WELLNESS
Body-Positive Blogger Kenzie Brenna Just Got Refreshingly Honest About Her Stretch Marks
BY
BETH SHAPOURI
MARCH 28, 2017 6:40 PM
Late last week, Body-confidence blogger and actress Kenzie Brenna (a.k.a. @omgkenzieee) shared the internal monolog that goes on in her head when she sees her stretch marks. The result was a refreshingly honest back-and-forth that touches on unrealistic body standards, self-doubt, and exactly how tough it can be to shut out the noise and embrace what we've been programmed to see as "flaws"—and it's received a glowing response from her 150,000 followers. But perhaps the reason why she posted it is the most awesome part of all. "I shared my inner monolog because I've always been scared of it," she tells Glamour.
It's this act of facing her fear that makes for such an incredibly engaging post. The Toronto-based blogger, who is in recovery for body dysmorphic disorder, began her stream-of-conscious post with, "Here are my thoughts when I look at my least favorite part of my body: They're not usually this noticeable. If you only had the money to get rid of them. They actually look kinda cool. Sorta like the beginning of a story. More like the beginning of a LONG story."
She goes on to hit more directly at her insecurities, writing, "Would I erase my story to not have these? You'd probably be more comfortable without them. Would I truly, though?"
Then she gets really, really, really real with, "Okay, ask yourself the question. I don't wanna. Just do it. Does this affect the quality of who I am? No. Would it make you a better person if you got rid of these marks? No. Would it make you kinder, more generous and a better lover if you had the money to erase them? No."
Her conclusion: "Then you're perfect. I don't feel perfect. That's 'cause perfect isn't a feeling."
She signs off with, "You guys get it. You don't have to be in love with yourself every day, but I PROMISE if you practice self-love you will have more loving moments with yourself than you could ever dream of. Keep dreaming. Keep loving. Keep at it."
Brenna, who calls herself a "self-love warrior," is no stranger to the honesty about the body parts we usually don't see in traditional media—her #cellulitesaturday selfies have also gone viral over the last few months. Her brutally honest captions and striking images have gained her quite the following.
When we asked her about what lead her to post that day, she told us, "I'm an actress and the camera reads your mind. In order for me to be a good actress I needed to come to terms with what goes on in my head." But that's not the only positive in sharing her journey. She explained, "I've done inner dialogue posts before and the amount of solidarity I receive from them is always unexpected. The lesson I gather from sharing these private internal conversations is that you are much less alone than you could ever believe. There's a certain type of connectedness that manifests itself when we allow people into our unseen hearts and minds."
Couldn't agree more.
Related Stories:
-This Fitness Blogger Just Proved How Deceptive Instagramming Can Be
-Women of All Shapes and Sizes Re-Created the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, and the Results Were Beautiful
-Chrissy Teigen's Stretch Marks and 7 Other Times Celebs Have Flaunted "Flaws" on Instagram
Keywords:
body confidencebody positive
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The majority of the people who read this blog, agree that intelligence is sexy. However everyone has met somebody who, physical appearance aside, is just truly, deeply appealing. Whether they are physically attractive or not, members of the opposite sex flock to them in droves, and though you’d like to be annoyed by that, you might actually have a bit of a crush on them yourself. You just want to get to know them better – and so does everyone else. Whether we are male or female, each of us likely spends hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars over the course of our lives in an effort to improve our health and physical appearance. We sweat at the gym, buy flattering clothes, shave, bathe, and style our hair in order to maintain our physical appeal – but how much time do we spend cultivating that curious internal magnetism that is actually the basis of most attraction?
Below are six simple habits that can increase your charisma, confidence, and sense of self.
1. Empower yourself!
The Law of Attraction dictates that we tend to arrive at the outcome which we most expect. Of course this principle does not always hold true – unfortunately for my toddler, who expected cookies for dinner – however, there is certainly something to it. When we radiate a genuine confidence in our actions, others tend to believe in our goals as well. After all, if we don’t believe we deserve our desired outcome, why should the rest of the world?
