Stagnancy

In the last couple of weeks I’ve been feeling a bit…stagnant, which got me thinking, why do we feel that way? At what point does everything we have experienced pile up and make us feel…motionless?

It’s so easy to look at other people’s lives and think, ‘Wow they really have their life together. What am I doing with mine?’ and to forget that we very rarely see the true nature of someone’s daily lifestyle. We don’t see their struggles if they choose to keep those aspects of their lives private. There’s something so  fascinating with that fact because we’re all aware that no one’s life is all sunshine and lollipops, but we are so quick to push that little reminder out of our minds and to focus solely on the things we don’t have but that someone else does have.

Stagnancy is a horrible feeling, especially in a world where everything travels at the speed of light. To feel that you are stuck in one place while everyone else around you are progressing takes a toll on your mental and emotional health.

I do think stagnancy, as uncomfortable as it is, is also somewhat a blessing in disguise. It forces you to evaluate your lifestyle choices, to really sit down and look at what’s working and what’s not working in your life. Sometimes what we need is that swift kick to the butt from reality, and I think stagnancy is one of those kicks.

The Freedom of Independent Ventures

I used to detest going out by myself. I hated going out alone to shop and eat. Having a friend with me was my security blanket. It would give me confidence to walk around the stores and to enter restaurants without feeling like I was being judged. It gave me comfort. I often felt as if everyone was judging me, scrutinizing my every move when I was alone. It was awkward to walk into a restaurant alone, but even worse when walking into a store. It was uncomfortable when you walked into a store to browse and not to buy, because I felt as if my every step was watched to make sure I didn’t take anything.

Over the last year, with the bestie out of town and no friend with similar enough shopping tastes, I was left alone to tackle the shops. And you know what? I thoroughly enjoyed it. So much that now when I want or need to go shopping, I don’t hesitate to go alone. Perhaps it’s a part of growing up, to finally enjoy being alone and hanging out with yourself, or maybe it’s just my own personal preference that I’ve never quite acknowledged. Regardless, the entire situation was a blessing in disguise. I learned a lot.

When none of my friends or family are available to hang out with me and explore the city, I will go on my own. Of course, exercise common sense and take extra precaution, but learn to not be afraid to go out and enjoy life alone. Take a long walk around your neighbourhood, explore the lively streets and peruse the shops. Sit and enjoy a coffee in a cafe. Just remember that humans will always judge, but when you’re just another stranger to someone, that judgement only lasts for that second they see you or the second that they meet you. Once you’re out of sight, you’re out of mind.

Recently I’ve been walking to different destinations by foot and taking the time to really immerse myself with my surroundings. This newfound “freedom” made me realize how unnecessary it is to need to be a part of every social gathering there is and how tiring the mentality of “everyone must hang out together at all times” is. Being a little removed from social situations every now and then is not a bad thing- it’s healthy to not be caught up in everyone else’s lives at all times. Learn to be comfortable with yourself. When you’re secure about yourself it shows, and that will draw like minded individuals to you.

I still may not be totally comfortable with saundering into a restaurant and having a nice meal by myself, but I think with due time I’ll get there.

Fall-ourites

Fall is now upon us and that means it’s time for me to layer on up on my favourite pieces and to stock up on my favourite drinks.

I’m a huge fan of simple dresses in neutral colours because they’re easy to work with year round, and no one can ever go wrong with a little black dress. Currently, I’m in the market for a black, long sleeved, knee length dress that’s flattering for a petite pear shape. This hunt has proven to be a bit of a challenge, as all the black dresses that I’ve come across are either too short or have no sleeves. This Topshop piece that I’ve found is the closest that I’ve come to finding a dress that meets my requirements and is fitting for my body. I can see myself pairing it with a blanket scarf and a simple coat to jazzing it up with some statement jewelry and heeled booties.

And speaking of scarves, they are definitely one of my favourite fall/winter accessories to work with. You can call me obsessed; I have more than a couple on my wishlist as we speak. Scarves are incredibly versatile, acting as a scarf, shawl, or even blanket. I love thick knitted scarves on bone-chilling days and blanket scarves on days where the weather can be rather unpredictable – I’m looking at you, current weather situation.

