It's easy to lose sight of what you want, especially after the freshness of a new year starts fading and you feel like you're back in the same ol' rut you thought you had dug your way out of. And then you hop on social media only to see the people close to you chasing their dreams and accomplishing big goals. Sure, you're happy for them, but you also feel like you'll never quite get to where they're at. Then it becomes a cycle of negative thoughts leading to no action leading to more negative thoughts... Until you're left standing still.

I am so there right now.

Giving up can seem like the best option when you're stuck in a rough place... And that is okay. It's completely fine to take a few days to wallow in whatever it is your feeling. Spend a day in bed with your cat watching Netflix or an afternoon with the radio blaring while you cry in the shower – it's fine!

Eventually, though, take the time to reconnect with what you want out of life. Reassess where you're at and where you want to be, because those places can rapidly change. Make sure that what you want aligns with your highest good – not the highest good of those around you.

I was reading a post over at FemmeHead – check her out if you haven't already – and this quote was exactly what I needed to read: "We have to realize that we’re all just creating our empires in our own, unique way." This is so true. No one has been on our exact path before and no one will follow it exactly like we do. It's all unique to us, our ideas, and our experiences.

Take your time. Reconnect. Remember that your life is for you to live and lead.

Only a few months ago, I made a bold statement by saying Fuck Resolutions. Why wait until a new year to move forward on things you want to make happen? And I still wholeheartedly believe that. But I also believe in the motivation and fresh feeling that comes with a new year. I want to use that new energy to create some positive change in my life –– not resolutions, but seeds of ideas that I want to see grow in 2017. To be honest, I wasn't even going to go that far until I was struck with a bit of divine guidance at the tail end of last year when a certain word grabbed me and wouldn't let me go: courage.

As I said in my first post of 2017, I've begun a bit of a spiritual journey. That started with me making the decision to read the Bible in full by reading a small bit every day. As I worked my way through Genesis –– which, whew, was harder than I expected –– quotes kept jumping out at me. Words about letting go of fear and trusting in a higher power really resonated with me and I realized that what the God (or the Universe, Goddess, Source Power... whatever) was telling me to do was to live courageously. I've spent many years worrying about what I say and what I do, how it will affect others, what others will think of it, whether I am willing to create conflict in order to live my most authentic life... And it has left me a voiceless, anxiety-ridden mess.

This year, I am letting go of those fears and worries and using my newly found courage to plant seeds of intention. Instead of resolutions or goals with a specific outcome, I'm using words, ideas and themes to shape my year. And I'm not planting all of my seeds right now. I want to allow other ideas to form throughout the year –– as well as allow the ideas I have now to fade away if and when they no longer serve me. Here are a few of the ideas I am currently working on for 2017:

Travel. Despite a desperate desire to do so, I've not traveled much in my lifetime. My family wasn't able to take annual vacations until I was a teenager and, even then, they had to be somewhat close to home as my mom has a terrible fear of flying. I have had a severe case of wanderlust ever since I was little but haven't taken action on it. This year, I will –– and, while I'm not picky about location, I am trying to manifest a trip to NYC. Fingers crossed.

Minimalism(ish). I've talked about my minimalist aspirations on here before, so I won't go into too much detail, but I still have such a long way to go in order to live as minimally as I would like. I am still selling and donating things that I no longer need or that don't personally bring me any joy, but I am also still going out and buying new things more often than I should be. I know I'll never be a 'perfect' minimalist –– as if such a thing exists –– but I want to move ahead on this journey this year.

Zero-Waste. This kind of goes hand-in-hand with minimalism but, I believe, is even more difficult. Which is why it is just an intention and not a set goal. In my area, it is extremely hard to live waste-free. Unless you live within city limits, there is no curbside recycling and most of our recycling centers are only open during weekly business hours. And there are only a handful of places that sell items in package-free bulk –– and only food, at that. So, really, any movement forward is a big step and one that I am excited to take.

Spirituality. Again, I've covered this in a previous blog post, but it's more than just sitting down every night to read the Bible. I want to learn about other religions and ways of thinking as well as be spiritually nourished in a physical way. Yoga and meditation will be a big part of that, as will talking to others about their faith and reading books on different philosophies.

Voice. This intention is the Big One. It is the one that will help support all of the others. Finding my voice and using it is something I haven't done nearly enough in the last four or five years for a multitude of reasons –– mainly that I was afraid to. This year my focus is going to be on letting people know who I am by using my voice and speaking up about my opinions and beliefs.

