Hi, guys. I know it's been a while. School has been pretty eventful and my family was directly impacted by Hurricane Maria. So, I've been a little stressed and needed a break from writing. Thankfully, everyone is safe but it's been pretty rough down there with lack of food, water and supplies. I've been raising money to purchase and ship my family supplies directly as soon as the postal service is back up and running on the island. A huge thank you to everyone who has donated to me. I'm so grateful!

Needless to say, most of the overwhelming news that we've been hearing has been pretty shitty. Between the awful earthquake in Mexico, the hurricane devastation and its aftermath in Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands, and now the domestic terrorist attack in Las Vegas just this morning? Everything pretty much feels like a dumpster fire.

When it comes to handling stress and bad news, I tend to isolate myself and practice self-care to avoid too much anxiety. Self-care can be anything, really. Going for nice walk. Treating yourself to a deep conditioner. Trying out a new face mask. Cooking. Reading a book. Shutting off your phone and watching your favorite movie. I've been doing all of this the past few weeks and attempting to have a semblance of a normal time amid the awful news and this country's administration's lack of competence. And I'm saying that nicely.

Cooking is a great way of practicing self-care for myself. Although, I do find that I have to be in the right mindset to cook. I'm a firm believer in putting good energy into food and I don't like cooking when I'm angry or very upset. I've been cooking these past few days with the intent of comforting and healing myself and my loved ones. This past week, I made a big pot of warm, spicy chicken curry with jasmine rice. Crusty, roasted Brussels sprouts with garlic couscous the next day. I learned how to make pasta in culinary school the previous week, so I made a ricotta and Italian stuffed ravioli with burnt butter sauce and sage. Last night, I made a garlic mojo marinated pork roast with rice and pigeon peas (literally a traditional Puerto Rican Christmas meal in October).

Setting intentions into making a hearty, comforting meal is my way of true self-care. Knowing that I've fed my friends and family something they enjoy makes me feel happy and relaxed. As long as I have my mind and heart set on that, I know that I can curb any stresses happening in my life. Sometimes, I feel a little guilty for sharing posts on social media when there is so much happening in the world, but I have to remind myself that it's one of my ways with handling things. Hopefully, you guys have your own ways of maintaining self-care during these times and find ways to partake. What do you guys enjoy doing to unplug? I'm also all ears for any good news you guys have to share! Feel free to share in the comments below. Take care! <3