Its already been an off week and it's only TUESDAY. I couldn't think of a better way to perk up the week then to let you know about a GIVEAWAY I am participating in with Becca over at Becoming Adorrable and a bunch of other lovely blogger ladies!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

I hope you all enjoy your Tuesday and enter to win some make-up goodness!

We all have that question we are just DYING to answer, but it doesn't ever seem to come. Defining Lifestyle is a series that allows bloggers to submit their own set of questions AND answers in effort to get some stuff out there that they normally aren't asked. If this doesn't define the lifestyle blogger, I don't know what does. So sit back, relax, and expect some fun over the next few weeks!

Today I am welcoming Trish from Beyond the Khaki Pants. Trish gives some great advice for the young professional being one herself. She is not only informative, but a really great person all around. If you are looking for some great content with a great person, Trish is your gal! Plus we share the same name, so she's obviously amazing :)



“Beyond the Khaki Pants” is a funny name for a blog. Why is it called that?
Trish: Because I really do wear khaki pants. And you guessed it, Beyond the Khaki Pants is not a fashion blog. I wear khakis at work, as a physical therapist. Khaki pants are definitely part of a PT stereotype (just google image “physical therapist” or see what every PT character on TV usually wears). So it’s kinda funny that I actually do wear khakis too. But never polo shirts. Never.  Having such an active job, I really try not to wear the nicest clothes to work (they get ruined easily). So I typically throw on a pair of khakis and call it a day. My blog is about life outside of work for me (or when I’m not wearing my khaki pants) so I decided to call my blog “Beyond the Khaki Pants”.

What inspires the blog?
Trish: I am passionate about success! Success means different things to different people, but for me, it includes happiness with my relationships, financial security, and career expertise.  I am a girl that knows what she wants and finds ways to make it happen. I love discussing being a young professional and all the topics that go with it. I truly believe, if you want it…go get it!

Since you’re a physical therapist, why don’t you talk about health tips?
Trish: Because the crutch of PT is exercise. I am an exercise and human movement specialist. And the problem is, I truly don’t think anyone should be getting exercise advise from a blog.  Sometimes getting exercise inspiration or workout ideas from a blog is good, but that’s really not my passion.  Plus their are plenty of great sites for that anyway. I am passionate about health though, so maybe some non-medical health posts may grace the blog, you never know!

I see you husband joins the blog. How on earth did you curtail your husband into the blogging world?
Trish: My husband is a CPA. He has really diverse experience as an accountant and a love of finance. He routinely has helped our friends (and friends of friends) with taxes and budgeting for years. When I was in PT school, my program started a financial series to help us PT students with our money (topics like budgeting, student loan information, etc). I went to all the seminars (knowing most of the information already thanks to my husband) but it was SHOCKING how clueless my fellow PTs were with money. He ended up working with some of my classmates to help organize their budgets and make a plan for student loan payments. These experiences are what inspired him to join my blogging effort. He enjoys talking about the basics, not the financial advisor stuff, (which he is not) but the things that can get other young professionals in the right direction.

So is sounds like you blog a lot about ‘serious’ topics? Is that it?
Trish: For the most part, I love blogging about being a strong, career-oriented woman. But I am also ridiculous and write blog posts from the perspective of my cat. I throw in things that I constantly am made fun of for…like being Canadian.  I like discussing common frustrations that I go through being a 20-something woman.  But at the core of my blog, I love connecting with other young professionals and 20/30 somethings are are driven and want to the most out of their life.


Thank you so much for your great questions and answers Trish! Next week I want to host a link up where everyone writes a blog with their own questions. I will also feature the answers from all of the lovely ladies I hosted over the past 7 weeks with their answers to "How do YOU define lifestyle?".
I hope you all have enjoyed this series and will join in next week with your own fun and unique questions!

Sometimes you just can't live without something. These particular items are things I can't live without in October. As I mentioned in yesterday's blog, I love this month. I love fall. I have compiled a few items I just can't get enough of for this month and every year around this time. I am linking up with Helene for #Blogtober14.

Hello October! Reasons why you are AWESOME:

I missed your sexy style. October is the best month for Fall. Fall is THE best season for fashion in my opinion because Hello? Sweaters, leggings, and boots..Oh my! It is my favorite time to shop because the longer the shirt the better and that covers that annoying little belly pouch I'm sporting. Shopping makes me happy and I tend to overspend. #sorrynotsorry. For this reason, you will be seeing A LOT more #ootd posts. Hooray!

