Spanista » Self Care Rituals, Reflections & Resources for Joyful Living by Ginny Shiverdecker

  • Spa Style & Self Care Reflections, Rituals and Resources for Joyful Living

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  • About Spanista

    Ginny Shiverdecker, Creator of Spanista is Spa Wellness Enthusiast, Adventurer Seeker and Brand Builder.
    Ginny is……Read more

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Dear Wellness Seekers,

Day Trip to New Orleans Fills Spanista With Optimism for the treasure of Southern Culture.
A last-minute trip to New Orleans called for me to travel via Delta Airlines through its home base of Atlanta. Traveling through Atlanta always warms my heart because as soon as you step off the planes you feel and see Southern Culture. It is so seeped in hospitality and warmth – I realize how much I have missed it.
Now New Orleans has its own particular style of Southern Charm.  Have you heard of the Day-Trip-to-New-Orleans-Fills-Spanista-With-Optimism-2.jpegPINIMAGEmagazine Garden and Gun? Well that pretty much sums it up for those of us who have a least a little bit of familiarity of the ‘golden region’ of America.
Having grown up in the austere North – I wonder how I lived with out the Spirit of the South?
This was evident upon my arrival in New Orleans. Now we all know this city has been through more than its share of pain – but with its spirited renewal and pride of its history as the city as it approaches its 300th Anniversary there is much to be proud of.  You see it in the impressive new Medical facility near downtown with its positive impact on the neighboring communities where real estate prices are increasing in value.
While waiting for the Delta to take flight westward I reached for the Delta Sky Magazine and found Robin Roberts on the cover. Brilliant!  Who does not love Robin and her story? She feels so genuine as a true product of the south  with the three f’s to guide her – faith , family and friends.
I was struck by her openness about virtually everything including her successful struggle with breast cancer. No pretense with Robin. Seems that is what people love about her. She is an open book. In America we embrace pain and realism  as we know life is just not perfect no matter what the fairy tale says. Robin loves Louisiana because she spent so much time there growing up near by in Pass Christian, Mississippi to be specific. It was a coincidence to find her on the cover of Delta Sky Magazine while in route to meetings in New Orleans as she has been an advocate for it rebirth since Hurricane Katrina. The title of the article is one I really like – ‘Branding Optimism, Queen of the Silver Lining’. Good on you Robin! Hope our paths cross as my humanitarian work takes me there to see if we can help the city with their homeless family needs.
Day-Trip-to-New-Orleans-Fills-Spanista-With-Optimism-3.jpegPINIMAGEWhen I landed in New Orleans I wonderful guy named Lloyd, owner of a car service Riverbend Charter & Tours, picked me up at the airport to get me to my destination. Now I had never met him before but he was the absolute best. We chatted easily about so many things. I got a real sense of the changes in the massive changes in the City through him. This town has been through a so much emotionally and physically. It takes someone working hard on the street level as a small business to see it for what it really is. He
and Robin share the same sense of optimism.
Perhaps is because of adversity experienced. Once you have been there is strips you down toDay-Trip-to-New-Orleans-Fills-Spanista-With-Optimism-5.jpegPINIMAGE the core. Takes away blind ambition. You become you. You identify with the essence of what it means to be human. No others distractions can take you away for the fact that there is Life and there is Death.
Day Trip to New Orleans Fills Spanista With Optimism is heartfelt.  This is a city unique onto its own devices. It deserves our tenderness – besides the range of cuisine is spectacular! Just having a basic bowl of gumbo made my heart soar. The restaurants here are second to none –
No city compares to it .
Day Trip to New Orleans opened my eyes to this precious jewel in America. The food is grand but the people I met are even grander. Let’s do all we can to see it thrive.
It Self Care Culture on a grander scale!
To Your Self Care Journey to Joy,

Ginny

 

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Dear Wellness Seekers,

Expectations: Looking For Love In All The Wrong Places is inspired by a chat I had with a friend this weekend about a recent love lost experience. Painful as it is – she concluded that she pushed herself into something that deep down inside she knew was not in her best interest. Yet something propelled her to press into it thinking something magical would happen to make that initial feeling be proven wrong. Well friends it never gets better does it.
That inner warning tingle is your Self Care Hot Button. Regrets come when you do not heed it.
Spending time with her in this conversation I could not help but reflect back on my own life’s journey. At times I may put a lot of energy into looking for love. I may want select people in my love life and friends to tell me I matter, help me feel worthy, and give me a sense of belonging. It’s a tall order when I consider others are on their own healing journeys. I have been looking for love in all the wrong places. We compared notes as discovered similar experiences about EXPECTATIONS & LOVE.

