Healthy Habits

Two months into the new year and I think it’s about time to reassess some of my goals for 2013. I read a post recently over on Camille Styles about Healthy Habits. She listed habits that are already engrained in her life and those that she would like to develop. I've learned through the years that healthy living is generally not cultivated overnight. A healthy lifestyle is not the product of one quick decision to makeover your life but rather a set of healthy habits developed over time.

I have many healthy habits that have become engrained in my life and many habits I want to develop as well. Here's the breakdown:

Healthy Habits: 

-Working out regularly. Sometimes it’s difficult to fit in workouts, but staying active and fit is a huge priority in my life. I can immediately tell a difference in my emotional and physical wellbeing when I skip a few workouts.

-Drinking plenty of water. Water is definitely my beverage of choice, and it’s always been easy for me to get well over the recommended eight glasses of water each day.

-Flossing every night.

-Eating a great breakfast every morning. I know people who skip breakfast each day and I just cannot fathom it. I always start the day off with a big meal with lots of whole grains and fruit. Generally oatmeal is somewhere in the mix, because I'm totally obsessed.

-Staying clean and organized. I've always been one to keep my living spaces clean and clutter free. Having a neat, relaxing environment to come home to is such a stress reliever for me.

Habits I want to develop:

-Tea instead of lattes. I’m a big latte fan, but buying lattes on a regular basis is expensive. I’m trying to cut back, one day at a time.

-Getting more sleep. With all that’s going on in my life, I am really bad about getting enough sleep. I try, I really do, but sleep always comes after work, blogging, interning for TEG, working out and spending time with friends and family. It’s something I definitely need to improve.

-Portion control. Portion control has always been an issue for me, and not just when it comes to junk food. To combat this I think through what I’m going to buy each week when I go grocery shopping. And when I am craving my usual culprits, (Doritos and Peanut Butter M&M’s) I only buy them in an individual sized package. I also try to keep dark chocolate on hand at home. It fulfills any sweet cravings that I get, but since it's slightly bitter, I never have a desire to eat more than a few pieces at a time.

-Keeping in touch with all of my close friends, whether it's in person, on the phone, through a handwritten letter or even a text or e-mail. As I get older and as my friends disperse across the country, it is really important to make friendships a priority.

What about you? What healthy habits are engrained in your lifestyle and what are those you would 

like to develop?

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A Wish List

Since it's getting closer to my birthday (five days! - not that I'm counting down or anything...) I thought I would make a wish list. Is it even acceptable to do that anymore now that I'm an adult? Maybe not, but I'm going to do it anyway. This wish list is pretty sparse, because I've been doing a bit of shopping lately...and I should probably stop. But I spent the better part of college saving almost all of my money. And I'm still saving now, but spending a little, too. 

For example, let me tell you what happened on the way to work this morning. I stopped at Target really quickly to buy two very small, very practical items. I also usually buy a latte in the morning but I’ve been trying to cut back lately. So when I walked past Starbucks instead of into it, I was really proud of myself. Then I had a few minutes to spare, so I went to browse (just to browse, I swear!) the clothing section. And then I saw this dress. And I bought it. So that’s my life. Aren’t you glad you read that story? I’m sure.

Margaret Elizabeth Studs // Tory Burch iPhone Case

Clare Vivier Clutch // J. Crew Factory Silk Tee // Margaret Elizabeth Bangle

J. Crew Factory Necklace // Grace: A Memoir

I'm a little bit in love with these black druzy studs from Margaret Elizabeth. Maybe they’ll go on sale someday. Although all I ever really wear is studs so I’m sure I would get my money’s worth from them. I’m also really hoping to buy Grace Coddington’s book soon. Have any of you read it? I’ve heard great things.

What's on your wish list at the moment?

Gallery Wall Prints

Being a blogger gives me constant forms of inspiration and I am therefore always thinking of new ways to transform my apartment. My current focus is a little gallery wall in my bedroom. Right now it consists of many photos of friends and one lonely piece of art - a painting I bought in Paris way back in high school. I've been wanting to bring more pieces into the mix it but I just haven't been sure of exactly what to add.

Then a few days ago, I downloaded the photos for a studio tour for The Everygirl (that feature is up today, by the way. You should check it out!) and was faced with one of thee loveliest gallery walls every. It's sprawling and full of color.

