{Pants – Old Navy (similar), Sweater – Banana Republic, Blouse – J.Crew, Necklace – Express (similar), Heels – Vince Camuto via heels.com}

In trying to blaze a new career path for myself these past few months, I have been thinking long and hard about what it is that I dislike about my current situation and what I desire in the future. I believe this job would be the perfect fit, don’t you?

Looking for a unique and talented self-starter with an entrepreneurial spirit and penchance for bringing home stray animals. This energetic and stylish individual must have a flair for fashion, drawing, and all forms of social media. Creative writing and photography skills are required, as well as the ability to multitask by blogging, tweeting, and pinning all while editing photos in Photoshop and cooking dinner. An outspoken person with a competitive spirit and desire to help others (even stray animals) is a necessity. Ability to balance multiple tasks while wearing high heels is a must.

Company 27 offers the following benefits:

Bottomless chocolate and coffee. Calorie free of course.

Bring your dog(s) to work. Teach them to fetch your boss a soda while you’re at it.

Daily workouts of zumba, yoga and running during lunch are encouraged and in some cases required for your mental health.

Work with the best, brightest and most stylish individuals. No weirdos here like most stuffy old offices.

As many holidays or personal days as you need.

Dress code? What dress code?

Work from home, work from the office, work from the Bahamas. Who cares where you are as long as you’re working?

Anyone want to work with me?

{Skirt – J.Crew (similar), Blouse – Banana Republic (similar), Tights – HUE, Heels – Nine West Flax, Glove – H&M, Necklace – Piperlime (similar)}

Friday I went to yoga for the first time in ages. I needed to stretch. I needed to clear my head. I needed a BREAK from everything, so yoga seemed like the obvious choice. Especially since my favorite teacher is back at my wellness center. (If you have read the blog for a LONG time, you might remember a time when I used to go 3 or 4 times a week!)

The message at the beginning of class was exactly what I needed to hear. Asteya, or non-coveting, is the concept of non-covetousness, that one should not even desire something that is his own. To sum it up in my own words, quit comparing yourself to everyone else and yourself. Your stuff is your stuff and you have to deal with your own stuff to move forward. Quit getting bogged down in everyone else’s “stuff.’ Guilty. Had the yoga gods been following me around all week and watching me crying at my desk or something? Not only am I guilty of comparing myself and my stuff to others but even worse, to myself. “I used to be able to do full splits,” “I used to be a fast runner,” “I used to be thinner,” or “I used to be happy.”

Much like yoga practice, you have to let all that stuff go before you can move on and improve. Sure I made some bad choices concerning my career, but I can and I will move on. To move on will require me to quit coveting, to quit spending all my disposable income on stuff that doesn’t make me happy, and to focus on what will make me happy. Which coincidentally requires me to take that disposable income from something that doesn’t make me happy and turn it into something that will. Thanks yoga, I’ll be back next week.

“God gives us everything we need, not necessarily what we think we want.”

Sorry I have been MIA this week, it’s been raining on my parade both literally and figuratively. Which means I have been getting to wear my pink Hunter rain boots! For the literal rain, obviously. Lucky for you Nordstrom has them on sale for $60 (half off!) so if you’ve been longing for a pair and didn’t want to drown your bank account, go get ‘em now!

Hunter Fuschia High Gloss Rain Boot – $60

Also available for sale in Teal, Chocolate, and Light Pinkin limited sizes.

{Pants – Zara (similar), Belt – GAP (similar), Blouse – H&M, Necklace – c/o Versona (similar)}

My friend Kristen and I were captains of our middle school cheerleading squad, so naturally we wanted nothing more at the end of the 8^th grade than to make it to our high school squad. I perfected my toe touches and herkies, brushed up on my dance moves, and read each issue of American Cheerleader religiously hoping to get a nugget of advice that would improve my chances. Perhaps I was overconfident when everyone told me I was a shoo in or perhaps I took it to heart, but when I didn’t make the squad I was devastated. So much time, effort, and literal sweat was put into something I wanted so badly and I had failed.

Much like an American Idol contestant, I vowed to come back next year hoping that another year of practicing and working out would give me a better chance at being on that precious squad. You can imagine my heartbreak when the following year my number wasn’t called. Another failure. Either having been a glutton for punishment or really damned stubborn (probably the latter), I gave it one more go in the 10^th grade. I borrowed an older girl’s cheerleading shoes (because shoes are always the answer to success, right?!), donned my best black and gold (our school colors), tied up my hair and shirt in bows (if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em?) and danced and jumped and yelled my little heart out. But unlike previous years, I stepped in that gymnasium sure that I was doomed for failure and was shocked when my number was actually called.

Moral of this story? Never give up on the relentless pursuit for success. There is a lot to be said about perseverance and I could take a note from my sixteen year old self. Strong will and determination can get you what you want even if it takes longer than you expect. And if all else fails, the right shoes and outfit will take you far in life.

{Blouse – J.Crew Blythe Blouse, Skirt – Anthropologie (similar) (similar), Tights – HUE, Heels – Ivanka Trump Gurdia, Gloves – H&M, Necklace – Gift from a coworker (her daughter made it!), Purse – Lewis Vitton}

Since it’s Friday and the weekend is so close I can taste it (tastes like SUGAR!), let’s do something fun. I used to love those chain emails that were sent around during my college days and just started seeing them again in the blog world. Sometimes it’s more fun to keep things lighthearted around these interwebs, right?

1.  Your style, summed up in 3 words: Colorful, classic, and affordable!

2.  Spring Shopping Wish List:  Pink jeans, stripes in all shapes and sizes, neon accessories and anything colorful or printed.

3.  Favorite way to unwind:  Running, running, more running. And naps. I like naps.

4.  Must-have beauty product:  Eyeliner. I look like a walking zombie without it. That “are you tired” question gets old after a while.

5.  Favorite magazine: Used to be Lucky but given the latest few issues I would say both Glamour and InStyle are pulling way ahead. Anyone else notice?

6.  Favorite Place to Shop: J.Crew for classic pieces, Forever21 for trends that come and go, and BaubleBar for bling!

7. Why did you start blogging: For a few reasons…my friend Kath suggested I start a blog and of course I thought I had nothing to blog about. Her advice? Blog about what you love and here I am. I took the fashion/style route because it’s always been a huge passion and I got tired of fielding the “Where did you find that?” questions from friends/family/coworkers.

9. What were you like in high school: Since a lot of my high school friends read my blog, I would love their take on this one I would say I was kind of reserved, which I guess hasn’t changed much. I was a cheerleader and dancer, so I spent a lot of time at practices and the rest of the time with my boyfriend and studying mostly.