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Personal

15 Ways of Honoring Your Lost Loved Ones

July 9, 2020 By lyndsinreallife Leave a Comment


Image Credit Pixabay.com License CC0 

Losing someone that you’re close to can be a heartbreaking and overwhelming experience. You may feel considerable loss, and grief can affect all of us in many different ways. But there are ways that you can honor the life of those that you love and care about after they’ve departed. 

Here are 15 ways that you can remember your lost loved one. 

1. Have a Bench Dedicated in Their Honor

Is there a favorite place that your loved one liked to spend their time? Maybe a view that they particularly enjoyed, or a park that they liked to walk through?

Everyone has their favorite places. If there are park benches anywhere around their favorite place, see whether you can have one devoted to them. Many park owners will allow plaques to be added to their benches. 

2. Plant a Tree in Their Honor

Many people take comfort in the idea of the circle of life. The idea is that when one person dies, another is born. Planting a tree is representative that life goes on and new life will grow. You may not get your loved one back, but having a tree growing in a favorite spot will be something that will help you remember them. 

Pick a tree that will flower. Then, every year when the tree flowers, you can go and take trimmings from the tree to decorate your home with, that way you can remember and honor them continually. 

3. Scatter Their Ashes in Their Favorite Place

Work out where your loved one enjoyed spending their time- it may have been a town or somewhere in the countryside or maybe the beach. Take family and friends on a trip out there and remember your loved one as you scatter their ashes in a place that held significance to them.

4. Get a Cremation Ring Made

If someone was close to you, you may want to carry them with you forever. You can do this by having rings for cremation ashes made. That way, you can think of your loved one every time you look at the ring and they’re never far away. There are also necklaces that can be made that hold ashes of someone you loved.

5. Have Some of Their Clothing Framed

Is there a piece of clothing that they wore often that really said something about who they were, or reminded you so much of them? If so, you could have it framed and put on your wall. That would be a fitting symbol of their importance to you in your life. 

6. Have Their Ashes Pressed into Vinyl 

Was music important to your loved one? If it was, you could consider having their ashes pressed into vinyl. Think about their favorite songs and have their ashes made into a recording of it. You could either have the disc framed or you could enjoy listening to it on your record player.

7. Wear An Item of Their Clothing 

There is a comfort in wearing the clothing of a deceased person that you loved. Even if it is just a small and symbolic item, when you wear it you’ll get flooded with fond memories of that person. 

8. Send Their Ashes Into Space

There’s something that can be done with your person’s ashes, and it’s pretty “cool.” You can have their ashes sent on a journey of a lifetime into space. By adding their ashes to a giant helium balloon, you can send them into space. 

9. Get a Tattoo in Memory 

A popular way of remembering someone that has died is to get a tattoo for them. This could be a portrait of them, or it could be an image that is more personal to you and your loved one. 

Think for awhile about what you want before you have the ink put to your skin, and make sure that you go with a tattooist whose work you are happy with. It would be very disappointing to have a memorial tattoo ruined because you went with a bad tattoo artist.

10. Have Your Loved One Literally Tattooed Into Your Skin

Some people will opt to have a tattoo of a deceased loved one’s face tattooed onto them, but there’s also another option. You can have your loved one’s ashes added to tattoo ink. This way, you can have a tattoo that is made of their actual ashes. 

11. Have a Portrait Painted

Why not commemorate your loved one with a beautiful painting of them? You might have a favorite photo that you want turned into a piece of artwork that you can enjoy forever. 

12. Have Them Made into a Fireworks Display 

If you want to have a spectacular send-off for your loved one, you might want to consider having their ashes made into a firework. You could either opt to have the ashes scattered during your own private fireworks display (if fireworks are legal where you are), or you could approach a professional company and ask if you can have the ashes scattered there. 

13. Have the Ashes Added to a Paperweight 

If you don’t like the idea of an urn holding your loved one’s ashes, you might consider something that is a little more useful and ornamental at the same time. You could choose to have their ashes made into a paperweight. 

14. Have Their Favorite Clothing Turned into a Teddy Bear

If you want to be reminded of your loved one by the way that they dressed, you could have their favorite item of clothing stitched into a teddy bear. Having this piece of comfort around will allow you to hold their memory close. 

