Category Archives: Lifestyle

coffee talk: home reveal + a new chapter

Coffee Talks, Home

Hi sweet friends!!! How are you today?!

I am finallyyyyy sharing some pictures of my new place. But that would take all of 3 seconds for you to scroll through, so while you do, I’m going to talk about something kind of totally different.

So you’re probably wondering what I mean in my title by a new chapter, right?

Yeah. Well. Let’s take a collective sip of coffee because it’s not really good news for le blog.

You guys. I tried. I really did. But honestly I’m so over it right now. I’m over all of it. I’m over Instagram, I’m over blogging, I’m over affiliate stuff, I’m over it all.

I took a break a few weeks ago to slow down, come back, rebrand a little bit. I thought it would help and I thought it would reignite my flame. And it did for a solid, solid week. But then it left just as quickly as it came. When I took a break, I really saw life without blogging in it, and it felt way too good.

I recently went to the doctor because I wasn’t feeling very well (SUPER foggy-brained, no energy at all, and to top it off I’d been gaining some weight). So we did a ton of blood tests and basically I was completely healthy. So my doctor and I talked about the rest of my life and what might be causing me to be a foggy-brained hot mess (my words, not hers lol). She told me to close my eyes and just listen and tell her the first thing that came to my mind.

I told her I just felt really, really anxious. And when we got to the root of it, my blog was a huge cause of a lot of anxiety. We talked a lot about perfectionism and how it’s affecting me. And my blog also sometimes brings out those feelings of perfectionism and it’s not really helping.

Then I stumbled upon this quote.

“Perfection is achieved not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away” · Whitson Gordon

It really, completely hit home for me. We make things so complicated sometimes when really they’re so simple. And in this case I just need to strip it down to its basics: the blog has been stressing me out and it hasn’t been fun and I need to move on.

I’m still keeping the blog open, I’m not like shutting it down or anything. And I really might be back with some coffee talks every now and then. But as for THE Windy Blonde?

I’m just going back to being JILL.

Seriously. Even on my Instagram (@jillgreen_)

And my plans are to focus on my personal life and my hobbies. I’ve actually started to pick up the momentum quite a bit with my photography (so if you need some pics, totally feel free to hit me up). And at the request of some of my friends I am MORE than happy to help you shop for and/or decorate your house (not kidding at all, if someone actually wants to hire me for this I would be probably the happiest person in the world).

But other than that you can find me at my happiest place: at home, with some coffee in hand, in my pajamas, covered in blankets, and probably watching It’s Complicated.

So thank you all for your love and support, and hopefully you’ll still follow along on my day-to-day life on Insta.  Cheers babes! Xo.

-Jill

(Also: since I know you will ask – you can shop my pieces below – none are affiliate links, but in case you were curious! xoxo)

(Also, also: I found this apartment by stalking Craigslist. Seriously. I knew exactly where I wanted to live so every day I logged on, switched it to the map view, and checked every apartment in the ‘hood. Then when this one popped up I was the first to reach out and that’s how we got it!)

Couch (fabric is Bull Natural) – Coffee Table – Gray Recliner – Mint Green Pillow Cover – Gold Skull – Woven Rug – Sheepskin Rug – Copper Tray – Chicago Wooden Script – Kentucky Poster

some tidbits

Lifestyle

Remember these!?

Yeah I know, it’s been awhile.

But I wanted to share some of my favorite posts right now. Because as I go back and forth on my blog and what I want to accomplish with it, I realize that a lot of the stuff that I want to talk about has been talked about. So I want to focus on my real life – something that nobody else can really talk about – and just share my source of info for all things wellness (which I LOVE).

And btw, I think I’m over the whole affiliate link / promo thing. None of these are affiliate links, none of them are promoted in any way, I just genuinely love these posts & products.

So let’s begin, shall we?!?! *takes HUGE slurp of coffee*

Did you know that walking around with your shoes off can be beneficial for your health?

I figured out my chronotype and it has motivated me to stay away from carbs at dinner (which has actually HUGELY helped my energy levels after work!) (…oh and P.S. I’m a Lion, of course).

Currently reading this book (and already loving it because it’s super informative about all things hormones – I highly recommend if you have issues with your period, fertility, libido, or if you’re like me and fertility is something on the brain for the future).

(….and no I don’t mean immediate future, for anyone whose eyes perked up LOL)

You may have seen this on my Instagram story but I cannot get enough of my facial steamer. The one linked is less than $35, too. The benefits?

