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Style Stratigi

A Life, Style & Beauty Blog

Categories: Beauty, Life, Style, Wellness

Style Stratigi Turns 1 🎉

Today we are celebrating a big milestone at Style Strat because we are turning ONE!!

It’s been a long year of learning, growing & glowing; in many ways unexpected when I started this blog and Youtube channel last year.

I knew there would be challenges, but as I took this creative pursuit more seriously, insecurities and limiting beliefs from my past started coming up. In 2021, I was finally fed up with being the only thing holding me back in this life! I was tired of being too afraid to show up consistently and tired of letting my emotions get in the way.

I learned that I was so focused on the one person that might throw tomatoes at me rather than enjoy the applause from the rest of the crowd. I couldn’t hear the many actually cheering on & admiring because I was too afraid of hearing the boos.

I learned that the worst scenarios, for my life & my brand, are mostly made up in my head! And I realized that I was so used to believing the lies from this coping mechanism learned from traumatic experiences of the past.

I learned to remind myself – daily – of all the reasons why I am SO worthy, enough & deserving!
I learned to show up for myself consistently, even if I was feeling insecure or tired that day.

I learned to start counting the things that I DID accomplish versus getting hung up on what I didn’t do.
For example, in the last year, I didn’t post any videos to my Youtube channel… but I DID :

  • Start my Channel
  • Start my blog
    • Create & install custom template on my own
  • Create my own logo
  • Learn how to create graphics on Canva
  • Start writing consistently
  • Become more comfortable with taking & editing short video content

I learned to start trusting my intuition for what I want to share and how I want to show up for my brand, my community, and my LIFE! I realized that I was afraid to do things if they weren’t perfect and started giving myself more grace for not knowing and gave myself permission to just DO.

This was a BIG year for my brand, my business, my site and my channel – but most especially for me. There were lots of hard days, LOTS of uncertain days, and tons of messy action. I am so grateful for this journey the past year, and I can’t wait to see where we go!

Happy Birthday, Style Strat 💗

Categories: Life, Wellness

10 Things To Do To Start Your Year

The first of the year is an extremely exciting time, full of hope and anticipation for the next 12 months. It’s also full of everything wanting your attention all at once! New Year’s Resolutions, Goals, Visions, Hopes, Dreams, etc!

I would be bold-face lying to you right here if I didn’t say it overwhelms the heck out of me each year. Which I had no idea til last year. I know so many of us woke up to a lot of things in 2020. Personally, I realized that just because it’s a new year on the calendar, doesn’t mean there won’t be more challenges. It means there will be new ones, and with that, new opportunities to level up. I realized that there were 12 more months ahead of me; and I didn’t have to do everything all at once as soon as the clock strikes 12:01 on January 1st.

I know the feeling of writing down your resolutions and hitting the ground running, pushing hard into your goals and by day 6, I’m reconsidering the entire year! I was tired of feeling like a failure before the year even started. Rest assured, this doesn’t mean you have to completely throw January to the wayside. Here are some small things you can do to start your year off on the right foot, for whenever you want to ‘officially’ start the year.

How I like to start my year in Alignment

  1. Declutter, Detox & Clean
    • I’m talking mind, body, soul!
    • Take a trash bag around the house (*and your car!*) and get rid of stuff taking up your precious space – junk, papers, receipts, water bottles, etc.
    • Clean out expired products from your pantry, fridge, medicine cabinets, beauty, makeup & skincare stash.
    • Clear out items from your home & closet that no longer fit the energy of who you are, who you’ve become or where you are going.
    • Unfollow people on social media that no longer align with you. Unfollow accounts that don’t make you feel like the best version of you.
    • Unsubscribe from mailing lists
    • Drink lemon water each day (also helps with overindulgence from the holidays)
  2. Reflect on the past year
    • How did I grow? How can I tell?
  3. Write down goals & visions for the new year
  4. Create a good morning & evening routine
  5. Hack your life
    • What are areas you want to grow in for the new year? Examples : Spiritually, Financially, Creatively, Mentally, Physically?
    • Pick out podcasts & books (hardcopy or audio) to tap into each day!
  6. Schedule a Vacation/Staycation for Sometime this Year
  7. Quit Something. Just Say No.
    • This is the year we start boundaries! Are there commitments you made last year that you didn’t really want to do? Are there things you said yes to last year that no longer align with who you are now?
  8. Simplify Meals & Snacktime
    • Write down a list of at least 10 easy meals that you and your family enjoy.
    • What are some food products & items that you and your family always like to have on hand for meals & snacks?
    • this will help when it comes time to write down grocery lists & for having items on hand when you don’t know what to cook.
  9. Create a weekly prep list to create consistency each week
    • This goes for keeping the house clean & your mental state clear
      • Maybe Saturdays are sheet & linen days where you wash all linens
      • Every Tuesday & Thursday, you set a timer and clear for one hour
  10. REST
    • The holidays were a busy time, take this month to slowly move towards your new year goals
    • Work & Progress you are proud of can only come from a place of rest

