Understanding the Fragility of Life

The fragility of childbirth became painfully clear to me in the spring of this year. In April, I experienced my first miscarriage, followed by another in July. It’s been a challenging year, to say the least.

I remember those days when tears flowed endlessly, and I couldn’t look at my husband without crying. My hormones were undoubtedly on a rollercoaster ride. Despite the unwavering support and love that surrounded me, it was still incredibly difficult to accept that my body, after giving birth to two healthy babies, had lost a child. People often said things like, “You should be grateful for your healthy kids, and you’ll get pregnant again.” It’s not that I’m not grateful for my healthy children; I adore them. What I wanted was to experience that profound happiness all over again – the moment of holding a newborn in my arms and feeling their tiny heartbeat against my chest. It wasn’t ingratitude; it was a longing for more of that joy.

The Weight of “What Ifs”

In the weeks following the losses, I found myself haunted by questions of what could have been, what should have been, and why things didn’t unfold as they were supposed to. I blamed myself, thinking it was the cup of coffee I drank, my water intake, or the day I missed a prenatal vitamin. I felt like my body had betrayed me.

In reality, my body responded precisely as it needed to when faced with a pregnancy that wasn’t viable or healthy. Deep down, I know that when the time is right, I’ll be blessed with a healthy baby.

Finding Healing

When faced with such a loss, the only person who can truly guide you out of that dark place is yourself. Here are some things that helped me cope with my pain and loss:

1. Consistent Therapy: Seeking professional help was a crucial step in healing.
2. Nature Walks and Music: A simple walk in the fresh air with my favorite music or an audiobook offered solace.
3. Connecting with Friends: Meeting with friends, sharing stories, and finding comfort in their company was invaluable.
4. Journaling: Writing down my thoughts and emotions became a cathartic outlet.

Sharing my journey through loss and hope is both vulnerable and liberating. While I created this space for the lighter aspects of life, I’ve come to realize that our struggles and triumphs are also part of our story. I hope that by sharing this, I can offer solace and strength to those who may be navigating similar waters.

Remember, it’s okay to grieve, to long for what was lost, and to hope for what the future may bring. We are stronger than we know, and healing is possible, even in the face of life’s toughest challenges.

The post Navigating Loss and Hope: My Personal Journey first appeared on Style With Kitty.

The post Navigating Loss and Hope: My Personal Journey appeared first on Style With Kitty.

Ever sit down to write in your journal and just stare at a blank piece of paper with brain fog. Not knowing where to start, what to write, or have an outpour of words come out faster than you can even gather those thoughts. I know where you’re coming from and I’ve been there, heck even the best writers will get writers block and thats okay I’m here to give you a head start on your journaling journey. These are all ideas I picked from Jen Sincero’s book You Are A Badass! Take it as setting the tone for your mind and getting your journal going and then build on it!

Write down 5 good habits you always had in your journal:

1.) When I’m truly determined, I’m dedicated whole heartedly and I get things done!

2.) I wash my make-up off and wash my face every night! (This is a weird one to share but I’m proud of myself for this; it keeps my skin healthy)

3.) I’m always looking to help those in need

4.) I’m always eager to learn and grow (complacency in life is never good when you’re complacent you lose purpose; I learned this from my brother-in-law)!

5.) I am humble

Write down 5 habits you intentionally created and/or quit in your journal:

1.) I quit alcohol

2.) I intentionally started journaling

3.) I’ve learned to be more mindful and in the moment

4.) Avoiding toxic habits and toxic people

5.) Setting boundaries with work, family, and friends

Write down 5 habit upgrades you’d love to make in your journal (I love how Jen Sincero worded this one!):

1.) Being more aware of what I eat/ healthier eating habits

2.) Consistency in my life with intellectual, physical, and spiritual growth

3.) I need to learn to give myself grace for my slower more relaxed days too

4.) Less scrolling more creating for my blog and Instagram

5.) Worry less about others’ opinions/judgements and do more unapologetic ME!

This will give you a head start on your journaling. *I’d like to note again please know these journal starters are all from Jen Sincero’s book You Are A Badass but the thoughts and ideas listed are mine! I have read a lot of self help books to help me with my mental health and to help bring a positive change in my life. Here is a blog post I wrote a while back with some of My Top Reads for Personal Growth.

Happy 2023 here’s to a year of health, happiness, and prosperity!!

The post A Peek Into My Journal first appeared on Style With Kitty.

The post A Peek Into My Journal appeared first on Style With Kitty.

