brought to you today by, alignment.

It’s us again guys. It feels like we’ve been at this for ages. This feels familiar like I’ve been here before, like I’m exactly where I am supposed to be, doing exactly what I am supposed to be doing. What a feeling. The feeling of familiarity, belonging, comfortability, honesty, confidence, vulnerability. A feeling followed by a word typed on this page from my heart to yours. A feeling of the chills running down my body as I hear the clicking of the keys. A feeling of accountability and showing up for something I’ve set out for myself and my peers. A feeling of proof of character and a sense of self. A feeling of alignment.

The best thing about this blog is that the formula to achieve that alignment is through these everyday habits and choices that i'm sharing with y'all. These things of interest brought me closer to who I want to be and what I want. That is the key. I recently read a book that said “We do everything we don’t want to do and nothing we do want to do, what does that make us.” It struck a chord with me and fixed my mindset pretty quickly.

I was able to focus on the tasks at hand that would get me closer to the person I wanted to embody and the life that they would have. I was then able to identify with that persona. As I was living out that life that I was “working towards” I was doing the things one who wants that life would need to do to receive it. Until, it simply then became, me and my life. It wasn’t a facade. It wasn’t fake until you made it. It was simply desiring and setting out intentions behind those desires to achieve that persona and what comes with it. Ie the business success, the family, the spiritual maturity. I set my focus so much on those things and filled my days with them that it became my life and my truth. I grew in business, motherhood, and spirituality.

Sometimes I find myself in a scenario or conversation with someone who knew me before, and it is then that I realize the amount of difference in the posture of my heart. The ideologies being spoken over and the wisdom being shared find me not only proud in knowing the level of growth that has transpired over the last few years but, also optimistic about the levels to come in the years of life ahead.

If I have done this with this, then imagine what I can do to this with this. Is where my mind starts to go and then it just doesn’t stop. You’ve heard a lot of what lilmslit has to say. She spoke her mind loud and proud. Wrong, but loud. I am now here sharing what Harley’s mom has to say. It will have fewer catchphrases and fleshly fulfillment but the spirit will be fed and the fruit will be sweet.

Trader Joe Scores

Speaking of sweet. This week I am sharing a Trader Joe's gem. I think I am going to start doing this weekly. I am subscribed to Trader Joe's magazine so it gives me yummy recipes and store sales.

This week the star of the show is the Sumo Citrus. Originally cultivated in Japan in the 1970s the first sumo citrus was bred by growers who sought to combine the easy-peel nature of a satsuma the considerable size of a standard orange, and the enticing sweetness of a mandarin all into one seriously scrumptious super-fruit. In the years since the dekopan-- as it is known in its home country— has become a global sensation, beloved for its sweet, almost candy-like flavor, its charmingly craggy skin, and its signature, top knot-like bump. The sums you’ll find at Trader Joe's are grown in California's San Joaquin Valley, where the climate is ideal for producing the bumpy texture of its soft, loose-fitting peel. Then, after removing the peel, you’ll likely be struck by the ease with which its seedless segments come apart. Finally, upon the first bite, you’ll most certainly be struck by its marvelous sweetness and profound juiciness. You’ll also be struck by the value: two lbs of Sumo Citrus for $4.99. sumo season only lasts through mid-spring so be sure to pick up a bag soon your family will thank me later.

Web Design

Speaking of families I introduced the team at skintini a few weeks ago and my little cousin, Merek is our managing partner and chief editor. Not only does he do an array of daily tasks that have helped build this brand but he has created our website himself. He has coded anything that needs to be added and is learning the ins and outs of his organic talent. That being said I have already put him in touch with a friend of mine to help build out their vision of their website and I would love to do the same for you.

If you are launching a brand, rebranding, or just simply want to elevate your website send your inquiries to mh@skintini.com. While Merek is only fifteen years old he is responsible, talented, and headstrong. The kid knows what he likes and doesn’t like and school is one of them. I think his feelings about education will change later on in life knowing how knowledgeable he is. From the lessons life has taught me he just hasn’t found his interests yet.

