Thoughts of the Day
My life has qualified me as "experienced" on such topics as Army life, parenting, mental health, loss and grief, multi-tasking, and adapting to all things new (good, bad, or indifferent). I will share my thoughts on these topics and hopefully you will find some calm in the chaos knowing that others have been where you are.
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3 Simple Ways to Boost Your Self Confidence
Self confidence is defined as a feeling of trust in your own abilities, your strength, and your judgment. It is important to your quality of life as your level of confidence can impact all aspects including physical and mental health and well-being. When you lack self confidence or feel down about yourself, it can affect your motivation and inspiration in all the things that you want to be doing in your life. There are a few simple ways that you can boost your self confidence that will help to improve your personal and professional life and set you back on track for success. Comparison is the thief of joy. Comparison…
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My Favorite French Things
I don’t know about you but I think we all have to admit that we have at one time or another daydreamed about what it would be like to be that classy French girl you see in magazines and foreign cinema (unless, of course, you are that classy French girl already). Every fashionista has certainly had fantasies of living in a fashion capital such as Paris or Nice with the ability to throw together the perfect French chic outfit within minutes. Imagine a life of eating chocolate, dining outside at beautiful street cafes, sipping wine while watching the world go by, all the while donning fabulous clothes and just looking…
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Honoring Our Veterans
In an effort to honor the end of World War I, Veteran’s Day was declared a federal holiday in the United States on November 11, 1918. It continues on as a day to honor and celebrate the bravery and sacrifice of American service members. Being a military wife, it is a holiday that is important and emotional to me and one that is worthy of a variety of fundraising events that can assist veterans in need. Witnessing the bravery and sacrifices made daily by American service members and their families is something that will bring tears to my eyes time and again. I am going to tell you right here,…
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I Did a Scary Thing & Link Up On the Edge #170
For months, I have been wrestling with the idea of expanding my own personal body positive mission. I feel so very passionate about empowering and inspiring women (and men) to find their way to healthy self love, to appreciate and celebrate our bodies for the miracles that they are. When the idea first came to me, I started sharing my message and some nude photography on Patreon. But I quickly realized that forum was not the best for me. I began there because I felt safe with my content locked behind a paywall. And it was safe. Very safe. For no one ever saw any of it except Anne M.…
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The Importance of Art with SmitKit Studio & #SpreadTheKindness Link Up #145
“Art is the lie that enables us to realize the truth.” Pablo Picasso You probably remember this outfit from Thursday when I shared my Halloween Costume Ideas featuring a giant furry unicorn head and a witch hat. Well, after the photos were taken, I ditched the headgear and headed off to an art show at SmitKit Studio: Center for Creativity located in the historic Paddock Arcade in Watertown, New York’s downtown square. I know this outfit is a little bit wild for making my way around town on a Sunday afternoon, but it was an art show and I was definitely showcasing my artistic side. Plus I was already dressed.…
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How 20 Minutes Can Save Your Life & Link Up On the Edge #167
“I would encourage you: be informed – knowledge is power.” Matt Bevin I am sure you are all aware that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. But we need to be alert and on top of preventative measures all year long. Just as cancer doesn’t decide to strike only in October, we need to be scheduling our annual mammograms all throughout the year. However, I always get my mammograms in October because it is the easiest for me to remember. You know, at this stage of life, the memory is the first thing to go! Due to my age and my health, my doctors have recommended that I have my…
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Embrace Your Inner Weird, Own Your Truth & #SpreadTheKindness Link Up #142
The past few days have been exponentially weirder than usual. At first, it was kind of throwing me for a loop. But I am learning to embrace all things no matter how strange they may seem at first glance. We live in a world that is dominated by social media and technology. For those of us who did not grow up with the ease of access to people from all over the world, it is sometimes off putting how bold people can be when they have computers or other devices to mask themselves. You may think I am going to bash such brazen boldness right now. But I actually am…
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The Importance of Sustainability When Clothes Shopping
The part of our brains that helps us coordinate our outfits and the part of our brains that contemplates the idea of long-term environmental threats are probably not working in harmony together. Because these compartments are so disconnected, it is difficult for us to even process the idea that being uninformed in choosing which brands to support could be responsible for over one thousand lives lost in the 2019 heatwave in France. And even in our apparent denial, the evidence keeps surfacing which indicates that our industries are negatively impacting our environment and our climate. While a large amount of people already embracing green initiatives, such as bags for life…
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Introducing Drew Hackney: Music that Moves Me & #SpreadTheKindness Link Up #140
I have written a few posts in the past about the Power of Music and My Life in Songs and as I have been doing a lot of self-exploration lately, I am discovering that with life and all of its experiences, the music that moves me has been evolving and changing along the way. If you are a regular reader here, you are probably aware of my newfound love for bluegrass music as I had spent most of my summer weekends chasing the sweet relaxing elixir that the entire bluegrass community provides to my searching soul. In my adventures, I have made some great new friends who are broadening my…
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The Benefits and Detriments of Contributed Content & Link Up On the Edge #161
I have been struggling recently with the whole idea of accepting contributed content on my blog. When I first began this journey four years ago, blogging was merely a hobby and a creative outlet for me to share my personal stories and my personal style. But it has evolved into something that I am so passionate about that I recently quit my actual paying job in order to focus more time and attention on writing and developing this space into one that could actually sustain me financially as well. This word count tool is helpful in tracking how much I am actually writing to determine how much I can be…
