo was our go to with a newborn and the Happiest Baby is what we use currently for a quicker and cozier swaddle at night
Soft receiving blanket– my favorite is this one from Scallywag Baby & Co because it’s so soft (it’s stretchy cotton not like the Muslim blankets), lightweight and can be used as a swaddle blanket!
Diaper changing stations- save yourself and have a basket in all your places with diapers, burp cloth, wipes, etc. all in one place! I have a basket downstairs so I don’t have to go up every single time I change the baby.
BONUS add all of these items to your baby registry here.
Above contains affiliate links, which means if you use my code and make a purchase, I’ll be compensated at no additional cost to you. However, I only recommend products I love!
Check out my Etsy for presets to edit photos of your new babe like a pro!
There are so many great products out there to help support you and your baby; do your research but most importantly trust your gut! You know what to do mama! It’s incredible what our bodies go through but also what we have built literally inside us to be great moms and protect our little ones. There is no one like you for your baby!
I have been waiting to re-brand my blog and this topic of personal branding has been on my heart and mind… more like tugging on my heart and mind. Notice anything different? Yeah, welcome to THE Modern Rose… in like the only one out there. This is my personal brand. This is me.
We all have this concept of wanting to represent ourselves in a positive way– a beacon of light, if you will. But have you thought about that representation as a brand for you personally? Everywhere you go someone is recognizing that “thing” because of the brand attached to it. That brand could be you, but you playin’…
A lot of content bloggers and podcasts talk about this concept, but its not discussed enough. This should be shouted from the rooftops because its BIG. Personal branding is just as important as the brand you obsess over or the brand you work for, except it’s all about you. Back to basics: what is a branding? In the overall sense, it is what people describe a product or a associate a product with. How do you do that with yourself? Great question. Think about your personal brand (or how you represent yourself) as “what are people going to say about me?” Your brand is what you put out to get back in. Its your ideas, content, personality, style, your engagement level… it’s your story. Your brand is more than just what you say about yourself or that 60 second “elevator pitch” you have mocked up in your mind. Your brand is literally an invisible label that not seen, but heard and felt. It makes an impact. So how are you going to create your own personal brand??
Top 5 things that come to my mind when I think about my personal brand:
be consistent
be bold
be engaging
show your personality
tell your story
Being consistent is more than just creating everything to be streamlined and similar its not going back on your word, be precise and clear but make an impact with every word that comes out of your mouth evenly. Show that you are dependable for the people that buy into your personal brand. Be bold. Like really… BE BOLD. Say what’s on your mind and mean it, but be professional with your confidence. No one likes arrogance. Be present and consistent. Stop worrying about the things you cannot control like the past and future and engage with in front of you now. What you put out into the universe will come back to you– people will want to hear what you have to say, only if you are genuinely present with what they are saying. You have got to be present and comfortable with that. With being present, be you! Stop being what you think people want out of you and just do you. Lastly, tell your own story and own it. Success can be taken away from us at a moments notice, but own your story and success as if it wasn’t. Your story and successes need to be recognized every day. So OWN IT. Your story of you is what gives you credibility and creates the cherry on top of your personal brand… & you’ve got to work for it every day.
No idea or brand was created over night and your personal brand won’t be refined over night either. Think about how you want to represent yourself. That next job, creating your resume, those are all ingredients to a beautiful recipe that people will remember.
Every day we wake up with a new day, a new to start over to write our own. Each day the sun rises and so do we. We wake up to an awesome day that awaits us. Each day we are blessed with a new seed to grow into a beautiful new tree.
We can have it all just with a new mindset. A new mindset that our “tree” has new leaves fresh and crisp ready for that new day. Our trees are all different in there own ways, constructed vein by vein in each leaf, branch by branch down to the trunk to support and hold up everything. Our tree is special. It’s leaves may shed, to leave us with something bare but that’s just it— they shed for something greater. Day by day we are graced with new. New ideas, new support, new growth. We may run into trouble or doubt but one thing remains: each new leaf to make our tree is beautiful. A tree doesn’t doubt how to grow it just does. Our path and growth is planned for us and we just need to do. Just do what’s best for us in order for us to grow. To grow into something magnificent and detailed in our own unique ways.
