The past year has been one of amazing change and growth for me. I graduated college, left my first real-ish job as editor of the university newspaper, jumped into a career as a social media consultant, learned to let go of people who didn't bring me joy, watched two of my closest friends get married, lost someone who I loved, and began to find myself-- as cheesy as that sounds. Okay, it's not like those were huge events-- well, some of them were-- but they have paved the way for some major changes to come in 2016.

But before we think about the future, it's time to reflect on the past. Last year I posted a few sort-of resolutions and goals and I wanted to post a little update on if I made any progress with them.


Be kinder to others. Be kinder to myself. I won't say that I've accomplished this goal because, really, it isn't that type of goal. I have made strides to become more positive and to weed out negative thoughts, which has helped me be a kinder person. I'm not always kind-- trips to Walmart are especially difficult-- but it's something that I will continue working on.

Read good books. Watch good movies. Look at good art. I did technically read good books and watch good movies... I just didn't read or watch a lot of them. And I think maybe part of that was because I didn't carve out a lot of time to just sit down, relax, and take in a good book or movie; I always felt like there was something more important to be done. Maybe me-time should be a 2016 goal. I did, however, take a class on Western Art, so I learned about a lot of interesting and amazing art. Checkmark.

Take care of myself. Cleanse more. Moisturize morning and night. Definitely a goal I've accomplished. I mean, I have a routine now! I never had one of those before.

Eat more fruits and vegetables. Drink more water. Use that NutriBullet more. Mission accomplished. I use my NutriBullet to create smoothies filled with fruits and veggies nearly each morning.

Meditate. Breath. Be positive. Again, this is a goal that is constant work and not one that I feel like I can say I've accomplished. I do meditate occasionally, though I want to do it more. I don't take enough time to just be and breathe, sadly. I have, however, been working on being more positive and I think I'm headed in the right direction.

Support local businesses, local artists, local musicians. I did go to a couple of local art shows and I've been supporting local artists and musicians though social media. And I've definitely been shopping local more often-- how can I not when Kin Ship Goods is a local company?

Overall, I don't think I did too shabby. But I really feel like 2015 was just a springboard for an even better 2016, and I hope to harness that optimism and use it to accomplish even more in the next twelve months. You know, stuff like...

I'll be honest. This was the year I fell out of love with makeup. Makeup just wasn't bringing anything new to the table and skincare was lookin' all fine and clean and pretty... I just had to switch it up. Same with my hair care; it was like my side chick or something. I'd forget about her for a while but when I remembered to go back to her, she'd treat me well. Now, I'm totally against the idea of side chicks in real life, but when it comes to beauty I think it's acceptable.

So that explains why the makeup products I loved in 2015 were mostly old favorites or new versions of old favorites. My MUFE Ultra HD foundation has been my trusted friend for most of the year, always covering my red cheeks but leaving my skin looking natural. My Hourglass Ambient Lighting blushes give my face a little bit of color and glow while not making me look like a clown. Rimmel's Smoke N' Shine eyeliner and my Smashbox Full Exposure mascara really help me define my eyes-- and they both stay put most of the day without any smudging or raccoon eyes going on.

My tried and true favorite brushes are amazing and affordable: Real Techniques and ELF. I was already a fan of Real Technique's powder brushes-- the fluffy orange one pictured is great for setting makeup or applying powder foundation-- but I recently received some of their eye brushes and they are all honestly perfect for what they do. My two favorites are the base shadow and smudge brushes; the smudge brush helps me put some color below my lower lash line without it going too low. As for the ELF brushes, always go for the black-handled Studio line! They are soft, they don't shed, and they are usually only $3 or $6. My most used are the powder brush (which is great for foundation and patting in large areas of concealer), the blush brush, and the contour brush.

Some of the little odds and ends I've love are my Nails Inc. Gel Effects nail polishes. They make your nails feel strong and they last a decently long time. Plus they just have some really gorgeous colors. My Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt perfume might by my absolute, 100% total favorite of the year, though. It's just this perfect earthy, woodsy, natural smell that I never get tired of-- which is good, because it's a little pricey.

My hair care side chicks this year have been Moroccan Oil and Bumble and Bumble's Don't Blow It creme. I use the Moroccan Oil when I want to tame frizz and have a sleeker, smoother look, and the Don't Blow It creme when I want to show off my natural waves. Sometimes I even get a little naughty and use both, but that does tend to leave me looking a little oily by the end of the day.

