1. Write letters to your loved ones (and yourself)

I love the feeling of holding letters in my hand, on a hot June day, walking down Lincoln Park, just to stop outside the post office and drop off my love letters. I love sending my friends random DMs with, "what's your address?" I love using my pink, purple, and green pens to create words out of feelings that are so hard to transfer onto paper. But mostly, I love the peace and satisfaction a pen and paper have on my soul.

I feel less incomplete, and more connected to the people that have made such an impact on my life and because of time and space, are no longer in my every day life. This is a time to take out of your day and honor those past friendships, and small moments you've shared with your high school friends.

2. Star reading more

Start small. Poetry books. Poetry books with pictures. Comic books. Articles. Cosmopolitan, ANYTHING! I know we don't like to read, but there's no better novelty than reading a book on the train and making eye contact with a stranger and falling in love! Falling in love with their gaze, and smirking until you get off your stop. It's all about the little interactions you have every day, and the things your phone distracts you from noticing. These forms of little magic are trapped in books. They remind of us of the parallels of the universe, and the endless possibilities found in faith and fate. Here are some of my faves:

"Milk & Honey"

"I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell"

"Floral Moans"

"The Odyssey" (modern version)

"Dracula"

"Tangerine"

"That Was The, This is Now"

"Crushed"

"French Exit"

"Diary of an Oxygen Thief"

3. Honeys, disconnect the phone

Delete the apps, turn off your notifications, put on do-not-disturb, put your phone on air plane mode, throw your phone in front of a moving train! Whatever you have to do, do it! Spend less time on social media, just do it. We all talk about the cleanse, and advertise the cleanse, but how many of us do it, without the anxiety it brings? It's very hard at first, and honestly it sounds kind of stupid to restrict yourself of something so easy to access, just trust me.

Spend less time looking, and transform that energy into doing. Instead of spending that time wondering what others are doing, or looking at a photoshopped picture hoping it was you, just go get dinner by yourself and feel comfortable with yourself, by yourself. You don't even have to go outside, but just go talk to the flowers or take a bubble bath!

4. Spend more time with your family

This has always been a personal issue. I don't think most normal people have issues hanging out with their family, but in my dysfunctional family, it's tricky. I don't spend as much time as I would want with my family because I've moved so far away, and I'm always doing shit. I feel like I have a whole different life, and don't know how my family fits into it. Until I figure that out, all I can say is try to make an effort to be present around your family. There are so many people who spend every day with their family, but are all just on their phones and honestly, it's just our culture.

5. Set time aside to meditate

The first person that every introduced me to the idea of meditating was Nilon Magowan, if you're from Naples YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHO I'M TALKING ABOUT! Nilon was so comfortable with himself, one time he was meditating in a teachers classroom and when she walked in, she screamed. Back then, I was so jealous of people that could be so themselves without feeling like they had to conform to their expectations. I always felt pressured to act the way people viewed me, that people like Nilon always felt wholesome to me.

Fast forward to Maria in college, and Carolina was the person that brought me to a yoga sculpt class. My mind didn't know what to do with the silence, and I wanted more of whatever that was. I'm still not an expert and honestly I feel like my yoga journey has just begun, although I've been going to yoga for a year now.

I heard this the other day and it made me sad:

My brother asked me, "aren't you sad that you spend so much time meditating and going to yoga, and you're still missing the fundamentals?" I now understand what that means. We spend so much time trying these things that are supposed to bring us peace, and help us with our anxieties and insecurities, yet there's still something missing. It's because we're only half way there. Yoga is a process. Everything is a process. I can't just meditate once and become relaxed. There are things in my life that stress me out, and there will always be those stressors, but as a human I'm trying the best I can to let those things not get me and blind me from enjoying my days.

Meditation is only the start, the start to a healthier self. To know what feels toxic, and to set time to clear your mind. You may leave your yoga studio and feel all the stress coming back, but at least you're trying to do something to change it. The change may not come over night, but do not be discouraged!

