 Interviewing Brittany felt like chatting with an old friend. When I think of a chiropractor a stuffy old man in a white coat comes to mind and certainly not the welcoming demeanor of a modern tattooed woman with gorgeous red hair and a nose ring. This woman is not only a wealth of knowledge but her fast Chicago talk and empathetic nature will make you feel at ease upon meeting her. While Dr. Brittany nerds out and throws down some intimidating medical jargon, she also finds a way to easily explain in an array of analogies to the unprofessional. It immediately made my own experience of pregnancy and postpartum more clear. Get ready because this interview is FULL of information. So sit down with a cup of coffee, rub that pregnant belly, and nerd out to the knowledge bombs Dr. Brittany is about to drop on you! Here is just a smiggen of the information shared and a general overview of what we talked about: The 3 T's of stress our body goes through on a daily basis: Thoughts/Emotional Stress Trauma/Physical Stress - aka growing a baby Toxins/Chemicals Your body goes through 500 changes while pregnant! This information blew my mind - chiropractic care can help conceive! The area of the spine we are constantly bending at while looking at our computers or phones affect our fight or flight mode. If your body is in constant fight or flight mode and you don't know how to turn it off, then your body is not going to care about making a baby. An imbalance in the central nervous system can lead to difficulty conceiving. An adjustment allows your nervous system to communicate to your reproductive organs. Many women are opting for birthing center and home births instead of a hospital during COVID. A chiropractor can help restore pelvic balance, allowing you to birth easier and avoiding an emergency c-section. The analogy she gives using a hot air balloon to describe your pelvic anatomy and how to keep the balance is worth a listen! The consensus of everyone's physical and mental health during COVID is that we are in a constant state of fight or flight mode. We are experiencing a heavy dose of the 3 T's: Thoughts: Our brains are becoming activated now more than ever with 24/7 news feeds, which is causing heavy emotional stress. Trauma: The general lack of physical activity is causing stress. Many people are sitting more or sitting in an non-ergonomic chair while working from home. Sitting is a stress. Toxins: Everyone is using chemicals to clean and disinfect which is killing the virus, but it is also harmful to our bodies. Chiropractic care is not a treatment for pain. It is simply a catalyst to allow your body to deal and function as it should. Did you know babies can be adjusted? Research shows that many babies that experience a traumatic birth can later lead to issues such as ADHD due to the lack of central nervous system communication. Chiropractic care can also help with breastfeeding, colic, and retraining babies how to eat after tongue tie revisions. Chiropractic care is only one peice of the puzzle to your prenatal self-care routine. It is not a treatment, but the catalyst to allow your body to function properly. So find what vibes with you. Find a self-care plan to help bring your baby earth side safely and easily. RESOURCES: Easier birth with fetal positioning. Use this site and videos to improve fetal position (breech, transverse, posterior) and birth. Reduce the chance of cesarean. www.spinningbabies.com Provides emotional, physical, and educational support to those who are under-supported through the birth experience. http://www.givingaustinlaborsupport.org/ VISIT DR. BRITTANY AT PEA POD FAMILY CHIRO and don't forget to join her Live for Stretching Sundays on her Instagram! FIND YOUR COMMUNITY - LEARN HOW TO TAKE YOUR OWN MATERNITY PORTRAITS, AND TREAT YOURSELF TO A DAY OF SELF CARE WITH PRENATAL YOGAClick the button below to find out more information on the Maternity Portrait and Self-Care retreat: a virtual workshop that guides you how to take maternity self-portraits, includes prenatal yoga, a private FB group, and much more!   Today I am sharing an interview with my favorite Austin Doula, MY doula, Jess Edwards of Honey Bird Doula Care. Jess was the first and only doula I looked into for the birth of my daughter, Josephine. I followed that new mama intuition and just knew in my gut she was the one I wanted to jam with! Get ready because right away we start the interview with wondering if we are allowed to say the F word. I have never done an interview before so this is uncut, unedited, pure question and answer! HERE WE GO! Jess is a mama of 3 and a birth and postpartum doula. She is your advocate, she is your support, she is your birthing coach! I share my own experience during birth with her by my side and how invaluable she was not only to me, but my husband..
Visit Jess at Honey Bird Doula Care FIND YOUR COMMUNITY - LEARN HOW TO TAKE YOUR OWN MATERNITY PORTRAITS, AND TREAT YOURSELF TO A DAY OF SELF-CAREClick the button below to purchase the Maternity Portrait and Self-Care Retreat: a virtual workshop that guides how to take maternity self-portraits, includes prenatal yoga, a private interactive FB group, and much more!  As an outdoor photographer, my style is very boho wild, casually-cool girl. I normally recommend loose natural curls and dewy minimal makeup for your shoot. However your preference for makeup and hair, I recommend a professional hair and makeup artist to feel flawless. Here is a guide on how to prep for your hair and makeup session and the questions you should either be asking yourself or your HMUA should be asking you before beginning a style you may not vibe with. The goal is to feel your absolute best, but still feel like YOU! I would hate for you to look in the mirror and feel completely uncomfortable and out of your element when it comes to your hair and makeup. Number One Tip: Moisturize. Moisturize. Moisturize. This is key to building a great foundation for your makeup to sit on. Make sure you are hydrating and drinking plenty of water in the weeks leading up to your photo session. Avoid high fat, salt, and greasy foods. Try to stay out of direct sunlight if possible to avoid sunburn and dry skin. Arrive to your hair and makeup appointment with a clean face. Depending if your hair is dry or oily you should arrive with freshly cleaned or day old hair. Make sure it is fully dry upon arrival, Bring a robe or a button down shirt to wear during your session. This way you will not mess up your hair and makeup when taking it off. Also NOW would be the time to lose the bra, underwear, and hair tie from your wrist so any imprints will disappear prior to your shoot! If you unfortunately have a pimple the day of your shoot poke a hole in an Advil liquid gel and apply it to your pimple before applying makeup. This will reduce redness and inflammation. Another thing to remember Photoshop and makeup cannot fix tired! Get your beauty sleep! Questions to consider: How is your skin? Oily, dry, or combo? Does your foundation start to cake from dryness or do you get greasy fast? Dewy or matte foundation? Dewy foundation is better for natural lights and matte foundation is better for a studio shoot. These answers will help the makeup artist know the correct foundation to choose Let your makeup artist know that your makeup is for a boudoir shoot and since you show more skin your neck and chest foundation should match to give an even and streamline look. Do you normally contour your face? Do you prefer a dark lip or lip gloss? Do you like your eyes to pop? Start light with application and build on that. How do you normally wear your hair? Do you curl toward or away from your face? Do you like a beachy wave? Do you prefer straight hair? Where do you normally part your hair? Start to Pin hair and makeup looks to your boudoir Pinterest board to show your artist for inspiration and guidance. Remember these images are simply for inspiration and that your artist should know what colors and styles would flatter your skin and hair type best. PIN THIS GRAPHIC TO YOUR BOUDOIR PINTEREST BOARD TO EASILY REFER BACK TO BEFORE YOUR SHOOT!  Being an entrepreneur is hard enough without having to do the same tasks over and over again. Templates are a LIFE and TIME changer. You can watch the 5 minute tutorial video below or you can follow the step by step guidelines written. 1. Open Photoshop 2. Open Your Stock Image 3. Make a new layer 4. Click the Rectangle Tool on the left-hand side of your tool bar. 5. Make a rectangle inside the area you are wanting to drag and drop your future image. 6. Hit Command + T to readjust your rectangle if needed. Click and hold the command key to adjust the anchor points of the rectangle to be exact with your placement 7. Right Click your rectangle layer and click "Convert To Smart Object" 8. Save As your future mockup template as a PSD file. 9. Now you are ready to drag and drop any image into the rectangle you just made! 10. After you have inserted your image. Click and hold shift while you are adjusting your image to fit. Making sure to hold SHIFT will keep your image proportionate while adjusting the crop. 11. Right Click your image layer and hit "Create Clipping Mask" 12. Adjust as needed by hitting Command + T again. Make sure to hold down shift while you are cropping. 13. BOOM DONE! PIN FOR LATER  1. WATERMARK IMAGESEven though a watermark can easily be cropped out, it might be a deterrent for some. 2. DISABLE RIGHT-CLICK SAVE ON YOUR WEBSITE. Copy and paste this code into the <BODY> section of your web page. If you use a Weebly website, paste this code using the "Embed Code" builder tool onto every page you don't want your images to be saved. This code is from DynamicDrive.com <script language=JavaScript> <!-- //Disable right mouse click Script //By Maximus (maximus@nsimail.com) w/ mods by DynamicDrive //For full source code, visit http://www.dynamicdrive.com var message="Function Disabled!"; /////////////////////////////////// function clickIE4(){ if (event.button==2){ alert(message); return false; } } function clickNS4(e){ if (document.layers||document.getElementById&&!document.all){ if (e.which==2||e.which==3){ alert(message); return false; } } } if (document.layers){ document.captureEvents(Event.MOUSEDOWN); document.onmousedown=clickNS4; } else if (document.all&&!document.getElementById){ document.onmousedown=clickIE4; } document.oncontextmenu=new Function("alert(message);return false") // --> </script> 3. COPY AND PASTE THIS COPYRIGHT TEXT INTO YOUR WEBSITE AND SIDEBAR OF YOUR BLOG© [Full Name] and [Blog Name], [Current Year or Year Range]. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to [Your Name] and [Your Blog Name] with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. 4. GET DMCA PROTECTIONRegister with DMCA.com and embed a badge into your website. PIN FOR LATER 
Last week I wrote a juicy blog post packed full of information and tips on money mindset. If you didn’t catch it, I encourage you to read it here.
