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Every day is different, but if you look at the most successful entrepreneurs, life coaches and “at peace” individuals, they usually have one thing locked down: their morning routine. I’ll be the first to admit - I am not a morning person. I’ve tried setting my alarm back, opening the blinds, putting my phone across the room, lots of things, but nothing has really helped me and my need of an hour in the morning to wake up.

The more I researched the more I really tried to put a routine in action and I somewhat got there after college when I started working full-time, but I wanted to take it a step further and really see if it helped. During my research I found the five things below that have helped me get to a more mindful, restful place in the morning. While I don’t do all of these every single morning, when done I always felt ready for the day, so here we go!

The Morning Pages

I briefly talked about The Morning Pages in this blog post, but wanted to dive a little deeper and talk about why I find it so useful. As a creative, it can be difficult to always tap into that creativity when I need to and usually is even harder when trying to force it. I was in a creative rut last year and needed something to push myself out of it. I wasn’t feeling inspired to paint, write or even blog - it all just felt unimportant. I was on one of my favorite blogger’s Instagram Stories and she was talking about her morning routine and how it has really changed her days. One of the components of her very specific routine is called Morning Pages.

Growing up I would go through phases where I loved journaling and then I wouldn’t touch said journal for months. What I liked about the Morning Pages was that there wasn’t a structure. You are actually not supposed to think when doing the exercise. So what is it? Morning Pages are three pages of longhand, stream of consciousness writing that you do first thing in the morning for 6 weeks or as long as needed. You just write what is on your mind and can’t edit. There is no erasing, rewriting, grammar police or judging yourself for what you write down.

There are a few rules to this exercise:

1. Do it every day, no matter what. Even if you write “I have no idea what to write” for the entire 3 pages. Just write.

2. You aren’t allowed to re-read it or share it with anyone. These pages are meant just for you. Don’t hinder your process by looking back at what you wrote about previously. Just keep writing.

When I sat down to do this the first morning it was actually very difficult. I was finding myself holding back, thinking, “I shouldn’t write that”, or “ugh that’s stupid.” But that is the entire point of Morning Pages. If you’re feeling those things or doubting yourself you’re actually supposed to dive deeper and write about why you’re thinking that way. Put. It. All. On. The. Page.

The Morning Pages was created by Julia Cameron, author of The Artist’s Way, a book designed to help blocked creatives get unblocked that includes morning pages as a daily exercise to the overall project. The book has helped millions of readers to embark on a creative journey and find a deeper connection to process and purpose. Julia Cameron's novel approach guides readers in uncovering problems areas and pressure points that may be restricting their creative flow and offers techniques to free up any areas where they might be stuck, opening up opportunities for self-growth and self-discovery, including me! I’ve linked it below if you want to check it out along with my favorite pens & the best notebook ever.

Taking a Walk

This seems like a really simple idea and no-brainer, but I found it helped me get to a good head space before my day. Kollin and I used to switch off in the mornings taking Wrigley out and as much as I dreaded getting up to do it, once I was outside and thinking about something else, I always felt better (minus the polar vortex week in January- no good thoughts there lol). Taking even a few minutes to step outside, breathe in some fresh air and enjoy the quiet morning was very calming. You could use this time to walk and get coffee, grab the mail, enjoy your breakfast outside or even take your morning pages to an outside destination.

Gratitude Journal

We all go through a period or several periods of life where we complain a lot. Typically, this is when we are teenagers and nothing is going right or we didn’t have enough money to go to the movies with friends that weekend and your parents are ruining your life. Sound familiar? Now that most of us are a bit older, this can happen less often, but when it does it can really impact your mental state.

I remember complaining about something at work or even the thought of having nothing to wear and I read a post online that took common “problems” people complain about like laundry, dirty dishes and sitting in traffic. The post flipped the script on looking at those things differently. For example, having piles of laundry to do means you have places to go to wear them and warm clothes in the winter. Dirty dishes means having food to eat and a full family. Sitting in traffic is usually annoying, but you have somewhere to be and usually a job to report to. These are all things to be grateful for and are easily forgotten in the busyness of life. I started writing down what I was grateful for each day during my Morning Pages and it really put into perspective how blessed I am - even on the days when all I want to do is complain.

Inspiring Podcasts

Podcasts are not anything new to most of the population, but Kollin and I just started really listening to them this year. What I love about them is that you are actively listening. When we watch TV or are on our phone we are usually multi-tasking. I personally find that when I’m listening to a podcast, I have a greater pull to what I’m hearing and get more out of the conversation, especially when the topic is thought-provoking or inspiring. Here are some of my favorite current podcasts:

• Living Fully with Mallory Ervin

  • A fellow Kentucky girl, Mallory grew up the oldest of 23 cousins and went on to become Miss Kentucky, runner up in Miss America and a three time contestant and runner up on The Amazing Race with her father. Living by her mantra of Living Fully, she discusses topics such as relationships, her personal journey with health, addiction, being a mom and finding happiness everyday. Truly positive and refreshing I love listening to this podcast when it comes out at the beginning of the week on Mondays as a great way to start the week.

