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Beauty

How to Get Rid of Clogged Pores | If you have blackheads or whiteheads on your nose, chin, forehead, and/or cheeks, and you're looking for the best remedies and products to get rid of them FAST without popping and squeezing them, this post is for you! Learn what causes clogged pores and how to prevent them, along with safe extracting tips and DIY treatment options for beautiful, clear skin!

How to Get Rid of Clogged Pores: 11 Remedies & Products We Swear By

How to Style a Lob: 6 Easy Hairstyles | Sister to the bob hairstyle, there are tons of simple yet chic ways you can style shoulder length hair. Whether you prefer straight hair, messy waves, or lots of volume with layers, these step-by-step tutorials will teach you all the tips and tricks you need to get the look you love. Learn how to get waves with a flat iron, the best half up looks for short hair, how to get beautiful curls with a wand, and more! #lobhairstyle #lobhairstyles #howtostylealob

How to Style a Lob: 6 Step-by-Step Hair Tutorials We Love

6 Step by Step Colourful Eyeshadow Looks | If you're looking for step-by-step tutorials to teach you how to apply bright eyeshadow, we've got you covered! Perfect for brown eyes, blue eyes, and green eyes, these easy tips and ideas will teach you how to create a subtle daytime pop of color, and how to achieve a bold nighttime look. Grab your Jaclyn Hill Morphe palette and learn the tricks of the trade! #colorfuleyeshadow #brighteyeshadow #howtoapplyeyeshadow

Bold and Beautiful: 6 Step by Step Colorful Eyeshadow Looks

How to Remove Gel Polish at Home | Gel and shellac polish dries fast, doesn't chip, and lasts for 2-3 weeks, but finding the time to go to a salon for a removal can be challenging. If you want to know how to remove gel polish from fingers and from toes on your own, we're sharing our favorite DIY solutions that work! If you want to remove gel polish without acetone, without foil, and via other more natural options, this post is for you! #gelpolish #removegelpolish #gelnails #gelnailremoval

How to Remove Gel Polish at Home: 5 Methods That Work

5 Step by Step Natural Eye Shadow Looks | If you're looking for a simple makeup look you can wear on the daily and prefer something a little more subtle and natural, these 'no makeup makeup' tips, products, videos, and tutorials are for you! Learn the best eyeshadow palettes and shades, how to apply eyeshadow to make it look more natural, and more! Perfect for blue, green, and brown eyes, blondes and brunettes, dark and light skin! #naturaleyeshadowlooks #naturaleyeshadow #daytimemakeup

5 Step by Step Natural Eye Shadow Looks for All Eye Colours

How to Look Expensive on a Budget | If you're looking for fashion tips and hair and makeup hacks to make you look rich and classy for cheap, this post is for you! We're sharing 18 simple ideas to help you choose the right clothes and fool the world into thinking you spend thousands of dollars on your outfits. We're also sharing our best beauty hacks to make your hair and makeup look chic using affordable drugstore products that don't break the bank! #lookexpensive #howtolookexpensive

How to Look Expensive on a Budget: 18 Tips Every Girl Needs

How to Make Hair Look Thicker | If you have fine hair and want to know how to make it look thicker and fuller on a budget, these tips and tricks for thin hair are for you! From choosing the right haircuts and hairstyles, to adding depth and dimension with color and hair extensions, to the best store bought hair thickening products and styling hacks, these ideas and remedies will teach you how to make your hair look fuller instantly! #finehair #thinhair #hairtrend #hairhacks

How to Make Hair Look Thicker: 15 Tips and Products That Work

How to Get Rid of Dark Circles Under Your Eyes | If you’re looking for the perfect remedy to banish under eye circles, this post is for you! We’re sharing common causes of dark under eye circles, along with the best DIY remedies, treatments, and store bought products and creams to help remove darkness and prevent puffiness! #undereyecircles #undereyebags

How to Get Rid of Dark Circles Under Your Eyes: 8 Tips That Work

How to Style Hair Extensions | If you’re looking for tips and tutorials to teach you how to style your hair with hair extensions, we’ve curated 14 hairstyles you’ll love. From a gorgeous braided half up half down look with beach waves, to an easy yet stylish tousled ponytail, to second day running late messy buns and braids designed to cover tape hair extensions, these hair videos have it all! #hairextensions #hairextensionhairstyles