Do you do resolutions or are you a little more free with how you plan your year? What would you like to see happen in 2017?

The last time I posted about my Soul Goals was in October, which is when things started feeling a bit crazy for me. My routine had gone by the wayside –– I wasn't eating right or working out regularly, I hadn't meditated in months and I was just feeling stressed out. Instead of working to fix that, I just let myself sink deeper and deeper into negative emotions and energies. That might sound like an awful thing to do and I certainly didn't do it intentionally, but it ended up being one of the best things that had happened to me in a long while.

Sometimes you have to let yourself feel what you're feeling and not fight it. I hate the saying everything happens for a reason because people usually only say it when something bad happens –– but guess what? Every once in a while, things do happen for reasons you aren't yet aware of. And that is what happened to me. Those few months of wallowing, though miserable, were like a chrysalis for me. I did a lot of thinking, feeling and reevaluating, and reemerged with a new mindset and perspective.

It is with this new mindset and perspective that I am launching headfirst into some new Soul Goals for 2017. If you're new to my Soul Goals, they are three goals that I set each month that I hope will influence my life in a positive way –– either physically, emotionally or spiritually. I would usually recap my previous goals and let you know how I did, but I'm sure you already know how those went. Besides, a new year is a new start so I'm going to start fresh with my Soul Goals.

1. Only publish content I am excited to share. This kind of goes hand-in-hand with my last two posts. I don't want to go back to inauthentic, overly scheduled, stale content that I only publish because it was on my content calendar that a post needed to go out that day. I want everything I share to have a purpose or an intention, to be something I am proud to put out into the world. Whether that is one post per week or five –– or even zero –– I think it will be more beneficial for all of us to only put out into the world what makes us feel good.

2. Keep up with bullet journaling. Last year, I attempted bullet journaling and I didn't make it very far –– no, seriously, I only made it through one week before I gave up and decided to-do lists were the way to go. I was stuck in a cycle of comparison, believing that my bullet journal could only be successful if it looked like the ones on Instagram and Pinterest. But when FemmeHead posted a video on her bullet journal, I realized how silly I had been. A bullet journal doesn't have to be perfect or look a certain way. If you create a weekly layout that doesn't work for you, fine! You can try a different one the next week... And the next one, and the next one, until you find what works for you. Right now, I am obsessed with my bullet journal and I'm hoping the lovin' lasts all month.

3. Find a daily routine that works for me. As I said, towards the end of 2016 I found that a lot of the habits and routines that I found enriching had disappeared from my days and nights. It messed with my sleep schedule, my health and just my overall happiness. So I am wanting to get some sort of routine in my life again and this month I want to focus on finding what works. Currently, that involves daily meditation and spiritual study, as well as reading and journaling. I wanted to incorporate oil pulling, but that may have to work it's way in next month.

If you've been anywhere near the blogger or entrepreneur sections of the internet in the last few years, I'm sure you've noticed the major emphasis on doing the hustle –– and, no, I'm not talking about the super hot dance craze from the 70s. Being all about your brand all the time is where it was at, and if you weren't doing it that way you were doing it wrong. Post daily; make sure your Instagram has a theme; stay connected on your social media; have a workflow schedule that you stick to without fail... Add two tablespoons of sugar and an egg white and mix until frothy. Let's be real: 2016 was awful for a lot of us... Was the constant hustle a way to keep ourselves busy and distracted?

Maybe that's a little too heavy of a theory. We're all just trying to get to where we want to be in life. But sometimes it seemed like the constant call to be at the top of our game was actually keeping us from where we wanted to be. Some of us were so busy hustling that we forgot to stop and actually enjoy the moment.

I'm happy to see that 2017 is bringing about a little change on that front. Many of my favorite bloggers and vloggers are taking a step back from the constant hustle this year, posting what they want to post when they want to post it. For a web-o-sphere that has talked so much about authenticity lately, this is the first time I feel like I'm really seeing signs of it. And it is so, so refreshing. Part of why I follow others –– their blogs, their YouTube channels, their business pages –– is because I feel a connection to them, to their aura or their spirit or whatever. Last year, it totally felt like 90% of the people I was following were the same person. Everything was bright white with marble and rose gold... And don't get me wrong, I love a bright white background and some rose gold as much as the next girl, but c'mon!

A few months ago, a friend of mine posted about how much happier she was now that she didn't focus so much on being busy. I was still in that hustle mindset and commented about how I was all about productivity over being busy. Her response was not a positive one and several of her friends agreed –– different word, same connotation. At the time, I was super offended. I mean, I'm a business owner! Productivity is good!

