Lifestyle Talk: In Moderation

This is a phrase that used to feel foreign to me in my earlier 20's- or even in my late teenage years. For as long as I can remember, I've had this fight or flight mentality inside of me; I used to think that the only viable solutions were to either give it my all or to just give nothing. When I look back, I realize that this way of thinking was unhealthy and too extreme. It always left me tired, but also continually searching like there was something missing.

I've had days where I've come close to giving up. I've even had days where I just allowed myself to give up because of how tired I was. It's like I didn't feel comfortable with just allowing certain situations to take their course and wait for things to get better, and every time I was in that in-between phase where I was struggling to hold on, that fight or flight mentality would take hold of me and I'd go back to square one with my thoughts.

Impulse control is something that I feel is a struggle a lot of us can relate to. It can definitely be a struggle to just let go and allow things to be as they are without feeling that urge to act upon something immediately. One thing that has helped me is to just talk to myself and rationalize my anxious thoughts. Breaking down the very thought patterns inside your head is not an easy thing to do, but the truth here is that if anybody else tries to do it for you, the chances of your brain listening in that overwhelmed/emotionally-driven state are about 50/50 even though you may try to convince them that you are listening.

Doing things in moderation, or in a way that's more flexible, will definitely lead to more happiness in the end. If you're too strict with yourself, then there's a high chance that you'll probably fail at maintaining whatever habit you're trying to change. If you're too lenient on other hand, then there's even less of a chance of you making that change. You have to start somewhere, and this advice can easily be applied to anything in life whether if it's with your health/well-being or with your relationships and how you handle certain conflicts in life.

I personally believe that we all deserve to feel our best in every aspect of life. The kinds of habits we maintain and the kinds of relationships we keep are important. The way we treat ourselves and how we maintain our energy is important. If we treated ourselves the way we'd want other people to treat us, then maybe this world we live in would feel a little more bearable and we'd all start to live "in harmony" with each other.

A Minimalist's Approach to Beauty + Skincare Tips

From a general perspective, I’d say that I’ve always kept things basic and simple with my makeup. However, there have been times in the past where I would put on too much or pick out the wrong shades for my skin tone. Having learned from those mistakes, I feel like I’m finally in a place where I have all I need and it’s enough for me to mix and match for if I want to be a little more playful with my makeup whenever I decide to wear it.

So for the most part, I don’t wear any products at all except for some lip balm and/or lip gloss- and this is a thing that I’ve done for many years. With me keeping up this habit, I can allow my face to breathe all year round, but if there’s a certain occasion that I want to dress up for, then I will wear a little more product for that.

My collection is a bit small, so I only like to keep the absolute essentials. I have two setting powders (CoverGirl TruBlend 5; Translucent Tawny and Maybelline Fit Me! 130; Buff Beige) in two different shades since my skin sometimes gets darker in the summer. I also only have blush/highlighting palette (Maybelline Master Blush kit) that I bought at CVS. A more recent purchase that I made was when I stopped by Sephora (The Porefessional primer by Benefit). I thought I’d try out the small, travel size option first since my face gets oily sometimes.

I honestly don’t like wearing eye products all that much, so because of this, I only have a couple options for eyeshadow. I have one single shade from Maybelline in a neutral pink, plus I have a small palette from Almay that has 9 other shades.

The last portion of my collection is my lip glosses and lipsticks. Over the years, I’ve always enjoyed lip gloss more than I do lipstick for some reason, and the shades that I’m drawn to the most are mauve or neutral pink. So the only lipstick I have is actually a liquid lipstick by Burt’s Bees in the shade Flushed Petal. I like how it looks on me for if I want a little more color on my lips, but it’s not as overpowering nor does it stick out on my face in a negative way. Now as for lip gloss, I have five that are all similar to each other in shades. I have two that were part of a Christmas gift by Laura Geller (Beach Bum and Peach Please), one by CoverGirl (Candylicious 620) and a butter gloss by NYX (BLG14 Madeleine). In addition to all these products, I also like to keep my two travel-size perfumes in my collection since I have enough space for that plus a lip balm.