  • Cleans pores
  • Enhances circulation
  • Promotes relaxation
  • Removes toxins & impurities
  • Makes your face more receptive to treatments (i.e. your cleansers and moisturizers will be more effective)
  • Moisturizes
  • Smoothes skin

I’m not trying to be all dramatic or anything but after I use it I look like I came straight from Botox.

Ok, yeah, that was a little dramatic.

Moving on.

I’m a HUGE fan of bralettes (underwire & me don’t get along), but I bought this bra from Victoria’s Secret this weekend and it feels like I have nothing on. Again, with the drama, but I’m dead serious. The other day I wore it out to run errands and I kept having OMG I forgot my bra! moments, but I was wearing it. It’s super lightweight. If you order online, just a head’s up, it does run a little small (which, like NEVER happens with me & bras LOL) so if you’re in between sizes, I would recommend sizing up!

Oh and P.S. they’re 2 for $50.

So you know I moved (I know, I know you guys are like WE GET IT JILL) but right now I’m obsessed with interiors, especially on Pinterest. I stumbled upon this pic (below) and I decided this is basically my dream interior right now. See the full post with more pictures here.

Click for source

Oh… and did I mention I’m finally sharing some pics of my new place?! I know… it’s about damn time LOL.

I think these are happening tomorrow. Coffee talk + how to move without turning into a psycho + pics of the new place, maybe?!

Just thinking out loud.

Anyway. Now I want to know – do you have any favorite posts from other bloggers you want to share?! Any Pinterest finds that have you swooning? Another bra suggestion? Books?! Tell me everything! Xo.

-TWB

coffee talk: the day my metabolism came to a screeching halt

Coffee Talks, Wellness

Hi friends!!! How is everyone doing today?! I am in the BEST mood because my mom, Mumsy, gets here tonight and we are spending the whole weekend just hanging out, shopping, and drinking more coffee than we can handle. I cannot WAIT. But now I’m ferociously typing this, running late (of course lol) because I decided it was a good idea to assemble two ginormous lamps last night instead of working on it.

Typical.

Whatev.

So do you guys have your coffee? I am CHUGGING.

BUT I wanted to talk about this topic today because I know so many of you, if not all, can totallyyyyy relate. And it’s super relevant in MY life right now and something that some people are too embarrassed to talk about.

It’s touchy, you know?

But I want to talk about my METABOLISM.

And the day it came to a screeching halt.

So let’s back up a minute.

It’s 2011, and per usual, I am stuffing Wendy’s nugs and a large fry in my mouth and washing it down with a Diet Coke (my Diet Coke days were a brief but serious love affair). And ANY time I ate this meal in front of anyone older I ALWAYS heard the inevitable.

“You should enjoy that now while you can, one day your metabolism is going to slow down and that’ll go straight to your hips.”

Or…

“I used to be able to eat that, but then my metabolism slowed down. Now look at me!”

We’ve all heard this, right? Maybe even in middle or high school?

Yeah. Well.

I would just roll my eyes, think that maybe I was one of the lucky ones that could just always eat what they wanted and never gain a pound.

Well y’all IT HAPPENED.

And it happened FAST.

And it didn’t happen mid-NUG like the old days, it happened mid-Chipotle, mid-bottle-of-wine, mid-I-have-a-little-candy-craving-so-I’m-going-to-eat-a-piece. It seriously felt FEELS like any time I take a “break” from my Paleo-ish eating habits that I can immediately see it.

You may think it’s all in my head, that I’m being dramatic, but honestly? My clothes haven’t been fitting right. Things look different on me. And swimsuit shopping for trips kind of felt like a nightmare. Hasn’t ANYONE figured out a way to change those lights so you don’t have cellulite…umm….EVERYWHERE?!

So yeah. I just wanted to talk about this. Because I know I’m not alone. I know I can’t be the only one that had this WHOA moment and finally felt their metabolism “catching up to them” like all the older ladies said it would.

Crazy right?

But you guys. I’m not going down without a fight. I’ve started making some adjustments that are just necessary at this stage of life. INCLUDING!

  • Working out (yes, I’m back on Class Pass, I feel like I got back together with an old boyfriend and expect it to work this time around, but I’m TRYING.)
  • Shifting my carbs to earlier in the morning (more deets below)
  • Buying bigger clothes and BEING OK WITH IT. I have made a promise to myself that I am not going to get hung up on numbers or the SMLXL letters. I just have to buy what fits and that’s ok.
  • Shifting my MINDSET to be alright with a little extra love around the waist. Because nobody cares about that but YOU, you know that right?

