Disney Summer Routine

One of the biggest requests I get is to share a full day routine at Disney. I’m so excited for today’s blog, because I’m going to give you the most in-depth, beautiful, Disney summer routine that I could ever give you! I love sharing the real life/Disney balance. I’m going to take you through everything, from a day at the parks to a full date day. We’re going to Disney adult it up. Let’s go!

We started our day at Animal Kingdom. We had breakfast at Rainforest Café, it was a vibe! We rode the Dinosaur ride, because I panicked and was scared it would be the last time I ever got to ride it. There’s a rumor going around that it’s closing, and it’s my favorite ride! I got a little bit nostalgic and emotional about it, but I think I’ll probably be able to ride it again.

Later, we headed over to EPCOT. We had lunch at one of our favorite pizza spots, Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria. We checked out the Moana water feature, and rode The Seas with Nemo & Friends and Living with the Land rides. The other ride we really wanted to go on was Test Track, because that one is definitely closing for a huge renovation. It was hella warm outside, but amazing! After lunch, we headed back home to work on some special work projects, including our latest planner collection, Make Life Magical. It’s my favorite, and the nicest collection we’ve ever done. I know I say that every time, but we keep upping the ante! The collection has all the shine and all the glitter. Plus, the covers are reversible!

The next day was date day. We had breakfast at the Four Seasons, then went to the spa and hung out at the pool there. We were completely unplugged! I was able to get through a good chunk of my latest book, The Teacher, which was amazing. We went home to get ready, then back to the Four Seasons for dinner at our all time favorite restaurant, Capa Steakhouse. It’s on the rooftop, and it’s so romantical and fancy. We capped off the night with cocktails in the treehouse at home. We had a lovely day, and it was honestly exactly what we needed!

The day after date day, I went into full work mode. This is the not-so-sexy part of Florida. I went live for my Instagram subscribers, and Andre and I had a BBQ lunch at home. I blasted some Disney music on the patio and took product photos for our new collection, then got back to writing the new workbook I’ve been working on. I also got in a nice yoga & stretch sesh by the pool. That’s one of the things that we try to balance here. Yes, we eat like children sometimes, but we still try to get our workouts in, keep up with our supplements, and all of that.

Speaking of supplements, I just tried a new one that is phenomenal. It’s a turmeric shot! For me, I take it when I’m feeling overstimulated, anxious, or chaotic. It also helps with recovery, immunity, and sleep. It basically just chills you right out and makes you feel very zen. The main ingredients are magnesium and turmeric, and it also has cinnamon and ginger in it. It’s giving pumpkin spice! I prep mine in mini tumblers, which are the most ridiculous but most used purchase of the year. They’re the cutest little things! I use a frother to blend them all up, pour them into the tumblers, then line them all up in the fridge to grab and go. I love it!

Once I finished up work for the day, I put on Encanto and got my planner all set up. It felt really good! One of my goals for this month is to paint and create more. I thought it would be cool to use the frames that are already in our Bambi room, but replace the artwork in them with something I’ve made. What I’d like to do is get some canvases that I can roll, paint at home in Canada, and bring them back to Florida. That way, it’s a little DIY project for myself, hits one of my monthly goals, and checks something off my home project list. Winning all around!

Then, I went through all the treasures I’ve gotten recently. My friend Sam gave me a Hedwig owl from Harry Potter, and it’s the best thing ever. The other thing our friends encouraged me to get was Animal Crossing for my Nintendo Switch, so I could be less stressed than I am when I play Zelda. Zelda does not bring me peace! I also got a new mini umbrella for my phone. I love love love the one I already had, but this new one is a little bit more intense because it has a reflective side and it’s longer. I know it seems stupid and like the most ridiculous purchase (which it is), but my gosh have I used it. It’s another one of my most utilized purchases of the year!

Post-planning sesh, I went through my skincare routine. I do it once a day now, unless I’m feeling zazzy. I started my skincare journey a little bit less than a year ago, and I feel like the biggest difference has been the puffiness under my eyes. Game changed! I use eye cream every single day, then I do The Extreme Cure spot treatment. It’s made such a difference on my dark spots, because mine come out to play in the sun. Last, I use the cream. Basically, I don’t wear makeup unless we do a full date night, then it’s fun rather than a chore.

That night, we hit up Disney Springs, which is another one of our favorite spots. We did a little bit of shopping, had drinks at Splitsville, and dinner at Terralina Crafted Italian. Then, we wanted to check out the new drone show, Disney Dreams That Soar. I originally thought the show would be viewable from anywhere in Disney Springs, but the viewing area is near the food trucks, where the big balloon is. I think Disney missed on this. It was VERY crowded, and I don’t like crowds; they make me anxious. What we ended up doing was walking around to the Saratoga Springs side to watch the show. There was no one there, and you can still hear the music, not perfectly, but you can hear it. It was magical!

