Tuesday Inspiration: R.W. Emerson & Big Star

Taken on a road trip through Washington in 2013.

This week has been one of those where I want nothing more than to crawl into bed, tuck myself under the covers, and sleep for days. The weather is getting colder, the trees are losing their leaves, and I find myself losing motivation and just wanting to escape from the world for a while. Unfortunately, November is when school gets busy, and before I know it, it will be time for finals and lots of paper writing, so I need to stay focused! Today's inspiration comes courtesy of the great Ralph Waldo Emerson, and this quote has helped me out recently when I feel daunted by all the work I need to do, and don't feel like I'm good enough to get everything done.

What lies behind us, and what lies before us, are small matters compared to what lies within us. And when we bring what is within us out into the world, miracles happen.

If you feel like you're losing motivation, please keep these words in mind! You are capable of anything you set your mind do, and you can do amazing things, I believe it!

As well as this quote, I've been loving this song lately, and it is really good at making me feel calm when I get stressed out. Would recommend!

Hope all is well with you, wherever you are in the big wide world.

x B

Favourites: October 2015

This month I've been very busy, with lots of study, midterms, and fun social things too! As such, the things that I've been loving most this month reflect how I've been living lately. Simple things that make my life a little easier, happier and less stressful.

First of all, I've been loving this Fresh Seaberry Moisturizing Face Oil, which I bought at Sephora. I bought the smaller size, because my skin is quite sensitive and I didn't want to commit to spending $50 on the larger size when I don't know that my skin likes it! I'd been looking for a more natural product to help even out my skintone and reduce hyperpigmentation, and I think this could be the one! It's light, absorbs quickly, and smells great. It's packed full of good things (including Omega fatty acids) that smooth and moisturize your skin. I feel so luxurious when I use it, too!

Next up is this Topshop Glow Highlighter in 'Polish'. I really wanted to buy the RMS Living Luminizer but couldn't justify spending $40 on something I'd never tried before, so I went with the cheaper version first, and I really like it! It's the perfect colour for my skin, and I just dab a little above my cheekbones and I instantly look more awake and lively.

My next favourite thing is tea! It's finally getting cooler in Washington and so when I was at Target last week I picked up this Vanilla Comoro Tea from Harney & Sons. If I'm being honest, it was the packaging that drew me in, but when I opened the tin, it smelled SO good! And it's decaffeinated, so I can have a cup before bed and not lie awake for hours. Next time I'm at Target I'll be checking out this brand again, because I love this one so much!

And I can't have new tea without a new mug to drink it from! I ordered this adorable 'Felix the Fox' mug from Urban Outfitters (still available right now) and it arrived this week. I'm already in love! It's just the right size, and I love the little fox and Scandinavian style. It will be perfect this winter as I drink about 10 cups of tea each day!

I'm also loving this dainty little clover bracelet from Dogeared. I ordered it early this month and have been wearing it nearly every day. It's perfectly simple and makes me feel so lucky! It honestly matches everything, so I wear it all the time.

Two skincare saviours! This tea tree mask from the Body Shop has always been a love of mine (and the whole tea tree range, really) but this month I've used it a few times and my skin has cleared right up! Also, it's bright green so I feel like Elphaba from Wicked when I have it on, and am therefore prone to bursting out in a rendition of Defying Gravity.The Bare Minerals powder is new but I love it! I finally found a powder that matches my super pale skin! The packaging is great (minimal spills!) and I love the coverage: not too much but still enough.

My last favourite is not a thing so much as an activity. While I do adore the journal itself (Leather Sagitta Journal from Anthropologie), I've really been enjoying keeping a journal. I make time a few times a week to jot down my thoughts, what I've been up to, and what I'm looking forward to. Sometimes I include a quote that's been inspiring that day, or something that made me laugh. It's so nice to look back through it and see what I was doing on a certain day and what I was thinking about!