How to Style Hair Extensions: 8 Tips and Tutorials We Love

41 Braided Hairstyles for All Hair Lengths | If you’re looking for easy hairstyle tutorials for short, medium, or for long hair, we’ve curated 41 step-by-step hair videos for all hair lengths. Perfect for work or for school, for a wedding or gala, or for casual get-togethers with friends, we’ve included simple half up half down options, formal updos, and elegant boho styles you’ll love! #braidedhairstyles

41 Gorgeous Braided Hairstyles for Every Occasion and Hair Length

13 Home Remedies for Dandruff | Dry scalp got you down? If you want to know how to get rid of dandruff and the flakes it brings along with it without harsh chemicals and store bought products, we’re sharing 6 homemade remedies you can start using today for results that last. Using things you already have on hand, like baking soda, coconut oil, and aloe vera, these natural treatments work! #dandruff #dandruffremedies #dryscalp

13 Prevention Tips and Home Remedies for Dandruff

6 Natural Remedies for Wrinkles | If you’re looking for anti-aging tips and tricks to help you prevent and get rid of wrinkles, we’re sharing 6 ways to banish wrinkles naturally. Whether you have fine lines on your forehead, under your eyes, around your mouth, on your lips, on your face, and/or on your neck, these DIY beauty hacks and face masks will reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines fast. #getridofwrinkles #antiaging #skincare

6 Natural Remedies for Wrinkles to Make You Look Younger

30 Step-by-Step Vintage Hairstyles for All Hair Lengths | Whether you’re looking for vintage hairstyles and updos for short, medium length, or for long hair, this post has it all! From retro curls and pinup hairstyles, to a 1950s ponytail, surf waves, and victory rolls, to vintage waves, faux bangs, and milkmaid braids, learn how to do these styles at home with these step-by-step hair tutorials! #vintageshairstyles #vintageupdos #vintagecurls

30 Step-by-Step Vintage Hairstyles for All Hair Lengths

15 Eyeliner Hacks for Beginners | Learn how to apply winged eyeliner – and how to apply liquid eyeliner – with this collection of life-changing makeup tricks! You’ve probably already tried the tape, business card, and bobby pin tricks, and we’re excited to share so many other simple yet transformative makeup hacks to help you get the perfect cat eye every single time. Whether you prefer pencil, gel, or liquid liner, these tips are for you! #liquideyeliner #eyelinertutorials #howtoapplyeyeliner

Eyeliner Hacks for Beginners: 15 Makeup Tricks We Love

How to Curl Your Hair with a Flat Iron | Whether you have short, medium length, or long hair, learning how to curl hair with a flat iron is a game changer! We’re sharing our best tips, hair hacks, and products to teach you how to get perfect beach waves, tight curls, and everything in between. We’ve also included 3 step by step tutorials for beginners with quick, easy, and simple techniques for curls that last! #howtocurlhair #curlinghairflatiron #flatironcurls

How to Curl Your Hair with a Flat Iron: 7 Tips and Hacks

11 Fall Makeup Trends & Tutorials | I always love seeing the fall makeup looks in Harpers Bazaar, and this year did not disappoint! If you want to know what’s in style in 2019 on the beauty front, we’re sharing the best products, tips, and tutorials to help you look on trend this season. #fallmakeup #fallmakeuptrends #fallmakeuplooks

11 Fall Makeup Trends and Tutorials Every Girl Needs to Know

63 Wrist Tattoos for Women | Whether you’re looking for small wrist tattoos, wrist tattoos with meaning, bracelet tattoos, or unique quotes, words, and script tattoos, this collection of tattoo design inspiration has it all. From dainty butterfly, heart, and floral designs, to cross and arrow ideas we love, to symbolic tattoos with roman numerals, names, initials, infinity signs, and more, we’ve curated 63 ideas to inspire you! #wristtattoos #smalltattoos #wordtattoos #scripttattoos #quotetattoos

Simple and Elegant: 63 Meaningful Wrist Tattoos for Women

How to Braid Your Own Hair | If you’re looking for easy step by step tutorials for beginners to teach you how to braid your own hair, this post is for you! We’re sharing everything you need to know to learn the French, Dutch, fishtail, halo, and waterfall braids for short, shoulder length, and long hair. Whether you have straight, wavy, or curly hair, prefer a structured or messy look, these hairstyles are perfect for day and night! #howtobraidyourownhair #braidedhairstyles #braidtutorials

