Tuesday, December 30, 2014

What I've learned in 2014...

Take chances. If your gut is telling you do so something, then you probably should. Who cares what other people have to say about it? They’re still going to sleep the same way regardless. It’s your life.

I’ve learned that it’s absolutely okay to feel like I’m a different person than I was at this point last year. It’s acceptable to grow up, to go to bed earlier, and to enjoy making dinner at home more than going out partying. The hangovers aren’t always worth it, but taking care of my body is.

With that being said, it’s also okay to party like a rock star when the time is right.

We should all try to stop worrying so much— Most of the time we stress over things that never even transpire anyway. Things are going to happen, and people are going to do whatever they want no matter what. Trust the process.

Tell the people you love just how much you love them. Do things for them. Prove to them that they matter.  

Remember that everyone has different dreams. Just because yours might not coincide with someone else’s doesn’t mean either of you are wrong. It just means you’re on different paths, and that’s okay. Support them anyway.

Let someone be mad at you. Let someone miss you. Let people have their say. The people you love the most will have the ability to hurt you the most. Love them anyway.

Read. Reading nourishes the brain and the mind. I’ve learned more about people through fictional characters than you’d think. A book is a simple world of letters, sentences, and imaginary pictures, but it’s a beautiful world to get lost in.

Confide in people, but don’t confide too much. Some secrets are meant to be kept between just you and yourself. It helps keep you close to your inner being and reminds you that you come first.

Protect your passion. Let others protect theirs. Don’t let anyone bring you down and at the same time, don’t make people feel bad about things that make them happy.

Be nice to strangers, and

Let the sunshine hit your face. Remember how lucky you are to have that chance.



Monday, December 22, 2014

December 22, 2014

We wait...
For the sun to rise,
For our coffee to be the perfect blend of milk and sugar,
For lunch breaks,
For laughter over cooking dinner,
For the comfort in stretching your legs out over your boyfriend’s lap on the couch, and
For the moon to shine through your window.
We wait for December,
For the holidays,
For the excitement of your first Christmas tree in a new apartment,
For the arrival of family,
For the tears to stream down your face over an inside joke with your friends,
For perfect days full of a sisterly bond no one can break,
For today…
And then we wait again for tomorrow,
And then tomorrow comes and we wait some more.
We wait for the struggle of goodbyes,
 and we beg for our voices not to crack when we say,
“When are you coming home next? I really can’t wait…”
And just like that, we find ourselves moving through days, and months, and seasons,
holding out for new excitements, and new endeavors… 
and while we don't even realize we are doing it,
we wait...


Tuesday, October 28, 2014

On Reflection



To some of you, this photograph looks like just another typical, yet blurry, selfie that I would post, coupled with an intriguing, inspirational quote about autumn or fashion. Or possibly, it might not have a quote at all, leaving you to decode the mystery behind my elusive bathroom-break vanity.

But this photograph was taken, yes, of me, by myself, in a bathroom, but it wasn’t taken with the intention of posting on Instagram or Facebook for people to hit “like” or make cute comments on. I took the picture because I was realized on that particular day, that I’m proud of myself. I feel proud that I’m truly comfortable in my own skin, proud that I’ve been working really hard at my new job, proud that I’ve been kicking ass in in the gym, gaining the body I want, proud to have received a good raise in pay after being laid off from the job I was at for four years, and pictured myself in for at least another four. I feel proud that I can wear a messy bun on top of my head, little makeup and still feel beautiful. I’m proud that I have built my credit up enough to buy the vehicle that I’ve always wanted. I’m proud that in the mirror’s reflection, I see a girl who has overcome battles in that past year that might seem so minute to some people, but at one point seemed next to impossible to me.


I’m proud that I can post this picture now, and not really care about the inevitable criticism that will surely accompany it. I’m happy that I can truthfully say I’m happy. Happy with what life has given me - the way life has tested me and built my strength, made me work for what I want. I’m happy with the way I feel when I open my eyes each morning, and happy that at 27, I’m not in a huge house with a white picket fence and three children six cats screaming at me when I walk through the door, because even though that’s what I had pictured for my life at 27, I am perfectly content with my trendy little apartment, my hardworking boyfriend, my beautiful group of friends, a family that will never let me down, and a heart that loves so much it hurts.

