Meltdowns, Mascara and Organic Peanut Butter

I think we all have this expectation that when we have a meltdown, we’ll somehow look like the Disney princesses as they flawlessly toss their heads into their arms and do a few snot-free, back-heaving sobs. Who are then suddenly surrounded by their small woodland friends, all of whom have a vocabulary larger than mine, who comfort them in their weaker moments. 

But “flawless” was the furthest thing from my meltdown today as I found myself sitting in my car, full-on sobs, nose running, eyes dripping and with nothing to wipe my face with other than the sleeve of my woolen-ish sweater (ew) and my hands.  

If you’re like me, you can kind of tell when a mini-meltdown will be happening. Like how weather/science/geologist people predict something will happen within a given timeframe, they’re just not sure exactly when and what will set it off. 

Welp, I am a super-scientist when it comes to my meltdowns. I know they’re gonna happen, but since I'm a fairly even-keeled person, I don’t know what will set them off. Although when the switch is flipped, it’s usually because of something completely unrelated…that “cap on the pickle-jar” scenario. It's usually something ridiculous, like the trash bag not fitting on the lid of the trashcan. And rather than pleasantly giving up and buying different trash bags like a normal, sane person, we stretch that sucker until it breaks and the trash can flips over. 

“Oh my gosh, why are you crying Lindsey??”

“The f*cking trash bag won’t fit on the f*cking trash can and it’s so stupid and I’m just so sick of this shit!!”

It wasn’t a trashcan that set me off today; it was finding zero parking spots in my neighborhood. Like zilch. All the ones I did find were free because of the street cleaning tomorrow, which was exactly why I was moving my car in the first place. After about 20 minutes of zooming around, I finally gave up and angrily jerked my car from drive to reverse from drive to reverse until I was backed into an open spot that was indeed marked for street cleaning tomorrow. And then I burst into tears. 

A few weeks of going from my day job (which I love) to my apartment to do my work (building my health and fitness coaching business), with too little sleep and too much coffee, already had my poor adrenals on high alert. I wasn’t giving myself enough breathing time. 

I love every single thing I am doing; it is a lot of work, but at the same time, it doesn’t feel like it. If I need to stay up until midnight to get my projects done, then so be it! I’m full of passion for what I’m creating and doing. The last few weekends have been great…but filled with work. Again, something I’m totally, 100% willing to do. Another under-lying factor is that I am confident in what I’m doing, but at the same time, I also feel like I have no idea what the hell I’m doing. I just keep believing in myself, taking action and feeling so blessed that I have support from amazing people.

But I could feel the breaking point coming where I would need to release the stress and adrenaline. I had hoped that it would be via a sad movie sob session or maybe even through a longer meditation (in my dreams), but no. Blubbering in my car. And then proudly prancing down Broderick Street to my apartment, face mildly streaked with make up and mascara (it was cute. And one more contributing factor to #thesinglelife.)

So, my meltdown wasn’t flawless. It was gushing, full of snot and clearly non-waterproof mascara. At the same time, it was fantastic and much needed. 

But I can tell you what I am flawlessly doing right now is sitting on the floor of my apartment writing this with a spoonful of peanut butter in my mouth (it’s organic with no additives, thank you). This was post-forced-cuddle session with my bird, which, for those of you who know birds, “cuddling” isn’t their forte. He loved it though. I know it.  

Anyways, I’m gonna go make dinner. 

I know, there were no “action steps to make you life healthier and happier” in this post. But I hope this was a story that provided entertainment and a sense that we all have “those kinds of days.” A relatable "fairytale."

Lots of love from the health and fitness coach who still stress-eats peanut butter once in a while. Peace out friends. 

Why I Became A Health and Fitness Coach: My Story

I was encouraged by some friends and mentors to share my story into health and fitness coaching. I am very excited, proud (and scared) to share my story with you. I wish everyone their healthiest and happiest year yet. I am always here to support, help or inspire you in any way. 

