Feeling Fresh Yet Fatigued

Current Mood: Sore

"I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in tune once more." - John Burroughs

After a 6 mile run along the Kapalua Coastal Trail on Friday and another 7 mile hike through the ridges of Pu'u Kukui yesterday, my legs hate me! But, I have recently rediscovered my love for hiking! I haven't had a gym membership in over a year, and my workouts include You Tube yoga sessions in my living room/ bedroom. There is absolutely nothing like hiking or running outside along a trail. This rediscovery is the perfect addition to what I'd like to call my wellness reboot! When I hike, there are limited distractions, those being birds, beautiful plants and the occasional stream. I can clear my mind and focus on one thing at a time, like the natural beauty that surrounds me on a daily basis. After a hike through the woods or a run along the coast, my body feels fresh, yet fatigued. My mind is calm, yet buzzing. Breathing fresh air purifies the body and promotes increased oxygen intake.

Yesterday's hike, which we had never done before, begins with a meditative walk through beautiful banyan trees. As I walk, I feel the earth beneath my feet and let it ground me. We wind around a muddy path under the shade of pine trees, ferns, coffee beans and hundreds of other plant species. We come to a hill which provides an opening where we stop and turn to take in the view of the landscape below us. The trees and plants are so interesting here. Trees so tall, so aged, so full of knowledge, I wonder what stories they have to tell.

The landscape changes multiple times. Every elevation brings a different type of tree. Then suddenly we're surrounded by pineapple plants! Nature is my key source for inspiration. If I'm in a creative rut or feeling off and anxious, the first thing I do is step outside and immerse myself in the beauty of our planet. The smell of fresh air or the sight of mountains sparks something inside me and I immediately feel balanced. Hiking has an incredible set of perks: beautiful scenery and numerous physical and mental benefits. If you ever need a little wellness boost, get outside and go for a hike! Make time to step outside and walk through nature whenever you can. Let your mind wander along with your body, but make a point to pay attention to whatever pieces of life you come across. Study the shape of a leaf or the sound of the wind. Be silent and let yourself be calmed and freed by the earth beneath your feet.

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"Keep close to nature's heart... and break clear away, once in a while, and climb a mountain, or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean." - John Muir

My Go-To Festival Guide

Now that SXSW has come and passed and ULTRA is in full effect, festival season is finally here! If you were lucky enough to flock to a festival last year, you know how massive events like this can be for music maniacs and fashion fanatics around the world!

I love how festivals have the ability to bring people together, which causes a great mix of styles! As personal style flows through the streets of gorgeous cities and festival grounds, it provides endless inspiration.  

Because every festival is so unique, every year I try to attend one I've never been to. As you plan which festivals to attend this year, you're probably also planning what to pack and wear. Keep in mind you should try to stand out from the crowd, it'll make it a lot easier for your friends to find you! ;) If there's anytime to channel your inner wild child, festival season is where it's at, so let your individualism and authenticity shine! There's only 5 things you need for each festival and you can see my festival finds below!

1. Headwear- a great hat, headpiece or flower crown

Lost Lover Head Piece

Pepper Mayo Head Chain

                             

2. Sunglasses- For sand stormy eyes that won't break the bank because we all know they'll only last the weekend!

Zerouv

3. Fanny Pack- Fringe and Function!

Ladies of Paradise Mayra Fanny

4. Accessories- Daring jewels and long lasting party favors!

Wanderlust Fashion Necklaces

 Flash Tats | Glo Tats | IAMU Foils

5. Outfit- Something cool and comfy you can rock out in! I recommend Tees, Tanks, Crop Tops, Jumpers, and Denim Cutoffs

Deep Double V-Neck Cami- Urban Outfitters 

Strappy Back Micro Bra- Silence and Noise 

Tribal Crystal Pendant Necklace- Wanderlust Fashion

Black Halter Crop Top and Plaid Skort- Nasty Gal, 

Agate Slice Cowrie Shell Necklace- Wanderlust Fashion

Seamless Crop Top- Free People

Floral Kimono- Spell Designs

Denim Cutoffs- Forever21 

Kuchi Coin Fringe Necklace- Wanderlust Fashion

High-Slit White Tank Dress- Forever21
Sea Urchin Dream Catcher Necklace- Wanderlust Fashion

As you road trip out to the dessert, mountains, or forest, rock those denim cutoffs, mini skirts, and soft dresses for some go-to comfort and coolness, but accessorize with some super rad jewelry and accessories, and maybe even some mandatory flowers in your hair and always make sure to dance barefoot to your favorite band!

