Make Time For Yourself

You only live each day once, tomorrow is a new day. How are you spending your time?  A few months ago I was feeling really burnt out and over everything. I had no energy to go out, write, do anything creative. May was a really stressful month and by the time June/July rolled around I was stressed TF out. All I wanted to do was stay home, watch Netflix, my room was a mess, I’d piled up boxes and paper that needed to be processed. I didn’t have the energy to do it. So I rested. I took time to chill. I’m grateful for the privilege to mostly work from home, to work on myself, and to breathe. I started spending a bit less time on asocial, taking breaks. I began to really love seeing the + beside my name on IG Stories, showing I hadn’t posted anything in 24 hours. That felt like a win with me. I’ve been updating the internet for 15+ years about my life and what I’m doing, burnout is real and it’s ok to take a break. I thought about what I wanted (even though I’m constantly trying to figure out exactly what that looks like!) and I focussed on it. Made some other changes too. I got serious about drinking less and explored being sober curious. I even spoke at an event where I shared some stuff I’ve never talked about. I was hesitant at first but I figure, if I can make this change in my life, it might be helpful to someone else going through the same things. It was the first TIFF in 10 years where I didn’t get drunk, I didn’t even drink at parties. And y’ know what? IT WAS AWESOME AND I STILL HAD FUN. I started intermittent…

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Smart Tech to Help You Through The Winter

We all know it’s coming, the dark and cold months of winter where all hibernate a little more and give thanks to the Netflix gods. I’ve been trying to stay on track with being productive when I’m at home and working out and am determined this winter to exercise just as much time as I spend binge-watching. Luckily, we live in a tech world that allows us to have all kinds of smart devices to help our minds and homes running smoothly through the dark seasons. A site like Wired Smart has some great info on practically every type of smart device that can be useful but today I decided to focus more on the tech that will help get you through winter. Scroll down for tech accessories I find help me through colder days. Finess Tracker: FitBit I have been using a Fitbit on and off for the past 5 years. I love the reminders to move every hour and getting those steps in each day. It’s a small thing that keeps me accountable to move. I also love seeing my heart rate, the interval tracking, and getting text messages on my wrist. The weekly reporting is a great way to motivate yourself to be more active. I’m currently using the FitBit Versa and Sean has the FitBit Iconic. I still use my FitBit Alta HR sometimes because it’s slimmer and looks more like a bracelet. Telus also has Apple Watch if that’s more your speed. A Home Assistant: Alexa I love her, I ask her things every day. Mostly ‘what’s the weather’ so I know how many layers to put on and what type of jacket to wear. I love the weekly email from Amazon telling me with ‘What’s New with Alexa?” and all the skills you can…

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Up North: Summertime Glamping at The New Farm

I went glamping on a farm and it was amazing. Chefs cooked all the food, we did yoga in a barn listening to Tragically Hip, I went in a greenhouse, there was a pond, the outdoor showers were glam, and there were 250 people. I knew this would be cool based on the invite, it was unique. ????? The glamping trip was hosted by Up Cannabis at The New Farm. The Tragically Hip are big investors in the company and the band was there the whole day and had dinner with the group. It was the first big cannabis event I have been to. There were plenty of edibles floating around as well. Like the edibles online that people regularly order. Seeing as I was new to it all when they kept referring to their business as a cannabusiness and at the time, I wasn’t too familiar with this term. But the more I spoke to some of the people there, the more of a better understanding I had. I should have read This CBDistillery Review before going then, I would have had so much more knowledge. There are so many things you have to think about when running a cannabusiness. For example, before this trip, I knew very little about the wide range of cannabis packaging options out there, but now I am something of an expert! It was also the nicest camping experience I have ever had and would 100% do that again. Up Cannabis can’t actually share their product with us but for the 50 media that stayed over to camp, they infused the same terpenes found in the product into the soaps, drinks, food, and everything around us. The event was really well done. The tents were like little apartments with electricity, real beds, furniture, lights,…

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Me too.

