Publicly Social is a blog and resource about being professional, and making sure you manage your professional image at and on all the places that matter most. So, where does a juice cleanse fit into this “professional image,” you may ask.
Well, as I have experienced, a juice cleanse is an experience that allows you to learn about your self-control, the strength of your mind, and your body. What it does to your body on the other hand, not such a “professional” experience and not one I will exploit here.

​I was talked into doing a juice cleanse by some people I work with, who spoke very highly of the experience so I thought, “Why not?” I decided to start with a one-day cleanse, as I figured it would allow me to get a first taste of what a cleanse is all about. Little did I know, what an experience it would be.

7:30 a.m. Wake up, not feeling too hungry and certainly feeling like I could chew anything this day threw at me…except for solid foods of course.
9:05 a.m. I go to pour my first of two or three cups of coffee for the day. Oops, that’s not allowed today.
9:15 a.m. Consume my first of six juices. This one was nutty and was very easy to swallow. After consumption, I feel full and satisfied. “This is going to be easy.”
10:15 a.m. Just another hour until I go to my next juice, the green one!
10:35 a.m. “Has it been an hour yet?”
11:30 a.m. Sip my second of six juices. Immediately it made me full and again, I feel like I could accomplish anything.
12:30 a.m. It’s lunch time and everyone around me is enjoying their solid food.  
1:05 p.m. The headache hit me like a train. “Is it the lack of solid food or the lack of coffee that’s making this a challenge?”
1:45 p.m. Time for the third of three juices. I feel satisfied and savor every sip. “If I drink it slowly, maybe I can stretch it out until it’s time for my next juice.”
1:59 p.m. Third juice gone.
3:00 p.m. Thinking it’s time to open the fourth juice, but realize once that’s gone, I only have two juices left for the day. It’s too early to only have three juices left.
5:00 p.m. Last juice of the “workday” is down the tubes. The end is so near!
7:00 p.m. It’s almost time for dinner
8:00 p.m. Drink my last of six juices, while everyone around me ate pizza. The self-control here is impressive.
10:30 p.m. Time to go to bed, so I can wake up and eat some solid foods!

​I woke up the next morning feeling refreshed, proud and confident. As I went about the “day after” I realized I was wanted to continue to eat healthy because of the challenge I overcame the day before. It was the reset my body needed, and it was only a one day cleanse. I can only imagine the impact and change a three or five day cleanse would have on my mind and body.

​So, I’m not a medical expert, or even a juice expert, but based on my experience, I can say that if you’re considering a juice cleanse, do your research and be sure you follow step-by-step what your juice bar is advising you to do. Drink all the water they suggest and be sure you’re not exercising if it is not recommended based on the number of calories included in your cleanse.

On a more basic level, I enjoy routines, and having things planned and prepped; another reason why this was a good experience for me. It was nice to have my “meals” prepped for the day and made it very simple and easy to grab my meals out of the fridge and get to drinkin’.  

On a more spiritual level, this experience made me realize that it is easy to feel like you can accomplish anything (get through the day) when you have everything (a juice in hand). The minute you don’t have everything at your fingertips (next juice is three hours away), it’s easy to doubt your ability and strength. It was important for me throughout the day to remember that I had the self-control to start and make it through each hour, and I had the ability to continue. Take these teachings into your professional and even your personal life. Life can become overwhelming, you may feel like you’re working and not getting results, and you may be ready to give up and go towards something easier, to chew, but the results at the end of the day are so much sweeter when you taste success, and achieve your goal! 
So if you’re considering a cleanse, I would absolutely recommend it. If you’re not sure how your body will handle it, start with a “one day,” and then go from there! If you’re experience is anything like mine, it will be a fabulous experience and opportunity for you to reset your mind and body.  



P.S. I would love to hear about your juice cleanse experience and how you applied what you learned into your everyday routine. Shoot me an email at publiclysocial@gmail.com to chat! ​

As we celebrate International Yoga Day on June 21, I wanted to spend some time to reflect on the impact yoga has made in my life and the potential it has to change the way we work, live and treat one another. Whether you practice yoga everyday, or practice it occasionally, it serves as a safe place for many people, and relaxes both the body and the mind. Yoga is more than just a trend, and more than just about increasing your strength and flexibility. Yoga is beneficial in so many ways and if the teachings and practices in yoga are implemented into the aspects of your life, your daily routine, decisions, moments and high-stress life will forever be changed. 
 
