Tag: journaling

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Fabulous living

5 Years of Writing

5 years…every week for the past five years, I’ve sat down and opened my laptop and began to write. 

Some days, it was therapeutic to put into words what’s been on my mind, other days I got to talk about things I’m passionate about, like products, books, or movies.

 I’ve written about outfits I’ve put together and mixing and matching different pieces to keep things affordable.

I’ve written about how to keep your spaces clean whether it’s your dorm room, car, or daily planner.

I’ve written about trips I’ve taken, or bucket lists I’ve made and things I’ve accomplished. It’s amazing that just when I think so don’t have any more ideas, something new comes to mind. Over 350 posts and counting.

When I started my blog at the end of my freshmen year of college, I was looking for a creative outlet. I was homesick and I was searching for a hobby and decided why not write. My blog was a way to keep family members and friends in the loop about what I was doing and as a way to express myself.

A look at some of my first posts.

I looked forward to sharing different outfits and life hacks each week. As I grew up and matured, so did my blog. I changed the style and content as I made my way through college and graduated. If you have been following since the very beginning, you know there’s been changes with color schemes and the days I posted and even some of the topics. It’s been fun to look back and see how far I have come since May 2017.

Another throwback to one of my first outfits.

I learned balance with my blog as I started my first job. Every weekend I always looked forward to working on something creative and fun, especially as our world changed with the pandemic. Even with all the unknowns and at sometimes darkness, my blog was a bright spot for me and hopefully for others. 

From college to my first day of work

I’ve learned a lot about myself these past five years. I’ve learned that it’s okay to be vulnerable and share what’s on your mind, whether it’s about eating alone or transitioning from college to working. I’ve learned the importance of making time for yourself and finding joy every day, whether it’s through journaling or walks or cooking.

Enjoying the simple things in life like apple picking has been something I’ve leaned into more these past few years.

While I’ve learned a lot so far, I know I still have a ways to go. I’m excited to see what this next year brings. My hope is that it brings more life lessons, more memories, and most importantly, little moments that bring joy every day.

 To those who read my blog posts when I started writing them sitting in my college dorm room, thank you for sticking with me! And, to those who started following along as I now write them on weekend with my dog curled up on my lap back home, thank you for stopping by.

I hope my blog brings you a little bit of joy, like it does for me every day.

Here’s to a new year, a new chapter, and taking life one day at a time.

xoox

Elspeth

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Fun Ways to Organize

Forming Healthy Habits and Routines

Hey guys! Happy Wednesday and happy February! There’s always something refreshing about a new month. I felt like this past month really dragged, the hustle and bustle of the holidays are over, I stayed inside while still going out for walks a few days a week, and established some new routines, but I am ready for a new month. 

One of the things I touched on in my last past was getting into some new rhymes and rhythms, and I wanted to share some of them with you today. 

When I thought about what I wanted this year to look like, I wanted less time being distracted by things that didn’t bring me joy or leave me fulfilled. My phrase for this year is to be more intentional and so far I am loving the results I am seeing. For example, I would waste time scrolling on social media and complain I didn’t have enough time to read. Hello, ditch the phone and get a book!

One way that I made sure I had a better routine in place was setting up downtime on my phone. I did a post about the new screen time feature a year or so ago. You can read it here.

I realized when my phone was shut off (minus calls and texts) I got so much done without the distraction of notifications and social media.

My favorite new routine is with my morning. Let me break it down for you. Every weekday (Monday-Friday), I get up at 6:30 a.m. and then head to the gym for an hour. My “downtime” on my phone goes from 8:00 a.m. 9:00 a.m. In that hour, I will shower (if I didn’t the night before), wash or put away any dishes that need done, throw a load of laundry in, get changed for the day, do my reading and journaling. I’m currently reading this every day and LOVING. One thing I wanted to do this year was read every day. I don’t have a set amount of books I want to read in the year, but I want to carve time every day to read. Whether it was 15 minutes or an hour. During this of downtime from my phone hour is where I get my reading done and it’s such a game changer. By 9:00 a.m. I feel so accomplished and ready to tackle the rest of my day whether I am working or have the day off. Setting boundaries with my phone helped me so much. I also have time set for each day for social media and once my time is done for the day, I am done. 

Another thing that has always helped me with my routines is to write things down. Even though, I already know what I want to accomplish, I love to be able to see it in front of me and mark it off when I am done. Here’s a look at one of my weekly planner pages.

