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Have you heard? Today is National Thrift Shop Day! This is so exciting because most of my clothes have come from thrift shops or consignment shops. Cats out the bag!

Today I want to share some of my favorite thrift finds in hopes it will encourage you to not only support your local thrift shop, but also keep clothing out of the landfills.

Welp, it's happening guys. Summer will soon come to an end and Fall will be here. Not that Central NY got the memo. It's been pretty Fall-like here all week.

I was initially going to do a 6 month follow up for Stitch Fix to show you all of the items I've kept since starting with them back in February, but then had more fun turning all of the Spring/Summer items I got into Fall transition pieces.

I figured that would be a much better post. Don't you agree?  So here we go.. Fall transition style with all of my Stitch Fix keepers.

For those of you unfamiliar with Stitch Fix, it is a monthly clothing subscription where you get a personal stylist to send you 5 pieces according to your profile. You have the opportunity to write your stylist a note each month further customizing your fix. You pay a $20 styling fee each month to receive the fix, which is then deducted from the cost of anything you keep from your fix. If you keep all 5 items you also receive a 25% discount. Pretty great right? If you have interest in trying out the fix, I would appreciate it greatly if you used my affiliate link.

Fix 1: February 2017

My first fix was pretty great. I did not keep everything, but I did do a full review on my first fix. Make sure to check it out to see how I styled everything then in the winter verses my keeps for Fall transition.

I paired the Gilli Hilda printed aline skirt with my hubby's purple polo top and a pair of purple converse sneakers to bring together this back to school outfit.

Also from this fix I kept the 41Hawthorn Aiton grommet detail blouse. I paired it with a pair of bootcut jeans and boots. Perfect for those mild days that turn into chilly nights!

It's been a little heavy around here lately, so I thought since it's the last Friday of August, thus in my mind the last Friday of Summer, I would do a lighter post. I haven't done a "currently" post in a while so what better time then today?

Currently, I am...

Watching: Younger. I have to say, I am obsessed with this show! I watched it the first season but for some reason stopped after that. I just binge watched the whole series up to current, and I love it!



Reading: Ehh. I'm not going to lie, I have 2 book checked out from the library and another 2 I bought on my Kindle that I am at a standstill with. I really wanted to read You Are a Bad Ass at Making Money by Jen Sincero. I have it checked out and it is just sitting there. I need to get my butt in motion!

Excited for: I am going away next weekend with my best friend. We are taking a girls weekend in the mountains of North Carolina at a boutique hotel with spa. I am beyond the moon excited because there is scarce cellphone service and no televisions in the rooms. I am so ready to disconnect and just relax, read, and take in nature. Of course the blogger in me will take photos and share later for you all.

Wearing: It has been a little chilly here in central NY the last week. I have enjoyed wearing leggings and comfy hoodies. Fall has been in the air and I couldn't be more excited about that!

Loving: I am really loving my blogging tribe. They are so supportive and even when I'm down they are here giving me virtual hugs and sending all the love. You know who you guys are! Muah!

Eating: So I have been on this Cheerios kick. Like I just can't get enough of them every morning. I don't know what's happening to me. I am reverting back to being a kid.. but when I think about it, I didn't love Cheerios when I was a kid. LOL

Relaxing with: Hot baths full of essential oils. My body has been under some cray cray stress lately and I when I sit in a hot bath with lavender, peppermint, wild orange, and clove, I feel like all my worries, stresses, and aches go away. It is probably the closest thing to heaven you can get on earth!

Putting off: I am not 100% sure why I have been putting this off, but I have all these photos done to write a Transition into Fall post. I was so excited when I took the photos and I even edited them. The post was supposed to go up last week and here we are at Friday and still no motivation. Next week for the win?

Disappointed in: I have been loving my Stitch Fix box each month, so I decided to give Trunk Club (This is my referral code btw) a try, mostly for the fun of trying on more clothes. I worked with my stylist and even approved my trunk, and nothing fit me correctly. I am not saying this was their fault, I think I just overlooked some stuff on my end. I did love a pair of shoes though that I am going to keep and I will give it one more shot.

The day after a holiday that falls inconveniently on a Tuesday is always the worst. Even more so when you had to work Monday. You know the feeling right?

Not that I'm complaining. A fourth of July on a Tuesday really brought back all the feels and memories. The first fourth I spent in my current city fell on a Tuesday in 2012. My first summer holiday away from my family. I was to new at my job to ask for time off and I didn't want to take a day trip home.

Nostalgia won me over when I thought about where I was in life then compared to where I am now. I was younger. I was single, still recovering from a pretty scary break up situation. I was very much naïve. I had no idea what I was doing, but I was sure as hell doing it the best I could on my own.