15. Hold a Party Once a Year in Their Honor

Remembering your loved one, and celebrating their life and the time that you had together, is an important part of grieving. Having a party in their honor every year, either on their birthday or on the day that they passed away, can be a beautiful and fun way of keeping their memory alive. 

In many cultures, remembering the dead is not a somber occasion, but a joyous one where you celebrate the life that you had together. 

•How do you remember and honor your deceased loved ones?

Filed Under: Personal Tagged With: death, deceased, loved ones, remembrance

Personal

Las Vegas: The Next Chapter

May 3, 2016 By lyndsinreallife 8 Comments

It’s official: my boyfriend Tim and I are moving to Las Vegas, NV!

las vegas welcome

Photo courtesy of lasvegas.com

It probably comes as a surprise to many, as it’s very obvious how much we both love Los Angeles. I would live in LA forever if I could. However, this decision has been long-coming. Back in September (not even a full year ago), we had made the decision to move to Phoenix, AZ. We visited, found a place, I interviewed for a job, and we had a moving date set. I only told a few people, and I’m glad it was only a few- Tim and I decided not to move to AZ after all (for me, I wasn’t ready to leave LA, and Phoenix didn’t feel right at the time). However, the idea of moving had stayed in our minds for quite some time.

Fast forward to March of this year. We fell on some tough times. Tim finished school, which was a big source of income thanks to the GI Bill. While he continued working his courier job, I found it difficult to find a full-time job. LA just isn’t the place to (generally) start your career. I either didn’t have the experience or the right degree for many of the jobs I looked at. I’ve also been in the process of filing for disability (for bipolar disorder). It’s very difficult for me to work a full-time job due to the unpredictable episodes I experience. There will be times when I can’t get out of bed for a day (or longer), times when it’s very hard to shower, and times when I need to take weeks, or even months, off work. There’s also the episodes of mania, when I’m very impulsive, reckless, and dangerous.

With LA’s ever-increasing cost of living, Tim and I decided it was time for our next chapter.

The #1 thing we want to do in our lives is travel. When I’m on my deathbed, I won’t be thinking about the things I’ve owned, the tedious day-to-day life that is so accepted by so many. I’ll be thinking of the experiences I’ve had. Don’t get me wrong, many people love and thrive on that kind of work (office jobs, 9-5s, things like that), and we obviously need them for society to keep going. But I’ve known in my soul since I was in grade school that I was not meant for a life like that. There’s a quote from the book Walden by Henry David Thoreau that has stuck with me throughout the many years since I’ve read it,

Most men, even in this comparatively free country, through mere ignorance and mistake, are so occupied with the factitious cares and superfluously coarse labors of life that its finer fruits cannot be plucked by them.

What I take that to mean is that we’re so preoccupied with our day-to-day lives, that we often forget to truly live. And that’s where I’m stuck. They say to live each day like it’s your last, and if it was, would you be happy with how it was spent? I recognize that not every day is going to be amazing, but I also recognize that I’m not trying my best, and life is meant to be lived happily. While I know it’s a bit more challenging for me to feel happy often (due to bipolar disorder), I do believe pure happiness is real and I believe I can feel it more frequently if I’m living a life I love.

With all that being said, Vegas isn’t our last stop. Truthfully, it’s not even a destination. It’s a stepping stone. Vegas provides a much cheaper cost of living than LA. Tim can still work there with his courier job, I can continue to write for Locale Magazine, and we’re still within 4 hours driving distance of LA. By saving money, we’re able to have more choices. Financial struggles are such a huge cause of stress, and it’s not a way to live. It’s sad, stressful, and demeaning. I’m choosing not to live this way anymore.

By saving money, we’ll be able to travel. While I’m sure there are people who don’t support our decisions, we feel in our hearts that this is what we want to do. And it’s entirely possible! My aunt and uncle, upon retirement, sold their house, bought an RV, and now travel the continent. Yes, it’s a bit different because they’re in retirement, but they ignored the negative comments and followed their dream. They’re been traveling for at least 10 years, and I’ve never seen 2 people so happy in my life.

This quote pretty much sums up exactly how I feel, and why Tim and I are moving on:

the most dangerous risk of all

I don’t owe anyone an explanation, but I love you all and I felt this was the easiest way to answers the questions our friends and families have. 🙂 Tim and I are really excited, and I can’t wait to share about our lives in Las Vegas with you! You best bet I’ll have posts about the parks, attractions, and awesome events happening in LV.