Let’s talk about your boudoir investment. When pricing photographers some women may experience sticker shock. I know I did for my first boudoir shoot. I purchased my session through Groupon and when it came time to purchase an album I was NOT expecting the price tag. Like any luxury purchase, a boudoir shoot is a substantial investment. Especially if that photographer is skilled at posing, lighting, editing, etc. There is a big difference between cost and value. It is the VALUE OF A BOUDOIR SHOOT THAT MAKES IT WORTH THE COST. It is important to find a photographer that you connect with, who’s photoshoot style that you love, and see yourself feeling comfortable with. I know I am not just your photographer. I am your teacher. I use nature and boudoir as tools for you to unplug, find clarity, confidence, and strength. That is why I consider an outdoor boudoir shoot a necessary luxury. With a boudoir shoot, you will feel less stress from unplugging. You will feel confident and sexy in your body. You will find strength through pushing past your fears and anxieties about having your photo taken. You will find clarity in what is important to you through breathing fresh air in nature. All these things are of value and far outweigh the cost. A king-size bed for example. My husband and I never anticipated our baby daughter co-sleeping in our bed. He slept on the couch for close to 6 months before we invested in a bigger mattress. I won’t remember my wallet hurting handing over the credit card. What I will remember is building a stronger connection between my husband and myself, waking up every morning together and experiencing our daughters smile first thing, and holding close the fleeting moments before she grows too big to snuggle. A boudoir experience is worth it because YOU are worth it. Some women have told me it is life-altering. They have quit their jobs, relationships, started new adventures and fell in love with themselves. The resulting images, a big piece of wall art is a reminder of that life change. A reminder that you are a badass beautiful woman. If cost truly is a deciding factor upon you booking a shoot, payment plans are available. Some women will book a year in advance so they can budget accordingly. My Struggle Is Real And I Have a Feeling Yours Is Too Money. Eeeeek! It can feel like an icky subject, but why? In fact it is the framework of everything we have in our lives. It allows for us to have a home, eat, go to the doctor, grow our families, etc. It is easy to think negatively about it, mainly the feelings of greed or scarcity. But money doesn’t have to feel that way! Instead of feeling stressed of never having enough or hoarding it out of lack, you could feel gratitude for having it in your life and empowered to make and spend it. Money is neither good or bad. It is simply a neutral form of energy used as a form of exchange. 5 minutes, the time it takes to drink a cup of coffee is all you need to start shifting your money mindset. Keep reading. Money Mindset: We are all familiar with the negative feelings around money, myself included. Stress over having enough to pay bills, counting out change in the drive-thru, fear of running out, anxiety over loans and mortgages. Yes, I HAVE and DO experience all of these feelings. There are ways to overcome all these negative feelings surrounding money. My Negative Money Mindset:Our feelings of money are often shaped by the way we were raised, the relationships we keep, and the career choices we make. I have always struggled in investing in myself, whether that be taking out a student loan, purchasing a newer and reliable vehicle, or even getting my hair cut and colored. I am currently in my journey of overcoming a scarcity mindset. I can happily tell you through A LOT of work in the past 2 years I am more easily and freely exchanging my dollars for things of value that far outweigh the monetary cost. In the last year I have invested in a dishwasher that frees up more time for my family, a king size bed that strengthens our connection as a family and provides better rest, a doula that supported me throughout my pregnancy and birth, an online course to further my business education, a dog trainer that bettered our home life quality, and a birth photographer that captured priceless images of my daughter being born, among other things. All were investments. All were not cheap, but I have never once regretted the cost or suffered because of it. Not only was my life made fuller, but I supported others through my investment. There is enough money to go around. What you emit, attracts. The old me would have done without these things and struggled because of it all because I was living from a place of scarcity and fear to spend money.  So How Do I Change? Journal: write down money goals, big and small. Not just what you want to purchase but HOW that purchase would make you feel. Read: I recently read Jen Sincero’s book You are a Badass at Making Money. It is packed full of hilarity and ways to overcome negative money mindset. Gratitude: Have long term money goals, but also live day to day and appreciate what money does for you now. Catch the negativity: Instead of feeling guilty or having buyers remorse when the bill comes. Flip your thinking of what that money just provided for you. A healthy meal with friends? Feeling sexy and confident from a new haircut or photoshoot? Create Space: Remember money is a flow of energy. If you are all blocked up by a cluttered home, a full calendar, a long to-do list then that energy has nowhere to go. Go outside. Breath fresh air. Clean up your home. Delegate to-do’s. Say no to the things that don’t excite you. Attract Abundance: Remember money is a GOOD thing. It allows you freedom, health, richer relationships, happier lives. There is PLENTY of it to go around so welcome it into your life, give thanks, and believe that you are worth it! This is not a destination, this is a journey. A journey I am still on and will always be on. Investing in yourself whether that be school, a new haircut, or a boudoir shoot, remember that the value of joy, confidence, clarity, etc far outweigh the cost. "The Value Of Joy, Confidence, Clarity, Etc Far Outweigh The Cost."I hope this inspires you to reshape your mindset around money and investing in yourself. Set aside your fear and attract what you are worth! Because you are worth it!
 Outdoor boudoir is a whole different animal. The traditional boudoir poses just don't do here. And outdoor boudoir is so much more than being sexy and seductive in your lingerie. Over the years my style of boudoir has been described as "Free People". Yes Free People has become an adjective for my style of boudoir photography. Inspire was created to nurture a woman's femininity, strength, and spirit. It is flirtatious and wild. It isn't about seducing men. It is about seducing life. So I am sharing MY favorite poses. This is boudoir unplugged. Flirty Hair PlayMany women don't know what to do with their hands during a photo shoot. I always encourage to play with your hair. Zhuzh your hair to add volume and texture. Wrap your ends around your face. Slightly graze the ends with your fingertips. Dance and shake your head! Be playful, fun, and flirty...okay and a little sexy too. 
Bottoms UpOh the booty shot! Every client wants at least one good photo of that ass! Instead of the traditional bent over provocative booty shot that you might see in studio boudoir, I love to keep my clients standing and feeling free. I will tell you to put your hands above your head while you dance to music, or to put your fingers through your hair. I will direct you to cross your feet and push your hips and butt toward the camera while also standing on your tippy toes! Since high heels aren't in your normal outdoor boudoir wardrobe, standing on your tip toes will create the same booty lift effect. Warning, your lower back will hurt! But it will be worth it!
  The Closeup - hands by the chin and mouthNot only does putting your hands by your chin and mouth give you something to do, it creates a flirty allure. It brings attention to your lips where the power of your voice comes from...and the occasional sexy kiss. :)
Shooting OverheadI love this variation of the close-up portrait because it gives me a chance to play with your hair - maybe put flowers all around you   The CenterfoldOkay so this pose is a little more traditional to a studio boudoir shoot. I like this pose because it emphasizes the hips, zhuzhes the hair, and shows off the boobs. It also makes a great centerfold for your album! 
