Monday Mantra

May you be happy, may you be healthy, may you be whole. These are the words that we used in a meditation exercise led by Sage Rountree at Wanderlust yesterday. Wanderlust offers a variety of events around the country. This event was a "mindful triathlon" comprised of a 5K run, a yoga class led by Dharma Mittra and a meditation led by Sage Rountree.  I can not exclude MC Yogi, I kind of want to be his groupie. DJ Drez and him led us in a light hearted and fun yoga practice before Dharma Mittra. Every single person on stage brought forward humor and wisdom, which is a very challenging pairing. It made them so relatable and the information that they shared easily seeped in. Prospect Park, Brooklyn provided the perfect back drop to this colorful and invigorating event. I am working on a short video to share of this event :)

One of the things that stuck with me the most was the exercise that Sage led us through. She broke it down into segments but in a nutshell we had to picture people who are easy to love, ones we are more neutral about, people who are less easy to love and lastly ourselves. In each segment, we pictured their faces and worked on sending them metta, loving kindness and goodwill.  With each face that populated our minds, we said to them "may you be happy, may you be healthy, may you be whole". It was interesting to see how easy it was to do this for those who are easy to love, even the neutral ones were a piece of cake. When it came to those who challenge us, that definitely challenged me. I found however; once I said the words and truly only sent them metta my whole attitude shifted and softened. Admittedly, the hardest person for me to send love to was myself. Self esteem and self love are not equivalent. I have learned that I have a lot of work to do with better loving myself.  I am really good (too good) at loving and forgiving others but I tend to be hard myself and sometimes unforgiving. Yesterday I pledged that would all change moving forward. At this point in my life, I no longer want to hold on to grudges nor do I want to live in conflict with the person I interact with most: ME. The only way I can unlock all of this self love is by living in the present moment and speaking kindly to myself regardless of what my journey brings. Unlocking this self love will improve my relationship with myself, others and yield my exponential potential to shine. I am pledging to follow this mantra not just this week but moving forward. I hope you take it easy on yourself and start by saying "may I be happy, may I be healthy, may I be whole". Speak kindly to YOU as you are listening and every word you utter does make an impact.

Wishing you lots of love and light. 

Kelly xo

Monday Mantra

Today's post is short and to the point. It's Monday yet again. This time, we have reached the end of August and the end of the summer will follow. The desire to change always symbolically aligns with the start of a new week, month or season. Everyone starts their diets on a Monday, gets back into "their routine" come fall, etc. My word of advice is start your diet on a Saturday, get your "routine" going now and stop waiting for specific moments to define your evolutionary course. Seize it NOW and define it YOURSELF. A lot of times, we wait "until" or "when" which makes us rely on external factors to motivate. Motivate YOU. Stop waiting for the perfect moment, it just may never come. Today is perfect and now is perfect because it is tangible and it allows you to be present versus living for an undefined and unreliable moment. This week, I plan on seizing each day for the tremendous gift that it is. I hope you join me. See you Thursday xoxo

Monday Mantra

I hope everyone had an amazing weekend and is ready for a kick-ass week ahead! Today I am sharing a quote from one of the OG Girl Bosses: Estée Lauder. I always knew she was a smart business woman but I had no idea what a hustler she was. She found her passion at her uncle's business which is where she learned about beauty products and tapped into her had a knack for sales. She sold them to anyone from her friends to different shops. She launched her own fragrance by the age of 45 way before the feminist movement of the 1960s, I consider her a bad ass trailblazer.  You can imagine my excitement when I learned that she was from Queens, New York. I think I have a new idol. She is not only a representation of the American dream but a true testament to the fact that if you apply yourself, anything is possible. I think that sometimes we ask for a whole lot and we get frustrated when things don't necessarily come to fruition but a little bit of hard work does goes a long way. This applies to anything in life, losing 5 pounds, learning to cook, launching a new business, the list is endless. Do you really think it will just happen if you keep asking for it? If so, kindly mail me your magic genie when you get a chance, I have quite a few items on my list.