✨Clear energy for your goals to become reality✨

You don’t have to do it all and you don’t have to do it all at once! January is a long month, with 11 months left after, to achieve everything you want in the new year.

Perhaps consider January a trial run month to give each of your goals or resolutions some practice? You can start over in February, or March, or next week.. Each new day is a new opportunity to write a new page. Choose you, choose to stay consistent.

xo, Maria

Categories: Wellness

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF YOGA 2021

When I took my first Yoga class at the Langham Creek YMCA in 2009, I had no idea how much this ancient discipline would change and improve my life!!

My mom signed up the whole family for the YMCA after I tore my ACL during a dance audition (talk about trauma!) at the end of my junior year of high school. I went to the gym every day to work on building my leg muscles so I could recover and get back to what I loved – dancing! 

But after graduation, I found myself in a funk. 

All I understood about working out was sweating as much as I could so I could be as close to size 0 as possible. I was abusing my body and it didn’t make me very happy. I stayed in Houston for school while everyone I knew left for their college town experiences. And since I commuted for class & work, I didn’t make many meaningful friendships in the little free time I had around campus. Worst of all, I found myself in a very toxic relationship. And when I decided to leave, I was harassed for months.

I was not in a good place mentally.  

I can’t remember exactly when I walked into my first class but I do remember feeling nervous and underestimating the power of ‘some stretching’. While I can’t recall specifics, I remember the vibe and that was enough to keep me coming back for more.

I haven’t been the same since!

Like many hobbies or practices, you might fall away for a bit. And then something life-shaking might bring you back… 2020 definitely brought me back to all of my grounding practices. 
After a depressive episode, I started to incorporate yoga into my morning routine as a non-negotiable promise to myself. 10 minutes every single morning upon waking up. It helped pull me out of a dark place, just like it did that first time all those years ago. Yoga brings me back into my body. It brings me back into the moment. It centers me, grounds me; it keeps me compassionate and aware. 

I learn so much about myself in this practice,
and I never want to stop  

Happy International Yoga Day! 
The light in me honors the light in you 
xoxo 

10 Minute Morning Yoga – Full Body
10 Minute Morning Wake Up Yoga
10 Minute Morning Yoga – Beginners
10 Minute Morning Yoga – Energy Boost

Categories: Life, Wellness

How Postponing a Wedding Led me on a Healing Journey

The last 12 months have not been easy for anyone. Think about where you were this time last year. We were in the middle of a pandemic! We still are, but a completely different stage. This time last year, I was in a daily tizzy on what to do about our wedding. The cases here in Texas were on the rise and climbing fast. It was to the point where my family in Greece was concerned about us visiting, let alone the concerns of our traveling guests. We held the faith as best we could and kept on with planning. We still had to get my fiance baptized and gather wedding documents, we didn’t want to stop for something we weren’t really sure of. Then, on July 1st, the European Union closed its borders to American travelers. And well, only a handful of us would’ve been able to get Greek travel papers and we couldn’t have a wedding without the groom!

On July 1st, 2020 we decided to finally pull the plug on the whole thing.

That morning was rough. We had to update everyone and get with our planners for a new game plan. Sure, it was easy, simple – they gave us a couple dates to choose from and we decided on July 24, 2021. Everything was already planned and set for the original August 21st wedding date by the time we decided to postpone. All we had to do was roll everything over to the new date, and wait 11 months. No big deal.

So then why the hell was I SO sad? Like, really, really sad. It was already a tough year, everyone was already going through so much, I had already been crying for 6 weeks straight at that point.

"People are dying from a new illness, the entire world is trying to navigate a pandemic, so many have lost their jobs, people still have their eyes shut to all sorts of systemic injustices in the Land of the Free and you're sad about having to postpone your wedding???"
"Boo hoo. Little Princess is upset because she can't have her little destination wedding. Oh, too good to have your wedding here? You postponed it! You're still having a wedding, what are you crying about?!" 

