About
“Keep Them Cozy” is a lifestyle blog which focuses on budget friendly, healthy living. When I first decided that I wanted to live a clean and healthy life for myself and my son, I was a single mom working three jobs and going to school at night while my baby slept. I had very little money, no support or resources, and a few vices to eliminate, but I was determined to beat the odds.
I began to trade my late nights drinking wine for research sessions that would keep me intrigued to the wee hours of the morning (if Mickey Mouse Clubhouse came on I knew I had gone too far) as I learned about everything from MSG to sulfates to GMO’s. I compared and contrasted fad diets and purchased a cookbook for each one, along with the corresponding exercise plans. Next came the subscriptions to newsletters, YouTube channels and downloading all the fancy apps that promised the subscriber a new and exciting life just by tuning in to a meditation sessions…
The more I learned the more I wanted to know, and it wasn’t long before I realized this truly was a lifestyle, not a quick fix, and I was out of my league. To accomplish what I had in mind meant not only changing my eating habits, but also retraining myself as to what I ate, and at what time of day etc. The frozen meals were not practical for a welfare recipient and the ingredients I needed to cook at home were most often specialty items that I was not familiar with. This “simple” way of life also required doing away with the cancer causing cookware, plastic containers, the microwave and just about everything else I had in my kitchen, not to mention all of my son’s foods got a huge “F” as well. The exercises all had equipment and funky little mats to accompany them, and even the air fresheners, soaps and shampoos had to go. At this point you can assume I did what any stressed out and overwhelmed mom would do: I had a pity party of epic proportions full of self-loathing and regrets with a side of “why me?”
Telling the reflection in the mirror that I should just accept my lot in life, I put away the books and deleted the apps. One afternoon about a month later while in the middle of a Lifetime movie marathon, glass of wine in one hand and greasy pizza in the other, I had an epiphany. The scene of the movie I was watching was one where the woman was so fed up with the abuse she had suffered she came up with a plan to fake her own death in order to escape. (Yes, it is the flick you are thinking of ) She cut her hair, bought a thrift store outfit, and slipped away in the night with nothing more than a small go bag and what little cash she had managed to save up. After reaching her destination she had to figure out how to live in an environment she had never been exposed to, find a job, and fly under the radar of her creepy stalker ex-husband. Granted, this was a fictional scenario, but all good movies have at least some kernel of truth to them and for me, it was just the inspiration I needed to get out of my rut and turn my life around.
I finished that bottle of wine (I’m thrifty not wasteful) on a Spring day in 2015 and bid farewell to my favorite vice. If you asked me on that day what my five year plan looked like I would have said something generic like “make more money and live my best life” but never would I have imagined what journey God had in store for me when I made a commitment to a new start for myself and my son.
In just 5 SHORT YEARS I started and have maintained two successful businesses, (more on that in my blog) got married to the love of my life at 38, helped him through another bout with cancer, survived and rebuilt after a CAT 4 hurricane, finished school, and became a minister with plans to help women like I was.
How does this tie into healthy living and your blog, you ask? In every way. I started my first business with less than $100.00 and use green and non-toxic products. I discovered quick and easy ways to exercise throughout the day that have just as much impact as the fancy programs, without the expensive equipment. I created healthy eating plans that allow for a few carbs and cakes and have gotten really good at sneaking healthy foods in on my kid, and BONUS I have mastered the art of substitutions! In an attempt to keep my husband’s cancer in remission I use essential oils for air fresheners, hand soaps, disinfectants and even beauty products and when it comes to cookware and dishes, I can recommend the best for any budget. I even found creative ways to keep our pets healthier for less!
You can skip the line and all the blood sweat and tears I suffered on my journey to self-discovery by perusing through this blog and checking out our social media sites. Read through the content, comment, and stay awhile by signing up for our newsletter to insure that you are always “in the know” with the latest and greatest budget friendly health tips, tricks, and tools for living your best life now! Also, don’t forget to check out our store (or click on highlighted links in articles) to purchase recommended products that help us keep these sites going with commissions, or to purchase one of our eBooks mentioned throughout our posts. We are so glad you have decided to come along with us on this incredible life journey and we look forward to getting to know you!
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