• The Skinny Confidential: Him & Her Podcast

  • The creator behind the blog and brand, The Skinny Confidential, Lauryn Evarts Bosstick and her husband, Michael Bosstick, team up for this funny and honest podcast revolving around wellness, business, beauty and brands. With guests including Jessica Alba, Chriselle Lim, Whitney Port of The Hills, and other lifestyle based guests, they cover a range of topics in a positive and almost brutally honest way. I’m always surprised on how a surface-level topic always dives deeper and they have really thought-provoking conversations.

• Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness

  • As it sounds, this weekly podcast covers a range of topics on things that Jonathan is curious about including immigration, How to Find Your Voice, Why Stress is Toxic, The Difference Between Shia and Sunni Muslims. Obviously a wide variety of things to choose from, these episodes take the topics and break them down to a level that is approachable, but also informative.

Positive Affirmations

This is something I started doing in 2018 and have really seen it change my outlook on things. Along with writing what I was grateful for, I would write about things I wanted to happen or things that I just needed to remind myself. When typing that I can see how our internal system of doubt would label this as a insecurity. Who needs to be reminded or told things about themselves? Shouldn’t you just know or feel it? Well, if you do then props to you, but I’d say 99% of us at least doubt ourselves once a day. Affirmations are positive statements that can help you to challenge and overcome self-sabotaging and negative thoughts. When you repeat them often, and believe in them, you can start to make positive changes. There is a saying about this that goes, “think it into existence, write it into existence, speak it into existence, work it into existence.” Whatever your method of delivery, give it a try. I personally like thinking and writing, but if you’re the kind that likes to look in the mirror for a daily pep talk from yourself, more power to you!

These are just some of the things I’ve been doing to lead a more positive, mindful lifestyle. The more I’ve grown up the more I’ve realized the importance of our mental health and the way we approach life. There are so many more mindful practices out there and I would love to hear from you about yours or ones you want to try! Leave me a comment below letting me know what you’ve been doing or want to do. Thanks so much for reading!

You can shop my dress and other Shein #BackToSchool looks here! Use code BTS281 for 15% off your order!

Thank you to Shein for sponsoring this post. It’s brands like yours that make The Creative Brief possible. All opinions are my own.

If you were to ask me back in 2015 when I started my The Creative Brief if I would talk about my health and CBD, I’d have probably laughed and said no way, this is a fashion blog! And while it still is, I usually get great responses from my more lifestyle based posts. Varying from relationships to faith to travel, TCB readers tend to love the content outside of the clothes too, which is why I eventually felt comfortable sharing this product with y’all!

So, when I was approached by Trust Brothers, I had a bit of a pause at first. Was this something I was passionate about? Would it make sense to my readers and do I even understand the product? Upon doing more research on CBD and watching a great documentary called Weed The People I was a bit more open to learning more. While the documentary focuses on cannabis too, I wanted to be sure that anything I was promoting did not and would not cause any high or reaction that people associate with cannabis. No judgement here, just personally not my thing! After speaking with their team, learning how their CBD contains no THC and trying it out for myself I learned a lot and have had great benefits from using it too. More on that in a bit, but here is some background on why I wanted to try it.

Ever since I was 13-14 years old I have suffered from migraines. If you have had one, you get it, but if you haven’t I’ll try and explain briefly as to why they are so debilitating. I’m sure many of you reading this have had a headache or two before and maybe a Tylenol or Advil helps and you’re good to go. When I had my first migraine I was scared. It was pain I had never felt before and nothing I took made it any better. The scariest part? It isn’t just pain. Many people can have other symptoms like blurred vision, sensitivity to light and sound and even vomiting and nausea. Luckily, I have only had 6-8 really bad ones at that level. To put it into perspective, Chronic Migraine patients get 10-15 a month.

My headaches got to the point where my doctor recommended I see a Neurologist for an action plan. She and I started a plan and she wanted me to really understand what the triggers were for my migraines. I kept a journal of what I ate, when I slept, what medicine I was taking, what life events were going on and turned it over to her after two weeks. We learned the following were triggers for me (this is over the course of 4-5 years of this exercise and where I currently have the most triggers):

• Lack of sleep

• Red Wine

• Dehydration

• High level of stress or anxiety

• Lady time of the month

• Weather (barometric pressure was a HUGE one for me - Google it!)

By narrowing it down to these triggers I could usually pinpoint when I’d have a migraine pop up. This became another issue because then the anxiety of waiting for one or thinking I’d get one would be its own problem. But, as I learned more and got older and also got the daith piercing (not a medical recommendation, but was worth a shot to me and improved my symptoms. Always consult professionals as everyone’s symptoms and treatments are different), I was on a pretty good path. I went from having 2-3 a month to maybe 1 per month.

Things started to get bad again when I was working a ton and not taking care of myself. I was having at least one per week and also having cluster headaches. Basically headaches that lasted 3-4 days and would only shift in pain vs. go away. It was time to re-balance. You can read my post here about what I learned that year and what helped. Once my stress levels were down and I had some time off I was chatting with a friend about how she takes CBD for anxiety. She mentioned it was helping her and she suggested I try it for headaches as that is one of the things that people who take it have found relief in. A couple weeks later Trust Brothers reached out and I said why not! I’ve been testing their CBD oil for about two weeks now as I wanted to give the product some time before recommending it to y’all.

