SARITA'S LIFE

As you all may know from my post about my traveling plans, I am preparing for a getaway to Florida next month and I want to make sure I have everything ready. I've been doing more shopping than usual as a result and since every month I try to recap on my favorites, July is full of goodies that you'll want to try!

* This post may contains affiliate links at no extra cost to you. See disclosure for more details.

* This post is not sponsored.

Lately I have been super busy that sitting down to write a post has just been so hard to do; I'm so looking forward to getting away! With my side business picking up and taking more of my time than I thought it would, down moments are hard to come across but cherished even when they do make an appearance.

I'm grateful for it all nonetheless and spend everyday expressing gratitude for it. If you're ever in need of good meditation music, I highly recommend listening to this YouTube video for at least an hour every day. Every since I have been listening to it daily, so much for me has manifested in my life that I can only pass on the good vibes to someone else.

With that said, lets jump into July Favorites!

Toms Recycled Canvas Slip On

Two years ago I bought my first pair of Toms and I loved everything about them except for the fact that they were too small. Since I have small feet (I'm small in general) I bought a size 5 and while they were snug on my feet, I assumed the fabric would loosen up as I walked in them more. Nope. I had to throw the pair out during my trip and it really sucked. Fast forwarding to the present, I decided to buy a bigger size this time in the same design and sure enough - they fit like a glove!

Japanese White Chocolate Kit Kat

Inside the Mall, there was a new store that had just opened up that I was excited to check out. They sell international snacks and I really wanted to try the Matcha Kit Kat but unfortunately they were all sold out. I decided to buy the next best thing which was the White Chocolate ones. Now, I am not a white chocolate fan - but these were amazing! Dimitar and I devoured them because they were so good. Also, I feel like the Japanese Kit Kats aren't as sweet as the American ones which probably explains why I liked them so much.

Vega Protein & Greens Powder

Since doing Keto, I've noticed a few things changing within my body, not including weight loss. First, more of my hair falls out and second, my periods are always late. This may seem like a red flag to anyone just starting Keto but it's quite normal and fixable; sort of.

I've read that hair loss could be a result from not getting enough protein on a Keto diet so I went to my local BJ's and bought a big container of protein powder from Vega; It's Keto friendly and very tasty. I enjoy a shake first thing in the morning for breakfast or right after a work out. As for my late periods, I normally just take vitamins and eat dark chocolate and it normally triggers my period!

Soda Buckle Sandals

I've always wanted a pair of espadrille sandals but never got around to looking into them. I feel like they're the perfect sandal to wear during the Summer time because they practically go with every outfit! Since I don't care too much for heels in general, these sandals give me the best of both worlds and I'm so happy I finally bought a pair. They fit perfectly too and come in a variety of colors so I may just go back and buy the black pair as well!

Sun Bum Heat Protector Hair Spray

I have spent that past two years repairing my hair and it has been such a long process! Now I make sure I do everything I can to keep my hair healthy and protecting it from the sun is a big must! I came across Sun Bum's heat protector spray and since it protects hair against UV rays, I decided to give it a try. I've used it twice so far and I'm absolutely blown away by how smooth it makes my hair. I can now style it and be in the sun without worrying too much that my hair is going to get fried!

Kawaii Bee Keychain

Another new store in the Mall opened up and to my surprise they actually sell Kawaii stuff! I was so happy to discover this store and it was really hard to stop myself from buying everything! I decided to buy a cute bumble bee key chain along with a multi-color strawberry pen. I love them both but I really can't get enough of my keychain. It's the cutest thing ever - just look at the bee! I tried to find a similar keychain on Amazon, but unfortunately it seems to be pretty exclusive.

Spaghetti Strap Summer Dress

Since I've lost a lot of weight, I've been meaning to update my wardrobe to celebrate. I've heard that Florida is going to be very hot and humid so I wanted a dress that was cute yet breathable. I searched for so long to find the perfect dress and I finally found one that I like and bought a black one and white one; one for the evening, and one to wear during the day. The dress has a very low cut - something I am not used to - but I still like the dresses and will wear them!

Ghost Hunters TV Show

Back in early 2000's, I remember obsessing's over a show called Ghost Hunters. I waited every week for the show to air and it was literally the highlight of my week. I even bugged my dad to buy me the first season! Well, I ended up forgetting about the show until just recently and it's such a throw back. Whether the show is real or not - it doesn't matter - as I still enjoy watching it for history aspect of it. If you like paranormal stuff, this show will keep you entertained!

