When you think of masculine and feminine energy, most people think of genders such as a man being masculine and a woman being feminine. However, what if I told you that every person has masculine and feminine energy? Our gender may gear us toward one over the other but at the end of the day, all of us have both. The point of this blog is to open your train of thought to your abilities as a person - not a gender. It is not to tell a woman to be a man in a man’s world nor vise versa because it can’t be sustainably done long-term. I really want you to hone in on these two energies being more of a ..read more

Greenwashing is at an all-time high as brands struggle to keep up with the demands to change their fundamental core values (or lack thereof) to reduce their carbon footprint and implement sustainable practices. For more prominent brands, completely turning their production on its head and reevaluate their whole supply chain to be more eco-friendly will take an immense amount of time - however, that is not stopping many from trying.  As or others, they are taking shortcuts to pretend they are on the same path mainly to make profit versus attempting to make real change and thus Gr ..read more

As much as some of us want to invest in sustainable/ethical products and services, not all can afford them. I get that. For items that you refuse to get second-hand (e.g., underwear, shoes, etc.), buying from fast fashion is our only option. No judgment here because I have been there! But this doesn't mean that you cannot still be sustainable with items made in the mass-produced industry. Living consciously applies even when you step into a Forever 21 or Aldo store. How? Keep reading for tips on how to make fast fashion sustainable. Wash less frequently Growing up, I believed that I contamina ..read more

Minimalism. It is the less is all you need mantra. When it comes to shopping, minimalism is the antecedent. When the impulsive desire to consume arises, it can be hard to resist that shopping high - though fleeting. If you find yourself constantly wanting to consume the most for less all the time, ask yourself the following questions to reduce your part in massive consumption.  Do you need this?   Are you buying to appease emotional stresses? Whenever I was bored or needed a pick-me-up, I would hit up Forever21 and throw out $50 worth of money so that I could get that shopping h ..read more

People tend to use pride and ego interchangeably to describe a person raging with arrogance, selfishness, and stubbornness. In reality, these two terms are much different from one another even though they are not exclusive. We all carry pride and ego but where people differ is in how we deal with it. I noticed this to be a common struggle amongst everyone I’ve met in a new city. If you are serious about self-healing and breaking negative patterns in your life, the first step in doing so is in gaining self-awareness. Sounds easy but it is actually a difficult skill that most people lack. But fi ..read more

Do you find yourself mindlessly scrolling on apps for entertainment? Do you instinctively and consistently shop to ease anxiety and create excitement? Are you aware of how much waste you produce? These activities are bandaids to ease our angst and desperate need for distraction - even if temporary. Conscious Living, however, reframes our thoughts and actions to take steps toward a future of purpose and forgiveness. Conscious Living allows us to be aware of our emotions, thoughts, and actions that impact nature and society. To practice Conscious Living, you live by principles (that you set up/n ..read more

According to Nielsen Data, telenovelas (Latin soap operas) average 5.7 million viewers from ages 18-50 a week in the US alone. Unlike American soap operas, seasons only last one round but comprise up to over 100 episodes, making them marketable and a cornerstone of Latin American culture.  I grew up watching them with my parents and grandparents, even though I found them strange. "Why is she always talking to herself?" I asked once about the main character's need to have monologues constantly. My parents burst into laughter as the thought never crossed their minds. Now, as a 32-year-old w ..read more

There’s this body of research and a term known as ‘symbolic annihilation,’ which is the idea that if you don’t see people like you in the media you consume, you must somehow be unimportant.  -Nicole Martins of Indiana University Quote about television’s effect on self-esteem in children conducted by Kristen Harrison of the University of Michigan and published in 2012. Looking in the Mirror Growing up, I was a big Jennifer Lopez fan. I looked up to her as she was the only female-Latina celebrity in mainstream entertainment that I could remotely identify with. Even people around me nickna ..read more

I have been on a fast-track path in life lessons for the past six months. Living on your own comes with so many benefits that you start to understand the beauty of rejection. Though learning comes with some annoying hiccups, you eventually tune into the bigger picture once the heartbreak subsides.   One of the biggest lessons that impacted me is setting boundaries for a variety of reasons. For example, sometimes, I need to recharge or save money from venturing out in the city (my introvert requirement). Other times, I do not accept or waste time on people and behaviors that do not ma ..read more

I haven't talked about thrifting in a while and thought it was about time to connect. Summer is inching its way closer to NC, and new styles from fast fashion are dropping like hotcakes. I encourage you to not fall into the marketing, as tempting as it is to save on something brand-spanking new. Instead, I challenge you to take your style up a notch and get creative. You don't have to spend a ton of money to curate a sustainable and waste-free wardrobe. To help ease your thrifting angst, I have compiled new tips to help you wet your feet and eventually settle into the thrifting game. Dress is ..read more