GracefulI wouldn't really call this a pose, but capturing graceful movements. If shooting in a body of water, I encourage clients to bring a long dress or kimono. Not only will the fabric give you something to do, but it captures femininity.
 Okay there you go! Those are some of my favorite poses when I shoot outdoor boudoir, but certainly not limited to! Make sure you pin this for reference before your own boudoir shoot! PIN IT FOR LATER!  Client to photographer relationships are just like any other relationship. You have to not only trust each other, but be able to freely communicate and establish a comfortability with each other. Boudoir client/photographer relationships require an even deeper relationship then most. As your photographer I will be witnessing some very vulnerable parts of you, physically and emotionally. Boudoir IS nerve wracking already, then I go ahead and add the great outdoors! Yes, you will be in the elements getting your portrait taken in as little or as much clothing that suits you. Women have real insecurities, myself included. Having a camera pointed right at you doesn't make it any easier to overcome them! Girl, this is what an Inspire Boudoir experience is for! I give you the tool of nature to calm your nerves and begin to be present. I add the tool of boudoir photography to not only help you face your fears and begin to own the incredible woman that you are, but to document this momentous adventure you are going on. Lastly, I have one hell of a playlist that will help you feel more comfortable! So here are 6 ways to build trust with boudoir client: 1. Have an authentic online presence. Most of my boudoir clients come from seeing me on Instagram. Not only do I post lots of work from my portfolio, but I post from my personal life. My clients already know I have 3 dogs, that I am married, and what I like to do on my free time. There they can see my Instagram stories of my every day and behind the scenes from shoots. Through my personal stories and images, trust is already beginning to be built. They get a sense of who I am before they even decide to schedule a consultation. 2. Have a pre-boudoir shoot consultation. We meet for a pre-shoot consultation to get know each other face to face. We meet to go over your boudoir shoot expectations. I ask you lots of questions regarding your intention behind your shoot and your why. But before we get down to business about your boudoir shoot, we just sit and talk! "SHOW THEM THE BACK OF THE CAMERA"3. Help with client wardrobe and overall tone of their boudoir shoot. During your consultation, I will pull up Pinterest and we begin to brainstorm! This is the fun part! We pull inspiration on location, what to wear, and overall feel of your boudoir photography shoot. Here we are already making you feel more comfortable, as your excitement rises! 4. Have one hell of a playlist! My clients range from early twenties to late forties for the most part, and all can relate to my 1990’s - early 2000’s r&b playlist full of Nelly and Ludacris. I sprinkle in some Queen B too! During your shoot we have dance parties. You begin to loosen up while we party, adventure, and take boudoir photos. 5. Tell them to just breath and guide their poses. Often boudoir clients and overall photography clients do not know how to pose their body or relax their face. My trick is to tell my clients to close their eyes and take a deep breath. As they breath out I tell them to open their eyes and I take their picture. 6. Show them the back of your camera. This is my biggest trick to build trust with my boudoir client. After I take their photograph, I show them how they are looking on the back of the camera. They can’t believe that is really them! It builds their excitement and confidence and they trust that I am making them look their very best. I also use this trick to compare poses. Sometimes poses aren't very comfortable to get into, but they look good! I show them the back of the camera so they can have proof that it is all worth it!   Our world thrives on quick fixes. There is a magic pill for absolutely everything! What if you could not only prevent underlying symptoms of fatal illnesses, but also reduce your body from going into overdrive mentally? Imagine a treatment that is readily available and cost absolutely nothing. Nature Therapy is the treatment of going outside in nature to heal. Studies conducted in many parts of the world, including Japan have shown a correlation between green spaces and lower mortality rates up to 12%. "The percentage of green space in people's living environment has a positive association with the perceived general health of residents," concluded a Dutch study of 250,782 people. Inflammation is the body's response to an outside threat like spraining our ankle, stress, and toxic chemicals. Since city dwellers are surrounded by toxicity and the busyness is a constant stimulator of stress, our bodies response system goes into overdrive and instead of inflammation keeping us safe it starts to cause auto-immune diseases, depression, and cancer. Our bodies start to attack itself. Early phases of research in Japan has shown a connection between nature and the making of anti-cancer proteins in our body. The boosted levels of these proteins can last up to seven days after a long trip in nature. By taking long walks every day surrounded by trees and slowly breathing in fresh air, your body will be able to fight off cancer causing toxins and mental stress. Your mental health is also directly correlated to your physical health. Studies have shown that mental clarity was greatly improved just by looking at images of nature. When mentally stressed your body physically tenses causing headaches and fatigue. Without proper sleep your body cannot heal. So before you pop that Tylenol PM, try taking a free walk, breath, and relax. Your body will thank you.  EXPERIENCE THE LIFE SAVING EFFECTS OF NATURE BY ATTENDING THE WILDLY INSPIRED BOUDOIR & YOGA RETREAT THIS FALL 2017CLICK ON THE IMAGE BELOW FOR INFORMATION   “Pretty is as Pretty Does” Boudoir photographers have a reputation that is our job to make you feel beautiful, to make you feel empowered and strong, and sexy. Well, I disagree. It is not on me to make you feel a certain way. IT IS YOUR JOB TO MAKE YOU FEEL BEAUTIFUL. It is my job, as the photographer, to bring you the tools and the experience to look within and realize who you are, what you are capable of, and how you feel. The work is all on you, lady! I won’t lie, it is WORK to overcome the societal standards of what beauty is and what your life should look like. Trust me, I am working on it every single day. I know it is not as easy as it seems to just accept or believe YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL. You have to show up for yourself and the what you care about in this world. It is easy to blame the modeling era and the perfectly tanned skin of all the wanderlust girls on Instagram, but truth is we do not give ourselves enough credit of all the good we do in the world. We are usually to busy bitching and comparing ourselves to others to even realize it! Plus beauty is subjective. Our looks WILL fade. It is inevitable. So, what we have to look back on in this world and within ourselves it what we did and how we made others feel. Those habits and actions are beautiful. The work starts here: 1. Start a journal. Writing out all your thoughts, feelings, fears, all the ugly dark shit deep within ourselves. Write it all out! Because we cannot truly accept ourselves if we are to busy judging and trying to ignore, and cover up the dark and ugly parts. Truth is we are all imperfect beings. As soon as we accept we are imperfect is when we start to feel beautiful. 2. Sit in silence. Feel the sunshine on your face. Breath. These very very small moments inyour day to day will begin to snowball into making a huge impact on your life! 3. Feel gratitude. Feel gratitude that you woke up this morning. That you have clean clothes to put on. Feel gratitude for how good your shampoo smells. Right away it may feel hard to feel gratitude for how your life and physical self looks as a whole, but if you feel gratitude for the little things they begin to build one beautiful world. 4. Eat healthy. If your body feels good, YOU feel good. You look good and perform good. 5. This goes with number 4, EXERCISE. I started to really get into physical fitness to look good! I wanted that flat stomach and an amazing ass, but as I got older I realized how important it was for my body to function properly. When my body is operating like it should, then I feel and look beautiful! 6. Do something for someone else. It is scientifically proven that the happiest people in the world are those that act and give to others. Happy people = beautiful people. 7. Small gestures count too! Hold the door for someone. Pick up a small piece of litter in the parking lot. Pick up a stray dog and find its owner. Small gestures to you, are BIG to others. 8. Talk kindly about others. 9. Sit with reality. Right now I am in a place where I dream of BIG things. I want so many things and I complain or feel frustrated that I don’t have those things yet, which makes me angry, judgmental, and resentful sometimes. What I am slowly realizing through hard work is that I have everything I have ever wanted. I am exactly where I am supposed to be and God has granted me what I wanted in this world. I was just to busy bitching and looking to closely at my life to see the bigger picture. I made 2 columns. Column one was everything I wanted in life. Column two was writing out what I already had and was thankful for. The more I wrote the more I realized my 2 columns were matching up! Now is my life perfect? Of course not! Do I yearn for more, to grow, to dream bigger? YES! I am sitting with my reality though and it is beautiful. 