Month: November 2014

Treat yourself to some deliciously decadent self care! This DIY Spa Night on MindBodyGreen is my go to ritual for when life gets crazy and I need a time out and some alone time. It’s perfect for when you don’t have more than a few hours in your schedule and don’t feel like spending big bucks on a day spa appointment. Put yourself first this holiday season so that you can show up as your best self for your loved ones and co workers! Enjoy a spa night this weekend and let me know what you’re favorite ways to unwind and treat yourself are in the comments below!

Have a blissed out holiday weekends my loves!

Cassandra

I’ve really started LOVING Thanksgiving because of it’s true meaning.

No, not a day to eat turkey..although that’s totally fine if you do..

A DAY TO GIVE THANKS.

For me, gratitude is an everyday practice but I really like to think of Thanksgiving as a whole gratitude holiday! It’s a great yearly reminder to check our level of gratefulness in our lives. So I spend even more time in the morning after my meditation, writing a list of everything I’m grateful for and really getting specific about it. Don’t just write that you’re thankful for your pet, write how you are thankful for Charlie (my dog) because he always knows just when I need him to nuzzle, because his presence always brightens my day and his body loves to warm my toes. Just an example, but when you take a few minutes and actually write it and get that detailed for every person and thing in your life, you’re truly going to reap the benefits of a gratitude practice. You’ll be happier, more present and attract even more abundance your way by being so grateful for what you have. What do you have to lose? Give it a try today and see if you can keep it up consistently for 40 days!

Why is gratitude such a game changer?

Because you have the power to change your life simply by changing the way you look at your life and THAT is the gift that gratitude keeps on giving. Want to get happy? Start by getting grateful. Want more abundance? Use gratitude to see the abundance that already exists in your life and you will not be able to stop yourself from attracting more. Ready for a romantic relationship? Start being truly grateful for ALL the relationships in your life. Ready to lose weight or feel better in your body? Start taking an inventory of all the things you are grateful for about your body. Nothing like having someone in the family whose lost an organ or is fighting a disease to be insanely present to the health and vitality of every cell of your being. When we are truly present in gratitude, we are thinking thoughts of love, we are raising our vibration and we are changing our lives! If you’re ready to start GETTING GRATEFUL- join me on my #40daysofgratitude challenge on social media, whether you’re on twitter, instagram or Facebook, tag me and hashtag #40DaysofGratitude and let’s all keep spreading the love, raising our vibrations and operating from a place of blissful gratitude! Ill be following along with your photos, cheering you on and reposting some of your inspiring words and pictures! 

A peak into my gratitude list this morning:

1. I’m grateful for my mom for being so supportive of GSS and always thinking of wonderful ideas for it. I’m grateful for her always being a phone call away and willing to listen to me chat about just about anything.

2. I’m grateful for my dad for showing me what unconditional love feels like, for making me feel my most beautiful with out any make up or fancy clothes from a really young age and for all his zen wisdom over the years. Grateful to have a dad I can tell absolutely anything to.

3. I’m grateful for my grandma for being a living example of grace in my life, for showing me the woman I want to grow up to be, for teaching me not to sweat the small things (and they’re all small things) and for sending me the most adorable snail mail every couple weeks to brighten my day.

4. I’m grateful for my brother who’s tolerance for pain, courage under pressure and absolute brilliance constantly make me want to be a better person. I’m grateful that I can tell him anything and he’ll always tell me his brutally honest opinion and we can also not talk at all and just enjoy some Aziz Ansari on Netflix together.

5. I’m grateful for terminator, my five year old goldfish, for keeping me company through so many apartments, boyfriends and breakdowns since I’ve moved into NYC. He puts a smile on my face everyday and reassures my parents that I can keep a living thing alive.

6. I’m grateful for all of you! I live in a constant state of gratitude for being able to do work that I love from every fiber of my soul. I’m grateful for your emails, your comments and the pictures you share with me. You brighten my life each and everyday and I am so grateful for your love and support.

7. I’m grateful for my clients, who always end up feeling like close girlfriends after our sessions. Their progress makes me soul smile and reassures me that I’m on the right path day in and day out. It’s a gift to be able to spend this sacred time with them while we create something really beautiful together. I’m blessed to help mentor them in making that magic.

