Category: life curation

life curation · reading list

Reading List: October’s Book

MstldelanoLeave a comment

Happy Friday, friends!

The month of September is coming to a close and, while I’ll miss the hot days and warm summer nights, I’m kind of looking forward to autumn temps.

This post’s title is a bit of a misnomer: I read way more than one book a month. But, I wanted to share the book I’m most looking forward to reading this upcoming month.

Becoming Mae West by Emily Wortis Leider is on my reading list, and for good reason. Mae West was innovative, creative, and completely in control of her image and career. She lived life on her terms and blazed her own path in a world dominated by men. I admire how Mae used her femininity to open the door, but used her brains to get ahead.

I look forward to sharing what I learned from Mae West’s life. This is a larger book (over 400 pages) so I’m anticipating that it will take me a few weeks to finish it. Fun times!

Any Mae West fans? Let me know in the comments below!

life curation · reading list

Highlights from “Outliers”

MstldelanoLeave a comment

Well, dear friends, I finally finished “Outliers”. As you all are aware, this tome has been on my reading list for several weeks (actually several years, but let’s not judge). I have actually squeezed in a couple of other books since I posted about “Outliers”, but those were rereads and not particularly applicable to the content of this blog. However, I set a firm date for when I’d finish this book, and that motivated me to get focused.

outliersamazon

If there is any singular thing I took away from “Outliers”, it’s this: success isn’t the result of a sole action/incident. The most noteworthy successes are the result of a “perfect storm” of conditions, attitudes, timing, and serendipity. There are many things we can control about achieving success, but many other things are the exterior elements beyond our control. Fortunately, there are instances where even what appears to be obstacles or downright walls separating us from our desires are actually the catalyst behind getting the skills needed to rise above everyone else and achieve unprecedented success.

Here are some of the highlights I gleaned during my reading of “Outliers” by Malcolm Gladwell.

  • The infamous “10,000 Hour Rule” is best supported by serendipitous timing, but the expertise gained from continual practice can still put you lightyears ahead of the pack.
  • Having a genius IQ is great, but without other advantages (like personality, connections, or wealth), it isn’t a guarantee of success. In fact, without those other supporting attributes, being a genius can be a frustrating path.
  • Community and network are CRUCIAL to success. The influence of community and network is particularly powerful as children, as this molds identity and behaviors that will remain throughout your lifetime.

I can’t recommend this book enough! I plan to hand this off to a few friends that could use the information.

Have you all read “Outliers”? What was your favorite takeaway? Let me know in the comments below!

life curation · style

Transition to Fall

MstldelanoLeave a comment

I absolutely despise having to let go of summer.

Yes, I know that I do this every year. But, truthfully, it never gets any easier.

Sunshine and warm weather make me feel ALIVE. I bloom during the summertime. And who doesn’t want that? Who doesn’t want to BLOOM?

So then transition to fall and cooler temps is probably my least favorite time of year. Not necessarily because it feels uncomfortable, but because I like longer days and not having to opt for jackets in the morning.

But there is an upside to cooler days – more glamorous fashion LOL! I love fall clothing, especially tailored dresses in slightly heavier fabrics, longer sleeves and richer colors. I still stick to the old rule of “no white after Labor Day”, so I pack up my bright white clothes early in September. But I promptly break out my jewel toned garments that look perfectly appropriate for the cooler days ahead.

thisisglamorous.jpg

(I don’t even watch Scandal, but every time I see a photo of Kerry Washington’s fashions, I’m inspired. Come on – who WOULDN’T want to look this glamorous during the fall/winter? Photo courtesy of ThisIsGlamorous.com)

My coloring is well suited to the typical “Winter” palette colors (as first explained by the Color Me Beautiful system). So rich, pure colors, cool undertones, and sumptuous fabrics work really well for me. Truth be told, the wardrobe options are the only things that keep me going during the winter.

That, and knee-high boots. I live for knee-high boots.

I had to update my wardrobe and get some better fall/winter ensembles, so I ordered a few things. I also want to get a capsule wardrobe going, so I’ll have to get a bit organized and figure out what items are belong in my set of core “must haves”, and which items can be either stored or given away to charity.  I’ll review my purchases soon, but in the meantime, do you all have any favorite things about the fall/winter that you’d like to share? Please let me know in the comments below!