Thank you for reading & for your continued support!
If you want to follow along on my journey, please subscribe here:

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Filed Under: Personal Tagged With: bipolar disorder, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, moving

Personal

The Universe Is Testing Me, & I Am Grateful For It

January 19, 2015 By lyndsinreallife 5 Comments

The Universe has been testing me this past week.

It’s testing my strength, my patience, my courage and my ability to handle an emotional situation. It’s checking to see if I will remain positive, or if I will crumble into a negative, jaded state-of-mind.

Last Monday, I hit my arm pretty hard on a table. So hard that it swelled up in two places similar to the size of large marbles. I couldn’t move it. It bruised badly. It was extremely painful. I thought it was broken. It was almost impossible to pick up the little babe I babysit, let alone hold his hand.

bruised arm blog

This is a poorly edited photo, but I feel it shows the bruise/swelling pretty well.

It was my first full week back to work since before the holidays, and it was tough. Figuring out our schedules and making sure Archie (my pup) had enough attention. It wasn’t the worst thing in the world, but it added on to the stress.

Then on Friday, on my way to work, I was rear-ended getting on the I-10. I just got my car in November. Nooooooo!

And I am incredibly grateful for all these things/events.

I AM grateful blog

This is my affirmation stone from soulcandy.co – I carry it around with me and look at it often. <3

Sure, I hurt my arm pretty badly. But it wasn’t broken or fractured. I was able to take off a day of work so I could ice it and let it heal. I have an amazing boyfriend who wrapped it for me every day and did the things I couldn’t do with a hurt arm.

Going back to work every single day was a big change from not working for almost 3 weeks, but I am so grateful not only have a job, but to have a job that I LOVE! I often get asked, “What do you want to do for your career?” after telling them I am a nanny/babysitter. And it’s funny, because this IS what I want to do. I get to hang out with super cool kids. I get to teach them, and they get to teach me. It’s flexible and the parents are awesome. I am so so thankful I get to spend my days doing what I love!

As for the car accident, I could have totally lost it. I could have yelled at the guy who hit me, I could have cried. But I didn’t. Because where would that get anyone? Things happen, especially in traffic in LA. The guy who hit me was really cool, and his first question was, “Are you okay?!” I am grateful no one was hurt. I am grateful the cars weren’t even scratched! It could have been so much worse, but it wasn’t.

I truly believe if you have a positive attitude, you’ll live a positive life. You attract what you talk/think about (thank you Dad for teaching me this). There’s no reason to get upset about things you cannot control. And I learned a few things from these incidents, especially that I am a strong person. This past week may have been challenging, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I am Grateful Selfie Blog

 

Smile! Life is beautiful. 🙂

  • Have you ever had something unpleasant happen that you were later grateful for?
  • Do you feel that you’re a generally positive person?

 Thank you for stopping by & reading my blog!

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XO

Lyndsay

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Filed Under: Personal Tagged With: babysit, beautiful, broken, bruise, California, car accident, Dr Martin Luther King Jr, grateful, gratitude, happy, LA, Law of Attraction, life, Los Angeles, Martin Luther King Jr, MLK, MLK Day, nanny, positive, SoCal

Personal

It’s My First Blogiversary!

December 11, 2014 By lyndsinreallife 9 Comments

Yesterday was a very exciting today — It was my blogiversary! (Although I am celebrating today)

1 year anniversary blogging clipart

I started blogging one year ago (December 10, 2013) mainly as an outlet to express my thoughts and feelings on the connection between physical and mental health. I was health coaching at the time and found that the people I wanted to help most were those struggling emotionally/mentally. I have this desire to “save” people who need guidance, mainly because when I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder 6 years ago, I needed saving. It was an incredibly difficult and lonely time. But I got through it. And now, I want to help everyone I can! I realize this is not possible, but even if I can help one person, it’s definitely worth it.

As my blogging progressed, I started looking at it more as a business than a hobby. I love writing — I’ve been journaling and writing stories/poetry since the third grade. My original major in college was journalism (I switched due to lack of jobs). So I joined blogging/fitness groups like Fit Approach (#sweatpink), I’m Fit Possible (which is no longer around), Fitfluential, and so many more. It opened up a new world for me!

sweat pink ambassador logo imfitpossible ambassador fitfluential ambassador badge

Prior to these groups, I didn’t have many friends because I was (and still am) fairly new to LA. Even though it was online, it was great having a community of such wonderful people! I was involved with an MLM (multi-level marketing) for a year and a half prior, and even though I had lost my passion for it, I was afraid to leave. I didn’t want to feel like I didn’t belong anywhere. But these groups helped me leave, and I’m forever grateful! Plus, the opportunities I’ve had have been life-changing.