10. SMILE! Here is where an Inspire Boudoir shoot is beneficial! Nature is the tool that calms the mind, frees your anxiety, and makes you feel beautiful. Your boudoir images are a documentation of the tranquility and inspiration you felt being in nature. That’s inspire boudoir! A simple reflection of just how beautiful you really are! It is a reflection of all that hard work to ignore societal standards and stay true to yourself.  FEEL BEAUTIFUL AT THE WILDY INSPIRED BOUDOIR/YOGA RETREATCLICK THE IMAGE FOR WEBSITE AND DETAILS   1. GET BACK YOUR SEXY!You were a woman first. A woman with swag and sex appeal. You were a woman before you were a mom and now that you are walking milk dispenser for tiny humans, it is easy to forget that you were once that sexy woman. So grab your favorite set of lingerie or that dress that makes you walk a little taller, and book yourself an outdoor boudoir shoot! 2. IT WILL ALSO BENEFIT YOUR KIDSNot only is it easy to forget you are a sexy woman, but it is easy to forget your initial hopes and desires when you are caring for kiddos. An outdoor boudoir experience taps into nature's powerful ability to remind you of who you are at your core and inspires you to take that experience home with you! Your kids will see this shift and will also be inspired to go for their dreams, to connect with what is important, and to ultimately always be true to themselves. 3. TO REMIND YOURSELF AND OTHERS YOU ARE MORE THAN JUST A MOMIt is easy to get stuck in a rut when you are busy living your life for others. When there is already so much to clean and laundry to wash, is it really necessary to change sweat pants? Yes girl, it is! Throwing your dirty hair in a bun and putting on those trusty sweat pants does sound appealing, but get out of that comfort zone! It is not okay to live complacent in life! It is not okay for your kids to see that either. Push yourself to try something new and remind yourself you are more than just a mom. You are an adventurous, fierce, hardworking woman and you are an inspiration to others! You are an adventurous, fierce, hardworking woman and you are an inspiration to others! 4. FOR BETTER SEX!Let's not forget what brought those little bundles of joy into this world to begin with! Not only it is easy to forget to care for yourself, but it is easy to forget to care for your significant other! Parenting isn't supposed to be a one person job. It takes 2 to make them and it should take 2 to care for them! So what makes you and your person feel more connected to work together? SEX. An outdoor boudoir shoot is an experience that makes women feel more primal, more connected, and sexy AF! Most of the time, they cannot wait to get home and work off all that adrenaline created during their boudoir shoot! And those beautiful images are just a reminder to not only feel more connected to yourself, but to connect with your person too! 5. BECAUSE YOU DESERVE A BREAK DAMNIT!Mom life is chaotic. You experience life changing moments ALL THE TIME from giving birth, to those first steps, to sending them off to college and it just doesn't slow down long enough for you to take a breath and let it all in. Outdoor boudoir uses nature as a tool to help you breath, refocus, and feel refreshed. It is a spa day mixed with a little sexy. So experience something just for yourself and get to your inherent qualities of power and beauty through nature.
 Feminism: the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities. Last post I mentioned I am not a feminist in the way society has deemed feminism. You can read that HERE. I believe 100% in the actual definition of feminism. I believe in the equal rights and opportunities for both men and women, especially growing up an only child, independent. I was taught to do everything, "feminine and masculine" tasks, cleaning and changing a tire. Getting paid less just because of my sex is NOT okay with me. Treating me differently because I may fit a female stereotype is NOT okay. However, I believe I should not hate men just because they are paid more, because they are more likely to gain respect. I do not believe I don't need a man in my life. I CAN change my own tire, but that doesn't mean I won't accept a man's help. Men and women are like yin and yang. We both have different skills and when we work harmoniously, the world is a better place. I believe in men being gentlemen and holding the door open for me. I believe in women being nice and holding the door open for me. I believe in being a decent human being to all. When women put down men just for being men, we are just as bad as men not treating us equally. Do not hate the player, hate the game. Rise up and own your power as being a woman, while also being human. Change the game. Change the world.   DARE TO BE DIFFERENT. DARE TO BE BOLD. DARE TO WALK YOUR OWN PATH.        OWN YOUR POWER AS A WOMAN & GET IN TOUCH WITH WHAT YOU ARE TRULY CAPABLE OF AT THE WILDLY INSPIRED BOUDOIR/YOGA RETREAT!CLICK THE PHOTO BELOW FOR MORE INFO!   I am not a feminist in how society has deemed feminism. I completely agree with the equality of men and women, but do not agree with hostility that this word has been made out to be. I believe in the strength of women. The strength that women have to be who they really are. To dare to try it all and be okay with failure. The strength that women have to be both a lover and a mother. The strength women have to start movements and make their voice heard. The strength women have to speak out for what they believe in. The beginning of the feminist era in the 70's paved the road for women of today to step out and speak up for what they believe in. To truly live in their purpose.   "Without leaps of imagination or dreaming, we lose excitement of possibilities. Dreaming, after all is a form of planning." - Gloria Steinem          No one WANTS to get uncomfortable! Discomfort…well its exactly that, UNCOMFORTABLE! It is this space where all the magic happens. It is this place that you look back on when you are telling stories to your grandchildren and recall all the amazing courageous things that you have accomplished in your life! Getting uncomfortable doesn’t necessarily mean bungee jumping or finally telling your boss to F off and stomping out of there! Every single day you can do something small that scares you. Maybe it is sharing something personal on an Instagram post or cooking a new dish to eat. All these little changes over time add up to one amazing life! They help you grow and before you know it is easier to make those big scary decisions! One day you can actually quit your job and do something that truly sets your soul on fire. One day you can put on that bikini and strut your gorgeous self around the pool! The point is discomfort leads to growth. You will never change if you remain complacent and coast through life. I recall one area of my life where I did something uncomfortable every single day. No matter what came up, my answer was yes. When I was invited to go on a mini road trip, I went! When I was invited to have drinks with strangers, I had a drink! When I wanted to get in shape and tone up, I ran 6 days a week no matter the weather and hired a personal trainer. It was uncomfortable being in the unknown. It was uncomfortable at first talking with strangers. It was DEFINITELY uncomfortable running every day and pushing weights. It was even more uncomfortable fronting money for a personal trainer. Ha! But making new friends, having more energy, the feeling of confidence from working out, IT ALL TRUMPED DISCOMFORT! One night I was cuddled up and in my pjs. I finished a 10 hour work day and I was exhausted. My friend texted me and begged me to come out country dancing. I really really wasn’t in the mood. I wanted the comfort of my bed. I grumbled while I brushed my hair and threw on my clothes.When I got there I spotted a guy at the bar that looked exactly like a guy I used to know from 3 years prior. I hadn’t seen him in forever so I wasn't sure. I just kept watching, creeper status, in his direction. My heart pounding, trying to build up the courage to approach him. I finally found him alone at the bar and I approached him, “BUDDY!” I called out, “How are you?!” He gave me a big hug and made small talk for awhile before asking, “Wait, what’s my name again?” “Buddy!” He answered, “That’s not my name.” Oh shit! I thought! So embarrassed I tried to walk away. This was EXACTLY what I was afraid of. I didn’t want to make an ass out of myself and approach a total stranger. He stopped me from walking away and asked my name. We talked the entire night and he asked for my number. Little did I know, that total stranger at the bar, that man I embarrassed myself in front of, would become my husband 5 years later. Because I stepped out my comfort zone. Because I felt the fear and approached him anyway, I met the most important person in my entire life. Getting uncomfortable and facing your fears IS A GOOD THING! Sure it can be terrifying! It will make your heart race, cause anxiety, embarrass you, but you will grow! It will lead you to BIG GREAT THINGS! BIG GREAT THINGS THAT YOU WILL TELL YOUR GRANDCHILDREN ABOUT! Every single one of my clients are super nervous before their shoot. Their mind races with doubts about their body, their ability to pose in front of the camera. They don’t let those thoughts take over though. They feel the fear and book their shoot anyway! I guide them every step of the way. First by sending them my Dream Shoot Planner. In this pdf magazine are posing guides, wardrobe ideas, etc. It eases their fears. I am always available by text during business hours and often I get photos of possible wardrobe purchases. My job is try to ease your fears, get your cute booty to face them, and capture this beautiful moment for you! You can read more about Growing a Pair and Getting Uncomfortable HERE: I quote Betty White and it's hilarious! “Do one thing every day that scares you.”