Friday, October 24, 2014

October 24, 2014

“I want to say something so embarrassing about October 
that even the leaves start blushing and turning red.” 

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

On Giving, Not Getting…

There is something to be said about helping people out – in the simplest or most complex of ways - when you tell them not to worry, that you’ve got their back this time. It’s the reassuring sound in their sigh of relief, when you hear the crashing of the weight dropping from their shoulders, the colliding of the “what am I going to do?” with the “thank you so much!” It’s when you know that they are truly grateful, and that you’ve made a difference in their world.

It’s not so you can wake up and tell the world, “if I do this one good thing, ten good things will happen to me!”…And it’s certainly not because karma is your best friend who will shower you with riches and sunny days with no traffic and perfect tasting coffee.

It’s because there’s a beautiful little flame that some people keep tucked away inside their hearts, flames belonging to candles that have faded and melted and can’t find a way to shine – candles that can quickly ignite when you share your oxygen… and if you’re someone lucky enough to have the power to light someone else’s flame, do it, and do everything you can to never let it burn out…. Why? Because the world is a cold place, and without the warmth of some people, and without these little candles, we’d all be sitting in the dark....


And when you can give without the chance of getting, you're not the only person who will sleep better at night.

Thursday, September 25, 2014

"Dream"




Everyone had diamond earrings,
And a bright gold wedding band
She had worn out sneakers
And a night-shift working man.
The old cross her Daddy gave her
Sat securely on her chest,
She held it while she prayed at night
Asking God to just give it a rest.

She swept the floors, she made the beds
She kept her little babies fed
He brought home fifty bucks a week
But she never had bad words to speak,
‘Cause she knew there must be more out there
Wild wind to tangle up their hair,
So she’d dream……….

When the kids grew up and went to school
She went out to make some money too
Her paycheck wasn’t very much
She never really had great luck,
But she remembered what her momma said
“Pretty girl don’t ever lose your head,
It’s a cold world out there, ya know
So don’t ever let the good ones go,
Hold on tightly to that man of yours
Run your fingers through your babies’ curls
And dream………..”

Now they’re both in their sixties
Their kids have kids of their own
Their little corner city flat
Is what the both of them call home.
He still smiles; he looks her up and down
In her worn out little pink night gown
He says “My sweet lady it’s all alright,
We’ve made it through harsher nights,
I’m right beside you every single day,
Close your eyes now, love, it’s all okay
So just dream……..”



Holly A. Wolti

Friday, September 19, 2014

If Walls Could Talk...

I’m talking about that one green wall. Or is it yellow? I really don’t know. My mom has some name for it, my sister and friends think it’s the greatest part of the apartment, my boyfriend just thinks it’s just “green”, and my dad thinks oh it’s nice honey, it’s different. And that, right there, is why I find myself writing about something as humble as a wall, and I'm sure you've seen this photo before....


My green apartment wall is different to everyone who walks in the door.  People see it differently; some people don’t even care enough to see it. But being the only accent to many eggshell painted corners, it has exclusivity to it. It sits behind the first decoration I bought, and it was the wall I spent hours visualizing when I started apartment shopping.  Apartment shopping is hard when you have such an unusual colored wall. But then again, I would hate it if the wall was white and simple. 

But this wall – this is our wall. It’s the wall that sometimes smells like our breakfast on the weekends, and it’s the wall that our dinner conversations bounce off of.  It’s where I sit when I complain about my busy day, and it’s where my boyfriend sits and listens to me ramble. It’s the wall that our laughs echo from, and it’s the wall that we’ve stood in front of during drunken arguments. It’s the wall that I cook next to, and the wall that is so hard to clean. It’s the wall that belongs to the first place we’ve lived together, and it’s the wall I’ll remember when my kids ask me what our first place together looked like. It's the wall that we celebrated next to when we opened our first beers and popped a bottle of champagne on our first night there, where we spent hours talking instead of watching TV because we didn't have cable yet. It's the wall that I made him stand near when I took photos, so eager to post on Instagram. It’s the first thing I see when I get home at 6:00 after a long commute, and it has become the place where we leave love notes and burn candles near. It’s the wall that belongs to the place that belongs to us, that has watched us grow as a couple.