I missed your picture perfect pictures. Here in the Northeast we get an amazing show every year. The changing leaves painting the crisp blue sky warms my heart. It changes everyday and makes me want to pitch a tend in the mountains with my camera and take pictures everyday. These lovely backdrops are perfect for family portraits and weddings. Get re-aquainted with your camera and get out there!


Football is in full swing by now and we are starting to get a glimpse at how our teams are going to do. Teams that sucked last year can be kicking ass this year and vice versa. It gives us a good reason to get together with friends, drink beer, and eat really unhealthy snacks. All the while having a good time! If football is not for you, get together with your lady friends while the men do all of those things I mentioned and drink wine instead!

PUMPKIN IS BACK! Everywhere you turn there is a new combination containing pumpkin. From coffee, to beer, to cakes, to smoothies. There is something out there for everyone. Pumpkin and pumpkin seeds are also very good for you. Play around with it and come up with something you like. Glob a little orange in everything you can (within reason) and join the obsession!


I love Halloween! Something about this day brings back the magical feeling of being a kid. I have dressed up and had a great time every year I have been on this earth. As an adult the magic may include alcohol and a sexy costume, but nostalgia sets in and I'm hooked!

I've missed using my oven! I really love to bake and make soups. I cannot turn them on for hours at a time during the summer or I will die of heat stroke. Now that it is getting cooler it's appropriate to turn on the oven on that dreary afternoon and bake your heart out. I went apple picking last weekend and now I can finally make something yummy with them!



Oh what a great month ahead! I hope it is just as magical for you! Follow along all month for fun Fall posts!

Happy October! I'm linking up with Treasure Tromp today for Treat Yo Self Thursday!



What do you enjoy about October? Share your stories below!

I was always a shy person. I never had a lot of opinions because I never wanted to hurt anyone's feelings or say the wrong thing to embarrass myself. I come from a military family so it was easy to get talked over or pushed aside when I was at home. This is not to say that my parents weren't loving, this is not what I am getting at.

As I got older I would never question people, or get upset if someone talked over me when I was trying to speak. It felt like it was okay for these things to happen, because they must know more than me. They must be smarter than me. They probably are better liked than me. I always had a good reason in my head why it was okay for these things to happen.

Today, I know this is not okay. It is never right for someone to make you feel like you are less than you are. Bad circumstances unleash the person in you who needs to fight. Sometimes these circumstances make you realize you deserve to have respect and a voice. This is one of the reasons I got into blogging. I wanted a voice. I wanted to be able to talk to the world and hope someone, somewhere understood me. They learned something from me. Anything. As long as it reached someone. I was content.


I only have one issue with the progress I have made over the past 2 years. I am more confident in speaking up, but I have also noticed I am always ready to point out my flaws to people. I haven't decided if this is a defense mechanism or a way to feel protected. Am I trying to tackle the "bad" before someone else points it out? Or do I want to be able to have an opinion without looking like a complete jerk. If I say first, "I need to lose weight, I feel huge", is it okay for me to tell someone they should start working out?

Now I have not come out and told a complete stranger something negative about themselves after I pointed out negative things about myself, but I tend to wonder if I could do that. I don't want to be that person who makes someone else feel bad about themselves because I feel bad about me. Now that I have the speaking up thing down, I suppose it is time for me to start being more positive about myself. Then I can use this "mechanism" that I am latched onto at the moment to make people feel good about themselves too.

The human mind is such a crazy adventure sometimes. It really can make you stop and think about your behavior and how your portray yourself. (Kind of an oxymoron). It just makes me wonder why I chose to be outspoken but in a more negative direction. This is where I need to tell myself: Be positive. Keep working towards the wellness goals! This is both physical and mental wellness. A healthy mind and a healthy body can really bring you to peace. I've been working on getting a sound mind, and I think people forget that part when working on total wellness. Don't forget your mind.


Just a little ramble today. I hope this somehow inspired someone or got you to think. I just wanted to sit and write, and this is what came out. A writing exercise became a blog post. My mind sound a little less loud now that some of it got written down. Have a great day everyone.