I love organizations that give back to the community and provide new experiences for the people that are doing the work.  So today I wanted to introduce you to an organization that gives back and tell you the truth about Kalu Yala. Despite some of the Kalu Yala criticism you may have come across, it's really an amazing idea and I wanted to explain that to you.

Kalu Yala is in the process of building the world's most sustainable modern village deep  in the Panamanian rainforest.  Their goal is to do this in an ecologically-responsible way.  In order to achieve this goal they are focusing on creating the foundation of the town in Kalu Yala AND developing relationships with the nearby town of San Miguel. 

There are outdoor seminars every Monday that go over the Foundations of Innovation, Creativity, and Sustainability, and many other interdisciplinary and cultural programming is offered.  To navigate any Kalu Yala problems they are collaborating with and learning from Panamanian contacts in various academic fields and from reputable institutions. 

It's an amazing learning opportunity for participants to gain a better understanding of rainforest systems and even work with local farms to maintain a seasonal local menu.  For construction, participants become familiar with post and beam carpentry and structural masonry.  And when it comes to hospitality they learn how to manage a visitor experience that's built around human connection to nature.

Impressed yet? There are still so many more aspects where participants gain knowledge on various topics. For political science participants dive into rural challenges and solutions for Latin America and for public health and wellness they learn what constitutes the wellbeing of people and communities. 

On an environmental level they use media arts to reinvent the way we tell stories about sustainability and the world as a whole and for outdoor recreation they enhance their skills and knowledge of the outdoors by being out in the field.  The truth about Kalu Yala is that so much can be learned and experienced that benefits the participants and the community.  Community internships are so beneficial and the experience you take with you lasts for life.  Participants enjoy off-the-grid living, sustainable education, farm-to-table meals and even free Spanish classes! 

Each semester lasts for 10-weeks and you can even explore financial aid and scholarship options.  Tuition covers housing, meal plans, transportation to and from the airport instructors, program and project supplies, and other needs that directly relate to the amazing experience participants will get. 

I hope I've enlightened you and possibly even motivated you to look into something like this.  

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Accident That's Not Your Fault? The Steps To Take

Sometimes in life we can find ourselves in situations that are not our fault. Accidents happen, and out on the open road, they can be more frequent than we would like. Of course, we can always place ourselves highly as to being great drivers. Always paying attention the road, free from distractions while driving, but of course, the one thing we can not control is how other people drive, and this can often be the reason that you find yourself involved in a motor accident. But, if you do find yourself in this situation, don’t despair. Taking necessary steps can help you get some sort of resolve. Conclusion and even compensation for the accident you find yourself in. I hope informing you of the best steps to take can help you in the future.

Remain calm
One of the first things to do in this situation is to remain calm. It might seem very difficult to do that at first,especially if you are completely overwhelmed about the accident itself. But remaining calm will allow you to act appropriately during the next few steps. It will also help you to keep control of your emotions, especially as at this moment they could be running extremely high.

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Document as much of it as you can as soon as you can

The next big step to take would be to document the scene as best you can. You need to ensure that you have taken the necessary steps to document where you came from, where anyone else involved in the accident came from, and even the route taken, the damage and other people involved. You could take pictures, video the scene, and even do a walk through all via your smartphone to ensure that you give anyone needing to know the full break down a well documented version of events.

Phone any necessary insurance companies and the authorities
You need to then make sure that you inform anyone that has an investment in the situation, such as your motor vehicle insurance company. You may also need to let any local authorities know. Especially if there is injuries, or other issues with road blockages. Police and ambulance services can therefore calm the scene and get things back to some form of normality.

Seek legal advice

Once you have done what you need to do at the scene, you may want to seek out some legal advice. You could do this straight after the event while the version is fresh in your mind, or wait a few weeks for you to calm down. Seeking out advice from attorneys like Derrick law firm could be the way forward. At least then you will know where you stand and what you need to do.

Take care of any injuries you have incurred
Finally, take care of yourself and get any injuries you have incurred checked out. You may need to see your doctor or you may even require a trip to the hospital.

I hope that these steps help you if you find yourself in a motor vehicle accident.

