Source: PinkPot

As I scroll through my Bloglovin' feed at the beginning of each month, I see post after post of bloggers setting monthly goals for themselves. I usually set annual goals for myself at the beginning of each year, but these posts have inspired me to see what I can do month to month to better myself and get shit done-- which, by the way, is probably my favorite phrase ever. So here is my first ever set of monthly goals:

Have one phone-free day each week. I am constantly attached to my phone thanks to my freelance jobs. There is always a post to schedule or a client's question to answer and it is really hard for me to not drop whatever I am doing to help. But that constant connection can be stressful, to the point where I run myself ragged. This became really obvious last week when my anxiety caused a day-long dizzy spell. I didn't even know that was possible! It was scary and it made me realize that I have to occasionally disconnect in order to take care of myself.

Speak my mind more often. This goal is kind of objective, I realize, but it is something I definitely need to work on. I am a people pleaser, but sometimes I focus so much on pleasing those around me that I let my own ideas and wants fade into the background. So this month I want to work on voicing my opinions and laying my ideas on the table-- for better or for worse.

Set a workflow schedule. One of the great things about my job is that I get to set my own schedule. But it is also one of the worst things about my job as it can lead to procrastination and being disorganized. This month I have created a schedule that will allow my to work on my various projects while also having some down time to destress.

Do you set monthly goals for yourself? List one or two in the comments!

Can you believe we're already heading into March?

Winter here in West Virginia hasn't been too awful-- save for that two-foot of snow we got a while back-- but I am still super excited to see the signs of Spring appearing. Today I am sitting out on my front porch enjoying the sunshine and almost 70º temperatures. It's gorgeous. I know I talk about the weather a lot in my Life Lately posts, but that is because I think the state of the weather directly impacts our moods and emotions.

Maybe it is because I was born in the heart of the summer, or maybe it is because I'm a Leo, but I feel my best when the sun is shining.

On another note, I've got a few new ideas for this blog rolling around in my head. I've been seeing slow but steady growth in the last few months-- thank you, by the way, for reading and engaging with my posts. I'm still trying to stick to a steady schedule while maintaining my 'regular' career and doing various side projects and, eventually, I would like to post more often. That might be something that happens a little further down the road, though, so I would like to start doing something that will help grow this blog and provide something special to those of you who have been with me for a while.

Long story short, would anyone be interested in a weekly or bi-weekly newsletter? I would share some of my favorite blog posts from the past week, other interesting bits and bobs from the World Wide Web, my favorite beauty product of the week and a recap of the last week's posts. I would also try to share some exclusive goodies: wallpapers, graphics, and free-to-use photos from myself and other sources.

I'd love to stay and chat, but the weather is too beautiful to be stuck looking at an electronic screen. my pasty white legs and I are going to go enjoy this sunshine while it lasts!

I have dry skin, so I am always looking for a way to make my skin look healthy and glowy by any means necessary. I've highlighted, I've strobed, I've all-over glowed and I've contoured to make those glowier bits stand out even more. But now a new trend has emerged and, boy, is it a doozy. It's called chroming and it basically requires you to use a metallic or frosted lipstick in place of a highlighter.

No, really. That's pretty much it.

If you read Pixiwoo's post on the subject, you'll realize that even though the chroming trend is interesting... It is also a bit silly. I mean, it's so rare to wear these shades as an actual lipstick anymore so it is genius of cosmetics companies like MAC to market those shades in a new way. One of the main selling points of chroming is that the product will do double duty as a lipstick and a highlighter. But, because it is so rare to wear these shades as a lipstick, will it really pull double duty in your handbag? (Answer: hopefully not.)

If you do wear these shades on your lips, I can see how this trend would be useful. Alternatively, if you are trying to save space in your makeup bag, this may be something for you to try as well. My main concern lies in the fact that this is a product make for your lips and not your skin. And while higher end products may be able to perform well on the cheeks without doing any harm to your skin, some lipsticks may clog your pores and lead to breakouts-- or worse. Also, in doing research for this post, I've found that many people have trouble blending the product and getting rid of harsh lines. There are multiple woes, here.

If you already have some of these shades, test them out. Literally, test them before applying to a large area of your face to make sure they won't cause a reaction. You may find a new use for some of your least used shades. But if you don't already own a shade like that-- a light frosty or metallic color-- I wouldn't rush out to buy one. Highlighting with a cream highlighter will give you similar, if not identical, results.

I, personally, will be giving the chroming trend a pass. What about you?