 

life curation · luxury

Luxury Indulgences As Self-Care

MstldelanoLeave a comment

Part of my metamorphosis includes a good deal of reflection. After all, how do you know where you want to go if you aren’t honest about where you’ve been? And, if where you’ve been is a place that you don’t want to return, wouldn’t it be wise to know HOW you got there, and WHAT you found uncomfortable about your journey?

During one of my reflection sessions, I realized that I had denied myself certain luxuries. On the surface, the reason for denying myself these luxuries was simple: I didn’t have the money.

But was that REALLY true? Or was it something else: something deeper, something that wasn’t linked to the “external” (like monetary abundance)?

Of course, denying myself the luxuries had nothing to do with my income. I looked at my salary then, and there was enough “money” coming in. The decision to avoid certain purchases had everything to do with my self-esteem. Yes, my self-esteem was “in the basement”, as I like to put it (I have a post about how I boosted my self-esteem coming soon). I felt awful about myself because of some missteps that I made in my journey.

But as my self-esteem improved, I started examining my daily self care. What I saw horrified me: I had been treating myself worst that anyone else ever could have! And I looked squarely at how much I was investing in myself, and I saw how much I’d fallen off of my former routine.

My first order of business was buying the most expensive pair of shoes that I could comfortably justify in my mind. I found a gorgeous pair of Diane Von Furstenberg high heeled pumps, in tan suede. I was giddy about my purchase, and, as I mentioned previously, these shoes were more costly than any others I’d ever bought before.

 

clipartlibrary

(image courtesy of Clipart Library)

I wore them four times over a three year period.

Don’t worry, I’ll wear them again. But the “juice” I got from the purchase was the feeling of buying such a luxurious pair of shoes. And while I understand “retail therapy”, this was something more significant than shopping “for a high”.

The shoes signal that I’M WORTH IT.

I’m worth being surrounded by beauty, luxury, and good things. I’m worthy of being treated well, looking good, and living a high quality life. The shoes are an emblem representing the “switch” from low self-esteem to restored esteem. It’s almost like a sigil: these shoes had a nearly magical effect on my life.

Even though they’ve only been worn four times.

I don’t have to purchase luxury shoes every time I need to engage in self-care. Luxury comes in so many forms: perfectly prepared and pleasingly presented meals, soaking in intoxicatingly perfumed baths, sleeping on clean, sumptuous sheets, taking long walks on crisp days … All luxury. After all, luxury is, at its heart, intense indulgent, and indulgence is about GENEROSITY. In this case, it’s about being generous with YOURSELF. And you deserve it. You deserve it more than you could ever know …

Do you all have any “go-to” luxury indulgences? Please let me know in the comments below!

life curation

The Joyful Journey: 7 Things I Do To Activate Joy Daily

MstldelanoLeave a comment

I found this charming mug in a Dollar Tree (of all places!). I saw it and knew it had to come home with me.

FullSizeRender (2)

As I reflect on my journey, I noticed that I intentionally inject joy into every day. It wasn’t always this way: I had a little help. Earlier this year I participated in the Joy Challenge hosted by Amina Makhdoom. That experience highlighted how much my daily life lacked joy. Since then, I’ve created a daily practice that makes sure I activate feelings of joy regularly.

Here are the 7 daily practices I engage in order to feel joyful.

1. I listen to my body. I may not always be able to honor what my body wants, but I give my body what it needs as soon as reasonably possible. Maintaining balance and refusing to overextend myself makes each day better.

2. I maintain some organization. I find it hard to remain joyful when I’m surrounded by clutter and confusion. As a result, I use various tools to stay organized. I have a leather-bound daily planner, hour-by-hour planning sheets that I use during days when I need to be extra efficient, and I also dedicate 10-15 minutes to tidying each of the rooms in my home (this never exceeds an hour). This helps me stay organized and makes physical, mental and emotional room for joy.

3. I indulge in at least one self-care practice daily. This can be as simple as taking a nap, reading a good book, or taking a little more care to moisturize after showering, or it can be as lavish as a weekend getaway, a massage, or an exquisite meal. I just make sure that every day includes at least one thing that I do just for the pure enjoyment of it.

4. I wear perfume. Nothing makes me feel as elegant and feminine as perfume. My scents vary, but I always wear one and I can’t help but smile every time I sniff my wrists.

5. I daydream. I allow myself to ponder all sorts of delicious possibilities. I don’t worry about the present, and I don’t mourn any missteps in the past. I just joyfully consider, “What if?” and think about all of the good things that can happy. I ONLY focus on happy, incredible scenarios, and how it would feel to enjoy them.

