• Self Care

    Micro Self-Care

    Today, I am talking about something that is super easy to do and can really help you out in the long run. It’s micro self-care. I know a lot of the time when I think of self-care I tend to think of things that can take long amounts of time that I just don’t have everyday. Examples are getting a massage, taking a bubble bath, doing a face mask, and reading a book. While all of these things are awesome and I do love to do them, I don’t have time to do something like that every day. Micro self-care is something that you can complete in seconds to minutes. They still prove to be very helpful.

    Here are some examples: 

    • Listen to your favorite song
    • Eat a fruit or veggie that you enjoy
    • Spend a few minutes meditating
    • Go for a walk around your building or block
    • Go for a bike ride or skateboard around the block 
    • Send a text to someone you appreciate
    • Read one page of a book you are reading 
    • Take in three deep breaths
    • Write down three good things that happened in the last 24 hours 
    • Take a 3-minute break from whatever you are doing
    • Drink a glass of water
    • Make your bed

    Remember no one can take care of you the way you do. Make sure to put yourself first for self-care, it is so important. Self-care is not selfish; it is a necessity. Self-care can help us to better care for others. It’s like how they say on the airplane safety video, “Place your mask on first, before helping others.” 

    Please let me know in the comments below what you thought of this post. Also comment any ideas about micro self-care that you can let others know about.

  • Workouts

    Free Online Carbon38 At Home Workouts

    Hi Everyone!

    Today I am shouting out one of my favorite brands, Carbon38! They have been so supportive of their team since the beginning of these stay at home orders. I am part of their team and they put together a really fun challenge to keep us busy.

    They have also been putting TONS of free at home workouts on their Instagram live! You can do them live with the instructors or just visit their IGTV section. They are so much fun and there is a lot of variety. They have everything from HITT workouts to Yoga to Pilates. I have included the link to their Instagram to make it easier to find.

    https://www.instagram.com/carbon38/channel/

    One of my favorites is Randi Graves’ Fully Body Pilates. Not only is this girl super sweet, but she really knows how to get your muscles activated. I linked her workout right below.

    If you are interested in getting a discount on Carbon38’s website just use code “HAYLEYSWE”. I really like their stuff; it is very high quality. You definitely won’t be disappointed. If you are a fitness instructor or fitness blogger, you should apply to be part of Carbon38’s team. They have team events that are a blast and you can meet many like-minded people.

    I hope you loved today’s post, please subscribe below.

  • Products I Love

    Incredible Indo Board

    Hey Everyone!

    Today, I am going to talk about one of my favorite things to do during this quarantine, balancing on my balance board.

    I got my Indo Board after seeing one at one of the She Shreds events that I went to. Everyone was obsessed with it and I only got to try it once that night. I was hooked. I got one a few months later and I absolutely love it. It’s really fun to do but it also has some awesome benefits when you use it. Some of the benefits I have found are helping with balance, helping me to stay fit, and keeping me distracted from negative things that are going on.

    I have definitely noticed that my balance has improved after using my Indo Board. I love this because I need good balance and stability to ride park. If I don’t I can get hurt. Working on balance is always a priority to me. Indoboard.com states that “good balance and coordination are key elements for enjoying everyday activities. Everything from just walking to serious sports participation, requires balanced coordination.” I think that good balance is important for everyone.

    I don’t know about you guys, but I am struggling to get my fitness in each day without the gym. I am used to a lot of weight training and I don’t have a lot of the equipment available that I am used to. I have been having to get very creative. The Indo Board really helps you to build a strong core. You cannot have balance without it. Indoboard.com states that a strong core is the foundation of balance and stability and can help prevent falls and injuries during sports or other activities. Balance Training creates a strong connection of the core and its ability to control the arms and legs when instability is encountered in any situation. I love being able to use my Indo Board and have fun while still getting in a workout.