And sometimes – but not always -- I really wish walls could talk.

Friday, September 5, 2014

It Works!

So, my life has been pretty busy lately….from a crazy summer, to starting a new job, to basically having some place to be every weekend, and planning an engagement party for my sister and Mike, I’ve been pretty tied up with less time to work out and eat healthy. 

However, I have been pretty lucky. I teamed up with a cool chick named Ashley Sinclair from ItWorks!, and she provided me with a way to look and feel my best during this whirlwind I’ve been on! Ashley sent me some Ultimate Applicator body wraps, some hair skin and nail vitamins, defining gel, and some lip and eye cream. 


After using all of these products, I have been able to fit perfectly into tight summer dresses, feel confident in bikinis, not have to worry about constant manicures, and I’ve also felt safer under the sun’s hot rays.



Ashley Sinclair is a pro at selling her products, so I asked her to provide my readers with some basic facts about the Ultimate Body Applicator wraps, since they were my favorite product, and also a huge favorite among people all over the country!  

7 Facts About the Ulitmate Body Applicator

1. What is the Ultimate Body Applicator?
The applicator is an all-natural piece of non-woven cloth that you can apply to any area of the body to tone, tighten, and !rm the skin. It hydrates and smooths the skin where it is applied.
2. Are you simply losing water weight?
Our product is not water weight loss! We have no diuretics in our product. Results are actually greater with water consumption. The applicator is ultra hydrating.
3. How often can I wrap?
You can wrap every 72 hours and it is easy to apply at home.
4. Where can I wrap?
The wrap can be worn anywhere on the body except the face. (The company has special facial applicators). It was designed specifically for the abdomen but can be worn on arms, legs, backside, or cut in half and worn on the chin/neck, love handles, outer thighs, etc...
5. How long do results last?
Results last from 2-6 months depending on your lifestyle. Exercising and eating healthy help results last longer. Wrap one area at a time for greatest results and follow up with the de!ning gel twice daily to maximize results. Maintenance includes wrapping once at least once a month.
6. How much are the wraps?
The wraps are $25 each or you can buy a pack of four wraps for $59 as a loyal customer. Each box has 4 wraps. One wrap is a sample and it is important to note that four wraps is a full treatment!
7. What is a Loyal Customer?
A loyal customer agrees to buy one product a month for three months and gets wholesale pricing for life after completing the third shipment. Customers have complete control over their orders and can change products at any time.

Contact Ashley today! Ashley@tryskinnywraps.com and visit her site at Tryskinnywraps.com and I promise you'll be thanking her! 

Thursday, August 7, 2014

Old Orchard Beach, Maine

“There is nothing more beautiful
Than the way the ocean refuses to stop kissing the shore,

no matter how many times it is sent away”


Displaying photo.JPG

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

"Red Canoe"


Young love sweating in a red canoe
You say, “look at that sky”
But all I see is you
Tan skin pulsing, I think I see your heart
I want to swallow it whole
So we’ll never have to part.

And I’m sure that this is magic
‘Cause it really can’t be real
You’re seeing parts of me I promised
I’d never quite reveal,
But there’s something ‘bout that shimmer
From the sun down to the lake
And I’m thinking back to when I said,
“You were my best mistake.”

Now you’re giving me that same old look,
I’ve seen a billion times before
I’ve memorized your smile, and
I’ve never been so sure.
I laugh, “sometimes the best things
they just can’t be foreseen
You have to let your heart outweigh your head,
You know just what I mean….”

You pause before you answer
You just stare at me so hard
Then you lean right in to kiss me
You love catching me off guard.
You tell me just to listen; you swear these words are true
You say, “No one’s ever loved you girl, the way that I sure do.”

Now we’re back at shore, it’s later now
The onyx sky has lost its blue
My mind’s repeating what you said,
The way you looked in that canoe.
You notice that I’m drifting off,
I think you’re drifting too,
You say “look up at the stars, my love”

But all I see is you.

- a poem written by Holly Amber Wolti

Monday, June 23, 2014

defining security, defining comfort...


 


It’s in the scent of morning coffee, sitting on your living room couch with your cat curled up in a ball next to you. It’s in the way she knows if you’re sick or tired, or when you just need her warmth.