This week, I plan on having a little more hustle in my step. I plan on challenging myself to roll up my sleeves a little higher and get to work because old school work really does pay off. Here's hoping you have a week where you work for it and it feels really good. 

xo Kelly

Monday Mantra

I hope everyone had a lovely weekend and isn't too cranky that it is Monday. That actual concept flows very well into my Monday Mantra, a quote from none other than Queen Oprah: Be thankful for what you have, you'll end up having MORE. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough. Overall, we should be happy and grateful for the moments that we did enjoy over the weekend and accept that it is Monday without all the pouting. Being aware of the many blessings that we already have, in-spite of it being Monday can change one's entire experience all for the better. Changing your perspective and rejoicing in what you DO HAVE (which I am sure is plenty) creates a more positive vibration and welcomes more positive scenarios into one's life. 

My Monday Mantra is a place where I like to share my own individual journey and tools/mantras that I use to get me through pretty common internal struggles. I will continue to bear my soul with you this week but remember, this is a safe place so no judgement :) A few weeks ago, I was having a week where I was feeling very unsettled. I felt like everything I did and yielded just wasn't enough. And when I say "enough" it relates to the ridiculous standards that I have set.  It is so true when they say "we are our own biggest critics" sometimes, we just really need to soften and be kinder to ourselves.  I found myself having an introspective moment trying to understand what was going on. I then randomly started to think of all that I have and have already accomplished on my new path and thought: "wow, I am so ungrateful?" I realized how unfair it had been for me to keep asking for "more" when I have been so neglectful to all that I already possess. So many of us are blessed with so much. When you sit down to acknowledge what you have to be grateful for, you realize it is more than you probably thought. I already started this morning but moving forward, when I wake up, I plan on verbally saying what I am grateful for which normally tends to be as simple as the air that I am breathing on a new day.  Before going to bed, I plan on doing the exact same exercise and it can be anything from enjoying your favorite yoga class, that delicious meal you cooked or a tender smile you exchanged with a stranger. I invite you to join me on this exercise this week and would love to hear from you on whether or not it made you more present, grateful and maybe a little kinder to yourself. 

with gratitude....kelly xoxo

Monday Mantra

My choice in television as a child was a bit strange to say the least. Most kids watched Sesame Street but I could not stand it. I wanted to throw a barbie doll straight to Big Bird's head every time he opened his mouth. His soft spoken voice annoyed me. I couldn't understand why such a big bird couldn't simply sound more assertive when educating me on numbers or colors.  And l was OBSESSED with Barbie so you can only imagine how far this damn bird drove me to complete irritation. This probably gives you some pretty clear insights on what a special child I was :) Good thing I didn't grow up in the age of Teletubbies or The Wiggles, I am sure my anger management issues would have needed professional help at a younger age ;) Instead, I watched The Carol Burnett Show and I wisely pretended I couldn't sleep every time Miami Vice was on so I could sandwich myself in-between my parents and watch it in their room. I would keep my eye lids closed just enough to pretend I was sleeping and open just enough to catch the show. I also had some serious love for Lucille Ball. I Love Lucy made me laugh so hard. I always questioned her choices, I really felt like she just couldn't get through the day without one disaster. She made me cringe at times, I would yell at the TV hoping she could hear me and avoid the next disastrous thing she was about to do. Needless to say, I thought that TV characters lived inside the TV. I was sometimes found searching the back of the TV set to figure out where these miniature people lived. I was not your conventional child. My love for I Love Lucy went beyond her character. Lucy and Riccardo were also a dynamic that I felt pretty comfortable with, they were pretty much a flip of my parents. My dad was Irish American and had plenty of red headed siblings and my mom is OTB from the Dominican Republic so I had zero issues understanding Riccardo's accent and I could translate for other children. Both of my parents were fiery but if I had to pick, dad would have been the more comedic one. 