This isn’t my typical blog post but I felt inspired by J Lo’s new movie, Second Act and the words just flowed in because we all can have that chance to have a second act. We are not always in control but we can nourish our tree to grow and guide it into something amazing.
If you’re reading this, your tree is special too. You are detailed and wonderfully made. You are developing new beautiful leaves and strong branches to add in supporting the greatest thing: you. You’re tree shouldn’t doubt its ability to be something stronger, something outstanding. It just does. So tomorrow just be. Be you. Be your own kind of beautiful and let your tree stand tall.
It has been since April since I last wrote! It feels weird, but I have been taking this time to focus on me (and let’s face it– school has taken up most of my time). I try to squeeze in as much as I can at once with everything: family, friends and my own time. I was itching to write something and wanted it to be a fun post because I realized a lot of my blog posts are pretty serious whether I mean to write them that way or not. Sorry, not sorry.
I’ve gone through college twice.. over exaggerating? Tiny bit. I completed my bachelor’s degree in 2016 and I am currently wrapping up my master’s degree (just a little under 6 more months but who’s counting, right?). Since I am almost done with my master’s I thought it would be fun to share what this experience of gaining two degrees has taught me thus far that I have helped me through life in general (with or without a degree). Here goes nothing.
You are greater than you think you are. Stop doubting whatever it is, because what you have is great
Only you can define you.
Be yourself because everyone else is pretty weird (am, I right?)
The risk, the tears, the difficulties you may go through are all worth the triumphs
You literally got this. Like you can do anything you set your mind to and then some.
You are destined for bigger things… things bigger than you and you will accomplish them
It is okay to break down and say, I can’t (spoiler alert: YOU CAN!)
Change your mindset. It is really amazing when you start off with a positive attitude or change your “have-to’s” to “get-to’s”.
You will be okay. I have literally felt the lowest I thought I could be, but in the end I was okay. Whatever it is that is difficult (from small to big), eventually, you will be okay.
Be excited about your next chapter because it’s big.
2017 was a rough year to sum it up into a sentence. With any roller coaster ride of a year you have ups and downs and lessons that were learned. Over these 365 days these are the 23 things I have learned and the things I will carry with me into the new year.
Stop pretending to be someone you are not or someone that someone else makes you out to be. You don’t have to impress anyone, but you. If someone’s expectations are different, let them be different. Be you — through and through.
Keep your feet grounded. Not literally, but hold onto the concept that the ground is a support for the times that are shakey.
Breathe. Go outside, take a walk and breathe. Appreciate the blue sky and the air around you.
Remind yourself that life is beautiful even in what seems like a disaster.
Be a genuine human.
Tell the people you love you love them and mean it.
Do something that scares you.
Push through the pain; in the end the pain will fade, you will heal and be okay.
Day dream and set goals for those dreams.
Hold on to hope. You might not feel like it is there, but it is. Trust me.
Dance in the street with strangers or friends because life is short.
Be the light in the darkest places.
Do one thing a day that makes you happy.
It’s not your responsibility to fix anyone.
Try your best. Always.
Remember tomorrow is always a new start and a fresh new day.
Learn something new.
You are alright. (In the words of my bestie, “you got this”. And P.S. you do.)
Life is hard, but you are stronger than the hard times.
Turn your music up and blast your speakers. Let the music take over and be free.
You are an awesome human (who cares if your weird or what other people think).
Meditate daily. Even if it is for five minutes. Take a minute for yourself.
Let it go. Whatever it is, let it go and let God.
None of that “new year, new me” stuff. We are still the same people we might just have new scars or beauty marks in this new year, but we have a fresh start for new memories (good or bad) and those memories are what you make it. Cheers to a new year!
“Do things for yourself; in thirty years nobody is going to remember your choices except you.”
Over the last two weeks, I have really struggled with self-love and doing things for only me. It’s hard to put yourself first when you’re always putting others first when the truth is loving yourself should be the priority over all the other things. In the words of Sheryl Crow, “if it makes you happy, it can’t be that bad”.. so do it.. make yourself happy.
Life is too short to not do what makes you happy. If anything I’ve learned over the last year that has been reiterated these past few weeks in finding myself, it is to do what is best for you and everything else will fall into place. If you don’t do what’s best for you first how can you do what is best for anyone else? From now on, I’m doing just that while blasting and singing “If It Makes You Happy” by Sheryl Crow.