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Tips to Grow Your Instagram

If you're a blogger, there is a 99% chance you use Instagram to help promote your blog.  And if you're just a social media influencer than there's probably still a really good chance that Instagram is one of the platforms you use.  Each month I'm going to try and give some tips on different platforms whether it's a blog or a social media channel.  This month I wanted to focus on Instagram since I took advice from other people that seems to be working and I hope it will work for you. 

Some of these tips are things that I figured out on my own and some are advice from other people but just keep in mind that something that works for me or someone else may not work for you.  No matter what advice you receive, do what works best for you and what brings you the results you want. 

|Link Your Blog|

Obviously if you are a blogger and you use Instagram you NEED to link your blog to your bio.   Then when you are writing a caption under a photo referring to a new post on the blog you can simply say "See link in bio".  If I don't see a link in your bio, I'm probably not going to try to find your blog.   The other thing you can do if you have an easy short blog address is put it in parentheses in the caption.  Sometimes I'll say "visit AskAwayBlog.com for the post!" and since it's a simple and catchy URL people have told me they actually do go and type it into their browser right away.

|Sell Yourself in Your Bio|

The bio is where you get to quickly tell people that come across your IG, who you are, what you post about, and why they should follow you.   I always type my bio up in the Notepad App on my iPhone because it's easier for me to format and add hard returns.  Another blogger, Lindsay from Lindsay's Sweet World did  (right here) actually gave great tips that I used and it worked for me but what really sold me was the Instagram bio.  So for mine I put that I own 4 Chihuahuas (since they are in LOTS of photos on all of my social media channels) and that I'm a blogger.  Then I put home décor, fashion, and food since that's what you'll find photos of on my IG.  Then per Lindsay's advice I put a way to contact me because before I assumed if a brand wanted to work with me they'd just message me or go to my blog and look for a contact link.  But then I realized that it really IS much easier if the email address is already written out for you.  You can check out what my bio looks like by finding me on IG - EllenR886.

|Bright + Crisp Photos|

When I stumble upon someone's IG I take a quick look at how their photos look.  If they are dark and blurry it will actually frustrate me to see those in my feed so I won't follow them.   Make sure your photos are bright and taken with good lighting.  Some of the Instagram filters are nice but I personally think a lot of them darken the photos so all I usually do is go in to edit my photo I just uploaded and select Adjust, Brightness, and then make it go up.  If you are taking pictures of products, use a white background or a faux fur blanket.  White backgrounds look nice and attractive. 

|Good Captions|

Captions are like blog posts, you need to give information in them (or give entertainment depending on your niche) but then ask some sort of question to get feedback.  So for instance if I upload a photo of my newly organized closet since I'm an advice blogger I might make a caption that says something like "Just organized my closet again and used these awesome dividers to separate my shoes.  It saves space and looks nice.  What do you use to organize your shoes?"  People usually do respond. 

|Paid Advertising|

It's nearly impossible these days to grow your social media presence without doing some paid advertising through the platform.  I actually did promote a few posts through Instagram and I liked the feedback and clicks that I got.  When you promote a post you actually can choose to have an option that takes people to your site.  You can't do that without promoting it. Also, in order to promote you will need a business profile and if you're a blogger trying to make money or any kind of social media influencer - you should probably consider switching to business.  Plus, you can write your advertising fees off as a tax expense. 

|Interact With Your Visitors|

When someone comments on a post make sure you like their comment or reply to it.  It makes people more likely to return because they know you're a real person that reads all their comments.  Ask questions back like "how did your method of organizing work? Do you have pics?" and don't be afraid to visit their page and follow them. 

|Reach Out to Others|

At least 2-3 times a week you should peruse your feed and like photos and leave REAL comments.  I get really frustrated when people leave the generic one word comment like "Cool" or "nice" or "<3".  So when I can't think of anything to say about their photo I just say something about myself.  If they have a photo of themselves wearing leopard print, I might comment and say "I love leopard print! I have several scarves and bags with that print".  It's a great way to get a little convo going.  Also, if you see someone follow you, follow them back!   And look for people to follow. Sometimes I go check the feed of the people I follow to see the posts they like, and that's how I found a bunch of new people to follow.

|Make Time|

So how are you supposed to do all of these things in your already busy daily life?  Well trust me, I get it because I have a full time job and a house full of furry children.  I don't have time to sit around and play on my phone.  So I do it any chance I get.  If you're a human being that has to use the rest room, you have time then.  I'll check my IG comments and feed while I'm walking to the rest room.  I also do it during commercial breaks when I'm watching TV, while I'm waiting in line at the grocery store, and when I'm in a doctor's office waiting room.  You just have to make the time and make it part of your routine.  If you get into work half an hour early, spend a few minutes of that time checking your IG.