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PHOTOGRAPHERS CHOICE: The Bodysuit
My favorite thing for clients to wear is not really lingerie at all! It is a bodysuit. Most bodysuits flatter every shape and size. They are great if want to hide trouble areas like stomach or stretch marks. They also come from in a variety of style, from lace to athletic.
I like to shop at American Apparel or Forever 21 for bodysuits! Another favorite choice is from a company called Girlfriend Collective. They make their bodysuits from recycled material and are highccut to show off those legs and bum!
I like to shop at American Apparel or Forever 21 for bodysuits! Another favorite choice is from a company called Girlfriend Collective. They make their bodysuits from recycled material and are highccut to show off those legs and bum!
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Pairing with a Skirt
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The Dress
One of my favorite dresses to photograph, especially in the water is an all lace see through dress from Amazon!
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Layering with a Kimono or Robe
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His Shirt
Layer with a Fur Jacket or Blazer
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.....of course there is always the 100% free option! Nude!
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Often when people think of yoga, they think of flexibility, stretching, and a reason to wear those tight comfortable pants! People are often discouraged from going to a yoga class because they think they have to be able to do a headstand-back bend-twisty combo when in reality they don’t even need to be able to touch their toes!
Number 1 reason people think they have to be good at yoga is flexibility. Sure yoga can improve flexibly, balance, and muscle tone, but yoga isn’t actually about any of that. And yes you can feel envious of the person next to you in her headstand while you struggle to even stand on one foot, but again yoga isn’t actually about any of that!
Yoga is a practice. Just like life, we are all in our own journey. Not one person is in the exact same spot at the exact same time. We practice at yoga, just like we move through life. With one breath at a time.
Another reason people believe they can’t do yoga is their weight. Through Instagram, Tumblr, and other social media outlets yoga has been presented a certain way. Lets be honest, it is usually a sun kissed blonde, on a pier by the water, in a trendy sports bra and Lululemon yoga pants, and a six pack for days. Let’s not forget the notorious sunset behind her beaming through her perfect highlights, skin glistening. Not that there is anything wrong with that picture! It is definitely beautiful and ideal, but not necessary. Shit! I am discouraged to go to yoga when this is how society has deemed it to be. Yoga is for everybody and every body! Do I strive for that glistening six pack and sunset behind me while I stand in tree pose? Sure, but yoga is about being okay with where you are at RIGHT NOW. In this moment, you are worthy of going to a yoga class no matter your body, no matter your weight. Right now I am very unattractively sweating, with my belly hanging over my non-yoga pants, just trying to breath through a basic lunge. This to is okay. Yoga is for right now.
YOGA IS FOR EVERYBODY AND EVERY BODY
Whatever your reason for NOT doing yoga, start thinking of reasons TO START DOING YOGA! If it starts with something as simple as wanting to wear those comfortable yoga pants, go for it! I guarantee your reasons for doing yoga will change over time. The more you practice, the more you will see yoga is about being present. It is about being okay with the season of life you are in right in this moment. It is about opening your heart to yourself and to the world and showing grace.
Number 1 reason people think they have to be good at yoga is flexibility. Sure yoga can improve flexibly, balance, and muscle tone, but yoga isn’t actually about any of that. And yes you can feel envious of the person next to you in her headstand while you struggle to even stand on one foot, but again yoga isn’t actually about any of that!
Yoga is a practice. Just like life, we are all in our own journey. Not one person is in the exact same spot at the exact same time. We practice at yoga, just like we move through life. With one breath at a time.
Another reason people believe they can’t do yoga is their weight. Through Instagram, Tumblr, and other social media outlets yoga has been presented a certain way. Lets be honest, it is usually a sun kissed blonde, on a pier by the water, in a trendy sports bra and Lululemon yoga pants, and a six pack for days. Let’s not forget the notorious sunset behind her beaming through her perfect highlights, skin glistening. Not that there is anything wrong with that picture! It is definitely beautiful and ideal, but not necessary. Shit! I am discouraged to go to yoga when this is how society has deemed it to be. Yoga is for everybody and every body! Do I strive for that glistening six pack and sunset behind me while I stand in tree pose? Sure, but yoga is about being okay with where you are at RIGHT NOW. In this moment, you are worthy of going to a yoga class no matter your body, no matter your weight. Right now I am very unattractively sweating, with my belly hanging over my non-yoga pants, just trying to breath through a basic lunge. This to is okay. Yoga is for right now.
YOGA IS FOR EVERYBODY AND EVERY BODY
Whatever your reason for NOT doing yoga, start thinking of reasons TO START DOING YOGA! If it starts with something as simple as wanting to wear those comfortable yoga pants, go for it! I guarantee your reasons for doing yoga will change over time. The more you practice, the more you will see yoga is about being present. It is about being okay with the season of life you are in right in this moment. It is about opening your heart to yourself and to the world and showing grace.
READY FOR SOME YOGA NOW?
Nature is ingrained in our primal beings. We feel the intrinsic pull to be out into nature. Our bodies change with seasons, the rise and fall of the sun, the pull of the moon, and the weather. It is no wonder that city dwelling is linked to a rise in anxiety and mental disorders. We are not meant to be surrounded by concrete, polluted air, and white noise. The Douglas Mental Health University Institute at McGill University in Canada set out to figure out why our bodies respond positivity to nature and can take a detrimental turn in the city. They used functional magnetic resonance imaging to monitor the brains of 32 healthy adults.Those who lived in the city had increased activity in the amygdala part of the brain, which controls emotions such as fear. They also noted that people who lived in the city the first 15 years of their life had increased activity in their pregenual anterior cingulate cortex, which regulates the amygdala. Those who grew up in the city had a greater sensitivity to stress. Of course, there are other factors that play a role in the amount to stress and anxiety in ones city living life. It depends on the individuals ability to cope with city life and have control over their internal responses to external circumstances.
This is where nature comes into play. If a city dweller has access to nature they are less likely to develop mental illnesses and anxiety. A published research study found that people who took a 90 minute walk in nature versus a walk in the city showed lower levels of rumination. It also showed reduced neural activity in the subgenus prefrontal cortex, the area of the brain linked to risk of depression and anxiety. Other research shows that even viewing images of nature activates the brain associated with empathy. People would start to care more about others and the world around them versus viewing urban scenes which triggered blood flow to the fear associated amygdala. This fear causes anxiety and an emotional vortex.
Taking a quick nature retreat may provide physical and mental reprieve from the hectic urban settings. Another study (International Journal of Environmental Research and Publish Health) focused on the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system. These systems handle the stress either triggered by “fight or flight response”, or by enhancing feelings of calmness. Sensors were worn to track their heart rates and other functions when viewing green images or urban spaces. The images were shown before and after a difficult math exam, designed to raise stress levels. When green images were seen after the math test, the parasympathetic nervous system was activated and lowered the heart rate.
Of course there all the other benefits of nature I have mentioned in past blog posts. When anxiety is decreased then our physical bodies benefit. Nature improves focus, boosts creativity, leads to better workouts (levels of the stress hormone cortisol are lower when exercising outdoors verses indoors), and less pain and better sleep. Without good sleep our brain and body begin to shut down and are dysfunctional. When we are dysfunctional, anxiety will build due to poor performance in our work, studies, and personal life.
This is where nature comes into play. If a city dweller has access to nature they are less likely to develop mental illnesses and anxiety. A published research study found that people who took a 90 minute walk in nature versus a walk in the city showed lower levels of rumination. It also showed reduced neural activity in the subgenus prefrontal cortex, the area of the brain linked to risk of depression and anxiety. Other research shows that even viewing images of nature activates the brain associated with empathy. People would start to care more about others and the world around them versus viewing urban scenes which triggered blood flow to the fear associated amygdala. This fear causes anxiety and an emotional vortex.
Taking a quick nature retreat may provide physical and mental reprieve from the hectic urban settings. Another study (International Journal of Environmental Research and Publish Health) focused on the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system. These systems handle the stress either triggered by “fight or flight response”, or by enhancing feelings of calmness. Sensors were worn to track their heart rates and other functions when viewing green images or urban spaces. The images were shown before and after a difficult math exam, designed to raise stress levels. When green images were seen after the math test, the parasympathetic nervous system was activated and lowered the heart rate.
