A love letter to my body

by with No Comment personal

What I need right now is a moment to be soft to myself, an act of self-preservation and self-care. What I need right now is to write a lil love letter to myself.

Dear body, 

Have I told you lately that I love you? I’m actually singing this to you in my best Rod Stewart voice because I know it took almost my entire adult life to finally tell you that I love you back.

and i said to my body. softly. ‘i want to be your friend.’ it took a long breath. and replied ‘i have been waiting my whole life for this. ― Nayyirah Waheed

I actually read this quote on Instagram and started crying and Corrine looked at me like I’d fallen off my rocker. I don’t know why it took me so long to be kinder to you. Actually, yes I do. 

———–

I lived my teen years in the 90’s (sup 80’s babies) and we had Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, Cindy Crawford and others all over the media and they were all VERY beautiful… and VERY thin. I remember going to a modeling school in San Francisco when I was fourteen and we were told 1) that must we shave our legs from our ankles to our hips and 2) we were ‘supposed’ to have three triangles on our legs if we wanted to pursue anything other than print work. 

A triangle to shape your thighs, a triangle to shape your knees, and a triangle to shape your calves. We all know what a triangle looks like so it seemed very odd to tell young adolescents that any part of their body look like a geometric shape. Even our heads aren’t perfectly circular! And by the way, a triangle seems inaccurate, did they mean an upside down triangle? Even so, I can’t compute. And while we’re here, I’m 4’10 and a half which means I was not pursuing anything other than print work anyway. 

I want to also note that the desired waist measurement during my time at that school was 23 inches. TWENTY THREE. Ummm wuuut?! One, I haven’t had a thigh gap since I was four years old so there goes the triangle equation and two, the only 23 I can comprehend as being personally relatable to me is- that one time in life when I was 23 years old. Oh and this year on November 3rd, my daughter will turn 23. P.S. this is not me shaming those who have 23 inch waists, this is me saying you should never tell an insecure person (esp an insecure young person) that they must be a certain size to qualify.

So dear body of mine, I do understand why I wasn’t so nice to you. You were trying to protect me by holding onto vital fat so that I could grow, carry life, support my organs, and be healthy. It’s not your fault that I didn’t see girls with my body type represented on television until Jennifer Lopez on, In Living Color as a “Fly Girl”. P.S. do you remember that show? Helllloooo I’ve been trying to build a booty ever since. I know voluptuous and strong women were represented before 1990 but that’s the first time I can remember seeing a body that I related to. 

The thing is, I’m Islander and that means I’m genetically engineered to climb coconut trees, run from brown tree snakes in Saipan (I hail from this island and you should Google the snake part, it’s gnarly), hula dance for hours, and build a bajillion island babies.. oh and the huts for them too. There is and always will be very soft yet strong (and some not so strong tbh) bits on my body. My arms and my legs have been described by ‘societal beauty standards’ to be “thick”. Who came up with that by the way. I mean, I’ll take it- thick is sturdy, thick is something to hold onto, and thick is reliable… if I take my phone into the bathroom with me and then I accidentally drop my phone… bet your ass my thick thighs will save the day. So I’ll try this again. 

———–

Dear body, I love you. I will tell you and show you more often how much I appreciate you. I am curvy, I am strong, I am fast, I am sturdy, I have stamina, and I have stretch marks. I love my body. All of it. Don’t even get me started on all the other things I love about myself. I’d actually love to write another love letter to the rest of my self. Like my brain.. whew she’s so big and brainy! 

Please tell me something about yourself that you love. If you haven’t heard it lately, you are okay and everything will be okay <333

Flower Pot Fridays – Healers Highlighted

by with No Comment wellness

I’ve had the pleasure of creating a series for you that is near and dear to my heart. During these times when things feel uncertain, where worry and fear can creep in, I know it’s now that we need to share with one another what keeps our spirits high and our anxieties low. Over the past month I’ve developed an IGTV Series all about self care with one of my favorite companies, The Flower Pot. Female founded and operated by my close friend Rebecca, I’ve highlighted some Flower Pot products that I use every day and shared with you how to implement them into your routines. I hope you love it and I hope you enjoy this peek into my mind from a feature I did with them.

If you were stuck on a desert island, what medicinal plant would you hope to find while scavenging? 

Echinacea to keep me healthy forever, garlic on everything forever, cannabis flower to keep me creative and calm forever, and mushrooms to free my mind… forever *said in my best Friday voice to Craig* 

Everyone has a folk healer in the family—the grandma with the onion chest rub, the uncle with the hot toddies. Have you picked up any healing traditions from your bloodline? 

