Hello moms and dads! With over 41,476 views, this is my most viewed post of all time. I wrote about this 10.5 years ago! It’s about the positive things to say to your child. I hope, as a parent, you can incorporate some of these into your life. They’ll do wonders.
(24 is my favorite. And I just did 54!)
I have this AMAZING therapist named Dr. Greenwald who I jokingly call my dad. He’s like the best father you could have but without any nagging and any judgement. Here are 10 important lessons I’ve learned from him in the 30 years I’ve been speaking to him (once a week).
1. Sometimes you need to push yourself and socialize. Being a hardcore introvert, it’s hard for me to engage in a social setting. One on one I’m good but put me in a crowd of 3+ and I seize up. I get emotionally drained at social events and I don’t feel worthy of someone’s attention. Sam and I have this close friendship with a married couple who are both doctors and I get nervous around them because I feel like they’ve accomplished so much that I feel unworthy. But then I remember I’ve accomplished a lot too and it makes me feel better. Socializing is so important, though, because it scientifically makes you happier. I always come away from meeting them with new life hacks or tips and a happy feeling because I got over my nervousness.
2. It’s ok to have only a few close friends. I have three best girlfriends (and I’m talking only three girlfriends total) that I feel super close with. Their names are Jay, Grace and Kat. These are my ride-or-die gf’s who I’ve known for 10, 20 and 40 years. You don’t have to feel validation by having a lot of friends. In fact, I like the saying: A woman who doesn’t need validation is the most feared person on the planet.
3. Remember how far you’ve come. When you are feeling down on yourself, look back to your accomplishments. The shit you went through, the depressive states you crawled your way out from. The companies you built from scratch. For me that’s my old art and culture blog My Modern Met and my current company Skylar Yoo. They’re like my babies.
4. It’s ok to give your kids mental health days. Sam and I give our two boys one mental health day a quarter. If they’re feeing overwhelmed they can take a day off school to reset. Being bipolar, I know what being overwhelmed and depressed feels like so I want my kids to grow up feeling like they can take a break and then come back stronger.
5. You can be fashionable at any weight. I used to be a size 6 in high school and then after I got on bipolar meds, my hunger kicked in and I gained 100 lbs. Yes, 100. Now I’m 230. I used to only wear black leggings and a loose shirt but then after speaking to Dr. G he said you can be fashionable at any size. I was like, you’re right~ So now I’m a size 14 and I’m embracing being an XL. Mind you, I’m on my GLP-1 and trying to size down now so let’s see how that journey goes.
6. It’s ok to grieve. When my dog recently died at 15 years old (he was eaten by a coyote), it shattered my heart. I put my hands over my face and cried uncontrollably. My sons were shocked because they had never seen me cry so hard. He was my first baby. Before I went to the hospital to have Parker, I made sure to pack a picture of Fozzy so I could see him in the delivery room. I said to him, “Things will be different now, but you’ll always be my first baby.” It was only now that I can feel joy again. I hope to get a new puppy soon to fill our house with love again. Dr. G said that it’s totally understandable that I would go through so much pain and that I should feel the feelings and not suppress them.
7. Forgive yourself. There’s been a slew of mistakes I’ve made in my marriage and as a parent but I’ve learned that I need to let go of the guilt and move on. We need to treat ourselves like we would our best friend, being kind and compassionate, only wishing the best for us.
8. Don’t try to guess what other people are thinking. You can think all you want about what other people think about you but you’ll never know and what good does it do to dwell upon it?
9. You are worthy just because you were born. You don’t have to look for the approval of others to make you feel worthy. What about the fact that just because you are born and living on this earth that you are worthy?
10. You are not your mental illness. My mother committed suicide when I was 20 years old. She also had bipolar disorder. I was afraid of ending up like my mother. Dr. G said you absolutely will not end up like her because you have a completely different life than her. You have a loving husband and two wonderful kids. You lead a happy life.
So, thank you, Dr. G, for giving me these priceless pieces of advice. I don’t know what I’d do without you. I truly believe you were God-sent.
I love music! I know that’s a broad statement but there’s actual science-backed research on how it can change your emotional state! Music can change your mood surprisingly quickly. Enjoyable music engages brain systems involved in reward and pleasure, including dopamine-related pathways. That’s part of why a favorite song can give you chills or create an almost immediate emotional lift. Choosing happy music intentionally can work.
Research by psychologist Yuna Ferguson and colleagues found that people who listened to upbeat music while deliberately trying to become happier showed greater improvements in mood than people who simply listened without that intention.
Music and movement are a powerful combination. Dancing, walking, exercising—or even just moving around the kitchen—to music combines several happiness-promoting ingredients: pleasurable music, physical movement and emotional expression.
Music creates connection. Singing and listening to music with other people can increase feelings of belonging and social closeness. A concert, church worship service, family karaoke session, or singing together in the car can become much more than entertainment.