Seeing almost every single woman on Facebook posting this as their status makes me feel sad and angry. I’m upset. I have let so many things slide and just shake them off like it’s no big deal. IT’S A FUCKING BIG DEAL. I think back to how many times in my life a dude has said something inappropriate to me, made me feel like I was less than him, over-sexualized a non-sexy situation, made me feel shame, or flat out assaulted me. Up until last year, I had lived with pretty huge boobs my whole life. I was approved by OHIP for a Breast reduction that changed my life. Aside from the physical pain of huge boobs, I hated/hid them because of the negative attention I would get from men. It made me feel disgusting. I was ‘blessed’ with a chest before I started grade 7. The next two years were really hard. Going through puberty, trying to figure out things with boys, get good grades, and fit in. There was a group of boys in my grade 7-8 school who really made it their entertainment to torment a few of us. Tom, Nathan, Dan were notorious for unzipping the front of our shirts (zipper shirts were in style it was the 90s).  That boy gang had no shame, they would walk home with us and tell us we had to flash them our boobs in the forest or they’d have Monique beat us up. We didn’t know any better. We wanted to be cool and liked. I remember a specific incident where this guy Aaron had just gotten a cast removed on his leg and he was known for throwing water on you if we wore a white shirt. Why or how they thought this was ok beyond me. I…

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Giving Thanks All Year Round

This weekend has been so nice. I spent most of Saturday sleeping and watching Netflix. I started This Is Us, no wonder it’s a top-rated show, it’s amazing. The storytelling, the acting, the realness. I only cried a couple times. I highly recommend it. I binged all 18 episodes over 2.5 days. I tweeted my love for the show and one of the lead actors, MiloVentimiglia, who plays Jack, liked my tweet and I fangirled a bit. I also started a new book, The Party,  given to me this week by The Book Cupid, aka Jen Kirsch. So far it’s good. Killed 100 pages of it on the dock in the sun. This time of year always gets me inspired. I make lists of my winter plans and what I want to focus on over the colder hibernation months. I love the energy a change of season brings.  This week I’m working on some stuff with 1188 and speaking at a conference in Collingwood. On Friday my sister and I are going to a haunted house.   I’m thankful for a relaxing couple days at the cottage. Warm air. Cool nights by the fire. Eating snacks in the afternoon. Naps. Quiet time alone to write at my computer. Makin lists. New sketchbook. Netflix. Hot coffee. BUtter tarts with vanilla Kawartha ice cream. Layered outfits. Scarf season. Long drives on country roads. Family & friends. Fresh running water. Morning sunshine. Yoga classes in my schedule. My iPhone. And so many other little things every single day. I’m grateful all year round. 

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Just a Reminder #DWYFL

Honestly, I take about 50 before I get one I actually post! You? I used to wear bright lipstick all the time but haven’t been feeling it for a while, I wasn’t feeling myself really tbh. Last week my friend gave me this pink hot pink beauty and I tried it today. ? It’s the exact pink of my blog and a million little things in my life. Feeling good! ? Thank you @mistyfox, love you! A post shared by C A S I E S T E W A R T (@casiestewart) on Aug 22, 2017 at 9:21am PDT

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You Are Alive, You Are Burning

I feel so alive today. I just got home from a great class at yoga. It was only me and one other person! We made coffee before and opened the doors to have class on the terrace. It was so nice. That’s for sure where all the energy comes from. I started a new notebook last night. You know that feeling? If you don’t. Get one today, open that first page, I always start on the 2nd blank page) Write something down! If feels so good. Feeling, what you ate, exercises, ideas, doodles, anything. Just write something.  Being back in the city is so nice. I took simple pleasures yesterday in walking 2 minutes to the corner store to buy lactose-free milk. Also drinking tap water. These are the little things I swear that make a truly happy person. Taking joy in everyday things will light your heart on fire and fill your soul with love. Wow, am I yoga drunk right now? I think so. Did two classes yesterday, aerial (at Whole Life Balance) and sweat (at YOGA YOGA). Silks yoga is so cool, check me out upside down. You do stretches and inversions and it is a good workout but you could for sure do it.   Upside down! Aerial silks class w/ @Futurpreneur. So fun. Want one of these at home. #MediaMatters #yoga pic.twitter.com/VkEhGLztc2 — CASiE STEWART ☀️ (@casiestewart) August 15, 2017 Anyone recognize the title song lyric? I listened to Lisa Loeb & Nine Stories, Tails album this morning. So many memories with it. I must have listened to the tape 8,000,000 times during junior high in my bedroom. Last night I lit this really nice candle and instead of a wax wick, it has a wood wick (say that 20 times!).  I wondered if it was Sandalwood…