While I did not expect it to take away my migraines or even make them better, I did get some benefits that have helped reduce the triggers of my migraines and therefore I haven’t had many since trying it. By taking the recommended dose twice a day (I do this when I wake up with my chai latte and about an hour before I go to sleep), I started noticing that I was more rested, had less stress and anxiety and was overall more calm. Keep in mind that I’m still working 40+ hours a week and planning our wedding so there were plenty of outside triggers as well.

After two days of taking the CBD I started noticing that I was sleeping better, getting to sleep faster, feeling more rested and calm during the day and my stress trigger was a lot harder to reach. I’m a big night owl and am usually most productive at night and my mind can race before bed. CBD helped me calm down before going to sleep so I was actually getting restful sleep and FYI there is no sense of drowsiness or even any feeling at all. The oil is tasteless and I have not had any other side effects or reactions from taking it. So, while it isn’t a cure or even treatment for migraines, it’s a big help in the migraine process for me.

If you’re interested in trying it for yourself or your pet (Wrigley takes it too!) Trust Brothers was so kind to send over a coupon code where you can get the oil free and just pay the cost of shipping. You can visit here and enter my code CREATIVEBRIEF and your email for a free 250mg CBD oil. As always, I hope y’all know and trust that I would never share or promote something that I did not 100% believe in and use myself. So, if you have any questions please let me know, would love to chat with you! Thanks so much for reading xx

Thank you to Trust Brothers for sponsoring this post. It is brands like yours that make The Creative Brief possible. All opinions are my own.

Happy Thursday y’all! It has been a whirlwind summer getting ready for this wedding! Between meetings, planning and a million emails, we’re only 44 days away! I was so excited to head to my bachelorette party in Palm Coast, FL for some much needed relaxation with girlfriends!

My grandma was so kind to let us use their Florida home for the weekend and everything was booked and ready to go! Last week felt so long waiting for Thursday to arrive and when it finally did, bad news hit. My flight was delayed. A girlfriend who was going down a day earlier had been cancelled the night before and there were more storms headed for Chicago that morning, but so far there was only the hour delay. I woke up my friend Emily and we took off to the airport in what would become a pretty crazy storm. We made it to the airport and back to the gate pretty quickly where we waited for another girlfriend, Chelsea, to join us. She arrived about an hour later and we sat and talked about her recent engagement (yay, congrats Chelsea and Rob!), how much fun this weekend was going to be and you know, girl talk.

It was about 30 minutes before we were supposed to board and our plane still hadn’t arrived. All the sudden I start hearing people groan and complain about their flight being cancelled. I prayed it wasn’t our flight and checked my app. Everything was the same and only still delayed and then we heard someone over the intercom announcing that our flight had been cancelled and we needed to proceed to ticketing. We got to the ticketing counter along with about 300 other people and waited in line to try and get on another flight. After about 15 minutes I suppose the flight agents realized we all had the same problem and jumped on the counter to announce that our flight would not be leaving again until Sunday morning - when I was supposed to be flying home from the bachelorette.

I called my Maid of Honor, Lindsey, and told her the news. She arrived a few hours earlier and was already at the house thinking I’d be there in a couple hours. I told her we’d have to find another airline and I’d let her know. With everyone and their friends, moms, dogs, aunts and grandmas trying to get a flight out there was basically nothing left. I seriously started questioning if I was even going to make it down there that weekend without having to pay a million dollars for a flight. But, we ended up finding a flight that left Friday morning and it appeared to only have 6 seats left on the plane. We booked it to the ticketing counter of that airline and we were met with about 150 more people. I instantly became crushed because I knew if we waited in line then there was a chance that flight would sell out. I tried calling and ordering over the phone but the wait time was just as long.

There was a woman helping direct people in line and she came up asking what flight I was on previously. I explained that we hadn’t been on that airline and needed to book an entirely new trip. She looked confused hearing the sadness in my voice and I jumped on a limb and said, “it’s my bachelorette party and I really don’t want to miss it.” She said,” oh my gosh come with me!” and led us to a kiosk computer where she instantly booked us three seats on the Friday flight. I was a total weirdo and gave her the biggest hug and invited her on the trip. Lol she obviously declined, but we left her some great reviews for her amazing customer service!

So, we headed back to my condo, ordered pizza, drank champs and watched Harry Potter for the rest of the night. Bright and early the next day we headed out and finally made it to Florida. I was welcomed with my girlfriends, champagne, the cutest decorations and so much fun! We hung out in the pool the rest of the afternoon, had some dinner and then went out in St. Augustine that night.

I was so excited to wear some bathing suits I had found for the trip. I’ve really been into one pieces with unique touches recently and loved the Shein one I wore on Friday afternoon. Since i knew I would be wearing white all weekend I wanted something a little different and leopard was the perfect touch of boujee I needed.

We woke up bright and early on Saturday and headed out to Daytona to meet our boat captain for a day on the water. We spent the majority of the day driving around, hanging out on the beach and tubing. The company we used, Blue Diamond Boat Rentals, was so great. They were super professional, had the perfect sized boat and I think had just as much fun as we did!

I opted for another two piece for the boat and paired it with a very extra coverup I found on Amazon and a pair of heart shaped glasses. Lindsey got me a captains hat (my one true wish for the weekend, I didn’t even tell her and she killed it - duh), and I was loving every second of it. Full of sun, music and Whiteclaw, we headed back to the house and got ready for dinner. At dinner, everyone was exhausted from our long day and to be totally honest, I was pretty over going out and drinking so we headed back to the house and had the ultimate girls room night staying up late talking and telling stories. It was the perfect last night.