My mom was born and raised in Saipan and an old wive’s tale is that Vicks and coconut oil are two of the world’s greatest healers. I mean, she’d rub Vicks vapor rub on my entire body… imagine that. To the bottom of my feet, my chest, my elbows, my back, and I’m not sure why. But she would also alternate this method with pure coconut oil. She’d warm the oil up between her palms (with fire!) and then place the warmed up oil on my tummy for stomach aches, or the back of my neck for headaches etc. It worked, I don’t know how but it worked. I now try to slather Vicks and coconut oil onto everyone I love. 

The digital life is a vibe killer in large doses. What do you do to disconnect? 

My nightly ritual includes edibles, I’m a big fan of THC/CBD hybrids. Relaxes my body, calms my mind, reduces inflammation, relieves anxiety, and helps me get back into my body after a day of connecting to the world. 

What first step do you recommend to newbies who are just starting out on their wellness journeys? 

It’s so easy to be deterred from doing what is best for your body because of other’s opinions. There’s a lot of wellness products on the market that are frowned upon simply because they were taboo 10 years ago. I say do the research, read all the things, be open to trying new things and really listen to your body. Your body will respond and tell you exactly what you need and what you don’t need. 

Healing is all about community, and finding the people you trust. Who are your go-to gurus? 

Oprah for all-around life wellness (I mean, it’s Oprah), Yung Pueblo for my mental wellness, Lacey Stone and her entire team/tribe for my body and heart wellness, and all things Coelho for spirit wellness. 

Out of all the lessons you’ve learned, what’s the number one piece of business advice you would give anyone starting out? 

Be consistent, be persistent. No one will ever be as passionate about working towards your dreams as you will be, so really go for it. Whatever it is that you can’t stop thinking about, do it, don’t wait. There’s never a perfect time so don’t negotiate with yourself, you say now and you GO! 

What’s you favorite TFP product? How does it heal you or enhance your life? 

How much time do you have 😉 I really love the Sleep Mints and Hemp-infused Apple Cider Vinegar because they’re two things I do on the daily that’s so easy to implement into my routine. Morning time and night time. 

We think about everything in terms of plants. What’s your spirit flower? 

I’m forever drawn to the Jasmine flower. I appreciate their beauty, sweet scent, and medicinal uses. 

Music as medicine, what’s your current or forever go-to album? 

My go-to’s because it depends on my mood and what the occasion calls for: Phosphorescent, Frank Sinatra, 80’s love songs, and 90’s hip hop 

*DEALERS* CHOICE: Are there any projects you’re working on, fun factoids about you or PSAs you’d like to share with our community? 

Two things I’ll put out into the universe- creating my own skincare/fragrance line and designing an athleisure line. Saying it out loud makes it real, try it! I hope you’ve enjoyed this lil peek into my routine, my faves, and my life. Please reach out to me if you have any health/wellness needs, I got you! 

 Interested in working with me? Explore my virtual fitness offerings:

  • Booty Builder Program:  meet twice a week for 6 weeks  (weights necessary)
  • What to Expect: personalized individual workout programs live on Zoom with yours truly  
  • Packages/rate: $75 per one on one session (3, 5, 10 packs available, please reach out for custom-tailored packages) 
  • Method of contact: email [email protected] for personal training inquiries or other wellness collaborations

WHY TFP LOVES JESS:  A beauty guru influenced by her lush island roots, Jess Lizama glows from the inside. She’s an educator, mother, and kind-hearted guide to all things wellness. Jess lives authentically, providing others with a positive + proactive path to feeling good. She’s a personal trainer and head coach at Lacey Stone Fitness, infusing her work with bright energy, the strength from her past experiences, and a genuine desire to show up for others. Each week, Jess hosts Flower Pot Fridays, a self-guided InstagramTV series on everyday beauty routines and tips for natural healing.

State Of Mind Baby, Lets Chat Confidence

by with No Comment wellness

Oh man, starting today off with a big question for myself and feeling cheesy about it … insert my favorite emoji here which is the cute lil monkey covering it’s face … it me! Confidence, what is it to me, and is it on sale at Trader Joe’s. Without being too woo woo here, defining confidence and then trying to tap into that and emit it in a way that is so bright and sparkly that no one can take it away, well that’s been a thing.