And it can be. But not when it is forced and scheduled and made to fit someone else's ideas.

Here's to 2017. May we all walk our own paths and focus on quality over quantity, authenticity over popularity, and chilling over hustling.

It is finally the new year.

There has been a lot of debate about whether 2016 was actually as bad as we've all made it out to be, with some anecdotes about perspective and optimism thrown into the mix. Sure, it wasn't all bad –– but, let me tell you, I sure am glad to have a fresh start.

I am a big believer in using the new year to wipe the slate clean –– in addition to washing that thing off a few times throughout the year, as well. And I'm taking full advantage of my freshly washed slate. My blog is a hobby, not a career, and real world problems have caused me to push it aside for the past few months. They are excuses you've heard before: I was busy with work; I was in a funk I couldn't pull myself out of; I had family issues I had to deal with. The last couple of months have been heavy, man, and I needed those two months to really clear my head and gain some perspective.

It sounds cliché, but sometimes it is crucial to step back from things and see if they still serve a higher purpose in your life. I'm not necessarily talking about a God purpose, or a Source Power purpose –– though if what you're doing connects with that, have at it –– but the higher purpose that is pushing you forward in your life, toward your goals a that bigger picture you have for you life. In the two months I was away, I realized I was doing a lot that didn't serve a higher purpose. The way I was doing things didn't connect with who I was, who I wanted to be. I needed to rebalance –– and to figure out just how to do that.

Cut to mid-December and I still wasn't clear on exactly what needed rebalancing in my life. Then my family got some news. It was big and it was scary, and it pushed me back into things that I had long left behind. Like God. I'm a pretty spiritual person and I definitely believe in a higher power, but God was one small part of that higher power. I still believe that, but I realized that I was pushing his branch of power away subconsciously and placing a greater focus on the Universe and Mother Nature –– and I wasn't even focusing on those that much anymore.

So I started reading the Bible every night and talking to God more often, in addition to meditating more often and spending more time in nature. And things starting to slowly fall into place, into a rhythm that I was comfortable with. I started seeing messages in the Bible and meditating on them to figure out what they mean for me and balancing all of these different facets of my spirituality. I realized, Kylie Jenner style, that I didn't have to choose just one. I just had to follow my own path and feel comfortable with that.

That was just one part of this rebalancing act. I also had to figure out if the things I was doing and saying aligned with who I wanted to be; they weren't. Despite the ways I've grown in the past year or two, I've still live in fear and worry: Will they laugh at me? Will I fail? Is this too out there? These are worries that still weight heavily on me, but now that I've recognized that, I can take the steps to push beyond those fears. 

One of those fears, sadly, had to do with this blog. I started out as a beauty blogger and I've often toyed with the idea of moving past that; I've even blogged about it before. But something–– I –– kept holding me back. I would hold back on publishing posts that I didn't think people would like or understand or, worse, would make people unfollow me. They did start out following a beauty blog, after all. And so I would take long breaks from posting, worried that I wasn't doing it right, keeping a schedule well enough, or taking photos that would astound anyone who laid eyes on them.

It was silly and it was stressing me out.

So here were are in a new year and I've decided it is time for a new start –– a fresh start. No more blogging schedule, no more preconceived notions about what a blog –– my blog –– should be. 

It's all me from here on out. Run while you still can. ;)

Halloween is here!

Since I was a little girl, I have loved horror movies. Horror movies never really scared me when I was younger; in fact, the first film I remember watching was Child's Play and I immediately wanted a Good Guy doll after. (That may have been because, as a child, I looked quite a bit like an evil doll myself.) Luckily my parents knew that I could handle these types of movies and never banned me from watching them, so I amassed lifelong favorites that I want to share with you in honor on this, the most spooky of holidays.

1. Halloween. Every Halloween, my mom and I order a pizza so that after we hand out candy to the trick-or-treaters we can settle in and watch Halloween. It's one of my favorite family traditions and I look forward to it every year. That might make me a little biased, but the movie is called Halloween, after all. There is something about the blank white mask, the stony silence, and simple melody that makes Michael Myers one of the most frightening––and classic––horror movie villains of all time.

