Let it Be

It's funny to me that whenever I need a certain push or quote, it appears, at exactly the right time. Right now I am in the middle of reading a great book by Eckhart Tolle called "A New Earth" (I will definitely be talking about it more extensively when I finish reading it!) and this book is almost completely overturning my world and changing the way I think. Because this book has put me in a place where I am very open to feeling and thinking new ways, things like this quote have a greater affect on me. I'm sure I have mentioned this before, but I have always been a planner, not being sure of something and of my future scared the crap out of me. I was always worried about where things were going and what was next that I would forget about the present, I would force things and not let things just happen. The past six months I have struggled with this, but this quote puts, very simply, exactly how I want to live.

"Never expect, never assume, never ask and never demand...." -It is always good to set goals for the future, but you can't just expect things out of life or out of other people. Let it/them surprise you a little bit. Who are you to expect and demand things of situations and other people? Let things happen and live in the present.

"Because if it is meant to be, it will happen.."-you say meant to be? really? Isn't that something we just throw around in fairytales with happy endings? I'm starting to think it's really life. The past few months I have just let my life happen (I do have my lapses), and for the first time in a long time I am enjoying moments that I couldnt before and things are going the way they are supposed to and at their own pace....try it.

Have a great day!

Hmmm

[Shoes: VS, Leggings: Express, Sweater: AE, Blazer: DKNY]

                        To be honest....I don't really have much to say. Until tomorrow my friends...

A Holiday Epiphany

I am writing this post on my phone so I cannot really figure out how to make it look nice and include pictures. I don't know about you, but the Holidays always make me think: about where I am in my life, how it has changed this year and how I want it to change next. I think about the people in my life I want to keep around, the people in my life that take my energy from me and how to approach my relationships in the future. The holidays help me appreciate people and all the good things in my life but also make me question the decisions I am making and the life I am creating for myself. Am I doing it right? How do I even know if I am? Will someone tell me, will I feel it, will I have to make the mistakes to learn the lessons? The holidays for some reason make me want to take control of it and make the best of everything because I want to look back at the end of 2012 and be proud of where I am and what I have done.

Resolutions here I come!

Have a great holiday everyone, don't think as much as I do :)

Fitness is a Lifestyle

There are so many things in life that I think need to become part of your lifestlye and your routine and habits and not just something you "do" to get to a specific result or to look a certain way. Exercise and fitness fits this bill perfectly. I have always been into exercising whether it be team sports or going to the gym, but it was always for a specific reason, to lose 5 lbs or to win a basketball game or race. For the first time in my life, I am letting it become a part of who I am. It's not about the number on the scale or the amount of lbs I lift, it is taking care of my body and walking around with that feeling of strength and accomplishment. When exercise becomes part of your lifestyle, the meaning of it changes; I no longer dread going to the gym and hopping on the treadmill or doing pull-ups, I crave it. Part of me wonders if it is something that is just "in" people or if it can be conditioned...what do you think?

Psychadelic

[Shoes: AE, Tights and Necklace: H&M, Belt: DKNY, Dress: Boutique in NC]

The minute I saw this dress, I fell in love. I have always wanted a dress or a shirt with cut out arms, but I have always felt like most of the ones I have found have not been too classy to say the least. I guess when you shop at some of the places I end up that tends to be the case. This dress was also a big spend for me-$70. I know most of you are probably like, "Hm well that's not a lot of money for a dress," but I have come to realize that I truly am one of THE best bargain shoppers of all time. haha, well maybe not of all time, but I am pretty damn good.

SO from now on, I am going to try and include prices of things I have purchased and pass along some tips on how to shop like me :)

For starters, always start on the clearance/sale rack and work your way away from it! Always!

P.S. does this dress  seem psychadelic or what?

Tomorrow

I would have to admit that worrying has always been one of my biggest problems; I am always trying to plan things and figure out what's next. This has definitely been something I have become more aware of and have tried to live in each day and in each moment.

