Tag: shop local
Although I’ve gone through periods of insomnia, for the most part, I”m a pretty good sleeper. I fall asleep quickly, and generally stay asleep through the night. My main issue is that I don’t make sleep a priority. I’m naturally a night owl and spoke to sleep experts a couple of years ago about this, and one doctor noted that my main problem is just not valuing sleep enough.
And he is right about that. I always see more things to get done on my to-do list, or there’s another TV show I want to watch, or maybe there’s something super, super important someone posted on Instagram that I must see ASAP (PSA: there never is). And yet I continue to struggle with making sleep a priority, and that’s even knowing that my body needs that downtime to recuperate. Knowing that it’d help with my running. And knowing it’d help me feel refreshed for the day instead of like I need an IV of coffee to get me feeling human.
And so, this year I’m looking to make sleep more of a priority. Self care is so important and I need to make that my focus. My goal is to get a good eight-hours of sleep a night, on a regular schedule. This will not be an easy task; I’ve been struggling with this ever since writing that article about being a night owl.
But I’m going to approach it with a plan now. I’m going to set an alarm to remind me to start winding my night down with taking Billie Jean for her evening walk, doing my nighttime beauty routine, etc. And I’m going to make my bedroom a sleeping haven with a new mattress and pillows. My current mattress is probably about a decade old and there’s definitely at least one spring out of place.
To replace it, I’m welcoming an Endy mattress and pillows into my home. Why Endy? To start, I like that there’s a 100-day trial period; I’ve always found it hard to judge from a quick lie-down in a store. This Canadian company (another selling point!) also features three layers of foam, which I hear are medium firm (I tend to prefer a decent level of firmness). Another standout feature? I run really warm; I’m not a furnace like I used to be (that was thanks to my overactive thyroid) but still warmer than most folks.So Endy’s top layer, infused with cooling gel, is designed to release body heat. Plus, its foam is non-temperature-sensitive—so while other foam mattresses sink in the summer and feel like a rock in the winter, Endy retains the same firmness year-round.
Stay tuned for updates on how it goes with my new soon-to-arrive Endy and whether I become the sleeping beauty I aim to become.
Also, this probably calls for some cute new pyjamas, too, don’t you think? I’ve been coveting the Sleep Shirt for more than a year now…
Disclosure: I am an Endy partner and am receiving Endy products for review.
January 22, 2018
A couple of weeks ago, I was invited to a DIY belt workshop at BRAVE Leather and I made sure to add it to my schedule because it’s not every day you get a chance to make your own leather belt at the Canada’s only leather belt factory.
You probably know BRAVE, the Canadian leather company that’s been in business for 24 years and in that time has produced more than two million pieces right here in Toronto. It actually started as a street stand! Now, you’ll find their gorgeous belts at the stylish shops you go to (take a peek at the labels, maybe you already own one or two BRAVE pieces in your closet).
At their factory, I chose to make their Western-inspired belt (the style name is called Daphne) in the raw washed brown leather (I had Stampede and music fests on the brain so it was calling my name). We started by figuring out my size, then choosing the style on the computer, and I then placed the leather so as to waste as little leather as possible and then click “go” and the digital laser cutter precisely cut my belt. After that, we used a machine that shaves off some leather to make it thinner at the ends, then I went onto the next step where we added the metal pieces and I stepped on the pedal to affix the pieces tightly onto the leather. And within, say, 10 minutes or so, my belt was complete!
While there, we also previewed the BRAVE FW16 collection, and I’ll add pics of a few of my faves to this post shortly!
June 21, 2016
Ikigai: Your reason for waking up in the morning; the passion that drives your life.
When it came to choosing a Speechlust Jewelry tag and selecting what I’m most passionate about, it was tough choice between wanderlust and ikigai. I do love to travel (or lust to wander, as it were), and I’m always dreaming of my next adventure and clamouring to fly or drive to discover places new to me (or even just walking and discovering places within my hometown), but in the end, I went with ikigai (which is the combination of two Japanese words, iki for life and gai meaning “the realization of what one expects and hopes for,” because there are many things I’m passionate about that drive my life.
Some days I’m passionate about running (although some days, I can’t bear the thought of it because I feel drained mentally, nine marathons and 13 halfs and numerous other races will do that to you if you’re not careful). Some days it’s my lovable cats. Often it’s the laughs I have with my friends. And, let’s face it, sometimes what I’m passionate about is the simple deliciousness of homemade granola sprinkled on top of Greek yogurt.
Ever since I’ve been wearing my Speechlust Jewelry, I find myself touching the smooth gold tag hanging around my neck and reminding myself to enjoy the little moments of each day that drive my life. Because it can be all too easy to get caught up in meeting deadline, gossiping and what have you.
For more about the Canadian line Speechlust Jewelry, check my post on Vitamin Daily.
February 29, 2016
Previous page