Focusing on reasons why we should reach our goal puts us in a more confident mindset, and genuine confidence is an infinitely attractive trait. It also helps us to perform at our best. A teenager asking a girl to a school dance is much more likely to get a “yes” if he is smiling, standing tall, and cracking jokes than if he is staring at the floor and mumbling. The message that the latter gives is that he doesn’t think she should want to go to the dance with him. This might, in turn, make her doubt her attraction to him in the first place. However, a wide smile and clever joke will make her feel comfortable, connected, and excited for the fun-filled evening ahead.
A good way to empower yourself before a big moment like this is to write down ten reasons why the person would want to say yes. Once you internalize these reasons, even if you are denied, you will feel that it is their loss and find it easier to move on from the rejection. Even more effective than doing this before a big moment is to practice it in your daily life. By consciously noticing when you elicit a smile, or when your hair looks great, or when your speech was well received, you are training your brain to look for these positive traits in yourself and, in turn, to see yourself in a flattering light. When you see yourself as an appealing, clever, magnanimous person, others will too.
2. Take Time to Meditate.
Most people feel stressed and unsure of themselves when entering a new social situation. Although this is completely natural and understandable, it is far from the best mindset to be in when you want to give off a good impression. A simple trick to counteract this is to learn how to meditate. Meditation has been shown to lower stress levels, and in particular the traits of anxiety, impulsiveness, and worry, all of which often lead to social blunders. It also strengthens your mental strength and focus, creativity, and memory, qualities which are crucial to good conversation and building relationships. Best of all, it only takes twenty minutes a day.
3. Know Yourself, Be Yourself.
Personal congruence is the practice of aligning your thoughts, words, and actions. Congruence is the quality that causes a person to come off to others as authentic and self-assured. Practicing congruence promotes self-confidence because you are acting with integrity, and because others are responding to you as you truly are rather than as you think they would like you to be. Being congruent is about embracing and expressing your true feelings.
Most people fail to be congruent because they do not want to show weakness. However, I have found that some of my best friends are those who have known me at my worst, most unattractive moments. There’s something very endearing and relatable about someone who is being vulnerable – even though they are not perfect. Genuine flaws are usually much more charming than a manufactured veneer of perfection.
4. You do you, honey!
Do things because you genuinely want to – not because you want to appear a certain way to others or to fit in. When you stop looking for validation from others, you free yourself up to pursue interests and hobbies that you may never have considered before – which will, in the end, make you a more well-rounded and interesting person. Your passion for the pursuits you have chosen will be attractive to others, because nothing is more appealing than someone who is genuinely having a good time. Think of the last truly and universally likeable person you encountered – did he need you to like him? Of course not – because he liked himself. Take back control of your self-image by worrying less about what others think of you and more about who you really are and how much you are enjoying life.
5. Listen Up!
Everyone loves to talk – but few have perfected the art of listening. As the wife of a very good listener, I can tell you from the outside what a profound impact it has on people. Most people, myself included, tend to talk too much because we are eager to make a connection. However, it’s in listening that you come to truly understand a person and what makes them tick. Because he is a natural at this, my husband not only attracts people and makes them feel comfortable, but is also able to offer thoughtful insights regarding their problems, strengths, and motivations. Listening opens your mind, strengthens your sense of empathy, and develops your ability to connect. As someone who struggles to develop this skill, I cannot recommend it highly enough!
6. Shake It Off!
Everyone has felt the sting of rejection – even Taylor Swift. Unfortunately, if we dwell on these rejections and the reasons why others might not like us, we can train our brain to look for our flaws and blunders – creating the opposite of the effect discussed above in tip #1. The fact that not everyone will like us can be disheartening, or it can be tremendously freeing. Rejection, after all, is rarely about your defects. More often, two people simply don’t mesh well, and you are both better off putting your time and energy into other relationships.
