Hai! I’m Carmen…
I am… a mom, certified life strategist, breakup recovery coach, best selling author, religious education teacher, Jesus girl, professional side-hustler, foodie wannabe, introvert, advocate for victims of narcissistic abuse…
and YOUR biggest fan!
I initially got on the internet in 1996 as an internet marketer which was my side-hustle as I completed my education and training to contribute in the field of mental and emotional health… so naturally, I created a website to promote my online marketing shtuff.
YEARS later, I started posting food pix on social media and my genius son suggested I create a food blog. Several years after that, I started a mommy blog to do more parenting/adulting/whatevering sharing…
It worked out well for many, many years. I really appreciated the “separateness” of each blog because each gave me a chance to take a breather from the other parts of my life. I guess it was my way of focusing on just one thing at a time.
However, I’ve… reached… a… time of my life (and I’ve never felt this way before ) where streamlining and establishing good habits in order to live a more fluid and meaningful life is more important than ever. My solution has always been to eliminate unnecessary effort in routine thoughts & actions, so I have more time and energy for the things that are most important to me. I figured I’d apply this to my sites now.
Of course, I’m still ALL ABOUT parenting, food-ing, and money-ing… and ITSCARMENTIME.LIFE is where you will find them. My original sites will remain online indefinitely because I don’t do well with good-byes 🙂
I Love Being a Mom
I honestly believe my purpose in life is to be my son’s mom and raise him to be incredibly awesome. And the kid *is* AMAZING… not sure how he turned out *this* well… but given that he’s 100% mommy raised, I’d like to believe I have something to do with it.
Parenting is FUN… and as difficult as it can be at times, even single parenting can be INSANELY enjoyable and fulfilling!!! I mean, what’s more exciting than loving, teaching, and nurturing your very own human? Well, successfully growing a Hello Kitty Chia could possibly come a distant second.
I Get by With a Little Help from My Friends…
I’ve fought thru some tough life challenges… and there were countless times when I desperately needed to know there was someone out there who could relate and see that they’ve survived it.
When my marriage first fell apart, I thought I was going to DIE. I was with my ex since ’91… married since ’95… until he suddenly demanded a divorce in 2006. And I mean just out of left field… totally caught me off guard. How the heck was I supposed live without him… let alone raise a child on my own… after 15 years being half of a whole?
I was told to hide my tears and avoid inconveniencing others with my issues. I was blamed for not being a good enough wife and accused of “using” my pain and confusion to get attention. I felt so defeated, betrayed, abandoned, and lost…
With the help of God and some amazing blessings, I found the most supportive & powerful group of women who helped me get through EVERY MINUTE of my excruciating day. They’ve experienced what I was going through and just seeing them SMILING gave me hope that I can get through this too… they were all the proof I needed. If they can do it, so can I.
My Obsession with Side-Hustlin’
When I first became a single mom, I depended heavily on side-hustles to provide for my 5-year old and myself while I worked on finishing up my education and training to become a Certified Life Strategist.
This is why side-hustles will always have a special place in my heart. 🙂
I Make Food That’s Delicious and Pretty
Cooking and writing is my stress relief. I cook A LOT… and my recipes are so simple, yummy and apparently healthy too! All my recipes started on my food blog at GirlPlusFood.com but I’ve brought them all to this website in an effort to streamline my life.
I Just Want to Share What’s Worked for Me… the Best Way an Introvert Could Share Her Life.
Knowing someone else has experienced similar crap may not immediately fix everything… but it might give some people hope that by fighting thru it, they’ll eventually get past it and smile again. Even laugh out loud… and dance!
Oh, I also have this talent for annoying people with my positive energy, but that’s for another time because it would screw with my layout for this page.
Professionalities (that’s a real word – right?):
Carmen is the Founder of Carmen Sakurai, Int’l, with a BSc in Psychology and certifications in Cognitive Behavioral Life Coaching and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, as well as Mental and Behavioral Health Studies with focus on Stress Management, Burnout Prevention, Depression, and Suicide/Violent Behavior.
As a Certified Digital Coach, she has demonstrated her ability to effectively communicate and successfully serve her clients via digital platform.
Her articles can be found on popular websites including Psych Central, Today.com, Thrive Global, Ricky Martin’s Piccolo Universe, SheKnows, Lifehack, and Thought Catalog.
Carmen is a proactive advocate for victims of narcissistic abuse.
I hope you find something useful… or at least make you chuckle a little while you’re here.
XOXO
