Twenty-Three//

Sometimes life is hard,

and sometimes milestones such as birthdays are only

further reminders of life's stale moments. 

In a world that is increasingly unsatisfied,
where we are told to be smarter, better, and more innovative.
Where success is equated to being the mastermind
behind the next BIG thing.....
where do we find happiness?

If we stop it all...
take a moment and breathe.
What fills our imaginations?
What brings our souls life?
What makes us feel 'alive'?

These are all questions I've stopped and asked myself
over the past few months.
Regrouping.
What do I want my life to be known for?
In ten years,
will I regret the hamster wheel of success I spun on
or will I be happy with my choices that 
brought my heart fulfillment?

On my 23rd year of life,
I had the option of looking at my circumstances
and comparing my life and achievements
to the surmounting pressure of success
that have haunted me for the majority of my life.
OR
I could recount the amazing moments I HAVE
lived.
The places I have traveled.
The individuals I have met.
All of which
have taught me so much about what life should be.
About, what beauty truly equates to.
About what living a life of meaning truly is.

I have found life more truly lived
in the one room shacks of Nicaragua,
than the mansions
and excess of the western world.

I have found more beauty on the faces of kids 
running through dirty roads with no shoes,
and only a heart full of life
and a soccer ball at their feet,
than the iphone 6 faces of the kids who fill our
picket fenced in houses.

I have found more love and embrace
from those who face immense poverty and increasing violence daily
in the gorgeous and creatively fueled country of South Africa,
than the individuals who have it all and still want more.

To be honest,
I am not interested in becoming the next BIG thing.
I am interested in the unsung heroes of the world.
The individuals who are passed over by the 
seemingly elite,
but have a wealth of wisdom stored up in them.

I have learned more about what life is truly about
 from the man shooting himself up with heroin
on the streets of San Francisco in the wee hours of the night,
than the career mentor pressuring me
to pursue a job simply because it brought
success and money.

To the 80 year old woman,
who sells her ice cream
from her Eskimo cart on the streets of Nicaragua.
Thank you for showing me YOU.
Your beauty.
Your love of life.
Your face,
lined with the wrinkles
that show a life well lived,
and a heart full of wisdom and love.
Thank You.

So to my 23rd year of life,
may you be marked by all things meaningful
and not just the american dream
of success and excess.
May my life be strung together
by moments of beauty 
and meaning.

peace. love. joy.

Milan. Milan. Milan//

Street Style,

Milan Edition....

{Tommy Ton at Style.com}

Who's That Girl?//

You know that moment when you

see someone's style and you just instantly identify with it?

You're inspired and enthralled all in one?

Welp,

that is exactly what happened to me

when I stumbled upon blogger

Pernille Teisbaek.

OBSESSED.

Check out her blog for yourself and be inspired for days,

http://lookdepernille.com/

peace. love. joy.

Weekly Inspo//

{vickynspiration,lacooletchic}

peace. love. joy.

Street Style #LFW//

{Images via Tommy Ton at Style.com}

Elizabeth & James SS15//

Some fresh Olsen designs to lust after for Spring...

{via Style.com}

peace. love. joy.

Street Style #NYFW//

Let the Spring Show madness begin--

Photo Credit: The One & Only Tommy Ton

Peace. Love. Joy.

Be Present//

Be Present.

The two words that are making their rounds in my head the past couple days.

How awful I have become at being present.

How much of my days I spend in the past, the future,

or simply with my head inside of the technology in my hands.

I wonder, truly

when was the last time I simply was in the moment at hand?

I've learned that.....//

I've learned that sometimes the journey is lonely.

And, sometimes the people you thought would understand, don't.

It's easy to stick to the path

that the audience will applaud you for.

It's much harder to do what is on the inside of you;

the choice often misunderstood,

that will receive much speculation

and critique.

When you no longer have the benefit of the crowds praise.

When it's just you and your heart,

what will guide you?

What will bring strength?

Courage?

Endurance?

Often, I have found in my life

that the more uncomfortable I am,

the more I feel I am doing what I was destined for.

The beautiful thing?

Eventually we find our tribe,

eventually we find those one or two individuals

who completely get it.

In those moments we realize

the journey of inner strength and trust

was all worth it.

peace. love. joy.

Courage//

In the turning of times,

the changing of seasons,

and the stepping into the unknown I tend to turn towards several 

people that inspire courage on the inside of me.

Primarily, my Grandmother and Queen Victoria.

Their stories, and the history they left behind inspire me in such 

immense ways.