               It’s the way the clock looks at 5:00pm when you’ve just accomplished a busy day at work.

               It’s in being able to call your best friend and hearing her ask “what’s wrong?” before you can even get past the “Are you busy?”

               It’s in the stories your mother tells you about her childhood home and about your grandparents. They’re stories you’ve certainly heard before, but somehow they mean more each time.

               It’s in the way your father can make you laugh harder than anyone on the planet, and it’s in the feeling you get when you sigh and chuckle to yourself, recognizing that you’re a lot more like him than you thought.

               It’s in meeting new people in your boyfriend’s family and realizing you’re so lucky to be a part of such a down to earth collection of people.

               It’s in the feeling of going broke on pay day, but noticing the weight off your shoulders after your bills have been paid.

               It’s the taste of that first sip of a cold beer on a 80° summer day. It’s also in the reminder that you’re 27 now, and you know you’ll be hung over as hell the next morning, but that you just won’t care because drunken memories and the smell of a bonfire in your hair means you’ve had a perfect night.

               It’s in the way you wrap your body around your boyfriend when you wake up in the middle of the night and realize you still have time to sleep before your alarm goes off.

               It’s the fact that even if you only had 2 minutes to sleep, you’d still wrap your body around his the same way.

               It’s in the way you feel the day your sister calls to tell you she’s coming home to visit, and it’s in the emptiness you feel when she leaves.

               It’s also in knowing your sister has found someone who can love her almost as much as you do for the rest of her life.

               It’s in the pictures on your apartment walls. The constant compliments on your shower curtain. It’s in the way your kitchen always smells like your favorite Yankee Candle. It’s in knowing that you might not be living in a castle, but that you still feel like a queen when you come home to your king every night.

               It’s in this blog, and knowing people are reading it. It’s in the fact that people care enough about my little thoughts. 

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

When you are happy...

This is our big chance to see what people think of us. 
The real us. 
We have to show 'em there's nothing to be afraid of. 

I looked at other couples and wondered how they could be so calm about it. 
They held hands as if they weren't even holding hands. 
When he and I hold hands, I have to keep looking down to marvel at it. 
There is my hand, the same hand I've always had - but what is it holding?
 It's holding his hand!
Each day I wonder what happens next. 
What happens when you stop wanting, when you are happy. 
I suppose I will go on being happy forever..."
-Miranda July



Tuesday, June 10, 2014

The Coming And The Going

"She wondered what it would be like 
to live in a world where it was always June..." 
-LM Montgomery

I feel like it was just yesterday I was fifteen years old, not feeling quite like a child anymore, but certainly not an adult yet either. I vividly remember craving summer nights of cruising around in cars with my friends, windows down, our music blaring through quiet neighborhoods. I yearned for summer nights on the sand, catching a good buzz off some cheap strawberry wine, not worrying about a curfew or having to call my parents. I wanted winter, but only for my birthday, and when that passed, I wanted summer. I wanted it to be summer every single day of my life. I wanted it now.

"Dad, I can't wait to be an adult and take days off from work in June to go on trips and go to the beach and do whatever I want",  I would scream on cold, frustrating nights full of homework and fights with my sister or girlfriends.

"Don't wish your life away", he always said.





Now I'm 27, and it seems like I still wait all year for summer. Every December, even when my brain is decorated with holiday cheer, excitement for family to visit, and anticipation of the first snowfall, I find myself asking people, even strangers, is it summer yet??? They tell me no, but that Christmas is almost here, then comes the new year, and before you know it, summer will fly by and we'll be back here to this spot again. Really? Can't we just live in a world full of morning dew, tan feet, pool days, and endless bonfires? Can't we, can't we?

When June arrived this year, as usual, I took out my calendar, and planned trips and days off from work to do whatever I want. In fact, I'm doing exactly that this Friday to celebrate my boyfriend's birthday. I'm an adult now, I can do that!! It's June, and it's almost officially summer, and I can get tan and stay out all night on the weekends and go to concerts and games and cookouts and everything else. And just other day, driving home from work anxious to beat the traffic and get home early enough, I called my dad. "Dad, I can't wait for Friday. I can't wait for my sunburn to fade. I can't wait for next weekend. I can't wait for the 4th of July, and August, and the whole Summer needs to get here now!! I can't wait!!"

