We have a new Insta crush, and it’s on Fayetteville, Arkansas-based Mom And Pop Shoppe. Just go take a look around their Instagram feed, at all the beautifully curated goods they sell and the light-filled photos of their shop, and you’ll likely have a new crush, too.

In Mom And Pop Shoppe’s Fayetteville store and in their online store, you’ll find simple, high-quality products that are specifically handmade and/or crafted in the USA to their customers, which we think is really cool.

You know what else is cool? Wellness and mindfulness are, and the people behind Mom And Pop Shoppe are helping to get the word out. It’s time for more folks around the south to know that wellness and mindfulness are cool, right?

Sadie McDonald and Bill Harris of Mom And Pop Shoppe recently wrote a fantastic article about raising your vibration and living a more high vibe lifestyle, and we loved it so much, we asked them if we could share it here with you all. We believe that raising your vibe and living a high vibe lifestyle has everything to do with living well, and living mindfully.

Read on for Sadie and Bill’s Seven Essentials To Raise Your Vibration…

---

 

What is your vibe, you ask? Simply put, your vibe is your vibration. It’s what you emit to your surrounding environment. 

Here’s our list of seven essential ways to raise your vibration and embrace a “high vibe lifestyle”.

 

1. WATER

We are made up of this stuff. We personally don’t want to be filled with heavy metals, chemicals and toxic by products, so we choose to drink pure water. It’s more abundant than we are lead to believe and quickly disappearing to the highest bidder. An easy way to raise your vibe for sure.

1. Spring water: the best in our opinion. Water as nature intended, spring water is amazing. It’s naturally alkaline and full of minerals from the earth. However, buying five gallon Mountain Valley Spring water refills can get pricey; trust us, we know. Check out findaspring.com for an amazing source of springs all over the country. We literally found one down the street from our house.
2. Alkaline water source: installing filters in your home on taps and shower heads is a wonderful investment. These filters, though a little pricey on the front end, keep fluoride and other contaminants out of your body and off your skin. Once you have filtered water, you can then filter again with an alkaline filter. This raises the pH of your now clean drinking water. Drinking water with a higher pH is a wonderful way to keep your body in prime condition. There are amazing health benefits that come with the consumption of alkaline water. 
3. Reverse Osmosis (RO) water: if the above two options don’t fit in your time or cost budget, RO water is another option. It’s cheap and easy to find refill stations. The reverse osmosis process gets all the bad stuff out and leaves a good tasting water source for you to enjoy.

 

2. FOOD

What you eat has an enormous impact on your vibe. There are numerous studies showing the impact of our diet on the state of our health. Food can make you feel energetic and light or it can literally drain you to the point of feeling lethargic. Each meal we get the chance to vote for the reality we want to see in the world. Everyone has an opinion on what they think we should or shouldn’t eat; we won’t go there. Eat what makes you feel vibrant, beautiful and energized. That in turn will probably result in a vibrant and more beautiful planet. We personally try to follow the Michael Pollan ethos: eat food (real food), mostly plants (organic/biodynamic when possible) and not too much (take only what I need). 

 

3. CLOTHING

How you adorn yourself with clothing helps to raise your vibe. Buying clothing made from natural fibers instead of synthetics will help keep you grounded and naturally odor free. Cotton, linen, silk, hemp and wool are all amazing fibers to choose from. Where and by whom your products are made are also important things to consider when making potential purchases. Having items made by passionate makers is a way to ensure that your consumer decisions are fueling someone else’s creative fire. This alone raises the vibe of all parties involved. This way you know the responsibility of the item’s total life cycle. Buying from someone who loves what they do will allow you to discuss what you’re buying in detail, too. Slow fashion is a beautiful way to raise your vibe.

 

4. SKINCARE

The skin is the largest organ in the body and is a good indicator of vitality. With thousands of beauty and skincare goods out there, it can be hard not to go overboard. Plus, everyone has their own “magic” products they trust. A good rule of thumb is to find products that are organic with ingredients that you can pronounce. Here are some of my favorite beauty secrets:

• Skincare ritual: after we have cleaned the face, we like to take a good oil and massage it in with a Gua Sha wand. Not only does it help drain the lymphatic system, it reduces the appearance of fine lines and reduces inflammation (in other words, this wand is your new BFF). 
• Dry brush: this practice has been around for thousands of years. It promotes cellular renewal, boosts immunity and also reduces cellulite. Bonus: after dry brushing, massage coconut, almond or other favorite oil into the skin and let yourself bliss out. 
• Balanced diet: reach for mostly alkaline fruits and veggies along with plenty of good fats.
• Oils: we love coconut, almond, sesame and jojoba.
• Water: again, tons of it. Double what you think you are drinking, and occasionally add lemon to flush out toxins.
• Exercise: getting out and moving/sweating for an hour a day will cause you to radiate good vibes!
• Safe sun bathing: lately we feel the sun has gotten a bad rap. Use an all-natural/organic sunscreen (make sure it’s non-toxic to our water, please) and get out there to soak up some vitamin D!

 

5. ESSENTIAL OILS

As you’ll recall, the Three Wise Men gifted Jesus with frankincense. That should tell you something! We have been using essential oils for thousands of years. Essential oils are known to:

• Fight cold and flu symptoms (Four Thieves Oil)
• Relax your body and soothe sore muscles (Peppermint and Cinnamon)
• Heal skin conditions (Tea Tree Oil for acne)
• Balance hormones (Lavender, Geranium and Lemon)
• Improve digestion (Ginger, Clove and Oil of Oregano)
• Reduce cellulite and wrinkles (Grapefruit, Cinnamon and Juniper)
• Plus countless other benefits

Essential oils can be very potent, so we recommend finding the highest grade oils you can for best results.

 

6. RITUALS

Make your life a ritual. This is a wonderful way to replace no-so-great habits with habits that will slow you down and help you enjoy the present moment. Some of our favorite rituals are:

• Coffee/tea: starting the day with a warm cup can set you up for success. Allow yourself to slow down and enjoy it!
• Incense burning: perfect for cleansing the space and calming the mind.
• Epsom salt bath: go ahead and use your candles, essential oils and crystals. Play calming music and sip on a glass of wine. Just allow yourself to indulge.
• Hair care: comb your hair and release the energy of the day, or try an overnight hair mask. Braiding or weaving your hair with your sisters also helps to create bonds. 

Creating daily rituals allows you to bring awareness to the small things and find your center, and it gives you a break from the hurried world around you.

 

7. MEDITATION

Meditation has many different stigmas and there are many different types. Getting started can be confusing and difficult, but we can promise, it’s worth the effort. At its core, meditation is a wonderful way to focus on the beauty of simply breathing. It’s a wonderful way to relax and tune into yourself, and out of your day. Once you begin your meditation journey, where it takes you will be completely unique to you. And don’t underestimate the health benefits that come with this daily ritual.