The day I started to do daily affirmations is the day I put my happiness first. I forced myself to tune out the rest of the noise around me like work drama, family issues, the news (which is really not news anymore since it feeds off of our emotions), and anything else that made me feel anything else but content. I learned to live for the moment and in return I was able to make my life better as well as those around me. Eventually, this small change helped me discover myself in ways I never thought to imagine.

    What are affirmations you may ask? Well, you've probably heard influencers talking about them as they've picked up quite a lot of attention lately. Affirmations are statements that are repeated to yourself in order to instill a particular belief or mindset. They're often used as a technique for self-improvement or personal development. The idea behind affirmations is that by consistently repeating positive statements about oneself or one's goals, you can gradually reprogram your subconscious mind to adopt those beliefs or achieve those goals.

        Examples of some affirmations that I write are "I am financially stable," and "My pets are happy and healthy." Affirmations are quite personal but you don't have to be too realistic! It's perfectly okay to speak of things you want to happen as if they already have because that's the magic about affirmations; it's your time to manifest anything you want, just as long as it's worth while to you. As I am sure you have heard the saying before, just "Be careful what you wish for."

       Now affirmations are fun and meant for everyone but for many of us who are stuck in the shadows of our mind, affirmations can reveal dark aspects of ourselves that can be hard to face. That's why affirmations are best applied to your life when you are also working on yourself simultaneously. When you take your self-development seriously, you'll be able to believe in your affirmations with little resistance. I also believe that actively working towards your goals (rather than just simply wishing for them) also helps you manifest much faster.

    For example, I had a rough childhood growing up and there were many aspects of me that needed tons of reprograming. For so long, I felt lost and detached from my own life. When I reached my twenties, I finally dived into reading self-help books and then it was three years later that I could effectively apply The Law of Attraction. Today, working on myself has become top priority since doing so has allowed me to manifest many wonderful events in my life and increase my own happiness.

    It's important to remember though that you should also adjust your expectations when it comes to your affirmations. Do them because it has potential to bring you greatness but it doesn't always guarantee results. Having such expectations will lead you to most likely becoming disappointed since manifesting takes time and energy. The best way to approach your affirmations is with an open mind and to just go with the flow; when it happens, you will know!

The Benefits of Affirmations    

    Here are the many benefits of doing daily affirmations to increase your overall happiness.

Positive Mindset: Affirmations help you to cultivate a positive mindset by focusing your thoughts on constructive and optimistic statements.

Self-Confidence: Regularly affirming positive traits and abilities can boost self-confidence and self-esteem.

Motivation: Affirmations can serve as motivational reminders of your goals, aspirations, and the steps you need to take to achieve them.

Stress Reduction: Affirmations can act as a stress management tool by shifting your focus away from negative thoughts and worries.

Increased Resilience: Regularly practicing affirmations can build resilience by fostering a more optimistic outlook on life and a greater sense of control over your circumstances

Goal Achievement: Affirmations can help align your thoughts, beliefs, and actions with your goals, increasing the likelihood of achieving them.

Improved Relationships: Affirmations focused on love, compassion, and understanding can enhance relationships by promoting empathy and positive communication.

Enhanced Creativity: Affirmations can stimulate creativity by encouraging you to think in innovative and resourceful ways.

Health Benefits: Studies suggest that positive affirmations can have physiological benefits, such as reducing stress-related symptoms and improving overall well-being.

Emotional Healing: Affirmations can aid in emotional healing by promoting forgiveness, self-compassion, and acceptance.

    Even if you just want to focus more on your goals with a more optimistic attitude, or you really want to manifest some of your deepest desires, you can't go wrong if you spend just 10 minutes out of your day doing them! When combined with your personal development, writing affirmations can be a powerful tool for personal growth, helping you to rewire your mindset, boost your confidence, and improve your overall well-being. If you do decided to do affirmations, I hope they work for you as they have for me!

    Until next time! - Sarah XOXO

    Dimitar and I had the rare (but nice) opportunity where we both had the same day off. As usual, we slept in until 9am, gave Amigo a nice long walk before munching on some blueberry muffins for breakfast. That's when we decided to go to the park. We haven't been to one in awhile because of our schedules so we thought about checking out a new park that I have been eyeing for over a year now. 