The ONE Thing That Will Make or Break Your New Year's Resolutions

I seriously hesitated to write this post. I didn't want to be just one more voice in the avalanche of "New Year's Resolutions" advice. BUT, since I do have some thoughts on the subject (surprise, surprise) and I have had some quite intense one-on-one sessions with myself about achieving goals and adapting a new mindset about it all, I thought I might as well share it here.

So, think about the goals and resolutions you set for 2015. You know what separates you from staring at those goals the rest of the year versus you actually achieving them? What separates you from falling off the "I can do it!" bandwagon in 2 months versus making it into a habit and part of your daily routine? 

It's believing in yourself. Like really, truly believing in yourself. 

Yep. The real deal breaker when it comes to achieving your New Year's resolutions is belief in yourself and belief that you can accomplish your goals. 

It's so simple, it sounds stupid, right? 

Again, take a look at / think about your goals. You've most likely written down things that you truly want to accomplish and that you really want to change...but do you really believe that you can? It's easy to write them down and say, "Yeah, I'm TOTALLY going to do it this time." But, do you really believe that you can do it? Do you really believe you can change?

To set yourself up for goal-crushing success this year, shift you mindset to one of true, deep conviction that you can actually achieve them. BELIEVE in yourself! If you believe in yourself and really believe that you're going to do it, no questions asked. When you have that kind of mindset, you are on the path to success. Because with that kind of mindset, little setbacks won't derail you for the rest of the year. You'll plan out action steps for the big, scary goals that don't seem realistically achievable (even though they are.) 

Every time you hear a voice of weak conviction, stop that story from growing even bigger. Shake your head, jump up and down, say "no" out loud, anything you can do to stop that self-doubt from growing louder and ultimately keep you from achieving all that you want. 

Believe in yourself. Shift your mindset. When you look at those goal, tell yourself that you will do it. And then DO IT. Make a plan, take small action steps every day, surround yourself with a supportive tribe, be consistent! 

When it comes to goals. Dream big and dream small. I'm talking about setting short-term, realistic goals for yourself. For me, I'm not drinking until my birthday on the 24th. My little liver got a lot of love over the holidays and I want to give it a break. It also works well since I'm doing the 21 Day Fix for my Challenge Group right now. But I will be that person going out with friends on a Friday night drinking soda water with a lemon wedge. Even as I write it, I'm doing a huge, sulking eye-roll.

But make BIG goals for yourself too! What do you dream of doing? How do you want to feel? Then break it down into action steps. You can't wake up one morning and be 30lbs lighter and have glowing skin. You CAN however, set mini-goals to help you along the way. Workout every day, join an accountability group, cut out fast food/soda/processed crap and adapt a cleaner diet, you can drink 1/2 your body weight in ounces of water (yes, water). All those little action steps, all those little commitments and goals will take you to that BIG goal of losing a certain amount of weight, having brighter skin, etc. Own it. And most importantly BELIEVE you can do it. Because you absolutely can. I mean, there's not even an ounce of doubt in my mind that someone couldn't achieve that if they put their mind to it and believed they could.

*Truth moment* I've set a huge goal to build my team of health and fitness coaches. I've set a goal to be able to pay my rent each month with income I make from health and fitness coaching by the end of the year. I want to write an ebook. All things that I could so easily not do because they're scary and I am filled with self-doubt. But I'm shifting my mindset, I WILL achieve these goals. 

If you need support, daily reminders and help building an actionable plan to get you there, I'm your gal. Either sign up for a free 30 minute health coaching consultation or joining my 30-day challenge group will give you the support and pathway to a better, healthier year.

SO much love and bouncing-up-and-down-clapping-my-hands-excitement for the new year and what we all will accomplish. Go get it and BELIEVE you can get it.

Ringing in the New Year at the Palace Hotel in SF ;)

Healthy Treats for the Holidays (thank me later)

I have to admit, this post is a bit selfish.