At times like this it is best I turn to inner spirit and find wholeness. I release expectations about people, places, and things. I open myself completely to the my divine nature within and find the most satisfying love of all. I nurture this relationship through prayer, meditation, or journaling. I affirm: I am one with the love of Christ. Here, I belong.

I go within for every need. I listen for signals from nature, friends, and reading, listen for my inner voice to emerge, then act on my guidance. All my human needs are fulfilled. I am whole.

If you want to explore more on this subject EXPECTATIONS & LOVE go to tinybuddha.com/…/the-foundation-of-love-releasing-judgments-and- expectations/

Expectations: Looking For Love In All The Wrong Places is a behavior we can address if we set out minds to it. Spanista sees an emergence of new life in this approach. One that helps us set the right expectations for ourselves – not others. This approach attracts the right kind of people versus us seeking them out.  Looking for love in the right place is within your Spirit. It is a more joyful way to live in Emotional Wellness.

To Your Self Care Journey To Joy,

Ginny

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Good-News-Monday:-VinikPINIMAGE

Dear Wellness Seekers,

Good News Monday: Vinik Makes Tampa First Certified Wellness City. Wow! What a forward looking idea to shape the development of Downtown Tampa. You may recall Spanista shares many stories on the changing shape of Tampa and the surrounding neighborhood’s many positive attributes as a wellness lifestyle community. Well…. now it is official!

Jeff Vinik, the wealthy owner of  Strategic Properties Partners in Boston and The Tampa Bay Lightening unveiled his $1 billion plan that would transform downtown Tampa, Channelside in December 2014.

Less than a year later Mr. Vinik has advanced his efforts by announcing last week that 40 acres of downtown Tampa targeted for development will become the world’s first “WELL-certified” city district.

What is this new idea? A WELL-certified city or district is one that is dedicated toGood-News-Monday:-VinikPINIMAGE the well-being of employees, students, residents and visitors and has mixed-use areas designed with people’s health in mind.  You may recall a Spanista post about the river walk improvements so far – see pics here.

The project is a partnership with investor and technology magnate Bill Gates’ Cascade Investment and real estate development company Delos a pioneer in wellness real estate and strategic property concepts.

Vinik said his vision for Tampa includes a walkable downtown that appeals to millenials and empty-nesters alike. The first major project for the $1 billion plan is the USF medical school facility and a new hotel next to Amalie Arena.

The project also will bring more green space, low pollen trees, sound barriers and air quality monitoring to the area. Spanista loves this too!

Vinik, along with Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn, made the announcement in front of former President Bill Clinton. Vinik and Buckhorn announced the plan Tuesday in New York during an annual meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative.

Good-News-Monday:-VinikPINIMAGE“The (project) will invest and construct a $2 billion, 40-acre urban, mix-use development to pilot this innovative model for urban development,” Clinton said while speaking about the project to an Initiative audience. “One that would be good for our campaign against climate change and good for the health of the people who live in the buildings and walk the neighborhoods.”

In addition to the USF medical school, the project includes a new 500-room hotel, an officer tower and 200,000-square feet of shopping and entertainment space and renovations to the Waterside Marriott hotel and Chanelside Bay plaza.

Infrastructure work has already started around Amalie Arena and a groundbreaking is set for next year. The first phase of the project is slated for for completion within five years.

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Good News Monday: Vinik Makes Tampa First Certified Wellness City gets thumbs up from Spanista. The reality of it cannot come soon enough. The downtown Tampa area has so much potential to be cultivated into a world class city experience that shines bright with real purpose – we need cities that enhance our emotional wellbeing versus zapping it away. May we see the virtues of Mr. Vink’s vision soon.