How to Braid Your Own Hair: 5 Step-by-Step Tutorials for Beginners

Makeup Tips for Dark Skin | From selecting the right foundation and contouring products, to learning how to apply bold eyeshadows and filling in your eyebrows, to concealing under eye circles and acne scars, we’re sharing it all - makeup dos and don’ts, step by step tutorials, and the best makeup for dark skin. Whether you prefer a natural glow or a bold look, this post is a great resource for black women and dark-skinned gals! #makeupforblackwomen #makeupfordarkskin

Makeup Tips for Dark Skin: 8 Products and Tutorials

How to Apply Eyeshadow Eyeliner in 8 Easy Steps | Whether you prefer to sport simple or winged eyeliner, opt for natural brown and black eyeliner shades, or gravitate toward bolder looks, these tips and beauty hacks will teach you how to transform your favorite shadows into gorgeous eyeliner that lasts all day. We’re sharing 8 application tips and tricks, and 4 eyeshadow eyeliner tutorials you’ll love. #howtoapplyeyeliner #eyelinerhacks

How to Apply Eyeshadow Eyeliner: 12 Powder Eyeliner Tips and Tutorials

23 Step-by-Step Updos for Thin Hair | Whether you’re looking for easy and casual updos, or you need something more formal for prom, a bridal shower, or a wedding, these step by step tutorials will teach you how to give volume and style to fine hair fast! We’ve included updos for short, shoulder length, and long hair you’ll love. #finehair #thinhair #hairstylesforfinehair #updosforthinhair

Quick & Elegant: 23 Step-by-Step Updos for Thin Hair

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‘A NEGATIVE MIND WILL NEVER GIVE YOU A POSITIVE ‘A NEGATIVE MIND WILL NEVER GIVE YOU A POSITIVE LIFE.’ —Unknown
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As I was flipping through a magazine a few years ago, I read a study that has been a real game-changer for me.
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It went a little something like this:
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A research group studied feelings of tiredness in 2 groups of people. Both groups got the same amount of sleep and exerted the same amount of energy throughout the study, but the Test Group was led to believe they were more well-rested than they really were.
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The result?
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[Nearly] everyone in the Test Group reported lower levels of fatigue and higher levels of alertness compared to the Control Group, which led the researchers to believe our PERCEPTION of how tired we are plays a huge role in how we actually feel on a daily basis.
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I admit I was skeptical, but I’ve always found that when I stop focusing on the negative and concentrate on the positive instead, I can almost always talk myself out of feeling tired, moody, irritable, impatient, or whatever other negative emotion that’s plaguing me.
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I really believe there is something in the notion that we can change the way we feel simply by changing our perception, and that is more important now than ever.
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So the next time you wake up feeling exhausted and cranky, try changing your mindset. Put the negativity down, choose happiness, and see where it takes you.
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I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
‘DEAL WITH YOUR FEELINGS.’ —Tanisha Herrin . ‘DEAL WITH YOUR FEELINGS.’ —Tanisha Herrin
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I started drafting a post with tips for staying positive when you’re struggling with motivation this morning, but I couldn’t bring myself to finish the post because I have been the exact opposite of positive and motivated the last few days.
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Ontario announced a 3rd stay-at-home order this week, and my sweet girl was a puddle of tears when I picked her up on Tuesday. Teachers were given a 10-minute warning to tell students to pack up their belongings, and while I held my daughter in the school yard as she cried, my heart broke for her.
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This has been hard on all of us, but it’s been especially difficult for kids. I can’t imagine how it must feel to have school, extracurricular activities, playdates, sleepovers, family trips, and holiday celebrations taken away as a child. I feel like all I’ve done over the last year is dish out one disappointment after another, and with no end in sight, it’s hard not to feel the weight of it all. 
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If you know me IRL, you know I’m all about finding light in times of darkness. I believe every situation is design to teach us something, and try not to stay stuck in the suck for too long, but this week was different.
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I felt really sad, and for the first time in a long time I realized that what I needed more than anything was to just feel all the feels. So I emailed my daughter’s teacher to let her know we were taking the night off from homework, shut my computer down, left the laundry in the dryer, ate peanut butter out of the jar (highly recommend btw), and polished off a bottle of wine with my husband, and it felt so good.
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We all woke up with renewed positivity on Wednesday, yesterday I wrote out a list of goals I want to tackle over the next 4 weeks, and today I feel more motivated and excited than I have in a long time. I feel blessed, grateful, and ready to handle this lockdown like a boss.
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So instead of writing down all of those tips I planned on sharing with you today, I wanted to remind you that sitting in discomfort and allowing yourself to feel sad isn’t always a bad thing. Just make sure you don’t get stuck there for too long. 😘
‘FILTERS ARE GREAT, BUT GREAT SKIN CARE IS BETTE ‘FILTERS ARE GREAT, BUT GREAT SKIN CARE IS BETTER.’ —Unknown 
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#ad
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Do your hands crack in the cold weather?
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Mine do. ⠀
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And this year has been particularly bad. Between my regular cooking and cleaning routine, buying and renovating a new home, and all of the required pandemic-related hand washing and sanitizing, my hands physically hurt at the end of each day. I’ve lost count of how many cracks I’ve dealt with so far this season, and right now I have a doozy on my right thumb that makes simple tasks like buttoning buttons, texting, and typing feel impossible and painful.
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I once read that beautiful skin takes a commitment and not a miracle, and this couldn’t be more true. I have battled with my skin for as long as I can remember, and I know exactly what I need to do to prevent - and treat - dry, cracked hands. But when life gets busy, I simply get lazy, and it doesn’t take long for it show on my skin.
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The good news is that it typically only takes me a few days to get things back under control thanks to my friends at @yoronaturals 🙌🏻
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Their Organic Manuka Skin Soothing Cream does wonders when it comes to healing cracked hands, and their Remedy Wear gloves are my secret to overnight healing! Instead of strategically covering every crack with cream and a bandaid, I just apply a generous amount of Manuka Cream to my hands and pop on a set of gloves  before crawling into bed. Works like a dream!
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(And YES, the gloves stay put alllllll night long!)
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If pandemic protocols are leaving your hands dry and cracked, click the link in my bio and use code GWEN for 10% off my favorite YoRo Natural products!
‘A woman with a voice is by definition a strong ‘A woman with a voice is by definition a strong woman. But the search to find that voice can be remarkably difficult.’ –Melinda Gates