The funny thing about becoming a truly and deeply appealing person is that, if you have this quality, you likely don’t even care – because you love yourself regardless. Your most important and long-lasting relationship is the one that you have with yourself. Cultivate that, and the rest is sure to fall into place.
written by: RReisch || source: iheartintelligence.com
Working in the Hottest Place on Earth Is Almost as Bad as It Sounds
Matt MacIsaac has been a motor vehicle operator on the maintenance staff at Death Valley National Park for 15 years. In summer, he works in temperatures exceeding 120 degrees. For the unprepared, the heat can be deadly. We asked MacIsaac how he survives—and stays hydrated—working outside in the hottest place in America.
By: Matt MacIsaac Mar 13, 2017
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Death Valley got its name for a reason: this alien and deliriously hot landscape is one of the most deadly in the world. Photo: Marc Adamus / Aurora Photos
July is usually the hottest month. You go to work early and try to get your outside work done in the morning. After that, the heat builds until 4 p.m.
We can have water leaks, or you might have to come back to headquarters to fix something. You might get a flat on a heavy truck and be out there, at 3:00 in the afternoon, changing a tire in 125-degree heat.
We’ve paved roads in 120-plus. The asphalt is more than 200 degrees, and you’re working around the machines and standing on it. You feel it through your boots. By the end of the day, my shirt has sweat rings and white marks from the salt.
I have a 52-ounce Bubba mug. I’ll put down two or three of those in a day. They say you should drink half your body weight in ounces. It’s not like you even drink it—you inhale it. Twenty ounces straight is nothing. After work, I go home, strip down, and take a shower. I play some PlayStation, drink some ice water, and eat some cold fruit. I can’t tell you how good a cold plum tastes at the end of the day.
I used to drive a trash truck around the park. It was infested with mice. I didn’t want their urine and feces blowing in my face, so I didn’t use the air conditioning. I had a meat thermometer in the cab and saw it get up to 160 degrees.
We used to have dumpsters with metal lids. People would burn their fingertips on them. You can’t fry an egg, though—I’ve seen plenty of people try. It will turn white, but it won’t get solid.
There was a day that was 129 degrees. I remember walking across a parking lot and putting on leather gloves to protect my hands from the heat coming off the pavement. You know it’s hot when your hands feel cooler inside gloves than out.
Chuck Caha was a co-worker. He was in a grader, about mid-September, and it got a flat. His radio didn’t work, so he tried to walk to his pickup. It was about 113 that day. When he hadn’t come back by 4:30, my boss and I went to look for him. We found his body about four miles from the grader.
Visitors have died, too. They go out when it’s hot, after 10 a.m., and don’t take enough water. They get disoriented and can’t think clearly. I was in a party that carried out a German woman who died while hiking with her husband. We carried her body more than a mile in 110-degree heat.
We call them heat seekers: people who come here to see how hot it is. I like being part of something that helps people find what they need from the desert. We get hikers, people with four-wheel-drive Jeeps, and families who just want to watch their kids ride bikes.
At night, the Milky Way is like a belt across the sky. The mornings are beautiful, when the sun hasn’t come up and the light’s just perfect. And sometimes, in the middle of the day—when you can see the white valley floor and it’s hotter than what the body is meant for—at that point it’s harsh, but it’s also beautiful. You look out at the space and the size of it, and it just kinda overwhelms you.
Interviewed by Jacob Baynham.
Filed To: Death Valley, Weather, Adventure
Why You Should Have Plants In Your Bathroom
1. Plants As Decorative Elements
The largest, most lavishly designed of bathrooms must of necessity have hard, cold surfaces. At the other end of the spectrum are tiny, cramped bathrooms, often windowless and boring. Bringing nature into this space can transform it magically, adding warmth, cheer, and aesthetic appeal. And why not, considering we spend a good chunk of our lives there every day?
2. Plants To Reduce Indoor Air Pollution
Back in the 80s, a NASA-supported study explored the phenomenon of indoor air pollution from volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) emitted by modern building materials, varied manufactured products, and furnishing. It concluded that house plants, during the process of photosynthesis, successfully absorbed many of these harmful chemical emissions.1 Since then, studies around the world have concluded that chemicals released within homes from dozens of products like detergents, cooking fuels (even innocuous stuff like grocery bags and paper products!) are effectively absorbed by common indoor plants.