Some of the girls were heading out pretty early the next morning and I awoke to three of them in my room at 7AM looking very freaked out. I rolled over and said, “what’s going on?!” Lindsey then proceeded to tell me that a frog had found its way into her suitcase and she found it while packing. We then spent the next 30 minutes coming up with a plan to capture it and Emily saved the day getting it with a Solo cup and taking it outside. After #FrogFiasco2019, we all packed up, cleaned up and headed to the airport. My favorite part of the trip? All the girls ended up getting along great and becoming friends. It was so cool to see so many different people from different places hit it off and look forward to seeing each other again in September at the wedding. #BachAndBoujee was a total success minus the few mishaps and I couldn’t be more thankful for the best girlfriends ever.

If you made it this far, bless you. I’ve rounded up some other white bathing suits I was shopping and loving below if you’re a bride, love a crisp white look or just want to appear tanner (total plus of wearing white)! Thank you so much for reading and to all the girls who made #NavaSingleAgain happen, #prune.

Hey ya’ll! It’s been a bit since I’ve done a post on this not so little place I call home and wanted to showcase some of Kollin and I’s favorite summertime activities in the city. Chicago truly comes alive in the Summer and reminds everyone who lives here why they just stuck out 9 months of winter! Now on our 4th summer in the city, we’ve come to really love certain annual events and activities. I’ve rounded up 10 fun things to do in Chicago in the summertime below with a little bit on why we love them!

Millennium Park Summer Film Series

Tuesdays at 6:30PM June - August | Free Admission

Every summer, Millennium Park hosts a film series and releases the schedule in June of what movies will be shown each Tuesday at 6:30PM. While the timing of this is not ideal for tourists, it’s a really fun and unique experience if you’re able to make one! Kollin and I usually go right from work and bring a little picnic to snack on while we’re watching. Hosted in the Pritzker Pavillion that features a huge lawn, big screen and amazing sound system, people bring blankets, chairs and all the food and wine. Movies range from comedies, classics, fan-favorite cult movies and even some horror films. So grab a blanket, some vino and snacks and enjoy! You can view the movie schedule here.

Lollapolooza

August 1 -4 | Grant Park | $$-$$$

Opinions on this event vary as the age of attendees seems to be dropping every year and the lineups have been hit or miss the last couple years. While Kollin and I have never been, people flock to the city for this huge music festival that seems to draw some big names in the industry. You can buy tickets for one day of the four day festival or buy packages for all four. See the lineup and tickets here.

Chicago Air & Water Show

August 18-19 | Free Admission

This weekend brings in one of the most crowded times in Chicago summertime. Millions (yes, literally) of people flood to North Avenue Beach and the lake front to watch the air show of fighter jets, planes, and the Blue Angels fly over the city. My best tip for this weekend? If you have friends in the city with a rooftop or your hotel has one, hang out there rather than the beaches. Some of the best views are from several stories up! If you do head to the beach be sure to get there early to get a spot. See more about the show here.

Spend a Day at the Beach

Beaches in Chicago | Free Admission

Offering 26 miles of shoreline, one of the most unique parts of Chicago is how close the beaches are to the city. Whether you’re looking for more of a party vibe on North Avenue Beach at Castaways Bar and Grill or wanting to take your dog to Montrose Beach, there are many to choose from. We love packing a bag and drinks and heading to one of the beaches for the day. While it definitely gets hot here and you’ll want to take a dip in the lake, be sure to check the temperatures as Lake Michigan takes a while to heat up. It’s the middle of July as I’m writing this and the water is still only about 57 degrees so swim if you’re brave!

We love the beaches that are further north so we can escape the large crowds. Foster Avenue Beach and even some beaches up into Evanston are quieter and to be totally honest, a lot cleaner.

Neighborhood Festivals

Various Locations | Free Admission - $$

Sometimes deciding how to spend your time in the city can be hard. There are so many options to choose from every single weekend here. One of the best parts about Chicago is the many different neighborhoods that make up the city. Each neighborhood has it's own vibe, culture and food scene. To celebrate this there are usually anywhere from 3-15 festivals happening a weekend, if not more. Ranging from Taco & Tequila in Lincoln Park to Roscoe Village Burger Fest, there is something for everyone. The majority are food and drink focused, but also include art festivals, culture festivals and block parties. Find the best festival for you here.

Our Favorites:

• Gold Coast Art Fair (June)

• Clark After Dark (August)

• Taste of Randolph (June)

• Taste of Chicago (July)

• Windy City Smokeout (July)

Head to a Museum

Various Locations | Free Admission - $ - $$

Chicago is full of some of the most amazing museums in the world. From world-renowned art at The Art Institute of Chicago, to getting lost in the huge Field Museum of Natural History, you could spend your entire trip in these buildings. While the city does offer a “City Pass” where you can spend $100 and get access to some great tourist options for the entire weekend, we suggest breaking them up unless you want sore feet and exhaustion to hit pretty quickly. A museum can be a great way to escape the heat and if you’re here on some weekends there could be events at them as well.