Kdrama Nevertheless

I've been so busy lately that I haven't had the chance to find any new Kdrama's to watch. I had a slow evening one day though and discovered a recently aired drama and I ended up watching it the entire day! I loved all of the characters too as the show portrays the importance of self-love and trust. If you're looking for a romantic Kdrama show to indulge in, watch this one!

Well this completes my July Favorites for this month - August will be a crazy month for sure but I should have some more goodies to share with you all by then! Stay tuned for my YouTube video also which you can watch below.

Until Next Time! xoxo - Sarah

There used to be a time long ago where I unintentionally surrounded myself with people who didn't have my best interests in mind. They would constantly ignore my boundaries because I was too scared to establish any. As time went on, the patterns of toxic people around me grew even more to the point where I had no choice but to face reality; If I didn't develop some kind of standards in my life, I would never be happy.

The hardest part about being honest with yourself is realizing that once you take a step forward, you can't go back. Once you raise your standards and realize how liberating it truly is, you will never be able to approach your life the same as you once did before. As my relationships began to crumble because of the pressures I was forcing myself to carry, I did my best to bottle up my concerns and not express myself. For me, it was better than starting a fight because I had been around too much of that growing up.

It took getting hurt many times by friends, partners, and family members, for me to reach a tipping point. It took going in an out of depression, isolating myself to figure out my own inner truth just to grow into the woman that I am today. For majority of my life, I felt like I didn't have a choice or the right to disagree because I grew up being the youngest amongst three sisters. Whenever I wanted to do something my own way and my sisters didn't agree, they would turn against me which always made me question myself. I had a fantasy of living my life exactly as I wanted to and this thought reassured me that I'd get to one day. Years later, I was able to do just that.

When I moved to Baltimore from Texas for the first time at the age of 19, I was scared out of my mind. I only had a few thousand dollars in my bank account and I was moving to a state I had never been to - I didn't even have a place to stay. I just saw one picture on google that impressed me and I decided that I was going to move there. As scary as it all was, it was the best decision I had made for myself in a long time and one I will always cherish. Living on my own and building up my own worth made me realize once and for all that I had something to offer this world.

It was this point where I learned to welcome going out of my comfort zone. I took advantage of my own independence by doing things I had wanted to do like trying new hobbies. I made an effort to speak my mind more often, even if it was just to order at a café I had never been too. The more I dipped myself into this new world where I was the rising star, the more I enjoyed my life. Many around me criticized me for being impulsive or distant even, but I was finally living my life and I was actually happy.

Going out of my comfort showed me who I really was. It pushed me to try new things, but also showed me how valuable my own company was. I gained confidence within myself, I improved my own spirituality, and life just overall started to become much more enjoyable. I came to realize that trying new things and giving myself new experiences made me feel free. If I was faced with an issue constantly, I'd push myself to face it. If I wanted to do something badly enough to where I couldn't stop thinking about it, I'd push myself to finally try it.

I came to see my life as a big game that I could only win if I at least tried to play. For majority of my childhood, I felt like I was constantly being cornered, only existing in someone else's shadow. Going out of my comfort zone felt like an internal battle (because it was) but when I saw how much happier I was in the end, I wanted more. Slowly, my fears and insecurities drifted away and I became eager to improve myself. I wanted to learn more about this girl hiding within me and watch her grow into someone I could admire and present to the world proudly.

So leave your comfort zone if you want to see how exciting your life can truly be. Empower yourself to be your own best friend and you will always feel supported in everything you do. Be the best you can be no matter how much criticism or judgement you get from the outside world. Your life is your own and it depends on you to be there every step of the way. After all, even stars shine against the darkest night.

Until next time! xoxo - Sarah

It's quite common to become dehydrated on a Keto diet, mostly because of how our bodies change from within; going from relying on carbs for fuel to burning fat instead is a big deal for anyone aiming to lose weight on Keto. Because of the changes your body is undergoing, staying hydrated is key to a successful Keto experience, especially now that Summer is here.

* This post may contains affiliate links at no extra cost to you. See disclosure for more details.

* This post is sponsored.

To have a successful Keto experience, it's important to understand how our body changes on a Keto diet. That way, we can better take care of our body and prevent what's commonly referred to as the Keto Flu, or other complications as a result of dehydration. Since I plan on doing Keto for the rest of my life, learning the ins and outs gives me the confidence I need to achieve my fitness goals and it will help you succeed with yours as well.