So where does I Love Lucy fit into my Monday Mantra you ask? Today I am sharing this quote from this amazing talent:

I'd like to share a bit of a twist on what this quote inspires for me. A principal that I have been studying quite a bit through a spiritual healer is the theory that "everything we do is self motivated". Essentially, anything nice (or in some cases not nice, you know who you are) you think you are doing for others, you are actually doing it for yourself. When you hold the door for a stranger at Starbucks, buy a friend a thoughtful souvenir or cook a delicious dinner for your partner, you did all of that because it makes YOU feel good. YES, a great by-product of "that thing you did", also managed to make others feel good too BUT the root of the intention was selfishly driven. The outcome achieved with others is secondary and not primary. I initially had a hard time accepting this concept. I pretty much refused it at first. I couldn't believe that everything that I had done for others was really for me? But when I allowed myself to digest this concept, I was like "WOW". This is extremely liberating. It means I don't have to give a shit when someone doesn't reciprocate or appreciate what I do for them because the only reason I did it in the first place was for me. I used to have crazy expectations of others. I unfairly felt like people needed to jump through hoops and fire to prove their loyalty and I no longer feel that way. Knowing that I am self motivated and that others are self motivated provides me with a completely different perspective. It makes me rely a whole lot less on external factors for happiness and to look inwardly for fulfillment and love. 

As a result, I remind myself every single day that everything I do is in fact for me and for the love I have of myself. I teach fitness, write my blog, take care of my partner, stay close to my family all because that makes ME happy. It makes me realize that the integrity of all my actions and decisions are in fact a reflection of the love and respect that I have for myself. I no longer shift blame when I don't feel good about something, I now accept responsibility that I am the one who chose to do it. If something that you do makes you feel crappy, you should question what was the true intention behind that action and maybe you aren't respecting the integrity of YOU to the highest degree?! I pretty much have made the Brian Adams song from Robin Hood my anthem except when I sing it, I sing "I do it for me" (hahaha I got a good chuckle with that one). I think this strongly relates to self love.  When you "love yourself first" and accept that the root of your actions are for YOU, you can begin to have greater respect and integrity for all that you do. The only one that you need to appease is your SELF which doesn't make you a bad or selfish person but an honest one. It allows you to truly take responsibility for your actions, improve the way that you treat the most important person in your life and the one relationship you will ever get to understand which is YOU.

 I found some good quotes from Buddah who is also a very credible source but when I found this one from none other than Lucille, I had to share it. I sincerely hope you enjoyed it. It not only brought up some nice childhood memories (on how nutty I was) but I also seriously respect a kick ass woman who can be hysterical and eat so many chocolates. Here's hoping that everything you do this week is rooted in self love <3 <3 <3 

Kelly 

Monday Mantra

So I am thoroughly going through a phase of obsession where all I can think about are the words of Michael A. Singer and I feel them echoing through my very being. If you are not familiar with Michael A. Singer, he is the author of the #1 New York Times best Seller, The Untethered Soul. I thought that The Untethered Soul was rocking my world until I stumbled upon The Surrender Experiment: My Journey Into Life's Perfection. I recently got hooked on adding audiobooks to my repertoire. I tend to pick spiritual books to listen to as I make my way through the hectic city. It gets me mentally and emotionally prepared for any task or commitment that lies ahead. I am still in the process of reading The Untethered Soul. It has honestly taken me forever because it is one of those books that is so profound, it requires constant reflection. I have put The Untethered Soul on pause until I am done with The Surrender Experiment. The idea of being done with that book brings tears to my eyes because it has had such a positive effect on me. I however; find solace in knowing that it is a book that I will most likely go back to over and over for years to come. I put The Untethered Soul on hold because The Surrender Experiment provides insights into the wise man behind The Untethered Soul, a perspective that I did not realize I was craving in order to  further cement its teachings. I found myself asking a lot "who is this man" and "how the heck did he figure this all out"? Now I know that his journey and commitment to surrendering to life's greater purpose is what led him to write and share the immense wisdom found in "The Untethered Soul". The Surrender Experiment has provided me with an overwhelming sense of peace.  I find myself crying emotional tears of joy as I have been so moved my Michael's journey. I find that I am further moved by finally accepting and trusting that life has a bigger plan in store for us. All we need to do is let go and surrender to the opportunities that it presents us, even if our ego is in resistance. As a result, I feel so compelled to finally surrender. I feel like a weight has been lifted off of me knowing that life has a greater plan for me, one that I will not micromanage, resist or question. I look forward to this greater plan and trust that life has nothing but joy and abundance in store for me. I encourage you to surrender to the gifts that life would like you to receive and see where the journey leads you. If you have an open mind and heart, I strongly recommend this book.

