March Recap 2019- What I Loved This Month

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It’s been a crazy month at The Sunshine Suitcase! I’m still getting into the swing of things behind the scenes, but have really loved learning so many new things. I decided that in addition to our monthly business progress report, I would do a personal March recap.

During the month of March, I had a hard time with my anxiety. Early in the month, I was careful to make sure I was practicing good self-care and I spent a lot of time active and outside. As March went on, I focused more on staying in and working on blog things. Shifting this focus definitely increased my anxiety levels. However, I learned a lot about my mental health from tracking my monthly moods and habits this month.

I can’t wait to put everything I learned from both the blog and my own mental health into practice this April!

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A post shared by Summer K-Hadden (@thesunshinesuitcase) on Mar 27, 2019 at 2:43am PDT

Recap of March:

• The first week in March we had a friend visiting from NYC and got out and about to explore Oahu. We did several of my favorite budget activities like visiting Byodo-In Temple and the Shirokiya Beer Garden. We also spent a lot of time on the water.
• Later during our visit, we took a short day trip over to Maui. We flew over to Maui in the early morning, rented a car, and took the Hana highway all around east Maui. We got some amazing food and some even better photos along the way.
• Got my first Content Collaborations Online. In the blogosphere this month I spent a lot of time working on some content collaborations with other bloggers and some brands as well. It’s been exciting and given me a lot of experience in product photography
• Additionally, I renewed my yearly membership to the Honolulu Zoo this month! I love having something exciting to do on my days off like visiting the zoo. It relaxes me and I enjoy the expansive grounds in downtown Honolulu. As a bonus this month their bongo antelope had a baby 🙂

Blog Posts that were popular in March:

• The Ultimate Guide to Online Anxiety Resources-A roundup of awesome resources for anxious people. Tools include Podcasts, youtube videos, books, TED Talks, and more.
• Perfect for Spring DIY Soap Recipes- Two amazing recipes for Spring DIY Soap that will make awesome gifts for your family and friends this Easter. Make in 10 minutes and let set!
• Level Up Your Finances in your 20’s –See how I paid off over $38,000 in student debt and began investing in my future. Tips and tricks to level up your finances and become better with your money today!

What I’m Watching:

I’ve been rewatching The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina on Netflix this month. In 2018, this was by far my favorite new show. Season 2 comes out in April and I wanted to refresh my memory with all the witchy goodness that Sabrina brings to the table.

What I’m Drinking:

Chai Tea! I’m trying to decrease my coffee consumption and chai tea has been an excellent replacement. I really enjoy bold and spicey flavors and it pairs great with the local honey I picked up.

What I’m Snacking on:

I’ve been working on incorporating healthier foods into my diet and portion control. I am a terrible snacker throughout the day. Since I work from home, I often don’t eat real meals but snack absentmindedly throughout the day. Thus, I’ve been working on creating a better eating schedule. In the meantime, I’m making better snack choices with the foods below!

Angie’s Boom Chicka Pop, Cheddar Cheese Flavor– While working on one of my first collabs this month I found this Cheddar Cheese Popcorn. It’s only 70 calories a serving and tastes like real cheese not the bright orange artificial goo on most cheddar snacks. Popcorn is also a great snack for staving off hunger because it fills you up.

Cuties- These little mandarin oranges are super easy to take on the go and aren’t as messy as your traditional orange. They’re juicy and make the perfect little snack throughout the day.

Fresh Pineapple- I love fresh pineapple and like to cut it up and have it ready on hand for easy snacking during the day. Pineapples grow well here in Hawaii but aren’t actually a native plant!

How I practiced Self-Care in March:

I wasn’t great at self-care this month. However, I was able to stick to a few key components that really helped me take care of myself even on days I struggled.

• First, I stuck to my new morning face care routine
• Second, I got of the house at least 3 days a week to enjoy the sunshine
• Third, I wrote in my journal most days
• Also, I completely reorganized my bathroom cabinets, drawers, and medicine cabinet.
• And, I tracked my habits and moods in my bullet journal to get a good handle on how these things effect me emotionally.
• Also, I cooked a lot of meals at home.
• Finally, I called and caught up with 2 of my cousins and a dear friend from college. This was a great act of self-care because a lot of my social anxiety stems from phone calls. So picking up the phone to chat with supportive people, was both an act of self-care and stepping out of my comfort zone rolled into one.

Favorite Beauty Item in March:

Maybelline Super Stay Matte Ink in 80 Ruler– This glorious berry lip stain is perfect for spring. The color is gorgeous, and this lipstick stays put for over 18 hours, even after food or drink. It rarely needs a touch-up. Im wearing this shade in the above photo too. Honestly, I fell in love with this long wear and bought a few other colors to try too!

What I wore in March:

I’ve been living in floral print sundresses from Old Navy it seems! The weather here has been in the mid-’80’s lately and It’s so nice to throw on a sundress and feel all put together. I just have to watch out for those glorious Hawaiian Trade Winds 😉

What’s Coming up in April:

• I turn 29 this month! Although I’m kinda weird about birthdays, I’m excited to be able to spend my special day with my friends this year.
• My Fiancé Nick’s Birthday is also in April, so we’ll celebrate his birthday at the end of the month with a boat adventure.
• This April will be the one year anniversary of my dad passing away. Consequently, I’m already starting to feel a lot of sadness and anxiety about the anniversary. As a result, I’m going to try to be gentle on myself and my mental health this month.

April Blog Post Sneak Peeks-

Next month, I’ve got some great blog posts planned to share with you. Throughout the month we’ll be discussing productivity, life lessons, grief, and more!

Comment below and let me know how your March was! And what your April plans are.