To Your Self Care Journey To Joy,

Ginny

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Dear Wellness Seekers,

Friday Wellness Tip: Downshift Now For Inner Peace. Really ‘Now’ you are thinking? Perhaps you will take time tomorrow? Spanista asks why wait? To achieve inner peace one does not have to go on a zen retreat in a far off land. (Well of course you can if you want to! But who has time?! )
No matter where you are right now you can make the present moment your strength – Say  to yourself – “I AM AT PEACE.” No matter the circumstances you can relieve yourself of the outer worlds pressures and distractions. At times I may feel uncertain or anxious about the direction of my life. For example, especially moving from places I have come to love to a new location where everything is unfamiliar. Am I doing the right thing? Am I accurately interpreting Spirit’s guidance? When that happens, I do what brings me peace: I stop the madness in my head and rest in the Silence and feel the wholeness of this moment. Simply by closing my eyes, focusing on inner peace and breathing deeply – in and out for three repeats, I open up to a new level of Emotional Wellness.
I then open my eyes to experience how relieved and at peace I am right now!
I’ve “touched the peace in me that surpasses all understanding” that is within my reach because it is already in me to call upon at any time.Friday-Wellness-Tip:-Downshift-Now-For-Inner-Peace-2.jpegPINIMAGE
Friday Wellness Tip: Downshift Now For Inner Peace is yours for the taking. Especially is you find yourself running in the rat race. Spanista believes the answers to joyful living are not ‘Out There’, they are ‘In Here”!  You just need a time out to downshift in order to get in touch with the Truth during your moments in the Silence. When I downshift, I know I am right where I am is where I am meant to be. My path is valid and my mission looking forward is worth while and enjoyable. I have faith in Spirit’s ever-present, indwelling guidance. I am at peace in the present moment.
Remember what Lily Tomlin once said (She is so funny in Grace and Frankie):

The trouble with winning the rat race is, you are still a rat!

To Your Self Care Journey To Joy,

Ginny

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Dear Wellness Seekers,

Caldrea Aromatherapeitic Home Keeping For Fall Refresh is a welcome new addition to our home care. Spanista suggests a new Fall Seasons of Spanista Ritual to clarify the direction of the scent enhancers we bring into our homes. Let’s give this part of our lives a little attention.

Start by asking yourself:

  1. What mood do I want to evoke in my home during Autumn?
  2. Are the products of quality being composed of the right ingredients?
  3. Are the attractive to use, enjoy and present as part of my home decor?

For example: Spanista discovered The Cadrea Aromatherapeitic Home Keeping Collection at my favorite interior design store Nell Hill’s. Owner Mary Carol Garity is very conscious of the nature of chemicals we use in our homes.  I am starting with room enhancers using Pear Blossom Agave No 23.

Checking out their website here is the story of there purpose –

“Caldrea was founded on a simple and powerful idea – that caring for our home should be a beautiful experience. In our world, beauty is so much more than skin deep. It is a vital force that fuses elegance,sophistication and natural goodness. It has a luxurious and approaches ease that we crave in our daily lives. It inspires a steady and authentic commitment to changing our world for the better.

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Everyday, we aim to provide the most gratifying and thoroughly addictive home and body care products available.  We’re passionate about choosing the most potent and responsible ingredients that are incredibly effective, yet safe and gentle for our homes and our loved ones. It is this passion that centers our product experience, connecting beauty, thoughtfulness and optimism. It is a reflection of the positivity we hope to inspire our lives.

We create incredible, effective formulas that are addictively pleasurable to use and are crafted to be safe for you, your home and the earth.”

Caldrea Aromatherapeitic Home Keeping For Fall Refresh is just one of many products that bring both style and health consciousness to the us and our homes. It fits the requirements list for me. Perhaps it is time for some changes in your home? Remember you and your family are worth it. Let me know your discoveries from the 3 point check list too wand what you choose to use.  Love your home this Autumn.

To Your Self Care Journey To Joy,

Ginny

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