It's an exhausting thing to keep ANY social media site exciting but it's what you have to do if you want to gain followers and keep your Instagram interesting you need to put in the effort.

What tips do you need to work on or what have you already tried and seen great results from?  

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3 Tips for Managing Your Debt

Debt is something that almost everyone out there has at some point in their life.  Some people manage to pay their debts off completely and some seem to spend their entire life paying down debts like student loans or mortgages.  Debt can be very overwhelming and very stressful.  Debt is something used to weigh on my mind every minute of every day before I managed to pay off all my credit card debt completely.

Today I wanted to put a couple of quick tips together that you should keep in mind when it comes to tackling and managing your debt. 

1. Know Who and What You Owe
One of the reasons I always felt overwhelmed by the idea of my debt was because I didn't even know the exact figure of what I owed.  I was afraid to figure it out but once I did, I felt a lot better because I had an actual dollar amount that I could work towards paying off.   You also need to make sure you have a list of what amount is owed to whom.  And before you get nervous because you envision having to deal with creditors, just know that there are companies like Nationwide Debt Reduction Service that have ongoing relationships with those creditors.  They can negotiate on your behalf. 

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Books I Recommend You Read [January]

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Life's been getting in the way lately so I haven't read as much as I would like to but I still read a few great books.


The Sisters Chase by Sarah Healy
This is a great read about a girl who is raising her sister and how she is very intimately connected to several people in her life.  It has a little bit of mystery to it but is also a very down to earth story line.  


The Names They Gave Us by Emery Lord
This was a great read taking place at a summer camp where a girl goes to be a counselor.  Meanwhile she's struggling with her mom's battle with cancer and then she finds out a big family secret.   This one pulls at the heart a bit but it's an awesome story line! 

 

The Best of Us by Joyce Maynard

This is an endearing but tragic memoir about Joyce and her husband Jim who married late in life and after just a few years of being together learn that Jim has pancreatic cancer. This is the story of their final 19 months together.  It's beautifully written!

Forever is the Worst Long Time by Camille Pagan 
Oh my god this freakin' book.  I don't want to give anything away because the real touching part happens towards the end but wow! It's about two people whose lives intersect in ways they shouldn't and how they recover from that and how their relationship affects the people around them.  Then something huge happens and everything changes in a heartbreaking way. 


Half Broke Horses by Jeanette Walls
This is a novel that's based on real life.  It's the story of Jeanette Walls' grandmother who grew up in the early 1900's.  Jeanette Walls is the author of the memoir The Glass Castle which I absolutely loved.  This book however provides a great look into Jeanette's bad-ass grandmother and how she took the world by storm.







Say My Name by Allegra Huston
This is a beautiful story about two lovers - one a married 48 year old woman and the other a young man in his 20's.  They meet randomly and have an exciting romance with no "commitments" and the book followers how her life evolves after that and how his evolves as well.  It was a nice little love affair book that was easy to read and beautifully written.  

The Fall of Lisa Bellows by Susan Perabo

This was one of those books that feels like a movie while you read it especially with how it goes back and forth from one "world" to another.  A middle school girl is in a deli when it gets held up at gun point and her classmate disappears with the suspect.  Meredith (the girl) is deeply upset and in her world she plays out a fantasy of what she thinks happened.  It's a great read and is so well written that you can see each seen playing out very vividly.

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New Year || New Feet

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So listen, I know it's a weird topic but I am very serious when it comes to taking care of my feet.  The reason I'm dedicating an entire post to feet is because your feet are SO IMPORTANT.   You use them ALL THE TIME except when you sleep.  They help you balance and get places and in order to return the favor we need to take better care of them.  

When I was just 21 years old I was suffering from plantar fasciitis which came from wearing flip flops ALL THE TIME with no support.  Then when I slept I tensed and curled my feet up and it made the fascia tight.  It took a few doctor's appoinments, some anti-inflammatory medicine, and lots of stretching and foot massages till I was doing much better and now I stay on top of my foot health.   I'm telling you guys if you don't take care of your feet you will regret it.  This means you have to get good quality footwear that has proper arch support and doesn't pinch or cut your feet open.  