8. I’m grateful for my own mentors, who whether near or far have changed my life for the better in a tremendous capacity. I’m grateful for meeting my spiritual mentor, Jennifer Kass, and the incredible connection we share, and for how much I have grown through our work together. I’m grateful for Gabby Bernstein, whose book first ended up in my hands when I needed it the most and started a conversation that would change my life. I’m grateful to Marianne Williamson for holding such tremendous space for the spiritual conversation before anyone else was talking about it in the main stream and for all of her iTunes lectures which fuel me with inspiration on  the regular!

9. I’m grateful for my friends who inspire me, challenge me, support me, make me want to go bigger, shine brighter and make me laugh till it hurts. You know who you are and I’m beyond grateful for your presence in my life.

10. I’m grateful for my health and my body. I’m grateful for my energy and vitality, for having beautiful healthy organs that are all working and disease free. I’m grateful for my heart that beats everyday, my breathe that inhabits me and my eyes that allow me to see. I’m grateful for this amazing vessel which my soul resides and in awe of the mechanics that go into me feeling my best and in being in the best of health. I’m grateful that it allows me to be who I am, hold the space for my purpose in the world and also allow me to bend like gumby in yoga and sweat it out dancing at daybreaker.

My list could go on for a while, so I will cut myself off there. Now it’s your turn! What are you grateful for today? Answer in the comments below and get started on your gratitude practice. I promise, if you stick with it, it’s a total game changer!

 

Happy Thanksgiving my loves! xo!

So I don’t normally write these kinda “diary” posts where I tell you guys all about my week but for those of you who are extra observant,  you may have noticed my posts across the board being much less than normal this week and I thought it might be interesting to see how you guys react to being clued in to what’s my real life is like! If you like this kinda thing and want to see more, comment below and let me know! If you’d rather just have me stick to meditations, tips and recipes, let me know that too. I won’t get offended, I just want to put out the kind of content you’re excited to read.

WHITE TANTRIC YOGA.

Last Saturday, I went to a very special workshop at a church on the UWS where I did kundalini yoga all day from 8am till about 6pm. Everyone wore white and we held some interesting postures and meditated our asses off! I’m a big kundalini devotee so when I heard that they were requiring this “white tantric” for the teaching training peeps, I was intrigued and when I heard that white tantric was rumored to have the same effect as a years worth of meditating for an hour each day. I was SOLD.

Sign. Me. Up.

What can I say, it was unlike anything I experienced  so far and I got some MAJOR clarity around things that I needed in my life. A lot of people had very emotional reactions, some battled big ego demons but for me I was in an ecstatically positive place. I had all these beautiful visions. My purpose and my priorities became undeniably clear. Things that were standing in my way and blocking my path became apparent. It was an overall amaze balls experience. But what happened in the workshop pales in comparison to the momentum that started in my life this week.

All of a sudden, more brands than ever wanted to partner with me for events and creating fun, video content, I got emails from all sorts of women wanting to start working with me (don’t worry! I still can squeeze maybe one or two more people in for private coaching starting this december? email my assistant (assistant@gosweetandskinny.com) ASAP if this needs to be you!) and what’s even more amazing is that I had UNLIMITED energy, like cracked out crazy balls of fire energy all week. I was up till 3am, electrified with new ideas and new content I want to share with you guys. I’m so excited!

Here’s some other factors that I’m sure contributed beyond white tantric as well, meditating like boss (per usual), not drinking alcohol OR consuming caffeine, minimizing sugar to fruit, and drinking some delicious juices on my mini cleanse from Ritual Wellness. I’m also in the process of a very exciting collaboration with a pretty big company that I can’t wait to tell you more about, but what I can tell you is that it involves totally making over my living space and it’s going to be crazy gorgeous when it’s done. So only end I’ve been going through old clothes, cleaning out anything and everything that I no longer use or need and donating, tossing, recycling, etc and it feels SO good! I literally feel my energy being restored more and more as I purge and purge the excess that’s no longer necessary.

