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10 Lessons We Should Learn from COVID-19

5/24/2020

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10 Lessons We Should Learn from COVID-19
With now being a historic time in this world's history, I have been doing some contemplation and evaluation. I think that this pandemic should be learned from. I think that having gone through something like this, we should all come through the other side with a few lessons learned, and a new way of looking at things.
Let's see what can be learned from COVID-19...


1. Plan all you want, but sometimes things are just beyond your control.
I am looking directly at myself in the mirror with this one! I am a known control freak. I at all times have not only my 10 year plan and my 5 year plan, but my 1 year plan, and my 3 month plan, and a to do list for everything I need to do and want to accomplish every single day of the week! But with a virus impacting the entire earth, and a quarantine suddenly mandated, I had to put all my plans on hold (along with the rest of the world). This was a great reminder for me that yes, I can plan a lot of things in my life, but there are always going to be curve balls that will be thrown...and I need to be ok with this! And I really think I am...
2. We really need to focus on what is important; family and health.
It usually takes something big to make you really stop and think about what is important to you. Don't miss this opportunity to look at the big picture, and remember what really matters.
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10 Lessons We Should Learn from COVID-19
3. Take time to slow down.
We are all just sooooooo busy anymore, myself included, that this was a great time to just sloooooow doooown...
This was a great reminder that we need to take it easy every once in a while! We can not just keep going going going at the crazy pace we are, nonstop, constantly stressed, worried, and over-worked! Didn't you enjoy even just a little bit of quarantine? Suddenly spending lots of time with people that you hardly saw before (before quarantine, my husband and I didn't have a single day off together! The only time we saw each other was the once a week trip to the grocery store together after work, and maybe I would be awake when he got home some nights!), getting to sleep in, wear pajamas all day, eat cereal for supper, drink before noon, you know, actually relax and enjoy life! Once this is all over, we need to try and fit some of this relaxing and enjoying back into our busy schedules.

4. Have an emergency fund.
​I personally think the single biggest lesson we can learn from COVID-19 is the importance of having an emergency fund! I know that people did receive stimulus checks, unemployment, and all that sort of thing, but can you imagine how less stressful these past 3 months would have been if you would have had 3 months worth of living expenses sitting in the bank?!
Ask any financially savvy person, and they will tell you that an emergency fund is essential. They usually say 3-6 months of living expenses is what you should have squirreled away. And it's not hard to do! I had saved up 3 month's personal living expenses about half a year before it all hit the fan, and I am completely beyond grateful that I did! Because of COVID-19 I lost one of my jobs, but it was not a big deal! I paid all of April through June's rent (yes I paid June's rent early!), and bought groceries for March-May using my emergency fund! I truly don't know what I would have done without my emergency fund.
So once this is all over, sit down and figure out what 3-6 months expenses are, and then start stashing away! You never know when the next rainy day will hit, but you will be prepared.
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10 Lessons We Should Learn from COVID-19
5. Mother Nature is really in charge. Respect her and her awesome-ness.
Us humans may think that we are top dog and we rule all, but COVID taught us otherwise. Mother Nature is awesome. She has the power to bring the entire planet to its knees. 
So show a little respect eh?

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​6. With humans out of the way, the earth can, and will heal itself.
I know I'm not the only one who has watched in awe as Mother Nature has begun to heal herself- people in India seeing the Himalayas for the first time in decades as lockdown eases air pollution, and the crazy decrease of air pollution in China, amongst other places.

So when this is all over, why don't we stay out of her way a little more; work from home a couple days a week (we now know that lots of us can!), stay in one weekend a month, offset your emissions, and give Mother Nature the love and respect she deserves.
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​ 10 Lessons We Should Learn from COVID-19
7. Getting back to simpler times is not a bad thing.
You don't have to be a character in a Laura Ingalls Wilder novel, but staying at home for a couple months has shown us that getting back to simpler times is not only awesome, but essential! Whether simpler times to you means when you were a kid in the 80's and 90's and played all day (with no cell phones!), learning basic 50's housewife skills, or living in Little House on the Prairie, in order to move forward, we must look back.
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8. We need to find some hobbies that do not involve going out.
From the number of memes I saw about it, during quarantine I think people were starting to realize that they needed to acquire a hobby that does not involve going out and spending money! Whether it was a serious thought or just a joke, it is true!
We all need to find hobbies that not only make us happy, but enrich our lives, and make us a more fun and interesting person! Anyone can go out 3 times a week to drink margaritas, but can everyone play an accordion? Point proven!
Pick up a hobby that brings you happiness; Sew, craft, crochet, learn to play an instrument, start a blog, garden, cook, learn a new language, become a puzzle fiend, read, extravagantly decorate your house, write the next great American novel! 
The possibilities are truly endless, and eternally rewarding.