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Made in Canada: Bathing Belle Swimwear – CUTENESS ALERT!

Ok, this is a special post because I don’t usually post things with kids/for kids but after visiting the High Park Studio of Bathing Belle, I absolutely HAVE to share. I met Danica (the designer of Bathing Belle Swimwear) a couple weeks ago, we had a little hangout and she gave me a tour of her studio. She ALSO measured me for a custom made bathing suit. I’ve always had a hard time finding swimwear that fits, I’m fairly petite but heavy in the breast region. To be honest, finding a bathing suit that fits properly had been more like a nightmare. Last week I popped by the Bathing Belle studio to pick up my new, custom suit and good lord, IT FITS PERFECTLY. I know mum will be happy to read this because she was there during high school when I broke down to tears in the Bikini Village fitting room over nothing fitting right. Danica makes a great selection of women’s swimwear in gorgeous and fun prints, available on one piece, two piece, monokini, and mastectomy.  Excuse the hangers, I really should have taken those off! These are three of my favs. One of the cutest things ever are the matching mum/dad + kids suits. Burger and fries loving family? This one’s for you. Those are little onion rings with the burgers, ahhhh. Little scrunchies to match as well. Cuteness overload. Danica was recently at Dune Studios in NYC to shoot the kids suits with photographer Paul Wright. Art Directed by Ellen with Burnie, hair and makeup by Akiko Owada, kids suits look absolutely adorable. She gifted one of these little kitten suits for Embot (Sean’s daughter) and I can’t wait to see her in it. Is it too much if I get a matching one for the cottage?      Check out Bathing…

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Blog Life: Sometimes I don’t feel like it. #11

I know today is Bell Let’s Talk day and I’m not sure how to talk about the depression and anxiety that I face or if I even want to. Being on the Internet in itself gives me anxiety. Some days I just don’t feel like it at all, written about it a few times.  Sometimes I want to hide and pretend I don’t even have a blog. (Or Twitter, tumblr, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram, Selfish, Rdio, Google+, Vine, or phone.) I like keeping to myself on on those days, not sharing stories.  Being alone. My dad battled depression growing up and it was really hard for our family. He moved back to New Zealand to be with his family when my parents split up and it was tough for us. It sill is sometimes. * Thanks Andrew Mitchell for drawing this photo of me. I love it.   I want you to know that I too have days when I’m down and I’ve been through some very dark times and almost not made it through. It’s not always sunny where I am but I do try to bring my own sunshine to the internet each and every single time I make an appearance. My blog is a place you can count on to have bright colours and a fun photo. It’s helpful for me to look back and remember the good times too. This is a place to make you feel happy when a cloud tries to rain on your parade. I’ve worked through a bunch of sad days wondering what to do with my life and I made it through. Don’t ever give up. I wanted to quit blogging a few times over the last 10 years and I am damn well glad I didn’t. I want you to know, I am actually happy most of the time and I…

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Life | Domestic Success, A Sign!

I found what I thought was a passport on a ledge. When I turned it over the pages flew open to this page. It must be a sign I’m on the right track. Have been doing more domestic things lately and spending time at home. This weekend I made holiday shortbread. Sean had to take it to the office so we didn’t eat it all! It’s the little things that make all the difference. You have to be open to catch them with your eyes, or they will pass you by. ❤️ CASIE UPDATE: When I got some there was a DOUBLE RAINBOW! A photo posted by C A S I E S T E W A R T (@casiestewart) on Nov 11, 2014 at 1:44pm PST

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