When you first start Keto, your body is not used to burning fat for fuel, but instead it relies on carbs and sugar. Once you've done Keto long enough to put you into a state of Ketosis, your liver starts to produce ketones. After this, your body shifts to becoming fat adapted as it starts to target the fat stores in your body, which will then help you lose weight.

For as long as your body is in a state of Ketosis, your body has a good amount of sodium within it due to the high levels of ketones. Because of this, staying hydrated will not only help remove the excess sodium from your body, but it will also prevent your body from holding onto excess water too, often known as water weight. Whether you're working out, spending time in the sun, or you're on certain medications, doing Keto isn't just about eating fewer carbs, but also about staying hydrated to avoid dehydration.

Here are some common signs that your body is dehydrated while doing Keto:

Constipation
Dry eyes
Dry mouth
Water retention
Brain fog
Headaches
Body aches or spasms

To prevent your body from becoming dehydrated, you can do any of the following:

Drink plenty of water daily
Eat plenty of vegetables
Drink smoothies
Take electrolyte supplements

Since I personally like convenience, I use supplements as a way to ensure my body is being properly hydrated. Even with a proper Keto diet, drinking plenty of water, and working out every other day, supplements simply give me an ease of mind that my body is being cared for. One product that I personal enjoy using now that summer is here and I am sweating much more, is by Perfect Keto and it's their Daily Electrolytes supplement.

Perfect Keto's Daily Electrolytes

Perfect Keto's Daily Electrolytes comes in a 10.6 oz container, giving you at least 46 servings; that's a lot! You can choose from many different flavors, but I chose the Black Cherry flavor since I wanted to try something new for a change. I found the flavor to have a subtle sweetness and tang to it but you choose their other flavors that meet your taste buds or even flavorless capsules. To enjoy the Daily Electrolytes powder though, I use one scoop of powder with about 10-12 oz of water and mix it using a Blender bottle.

46 Servers per Daily Electrolytes container

I love Perfect Keto's Daily Electrolytes because it really makes it easy to keep my body hydrated. Sometimes on my workout days I feel pretty tired and restless but by taking this supplement right afterwards, I find myself not only less sore but more energetic; I hardly get the Keto Flu too! With it being extremely hot outside now, I notice how much better I feel and how regularly I even go to the bathroom just by taking this supplement.

Shown above: Black Cherry flavor

Additionally, daily Electrolytes is formulated specifically to offer maximum hydration so that our bodies can be at their best while on Keto. It's formula has a combination of sodium, chloride, Potassium, and magnesium. It even has Vitamin D in it; a vitamin I have come to adore taking because it keeps my mood boosted and keeps my immune system strong. Last but least, Perfect Keto's Daily Electrolytes has no sugar, no carbs, no calories, and all natural flavors; giving you one less thing to have to worry about!

So, whether you're a beginner to Keto or you're more experienced, you will definitely find your daily routine much easier with Perfect Keto's Daily Electrolytes. To stay hydrated this Summer and look and feel your best, Perfect Keto is offering $10 off their Daily Electrolytes supplement from July 18 to July 22; so be sure to head on over to get your favorite flavor and use promo code "SALTY10" during check out ( $30 in cart minimum).

$10 OFF Daily Electrolytes - 7/18-7/22

Until next time! xoxo - Sarah

I've been wanting to get better at doing the plank for many reasons. One, it helps me with my posture. Two, it's a total body workout. Three, I have always had poor upper body strength and last but not least, I like challenging my body and seeing how strong it really is. The thing is, doing the plank is really challenging - like, really hard.

I have done the plank before in the past but due to bad form, I injured my back for two months and I hadn't tried it ever since. I was scared to honestly because I didn't want to hurt myself again. Fortunately though I started out slow and worked my way up - sort of - and this helped me achieve a huge milestone for me.

To do the plank, one gets in a push up position, making sure their back is leveled and arms are straight. You can either lower yourself on your elbows or simply stay upright - I found doing the plank on my elbows was much harder so I stuck with doing it upright instead throughout most of my challenge.

The plank challenge is self explainable but essentially everyday you increase your plank time. Some do a 30 day plank challenge but I personally didn't want to do that and only stuck to 20 days; plus, my arms started to get too defined and didn't like it!

