Stephanie Ramos | The Grit and Grace Project

6 Ways to Focus on Self-Growth as a Woman

By Stephanie Ramos / Health & Beauty, Purpose

I personally get so caught up in all that I have to do that sometimes I miss out on opportunities to grow. At times it’s because I completely blow past them in my effort to complete my to-do list, and other times, I am honestly just too tired to put in the effort for self-growth (am I the only one who collapses on the couch to some Netflix after work?). Growth looks different for every woman because we’re all in completely different stages and places in our lives, but below you’ll find a few things that have really helped me grow as a woman. 6 Ways to Achieve Self-Growth Spend time with other women. I can’t stress the importance of this one enough. […]

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need to exercise but lack motivation...how to get started

Need to Exercise? No Motivation? 6 Ways to Get Moving

By Stephanie Ramos / Health & Beauty

I’ve had stints in my life when I’ve consistently worked out and then I’ve had periods of time when I didn’t. Thankfully I’m currently experiencing the former. I know how hard it can be to get started, and I need a ton of help to stay on track! So, here are some quick, helpful tips to help you get the workout done! 1. Get Inspired I love following fitness accounts on Instagram! It’s so cool to see other women putting in hard work and achieving their goals, and it helps motivate me to want to reach my goals. Everyone has to start somewhere, and seeing others make progress is so inspiring! 2. Make a Playlist What songs pump you up? What music makes you feel energetic, invincible,

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Self-Care: What to Do When It Feels Like Another Commitment

By Stephanie Ramos / Health & Beauty, Life & Culture

A few different approaches can be taken when it comes to self-care. I’ve probably read two dozen articles titled something along the lines of “10 Tips to Prioritize Self-Care,” and while they’re always super helpful, I actually find myself becoming more stressed by reading them! The irony is that the number one item on the list is usually “Don’t stress,” but that’s so much easier said than done! Here are the top suggestions on how to implement self-care: Keep a daily gratitude journal Take time daily to go without your phone/social media Spend a few minutes outside relaxing Prioritize your sleep Eat healthy meals Create a cozy space for yourself Exercise a few times a week Create a nighttime routine for relaxation

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7 Organizations to Support (That Might Help You Complete Your Gift List)

By Stephanie Ramos / Life & Culture, Purpose

In case you missed it—the holidays are officially in full swing! Amid the countless errands to run and get-togethers to attend, you might find yourself wanting to give some time or money on giving back… Here are some solid organizations to support this holiday season: 1. Dressember If you know me, you probably predicted this as my first choice! In 2009, college student, Blythe Hill, gave herself a simple challenge: to wear a dress every day for the entire month of December. Thus, Dressember was born. In the following years, Hill’s friends approached her to participate, and each year the numbers kept climbing. By 2013 the movement blossomed into a partnership with International Justice Mission, a global organization that combats sex trafficking. In the

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Overcoming the Waves of Anxiety and Panic Attacks

By Stephanie Ramos / Health & Beauty, Purpose

A recent facts and statistics sheet from the Anxiety and Depression Association of America from August 2017 states that anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S. affecting 40 million adults, which is a little over 18% of the population. They went on to state that with more specific disorders such as Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and Panic Disorder (PD) women are twice as likely to be affected as men.1 I wasn’t exactly surprised to read that, but it was definitely a sobering reality to face. I’ve not ever been diagnosed officially, but I’ve struggled with anxiety a lot over the years. I’m a pretty anxious person, and I have been ever since I was a little girl. I can

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Why It’s Important to Believe the Best About the Women Around You

By Stephanie Ramos / Relationships

Women comprise nearly fifty percent of the world’s population. With 7.6 billion people in the world, our total numbers are likely somewhere around 3.8 billion. We’re everywhere. We come in all ages, all ethnicities, and are found in every walk of life in every corner of the earth. We’re dynamic, complex, filled to the brim with mystery and passion. Some of the most remarkable individuals I know are women, and they encourage and drive me to grow in my own life as I watch them live theirs. I didn’t always think this way. To be honest, during late high school and college, the number of guy friends I had far outweighed the girl friends I had. I used to frequently say that