Last but not least, it was a new moon on Saturday night which leaves us feeling like a new day is dawning in our lives, something beautiful is being created with in us and it’s the perfect time for stepping into your power, clearing up anything holding you back and (like my mantra necklace –) GO BIG, SHINE BRIGHT. You can find more delicious details about that here at mystic mamma. This is an amazing time to go deep and reflect, get really clear about where you’re headed and stay focused on it.

If you’re interested in an intention setting meditation session or just plain interested in getting started on your way to getting clear, focusing on your path, loving your life and uncovering your bliss, email me (cassandra@gosweetandskinny.com) today. Spots fill up fast and the option to work with me one on one will not be available forever!

1. Be the positive thought police.

Your thoughts are extra powerful today so make sure you are putting out the kinda stuff you want coming back at you.

2. Meditate.

It’s okay if it’s only for five minutes, find a peaceful place, put on a soothing song or just sit in silence and focus on your breath. If you’d like to try a guided meditation, here’s an easy one to get you going. Today we can feel even more connected to the love and support around us so take advantage and really tap into that feeling around you.

3.Visualize your BEST self on BEST day. 

Again, your thoughts today are even more POTENT than normal and they are always creating your reality so take the time today to bring awareness to what you’re thinking. A great way to put out the stuff you want to call in is to visualize your best self on your best day. If you need some guidance on that, you can also try this guided meditation of mine.

4. Hold a BIG intention for 11:11 am / 11:11 pm.

Wishes are coming true all day but keep an eye out for these special times! 🙂

5. Get to YOGA.

What better way to relax, get yourself in flow and leave behind any negative thoughts or stressors from the day. I’m definitely heading to kundalini tonight!

6. Make a vision board! (invite girlfriends and throw a party!)

This is an absolute blast. Grab some girlfriends (or do it alone!) and stack of magazines and cut out pictures and words of all the beautiful things you’re ready to have in your life. It’s a great way to get clear on what you want on this magical day but will serve as a great reminder for days to come.

7. Talk to your angels.

Hey, it’s angel day! (11/11 are angel numbers, in case you didn’t realize) So why not spend some time chatting with your guardian angels? Thank them for keep you on track or ask them for some help if you need it!

8. Write a gratitude list.

This is a great practice everyday but on a day where you really want to be sending out good vibrations into the universe, it’s even better. Let’s get grateful! Grab a pen and paper and write down everything in your life that you are thankful for! (Some excellent thanksgiving prep, I might add, hehe)

9. Send love to every person you see on the street!

I love doing this! It’s truly the key to a magical day. You don’t have to say anything just look at every person you pass on the street and envision sending a golden light of love from your heart to theirs. I can’t help but smile when I do this and even though people have no idea what I’m doing, I’m sure they feel the warmth. And couldn’t we all use more of that?

10. Ask for a divine sign.

My angels always show me their presence with feathers in my path or little birdies fluttering around me. You can always ask for divine sign if you need reassurance that you’re on the right path or you’re being guided. Don’t be afraid to ask for one and don’t forget to keep your eyes peeled after you do for what will show up!

11. Let yourself be guided.

I love doing this in a book store or walking around the city. Take a stroll and just allow your inner guidance system to take over, see where your heart leads you. Practice tuning in, letting go and allowing yourself to be guided.

What we eat effects how we do EVERYTHING. It’s really that simple. What we put into our bodies sets the foundation for our lives. We can choose to put nutrient dense foods that give us the vitality to go out into the world and be our best selves or we can choose processed, sugary foods that are nutritionally void and constantly battle with our own bodies in order to have the energy to accomplish the simple task we have in a day. I’ve seen clients LIGHT UP once we get them on a clean, whole foods meal plan, they will literally say ,” I’ve done nothing but start eating healthier foods and I surprisingly feel happier all the time.”  So whether you want to lose weight, feel better in your body, detox, get happy or have more energy, the food you choose to eat plays a MAJOR part in setting you up for success!

That’s the magic of food.