Author Greg Horn, in his book Living Green: A Practical Guide For Simple Sustainability, writes that the two common house plants aloe vera and golden pothos clean up formaldehyde, while peace lilies absorb benzene and spider plants eliminate carbon monoxide.2 A study from two South Korean universities also discovered that the greater the number of plants, the lesser the concentration of VOCs.3
3. Plants For The Feel-Good Factor
Green plants in the bathroom, say Feng Shui practitioners, not only amp up the dull surroundings of a bathroom but also counteract its negative energy. 4
Caring for a plant, whether it’s in the bathroom or anywhere else in the house, could also make you a happier, contented person! In 2015, Japanese and Korean scientists published a study concluding that interacting with house plants, as opposed to say, working on a computer, helps promote feelings of calmness and comfort.5
Another study from the University of Twente in the Netherlands concluded that hospital patients who had plants in their room had reduced stress levels as compared to other patients who had a picture of a cityscape on their wall.6 What better reason to gaze upon your collection of fresh green ferns or peace lilies while you soak in a tub!
How To Select Your Bathroom Plants
Before selecting your plants, study the environment in your bathroom in terms of light, temperature, humidity, and available space. Is your bathroom sunny or windowless? Is it extremely humid? Pick plants that will thrive under specific conditions.
Generally speaking, tropical plants with their need for low light, high humidity, and minimal care are ideal choices for bathroom plants. Space is another consideration – for a small bathroom, you’d pick potted plants that can sit on a windowsill or shelf. Alternatively, you can hang pots from the ceiling. If your bathroom has adequate floor space, tall plants add elegance and drama.
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Top Five Bathroom Plants
There’s a huge variety of species you can pick from, but here’s a list to start with, of plants that do especially well in bathrooms. These are tropical species and, hence, live happily in the typically warm, humid environment of a bathroom. Take care not to overwater, though!
1. Spider Plant
The spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) is a great choice if you’re a newbie at indoor gardening or don’t have much time to spare on plant care. It thrives in relatively cool temperatures. Moderate watering, well-drained soil, and indirect light are all that the Spider needs (a little neglect may even help it thrive!). Its growth is prolific – in no time at all, the “mother” plant will produce baby spideys that you can use to multiply your spider plant family.
2. Peace Lilies
The peace lily (Spathiphyllum) has shiny, dark green leaves and waxy, white “blooms” (they aren’t really blooms but hooded leaf bracts that grow over the tiny flowers). True to its name, this tropical plant exudes serenity. It’s popular as a house or office plant thanks to its ability to filter indoor pollutants. They make sense in the bathroom too.
Moderate or low light is sufficient for peace lilies; bear in mind though that more light will result in the plant having a larger number of white “flowers.” Overwatering can kill it. Water them moderately, about once a week, checking first to see that the top soil is dry. If the broad leaves get dusty, wipe them down or give your peace lily a quick shower. To ensure high humidity, give them a daily misting or place them near the bath area when you take a warm shower.
3. Aloe Vera
The ancient Egyptians called aloe vera “the plant of immortality” and that’s no surprise, given what we know about its miraculous healing and nourishing properties.7 As a bathroom plant, aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis miller) needs minimal care. Place it near a window that provides indirect light, water it sparingly, and watch your aloe thrive. Also good to have in your bathroom if you happen to run out of moisturizer or need to soothe an insect bite!
4. Boston Ferns
These bright, green ferns (Nephrolepis exaltata) require cool temperatures, high humidity, and moderate, indirect light to thrive in a bathroom. Their bushy exuberance makes them a good choice if bathroom space is not a constraint. Boston ferns tend to suffer if the air turns dry. So, if your bathroom isn’t humid enough, mist the ferns with water intermittently.
