I hope you never feel a lack of purpose or direction. Because in 27 years, I’ve been let down by a lot of people and situations but nothing has ever felt as bad as feeling like I had no purpose. Pretty grim way to start my first post in a few years, right? But it’s true. Leading up to 2020 and the pandemic that ruined so many lives, I always had a purpose. And I didn’t even know it. What I didn’t know was that having a job and keeping busy gave me purpose.
Read MoreDay after day of chaos has me pleading for quiet moments. All I want is to stop for a minute or two and do nothing. I dream of having the sleep and lack of responsibility I had as a child. Taking naps and staying still, I hope, are the rewards of the constant moving and striving. But the moment I stop in one place, the fear creeps in. What will I miss? What opportunity will pass me by while I rest? What if I never move again? What I longed for becomes more scary than the taxing and brutal reality of always working to achieve. I can't let go because I might fade away. People might forget my name, my actions. It is a nearly paralyzing thought.
Read MoreIf you’re a busy girl, you know that giving yourself pause to slow down and do nothing for a while can be… difficult. But when you’re running your butt off all day and all week, you have to give yourself the opportunity to breathe and let go. I’m no stranger to this game and oftentimes feel like I need to be doing something worth putting on Instagram stories every day. But you don’t have to. While there’s a part of me that’s always go go go, there’s another part that needs to take one day every weekend to do absolutely nothing in order to rebound for the next week. Rest and time off are essential to anyone trying to conquer the world.
Read MoreLife. Will. Not. Slow. Down. Ever since before the start of summer, it feels like I’ve been a passenger on the NYC subway. Quickly getting on, only to hop off even faster so I don’t miss the next train. And, holy moly is this exhausting! I am truly wiped out. Between extended vacations to far away states, weekend trips up north, and bachelorette parties, I find myself craving a Sunday at home doing absolutely nothing in my pajamas—longing for stillness. As I sit down to write this, during one of the busiest work weeks I’ve experienced since first starting my job last fall, stillness is most definitely on mind. Yes, I love the hustle. I appreciate the busy seasons, but it’s beginning to feel like I’ve forgotten the value of being still, finding peace.
Read MoreI was once friends with a girl who kept her life very private. I never really knew when she was struggling or how her life was at home. She’d tell me about her latest boy crush and their brief, flirty text messages—but nothing more. We’d call ourselves “best friends” but I didn’t have a clue about her past. I couldn’t tell you what made her, well, her. Being the person I was, she knew a little bit more about me—but when it came to the skeletons in my closet, I only gave her a peek. I never felt safe to open myself up.
Read MoreFor me, there was no way to write this article without adequately paying homage to the master of understanding and embracing vulnerability: Brené Brown. Four years ago, I was sitting in the office of a psychologist as he tried to break down my outer protective shell and figure out exactly why I was there. Sure, I felt out of control, was dating someone who was damaging my mental and physical health, and was working over 30 hours a week plus taking a 19-credit course load, but “I was fine.” Sitting in the doctor’s office that first day, I was so nervous. He told me to look up a researcher/storyteller/general badass named Brené Brown and that she had a particularly great Ted Talk about vulnerability.
Read MoreWhen God created you, He deposited within you many gifts and talents. Those gifts could be summarized in one word: potential. God has given you the potential to do great things, to serve Him fully, and to change the world for His glory. God did not give us fully developed gifts. Instead, He deposited seeds within us, and it is our job to care for those seeds, so they grow and mature, reaching their full potential. Many people get discouraged along the way. Their gifts do not develop as quickly as they would like. They do not reach their goals as soon as they had expected to. Often people end up settling for less, instead of continuing to push forward and reaching their full potential.
Read MoreKnowing your true potential and the kind of person you want to become can be difficult. But once you’ve unlocked that side of yourself and figured out exactly where you want to end up in life, it’s the best feeling in the world. Knowing your true potential is so important in our modern culture and with women being given more opportunities in the workplace now more than ever, it is the time to shoot for the stars and make your biggest and best dreams come to life. But what do you do when people around you try to put you down? What happens when people try to make you feel less than and doubt that potential? What about when the people putting you down are the women who should be lifting you up?
Read MoreIt was at this time last year our founder, Nikki Michelle Charnstrom embarked on the incredible journey that is Crowned Chics. By following the Lord’s leadings, Nikki made this dream a reality when she launched the website on May 1, 2018. In celebration of the year-long victory, our founder created a heartfelt, honest message just for you. In this video, Nikki reveals some never-before-shared thoughts, revelations and hopes for the future. Through opening up about recent struggles, Nikki also gives a word of encouragement you need to hear. After all, Crowned Chics is about YOU and for YOU.
Read MoreLately, my morning routine has been a work in progress. I want to rise feeling rested and ready for the day. Especially now that I work most days from home, healthy morning habits have never been so important. In order to have a successful day, it all begins with the first hour. Setting ourselves up to have a productive, goal-crushing day should be a priority for every girlboss, mother and hard-working gal out there. Here are a few things I’ve learned recently that propel me into having better days.
Read MoreFor years my method for waking was hitting the snooze button until the very last possible minute. Rolling out of bed and throwing on the nearest clothes and rushing out the door with the philosophy that I can get anywhere in Flagstaff in five minutes from my house, no problem. It was never true and I was almost always late, edgy from not eating and drinking only coffee. I didn’t plan lunch, so I’d get cranky and shaky until I’d finally rush to Subway or Taco Bell, or go home and make an American cheese and mayonnaise pickle sandwich. Mornings aren’t my favorite time of day.