"Don't wish your life away," he said again. "Not while you're young. Time is everything, and you have a lot of it..." And suddenly, I was back in my old house, a fifteen year old girl, confiding in my diary that no one understood me. That I needed a break, that I needed peace. That I needed it to be June when school was over for a couple months.


And with that memory came the bold realization that more than twelve years have passed since those confusing nights when I felt like no one got me. I really wish I could tell my fifteen year old self what I know now. June will come. It always does. And it will leave, but it will come again. 

With my phone wedged between my shoulder and neck, hands clenched on the steering wheel, I felt my throat get dry, a pause in my voice. "I know Dad, thanks for reminding me. You always have the best advice..."

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Let's go to the sea side


When you're at the beach,
everything is different.
Life feels infinite.
Time slows down, with no knowledge of hours.
Morning saltwater heals your skin,
Days are filled with drunken laughter,
and we fall asleep the sound of waves.
Kisses taste sweeter, 
air feels cleaner,
and we plan nothing by schedule,
only by the height of the tide.
And when we leave, a part of us stays,
our secrets drowning to the ocean floor...







Wednesday, April 30, 2014

The Foxiest Detox :: Skinny Fox Detox

As some of you may already know from following my Instagram, I recently collaborated with the lovely ladies at Skinny Fox Detox and began their Signature 28 Day Detox. Now before you get all apprehensive on me, hear me out. This detox does not make you go to the bathroom every 5 minutes, it does not taste bad, and it does not strip your body of necessary nutrients. In fact, it does the opposite of that!


The Skinny Fox Detox consists of two different teas, one you drink every morning for 28 days, and one you drink before bed every other night.  Their “Hello Gorgeous” morning tea is quite tasteful, very smooth, and is made up of strong natural teas and herbs to help boost your metabolism and give you the energy you need to get going for the day. The greatest part? This tea also fights fat accumulation, and come on, everyone everywhere wants something to help fight their fat, and if you have no fat, well then we can’t be friends. Just kidding, we can be friends, but I’m jealous of you.

The evening “Goodbye Cherry Pie" tea  is delicious! In my opinion, I liked the evening tea even better than the morning tea. This tea is blended with a natural but gentle, I repeat gentle laxative (Senna) to help rid your body of unwanted and unnecessary toxins. Don’t worry though, the natural herbs also included in this tea will help to prevent stomach cramping. I didn’t find myself running to the bathroom, I just realized that the tea made going to the bathroom a regular and easy experience. It is a detox after all, and it’s helping you remove all those gross toxins that unknowingly build up in your body.  This tea is made in tea bags that are oxygen whitened, so you don’t have to worry about bleach or other chemicals entering your precious little body.

I was so excited when I got my detox package in the mail. They make it look so cute before you even try it out. I knew right away I was going to enjoy this experience!!




Because the morning tea is a loose leaf tea, not in a teabag, I decided to create my own type of tea bag and used a natural coffee filter, put a spoon full of the tea in the filter, and stapled it together to imitate a teabag. It worked out just fine for me!! 



Keep in mind, when detoxing, it’s important not to introduce new toxins into your body, so you should try your best to try to keep away from excess sugar, meat (which was clearly easy for me since I’m already a vegetarian), excessive alcohol, white pasta, bread, or rice, artificial sweeteners, etc. Everyone slips up here and there, so don’t punish yourself if you do. Just wake up and decide to be healthier the next day! 

Here's a before photo: 

 Here's a during photo: (Don't mind the mess, we were sorting laundry in the background!)


Working out has been a regular part of my lifestyle... but I had taken a couple months off during the Fall months, and I knew I just didn't feel right. I needed to get back into my normal routine, and this detox gave me the perfect excuse to begin being myself again. Throughout my detox with Skinny Fox, I cooked healthy meals and worked out regularly at the gym after work, which is helpful to compliment the effects of the detox. I did forget one or two times to drink the tea in the morning or night, but I’m only human, but I got right back on track as soon as I remembered. No one’s perfect, but the most perfect thing you can do for yourself is to take care of your health, and with summer and beach/bathing suit season coming, why not kick it off with your own detox experience?! I promise, you’ll be coming back to thank me!

