My First Performance!

Yesterday I had a magical first gig at a restaurant in Youngstown, NY.
Here's a clip from my night.
Enjoy (and share it). (*Subliminal peer pressure to share my video..*)

XOXO

Redmond Trading Company Product Review

I am really excited to say I have been given the wonderful opportunity to write about some of my favorite natural health products from Redmond Trading Company. They were so generous as to offer me an array of products that I have been testing out for the past few weeks and now get to share my thoughts about with you!

So without further ado…

Facial Mud Mask- I love this product. It is made from clay and water. That’s it. Nothing like the facial masks you would find at the drugstore. It’s not riddled with chemicals and preservatives and it works really well. I have occasion breakouts and this really calms them down. It’s also a really relaxing excuse to watch an episode on Netflix.

Bath Salts- Similar to all of Redmond’s products, these bath salts have a short ingredient list. It is real salt, unrefined, filled with trace minerals. I went out and bought a small storage tub as a makeshift spa tub for soaking my feet with the bath salts. You can also use it in the bathtub obviously. It’s not an oily salt so it will not leave you or your tub slippery and greasy. The minerals soak in through your pores and make your skin really soft.

Earthpaste- I have been using Earthpaste for over a year and according to my dentist, I have perfect dental health. This toothpaste comes in three flavors, all made with clay and essential oils: Peppermint, Wintergreen, and Lemon Twist. All are very good and leave your mouth feeling even cleaner than traditional toothpaste (also drinking orange juice right after doesn’t destroy your taste buds).

Seasonings and Salt- I was pleasantly surprised to find that Redmond had a line of seasonings. I’ve tried garlic salt, onion salt, seasoned salt, and Real Salt. All are really good swaps for regular seasoning and table salts. I was hesitant to start using the seasonings because it visually looks different. Redmond doesn’t refine their salts, meaning they don’t strip it of the naturally occurring nutrients. I thought I would be able to taste the difference and I was worried it would affect my recipes, but I was glad to find it didn’t. I highly suggest switching to Redmond for Real Salt because you’d be surprised to find that your table salt has been rid of everything great about natural salt and has unnecessary additives.   

Dehydrated Clay- There’s a lot of ways you can use the clay powder. You can make fresh facial mud or toothpaste and store them in an airtight glass container. You want to make sure that the clay doesn’t touch metal as it can draw out toxins from the metal and you don’t want that in your bloodstream. A more ambitious way to use the clay powder is internally. Clay is actually really good for digestion and stomach problems, (perhaps for more severe problems consult a physician) and drawing out toxins from your body.  To ingest the clay, add a little bit to a large glass of water. Getting dehydrated clay would be ideal for someone who enjoys making their own products.

EarthCure Soap- If you have ever wanted a natural soap that doesn’t kill good bacteria, I suggest this. I had tried a bunch of different soaps from organic grocery store soaps, to Lush’s handmade soaps, but none have been really good hand soaps. I use Lush as a body wash but when you’re washing your hands to make dinner, you don’t really want particles of plants all over your hands. EarthCure soap is a foaming soap that is made only with natural ingredients. I have Peppermint scented soap and I really like that oil for disinfecting. I am kind of germaphobic so I wash my hand a lot and this soap doesn’t dry my hands out like other kinds do. It also comes in Lavender and Citrus which I am probably going to order right after I stop writing about it.

To browse Redmond’s amazing products go here!

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Dealing With Expectations

One of my biggest flaws is that I expect a lot from myself. I think, now that I’m not a teenager, I need to be successful at everything right away. I get down on myself for not being a perfect eater, for not working out enough, for sleeping in ever. I have lost a lot of sleep just worrying and picking on myself for not being perfect already.

So to combat my Type A, perfectionist self, I made a list (naturally). In my list, I wrote down everything that I expect of myself. Then I wrote down everything that other people expect of me. It’s quite overwhelming to look at. There are small things, such as being expected to put my dirty dishes in the dishwasher, to big things like figuring out what I’m going to do for my whole life.

I decided to go through my list and cross off anything that was a reasonable expectation so I could have a more focused look on the difficult ones. They were things that I had no idea how to manage and things that I wasn’t sure I wanted to maintain.

A huge part of the reason why anybody stresses out is because of expectations. To anyone who feels like they are drowning in expectations, you can choose which ones apply to you. If someone expects you to be there for them 24/7 and they don’t appreciate you and could easily survive without you, you can choose not to be there for them anymore. You don’t have to live up to unreasonable expectations. You decide which ones you want to live by because every day you wake up, it is you living in your body. No one else. It’s your life that is affected by your actions.

I still have a hard time letting things go. I get angry because people think things or expect things from me that I resent, but it’s a learning process. So, Internet Friends, I ask you now to make a list of expectations. A huge list. Get a little anxious about it. Then pick and choose what you want to do. It’s not selfish to hone in on yourself. You have to put yourself first.