Read MoreBe honest about where you are currently at. What is holding you back from developing this habit? Don’t pretend to be better at it than you currently are. Lying to yourself will only delay the development of the habit. Often times, we judge ourselves on our intent to do something. We give ourselves credit for wanting to change, but we never actually take the steps to change. This can hold us back from actually developing the healthy habits we want to make a regular part of our lives. Give up the excuses. Recognize you alone are responsible for the outcome. You can’t control every circumstance in your life, but you can control how you respond to those circumstances.
Read MoreThere’s that age-old phrase about being a “creature of habit.” We all know someone who gets into one routine—one way of thinking, one way of doing—and neglects trying new things. Whether it’s trying spaghetti squash for the first time in place of noodles or spending every night the same as the last, it’s easy to leave forward-thinking behind and keep from trying something different. But when you break out from your usual mold and try things that aren’t familiar to you, you’ll find your life and entire being will be better for it. The key to happiness is finding the things that excite you most. If you’re stuck in your ways and unwilling to try anything new, you may spend your entire life missing out on the one thing you were meant to do.
Read MoreThis is my year of habit changes. I decided I wouldn't start a new diet or begin journaling again. Instead, I would change my habits, trusting these new behaviors would snowball into a better quality of life. Though it may not work for everyone, I like to give myself timeframes. A month is usually a perfect amount of time to stop or start a habit. You also get that rush of renewal that comes from new beginnings, and I need any inspiration I can get. I don't look beyond that month. I don't let myself get in over my head. I just dedicate myself to the decided time. I've grown too comfortable in my bad habits, and I am flush with hope they can be changed.
Read MoreIt’s really important to have good habits. Our habits reveal what our life is built upon. One question I’ve really focused on this week is, “What is the foundation of my life?” I’ve asked myself, “What am I building my life on?” For me, I’ve realized lately I might be building my life more on people and electronics. For example, last month my iPad permanently died. I thought it was the worst thing in the world! But I realized when things happen like that, it might be God trying to give me a wakeup call. Maybe He is reminding me to rely more on Him, instead of electronics and screens.
Read MoreWe are creatures of habit. Routines are unavoidable as we are naturally drawn to repetition and the familiar. It’s comfortable, predictable and safe. Have you ever considered just how odd it truly is for us to find belonging and purpose in the rhythm of routine? What cadence carries you through your day to day? Is it slow and harmonious, or frantic and high-strung? At times, perhaps it’s both. I would hope if you’re in a constant “go, go go” state of mind, you find moments to decompress. If not, that’s a whole different topic we can cover later this month. Since the beginning on this year, no… not even… let’s just say, lately, I’ve been really into the power of a routine and how the ebb and flow of a day can transform our ability to live fully.
Read MoreSilence is deafening to me. In fact, it’s one of my biggest fears. I find it terrifying because, to me, it means something is being forgotten: maybe it’s an errand, maybe it’s plans I made weeks ago and forgot to write down…maybe it’s me. The thing is, silence could—and for most, does—mean peace of mind. It could mean it’s time to relax or stand for fulfillment, or be the gateway to the best sleep I’ll ever have. For now, that kind of silence is unfamiliar. Whether it comes to work, side projects or even bettering myself personally, it’s undeniable that I’m a busy bee. There is so much buzzing that my silence could very well not be silence at all, so I’m taking steps to lower the volume—and, in case you’re like me, or on your way to be—I wanted to share exactly what those steps are.
Read MoreOne day, I decided my mindset had to change because thinking about your job 100-percent of the time will bring you nothing but stress and anxiety. There’s a reason people have days off—you lose your mind when you don’t pay attention to the peaceful moments your brain relies on to properly function. If finding a peaceful moment means logging off of email and closing your laptop, do it. Your work will be there in the morning and unless you’re a brain surgeon, you can probably leave the message unread for a few hours. Spend these limited hours doing things for yourself and as hard as it may be, don’t let your long day of work and responsibility leave you dry and uninspired. Blog, read, knit, play with your kids, or go for a sunset drive. Find the things that bring you most peace and prioritize those moments.
Read MoreAt what point in your life did you first feel uncomfortable in your own body? Do you remember the very first moment you were embarrassed with yourself? Or, when did you first feel the pressure to look and be like everyone else? How about that first moment you looked into the mirror, like you’d always done before, but instantly everything changed? When you entered this world, you felt no shame, no fear, and there was certainly no judgment. Your itty-bitty frame, delicate and soft, was absolute perfection. The way you arrived into existence was a bonafide miracle, and that’s damn right beautiful. So, what happened to her?
Read MoreThis year, I have made one resolution: put myself first more often. Sometimes self-love is easier said than done. I would love to get a biweekly mani/pedi or read more books but finding the time to do these things can be hard when you have commitments to your loved ones and your job. This last year, I found myself more stressed than I had ever been before due to the fact that I wasn’t taking enough time to decompress and enjoy my time off. We’re almost a month into the new year and although it’s been difficult to change my ways, I’m learning to take more time to gather my thoughts and do the things I love.
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