It's funny how dates, holidays, days of the week, etc, can make you feel things. They can transport you back to a time where maybe you were really happy. It can also transport you back to a time where you weren't so happy. Maybe you lost someone. Maybe you lost yourself. Maybe you met someone. Maybe life was just coming at you just the way you wanted.

In any event, moments happen and something will always bring you back. They are there as lessons and reminders. Reminders that you are still here no matter what happened in the past. You made it. You are in the present trucking along.

So, thank you Tuesday, July 4th for bringing back a time where I was being strong on my own even when I was kind of lost. It reminds me that today in the present I can do the same. I have a bigger support system now and I can rely on them and myself to make it through the hard times.

I got this.

I needed that reminder.

Namaste.

How many goals in life have you made, but felt you would NEVER meet them so you either give them up or stop working on them? We probably all are guilty of this. I know I am definitely guilty of this. Today I want to talk to you a little bit about webinars and why they are super important to achieving goals.

I have a marketing degree and have worked in operations and fundraising and have found webinars and online courses VERY resourceful for my building blocks in these positions. We can always learn more. It is always great to take courses in subjects we already feel we are experts at. That statement is bolded for a reason.

Imagine you thought you knew it all, and then someone came in and gave you a perspective you didn't think to look in.  Mind blown right? Every person comes to the table with a different and new to you perspective. Remember, this is because we ALL come from different walks of life. We all have experienced different recipes, if you may.

We are all a custom recipe that is nearly impossible to duplicate. We can teach people a specific topic and duplicate it over and over again, but we can never teach someone to think exactly like us. Trust me when I say, you will learn something from every person who teaches something. That lesson may even be, you don't want to be anything like them. That's actually a very important lesson.

Always be you. But apply what you learn in your way. This week I am starting another webinar course to help me achieve some of my goals. It excites me when I find one that I know will help me. I don't mind spending the money to get the resources I need to build my brand and achieve my goals. I have always love that "back to school" feeling and am glad I can do that on my terms on my time right here on the internet.

There are literally hundreds of thousands of places to find and take webinars. A lot of times you can find free ones that will give you the basics to the in depth paid course. Sometimes the freebies are enough, but sometimes they spark something in you that makes you want to take the full course. The free webinars are also a great way to see if you will like the teacher and how they present their content.

Last night I did exactly this. I watched a free webinar and ended up loving it. I decided to take the plunge and sign up for the full course. Often in these free webinars, there is an offer at the end to save on the course. You will get a discount for taking a chance on the free webinar. It's pretty amazing.

So I'm interested in knowing.. do you use webinars and online courses? Have you found success in them? Share your experiences with me!

It's that time again, another fix has come and I am so excited to share it with you all! If you are unaware of what Stitch Fix is, it is a monthly clothing subscription box where your personal stylist sends you 5 fashion items. It can be clothing, jewelry, shoes, scarves, or purses. You set up a profile of your likes, dislikes, and price points and they get to work!

Check out my very first fix. I loved the first one. I also loved my second one, but was too sick to take photos. I will share some photos soon. This is my third fix, and I specifically asked for Maxi dresses, a cardigan, and a spring jacket. My stylist rocked it. Now here's what I got..

Loveappella Carlita Knit Maxi Dress - $78
I had this dress pinned on my pinterest board so I was so happy to see it show up! It is a petite so it is not too long on me and I really love the colors! For some reason this photo is not doing it justice, but I swear it is amazing in real life! So soft and summer themed! I absolutely kept this one!





Overall I loved the fix. I would of kept everything if it all fit correctly. Sorry for the blurriness of the photos. We were taking them in a hurry as we were losing the light and I really thought at first glance that they all came out okay. You get the point right?

So what do you guys think? Did my stylist do a good job?

I am totally slacking on my Sunday updates ya'll.. Let me just whip myself in shape real quick.. So this past weeks goals were to be better attentive to blogging comments. That meant replying to my own comments, as well as commenting on other blogs. I think I nailed this one. I had a little drawback when Disqus was not letting me moderate my comments and I was panicked. I then realized I could moderate from my emails on my phone. Problem solved!

So for this week, I have to choose something because it needs to get done, not because I want it to get done. I need to practice yoga EVERY. DAMN. DAY. I graduate in 2 weeks and have 3 weeks until my class I need to teach to get my certification. AHH! It came so quick! So you may not see me as much this week as I NEED to make this a priority and get it done.

I am doing a little side goal of food I consume this week. I need to get back to a better diet. My body really hates most foods right now. I know what they are and I continue to eat them. So, it's also a kind of need goal, rather than want goal. It needs to happen. I'm tired of feeling icky.