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5 Ways to Improve Your Relationship With Your Man

By Stephanie Ramos / Relationships

I’ve been with Eddy for nearly two years, and he very recently got down on one knee and made me his fiancée. I still can’t stop looking down at my ring (going on three months now), and my Pinterest boards are full of mason jars, lace, and lavender bouquets. I love knowing that I get to spend the rest of my life with my fiancé and can’t wait to trade in our new titles for the sacred husband and wife roles. Part of the reason why I’m so ready to commit to Eddy is because during the course of our relationship we’ve had a lot of opportunities to grow together (myself especially) and to figure one another out. While we have so many

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3 Reasons You’re Unhappy and How to Make a Change

By Stephanie Ramos / Life & Culture

Although I’m only in my late 20’s, I’ve been around long enough to acquire some toxic mindsets that have tainted my perspective. It’s not something I’m particularly proud to admit, but more often than not I can trace back the root of my unhappiness or discontentment to unhealthy thought patterns I’ve adopted without exercising self-awareness. But here’s the upside: once I take responsibility for my thoughts, I have the opportunity to grow in both grit and grace. Here are 3 of the biggest battles I fight in my quest to be happy, content, and healthy. Maybe they’re stumbling blocks for you, too: 1. Comparison to others. Wow, am I guilty of this. With social media so easily accessible, there’s never a shortage of women

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3 Reasons You Should Share Your Story

By Stephanie Ramos / Purpose, Relationships

We all have stories. We’ve lived our varied lives, and while some details may overlap, our stories are specific to each of us. Our experiences, good and bad, tender moments bursting with joy and light and the heart-wrenching darkness of grief and pain are being woven together to create our unique tale. I have a story. I have stories, even, and I can tell you that the tone of the story changes with each season that I’ve been in. Whether I’d count it as remarkable or not isn’t the point—it belongs to me. It’s mine to share or to keep tucked away, just like your story belongs to you. Some details are light and casual, like the city I was born in and

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7 Simple Ways to Free Yourself from Student Loans

By Stephanie Ramos / Work & Money

According to recent reports, the average Class of 2016 graduate has over $37k in student loan debt, which is up six percent from last year. While the specific amount can vary for each individual depending on scholarships, assistance from parents, private vs. public schools, etc., there are approximately 44.2 million Americans with student loan debts.1 I myself graduated in May 2012, and had my own little chunk of student loan debt to tackle. I had done what I could to minimize costs by spending my first two years completing my associate’s degree at a local community college as a dual enrolled student (which was available to me at no cost as a high school student besides paying for my books). I also

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3 Things I Learned From Taking a Risk and Living Overseas

By Stephanie Ramos / Life & Culture

In 2012 I spent almost three months living in Singapore as a part of a training program for a year in the mission field (which is a story for another day). I was 21 years old and had only ever left the country for a five-day trip to Costa Rica, so I was full of anxiety and nervous anticipation. I knew nothing about the tiny city-state at the southernmost tip of Malaysia, other than the jokes I’d heard at some point about gum being illegal (and it is … you can chew it, but they don’t sell it anywhere). After nearly 33 hours of travel, I landed. I felt small, homesick, and overwhelmed by how different everything was from home. As I rode with the people who came

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How I First Learned of the Sex Trafficking Epidemic

By Stephanie Ramos / Life & Culture, Purpose

As is the case for most adults, I’ve found no shortage of social events and situations where I find myself faced with the inevitable, standard question, “So what do you do?” It’s unlikely that people expect to find themselves discussing the illegal exploitation of minors over chips and dip, but there’s really no way for me to sugar coat reality because fighting against that exploitation is what I do. Statistics on human trafficking are pretty shocking, divided into both labor trafficking and sex trafficking. The U.S. Government defines sex trafficking as “when a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such act has not attained 18 years of age” (National Institute

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