Wishing all the strong, bold, loud, messy, and amazing women in my life a Happy International Women’s Day! 
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When we found out we were having a girl, I was so excited. I couldn’t wait to share my love for fashion and beauty with a smaller version of myself, and had such a strong vision of the kind of mom I wanted to be.
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I promised myself I would be present, involved, loving, and empathetic, and that my sweet girl would wake up and go to sleep each night knowing there was at least one person in this world who believed in her 1000%.
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I thought I had everything mapped out, but failed to realize that being a ‘girl mom’ would require so much more from me. It’s not enough that I listen to her, support her, and encourage her to be assertive and to own her truth.  I have to model that behavior, too.
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And that’s not easy.
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I was raised at a time when women were encouraged to make themselves as small as possible - both literally and figuratively. 
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No one ever encouraged me to speak up when someone did wrong by me or someone else, and when I did start to find my voice as I got older, I was told I was ‘too much’.
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Raising a girl has forced me to challenge everything that was taught to me about being a woman. I want my daughter to grow up believing she can achieve anything and everything she wants in life, and that she never has to make herself small to make others feel more comfortable. She’s bold, brave, assertive, and loud, and she’s doesn’t apologize for ANY of it.
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And I hope she never does.
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My girl keeps me on my toes, but being her mom has already been the ride of a lifetime. I’m so incredibly proud of her and can’t wait to see the mark she makes on the world. 
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‘Here’s to strong women: May we know them. May we be them. May we raise them.’ –Unknown
‘HOW YOU DO ANYTHING IS HOW YOU DO EVERYTHING.’ —Jess Sims
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While some people love reading self-help books or listening to inspiring podcasts, quotes, mantras, and song lyrics are my jam. I spend hours upon hours scrolling through my social media feeds each week searching for motivational quotes and sayings, and I copy the ones I love most to the notes app on my phone so I never forget them. 
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I have a quote and lyric for pretty much every feeling and occasion, and if you follow me on stories, you know that I try to share something motivating and inspiring every morning. 
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I’ve recently been using short quotes/mantras to help me stay focused. Mantras are typically used in meditation, but they are also a fabulous tool to help you stay grounded. The idea is to pick a word or phrase with meaning to you, and each time your mind starts to wander, you repeat the mantra over and over to bring yourself back to the present moment.
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I use mantras to help me stay productive with work, to keep me motivated when I want to push myself during my workouts, to stay present when I’m overwhelmed and trying to do too many things at once, and to stop me from ruminating about the things that make me stressed and anxious. 
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If you’re looking for inspiring quotes and mantras to help you stay focused, present, and calm, here are some of my favorites!
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‘Be present where your feet are.’
—Unknown
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You don’t have to. You get to.
—Jess Sims
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Easy is bullshit.
—Christine D’Ercole
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Feel the burn, step closer to the fire.
—Emma Lovewell
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A setback is an avenue for a comeback.
—Alex Toussaint 
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Hold the vision, trust the process.
—Unknown
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No challenge, no change.
—Robin Arzon
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Acknowledge the fear and do it anyway.
—Emma Lovewell
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Impossible is just an opinion.
—Paulo Coelho
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Treat your body like it belongs to someone you love. 
—Hannah Marie Corbin
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Fix your ponytail and try again.