Okay on to other topics.. I finally got to visit with my parents this weekend. I have not seen them since early February. They got a new puppy in January. We visited to see him. He has gotten so big since then! He was also less scared of us which was nice. It was a beautiful day yesterday. Not a cloud in the sky. I didn't want it to ever end!

Alas, here we are. Monday again. Back to the grind. I am happy the sun is shining. I need to take some photos today for my Stitch Fix that arrived on Saturday. So many pretty things! I am glad it is sunny so I can get that done.

I hope you all have a wonderful week!

Welp Friday, we meet again. You couldn't of come any sooner. I'm not sure what it was about this week, but it was pretty draining. Maybe it was the weather. We went from beautiful weather last week to rainy and dreary weather this week. But it's Friday and we can only look forward right? Now let me talk about the things I am grateful for this week.



I am grateful to have a job where I can work from home on days it is down pouring and cold out. My body really does not love the cold, so days I can stay snuggled up in my leggings and robe really make going to work that much easier.

I love that my week although draining was pretty quiet. I feel like I got a lot done that has been hanging out on my to do list for a little while. That always makes me feel better.

I finished the third book from my Spring reading challenge I made for myself. I only have 3 more to go and I feel pretty good about it.

As much as it's hard to be grateful for this one, I am to a point. My body has been very bloated this week. But it is reminding me that I have went off track again with my food choices. It is reminding me that I need to get back on track or I go back to this feeling. Thanks for the reminder, body!

Last, but not least, I have the travel bug. I want to get out there and see culture and get some relaxation. I have pretty much decided I need to take the whole month of September off to experience a million things I want to do. I wonder if there is a way to make that happen..

A girl can dream right?

How was your week?

ICYMI:
My weekly goal vol. 5
Body Image and Yoga

Linking up with: What's Up, Friday,  Friday Favorites, High Five For Friday, Friday Favorites, Oh Hey, Friday

Soooo.. This should of gone up yesterday, but it was Easter and I was having the best day ever, so I kind of slacked off about being on the interwebs. But you know what? I don't regret it at all. It was a day of pure bliss for me, and I can't apologize for that. So let me talk about my goals real quick and then I will tell you all about my amazing weekend.

For those of you who are new, I am working on 5 day goals to reach bigger goals. Sometimes long term goals can be tricky and you need to get little things in order before you get there. Each week I share my challenge and then normally report back here on Sunday to let you know how it went. I invite you all to join me on this goals. We can support each other as we go!

Last week I challenged myself to get outside every day. Even if it was just 5 minutes. I am happy to report that I made it outside and enjoyed wayyyyy more time than 5 minutes. It was glorious to feel the sun on my face. The warmth of the sun brought me comfort. I just really loved connecting to the Earth. This is something I need to continue to do to keep my well being strong and happy.

Now for this week, I am going to focus on blogging goals. I am going to be more attentive to my comments and commenting on other blogs. I kind of lost that aspect this past week. It was not because I was ignoring anyone, I just got lost in the beauty of disconnecting. The other part was work was super busy and I had no chances like I usually do to read during work hours.


Now onto my weekend.. I had Good Friday off and I spent the day catching up on yoga reading, basking in the sun while my cats frolicked outside, and just enjoying Spring in all of it's glory. I also had a meeting about a potential business opportunity. More on that later as things unfold.

Saturday I spent the whole day with my yoga family. I always love these weekends. I am surrounded by love and positivity. I had many breakthroughs and even shed some tears. I felt so loved and supported as I was able to share some of my darkest regrets and secrets. I was able to let them go knowing I was forgiven by these wonderful people.

Easter Sunday was amazing for me. We had a later start for yoga, due to the holiday. I had breakfast with my love out on our deck in the sunshine. We cleaned up the house a bit, making it feel so warm and cozy. I took a walk to enjoy the nice weather. I went into yoga where I taught an impromptu 30 minute yoga set to a classmate in which I felt very confident with, which is all so new to me.

I had a vision of what I wanted to do with my yoga once I graduate. I am so excited about my plan and again as things unfold I will share it all with you guys! I am just so excited for everything that has been shown to me during this journey. I cannot say it enough. It is so refreshing and pure.

I hope you all had an amazing weekend and I would love to hear about your goals if you are following along with me! Happy Monday!

Today I am linking up with Charlotte, Lindsay, and Chrissy.

I am so grateful to have found these ladies and their group, The Peaceful Posse. It is such a warm and welcoming space. I love that about the blogging world. Find a tribe that will help you along when you are feeling defeated. I can honestly say I am blogging more regularly due to this group.

