And just like that we back!

So lets talk about how long its been, I honestly thought I might never return to this little space of mine and what has surprised me a ton is I was viewing my analytics and was kind of shook to see how many people still pop by to see if there is any new content and for the lack of content  I truly am sorry and more importantly thank you for showing the love even after such a long hiatus. 

I guess the more pressing question will be why have I returned ? where the heck have I been? I know a few loyal readers do follow on instagram where I'm more into stories but something that really got me thinking hmmmmm (insert the hand on chin emoji) maybe I do still have something of value to share here and even with such a long hiatus at least a few times a week I get some sweet collaboration offers all of which I have declined based on the fact that I felt can I still call myself a blogger or dare I say it"influencer" this word makes me cringe a bit. 

Plus there is such a burning desire to find out what this new chapter will look like, fellow bloggers can relate to this you go back into the archives and like you just more evolved or there is moments you are like gees I forgot how much I enjoyed this hobby there is a lot of memories that is captured in this beautiful blog world.

So with all that said , I look very forward to creating more content for you and me and thank you very much for visiting the blog today.

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Art is therapy

Hi all,

I'm so thrilled to be sharing  this fun collaboration. I have been saying for ages I wanted to brighten up my bedroom. I wanted a fresh new vibe to my very classic all white bedroom with nude accents. Finding the perfect pieces for such a sacred space is often daunting but with the awesome people of Photowall its was easy peasy lemon squeezy. 

The process was nothing shy of seamless. The choices were endless, but the site filtered beautifully to what you were searching for whether it was countries, colour, posters, wall murals... all available in 48 hours delivered to the comfort of your home.

I chose the beautiful Santorini church. It included the gorgeous crisp white aesthetic I adore but was vibrant enough to be very different and a breathe of fresh air.  Putting it together took less than 30 minutes. With perfectly explained directions.  Needless to say I highly recommend them to meet your decor needs.

Let me know what your thoughts are on the piece I chose.

Till next time

xo 

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Top tips for successful breastfeeding

So I absolutely love breast feeding but my first few weeks were not all that easy. Breastfeeding was pretty hard for me. From not having a milk supply to the sore cracked and painful nipples that occurred for weeks after. But once I got into it and had moved passed the first few weeks I was in heaven.

I was the crazy lady pumping and freezer stacking. I was all in. Since then I have been taking it a bit easier. So before I officially stop breastfeeding I decided let me share my absolute top tips with you.

My first tip is so so crucial, don't stress about not having a milk supply immediately. Its not a sure sign you will never have milk. I was one of those moms who had like zero milk for days post birth. I was given the option to receive an injection to help me produce milk (I can't even remember what it was) but 3/4 days later and I was on my way. So assuming you a breastfeeding mom these are some of my top tips for a blissful breastfeeding journey.

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I took a mini social media break, this is what happened.

I have been finding myself totally addicted to being on my phone, basically living vicariously through Instagram and YouTube. It eventually dawned on me that I wasn't actually present in my actual life. I wasn't achieving my goals at a pace I really needed to. So I basically started a weekend phone off promise to myself.Starting this past weekend.

How did I manage? well keep reading.

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Why grapeseed oil has joined my beauty collection

If anyone opened my beauty stash they would think I'm beautaholic. I'm always on search for the holy grail that doesn't kill my shoe string budget.. I'm a new mom I don't have that carefree budget anymore.

So when I read up about a 60 year old model Yazemeenah Rossi who was all about using grape seed oil for her hair along with an organic life, I obviously had to get my hands on some. The benefits are endless, anti aging, great for my semi oily skin and for growing out my hair.. Remember I instagrammed and snapchatted about the hair disaster ( don't worry I still plan on posting all about my tips and tricks... I've been nesting).

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Why my gratitude list is my sanctuary and why you need your own...

No one is ever positive 24/7, its human nature to find yourself chilling in your sorrows. I've been there, done that, worn and owned that T-shirt.This is where my gratitude list has come in very handy. Not only does it force me to acknowledge my blessings. It gives me the pick me up I need. Realizing each day I have 10 things that is amazing in my life is a real kick up the ass to not be a Debbie downer.

Its such a simple life habit. Yet it makes all the difference. 

The best part is it doesn't have to be some huge fancy list. The daily blessings are just as important as the huge accomplishments. There is nothing too small to consider when it comes to being thankful.

This is actually the beginning phase of the law of attraction and manifesting ones dreams... But that's a post for another day.

So how do you go about starting your own gratitude journal?

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Maternity pictures and little chit chat

Its been a while, I feel like for the last year I have been saying that very frequently at the start of every post. I apologize for that...

After giving birth I at first had this insane sense of urgency... get fit, blog, get "normal" again. But in all honesty it was merely the most impossible thing to me, huge applause to the moms who bounce right back but that was NOT me. My little Matteo was feeding every one and a half hours, I was barely sleeping and I have been basically running on reserve for 6 months. Its been crazy. So I made the executive decision regarding my life, no blogging until he is eating semi solids and I can sleep train him. I will be brutally honest, I felt like I failed myself. You need to understand  I have worked on my blog for years, there has been many many late nights invested into this site of mine and I had many goals that had a sell by date. Not to mention I wanted to be that instant fit new mom but I seriously just couldn't do it. 

