What Matters Most!

First Response 

     My first response to the change in our new world was panic and discomfort. My sense of self and control had been taken away. What type of schedule can I keep if I no longer have a To-Do list? I paced around my living room wondering what this all meant. Questions came to my head like: Will my son fall behind or get held back from school? How am I going to get an update on my son’s progress without meeting with his teacher face to face? Was my job secure? Will my opportunity to start my dream job be put on hold? Oh no! Why did I wait so long to stock up on our back-up resources? Dam, and what could I substitute for toilet paper due to the scarce supply? Umm if I’m pushed hard enough, I’ll just use a washcloth to wipe myself! LOL Why did this have to happen now? I have so many exciting upcoming plans. My mind continued to wonder. I figured, If we simply kept up with cleansing protocols we should be safe, right? My logic was that most adults practice healthy hygiene, and are considerate enough to to stay at home when struck down by a fever that was preceded by coughing and sneezing.

         Unfortunately these precautions weren’t taken; resulting in the inevitable implementation of social distancing. Though this feels more like social isolation! I became dismayed by these circumstances, contemplating on what I’ll be missing out on I thought:

    I can’t: Go to work Go to the mall Go out for a leisurely dinner Go out for drinks Go to a gathering with friends Then after over a week of staying at home I had an epiphany. My perspective changed and I suddenly thought

  I can: Indulge! Soak in a bubbly bubble bath lathered with aromatherapy body soap Read a book before I hit my pillow every evening Actually have the time to give myself a neat and smooth manicure without falling asleep before they dry; where I usually wake up to a bumpy mess! Sleep-in without the interruption of a noisy alarm clock Take in guilt free binge watching of my favorite shows after hours Dive into a huge container of french vanilla ice cream scooped over a layer of a succulent slice of chocolate fudge cake Prepare and eat breakfast with my son After breakfast flipping through a fashion magazine on my deck; while really tasting the almond and cinnamon spice of my morning tea that I sip out of my favorite white and gold plated tea cup that I normally don’t notice Get Organized! Reorganize that cluttered closet that I’d been neglecting due to prior time constraints Clean out that messy storage unit that I will be utilizing 

Be Constructive! Wake up feeling energized enough to keep up with the rhythm of my favorite exercise video Sign up for that online course to enhance my skills Plan! What tools could I give my son for his future success? What is my five year financial plan? How can I increase my credit score? How do I walk toward the career that I really want? What is missing in my life? How can I make a contribution to this world? This epiphany gave me the turnaround that I needed. My lesson has been realizing that there is usually some good underlying the “bad events”. We just need to stop in our tracks to see it. Over the last week of being home I feel that I have lived more than I have in years. My mornings have been filled with healthy breakfasts, time for playing soccer at the park with my son, and observing fathers throwing softball with their children. At the same time I was also able to experience looking up at the sun during my morning jogging sessions, and allowing the rays to penetrate my skin (with the use of sunblock of course. LOL). 

Through this challenging time in our history, the universe has intervened to remind us of what matters the most!

 I hope it has also shed some light for you as well:) All greatness starts within! Aniyah (AKA Anita)-The Mommysavior

A Quick Tip!

Hello Moms!

It's been a few months since my last post, but I haven't forgotten about you! I've been caught up in life. Trying to find time for my passion while keeping the lights on! LOL... Anyway, this week I'd like to share a couple of clothing sites that I have personally enjoyed , and I'm sure you will as well. Think: Stylish, affordable, chic, and one of the sites has plus sizes! Can't go wrong there. Here are my picks: Venus.com: Price point=$20 and up Product= Clothing, Accessories and shoes Selling point= very stylish, edgy, sexy and offers plus size Poetry.com: Price point=$79 and up Product= Clothing, Accessories and shoes Selling point= Quality, classic and conservative JustFashionNow.com: Price point=$20 and up Product= Clothing, Accessories and shoes Selling point= very stylish, sexy and offers variety So check out these sites before your next shopping trip, and get on the fast track to having a kool summer look! Best Aniyah, MommySavior

"Thrifty Shopping Tips for Spring"

    Spring Temptation

    Fight the urge this spring from digging deep into your pockets to update your wardrobes. Your initial thought may be to get rid of the clutter and revamp some items. But wait!, before you empty out your wallet take inventory of what is already in your closet. Try to avoid reflecting on the saying "out with the old and in with the new", because sometimes the old can compliment the new! 