But taking care of your feet doesn't end with what's underneath your socks.  Love your feet and show them off with beautiful shoes and amazing products that pamper your feet.  So yes, today's post is all about feet and what I do to pamper my own feet especially going into a new year! Some of the products I'm going to feature come from a company called Solemates, a company which I blogged about before here and here.
 

Solemates has a lot of products that come in handy for practically anything having to do with your feet and footwear.  For instance, when you slip into the grass because you're wearing stilettos? Yeah, well Solemates has little covers that go over the pointy part of your heels so you don't have to worry about that.  So anyways here are some things I'm doing lately for my feet and totally loving! 
 
Protecting My Shoes from Nature
Ah the elements can be a terror when you live in a region that gets lots of rain and has snowy/icy winters.  The salt alone can destroy your gorgeous new boots so it's important to protect your shoes.   

Solemates Protector Spray helps protect leather, suede, and fabric on your shoes from the elements.  I actually just keep it on my dresser and when I'm all dressed in the morning before I leave for work I spritz it on my shoes and finish my other household chores before going back to grab my shoes and head to work.  It goes on clear and sprays out really nice.   I'm all about making my shoes last as long as humanly possible since they are so pricey for good shoes with arch support.  


 
Keeping My Feet and Footwear Fresh
So this is embarrassing but I'm going to talk about it because I know I'm not alone.  There are days my feet and my shoes STINK!   I hate it and it's so embarrassing but I can't help it.  I sit at my desk all day long at work wearing boots in the winter and it gets hot in those suckers. So it's no surprise that by the time I get home my feet don't smell like flowers and my shoes aren't so pleasant either. 

Solemates Freshen Spray is an all natural anti-bacterial spray that dries quickly and removes odors from shoes.  It doesn't contain any harsh chemicals and I can spray it before I wear my shoes and even after I take them off. I love the baby powder scent.


Then I always make sure to let my shoes air out overnight.  They need to breathe! This spray is especially important for shoes that are worn without socks or just with tights like formal pumps and boat shoes. 



Protect My Feet from My Shoes
Yes I actually have to protect my own feet from my shoes sometimes and I KNOW you can relate.  Nothing is more tragic than getting a new pair of shoes and then getting horrendous blisters the first few times you wear them.  I know it's a part of breaking them in but I just can't deal!   

Solemates Blister Blocker is an anti-friction balm that's all natural and very effective.  It gives you 3x blister protection and goes on clear.  There's no scent and it lasts all day! Finally I don't have to suffer from chaffing, friction, and annoying rubbing.  And I don't end up waltzing around in band-aids for the next week. Blister Blocker is so cute and comes in the perfect size for travel and keeping in your bag.  I seriously don't know how I got this far in life without it.  Oh yea, that's right with band-aids. 

So yea, that's how I do it.  You have to make taking care of your feet and footwear a major priority or else you'll never get to enjoy that feeling of walking through the office in your gorgeous new heels as you go confidently into your first meeting of the day. 

What do you do for your feet?
 

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THE Most Chic Leopard Clutch Bag EVER!

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I have a new obsession and it's something I recently acquired in my handbag collection. I know a lot of people like to have a plain black or gold clutch but I tend to be drawn towards patterns especially ones that I consider neutral.

Yes, this Leopard Clutch from Milan Blocks is amazing and I consider it a neutral and I'll show you why in a little bit.  So It basically has 3 colors to it - brown, black, and silver glitter.  Tell me those aren't neutrals!! This clutch is an acrylic box and it's easy to hold or keep under your arm at your side. However if you don't want to go strap free, it has a chain inside the box that easily clips on to two little hinges.

It looks so super chic with the chain. I seriously don't know which way I like it better.   It's so roomy too and the shape makes it perfect for carrying my essentials like my phone, keys, a makeup compact, and a mini wallet.

How do I style it? Well one of my favorite things to do is wear solid colors in an outfit and then I'll add leopard print in two places.  Either a scarf and shoes or a necklace and a bag.   As you can see it looks super cute next to the leopard statement necklace I often wear.

You can even get super bold and wear all black and then add leopard boots, scarf, and this clutch.

