In the past 10 days I have been across the continent three times. I finally landed back in Los Angeles two nights ago (2 hours delayed) and have been decompressing in various ways since. My first destination was from LA to NYC to visit family, work a bit, catch up, and inevitably have to adjust to the weather. My second destination was from NYC to Miami to shoot, work, enjoy wonderful company and wind down. It was really marvelous to see family and loved ones, to meet some clients and really lovely people and to solidify all of the work that I am doing not just with music, but in terms of My Organic Life. I definitely really, really appreciate all of the relaxation, sunshine, vegan and organic food, great friends, understanding company and lifestyle choices that California (specifically Los Angeles) has and accepts.
Traveling during the holidays is one of the hardest things to do
and I would love to share some Organic brands and tips that have helped me get through it:
I am VERY proud and excited to announce my partnership with Vered Botanicals as their exclusive Brand Ambassador in Los Angeles!! Speaking to the beautiful Vered on the phone for the first time over a small sample turned into a creative and wellness kinship that I feel and meditate on deeply! She is a wonderful woman with a great spiritual presence and passion for helping others and expanding her practice! I am more than happy to support her here in LA and get the word out there! I use her gorgeous products daily and I will be doing a full review of the line soon! These body oils and aromatherapeutic fragrances absolutely got me THROUGH my trip this time around! Just a small spritz of her herb-infused toner, signature scent perfume or therapeutic balancing face oil and I was more than a few deep breaths into relaxation!! I recommend her products to absolutely ANYONE!
Accept Acceptance
When you travel a lot there’s one thing it’s important to understand: there is no “perfect” travel day. We all have expectations in our minds of how our journey will go (and we do this tremendously in life) but sometimes there are setbacks. Sometimes, there is traffic. Sometimes, there is rain. Sometimes people cancel on us last minute, or we ourselves feel sick; sometimes you don’t get the seat you want on a plane, sometimes you get stuck on a train or in the subway and there is an overwhelming feeling of helplessness. As someone who has spent years overcoming what I now understand as learned helplessness, I believe it’s entirely understandable to get overwhelmed in your surroundings – especially during the Holiday season! It’s important to remember, however, that you are a fully capable soul who has a myriad of biological ways BUILT IN to calm down! Keeping a book close by at all times to distract yourself pleasantly, learning meditation practices, concentrating on deep breathing, small muscle relaxation practices and giving a nod to the acceptance we spoke about is always so so helpful in letting go and making the best of every moment that you have! What I used to see as a “waste of time” I now can easily turn into an opportunity. It’s not always easy, but it helps! 🙂
YES To…! (Carrots, Yes Tomatoes, Yes to Cucumbers, Yes to Blueberries and Yes to Baby Carrots) was SO wonderful and generous to send me a HUGE package right before I left that contained everything from makeup remover, body butter, facial cleanser, shower essentials, to a solution for the small breakouts one gets when an inconsistent diet and environment get stressful! And I have NO idea how I could have gotten through this trip without them! 🙂 I will be doing an entire review of their line soon and I couldn’t be happier! My hair, my skin and my life has never felt cleaner! I really love their products and am really excited to be representing and sharing them! They are absolutely refreshing! Yes To™ is a natural line of hair and skin products born out of a desire to make you look and feel your most happy and radiant. Yes To combines high-quality organic fruits and vegetables with efficacious ingredients to nourish and hydrate naturally. With five unique collections the Yes To family addresses a variety of skin and hair needs to help people create their own “recipe” of products.
Indulge in Wellness
Eating well and staying active while traveling is probably the hardest thing to do. I often stretch and move around the plane. Almost anytime the seatbelt sign is off, I am up. The idea of stagnant blood circulation for me is terrifying for 5 hours or so at a time! And this time around I even made sure to acquire some running shoes in order to encourage myself to go out and run while traveling! I always prefer a hotel with a spa, a pool and a fitness center. I don’t encourage trying to lug dumbbells around in your suitcase! Some really nice headphones with active-inducing MP3’s will get you started quickly on your way out the door when you need an escape! And who’s gonna see you do those stomach crunches in the morning? Have fun with your travel! 🙂
There were two things that got a lot of mention this trip: my clear skin (thanks YES To!) and my jewelry! BluKat Design is handmade artisan, upcycled jewelry; a fusion of art, fashion, vintage and modern creations. Specializing in a wide variety of one-of-a-kind, repurposed vintage inspired statement necklaces, everyday fashion necklaces, unique earrings and hairsticks to suit your individual style. Original handmade jewelry that is stylish today, fun to wear and sure to get noticed! Be sure to check out BluKatDesign’s selection of glass tile jewelry and fun magnets! I’ll be doing a LookBook for a few items from her collections very soon!
Thank you to everyone that I encountered, (finally!) met, met up with, created with, opened up to, loved and journeyed with on my trip! I will be back around the globe sooner than I am even prepared for! I am INFINITELY inspired! If you have any of your own organic tips or advice, don’t hesitate to let me know! 🙂
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Love & Light
* All Product Photographs (C) Tara Mackey 2012