Of course there all the other benefits of nature I have mentioned in past blog posts. When anxiety is decreased then our physical bodies benefit. Nature improves focus, boosts creativity, leads to better workouts (levels of the stress hormone cortisol are lower when exercising outdoors verses indoors), and less pain and better sleep. Without good sleep our brain and body begin to shut down and are dysfunctional. When we are dysfunctional, anxiety will build due to poor performance in our work, studies, and personal life.
Take a quick nature retreat and reduce your stress!
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2016/08/20/spending-time-in-nature-heals.aspx
Top Reasons Women Don't Do a Boudoir Shoot and Why it's Bullshit | Top Outdoor Boudoir Photographer
5/24/2017
Okay ladies, lets be real. If I earned a dollar for every time I heard a woman give an endless string of reasons why she shouldn’t do a boudoir shoot, I wouldn’t even NEED to be a photographer! I would be rich just off those excuses! I am going to break down the top reasons why women don’t do a boudoir shoot and why it’s all bullshit in my opinion.
Number one reason, “I need to lose weight first.” I get it. Believe me. Before my very first boudoir shoot I went to the gym every day, drank lots of water, ate healthy, the works. And you know what, I looked amazing in my images! But that didn’t keep me from scheduling my shoot to begin with. It gave me something to look forward to, to work towards. It was a good goal to keep me motivated to stay healthy and work out. Besides all that, there is something very beautiful about being okay with where you are at right now, still striving for healthier choices, but also having an acceptance with your body right this moment. It is all on you for self-acceptance. It is my job to document it so you can be reminded of who you are in this moment. And that is beauty, ladies.
Women think they need a special reason for a boudoir shoot. Let me share a secret, YOU DON’T! Boudoir is for YOU and you only. Sure having a spouse or significant other to share those images with is nice, but this shoot is for you! Let me take you back to why I chose boudoir, OUTDOOR boudoir, as my niche! Boudoir images are a tool. They are an end result to remind you of something, to remind you of your experience. I use nature and boudoir as a tool for women to be more present in their lives, to learn their purpose, and start living with intention. Being surround by nature, quieting the mind, helps with that. These boudoir images are a simple beautiful piece of art work to remind you of your purpose and the beautiful person you truly are. It is an experience all on its own and you do not need an excuse or special reason to book!
Number one reason, “I need to lose weight first.” I get it. Believe me. Before my very first boudoir shoot I went to the gym every day, drank lots of water, ate healthy, the works. And you know what, I looked amazing in my images! But that didn’t keep me from scheduling my shoot to begin with. It gave me something to look forward to, to work towards. It was a good goal to keep me motivated to stay healthy and work out. Besides all that, there is something very beautiful about being okay with where you are at right now, still striving for healthier choices, but also having an acceptance with your body right this moment. It is all on you for self-acceptance. It is my job to document it so you can be reminded of who you are in this moment. And that is beauty, ladies.
Women think they need a special reason for a boudoir shoot. Let me share a secret, YOU DON’T! Boudoir is for YOU and you only. Sure having a spouse or significant other to share those images with is nice, but this shoot is for you! Let me take you back to why I chose boudoir, OUTDOOR boudoir, as my niche! Boudoir images are a tool. They are an end result to remind you of something, to remind you of your experience. I use nature and boudoir as a tool for women to be more present in their lives, to learn their purpose, and start living with intention. Being surround by nature, quieting the mind, helps with that. These boudoir images are a simple beautiful piece of art work to remind you of your purpose and the beautiful person you truly are. It is an experience all on its own and you do not need an excuse or special reason to book!
Here is another one I hear all the time, I am not sexy or I am more of a tomboy. Hey guess what, I am a tomboy too! Like I said above, my type of boudoir isn’t necessarily about being sexy in lingerie or putting your ass in the air to seduce the viewer. It is a tool. It is a tool used to portray you! Whether you are typical sex pin-up vixen or the girl who feels more comfortable in a t-shirt and jeans, a boudoir shoot will uncover aspects of yourself that will surprise you. Women are multifaceted. It is life changing. You will see yourself differently. You will be more courageous, more bold and THAT is sexy! Plus, who said that lingerie was the only thing that looked sexy? Wear your favorite white t-shirt and jump in the springs! That leather jacket you love to wear, the one that makes you feel like a total badass…. Wear that!
Here is a reason I can greatly sympathize with. I can’t afford it. Like most people I can definitely relate to having a budget. Many boudoir photographers will say this is a luxury service and not a necessity. I disagree. Boudoir is a transformative experience all on its own. Now boudoir in nature, that is life changing. Combining the healing powers of nature, it’s special power to calm the mind and bring self-awareness with the confident vulnerability of having your photograph taken is altering. It can alter your career, your world outlook, your relationships, your purpose in this world. Outdoor boudoir is a form of self-love and SELF-LOVE IS A NECESSITY. We are often stressed, juggling multiple things and with that stress comes unhealthy habits. We get stuck in a fog, a vortex of to-do lists, never slowing down. It can start to affect our health. Get back to the basics of nature and listen to what you really need. If a life-altering, transformative experience is a priority to you, if your health is a priority to you, then you can most definitely afford it.
Some women are fearful of what others will think of them if they do a boudoir shoot. You have to ask yourself, Who is this experience for? A confident woman is not worried about what others will think of her. An inspirational woman is a trail blazer. She is a leader. Whether she is a CEO or an inspirational leader to her children at home. Sure there are fears, but feel the fear and do it anyway. Fuck what others will think! Because you know what? They don’t have to know about it! This is 100% your own experience. You do not have to share it unless you want to. I will not share it unless you sign a consent form. This is yours and yours only.
Below are just a few more reason I hear:
I don’t know how to do my own hair and makeup. The answer is simple, hire a hair and makeup artist!
I don’t have anything to wear. Jump in the spring with your plain white t-shirt! Wrap up in a fuzzy blanket. Pair a lace tank top with undies. Or the cheapest outfit of all, go nude!
The point is if you are truly interested in this experience, then you will overcome any fears and excuses you come up with. Break through the bullshit and do it for yourself!
Here is a reason I can greatly sympathize with. I can’t afford it. Like most people I can definitely relate to having a budget. Many boudoir photographers will say this is a luxury service and not a necessity. I disagree. Boudoir is a transformative experience all on its own. Now boudoir in nature, that is life changing. Combining the healing powers of nature, it’s special power to calm the mind and bring self-awareness with the confident vulnerability of having your photograph taken is altering. It can alter your career, your world outlook, your relationships, your purpose in this world. Outdoor boudoir is a form of self-love and SELF-LOVE IS A NECESSITY. We are often stressed, juggling multiple things and with that stress comes unhealthy habits. We get stuck in a fog, a vortex of to-do lists, never slowing down. It can start to affect our health. Get back to the basics of nature and listen to what you really need. If a life-altering, transformative experience is a priority to you, if your health is a priority to you, then you can most definitely afford it.
Some women are fearful of what others will think of them if they do a boudoir shoot. You have to ask yourself, Who is this experience for? A confident woman is not worried about what others will think of her. An inspirational woman is a trail blazer. She is a leader. Whether she is a CEO or an inspirational leader to her children at home. Sure there are fears, but feel the fear and do it anyway. Fuck what others will think! Because you know what? They don’t have to know about it! This is 100% your own experience. You do not have to share it unless you want to. I will not share it unless you sign a consent form. This is yours and yours only.
Below are just a few more reason I hear:
I don’t know how to do my own hair and makeup. The answer is simple, hire a hair and makeup artist!
I don’t have anything to wear. Jump in the spring with your plain white t-shirt! Wrap up in a fuzzy blanket. Pair a lace tank top with undies. Or the cheapest outfit of all, go nude!
The point is if you are truly interested in this experience, then you will overcome any fears and excuses you come up with. Break through the bullshit and do it for yourself!
Ready to experience something for yourself?
There is something that sparks deep within me after that first yoga class. After a long period of binge watching Netflix during the winter and eating all the comfort food, my body has an urge to move. It activates into go-mode to feel healthier, to hit a hiking trail and soak up the sun, to jump into a spring and wade in the cool water. Movement is not only great for you physically, but brings mental clarity and inspires great things in my career and life! It re-calibrates my brain to focus and brings awareness.