I mean, really, how pretty and vibrant is that?

Now I want to raise the bar for my own apartment and bring in a few more prints to mix things up. I love these prints from Sarah & Bendrix's Etsy shop. I'm especially obsessed with the middle one. Gold foil lettering with a mint background and a lovely french saying? It's almost too pretty.

I also love this Chicago print from Society6. It may look a little underwhelming here, but it's on canvas and I think it would look great up on my wall. I think it would also serve as a wonderful reminder to visit one of my favorite cities as often as possible.

gallery wall photo // je ne regrette pas // bonjour // magic // chicago

Do you like any of these prints best? Or do you have a favorite place / Etsy shop to look for art work? 

As always, let me know! 

Weekend Snapshots

It was a lovely, albeit busy, weekend for me. I got a bit of relaxing and sleeping in but was also busy working on my to do list. Luckily the weekend ended on a good note. My roommate and I had a few friends over for dinner and Oscar watching Sunday night. Did anyone else watch the Oscars? I love a good awards show so I just had to tune in. I thought Seth MacFarlane did a really good job. There were some lows - cutting a winner off with the Jaws theme song, Jennifer Lawrence falling on her way to accept the award for Best Actress. And there were also some highs - the ever witty Daniel Day Lewis accepting the award for Best Actor and, of course, Ben Affleck's incredibly endearing acceptance speech for Best Picture. Overall I thought it was a wonderful show.

And now it's Monday...This week is going to be really busy for me. But luckily I have something to look forward to - next Monday is my birthday so I'll be doing lots of celebrating this upcoming weekend. My countdown to Friday is already beginning..is that bad?

I hope you have a lovely start to your week! How was your weekend?

Happy Weekend!

Ahh the weekend. It's here, it's here! This photo reminds me of my current longing for spring. It's that time of year when it's still snowing and still cold but it feels like spring is right around the corner. It's almost March and it's actually light out on my morning and evening commutes. Two definite signs of spring. In the meantime, while I wait for the loveliest of seasons to arrive, I'm going to channel Kate Beckinsale's outfit of choice, as shown above. Dressing in winter apparel, but bringing spring colors into the mix. Pastels and brights, let's do this.

On another note, today is the one year anniversary of The Everygirl! I'm so excited about it, and you should be, too. Having the opportunity to help with graphics for the site and to work with Alaina and Danielle has been such an incredible experience and I couldn't be happier for them. 

I do plan to have a bit of fun these next few days but I also need to go sit at a coffee shop and check some things off my long to do list. Don't feel too bad for me, though. My to do list mainly consists of Everygirl features, blog things and spending some time on Pinterest (yes, I put Pinterest on my to do lists). Do you have any fun plans for this weekend? 

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That little collection by prabal gurung...have you heard of it?

It went a little something like this... I was in Target, minding my own business like I always do, and then I saw them, halfway across the store. These gems. The loveliest - not to mention most on trend - wedges for spring. I want them, as soon as possible, and preferably in both colors. They're from the new Prabal Gurung for Target collection, which I'm sure every blogger and their mom and best friend has heard of at this point.

Have you had your eye on any of the items from the collection? I must admit, I've browsed my fair share of the dresses but I didn't find anything that I just absolutely had to have. The clothing is pretty and the patterns are amazing but I think the clothes just aren't quite me. What are your thoughts on the collection?

Find these lovelies here

The Creative Habit

I've had a few books on my reading list lately, and I'm finally getting around to checking them out. At the very top of my list is a book called The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp. I first heard about it in a career feature on The Everygirl (shocking, right?) a few weeks ago and have been meaning to pick up a copy ever since.

So last Friday, I walked right into my local Barnes and Noble and asked where I could find the book. After some searching, the salesperson said, "It's at the top of the escalator, to the left, in the Self Help section." The Self Help section. I found this to be extremely funny for some reason. Regardless, I bought it. I’m only a few chapters in and I’m loving it already. The book is about integrating habits into your daily life that help you prepare to be more productively creative. It’s about learning to never fear a blank page or the start of a project again. 