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2. Child's Play. Again, I might be a little biased on this one but think about it. It would be terrifying to have a small, friendly-looking children's toy with the strength of a fully grown man terrorizing your family. It wouldn't just be dealing with the doll itself, it would be dealing with the disbelief and ridicule if you ever told anyone. Okay, maybe I'm getting a little too deep here. Either way, it's a fun movie to watch and should be a requirement for any child of the 80s or 90s.

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3. Scream. This is another movie that should be required viewing for any child of the 90s. The first ten minutes set the pace for this movie with a totally surprising death and the parody element was just subtle enough to make it genius. The sequels aren't bad either––a rarity when it comes to horror movies.

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4. The Conjuring. I'm not a huge fan of most recent horror flicks. They try too hard to scare with gore and surprises and lack the thrilling tension that really makes a horror movie fun. Not The Conjuring. This film does a masterful job of building tension that leaves you on the edge of your seat––with a jump scare or two to really get your blood pumping. The sequel was, surprisingly, even better than the original.

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5. Carrie. If you don't watch at least one Stephen King movie on Halloween, is it really Halloween? Carrie is my personal favorite, but Pet Sematary is also a fine option.

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6. The Craft. There are some people who wouldn't consider this a horror movie but the last ten minutes absolutely terrified me when I first watched it. Despite being totally creeped out, I wanted to be a part of this girl gang of witches... Or dress like them, at least.

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7. The Exorcist. This movie isn't quite as scary now as it was when it was first released, thanks in part to the pea soup revelation and edited showings on TNT. But then this movie came out, it was a big deal. Many parents forbid their children from seeing it and adults were rushed out of theaters after fainting or becoming physically ill. There were rumors of actual possessions being caused by the movie and, behind-the-scenes, many say the cast and crew of the movie were cursed themselves. It's a classic for a reason, y'all.

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I could have made a list of twenty or more movies to recommend for the Halloween season––especially if I added in family films like Hocus Pocus and Halloweentown. And, really, these movies are great no matter what time of year it is. So pop some popcorn, fire up that Netflix account and have a happy Halloween!
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Wait, a review?! It seems like I haven't sat down to write a review in ages, but when I received the Flawless VoxBox from Influenster in the mail last week... Well, you know the rest. This year has been all about aligning who I am with who I want to be, which means living in a way that is more grounded in spirituality, health, and eco-consciousness. This VoxBox, I think, matches up with that flawlessly.

First off, it came in this gorgeous turquoise box that can be recycled or reused very easily. I am currently in the middle renovating my bedroom so I will probably use it to store some of my smaller items while I move things around. But the real star of this box isn't the box itself, of course. It's what is inside! And, let me tell you, this is probably my favorite of all the VoxBoxes I've received. The first thing I saw when I opened the box was a full-sized bag of Dr. Teal's Pure Epsom Salt Soaking Solution with Eucalyptus and Spearmint. I'm more of a shower girl, but I may have to light some candles and take a bath to try this stuff out. It promises to not only relax the mind but sooth aches and pains, which I totally need both of right now.

The box also contained a travel-sized package of Simple's Skincare Cleansing Facial Wipes. I usually use Clinique's Take the Day Off cleansing balm to remove my makeup––I'll be switching to coconut oil soon––but when I'm feeling lazy I would grab the Equate (Wal-Mart) brand wipes to quickly clean my face. The fragrance is strong in those wipes, though, and would trigger my rosacea. Not good. Simple's wipes didn't irritate my skin at all. It removed makeup better than the cheap wipes and maybe even removed it better than my cleansing balm, all without harsh fragrances or redness. They also threw in a sample of their micellar water and, if it is as good as their wipes, I'm sure I'll love it.

The next goody in the box was a SinfulColors Trend Matters nail polish in Miss Klaws. As if the Klaws didn't give it away, this was from the Kylie Kollection. But if you don't like the Kardashian-Jenner bunch, don't let that deter you from buying! This matte polish was opaque after only one layer and it lasted for days, even longer than some of my high-end polishes. And it's only $2.99! SinfulColors has definitely stepped up their game.

The other makeup item in the box was the CoverGirl So Lashy! by blastPRO mascara. CoverGirl tests on animals so I did not use this mascara. I did open it up to look at the wand and it is definitely unique. It is flattened out, with short bristles along the flat plane, longer bristles on the outer edges, and a spiked ball at the tip. While the wand is unique, it looks a little difficult to use––almost like it is trying to be new and trendy more than good quality.