Now that my first year of blogging has passed, I feel like it’s time to step it up. I’m not totally sure how yet, but I’m excited to create it! Maybe it’ll be posting more regularly, or DIY/crafts, or printables, or how I manage bipolar with a positive outlook. Clearly I have many ideas! My mind is flowing with creativity  — now to bring that to light!

Thank you to everyone who has helped make my first blogging year so amazing and memorable! I appreciate you all so, so much. <3

  • What inspired you to start blogging?

  • What would you like to see on this blog?

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XO

Lyndsay

Twitter | Instagram

Filed Under: Personal Tagged With: #fitfluential, #imfitpossible, #PoweredByBits, #sweatpink, #teamdeltalabs, anniversary, blog, blogging, blogiversary, California, CLE, Cleveland, Delta Labs, EnergyBits, Fit Approach, fitness, health, healthy lifestyle, healthy living, LA, lifestyle, Los Angeles, Ohio, one year, San Diego, San Francisco, SD, SF, SoCal, The Balanced Brunette, wellness, workout, yoga

Lifestyle Personal SoCal

What Are You Thankful For? A SCBS Link Up

November 25, 2014 By lyndsinreallife 3 Comments

Happy Tuesday! This month, I am the head blogger for the SoCal Blogger Society link up. Check out the bloggers participating below, and link up with us if you’d like!
 photo monthlylinkupbadge_zpsff0e4704.jpg

Since Thanksgiving is this week, I would like to share who and what I am thankful for.

SCBS Nov LinkUp Pic

My Parents

My mom and dad live in Ohio- 2300 miles away from me (LA). It’s hard being so far away from them, but they do everything they can to make sure I know I’m loved. Whether it’s helping me pay my rent, sending me essential oils to help my immune system, or sending a text to check up on me, my parents are there giving me support. I look up to them so much, and I’m thankful to have such smart, loving parents!

Archie

Puppies are the best anti-depressants. Ever. No matter how much I’m feeling down, Archie is always there to lick my tears and give me snuggles. He loves unconditionally, and he is a little ball of happiness. Plus, he’s just so dang cute!

Archie In LA Blog Button Tim

My boyfriend, Tim, is my partner-in-crime. We’ve been best friends for 20+ years. We’ve been dating for exactly 2 years. We laugh EVERY day. Tim is my backbone; my support system. He loves me for me, and encourages me to live the life I want. I’m thankful to have a partner who truly makes me a better person.

hiking with tim

California Weather

It may be silly, but I am incredibly thankful for the weather in SoCal. The abundant sunshine helps my bipolar and seasonal affective disorder bearable in the winter. Even when it’s cloudy and in the 60s, I love the weather. Like, LOVE it. 68 & sunny is my perfect day, and that happens pretty often this time of year. Plus I live 6 miles from the ocean. It’s perfect!

LA Los Angeles SoCal Palm Tree

What are you thankful for this holiday season?

I invite you to link up with us below!

An InLinkz Link-upCheck out my feature on SoCal Blogger Society and get more info on this month’s link up!

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XO

Lyndsay

Twitter | Instagram

Filed Under: Lifestyle, Personal, SoCal Tagged With: #socalbloggersociety, autumn, boyfriend, California, dad, dog, fall, grateful, head blogger, holiday, host, LA, link up, linkup, Los Angeles, mom, November, parents, pet, SCBS, SD, SF, SoCal, SoCal Blogger Society, thankful, thankful for, Thanksgiving, Weather

Events Lifestyle Personal

It’s My SITS Day; Welcome!

November 10, 2014 By lyndsinreallife 20 Comments

Today is my feature day on The SITS Girls! I am SO excited, and wanted to welcome everyone who stops by! 🙂

The SITS Girls

My name is Lyndsay, and I’m a 26-year-old writer living in Los Angeles, CA (originally from Cleveland, OH). I’m also a nanny, dog-sitter, brand ambassador, and affiliate marketer. I love keeping busy, what can I say? 🙂

kayak  Lyndsay Marvin Photo

I’ve been blogging since December 2013, but writing since age 8. I originally went to college for journalism, and was the editor-in-chief of my college’s newspaper. I loved it! I ended up graduating with a BA in speech-language pathology and audiology.

