Hello! If you had the chance to check out my Youtube channel, I just wanted to give you a big thank you! I am so appreciative of all of you that take the time to visit this site. :)

To begin this journey I wanted to create a video on the topic of femininity. As someone who has been secretly studying femininity and homemaking for over three years, I feel as though it's finally time to come out of the closet on these issues. Thankfully there already exists a slew of women discussing this topic on the internet nowadays which is ab-so-lu-tely wonderful.

Considering that feminine nature is very giving (after all, mothers provide food for their children with their own bodies), I feel as though you cannot be giving in your homemaking and your relationship with the people that live in your home, without seeking to incorporate and balance your feminine energy.

Without getting into too much of my personal backstory - I can save the entire story for another entry - I thought it would be relevant to get into the real "meat and potatoes" from the beginning. As you read and watch the video it'll paint a better picture of why I chose to address femininity from in this manner, and will share with you glimpses of my personal journey (dealing with burnout) in helping me balance my dominant and feminine energy.

Now, on to today's topic: Activating your femininity as a dominant woman. Even if you don't consider yourself a "dominant" woman, I challenge you to question that fact. Chances are, if you're an active participant in our modern society, you might indeed be living your life from said dominating perspective. As adaptable beings, it is only normal for us to change our way of acting and thinking to best enable our survival in our given environment. Today's modern environment is pushy, quickened, and rather harsh. If you're at all familiar with feminine qualities - the embodiment of a a giving spirit - you know that these are sadly not seen as practical in many modern situations (I wish it weren't the case, but here we are). This environment may have caused you to express heightened dominance, and/or let that side of yourself take over all aspects of your life. A great marker of relevance would be to ask yourself, "How are your relationships? How are your energy levels?". If the answer includes something along the lines of, "not so great", than you may need to re-evaluate the energy in which you are leading from.

I believe that we all have the ability to "fend for ourselves" and express that dominant energy when needed - think of the fight-or-flight response. However, living our lives in this continuous state can have very negative repercussions, affecting our physical and emotional well-being. Some women are naturally more dominant than others, but this does not mean that they should not seek to flourish in their femininity. As a biological female, chances are that your core energy is feminine - irregardless of if you are capable of expressing greater dominant energy. For this reason among the others listed, it is imperative that you remain in-tune and balanced with your feminine energy in order to get the most out of life.

Here are 3 tips to help activate your femininity 

(think of this as the Coles Notes version*)

1. Seek flow

Re-evaluate your dominant and aggressive thoughts and replace the internal dialogue with more calming thought. Distract yourself and begin to incorporate ease and relaxation through exercise - for example, yoga, swimming and nature walks. I also encourage you to re-write the narrative of your thoughts. An easy way to do this would be to process those thoughts from the point of view of, "What is the worst that could happen?". I guarantee that once you deduce the likelihood of said thing occurring, you will realize that your driving fears are rather unrealistic.

2. Incorporate thoughtfulness

Figure out the "love languages" (not in a romantic way unless it's toward your spouse) of those you love. The feminine spirit thrives off of the act of giving to others (relating back to the importance of thriving through. You will reap immense benefit from experiencing the joy of others as you express your generosity.

3. Take care of yourself

This varies from person to person depending on your interests. This might mean taking care of your mind and/or physical appearance. You cannot be giving to others without developing that giving habit toward yourself.

I hope you enjoyed reading and watching this topic. Stay tuned for the next video! 

Hello everyone! Today, I wanted to share with you my quick bathroom cleaning routine. This is the most used bathroom in my home. It must be cleaned about twice per week. Once our basement bathroom is completely renovated, I am hoping that this one can be reserved solely for guests - hence, it will not be as dirty. I have developed a streamline approach to cleaning this bathroom - it takes me 15-20 minutes. I actually did this after I woke up at around 6am.

Quick Bathroom Cleaning Routine

1. *I will usually vacuum before I begin the routine, however I did not want to wake my dogs up at 6am.

2. I begin by decluttering my bathroom. I would say this is the most important step. You cannot clean anything without getting rid of the physical obstacles in your way. This means, get things off of your counters and out of your shower. I usually put them in the corner or hallway for the time being - I like to place them on a dirty towel that I throw in the laundry afterward. 

3. I use my Method Bathroom Tub & Tile Cleaner in Eucalyptus Mint and a basic sponge from the Dollar Tree to scrub my shower. I make sure to scrub all of the edges where buildup tends to occur. I use paper towel for sanitary reasons (not to spread around the germs).

4. I use a generic vinegar and water mix, also from the Dollar Tree, to wipe down the glass and hardware in my shower. I am looking for a good stainless steel cleaner - please leave me your recommendations!

5. I will dust my toilet with one of those Swiffer Sweeper Dry Cloths (I know it's weird, but I like be able to manipulate it with hand, versus a feather duster).