Yoga can be viewed as just another fitness class and way to stay active, however if you take the time to listen to the practice and yourself throughout the practice, you can learn a lot about yourself and see alternative outlooks on the world. In a professional sense, the messages in yoga can be very helpful. Below explains how I use the teachings in yoga, throughout my daily life, and especially my professional experiences.
 
Stay centered. Staying centered means to always be aware of your body, the way you feel and how your actions influence your growth. It’s about knowing your strengths and weaknesses and being in tune with yourself. Apply these words to your professional settings. Always be aware of the things you strive in, work to strengthen the things you could improve on, and be self-aware. Always know that whatever comes your way, you can always come back to your center, where peace lies. Being in-tune with your center allows you to stay true to yourself. No matter what is going on around you, your values and work-ethic will remain intact. 
 
Stay grounded. In times of turmoil or uncertainty, rely on your common sense and good logic. Typically, your gut instinct is the right path to choose, but remember to be realistic. Use this throughout your everyday life and let it guide you. In addition, it’s important to be proud and confident, but take the time to step back and see yourself in the big world. Know your impact and know the potential you have to reach great limits.
 
No one is stopping you, but you. In yoga, if you’re struggling to master a position, there is a good chance your mind is the one controlling your inability. If it’s your body’s strength that cannot overcome the challenge, use your mind to strengthen and push your body to know you will one day master the position. Use this in your professional setting, too. If you’re facing a challenge or something you think you are not qualified to take on, realize that you’re stronger, brighter, stronger and more talented than you think. 
 
Breathe. Finding your breath is the primary focus of practicing yoga. If you are ever in a difficult pose, and are struggling to complete it, remember that you can always come to your resting position to find your breath. When facing a difficult decision or task, take a moment to find your breath, regardless of where you are. This will help you find your inner peace and allow you to make a conscious decision.  
 
Let go of the things you cannot control, and let go of perfection. This is a common teaching in many yoga practices. Things happen in life and at work that you cannot control. The only thing you can control is how you perform, how you treat people and how you choose to accomplish the things you strive to accomplish. Sometimes, the path to getting to a pose or to an accomplishment is much more valuable than the actual accomplishment itself. Appreciate setbacks and roadblocks as they make you stronger and your journey richer. Remember the way you perceive your self-worth and ability is in your control. Let your goals and passions feed your drive, and let go of the distractions and events happening around you that no longer serve you. If co-workers don’t perform as you would like them to, push yourself harder and be the example that you believe they should have.
 
It doesn’t matter where you practice. Yoga can be done in your living room, in a studio or in your car, if you’d like. As long as you practice where and how best suites you, you’re doing it right. Just like your place of work. Some people are lucky enough to work from home, others prefer to be in an office, and others prefer to be outdoors. Wherever you can perform and do your best work, is where you should be. You do you.  
 
P.S. You can’t forget happy baby. When life gets too serious and you’re feeling stressed, remember you can always go to the happy baby position, as a wonderful stretch and way to simply end your day…or practice. 
 
Namaste.

There are many careers that allow you to come home and completely forget about your work; there are also many careers that do not provide this luxury. When life happens and you need to balance your career, home life (cooking, cleaning, children, etc.), relationships, and maybe even a second job or education, it can be difficult to prioritize. Here is how I suggest prioritizing and managing everything in your crazy, hectic lives.
 
Make a list based on deadline – It’s important to make a to-do list, but sometimes a to-do list with 30 tasks becomes so overwhelming that it’s useless. Make a list of what needs to get done, and put those tasks in order by deadline. This will allow you to successfully prioritize.
 
Folders – It can become difficult to remember everything you need to be keeping track of. That’s why organization is key! I’m a big fan of folders and utilize them every chance I can. Create folders on your desktop and organize them by topic (banking, taxes, work, photos, upcoming events, etc.) In addition to utilizing folders on your computer, create folders in your email with similar titles. I find it helpful to also create a folder for every vacation and event coming up, so when it comes time to head out, I have all of the needed information in one place. I also have a folder within my email that includes receipts for each year. That way every online purchase I make is easy to find in my receipt folder.
 
