girl talk, Health, Life, Lifestyle, Parenting, Wellness, women

Top Ten Ways To Find Your Zen

October 4, 2017

With the school year underway and relaxed summer routines becoming not-so-distant memories, many of us have to try harder to carve out time for ourselves and search deeper to block out the buzzings around us. The grind of drop-offs, work, pick-ups, activities, specials, dinner, homework…wash, rinse, repeat…gets to even the most pain-tolerant of us.

Meditation is the discovery that the point of life is always arrived at in the immediate moment. – Alan Watts

Below is a list of the top ten ways to find your zen.

Create a playlist- find the songs that put you in your element. I listen to a variety of music so mine contains anything from classical to hip hop. I use my headphones and tend to multi-task at home. I also play it in the car after the kids have been dropped off. Have you checked out Chick Radio yet? Subscribe to our channel, we update our list often.

Take a walk – I find my zen walking through the aisles of Target or Home Goods…alone. I may not purchase anything but I enjoy the solitude and without being beholden to a shopping list and a tight time frame. The same can be achieved walking outside, snow-shoeing (for the more adventurous), and biking.

Devour a book- Nothing takes you away and warms the soul like a good book; one that makes you lose track of time and makes you look forward to the next chunk of free time in your calendar. This month, my book club is reading a thriller set aboard a luxury cruise line called The Woman In Cabin 10, nothing like a thriller to create an alternate reality in your mind.

Drink to it- Not alcohol, I’m talking about a nice relaxing cup of hot tea or hot chocolate. Perhaps milk with tumeric or cinnamon. I have a spice blend I’ve created that I add to either black tea or warmed milk and it puts me in my zen state. Try the chicks favorite, Frontier Organic Fair-Trade Chai!

Get organized!- Spend five minutes every night organizing your thoughts for the next day, crossing things off your list for the day and double checking your calendar. Nothing takes you out of your flow than a disorganized rush in the morning.

Create a mantra- Create an affirmation that motivates and inspires you and repeat it when you wake up, right before bed and any other time you need it! Check out our Affirmations Board on Pinterest for ways to stay calm and stay positive.

Learn to say “yes” – Say yes to dinner with your friends, or to your child when he asks to play hide-and-seek Those events allow you to be present and break up the routine. Also, connecting with others simply feels good.

No guilt – You know the phrase “Life’s too short…” The cliche is actually rather profound. There’s no room for guilt. And with that, I’ll leave you with another one of my favorite quotes “Isn’t it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?”

Disconnect! – Make it a habit to set a time every day to disconnect from all electronics. Start with five minutes and don’t be surprised if you find yourself increasing that time 🙂 You’ll cherish it. See our post about what you are missing when you are on your phone.

Laugh!!- What better way to feel relaxed than by feeling happy? Try something silly, learn a new dance, tell a joke. Get in touch with your unabashed-ness of your youth when you laughed more than you worried! If you have not already read The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*$k, do yourself a favor, and pick it up!

Cheers,

Serene

Your Brainy Chick

friends, girl talk, Lifestyle, Motherhood, women

Social Media: Friend or Foe

September 27, 2017

A busy Saturday — filled with running errands, soccer games, and catching up on household work from a crazy work week. In all relief, I settle into bed early to tune into the latest crime show I missed. After all, the kids are tucked away in bed and my husband is out — I’ll take advantage of this time to myself. I decide to play on my phone first…which I later regret. I stumble across a post that I’m not a part of…that I was never meant to be a part of. I brainstorm and think hard — was I invited to this outing and never saw the invite or replied back? I slowly realize that this post establishes the fact that everyone was invited but me. I come to the harsh reality that I have been left out from this group of “friends.” The group that would have routine outings and I was once a part of have now firmly stated their stance and that I was out.

I feel a moment of uncertainty. I feel almost 12. I feel a moment of rejection. This moment was just that though…just a moment. I quickly realize that it’s okay — I’m okay without that group. That group was full of toxicity anyways and maybe I’m okay without being invited even though the harsh cut-off did bruise me.

I brush off my feelings and focus on the positives I have going on…I have the friends that think of me and would think of me first when organizing an outing. I am grateful that I have friends that do keep my feelings in mind and would never cut me out like this. I have friends that would be enraged at the thought of me sitting here in distress feeling left out of a little outing.

I go back to watching my crime show feeling like a mature adult — opposite as to how I felt moments ago. I realize that it’s okay…after all, not everyone gets invited to everything and this moment makes things clearer than ever for me. I’m at that point in my life that every day should be lived to the fullest and not to be wasted on feeling lesser than anyone or anything.

The thing is, that I’m an adult and I have the life experiences to cope and get over these situations. Will I have feelings and emotions, yes but I also can get over these things better. I worry that my children and children I know aren’t there yet (see our post on Teaching Children Compassion). They don’t know how to cope and get over the feelings I just experienced. Social media hadn’t existed when I was growing up. There was no way of knowing an outing was going on with so and so. I wasn’t exposed to the evilness that some people have started using social media for — as a weapon. More and more I am realizing that people are using social media to get back at others or to show off their friendships and outings. Social media isn’t always being used as it was intended for which was to keep people connected.

I use social media. I actively post social gatherings and special moments. I love keeping up to date with the ones closest to me. I enjoy the pictures and memes shared on a daily basis. While I’m somewhat horrible at keeping up with correspondences, it does help me keep up with my friends and families’ lives.

