Will I ever feel settled?

Can I be honest with you for a minute?

Not traveling is hard on me!

Between miscarriage, pregnancy, pandemic, new baby and flipping several houses, we’ve been at home more than ever before these past 5 years. I feel homesick for our trips, seeing friends and family I never get to see, eating amazing vegan food around the country, going to new places, spending all day every day with Nick and crossing things off my Bucket List.

Sure…it’s nice to be home, have a routine and comforts like a washing machine. But, no matter what, I’m always wishing for my next adventure and feel the almost constant need to get on the road again.

As a kid, I dreamed of growing up to work for National Geographic. I wanted to take beautiful photos and write heart-wrenching stories while I traveled the world. I imagined me, someone I love, a few things stuffed into our backpacks and adventure before us.

Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate that I have a beautiful home and a reliable car and a green yard and nice “stuff” to fill all our space. I’m living the American Dream. But, it never was my own dream.

You know the scene in Beauty and the Beast where Belle runs off to the top of a hill that overlooks the city and sings, “I want adventure in the great, wide somewhere…”? You’re singing that in your head right now, aren’t you?  Ever since I can remember, when I hear those few sentences, I get chill bumps all over my body, begin to shiver and get choked up.  Sometimes I even cry. It’s as if Belle is speaking to me. Because, I want that too.

I know, without a doubt, that God put those desires in my heart. They’ve been calling to me since I was a child, growing stronger and stronger each year as I grow more confident in what truly matters to me. I want good relationships with people who I love and I want to live an adventure. With each passing season, I feel more sure that I’m meant for more than my comfortable home, safe car and big yard.

So, I constantly ask myself, with every move, will I ever feel settled? And the answer, honestly, is probably not.

How about you. What calls to you? What gets you choked up?

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Stop Taking Photos

Years ago, I read an article about how taking photos has become an obsession. It talked about how people are seeing everything through the tiny camera, instead of taking in the big picture. Birthday parties, first steps, graduations, travel destinations, you name it. As I was reading, I realized how true it was and decided to scale back.

Soon after, we visited the Grand Canyon and I remember telling myself that I was going to enjoy it first, then ask for just one photo of us together at the end. Ironman was super happy about this plan.

The bus pulled up next to the canyon and we hopped out. I think everyone was in shock of the grandness and beauty because no one spoke. Ironman and I walked a little away from the crowd, sat down and quietly took it all in. After about 15 minutes, we got up and asked someone to take this photo.

I love this photo because it marks a memory, but I love the memory more. I’ll never forget sitting there, in the stillness, looking out over the Grand Canyon for the first time. But, as usual, the photo doesn’t do the place justice. It was so much more in person.

Don’t just hear about a place, google it and say you wish you could go there one day. Make a plan, save your money and go! And then, once you get there, put the camera away. Experience it all. How the air smells. What the view looks like all around. The taste of the food in that area. How the world around you sounds. Be still and quiet. Take it all in. Then, once you’ve really made a memory, you can take a photo.

Photos aren’t bad. I actually love taking photos and have many albums to look back through. But, even I need to be reminded not to miss out on real life moments right in front of me, especially with Ivy growing up and experiencing all her firsts right before our eyes.

My Travel Tips

🏋️‍♂️ keep up your workout routine
🧳 pack light, unpack right away and keep everything tidy
🌱 bring Thieves, DiGize and White Angelica essential oils to stay well and keep calm
🤪expect the unexpected and be flexible
📖 bring lots of books
🍕ask the locals for food and fun recommendations
🏔put away the phone and just enjoy the scenery
🥶don’t forget a pair of warm socks and a scarf that can double as a blanket
👟wear comfortable shoes
🍎 tons of snacks and a water bottle

Numbers Don’t Lie.

First, is that good blood pressure is more important than good cholesterol. Dr Oz said 130/80 is what’s generally considered healthy, but we really should strive for 115/75 instead!

Mine blood pressure tends to be around 80/60. What’s yours?

And second, our waist circumference is more important than our weight. Take your height in inches and divide by 2. Your waist shouldn’t be wider than that number.

I’m 67 inches tall, so my waist shouldn’t be wider than 33.5 inches. Mine is around 30. What’s your waist width?

Check your numbers, not because it’s a competition, but to get a reading on the condition of your health!