6. Create your own goal-oriented altar

Okay, let's be completely honest right now. I was hanging out with this girl, who told me "not to make fun of her for pulling out her rocks and meditating". First of all, if you actually know me you know I would never make fun of someone for anything of those sorts, and second stop assuming shit. I don't like the fact that I can be a little bit of a hater sometimes, and as soon as she said that, I rolled my third eye and thought she was doing these things to seem cool, since you know, vibes, rocks, chakras and witch craft is in trend. Having a soul is back in style, and I'm not sure how to feel about it.

I like it! But I also feel like I see through people who are doing it to get attention, or because they think it's cool. Again, I hate that I can think so negatively of people like that, and I'm trying to be more accepting of people who follow trends, when it's a positive trend. I just want to apologize on behalf of people that treat others inferior when things become pop culture. Just know that we were believing in chakras before it was cool, and it hurts to see something we value get appropriated my the general public.

Now that we got my rant out of the way, create an altar! It doesn't have to be anything crazy, but little space set aside in which you have things that you value, believe in, and want to accomplish. I like to write motivational letters to myself, especially with my binge eating, I like to remind myself that's a new day to start healthy. I like to keep candles and incense near my polaroids, and rocks. A favorite book, and I say a little prayer to hope to have a job that I love when I'm older. These things are important to me, so I try to start off my day with a little reminder.

7. Attend social events you normally wouldn't

I am comfortable in the things I do, and I am not comfortable in the things I don't. Easy sentence to read, hard sentence to actually do. Can you imagine going to a bar sober? I have. Really weird moment, and I will not get that into it, because it was off putting, but I kind of liked it. It brought this weird sense of understanding, and it made me realize the good things that come out from exposing myself to things I normally wouldn't. Attending social events that you normally don't attend can be a little intimidating, but it's nothing good company can't fix. The first time I attended an art exhibition in Wicker Park was honestly scary, but I was with some good friends, and wine, and I had a pleasant time. I had no idea what I was looking at, or what I was doing, but I loved the feeling. It was like I found a side of myself that I didn't even know I had. Just looking at your city's website will make you realize how much there is to do!

8. Create, become, and expose yourself to more art

As I am sitting back in Naples, I realize that this is much easier to do in a big city. Not to try to be all city girl like, but like c'mon. It's easier to love art in big cities, because its everywhere, and I really think that's what people are missing! If you're in a small town, you just have to try a little harder to find art. Start small, maybe go online, and then try making some. Maybe try driving to a city near you and finding some art. Go to random coffee shops and walk into galleries. Go into fancy hotel bathrooms, those are usually my favorite! There's such intersting art in the bathroom and I'm not sure why that's the case...

9. Find the right workout for you!

I have PTSD from high school in too many ways to explain. One of the many issues comes from working out. I have a very typical female body, weak upper body and strong lower body. I hate weights. I honestly don't enjoy feeling sore! For such a long time, I was told that cross fit, and this and that was the way to get fit. Quite frankly, I don't like it.

My kind of workout involves low intensity, but powerful. I've learned about pilates, yoga and cycling and I love every moment of it. I think my butt grew and I haven't touched a weight, in months. Finding the right work out for you, and your body type is significant. When I'm sore, my body feels very heavy and achy, and it demotivates me from working out. Thus, I've found alternatives for it, perhaps yours is swimming, hula hooping, skating or roller blading. Make sure to keep your mind open, and don't stop looking for your right workout until you're fully satisfied.

10.Clean out your closet honeys

Physical attachment is easier than emotional attachment. Not trying to quote my marketing text book or anything, but it's a real thing! It's easier to dispose of something that we no longer use, but it's hard when it holds sentimental value. I mean, here I am standing in front of my t-shirts swearing this is the last time I wear these random shirts to work out, and soon I'll get all workout apparel. It's impossible!

It's time. It's time to declutter, and donate those shirts you no longer use. Donate the things that remind you of all negative thoughts and association, because sometimes they bring down your energy without you knowing it! Declutter, and make space for better things, and new items, but mostly declutter because your mind is a reflection of your living environment, and most importantly your closet. If your closet is too small, maybe it's time to work a little harder and get a bigger closet!