Happy Hump Day Spring Babes

It's slowly getting warmer here in sunny LA, which naturally means that we're feeling a pep in our step! With that being said, I woke up extra early this morning, put my spring baby-doll on and demanded that I reach my potential in being my best self today.

Here's what I jotted:

Today, I demand you take your integrity back

Today, I demand you stand your ground with who you are

Today, I demand you not feel the need to explain your decisions and not feel condemned by others

Today, I demand to be my healthiest self, my happiest self







What do you demand of yourself? How do you challenge yourself to be the best version of who you are? Who do you want to be? What are you striving for today?


Here's a quote by one of my favorite author's that really resonated with me:

“Because if you base your self-worth on what everyone else thinks of you, you hand all your power over to other people and become dependent on a source outside of yourself for validation. Then you wind up chasing after something you have no control over, and should that something suddenly place its focus somewhere else, or change its mind and decide you’re no longer very interesting, you end up with a full-blown identity crisis.” 
― Jen Sincero, You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life

Friday Favorites are backkk!

Favorite Quote:

"And then I realized.. you weren't trying to make me love you, you were trying to make me love me."

Time and time again, I wonder how it is that two people in the same relationship have such different experiences of their time spent together. One completely invested, head over heels thinking he found the one, while the other isn't feeling the spark and is ready to end it. Wouldn't you think that if she wasn't feeling it, it would be apparent enough? How could he be head over heels for someone who's got one foot out the door? I've always understood that as individuals, we perceive experiences in our own way, but I've never come to terms with the idea that two people could have opposite experiences of the same relationship. Why did the break-up come as a shock to him? Why was he surprised that she just wanted to be friends? Was he completely oblivious to the the signs or was she giving him mixed signals that he couldn't make sense of? Is it something he should've caught onto weeks ago?-- when her every-day texts and calls turned into ever other-day texts and no calls? Was he supposed to end this when he felt things fizzling out? Was it too much to expect her to talk about what wasn't working between them before surprisingly ending things? But that's life, right? Two people perceive the same relationships differently, and two people dive into the same relationship from different sides of the game. We're all searching for different things.

"Man's rejection is God's protection."

On to the next readers, because what's done, is done!

She's turning 23, they said.

1. Instant Film Camera -- Fujifilm Instax Mini 8 Instant Film Camer (Black)
2. Calvin Klein Underwear set, UO cropped tee, logo legging
3. Birkenstocks
4. Chanel Espidrilles
5. The Giving Key - Dainty Necklace
6. Zane Il Clutch (Gold) - Free People
7. Eviie - Textured leather matinee wallet - Ted Baker Wallet
8. Asos Aaliya Leather Peep Toe Ankle Boots
9. 90-minute massage & facial
10. Workout leggings - Soul Cycle, Addidas, Nike
11. Parfume - Narciso Rodriguez for Her
12. Rose All Day Baggy Beach Jumper - Wildfox
13. Tarte LipSurgence Matte Lip Tint Envy (Mauve Berry)
14. Stilla liquid eyeliner
15. New Q Studs Mini Natasha - mac Jacob
16. Too Hot to handle bentley tote
17. Mini Mab tote - rebecca minkoff
18. Tassel Key Ring
19. Bolt Feather Weight Sweatpants (Cobaltglass) or Large Glass Wash Sweats (Mossglass) - Free City
20.  Jewelry - rings & bangles, double-sided earrings, short layered necklaces
21. An amazing birthday cake 
22. Adventure Cosmetic Bag - Paper Source
23. Silence + Noise Half-Stacked Heeled Ankle Boot or Jeffrey Campbell Fontana Ankle Boot - UO

"Love is the romantic solution of the problem of death."

The Secret to Desire

"The crisis of desire is the crisis of imagination." -- E. Perel

[Long Term Desire - Jason Silva]

[The Secret to Desire in a Long-Term Relationship - Esther Perel]

The say a good performance makes you like a song, and a good song makes you enjoy the  performance more.. this made me love the song, and fall in love with the art, that is this dance piece

[SYTYCD season 12 - Give Me Love]

The jetlagg struggle is so real right now, so what better time than to write about my last 10 days in #theholyland. My journey to Israel was nothing less than amazing! We started off the trip with 39 incredible people and ended with 47.

Here are the highlights:
Day 1 (16th): Goodbye LA
Day 2: A not so short hike
Day 3: Shabbat on the Kubbutz
Day 4: Tel Aviv
Day 5: Israeli's join us
Day 6: Bedouin Tents
Day 7: Masada
Day 8: Jerusalem
Day 9: Old City & Western Wall
Day 10: say goodbye :(

My #fav part of the trip was the night we slept in Bedouin tents. I know, I know.. for my avid readers ad those who know me best, you'd think sleeping in a tent with 40 snoring people in the desert on the dirt, would be my most dreaded night. In fact, it was a turning point on the trip for me. In 22 years, I've never felt more connected -- connected to myself, to something greater than me, and to people. We walked out in the desert as group in darkness and silence and were told that we were to reflect on our own for 15 minutes. 15 minutes?! How would I get my mind still for that long? Actually, it happened naturally, without a single thought, my mind and my rapid heart beat slowed down, and I became still. I looked out and up in the crisp weather of the night and suddenly felt so small, yet so important to the world at the same time --  I felt connected to something greater than myself.
There's not much I know in the world. I'm in a forever bind between the creative world and the medical field. I never can choose the right guy and I'm always too indecisive about simple daily decisions, but that night one thing became clear-- I knew that at this point in my journey I'm supposed to be on that land, living with people who give their lives each day, and so passionately believe in what they're doing. It all made sense, and while the thought of picking up and moving across the world felt scary, it felt like a higher power was hugging me with assurance that everything would be okay.
Many times on the trip, I found it challenging to connect with individuals.. I mean there were 40 people, can't expect to connect to them all immediately. But when the Israeli soldiers joined us, it was that night that I felt more connected to human contact than ever before. I met one guy who I'd felt like I already knew in a past life. I didn't have to think about what to say, as my entire life story naturally poured out. I had a thirst to know more and more about him, and found myself losing all sense of time and space as he shared stories with me. I was entranced by the life he lived and humbled that he shared it with me.
#Cheers to feeling something more than real