Anyone who knows me knows that I'm also obsessed with mixing patterns. So I have this adorable peacock feather top and I wore simple black boots and leggings and then added the bag and it goes so well together!

Even if leopard isn't your thing, Milan Blocks has so many adorable clutch box bags to check out.  I really liked the glitter ones too!  




Do you own a leopard bag? How do you style it?

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4 Winter Tips for Dog Owners

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Look I get it, we're all sick of Winter and the messy frigid weather but we aren't alone. While some dogs enjoy the snow, most dogs can get a little stir crazy being cooped up inside and nearly freezing their paws off when they step out to potty. So today I put together 4 tips for dog owners that will help keep your dogs safe and happy during the Winter season.

Keep 'em cozy + warm.
Some breeds have thick coats that are perfect for chilly weather but many short-haired breeds and breeds (like Chihuahuas) are not fans of cold weather. I mean think about it, would you want to stand outside to poop while the wind is blowing you over? Probably not, so consider putting a sweater (with a collar or leash hook) on your pooch so they can stay a little warmer than usual while they do their business. I've even seen people putting little booties on their dog's paws but if your dogs are anything like mine they absolutely won't enjoy that and probably won't even move. Seriously, when mine don't want to wear something they freeze and act like they can't move until I take it off. Rocky enjoys bundling up to do his business so I don't feel so guilty about putting him in a sweater anymore.


People seriously laugh at me and at other people that dress up their dogs but they fail to realize we aren't just doing it for fun. Chihuahuas don't have a ton of fur on their bellies and they are very low to the ground so they get cold FAST! And half the time they can't even see over the snow. It's only right to make sure they are bundled up to keep warm in this weather.


Check 'em over.
On days where the weather is extreme and icy or snowy you should always check your dog's paws and fur for things that may make them uncomfortable. Clumps of snow that freeze into little ice balls can get so cold it's painful when stuck underneath their body or even in between their paw pads. Keep a flashlight near the door so you can inspect their paws for salt and ice. Salt can sometimes burn their paws so it's a good idea to find a pet-friendly salt for your walkway. 


If you see your dog licking their paws obsessively after you bring them inside, make sure there's nothing stuck underneath. Also keep in mind that just because the ground is covered with snow, doesn't mean there aren't hazardous things that can poke and stick them. When the dangers of thorns and rocks are covered with snow your dog could easily go galloping over them with excitement thinking they are just going to hit snow. This can cause cuts, scrapes, and bruises. This also leads into the next tip which is why it's good to shovel a pathway. 

 
Make Areas Off Limits

You’ll already know you’ll need to pet proof your home before bringing your dog home. You mightn’t have thought about doing the same for the outside, however. This is especially important during the winter, with the outdoors being too cold for them. Keeping them inside - and even using invisible dog fences - is an option for this. Only leave them out during the warmer hours so they don’t get sick.

Shovel a spot for them to go.
Whenever we shovel our walkway I always create a path that leads into the grass and forms a little circle so when Rocky has to do his number 2 business he has room to walk around and find where he wants to go. This way he isn't standing in a couple of inches of snow while he tries to go. Plus it makes cleaning up after him easier because I know where to look!

It's also safer for a dog to have a path to follow through snow so they aren't accidentally stepping over thorny bushes or sharp stones that you have in your landscaping.



Fight boredom.
Just like we get bored being stuck in the house, dogs get bored too. Some dogs are even known to get into more trouble and mischief from their boredom. Even though my dogs are tiny they still get bored because they can't go lay outside in the porch and if you follow me on social media you know that my dogs basically live in the porch in the Spring, Summer, and Fall.


I always provide them with toys to keep them busy but I also love to give them treats to reward them for behaving and to keep them occupied. 




A fan favorite in our home are Blue Buffalo Blue Stix in Bacon Flavor from Chewy! These are soft so they're great for their little Chihuahua teeth but they are also made with USA pork as the first ingredient. There are wholesome ingredients inside and no by product meals, corn, wheat, soy, or artificial ANYTHING! When choosing treats make sure you aren't feeding "junk food" to your pet and make sure it's something safe that they can't choke on. I always stay in the room and monitor the dogs until they've finished their Stix which honestly doesn't take very long.

         Does your pooch enjoy this weather? 

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