I have learned over the years the time points in which my daily workouts begin to fizzle. It gets easier to miss a workout and then before I know it, its been weeks and even months since I hit the gym. Now that doesn’t mean I stopped taking daily neighborhood walks with my dogs. I would still let my dog, Lila, free to roam in a big field to explore, but my physical and mental body just wasn't feeling that healthy and inspiring glow as much as it was! I have also learned that I tend to set very high expectations of myself. I go balls to the wall with weights, cardio, yoga, diet, etc. No wonder I fizzle out! I began to think about what would continue the motivation and momentum for movement:
I have learned over the years the time points in which my daily workouts begin to fizzle. It gets easier to miss a workout and then before I know it, its been weeks and even months since I hit the gym. Now that doesn’t mean I stopped taking daily neighborhood walks with my dogs. I would still let my dog, Lila, free to roam in a big field to explore, but my physical and mental body just wasn't feeling that healthy and inspiring glow as much as it was! I have also learned that I tend to set very high expectations of myself. I go balls to the wall with weights, cardio, yoga, diet, etc. No wonder I fizzle out! I began to think about what would continue the motivation and momentum for movement:
Set Realistic Expectations and Quit Beating Yourself Up
Women already have their hands full and moving our physically bodies should be a type of self-care, a feel good activity. So when we don’t keep up with our own expectations why are we making ourselves feel so bad? We first need to start with loving ourselves enough to not feel guilty if we miss that 5:00 am run. Pick one physical activity a day and be happy that you did it! I like to mix in high intensity with lower intensity exercises. One day hit the weights hard, the next take a stroll on a nature trail. The point is to just move and FEEL GOOD. Feeling good sparks healthier habits and inspiration in our daily lives.
Women already have their hands full and moving our physically bodies should be a type of self-care, a feel good activity. So when we don’t keep up with our own expectations why are we making ourselves feel so bad? We first need to start with loving ourselves enough to not feel guilty if we miss that 5:00 am run. Pick one physical activity a day and be happy that you did it! I like to mix in high intensity with lower intensity exercises. One day hit the weights hard, the next take a stroll on a nature trail. The point is to just move and FEEL GOOD. Feeling good sparks healthier habits and inspiration in our daily lives.
Look Forward to an Event
Out of all the times I have actually kept up with my goals was when I had a certain event to look forward to. Believe it or not one of those events was a boudoir shoot. I wanted to look and feel my absolute best during my photo shoot. To dance to the music in my underwear, to be posed without feeling any shame of my body. I wanted to enter those doors proud and strong of what I accomplished and those photographs are proof of that accomplishment! A big event and attaching that event to HOW I WANTED TO FEEL kept the momentum going.
Out of all the times I have actually kept up with my goals was when I had a certain event to look forward to. Believe it or not one of those events was a boudoir shoot. I wanted to look and feel my absolute best during my photo shoot. To dance to the music in my underwear, to be posed without feeling any shame of my body. I wanted to enter those doors proud and strong of what I accomplished and those photographs are proof of that accomplishment! A big event and attaching that event to HOW I WANTED TO FEEL kept the momentum going.
Accountability of My Dogs
A huge reason I keep moving physically outdoors, even during the winter months are my 3 dogs. Each one needs a walk every day, even a good run. They count on me to let them out so they can also be THEIR healthiest selves. Also their excitement is priceless. Their happiness brings me happiness and laughter. They prance, walk briskly with their noses to the ground, tail wagging, and look back and me smiling.
A huge reason I keep moving physically outdoors, even during the winter months are my 3 dogs. Each one needs a walk every day, even a good run. They count on me to let them out so they can also be THEIR healthiest selves. Also their excitement is priceless. Their happiness brings me happiness and laughter. They prance, walk briskly with their noses to the ground, tail wagging, and look back and me smiling.
Sit in the Sun and Breath in the Day
This may not be physical movement, but sitting silently outdoors and just breathing is super beneficial to our mental health. It calms the mind and inspires us to get up and go! Plus soaking up all the Vitamin D balances hormones in the body. When your body is in alignment you have more energy! Read more about it HERE.
I would love to hear how you stay healthy and inspired!
This may not be physical movement, but sitting silently outdoors and just breathing is super beneficial to our mental health. It calms the mind and inspires us to get up and go! Plus soaking up all the Vitamin D balances hormones in the body. When your body is in alignment you have more energy! Read more about it HERE.
I would love to hear how you stay healthy and inspired!
Ready to Feel Healthy and Inspired?
book your spot below!
book your spot below!
As a woman in the second half of her 30th year, I thought the other day how I have remained the same size for the last 10 years. Now hear me out before you call me a skinny bitch and close your computers down! Before you hate on me, I owe nature for still being able to fit in the same jeans. I love being outside so much that I built my whole business around it and am teaching others the healing powers of it! Today this blog post is about how nature helps you lose weight, or in my case stay healthy and the same size.
Nature has a special way of reducing stress and making the body relax. When you relax, much like sleeping, your body has time to recalibrate and heal itself. When your body has time to do this, you immediately begin to feel better, lighter, and with more energy. More energy leads to more physical activity and more physical activity leads to a healthier waistline.
Soak up that sunshine and vitamin D! Vitamin D is a master hormone and helps all the other hormones in your body function properly. If you are experiencing mood swings, fatigue, general muscle pain, weakness, headaches, restless sleep, or poor concentration it could be the lack of Vitamin D in your life! Of course, consult your doctor and get your blood tested before you webmd diagnose yourself. When your body is out of alignment it has to work harder to function and keep a healthy weight. So step outside and soak up 15-20 minutes of sun every day!
Nature regulates your hunger. When you are busy soaking up the trees, you aren't thinking of your next meal or mindlessly consuming potato chips at your desk. Your natural hunger will kick in telling you when your body needs fuel. Even if you do not eat right away, your body inherently knows to take fuel from your fat storage. Being outside makes you more aware of your body and mind. You can really ask yourself, am I hungry or am I just bored? When you figure out this distinction, you begin to live a healthier lifestyle.
Nature provides the greatest gym ever! When taking a hike, you are walking over raised tree roots, big rocks, hopping over water streams, and building those glutes while going uphill. You use muscles that are rarely used in every day life. By building these muscles you gain better balance and posture, which will keep us more active in our older years. A hiking trail is also random. Your body can easily start to recognize the movement you make while on the treadmill, but on a hiking trail it is always guessing and uses more energy to keep up with the constant change, which helps you lose weight.
Take a big breath of fresh air! If you are constantly surrounded by concrete and car fumes, your body is working hard to fight off all the toxins in the air instead of maintaining a healthy weight. Not only does breathing fresh air calm the mind and uplift your mood, it can recalibrate your body. Also with a more uplifted mood you have more energy to be active!
Increasing serotonin with nature instead of drugs. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter in the brain and is responsible for regulating mood, hunger, sleep, memory, and learning. A lack of serotonin plays a role in depression and depression can lead to a sedentary lifestyle and weight gain. Serotonin also talks to a separate part of our body, our gut, which has 7 serotonin receptors. This can account for having an upset stomach if you are nervous or have anxiety. When you are surrounded by nature you begin to relax and your body can replenish its serotonin levels, balancing your mood and stomach!
Nature has a special way of reducing stress and making the body relax. When you relax, much like sleeping, your body has time to recalibrate and heal itself. When your body has time to do this, you immediately begin to feel better, lighter, and with more energy. More energy leads to more physical activity and more physical activity leads to a healthier waistline.
Soak up that sunshine and vitamin D! Vitamin D is a master hormone and helps all the other hormones in your body function properly. If you are experiencing mood swings, fatigue, general muscle pain, weakness, headaches, restless sleep, or poor concentration it could be the lack of Vitamin D in your life! Of course, consult your doctor and get your blood tested before you webmd diagnose yourself. When your body is out of alignment it has to work harder to function and keep a healthy weight. So step outside and soak up 15-20 minutes of sun every day!
Nature regulates your hunger. When you are busy soaking up the trees, you aren't thinking of your next meal or mindlessly consuming potato chips at your desk. Your natural hunger will kick in telling you when your body needs fuel. Even if you do not eat right away, your body inherently knows to take fuel from your fat storage. Being outside makes you more aware of your body and mind. You can really ask yourself, am I hungry or am I just bored? When you figure out this distinction, you begin to live a healthier lifestyle.