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9. Quarantine can help bring out the truth-are you really happy?
During quarantine we all saw everyone complaining about being stuck at home. Most were just jokes and memes to distract us from the scary things happening all around us, but there were people who were absolutely miserable being at home. Some of them are the same people that you used to see constantly complaining about work, and working only for the weekend. And now here they are, a (possibly paid) vacation from work, complaining about how bored and miserable they are being at home. If that was you, take time to re-evaluate your life. What will it take to make you happy? If you are truly miserable at your job, what would you like to do instead? If being at home was a real bummer, why is that-is it dirty and uncomfortable? Do you dislike your neighbors or roommate? Are you lonely? Are you bored? Get off your butt and clean your house top to bottom, hire a professional decorator who can turn it into your dream home, get a new roommate, move, get a dog, pick up a hobby, whatever it takes for you to finally be happy!
This is your wake up call!
And it only took a pandemic to get your attention :)


10 Lessons We Should Learn from COVID-19
10. Time is not what is holding us back from doing what we want. 
We humans always seem to blame time for all our problems. And while time can be a real son of a gun, we can't pretend, and blame it for this, any longer.
"If I only had the time, I would"... write that book, clean the house, start eating healthier, learn to play the piano, get back into shape, write that letter, and a thousand other things. I know this is something we all say, but now that we have found time (and lots of it), have you actually done any of the things you have spent years been blaming Father time for not doing? If not, dig until you get to the bottom of it.
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10 Lessons We Should Learn from COVID-19
Until next time my friends, stay safe out there, take these lessons to heart, and live your best life <3
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​Peace Love and COVID-19
Jess <3
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Join Us on Our Next Travel Adventure with saigon om

2/22/2018

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Normally I would take a little time here to talk a bit about how my life has been going lately, or give some sort of introduction about what I'm going to talk about, but honestly, I am just too excited for that, so I'll get right to the point!

I am super duper excited to share with you guys, that I have teamed up with the rad people from saigon om to plan our next travel adventure! In October, Nick and I are going to... beautiful Vietnam! Six days of yoga, mindfulness, and self discovery in tropical paradise! 

Yes this is for real! I had to pinch myself when saigon om agreed to this partnership, because I have been dreaming of doing some sort of yoga/meditation retreat for years. And the fact that I have the opportunity to do it on a beach in Vietnam is just way too amazing!
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What is this saigon om I keep talking about? saigon om is a holistic wellness school run by Sarah Martin and Hang Nhan. They offer teacher trainings and retreats in yoga, mindfulness, Reiki, Tai Chi, Qi Gong and massage in Canada, Australia and South East Asia. saigon om has an impressive array of classes and training sessions happening this year, and there is something for everyone. Be sure to check out their full schedule and events for the year.

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This incredible 6-Day Yoga & Mindfulness Retreat is going to be held at the dreamy Full Moon Village Resort in Mui Ne, Vietnam, October 25-30, 2018. This resort has a private beach, a stunning pool, and is a TripAdvisor award-winning resort! 

Our daily schedule will look a little something like this:

Qi Gong, Walking & Sitting Meditation: 6-7am               
Fruit & Tea/Coffee: 7-7:45am         
Lecture: 7:45-8:30am   
Morning Yoga: 8:30-10am         
Brunch: 10am               
Free Time / Beach + Pool Time: 11am-4pm              
Evening Yoga: 4-6pm       
Mindful Dinner: 6:15pm
Noble Silence: 9pm - 7am

How incredibly magical does that sound!


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Sounds pretty amazing right?! Well there are still spots available, and we would love to see you there! That's right, you could be doing yoga on the beach with us in just eight short months! And yes, that is the resort pictured above!

The cost to attend the retreat which includes; 5 nights ensuite villa accommodation, daily vegetarian brunch and dinner, and all activities listed above, is $675 USD per person for a shared twin/double room, and $875 USD for a single room (that does not include the cost of airfare or visas).


