Happy Pet Appreciation Week! Sophie celebrates by sharing what Lucca gives to their family, as well as her favorite way to work out with her super pup.

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Today I turn T H I R T Y. 

This is the first birthday that I feel completely + utterly my age. I feel connected to where I've been + tuned in to where I'm going. I am proud of my age: it feels authentic + true, I am exactly where I'm supposed to be. 

It truly is just a number... a subjective, relative number that actually holds very little meaning. My "age" is my maturity, my experience, how I view the world + my place in it.

 Today is a new moon ☾ + there's no coincidence there. It's been weeks of turbulent times astrologically, and I feel confident in the newness of this phase. 

Sensual, beauty-loving, occasional stubborn Taurus is my sun sign. It rules the finer things in life—a homemade salad with an exquisite glass of pinot noir, a barefoot walk in the grass, a long, slow massage. During the Taurus season (mid April to mid May) we feel more than usually inclined toward such indulgences. At the Taurus New Moon, like the one that arose Monday evening (april 28), we plant new seeds for creative projects, deepen the love in our relationships, and generally celebrate new life. 

This New Moon is also a solar eclipse, intensifying Taurean themes like security, finances + commitments of all kinds. Yet because the Taurus is ruled by peace-loving Venus, + messenger Mercury makes beautiful aspects at the New Moon, the stage is set for a calmer, more stable period ahead. Yeee Haw! 

“It is not true that people stop pursuing dreams because they grow old, they grow old because they stop pursuing dreams.” 
― Gabriel Garcí­a Márquez

“The more sand that has escaped from the hourglass of our life, the clearer we should see through it.” 
― Jean-Paul Sartre

The humans I created in this decade: 

“A twenty-three-year-long study in Ohio determined that people who saw growing older as something positive lived a whopping seven and a half years longer than those who didn’t. (356)” 
― Victoria Moran in Younger by the Day: 365 Ways to Rejuvenate Your Body and Revitalize Your Spirit

I feel humbled + powerful at the same time that I can hold the "pen" // magic powers to conduct my own life. 

I've been through many phases in my life -- an epically abusive way-too-long-lasting relationship, extreme veganism for 7 years, super crazy raw foodie for almost a year, hardcore yogi who practiced every day or else I felt "off"... the list goes on. Luckily, a more balanced middle way is firmly rooted now. I appreciate that rooting. 

I have lived several lives in this lifetime. I have been through more in 3 of my lives than most people I know experience in one. Through all the pain, through all the challenges, I found my grounding even deeper + my heart even more open. Life is Love. I am Love.♡

I want to live a life f u l l of freedom.

Freedom of thought, freedom of love, freedom to BE my truest most authentic self; without guilt or holding back. 30 years have already passed, I don't want another day without liberation + truth. This journey has served as a realization in + of my truth. I am so proud for the way I view my body, as a woman, especially living in Los Angeles, at this point in my life. The healthy, balanced relationship I share with it makes me feel confident to grow a healthy girl if I ever have one.

The time I spend on this planet needs to be meaningful. Time speeds by quicker than one can explain when you're a momma.When I reflect on the speed at which my life has gone by thus far, I would say it has mostly whizzed by in the blink of an eye. But then there are times, when moments creep by as slow as molasses. My two pregnancies felt like they lasted forever + 1 day. I wouldn't trade those long, heavy, bittersweet afternoons in the last months of my pregnancy or the torturous ones in the beginning when I couldn't keep anything in my body. I trust the process much more now than ever before. It all happens E X A C T L Y as it's supposed to. 

On this day, of all days, I reflect on where I've been + where I stand today, deeply rooted. My earthly sun sign, Taurus, has taught me so much about Mother Earth/Nature + how at home I feel being in her arms. I'm a person who craves consistency + I'm glad to know who I am + what feels natural. ☮

I feel proud of my experiences + beyond stoked for the soulful, spirited journeys in my future. 

MY HEART IS HEAVY WITH GLOWING GOLD LIGHT AS I REFLECT ON MY GRATITUDE.

INTENSE, LOVELY, SISTER FRIENDSHIPS, MY GORGEOUS, SPIRITED FAMILY/CHILDREN + A PROFESSION THAT CHOSE ME INSTEAD OF THE OTHER WAY AROUND... WOW, I'M FEELING FULL TODAY.

THANK YOU, UNIVERSE. ☼

Here are 5 helpful ways to curb your appetite when you're not actually needing to eat. We eat for lots of different reasons, typically it's not even for HUNGER itself! Use these tips to stay fuller + satiated throughout the day so you aren't constantly eating or wanting to eat! 

1. Eat more protein! 

Protein (+ getting enough nutrients into your body) is the number one thing that will help you feel full + satisfied throughout the day. Try to eat a good bit of protein throughout the day to curb snacking + hunger in the evening. Add Green Dream, Cacao Magic or Berry Bliss to every smoothie, soup, oatmeal, yogurt, etc you make to add 10g of plant based, sprouted, raw protein per tablespoon. Easy! 

2. Go for a walk or do yoga

Go outside. Take the dog out. Take deep breaths in nature. Feel the cold wind on your skin. Stretch. Chill out... the food will always be there but really think about if you WANT it or if your body is just craving something habitual. Walk away and clear your head so you can refocus your energy. 

3. Be Productive

It will feel good to do something you've been putting off for awhile. Often when we're feeling hungry or wanting to snack, we're either bored or trying to distract ourselves from what we should be doing! Consciously decide to shift your focus to something else. Finish that paper, write that letter, read the book, get it DONE! You'll feel so much more accomplished when you wake up feeling hungry instead of having a food hangover. 

4. Get enough ZZZ's

I can't say this one enough! It's so much harder to make healthy decisions when you're sleep deprived. Inadequate sleep is associated with decreased in the levels of the hormone leptin, leading to decreased satiety + increases in ghrelin, which in turn increases your appetite. 

5. Get more good fats 

Fats from seeds, nuts and fish are all good fats. Try and eat a good bit of these each day to feel full longer. I add coconut oil + almond butter to almost every smoothie I make + have a snack of nuts or seeds throughout the day with a fresh juice. And remember: Good fats get rid of bad fats! We like that! :)

LASTLY:Practice mindful eating. 

 Pay attention to how the foods you eat taste + feel.  Really taste your food, feel the texture + enjoy it.  By the time you are finished eating, you will have helped the brain get the message you have had enough food.  By focusing on what you’re eating, emotions such as boredom, anxiety, anger, frustration + stress will be less likely control how much you eat. I like to eat with my hands because it helps send a tactile messages to your brain that you are eating, even faster than your bloodstream gets the message! 

here's a video of what to expect on the Philosophie Cleanse Experience (click on picture below!)