At the beginning of the week I always write down everything I want to do across the board and what days I want to get them done. 

Lastly, another part of my routine is always leaving the house clean, when I leave for work, I always make sure everything is picked up and put away, things are laid out for the next day and I have my to-do list ready for tomorrow. I go into work with a clear mind and ready to tackle the day. 

That’s just a breakdown of what things have worked well for me as we start on a new month. What are some new routines that really work for you? Let me know below! Have a great week friends!

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Fabulous living

A Year of Grace Not Perfection

Hi All!! Happy Wednesday!!

For long time readers, you may have picked up on the fact that I love to journal! It’s my favorite way to start my day, having some quiet time and then time to write and reflect. I have been journaling throughout my time in college, you can read more about it here.

During my senior year in college and my first few months out of college, I journaled in the companion to Grace Not Perfection, by Emily Ley. This was my journal for 2019-2020. There were prompts every week, to give me something to reflect and work towards. But it also has enough open space to jot down you thoughts and feelings and emotions. 

Finding Grace in my senior year and first few months working

The phrase “Grace Not Perfection” has been a mantra that I have kept coming back to through the year, when times get busy or hectic, I remind myself to give myself grace and not everything is going to be perfect. It truly puts things in perspective for me.

My favorite quote and a college throwback

After reading “Grace Not Perfection” during my sophomore year of college and now spending a year journaling with it, I’m much more aware and better with implementing it in my daily life. It’s no longer a matter of remembering to do it, rather it’s always in the back of my mind and I apply it without realizing it.

Maybe “grace not perfection” is not your mantra, but whatever you believe in or focus on, be sure to keep it in your mind on the good days and the not so good days. 

I also believe that these past few months have put my grace not perfection to the test, so many things in life have gotten cancelled or post-poned and in those times of uncertainty it’s even more important to allow ourselves that grace and knowledge that it will all work out. 

What are some of your mantras that you live by?!

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Fabulous living

Thoughts During A Pandemic

 These past few months have been filled with so many unknowns, but in any situation, I always look for the silver linings, so even when the world stopped and got turned upside down, I still wanted to find the good in it. I’ve learned a lot about myself during these past few weeks and months. 

One of the things that have really helped me every day is to simply put things in perspective and maintain a grateful and positive attitude through it all, yes, days were hard and challenging, but taking it one day at a time, helped me so much. Another things that has helped me as been journaling, not just daily but also a separate journal about life and working through a pandemic, I remember what I’m feeling every day, but years from now, will I? Keeping all my notes and feelings in one spot hase been so helpful too!

I was lucky enough to work through the pandemic, although days were filled with uncertainty, I was so fortunate to still be able to work. Another thing I was super grateful for was the fact I was with my family the entire time, I got bonus time with my parents and siblings as they worked and learned from home. I was able to see them before and after work, have quality time to be together that I may not have gotten in the past. Another positive in a dark situation. 

What really stands out to me during the pandemic, was the importance of truly slowing down. During college, especially during my senior year, I felt spread too thin and overwhelmed with commitments, I have gotten into a much better routine since working but this pandemic, truly showed me that you don’t have to have a full schedule every single day and this is something I want to adapt in my life more this summer. Yes, more things are reopening and we are entering into a new normal but I want to still continue with slower days when I can. At the beginning of this year, I read, When Less Becomes More by Emily Ley, you can read the review here. One of the biggest takeaways from the book was living a slower and more meaningful life and the joy and beauty in the simple things. I have truly found the beauty in the simple things and the importance of taking it slow. I have also learned to not take things for granted, like just going into a store to browse, you can’t do that anymore. I also found you don’t have to be busy all the time or doing things all the time to be happy and enjoy life. 

Taking it one day at a time and realizing that sometimes, the simple things in life are better.

What have your learned about yourself through the pandemic? How has your outlook on life changed?

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Fabulous living

My College Career in Four Journals

Hey everyone! Happy Tuesday. I hope you all had a great and restful weekend. With only a few weekends left in college, I am trying to soak up all the time I have left being with my friends, I have been taking advantage of going out to brunch with my buddies, having good conversations with friends, and always being down to do something. 

