Pearls are a Girls Best Friend
Agenda Aesthetic
I was taught very early on that life is complicated and we can't trust our brains to keep everything in order. I was always required from grade school on to show my mum what I had written in my agenda book at the end of every day.
In the beginning I was completely overwhelmed. There is so much that goes into everyday life that I didn't even know what to start writing in my agenda book. My answer now would be EVERYTHING. Literally your agenda book can be a stream of conciousness of your day. Did a friend tell you about a book or movie that sounded interesting? Did your professor assign a new paper? Write it down!
Does that sound a little too unorganized to you? Maybe it isn't exactly a system but I highly recommend you truly do write down everything you think of during the day for about a week or two-I gauruntee that you will begin to see patterns of what makes your life run smoothly. In my own life, I've mostly narrowed my agenda to 4 important factors of every day.
1. To do list This is everything I absolutely need to get done that day. I usually begin by copying down my schedule for the day, and then I move on from the "where" to the "do". It could be homework, it could be a reminder to do laundry, send a birthday card. If it needs to happen, it get's put right here, front and center.
2. Unfinished Buisness If I didn't get it done, I make sure that it doesn't swallowed by the endless days and pages. I copy unfished tasks from previous days (or, let's be real, weeks) here. Most of the time I prefer to think of this as a security system-a friendly reminder that dates in the future are getting closer than they appear-but most of the time it turns into a record of my procrastination.
3. Inspiration Station If I hear about something interesting that I want to look into or remember for later, I write it down here. End the frustration of wracking your brain for that book so and so told you about or the name of that movie that looked good in the previews.
4. Blogging Stuff I keep my agenda book with me at the end of the day when I read through my bloglovin' feed. If I am inspired by a post, or a theme or a color that I might want to explore or expand for my own content, I write it down.
Life is full of chaos, but also beauty and inspiration. Don't let it get all mixed up before you have the chance to do something wonderful with it!
Perfect Poolside Reflections
I've been thoroughly enjoying reading the new DVF autobiography "The Woman I Wanted to be." I will advise, however, that anyone looking for a light, fluffy fashion fairytale should probably not go for this one. DVF is characteristically confident and candid about her life-including and especially the unbeautiful parts.
The true fairytale in this book, is not acutally DVF's rise to fame in the fashion industry, nor her galmorous jet-setting exploits (although I was left with some serious wanderlust.) No the true happily ever after ending is the self-assured, if not unafraid at least totally open, woman that Diane became. The true prize is an insatiable gratitude for life and a knack for living it fully.
Morning Musings
Did you get tired just reading 4:30 in the morning, or do you cry a little when your alarm goes off for a 9:00 am class? You are definitely not alone! I get asked all the time how I do it, as if the morning is some unimagineably horrible concept. And that's what I think is worth sharing! The morning can be the very best part of the day-a really fabulous first few hours can truly shape your mood if you let it. Here are my 5 top tips for a memorable morning and a positive healthy day :)
1. I love sleep! But at the appropriate time
It is the extremely rare person who can do both mornings and nights. It truly is beneficial to your health to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep a night. I may be up early but you can bet that I am in bed by 12:00 at the latest. And guess what? I adore sleep! I love laying around in my bed, and sleep feels darn good-but I make sure to time it correctly.2. Lounge in clean, comfortable luxury
I don't feel like myself honestly if I am not surrounded by "pretty" things. My pajamas are no exception. I love quality loungewear! I get up and wash my face and lightly brush and style my hair. Feeling and looking luxurious as I go about my morning routine is crucial to me.3. Get up and move-start your metabolism
I always go for a walk first thing in the morning before I eat or drink or do anything else. I walk on the treadmill with a good book or a movie in the winter and walk the dog for a couple of miles in the summer. It really helps clear the head and wake up the metabolism.4. Coffee is not (just) a drug-it is to be enjoyed
I love coffee and drink it like I am about to pull an all-nighter. The difference is that to me, my morning coffee is an experience and one of the best parts of any day. I always drink it out of a cute mug, and I always make sure it tastes good. A crappy cup of coffee is simply never worth it. I love the hours before most people are awake and I can quietly enjoy an awesome book and cup of caffeine ;)5. Breakfast is non-negotiable and nutritious
I would have breakfast all 3 meals of the day if I wasn't covinced I would die of malnutrition or a carb-coma. I get super excited! My usual is a piece of spelt-grain Eziekiel toast with an egg over easy but on special ocassions I'll have french toast, or buiscits, or waffles. We got my dad a panini press for father's day and it has attachable waffle iron plates-so of course I had to go ahead and make waffles. Get excited about your morning meal! Like the walk, it truly is a great way to wake up your metabolism and get those endorphins going first thing.
Happy National Wear Your Lilly Day
My favorite quote, oh so eloquently spoken by one of my favorite ladies-the late, and lovely Lilly Pulitzer. As one who truly believes in the power of a fresh start, a little sunshine, and a lot of positivity, I knew there was simply no better day for beginings than June 21-the first day of summer and also #nationalwearyourlillyday.
Blogging has been my creative outlet for a little over a year now and I decided that it was time for me to reflect on what I really wanted to get out this experience. I found myself falling into a toxic trap of the superficial. Everything was becoming about an image-and pretty soon I was losing sight of what the girl inside the clothes was all about.
So I've decided to take it back to the basics. No complicated themes or labels-just a visual journal of my styles and smiles. What makes me excited in this life, what inspires me. It may be an outfit I'm wearing (or wish I was wearing) or a color, or a book, or even a really amazing latte-If it makes me happy then it is worth documenting.
Who knows that spark of joy could turn out to be a spark of genius someday. After all, Lilly Pulitzer turned a simple juice stain into the life blood of a whole brand of festivity, elegance, and just plain fun.