Monday Mantra

Hi and Happy Monday! Yes...most people say "Happy Friday" but I think "Happy Monday' sets the right attitude for the week :) Anyway, what's the alternative "Sucky Monday"? 

So what's this Monday Mantra thing you ask....? I do something on instagram (which you should be following me on if you aren't already @KOREbyKelly) called "Monday Mantra" and it is a mantra that I select for myself to use as my guidance for the week. I decided to share it on insta in case it offers anyone inspiration, comfort or something to simply think about. I have been on a spiritual path/self improvement journey for a while. I must admit that I took the wrong path, got lost on the path, jumped off the path and then set the path on fire. After all of that, me and "the path" or better yet "my path" have made amends (meaning, I no longer set things on fire).  I feel that since I began to trust "the journey of life" I now see that the road ahead builds itself. It is almost as if every time I take another step, new bricks appear for me to walk on. It's as if the path and I are walking in tandem. I must however admit that there are many times that I think the path needs to build itself a little quicker. I don't want it taking lunch breaks, going on vacation or having a work life balance. I want it to build the damn road quickly. That my friends is my daily struggle. I struggle with finding patience and trusting that the path will manifest itself and be what I need when I need it.

I just spent a weekend in Miami with my sister. We rejuvenated our minds, bodies and sisterly bonds. It was also spa week so we indulged in a treatment at the Privai Spa at the Royal Palm. They did this awesome thing where you had to read and check off three affirmations when you arrive. You essentially had to sign off and agree to rejuvenate and relax (umm yes please). At the end, they had us pick an affirmation card and mine could have not been more perfect for ME! It is the extra nudge that I need to trust life and to trust everything that it has in store for me. The universe is letting me know....life has my back and that could not be a better mantra for this week.

Here is hoping you don't set the path on fire this week xoxo

My Hydration Salvation

So, I generally suffer from pretty dry skin. Put me in a heated yoga room for two hours or on a treadmill at Barry's Bootcamp and I am parched. I am not only parched on the inside but on the outside too and it's almost as if I can feel it right away. My skin tends to take a toll from all of the exercising that I do and if you read my Sweaty to Swanky post (this is a quiz!) you should know that I like a good sweat sesh so naturally I need to replenish.

A good rule of thumb is to definitely hydrate from the inside out. Drink plenty of water but ensure that you are also ingesting sufficient electrolytes in order to retain fluids. Avoid sugary drinks and caffeine when trying to hydrate. When it comes to my skin, I do my best to hydrate immediately after a sweat session. I wash my face after a work out in order to clear it and avoid any break outs. A lot of boutique gyms have great face washes in the their bathrooms. If not, I like to carry some cleansing wipes like the facial cleansing towelettes that Burt's Bees makes because it is not only for removing make-up but for also cleaning your skin. I tend to rinse my face after using these when there is a bathroom/sink that I can access.