Write it down – A rule of thumb for me in my professional and personal life, is to write things down the minute they happen. So for example, if someone invites you to an event, put it in your calendar right when you hear about it. If you have a deadline, write it down right when you learn of the deadline. This prevents last minute breakdowns and helps your life become much more manageable.
 
Set aside time for yourself – “You” time is very important and no matter what you have going on in your life, setting aside that time for yourself is always necessary. Find an activity that puts your mind at ease, and partake for 30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours... Whether it’s yoga, crafting, walking, spending time at the gym, drawing, writing…whatever it may be, do it! If it is hard to find that time in your schedule, draw out your schedule, find a place where it can realistically fit, and commit to it on a weekly, or daily basis. It takes 21 days to form a new habit, so stick with it for a month, and soon, taking care of yourself will come naturally, despite your busy schedule.
 
When you have the time, take it – It seems our cars always get low on gas when we have a long drive ahead of us, our appliances break when we don’t have the time or energy to fix them, we never have the time to shop for a gift when a friend’s birthday is quickly approaching, and we don’t have the appropriate outfit in our closet for an event. That’s why it’s important to always look ahead and see how you can get ahead when you have free time. Put gas in your car when you have a free moment, buy that little black dress you don’t think you need right now, buy that gift that you know your friend will love, even if his/her birthday isn’t for a couple of months... Getting ahead like this can make stressful times much easier.
 
Free up your Sunday - Errands never end, so if you are able to clear your schedule on a Sunday, spend the day, or half the day getting ahead for the week. Spend Sunday mornings grocery shopping, washing your car, scheduling your week. It’s the best time to get prepared and set the tone for the week.
 
 
P.S. Don’t forget amongst all of this “responsible living” to have fun, stop to smell the roses, and appreciate all of the wonderful things you have going on in your life.

With Thanksgiving less than two days away, I have been spending a lot of time thinking about the things I am thankful for. Of course the usual are on the my list: family, friends, being surrounded by love, my health, my education, etc. So, what about the things that aren’t so typical. PR professionals, social media experts, or quirky individuals here is what you should be thankful for this Thanksgiving!
 

1. Hootsuite: Can you imagine what life would be like without social media scheduling apps like HootSuite and Tweetdeck? Remember when the Facebook scheduling tool was down for a millisecond last week? We didn’t know what to do with ourselves…
2. Brands like ban.do that sell organization accessories: You can never have too many notebooks, planners and organizers. I am very thankful for ban.do, where I can go to successfully satisfy all of my organizational needs.
3. Target’s dollar section: Who doesn’t walk by the dollar section at Target without taking a peek? It provides the finishing touches on our last minute gifts and trinkets we never thought we needed.
4. Google Drive: Think about all of the extra space we have on our computers thanks to Google Drive. 
5. Sticky notes: Without sticky notes we would have a whole lot of torn pieces of paper and paperclips. Whatever genius invented Sticky Notes, I thank you!
6. Media monitoring tools: If we didn’t have tools like Cision and TVEyes, we would be glued to our TV’s, having to DVR all of our client’s scheduled segments or find clips online and then somehow send them out.
7. Copy & paste: You’re sending out a pitch to the local health media. Your media list has 75 contacts on it. “Copy” and “Paste” doesn’t exist. Tell me what you do. It’s the simple things that make our lives simple! 
8. The Container Store: Walking into the Container Store somehow restores the ability to clean and organize. There is something about that magical place that makes a person want to go home and organize. 
9. Wi-Fi/Mobile Hotspots/Mobile Data: Imagine not having Internet connection with you everywhere you go, especially in the PR industry. Things would be a lot different.
10. Thanksgiving Day: This special day gives you an excuse to disconnect and spend much needed time with family and friends. Enjoy! 

 
P.S. I would love to hear what you are thankful for this time of year! Let me know in the comments below or shoot me an e-mail. 