Hey Everyone,

I’m making my return over here on the blog with some fun content to share. I feel like I do this every few months and then I disappear again. 2021 for me meant consistent planning and organizing not just my home but my thoughts, my business, and being more intentional. So if all goes as planned you’ll find a new post from me five days a week I’ll share a recipe, a fashion piece, or something of value! I’m all about better eating habits this year!

When I decide to bring a change in my life I like to ease into them. Going cold turkey was never really my way of doing things. And over the course of a couple of years I really had to kick some bad habits good-bye. For the first few weeks of January I have been focusing on my eating habits. Not for weight loss but because as a kid I’ve always had terrible eating habits and some carried onto adulthood. I grew up pretty much eating Dunkaroos (if you’re a 90s kid you know what these are!), fruit roll-ups, and Doritos for every meal. While my mother always pushed me to eat healthier I played the youngest kid card and found my way to eat more junk food than healthy meals. And boy did karma teach me, my boys are extremely picky eaters it’s always a battle trying to feed them healthy foods I’ll find JJ sneaking in Oreos from the cookie jar before dinner! They are still little so I figured it was time to make life changes in my home to instill better eating habits all around. When it comes to parenting a five and four year old these days you can’t preach what you don’t practice cause they will call you out!

Five things I did to kick my bad eating habits Good-bye!

1.) I cut back on my carbohydrate intake in my meals, this made me more intentional about what I was putting into my body. While I’m no health expert I’m not doing any kind of keto diet or low carb diet, I’m just not eating parathas for breakfast everyday anymore!

2.) I meal plan, this is something that has helped me plan out healthier meals and not run to the first thing I can resort to in the pantry and fridge when I’m hungry.

3.) I am reading labels on foods before putting them into my body. This has made me more aware of the good carbs vs bad carbs. I was having a lot of digestive issues and changing my diet has helped eliminate those.

4.) I eat more frequently in my day and I choose healthier snacks. I’ll eat an apple with peanut butter rather than munching on cookies. I’ve fallen in love with these Frozen Kind Bars, thanks to my sister! They are like a snickers bar but even better! And only 9 grams of carbs!

5.) I drink more water, I try to drink at least two glasses of water before eating breakfast. Keeping this hydroflask with me through my day has helped me keep hydrated throughout the day and it keeps my water chilled all day.

What are some things you are doing to improve your health this year?

The post 5 Simple Acts to Kick Bad Eating Habits Good-bye. first appeared on Style With Kitty.

The post 5 Simple Acts to Kick Bad Eating Habits Good-bye. appeared first on Style With Kitty.

Welcome to Style With Kitty!! I had to retire Binkie Bliss because with each post it was making me realize more and more how the name just wasn’t fitting for the content anymore. It was a fun start to this outlet of mine but I’m excited for this new chapter of rebranding! So here’s to the early mornings and late nights of joining me on this platform where we can connect about food, fashion, fitness, travels and mommin’! Because let’s be honest mommin ain’t easy and when you know you have a tribe of your very own in the same boat it makes it all the more survivable! So join my tribe right here at Style With Kitty! Here you will find recipe’s, budget friendly fashion, and tried and true fitness tips.

With a fresh start I wanted to share 10 Fun Facts about me!

10 Fun Facts About Me:

1. My nickname is Kitty (probably since I was born, but only my family calls me Kitty otherwise the names, Nida)
2. I grew up in New Jersey – No I do not have a joisey accent 
3. I went to college in Idaho (not Ohio, and yes it exists on the map)
4. I was born in Peshawar, Pakistan
5. I love the mountains
6. I’ve done a skydive
7. I grew up with four older sisters (picture it as having four closets growing up and even to this day!)
8. I find folding laundry very therapeutic (in fact I’m making this list as I’m folding laundry)
9. I’m terrified of snakes (my older son was bit by a garden snake when he was two!)
10. The coolest celebrity I’ve ever met was Denzel Washington (he was on broadway for Julius Caesar in NYC)

I’d love to learn something about you so leave a fun fact about yourself in the comments below!

Thanks for following along this journey of mine!

-Kitty

The post A Fresh Start & 10 Fun Facts about Me first appeared on Style With Kitty.

The post A Fresh Start & 10 Fun Facts about Me appeared first on Style With Kitty.

We returned last Sunday only to find a brand new unopened gallon of milk had spoiled. We figured it was no big deal we tossed that gallon and bought another, two days later, same thing and more spoiled food. Finally my husband looked into it and realized the fridge wasn’t functioning right and we called for some repairs and guess what?! It wasn’t possible to repair a fridge with a broken compressor because they stopped selling the parts necessary so we ended up buying a new refrigerator this weekend and if we’re spending on one new appliance why not just update all the other appliances as well, right guys?! Which was actually pretty nice, we ended up getting a new microwave and we decided on a nice new stove too! Nothing fancy but definitely a nice change so I’m pretty excited!