6. I start every morning with a cup of tea. I used to be a coffee drinker, but I find tea is much more mellow and matches my demeanor much better. I still get my caffeine but in a gentler way. I purchase high quality teas that aren’t bitter or have otherwise overpowering flavors.

7. I count my blessings at night. This is key to ending the day with joy. I have my gratitude journal where I log what went right with the day, but I also make a mental log of how blessed I am. Ending my day with gratitude gives me sweet dreams and sets me up for a positive day to follow.

Those are my 7 tips for a joyful journey. Do you have any daily practices that activate your joy? Please let me know in the comments below!

 

life curation

Choosing Joy

MstldelanoLeave a comment

The road to a joyful existence hasn’t always been an easy, smooth one.

I only got to this place after spending nearly a decade without focusing on what emotions I was choosing. When you don’t mind your emotions, they will RUN your life.

My default method of operating included ignoring my emotions and focusing on the “work” in front of me.

Yeah, that wasn’t a lot of fun. Stuff got “done” but I wasn’t nearly as satisfied as I expected to be.

So, instead of checking in on my emotions, I set my goals higher. Maybe, just maybe, if the accomplishment was big enough, I’d feel satisfaction when I got it.

Then one of my biggest accomplishments – finishing my degree – happened. And I only felt slight satisfaction, not the deep, exhilarating feeling I anticipated.

Fortunately, I came across a lot of conscious creation guides. When I found out that tapping into and improving our feelings was key to satisfaction, I didn’t believe it.

Then I tried it.

It worked.

choosejoypinterest.png

So now, I choose joy, almost every day. I create feelings of joy by asking, “What would bring me joy right now?” I have a mental list of things that bring me joy. And whenever I need to, I tap into one of those things.

That could mean making a cup of rooibos tea. Or taking a nap. Or eating a piece of chocolate. Or walking around the block. Or calling a friend.

For me, joy comes from a series of small, delightful actions that give me moments of satisfaction. When you put a lot of moments together, you eventually get a body of experience.

In my case, I’ve been building a strong body of experiences, all attesting to the fact that I’m actively creating a joyful existence.

On the days that I don’t choose joy? Well, those days just ARE what they ARE. I don’t judge myself for them. I honor my feelings and allow it to be whatever it will be.

This life can be a good one, if we take time to mold our lives to what we want them to be.

 

 

 

(photo courtesy of Pinterest).

life curation

Today’s Thoughts …

MstldelanoLeave a comment

I am working on a few goals at once, and while I’m excited to accomplish them all, I still feel overwhelmed sometimes.

I often wonder if I can *really* do it all. Is it possible? Am I crazy for wanting to savor every moment and craft a crazy, beautiful journey? Is it silly to want so much?

Then I saw this quote, and I knew that I would be alright.

josephinebakerpicturequotes

We’re all on the cusp of our “big win”. We can choose to be happy NOW, knowing that our victories are guaranteed. We can’t get it wrong, and we cannot fail.

 

 

 

(Photo courtesy of PictureQuotes)

life curation

Maintaining Joy: Gratitude Journal

MstldelanoLeave a comment

I don’t recall where I heard about this first: perhaps it was from an Law of Attraction podcast, or maybe a YouTube video. But I’m thankful for whoever shared this tip with me first.

Most of us forget how good our lives truly are. We could have 10 or 20 amazing things happening at once, but we focus on the one thing that isn’t going our way. The fact is, most of us have lots to be grateful for, even when life doesn’t feel 100% perfect.

To stay in the mode of appreciation and joy, I keep a gratitude journal. For every day, I list 3 things that I appreciate and feel thankful for. I try my best not to repeat gratitudes, but if I must, I don’t get upset about it. The truth is, some days are duller than others: I won’t always be able to name a “new” reason to be thankful.

I make an entry for every day, but I often forget days here and there, and I have to try to remember what went well for me on the days where I skipped an entry. During the earlier part of this year, I missed nearly two weeks in my journal, since I was traveling and living in the moment. In those cases, I simply do my best to remember as much as I can, listing my appreciation in no particular order.

I’ll be finishing my current journal this year, and I’m already looking at a few other designs. I’m considering purchasing this lovely set of four journals, all with soft, beautiful watercolor designs.

Do you maintain a gratitude journal? Please let me know in the comments below!