That brings me to my new series of blog posts. I started this blog when I was in my freshmen year of college and a lot has happened since I started it. The next several weeks, my posts will be dedicated to reflecting on my time in college, my favorite memories, what I learned, a final semester recap, and a thank you to a place that I have truly grown in so many ways. 

Four years of memories, moments, and happiness

Today’s post is something that I have talked about through the years, but I am ready to really talk about it more. Let’s talk about journaling! I can successfully say that I have journaled through my entire college career. Yes, every single day of college, is documented and written about. I can tell you what I was doing on November 29, 2016, or April 16, 2017, or January 25, 2018, and even on August 26, 2019. I can tell you how I was feeling, what I was struggling with, what sparked joy that day because I wrote it all down. Looking back, this was one of the best decisions I made while I was in college. Writing about my feelings, what I was going through, what things caused me stressed and what things made me happy was such a good way to unwind and reflect. It also put things in perspective for me. I never had a full day where I complained, I always found something positive or good about the day, whether it was getting a good grade on an exam or catching up with an old friend. Journaling every day made me realize how good life is, and all the things I have to be grateful for. Every year, I had a different theme for my journaling.

Freshmen year, my mom gifted me this journal when I moved into my first day of college. I journaled about every single thing that happened, what I ate for breakfast, how my classes went, what I did for fun and when I went to bed. I was so detailed with my journaling. It was a great way to unwind at the end of the day and reflect of everything I got done. This method really worked during a year of adjusting to a new place and new people. It was a form of comfort to me. 

Sophomore year-my year of YES

Sophomore year came and it was all about yes saying to everything. I started a new job, met new friends, tried new things and stepped out of my comfort zone. I had read Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes and I made my sophomore year my year of yes. I started every day with my Years of Yes journal. The journal was set up with a topic each month to say yes to things. There was a goals section where you can map out where you want to see yourself by the end of the month. Each day is split up into three sections where you can write about the things you said yes to. Inspirational quotes by Rhimes are spread throughout the book to give you motivation if you need it. I spent 5 minutes a day on this and it was such a positive way to start the day. I loved seeing all the things I tried and said yes to through the year. 

Junior Year JOY

Junior year brought JOY. I decided to journal about all the joy in my life. I found myself getting negative about the small things in life, whether it was a long day or friendship troubles. I decided to find joy in every day. I would write down three good things or three things that brought me joy. After doing this for a full year I got to change my mindset and see all the good things in my life. It also made the small annoying things in life seem nonexistent. I’m so glad I found the good in every day. 

Finding Grace in my Senior Year

For senior year, I wanted to try something new. I have always been very involved and balancing a lot of things in life, which I do very well at. For senior year, I decided to give myself the gift of grace. I was inspired by Emily Ley’s Grace Not Perfection and, journaled every day from prompts in the book, A Standard of Grace as well sharing the highlights of my day. It really made me focus on what was important in life. 

Four years later

Although, my college career is winding down, I will continue to journal, it has been a great stress reliever, and a beautiful way to reflect on my time in college and see the beauty and good in every day. Journaling has brought me so much joy and happiness and I am so glad I have four journals full of thoughts, memories, and happiness from my time in college. 

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Fabulous living

10 Fun Facts About Me Round 2

Hey guys!

Happy Tuesday!

I hope you all had a relaxing weekend! I’m going into my last week of classes and then it’s finals week! This semester has flown by, my finals week shouldn’t be too bad, so I’m hoping to soak up as much time with my friends before many of them graduate. I always feel that  pack them most into the last few weeks of school since that’s when everything is winding down. Last year, I did a fun facts post and it was so fun to do. You can read it here. Today, I decided to update it and share 10 more fun facts about me. Who knows maybe you will learn something new!