I was so mean to myself and wouldn’t allow myself to feel what I was really feeling. I told myself, “We have a new date, no big deal.” But it was a big deal. “Everything’s planned, we just have to sit back and wait. No worries.” But I was upset! I told myself everything was okay when it actually wasn’t.

After several of my relationships started to implode, I knew that my sadness was not just from postponing the wedding. There were deep wounds that postponing our wedding only poured vinegar on. And I wanted to see where they came from, so I started digging. I decided to go deep and started peeling back layer after layer after layer til I reached the core.


2021 is the year we grow, glow and heal ✨

And I took that sh*t seriously. We quickly learned that just because the calendar has a new date doesn’t mean bad things stop happening. I wanted to take what we learned from our trauma as collective and apply it to my life on a personal level. Mental Wellness became top priority for me – I started meditating, praying and doing yoga immediately upon waking up, created healthy routines and started seeing a therapist.

I made self-love a non-negotiable, daily practice.

As I started being kinder to myself, I started to feel and honor each and every emotion. After invalidating my feelings all my life and learning to deconstruct 3 decades of conditioning, my healing journey was NOT pretty. But it has been the most beautiful experience. I went really deep and found an abundance of love and gratitude for myself and this precious life!

Postponing a wedding is never easy, and certainly not fun. Add in a pandemic, failing relationships and systemic injustice, and I started unraveling at my seams. I knew the sadness wasn’t superficial. I could keep denying how I actually felt or make some changes. No one really talks about the ugly parts of healing, and we can get into that, but let me tell you – it is SO worth it.

xoxo

Categories: Wellness

Kali Sarakosti – Happy Lent!

Today is known as Clean Monday and starts the first day of Great Lent, falling 7 weeks before the feast of Holy Pasxa (Easter). It is also known as Pure Monday, Monday of Lent or even sometimes referred to as Green Monday. You might also hear it called “Ash Monday” like “Ash Wednesday” celebrated in the West, but we don’t use ashes.

We actually start preparing for this season of preparation for Pasxa a few weeks before with Judgement (Meatfare) and Forgiveness (Cheesefare) Sundays, focusing on the judgement and forgiveness of Christ, also the last days to have meat and cheese respectively. We call today’s holiday ‘Clean Monday‘, and this week – Clean Week – referring to the start of this purification period where we abstain from sinful attitudes, behaviors and non-fasting foods like meat, dairy, eggs, fish, oil & wine.

The season officially starts the Sunday evening before Clean Monday with Forgiveness Vespers on Forgiveness Sunday where we ask forgiveness not only from God, but from each other so we start this season with a clean mind and with the love and forgiveness of Christ in our hearts – how beautiful is that? The entire week is dedicated to cleaning our diets, our homes and most of all, especially our hearts – setting the tone for the next 7 weeks. The period of the 40 days & 40 nights of Great and Holy Lent is called ‘Sarakosti‘, meaning “40”, however the entire duration of the Lenten period is inclusive of the 40 days + Holy Week (the week of Palm Sunday through Easter), which makes it a little longer at about 49 days.

To wish each other a good Lent, we say “Kali Sarakosti”, the tables are full of fasting foods like lagana bread and taramasalata, and many people fly kites in celebration! The kites are said to represent the connection of the human soul to Heaven, the Resurrection of Christ or the journey of purification we are about to embark, whatever the reason, it is rooted in the deep spirituality of Orthodox Christians. This season is very much one of spiritual renewal, restoration, and ends with revival, and Resurrection – there is little coincidence that this feels like spring festival than it does the start of Lent. Orthodox Christians strive to live our lives according to Scripture, reading Matthew 6:14-21 as the Gospel reading on Forgiveness Sunday, as a reminder to enter this time with reverence but also celebration:

When you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly I say you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face so that you do not appear to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”

Matthew 6:16-18

Kali Sarakosti and Happy Springtime, friends!

xoxo

Welcome

Welcome

Hi there, my name is Maria! I'm a style and beauty loving Greexican, Orthodox Christian, Libra & Citizen of the World from Houston, Texas.

All labels aside, I'm simply a spiritual being holding steadfast to the belief that when you look good, you feel good and when you feel good, you look good.

When I’m not styling outfits or trying new beauty products, you can find me exploring this beautiful planet with my fiance and our dog, reading & journaling, practicing yoga, finding new ways to organize or binge watching Netflix.