The Balanced Brunette is a blog that focuses on health, nutrition, fitness, mental health, and SoCal living. I started this blog as an outlet to share my thoughts about the correlation between mental and physical health. That is still the primary focus, but I’ve added in product reviews, events in Southern California, things to do in Los Angeles, and so on! TBB is sort of in a transition phase, as I’m going through a transition in my life.

white tank 3

I like to blog about bipolar disorder, as well. I was diagnosed in 2008. I am very in-tune with it, plus I am a pretty positive person! I’ve found that I connect with people the most when I share about my experiences, and it’s one of my favorite topics to write about.

Thank you SO MUCH to everyone who stops by The Balanced Brunette today!! Leave a comment on this post or any other post, and I will be sure to check out your blog and return the love! 🙂

Have a wonderful Monday!

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XO

Lyndsay

Twitter | Instagram

Filed Under: Events, Lifestyle, Personal Tagged With: bipolar, blog, California, comment, feature, featured blogger, fitness, health, LA, lifestyle, Los Angeles, mental health, Monday, nutrition, share, SITS Day, SoCal, spotlight, The SITS Girls, wellness

Lifestyle Personal

Who Is Your #HealthHero?

November 1, 2014 By lyndsinreallife 6 Comments

Is there someone in your life that inspires you to live a healthy lifestyle? Who keeps you going when you feel like giving up? Who is your #HealthHero?

When I was asked by Oscar Insurance to write about my health hero, it seemed pretty obvious. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized I have a number of health heroes who inspire me!

My Boyfriend

My boyfriend, Tim, was the first person to really introduce me to healthy active living. He is a disabled veteran (Navy) and a health coach. He helps people get healthy, and he’s always making healthy meals in our home. Cooking isn’t really my strong suit, so it’s awesome having a guy who loves to cook! We go on nightly walks, hiking, yoga, various workouts, and share our passion of health, nutrition, and fitness.

Huntington Beach Health Hero Boyfriend

My Parents

My mom and dad started living a healthy, active lifestyle when I was in 7th grade. My dad had a minor heart attack, and it really opened their eyes to the importance of being healthy, eating the right foods, and minimizing stress. My house from then on was full of natural, organic foods. My mom cooked healthier meals, and we got a family membership to the new gym a couple towns away. My family’s health as a whole got better, and it taught me the essentials for being healthy, which I’m now able to instill in my own family’s lifestyle.

Parents Health Hero Inspiration

Archie

My puppy, Archie, is new to our family. He is the center of my universe! It may be silly, but he is like my child. He loves to play and be active, and I love to be active with him! I want to take him to all the dog parks (once he is fully vaccinated), and also on all the glorious hiking trails throughout LA. There’s nothing quite like puppy energy to keep you moving throughout the day! I even made a blog dedicated to dog-friendly things to do in LA! Check it out here if you’d like!

Archie Health Hero Dog Puppy

Living a healthy, active lifestyle is important to me. After my bipolar diagnosis, and then a cancer diagnosis six months later, being healthy is essential. It’s also imperative that I have health insurance. I do not have insurance through Oscar Insurance (I was simply asked to share my health heroes), but any insurance company that does its best to provide healthy living to individuals and families is awesome in my book!

“Oscar Insurance is a new kind of health insurance company that is using technology to make understanding insurance simple, intuitive, and human. In other words, the kind of healthcare we want for ourselves. As a healthcare provider, we partner with our members to help improve and manage their health. We guide them to the care they need (as opposed to just getting involved when the bill comes in!). We also encourage healthy behaviors with incentives like our Gym Reimbursement program” (Andrea Powers, Outreach Coordinator). Oscar Insurance is currently only available in New York & New Jersey.

Get more info about Oscar Insurance on their website or Twitter!

So tell me,

Who’s your Health Hero?

 

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XO

Lyndsay

Twitter | Instagram

Filed Under: Lifestyle, Personal Tagged With: #HealthHero, active, bipolar disorder, blog, California, cancer, coverage, dog, Gym Reimbursement, Health Hero, healthy, healthy living, inspiration, LA, lifestyle, Los Angeles, New York, New York City, NYC, Oscar Insurance, SoCal

Personal

I’m Choosing To Live In The Moment; Who’s With Me?