6. I use multiples of the Seventh Generation Lemongrass Citrus Multi-Surface Disinfecting Wipes to clean my toilet. They have a very earthy smell, but I love them (I like to use natural products when possible). I also use the Lysol Action Gel in "Country Scent" to scrub my toilet. I leave my toilet brush hanging between the rim and seat of the toilet (place the cover down) to let it dry.

7. I spray the glass and Method Bathroom Cleaner all over my sink and mirrors. I start from the top and work my way down (an easy cleaning tip for you there). I occasionally like to spray my sinks and let them sit while I clean my shower, but I hadn't remembered to do that this morning (it was early).

8. I dust my baseboards again with the Swiffer Sweeper Dry Cloths and the clean my floors from floor cleaning wipes from the Dollar Tree - any type would do. I make sure to get into the corners and behind the toilet.

9. I use the Method All Purpose Cleaner in French Lavender to spray my cabinet (mine are not wood - if yours are, I would recommend using a wood cleaning product). I also use this to spray my door.

10. I make sure to place the toilet brush back in its holder after letting it dry for a few minutes, and I put in a Lysol Click Gel in Spring Waterfall. I used a disposable shopping bag to put all of my trash throughout the routine - this makes it easier to put into the larger trash can.

I hope you enjoyed this post. I am so thankful for all those of you who have taken the time to watch my other videos and read my other blog posts! :)

Hello everyone! Today we are going to touch on THE foundational principle of successful homemaking. There are many "fun" things that I want to share with you in the upcoming weeks - recipes, cleaning tips, etc. However, suggesting these to you now would be futile without bringing light to the importance of habit formation.

I want your homemaking habits to become in a way, "automatic", so that you are not continuously operating from the space of willpower. In the video, I stress the importance of seeking not to deplete our internal willpower "batteries". Research shows that we only have a finite amount of willpower until we hit that point of mental exhaustion. If you're like any other human living life in the "modern world" today, your daily schedule is most likely filled with a host of other activities that deplete said internal willpower battery.

This video serves to provide you with some tips to help you reinforce your homemaking practices, turning them into habits over time. If you're interested in learning more, read the "Coles Notes" below and/or watch the video. Thank you!!

Habit formation for successful homemaking

Apart from the discussion on willpower and the importance of habit, I briefly mentioned my motivation and the history behind this topic. When I first began my homemaking journey (it was a long journey, let me tell you), I was overwhelmed and stressed; I was seeking to get to that pinnacle "end-step", without properly laying the foundation. It wasn't until I learned the importance of habit formation, that I was truly able to implement successful homemaking practices.

1. Affirmations - I want you to begin implementing affirmations in your daily routine. You don't need to stand in front of a mirror to do this. The practice is simple - I want you to continuously repeat your chosen affirmations. By doing so, you are setting the "bar" high, and your tendency to live up to those expectations increases tenfold (twenty-fold?... you understand LOL). A few examples I list are as follows: "I am a professional homemaker (still stands even if you work outside of the home)" and "I am the type/kind of woman who _____(for example, cooks delicious meals)".

2. Give yourself time - I mentioned that it takes approximately 21 days to form a habit. I want you to be gentle with yourself and understand that habit formation will take time. If you are a woman, I also encourage you to begin your habit formation process in the follicular phase of your cycle; this is the time where you will be able to reach your greatest mental clarity and motivation.

3. One habit at a time - You may have the motivation to implement "all the things" at once, but this is sure road to failure. Since the beginning stages of habit formation do require willpower, you are more likely to deplete your willpower "battery" if you are trying to tackle more than one habit at a time. It usually only takes one bad day for a series of new habits to crumble. It is easier to re-motivate yourself after a bad moment, if you are focusing on one habit.

4. Follow those who do it better - You need to continuously re-motivate yourself on the path to successful habit formation; this will help you re-charge your willpower battery. I enjoy following people who inspire me, and tend to take homemaking a little bit to the "extreme" (this is my personal preference).

5. Ask yourself, "Why?" - I encourage you to get to the root of your beliefs surrounding homemaking. You'd be surprised that there is often a logical explanation behind that belief. Question yourself until you run out of reasons; at that point, you most likely have your answer. I encourage you to watch the video for my personal example.

6. Have fun - Provide yourself with some positive reinforcement along your journey (like Pavlov's dog haha). Associate reward with housework - for example, allow yourself to listen to your favorite podcast only when you accomplish a certain cleaning task.

Thanks again for reading and watching! I am so grateful and happy for all of you! :)

Hi again! :) For anyone who has read my previous post and/or watched the video, I wanted to say thank you! It means a lot to me that you would take the time to watch. Today's topic has to deal with homemaking. I like to define homemaking as the practice of caring and tending to a home. This encompasses aspects of cleaning, decorating, personalizing, and of course, taking care of the people that live inside of it. Similar to my last post, I will be providing the "Coles Notes" of the video below, for those of you who would rather read than watch.