   For instance, back in January I personally took a trip to one of my favorite discount stores. I found a couple of lounge pants that I just couldn't leave behind, however I had nothing to pair with them. At that moment my limited budget prohibited me from making an additional purchase. So I bought the lounge pants and they hung in my closet for a few months. 

                                 Fast forward to March, I got an itch to buy some apparel for my spring weekend looks. I found myself scoping the new spring collections and on impulse began to grab a few miscellaneous pieces to try on. I then stopped dead in my tracks and had to remind myself of one of my styling rules I've given myself: Check your own inventory before you add more inventory! This is when I intently closed my eyes to think of what I needed (of course I also disobeyed my other rule of surveying my closet and doing a seasonal purge before going wardrobe shopping). At that moment I remembered that I didn't have the proper sporty tops to go with my irresistible lounge pants I purchased back in January. I then did a 360 degree turn and pounced over to the sporty section to do a strategic search. This was when I scored and found the perfect sporty tops to go with my lounge pants!!! 

    Take Inventory

         Take Inventory the next time you look at that lonely grey tunic in your closet, you may consider updating it by simply purchasing a satin skinny pant instead of investing in an entirely new outfit.

         Now go ahead and take a notepad to your wardrobe and do the following: Check your "Basics".

Your basics should consist of: 

• 1 black and 1 white woven (collared) shirt 
• 2 mid-length black skirts 
• 2 pair of trousers: Black and grey 
• 2 pair of novelty pants to give your wardrobe some edge (fun colors like red, royal blue or mustard) 
• 2 pair of denim pants.  I suggest to have styles such as vintage cut/ Bootleg and skinny leg. 

 Updating Tips: With these basics in mind, now you can go shopping! Here's another few tips: -

• Feel free to replace any of your basics if you want to update the cuts or fit 
• keep the basic types though and use the formula as a template for building your wardrobe 
• Don't buy an item simply because it looks good on the rack. Be sure you can actually put it to good use Buy specific tops to pair with your bottoms 
• Do splurge on a couple pairs of novelty tops and pants every season 

 Note: Novelty tops and bottoms are pieces that you buy for an occasion or to add spice to your wardrobe. Such pieces are usually Sequins, satins, silks, Patterns or prints. 

 Don't forget these helpful tips before your next shopping trip to save you from having an empty wallet! 

"Great things start in small places" :) Aniyah

YES, YES,YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YES, is this word embedded in your vocabulary?  Do you find yourself saying this word all day?  This word can be a blessing and a curse.
   Ladies let's take a closer look at this ordeal.  Here's what a few respondents on Quora.com
 (Inc.com) had to say about the word Yes:

                 Response to the word "yes":

-People tend to feel you are a pushover with no boundaries.
- People don't trust you, because they think you're not sincere. They are spectacle and want to know the price for your kindness.
- People whom you attract may be the wrong type, and wish to cause you mischief.
- People may let you down due to not reciprocating your good deeds.
- People tend to demand your time as a consequence of your availability.

         Here's 5 pointers to turn it around:

#1 Identify who you are keeping company with
#2 Put yourself first. If faced with the choice, move yourself into self preservation mold.
#3 Take inventory:
- will saying yes help me or hurt me?
- what are the pros and cons for my Yes?
#4 Immediately remove yourself from a conversation or situation  that makes you feel uncomfortable, and puts you in a weak predicament.
 #5 Finally, look into the mirror and say: " let my Yes mean Yes and No mean No.

    Now ladies go out there and try these techniques, and stay true to another word "me"!