  • I journal every day and when I am stressed out or overwhelmed or have a problem, I always turn to journaling. I have several journals filled with thoughts or multiple word documents with thinking things out. I feel best after I write out a problem or talk it out with someone.
Journaling is the best way for me to unwind and be intentional every day
  • My biggest pet peeve is when people cancel plans on me, I’m always understanding especially when something unexpected comes up and someone has to reschedule consistently but it still bothers me
  • I love anything British, whether it’s books, movies, music, actors, the culture. I love everything about Great Britian. London, England is on my list of top three places to visit. One of my best friends is going to London this summer and I’m super jealous, I’m making them take lots of pictures for me. Haha!
  • Speaking of music, I have no favorite type of music, my playlists are all over the place from Praise and Worship, to 70’s hits, 2010’s workout music, top 40’s pop music, even country music and movie scores, it’s a mess. Whenever, I am out with friends, I let them pick the music since my taste is all over the place.
Just a peak into my pandora playlist…my amazon playlist is even more different
  • If I wasn’t a Communication major I would probably be an Education major. When I was growing up I always wanted to be a teacher growing up, but ultimately decided communication was the right path for me and I’m so glad I did since I love what I’m learning and doing.
  • I always have a bottle of water and gum with me, whether it’s in the car, going to class or running errands. I drink a lot of water during the day and even through the night, I keep water by my bed and typically finish a bottle of water through the night.
  • I prefer sweet over savory, I would rather have a big dessert than a steak dinner. Chocolate is my weakness so I will always indulge in something sweet.
I would prefer this over a huge dinner any day
  • I love hanging out and doing activites with friends, my friends and I go bowling and have a ton of fun even though I am probably the worst bowler…no joke, last time I went I think my score was 33…yeah, not the best score but I have a ton of fun when I’m with my friends and that’s what matters right?!
  • Although, I spend more time texting, I prefer calls over texts/DM’s/ snap chats etc. I find calls to be more personally and I can express myself more over a phone call than a long text or a direct message.
  • I love the simple things in life, for example, flowers. I love having fresh cutflowers in my room or on my desk. I love how such a small gesture can change your mood. I love the scent they bring into a room and how they can make a space feel warm and inviting.
Fresh cut flowers are a favorite of mine

And there’s 10, I hope you found this fun and enjoyable to read. These are always my favorite posts to read on other blogs since everyone is so different and it’s always fun to learn different things about each other.

How many did you know? What’s one fun fact about yourself? Leave them in the comments below!

Have a great week!

Categories
Fabulous living

Choosing to Look on the Positive Side of Life

Hello! Hello!

Happy Tuesday! It’s crazy to think we are halfway through February, this month is flying by! With Valentine’s Day this week, I wanted to focus on a more light-hearted post for today ( no pun intended). For all my single girls out there, check out my post from last year about Galentine’s Day and fun things to do with your girlfriends! You can read all about it here.

Today, I wanted to share about the importance of looking on the positive side of things and turning a bad situation into a good one. One thing that I try to do is see the good things in every day, we all have tough days, whether it’s a long day of classes and meetings, or if you are having relationships issues or family troubles, I firmly believe there is always one good thing that can come out of a bad day. 

I started to really make an effort to find one good thing about every day during my senior year of high school. I got a Mason Jar and a stack of post it notes and at the end of every day I wrote the date and one good thing that happened each day. At the end of the year I had a whole jar of good memories and good things that happened every day of senior year.  I was so happy I had all those memories to look back on.

My Jar through my senior year of high school
All my good moments dumped out
So many good things happened during my senior year of high school, I’m so glad I kept track of them

My freshmen year of college, my mom gave me a journal to write all about my experiences about my freshmen year of college. I loved having an account of everything that happened and I made sure I wrote down the best part of my day. 

Last year (2018) started out rough but I didn’t want a few challenging weeks to determine my outlook of the entire year, I was already journaling in Shonda Rhimes’ Years of Yes journal but I wanted to add something new, so every day I took a post it note and wrote one positive thing that happened. To read about my Year of Yes, you can find it here.

The Journal of my Sophomore Year-Year of YES

I called my junior year, my year of Joy. My sweet friend Danielle, gave me this journal for my birthday and I write in it every day. I write down three good things that bring me joy every day.

Junior Year of JOY

I have found journaling every day for the past few years very therapeutic. I also found it helpful to be intentional about seeing the good things that happened every day, whether it was having a good conversation with a friend, going on a spontaneous brunch and shopping day, celebrating a holiday, or getting in some quality family time or self care. By writing down one or more good things that happened every day, it really puts things in perspective about how good life can be and how we should always look towards the positive things in life. When you have class from 12:30-8:30 straight and nothing is going your way (yes, this has happened to me) I always know there are definitely good things that happened through the long day. I hope this post encourages you to look on the positive side of things when life has you down. There are so many good things around us if we are willing to see them.

I hope this week brings you nothing but good vibes, wonderful moments and love (whether its from a significant other, best friend, or parent). Spread some love this week!

XOXO