I still can remember many a night in college procrastinating an essay or an architecture project precisely because of a blank screen. And now with blogging and design projects for The Everygirl, I’m still sometimes slightly afraid of that blank screen. My general method of overcoming this new project paralysis has usually been to dive in headfirst and get out an initial rough draft, no matter how awful. I did this in high school and college and still do it today. Then I edit that rough draft, and the rough draft after that, until I have a final product that is a fully edited version of my initial ideas. It's been a pretty effective method for me all these years, but I'm thinking there might just be a better way. My hope is that this book will help me develop a more efficient, and also less risky, means of creating. We shall see.

In the meantime, I'm curious to know, have any of you read this book? Or do you have any books you’re particularly loving right now? Let me know! 

Snapshots of a Long Weekend

Ah, what a weekend. I don't think I can actually fully explain to you my love for three day weekends. They just make me too happy. In case you're curious how I spent the past three days, don't worry, I'm about to fill you in. On Friday night I relaxed and hung out with my roommate. Saturday involved sleeping in, brunch, a Target run, homemade brownies, and having a few people over at night. On Sunday I was productive and did four loads of laundry. So many trips up and down my apartment stairs. And then there was Downton on Sunday night. I won't ruin it for anyone who hasn't seen it yet, but just...so sad.

On Monday I decided to watch Beyonce's new documentary. It was wonderful, just as expected. That woman is so fantastic. I also fit in a yoga class and watched a little of The Biggest Loser at night.

Overall this weekend was just too lovely. And now I'm back to the grind, but thankfully fully recharged and ready to take on the week. Happy Tuesday everyone! What did you do this weekend?

Happy Weekend

It's (almost) the weekend, it's (almost) the weekend! And this girl is so excited. Can I tell you guys something? I have another three day weekend to look forward to! I can hardly believe it either. All through high school and college I never once had Presidents' Day off, and now I do. So happy. I kind of feel like this is going to be a wonderful weekend, which usually happens when an extra day is involved. 

Oh! And in case you were curious about the status of my Valentines Day, (which I'm sure everyone was) it ended up being pretty lovely after all. Turns out I'm not the only single person in this world! What?! I know, crazy. Mind blown. I went to yoga, had a bit of red wine and did online shopping from the comfort of my bed. Exactly the kind of night I needed. There was no Meg Ryan / Tom Hanks movie marathon, but don't worry, I'm sure I'll make time for one (or ten) in the future.

Happy happy weekend to all of you! What are your plans?

image via

Valentine's Day

Ah, Valentine's Day. We meet again. I'm single on this most romantic, couple-y of days, and am trying my very best not to be cynical about it. What I would really like to do after work today is be as stereotypical as possible and watch all of my favorite Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan chick flicks. But instead I'll probably go about my regular business and head over to yoga sculpt or get drinks with friends. 

Regardless of my thoughts about today, I do hope that you all have a wonderful Valentine's Day! If you're not exactly sure what your plans are yet, here are a few photos to inspire you. Drinks with the girls, perhaps? Or you could get all crafty and make homemade valentines. And if you are in a relationship, a lovely date night out could be just the trick.

Happy Valentine's Day, friends!

The Everygirl // Camille Styles // Glitter Guide // Oh Joy! // Cupcakes & Cashmere // Pinterest

NYFW Fall 2013

Another fashion week. Another week that I wish I were in New York instead of Minneapolis. Some day... Does anyone else think it feels the tiniest bit odd to be looking at styles for next fall when we're still in the middle of this winter? Maybe a little odd, but I can't help but get caught up in the hype. I haven't caught up on all of the shows yet, but I've definitely been keeping track of my favorite designers and what's on their horizon for fall.

I think out of the collections I've seen so far, Diane von Furstenberg has been my favorite. So amazing. The patterns, the styles, and the bright pink lips on all of the models. 

And of course I loved the J. Crew collection. No surprise there. I love how every J. Crew collection, no matter the time of year, showcases bright colors and patterns. Everything is so classically inspired and so fun at the same time.

Then there was Jason Wu, which I was basically freaking out over from the moment I saw the first look. It's the absolute perfect mix of feminine and edgy. Look at how pretty those pieces are! Just look. So lovely.

Have you been keeping up with fashion week? Or better yet, are you attending fashion week? If so, please let me know. I would be happy to live vicariously through all of your magical fashion week experiences.

DVF images // J. Crew images // Jason Wu images

Happy Feet

I'm on the hunt for a few pairs of new flats. Flats are tough. For every positive review I read about a shoe there's almost always a negative review to go along with it. These are a few of the flats I came across in my online quest for flats this weekend. A few of them are currently somewhere in the middle of Idaho, or Wisconsin, or Nebraska, or something like that, on their way to me. Hopefully they fit! Crossing my fingers.