Things I’ve done (that you should try too) that’s made me the happiest I’ve been in a while:
Had a dance party in my car on Friday to get out of my head. (If you were one of the chosen ones to see my Snapchats, consider yourself lucky).
Had spontaneous nights with friends that included crying and laughing
Ate ice cream for dinner
Ate breakfast for lunch
Bought myself new clothes because why not?!
Dressed up for brunch in something I wouldn’t normally wear
Had brunch with old friends
Took selfies and posted them because again: Why. Not.
Woke up and reminded myself that the life I live is beautiful.
Appreciated myself and then the people around me (side note I really need to listen to my own advice).
On my bad days I remind myself of these things because it’s the wins that outway the losses.
I have been away for a little bit gathering my thoughts and taking a break from a little bit of everything. P.S. I also went on a much-needed vacation. Rather than stick to my 30 days of blogging challenge, which let’s be honest, I haven’t been very good at; but I am going to try from here on out to blog once a week. Not only to serve as a creative outlet, but I want to share my creativity and passions with my readers.
So without further ado… this weeks blog: why you need to take a vacation and get off the screen you live on.
Last weekend at this time, we were coming back from a bike ride from the beach (one of our 10+ mile bike rides). Sunday at the beach was a cloudy day but a great day, at that and I was exhausted. The previous days consisted of eating too much, laughing until I cried with family and soaking myself in aloe because of a bad sunburn. Monday was our last day and we again road bikes and ate way too much.
With spending so much time on a bike, you one: have to pay attention to where you are going especially when the Boardwalk is crazy busy and two: you have a lot of time to look at what’s around you and clear your head. While on vacation, I practiced just that. I wasn’t on my phone every second and I was forced to appreciate the scenery around me.
I mean how could you not appreciate the scenery with views like this?! I guess what I am saying is get off that screen and go make memories of watching the sunset until its dark, go on a walk until your feet feel like they are going to fall off, eat food with the people you love until your stomach almost bursts and thank God for the people around you because that is all that matters.
In order to connect and write worthy posts, I am going to do a series of 30 days of blog posts. P.S. I got this off Pinterest so I want to thank Pinterest for my inspiration for the next 30 days. Get ready to bloom into my life.
Today is #1. Seventeen Facts About Me
I am an only child
I recently graduated and am now starting graduate school to study psychology (wait, is that two? oh well)
My family are my biggest fans
I am a photographer
I work in marketing
I have a cat that stays at my parents’ house (or her castle because she thinks she’s a queen)
I bought a house at 21.
My life path number is 11. (If you don’t know what life path numbers are add your birthday up and Google it. I’m sure you’ll learn something about yourself)
I’ve gone through all of life’s stressors and lost more people than I would have imagined at the end of 2016 and through this year
I love pizza and ice cream
I am gluten free
I am slightly obsessed with Gossip Girl and Greys Anatomy. I have watched both series more times than I’d like to admit
My favorite bible verse is Romans 12:12
I have a thing for numbers (if you couldn’t tell by fact #11)
I am passionate about giving back and helping veterans
I bake cupcakes
I started this blog to have an outlet and display my creative work
I am trying to figure out my place in the world. Oh also I am a recent college grad and I am going back to school for my masters. My family says I am an overachiever and I would have to agree with them; but when I know something is right for me, I am passionate about whatever is thrown my way.
Rewind to 2009, where I had blonde chunks peeking through parts of my hair and took graphic design to have an excuse to be with my friends in class in order to feel like I fit in. I learned the basics and quickly fell head over heels with being behind the camera and photoshop. Mind you, I wasn’t very good and had a lot to learn, but I soon learned to prove myself and others.
Fast forward to 2014 where I challenged myself in college to experience more than just business classes. I expanded my portfolio and learned art is just that: art. It is whatever you make of it. Photography and graphic design has shown me: be who you want because there is only one you (so what, if other people don’t like that). Two years later, I graduated from Grand Canyon University with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and started Modern Roses. I am continually challenged with working with an array of clients and projects. I have never been happier to explore and have a creative outlet.
What do I love most? Being a part of my clients’ memories, hearing their stories and capturing & reflecting through my camera and art how my clients may not see themselves.
So welcome to my secret garden where the flowers are colored with life, love and a little bit of everything in between.
the modern rose 