September 1, 2014 By lyndsinreallife 9 Comments

Something that’s been on my mind a lot lately is living in the present moment. With all my thoughts about whether to move back to Ohio or to stay in Southern California, I’ve found myself constantly thinking about what’s going to make me happy.

But then I realize I am so consumed by the thoughts of my future self/happiness, that I completely neglect my present self/happiness.

Live in the Moment

The only thing we truly have is this moment. The past is but a memory. The future will never truly be here. We only have right now.

It’s important to remember that every action has a consequence/reaction. It’s not wise (in my opinion) to go throughout your life without a care of how your actions will affect others. That’s selfish. However, it’s also important to remember that we don’t need to think about every little detail and plan out every little thing that will happen next. Because truthfully, nothing ever goes as planned.

Live in the Moment 3

Image Source: notsalmon.com (I LOVE her Insta)

Before bed every night, I find myself going over and over the stresses of my life in my head. I never come to a conclusion (because truly, how will that happen while laying in my bed at 1 o’clock in the morning?). I only end up with more stress. So I started actively thinking about things that were more calming, like my breaths as I try to fall asleep. Nothing too serious, just simple breathing patterns. I found that I was able to fall asleep much easier and faster, and I was having fewer nightmares. I truly lived in the present moment, and I felt peace. So now I do this every night, and I love it!

Live in the Moment 2

I don’t want to waste away my days focusing on petty things. I don’t want to waste my days sitting in my apartment and waiting for the next great thing to happen. My life is happening right now, and it’s up to me to make it what I want.

And it all starts with living in the now.

Who’s with me?

XO, Lyndsay

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Filed Under: Personal Tagged With: happiness, happy, live in the moment, live in the now, moment, now, personal development, present

Personal

Life Update; August Edition

August 24, 2014 By lyndsinreallife 7 Comments

We are nearing the end of summer, and I wanted to give a “life update” for those who are curious about what I’ve been up to. It’s been a busy summer, and a really good one!

Summer 2014 Blog Cover

Last summer was my first one in California, and it was surprisingly not the best. I was in a depression after making such a big move (from CLE to LA), so I didn’t get to enjoy my time too much. But this summer, I did a lot of awesome stuff! Here are a few:

  • Worked a booth at the PLUSH Expo with Delta Labs
  • Completed my first 5k
  • Attended & covered the San Diego International Boat Show as a blogger (my first event specifically as a blogger)
  • Completed a virtual 5k with my little brother on Kelleys Island (Lake Erie, OH)
  • Visited Ohio for 2.5 weeks
  • Visited Chicago for the first time
  • Completed the Chaarg Booty Camp + became a virtual Chaarg member!
  • Made the decision to move back to Ohio (still debating this one..)
  • Got two new babysitting jobs
  • Attended my very first blog conference: BlogFest at IDEAworld (it was AMAZING!)
  • Signed up to become an FXP Fitness instructor

When I look at that list, it doesn’t seem like much. But considering all I did last summer was finish 14 seasons of Law and Order: SVU, I feel pretty good about it! I’m excited for autumn – crisp, cool air, job stability, fall clothes, traveling (hoping to take a trip up the PCH), holidays, and so on.

Santa Monica Summer 2014 Blog

I’m in this weird limbo. I’m not really sure what to do about moving back to Ohio. I want to be with my family, but part of me feels that I’ve changed too much to go back. It reminds me of one of my favorite quotes by Nelson Mandela:

“There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.”

It’s nothing against Ohio (or the people there) at all. For me, moving across the country with no one but my boyfriend was obviously life-changing. I’ve been in LA a year and a half, and I have grown & changed so much. I had a dream last night that I was back in Ohio, going back to a job that I once had, seeing friends who were on different pages than myself. It was comforting, but I felt completely out of place. I want to settle down in San Diego, so part of me is wondering if I should even leave SoCal in the first place. Can I handle making such a big move three times in five years (or whatever it ends up being)? Clearly I have some things to think about.

I’m also trying to figure out what I want to do with my life career-wise. I am a health coach (for the past two years), blogger (obviously), and nanny/babysitter. I have a bachelor’s degree in speech therapy and audiology, but totally love the flexibility of babysitting. I’m so untraditional- 9-5 has never really been my thing. But I am 26-years-old, and should probably make a career decision, right?