Well that's all for this week ladies
Strength, courage and wisdom; while looking and feeling fabulous😉
Aniyah

Escape

Hi Ladies!

                         Back to School

        So it's end of summer and time for the back to school routine. A routine filled with endless arduous tasks. Stacking up on supplies, maneuvering the hurdles in the apparel isles, getting the kids back on track, and last but not least, battling the added road and school zone traffic.  Only to come home to the never- ending To-Do list!

                          Delegate

       Ladies I have one word for you: DELEGATE, and then retreat. Yes that's right, grab a helping hand. I have managed this by seeking out whom I could recruit for my various tasks.

              Here's how my list looks:

- Make Breakfast 3 days a week: Hubby/son

-Dishes 3 nights a week: Hubby/son

-Laundry and groceries- alternate w/Hubby

-Cleaning- assign as needed

    With the extra time your saving, you have          just allowed yourself time for this list:

- An evening soak in a bubble bath

-Deep hair conditioner

-Facial with a body scrub

- Curling up into a mysterious book

        Now that's a list worth savoring moments for.  So try using these tips to steal some time. The little moments you give to yourself will make you more enjoyable and interesting to be around! 

Note: single moms: ask a relative, friend or neighbor to look after the kids for a couple hours.  Use this time for your retreat .

Good day😊

 Aniyah

Bill of health!

Bill of health!

I must confess I never took exercise seriously! I mean how can something that hurts be beneficial? I'm sure you have all heard "no pain no gain". It's time to start living by this. Think about it, if you don't study for a test you may just fail (at least most of us will😊), if you don't brush your teeth you are  most likely to get cavities, and if you don't take your car in for a tune-up,  you may just  find yourself on the wrong side of some desolate road waving or calling for help with a "check engine sign" flashing.
  So moms, we see the consequences for not maintaining key areas in our lives. It's time to put exercise on the top of our maintenance list. If you don't have a list, get yourself a notepad and make exercise a top priority! Yes, let's steal 30 minutes a day. Do it now, do it today, don't wait! If you want to be your best fitness is an essential ingredient to a clean bill of health!!!!

Tip: Don't have time for the gym? Pick up some workout DVDs that you can pop in during your own time. Spice it up with variety: Aerobics, Salsa dancing or even yoga. Let's do it ladies!!!
Aniyah😊

Are you catching your Zzzzz's?

If you are like most of the population, the answer to this is probably no? So the question becomes: why not? Why aren't we catching our eight hours every night? Is it possible to actually get a full night of rest with such busy schedules?

So to attack this issue lets take a closer look at our  most traditional daily routines:

-Wake between 5am to 7am (on average)

-Office work or house work 9am to 5 to 7pm

-Dinner 7pm

-8pm Evening routine: homework with the kids, baths, getting ready for the next day

-Wind down  between 9pm and 11pm

-Now up again for the next day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The loop continues for the rest of the week , and most of us actually don't get to bed until after 12am! Yikes!  So how do we intervene with this vicious cycle?   Well let's just say that on the gloomy side, there is no way to end the cycle, but on the bright side there are some remedies to this age old issue. Keep your evening simple with my three step rule.  It takes practice, but it can be done. These are the 3 things that all of us should do every evening.  If we stick to these 3 steps we will be in bed in  a timely manner and catch our z's!!!!!

Step 1: Dinner cooked and eaten 1 hour

Step 2: Homework, prep for work for the next day (lunches, clothes and hair set/ready) 2 hours

Step 3: Wand down bath or reading 1 hour 

It's that simply.  Just prioritize your evening with these essentials and you will have balance and more importantly, get your rest! Sorry to break the news but there is no time for TV, internet surfing, or chatting on Face time or other social media outlets. Save those novelties for your weekends.  For instance, catch up on you favorite movies on a Friday night, this way you won't feel like your missing out.

It's up to you if you want to choose sleep or weep:)

Aniyah 

Resource guide for mommys on fashion, lifestyle and entertainment