​Okay, so we all know how much we have running through our minds: Planning events, scheduling social media posts, developing campaign strategies, while trying to balance everything else in our crazy lives. Everything is organized, things are planned and scheduled and suddenly, you look at the calendar and Halloween is less than two weeks away. For us, two weeks is scary close!
 
So you go to the Halloween store, all the premade costumes are awful and they don’t have your size left in anything that looks of interest to you.
You’re great at managing crises but these kinds of things don’t fall under your job description.
 
Breathe! I have put together a list of creative, simple Halloween costumes you can put together in a matter of minutes and with things you can probably find around your house. You may need to run to the nearest Halloween store for an accessory or two, but nowhere below will you find any premade costumes: 
 

1. Miss America: Wear your 4th of July American flag shirts and bandanas, throw on a crown and there you have it, Miss America.
2. Pin-up girl: Throw your hair in a bun, grab your brightest of red lipstick, red bandana (to wear as a headband) and high wasted shorts. Try this with a red and white striped shirt and navy blue high wasted shorts. You could also wear a flannel and shorts to keep it simple. 
3. Cat: Okay, I had to include it in the list just because it’s so easy. Yes, you’ll be one among one hundred cats but it’s better than showing up to your Halloween party costume-less.
4. Birds and the bees: This is a costume for two!  Grab a black and yellow striped shirt and some wings for one, and a bird beak and feathers on a shirt for the other. You two are the birds and the bees!
5. Breakfast at Tiffany’s – Audrey Hepburn: Find your little black dress in your closet, your mom’s pearls and long black or white gloves.  Put your hair in a bun and add a brooch!
6. Army/Combat girl: Pull out your camo tops and your combat boots for this costume. You can also use your eyeliner to draw lines on your cheeks to give it a more realistic look.
7. Animal: Bring out your animal print shirt you haven’t worn since middle school and spice it up a bit with some makeup and a tail, or ears. *Add a party hat to be a party animal!
   
8. Sporty chick: Use any of your old jerseys, some long socks, and throw your hair in a ponytail. 
9. Risky Business: Grab your dad or boyfriend’s white, long sleeve button up, your Raybans (or Faybans) and you’re set!
10. Blanket: If you have a tie blanket at home, undo some of those ties, making holes just big enough for your head, arms and feet. There you have it, you’re a blanket.
11. Scarecrow: Grab a pair of jeans, a plaid shirt, a felt hat and a little brown eyeliner for around your mouth and nose.  
12. Zombie anything: With a little bit of makeup (or help from your makeup talented friends), you can turn your Mickey Mouse ears and polka dot shirt into a zombie Mickey Mouse.

 
 
 
P.S. I would love to see pictures of your costumes! Send them my way!  

Okay, so what’s all the hype about? Being healthy and fit is the latest trend and we are surrounded by all of this information about these amazing super foods, health regiments and exercises. 

Although I would love to say I’m up on all of these trends and products, I am still learning alongside the rest of you, but one thing that I have tried and swear by, is matcha (powder) green tea.

When I drink matcha green tea, I have it mixed with my water, as most people do. I typically just order it from Starbucks and it is relatively cheap, although they recently raised the price (it used to be 80 cents). When ordering, I ask for a Venti ice water, with 5-8 scoops of matcha green tea (depending on how strong a flavor I want).

What I love about matcha green tea, is that it has ten times more antioxidants than regular tea.  

You may have read about the many health benefits of matcha green tea; it prevents cancer, works as an anti-ager, enhances calming and boosts memory and concentration, but here is what it does for me:

1.     Gives me the energy I need to make it through my day. No matter when I drink matcha green tea, I am instantly energized. 

2.     Puts me in a wonderful mood, instantly (not sure if it’s the caffeine, the taste, or a combination of the two). 

3.     Actually allows me to concentrate. If I know I have a lot of studying ahead, I make sure I have matcha green tea next to me.

4.     Motivates me. When I have my matcha green tea, I feel rejuvenated.

5.     Boosts my metabolism. I’m not kidding! I’ve heard from numerous sources that green tea boosts your metabolism and the powdered version is no different. It works like a charm!

P.S. You can buy matcha green tea by itself from a number of stores online. Before buying though, do some research. The powder is a bit expensive. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.