I swear more often than not I was new mom stalking. Comparing us on the most tiniest details ...oh she left the house, oh my gosh how did she snap back so freaking fast, oh my soul is she really the queen of multi tasking, it was endless and exhausting. Then I had this major epiphany after getting a instagram dm from another new mom wondering how on earth I found the time to still be active on social media. It was then that I realized we all just post our triumphs, our highlights and the real stuff happens to ALL of us behind the scenes. I started easing up on myself and really started to live in my new mom moments. 

You sometimes just need to have a serious talk to yourself. "Listen woman you are human, you just brought a whole new human into this world... chill the f out."

Anyway 6 months later, my baby is eating semi solids, I officially start sleep training him today and I feel ready to dive back in.

I decided to start back om the blog bus by sharing some of my favorite pregnancy pics which was taken by my friend Helen. Every time I look back at these pictures I smile because I can vividly remember how huge I felt. How the time was drawing closer and I was starting to feel very freaked the f out. The idea that soon I would be bringing home a little human was consuming my every thought. Today I feel like the luckiest person in the world.

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The best skin care tip ever!!!

Let me set the scene for you.

Its two days before a beauty event and I wake up to the angriest, feistiest rash on my chin. Like red, sore feisty. I literally tried everything in my box of tricks that comes to mind for calming skin down and nothing seemed to work.

Let's call this chin rash Debbie aka Debbie downer. Debbie was mad you guys, like just got fired from her dream job for something she didn't do mad. Usually I turn to Bentonite clay for my skin emergencies when all else fails. I basically had a big goop of clayish green on my chin for 24 hours. Debbie was still there and the b-clay seemed to just infuriate her more.

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My holistic approach to kicking anxieties ass!

Hi my name is Meghan and it's been 1 month since my last panic attack!

These words are so joyful to me, I have severely suffered from anxiety since 2010 . I was on pills, I went to therapy, I tried so much and still couldn't cope. Living a numb life was not for me either I thrived to feel in control! When actually thinking about it I knew I had to share these tips with you guys because I know how disturbing anxiety it can be. 

These are things that assisted me but please note anxiety is different from one person to the next so do ask your doctor and see if these methods will assist you. My approach has become more holistic over the last few months and that's what has seemed to help me.

Just for a quick background on me I suffer from PTSD and social anxiety even walking in a mall would get me feeling light headed. Over the years the symptoms got worse and even attending small gatherings were daunting. Its been a nightmare really. Thankfully for the first time in ages I haven't had the numbing panic attacks, only slight heart racing but these tips usually get me grounded in a few short minutes.

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Read this when you over being single

Among my friends I seem to be the "how can I meet someone" expert. It's kind of flattering to be honest. I will admit I'm not one to live a lonely life for long after any breakup and my advice does assist in building your new brand. Because the best part of breakups is you leave knowing more about who you are. Most of the time it's about the fear that there isn't much out there, like you basically in a drought or single desert that keeps you single. That is so far from the truth. 

Understand this if someone as amazeballs as you found yourself single, there must be even more amazing people in the same boat. By the way my advice works for my fellow introverts too because I am an introvert and I refuse to apologize for it. If you a Kourtney I got you covered babe ;) 

If you curious about my seriously sage advice here are my 5 top tips:

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Chocolate mug cake that's too delicious to be healthy... but it is!

Is there anything better than guilt free desserts? wanna eat dessert for breakfast  go right ahead, wanna have cake for a snack... uh yeah! Its literally a game changer. The minute healthier options are available and you don't feel like you basically punishing yourself eating clean works. I am a huge believer these days in, transform your favorites into healthier options and enjoy them!

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10 Things I wish I knew before I started blogging

The blog life is one major misconception. Whenever I even mention I am a blogger the looks are like wait whaaat even though bloggers are everywhere these days. Everyone outside of the blog world thinks running a blog is the easiest thing ever. While I can openly admit the blog life is one fun little world, the work it involves takes hours to get right especially if blog growth is what you working for. Content creation starts and ends way before sitting at your computer and did you know spreading word about your blog is more than just posting?

If you a blogger I can already see you nodding your head.

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Must read books of the month

It goes something like this...

The weekly (South Africa) load shedding scenario, you literally without power, most times without warning and if you anything like me nearly out of battery on your laptop and have a long evening of boredom ahead. So you know what I have started doing ? I have started treating it like the universe is forcing me to have a  world off moment.

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10 Crazy household and beauty tricks I have learned in my life!

I probably love tips and tricks like any good old housewife... even though I am not one. With the years the tricks have become more cray cray and I still cant help but love it. This post will be divided into 2 sections... cleaning & beauty.

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8 Reasons being different rocks

Way to often I see people try to fit a mold. You see hair trends come in and we all leap out our seats to try it, even though we know from experience that mohawk look will never suit us. We are on a constant journey to fit in. So this is my statement today STOP TRYING TO FIT IN. Being different is absolutely awesome. You might be wondering why I chose 8 reasons instead of 10 or 5 well 8 is my lucky number. So here you have is y 10 8 reasons being different rocks...

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