New Year, New Inspiration!

Welcome to 2016! 

 

With the new year comes new motivation and new inspiration! This year is going to bring a variety of projects for me, and I hope it will bring lots of projects for you as well.

So many things happened last year that pushed me to grow in almost every aspect; this year I feel like I can do anything! Let's analyze; think about the struggles and impossible situations that you overcame in 2015. If you got through that, you can literally do or be anything you want. I realized 2 important things:

1. You don't need to be a professional to do what you love - We can't let the fact that we aren't "qualified" hold us back from our passions, because practice makes perfect. I used to be under the impression that a short film had to be this magnificent work of art, and that discouraged me from making movies. But I got tired of waiting for inspiration to strike, and I started making little videos to work on the technical side of my craft. If you love something don't wait until someone gives you permission. Just go for it!
2. Hard work, passionate work, always pays off - Passion can leak into to everything you do. When you try your best at something because you love it, the right people will notice and things will take off for you! And even if no one ever notices, the satisfaction of finishing a task that you know you put 110% of your best efforts into is indescribable. 

Maybe I am a little ambitious to be taking this on, but I feel like if I stick to it and work hard, I will succeed. One of those projects is to start a YouTube channel. It's time to take the time to practice my craft. So I started out already with a couple short videos...

my short film...

  

and a new trailer for my book!

 Soon I will also be posting irregular Vlogs documenting our transition from Puerto Rico to Raleigh.

(Stay tuned!)

The point is 2016. 

It is the year of inspiration, motivation, and new challenges! 

Forget about a new year's resolution! 

Set goals and make yours dreams happen! 

 

Teaching Toddlers 105: Baking

 I think that instant baking mixes are the best thing since paper plates, especially the brownies! 

They are delicious, affordable, and they make an amateur baker look like a master chef. 

Anyone can follow directions off the back of the box, even a toddler.

 

Baking is the perfect opportunity to teach your child about common goods like eggs, milk, and flour. 

In my opinion, it is never too early to start teaching kids about food!  

 

My 2 year old, Nico, couldn't agree more!

He cracked eggs as if he had done it a million times.

Due to his excitement and eagerness to help, baking brownies with me allowed Nico to practice following complex instructions and identifying the ingredients by shape or color. 

When the time came to mix the ingredients, I allowed Nico to explore the texture of blended food.

 As he got his hand (and his shirt) messy, I explained that putting different foods together changed the way they felt and turned them into something new! 

 

 

And after everything was mixed up well, he got to have a little taste of his hard work!

 

The finished result gave him something to be proud of and taught him that behind every brownie, there is a baker and an egg.

7 Ways to Say NO to Stress This Summer

Whoever said summer was carefree had no idea what they were talking about. This summer has been as busy and demanding as any other time of the year, with one exception; it's blood boiling hot! If we're not careful, the stress of every day life can drain the fun right out of summer. Avoid loosing your cool this year with these 7 happiness hacks:

Laugh at least once a day - The reason behind this is the Law of Attraction. If you laugh at least one time every day you will be generally happier in life than those who don't because you are emitting and attracting positive energy! Laughter is also good exercise for the abdomen; laugh your way to a healthier you! 

Take advantage of the SUN - During the summer we actually have TIME to go outside and enjoy being in the sunshine! Absorbing vitamin D makes us feel better; it's hard to be stresses when you're feeling amazing! 
 
Avoid Negative Gossip - You know who I'm talking about, that face that popped up in your head as soon as you read the word gossip. The person who always has something to say about everybody. You have enough on your plate, you don't need to spend any time focusing on other people's problems. 

Take a weekly day trip - This doesn't have to be a spa retreat of anything, just go out for the day to someplace nice with someone you love! The beach, the pool, the park, the possibilities are endless and adventure awaits you! Its okay to take a step back, healthy even. 

Treat yourself once a week - This is not the same as taking a weekly day trip. This means making time to do one thing for yourself. A self manicure, or setting aside an hour to read a novel, or even to spend time surfing Pinterest!

Get extra sleep - TAKE NAPS! Whenever you can, even if for only an hour. Because it's summer and you can. Sleep is directly linked to happiness!

Take a lot of fun pictures - No matter what you are doing, you can always snap a selfie. Whether its watching TV all day or working, you can take a moment to let loose. Make a silly face, and stop taking everything so seriously, at least for a minute. Then remind yourself what is really important. Life is beautiful!