Another question we get asked a lot is, “does it get old going to the parks, seeing the fireworks, etc.?” No, it really doesn’t. The magic is not gone! I wasn’t sure myself how it was going to go. It’ll be three years this month since Florida has been our part-time home, which is wild. We absolutely love it! I think one of the biggest things we’ve learned is to not go too hard while we’re there. We go about every two to three months, for three weeks. When we used to go and stay in a hotel, we would be there for a week to ten days, and just go HAM. You can’t do that for three weeks… I mean, unless you’re a superhero! It’s just a lot. We’ve learned that our favorite days are the ones that just happen by coincidence and we go wherever the wind takes us, or those when we lay low and enjoy each other’s company by the pool.

To cap it off, hopefully this gave you a good view as to what our life/park balance looks like while we’re in Florida. I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but it is ours and we love it. It’s our real lives, and I love sharing them, imperfect parts and all. Thank you for coming along for the ride!

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How to Overcome Your Fears & Stop Caring What Other People Think

I want to dive deeper into something that we don’t always shine enough light on, and it’s often the reason we stop ourselves. That topic is fear. My biggest fears were always of judgment, and what other people thought. I want to share some tips with you about how to overcome that big fear, and stop caring what other people think. These tips are some that I’ve implemented in my own life. I’m a completely different person than I was, and I truly think it’s due to an accumulation of all these things over time! What I hope you get from this is letting go and releasing all the negative thoughts you may have cooked up in your head.

Let’s get started!

Tip #1: Grow Yourself

The first tip I have for you is to grow as a person, whatever that looks like for you. For me, that was getting healthier and fitter. I needed to feel strong, not just in terms of muscle, but as a human. To me, that meant doing my workouts, and that changed me completely. The other portion of it was growing the health and strength of my mind. I know that sounds like something out of Star Wars, but what I mean is working on personal growth, becoming more confident in the way that I think, and having more positive thoughts in my life. I let go of listening to the news and all of the negativity around me. I started reading books that would teach me something about myself, help me set goals, and help me grow. If you need help identifying your goals, check out My Dream Life Blueprint Workbook. It’s an interactive workbook that will help you gain clarity, overcome negative thoughts, and figure out exactly what you want in life.

Think about how you want to grow yourself. Maybe you start a workout routine, or start reading one book every month that helps you grow in whatever category of life that you want. Maybe that’s confidence, communication, or goal setting. The opportunities are endless! The more you grow, and the more you work toward getting better, the happier you will be. The happier you are with yourself, the less you’ll care what people think.

Tip #2: Know Yourself

My second tip for you is to be grounded in where you stand. This comes with time, but I’ll tell you how to get there. It’s having a super clear reason why you’re doing something. Maybe you have a side hustle that you’re obsessed with and super passionate about, but everyone around you thinks you’re crazy (that was me). No matter what people say, you will always stick to it. Now, how do you get that level of conviction? You have to have a clear-cut “why;” a reason greater than any reason to give up, or any reason to listen to someone else’s opinion on the matter. For me, it was to have a greater sense of purpose and impact in the world. I didn’t just want to go through life floating, and I knew that I was destined for more. The other reason was that I wanted to contribute to my family. At the time, I felt like I wasn’t contributing anything. The first big “why” I had set for myself was to afford a vacation for my husband and I. These are the things that kept me going. When you have that level of clarity and the right values, you know at your core that you’re doing the right thing, so stick to it.

If you have trouble figuring out exactly what your purpose is and what you want to do, I recommend checking out the book Find Your Why by Simon Sinek. Your purpose is SO important. It’s your reason for being. Whatever your big goal is, why are you pushing so hard to work toward it? Figuring out that big reason why is what makes you stick to your guns and truly not care what other people think.

Tip #3: Your Top People

Surround yourself with the right people. You know the people that raise you up; the ones you hang out with and then think, “that was so awesome.” I can proudly say that I’ve discovered in my 30+ years on this planet that less is more. I would rather have one or two really amazing best friends, than 20 mediocre friends. I know that if I need my best friend, she’s going to be there, no matter what. It took me 28 years to find her, so be patient, and be picky with who you choose to surround yourself with. You may have heard the phrase, “you are the sum of the five people you hang out with most,” so choose wisely.

The opinions and negative energies you might be getting can come from all different angles, and sometimes the ones that cut the deepest are the ones that come from the people we love the most. I’m not saying you need to cut anyone out of your life, but you can try to limit your exposure. You don’t always have to be around them. If it’s your spouse, try to help them grow as well. Get them into a workout program or encourage them to read a book to help them feel happy about themselves, whatever that looks like for them. Help them grow with you instead of growing without them.