My Grandmother,

who was raised in the concrete jungle of NYC,

born of immigrant parents who came from the great country of Ireland to start

a new life.

She eagerly, and passionately

 fought for her education .

Not simply for hopes of a grand career.

But, rather because she valued who she was,

and what she could bring to the table. 

She valued her mind,

and the ability to read, write, and reason.

That is something that I won't every forget.

That is a legacy she left for generations to come.

Secondly, Queen Victoria.

A young woman,

who at the age of 18,

left utter obscurity

to find herself on the throne.

Not only did she "sit" on the throne and

hold a position.

She made a difference with the influence she was given,

an influence that is still felt and respected to this day.

She looked fear straight in the eye;

she didn't pay heed to the negative attacks thrown her way

about the inability to govern a nation at such a young age.

I want that courage.

The courage,

that looks the unknown in the eye,

and chooses to venture on in the arms of Trust.

peace. love. joy.

Surf's Up//

Girls who surf have always been a source of inspiration 

since I was a little girl.

Attitude, style, strength--

its everything to me.

To free spirits && adventure....

peace. love.joy.

{http://alanablanchardfr.tumblr.com/}

Compartmentalizing Charity//

At times it seems like the only way to be doing something great with your life amounts to some sort of suffering or at least being 'around' those who are suffering. 

When did we start equating greatness and destiny; living a noble life, with going to a third world country or filling our days with outspoken philanthropy work? 

What if the whole point of destiny lies in the simple things that make you, 'you'?

What if we stopped compartmentalizing our lives and instead of love having to be dropping everything to move to another country, maybe it could be all about the everyday tasks and passions being filled with life, and purpose. Maybe, who we are was meant to change the world.

And, maybe philanthropy could became an everyday part of life, so natural there is no need to brag on one's good deeds but simply BE those good deeds.

After all, 

What would happen if we all moved to another country in hopes of greater purpose?

Who would our doctors be?

Our teachers?

Our small business owners?

Our designers?

Our artists?

Our police?

Our fireman?

Our social workers?

And on and on it might go...

All manners of what we love and do make up life, and it all MATTERS and it is all equally as important. 

Just some thoughts.

Peace. Love. Joy.

Contained//

Living in the Western World it's easy to stay contained in our own little box.

To forget what lies outside of our four little walls we lock ourselves in.

I think mostly its fear,

fear of what we might see if we look beyond.

The immense injustice that permeates the globe.

The truth is:

you may be able to occupy yourselves within your "little" box,

but it won't change the life thousands of individuals wake up to each day.

We drown ourselves in materialism, and entertainment,

and all manners of business to keep ourselves 

out of reach from the reality so many face.

Just think though,

what if we decided to create change,

be change?

Instead of shrink back and hide,

and act like there is nothing to be changed in the first place.

peace. love. joy.

The Little Things of Life.//

      "Everyone is trying to accomplish something big, not realizing that life

is made up of little things."

Frank A. Clark

This quote has been resonating deep within me lately. 

The little things of life,

what a sentiment.

These past months I've found myself in a crazy

work, school, 'just survive'

cycle of sorts.

My heart dreaming BIG dreams...

wanting to do this, and that,

and everything...

but, my life being caught up in the daily,

little miniscule things.

Life has brought me into a season of being consumed with the little things,

and it has caused me to really value those little things.

Looking towards what lies ahead for me,

I know its going to be filled with hard work,

and sacrifice and a lot of those 'little' things.

But, I know in order for those BIG things in my heart to take place,

I must take ahold of those little things and allow them to become 

a meaningful part of my life journey.

peace. love. joy.

The Baby//

"The baby not ready for light or air or germs or loud raping men in uniforms.

The umbilical cord still dangling, still attached to the mother bleeding all over the 

Congolese soil, the mother whose baby was severed from the cord and then tossed

in the air like a ball by soldiers, the baby too embryonic to indicate pain,

unable to cry or scream out, in front of the women,

whose babies had already been taken or murdered or strangled or dropped in the forest.

Then the soldiers tossing the baby into a boiling pot, one of them with a knife, jabbing at the boiling

flesh, raising it from the pot and shoving it at the women, scorching their mouths.

Eat the baby or die. Eat the baby of have your head blown off.."

{Excerpt from "In the Body of the World" by Eve Ensler}

A reminder to all of us in the western world

that fill our lives with pettiness and empty noise.

May we remember those around the world,

whom live outside of our precious little bubble

and choose to live our lives for causes greater than ourselves.

peace. love. joy.

Oscars.//

{Pinterest, Tumblr}

peace. love. joy.