SOCIAL MEDIA

27 April 2015

When Past Self-Destruction Meets Self-Awareness

I had a moment of weakness the other night where I wanted to destroy, destroy, destroy.
A past that still lingers can be such a terrible thing. Sometimes progress cannot overcome years of self-destruction... years in which your subconscious spent all of it's time constructing the perfect built-in obsolescence. Sitting patiently. Waiting for the most inopportune moment to strike.

But sometimes you learn to reevaluate your negative emotions before any real damage can be done.
And for that I am thankful.
Overtime, if you're lucky, you learn the proper methods of self-care and actions of positive self-talk. You tell yourself good things, things the old you would have never said. You are good. You are kind. You can get through this. You learn to not be so hard on yourself. And you reinforce to yourself that the past is the past, besides look how far you've come!

Yes, you may learn, but that doesn't always mean you follow through.
Except the other night I did.

So here's to personal growth, the acceptance of negative thoughts, the knowledge to let those thoughts come and go without action, and to the complex ebb & flow of self-awareness.
23 April 2015

YouTube: Dislikes & the Direction of My Content

Lately my days have consisted of jotting down a thousand ideas for YouTube videos, recording said videos, and editing like mad. I never thought that I'd like having my own channel, and even though I have just started this venture, I am loving every aspect of it.

The other day I received my first "dislike" on a video and honestly, I was a little bummed. My main thought was, "I've never disliked a video in my life - even if I didn't like it. So, why do people feel compelled to dislike any (non-offensive) video at all? Especially when we are all trying to have fun and share random/silly aspects of our lives..." And I'm okay with that dislike - whoever you may be. You can dislike my video, it's fine. It's your right.

And you know what's funny? Seeing that thumbs down icon with a 1 next to it underneath my video inspires me to make even better videos. Videos with real content and videos with content that others might find shallow or girly. Because I'm not trying to make money with this, I'm not trying to get 1,000 subscribers, or tons of likes - I'm just doing this for fun. I'm doing it for me. There is also a desire for me to create videos that discuss aspects of my life that I tend to keep under wraps, because who knows, it might make someone going through that same situation feel less alone.

And if you're following me on YouTube, thank you! It means a lot to me.

In a few weeks, I plan on adding more inspiring content and I hope that you will stay with me on my journey.


Is there anything that YOU would like to see on my channel? I am open to suggestions.
19 April 2015

P.S. I started a YouTube channel...


It's official, everyone! I have finally started my very own YouTube channel!

This has been a long time coming, well long for me (literally a few months now). But I'm really excited about this new venture. I went back and forth on whether or not I should start a channel of my own and I decided to, because why the hell not. I will posting videos about daily life, fashion, beauty and other things that I find interesting.

So. If you're interested in watching my videos and hearing me ramble about random things, please check it out and don't forget to subscribe.


Do you have a YouTube channel? If so, leave the link in the comments below so I can subscribe to yours.

15 April 2015

Headed West: California


Come the middle of May, I will be traveling to California and if you follow me on Instagram you probably already know this! Since I have never been to California before, I am beyond excited because I have always wanted to go. I'll will be staying in Burbank for four days and so far I've made a small list of places I definitely want to go.
  • Verdugo Mountains
  • Santa Monica Pier
  • Joshua Tree National Park
  • The Viper Room (to see Ours play) 
  • Hollywood Hills
I'd really like to make it out to a desert, but we are unsure which one would be closest.

I'm still keeping an eye out for local places to eat at, "must see" places and fun things to do both indoors and outdoors. I'm really looking forward to taking a million pictures and I am seriously thinking about vlogging bits and pieces of our trip! On a side note, I'm still kicking myself for not doing that when I went to England last year.

07 April 2015

Homemade Mayo & Chicken Salad

I have always loved chicken salad, so much so that even when we were doing Whole30 we couldn't go without it. So, instead of using store bought mayo, which is loaded with unnecessary sugar and unwanted oils, we made our own in order to add it to our super delicious homemade chicken salad. Below you will find our recipes for both.

Homemade Mayo:
  • 1 cup of oil
  • 1 whole egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt
  • add lemon juice if desired (sometimes we do, sometimes we don't. However, if you do, add the lemon last.)
Place the whole egg in a wide mouth mason jar and add a little bit of oil. Use an immersion blender to blend. Once the mixture becomes thick, slowly add the rest of the oil to the jar. Continue to mix until the consistency is to your liking. Keep in mind, the key is to go slow and not rush the process. It takes time, but it is well worth the wait and hard effort. Now it's time to make the chicken salad!


Homemade Chicken Salad:
  • 1lb cooked and chopped chicken (we cooked ours in a skillet beforehand)
  • 1½ cups of seedless red grapes, halved
  • 4 tablespoons of homemade mayo, using the recipe above (you can also swap out the mayo for non-fat Greek yogurt)
  • ½ teaspoon of salt
  • ½ teaspoon of coarsely ground black pepper
  • 2 stalks of celery, thinly sliced
  • ½ cup of chopped pecans
In a large bowl combine chopped chicken, grapes, mayo (or Greek yogurt), salt, pepper, celery and pecans. Stir until everything is generously coated. Eat and enjoy!
05 April 2015

Through the Lens: You will understand the love for a location when it is felt deep within your bones...


I made it back home from New Orleans yesterday afternoon. Even though it is nice to be in my own lair - this morning I thought about how if I could, I would go back today, in a heart beat. There is something about that city that seeps into my bones while I am there, something that creates a sense of home within my soul that gets carried back with me. The French Quarter will always be a special place to me and even though I don't live there, I know I will always go back.
01 April 2015

Mint Green & Polka Dotted Chambray

To quote my friend Megan, "On Wednesday we wear Chambray."

Glasses: Derek Cardigan
Top: Mossimo
Necklace: a christmas gift from my husband
Lips: Rimmel Show Off in "Big Bang"