On the food end of things, I was sent some Yogi tea and Harvest Snaps green pea crisps. I haven't tried the Harvest Snaps yet, but I have already gone out and bought a box of the Yogi tea on my own. Yes, it was that good. Each blend has different benefits, such as stress-reducing, skin-clearing, or detoxifying. It tastes fantastic and every bag is tagged with a piece of advice or wise saying. No matter what blend you get, it will certainly help you relax. And you can compost the tea bags!

All of these products were sent to me for free by Influenster for reviewing purposes. If you're interested in becoming an Influenster––and I totally recommend it––it would be super cool if you signed up using my referral link right here.

Until next time!
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Sometimes we sweat the small stuff, but we forget that the small things can make a big difference on our happiness. I've been realizing this lately as I've been making some small, but important, changes in my own life that have helped me feel calmer and happier. Let's jump right in with seven small changes that have had a big impact on how I feel.

1. Wake Up Call. I've been a night owl for most of my life, staying up until 3 A.M. writing or binge-watching a new show on Netflix more times than I can count. But staying up that late also meant (usually) sleeping late. I would feel like my day was over before it began. Thanks to the new Bedtime feature in iOS 10, though, I have been waking up a little earlier each week and now I wake before the sun rises. Waking up earlier makes me feel more productive and organized. And watching the sunrise is an added bonus!

2. Social Media Detox. As you may know, I work in social media. Spending so much time on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram has helped me realize how important it is to step away from it for a while. That is why I 'detox' for one day each week. I leave my computer turned off and my phone hidden away, then spend the day doing something fun like hiking or reading. For those of you who can't break free just yet––it's hard!––I recommend a detox of a different kind. Go through the people and businesses you follow and cull through them. If you cringe every time that girl from high school posts, unfriend or unfollow her. Following an old band you're not that into anymore? Get rid of them. Make sure that the stuff you see on social media interests you or makes you happy.

3. Bedtime Stories. I used to be glued to either my phone or my computer right up until bedtime. All part of being a night owl, I guess. It also used to take me an hour or more to fall asleep––usually falling closer to the more end of things. Staring at those blue-based lights was not good for me for a lot of reasons, so I started laying my phone down about fifteen minutes before bed and picking up a book instead. Not only has it helped me fall asleep faster, it's also helped me read through some of the books on my to-read shelf.

4. Unplug. You might be thinking, Isn't this the same thing as the detox? Not really. I'm talking about literally unplugging––you know, all of those little things you leave plugged in even when you're not using them. I used to leave my phone charger plugged into the wall all of the time. Same with my laptop cord and lamp cords and basically all of the cords. The thing is, this all uses power even though we aren't using them. And sometimes it can even be dangerous, with reports of chargers starting fires popping up more frequently. Then there is the cost. Even though these 'zombie' power sucks may be negligible on their own, they add up. Unplugging just makes me feel better.

5. Zero Waste. When I say zero waste, I don't literally mean zero waste. It is difficult in our culture to actually live a totally zero waste lifestyle. But zero waste, to me, is something to take steps toward––and every little step helps. I've started by using reusable grocery and produce bags and I'm building a compost bin so that I can recycle some of my waste into usable soil. The recycling situation where I live is abysmal but I'm researching where I can take at least some of my trash to be recycled and reused. Knowing that I am doing things more in alignment with my values helps me feel good, and so does doing something that helps the environment.

6. DIY-deas. I've always been a DIY-er, but most of my stuff was on a small scale: a shirt, perhaps, or a coffee mug design. But I've recently realized that DIY projects can help me on my minimalism and zero waste journeys, as well. I've started small by creating my own face cleanser and toner, but soon I'll be making my own laundry detergent, fabric softener, and dishwashing liquid and eventually I want to try to make my own toothpaste. Creating your own products give you a sense of pride––you're helping the environment, getting back to basics, and it's just a lot of fun to do.

7. What's That Smell? This tip is the simplest but also my favorite: surround yourself with scents you love. Light candles, burn incense, plug in a Bath and Body Works room freshener... Just make sure you love it. Smells can trigger emotions, so surround yourself with calming or cozy scents like lavender or vanilla or, my personal favorite, nutmeg and spice. You can even mix and match some of my tips on here and start creating your own candles or mixing your own perfumes!

What small things help you feel happier?

I am big on aspirational goal setting. Whether I truly feel like I'll accomplish the goal or not, setting the intention always helps me feel like I'm moving forward. That is why I always set goals for myself when a new year rolls around and why, since we only have a couple of months left in 2016, I've been 'saving' my goals for the new year.