I think that confidence is a state of mind and I think people like to box me in. They put me into this box of what they think they know I am and then they’re surprised when I’m not that. Am I the only one, or do you think that’s true of you where people assume you’re one thing but really you’re many things? I can see sometimes that people think I’m bright and bubbly all the time, I mean I try to be, I love being a bright ass Lite-Brite (remember those?) but I’m human and I have crap days too. And I have things happen to me that hurt me and let me down too, and then some days things that’ve happened to me in the past sneak up on me and say HELLO YOU CAN’T IGNORE ME ANYMORE. Then I either one, get really great with my forcefield shield, or two I’ll stare it in the face and ask it what it wants. But I think people really think I don’t have bad days because I don’t talk about them, maybe I should start and share my coping skills. If it helps you to get push through the rough stuff, here it is.

Sometimes I feel like I’m my own therapist but really we all need a lil therapy so. Confidence is also a form of coping I think, we all cope with some deep rooted stuff that can really affect us whether or not we understand how damaged we are from our pasts or whatever is happening in our lives. And what gets me through is what I say to myself in my head (and sometimes out loud) which is that, no matter how tough it may be at that moment, 1) I’ve been through worse 2) the sun will come up tomorrow and be bright and shiny and saturate the world with all its happiness whether I like it or not and 3) I’m the only one who actually gets to decide what my life is. If it’s good it’s because I make it good, if it sucks ass it’s because I allow it to suck ass and I’m content with mediocre. And some days, honestly, I’m content with mediocre. Some days ya just gotta feeeel. Most days though, nope and nope.

If you see me smiling when I don’t want to smile it’s because I don’t like feeling sad and I feel sad a lot, it’s normal. That feeling can rush me out of no where and for no reason. Umm hello universe, can you take that energy and put it somewhere else, I’m down with The Secret so why the resistance. Sometimes I play in the mud but most days I swim in it just long enough to realize what it is that’s bothering me and why. Like is it an emotion or a thought, or is it a thought that I turned into an emotion? Most days after swimming in the muck though, it feels heavy, it weighs me down, and it’s just mooky… so I wash that shit off, smile because I can, and then I do a lil self care to change my attitude. Honestly, some days my chest feels so heavy with anxiety that it hurts to breathe, but it’s a reminder that I’m breathing, and if there’s breath left in my body I’ll fight because I’m a fucking fighter. And so are you.

I know I can get all woo woo on you but it helps me to share how I cope, it helps me to be transparent about emotions and seasons in life because that’s real to me and baby if it doesn’t feel real I don’t want it. That’s some kind of country song I just know it. If you know the song leave it below so I can give it another listen 😉

P.S. self care, therapy, medication, detoxing, all good things if you need it. And only you know what you need, don’t let society shame you for taking care of you. If you can’t take care of you then you can’t help take care of someone else and my number one secret to being Corrine’s mom is that I stay sane at all times. Sometimes that means I pop on here and ramble and sometimes that means I pop a bottle of champs and cheers my damn self.

You feel me on any of this? I think I moved away from confidence a bit, but again it’s a head space for me. Tell me about you. 

 

 

 

 

My morning routine and why you need one too!

by with No Comment familyfitnesslifestylemom lifemommy diariesmotivationreviews

This post was sponsored by Café Bustelo as part of an Influence Central campaign, however all opinions expressed here are my own.

I recently uploaded a video to my YouTube channel where I share with you some highs and lows I’ve experienced being a teen mom. I believe that so much of being a parent revolves around patience, understanding, and the desire to teach over the desire to punish. So much easier said than done when your emotions are high and your tolerance is low, I know. Though my Corriney is 19 years old, this mama is still very much a part of #TeamNoSleep!

Something I touch on in my video is the importance of setting aside time each day that is just for you. As a mom and a generally compassionate person, a lot of my time is spent making sure that everyone around me is okay. So much so that sometimes I forget that I need to do that for myself too, or I start to feel like the walls are closing in.

My morning routine, that’s just for me. I’m a coffee and carbs kind of morning person and I love waking up before anyone else does. There’s something really special about enjoying quiet, still mornings before the day begins. I’m up around 6am to doodle in my planner, prep for the gym, and set my intentions for the day over a cup of coffee and puppy snuggles. The pups love our morning routine just as much as I do because they get 100% of my attention before I run a muck for the day.


As a part of Hispanic Heritage Month, Café Bustelo® K-Cup® Pods launched at Target and I couldn’t wait to try them. They’re espresso style and just what I need to literally kick start my day- I mean I head to bootcamp before Joe leaves for work on most days. My favorite way to enjoy a cup each morning is cafe con leche style with warm milk, cinnamon, and sugar … oh and whipped cream!

During the week it’s a cup of cafe con leche with toast and eggs, something simple and fast that I can just run out the door with. On weekends when both Corrine and Joe are home, their favorite lately has been my huevos rancheros quinoa bowls! It’s spicy, protein packed, and delicious!