Discussing the topic of what homemaking is, is something that requires another video entirely. So for now, I challenge you to base your definition off of a "cozy" and emotionally "warm" home from your childhood. With that in mind, let's get into a few of the reasons why I believe that homemaking is important.

Why should you care about homemaking?

Introduction- In the video, I began with discussing my background. Growing up as a "modern woman", I never really cared to take an interest in homemaking. When I stepped into taking ownership of a home after having become a married woman, I was met with a type of "shock" as I realized that I did not have any homemaking skills - I had no idea where to start. The reasons I'm sharing with you serve as my core motivation for having began my homemaking journey. 

1. Someone has to do it. You have the unique opportunity to be the leader in your home, implementing the homemaking routines that help run a household. Just like anything great in this world, someone had to be the first to start. Why not you? This is also a wonderful way to develop your leadership skills. 

2. You deserve a warm and inviting home for yourself and your family. You deserve a space that is uniquely your own creation - a space where you can relax and be your authentic self. In addition, creating memories in this type of environment will become increasingly easy, as you are continuously pouring love into your environment. From a practical standpoint, you are also taking care of the cleanliness of your home, which makes it evermore inviting and a joyful to live in.

3. You have been given the gift of home. Whatever you believe in, don't take this for granted. Many people live their entire lives wish for a house to call home.

4. Efficiency. Perfecting your homemaking skills (or working toward perfecting for that matter), will help you save time through the power of systems and routines. This will provide you with more time for the things that matter to you.

5. It is a practical skill. A sort of bizarre but relevant point has to do with the fact that homemaking is a practical survival skill. Learning how to clean (sanitize) and cook, will help you and your family thrive in whatever scenario situation is thrown at you.

Thanks again for reading and watching. I hope to see you in my next post!

Sunday housewife routine

Hello everyone! It has been a quite a while since I posted. To be honest, so much has happened in these past months - many good and several sad things. One of my goals for this blog, has been to veer more toward lifestyle content. In my opinion, there appears to be a general lack of content depicting people who live a similar lifestyle to mine. I know I may be speaking to a very narrow subset of people (married, no kids, pets, housewife), but I hope it finds at least someone well. I have planned-out a few videos and posts for the upcoming weeks to see if they get any "bites" - that is, to see if anyone is interested.

-----

My first topic surrounds my Sunday morning routine. I have always loved watching routine-type videos. There is something to be said about watching someone else live their daily life that sparks a genre of inspiration amidst the mundane tasks of everyday life. Perhaps it has to do with subconscious confirmation in terms of, "oh ya, I do that too", or  rather, "that's a great idea, I should try it". Whatever it may be, I hope you like these types of videos as much as I do.

You can watch the video linked below. For those of you who like reading better than watching (or who like both), I will list the "Coles Notes" version of the video below.

My Sunday Housewife Routine

1. I wake up sometime between 7-8. I love opening my motor-powered blinds (I know, I'm weird lol). I make myself a coffee and have some breakfast. I'm usually not too hungry in the mornings - that being said, today I only had a small piece of homemade bread (yum).

2. I then proceed to walk my dogs. They are very energetic and need a lot of exercise. This is also good for me, as I am trying to lose some weight.

3. I get ready (take a shower, dry my hair, put on my face). I have linked the products I use here:

Avalon Organics Lavender Hand and Body Lotion 
Indeed labs serums (3)
Vichy Mineral 89 serum
Neutrogena Ultrasheer SPF 60
Shiseido stick foundation SPF 37

4. I go to church as often as I can. It tends to happen every other week, due to another commitment I have on Sundays. I like to go to a French mass with my mom, which has become a little tradition for us.

5. When I get home, I do my usual morning cleanup routine. I try not to burden myself by doing this right when I wake up, as I try to give myself a "break" on Sunday. I will empty my dishwasher, vacuum my floors, and make the bed. If you don't yet own a Dyson, I'm telling you right now that it is worth the investment. I often joke with my friends that it is THE best purchase I have ever made; the reason being that it saves you so much time and gives your house an instant clean "look". 

6. I usually prepare dinner in the crockpot at this point. We are eating out tonight so instead, I chose to take this time to make banana bread. I found this super easy easy easy recipe on Pinterest. I like to clean my counters with the (best smelling product ever) Method daily Granite cleaner. 

7. I like to keep updating my list with things that I want to accomplish throughout the day. This helps keep me motivated throughout the day and helps me organize my mental clutter. There's something about "checking-off" boxes that feels so satisfying to me. My Sunday lists are generally pretty short (my weekday lists usually take up the whole page). 

Thank for watching and reading about my typical Sunday routine!