Back to the good stuff, it’s Monday, a new day and a new week!  I’ve finally got myself back into a routine of a workout.  It has nothing to do with the New Year and new goals just realizing if I bring a little change in my awful eating habits and exercise I will feel better! I love my body and the fact that this body had two beautiful babies and during our vacation I noticed I just didn’t have the energy like I used to, whether it was climbing up stairs or running through the airport catching flights.  It is my stamina I am more worried about; I need to be able to keep up with my boys! I was doing so well until about Thanksgiving and then it was sporadic workouts and then no workouts until last week. But you know what I’m not going to dwell on the fact that I stopped for weeks and I’m going to keep going strong (now THAT has to do with the New Year and new goals)!!

In 2019 I’m all about staying in the moment. I’ve realized that no matter what the dishes will ultimately get done, the laundry will be folded, and everything else will fall into place.  It’s about enjoying the moment that I’m presently in whether it be stopping to cuddle with my boys for an episode of Peppa Pig or story time cozied up by the fireplace. I’m going to focus a lot more on a healthier lifestyle, which means no more late night munching on chocolate chip cookies and Oreos and doing those daily workouts even if its just 30 min on the treadmill. More so because they make me feel healthier and help me build that stamina! Also, its something I’m doing for me, not the mom in me or the sister or daughter but for just ME!

One of my motivators this week for a workout was a fresh pair of runners and workout clothes. What better way to get motivated than a shopping spree! I’ve linked some of my favorites below. (I think the Nike runners I’ve linked are now out of stock but tons of more options I can link here later)

So here’s my little farewell to 2018! 2018 tested our patience in many ways and brought us so much joy! We officially became homeowners for the very first time, we both grew as individuals, my husbands business took a tremendous positive leap (after of course A LOT of blood and sweat), we made some memorable trips, and enjoyed precious moments of watching our sweet boys grow, I’d also like to think we kind of figured out this parenting thing to a certain extent, we survived the terrible two’s with our oldest son and now we’re on round two with the younger one (all prayers will be appreciate in this department) all in all you’ve been good to us 2018 but we couldn’t be more ready and grateful to see what’s in store for us this coming year! So 2019, bring it on!

We had an epic start to this year with such a memorable trip to Cancun (And because so many of you messaged asking me for information on where we stayed and what we did I have a post coming out this week on our trip with deets on where we stayed, the activities we did, and so much more it’ll make you want to book your very own paradise getaway full of sun, sand, and the ocean!)

Happy Monday, Friends!

The post Cruising into 2019 first appeared on Style With Kitty.

The post Cruising into 2019 appeared first on Style With Kitty.

We were hit with a bit of rain and some flurries yesterday but that didn’t stop us from hitting the polls! I loved seeing all the posts on everyone stepping out and getting their voice heard! As the weather gets colder we moms still have to step out for early morning school drop-offs or errands and there’s nothing like having a pair of joggers to add to your momiform to keep things warm and cozy. I just had to pop in and share the sweetest deal on the coziest Alternative joggers ever!

(To purchase simply click on either of the images below and buy yourself a pair, there are more colors and prints you can select from once you click the image)

These joggers fit snug like a glove and to add to their comfort they are SOFT!! They have a slim fit to them and they do tend to shrink just a little after the first wash. Initially I bought these joggers in a medium because many reviews said they run small but the medium gave me a loser fit whereas the small size was more snug. I prefer to wear joggers a little more snug (I’m about 5 feet and wear a size 24 or 25).  I love these joggers so much that I have four pairs!!

My first initial find for the Alternative jogger was at Nordstrom but they were priced at $54.  Until I found them on Amazon for less than $25!!!! Sweet deals like this make me jump with joy!!! I’ve linked the Alternative joggers here.  They come in different colors and even a fun camo print (*note pricing varies on amazon based on the print/color you select).  As the weather is getting cooler all of us moms can use a cozy pair of joggers to cozy up by the fireplace or slip them on in the crisp cold mornings when we have to drop the kids off to school. Don’t miss out on this deal! To purchase simply click the image/link and buy your pair now!

As the holidays approach I’m excited to share more styles and deals with you so stay tuned with me I’ll be posting more updates on sales and discounts!

The post Joggers for Life first appeared on Style With Kitty.

The post Joggers for Life appeared first on Style With Kitty.