What are your favourite things this month? What have you been up to? Hope all is well!

x B

Curing Midweek Blues

Lately I've been making more of an effort to enjoy (or at least not detest) weekdays and all that come with them. It is so easy to fall into the mentality of I can't wait until Friday! It's totally okay to look forward to Friday and I really do most weeks, but I also think it's important to appreciate Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. I'm trying not to be the kind of person that lives for the weekend. I'm working on making the most of every minute of every day.

That said, my busiest day is Tuesday and sometimes by the time I get to Tuesday evening all I want to do is curl up in bed and sleep until Saturday arrives. I wish. If you're like me and find it a struggle to stay motivated and power through the week, but also find yourself worn out by Friday afternoon, maybe these tips will help. 

• Plan! I know it sounds boring but honestly, this is what I've found to be the most helpful in getting things done and making sure I have time for myself in the evening. I keep a diary so that I know when important things are coming up. Additionally, each night I write myself a list of tasks to complete the next day. This has been a huge help this school year, and I would recommend it! I cross each task off when I finish it and somehow I can feel myself de-stress a little bit after I do.
• Put yourself first. It took me a long time to learn that no paper or homework task is as important as my mental and physical health. I'm not an all-nighter kind of girl, and I'm not going to let schoolwork stress me out to the point of physical exhaustion. I had a friend who had a literal breakdown because she worked too hard and didn't spend enough time caring for herself. So, start assignments early, to avoid late nights. And even if you feel like you need a late night, just don't stay up all night. All kinds of regret the next day.
• Exercise! I am not the best person to be dishing out this advice, but when I do make the time for a walk or a run on a weekday I feel so much better. It clears my head, makes me feel more energized, and gives me a chance to look at all the pretty trees and flowers around the neighborhood! When you get back, you'll be so much more awake and ready to tackle any challenge that comes your way!

 

Photo diary: Lake Morton & Kent

This weekend was Fall break, a four day weekend following midterms week. I spent a couple of days at Lake Morton with two of my good friends. We went on a walk in the rain and were soaked from head to toe; we spent an afternoon in pedal-boats on the lake; we visited a pumpkin patch; we danced around the supermarket and cooked fajitas for dinner, and on the drive back to school I felt like I'd found a little slice of heaven in this tiny Washington town. 

The sign said 'no trespassing' but how could you not walk down a path as pretty as this?

Emma in the rain

Something's not quite right...

It's actually really hard to look cute while swinging, but Emma pulls it off.

My friends are adorable!

The lake at sunset.

An Introduction

I have a vivid memory of being four years old, returned from a friend's birthday party. I arrived home with a painted face and a wand in hand, and danced around my bedroom all afternoon because I felt beautiful and powerful and like nobody could hold me down. I was four years old and I had the most wonderful sense of self-worth (which has slowly but surely fluctuated over the last decade or so). This year I decided that I wanted to feel as beautiful, powerful and independent as that four year old did, so I set myself a list of five goals to achieve by the time I reach twenty (next year, what???) years old. 

1. Not give a shit what strangers think of you. Sure, I care what my friends think of me. This doesn't mean I'm going to change who I am or what I look like based on their opinions. I respect them but I don't always agree with them. So if my friends don't control my perception of myself, why should strangers? With this comes two 'sub-goals' to help increase my confidence: a) increased fitness; and b) increased hydration for lovely skin.
2. Read a book (for pleasure) every month. It might not seem like a challenge, but on top of all my assigned reading for school, I think I'll be busy.
3. Smile more! Smile at strangers, at cute boys, at professors, at lovely old couples walking their dogs around campus. Life's too short, spread joy wherever possible.
4. Declutter! I'll never be a minimalist (too attached to my books), but I do want to sort through my belongings before I hit the big 2-0.
5. Go vegan! I've been vegan off-and-on for the last six months, and vegetarian for six years, so this is something I hope to become more committed to.

So, anyways. That was a pretty hopeless introduction. I tried.

Basically, I'm Bec, I'm currently a sophomore at a little west-coast college and I'm originally from Melbourne, Australia.

Until next time,

B