Yes, tomorrow is only 24 hours or less away but we/I/you cannot let it dictate how today will go. Whatever problem or issue is going to come up tomorrow will still come up tomorrow, worrying about it today will not erase it or give you insight into how to change it. Living today with strength and perserverence will get you where you need today and tomorrow. Yes, I am being idealistic, worrying is completely natural and I don't know if you could be human and not do it, but to me being aware of it and consciously trying to live in today's moments can get you a long way.

So stop worrying about tomorrow, it will come no matter what. Today is your day.

Black Skirts and Blonde Hair

[Shoes and T-shirt: American Eagle, Tights: H&M, Skirt: GAP, Sweater: Banana Republic]

 I know, how many black skirts can you have? I know I have at least 5 or 6, but this one was so unique I needed to add it to my collection. The tattered ruche up the front of the skirt gives it character that to me, make the outfit. Somehow I always find good buys at the GAP and especially love the size I am in their clothes (the skirt is a 2!!), I know, I am such a girl.

And I am not really sure how much I have posted with my lighter hair, but I made my hair a lot lighter! What do you think? I get so bored with my hair so quickly and end up making big changes. How do you reinvent yourself?

Have a great weekend; I will be relaxing, waitressing, partying you know? :)

Holiday Fitness Discipline

I would say that I normally associate my exercise routine with discipline, but I think that this time of year it definitely takes more of it. I am pretty ok with stretching my eating habits during the Holiday Season, but I like to make sure that I am maintaining my gym schedule. It doesn't make up for the chocolate and cookies I am constantly consuming, but it definitely helps! How do you keep your discipline? I try and set a schedule and stick to it; look at the gym like you would making dinner plans with friends, pencil it in and tell people you are busy during that time! Don't be afraid to even ask friends to join you, a workout buddy is sometimes the best thing to keep you going :)

Happy Holidays and Happy eating and staying fit!!!

Suede Leggings

[Leggings: H&M, Shoes: Nine West: Tunic: F21, Necklace: AE]

I feel like I used to wear leggings like these when I was a little girl and up until about a year ago, I probably would have made fun of anyone who put on suede leggings, like really? And now...I can't get enough of them. It's kind of amazing to me how the media, the fashion industry and even your own taste evolves so much over time. I would be so curious to really know how much trends and runway looks really affect my own style. I am definitely one to just buy whatever I feel looks good on me, but there has to be some influence if I am walking around in brown suede leggings, right?

How do you take all of these outside sources into your wardrobe? When a trend goes "out of style" what do you do with the clothes, save them for when they come back in or get rid of them?

Make your Body

This saying is something I am fully embracing in my workouts recently. For the months of October and November, I was training for races, so my workouts revolved around my runs, but now since they are over, all I can think about is getting stronger. Making myself what I want to be, what I know I can look and feel like. I feel like for the first time in my life, I have 100% control over what my body looks and feels like; if I continue to put in the time, I will continue to see the results.

I want to continue doing this fitness aspect of the blog, I feel like it really goes hand-in-hand with clothing and feeling positive about life, but I would LOVE to know what you would like to see more of: workouts? motivation? photos of my fitness journey? playlists? Please comment or e-mail me!!

Once a favorite, always a favorite

[Dress: F21, Boots: Kenneth Cole, Tights: Charlotte Russe, Sweater: AE]

Everytime I wear this dress I pretty much wear the exact same things with it: brown boots, navy tights and a brown sweater. I have a problem where if I put together an outfit I love, I tend to wear the same exact combination even if it is months or a year later. I'm pretty good at not wearing the same thing twice in about a 6 month span (I know I am crazy), but it seems just as bad for me to wear the exact same outfit again.

So, what I am asking for is how I can style this wonderful dress differently? AND if anyone gives me a really good idea I will even wear it again by the end of the year, which if you know me at all, is extremely difficult for me! hahah!