For some reason, foundations have always been either hit or miss for me since my skin does get dry and oily, so the easiest solution I've found is to just stop wearing it. Since transitioning out of that, I've come to realize that what I need is less product and more sunscreen and hydration. The last face product I had that I threw away was a BB cream by Maybelline. It did serve me well, but the thing with my routine is that I just want things to be easy, convenient and minimal. Now I know that everyone's skin type is different, but you really can't go wrong with drinking more water to keep your skin more hydrated as well as the rest of your body. Another tip that I'd recommend is using moisturizer daily, whether if that's first thing in the morning or at night (or even at both times). I hope these tips prove helpful to you, especially if your skin is anything like mine.

Album Review: Into The Wild Life by Halestorm

I feel like this album overall is filled with a little bit of everything when it comes to the rock ‘n roll scenes- you can especially hear earlier rock influences in songs like Gonna Get Mine for example. Some songs are more catchy to dance or sing along to, and others have a more personal meaning. Dear Daughter in particular is one of my favorites as it portrays a very real message that I feel is relatable/personable to women and men alike. Other songs like New Modern Love, I Am the Fire and Amen provide good anthems for empowerment and strength within ourselves as well as with relationships.

I’ve been into Halestorm’s music for about a year now; the first song that I heard by them is Mz. Hyde from their album “A Strange Case Of…”. Be it, some of their music does contain mature lyrics and cursing, so if you’re not into that for whatever reason, then it might be best that you stay away- especially with this album in particular.

So truth be told, this album and their sophomore album are what resonated with me the most during my times of struggle with low self-esteem and depression. Navigating through my early 20’s wasn’t easy, so because of Halestorm as well as Linkin Park, I’ve learned to become more strong and confident in myself. I’ve learned to let go of a lot of negative feelings, emotions and habits that were draining me, but I know I still have a few things that I can improve on in my life currently. Like I’ve said in a previous blog post, I do feel like Halestorm is one of very few female-based acts in music that I can actually connect with. For me, it’s Lzzy’s voice paired with the heavy guitars and memorable lyrics is what makes this band so amazing. So if you're reading this Lzzy, thank you for all that you've done with the music you've been creating. In some ways, I feel like you're the older sister that I needed in my life when I was at my lowest points in life. I know now that I'm not alone, but just knowing that you are through your music has comforted me.

My Health Journey

I'd say it was about a year ago when I first got into the mindset of leading a more healthy lifestyle. One of my friends had to move onto a stricter diet, and without even thinking about, I was subconsciously inspired. I first started by eating more salads, but even before that, I started to drink more water midway through my first job before I met him. 

Now I'm not sure if this is an actual misconception, but one thing that I've become more adept to is drinking water instead of juice when I wake up in the morning. For the past couple months, I've been really into drinking ice cold water with lemon as that helps to wake me up. I just feel like it's better to hydrate your body first instead of going for other drinks that are heavy in sugar or caffeine.  

One thing that I've struggled with for a long time is the amount of carbs I eat. My biggest weakness personally is pizza and pasta (as well as salty foods), but as of recently, I've found myself eating less pizza- and I'm quite pleased with myself for kicking that habit without even thinking about it. 

I feel like my progress so far has been steady, but also inconsistent. There will be days or a period of time where I feel super motivated to eat healthy and get enough exercise, and there will be other days where I'm just not feeling it at all. Exercise in itself has been a struggle for me recently, and a partial reason for that has to do with my work schedule. I just don't feel like I'm at my best if I can't find the time to do that, and it doesn't help if I feel tired or worn out every time I come home from work. So despite this one small issue, I am doing the best that I can to make time and get it done at least twice a week. 

