Photo by Element5 Digital

Every time I sit outside on my balcony, glancing at the whimsical, colorful fall leaves, a part of me wants to hold onto fall for the rest of the year. Between the Pumpkin Cold Brew at Starbucks, warm cozy knits, and walks around my brownstone-lined neighborhood in this randomly-warm, then chilly weather in November (yeah, no one can tell me that global warming isn't real because NYC is usually cold af by now), there are still so many daily seasonal rituals that I want to focus on before the end of fall. But as soon as November 27th comes around (aka Black Friday) I will be in full-on holiday mode! 

I'm planning to have all of my holiday decor up a little bit earlier than usual so I can enjoy it for as long as possible before I head home for the holidays. I am notorious for waiting too long to turn my apartment into a holiday haven and not having enough time to enjoy the festive atmosphere. Well, you better believe that is changing this year. So I've already put together my home decor checklist and started the recording process. Because the earlier I plan, the better the deals I can score. I will have holiday music blasting, chicken biscuits to snack on, and sip on a new, festive holiday drink (probably a fancy hot chocolate) each weekend to celebrate the season. Ah, I'm so excited! My guess is, we will be spending more time at home this year, so we might as well turn our places into festive oases. 

Here are a few things that are still on my holiday decor wish list. My roommate and I ventured off to Dollar Tree this past weekend and found a lot of cute stuff! But there are still a few decor holes I want to fix... frugally of course. And we all know that Black Friday is prime for finding cute decor at insane discounts. 

Cheers to a magical holiday season. Do you have any holiday traditions that you're looking forward to this year? Please feel free to share in the comments below! I think we all need as many ideas as possible this year. It's been a doozy, so making this holiday season as magical as possible is basically a necessity. 

Photo by Svitlana

 Wow... like wowwwwww! It's insane how many historical events our generation has experienced in such a short amount of time. And, yeah, our anxiety is collectively at an all-time high, so it's crucial that we all take time this weekend and chillllll. For our physical and mental health. Plus, I'm hoping we will have a lot of reasons to celebrate this weekend (Team Biden & Harris all the freaking way). But since we are still in this state of limbo, I put together a mini weekend plan for myself, and figured, why not share? I hope my weekend unwind game plan encourages you to make one of your own too. Whether you're trying to be extra frugal this weekend or you're willing to spend a healthy amount on your self-care plan, I'm sending all the positive vibes and love your way this weekend. 

Let's Virtually Escape (well, for a moment at least)

One.) I come across a healthy amount of incredible resources each day because of my scope of work, but I rarely have time (or the energy to be totally honest) to read them during the workweek. So I typically save them all in an email or google doc and bookmark them, then I can enjoy on quiet Friday nights in or calm weekend mornings. Trust me, this ritual of catching up on articles/things that are swirling around in my mind while enjoying a warm cup of tea, coffee, mimosas or wine (depending on the time of day) is so freaking restorative for my mental health. I'm always in this internal battle to slow down while also wanting to get more done, so taking at least 30 minutes to an hour each weekend to explore random stuff that piques my interest is such a game-changer for my well-being. 

Here are a few things that have been on my radar lately

• How amazing is this cute Christmas gift! It would be the perfect goody/place setting gift for a safe Thanksgiving dinner gathering. I got the idea from The Fashion Magie + love that this ATL company employs Haitian women and pays them a higher wage!! YAAASS let's do more good 
• I've been wanting to try The Pilates Class for a while - but it's been insanely hard to get myself to consistently workout - then I did a virtual class on Thursday before my workday, and hello motivation!! I feel so much more motivated to get work done now and to show up for myself - I tell myself only 15 mins a day so I don’t feel overwhelmed.
• Doing this 30-day social media gratitude challenge is puts a smile on my face. I'm not actually following the prompt, but it's helpful when I'm stuck in a rut
• I want to focus on romanticizing life like Krista talks about in this post!
• This article about pivoting and this article about having an identity crisis in 2020 are basically like comfort food - such good reminders of why staying flexible and why not knowing what the fuck we are doing all the time is totally fine.
• Oop - are we all making this mistake that hurts our blatter? I know, not a sexy topic but our pelvic floor is hella important to take care of
• I have been feeling soooo burned out in so many areas of my life, so I need all the advice about burnout I can freaking get lol

Two.) I have a virtual therapy session scheduled for this Saturday morning!! Ah, I'm so proud of myself. I have been wanting to go back to therapy for a few months, but I also wanted to save money, so I told myself I could hold off on the therapy for a while. Fast-forward to election week, and I FREAKED THE FUCK OUT. I became a literal hot ass mess - like I'm talking multiple panic attacks, overdrinking like crazy, no sleep, and spending waaayyy too much money - aka touching my savings (anxiety spending is REAL). So, I threw myself back into cognitive behavioral therapy. When I get me shit together, it's over for all you bitches - lmao.  

