February 2020 Mood Board: Small Ways to Celebrate Life
February 9, 2020
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| Photos by: Adore Me, Element5 Digital, Heather Ford, Tirza van Dijk |
Of course, all of the things I've listed above can and should be a part of my lifestyle all year round, but I find it is easier to keep these things top of mind during February. We live in such a fast-paced world, so it is incredibly easy to forget to make room for inspiration in our lives. In my opinion, inspiration is what makes life magical, so it is an essential ingredient to living a fulfilled life. I am excited to embrace the different moods of each season and seek out more muses each month. Life is too short to not make time for the things we love, no matter how simple or elaborate they might be.
And in an effort to celebrate this one life we are given, here is a small list of indulgences that bring me joy. I hope they do the same for you.
- Drinking tea while burning a candle - it's simple and free
- Reading a magazine to wind down
- Walking around a neighborhood with cobblestone streets - there is something so charming about them. It's great to do while catching up with a friend or while listening to a podcast
- Watching a thought-proving video, show or movie - Parasite is next on my list.
- Putting on red lipstick and a cute outfit
- Drinking a smoothie after a killer pilates class
- Wearing lingerie or silky PJs while lounging around - it honestly just makes me feel 1000xs more confident. I love Adore Me and Asos because they both offer a large selection of lingerie for women with fuller busts and at an affordable rate. P.S. - The links below are affiliate links.
Are there any indulgences that you incorporate into your routine every February? If so, I'd seriously like to know in the comments below. I know Valentine's Day can suck if you are single, but I'm really starting to love my alone time. So whether you have a romantic evening planned with your boo, are having a night with friends and family, or are treating yourself to a lovely solo dinner at home while watching your favorite new show, there is always something to look forward to on a date that celebrates love. Self-love is the best type of love anyway. Cultivating unconditional self-love is the only way we will ever experience a full-life, and I am excited to continue nurturing my relationship with myself. I know you are too. Thank you for taking a moment to read this post; your support means so much to me. Until next time my friend - wishing you all the love, happiness and joy this month.
Monthly Muses: January
January 27, 2020
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| Photo by Jason Leung |
Although I'm a tad bit sad to say goodbye to my birthday month, I am ready to see what else 2020 has in store. I really thought I knew what I wanted out of life, but this month has helped reveal to me new priorities in my life. I will always be an ambitious woman, but with each week that passes, I value slowing down more and more. I want to cook with friends and loved ones more. I want to enjoy a bottle of wine with a special someone and engage in stimulating conversation. I want to spend 30 extra minutes in the morning putting on a cute outfit and doing my hair and makeup. I want to go on looooong walks in the park or go on a hike.
I LOVE the energy in NYC, but I also need rest and slow living to balance out the hustle and grind. Life is full of so many incredible moments and we can cultivate incredible relationships if we take the time to do so... that's what I want to focus on this year. As more and more of my cherished friends move away from NYC, I'm really starting to cherish the simpler moments with them. I never would have expected the 26-year old version of me to value slowing down so much - but I know I need both mindful living and constant growth/development to feel fulfilled. Now I'm just hoping to continue to grow my community and attract like-minded people into my life.
As you can imagine, the things I've been gravitating towards this month reflect my slow-living focus shift. So below are a few things that have been putting a smile on my face during this abundant, yet insanely stressful month.
Netflix & Chilling - just to escape for an hour... or three
Money Heist
The Morning Show (Apple TV)
Schitt's Creek
Devin Brugman's Low Carb Diet IG Stories Highlight
Devin is one of my favorite content creators/ entrepreneurs. She is the co-founder of a luxury swimwear line that provided amazing options for bustier women... aka me. And she shared the most delicious meal ideas for anyone who thrives on a low-carb diet... also me. I am excited to get back to this lifestyle. I loved going low-carb last year. But tbh, I didn't make enough money to sustain it and I was lazy to cook that much. But now that I have a higher income and actually want to dedicate time to cooking, I plan to make her dishes on repeat
Decluttering
I truly have too much freaking stuff. It's a real problem, so I've been researching like crazy to come up with a storage system for my tiny ass room. I constantly get rid of things that I no longer want/ don't inspire me. But when you have a small bedroom and share an apartment with roommates, there comes a time where the issue is the size of the space and not the number of things you own. I love organizing and I love the container store, but I'm not trying to spend a lot of money on this project. I know there has to be a creative solution, and I'mma find it.