Our favorite museums:

• The Art Institute of Chicago: the largest and oldest art museum in the United States houses amazing works by Monet, Pollock, Van Gogh, Manet, Georgia O’Keefe, Grant Wood, Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali and more.

• The Field Museum: Chicago’s museum of natural history is a big one.I personally wouldn’t recommend trying to see the whole thing in one day unless you’ve got some serious time on your hands. But there are some pretty amazing exhibits there including the largest dinosaur ever found, Ancient Egypt, and a hall of gems.

• The Shedd Aquarium: boasting one of the largest tanks in the US, the aquarium is a really fun spot. With tons of wildlife, a range of shows and animal encounters, this is a great way to spend some time especially with kids. If you happen to be here during the week on a Wednesday, check out Jazzin at The Shedd.

• Museum of Science and Industry: I’ve personally never been here, but Kollin and his brother have visited and loved it! Ranging from engineering, physics, manufacturing and space, this museum dives deeper into the space of innovation and invention. Truly one of the most unique museums, you’ll learn a lot here in an interactive space.

See Hamilton

We were a little late to this train, but if you haven’t already, seeing Hamilton in Chicago is a fun experience. Back in the early 20th century, going to the theater was quite the event and it feels like that in the city too. Hosted in the CIBC Theater downtown, the production is magical, funny, sometimes sad and overall fun. Kollin and I saw it back in May and loved it. We saw a matinee show which was not only cheaper, but let out at the perfect time to grab dinner! Find more and tickets here.

See a Cubs Game at Wrigley Field

Wrigleyville | $-$$$

One of the most Chicago things I’ve experienced (and loved) was eating a Chicago dog in Wrigley Field watching the Cubs play. My family has been Cubs fans since I was little so to see the iconic stadium (the second oldest in the US behind Fenway Park) was really cool. It still features its original structure and architecture that brings some real charm to the stadium. Even if you aren’t a baseball fan, visiting the stadium and surrounding neighborhood of Wrigleyville is great. There are fun bars, restaurants, and a definite party scene at night. Since the Cubs won the World Series, ticket prices have gone way up and go quickly for big games so be sure to try and find tickets well in advance.

Have a rooftop drink(s)

One of my favorite things that Chicago offers is the option to drink beverages several stories up. There are so many rooftop bars, cocktail rooms, eateries and even clubs on rooftops. If you haven’t experienced a Chicago rooftop, to drink or not drink, I highly suggest doing so! Some of the best views I’ve seen are from rooftops and it’s not like any other regular bar on ground level. With a variety of options and several neighborhoods to choose from, you’ll be sure to find something! I’ve rounded up some of our favorites:

• Cindy’s

• LH Rooftop in the LondonHouse Hotel

• Cabra

• The J.. Parker at The Lincoln Hotel

• Apogee

• The Signature Room in the John Hancock Building (96 floors up, FYI)

• Upstairs at The Gwen Hotel

• Z Bar at the Peninsula Hotel

• Streeterville Social in the Loews Hotel

Chicago Architecture Tour

Kollin and I did this the first summer we moved here and loved it. We’ve been on one since and it varied slightly so each tour company is going to be different on what they offer and cover. Our first trip we booked through the Chicago Architecture Association and it focused much more on the history and features of the buildings (which we nerded out on and really enjoyed). The second tour we took a few weeks ago was more pop-culture and random facts related than the true Chicago history, but still really enjoyable! In both cases we saw amazing views, great weather and had a memorable time. I think this also definitely depends on your tour guide and their approach to the tour. Either way, we highly recommend as it’s only 1.5 hours and there are several departure times!

Summertime Chi is the best time to visit this bustling city. The temperature is finally above freezing (lol), there are endless events happening, and the city comes alive with energy. I hope this post was helpful, but as always if you are planning a trip to Chicago and want some more details or ideas I’d love to hear from you! Check out my first Chicago Edit: Part One here for some of our favorite restaurants and activities from 2017 (still great options!).

Have a great week everyone and thank you so much for reading!

For the past few months I have been on the hunt for all the bridal event dresses and to be honest, it was a bit of a struggle. Everything I was finding had felt like every girl I’d ever known to get married had the same dress or it was so expensive I couldn’t fathom spending that on a dress I would maybe wear again.

The biggest problem I was running into? So many white dresses are eyelet or have a beach vibe to them. While very cute and summery, I wanted something a little different. I want to look back at pictures and think what I had on was chic and classic, but had a fun pop of fashion to it. I couldn’t find this perfect combination until I remembered to look on a site I’ve been shopping on for a while, Red Dress Boutique!

I jumped on their dress page and filtered to the color white and immediately found so many dresses! I’ve linked my favorites (along with some other brands) below - dresses and jumpsuits (because why not mix it up?)

SHOP THE LOOK | WHITE DRESSES

SHOP THE LOOK | WHITE JUMPSUITS

I had my first bridal shower this past weekend and was so amazing! My life-long best friend, Lindsey, threw it with her mom and sisters and it was such a fun time! I always feel so special at events that are thrown in your honor because my friends and family nail capturing me in a party every time. She helped with my engagement party with our moms and had peonies, champagne and a wedding planner gift waiting for my arrival. I guess that’s what 26 years of friendship will get you!