One thing that's helped me to stay consistent with my routine is keeping my goals simple. If I can get in at least one or two workout sessions a week, then I'll feel like I've accomplished something. This mentality is also applied to my eating habits and what kinds of meals I have. Of course, I still live at home, so I'm usually content with eating whatever my mom makes, but I always enjoy making my own lunches that are a little more organic and healthy. I enjoy finding more sustainable ways to get protein in my system (natural nut butter, almonds and cashews are my 3 favorites at the moment), and I typically don't use condiments alongside my vegetables if I have them as a side dish.

So overall, I'd say that I've made a lot of progress in the last several years with my health. When I was a teenager, I had issues with my thyroid and had to get it removed through radiation, so that did affect my eating habits some during that stage of my life. Once I got through that treatment, my weight has stayed a bit on the heavy side throughout my years in high school as well as in my early 20's, but I feel like I'm finally in a place where I feel content with my body and the weight I'm at. My experiences with maintaining my health surely haven't been easy, but I do feel like I'm getting a little better at it each day; it just takes effort like anything else in life. 

My Top 5 Favorite Basics

One thing that I’ve come to love about having a capsule wardrobe is how it’s comprised of good quality pieces that you can wear over and over again in a variety of different ways. And while I do like to be playful with my style sometimes, I can definitely say that I have a new love and appreciation for more minimal and basic/classic looks. So with all of this being said, I’d like to share my five favorite basic pieces that I have in my wardrobe.

White v-neck sleeveless blouse (White House, Black Market)- I first bought this top when I was still in that phase of buying things with no real goal or purpose in mind, but I’ve really come to love it now as it’s the perfect piece for me to wear to work. Now obviously, I love the way it looks by itself, but I’ve also come to love the way it looks when I pair it with a bralette underneath. Another great thing about this top is that I can style it up or down, but I personally like dressing it up more. My favorite way to wear it is with a blazer and a pair of black skinny jeans or basic trousers.

Denim shirt (Goodwill)- I honestly think you can’t go wrong with adding a denim shirt to your wardrobe as it’s perfect for spring, fall or even summer. I’ve worn this multiple times since adding it to my closet and even though the weather in my area can be unpredictable at times, I’ve found ways to make it work.

Grey t-shirt (Aerie & ThredUp)- There are three colors that make up the basics overall: white, black and grey. A lot of people like to talk about how white and black can look great on anybody and how those should be included in a capsule wardrobe, but I feel like grey in particular doesn’t get enough attention. I personally love how the color grey looks on me, so because of that, I don’t own as much black in my closet. So if you’re someone who’s trying to find more basic pieces but you don’t care for black as much as others do, then I do think grey is a good option to consider. There’s a lot you can do with that color as it’s versatile just like the other basics.

Striped t-shirt (ThredUp)- Wearing t-shirts can obviously be very comfortable and easy to throw on, but I personally think there’s a big difference between function and wearability when it comes to this one category of clothing. One thing I like I like about my striped tee is that while it’s very comfortable, it’s also stylish as you can either dress it up or down. Now of course, I still enjoy wearing t-shirts a lot in general, but I do think it’s best to keep your ratty ones at home and wear them at home while wearing your nicer ones out in public. No one wants to see a bunch of holes or stains in your clothing.

Beige tops (Kohl’s & ThredUp)- In my opinion, beige can be considered a basic color, but I do believe it to be a more seasonal option. I have both a sleeveless top and a long sleeve top in this color and I’ve gotten so much wear out of them within their appropriate seasons. The great thing about beige in general is while it’s versatile like the other basic colors, you can also play with color when working with this option. I personally love how beige and burnt orange look together, or even beige and red (darker reds in particular like burgundy or maroon).

The Struggles of Situational/Seasonal Depression

I have situational/seasonal depression. Sometimes this tiredness I have in my body drags me down into a slump where I just lose all motivation and drive to move forward in life. In other cases however, I actively try to combat that by focusing on my physical health. If I were to not put in the effort to exercise and eat healthy, I'd be worse off both mentally, emotionally and physically.