On day one, I could only do 10 seconds of the plank and it was the most intense 10 seconds of my life! I felt so defeated that I did the plank multiples times the first few days just to get my muscles/body used to it. After day three, Dimitar encouraged me to jump straight into 1 minute and while I was skeptical about it, I went with it.

I was able to do 1 minute but I constantly had to take breaks - and when I say breaks, I mean positioning my body up into a triangle to release weight from my arms. I did that for several seconds before going back into the plank position until the time was done. This was the only way I was able to do the plank, otherwise I would have struggled so much.

Every day after that, I consistently increased my time by an extra 5 seconds. It was hard and I had to take many breaks whenever I felt like my arms were going to give in, but it helped me challenge myself while at the same time taking it slow. While many people aim for 5 minutes on a plank challenge, I didn't want to push myself that far; just doing a minute for me was a huge accomplishment!

By the end of my 20 days, I was able to do a minute and 20 seconds. There were days where I tried to push through a minute without breaks and those days really left my arms burning. I noticed about a week in that my arms felt toned and the sleeves on my shirts felt tighter. I also noticed that my stomach area was more toned, along with my buttocks. While I'm sure I'd have to continue doing the plank to see drastic results, I'm still very pleased.

I think doing the plank is a great total body work out that will really target problematic areas just as long as you stick with it. For me, those problematic areas were my arms, stomach, and inner thighs. I'm actually thinking about doing the plank every day just to keep my muscles toned in combination with my current workout routine.

Since I have a nice vacation planned for August, I really want to look and feel my best and doing the plank has helped me realize how strong I really am, but also has helped me feel more confident with my own body. Should everyone try the plank? Of course!

Until next time! xoxo - Sarah

Summer is here and do you know what that means? It's vacay time! A time where you can overload on Vitamin D, forget the world for a bit, get super tanned, and relax with no shame. For me, it's also a time to celebrate my birthday which just so happens to be in August. Since I have been feeling burnt out these past few years from practically everything, Dimitar and I have decided that we'd plan a trip to Florida to enjoy ourselves.

* This post may contains affiliate links at no extra cost to you. See disclosure for more details.

* This post is not sponsored.

If you're like me, the whole trip planning process is so exciting. I love everything from searching for the best flights, finding out the latest attractions to visit, and putting together a trip planner so that it all comes together into one big memorable experience. After all, to me life is all about experiences - not material things - so we should go out of our way to make life enjoyable.

You may be asking, why Florida? Well...why not? For starters, my boyfriend and I passed through Florida a few years ago when we went on our trip to the Bahamas, but we didn't really have a chance to see much of Florida itself. After the little that we did see though, it made us both want to make an official visit, which brings us to today because we are officially going to Florida!

Florida Bayfront

At first, we were only going to spend 3 days in Miami. After sitting with that thought though for awhile, we decided to make it 5 days instead. Dimitar is actually going to Bulgaria the week before our trip to Florida and he'll come back the day before we take off which will give us time to pack. It'll be a bit crazy getting everything organized, but we'll make it work out.

My rule of thumb for finding the best deals on flights is to look at least 3 to 6 months in advance. I also try to find the most affordable tickets that have the least amount of layover time; CheapOAir, Kayak, and Google Flights tend to have great deals. Before any trip, I always make sure to track flight prices too in case the prices go down and I can get an even better deal - I love it when that happens!

Fortunately, since I live on the East Coast, traveling to Florida around this time of year comes at a decent price; about $130 for a round-trip. I'm sure it could have been a lot cheaper if I had booked even sooner, but I was rather happy with this price. JetBlue, our Airline, is actually one of the few Airlines now that has a low checked bag fee, while even fewer have the first one being free. *sigh* I can still remember the days where the 1st checked bag used to be free...

Bayfront Park

We'll be leaving for Miami Florida on the 21st of August and we'll land in Fort Lauderdale after a 2.5 hour flight - there weren't any tickets to the Miami Airport, so we had to go with the next best thing. I don't mind either way though since there is a train near the airport that goes all the way to Miami for only a few dollars. Plus, it'll be a great opportunity for Dimitar and I to see more of Florida since we don't plan on driving much.

I did have a hard time trying to choose between Airbnb's though. Some were beautiful but weren't ideally located. Some had great amenities but were over our budget. I finally decided to go with a hotel that was literally in the middle of everything which would make shopping and moving around so much easier. The great thing about Miami is that there are a ton of bike rental ports around the city so we can get around easily without having to spend too much money on Ubers.