So what should you do if you feel like you’re going through the same thing?

  1. Don’t stop eating!!! Eat more frequently + smaller portions. (see my menu from earlier this week for what I’m eating – plus, in between meals I have a granny smith apple for energy and natural beef jerky for additional protein). I know it’s counter-intuitive to eat more to stay slim, but your metabolism needs constant feeding to stay burning. Just watch your portions! I have been using actual measuring cups for carbs so I don’t overdo them.
  2. Plan your meals around your carbs. Eat more carbs in the morning and cut back as the day goes on. This has been an adjustment for me because I love me some rice, but it’s necessary to keep your body fueled correctly and prevent the carbs from being stored as you-know-what.
  3. Drink a TON of water. And drink it cold. A hydrated body is crucial to optimal metabolic function, and cold water is even more beneficial because your body has to heat up a little more to warm it up. If you drink 6 cups of cold water a day, your body may burn up to an additional 50 Calories. And that adds up QUICK (think: 5 lbs / year).
  4. Spice it up. Speaking of heating up the bod – it’s well-known that spicy foods can help speed up your metabolism. Throw some red chili flakes on your eggs in the morning or a little cayenne pepper on your roasted veggies for some kick. Stay away from sriracha which has a TON of nasty preservatives and added sugars.
  5. Put the bottle down (or at least make smarter cocktail choices). Look – I know it can be tough to be social and watch the drinking but alcohol is so high in empty calories! It may not be realistic for you to stop drinking all together but even just having 3 craft beers is the equivalent of a super heavy meal. Just make smarter choices – stick with wine (especially red for some antioxidants) or vodka with soda water and a lemon. Personally, I LOVE a good martini. And I only need one.
  6. Invest in organic foods. Yes, seriously. Toxins in pesticides can actually make it harder for your fat-burners to function, and can literally slow down your metabolism. It’s worth the extra $$ to eat quality, pesticide-free meats & produce.
  7. Go to your doctor. A gradually slowing metabolism is normal and natural as we age, but if you’re doing all the right things and still gaining weight, it is definitely time for a doctor visit. Thyroid issues and vitamin deficiencies can be sneaky culprits. Have your doctor check and make sure everything is functioning OK! (I’m actually in the process of this now!)

So… now it’s time for you guys to tell me… did you have a MOMENT that you felt your metabolism slowed down? Or do you feel like your metabolism has been slow forever? Is there anything you specifically do to keep your body burnin’? Tell me everything! Xo.

-TWB

coffee talk: i’m back, y’all

Coffee Talks

Ummmm HEY GUYS! What the heck is up!? And where do I even start?! I have to say, I missed you guys. I’ve missed our chats. I’ve missed our convos. And I missed WRITING.

Well, actually I didn’t. But I’ll explain.

So grab your coffee and let’s chat for the first time in FOR-EV-ER. It’s such a dreary, rainy morning here – perfect for my first coffee talk in a month. I just want to curl up in bed with my coffee and light some candles and read and binge-watch 13 Reasons Why.

Anyway.

I’m hoping our friendship is just one of those you can just pick back up where you left it, you know?

And for anyone who is new to my blog, the reason for this really dramatic introduction is because I look a little bit of an unplanned hiatus.

We haven’t talked in a little over a month.

Last month, I was really struggling with figuring out the end game for my blog. As blogging got more and more commercialized, I lost more and more interest, until I had absolutely no desire to work on it. So at the urging of my mom (Mumsy) and my boyfriend Ben, I took a break.

I went to Mexico for the first time.

I moved.

I spent a weekend at the beach with my best friend for her bachelorette party.

I broke out in some unfortunate side effects from the stress of it all (not that going to Mexico and the beach is stressful, but the move in the middle of it all REALLY threw me off).

And this week, I have finally felt the desire to write.

When I originally took my hiatus, I seriously thought I would still write. I thought I’d just wake up a little early every morning, sit down at my computer, and work on it a little bit. And then I’d have this amazing archive of content ready to go when I came back.

But I literally felt zero desire to write.

And that’s OK.

I think a month off was good for me.

But DANG do I feel out of practice lol. I feel like this post has been so hard to write – not because it’s deeply emotional or anything – but because it used to come so easy, and now this is taking a littttttle more effort to find the words.

I’m sure I’ll get back in the swing of things.

So let’s cheers to getting back together.