What To Do When You're Overwhelmed

You’re overwhelmed.

Tense.

Panicky.

You just need a minute.

If you’re a Highly Sensitive Person, you’ve got to have the right tools to calm down, reset and get back to it.

Here’s my current favs:

💕DiGize when my stomach is off
💕MGrain when my head, neck and shoulders are clenched
💕Calm CBD to stay chill
💕White Angelica when I’m jittery
💕Relaxation Massage Oil at bedtime
💕Thieves Household Cleaner because it doesn’t give me headaches and sore throat like other cleaners

I have so many other essential oil blends and products I love for keeping balance and reigning it all back in when I feel out of control.

Grab some of my favorites today so that you can be more confident in your self-care routine.

Shop my favs now!

***Order your Young Living essential oils and products HERE and use my 10% off code SHAREYL

My Young Living Morning Routine

My Young Living Morning Routine:

✅Sulfurzyme Supplement - take 2 capsules to grow my hair longer more quickly, to brighten and smooth my skin and to strengthen my nails
✅Thieves Essential Oil - add 8-12 drops to living room diffuser and turn it on to start the day
✅AminoWise - add to waterbottle and drink during workout for energy, hydration and electrolytes (think of it as healthy Gatorade)
✅Slique Shake - make a smoothie bowl or shake for my first meal by adding frozen fruit, almond milk and toppings like granola, honey and chia seeds.
✅Lavender Lip Balm- moisturize lips after I brush my teeth
✅Bedazzled Lip Stick - apply before leaving the house
✅Vanilla/Joy Essential Oils - apply Vanilla behind my ears or Joy over my heart as my perfume

What’s your Young Living morning routine?

Share it on social media and tag me!

Don’t have a routine yet? 

Let me help you set up one that fits your needs💃

***Order your Young Living essential oils and products HERE and use my 10% off code SHAREYL

Friendships Are Like A Home

Our yards are filled with people we’ve met, but never really known.

Our front porches are full of those we know and may see frequently, like at church, the grocery store or at work.

Our close friends fill our living rooms and may be the ones we make plans with regularly.

But our kitchens will only have 3-4 loved ones in them…our absolute best friends.

We may have thousands of acquaintances and hundreds of friends, but over our lifetimes, we will only have around 3-4 best friends.

These are the type of friends that know everything about you and stick with you through it all, the good, the bad and the really really ugly.

Delayed Obedience Is Disobedience.

Have you ever heard that?

I heard this phrase early on and it has had a huge influence on the way have I cared for children while babysitting, nannying, tutoring, teaching and now mothering.

There are two reasons why I believe it’s important to expect children to listen the first time:

1. Their safety
2. Our sanity

When a child runs into the road or reaches for something hot or is in some type of immediate danger, there’s no time for threats and counting.

And when, as a Highly Sensitive Parent, you’re exhausted and stretched thin and maybe even close to a panic attack, the threats and counting will put you over the edge.

Children live up to our expectations. If they know we’ll count to 3, they also know they don’t really have to obey until we got to 3. 

This isn’t healthy for us or them.

We are all more confident, kids and care-takers alike, when we have clear expectations and consequences.

If you are a fellow Highly Sensitive Parent, what parenting advice can you give me for staying calm and in control?

6 Reasons We All Need A Vacation This Summer

Here are my 6 reasons you need a vacation ASAP:

✅to relieve stress-I think we all need two weeks because most of us aren’t relaxed until the end of the 1st week!

✅quality time-put away technology and spend some real time with our loved ones with no agenda or distractions

✅dream and scheme-time offline and with loved ones will leave us feeling inspired to talk about big picture and things to add to our Bucket List

✅see the world-no better time to cross things off our Bucket Lists than during a well-planned vacation

✅improved attitude-well rested and a more optimistic outlook can transform us into a better version of ourselves

✅inspire others-being the best of ourselves will make it more enjoyable for others to be around us and probably encourage them to take their own vacation asap 

Do you have a vacation planned this summer?

Self-Care Helps Me Survive

I’ve always struggled with anxiety and depression. I’ve even gone through periods of frequent panic attacks.

I coped, in my teens and 20s, through counselors and meds.

However, as I grew up and took charge of my own health, I learned to use purposeful self-care to deal with my struggles.