The ferns are typically potted in baskets of peat moss. Give the basket a monthly soak and drain out thoroughly afterward so the ferns stay happy and hydrated.
5. Orchids
For an exotic spa ambiance in your bathroom, you can’t beat an orchid (Orchidaceae). Bright but indirect sunlight and high levels of humidity mimic the orchid’s natural habitat. With their relatively small size and lack of foliage, orchids are a good fit for small bathrooms, adding a lovely splash of color.
View Article References (+)
CureJoy Editorial CureJoy Editorial
Mar 24, 2017
8 Benefits Of Walking Outdoors In Natural Surroundings
Kathryn Merrow Mar 14, 2017
by Kathryn Merrow 4 Min Read
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Is it more beneficial to walk outdoors than indoors? Will walking outside enhance your health and well-being? The answer is yes, it is and yes, it will.
8 Benefits Of Walking Outdoors
1. Breathe Natural Air
Indoor air can be laden with all sort of chemicals from paint, carpet, cleaning products, and other things. Breathing deeply is a very good thing – it’s good to use your lungs fully – but breathing deeply indoors can mean inhaling lots of pollutants. There may be pollutants outside, too, but that depends on the area that you walk in. If you are in a green space, the trees and plant life help to scrub the toxins from the air. That means fresher air for you!
2. Vitamin D For Good Health
There may be some controversy on this, depending on which expert you listen to, but I believe that the sunshine really should hit your bare skin. Not skin covered with sunscreen but bare skin. Let the sun kiss your cheeks and the rest of your body and it will create vitamin D (which is really a hormone.) We need vitamin D for good health of almost every body part. The plan is not to burn but to get a good dose of sun – enough to cause the skin to tan over time.
3. Good For Eyes And Brain
Sunshine also has the full spectrum of light and that is good for your eyes and brain. When full spectrum light passes through your bare eyes, it causes ‘happy’ activity in your brain. Being outdoors during the daytime also allows you to enjoy the bright greenery around, and the vivid colors of flowers and birds. Looking into the distance outdoors also gives your eyes a needed break from short indoor views.
4. Good For Lungs
You can get good lung movement from actively walking or exercising indoors, but walking outdoors lets you really swing both your arms and legs which get your lungs pumping fully. You probably won’t have to worry about bumping into anyone or slipping on a slick indoor walkway.
5. Good For Your Leg Muscles
Walking in natural surroundings usually means the surface under your feet may be rough, bumpy, or irregular. Walking on an irregular surface causes more muscle activity in your legs and feet. Walking in snow gets even more vigorous. When you lift your legs higher, you have to use your whole body for balance.
You won’t get that kind of motion indoors! Your whole foot has to work to balance your body on a bumpy path. As your foot moves slightly in various directions, the muscles of your lower leg also have to change and compensate to provide balance and stability. It’s a whole leg work out that travels up to your buttocks!
Your whole foot has to work to balance your body on a bumpy path. As your foot moves slightly in various directions, the muscles of your lower leg also have to change and compensate to provide balance and stability. It’s a whole leg work out that travels up to your buttocks!
6. Good For Sensory Organs
All of your senses are activated when you walk outdoors. Depending on the season, you may smell flowers, sweetgrass, musty mud, or mushrooms; feel snowflakes on your nose; listen to the music of birds, the chatter of squirrels, and the rustle of leaves being crunched underfoot. You can see blue, brown, and red birds flitting and swooping, the shadows of trees, and dappled sunlight.
7. Good For Blood Circulation
The wind or a soft breeze may kiss your cheeks and stimulate your circulation.
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8. Good For Your Overall Health
You can reach to the tree tops for an adventurous stretch when you stop to follow the flight of a bird or watch the stream from an overhead plane. You might feel the need to bend or squat down to examine some small curious world that is never seen indoors.
And maybe, just maybe, depending on the season, you will find a bush with a brightly colored luscious berry here and there that gives you joy. That’s something you can only find when you are walking outdoors in a natural environment.
Kathryn Merrow Kathryn Merrow
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