Health

Tips for Bringing Mindfulness into Your Day While Doing Ordinary Things

Spring is a time of renewal, a time when we have the opportunity to look forward to the year ahead and plan, set goals and even dreams! Practicing mindfulness is a great way to stay calm and connected with yourself, which helps to keep you on your path. And here’s the thing, mindfulness can be practiced anywhere, while doing anything, and you don’t have to know how to meditate! Here are some tips for bringing mindfulness into your day while doing ordinary things.

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Remembering the Good Stuff from 2020

This month, we made space for the good stuff from 2020. It’s been an unimaginable year for us all, and we think it’s important to reflect on the positive to keep spirits high and our lives moving forward. We all deserve to give ourselves credit for enduring this year, and the first step is to remind ourselves of what we are grateful for! </p><p>We asked our Urban Market Bags fans, family members, and friends how 2020 shaped their lives for the better and have compiled the stories here for some light, uplifting reading!

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Sustainable Rest & Movement

Things look a lot different this fall and back-to-school year, and we’re all doing our best to adapt to each of the changes. Between digital schooling, unprecedented storms, social unrest and anticipating the flu season while Covid-19 is still weighing on our society, it’s safe to say we’re probably all carrying some sort of emotional burden. All things considered, it’s more important than ever to lean on the simple tools that make human beings strong and centered. For us, three of those things are intentional rest, sustainable movement and simple breathwork to reduce tension and stress, and boost moods and immunity!

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Reconnect With Who You Are in This New World

You've probably noticed a few shifts in yourself since the onset of Coronavirus as normal routines have been completely flipped upside down. When these changes happen, you're faced with observing how you adapt and who you are at your core. When you’re spending more time at home, you’re left with your 60,000 daily thoughts, which repeat themselves 90% of the time. Introspection can be scary for people because we’re so used to being plugged in and filling every minute of our time with distractions. Hence, alcohol sales are up 55% year-over-year right now and people are antsy to be done with Covid-19. Avoiding change and your thoughts can lead to anxiety and other harmful emotions. The more sustainable route is to embrace change with acceptance and awareness. Here’s how to make introspection your friend and focus on who you want to be in this new world.

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Six Ways to Reconnect to Nature During a Pandemic

Living in the world with a pandemic has become our new normal. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to take us away from the thing that heals us the most: nature. We’ve spent the last four months of our lives inside, which can create stress, discomfort and overall disconnection from everything else. How can we move forward in this new world to create more peace and groundedness in our lives, while still being safe to ourselves and those around us? It’s simple! Simply reconnect to nature and its lessons, whether you stay inside or venture out.

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Seeking Quarantine Activities? These Websites Have You Covered!

While sheltering in place, we at Urban Market Bags have found some amazing online resources to help inspire and facilitate countless activities at home. From interests that you already may have to a host of new opportunities to explore, these websites have something for everyone.

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Five Tips for Keeping Clean While Shopping

Whether you are stocking up to hunker down or keeping things business as usual, here are five easy steps to staying germ-free while shopping.

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What's in the Bag: Finding a New Routine

Summer is coming to a close and we’re kicking it into gear to head into fall on a high note. Whether you want to fully revamp your day-to-day routines or focus on a few small things, we’ve got some ideas to get you going at full speed.

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Earth Day 2018: The End of Plastic Pollution

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” —Margaret Mead The Earth Day Network, the organization that leads Earth Day worldwide, has dedicated Earth Day 2018 to ending plastic pollution. Their campaign will work to support a global effort to eliminate single-use plastics like shopping bags, straws and water bottles—things that get trashed way too often. So, what can you do? We’re breaking down the top three ways to reduce your day-to-day plastic consumption plus offering some other ideas to help reduce your carbon footprint. Tell us how you plan to contribute this year!

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Tips for Braving the Winter Chill

It's been a rather chilly one this year. We’ve gone from bomb cyclone to raining cats and dogs and (spoiler alert) summer is still a distant dream. On the bright side, mild winter-to-spring weather can be enjoyable with the right approach.

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5 Habits for Health and Sustainability

A brand new year brings exciting opportunities—the chance to reset, reawaken that drive, and of course, make some shiny resolutions. But while setting intentions is a first step in the right direction, it can feel a little overwhelming from there. Whether it’s cultivating a healthier lifestyle, helping the environment, or just becoming a better person in general, we’re breaking down five simple tips that, practiced habitually, will make a big difference in your life (and also help the Earth)!

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Finding a Connection: Floral Design Tips from Naco Suzuki

A beautiful bouquet of peonies. The perfect flower to gift this Mother’s Day according to Naco Suzuki, our go-to floral artist from Kathleen Deery Design in San Francisco. Naco turns dreams into reality through her creative approach to floral design. Each event that she works on is carefully considered before she creates a beautiful botanical experience using nature's finest materials. We were fortunate to catch up with Naco and ask her about her inspiration, how she builds an arrangement and what advice she can give us to create our own blooms to celebrate Mother’s Day.

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2017 Trends in Health & Wellness

What does the wellness forecast look like this year? We’re looking to some tried-and-true methods to maintain a healthy and happy lifestyle.

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#whatsinyoururbanbag: Summer Beauty Haul

Slowly but surely, we're ditching the chemically-laden beauty products we've used for years and replacing them with their less harmful, and just as effective, counterparts. No, we're not perfect (ahem...aerosol...ahem), but we are taking a step in the right direction. As we look forward to a summer full of adventures, we know getting dolled-up will be taking a backseat. Simplicity is key and also helps keep our suitcases light. Tucked away in one of our Urban Market Bags, here are a few of our favorite summer beauty finds to complement your natural glow.

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