My routine included:
-daily movement like yoga and walks
-avoiding caffeine and sugar
-daily quiet alone time
-daily devotions
-quality time with Nick and friends
-attention to my hobbies
-essential oils
-avoiding loud noises
-food that agrees with me
-a job with flexibility
-wearing comfortable clothes
-avoiding strong smells

By using these and other purposeful self-care techniques, I was able to live a balanced, calm life in my early 30s.

Throw a baby in there, though, and my carefully curated self-care routine doesn’t come as easily.

Although I’m now a mom, I’m still the same highly sensitive person and I need that calm balance that I crave. Having a baby simply means I’ve had to learn to ask for more help!

Self-care isn’t a luxury.

Self-care is a necessity.

Every Item Need A Home

Does everything in your home have a home of it’s own?

It’s easier to tidy up when each item has a place to be put.

Walk through your home and decide where you want things to go. As you clean out and reorganize, put each item in its newly assigned home. Make sure to tackle your junk drawers and stacks.

Once you’re done getting your place straight, keep it tidy by always putting each item away in its home immediately after you’re done with it.

If this tip helped you, please send this to a friend who could also use this tip!

How To Treat Your Husband Like A Boyfriend

I still remember years ago when we had our wild and crazy church group over and, while we were setting up to play Apples to Apples, one of the guys asked me if my boyfriend wanted to play too. He quickly corrected himself and said “husband”, but not before everyone died laughing. Explaining himself, he said that he got mixed up because I still act like I love Nick like he’s my boyfriend. I nodded, understanding what he meant, and said that I do love him. Although it was funny, it was also sad because married couples don’t always act “in love” anymore like they did when they were dating.

Nick and I have been married 14 years this December and I still feel too young to know anything or have any marriage advice. But, no matter how unqualified I feel, I do know what’s worked for us and has kept us feeling in love all these years. Although we have have a great marriage, and although Nick’s the best, I don’t believe it just happened by magic. I think great marriages come from a million little, but good, decisions and habits.

Here are just a few small things that we try to do that I think make a big impact:

1. ALWAYS TELL EACH OTHER THE TRUTH
2. PUT EACH OTHER BEFORE EVERYONE ELSE
3. GO ON DATES
4. TAKE YEARLY VACATIONS TOGETHER (don’t invite anyone else)
5. GIVE COMPLIMENTS GENEROUSLY
6. TELL EACH OTHER THANK YOU FOR EVERY LITTLE THING
7. NEVER SAY ANYTHING NEGATIVE ABOUT EACH OTHER TO SOMEONE ELSE
8. GIVE YOUR SPOUSE THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT
9. PUT THE CELL PHONES AWAY WHEN YOU’RE TOGETHER
10. GO TO BED TOGETHER AT THE SAME TIME EVERY SINGLE NIGHT
11. TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF AND ALWAYS LOOK YOUR BEST
12. LEARN TO “FIGHT” WELL
13. BE QUICK TO FORGIVE
14. MAKE YOUR HOME A PLACE OF PEACE
15. SHARE A HOBBY
16. PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER ALL THE TIME
17. BE THE TYPE OF SPOUSE YOU WANT YOUR SPOUSE TO BE
18. CELEBRATE SPECIAL DAYS
19. STICK UP FOR YOUR SPOUSE AND ALWAYS BE THEIR BIGGEST SUPPORTER

I’m sure there’s more, but these are just a few things that I’ve worked hard to make part of our marriage. Are you married? Share a marriage tip below!

Emotions + Essential Oils

Did you know that we can use Young Living oils to stay calm and confident?

Here is my favorite routine for healthy emotions:

Joy - over my heart
Frankincense - drop under my tongue
White Angelica - back of my neck
Valor - on my wrists
StressAway - behind my ears
Peace&Calming + Lemon - diffuse at bedtime
Lavender + Cedarwood - diffuse at bedtime
DiGize - around my belly button
Peppermint - deep inhales from my bottle

I don’t use all of these oils all of the time, but I’ve developed a little regimen that keeps me sane and balanced.

If you struggle with tension or overwhelm, let me help you get started so that you can feel better ASAP.