Been listening to Chvrches on #repeat

Its only the beginning of  May and we've already had exposure to JT's infamous "Its gonna be May" post, an appearance by Star Wars (Yes, the fourth was deff with us) and now it is already Cinqo de Drinko... on Taco Tuesday! What more could we want?! Oh right! My graduation wish list..

What's on your graduation wish list, readers?

1. Chanel Espadrilles

2. Spa Day -- massage and facial
3. Birkenstocks
4. The Giving Keys

5. Perfume -- Narciso Rodriguez, or anything Marc Jacobs
6. Double Princess Studs by Olive & Piper
 7. Mantra Bands
8. Books by R.M. Drake
9. Selfie Stick/ Fisheye lens for Iphone 5s
10. Personalized Planner by Erin Condren
11. Gift card to Sephora
12. Coffee Table Books (Vanity Fair: 100 Years, Paris in Color, Yves Saint Laurent: Style, Vogue Living, etc..)


13. Tiered Jewelry Stand

14. Gift card to World Market 

15. Brazilian Blowout or Keratin treatment 

16. Papasan Chair 

17. Business Card holder

18. Spin series @ Soul Cycle or FlyWheel

19. Tote purse 

[Free People Slouchy Vegan Tote]

20. Nike Shoes 

Clarify your Purpose

Taking responsibility is often difficult for many of us to handle. Instead, we blame the other people, or circumstances in our lives in an effort to make ourselves feel better about the situation we are in.  We blame professors for having a low GPA, stingy employers and the government for being broke, parents for our 'daddy-issues' and 'momma's-boy-syndrome', and our significant others for our unhappiness. We blame our ex-boyfriend/girlfriends for ruining our lives, for the reason why we haven't moved on yet, for making it too hard to trust the next person that comes along, for our drinking problems and insomnia, and even for our bad habits. We blame our present boyfriend/girlfriend for the endless cycle of dysfunctional love we may be in, for not feeling appreciated enough or good enough, and for not taking care of ourselves.

In this way, we give the power, and more often than not, the satisfaction to that person for being prevalent enough to control so many aspects of our emotional selves. Instead, what if we woke up one morning and took that power back?. What if we looked in the mirror and placed responsibility -- not blame, on ourselves?. And in that moment, what if we suddenly discovered that we are the one person holding us back?. Perhaps a striking thought that we are what needs to change-- to trust more freely, to raise our GPA, to find healthy love, and even to move on from a past experience.

I know, grasping the idea of this discovery within ourselves, or even attempting to fathom how accepting this idea could alter our lives, makes it harder for some of us to simply breathe. It may feel confusing and overwhelming, as it absolutely should. To empower ourselves is a heavy task, but also a liberating one. Once we truly realize that we have the ability to alter our own situations, and that things are not merely happening to us, we are free.  It will begin to feel like fresh air on a clear Sunday morning, and in that moment we will wake up to an empowered sense of self, ready to move on from a very heavy past. 

 

Readers, don't forget to make a toast to your intentions this week. Cheers to a productive one. If I continue to keep my sanity through the last stretch before finals and a wonderfully crazy                                                                                            work week, it will be a miracle. 

Our happiness is not a present someone else holds in his or her hands. Our well-being is not held by another to be given or withheld.  If we reach out and try to force someone to give us what we believe he or she holds, we will be disappointed.
In those moments when we are trying to reach out and force someone to stop our pain and create our joy, if we can find the courage to stop flailing about and instead, stand still and deal with our issues, we will find our happiness. We will see that, all along, our happiness and our well-being has been in our hands.
"God, give me the courage to stand still and deal with my own feelings. God, help me remember that I hold the key to my happiness."

Readers, time and time again I remember that spirituality is a personal relationship-- one that we must nourish and allow to thrive. This relationship with ourself is one of the most important. Lets finish the weekend making ourselves a priority and building our relationship with our higher power.

Soulful Sundays

Sundays are my set-my-intentions, coffee-shop working, affirmation-setting, reflecting, preparing-for-the-week, family-time-spending day.  This Sunday happens to be Easter Sunday and conveniently, the 2nd full day of Passover. So naturally, this blog post happens to be all about positive thinking to set the tone for productive week.

 

 [[ ENERGY FLOWS WHERE INTENTION GOES ]]

I'm bacckkkk

Hi readers,

I'd like to start my first post after so long with some #tbts from the last 8 months.

[I've began working in the Corporate office at Sugarfina. Every dream I never had has come true]

[Luxury candy from all around the globe]

[I'm finishing my last semester at Chapman University]

 

[October 2014 - I turned 22 years old]

[Doing it right at Bottega Louie. Downtown, LA]

[I went to Cabo, San Lucus with my family # familyreunion]

[...and I ended up in Santa Barbara's Funk Zone for Spring Break 2015]

[and along everything I experienced, I ate amazing food and stumbled on lovely quotes]