words to live by

'my mission in life is not merely to survive, 

but to thrive; and to do so with some passion,

some compassion, some humor, and 

some style.'

--maya angelou

happy new year, everyone! 

i touched on a few goals i have 

for 2018 here, but wanted to circle back

to this topic after listening to a handful of podcasts 

(detailing self-love, dating, writing, and more), 

and reading a few inspiring blog posts,

written by local women i truly admire (you

should check out this post by jenn from 'hello 

rigby' and this post by asa from 

'lace and pearls').

in addition to focusing on my career aspirations

(if all goes according to plan, i will finish

my certificate program at the university of washington

in june), and dedicating more time to my

blog (new website launching soon), i want to

focus on myself (what exactly that entails,

i am not yet sure).

sadly, the value in self care and self love

is often overlooked. we feel guilty when saying

'no' to friends and may regret missing an

event or party (FOMO is a real thing, let me tell you). 

but taking that time to instead read, watch

a show, meditate, stretch, or do whatever it is

that brings you peace is incredibly important.

our time is a precious commodity, and it should

not be wasted. 

last year, i dedicated a great deal of

time to varying social engagements, attended

events, and commuted all over the

city for said engagements. while fun (at times),

this time could have been spent in other

productive ways, too (let's not mention

the food, gas, and clothing money that was

also wasted last year--that is an 

entirely different topic). 

of course, i still value social engagements; they 

can be both productive and entertaining. however,

 i want to prioritize my time and energy on the friendships that

are most important to me. i suppose my point is that

i want to be more conscientious in regards to

how i spend my time and energy. you live, and you 

learn. i am eager to learn more about this!

^^^ i love the elbow-patch detail on this blazer ^^^

photos by jenn from hello rigby 

blouse: loft, jeans: american eagle,

blazer: banana republic (thrifted via seattle goodwill), 

purse: tj maxx, flats: vaneli (thrifted via seattle goodwill)

2017 taught me several important life

lessons: a career in a field i never thought

possible (finance of all things) is possible 

(and enjoyable, too); i can further my education

if i set my mind to it; friendships i once thought

were incredibly important may lessen over

time, but new friendships can also prosper; 

relationships (whether friend or romantic) take

a great deal of effort, and this effort cannot

be devalued; family is as important as ever during

busy and seemingly tumultuous phases of life;

and lastly, your health and wellness should

never be taken for granted (take care of

your body--this is something i am 

learning to be better about, as i had to 

greatly change my diet this past year).

what lessons were seemingly prominent

for you during 2017? what are some of your

goals or intentions for the new year?

xoxo.