Do you feel "off" when you travel?

Although traveling is my absolute favorite, it doesn’t always leave me feeling my best.  When I get home, it usually takes me a few days to a week to feel back to normal.

Do you struggle with the same issue?  Wanting to get out of town, but finding you come back more tired than when you left?

Here are some of my favorite travel hacks...try them out on your next trip and see if they help you as much as they help me.

-Drink tons of water, so much that you might need to stop at every rest area.  I’m failing here currently. Yes, it’s annoying, but it will help keep your skin clear, your digestion working normally and give you energy.

-When it’s time to eat, choose the best option available to you.  If it’s a smoothie, perfect!  If it’s a veggie pizza, that’s good too!  And make sure you bring lots of snacks for the times when you can’t find a decent place to eat or the munchies hit you when you can’t make a food stop.

-Use your essential oils, everywhere, all the time.  Diffuse En-R-Gee to stay awake while driving, swipe on StressAway when nerves are high, take a whiff of AromaEase when the motion gets to you and massage Valor into the soles of your feet when winding down for the night.

-Download a ton of your favorite Podcasts.  When you’ve been on the road for a while, you’re tired and you’ve run out of conversation, you’ll be glad to fall back on these.

-Wear comfortable clothes, bring a sweater in case you get chilly and wear slip on shoes (if you like to relax without shoes in the car) so that you’re not taking your shoes off and putting them on at every rest stop.  Double points if you bring a pillow and blanket for naps 😉

 Comment below with your favorite travel hacks!

***Order your essential oils HERE and use my code SHAREYL for 10% off :)

My Go-To Packing List

With all the traveling we've done, I've found it helpful to simply keep a packing list handy all the time so that when an adventure strikes, I can throw everything together without too much thought.

Save this list for your next trip to make things easier on you!

Packing List

Toiletries:

toothbrush

toothpaste

shampoo

dry shampoo

deodorant

comb

soap

body lotion

sunscreen

spf makeup

blush

mascara

lipbalm

ibuprofen

DiGize essential oil (for stomach upset)

Thieves essential oil (for staying well)

White Angelica essential oil (for keeping calm)

Peace&Calming essential oil (for good sleep)

Valor essential oil (for good sleep)

Misc:

waterbottle

sunglasses

iPhone/charger

AirPods

Kindle/charger

Diffuser/charger

***Pack these items for only up to 1 week and do laundry if your trip lasts longer than that:

1-7 pairs underwear

1-3 bras

1-7 socks

1-7 tops

1-3 bottoms

1-3 dresses

1-2 pjs and warm sleep socks

1-3 exercise outfits

Outerwear and Accesories:

birks (warm weather)

boots (cold weather)

tennis shoes

bathing suits, coverup and sunhat (warm weather)

jacket, scarf and beanie (cold weather)

Am I missing anything that's on your packing list? If so, please share!

***Order your essential oils HERE and use code SHAREYL for 10% off!

Do you feel different when you spend time outside?

I remember when my sister and I watched “My Octopus Teacher” on Netflix.

If you haven’t watched it, Craig was a burned out film-maker who began free-diving daily. He comes across an octopus and decides to return to her everyday.

Though the documentary was surprisingly touching, what struck me the most was Craig’s commitment and determination even through discomfort. The water was cold, there was danger around him, he was usually alone, sometimes he even went diving at night.

He never missed a day.

I can’t think of anything that I’m willing to commit to every single day, especially if it’s uncomfortable. And it caused me to realize that my attitude keeps me from the real world around me.

Most of my days are spent indoors. I’ve got heating and air. The TV is often playing or, if not, music on my iPhone. Everything is cushy and clean and safe.

But what if I committed to doing outside activities daily? No matter the temperature. The noises of nature. Dirt, bugs, sun, rain, wind. 

Craig talked about how the cold water was hard at first, but then he began to crave it. His time in the ocean calmed and centered him and even went as far as to improve his human relationships. I believe that it was because he became more focused on what’s real.

If I’m not careful, I stay inside all the time. It’s too hot outside. It’s too cold outside. It’s raining. I hate the bugs. It’s boring. I don’t have a plug and my phone is dying. Etc. But, what if I pushed myself out of my comfort zone and committed to daily outside activities?

And the ironic thing is…Ivy is much happier when we are outside🥰

Lazy Girl's Guide to Getting in Shape

I'm lazy, but want to stay healthy of course, so here are my tips for doing so:

✅wear cute clothes for motivation

✅drink half your weight in water

✅eat when your hungry

✅don’t eat when you’re not hungry

✅avoid food that doesn’t sit well

✅sleep 7-9 hrs every night

✅do exercise you enjoy

✅think positive thoughts

✅sweat in the sauna

✅get outside daily

It's not one magic solution but a lifestyle of good choices.

What do you do to help you stay motivated?

The Death of a Collection

Have you ever had a collection?

My sister, Mary Ashley was always collecting something.  Gel pens.  Nail polish.  Makeup.  Barbies.  You name it.

At one point, all her makeup and nail polish was kept in this huge caboodle.  One night, I borrowed it (without asking 😳) to get ready for a youth group Christmas dinner.  When I got to the hotel, I didn’t want to lug the stuff around during the party, so I left it all in the car.

Bad move.

In Cochabamba, Bolivia, locks on doors are basically just there for decoration.  If you have anything in your car, it will be gone as soon as you walk away and take your eyes off it.

I knew that and for some reason, still thought I could hide the caboodle well enough.

Not so much.

By the time we got back in the car, the makeup and nail polish Mary Ashley collected for years was gone.  She was devastated.

It’s a funny family story now, but that took a few years, haha.  I felt terrible then and I still hate to think about it!  That was so thoughtless of me.

What’s something you did that you felt terrible about, but years later it’s turned into a funny family story that’s often shared around the dinner table?

(PS Yahyee-I’m still really sorry😭)