Fast forward 3 months and I stumbled across withinUs Tru Marine Collagen which had the following symbols clear as day on the front of their containers:
Bovine, Fowel & Swine FREE
Dairy FREE
Gluten FREE
Fat FREE
Wild caught
Sustainably sourced

These were all things that I had never thought about in the past… again, so silly!  I could go on forever about how withinUs is different from hundreds of other collagen brands but instead I’ll link some important information here and here and if you’re interested you can do a little reading!

Upon chatting about taking collagen on my IG stories I had a tonne of you ask why I was taking it.  Like I mentioned before, I truthfully only started taking it because I once saw that Kim Kardashian did and let’s be honest, I wanna look like her at 39 so why wouldn’t I?!  Haha! But, upon further research here are some of the benefits from taking collagen daily:

• minimizes fine lines and deep  wrinkles
• improves lean muscle gain
• enhances bone strength and flexibility
• restores join health and bone density
• strengthens hair and nails
• improves post-workout recovery
• repairs UV induced skin damage
• increases skin hydration, elasticity, and vitality

WithinUs has an array of products from unflavoured collagen for your coffee to Matcha and Plant Protein.  Not only do these taste delicious (or flavourless in some cases) they’re also all free from carbs, fat, dairy, lactose, gluten, soy, artificial colours, flavours, additives, stabilizers or preservatives!

I have been wanting to share withinUs with you all for a while now, but I am so excited to be sharing it with you now because for the month of October, withinUs is hosting a GIVE-BACK promotion in honour of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. With their custom bundle promotion they aim to raise awareness for breast cancer and TAKE ACTION. Save 10% on your total order with fabulous add-ons and 100% of the proceeds go to the Kelly Shires Foundation. Check out their website to learn more!

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It definitely took me a bit to get the hang of balancing teaching and blogging along with all the other responsibilities of being an adult. It began with several cups of coffee and minimal hours of sleep but I have since found a much healthier balance.  Over the past year and a bit I have learned to use my time wisely…

I RARELY watch T.V.  When I do it’s usually on Monday’s when my girlfriends and I get together to eat junk food and watch the Bachelor!  Oh, and when I get ready in the morning I ALWAYS watch an episode of Friends, The Mindy Project, or Desperate Housewives! So, I guess I do watch some T.V but I am almost always multi-tasking when I do.

I treat TMS like my second job.  I try to set aside specific blogging hours.  Typically I will designate at least two evenings a week that are strictly for writing.  I try to keep up with my e-mails on a daily basis, usually before I go to bed… I know this is probably not the best time but it works for me.   And photoshoots almost always happen on the weekends, especially in the winter when it gets dark so early!

I wake up early… even on the weekends.  If you can’t do both mornings then just pick one!  As much as it sucks, it truly does allow you to get SOOO much more accomplished in a day and that my friends, is totally worth it!  Although I do wake up early, I try to make it more enjoyable.  I do this by sipping coffee in bed, listening to music, and snuggling with Sunny by my side while I do the minor tasks such as sorting/editing photos, replying to comments, sharing on social media, and brainstorming for content.

Stay active! Healthy bodies make healthy minds! This was something that I REALLY struggled with during the first few months of blogging.  I let my fitness regime fall to the wayside.  This is something I cannot let myself do again.  Keeping active is so healthy for obvious reasons but it especially helps to get my creative juices flowing and it keeps me motivated! Also, it’s a great way for me to visit with my friends whether it’s meeting at the gym, yoga, or just going for a walk it really does make a difference. We are ALL super busy and making time for exercise with them truly makes my week!  On Fridays you can almost always find me at the yoga studio.  I live for  my Friday yoga class.  It’s at 4:30 so it forces me to leave work and start my weekend balanced and grounded.  I used to live for a glass of wine after work, now it’s yoga… oh my how times have changed, haha!

Make lists… maybe it’s the teacher in me but my God do I have lists!   I always keep my TMS list separate from my teaching to-do list.  One time I made the mistake of putting them together and nearly had an anxiety attack, don’t do this!!!  Oh, and can we talk about how amazing it feels to cross things off of that baby, wooop wooop!

Last, I work through my recess breaks and I use my prep time wisely.  If I’m not doing supervision I am photocopying, answering e-mails, prepping lessons, correcting, cleaning, organizing, and the list goes on.  You will rarely see me in the staff room unless of course there are treats, lol. But seriously, this allows me to keep on top of my work load at school and in turn helps me to leave at a decent time.  Now remember, I have been teaching for 6 years now so I feel a lot more comfortable in my teaching and planning.  During my first few years it wasn’t unusual for me to put in a 12 hour day.  I have since learned to use my time more wisely creating more time for other stuff like this blog!

Well, there you have it! This is MY version of balancing two jobs, a home, a dog, and all the other good stuff that goes along with being a busy bee! Do I have moments where I feel like I can’t catch my breath or that I’m gonna loose it? Absolutely… don’t we all?!

Now, tell me your secrets?! How do you find balance in your life?

Sweater

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