I didn’t know if my Target was going to have the Café Bustelo K Cup Pods but lucky for me they were easy to find- bright in color and displayed with the rest of the K Cup Pods. I’ve got to tell you, as a coffee connoisseur, I’m swooning over Café Bustelo’s bold flavor that I can still taste through the milk, sugar, and whipped cream I pair it with. It has this full bodied, rich flavor, that you can both smell and taste. I know that sounds a bit woo woo but once you’ve tried it you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about!

Do yourself a favor and adopt a morning routine that’s just for you, and however you take your coffee, try Café Bustelo! It’s available at Target in whole bean, ground, K-Cup Pods, instant, and brick, so pick some up and try it the way I have it each morning. You can get 10% off with the Target Cartwheel app, you know I love a great bargain!

I’ll link you to my video here, please Subscribe if you haven’t already, I have a whole series where I just chat mom life <3 You do you and get on a routine that’s realistic and manageable, and remember that mamas need a break sometimes too.

Do you have a morning routine? How do you carve out time each day just for you? 

 

 

 

 

schmidt's lavender and sage

Top 5 Natural Beauty Faves For Summer with Corrine

by with No Comment beautyhealthlifestyleskin carewellness

With summer upon us, the heat and humidity challenge us to find new ways to look and feel our best. Luckily, I’ve recently discovered some life saving products that keep me feeling, looking and smelling my best this season. Besides smelling great, they each come with an added plus: they are 100% natural and eco friendly. Each product listed below has been crafted from earth derived ingredients, which means no trace of harmful chemicals here! Not only are they perfectly suitable for all seasons of the year, they help you feel good and smell even better, all while sustaining the planet!

schmidt's lavender and sage

Schmidt’s Lavender + Sage Deodorant

I can faithfully declare that this is one of the few natural deodorants that actually work to successfully keep body odor at bay — and trust me, that’s saying a lot. I have conducted extensive research on effective natural deodorants, so I am pretty much a wiz at this stuff. Also a plus: It smells like fresh fields of lavender and is a perfect blend of both sage and lavender. The result? Magic. This is like wearing magic instead of deodorant. However, it is not an antiperspirant by any means which is the only downside. Fortunately it makes up for what it’s lacking in, in more ways than one. Schmidt’s is vegan, paraben-free, phthalate-free and cruelty free! Totally worth it if you ask me.

acure lotion

Acure Calming Lavender Body Lotion

It is important to note that keeping the skin hydrated in the summer is just as important as it is in winter! Seriously! Maintaining soft, healthy and moisturized skin is an extremely important thing for me considering I’ve been haunted by eczema since birth. Naturally, I was sent on an extensive search for an eco-friendly body lotion that smells good, calms my skin and keeps it real with natural ingredients. The formula is smooth and creamy, offering deep hydration all while rejuvenating dry skin and keeping the skin effortlessly aglow.

Weleda Skin Food

Weleda Skin Food

I love the way this smells and leaves my skin deeply moisturized and protected. My hands have a mind of their own and tend to get dry and rough whenever they feel like it. Use this on any dry area for deep moisture and antiseptic properties that calm irritation.

acure argan wipes

Acure Argan Cleansing Makeup Wipes

If you’re like me and at the end of the day think taking off makeup is too much of a hassle, then we’ve found our match. These wipes are gems because they are 100% biodegradable, vegan, sulfate free, paraben free, gluten free, cruelty free, and guaranteed not to clog your pores. I know, it’s a lot to absorb. They’re unscented so if you’re one of those that are sensitive to scents, look no further. Use them on your face and/or body to gently remove makeup, dirt, oil, glitter — whatever you need, they got your back. The argan oil infused in them are great for moisturizing skin and even hair. Nature’s products are all purpose!

 

meyers

Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day Handsoap
Lastly, we have a hand soap that is absolute perfection, I don’t even know how they do it. Technically this isn’t a beauty product, but I think it deserves some love. When I discovered this basil scented soap a few years back, it’s all I stocked my house with. It’s fresh, crisp and all around lovely. Eventually, I discovered that Meyer’s also creates candles, all purpose cleaners, laundry detergent, dish detergent and so forth out of a variety of their signature fragrances. The soap itself is paraben free and made with ingredients that are atleast 98% naturally derived, which is something I can get behind. From face to hands, it’s important to notice what you’re putting on your body!

I hope this tiny guide was insightful! Enjoy this summer season and don’t forget to take care of your skin — and the earth!

x, Corrine