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style.stratigi

𝖬𝖠𝖱𝖨𝖠 • 𝖲𝖳𝖱𝖠𝖳𝖨𝖦𝖨𝖲
Don’t forget that you too are a part of nature 🌱 Water yourself, nourish yourself, and take care of your 3 homes - body, earth & mind 🌎 
#earthday #earthdayeveryday #mindsetshift #intentionalliving #lovetheworld #weareone #lovegeneration
hi! gracing your feed today with a gentle reminder hi! gracing your feed today with a gentle reminder that everyone is the main character in one story only.
Their own 🌸
We all have our own challenges, set of characters, plot twists.. Good news is only you have the pen, what kind of story are you writing? 
#mindsetshifts #maincharacter #maincharacterenergy #writeyourstory #houstoninfluencers
First Monday of April 🌸 New month New week N First Monday of April 🌸 
New month
New week 
New energy 
New blessings 
New opportunities 
#newweek #newblessings #freshstarts #spring2022 #matchingset
how was your weekend? The weather was perfect, w how was your weekend? 
The weather was perfect, we went to see a movie in theaters for the first time in 2 years and one of my videos went viral! Life is good ✨
#houstonstyle #styleınspo #beautyinfluencers #skincarecommunity #skinpositivity
I love a good “right before pandemic” throwbac I love a good “right before pandemic” throwback. Feb 2020 feels like a lifetime ago, but they say hindsight is 20/20. 
What if you could go back right before the world shut down, what advice would you give yourself? 
#throwback #prepandemic #hindsightis2020 #lifestylecreator #houstoninfluencers
my pride, joy, & goodest boy Double tap if you c my pride, joy, & goodest boy 
Double tap if you can relate with your furry bestie 🐶 
#nationalpuppyday #miniaussies #miniaussiesofinstagram #odysseas
Very much vibing green this spring 🌱 Green is Very much vibing green this spring 🌱 
Green is the color of nature, green is growth, green is abundance! Green is the color of healing. 
What colors are speaking to you this season? 
Swipe for original nail inspo 💅🏼 
#greennails💚 #springnailart #springnails #spring2022
Happy Spring Equinox! 🌸 where life is back in b Happy Spring Equinox! 🌸
where life is back in bloom and nature is transforming 🦋 
A reminder to be kind & gentle with yourself in your growing seasons 
#springequinox #spring2022 #youarenature
running errands in my @healthyassets pink two piec running errands in my @healthyassets pink two piece set 
What are your weekend plans? 
#girlsempoweringgirls #twopieceset #hotpink #shopsmallbusinesses #shopwomenowned #intheloop #upperkirby #houstonstyle
To be a woman is magic ✨ a power I do not take l To be a woman is magic ✨ a power I do not take lightly or for granted. 
What a gift to be able to celebrate International Women’s Day alongside the most magical beings created 
Today & everyday - celebrate, empower, motivate, inspire & collaborate with each other to keep shining, sparkling & changing the world 💖
#internationalwomensday #internationalwomensmonth #iwd #iwd2022 #thefutureisnow #thefutureisfemale #girlsruntheworld #girlpower #divinefeminineenergy
For a short month, it felt like a long time for Fe For a short month, it felt like a long time for February to really chew me up and spit me out.
💫Both 2/22 portals
🌕A STRONG full moon in Leo on Feb 16
♓️The transition into Pisces szn on Feb 18th
💥Pluto’s Return on 22/2/22 - with the sun in Pisces & the moon in Scorpio (two very emotionally intuitive and intense water signs) 
❄️Late Winter Seasonal Depression 
👤Imposter Syndrome 
It got too emotionally heavy for me to carry, and I’m proud of the grace I extended to myself to put it down. 
But if February’s ✨2•2•2✨ energy taught us anything - life is all about duality. It’s how we balance and create harmony in our lives between the black and the white, the good and the bad, the positive and the negative. 
After all, winter must always come to balance the spring 🌱
What is one lesson February 2022 taught you?
#piscesseason #february2022 #2222 #energyiseverything #impostersyndromeisreal #seasonaldepression #intentionallife #energyhealing #selflovefirst #selfcompassion
Even on a cloudy day, be bright ✨ Sending out Even on a cloudy day, be bright ✨ 
Sending out bright, loving, and grateful energy into the universe today 💖
#2222 #22222 #twosday #loveandlight
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