I wanted to compile all the healthy, tasty, "holy shit I just found this on Pinterest" kind of treats in ONE place so that I, uh, I mean, we could all have these resources in one place. You know, make it easier for baking/creating/entertaining.

Here are some fabulous, crowd pleasing desserts that you can/should bring to your holiday parties or provide at a family gathering. And they are secretly healthy too. Win-win. (Almost wrote "wine" instead of "win." Good grief.)

1. Apple Cookies. I mean, how cute are these?!?

If you have an apple corer, I would suggest cutting out the core of the apple, so you can slice it into medallions easier. If not, slice it into medallions and then just cut out the center seeds and such. Top with you favorite kind of nut butter (look for ones that have the least ingredients as possible! Ie: no added sugars/cane syrup/hydrogenated oils/palm oil crap in it. Unnecessary. Nut butter should be (roasted) nuts and maybe a little salt. Period.), add some dark chocolate chips, coconut flakes, cranberries, cherries, goji berries, a little sea salt...basically anything that sounds good to you.


2. Chocolate bark
This is my absolute go-to when I need to bring food or dessert to a party. I also give fancy chocolate bark out as gifts sometimes. I buy 3-4 bars of dark chocolate, 72% or higher. Some of my favorites are Ghirardelli (72% or 85%) and the Belgian Dark Chocolate from Trader Joe's. Melt the chocolate, spread it over wax paper on a baking sheet and top with your favorite things. In the past, I've topped

chocolate with pistachios, dried cranberries or cherries, coconut, crushed peppermint stick, peanuts/almonds...the list goes on! Enjoy creating. Remember though, when it comes to toppings, the simpler combinations, the better. Cover 1/2 your chocolate in pistachios and cranberries and the other half in coconut and almonds. Here are some good "how to make chocolate bark" recipes: Aquí y aquí.

3. Cookies!!! Well, 48 Healthier Holiday Cookie Recipes, to be exact. Written by my website crush, Greatist.

4. Raw Brownies. Say what?! No, really. I've made these countless times, even for people who are suspicious of anything healthy and they are an absolute hit. They are a little more labor intensive, as they require either a food processor or Nutribullet/Vitamix kind of weaponry, but they are worth. every. ounce. of. effort. Raw cacao powder is sort of pricey. But again, worth it for this recipe. And you can use it in your green smoothies to give them a superfood boost! :)

5. Pumpkin bread. If you are a fan of pumpkin bread, especially the Trader Joe's pumpkin bread mix, these will knock your socks off! I love the package mix at TJ's, but this is even better. And it's Paleo, which means it's gluten-free and has no refined sugars. #winning

Hope these recipes provide some inspiration for any dessert-bringing you may have to do over the next few weeks!

Sending merry thoughts!

Trust Your Body: A different piece of healthy holiday advice

I am writing a different kind of "healthy holiday advice." Something that isn't in the mainstream "how to avoid gaining weight over the holidays." But I think it's equally as important to consider.

It's about trusting your body. It's about trusting it to know when it's hungry, when it's full and when it does and doesn't want to eat. Granted, this is a mindful and intuitive habit that comes with practice. But if we ever want to get to a place of trust and intuition when it comes to our bodies and eating, it's a good idea to start thinking about it now.

A lot of the advice we see plastered all over the place during the holidays is valid. It is, in many ways, needed and necessary. But it also feeds the belief that we don't trust our bodies enough to not gain weight over the holidays. This mainstream advice stems from the belief that our bodies don't know any better. Without tons of rules and mind control, it will go on a rampage at every holiday party and stuff itself silly.

That's not what our bodies want. Ever. Our bodies want ease, nourishment and equilibrium. As do our minds. But we allow our minds and bodies to be on two different teams, one against the other. If we don't control our bodies with our minds, we'll over-eat and gain weight.