There have been so many ideas floating around in my head of things I want to accomplish: taking an archery course, becoming more fluent in french, travelling, and learning how to box are just a few. I've been saving them for the new year, feeling my excitement grow as I think about how awesome 2017 will be as I strive towards them. And then, in a moment of striking clarity, I realized how silly that was! These are things that I want to do, that I am excited about doing. Why should I wait for some abstract time or day to begin doing stuff that makes me happy?

I think this is a rut we all fall into occasionally. Even though we may tell ourselves to live each day as though it is our last, we put things off and make excuses. We tell ourselves that we don't have the time, we don't have the money, we don't have the support... And, sometimes, that is true. But if we don't have the time, money or support now, will it magically appear in our lives on January 1st? Doubtful.

The thing about setting goals and striving to accomplish them is that it doesn't have to be done all at once. Start small. For me, that means browsing the web for local archery and boxing classes and practicing French every day. It means setting aside some money for those purposes when and where I can. And it means being flexible. You may eventually decide that the goal you set no longer serves you or that it is becoming stressful. If you find yourself in that position, reassess what you want and need and rework your goals accordingly. There is no shame in not accomplishing your goals––sometimes you learn more that way.

I can't believe it is already autumn. By the time summer is over, I'm ready for the crisp, cool air of fall––until it hits. Then I'm begging for a few more days of summer. It has been pretty nice wearing my baggy sweaters and motorcycle boots, though, and my coffee habit has definitely tripled since it cooled down. This year has absolutely flown by––we're basically in the home stretch now and, so far, this year hasn't been too bad. Now, to set some goals that will keep the trend continuing.

What are Soul Goals?

I sit down at the beginning of each month–– or, at least, I try to–– and write out three goals that I have for the month ahead that I think will enrich my life and make me a better, happier person. Interested in coming up with your own Soul Goals? They can be simple or crazy ambitious goals. The important part is assessing what needs to change in your own life and figuring out what direction you want to go in. We're just taking it month by month, day by day, minute by minute here.

My Previous Soul Goals Recap

My first goal was to drink 120 oz. of water every day, which I did for a good part of the month. As the weather got cooler, though, my nightly waters turned into nightly coffees and I wasn't hitting my goal. I did hit my next goal of reading three books: Women Who Run With the Wolves; Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M.; and Bad Feminist. If I keep this up, I have a shot of reaching my annual reading goal of 26 books. My final goal was to sell some stuff, which I didn't do a lot of. I did sell my television, though, which was kind of a big deal for me. It made me a decent amount of money, but the bigger victory was ridding myself of something I didn't need. My room feels so much calmer now that the television is gone. Sometimes the smallest things make the biggest difference.

My Soul Goals for October

1. Get rid of old items that no longer serve me. This one kind of goes hand-in-hand with last month's goal of selling stuff. I want to continue on that journey by selling what can be sold, donating what can't, and getting rid of the rest. I'm twenty-seven... How have I accumulated so much stuff? It's time to start taking a more mindful approach to what I bring into my life.

2. Experience more locally. I'll admit, I can be kind of a hermit. It's not that I don't enjoy local events, I just don't enjoy big crowds and (usually) rude people. It's overwhelming, so I tend to avoid those kinds of things. My dad just retired, though, and he's trying to reacclimate to society. Part of that is enjoying what my city has to offer and I'm going to try to help him out. In fact, I think I'm going to a car show this weekend. That should be interesting.

3. Master a regular sleep schedule. I've tried before, and I've failed, but now that iOS 10 has added a Bedtime feature I'm hoping I can start falling asleep and waking up at a decent time. Working from home, my sleep schedule can be a little erratic. When I wake up later than I feel I should, it makes me feel like I've wasted the day and I feel less productive. I may add in a short meditation, too, in order to really start my day on the right foot.

If I actually accomplish my second goal, I will be sure to feature some of my outings on the blog.

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Spotify is my best friend.

I used to (totally legally) download every single song I wanted to listen to––and I had dial-up for most of my internet years, so you can imagine what a pain in the ass that was. I have high-speed internet now (thank god) and a Spotify subscription. Both of those things have widened my musical tastes substantially. That is why I like sharing some of my music finds with you on here: because I think broadening our musical horizons is important.

Fall is starting which means it's time for a new Music I've Been Loving playlist. That will be crafted as the next few months roll on but, obviously, I'm not leaving you high and dry. That would make this post incredibly frustrating, wouldn't it? Nope, it's time that I share my summer playlist with you. Even though I'm starting to phase it out, I still listen to these songs on the regular.