Three.) I'm dedicating time to writing and working on my digital platform. I've been somewhat upset with myself because I have rarely had the energy to dedicate to building the brand I want to build. I'm trying to be gentle with myself because, well, fucking pandemic and election year - enough said, right. But sitting down tonight to write this post has already made me feel so energized and fulfilled. I know this probably sounds nerdy to some people, but writing is insanely therapeutic for me. 

Four.) Having a chicken nugget and wine night at my place with 3 of my closest friends. Having a night in with the 3 people I've been in a bubble with this year (I was quarantined in a condo with 2 of these three people for 3 months so they have become my extended family). There's something so satisfying about just chilling on the couch, saving money, and watching trash tv with your closest friends. And we feel a little bit more socially responsible because we are staying in our little bubble instead of going out into the city and being around strangers - even if those strangers are 6 ft apart. 

And Five.) Planning for the holiday season early!! This year has been shit. I need all the cheer and romanticism I can get. Therefore, holiday movies, holiday music, and holiday treats start TODAY! I'm embracing Thanksgiving and Christmas on a whole new level this year. I will find little moments of joy each freaking day. And most importantly, I really want to amp up my charitable initiatives this season. So many people are hurting, and most of those people tend to be single moms of color. I've always had a soft spot for single moms because I think they are the strongest people on the planet. But thinking about women navigating finances and raising a child in a pandemic and recession seriously breaks my heart. So I'll be sharing jolly ways to spread joy over the next few weeks. Putting a smile on someone else's face is the best escape there is. 

What's on your weekend bucket list? II'd love to hear below. Wishing you a relaxing and fulfilling weekend. 

Lately, I've just been in the mood to feel inspired, I completely give credit to the changing seasons for my newfound excitement for life. There is just something so charming and alluring about the crisp weather and changing, colorful leaves. Invigorating is the word that comes to mind. Uh, I just love autumn. I am ready to curl up in cozy loungewear and watch Harry Potter while drinking mulled wine on the couch (or fancy tea if alcohol isn't the vibe). Doesn't that sound like a dream? I am ready to have a magical fall! And you know what they say.. a photo is worth a thousand words. These pictures emulate so many things about fall that are warming my soul. I hope they inspire you to live a full and exciting autumn. 

Even though we are still in the midst of a pandemic, there are still a billion ways for us to safely (and frugally) have fun. I plan to use this seasonal mood board as my guide and inspiration for fall. If you end up creating one for yourself, I hope you tag me so we can share what's inspiring us this season. I guess I'm kind of a dreamer.. but this is where dreams meet action plans. As long as we give ourselves a break and do one small thing each day to fuel our soul, we'll slowly but surely start to realize how incredible even the smallest joys in life can be when it comes to helping us live a fulfilling life. 

Retail Therapy Break

Of course one of my favorite parts about fall is the FASHIONNNN! Here are a few items I've been eyeing and recently purchased myself. Slowly I'll add them to my wardrobe because homegirl needs to fix her finances.. but I can responsibly treat myself along the way, and so can you because this pandemic life is not for the faint of heart. 

What about fall is making you feel all warm and fuzzy? Let me know in the comments below! I'd love to add more fun fall things to my list. Thanks for taking a moment out of your day to read this post. Your support means so much to me. Sending you love and happiness. 

Photo by Libby Penner

Well, my favorite season is right around the corner. Fall brings a sense of new beginnings. New possibilities, new opportunities for happiness. To be honest, it feels like I've been pursuing happiness for the past five years and have encountered a whole lot of painful lessons on my journey to learning how to embrace the here and now or as I like to call it the "it is what it is" lol. 

