Working Overtime: 2020 Reflection

 

Shoutout to everyone that worked overtime this year. Whether that looked like taking on more hours at work, tackling home schooling on top of your responsibilities, finding ways to pour into your children/partner/loved ones even when you felt like you barely had energy to give after long days, or making space to pursue your dreams and goals even when it required you to sacrifice time in other areas of your life. I see you and the work you put in is paying off!

I know this year brought many of us to our knees in anguish, prayer and exhaustion. This year also brought its share of joy along with feelings of accomplishment for many of us.

This year had me questioning multiple times if I can be the mother I want to be with the career I want to have while continuously tacking other goals. While many people were working from home spending extra time with their children, I spent longer days away from my son at work. Mom guilt definitely crept in at times (especially over the last 4 months) but I pushed passed that and kept going reminded that I'm working my dreams, his future and the needs of my family. Yet someone I made progress as a mother and an individual by the grace of God. The progress was not easy to achieve but that's what made me appreciate it even more. Being a young mom with a career and dreams for my family and myself is a lot to juggle but 2020 reminded me that progress is always possible with the strength of God, discipline and determination, even in a pandemic.

How to Style Leather Pants & Things to Remember

It's no secret that leather and faux leather pants, skirts, jackets, basically everything leather are in right now! I've been a fan of leather and faux leather clothing forever so this year is no exception. I styled these Asos pants I bought earlier in the fall with a corset top from a few years ago I bought in Zara. The great thing about leather and faux leather clothing is that there are so many ways to style them and they almost always make your outfit look edgier.

                                          

Top-Zara | Pants- Asos | Shoes- Nine West

Now that we've discussed style, let's talk life. You know I love talking about style but I also always want to make sure I share food for thought that will help us as we navigate through the day, week, and moments ahead.

Things to remember this week:

• You can be nice and not tolerate nonsense. Being a polite person does not equate to a pushover
• You can be strong and exhausted. Listen to the signs your body gives you
• You can be a boss in or a few areas of your life and a work in progress in other areas. It's okay to ask for help.
• You can love the person you are today while taking strides to become a better version of yourself as time progresses
• No is a complete sentence. Everything does not require an explanation.

What would you add to the list to help you through the week?

A Good Kind of Monday Blues+Style

 

Hat- Target | Top-Zara | Jean- Old Navy | Shoes- Nine West

A winning week starts with a winning mindset! When you encounter challenges during the week, remember that success stories are always proceeded by challenges. So don't let temporary setbacks stop you from achieving your goals. Whenever I find myself in a challenging situation, one thing that always helps is pausing to identify what I can control. Then I strategizing a plan of action, seek direction from God and help from any people in my corner to dive into solving the challenge. Pace yourself, and remember that small progress is still progress. You were built to handle whatever comes your way. Let's slay this week!

On a side note, the only blues I like dealing with relate to style and I had fun putting this look together. This top is sold out but if you follow me on liketoknowit, you'll see some similar tops. Have a great week!

Motivation Mindset: Corduroy Mini Dress Snakeskin Boots

Have you ever put on an outfit that gave you an instant confidence boots? Well this is it for me. Something about a mini dress and snakeskin boots just makes me feel powerful. The best part? This whole outfit was under $100. Like the dress is on sale for less than $20 right now and I found these boots on sale for under $60.

Dress-Missguided via Asos | Boots- Steve Madden similiar here | Sunglasses-Forever 21

Sometimes we have to give ourselves a motivational talk to pump ourselves up. So here is my message to you (and me) today:

You are powerful.

You are a blessing.

God is smiling on you.

You are equipped to handle every challenge that comes your way.

Now remember all the above as you walk through this week! 

Walking with a Renewed Mindset & Styling Leopard Print

Life: I woke up today feeling accomplished and grateful to have made it to see another day. This week definitely threw some curveballs, but I have a renewed mindset after reflecting on where I am after the conversation I had with my mom. You see, I was talking to my mom earlier in the week telling her how depleted I felt from juggling so many things at once. After listening to me for a few minutes she said, "okay, but what are you going to put down? You have to put something down! That conversation made me think about the pressure we place on ourselves to carry things we have no business carrying in the first place. So I just want to let you know that if you ever feel like you're sinking under the pressures of life, ask yourself "what can I put down." All burdens are not ours to carry!

Style: Now, let's talk about the fun park of this post, the style! You know I love a good print and leopard is one of my favorites because it can be styled so many ways. This Zara dress has been holding me down for nearly 2 years as it was the first dress I bought after giving birth to my son. While it's long sold out, I thought you would appreciate a few of my leopard print pieces from H&M. I just got the long sleeve top with the asymmetrical neckline and I can't wait to show you several ways to style it. Which piece is your favorite?

    

1. H&M long-sleeved top 

2. Turtleneck top

3. Calf length skirt

4. Draped Bodysuit

How to Style a Chunky Knit Sweater & Selfcare

Sweater-H&M | Jeans-Old Navy | Ankle Boots-Vionic

This H&M sweater is my favorite right now because it's everything a fall sweater should be. It's warm, stylish, and can be worn several ways. You can wear it with mom jeans like I did, or layer it over a slip dress to extend the life of your summer clothes. I think it's safe to say this might be the most popular H&M sweater of the season. I've seen it all over Instagram, YouTube hauls, and even on someone at work! Also, the price is so good that it's worth buying in multiple colors. I also have it in brown and have been trying to get my hands on the cream one in my size. 

I wore this look for a family trip to the Rutgers Gardens during October and it was perfect for the mild fall weather we experienced at the time. This sweater will definitely come in handy on cold winter days as well.

Now that we've discussed the style, let's talk about self care as rhe holidays approach. The holiday season is both an exciting but busy time for many of us. If you work in operations like me or retail, then your workload increases drastically around this time of year. In full transparency, I've been feeling burnt out alot lately from getting 4-5 hours of sleep on the days that I work and working 12-14 hour days. I started realizing a pattern weeks ago, I would go so hard during the work week between my job and planning my creative content snd then completely crash when I got home on my last day of the work week. So I decided to start taking more days off which has been so beneficial to my health. I don't know who needs to read this but use your pto and vacation time even if the only place you plan on going is your bed or living room! Don't be afraid to send the out of office message and not check your work messages when you are off. You cannot pour from an empty cup. So take the time to rest and recharge so that you can return to your responsibilities and give them your best effort!

 

Happy November & How to Style a Knit Dress for Fall

May November bring you many reasons to smile, more blessings, make you wiser, and make you rich in experiences.

Dress- H&M | Shoes-Vionic 

May November bring you many reasons to smile, more blessings, make you wiser, and make you rich in experiences. Things to remember as you walk through this month: 

1. If you feel stuck, you don't have to stay there. If you don't like who you were yesterday, choose to be better today. 
2. Abundance starts with your mindset. Speaking of abundance, I'm committed committed to saving a few thousand dollars by the end of the year by being disciplined, making smarting shopping choices like shopping in my closet more often and saving money as soon as I get paid!
3. Limit activities that do not bring you peace. Many of people suffer from seasonal depression during the colder months. So be mindful of the things that make you feel less than your best. Go outside and try your best to stay active. Even if it's taking a quick walk. I went outside for a walk on Saturday in the 40 something degree weather and it felt so good to be in nature counting my blessings, setting my intentions for the week and talking to god without distractions!

This dress is one of my old favorites from H&M! I've had it for years and I love to wear it during the cooler months. It fits me right and keeps me warm! The Vionic ankle boots are new and have instantly become a staple in my wardrobe!