Anyway, these are all things I need to figure out myself. But writing is therapy for me, so there it is!

  • Have you been in a position where you weren’t sure what to do with your career/life? What did you end up doing?
  • How was your summer?! What was your favorite moment?

As always, thanks for reading 🙂

XO, Lyndsay

Let’s connect! Twitter + Instagram are my faves 😉

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Filed Under: Personal Tagged With: 2014, 5K, California, career, LA, life, limbo, moving, Ohio, personal, SoCal, SoCal, summer, update

Events Fitness Lifestyle Personal SoCal

The Big Bear Yoga Festival + A Discount!

August 7, 2014 By lyndsinreallife 8 Comments

Something awesome is happening in a couple weeks: The Big Bear Yoga Festival in the San Bernardino Mountains in Southern California, August 22-24, 2014.

BBYF Yoga 2013 (79)

 All Photos Courtesy of The Big Bear Yoga Festival

Have you ever been to Big Bear? It’s absolutely breathtaking! I visited for three days in January, so I can only imagine it is even better in August.

So, what is the Big Bear Yoga Festival?

(Borrowed from the official press release)
The Big Bear Yoga Festival is an event where yoga and nature go hand-in-hand. The festival returns to YMCA Camp Oakes, which is 200 acres in the high mountains. All attendees can choose from health & wellness lectures, a wide range of yoga classes, food, live music and guided meditation — along with outdoor recreation like a ropes course, swimming pool, campfire, canoeing, and an observatory for star gazing.

The inaugural Big Bear Yoga Festival was in August 2013. The event was a complete success and established itself as a space for music, movement, health, food & fun. In 2013, the festival offered excellent yoga teachers from Southern California, key-note speaker Lindsay Wagner, fun outside activities and music under the stars. This year, our main speaker is Gilliam Larson, a contestant of Survivor: Gabon. Gillian Larson will be inspiring us to achieve whatever it is that we want through her motto of Dream it, Believe it, Prepare for it and Do it! She has never satisfied her appetite for adventure and travel despite her wide array of experiences throughout her years. She has traveled through 46 countries and all but a few U.S. states, much of it backpacking.

BBYF Yoga 2013 (80)  BBYF Food & Friends 2013 (1)

A Few Details:

All ages and abilities are welcome! The “Beginners Track” offers easy classes and therapeutic yoga. More advanced students can attend the more intense sessions, try a new style of yoga or deepen their current practice. Other classes include Belly Dance Stretch (Belly-O), Laughter Yoga, Kirtan (call and response singing), and a live Yoga Rave.

All classes and activities are included in the cost of the Big Bear Yoga Festival. There are special tickets available that include meals, so that everyone has an opportunity to “break bread” with new friends.

The Festival boasts excellent yoga teachers from all over Southern California leading and sharing their passion for yoga, including teachers from The Yoga Room of Redlands, Western Yoga College of Riverside, and Green Tara Yoga of Upland.

The 3rd Eye Band

Music Lineup:

  • Yoga Das
  • The Conscious Groove
  • Eddie Young
  • Jim Beckwith
  • Jennifer Sparks
  • The Clapping Monkeys
  • Jivan
  • DJ Little Planet
  • Third Eye Band
  • Nick Young
  • Cali Conscious
  • Anton Petritz

Here’s The Deal:

The amazing people behind the festival have allowed me to offer a 10% discount to my readers! This discount is good on festival tickets only. All accommodations (camping, hotel, etc.), if desired, are separate. To redeem the discount, you can go here and enter the code TheBalancedBrunette OR go through EventBrite, and the discount is already applied.

For more information including logistics, tickets, event schedule, or how to get involved, please visit www.BigBearYogaFestival.com, email bigbearyoga@hotmail.com, or call 909-584-5270.

You can follow Festival updates on Facebook, as well!

Big-Bear-Yoga-Festival-Logo-with-Tag-Line-Final

 


Disclosure: As an affiliate for The Big Bear Yoga Festival, I will receive a portion of tickets sold using my discount code. All opinions are 100% my own. I want to thank The Big Bear Yoga Festival for this amazing opportunity!

 

Filed Under: Events, Fitness, Lifestyle, Personal, SoCal Tagged With: Big Bear, California, mountains, music, retreat, San Bernardino, SoCal, Southern California, spirit junkie, The Big Bear Yoga Festival, yoga

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