With each year I'm blessed with on this earth, the more I start to realize that dedicating most of my time to my career is not what will help me feel fulfilled. Yes, money is significant (we gotta pay rent and feed ourselves), but working all the time is the exact opposite of what I define as success... no matter what the paychecks look like. I used to idolize all the women who are busy busy busy, but covid-19 has really helped me value the sweetness of slowing down and shown me how valuable free-time is. 

The things that bring me joy are spending time with my loved ones, laughing until I cry with a friend over a bottle of wine, dancing to intoxicating music, writing, getting dressed up to feel giddy, traveling, having a warm cup of tea while I read a juicy book, traveling with people who have a special place in my heart, cuddling up with a puppy... now those are moments that genuinely bring me joy (but they also require money lol). And we are all in an intense season where financial survival or emotional survival kind of outranks our pursuit of happiness. Something I just have to accept. 

I also realize that a HUGE part of my mental struggle (ok depression, like let me stop beating around the fucking bush) stems from the fact that I work in social media/PR and literally cannot take a break from social media. 7 days a week I am looking at the lives, brands and businesses of other people and constantly comparing myself, constantly feeling inadequate, and constantly telling myself that I'm not living up to my fullest potential... yeah. It's a hard pill to swallow. But like I said, this is a temporary stage in my life, and in 5 years, when I am living life more on my own terms, I'll look back and thank myself for making this sacrifice now instead of later. 

Luckily, these types of seasons are temporary and we will certainly come out stronger once these seasons of hustle and grind are over. But until then, I'm going to find little ways to add joy into my life. So if that means I turn my phone on airplane mode and watch buffy for an entire evening or treat myself to a cute new fall trench coat (only while it's on sale and I can pay cash for it - no credit cards) then that might very well be what I need to encourage myself to push through this interesting chapter of life. Being too disciplined tends to drive me straight into depression and depression tends to leave me in a dark place where I feel like everything is pointless... I don't like living in that mental space. That's why I have to schedule in things that bring me joy each week. As long as I have one thing to look forward to, I have a little motivation to get out of bed each day. I know, this piece is not the biggest mood booster, but it's honest. It's what I've been battling, and it's what I'm working on overcoming. 😊

So here's a shortlist of things I'm looking forward to this fall. I hope it inspires you to create your own list so you have a few things to look forward to as well. If we keep looking for the light, we are sure to find it sooner rather than later. 

• Read poetry at least once a week while drinking tea - I need this to process my emotions because i have not been in a good place lately. I know a lot of people would probably tell me to be grateful, and gratitude is something I will always prioritize, but when you know something is wrong, you know something is wrong. But I have my eyes on the prize and can see the finish line. This season of loneliness and depression will end soon, and I will have grown from the pain
• Treat myself to a few fall staple pieces. I LOVE fall, and I LOVE fall fashion. Plaid trench coats, chocolatey toned cashmere, comfy yet chic booties, soft scarves. Ah!! I can barely control my excitement. P.S. Everything at Talbots is 25% off right now plus an extra $50 off if you spend $200+ aka, I'mma get that trench coat!! Yassss!!!

• Go on really long podcast walks on the weekend. I wish I still had time to do this on the weekday (I mean I could if I woke up an hour earlier, but we all know that ain't happening lol). I just have to make "me time" a priority. I always feel a billion times better when I actually take time out for myself instead of letting work dictate my day or spend time stressing out about work. I'm over it. Because at the end of the day, if we died tomorrow, our jobs would replace us in a heartbeat and not even blink to mourn us... so we might as well prioritize our wellbeing so we have the mental capacity to even show up in the world. 
• Write in the park. Writing is sooooo therapeutic for me, and being surrounded by nature is also therapeutic. Therefore, I should combine these two things. The crisp fall air creates the perfect atmosphere to write outside - not too hot and not too cold. 
• Cook more at home! Food is fun, but saving money is even more fun. I want to dive into a few fall cookbooks - or get ideas off the internet because free lol. 
• Decorating for fall and creating a cozy home!! I mean, who doesn't love a fall home. 
• Putting together my fall festivities bucket list. I really don't have the energy to plan my fall adventures at the moment, but I am excited to plan them soon. It's crazy how taking a day trip to visit a pumpkin patch or see fall foliage really just makes you appreciate the beauty in life. I'm excited to see the beauty of this crazy world soon.