Do you ever sit down with someone and feel instantly inspired? Someone who radiates an energy you want to be a part of? My friend and incredible artist, Ivy Newport, is just that! She’s inspiring, engaging and makes you feel like you can unleash your creative spirit in any way you feel called. I was fortunate enough to sit down and pick her brain about all things creative! In this post I share her wisdom and tactical tips for unlocking our creativity, and leading a more inspired life.

Who doesn’t love a good how-to guide? If you know me, you know this is right up my alley! After sitting down for my inspirational interview with Candace Molatore, a local Portland self-love advocate, I wanted to deconstruct our conversation into actionable steps anyone can follow. It’s important to know someone’s story and passions, but it’s also powerful to know how to apply their advice to your own life. Keep reading and I’ll share Candace’s tactical tips for achieving self-love and acceptance in real life.

I had the good fortune to sit down for a conversation with an incredible woman in my community, Candace Molatore, who is a talented photographer and creative branding & social media expert. Beyond these wonderful accolades, she’s also a passionate advocate for self-love. While I was initially drawn to her photography skills, it’s her proud voice, standing up and speaking out about the importance of self-love and acceptance, that I find fascinating and incredibly inspiring.

After sitting down together, I can tell you, she’s even more inspiring in person than she is via her beautiful Instagram photos. I’m honored Candace took the time to sit down with me, and I hope you find our conversation insightful & inspiring!

We all have our favorite items to keep at the house, our go-to snacks, comfort foods or favorite meals. I am all for having your standby snacks & meals that you know will be eaten without complaint! Over the last few years I’ve found myself looking at the options we choose and searching for ways to make them more nutritious. In most cases this means less processed, higher quality ingredients, less sugar and homemade. It’s the best when I try a healthy recipe swap and get rave reviews from my toughest critics (naturally my kids & husband). Past success says I need to share my top go-to recipes swaps, so here they are!

What if I told you to use your fingers to tap on certain parts of your body, while saying your feelings out loud, and told you that in doing so your perception of these thoughts & feelings will completely change? You’d think I’m crazy, right? How’s that for a woo-woo nutty idea? Turns out there’s incredible science behind this practice (yes it’s a real thing) and it’s called the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) or tapping. Before I completely lose your trust, let me give you my story & experience with tapping. I’ll then delve into all the must-have details about the practice is, who it’s for and how to give it a try in your daily life.

When I interact with new brands I'm always curious about the story behind the company. What made it all happen, why did it come to be, and who loved an idea enough to pour their heart & soul into it? For this reason, I give you little glimpse behind the scenes into my story.

Spoiler alert - it includes joining the gym with my grandma, being asked to leave high school sports and despising running.

There are a millions of ideas of how to become a more healthy version of yourself, I think we can all agree there are no shortage of options available. But let’s be honest, who has the time or energy to invest in trying out all these new concepts? We all live busy lives, filled with our career, kids, grandchildren, partners, friends, volunteering, the list goes on & on. I was asked by a friend, how to become more healthy with the limited time she has available? Here are my go-to’s for simple transitions that can help shift your overall wellness.

The wellness industry is constantly abuzz with new terms & concepts that are sure to change our lives for the better. It’s overwhelming to try to navigate the world of nutrition, let alone try to figure out what information is the best fit for you. This challenge is the very reason I set out to create my own company. I love the world of health & wellness, but it’s complicated and ever-changing. Why can’t this the idea of living a healthy life be made simpler & more attainable, and therefore do-able in everyone’s life? If I have any influence on it, it will become synthesized to what works for you, and you’ll be able to feel like the best version of yourself!