Lately, I have made the conscience decision to refrain from posting anything that could intentionally or unintentionally hurt anyone. I do post updates about my kids, articles I find interesting, or even my tidbits about life from time to time. I do intend on posting special events — but not to get back at anyone, but to celebrate friends and family. I don’t feel that posting a picture when I’m out, knowing very well that someone is not included will make me feel better about myself. I don’t feel that purposely showing off to make others feel worse is the point and I won’t fall for it.

Check out this video that speaks to Why Fake Friendships are Ruining You Life!

What are your thoughts?

Your Brainy Chick,

Komal

Fashion, Lifestyle, Travel, trending, women

Dressing for the Fall is a Hobby!

September 20, 2017

Fall means brisk mornings and chilly evenings. Colder weather also means layering which means it’s time for just a few of my favorite things: cardigans, jackets, and sweatshirts! Having grown up in the Midwest, pairing boots with hats and scarves has always been a hobby of sorts.

Layering is not only a cute fashion statement but one with high functionality. We make sure to layer up our kids when they go outside — but when it comes to ourselves, we fall into patterns and bad habits of reaching for that old over sized cardigan from years ago! Lucky for all of us the trends this fall have our back, having both comfort, fashion, and practicality in mind.

I took me 5 years, but I FINALLY found an army green jacket that I can jive with. At Rebecca Minkoff right now, there is a lot to love. My newest purchases for this year includes a camouflage Rebecca Minkoff jacket that is just right. It is warm and gorgeous and the silver studded detail that makes just enough of a statement. If I leave the house in basics like all black (aka the Chicks Uniform), this Minkoff jacket makes it seem like I am having fun with it.

The LOVE sweatshirt, also by Rebecca Minkoff, is trendy and comfy. Somewhere along the line I missed the ‘retro’ look trend, but this year I scooped this up. This sweatshirt is a must for getting that cute #streetstyle look, I paired this look with my three-year-old-and-still-rocking Stuart Weitzman OTK boots.

Lastly, since denim is ALWAYS trendy, this long denim jacket by Akira is just edgy enough that a mom can still rock it without feeling overly conscious. If you are in Chicago, you are lucky enough to just be able to walk into this amazing local boutique, but for the rest of us, we can go online, shop this jacket here.

You don’t have to stop there either. Belts over outerwear and scarves make layering so much more dynamic and functional, I will attempt a post with a few of those looks next month. Resist the urge to grab for those old sweaters, and see if you can “UMPH” up your closet. Try starting with some of these outerwear pieces that you can wear over and over again.

Cheers to being cozy!

Rina

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food, friends, Lifestyle, Party, Recipes, women

Easy-Peasy Hosting Tips

September 13, 2017

Looking ahead to fall and the holidays its crazy to think that 2017 is wrapping up and my calendar is already booked! Still when the holidays come around, I get the bug to get my friends and family together over food and fun. Growing up, my Mother taught me a lot about how happiness and memories can become attached to things like eating together. Every effort put forth to make a meal ‘special’ was always acknowledged. Along the way, I picked up a few quick and effortless tips that I use time and time again. These tips are meant to show my guests how much I appreciate them. So with the help of some old school tricks from my Mom paired with the genius hacks of Pinterest (check out our Party Board), here are some dinner party secrets that will make hosting a breeze.

Keep your Liquor Bottles, ALL of them
Piggy backing on the mason jar trend, old bourbon, tequila, and scotch bottles make for great variety and décor on a table top.

Keep it Simple and and Natural
There is nothing like the fragrance of fresh flowers and greenery from the yard. Yep, even if you don’t think you have pretty bushes, you do! With the help of some candles, ALL (yes, all) greenery livens up a table top. Bring the outdoors inside whenever you can. Setting the tone with earthy additions to your décor is trendy and familiar.

Don’t get Overwhelmed
I love either stocking up on readymade family dinner items from the grocery store or catering for a get-together. I have found that catering from a restaurant that you may think is expensive can often times be cheaper than eating there. Make a budget and get a few quotes, I think you will be surprised. Bear in mind that by outsourcing the cooking you stay focused on the decorating and presentation of the meal. Hosting a potluck is another great way to use food as an excuse to bring people together — and cut down the effort you need to put in!

Borrow Don’t Buy
I have made the mistake for years of buying decor for my dinner and cocktail parties, but now I have done away with a stash of decor that I have used over and over again. I borrow items like chargers, runners, and vases from friends and even scoped out a local antique shop that was cool with me renting a few trays for centerpieces (it can’t hurt to ask…right?)

Going the Extra Mile Without Losing your Mind
For a dinner party, I take the extra 5 minutes (literally 5 minutes) to print out the menu onto paper. Then cut the printed paper into narrow sheets, and tape them around the napkin to create a more formal feeling to the evening. Labeling the food is a quick way to feel fancier and show your guests you made an effort.

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The combination of glass bottles, earthy accents from the yard, a proper table setting, and relaxed atmosphere is truly the backbone for a perfect evening. Sometimes, I will hire a bartender and created a signature drink for the evening. Speaking of, if you have not tried a French 75 yet, I highly recommend ordering it on your next date night. We used the recipe from Epicuious to get the party started.

I know hosting can seem overwhelming when you decide to do it. Making a list of things to do and crossing one thing off a day, you won’t need more than two weeks to comfortably throw a fun dinner party where you can focus on the most important thing of all: time with loved ones.

Cheers,
Rina

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