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

    Since starting my new job where I work even more hours, I have been desperately in need of spending time outdoors. I often get body aches from sitting too long at my work desk so making time to walk has been a big priority of mine. To combat this, I have invested in new sneakers, bought a Fitbit, and upped my intake on electrolytes. It's been an adjustment for sure but finding small ways to help myself physically have really paid off. Also, the benefits of working in a clinic is that you can often get drops of advice on how to improve your life like how drinking fermented drinks before bedtime can improve the quality of your sleep.

    Once all of the pets were taken care of, Dimitar and I changed into our walking clothes, filled our water bottles, and headed off towards Huntley Meadow Park. It's a cute park honestly that is a combination between a park and a wetland. It's also the first park that I have personally been to that has allowed me to walk over water; something Huntley Meadow Park has incorporated so well!

Weird Blaire Witch structure

Snappy Turtle coming up for air

Overlooking the wetland

    Once we hit the end of the dock, we entered a regular trail that took us into the woods. I really wanted to see a snake (since I saw just about everything else I could see) and sure enough, I saw one! Sort-of. Unfortunately, Dimitar saw it first but his reaction to the snake made me freak out and the snake got scared by both of us and slithered away into a bush. I was hoping to take a picture of the little guy but maybe next time.

    

    The trail from that point on lasted about half a mile or so before it took us back to the beginning near the Visitors Center. I knew the trail was going to be short but part of me wished it was much longer. Overall, this park was the cutest park ever and I'll definitely come back again during the Fall time to see the foliage change color.

Until next time! - Sarah xoxo

The Visitors Center

    Having both a cat and a dog means finding ways to make caring for them easier and faster. Amigo, my 8 month old Pembroke Welsh Corgi, isn't a picky water drinker but he is active so he drinks more of it. Pearl on the other hand, my 7 month old kitten, enjoys playing with her water and making a huge mess every chance she gets. So naturally, this led me to investing into a water fountain for them both.

    I couldn't just get any water fountain though. I needed one that both Amigo and Pearl could use together so it had to be a decent size and a good weight. I also needed it to have a fountain spout and give off a cue when the water levels were low. An added bonus would be that it was cute and stylish which was really just for my own enjoyment. I didn't mind if there was sound that came from it as I really like the sound of running water. 

    My local Petsmart had many water fountains to browse from but they were all way overpriced! They had a cute Catit Pixi water fountain for $40 dollars but I knew I could find a better deal elsewhere. So I continued to search around other stores but found none I liked. Finally weeks later, I was walking through Marshalls and BAM! There was a Catit Pixi water fountain on sale for $19.99 and in the exact color I wanted too! Talk about manifesting huh?

    The Catit Pixi water fountain comes with cool features that beat any pet water fountain I've seen so far. It has two stream options for cats that are picky drinkers, an alert system that lets you know when the water is getting low, a filter that lasts 30 days, and of course the fact that it's shaped like a cat with a cute design on the front that lights up is top notch. I'm obsessed with it! 

   I also love how big it is too. Amigo drinks much more water compared to Pearl and the size is perfect for them both to drink from-even if at the same time. The height of the fountain also puts ease on their throats and prevents them from choking. While Pearl hasn't had any issues with drinking, Amigo often rushes when he drinks water and later ends up either burping or puking it all up altogether. Yuck.

    The filter only lasts 30 days but I can easily buy more so that I'm stocked up on it. I have read that water fountains can get pretty gross if they're not being regularly washed or if the filter isn't getting changed out as it should. Just so that I remember, and for my fur babies own safety, I've marked the calendar on my phone to remind me.  

The back of the box

Amigo taking his first sips

Pearl playing with the water...

    Overall, I can't believe the crazy deal I got at Marshalls for this amazing water fountain. If you're looking for a stylish water fountain that is also fairly quiet, you will want to buy the Catit Pixi fountain!

Until next time! - xoxo Sarah