Help me help you help me. I know where I would be in life if I had the confidence and focus that this will provide for him. Let his organic talent get your vision to where it needs to go for a fraction of the price that a web designer on Fivver is going to cost you. Let’s give the youth a sense of direction and provide them with opportunities to use their God-given talents and explore their interests. Let us show them what our parents showed us and what was somewhere lost along the way, that hard work, talent, and dedication will get you to where you want to go by making you be who you want to be. No one's coming to save you and the answer is not to go viral. It’s to humble yourself stick to your truth and work your way up. Through experience, education, and opportunities.

Merek is easy to work with, a light in this life, and a blessing to be had for you and your business. It is an honor to have him on your side and here at skintini we don’t know where we would be without him!!! -- Hey y'all it's me Merek editing the blog, thank y'all so much for supporting the business, y'all don't understand how much it means. 

Healing Frequencies

I can’t help but paint this picture of me sitting here on my back porch right now writing this for you. Not a cloud in the sky, Harley is running around, the terrace doors are open, the dogs are basking in the sun, my candle is lit, my chapstick is near, the eclipse is happening, and 432hz frequencies are playing. It is pretty vibey it’s about 1:21 pm and I’ve been at it out here since 9:30 this morning. I have found that listening to sounds at 432 Hz has a calming effect on the brain and nervous system. It can help reduce stress, increase concentration, and promote deep states of relaxation.

I used to play Max Richter for Harley when she was a newborn and it would put her to sleep. "On the Nature of Daylight” which is the second track off of Richter's 2004 album The Blue Notebooks, they have a cellist that resembles the sounds of a mother's heartbeat which is why it is so soothing for newborns. Some adherents to the idea of 432 Hz tuning believe that this “heartbeat” resonates sympathetically with music tuned to A-432, such that our bodies' atoms, thought waves and even our DNA respond positively as we listen.

Red light Therapy

Red light therapy is a healing technique that harnesses the power of natural light to improve health and well-being. It is an increasingly popular approach to treating a range of ailments, from skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis to mental and physical fatigue. The therapy involves exposing the body to specific wavelengths of red and/or near-infrared light delivered through low-level laser or LED devices. This type of light has been shown by scientific studies to stimulate energy production in cells, reduce inflammation, enhance mood, accelerate healing, and boost overall vitality.

Red light therapy is thought to work by stimulating the mitochondria in cells, which are responsible for energy production. This increased energy flow helps activate cell regeneration processes, improved circulation, and tissue repair, and increased collagen production — all of which can help reduce inflammation caused by skin conditions or injury.

My parents just got a new infrared light therapy machine that I have used a few times. I also have a red light therapy face mask that I like to use. Then I also use a red light in Harley girls room at night when I put her to sleep. I just use our hatch machine and gentle stream sounds to set the vibe for our nighttime routine. Not only does it calm her but I find it calms me so much that I am usually ready for bed myself by the time I put her down.

Cold plunging

I can’t speak on the direct benefits of red light therapy just yet because every time I've used my parent's new machine I have also done cold plunge therapy that day. Now what I CAN speak on is the array of benefits and relief you feel after plunging. If I could only do one wellness hack for the rest of my life it would be cold|hot therapy. Research on cold-water immersion has found evidence that it helps reduce the degree of exercise-induced muscle damage that can occur after physically challenging activities. Less damage leads to less inflammation, which in turn reduces soreness and helps restore physical performance the next day.

These benefits may be the result of rapid constriction of the blood vessels due to the cold water. The cold can trigger responses in your body, such as decreased metabolic activity, alterations in hormone production and blood flow, and activation of the immune system.

I feel focused, recovered, and relieved after plunging. Every single time. I start my days with this after a sauna or workout when we’re staying at my mom's. 10/10 just go do it. I have taken a couple of hot yoga classes at Haven Spa in Dallas and they have a plunge there that is BEAUTIFUL if I had a situation for Harley I would probably be there 5 days a week.

That’s all, for now, I was going to finish the Amazon hauls that I have just not gotten to do yet because of the rapid-fire that has been coming my way but, I have something special coming for y’all where I won’t have to do amazon link hauls anymore. Mr. Merek himself is getting us all set up with our very own Amazon store front. So be on the lookout for that.

Love you, mean it.