But if we trust our bodies, its signals and cues, we most likely won't gain the 10-15 pounds of weight over the holidays. We'll naturally know when to eat and when to stop. We'll naturally know that we don't want any more rich, sugary foods or alcohol. Bring your minds and bodies back on the same team and go into those parties and holiday gatherings with complete trust that you, your mind and body, know what's best and the healthiest.

Respect and love yourself enough not to create a self-fulfilling prophecy of "Oh, I'm going to gain weight over the holidays. I'm going to eat so unhealthfully. I'm not going to be healthy." When we tell ourselves that, it usually becomes true. So trust your body, there's no need to over think. If you do eat a more than usual one day, we naturally eat a little less the next day because we aren't as hungry. Our bodies instinctively know how to balance out and create equilibrium once again.

Mindful and intuitive eating comes with practice. So begin practicing by holding this advice in the back of your mind when you enter the holidays. While you're creating that trusting relationship with your body, certainly, look toward the healthy eating and fitness advice going around. It's not a bad thing! I myself have proudly made "Your Guide to Healthier Holidays" and a "Christmas Day Action Plan." But it can subconsciously feed the modern belief that our bodies don't know what to do, so our minds have to take the lead and control, control, control around food. Consider that.

I made a video about the topic as well. It basically reiterates everything I said here....but in video format ;)

I wish you all love, peace and happiness during this time!! Sending my best <3

Get Your Guide to Healthy Holidays!

* indicates required

Email Address *

First Name

Kick off December the right (and healthy) way! My weekend of creating free programs, watching Twilight and listening to Michale Bublé.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and happy (almost) December! 

As a self-proclaimed Christmas whore, I get such joy out of Christmas trees, lights and decorations, the crisp "winter" air, listening to Christmas music (can I please sing the "White Christmas" duet with Michael Bublé?!?)...ahhh. Love it. 

Anyhoo, this past Thanksgiving weekend was awesome. I had the apartment to myself for 4 days and between seeing friends and running the occasional errands, I basically made it into a mini-vacation. Lots of Christmas music and wine, I watched the entire Twilight series, gave Pearl wayyy too much attention and didn't leave the apartment (or change out of my pajamas) until late afternoon some days...

But beyond my seemingly lazy weekend, I was productive AS HELL. Kicked it into high gear when it came to creating and starting some groups and programs that I'm really passionate about. Until now, they were just little ideas in my brain. But this weekend, I had the brain space, inspiration and general ballsiness to actually START them. And I. am. so. excited. Being proactive = one of the recipes for happiness. 

I wanted to give you a little more information about my groups! 

I have a Free 5-Day Clean Eating Group (more info under the "Clean Eats" tab) that I host the first week of every month. You receive a grocery list, meal plans and recipes for every day and support through a private Facebook group. I always add some bonus videos and nutrition information as well ;) Click here to learn more and sign up for my next one!

I also started a "21 Days of Gratitude" Group (more info and a FREE Gratitude Guide under the "21 Days of Gratitude" tab). I was inspired by Marie Forleo's TV episode about re-vamping your gratitude list...it got me thinking. I want to create a structured group where people I could put the spark back into their gratitude practice (or start one) and be uplifted by a positive community. Even if you journal all the time, you'll want to try out this new twist to your gratitude list. Any and all are welcome to join and there are more details on the group page. I'll also post some positive tasks or "happy hacks" every so often. You can do the challenge for the 21 days or, if you enjoy the group, you can stay as long as you want. 

I'm super excited about both these groups. The women in my 5-day clean eating group haven't even technically started and I can already tell it's going to be an awesome, supportive group. So much fun! If you have any questions about these groups or how they could be a positive addition to your life, you are welcome to email me at: theglowstickdiaries@gmail.com

Alright, it's time to head home, make dinner, food prep for the week and give my spoiled bird more attention. Ciao for now <3

Happy hacks to brighten your day (and someone else's)

Burdened...in a slump...unmotivated...down...lacking energy and a spark...

Get outside yourself. 