And you guys know the drill…

Now it’s time for you guys to tell me! What have you been up to!? Have you traveled anywhere new? Tried anything new? Is there anything that you want to see more of / less of on my blog after this fresh start? Tell me everything!! I’ll be back soon with a new post! Until then. Xo.

-TWB

Coffee Talk: All The Blogging Feels

Blogging, Coffee Talks

Hey friends! How is everyone doing today?! I am down here in Tampa working and somehow I managed to get SICK. Who gets a cold in FLORIDA? This girl. Yup. I am a stuffy, snotty, sneezy, sleepy mess of a person today. And work is non-negotiable. So since I’m stubborn as heck and don’t like to take medicine, I’m packing tissues and drinking a TON of coffee to get me prepped for this day.

Oh and speaking of coffee, you have yours… right?

Let’s take a sip together. Because it’s Thursday. And that’s just what we do on Thursdays. Except for last Thursday. When I was kind of a hot mess.

Also I have to admit I feel SO bad for not posting anything Tuesday but being out of town and traveling on Sunday (which is when I usually work on meal prepping & recipes) made it tough to get anything done for the blog.

But being here has kind of brought me to this realization. Because if I had really wanted to get something done, honestly, I could have.

You know?

I feel like I’m having some weird feelings toward blogging lately. I’m sure you guys can tell. I really haven’t been posting too much on here. And when I do it just feels a little rushed.

I tried to create a content calendar, I’ve been trying to step up my Instagram game, hoping to reignite this little flame inside me but right now it’s just a little flicker of light.

So I thought I would open up about this a little bit today and tell you guys all my blogging feels. Because if my blog was my boyfriend, right now we’d be having that talk like I think I need some space.

But I don’t want to break up. I’ve just been feeling a little unmotivated to really TRY the last couple of weeks.

You know what I mean?

Honestly so much of my frustration comes from how blogging has been evolving over the past few months. I get on Instagram now and I just feel like I’m looking at a magazine. With ads. And sponsored posts. And I don’t even see my friends on there anymore! You know what I mean?

My entire feed is BLOGGERS. And even as a blogger, I know this is like probably really uncool to say but it is really starting to annoy me.

 

I need a sip of coffee. I feel like that was bold to say.

SLURP.

But I really have no interest in seeing a blogger posing next to a roll of paper towels with the brand logo gleaming in the light and trying to make it look natural. Or seeing a style blogger trying on an outfit in a dressing room and linking the outfit for commission even though I want to scream I KNOW YOU AREN’T EVEN BUYING THAT!

So why does that even bother me so dang much?

Well because it makes me question the sacrifices it takes to blog all the time. Like the Sundays spent behind a computer screen instead of outside living life. Or the nights I barely even talk to Ben because IHAVETOPOSTOMG. Or the days I’m late for work because I had to get that photo justtttt rightttttt!

And it just makes me think…

Is this what I’m working so hard for? So I can promote paper towels and probiotics and open my mail on my Instagram story?

And I get it – you have to hustle and you have to get paid and you gotta do what you gotta do to pay the bills. I’m not judging. And I don’t do this for a living, so I don’t understand the pressures and stresses of being self-employed.

I’m just having some trouble seeing myself do the same thing.

You know?

It’s just something I’ve been kind of struggling with internally, and I didn’t want to talk about it out loud because I love my blog & I love writing & I love sharing ideas. And people have told me that I’ve inspired them to eat healthier or try a Whole 30 and that is SO meaningful to me!

But my Type A self is just having some trouble half-assing it. Because it feels like I’ve been running this marathon for almost two years and all that waits for me at the finish line is a Skinny Tea sponsorship or something.

(OBVIOUSLY I’m being dramatic)

Does this mean I’m done blogging?

HECK NO!!!!!!

I love it.

I am just letting you know why I haven’t been on my A-game lately. Because I feel like we’re friends and I felt like it was only right to let you know my thoughts.

So.

With that being said.

I honestly feel a TON better being able to type this all out and get it off my chest. It really has been weighing on me.

And I’m not sure if I’ll have a new post for you next Tuesday but if an idea comes to me I absolutely will. I still have so much that I want to share.

Nowwww it’s time for you guys to tell me your thoughts on this.

Are you a blogger who also feels frustrated with “blogging”? Do you think I’m being a little harsh? Or have you never even noticed the things that bother me so much? Or are you a blog lover that also feels frustrated? Or are you a blog lover that loves it and think I’m mean?

Tell me everything!

I’m serious. I’m really hoping y’all don’t think I’m crazy.

Love you ALL & I hope you still love me too! Xoxoxoxo

-TWB