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If this sounds like something you would enjoy, why not come along! This is a vacation that will not only be a blast, but be sure to enrich and change your life! Email Sarah and Hang at saigonom@gmail.com with any questions, and to sign up for the retreat! Be sure to tell them that you were referred by Jessica LaPinta from My Peace Love Life Blog.

saigon om's Instagram
saigon om's Facebook
saigonom.com
Full Moon Village Resort's Facebook

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I will be attending the retreat with my wonderful husband, and once the retreat is over, we will be spending another week exploring this stunning country, for our long overdue honeymoon! So I am doubly excited about this trip!

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Sound amazing but think you can't afford to travel the world? Be sure to check out "My #1 Secret to Saving Money for Travel" blog post. It will change the way you think about saving money for travel, allowing you to save enough money to travel anywhere in the world, be it to Australia, Fiji, or Vietnam! 
Have a wonderful week lovelies!


*Huge thank you to saigon om for sponsoring this post*
Peace Love and saigon om
Jess <3
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We adopted a dog!

9/28/2017

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Adopt don't Shop
I am beyond delighted to introduce to you the newest member of our family; Rocco!
He is a four year old terrier chihuahua mix, and he has completely captured our hearts!
I have been wanting a puppy for a while, and finally decided that now was the time; our lives are stable, we have good jobs and enough money, a place to live, and the Atlanta Humane Society had just taken in over 400 animals from shelters in Texas and Florida!
So on September 13th we made a trip to the Atlanta Humane Society. Tears filled my eyes as we walked up and down the aisles, all the dogs looking up at us through the glass, begging us to take them home and give them a family. 
I wanted to adopt all of them, but unfortunately couldn't. But I found my precious sweet Rocco, and we have given him his forever family!


Adopt don't Shop
So adorable and so happy! 
He loves to play and cuddle. He is so perfect for us, and I am so in love!


Adopt don't Shop
As of late I have become super passionate about animals; helping put an end to animal cruelty and neglect, stopping the vicious cycle of puppy mills, and ensuring that every animal out there has a loving and stable home.
Adopting Rocco was the third step I took in my fight for animals. I have also begun to take a closer look at labels, and not support companies who do animal testing. I also give monthly to the ASPCA, they are doing some amazing things in helping stop the abuse and neglect of this country's animals!
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Adopt don't Shop
Each year, 2.7 million adoptable dogs and cats are euthanized in the United States, simply because too many pets come into shelters and too few people consider adoption when looking for a pet. The number of euthanized animals could be reduced dramatically if more people adopted pets instead of buying them. When you adopt, you save a loving animal by making them part of your family and open up shelter space for another animal who might desperately need it.

If you buy a dog from a pet store, online seller or flea market, you’re almost certainly getting a dog from a puppy mill. Puppy mills 
are factory-style breeding facilities that put profit above the welfare of dogs. Animals from puppy mills are housed in poor conditions with improper medical care, and are often very sick and behaviorally troubled as a result. The moms of these puppies are kept in cages to be bred over and over for years, without human companionship and with little hope of ever joining a family. And after they're no longer profitable, breeding dogs are simply discarded—either killed, abandoned or sold at auction.
These puppy mills continue to stay in business through deceptive tactics — their customers are unsuspecting consumers who shop in pet stores, over the Internet or through classified ads. Puppy mills will continue to operate until people stop supporting them. By adopting a pet, you can be certain you aren't giving them a dime.

My sister worked at a vet's office for a short time, and she got to witness the horror of puppy mills first-hand. She actually rescued a beautiful little chihuahua that a breeder brought in to euthanize, simply because she was to small to breed. That poor dog was traumatized, and months later is just starting to open up to other people besides my sister. She was definitely abused and neglected.


Adopt don't Shop
Here are some ways you can help;

-Give to the ASPCA
A monthly gift of $18 is nothing to us, but can make a world of difference to the hurting animals that the ASPCA helps every day.

-Adopt a pet!
Rescue animals make amazing pets. They will love you so much, and it is amazingly rewarding for you as well! Go to Adopt a Pet
 or visit your local humane society to find your new best friend.

-Begin boycotting companies who still use animal testing
Let them know that animal testing is not ok! Boycott them, and write to the companies as well, telling them they will not receive any of your business until they stop!

-Volunteer
Volunteer at your local animal shelter.


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My boys!
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​Peace Love and Adopt don't Shop
Jess <3


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    I'm Jessica!

    I've traveled all over the world, but Ohio is where I call home. I'm a lifestyle & travel blogger, and author. I love setting goals, reading, and snuggling up with my fur babies. I can usually be found at my local thrift store, or in the hammock in my backyard.

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