After cleansing my face, I like to use misting sprays that immediately hydrate the skin. I love to carry the Evian Mineral Water Spray with me at ALL times. It is great for when you travel, on the beach, after a work-out, to freshen up your make-up or when you are falling asleep at your desk at work. I normally grab the two pack at that very dangerous check out isle at Sephora. They know what they are doing with that travel section since their lines are usually painfully long. I always end up with something extra from that damn line. Since it comes in a two pack, I normally find one of these suckers in my purse even when I switch them up. I recently wanted to jazz up my routine  so I decided to try This Works, I purchased it on Net-A-Porter and I really like that it has a refreshing scent. It contains Sea Minerals and Aloe Vera. It helps hydrate and calm any redness. It has more oomph but unless you have any issues with redness the Evian spray does the trick for a fraction of the price. 

I have also been obsessed with oils for a while now. I know they are not for everyone but if you have dry skin like me, they may change your world. I love to use them post work-out, before bed and definitely before I get on a long flight. I really enjoy that radiant look that it gives me and I sometimes opt-out of adding on any make-up. Like my Evian spray, I tend to have a Josie Maran 100% Aragon Oil MINI in each of my purses (I buy things lose, lose them, re-buy them and find them all over again....it's a never ending cycle). This is infused with Vitamin E which is a great fatty acid. The best part of this bad boy is that you can use it on your hair or nails. I absolutely can not use it on my hair or I would look like I didn't wash it for 3 weeks but I love the nail touch especially when traveling. My finger tips get so dry they could be considered a weapon on the plane. 

Lastly, I can not forget my hair. Poor thing, it gets the most abuse and I never give it a break. I consistently make it feel inadequate by frying, coloring and adding in foreign pieces. My hair must really have low self-esteem. I recently decided that it needed a little more love (since I was being so abusive) so I picked up some of the new Bumble and Bumble Invisible Oil before I left for my Hot Yoga teacher training. Now that the sun is out with a vengeance, this is a great item to use before entering a hot yoga room, hitting the beach or when you know you will be in the sun for a while. I used it as a leave in when I was doing my hot yoga training in CR. I put it in before a hot class and sometimes after I showered. 

I picked up the Oribe anti-humidite spray because sometimes I find that after I work out, I am still sweating. Even when I am showered, have make-up on and I am fully dressed its as if I am still working out. Sometimes my hair gets cray in those situations. I love this spray, I recently used it in Mexico and it kept things tight.

Post work out, I like to keep it light; either some tinted moisturizer by my ultimate favorite Laura Mercier or Amorepacific Control Cushion Creme which provides SPF 50, coverage and hydration. It literally can not get better. I learned about this from the flawless NinaBeautyWorld (from Thailand) when she was sharing all of her beauty secrets with me in Singapore a few months back. Korean beauty products are all the rage in South East Asia and now I know why. The minute I got home, I bought this. It also comes with two compacts so you get good value for your money. I really do love this product.  I tend to use Laura Mercier's Tinted Moisturizer when I want just a tad more coverage. I go with the Illuminating one because I like the extra glow (who doesn't?). It is SPF 20 so you can kind of chose which to wear based on sun exposure too. They both leave you with a gorgeous dewy look. You can fake it and say you have no make-up on and its simply the endorphins from your work-out. As a finishing touch, I always carry Anastasia's Clear Brow Gel because the one thing I can not stand is unruly brows. Get it together people!

When I feel like I need some EXTRA hydration, I resort to a face mask. You TOTALLY look like a serial killer when wearing one but it is SO worth it. My boyfriend once walked in on me wearing one and I think I gave him a minor heart attack. I now ensure he is no where close to home when I use them. These were my life savers in Costa Rica. I was in a hot room about three hours a day and my face was pissed to say the least. I would use them every other night and go out just like that (when I say "go out" it was to a sober dinner at my hotel before I passed out at 9 pm) and got massive compliments on my skin. I really like to use these before a big event like a wedding, after I get off a plane and just because I like to feel like I am pampering myself. Once again you can find these guys in the evil compulsive shopper isles of Sephora. They are all under $8. I REALLY loved the one by TONY MOLY and the best part is that you get 2 of them for $7.50 which is pretty sweet.