Hello my lovelies! How are you doing? Are you settling in to this “new normal” way of living? How has this pandemic affected you? I’d love to hear about your experiences. I think the more we share our stories, vulnerabilities, concerns, joys and so on, the more connected we all feel… no matter where we are in the world and what our individual circumstances are, we are all going through many major collective experiences, which is unique.

I haven’t done a BE INSPIRED post in quite a long time… maybe because I haven’t been inspired?! 

I feel like I’ve been in survival mode for a few months and haven’t had much time for anything else. 

I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting, processing and other wonderful inner work… and I feel much stronger and peaceful. So I’m ready to get back into creating and sharing lovely inspiring, beautiful things with you. Be Inspired posts are where I trawl the web for cool, interesting and informative things, so that you can just click and enjoy! I hope that these shares inspire you, brighten your day or maybe teach you something new.

Image via Sakara

Kicking things off with this great article on Sakara‘s blog titled “The Five Pounds You Never Want To Lose” Intrigued? I was too… Hint: it has to do with your gut.. 

Speaking of gut health… If you experience regular bloating and gas, abdominal discomfort, IBS, skin breakouts, mood swings, a poor immune system… did you know that these can all be traced back to gut health? Are you are confused about probiotics, prebiotics, fermented foods and drinks… Should you supplement? How much is too much of a good thing? I’d love to help you out with all of these questions. Schedule a health coaching session with me and let’s heal your gut, so that you can thrive! 

Image via Food Faith Fitness

Have you noticed the new trend of everyone making their own healthier cereal? I guess it’s a lockdown thing… people having more time.. maybe it’s the comforting nostalgia of cereal? Like when was the last time you ate actual cereal?! Whatever it is, I got into it! I made my own version, which you can find on my Instagram here. It was a hit!

My next attempt is defs going to be this Cinnamon Toast Crunch recipe from the lovely Adeline of Vibrant & Pure. I’m low-key obsessed with all of her recipes and food photography! 

It’s me 🙂

Moving your body is important (just in case you didn’t know?!) … not only for the physical benefits, but also as a form of stress release and as a pillar self-love/self-care practice. I will always stand by the motto of:

“Exercise because you love your body, not because you hate it or are punishing it for what you ate.”

Have you been enjoying home workouts during lockdown? What are your faves? Do you know that I offer a variety of workouts on Zoom? Check out the schedule here. There will be some exciting changes and additions happening in the near future, so keep a lookout for those. I’d love to have you in class soon!

Regardless of what kind of home workout you’re doing, I love this article on Byrdie about overcoming distractions when exercising at home.

Image via The Forest Retreat House

Who knows when international travel for pleasure will be a common thing again? All I know is that it’s still super fun to daydream about some gorgeous places to visit. One place that totally speaks to me (although I know that there are probably many similar places here in South Africa… share them with me if you have recommendations!) … is The Forest Retreat House near Yosemite. It looks absolutely dreamy… everything has been designed to help you rest, restore and heal. Low EMFs, toxic free bedding, very natural decor and incandescent lighting… There’s an infrared sauna, outdoor bath and shower, gorgeous forrest and mountain surrounds… I could see myself hosting wonderful wellness retreats there and never wanting to leave! Ahhhhh dreamy! Check it out here.

Image via Me and B

Speaking of retreating… Staying Home is the new Going Out! Have you fallen into the trap of never really getting dressed properly? I am guilty of rotating between my workout clothes and pajamas and not much else in between. Eeeeep! Comfortable, yet stylish loungewear has never been more essential! I love local South African brand Me and B... their loungewear looks absolutely gorgeous… would love to get my hands on some! 🙂 Ahem… hint hint anyone?!

As a spoilt South African, I had been lucky enough to be able to afford a cleaning lady for our home three times a week. Due to lockdown and now a very tight budget, we have had to do our own housekeeping for the last three months. Oh my goodness, it is a workout and a half! It’s also quite a satisfying activity when you’re in the mood. The other day, I attempted to clean our windows… it wasn’t very successful – oops! Then I came across this helpful article on MindBodyGreen. I’m going to give the window cleaning another bash! 🙂

So as I said in the beginning, I’d love to hear from you… Please share the good, the bad, the ugly, the funny! Anything goes!

I hope you enjoy these articles as much as I did! 

I’ll be back with more soon, I promise! (Hold me accountable to blog more often!)

Wishing you all so much love. 

Xoxo

Oona