Nostalgic music can be particularly meaningful. Songs associated with important people and periods of our lives can bring back feelings of identity, connection and meaning. Sometimes a song doesn’t just remind you of a memory—it seems to transport you there.
Sad music isn’t necessarily bad for happiness. Music can help us process difficult emotions rather than simply suppress them. A sad song that makes you cry may ultimately leave you feeling understood, comforted or emotionally released.
One idea from positive-psychology research that I especially like is that we don’t always have to wait until we’re happy to play happy music—we can use music as part of creating the emotional state we want.
So if you were turning this into one simple happiness practice, I’d make it:
Create a personal “Happiness Playlist” of 10–20 songs that reliably make you feel lighter, hopeful, energized or grateful. Then play it deliberately—especially on the days when you don’t feel like it.
And if faith is part of the equation, music can serve another purpose as well. Worship music can shift attention away from whatever is consuming your thoughts and toward gratitude, hope, and God!
Here’s my top 10 songs of all time. Notice how they are a mix of pop and worship? Billie Eilish’s Birds of a Feather makes me feel more love and appreciation for Sam, Whitney’s When You Believe feels like my heart is bursting with love for God (plus isn’t Whitney hands down the best singer of all time? We miss you, Whitney! I hope you’ll be putting on concerts in heaven!) Also, Jordon Feliz’s Somebody Loves You feels like God is talking directly to me. When I hear that God loves me more than I know, I feel filled with His love…..and overjoyed!
What are some of your favorite songs and what do they mean to you?
Wow! It’s been awhile. But I’m finally excited to say I’m back!!! What a journey it’s been since I wrote here last. About three and a half years have passed and I didn’t know if I’d ever pick up this blog again. But yesterday, something inside me stirred saying, “It’s time.” I’d like to believe it was the Holy Spirit talking to me.
Just to give you a quick rundown of where I’ve been over the past three and a half years, here’s a quick list.
When AI hit and I discovered I could make art of my own, I was hooked. The pic above is a piece I created that’s one of my favorites. I’ll show you a few more.
I really got into rainbow art. If you check out my Instagram page @aliceyoo you’ll see all that I created.
I loved making beautiful and ethereal angels.
I did a collection of Space Cats. This one always makes me laugh.
What’s cuter than bedazzled animals like this meerkat?
This black and white one stirs something in my soul.
As a family, we went to Korea. We couldn’t get enough of the street food.
Also took a trip to Japan. It was last spring and the cherry blossoms were in full bloom.
This summer, I went to London with Logan for 12 days. I Chat-GPT’d the 12 day itinerary. It went off without a hitch. We had the best time. Favorite? Tea time at the Savoy and dinner at Petrus, a French Michelin-starred restaurant.
My maiden last name is Kim. My siblings and I call ourselves the Kimdashians. We started this birthday tradition where we all take one day off during the week to come together and celebrate one of our birthdays. From left to right that’s Carol, Grace, me and Eugene. In January, it was Carol’s birthday so we did the VIP experience at Disneyland. It was epic!
I started a TikTok account that’s dedicated to prayer poems (and regular prayers and testimonials). They light me up! I took a four month hiatus but I’m back!
Started this new line over at Skylar Yoo called Divinitees. It’s Christian based graphic tees and sweaters. I created this so I could give all the proceeds to a charity helping the homeless called Project Touch. It’s a great cause, I know the founder and she’s amazing.
Think that about wraps it up! So, as a side note. I’ll be posting my favorite things on here again, not to make any money, but to just share. This time, I’m not going to hold myself to a strict schedule. I’ll pop in here and there when inspiration hits. Thank you for reading and it’s good to be back, friend!
P.S. I got so many spam comments that I turned off the comments but I figured out how to make it work now so they’re back on! I’d love to hear from you! Share a thought, a story, or simply say hello. Your words make this little corner of the internet a whole lot sweeter.
Sam and I have been married since 2007, that’s 15 years! Though we’ve had our share of ups and downs, I still consider him my best friend and the love of my life. I think one of the keys to our happy marriage is that we’re always thinking about the other person. Whether that means getting each other Starbucks in the morning or bringing up water at night, we’re always trying to make the other person’s life easier.
Every day I ask Sam, “What can I do today to make your life easier?” Asking such a simple yet powerful question to your spouse acknowledges the effort and emotion each partner contributes to their relationship.
It also shows a genuine interest in your spouse’s well-being, which can help build trust and understanding between partners. Taking time to ask this one simple yet meaningful question can help couples reflect on their relationship, appreciate each other more, and have a happier marriage overall.
Now go try it!
You may not know this about me but I love collecting jackets and coats. This is not only for practical reasons (I’m always cold!) but I love how a jacket or coat can make a statement. This one, by Wren+Glory isn’t cheap, at close to $400, but I love it because I’ve never seen anything quite like it. There’s a large rainbow, spreading across the back to the front, with ‘All We Need Is Love’ painted in white with a dripping effect. Each piece is hand painted meaning no two are alike. Love!
