Categories
natural hair travel

Stonehenge at Maryhill

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=18NBp5C1wAixlXscmjt-B6dETkpOOidDWhttps://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1UalZQTH4BN2rQrQci3OxFWkOxM1gAjNjhttps://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1h8-KrfUMPY0jVOI5vDmYrhT8OZaipa8qhttps://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1wSe9lzX-mTr3ZQsBZjSfkFlHRyR8EYb9https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=13Asih7b9iU-javEn90FaIH_5XTgJGCEIhttps://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1GYaRff0_UEycwGOOqz4GckqmPvIou2uKhttps://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1mpYoxsr3WEoTNlt9Zu33fSB8KQGOIAzMhttps://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1Z-83twrNKI2WFhAI5lrjPEwaKn5e785hhttps://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1fZ5DVR8XAgYlvvHTFMYTfL_cHamf3kythttps://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1pXi743MjdnTWcBNIjDCJ4cvabsYkiAawhttps://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1ATBan6IRmxJfkOv1yoGz31EB-k77ueY7https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1kbnxDDtadmbC3SHAn_ShLLUuT9ZUHgqvhttps://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=16sqU9g_NYpOGB3JM0O_eeYJQ_oQRCv-0

Happy Sunday Friends and Family,

Β I wrote the following blog post on a flight in 2019, when I was traveling back and forth between Washington State and California every week. The photos are from a 2018 road trip. There are a variety of reasons why I am just now publishing it on my blog. -HLJ

If you’ve followed my blog for a while, you know that I am always looking for an opportunity to spend time in union with God’s canvas: our beautiful, natural world. Last September, my son Nile was in the playoffs (they finished the season undefeated and WON the Washington State football championship!Β  It was such an exciting time; and my boy started in every game.Β  2018 was a high school football Mom’s dream πŸ™‚ !

When I learned we would have a long drive across Washington state to get to the game, I googled β€œtop nature attractions” along the route.Β  The Stone Henge at Maryhill was at the top of the list.

The Maryhill Stonehenge is a replica of England’s Stonehenge located in Maryhill, Washington. The description and photos looked super intriguing.

The stonehenge was 20-30 minutes off the highway, and it was worth the stop.Β  The view was gorgeous, and the ancient remains were fascinating to walk around and learn about.

I have a confession. I was very unsure about including any photos of myself in this post. I’ve been sitting on these photos for almost a year.

This day, I was completely natural.Β  No makeup, my hair was in a wash-n-go and I was physically heavier than I like to be (unfortunately, a five lb. weight gain looks like ten on me!).

Now, before you go telling me that I “don’t need any makeup” and β€œnatural is beautiful,” please understand that I am speaking simply from a standpoint of my own, personal aesthetic preferences. I can look at someone else with the exact same hair style and think it looks amazing on THEM.

I just want to reiterate that I am writing and speaking exclusively about myself and revealing some of the insecurities that I struggle to keep at bay.

So, I decided to bite the bullet and ask Mike to snap a few pics of me. Despite my reservations, I had made a commitment to myself to make more of an effort to combine my love of blogging with my desire to commune more with nature, both in my external surroundings and in my appearance. So, I gathered my self-esteem together and decided to try and enjoy my wash-n-go. Mind you, I have only worn a wash-n-go a handful of times since going natural. I’m not gonna lie, I am still not a fan of the look. I have SO much shrinkage, I just don’t enjoy the appearance of having short hair.

Nonetheless, I wanted to share my journey towards self-love and acceptance. It’s important for women of color to experience the feeling of liberation that comes with embracing your God-given natural hair. I can’t wish that for others without sharing photos of my own journey, including looks that I am not crazy about.Β  My complaint is not uncommon among naturalistas.Β  The wash-n-go struggle is real!

What aspect of your looks do you struggle to embrace? Have you made any major changes to your appearance over the past few years in effort to improve your lifestyle or self-esteem? Drop me a comment below or on Instagram. I would love to hear from you.

 

XOXO,

Holly

 

Categories
fashion

Summer paisley print maxi dress

amazon maxi dress

Greetings,

I’m talking a little about self-love–one of my favorite topics–at the bottom of this post, so scroll down to check it out.

I normally don’t wear maxi dresses, but I love thisΒ Boho Summer Sleeveless Tank Long Maxi from Amazon. Below, I copied and pasted the features from Amazon and edited it only slightly, so ignore the capitalizations (I didn’t take the time to fix them all).

  • I am wearing a size small
  • Material – Top -Rayon/Spandex jersey fabric; Skirt: Polyester/Spandex knit fabric. It is very Soft, Comfy, Stretchy and light-weight, not Sheer
  • Pull-on over head (no zippers)
  • The Boho Dress Features – Casual Scoop Neck, Sleeveless Tank Top, comes in many different patterns and colors
  • Elastic in the waist for a comfortable fit, roomy for your tummy/hips,high waist and Flowy hem design,Floor length
  • Wear it with necklace and wedges, try adding a belt
  • The perfect dress for a vacation, or day at the beach
  • Easy to dress up or down. Add a jacket to wear at the office. Could be worn as a Maternity dress-Perfect for baby shower
  • Garment Care- Hand-wash, Hang Dry

amazon maxi dress

long summer dress

paisley maxi dress

summer dress

amazon maxi dress

amazon fashion

summer maxi dresses

Today, I want to talk briefly about self-love.Β  With so many stressful things going on in our rapidly-changing society, I think it’s critically important to treat ourselves with love, kindness and care.

The term ‘self-love’ may sound cliche, but set your judgment aside, lend me your ears for a moment, and open your mind up to the idea. According to mental health professionals, self-love and compassion for oneself are essential to well-being and the prevention of depression.

Perfectionism hinders self-love.

When we strive for perfection, and fear failure, we tend to speak to ourselves in negative and critical terms. Learn to quiet those critical voices by showing yourself more compassion.Β  For me, the easiest way to do this is to picture myself somewhere between 5 and 9 years old.Β  What would I say to little Holly? How would I talk to her? In what ways would I take care of her? How would I hug her? What advice would I give her for the future? How would I honor her?

Even though my twins are almost 20, I already try to teach them to nurture their inner child.

I know this concept may be difficult for many of you to get your heads around, but I implore you. . . Just TRY IT. Here is an article with some tips and techniques on caring for your inner child.

I will come back to this topic again and again, because I feel like it is the key to healing ourselves, and by extension, society. For now, this is all I wanted to leave you with.

Chat soon,

HLJ

xoxo

Categories
fitness

FIT FRIDAYS with ME: How Extreme Sports Changed My Life

CLICK HERE for my April 24th Feature in Rolling Out: Why Triathlon Keeps Me Sane!

SIGN UP FOR THE LATEST NEWS

FROM HOLLY LOWE JONES!

THANKS FOR SIGNING UP!