Whether it’s a minor annoyance you can’t seem to shake off or dissatisfaction with your current job and/or financial situation, it can weigh heavy on your mind. And the more it’s on your mind, the more energy you give it. The more energy you give it, the more it grows. 

And grows. 

And grows. 

You are perfectly justified to feel annoyed, dissatisfied, or whatever else you may be feeling. You are human and those are human emotions. You DO, however, have a choice of how much you focus on those feelings and how much power you give them over your every day happiness. 

Sometimes there isn’t a quick, easy fix for those situations in your life. It may take a while to sort out and move forward. But by changing your mindset and being conscious of your attitude, you begin to take control of your happiness from the inside out. 

I know, I know, having a “positive attitude” doesn’t make your student loans disappear. It doesn’t conjure up a flashing arrow telling you what direction to go with your life. It doesn’t stop your co-worker from being an asshole. 

When you shift your mindset to one of gratitude and happiness, rather than burden and loss, the solutions and answers have a way of appearing before us. It’s like once The Universe sees us engaging and enjoying the present moment (aka what we have, rather than what we don’t have) it goes “POOF” and there is more clarity.  

Think of it this way: the more and more we sit and wallow in our negative emotions and “live less," we make our world smaller. We live in a continuous ball of dissatisfaction. When we begin to “get outside ourselves,” meaning we get outside of that circle of negative feelings, we free ourselves from the emotional burdens of our current situation. We are declaring to The Universe that we are not going to be held back by the Johnny Rainclouds, Annoying Annies (I'm hilarious) and the “what am I doing with my life?" emotions. 

How do you get outside yourself? By not focusing on yourself.

Here are some "happy hacks" to brighten your mood and someone else's: 

1. Buy the person behind you a coffee (or another appropriate beverage/food item)
2. If you see a penny on the ground tails-up, flip it over so it is heads-up, and the next person who sees it will see a “lucky penny” (Don’t give me any germaphobe crap for that one please)
3. Watch the news regularly (seriously, it will widen your awareness and consciousness beyond your own life)
4. If you’re getting sucked into Facebook or Pinterest or some other website, close it and go for a run. Do some yoga. Start doing sit-ups. Play with your dog. ANYTHING. Just get your body moving. 
5. If you’re walking or commuting somewhere, put your phone away. No music, no Instagram, nothing that takes you away from the present moment. (Honestly, it was SO much fun when I started doing my morning walks and bus commute to work without listening to music. I engaged with my surroundings. I listened to conversations on the bus. My world went from a tiny screen to expansive and socially rich in just 15 minutes.)
6. Make dinner with friends. Meet with them for a walk. TALK. ENGAGE. No technology allowed.
7. Smile and say hello to someone on the street. Sometimes there is nothing more encouraging than connecting with a stranger.
8. Volunteer at a non-profit, a school, a homeless shelter. Donate your time somewhere.
9. Wake up early and watch the sunrise. There is nothing more peaceful and enlightening than watching a new day begin. 
10. Journal. Whether you’re a writer or not, journal. Write your heart out. Anything and everything on your mind. Don’t filter what you’re saying to the piece of paper either. Let it flow…lots of discoveries will be made. Write on your computer or in an actual notebook. Delete/shred after if you’re afraid of someone reading it.  

I hope these “happy hacks” help if you’re ever in a slump one day or are just feeling burdened with seemingly impossible responsibilities and choices. Remember though, you are totally justified to feel any feelings you're having. Always. Respect what you are feeling, but don’t let it become an energy suck and vibrancy vacuum. 

I know I have a tendency to wallow in overwhelming feelings, bring myself down and get lost in the “what am I doing with my life…I can’t do that” emotions. When that happens, I shut my computer down, lace up my shoes and go for a run. I take a walk to the coffee shop. I smile and say hello to strangers. I get outside myself. Before I know it, it starts to become a habit. The things burdening me before become smaller when I engage with the simple, rewarding beauty of the present moment around me.