I definitely experienced a very noticeable heightened energy level, less bloating, little to no hunger pains, and a very light and clean feeling. 

Here's an after photo taken just two days ago.... I'm quite happy with my results and can't wait to detox again!



If you’re interested but don’t yet want to try it for 28 days, you’re in luck, you can also purchase a 14 day detox to see how it works for you… AND, the best of all? Because you’re my readers and because Skinny Fox believes in your satisfaction, they have given me my own special 10% off code for all my readers to use when they purchase their own detox! Just use the code “FoxyHolly” at check out, and you will receive 10% off your order! Go ahead, check it out! Www.Skinnyfoxdetox.com!

Happy Detoxing!!!

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Anticipation of April...

I’ve always had a strange relationship with April. One that both hurts and heals. One that excites me and lets
me down.  It’s a month of perplexity, rainfall, a glimpse of sunbeams, and an eagerness that waits for June.


You see, April is famous for melting away my cool winter days, removing the tense bitterness I see and feel everywhere, but it always leaves me wanting more.  It really brings out the impatience in me. It seems that April is a month of tricks and teases, beginning on its first day, considering it is a month that officially begins with fooling the lighthearted, the most gullible of people… and that is really just what it does to me. April fools me into believing that sunnier, more delicious days are right around the corner, while the clouds then blush and laugh at me, crying buckets of drizzle to rinse those hopes away. It puzzles me how sometimes the rain falls in a graceful pattern, and other times it pounds hard on my heart. How bizarre that the rainfall can both keep me up all night, while other nights, it can soothe me right to slumber. 

It’s alright, I suppose.  As I’ve grown up a bit, I’ve learned that April is a month of lessons. It teaches me to wait for what I want, while not forgetting about where I am and what it takes to get there. It gives me a taste of what’s to come, and it reminds me to hold on for sweeter days ahead. It reminds me that it's okay to just dance in it's glimmer. April is really just the beginning of a beautiful ride, and if I can just hold on through the rain, I’ve made it through the uphill climb. 

So April, here’s to you.





Monday, March 10, 2014

My inspiration...

I once had dreams of becoming a beautiful poet.....

When the people I used to know found out what I had been doing, 
how I'd been living, 
they asked me why - 
but there's no use in talking to people who have a home.
They have no idea what it's like to seek safety in other people - 
for home to be wherever you lay your head.



.......Don't leave me now
Don't say good bye
Don't turn around
Leave me high and dry.

Live fast. Die young. Be wild. And have fun.
I believe in the country America used to be.
I believe in the person I want to become.
I believe in the freedom of the open road.
And my motto is the same as ever:

"I believe in the kindness of strangers. And when I’m at war with myself I ride, 
I just ride."

Who are you?
Are you in touch with all of your darkest fantasies?
Have you created a life for yourself where you can experience them?
I have. I am crazy.
But I am free.

Lana Del Rey

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

"You did"

"You did"

I’ve risked the flames, I’ve cried the rain
Watched your heart bleed, broke through your chains,
I’ve held you close, pushed you away
Just longing to hear you say you’d stay,
And you did.

Like a winter’s night, I tore through your skin
Sewed you up, to rip through again,
Made you show me who you really are
Made you tell me about all your scars,
And you did.

But you were getting close, so I ran fast
I thought a love this rich could never last,
How could someone want my vagrant soul,
Like a wild angel, soaring out of control,
But you did.

You threw the bricks right through my walls
You carved, and cut, fought through them all,
You stole my heart, you cleaned me up
You showed me I was worth your love,
Yes, you did.

You kissed my eyes, you touched my hair
You agreed with me that life’s not fair,
You said “if we have each other, that’s all we need”
So you took my hand, you took the lead,
You did.

Now here I am, I wonder why
I played those games, I made you cry,
Cause I’ve never known a love so strong
I know it now, I knew it all along…

And I lay in bed, I stare at your face
Your skin, your breath, my saving grace,
“Don’t ever leave”, I cry in your ear
Begging God, those words you’d hear

And you did.





Holly A. Wolti
Poem Copyright © 2014 by Holly A. Wolti