The Taste of Freedom

TOP: Wilfred, SHORTS: Zara, SHOES: Loeffler Randall, WATCH: Michael Kors, NECKLACE: Club Monaco

The long weekend is finally here and for the first time in what seems like months, I feel free.  No longer beguiled by some haze preventing better judgment, nor pressured by some lingering burden awaiting resolution. I've learned to say "no", set my boundaries and it's come at an amazing price: prioritizing me and having more time to focus on the things that really matter.  

See, it's hard for me to back away from things without wanting my hand in all of it. Blame it on my OCD, it's just not in my nature to strictly perform to standards - anything less than exceptional just doesn't cut it. Undoubtedly, this stems from fear of losing control and not wanting to let people down, but as of late, I've been finding that this behaviour is a one way ticket to burn-out and self-resentment.  Danielle LaPorte describes this notion to a T (click here).

Recently, an opportunity slipped through my fingers and I was beating myself up over why I couldn't overcome this wall that was set before me.  Something was blocking my ability to complete the task at hand, and while I justified the delay, I knew excuses weren't going to get me anywhere. So you were busy, you couldn't find the time, etc. - the work isn't going to get done while you sit on your ass and watch the world go by.  

What's done is done, and all I can do now is learn from this experience and hope it doesn't happen again.  Can this be guaranteed? Probably not. But I sure as hell won't go down without a fight, knowing that I did everything in my power to not let another good opportunity pass me by.

BDFL

BLOUSE: H&M, SHORTS: Aritzia, SHOES: Aldo, WATCH: Movado, NECKLACE: Forever21

A few weeks back, a friend asked if I would be interested in participating in Coquitlam Centre's "Best Dressed For Less" event. Bloggers and local influencers would be tasked with finding an outfit for under $150 - a challenge involving one of my favourite activities? How could I say no to that! For the weeks leading up to the event, I also contributed weekly posts on various trends and inspirational themes which can be found here, here and here.

Despite my best intentions to prepare with a little pre-shopping online, it's never the same story once you're actually in the heat of it.  From varied product selection to budgetary and time restraints, this was definitely putting a spin on your average shopping experience! Luckily, I managed to put together this top and bottom combo for just under $100 and was happily surprised with the matching lace sections, pastel colour combo, and ethereal details in the peplum and subtle trim on both blouse and shorts. Both items are perfect as a pair and stand well alone as essential pieces that mix nicely with my current wardrobe.

It was great to see what the other participants came up with and I'll be sure to post photos from the event in the days to come.

Gambier Island Photo Diary Pt II

It's been such a surreal transition back to daily life.  Now that summer has set in, it's like the whole city is on vacation - almost as if a collective burden of pressure has been lifted now that the sun is out to play.  Am definitely missing my uninterrupted time on Gambier. The luxury of feeling isolated in a serene, independent kind of way dissolved any fear of failure, anxiety, pressure and the like. 

Gambier Island Photo Diary Pt I

Summer has finally arrived. Regardless of how long you've dwelled in this city for, the sudden heat wave catches you completely off guard in an omg-this-is-amazing-but-I'm-totally-dying, kind of way.  Luckily, I had the pleasure of spending the past few days on Gambier Island - a hidden gem best known for its national park and Camp Fircom, a children's summer camp and retreat. On this particular weekend all the staff were given time off so we had the island all to ourselves.  

Comeback Kid

KIMONO: H&M, PANTS: Wilfred, BELT: Club Monaco, CALF SKIN SHOES: Yosi Samra, NECKLACE: Forever 21, WATCH: Movado

It's been a rough past few months. Expectations and opportunities gone in the blink of an eye. You find yourself dwelling on what went wrong and all the reasons why things didn't work out as expected.  You're in a funk and can't seem to shake it. While part of you knows that this shall pass, you desperately seek the answers or some opportunity to escape the haze surrounding you. We've all been there: the semi-conscious state of mind that allows you to function day to day, but dulls your senses and fizzles your inner fire.  

Now that I'm on vacation, my mind has essentially reset itself. I've been able to better prioritize, spend time with friends, eat clean, exercise and clear my head.  I've also been diving into The Fire Starter Series by Danielle La Porte, which has contributed greatly to my new outlook on life.  Finally, I'm beginning to feel my head emerging above the clouds and inspiration is spreading from head to toe. Admittedly, I still have a ways to go in my pursuit of defining life on my own terms, but my instinct is telling me that things are about to get real good, real soon.

Twenty IV

A quarter of my life, nearly complete.  It's been quite the ride thus far and yet I have so much farther to go.  More dreams to dream and greater achievements to be conquered.

Working For The Weekend

I had the pleasure of spending the past few days modelling for Tonic Lifestyle Apparel's Fall 2013 Catalogue. Complete with blue steel looks - to mask our discomfort from the cold  - and plenty of goofing around, it was a real treat working with the Tonic creative team, and I can't wait to see how it all comes together!