Last but not least are my skincare loves. I still love all of the products I featured in my skincare routine post from a few months back. But the stars of that regime were definitely Sunday Riley's Good Genes and Luna Night Oil. My skin had looked more brilliant and glowy than ever before when I was using these two nightly. Unfortunately, I ran out of Luna a while back and haven't been able to push myself into actually purchasing it-- the $105 price tag is a little scary.

And for those nights when I'm so tired I don't think I'll be able to make it through my skincare regime, I use-- wait for it-- Walmart brand makeup remover wipes. I have tried so many types of makeup wipes, from Simple to Neutrogena to Say Yes To..., and these are by far the best. The packaging is great, with a locking lid to keep your wipes from drying out, and boy are they saturated with product. They aren't too harsh on my skin and don't have much of a smell to them. Plus you can get, like, two packages of thirty or so (if not more) for less than six bucks.

What beauty products were you loving in 2015? Were there any surprising products you tried?

I want to start of this week's Life Lately by saying that I hope you had a wonderful holiday season, no matter what you celebrate. But now that Christmas is over, the start of a new year is right around the corner and that means that a lot of us will be trying to come up with resolutions to make 2016 the best year ever, am I right?

I've been thinking about the upcoming year for the past couple of weeks. What do I want to bring into my life in the new year? What goals to I want to accomplish? What do I need to change? I definitely know the answers to a few of those, and if you asked me to jot down a list of resolutions I totally could (and probably will). But today I've also been hit with a major realization: I shouldn't depend on these resolutions.

We all know the jokes about resolutions that get broken by February, if not sooner. And I think the reason why we break our resolutions so easily is because we put too much pressure on ourselves to keep them. It is overwhelming to start out on what is sometimes a new life journey in just a day. There is something to be said for easing into new habits and mindsets. And our resolutions don't even have to start at the beginning of the year! If one of your goals is to work out more, but you only make it to the gym a few times in January, that's okay! You still have eleven months to make it work for you.

Many of us also seem to think that if we don't accomplish a certain goal, we have failed. But something we need to remember is that, sometimes, things happen for a reason. Go ahead and roll your eyes (I would), but sometimes the reason you didn't get that job is because a better one is waiting for you. Sometimes he didn't put a ring on it because the love of your life is still out there. What may seem like a failure could be a stepping stone to something way better.

And that is why, even though I am making a list of resolutions and goals, I'm not going to be dependent on them. I am going to let my resolutions grow, or die, or change as they need to. I am going to set my intentions for the new year and hope that the universe allows that, or something better, to find it's way into my life.

But I want to know... Do you make resolutions for the new year? What are they for 2016?

Christmas is almost here! I'm more excited for the holiday than I usually am thanks to the amazing weather we've been experiencing here in West Virginia. It's feeling more like early or late summer than the beginning of winter, so obviously Santa Claus is real and has gotten my multiple letters asking for no snow.

But I do admit that the lack of chilly weather makes it difficult to get into the holiday spirit. While I'm not a fan of cold weather, I am a fan of sweaters and boots and scarves and ridiculous knit hats. It doesn't fully feel like Christmas if I'm not in those sorts of clothes. So I've had to find other ways to get in the spirit, and this playlist has been it. It's an eclectic mix of my favorite holiday tunes. From pop-punk to pure pop to jazz to instrumental... It's all there. And it's even in a nifty little playlist on Spotify so you can listen, too! Enjoy!

Every few months, I take some time to consider the nature of my blog. In the past this has caused me to change the layout, change the name, or change the type of content I post. But, months later, I will still feel like my blog isn’t quite what— or where— I want it to be. Sometimes it is like my blog and I are two gears that just haven’t totally clicked into place yet.

We've come to the end of my gift giving series and I'm sure there are a few of you out there that still haven't even begun your holiday shopping. I started mine at the beginning of the week and I'm almost finished, but there have been years where I didn't even start my shopping until Christmas Eve. In fact, I don't think that I have ever started my holiday shopping earlier than the middle of December. What does that say about me? I think it mostly just says that I'm forgetful and lazy and, trust me, that is the case for more months out of the year than just December.

But what about other last minute shoppers? What are their excuses?