    I know many of you can relate to feeling overwhelmed during this time. Exercise can really help to relieve some of the stress we are feeling. Exercising releases endorphins into your body which combat stress. Using my Indo Board I am constantly distracted since I am focusing on trying to balance. I think that it is so nice not to think of what is going on around us.

    I have included the link below to amazon, where you can purchase the same Indo Board as me or find another design. If you don’t want to spend that kind of money, you can find another brand or even DIY one.

    Thanks for reading, I hope you loved today’s post. Let me know in the comments below, what you think.

  • Healthy Meals

    Honey Garlic Shredded Chicken

    Hey Everybody!

    Today’s recipe is one for honey garlic chicken. I love this recipe because it is tastes so good and it’s fairly easy to make. I got the idea for this recipe partially from Pinterest but have altered it over time to make it healthier. This is another recipe for the Instant Pot.

    This recipe generally takes only about 30 minutes from start to finish.

    Ingredients

    1 lb. Chicken Breast (thawed)

    ½ Cup Honey

    2 Tbsp. Soy Sauce

    3 tsp. Brown Sugar

    1 tsp. Onion Powder

    ¼ Cup Ketchup

    2 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil

    4 Minced Garlic Cloves

    3 tsp. Cornstarch

    ¼ Cup Water

    Additional: Jasmine Rice and Broccoli

    Instructions

    1. Set you raw chicken breasts in the bottom of your Instant Pot and season with salt and pepper.
    2. In a separate bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, brown sugar, onion powder, ketchup, vegetable oil, and garlic cloves. Mix well and pour over the chicken.
    3. Put your Instant Pot lid on and set your Instant Pot to the Meat Setting on High Pressure for 15 minutes.
    4. While your chicken is cooking, start your jasmine rice and steam your broccoli.
    5. Mix your water and cornstarch together.
    6. Once the 15 minutes is up, quick release. Remove your chicken from the Instant Pot and shred it.
    7. Add your cornstarch and water mixture to your Instant Pot and change the setting to Sauté. Mix until slightly thickened. (About 3-5 Minutes)
    8. Return your chicken to the Instant Pot and mix with the sauce. Serve with rice and broccoli.

    I have learned a few tips while making this recipe that I would love to share with you. Shred the chicken with your KitchenAid if you have one, it’ll make your life so much easier. If you have someone to help you, one should shred the chicken, while the other is mixing the sauce. Don’t use frozen chicken, it won’t taste nearly as good and may even burn (speaking from experience). If you like a lot of sauce or want to put it on your broccoli you can double all of the sauce ingredients.

    I really enjoy this recipe and I hope you do too. Let me know what you think about this recipe in the comments below. If you love this please subscribe as well! 

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  • Self Care

    Social Distancing Self-Care

    Hi Everyone!

    I know that self-care can often be one of the first things to go while we are under stress and boy this is a stressful time. Self-care is SO IMPORTANT. Don’t do that to yourself. Today I am going to introduce an idea of how to get some self-care in AND potentially make a positive impact on our environment.

    My idea is picking up litter or trash while you go on a walk. You can do this almost anywhere. Of course, you will keep your 6-foot distance from anyone that you may encounter. I personally did this the other day and it felt so nice. Not only was I getting some fresh air, but I really did feel like I was making a difference. After only about five minutes, I had filled an entire bag full of trash. I looked around the area and it looked so much better. Just think if everyone did this, how much cleaner our environment would be.

    I know some of you might think this is a great idea, but maybe you aren’t allowed to go outside. In Utah, for now, we have no such restrictions. I honestly don’t personally know of anywhere with that strict of guidelines, but I have heard rumors. If you do have something like that, or just prefer to stay inside, you could clean out something you’ve been putting off. This will help to keep your mind busy and help to relieve stress when things go back to normal. It won’t be looming in the back of your mind anymore.

    In closing, please stay home if you can or away from groups of people. Only go out for errands that are absolutely essential. We really can make a difference by doing this. Staying away from others WILL save lives. We will get through this.

    Thank you so much for reading. Please subscribe below if you enjoy my posts.

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