Tip #4: Dream Bigger

This is my favorite tip, and it’s to dream bigger than things you ever thought possible. That’s my motto! It’s Disney-esque, but it’s really how I think about life. If anything was possible, what would you want to achieve? I create a vision board every single year, and keep it in front of me on my desktop or inside my planner, so it’s always top of mind. Looking back at the boards I’ve done in previous years, things have happened that I never thought possible. It’s because I look at my dream board every single day. It’s at the forefront and I’m attracting that to myself. You make things happen that are in front of you.

This also grows confidence because when those things start happening, you say, “yea, I did that!” Even if you might feel like it’s small, you did that. You wanted that and you made it happen. All of these things start to grow your confidence, and play into you caring so much less about that fear that holds you back, because you know deep down that you can crush it.

Tip #5: The Magic Solution

The last tip I want to share with you is the automatic abolishment of anxiety, fear, feeling judged, and all of the negative feelings that we feel. I read a book called The Subtle Art of Not Giving A F*ck, and it helped me so much. It’s about how we get anxious, then get anxious about feeling anxious, beat ourselves up about it and fall into a downward spiral. How can you crush those thoughts in five seconds? With gratitude. Gratitude is one of the greatest tools you have. I started using blank pages in my planner to keep a gratitude journal, and it completely shifts my mood. Give it a try by writing down three things that you’re grateful for every morning or every night before you go to bed. You’ll be shocked at how quickly it can turn your mindset around!

Another book that helped get me into this gratitude mindset is called The Magic, and it’s all about the power of gratitude. In the book, you can go through different gratitude challenges every day, and it’s so cool. That completely changed my world. When you focus on gratitude, you’re taking the focus away from negative thoughts, the things you can’t do, and all of the opinions of the world. Instead, you’re focusing on what you’re grateful for, and what you do have. I think that is so important, especially nowadays when we think we don’t have enough and need more. When you’re grateful, you realize that you have everything you could ever want.

The last thing I want to say on this topic is: why would you ever listen to someone’s opinion about you and the life you should be living, if you wouldn’t want to live the life that they’re living? If they’re not living your dream life, then don’t take on that energy or those opinions. It’s not what you want, it’s what they want. They can do them, but you do you. Don’t focus on what everyone else thinks should be painted for your life. You have the paint brush, and you paint the painting of your own life. It’s as simple as that!

I hope this was helpful and that you got some tips you can implement in your life. I also want you to remember that you’re never alone in fearing what people think. I love having these heart-to-heart chats! If there are any tips you have, I’d love to hear them in the comments!

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Fitness Motivation: 5 Tips to Success

Something I get asked all the time is how to create fitness motivation and stay consistent, so today, we’re going to do just that! Before we get started, I’d like to get real for a second and say something you might need to hear. If you are able to work out, then you shouldn’t be taking that for granted. You should love the body that is allowing you to work out, because some people would love to be in your shoes. No matter how hard or terrible your life is, there is someone out there wishing they had your life. I just wanted to put that out there as we all need that reminder.

It’s no secret that I love living life and having a good cocktail. I don’t like deprivation or feeling as though I’m going to the extreme and swinging the pendulum too far in one direction. I feel like that’s actually just a rule for life! Any time you restrict yourself in a certain way and you’ve swung one way, that will let up eventually, and you’ll swing hard in the opposite direction. If you can find a balance between being happy and healthy, then your mind will be the healthiest. In turn, that will yield results. I truly feel that happiness equals progress. If you speak negatively to yourself, your body is going to say, “cool, game on.” I’ve been there. However, if you are progressing in your life and feeling good about what you’re doing, you will always be your happiest. When you’re at your happiest, your body will respond by achieving what your mind believes.

What I want to share with you is my 5 “S” Steps to Fitness Success. These are the steps I took on my own fitness journey, and they will give you some insight into how I see fitness motivation. I promise, this isn’t some weird gimmicky “you can do it” type of thing. I just want you to know that if you struggle with working out every day, you don’t have to be perfect or have the perfect setup.

Let’s jump into it!

1. Set-off Spirals & Triggers

What I’m talking about here are the things that you know set you off or make you spiral out of control. The first step is identifying what your triggers are. For me, 5 PM was a big trigger. When 5 PM hit, I knew in my mind that it was cocktail o’clock, so I wanted a cocktail and all the snacks, just out of pure habit. Maybe for you, on your drive home from work, you stop by McDonald’s. Maybe on the weekends, you order food instead of cooking at home. It can be anything!

