Always Believe

Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a great weekend. Here's a little inspiration for the start of the week...

via Pinterest

I don't know about you, but I fully believe in the power of positive thinking. I'm a sucker for books like The Secret and A New Earth and have found myself spending way too much time on the New Age self-help aisle at Powell's Bookstore. I blame Oprah. 

But, have you ever experienced the saying, "when it rains it pours?" For me it really does, and it's one of the most startling realizations I've made about life. I am convinced that attitude has almost everything to do with it, so when things start to go wrong, I find myself doing everything I can to turn my frown upside down before I find myself with even more trouble. Mocha Coconut Frappuccinos and a look at Pinterest's humor section (my new nightly bedtime routine) usually do the trick. 

In the same vein, one of the most rewarding practices I've discovered is keeping a daily Gratitude Journal. I learned about it from Oprah, of course, and it involves writing down 5 things I am thankful for that happened during the day - so simple. Many people do this when they say prayers, but I've found that writing it down really helps it to sink in. When I keep the journal regularly, my mindset is really affected and I am constantly recognizing the many blessings I experience every single day. Even if it's The Worst Day I can always come up with 5 things to be thankful for, it might just take a little longer. So, if you are looking for a little pick-me-up in the mood department, I totally recommend keeping a Gratitude Journal, I guarantee it will make a difference. Now I promise I'm done with the new agey talk...

I've been avoiding the fact that I haven't blogged in a week (I blame Oprah summer), so here's a little catch-up with some of my recent favorite things:

this wonderfully eccentric living room via Bright Bazaar

this Balmain dress of my dreams via Fashion Gone Rogue

this eye-catching sitting area via The Decorista

this beautiful antique bureau via Design Sponge

the ultimate (Dior) party via Kerrin Palooza

this oddly perfect wall art via Design Sponge

and from the same home, this very sweet bedroom 

this dripping-with-cool lounge area via A Note On Design

And to get us back to where this post started... guaranteed this Victorian film strip will have an effect on your mood :) Have a great Monday!

(one of my favorite Pinterest finds) via

What daily practices or quick fixes have you found to transform your mood?

Where I'm Going from Here

via

Loving this quote right now. It's these kinds of words that have been motivating me lately to go after what I really want, the things I haven't done yet because they're some version of "scary." But it's becoming more glaringly obvious that "boring" actually frightens me the most...

Does this quote have meaning for you?

I hope everyone has a fantastic Monday :)

Work Hard and Be Kind

Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a memorable, sunny weekend. Mine wasn't actually anything to write in a diary about, but I got a ton done around my apartment which always feels good. Scratch that - it didn't feel that good since Saturday coincided with a 100-degree Portland heat wave. Having grown up in Houston, I have dealt with much worse weather: three months straight of total face-melting heat and humidity (the real punch in the face), but... we have these wonderful things called air conditioning and swimming pools. Portland for the most part does not. It just doesn't make sense 360 days of the year, but boy do I turn into a total crybaby those few sweltering summer days. I got my mom who's back in Texas to feel so sorry for me that she actually recommended I open the refrigerator door and sit in front of it. I didn't get that desperate, however, because I found some refuge in my beloved A/C blowing car (and equally beloved H&M) as I ran errands during the hottest part of the day. But despite this miserable weather, I worked my butt off and was very productive, so I've given the past two days a "good weekend" stamp of approval.

And, how awesome is that Conan O'Brien quote? The older I get, the more I believe in the value of working hard, but the call for kindness brings this quote to a whole 'nother level in my book. (I am definitely a closeted fan of that "Mean People Suck" bumper sticker that was popular back in the 90s.) I'm going to do my darndest to carry my unusual weekend ambition into the workweek, with continued projects around my apartment and serious trips to the air-conditioned gym. And while we're on the off-topic subject of healthy living, does anyone have any recommendations for nutrition / clean eating blogs? I'd like to start following a few but am starting at zero!

Anyway, I hope you found some bit of inspiration in Conan's wise words and have started your week off on the right foot. If not, it's never too late to start...

How was your weekend and what do you hope to accomplish this week?

Favorite Quotes: the love of your life

Happy Friday! I hope everyone has made it through the workweek intact and is getting ready for a fun/relaxing/productive/insert-your-favorite-adjective-here weekend. I'm looking forward to catching up on Girls and Mad Men, hitting up the Portland Farmers' Market and celebrating several friends' June birthdays at a pot-luck dinner party. I'm going to be making a gluten-free vegan birthday cake, which is definitely a first! Wish me lots of luck!

So... the image above. I am a huge fan of good quotes, and this one is an all-time fave of mine. It took years for me to have that "ah ha" moment and realize how powerful this truth is. Try to appreciate those times over the weekend when your friends say they're busy or aren't texting you back and you get stuck spending the afternoon by yourself. (B*tches.      jk!) Make the most of your own company and go do something that you really enjoy - especially something that you love but nobody else seems to (for me that would be stalking the aisles of Good Will for vintage Pyrex). In my own experience, spending time by myself has become one of the most rewarding and empowering practices in my life. I actually look forward to it! I think it's one of those "the more you do it, the more you love it" kinda things.

What is your favorite way to spend time solo? 

If Your Dreams Don't Scare You...

Happy weekend everyone. Dream big!

image via 

seriously ;)

happy Saturday ;)

Be that

Source: Uploaded by user via Amberly on Pinterest

procrastination is my middle name

I no longer have to bum off my anonymous neighbor's spotty as hell wireless because I finally got my own internet and now I can't pull myself away from working on blog posts although I have over 300 pages to still read in my book club book by Wednesday so thank god I just had 2 cups of coffee and am gonna be able to stay up for however long it takes to get it ALL done yeaaaaaaaa I feel like I'm in high school again!