I think I like Pinterest more than Instagram TBH. It is just so easy to find an infinite amount of inspiration and helpful info.
Cute Winter Boots/Snow Boots
I am so sick of feeling like an ugly potato every day at work wearing jeans or leggings with my sneakers. I need a pair of comfortable, durable and warm, flat OTK boots that are weather-resistant and affordable. I also need to invest in a quality pair of snow boots that I won't be depressed to wear. Thank the lord for DSW. I'll be purchasing these two items ASAP.
Feathers and Oranza Elements
I love the retro glamour that these two features add to any element. Adding a little extra something to my outfit always puts a smile on my face. And Boohoo always has fun pieces at a super low price, so I don't have to be irresponsible to enjoy this trend (currently the entire site is 50% off so the prices are even cheaper than what's reflected in my picks below).
Little Luxuries: Making the Most out of Boring Routines
January 25, 2020
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| Photo by Mgg Vitchakorn |
At first glance, this summary sounds boring as fuck. I totally admit that, but when you add little luxuries into your routine, the mundane can quickly transform into pure joy. Here are a few things I did to make the past 48 hours more luxurious.
1. Ordered my favorite meal: On Fridays, I usually head to a dance class after work, but I was feeling particularly run down this week after battling a cold. I knew I needed to spend the night in bed if I wanted to recover faster. So I ordered my favorite meal from my go-to bbq place (Hamilton Pork) and picked it up on my way home from work (I felt less guilty spending money since I avoided delivery fees). Then I started Money Heist on Netflix. Kendra recommended it to me because she knew how much I loved Elite (pretty sure it's the same writers and most of the cast is the same). It was honestly really fun to spend the night relaxing, alone and getting sucked into a new show.
2. Listened to a great podcast: I wanted to tidy up the kitchen and my bedroom a little bit before heading into the city... but chores are boring af. Thank the lord for podcasts! I love consuming knowledge while also being productive. Very few things make me feel as accomplished and put together. I listened to The Skinny Confidential this morning because it's a pretty balanced podcast and does a great job of providing comical, inspirational, informational and aspirational value. I highly recommend!!
3. Treated myself to a nice face masque: My skin if freaking the fuck out and I'm thinking it's because of my crappy diet. So I slathered my Jet Lag Summer Fridays Masque on after my dance class. I know it's probably in my head, but I swear that I instantly felt like I could conquer the world.
4. Took myself out to a healthy lunch: Dig In isn't my favorite, but it did leave me feeling pretty great. I love all of their sides, but my salmon was a tad bit too salty. Regardless, I've missed eating cleaner. Sometimes I forget how incredible healthy food is. I've missed having the energy that comes with clean(ish) eating.
5. Invested in myself (aka bought a Wing membership): This blogging platform is just one of the many things I have going on outside of my fashion PR job. I have big dreams and feel sooo freaking inspired working in this safe, beautiful and perfectly curated space. Whether I'm planning my next vacation, writing a blog post or mapping out my financial goals, I know I will be 100000% more productive here than in my apartment or at a coffee shop. I'm so excited to start attending the incredible events this company offers as well. I know I probably sound like a broken record by now, but if you have a specific vision for your life, it won't just magically happen on its own. We have to work to create it (while also remembering to rest when we need it). And I know working in an inspiring environment like The Wing will help me do so.
I hope you find a few small ways to make your next low-key weekend special. Whether you treat yourself to a new outfit or just make tea and light a candle while you drink it, luxury is in the eye of the beholder. Wishing you lots of love and happiness today and every day. And thanks again for reading this post. Your support means so much to me. Until next time friend.