Open up your Spotify app and enjoy.

The first time I used NARS All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation––which, by the way, is a mouthful––was when it first came out a couple of years ago. At the time, I had incredibly dry skin that no amount of moisturizer could fix. I went through foundation after foundation, trying to find a formula that wouldn't emphasize my dry patches and would cover my rosacea.

At that time, this foundation was a hard pass. It not only emphasized my dry skin, it also left me looking like I had a ton of product on my face. It just sat on my skin, didn't blend well, and didn't cover my redness as well as I had hoped. One of the claims about this foundation was that you only needed one drop––or pump––to cover your entire face. That wasn't true for me then and it still isn't true for me now.

My skin is currently more on the combination or oily end of the spectrum. My go-to foundation is the Too Faced Born This Way formula, but because I've been breaking out so much lately I decided to try out some new formulas to see if my favorite foundation had betrayed me. I picked up the NARS foundation again and gave it a go. I was pleasantly surprised with the results.

It still took three pumps to cover my face, but it did mask the redness from both my rosacea and my breakouts. It looked a little too matte on my skin, despite claiming a natural finish, and made my cheeks––where is covered my redness––look a little ashy. It also emphasized texture on my skin. For instance, an allergic reaction had caused tiny little bumps to appear all over my face. While my Too Faced foundation made them appear smoother, the NARS foundation made them obvious. Same for my breakouts.

I will admit that other people I asked couldn't really tell a different in the appearance of my skin when I wore this foundation. But I could, and it left me feeling really self-conscious and uncomfortable. f you do try it out, make sure to apply it with a damp Beauty Blender as this foundation is prone to streak marks.

Bottom line, I'm still not a fan of this foundation––especially not for $48.

Can you say relaxing weekend? Because that is what I have had. I celebrated my mother's birthday on Friday, spent Saturday and Sunday cleaning and organizing, and today has been a day of rest. I spent the morning working (only a little bit, though!) and the afternoon was spent out in nature reading Women Who Run With the Wolves. It feels like the perfect time to reflect on the month of August and what I can do to make September even better.

What are Soul Goals?

I sit down at the beginning of each month-- or, at least, I try to-- and write out three goals that I have for the month ahead that I think will enrich my life and make me a better, happier person. Interested in coming up with your own Soul Goals? They can be simple or crazy ambitious goals. The important part is assessing what needs to change in your own life and figuring out what direction you want to go in. We're just taking it month by month, day by day, minute by minute here.

My Previous Soul Goals Recap

My first goal was to resettle into an early morning routine which I just didn't manage to do. I tried, I really did, but it just didn't happen. I stay up too late working and then I hit the snooze button so many times that I feel like I have to hop out of bed and get right to work. It's definitely something I still need to work on.

My next goal was to start on my first novel, which I did. I haven't gotten far, but I have started a few short stories and rediscovered some old writing that I intend to work on.

Last was my goal of bullet journaling. I started this and found it just didn't work for me. The pressure to make my bullet journal look nice made the process stressful and time-consuming. I think I need to get a planner that is already laid out and add my own creative elements to it.

My Soul Goals for September

1. Drink 120 oz. of water every day. I was doing this religiously earlier this summer but, slowly, my water intake dwindled. I still get my 64 oz. in daily, but I know I feel and look better when I am properly hydrated, so I need this habit back in my life stat.

2. Finish reading at least three books. My goal for this year was to read 26 books–one for every two weeks this year. I've fallen a few books behind and need to play catch up. Recently I finished The Opposite of Loneliness and The Glass Menagerie, and I am currently working on finishing up Women Who Run With the Wolves and Bad Feminist. Be on the lookout for some reading related posts soon!

3. Sell some stuff! I've realized that I have too much stuff, period, and I need to get rid of it. I spent a lot of August sorting through my belongings and deciding what I can get rid of. Now it's time to let go of it and, hopefully, reap some (monetary) benefits.

My goals are, admittedly, a little boring this month. But that's okay! Not all goals are meant to break world records or inspire awe in people. Sometimes they are just goals that help you get from Point A to Point B. 

What are you wanting to accomplish this month?

I know it sounds a little dramatic to say that I'm getting old when I only just turned 27. But as I watched the MTV Video Music Awards last night–all for Britney, all for Britney–it hit me like a freight train. This stuff isn't being marketed to me anymore. I didn't know who any of the hosts were–or if they were event hosts! Like, what happened to the days when we had a big name come out and roast the celebrities or an entertaining parody intro? Don't get me wrong, Rihanna was great, but I definitely wasn't wowed.