So onto this week and weekend.. I am off today. My first time having a job where today is considered a holiday. It is really nice to have a day to recharge. It's been a crazy few weeks. I am spending today working on my yoga homework and having some "me" time. It is wonderful.

I am also working on some projects for this blog, which also excites me. I am so glad to have this space back. It makes me feel productive and like I am doing something for me and those who read this.

This weekend I will be immersed in my yoga training. I am only 2 trainings away from being a teacher ya'll! That is so crazy to think about. I can't wait to have this under my belt and ready to reach the world. I am also working on some projects related to that. I am hoping you all will enjoy learning some of this wellbeing magic I have learned.

I am not doing much for Easter other than yoga and dinner with my hubs. It will be low key. Just what I need. Some R & R. What are your plans?

Today is absolutely beautiful out. I am sitting here typing this on my back deck. The sun is shining on me. My cats are getting some nice play time outside and there isn't a cloud in the sky. A perfect way to spend a day off. I am so grateful for this kind of weather. It really makes the mood lift.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and Easter and Passover.

Happy First day of Spring! Although there is still quite a bit of snow out there, I know the  nicer weather is coming. It also makes Monday seem a little friendlier when the word "Spring" is associated with it. Am I right?



So today I want to introduce a new 5 day challenge and also let you know with pictures how I did last week. Last week I challenged myself to get dressed 5 days in a row. That to me meant changing out of what I wore to bed into something new. Working from home can make it easy to hop out of bed in your PJ's and start work.

I am excited to announce that I met my goal and dressed all 5 days! I learned it really made me feel put together and made me take my work seriously. I also realized I own A LOT of leggings! But ya know what? When you sit 8 hours a day, this is okay in my book. Plus it's winter.

Here's the proof!



This week I am challenging myself to drink 80 ounces of water every day. Spring is here and I am ready to start working on myself. I gained some weight over the winter and clothing is a bit snug. Time to work towards that summer goal so I don't need to buy a new swimsuit! My current one is new from last year.

Will you be joining me in this challenge? Check back to see my results next week!

We have all had those days. Those days when we don't feel like blogging. We say we will do it tomorrow, and tomorrow comes and still no post. This goes on longer than you realize and suddenly it's been a month. Two months. And so on.

Blogging can be a hobby for some. It can be someone's part-time job. Blogging can be your only income, if you play it right. But truth be told, just like any other "job" blogging can burn you out.

Most bloggers I know also juggle a full time job, kids, and other life responsibilities. We let this space slip for life. We become absent. We are less consistent. What does that do for our readers? For our blogging community?

Last year I was one of those bloggers. I burnt out. I tried to fit more onto my plate than I was capable of at that moment. I would come on here and tell everyone I was great and was finally getting my shit together and to expect X, Y, and Z. Bam. Crickets. I didn't follow through. I wasn't delivering my promises.

I saw the decline in my daily numbers. I was no longer generating conversation on my blog. You lost interest. I lost your trust. You didn't believe me anymore when I said I was coming out with a new series, or a fun topic on this or that. You kept coming back to my crying wolf and eventually you just got tired of me. You stopped coming.

I was upset. I wanted to blame everything but myself for this blog not doing well. Maybe people just didn't get me? Maybe I needed more posts on this or that. The reality was, I needed to step back and re-evaluate what I was doing here. I wasn't being consistent because I was losing interest in my own hobby.

Since the new year started, I have taken some steps to get back to a consistent schedule and work on getting you interested again. In the process I have come up with some great tips to help re-connect you with your readers, as well as your blogging community.

Comment, comment, comment

Be consistent

I continuously told my readers I was going to do something, and then never got around to it. I'm sure that made me look like a complete brat. I was asking you to come back, and to what? No post. No explanation. Just woops I once again forgot to follow through. Riiiiiight.

Be honest

I have been thinking a lot lately about what I want out of life. I tend to go through waves of this. Sometimes I think about this when I am in a rut. Sometimes it just randomly pops up and makes me think. I know I am the only person who can make these things happen. I am in control of where my life goes.

I was reading over some comments on my blog this weekend, and someone pointed out my tattoo on my foot. They wanted to know what it was. It really got me thinking. The tattoo is a Kangi symbol meaning dream. I got the tattoo to remind myself to never stop dreaming 10 years ago.

As I continue to get older, as we all do, I notice myself more and more daydreaming about the things I want to do. I see clear vivid visions of what I want to do and where I want to go. Then I question myself. Why am I not doing this?

It is really interesting when you ask yourself these deep questions. You really get into a moment where you are clearly thinking this through.