I also have a few attractions in mind that I am excited to see as well - and yes, this trip will be vlogged for my YouTube channel! I went ahead and organized all of the attractions according to their distance, that way we can choose which one to go to first depending on how close it is to our hotel. I've also planned out each day which will help us make the most out of our trip. It sounds hectic, but the beach is literally my top priority!

Our booked hotel

I don't want to reveal too much about the trip since I will be vlogging, but so far this is what we have planned right now - It's so exciting! The guinea pigs will have their entire cage setup with extra food and water but we do have a neighbor on stand by to check on them every other day.

All in all, if you're looking to travel during the summer time, now is the time to do it! Take advantage of every day you are gifted with, live your best life with more experiences, and spread love and positivity where ever you go.

Until next time! xoxo - Sarah

Happiness to me has always felt like a fleeting idea; something I could only fantasize about or see in the movies. Since my childhood was filled with constant hardship, I naturally grew up wondering how or why I was faced with such difficulties compared to the kids around me.

* This post may contains affiliate links at no extra cost to you. See disclosure for more details.

* This post is not sponsored.

These questions burned within me for such a long time that it took years of battling with the world and everything going on from within me to realize the bigger picture of it all. Through such conflicts, I realized from a very dark place inside of me that love was always the missing piece.

I may not know you personally, but I do know that you want happiness and if you're like me, you refuse to believe that a life of hardship is all this world has to offer you. After all, if life was nothing but pain and cruelty, it would sound more like a prison and what would the purpose of life be if that were the case?

Well, thankfully, life isn't a prison, and over the years I've come to see life as a game of chess. When you play chess, the objective is to complete the game through a series of strategic strategies, by capturing your opponents pieces so that you'll eventually take over the king and queen and win.

The thing is, with chess there are at least thousands of different moves one can use so your ways of winning are numerous; just like life itself. Depending on your desires, actions, and responses to the world around you, your life will give you the many different outcomes. It's important to remember that the next time you feel stuck - you are in control and you do have options.

To play chess you have to maintain your composure to think clearly if you want to win - just as you would in life if you were to be faced with challenges that you want to overcome. The best way to get through anything I've learned, is through love. It is the foundation to everything.

Loving myself helped comfort me when I was in foster care and I felt alone and abandoned. Loving myself helped me leave toxic relationships and pushed me to believe in myself when no one around me did. When my mom passed away unexpectedly, loving myself helped me take baby steps towards healing so I could live again.

The lack of love has been the root to all of the pain in my life and I guarantee that if you were to look deep within your own life, you would find a missing piece that needs a bit of love and attention too.

When your thoughts, emotions, and actions are all in sync and funded with love, naturally your life will become brighter and clearer. You can't control what life gives you, but you can control how you respond and since life is like a game of chess (not a box of chocolates!) - you have thousands of different ways to succeed.

If you wanted to pursue a dream that you have had on your mind for a while now, you can make it happen if you feed your dream with love - everything else will come naturally and on it's own. If you find yourself stuck and in a rut, giving yourself love will help you get through the hardship and make you stronger.

This is why I firmly believe that the world is made up of love - the very thing that we as a universe struggle to get on the same page about. When you look at the world as a whole, you will see communities torn apart by division or you will see countries fighting one another due to not having compassion for themselves or the people.

When a child is born, they're born into this world completely dependent on their parents for everything, including love. But a love from a child's parents cannot be replaced which is why a child's upbringing and happiness can be determined by the amount of love and support it receives from it's parents. Love, as we see, is shown to be the foundation to everything - the answer to happiness.

When you take the time to focus on any goal you have or to improve your life, you do so because you love yourself enough to give back to yourself. When I struggled with losing weight, and I have majority of my life, it was because I didn't love myself enough to focus on eating better and exercising my body. I didn't love myself and it reflected physically in my life.

Just as a child depends on it's parent's for love and care because it is small and vulnerable, as we grow older and become more involved in life, the inner child in us all depends on us for the same care our parents gave to us. In every aspect of our lives we have to give back to the child within us so that we thrive and see what we are truly capable of.

We as human beings are curious by nature and when you get rid of the complexities and negativity of it all, it truly boils down to us and how much love we give to our own self-development. It's only then that we will see how beautiful life really is.

Until next time! xoxo - Sarah

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