Today I wanted to share with you guys a hack I use to motivate myself to exercise in the morning. You know I love my morning routine which consists of actions such as morning prayer, meditation, and writing in my gratitude journal. I always end the routine with writing in my main journal. I believe in talking to yourself in an encouraging way so I also do this in my main journal. After I’ve dumped my brain onto the page, I end with writing affirmative statements like, “You can slay the workout! You’re fierce and fabulous. Let’s do a :30 minute ride with our favorite instructor Cody Rigsby.”
Then, after my ride is finished, I come back to the journal and write something like, “Great job, girl! I knew you could do it.”
Try it and see if it doesn’t encourage you to jump on your bike and ride!
I was thinking about what makes successful people successful and I think I finally boiled it down to three things. They’re essential elements, if you will. Master these three things and watch how your life transforms!
First up is hard work. You have to put in the effort and do what needs to be done to reach your goals. That might mean putting in extra hours, taking on new opportunities, and taking risks. Hard work doesn’t always mean long hours every day; it can even be small actions that move you closer towards your dreams!
The second thing is consistency. To make progress towards our dreams, we must stay consistent with our efforts over a long period of time. It’s important to create habits and stick with them so that you don’t get sidetracked. Having a plan and sticking with it can help keep you motivated, as well as give you an idea of what kind of progress you’re making towards your goals!
Finally, self-discipline is key for achieving our dreams as well. Keeping yourself motivated even when times get tough and having control over your impulses can lead to great accomplishments. Self-discipline is key when it comes to staying focused on tasks at hand and making sure they get done correctly and on time.
Work on these three essential elements and you’ll achieve the life of your dreams. Miss one and you’ll be back at the starting line.
Viktor Frankl is a holocaust survivor and one of the most influential psychologists of the 20th century. His reflections on human suffering, life and success have inspired many people all over the world. Today we will be taking a look at three powerful quotes from him.
Quote 1: “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”
This quote by Viktor Frankl is an essential reminder that although situations in life may be difficult and out of our control, we always have the freedom to choose how we react to them. We can choose our attitude, adjust our mindset and ultimately gain control over ourselves.
Quote 2: “When we are no longer able to change a situation – we are challenged to change ourselves.”
This quote speaks volumes about our ability as humans to adapt and grow within challenging circumstances. When faced with an unchangeable situation, it gives us an opportunity to develop resilience and strength by changing ourselves first – something that only adds more value to our lives in the long run!
Quote 3: “Success, like happiness, cannot be pursued; it must ensue…as the unintended side effect of one’s personal dedication to a course greater than oneself.”
This quote reminds us that true success come from dedicating oneself towards something meaningful or bigger than yourself – such as achieving your goals or helping others around you reach theirs. It cannot be pursued directly but will naturally follow when there is commitment and purpose behind your actions.
Here are five of the best quotes on kindness. These quotes are sure to warm your heart and inspire you to be kinder to others. I’ll explain the meaning of each quote and how it can help you in your everyday life.
1) “Kindness is like snow – it beautifies everything it touches,” by Khalil Gibran. This quote means that just like snow makes the world around it more beautiful, acts of kindness can make the world a more beautiful place.
2) “Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see,” by Mark Twain. This quote means that even if someone can’t hear or see, they can still understand kindness. It’s a universal language that everyone can understand.
3) “The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention,” by Oscar Wilde. This quote means that it’s not our intentions that matter most, but rather our actions. Even the smallest act of kindness can have a big impact on someone’s life.
4) “Kindness is an inner desire that makes us want to do good things even if we do not get anything in return,” by Albert Schweitzer. This quote means that being kind isn’t about getting something in return. It’s about wanting to make someone else’s life better.
5) “In a gentle way, you can shake the world,” by Gandhi. This quote means that even though we might not think our actions will have a big impact, they actually can. By being kind and doing good deeds, we can change the world for the better. So never underestimate your ability to make a difference in the world.
Hello, I’m Alice Yoo! I’m founder and CEO of Skylar Yoo, a company dedicated to inspiring and empowering women to be bold. We sell apparel, art prints and accessories to the modern feminist.
In my former life, I was editor-in-chief of the art and culture blog My Modern Met, which I founded back in 2007. I curated and wrote about art, design and photography for more than seven years. (In fact, I published over 7,000 articles which were seen by millions of people worldwide.) I’m also co-author of a book called For Love: 25 Heartwarming Celebrations of Humanity, which is on Amazon and wherever books are sold.
I live in southern California along with my husband and my two toddler boys.
This blog is about what I love, the tough experiences that I’ve learned from, and my journey as a second time entrepreneur. Right now, I’m in the midst of a 365 day challenge, to read one book a day. If you share my passions or want to learn some cool new facts, come along for the ride. I hope to inspire, educate and entertain you!