Yesterday I cleaned my bathroom. I scrubbed my tub until it sparkled. Something told me I needed to do that. It then opened the door for me to take a nice relaxing bath. I soaked in a nice detoxing bath and I was able to read, and enjoy the quiet. There was a moment when I decided to put the book down and just sit.

My dreams popped up again.

It once again reminded me that you can't ever give up. Your soul is searching for happiness and these thoughts are always in the background, waiting to break through.. It helps me get motivated to stay on track for what I want.

I think I am ready to start working on these dreams again. I have taken the time to really get in touch with myself lately. I have learned what my being is craving. I am going to work hard every day to get those dreams into reality.

I can't wait to share with you all some of these dreams. I am planning to post about this soon.

What are some ways your dreams push their way into the present to jump start you to get going? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Here we are again. We are at the beginning of a new month. A time where we all ask for a clean slate and new chances. We often blame a month for our misfortunes. But maybe we are looking at it all wrong.

Every night we rejuvenate our bodies, thus giving us a clean slate the next day.  We just need to learn to utilize our clean slates daily and be the best person we can be.

I am asking March to challenge me rather than be better. I need to start holding myself accountable for some of the "better" I want to see.

Today is Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent. I was baptized Catholic but haven't much practiced since I was a little girl. Today I am going to take the challenge of Lent to make myself better.

For 40 days and 40 nights I am focusing on my health and well being. I am giving up the foods I know don't agree with me, but I continue to anger my body with. I  also going to make it a point to give everyday.

I want to feel better in my body as well as in my choices. This challenge is not for selfish intentions. If I do not take care of myself, I cannot help those around me in need.

So challenge me March. Make me stronger.

What does your March look like?

I haven't done one of these in awhile, so I figured I'd tell you all about my weekend! Exciting right? Let me hear those ooooh's and ahhhhhh's.

I had absolutely no plans on adulating on Saturday for the most part. I wanted to become one with my couch, but the universe had other plans for me. I wanted to do a mini photo shoot with my first ever Stitch Fix box, because I needed to send it back today. I was putting on my face, when my phone rang.

My bestie who was moving out of state for a new adventure called me in an anxious mess asking me for my help. Of course I couldn't say no to a friend in need when all I planned to do was sit on my couch. We made a deal. If she took my photos for me I would be at her disposal. It was a win/win in my book.

Here's a sneak peak of one of the photos. She did awesome, don't you agree? Make sure to tune in later this week for the full photo shoot and first impression of my first ever fix!


It was a bittersweet day though. This was my last time hanging out with my bestie for awhile. She is off to new things 7 hours away. Thank God for Facebook video chat right?

Next on my weekend adventure was visiting my parent's in Pennsylvania on Sunday. They got a new puppy about a month ago and I still hadn't met him. I was so excited to meet the new baby. He was everything I could of hoped for, and more.

He was tiny and cuddly and just all around cute. What's not to love. he laid perfectly in his little bed and slept for a majority of the visit, but he was very shy. My parents reassured us that he was normal a destructive little machine. Maybe we will see that next visit?

In the meantime, here is a cute photo of the little guy.


So yeah that was my exciting weekend. Don't forget to go answer my pondering question from Friday for me. I need it for an upcoming project. I promise it only takes a minute and it will be very helpful to me.


Have a great week ya'll!

They always say happiness comes to those who wait. But I say why wait? Get out there and create the happiness you are seeking. Only you know what will make you happy. You need to be in charge of that. So I have a question today for you to ponder. It's a simple question, but may take some thinking.

What can I say? It's Friday. I'm working from home. And I'm having all the feels today. Do you ever have one of those days where all the emotions just hit you in the face hard? Well that's pretty much how my day is going.

I've learned in just 2 short months of 2017 that SO much can change in just a day. A week. A month. I have changed jobs, started training for yoga teacher certification, and have watched a bunch of my friends start new adventures as well. We all had very quick and sudden changes that leave us happy with our new adventures, but sad with change.

I saw a friend take a new job that will take her to another state 6 hours away. I saw a friend elope and will be moving across the country to be with her new husband. I saw another friend decide to make the leap and work from home with her own business. Another friend is starting her own business. So much potential. So much growth.

But when we stop to think about it, growth means change. Sometimes our growth takes us to new places. Sometimes we leave our communities and along with that comes leaving our comfort zone. I may not be leaving my community yet, but I am definitely feeling like a fish out of water lately. I am losing some of my closest friends in my community and that is breaking my heart today. I am so proud, but also feeling sad.

I can't wait to see where all of these new adventures take us. It's an exciting time.

How's your Friday going?