Sunday Reading: 1.12.20
January 12, 2020
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| Photo by Alisa Anton |
I love the energy that accompanies the beginning of a new year. The first fill week back at work was Uber busy and my work and social life seem to be gaining full speed ahead. January has already been filled with amazing blessings. Between getting a promotion at work, booking a yacht week trip in Greece, planning for my birthday party this month, taking on more dance classes and creating a financial plan to meet my goals, it’s been a busy freaking week! So I’m taking this Sunday to rest and restore before I show up 110% on Monday. A little bit of cleaning, running errands for my party, prepping my lunch for Monday, reading some poetry and starting The Morning Show on Apple TV is how I’ve spent the day and contrive to spend the rest of the evening. With all the goals I’ve set for myself for the next few months, year and decade, I could already feel myself forgetting to take time to rest and spend some quality alone time with myself. How are you spending your Sunday? I hope you are starting to discover a Sunday ritual that helps you feel peaceful and prepared to kick ass for the upcoming week. And I hope you enjoy the things I found around the web this week. Thank you for always supporting me and for stopping by this site. It means the world to me. Sending you lots of love!
I’m already bathing suit shopping for my next vacation! It can be pretty challenging to find supportive, cute and affordable bathing suits if you have a large chest like me. But Asos ALWAYS pulls through for me! They have a “fuller bust” swimsuit section that I’ve exclusively worn for the past 5 years. Here are a few of the pieces I’m loving right now! Gonna at to cart ASAP haha. Also, Asos is having a major sale on a lot of swimsuits so this seems to be a key time to buy! P.S. The below are affiliate links!
Speaking of finally booking my group trip to Greece via yacht week, I figured I’d share the website if anyone is interested in going or wants to start planning and saving for the rest of the week.
Live Well: Stay healthy this winter with these Ayurvedic secrets
I went to dollar tree in jersey city today because I wanted to save some money on a few party supplies and guys, there’s so much good stuff there if we just get creative.
Relationships can be hard and sometimes they suck. I thought these 3 articles were very great reminders for all of us to keep top of mind no matter our relationship status
Oh Trader Joe’s, I don’t know what I would do if you weren’t in my life!! So excited to check out the items on this clean shopping list!!!
I’m certainly trying to make my home a “happy place” this year, and apparently so are most people. 2020 might just be the year of home-care instead of self-care
I really, really, really want to get more into entertaining this year and celebrating the small milestones. I did not do that nearly enough in 2019. But I also want to entertain on a budget, so I'll be saving this resource.
The Financial Diet: 6 Weekly Rituals That Have Completely Changed My Life - I really liked this practical advice. Sometimes you just need to hear this from another person to motivate yourself to do the same.
NSFW: I think this is pretty amusing. Honestly, I'm not judging people who make money via foot photos At ALL! Get yo money.
Three Things I'm significantly cutting back on/ eliminating from my lifestyle:
I'm sooooo sick of looking through my bank account and feeling sick about all the money I wasted. I'm pretty mad at myself for all the money I wasted Saturday night, but all I can do is learn from the painful experience. My social life is about to totally change lol.
- Ubers/Lyfts - I just don't need to waste so much money on these. I spend at least $1K on ubers last year and I wish this were an exaggeration, but it's not. Public transportation, here I come haha.
- Overpriced drinks at bars and restaurants? Please tell me WHY I dropped $55 on 2 drinks and a glass of ginger ale at a dumb ass rooftop this weekend? I'm honestly mad at myself for giving in to peer pressure and spending money I knew I didn't really want to spend. Oy- if I don't pregame a night out, I'm just not going anymore lol.
- Eating out/Food deliveries. I'm still going to go to special occasions and birthdays, but I have zero desire to casually spend money eating out anymore. Not for lunch, not for dinner, and not on the weekends which is when I tend to spend the most money on food. I'm excited to start making healthier decisions.
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