Depression looks different on everybody. For me, it's that lingering feeling of stress, tiredness or anxiety that has accumulated over time from whatever outer circumstances I face. Other times however, it can come from some kind of internal conflict that I've become hung up on. It's not easy for me to separate my own feelings and emotions from reality, so because of that, I sometimes live in this fear that I'm being judged (which can often lead to me being critical of myself). Sometimes, I'll feel insecure within myself like I'm not doing anything right or that I'm not living up to someone else's expectations. These feelings that I have are hard for me to express because I know that not everybody in my family will understand them, so when they're there, I try my best to just deal with them privately. 

Over the years of me being an adult, I've had to understand that the world does not owe you anything. In the last year or so, I've come to realize my weaknesses and how those weaknesses tend to progress a little more slowly for me than it does for others. Communication takes effort, especially on a level that's more honest and personal. Because of this, I kind of have this fear of how people will react to what I say even though I realize that probably shouldn't matter anyways. Another thing I've realized over the years is that overthinking will tire you out more often than not, so because of that, I do the best I can to keep my life simple. 

My experiences in life so far have proven to me that I struggle more than others with some things, but I guess that's what makes me special. This struggle I have is what builds my strength, and sometimes, I can feel that strength within me. I'm proud of everything I've been through so far as an adult, but I know I still have a long ways to go. I know I still have more life ahead of me and that life in general is not going to be perfect. However, one thing that I will always try to do is live my life authentically, whether if people like it or not. So if anything, I'd say my main goal in life is to try my best to be positive, enjoy/appreciate the life I have, and to do the best I can to be compassionate towards other people. 

The Benefits of Secondhand Shopping + Some Tips

When you shop for things secondhand, there are 3 benefits that come to mind that have brought a lot of joy to me personally. I work at a thrift store and since being hired into that, I've found that it saves the environment, it saves your wallet and it still allows you to experiment with different styles of clothing and accessories. 

I'd say that the biggest thing I love about secondhand shopping is the environmental factor. Now don't get me wrong here, I do still shop at a small handful of regular priced retailers, but even then, I personally feel like we need to at least be more aware of the amount of waste we produce- especially with fast fashion in particular. Now just for full transparency here, I did recently buy a trench jacket from H&M, but I feel like that was a purchase worth making because it fit more into my budget plus the fit was perfect. So perhaps there's nothing wrong with fast fashion on a general scale if you go into those places with a list or idea in mind of what it is you're looking for. I just feel like one has to be aware of their shopping habits and be smart about that in order to avoid those massive amounts of waste. 

So believe it or not, high quality fashion doesn't have to equal expensive prices. The thrift store that I work at gets a lot of great quality items in a couple times a week, and they tend to sell well (and they also tend to leave fairly quickly). You get a large range of brands from Coach, Michael Kors and Kate Spade all the way down to other department store brands- I've even seen those fast fashion brands like H&M, Forever 21, Charming Charlie and Old Navy. I once found a handbag that someone bought that was actually from Matt & Nat, and knowing how their company is more sustainable/vegan friendly, I thought that was pretty cool because you don't see companies like that pop up very often. 

Now of course, I believe that fashion is meant to be fun, so I know that it doesn't really matter where you shop at because at the end of the day, all of these different shops both high and low are meant to be there for experimentation. However, I personally love buying things secondhand because you get a wide variety of styles and brands, and as the seasons change, so do the trends. So at the end of the day, you do what works best for you and stay true to what your style is. If there are any tips though that I could leave for you, it's to enjoy the hunt when you're inside a thrift store. I'd also recommend that you don't go overboard if you're on a budget and to save where you can. Most thrift stores do have great sales, especially at Goodwill, so try to pay attention to what color price tags are on sale as those change weekly. Also, if you're anything like me and you tend to buy things on impulse, make a list beforehand and stick to that list as best as you can.