Anyways, back to the shower! She didn’t disappoint again with peonies, my favorite donuts, a cake from my favorite bakery and lots of lots of Prosecco! 🥂 it was the perfect shower!

Next up on the wedding event train? The bachelorette party! I’m really excited to shop for this trip because we are headed somewhere warm (cannot wait to escape the still chilly Chicago weather) and that means all the white bathing suites, sandals, two piece sets and accessories. It’s going to be so fun! But, wearing all that white means I’m going to have to work on my tan… thanks so much for reading! xx

If there is one thing that this year includes it’s travel! Kollin and I are so fortunate to be able to jet off to friend’s weddings, family visits and wedding planning meetings in Kentucky and in September, our honeymoon. With all this travel in place, I asked for a travel set birthday present last year and my mom did not disappoint!

Through college and even a few years past graduating, I was using travel cases, makeup bags and toiletry bags from ages ago. Whatever I could find at Target in the sale bin or whatever had come in my Lilly Pulitzer gift with purchase. I wanted something that would last and create a chic, cohesive look with my travel set.

When we travel I am definitely the organized one of the family ha. I have my suitcase (Kollin and I usually pack separately – it has saved us in many ways), a carry on tote and all the pouches inside needed to for cords, papers and IDs, corgi needs (he usually travels with us!) and anything we need for the plane ride. Any other girls become a pack mule for their significant other when traveling? I’m not sure why men are so against man purses – it really would help them out!

Anyways, back to the travel set that I’ve been loving. It’s from Cuyana and while it is a bit pricey, it is so gorgeous and the perfect size and quality for traveling. The two piece set has smaller pouch – that I use for makeup – and a larger pouch that can hold hair products, skincare, etc. You can also Monogram them which was another selling point for me! As Reese Witherspoon famously said, “if it isn’t moving, monogram it!”

While I love the chic and sophisticated look of the Cuyana bags, I also love a more fun moment too. A couple years ago I discovered Stoney Clover Lane and thought their line of pouches, bags, totes and packing essentials was so cute and fun! With their interactive site and tons of options, I spent a couple hours designing a few different pouches. Perfect for travel and thematic situations (bachelorette party, traveling to the beach and more), there is something for everyone. The cutest feature? They have patches that you can add to any product – letters, numbers, destinations, cute animals and symbols – you can completely customize your travel needs!

My last travel piece is one that can obviously be used outside of travel but having a great carry-all bag creates a seamless travel experience. I’m linking a few below that I have used and love but want to take a moment to talk about the I Love Jewelry Coco Bag. I first found this bag when I was deeply falling in love with the Chanel Deauville tote, but obviously my dreams were crushed when I saw the price tag. When I saw this bag, that takes inspiration from the Chanel version, I thought it was a no-brainer! Well below the designer price, available in a variety of colors and the option to monogram make it really accessible and personalized. I have this bag in the beige and all black version and love them! They are great for travel because they hold a ton, but I also love them for the work week as a carry all of my computer, change of flats and you know all the girly stuff we always carry around. And everything I mentioned above for travel sets and pouches fits in the bag! The pink or gray is next up on my wish list!

Are you headed a trip soon? I would love to hear where and what your must-have travel essentials are! Thanks so much for reading! xx

It’s taken me some time to put this post together because to be honest, I wasn’t sure what to write about. I was looking for these big, impactful moments that happened in year 26, but then I started thinking about what I’ve actually learned. What has truly impacted me and made me stop in my tracks and it wasn’t all big moments. A lot of them were actually small. I don’t write this post as an advice post or what you should know or do or be at 26, but rather to share my story of what I’ve learned about myself and my journey thus far. And if one person reads this and resonates with it then that’s the goal.  

To be totally honest with y’all, 25 was a tough year for me. I won’t be getting too specific with details, but I want to share the harder points because that’s life and no one’s everyday is all corgis and Prosecco (I wish! 😉), so this will be a long one, but I hope you stick around and share some of your learnings in the comments no matter your age.  We all keep learning, right?

SPREADING LOVE IS MORE POWERFUL THAN WALLOWING IN ENVY

In 2018, things started to pick up with the blog, most of which was behind the scenes, but still very exciting. I was getting partnerships more often, making a little money and actually getting into the whole “blogger” thing. But the more I was gaining in confidence, the comparison game would hit right on queue and it all felt like a drop in the giant “influencer” bucket. 

“She just started and has 5.000 followers. What am I doing wrong?” or “how did she get that partnership, why aren’t I good enough for that?” 

This isn’t just a blogger thing. We enter this everyday no matter our hobby or occupation. But one day I read a post on Instagram and decided to take it to heart. It said “Over the last few months I’ve implemented a new habit to shift negative energy. If I feel myself getting jealous of a woman for her success, I squash that jealousy and reach out and congratulate her instead. Spreading love is more powerful than wallowing in envy.” 

THE MOMENT YOU AREN’T HAPPY, LEAVE.  

You don’t owe anyone anything that outweighs your happiness. Sure, we all have times where things don’t go our way or we have a tough couple days. But if you are consistently unhappy and you know it, make a change. For me, it was a scary step at first, but then I truly realized how much it was really impacting my happiness.  