Now I know that hardest part of getting off on the path to blissful wellbeing can often be getting started or knowing where to start and this is where a personalize blissful eating meal plan comes in. We’ll get you jumpstart to a more radiant, energetic you by having an important chat about your intentions for laying this new healthier, nourishing foundation and then I’ll put together a customized meal plan for YOU that’s based on your life and your preferences. A lot of the time detoxes and diet meal plans fail because they aren’t made for people with REAL lives, who have REAL food preferences and don’t spend all day in the kitchen. By creating a personalized meal plan you can ensure you’re going to stick to it and you can use the food ideas long beyond the first week. You’ll also get a meal plan that’s custom tuned to YOUR goals! You’ll learn some great breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack options that you can start incorporating into your daily routine. So you can  use the planned out week as a jumpstart, training wheels so to say, to get you going so you can go flying town blissed out lane when you’re done!

 

*Personalized Blissful Eating Meal Plan Sessions*

These sessions will be 60 minutes long and done over the phone or via skype, so that everyone has access to them.

What we’ll chat about:

  • What you’re health + wellness goals are and how we can customize your meal plan to help achieve them.
  • What your eating right now and how it’s working for you.
  • Any problems or blocks you may have around food ( anything from an allergy to a limiting belief – I want to know about your relationship with what you’re eating!).
  • How we can best design your meal plan to support your goals, work with your life and keep you satisfied and energized.

what you’ll leave with:

  •  Priceless knowledge and insight into your eating habits.
  • Plenty of ideas for what kinds of food to incorporate into your diet and how to make healthier choices for your favorite foods.
  • A 7-day meal plan with in 24 hours of our session that’s totally customized to your goals, your relationship with food and what’s going to work with both your schedule and your body most optimally. Plus all the delicious healthy recipes!
  • A solid foundation to start feeling better, nourishing your body and on your way to achieving your wellness goals.
  • Inspiration and tools to start your plan and move towards a happier, healthier, more radiant you!

total cost is only $187. Email assistant@gosweetandskinny.comto schedule an appointment time.

BY SHANNON VETERE [ Lifestyle Expert + creator of SkinnySometimes.com]

After returning home from a NYC trip with a lot of random and delicious plant-based eats, I was inspired to try giving the lifestyle a go for a week. I didn’t know what to really expect or how my experience would pan out, but overall it was a great experiment. Here are some of my thoughts and findings from that week:
It really challenged me to try new things!
I used “flax eggs” for my morning oatmeal pancake and it was great! I will definitely continue to do this. I ate a lot of beans, which I truly enjoyed. Nutritional yeast, that was fun! There were little things here and there and I was pleasantly surprised with all the new foods I tried.
It was A LOT easier than I thought it would be.
I had no issues because I did some meal prep the weekend before I started. Even though I live in a small town with limited resources, it was so easy! The recipes I made were enjoyable and I didn’t feel deprived at all. I didn’t dine out, which I’m sure would have made things more difficult, but at home it was so easy.
Plant-based foods are super filling!
I still can’t get over how full I was after some meals. I definitely had to readjust portion sizes. One little salad with some quinoa and beans would leave me full for hours.
I realized what I was lacking
I wasn’t getting a lot of sleep, I was coming off of white sugar and I wasn’t drinking enough water. Those are the reasons I felt light-headed and hungry at the beginning of the week. By the end of the week, with less sugar and more water in my system I felt a thousand times better. And yes, I started sleeping more too. After the week was up, I made sure to be careful with all 3 of these. It was an eye-opener.
I can’t and I won’t do labels.
Before I started Skinny Sometimes, I had an unhealthy relationship with food. I had lame rules and made certain foods off limits. That of course, in turn caused me to binge. I did eat a cookie at one point during the week. If I had prepped plant-based foods without declaring that’s what I was to do for a week, I don’t think I would have eaten the cookie. I felt guilty after I ate it too, which is an absolute no-no for me! I eat cookies all the time and never feel guilty. When I realized I associated guilt with food is when I realized no matter what I will never, ever label my dietary habits.
Moving forward, I’m excited to try new recipes and add more plant-based meals and snacks into my days. It was a positive experience and a real eye opener. One week isn’t long enough for me to see if it made any impact on my health so I can’t make any remarks in that regard. It was a fun challenge though and I learned so much about myself!

shannonvetere

Find Shannon on Instagram • Pinterest • Facebook • Twitter