Have a great day :)

It Just Makes you Stronger

I have been waiting for the perfect moment to incorporate this recent life event into one of my posts. A few weeks ago, someone very important to me got into a severe car accident and is extremely lucky to be alive. Although lucky, life events such as this have their consequences, mentally and physically. I feel like these quotes can walk me/us through processing it all and just getting through rough patches in general. I know the past few months have been one for me as well. 

First and foremost "Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can" We are all in one place, we move forward when the clocks tick, but right now we are here. Look around you, I am. What do you have? What can you do with it? How can you make every bit of it worth it? What ifs never got anyone anywhere but upset...thinking in the present is crucial

Second: "Never regret anything that has happened in your life, it cannot be changed, undone or forgotten. So take it as a lesson learned and move on." Most of us, or at least me, immediately thinks, "Oh, well I never regret anything, " but is this really true? Or am I just trying to convince myself I don't. I honestly don't know, but what I do know is that the past cannot be changed, it can only shape the decisions you make and the person you are in the future.

Third: "Out of clutter, find simplicity. From Discord, find harmony. In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity" When we normally think of clutter, discord and difficulty we see a huge negative, burdens, hardships, but why? Why not take the little bit of simplicity, harmony and opportunity out of these things and situations. Life is never void of them, we just have to find them and hold onto them, put them at the forefront of our life and how it is shaped. Just dig a little deeper, the positive is always still there.

And last, but not least: "I can be changed by what happens to me. I refuse to be reduced by it." Of course any traumatizing event is going to change our outlook on life, maybe even damper it. Hell, an amazing event changes us. And that's okay, in fact it's great. But never, no matter how big, small, painful something is, it is not worth bringing the person you are down. An event does not change who you have been you're whole life nor shape who you are going to be in the future. You do.

Remember: everything has the potential to make you stronger.

Date Night

[Boots: Kenneth Cole, Tights: Target, Dress: (Black-H&M, Purple-F21), Belt: Ross, Necklace: F21]

I think I now own this dress in 5 colors/styles and if I could wear them every single day I would. It is comfortable and can be worn so many different ways. Can you tell when I am obsessed with an item I go a little overboard?

I decided after taking pictures with the black dress that the purple one just looked better. I'm not sure about everyone else, but I do that way too often, where I get dressed and then about 1 minute before I walk out the door I changed. I got a call saying I'd be picked up in like 2 minutes this night and I ran up to my room, changed and was ready to go before the 2 minutes were up. We went to this delicious restaurant called Sabrosura in the Bronx, such a great new taste, get there :) I love trying new food!

Vacation words, Real Life thoughts

The title of this post comes from that saying, "drunk words are sober thoughts"...I really think that when you sit on a plane for 4 hours and have time to yourself on vacation you are finally taking all those thoughts you have in your busy life and making them real. I mean, right now I am in Denver, CO visiting one of my best friends and I have had a lot of time to write things down and think things over and it's like every thought that has passed through my mind in past two months is finally coming to surface. Here are a few things that have really come out...

I have spent a lot of time in the past year or even a couple of years thinking I could do everything, for everyone and myself all at the same time. The past few months have shown me that I can do things, but I need to realize where I have to draw the line, recognize my limits in every aspect of my life. Doing too many things or trying to do too many things to the fullest can sometimes result in doing all of them half assed. I just needed to learn to put my focus on things I cared about and I knew I could do them. 

This kind of goes along with what I was talking about above. I needed time and people telling me that I can do things for myself and get what I wanted from my life. I think a lot of times we are afraid of where things will take us if we take a risk or we do something for ourselves or "selfishly," but sometimes it's necessary. I know now that I need to give myself what I want and need before I can give myself to other people. Even when it comes to the working out; I sacrifice a lot of time that I could be spending hanging out with friends or family to put in the time to make myself look and feel good. It's not always the best thing, but without that my sanity would go and I wouldn't be able to feel good around other people. 

Don't be afraid to take what you want from this life, that's why we were given it!