APPRECIATE BEAUTY WITH YOUR EYES, NOT YOUR CAMERA  

Anyone else instantly reach for your phone to capture the beautiful moment you’re witnessing? I’m so guilty of this and it took a lot for me to realize how much I was living through my camera rather than truly living in that moment of beauty. I can still appreciate it even if Instagram never saw it. 

ACCEPT HELP

You can do anything, but you can’t do it all. Year 25 I took on a lot. Working full time, blog, wedding planning, traveling and the day to day of life catching up with it all. We sometimes feel helpless or inadequate when asking for help, when in reality, people want to help and it takes a strong person to let go and accept that help.  One of the areas that I was so set on being 100% involved in was the wedding. It got to be a lot and stopped being fun because I was trying to do it all from 3 states away. I then realized through conversations with our moms that it’s ok to not do everything. My mom and Kollin’s mom have been God sends in this department and so gracious with their time and efforts during wedding planning.

KNOW YOUR VALUE  

Always be aware of your worth and value to those you are contributing to. What are you giving and is it being reciprocated or even appreciated? Spend your time where your ideas are heard, your voice is valued and you can support the lifestyle you want or have a path to get there in place.  Without those things what are you working toward? I had to learn that even if I loved something, it wasn’t giving me back what I needed and I needed to reevaluate what I was accepting as my worth.

YOUR RELATIONSHIP ISN’T 50/50

There’s a common saying that marriage is 50/50. You each give equal parts to the relationship and there’s an even playing field. While I believe that is somewhat true, I think there is more to the picture. There are times in life where your partner can’t give you 50, or even 20, and not because they don’t want to but because life gets in the way and things happen. Sometimes you pick up the slack. Sometimes you need help reaching 50 and sometimes you both only get to 35. Something that Kollin and I have experienced in this last year of engagement is that yes, respect and love should always be at 100%. If you can’t give me more, at least respect and love me. But other times you might need to provide your partner with more than 50 or vice versa.

IT’S NOT WORTH THE HANGOVER

For my new year’s resolution this year I decided I wanted make healthier choices. One of these was cutting out the majority of alcohol. While I haven’t really been much of a drinker anyways since college (GO CATS), I was noticing that even after only a couple drinks, I was not ok the next day. Sure, everyone is entitled to go out and have a crazy night now and again, but I wanted to see what it would be like to give it a change.  

I cut out all hard alcohol and when I drank it was only wine or champagne. I would have at most 2 glasses and restrain myself from the party bug or opt be the DD that night. While sometimes it was a total buzzkill or I felt FOMO, I quickly learned that it was actually working. I felt better, my migraines were decreasing and I was keeping off the extra 2-4 pounds that were previously there from sugary mixed drinks. Oh, and the best part? I didn’t wake up feeling horrible from a night out. This is something I’ve been doing since January and I’ve really seen a difference. I’ll indulge in a margarita here and there, but I’m liking this new rule for myself!

SPEAK UP

We all have situations where we bite our tongue. We rethink it before we say anything, if we say anything at all. Sometimes being silent is easier than confronting the issue and sometimes that’s the right choice. But year 25 taught me a lot about the situations where you do speak up, even if the words don’t come out in the most eloquent way. I had gotten comfortable staying silent because it was easier than the argument that was to come if I did, but it was digging a deeper hole. If they don’t hear your voice, they may think you don’t have one. And if you do use it, they may not appreciate it by that time because in their mind it’s too late. 

BE WHO YOU WANT  

Growing up, we might hide parts of ourselves or make decisions based on what others would think. I definitely did and still do, but throughout the last year I’ve really become more comfortable just doing me. For example, for our engagement pictures, I had a vision and did not want to do anything else. I wanted to be me. The me that wore a formal dress in 90 degree heat in a park in the dirt and grass. I wanted to be the weird mix of myself that loves fashion and is a little extra because it’s fun, while also staying true to my roots. Being comfortable with my choices of expressing who I am has been one of my favorite learnings this year. 

MENTAL HEALTH IS REAL. EVEN IF YOU DON’T NOTICE IT AT FIRST.  

I’ve always been a pretty “balanced” person. I know my feelings and what to do when I feel certain ways. But like I mentioned, 25 was a tough year and I started experiencing things I hadn’t dealt with before. Anxiety, burn out, anger, and not giving things my all. Certain aspects of life were really taking a toll on me and I didn’t pay attention to them until others brought them to light or I couldn’t ignore them anymore. Taking care of your mental health and what is best for you is a top priority. No matter how small or silly it might seem.  

LET OTHERS PUSH YOU TO BE A BETTER VERSION OF YOURSELF

Kollin gets all the credit for this one. I’m a creature of habit and am completely comfortable not pushing the boundaries on much. Enter Kollin Edmund Nava. God sure knew what I needed when he put him in my life lol. He is always wanting me to experience new things or push me out of my comfort zone because he knows it’ll open a new side of me. And the majority of the time, he is right. The only time I will not give him credit for? Pushing me to try uni. Still not over it.  

SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO TRUST YOUR HEART EVEN IF IT BREAKS THE “RULES” 

This year I was faced with a pretty tough decision. Going through with what I wanted to do was taking longer than I expected and my head kept telling me to wait for the right time. But the more I listened to my head, the unhappier I became. My dad is one of my best friends and I knew he’d be totally honest with me, but also be my dad and give me advice that could be hard to hear, but that I needed to hear. I was fully expecting his response to go one way and to my surprise, he told me to go through with the plan. I knew that if my dad, the most responsible and “do what is right” person I know, was telling me to do it then I knew I had to do it. The best part, the second I made the decision, I instantly felt better and knew it was right.