***Order your Young Living essential oils and products HERE and use my 10% off code SHAREYL

My Favorite 5 Minute Workout 🏋️‍♂️

Do each move for 1 minute:
1. Walk out plank/push-ups
2. Squats
3. Good Mornings
4. Hip Thrusts
5. Jumping Jacks

Add 1-2 rounds if you want to and have the time. I like to do 3 rounds to get a 15 minute HIIT workout😉

This is great for home, gym, hotel rooms, park or anywhere! It’s simple, but effective, making it a perfect way to make sure you move a little each day, even if it’s only 5 minutes!

What’s your favorite way to get in a quick workout? Comment below with your tips so I can keep it creative as we roadtrip!

World-Schooling☀️

I remember years ago, being at a business event, and hearing a speaker talk about her goal of world-schooling her kids.

I had never heard anything like that before but it stuck and soon became my own goal as a future mother.

So here I am, living that dream that grabbed my heart so many years ago!

Ivy may be too young for school and books, but there’s no denying that she’s a sponge.

During these 2.5 months of travel, Ivy’s learned to eat new foods, sleep anywhere, nap on the go, make new friends, pet new animals, she’s swam, hiked, camped, learned to run and climb, say many new words and learned to throw tantrums.

She’s happy, friendly, confident, caring and curious.

We’re headed home tomorrow and I can’t wait to recharge, cook in my kitchen, workout at my gym, attend my church and community group and settle back in.

But I’m also excited to continue to watch Ivy grow up, as we plan our next world-schooling adventure. Because I truly believe that travel has already begun to positively shape her into the amazing girl she is.

Mama + YL

Over the last few weeks, I shared how I used Young Living during Pregnancy, Labor & Delivery, with a Newborn, with a Toddler and now I want to share how I currently use them for myself!

💕Mirah Cleansing Oil - my favorite makeup removing “facewash”
💕Lavender LipBalm - perfect amount of moisture
💕Rose Ointment - for rough elbows, knees, cuticles and anything that needs TLC
💕Joy - perfume that keeps me in a happy mood
💕White Angelica - the oil that releases tension in less than a minute
💕Sulfurzyme - taken daily for hair, skin and nails
💕Cortistop - byebye belly fat
💕CelLite Magic Massage Oil - moisturizing my way to smoother skin
💕Coconut Lime Body Butter - for my nightly footrubs from Nick
💕Lavender Body Lotion - soaks in and doesn’t leave behind a sticky residue
💕Valor, StressAway and Peace&Calming - best oils for staying calm and collected
💕DiGize - for healthy digestion, esp when I’m having tummy troubles 
💕Life 9 - probiotic

💕Slique Shake - protein shake/meal replacement
💕Golden Turmeric - taken nightly for inflammation 
💕Rosemary - massage onto scalp before washing to promote healthy growth
💕Slique Tea - for my afternoon pick-me-up


***Order your Young Living essential oils and products HERE and use my 10% off code SHAREYL

5 Easy Ways to Save for Travel

Many people assume that they need a lot of money to travel, but that's simply not true! I can share from experience, there are several ways to travel while on a tight budget. You may find that you are much closer to going on your dream trip that you realized!

1. Skip Procrastination - Choose your destination and start making sacrifices today. Can you cut cable? Use wifi at work? Stop monthly subscriptions? Make coffee at home? Where can you cut costs to begin saving for your trip?

2. Skip Flights and Hotels - By eliminating airline tickets, you can save a ton of money…this is why we love road trips! And instead of paying for expensive hotel rooms, stay with friends and family or set up camp! We’ve been able to afford longer trips by avoiding flights and hotels.

3. Skip Food (just kidding!) - Grab groceries at ALDI and then fill your cooler with things like apples, bananas, baby carrots, nuts, protein bars, bread, peanut butter and jelly, water bottles and other healthy options. When we travel, we end up losing weight because we are walking around so much and not eating as much as normal, but we are willing to sacrifice big meals in order to travel! If you can’t go without a "real meal", consider eating very light breakfasts and dinners and only going to affordable restaurants for your lunches.

4. Skip Extras - Look for free Wifi, free museums, free parking, free walking tours, etc. Be willing to do your research and be flexible. Even a simple decision to travel during the off season can make a huge difference in the cost.

5. Skip Quitting - Keep working hard until you’re on that beach or in those mountains or on that trail. You’ll be so proud of yourself that you didn’t give up. Plus, you’ll realize it’s not so hard to travel on a budget and be inspired to go ahead and plan your next trip!

What’s your dream vacation and how are you planning on making it happen?