The next step is figuring out how to replace that trigger with something that makes you equally as happy, or even just balancing it out. Try to flip the script! I aim to replace my triggers or make them as happy as I can, without the health side effects. The perfect example is cocktail hour. I’ll make a mocktail in a fancy glass and put some healthier snacks on a fancy plate, and that makes me just as happy! Pro tip: Most of the time, what we love about salty snacks is the crunch. You are so satiated by the feeling of the crunch, that if you replaced chips and dip with something like raw carrot chips and Greek yogurt dip, you would be just as happy. You might think I’m crazy, but try it! Now, to be clear, I don’t deprive myself of cocktails and unhealthy snacks altogether; I’m just more mindful of how often I’m having them, because I know they don’t make me feel great internally.

2. Supplements & Quick Fixes

I don’t mean this in the sense of taking a bunch of random stuff to possibly get a quick fix. I actually mean the opposite. If you’re lacking in physical exercise or proper nutrition with the hope of just taking a pill, drinking a special tea, etc., you’re doing yourself a disservice. What you could be doing in taking those things is hurting your body and setting yourself back, instead of doing the thing that might seem harder in the moment.

In terms of motivation, what this means is that you won’t feel defeated when you try to work out and get the promised results of said pill, but you don’t get those results because of the damage you’ve done to your body. It’s also about not putting it all on this one solution. You know deep down the only solution is going to be hard work, balanced nutrition, and sweating it out. There is no such thing as a quick fix.

In terms of supplements, figure out what works for you. What’s been working for me is pre workout, collagen, and probiotics. Sometimes I take a specific vitamin if I’m not feeling well, but other than that, I keep it really simple. I think there is something to be said for that! You don’t have to overcomplicate it or have it all under control knowing what to take and when. I just think you need something that’s legit and not some sort of magic pill. Once you find that, just be consistent and make it a part of your daily life.

3. Schedule & Calendar

Having a schedule is everything! What I want to share with you in terms of your schedule is to make sure you're scheduling time with yourself. If you have a friend, spouse, or someone that’s saying “hey, skip your workout and let’s go for drinks,” it can be tempting to just go ahead and skip it. I used to do this all the time! To break that habit, in order to not continuously skip my workout, I would just say, “I have an appointment.” Do you know who the appointment is with? It’s with YOU. The reason why I have something on my calendar every single day is because I believe that every single day you should either sweat or stretch, even if it’s just a five minute amazing rollout. I use the schedule in my Daily Grind Planner to block out that time each day. It's scheduled time for me, with myself, to just chill out and focus on nothing but breathing and doing my workout. I’m telling you, it’s therapeutic, and people that do it, know it. Schedule the time with yourself, and you’ll be that much more consistent with it.

You’ll also want to have a calendar to follow along with to make it easier to wrap your head around, and you’ll know in advance what you’re going to be doing each day. Last but not least, don’t forget to keep it fun! Keep it fun, keep it consistent, and you’ll get into a habit that you won’t want to skip! Bonus tip: Use a habit tracker to start tracking your workouts. Seeing that habit come to life will get you that much more motivated!

4. Support & Fit BFF’s

I have heard from so many people that they have a hard time staying motivated. Sometimes we have spouses, family members, or others in our lives that are not supportive of our fitness goals. Luckily, I have a great husband who has always been supportive, and values health and fitness. However, I have felt it from friends, family members, and even just being on social media. I think the best thing you can do for support is to find a little planet of people that will hold you accountable, cheer you on, and just get you. Create a buddy system where you check in with each other. Maybe that’s with a group you meet up with in person, or maybe it’s a virtual friend on social media. If you don’t have that, find it, because that support and accountability is everything! Having that little planet of people is worth so much more than you might realize, especially when you might not have it elsewhere. I know that it was for me on my own journey!

5. Systems to Start

I believe in having a system to follow so I know that every single day when I press “play” on my workout, I have a spot to go to. The way I do it is by blocking my work and making it excuse-proof. Everything is on my phone, so the workouts are performed through an app, and they can go anywhere with me. Get in, get it done, and get out. Cutting the excuses and putting your health first is SO important.

Figure out how you can make your workouts excuse-proof by seeing what your blocks look like; that way there’s a breakdown of what you’re doing, and it’s clear in your mind. Then, figure out where you’re working out and what equipment you need. Have it all laid out, so you can limit the moment where you’d say, “umm… I don’t know about this.”

To recap, fitness motivation comes down to learning about your set off’s & what makes you spiral, your supplements & good hearted nutrition, scheduling time with yourself, surrounding yourself with people that will support you anywhere, and having an excuse-proof system in place. When you have all of these details in order, you'll be confident in knowing that you can get it done, and you won’t stop yourself from starting.

We needed to have a real talk, so I hope this helped you get some motivation flowing. Feel free to drop any questions you might have in the comments. I love you, and I’m always cheering for you on your fitness journey!