YOU SHOULD NEVER BE THE SMARTEST PERSON IN THE ROOM

One of the best pieces of business advice I’d ever received was to never be the smartest person in the room. Whether that be the board room, your department, or even just the people you hang out with, always surround yourself with people you can learn and grow from. Having those people will not only develop you, but push you to gain knowledge and insight into whatever it is they provide you.

ACKNOWLEDGE THE HARD TIMES, PRAY ABOUT IT AND MANIFEST IT.

2018 was a hard year for some other people in my life too and last year and this year I did a lot of praying about it. I recently read a quote that said “If you pray for flowers, God will send you rain,” and I loved this perspective. Things take time to grow and mature. Instant gratification is rare and even through the rain we have to remember that the end result will be beautiful and work out. I also started manifesting what I wanted to happen and while this is a bit out there for me, I would basically just pray about what I wanted to be, where I wanted to be and accomplish. And the more I did that, the more I motivated myself, opened up to new things and it started happening. One of the tools I use to do this is called The Morning Pages - it’s a writing exercise that transform the way you start your day and approach creative work. A blogger I love, The Skinny Confidential, did a post about it here. It’s great!

WINE & WHINE

To round out this very long post (bless you if you are still here) I wanted to share a trick my bestie Taylor and I do from time to time. When work or life or whatever it is was getting us down we would schedule a wine and whine. It is exactly what it sounds like. We’d pour ourselves a nice champagne (for me) and pinot (for her) and jump on FaceTime (she’s in NY) and just talk. We’d start complaining about things that annoyed us or something that happened, but we’d eventually just start laughing and talking about life. It is such a great way to unwind. While it sounds like any other girl time, the point was that it was either scheduled or completely random and one person would call see the glass of wine on the phone and stop what they were doing to listen. It has really kept our friendship great and can obviously be done in person if you aren’t long distance besties!

The last time I did this kind of post was year 24 and I read it the other day thankful that I documented part of what was happening with me. So while I do use this as somewhat of a journal, I hope that some of you got something out of it or at least got a good wine idea! Thank you so much for reading and sharing this journey with me. Here’s to 26 - I think it will be the best year yet!

SHOP THE POST

Happy long weekend, y’all! We’re headed to Denver this weekend for our friend’s wedding and we couldn’t be more excited for some time away in one of our favorite cities with some of our favorite people! This weekend is a great one to get some of your favorite brands and items on sale! I’ve rounded up my favorite stores, the best sales and a bunch of different categories to choose from. From home, to shoes and jewelry, this weekend is the perfect time to stock up on summer styles & get some splurge items on sale. Happy shopping!

ABERCROMBIE AND FITCH: 50% OFF EVERYTHING

AMERICAN EAGLE: 25-60% OFF EVERYTHING

ANTHROPOLOGIE: EXTRA 40% OFF SALE ITEMS

ASOS: UP TO 40% OFF

ATHLETA: 20% OFF SWIM AND AN EXTRA 20% OFF ON SALE ITEMS

BAUBLEBAR: 20-60% OFF

DSW: UP TO 60% OFF CLEARANCE

EXPRESS: 40% OFF EVERYTHING

FABLETICS: UP TO 50% OFF ITEMS

FREE PEOPLE: 40% OFF SELECT ITEMS

FOREVER21: EXTRA 30% OFF SALE USING CODE EXTRA30

GAP: 40% OFF & AND EXTRA 10% OFF WITH CODE COOL

GOOD AMERICAN: UP TO 60% OFF & FREE SHIPPING

GOODNIGHT MACAROON: UP TO 40% OFF SITEWIDE | 40% OFF CASUAL STYLE USING CODE CUTE 40 | 50% OFF FINAL SALE USING CODE HURRY50

INTERMIX: UP TO 60% OFF

JCREW: 40% OFF FULL PRICE ITEMS & EXTRA 50% OFF SALE STYLES USING CODE WEEKEND

LOFT: 40% OFF USING CODE FINALLY

MACY’S: USE CODE MEMDAY FOR 20% OFF PLUS FREE SHIPPING ON $75+ ORDERS

MADEWELL: 20% OFF DRESSES AND SHOES USING CODE PERFECTMATCH / 20% OFF SHIRTS & SHORTS WITH CODE SUNNY20

MARC FISHER: ADDITIONAL 20% OFF SELECT ITEMS USING CODE MDW19

NET-A-PORTER: UP TO 50% OFF

NORDSTROM: HALF YEARLY SALE - UP TO 50% OFF

NORDSTROM RACK: CLEAR THE RACK SALE - EXTRA 25% OFF RED TAG CLEARANCE

REVOLVE: UP TO 65% OFF

SAM EDELMAN: UP TO 50% OFF (ALMOST EVERYTHING) USING CODE HISUMMER30

SHOPBOP: UP TO 40% OFF INCLUDING DESIGNER BOUTIQUE!

TARGET: UP TO 30% OFF HOME USING CODE HOME

TED BAKER: 40% OFF SELECT LINES

WAYFAIR: SAVE UP TO 70%