You just don't know what to get. Honestly, this is part of the reason why I don't start my shopping until Christmas is almost here. It's intimidating, man. Many of us already have more than we need, so how do we decide what to get each other? Sometimes you intend to start shopping earlier in the year only to um and aw over which gift to actually purchase. Eventually you just close your eyes and point. But, really, your wife will love the package of socks. Really.

You don't care what you get. Sometimes the only people you have to buy for are the people you have to buy for. Family and coworkers might fall into this bunch and, as much as you may love some of them, maybe you don't spend a lot of money on them love them. So you don't even think about it until-- holy shit-- the office party is tomorrow and you've got nothing. Time to run to Walmart.

You're waiting for a better sale. I've fallen into this trap a few times. You find the perfect gift for someone, but it's way too expensive. Or, at least, more expensive than you want it to be. So you wait and hope that it will go on sale soon. Or a better sale. And maybe it does go on sale, but that sale isn't good enough either. Then it's Christmas Eve and decide to go ahead and buy the damn gift-- at full price, almost double what it was on sale for last week.

You're really just forgetful and lazy. I do try to start planning my holiday shopping early... I make lists and everything. And then I tell myself that I will start the actual shopping part tomorrow. But then tomorrow comes and I get busy with work or life and then I just want to sleep and I'll buy the gifts tomorrow, I promise. Rinse and repeat.

What can last minute shoppers do? Embrace it. Wait until Christmas Eve and savor the rush of adrenaline that comes with finally finding that perfect gift five minutes before midnight. Buy that stuffed animal at the only gas station open on Christmas morning. Scour Pinterest for handmade presents you can make in five minutes. Or start shopping earlier. Whatever.

Last week we talked about your usual, run-of-the-mill beauty gifts. Giving someone the new Gwen Stefani + Urban Decay eyeshadow palette is great, but what if they already have it? Plus, let's be real, your giftee may not even like makeup. Which is cool... They're wrong, but it's cool. (Just kidding.) And maybe clothes aren't their thing either-- if they are, there are much better people to get advice from than me. That's why I'm bringing you a gift guide that is peppered with a little bit of everything.

If your giftee loves music, they might enjoy having their own record player. They were super hard to find a few years ago, but recently brands like Crosley have been releasing record players that are cute and also pretty affordable. Or you could go for something quite unique and scout your local antique shops for a vintage player... While you're there, look for some cool records to go along with it. You can find some amazing records from the 60s and 70s-- sometimes for a little as one dollar-- or you could look on Amazon or at places like Books A Million or FYE for recent vinyl releases.

Another unique gift idea that any literary lady or lad would love is a vintage book. Some antique books, of course, are ridiculously expensive or require months of scouting down. But, sometimes, if peruse the antique shops or even yard sales, you'll be able to find some interesting old books for incredibly low prices. The book I show above is an old edition of Alice in Wonderland. I paid $4 for it. I also have some old books of poetry and a copy of Grimms Fairy Tales. As an English major, I love them and I think they would be a unique and thoughtful gift, as well.

Sometimes, though, you just really don't know what to get. And that is where interesting little trinkets come into play. From cute cat candles at Francesca's to colorful nesting dolls at Earthbound Trading Company, the options are almost literally endless. So try out those stores or look through Urban Outfitters and ModCloth's gift options. You're sure to find something that your giftee will love.

This month, most of the music I have been listening to was inspired by a Southern Illinois radio station, 89.1 The Bash. I was in Illinois for Thanksgiving and I didn't want to use up all my data streaming from Spotify, so I went old school. I listened to the actual radio. And, to my surprise, there was a station run by college kids that played indie rock and some old grunge hits. It was seriously amazing and I really rediscovered my love for music that doesn't make it to the Top 40.

Earlier in November, I was really into slowed down, folky versions of popular songs. The Gardiner Sisters are, like, perfect for this. If you listen to no other song on my playlist, listen to their mash up of Drag Me Down and As Long As You Love Me. Another song I've been loving that is a little more Top 40-style pop is Here by Alessia Cara. It's just this great song with a great message and interesting lyrics that kind of say it's alright to be you, to be interested in what you're interested in, and to be unapologetic about it. And I am so hyped that there are songs like this out there for teenage girls now.

So, here's what I listened to in November and it's what I'm starting off December with.