Nature provides the greatest gym ever! When taking a hike, you are walking over raised tree roots, big rocks, hopping over water streams, and building those glutes while going uphill. You use muscles that are rarely used in every day life. By building these muscles you gain better balance and posture, which will keep us more active in our older years. A hiking trail is also random. Your body can easily start to recognize the movement you make while on the treadmill, but on a hiking trail it is always guessing and uses more energy to keep up with the constant change, which helps you lose weight.
Take a big breath of fresh air! If you are constantly surrounded by concrete and car fumes, your body is working hard to fight off all the toxins in the air instead of maintaining a healthy weight. Not only does breathing fresh air calm the mind and uplift your mood, it can recalibrate your body. Also with a more uplifted mood you have more energy to be active!
Increasing serotonin with nature instead of drugs. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter in the brain and is responsible for regulating mood, hunger, sleep, memory, and learning. A lack of serotonin plays a role in depression and depression can lead to a sedentary lifestyle and weight gain. Serotonin also talks to a separate part of our body, our gut, which has 7 serotonin receptors. This can account for having an upset stomach if you are nervous or have anxiety. When you are surrounded by nature you begin to relax and your body can replenish its serotonin levels, balancing your mood and stomach!
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Ready to jumpstart your weight loss with the ultimate outdoor weekend?
Urban Dictionary
Slay:
1. killed it. succeeded in something amazing.
2. something you tell someone when they look sexy as f***
3. To kick ass, or to dominate.
Slay:
1. killed it. succeeded in something amazing.
2. something you tell someone when they look sexy as f***
3. To kick ass, or to dominate.
This creative collaboration is the perfect example of how using your basic resources for boudoir photography outfits and an outdoor location can lead to an edgy and sexy editorial. Cynthia Valdez from Vinyl Beauty Studio on hair, Erika Valdez on makeup, and of course the beautiful Jennifer Johnston. Wardrobe was pulled randomly from drawers and closets and pieced together to make this dark and modern 1920's boudoir photo shoot.
Published in Elegant Magazine's January Issue. Link to view at bottom on post.
Boudoir Photography Outfit Ideas:
black blazer layered over a caged bra
sheer camisole layered over a body chain
short mini skirt and thigh highs
Picking wardrobe doesn't have to be expensive or stressful. Raid your closet, borrow from a friend, and just bring your fierce sexy self!
black blazer layered over a caged bra
sheer camisole layered over a body chain
short mini skirt and thigh highs
Picking wardrobe doesn't have to be expensive or stressful. Raid your closet, borrow from a friend, and just bring your fierce sexy self!
Boudoir Location Ideas:
This editorial was shot just using someones back yard!
Start to think outside the bedroom! An Inspire Boudoir Experience is not your typical boudoir shoot!
This editorial was shot just using someones back yard!
Start to think outside the bedroom! An Inspire Boudoir Experience is not your typical boudoir shoot!
| Elegant Magazine Spread |
Ready to get creative? Contact me now and receive my free dream shoot planner!
You know those women that are just naturally beautiful and THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW IT? And you just hate it! Just kidding I don't hate it. I actually love it because I feel I give them that little push to realize what they are truly capable of! Also Miss K is totally my kind of person. Our energies were synced with our laid back attitudes, sense of adventure, love for coffee, and even down to our matching outfits of sweats and a flannel. A woman you really want a part of your tribe.
Luckily women like her are crossing my path more often lately. Women with the same ideals and becoming part of a movement. A movement to make women feel it is okay to be unplugged. If you live life more unplugged and get back to your breath, to the basics, you begin to do things with more intent and to be more present. And in outdoor boudoir, we do just that! We are back in nature, back to the basics, back to the breath of life. From there you feel more empowered, more beauty, more self-love.
Luckily women like her are crossing my path more often lately. Women with the same ideals and becoming part of a movement. A movement to make women feel it is okay to be unplugged. If you live life more unplugged and get back to your breath, to the basics, you begin to do things with more intent and to be more present. And in outdoor boudoir, we do just that! We are back in nature, back to the basics, back to the breath of life. From there you feel more empowered, more beauty, more self-love.
Miss K came to me super interested in what this outdoor boudoir thing was all about after she booked me for her wedding. She was intrigued, but the first thing that flew out of her mouth was, "but I am a tomboy." She explained how she wasn't the sexy girl. I just looked straight at her and replied, "Girl, look at me! I am the PERFECT example of a walking contradiction. One day I will wear sweats and converse and the next a frilly dress with red lipstick." The point is we are not defined by our labels. And obviously being a tomboy didn't keep her from rocking this photo shoot and being truly who she is, an adventurous beautiful woman inspired by the nature around her and the feeling of the warm sun on her face.
The point is we are not defined by labels.
"A boudoir shoot is the last thing that would have crossed my mind to do. However. Laura is incredible. The moment I found out she was a photographer I was highly intrigued. And even more amazed when I saw some of her work. I would highly recommend a shoot with her whether you're tomboyish or all about the style. She'll help you find what you love about yourself and let your real light shine through :)"
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Day 3: Challenge 3
This challenge was not only amped up because the models were only allowed 6 shots, but they also had to model with 3 little furry friends! Styled by Miss Edgy, they slayed at owning the fashion and thier accessories! Check it all out here!
This past Novmeber I turned 30. Pretty much the 12 months leading up to that day were filled with anxiety. What have I accomplished? What am I doing with my life? Shouldn't I be doing MORE? Shouldn't I be making more? What does 30 supposed to look like? I can tell you what it looks like for me so far! It looks like opportunity. It looks like clarity. It looks like power. It looks like a movement I want to lead with women in today's society, to say fuck you to the standards of beauty, busyness, what it looks like to be a woman today.
I had a meeting on Monday and someone asked me, "So your goal for outdoor boudoir is empowerment?"
I stumbled on my words, "No. I mean yes. I do, but I don't like that word. I like that word in a sense. The word empowerment seems so feminist. Empowerment is an effect of what my basic goal is. I want outdoor boudoir to be about getting back to the basics - to get back to the breath of who you are. Like yoga. You are always coming back to the breath, the basics. From there you find empowerment, beauty, and love".
My true desire is to create a movement to make women feel it is okay to be unplugged. If you live life more unplugged and get back to your breath, to the basics, you begin to do things with more intent and to be more present. And in outdoor boudoir, we do just that! We are back in nature, back to the basics, back to the breath of life. From there you feel more empowered, more beauty, more self-love.
I stumbled on my words, "No. I mean yes. I do, but I don't like that word. I like that word in a sense. The word empowerment seems so feminist. Empowerment is an effect of what my basic goal is. I want outdoor boudoir to be about getting back to the basics - to get back to the breath of who you are. Like yoga. You are always coming back to the breath, the basics. From there you find empowerment, beauty, and love".
My true desire is to create a movement to make women feel it is okay to be unplugged. If you live life more unplugged and get back to your breath, to the basics, you begin to do things with more intent and to be more present. And in outdoor boudoir, we do just that! We are back in nature, back to the basics, back to the breath of life. From there you feel more empowered, more beauty, more self-love.
Below was my own exercise of self-love and getting back to the basics. Jennifer Ilene photographed these beautiful images of me, involving animals. Involving animals, especially exotic ones, added another level of being present and awareness. You had to work with the animal, you had to be aware of your own feelings and what you are putting off externally. They sense it. You HAVE to be present and aware of your breath. At first I was anxious over the humidity and how it affected my hair and makeup, but once I realized that wasn't what was important here. THIS was an experience. THIS was an adventure. THIS was an opportunity to be fully present in the act at hand - calming this little monkey. Make him feel comfortable to be with me.
Be sure to keep scrolling for a surprise!
So here is your surprise! In realization of my own milestone of turning 30 I am offering 30% off an Inspire Boudoir Experience! If you have or will be turning 30, you have either the 6 months leading up to your birthday or the 6 months following your birthday to book and schedule a session! That is up to $390 off your boudoir experience! This offer is not valid with any other specials. All that will be required is sending a copy of a valid ID to me at the time of booking!
So own your desires! Be present in your life! Get back to the basics of nature and feel more empowered, more beautiful, more love, and inspired!
So own your desires! Be present in your life! Get back to the basics of nature and feel more empowered, more beautiful, more love, and inspired!
I'm Laura
I am a wife, dog and baby mama in Austin. I am obsessed with saving dogs and this planet earth. I cannot wait to teach you how to unplug through nature and boudoir.
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