Question of the day: Do you have any go to flats or brands in general?

1 Gap // 2 Kate Spade // 3 Tory Burch // 4 Zara

5 Michael Kors // 6 Sam Edelman // 7 DVF // 8 J. Crew

Weekend Snapshots

Do you ever have one of those extremely relaxed, borderline lazy weekends? This was one of them for me and it was so needed. It was yet another snowy weekend in Minneapolis so staying inside relaxing and catching up on favorite TV shows was just the ticket. I also did a bit of yoga, some shopping and had a three hour conversation with one of my very best friends who now lives in LA. We don't talk nearly enough but when we do it feels like nothing has changed. Do you have any friends like that? Really really good ones that you kind of just know will be there forever? I hope so. Those are the best kind.

Now it's Monday morning and I am back to work on this snowy day. I hope you have a lovely start to your week! 

Prioritizing + Happy Weekend

one of my favorite quotes from the everygirl

Oh guys. What a week. Did you notice what happened this week? I didn't post on not one, but two separate occasions. I'm not super okay with that but it had to happen. I've been busy lately. Really really busy. I promise I won't go into all the little details and I also won't complain because let's face it, everyone's busy.

But lately I've been thinking I might have to cut out or scale back something in my life. I have to work, so that's not an option. I'm gaining way too much great experience and having way too much fun with The Everygirl and this blog so those aren't really options either. Then there are the other aspects of my life which have been in various spots on the back burner lately: working out, sleeping, and spending time with friends. It's such a balancing act and I just haven't figured it all out yet. So here's my question to you. What do you do to prioritize? How do you balance all of your commitments? Tips and tricks are greatly appeciated.

I'll leave you with this lovely quote from Abby Larson, founder and editor of Style Me Pretty. This was Abby's advice to her 23-year-old self. And hey, I'm (almost!) 23, so I'm going to take it to heart. Especially the whole 'You are not a mess, you are normal' part.

Happy Weekend!

image via // quote via

The Crossbody

The perfect handbag is quite obviously an essential in every girl's wardrobe. Lately I personally have been loving crossbodies most. I only have a few absolute essentials that need to come with me everywhere, and a mini crossbody seems to fit everything perfectly. I'm loving these versions from some of my favorite stores - in classic neutrals and the perfect brights for spring and summer. 

1 J. Crew // 2 Kate Spade // 3 Tory Burch // 4 J. Crew Factory // 5 Marc by Marc Jacobs

What kind of bag are you currently toting around?

Weekend Snapshots

Another lovely weekend gone by. I spent my time these past few days relaxing, spending time with friends, working an event for my day job and watching way too many movies. I watched Dirty Dancing for the very first time and it was so good. I definitely see what all the hype is about. I should also probably admit that I did not watch the Super Bowl. I did, however, catch Beyonce's Super Bowl performance. How is it honestly possible for one woman to be so fabulous? I can't fathom it.

What did you all think of the big game / Beyonce's performance? And what did you do this weekend?

Hope you have a great start to your week!

dirty dancing image via

February + Happy Weekend!

Happy February! How has one month of 2013 already passed me by? I don't get it. Time flies so quickly.

I have a new little project planned for this month. Lately I've been a little scatterbrained and unorganized in terms of my schedule. There is just so much going on sometimes that I feel like I'm being more reactive than proactive. I finish things just barely in time instead of planning ahead and I haven't quite been able to make time for things that should be taking more precedence (i.e. working out, sleeping, spending time with friends). So this weekend I plan to make a list of goals and tasks for the upcoming month (I got this idea from Rita, who so wisely called February the 'procrastinator's new years'). I am going to plan ahead for working out a few days every week and I am going to plan blog posts on the weekend instead of the night before they go up. I can do this! Organization.

Also on board for this weekend? An Everygirl feature, a work event on Saturday with an 80s theme, (I plan to channel outfits from The Carrie Diaries for inspiration) yoga and spending some time with friends. There's also a chance I might watch part of the Superbowl. Yes I just said might. Sports on TV are just not my thing.

Regardless of what I end up doing, I'm so excited for my two favorite days of the week. What are you up to?

(adorable) image via