This earthy herringbone-houndstooth piece works beautifully with dark solid colours to add a bit of life back into an outfit without grabbing too much attention. A subtle print is easy to match with solids and with other patterns, making my life easier as I find it difficult to pair prints with prints. I plan on pairing this piece with my all black ensembles, something in which I wear very often.

And for my fellow dry skinned friends, finding a moisturizing, yet non-sticky body lotion can be difficult, as well as a soap that doesn’t leave you feeling like a dried prune. I received the two Lush products (shown above) as a gift from where I volunteer and I’m excited to see if these products deliver.

Fall is not complete without a hot drink of choice and some comfort food. I’ve always been a fan of black teas, particularly earl grey tea, and I finally decided to give David’s Tea a try. This little box of 12 satchets was $10, so it’s not exactly your cheapest option for tea, but I believe that it’s good to give different things a try every now and then. And of course when I got to the till I simply could not resist the tea infused chocolate bar they had.

Those are my favourites for fall, let me know what yours are in the comments below!

Dainty Jewellery

Move aside statement jewelry, dainty jewelry is back in town!

I have always been a lover of dainty jewelry, particularly dainty necklaces, so this current trend is right up my alley. Dainty necklaces have such a grace and class about them. They’re there to be a compliment to your outfit and to your style, but never to distract or to take away.

Unlike bold statement pieces, barely there pieces give you the option to stack up on multiple pieces to create a bold look or to wear only one for simplicity. There can always be a different look that you can create by layering different delicate pieces, whereas a statement necklace will always give the same feel because you can’t quite alter its appearance too much.

My favourite style of dainty necklaces would be the barely there ones. Necklaces that have an incredibly thin, delicate chain paired with the smallest of pendants are, in my eyes, perfect. I want my everyday necklaces to be so subtle that one cannot even really see them if they stand just a tiny bit too far from me.

Unboxing: Tessa VirtuexHillberg and Berk – Harper necklace

                                                                             Tessa Virtue x Hillberg and Berk

Words cannot describe the excitement I had when I discovered that Tessa Virtue would be collaborating with Hillberg and Berk to create her own jewelry collection. Not only is this a beautiful Canadian collaboration, but a collection that has been long overdue. I fell in love with Tessa and Scott after watching their 2006/2007 free dance to Valse Triste and have since been a huge fan and avid follower of their successes both on and off the ice. 

Revival

After neglecting this blog for the last many, many months, I am happy to now say that I’m back! A whirlwind of things came my way in the span of the last couple of months and knocked me off my feet.

Here’s to a revival of my blog, cheers!

Lip balm Obsession….Or Maybe Addiction?

I have perpetually dry lips. And because of that, I have lip balm strewn just about everywhere. There’s always one in my bag, and a couple within a 3 meter radius from where I stand at all times. You may call that an obsession or perhaps even an addiction, however, I think my fellow dry lipped gals (and guys) alike will understand this situation.

What Am I Reading: January 2015

The last couple of years has been a bit of a “no-read” period for me and I’ve been itching to get back into snuggling up with a novel in hand. As a means of keeping myself on track, I will be keeping a public tab on what I’ve been reading right here on my blog, so feel free to leave suggestions for me. I am not promising to read a certain number of books in a week, month, or year but to be consistent with reading.

For this month:

Christmas Gift Guide 2014

Well well well, it’s that time of year again! There’s still 2 weeks before Christmas, so for all of you procrastinators, myself included, here are some gift ideas for your loved ones, and maybe even yourself! Excuse the completely generic post title.

A Barrel of Original Pink Classics – I’ve always loved the retro inspired packaging on Soap and Glory products and I recently got the chance to try out their Righteous Butter Body Lotion and I am hooked!  Not only do you get to sample four popular Soap and Glory products but it also comes in a cute barrel, perfect for storing other items you may have lying around the house.

Fear

Never let fear overpower your goals and desires.

Don’t ever let disappointment be the be all end all. I’m learning to deal with this myself and it’s definitely not a walk in the park but it puts things into perspective.