—Unknown
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👇🏻 What quotes and mantras keep you focused and present when you’re overwhelmed or anxious?
‘ALL GREAT CHANGES ARE PRECEDED BY CHAOS.’ — ‘ALL GREAT CHANGES ARE PRECEDED BY CHAOS.’ —Unknown
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f you’ve been following me on stories, you know we moved to a new house a couple of weeks ago. I was going to document the whole thing, but moving during a global pandemic in a city that is completely locked down with a child in virtual school is… 🤪
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This was the biggest move I’ve ever undertaken, and my Type A personality really struggled with how little control I had over everything. Lists and schedules are my jam, but it seemed the harder I tried to keep things on track, the quicker they fell apart.
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I eventually decided to just embrace the chaos. I allowed myself to let go and just enjoy the excitement of it all and it ended up being the smoothest, most enjoyable move I’ve ever experienced. We’re still waiting on furniture deliveries and have lots of painting to do, but since no one will be visiting us for months (years?!) on end given the state of the world right now, there is absolutely no pressure.
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And that feels great.
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If you’re struggling, here are 4 things that helped me find order in the chaos that has been our lives for the last several weeks:
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✔️ EXERCISE. I start every single day with a hard workout to get those feel-good endorphins flowing. It makes me feel accomplished, helps me work through whatever is on my mind, and sets the tone for the rest of my day.
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✔️ ENERGY MANAGEMENT. I do all of my most pressing tasks when my energy is high and my mind is clear, and save all of the monotonous, mindless stuff (think: responding to emails, meal prep, folding laundry) for the evening.
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✔️ NEVER TOUCH SOMETHING TWICE. Once I ‘touch’ a task, I deal with it then and there so it’s taken off of my plate, rather than ’touching’ it multiple times and allowing it to take up extra energy and mental space. This is one of the best productivity tips I’ve ever read and it’s been a life-saver for me lately! 
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✔️ DONE IS BETTER THAN PERFECT. I struggle the most with this, but the last few weeks have been a great exercise in challenging a lot of my Type A tendencies.
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👇🏻 How do YOU stay on track when you feel overwhelmed?
‘SELF-CARE ISN’T SELFISH.’ . If you met me I ‘SELF-CARE ISN’T SELFISH.’
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If you met me IRL, you’d probably [hopefully?] never know I suffer from anxiety, and would likely assume I’m just a high maintenance, high strung, Type A personality. All of those things are in fact true, LOL, but what you may not realize is that each of those traits of mine are the result of years of feeling anxious and worried and stressed.
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I grew up at a time when we were taught to keep our struggles to ourselves, and when I think back to grades 3 and 4 when my anxiety was at it’s absolute worst, it pains me to remember how much I suffered in silence. I feel proud that I was able to overcome some pretty tough stuff on my own, but I refuse to let history repeat itself.
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I will not raise my daughter in a world that stigmatizes mental illness.
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According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, 38% of Canadians say their mental health has declined since the start of the pandemic, and people already struggling with their mental health were 2 times more likely to say their mental health has declined further. 
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One of the biggest hurdles for anyone suffering from mental illness is overcoming the stigma. It is the number one reason why people living with mental illness do not seek help.
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Today is #BellLetsTalk day and Bell will donate 5 cents to Canadian mental health programs for every applicable text, local or long distance call, tweet or TikTok video using #BellLetsTalk - all at no cost to participants beyond what they would normally pay their service provider for online or phone access. 
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MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS.
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Let’s end the stigma.
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