And, really, who were half of those performers?

It got me thinking, there are other signs of my imminent death everywhere I look. There are already technologies I don't understand! What does on fleek really mean? When people younger than me hear me say bae ironically, do they laugh and think I'm an old fogie who just killed the trend?

I was seriously offended by it all for a little bit. I mean, who is MTV to forget about the millennials, the last generation that can remember them actually playing music videos? But then, somewhere between Beyonce and Britney, I realized that it didn't matter. I haven't watched MTV for years, even when they were marketing towards my demographic. I haven't watched MTV since TRL and that crazy ass VJ who wore rags and never brushed his hair. And I'm actually kind of okay with being old and uncool–or, even better, old and somewhat slightly cool? Yeah, probably not.

Because the great part about getting older is that you stop caring so much about what other people think. You start to live for yourself and not others. You focus more on what you can do and not what people think you should do. And you finally get to be one of those old people who doesn't understand today's youth... But, hopefully, doesn't write 1200-word think pieces on how they are ruining everything.

I'm just going to back to listening to the new Britney album now, because it's amazing and I sort of miss the 90s and early 2000s.

Do you remember the video of a journalist supposedly having a stroke on air that went viral in 2011? It was frightening to watch Serene Branson begin to slur her words and struggle to form a coherent sentence. What was even more shocking was that she wasn't having a stroke at all. In fact, a few days after the incident, news outlets were reporting that it was just a migraine and the story faded from the headlines.

But is a migraine ever just a migraine? I thought so, until I started experiencing them for myself.

I began experiencing migraines in 2009, around the time I turned twenty. Before that, I had been under the false assumption that migraines were just really bad headaches. I didn't realize that the effects of a migraine went beyond the pain: slurred speech, trouble forming sentences, vision problems and vomiting were among the other effects I was dealing with. I would take aspirin to combat the pain, but eventually I was taking so much pain medicine that it was upsetting the lining of my stomach. I was burping up foam, y'all. Not good. The physical toll it took on me was so bad that I didn't think something as simple as a migraine could be causing it... But that is what I was experiencing.

Migraines are bad enough when you only experience them every once in a while, but I was suffering from migraines more often than not. I often found myself in too much pain to go to class, and my grades were reflecting that. I was cancelling plans with friends because I would wake up with a migraine that would last for days. Eventually friends stopped making plans with me – I would just bail later. It was a cycle of pain and depression that, along with other extenuating circumstances, caused me to take a year off from college.

During that year, my health took center stage. My family has a history of migraines, so I started talking to them about their experiences. My grandma talked about how the pain of the migraines made her temperature rise – another side effect I was experiencing – so much so that she would lie on the cold hardwood floor to cool off. I also learned that these hereditary migraines seem to start during our early adult years, as mine had, and fade the closer we get to 30.

With this information, I went to the doctor. I was diagnosed with Chronic Migraine, which meant that I was experiencing migraines more than 15 days a month. I was given a daily prescription for Topamax, a nerve pain medication that is used for treating migraines, and another prescription for a pill that I could only take when I was experiencing a particularly bad headache. My doctor warned me that Topamax wasn't always effective; it was only a first step. But I was incredibly lucky: within two months, I had gone from nearly 20 migraine days a month down to two.

I finally felt like I had my life back. I went back to college and made great grades, got a new job and started making new friends. I would still have a migraine every once in a while, but now I could take aspirin for it without upsetting my stomach. I learned what my triggers were – the smell of diesel and musky perfume, as well as loud, rattling bass – and avoided them when I could. I held my breath behind many a truck and school bus.

Last summer, I weaned myself off of my medication. There were many reasons for it, but I was afraid that the migraines would come back with a vengeance. They didn't. I am incredibly lucky that my migraines do seem to have faded as I've gotten older. I still experience them a few times a month – it is what inspired me to write this blog post – but I've learned how to soldier through when I can and when to stop and take care of the problem.

I wanted to write about my experience because it's something I don't see discussed often. So many illnesses are visible in one way or another, which causes society to forget about or ignore the illnesses they can't see. It makes it easy for those suffering from an invisible illness to ignore theirs, or feel as though it isn't important. But it is important and you need to take care of yourself. If you are experiencing symptoms of an invisible illness, talk to someone close to you or make an appointment with a doctor. You deserve to live the best life you can.
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