You never know what you might find when you hit the festival grounds. Most are long, humid and crowded, but there's a carefree way to go about them. It's the one day to feel beautiful and clean at dawn and a complete mess by dusk. A few bruises and smeared eye makeup are signs of a good time, so embrace it! Wearing something light and loose-fitted makes me feel my best at a fest. A bit of elegance with a touch of Woodstock is where I go this time of year.

This is the time to get out and roam the world with friends! Visit a new city, dive into a hotel pool, find a great festival, and have a picnic on the beach at sunset! 

Find joy in the little things and always stay young at heart!

xoxo

The Power of the Sun

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You know that famous quote, "You never know what you've got till it's gone" ?? Well, I couldn't be more thankful for the sun these days!! After weeks of rain in Maui, the Hawaiian sun is back and hotter than ever!!! Between flash floods, blizzards and snow on top of Haleakala, I was beginning to get a bit worried...  With Spring officially 1 day away, our current 10 day forecast is 80 degrees and sunny EVERY SINGLE DAY and I couldn't be more happier! Sunshine truly is the best medicine! I found this amazing post from one of my favorite blogs: Bldg 25, and absolutely had to share!

I am a sun lover. A sun worshipper if you will. I love everything about it. I love the sting of hot summer sunlight that beams through my window and wakes me up in the morning. I love how the northern winter sun dances atop the ocean in a mesmerizing shimmer. I adore how each day I am greeted with both a sunrise full of promise and a sunset full of peace, a spectacular show put on by beams of light bouncing off of and through clouds in the sky. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of the sun warming your face on a cold winter’s day. It’s the sunlight and warmth of summer that we crave in the colder months.

The sun is the life force of the earth. Without the auspicious combination of a number of factors — including the sun’s size, paired with our planet’s ideal distance from it, and the 24 hours the earth takes to spin on its axis allowing us to receive sunlight regularly — it can be said that life as we know it simply would not exist.

Without the sun, plants wouldn’t photosynthesize and produce oxygen for us to breathe. Without the sun we wouldn’t be able to see. Without the sun, the earth would simply float away out of orbit in the solar system. It’s no wonder that the adoration of the sun was one of the earliest and most natural forms of religious expression. In many cultures, light has long been a symbol of consciousness and illumination, and the opposition between light and darkness has informed the spiritual world of all peoples across almost every belief system no matter what you prescribe to.

The connection between the sun and the divine (or whatever your personal spiritual interpretation or higher being may be) also appears throughout yoga traditions, and any yogi, ancient or modern, will be familiar with sun salutations, a sacred prayer to the sun expressing reverence for the life-giving solar energy. Through asanas, one is said to be offering salutation to the divine, represented here by the sun, as a source of light, removing the darkness of a clouded mind.

Yin and yang. Light and dark. The sun and the moon.

The sun’s ultraviolet rays hitting our skin literally encourages hormonal changes in our bodies. Like all animals on earth, our biological processes are profoundly affected and even controlled by cycles of sunlight and darkness. When the sun comes up, the sunlight hits the optic nerve (through closed eyes). The light is then sent into the part of the brain which is in control of melatonin, the sleepy hormone. In response, our melatonin levels decrease and serotonin levels (the happy hormone) increase.

Sunshine boosts levels of serotonin which is why we tend to feel happier and more energetic when the sun shines. And the more sunlight the human body is exposed to, the more serotonin the brain produces. Regular sun can even stave off moderate depression (yes, Seasonal Affective Disorder is a real thing!), particularly if combined with exercise, which naturally releases endorphins, such as a morning walk along the beach.

We’re even capable of producing our own vitamins from the sun, specifically vitamin D which is essential for bone health. Though before you run outside and spend the entire day in the sun to do some healing, always remember to never over-expose yourself to the sun, and if you’re like me and are out in it almost every day, then you have to accept that sometimes you can have too much of a good thing. I won’t bring up my childhood memories of Australia’s “Slip Slop Slap” campaign from the 1980′s featuring a seagull with a killer-cute lisp (okay maybe I will), but I will say use SPF and wear cover-ups. Think pretty caftans, loose white cotton shirts over swimmers, wide-brim hats and sunglasses. 

Written by Miann Scanlan