Hello May + Resolution

Bam. Happy May. All month long, ladies. Reminded to you by Justin himself.
But seriously:

 

I greet this month with ecstatic joy for many reasons. First, there's more big change on the agenda that I'm thrilled about-- but more on that later. Second, April wasn't my month. Of course, I had a good ole time and the weather was beautiful and life was sunny, as usual. But I had some real hang-ups this month. Hang-ups I should have let go of, should have not tried to handle myself, should have exhaled and given them up to Someone much bigger.

But I didn't. And hindsight is 20/20. So I'm searching for ways to make this a positive learning experience for May.

You see, I am a worrier. As in, my thoughts sometimes get so far away from me that before I know it I'll be worrying about getting an incurable disease that stemmed from a stomach ache. I hinted at this a bit on Monday, but I'm talking about it a little more in-depth today because, to be honest, I got so many emails and comments from you after Monday's post that I have an inkling there are a few others of you out there with the same problem. So I'm admitting I have this problem. I preach lots of carpe diem, no-day-but-today talk. And I sincerely, truly believe there is reason for celebration and joy in all circumstances. But does that keep the knots from my stomach or the crazy thoughts from swirling in my head the moment a situation arises that I can't see the outcome of? Absolutely not.

And I have a real problem with letting those moments go and really giving them up, even though I think that I (probably, most likely) am. I've been a worrier since I was a child--a not-so-great characteristic that my mother is constantly trying to break me of. And even though I have tons of experience with worry not changing a thing, and really only adding stress or anxiety to my days, I keep doing it. For years, I have simply thought, I can't help it.

But I can. And I know this because He reminded me this morning:

"As you give yourself more and more to a life of constant communion with Me, you will find that you simply have no time for worry. Thus, you are freed to let My Spirit direct your steps, enabling you to walk along the path of Peace."

He tapped on my soul  and said, "Ainsley, why do you do this? Let Me. I'll show you the way." And I was calm. For the first time in a month, my anxiety and fear was overpowered with a sense of peace in that though I don't know the outcome, He does. So, for May, I'm going to
Consciously
Deliberately
Intentionally
Focus on letting Him deal with all the outcomes I can't see. No more nervous stomach, what-if thoughts, damning outcomes in my brain-- I'm in rehab for worrying, friends.

We just got real here, I realize. But do any of you have a sure-fire combat plan for worry?
Daily gratitude: Revelation and baby steps to change.
xoxo

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Soul Shine

Today's post will put my right back up on my soapbox.
The first thing I saw this morning was this video my sister posted about becoming especially emotional about.

And by darn it, I found myself tearing up, too. (Ok, no surprise there.)
I wrote long ago about being enough. It's been a sensitive topic for a long time for me—false expectations, realistic goals, perceptions of oneself and how it's all comparable. Then, when I watched that little video above on Dove's new campaign, I was reminded yet again that we girls have it tough.
We are, in fact, oftentimes our own worst enemies.

Women are, as a whole, exceptionally hard on ourselves—and incredibly so when it comes to our appearance. While I'm not saying that guys don't deal with similar issues, I'm willing to bet it has a lot more to do with masculinity, of which I can't relate to. The problem here is that we girls are just so feminine. And we have it especially tough because femininity in society is almost directly related to the way we look— which means that when our appearance doesn't add up to what we deem "ideal," we assign ourselves a lesser value.
Which is so dumb. We do we constantly scrutinize our appearance?

I wish my cheekbones were higher, my thighs were thinner, my hair was thicker, my legs were longer, my boobs were bigger, my lips were fuller. —quoted, Ainsley.

What? I am a guilty guilty guilty party in scrutinizing myself, fixing myself, covering up my flaws and hoping no one notices. Seeing a girl with beautiful, full lips and noting how thin mine are. Noticing someone's legs for days and hiding my short ones underneath the table. But I know for a fact I'm not alone. Because, just like in the video, our self-perception today is so skewed by what we deem ideal that we aren't seeing the true beauty assigned to each of us.

Self-improvement is a good thing, when expectations are realistic—I love nothing more than a new self-improvement goal. But I'm realizing now that my efforts of "improving myself" are often because I feel as if I'm not standing tall against the societal definition of beauty, and not because I want to improve on the attributes I was uniquely given. We're each made this way intentionally, and that's how we should think of ourselves. Those "wrinkles" at the corner of my eyes are from laughing, and I am thankful for reasons to laugh. Stop desiring to be thinner and start desiring to be stronger. There is a difference in taking care of yourself (what we should be doing, as a gift to ourself) and wishing to change yourself—the ultimate goal being to improve on and take care of what we have... not wish for something different or change it. And I think changing our mindsets to thinking this way not only makes us more at peace, but more beautiful as well. Because above all else, being good to your soul lights up your face and that's where the true beauty is.

Happy Wednesday, lovely girls.
Daily gratitude: A body that works and soul-sharing.
xoxo

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You Are A Perishable Item

A quote that I found for a client's social marketing purposes this week really hit home to me.
You are a perishable item. Live accordingly.

Now before you go all, "Thanks for reminding me I'm going to die, Ainsley" on me, let me stop by you by saying that I read it in terms of wellness. Mind. Body. Spirit. The package. You won't live forever. You are perishable. So be good to yourself. A self-proclaimed self improvement junkie, I'm guilty for throwing a Lean Cuisine in the microwave (more often than not) and pulling a protein bar out of the purse for lunch, carrying a lot of stress, and sometimes sweating the small stuff. But I'm working on those. Happier, healthier, stronger—those are pretty solid daily goals. And I've found a few articles as of late that I've taken special note of, and thought you might like, too.

Mind: Try one of these 25 things that only take one minute and lead to healthy habits—stretch, floss, take three deep breaths, some of them will surprise you. You can do most of them from your office, your car, the subway—no excuses, kids. While you're there, make sure your mind is at maximum capacity with these nine superfoods that will make you the smartest and fittest (ok, no promises) you've ever been.

Body: Found deep in a list of diet boredom buster recipes, this yummy glazed salmon had me literally drooling. Now, who wants to come over for dinner and help me with my kitchen prowess? I'll provide the wine. On the exercise front, this graphic on how to get the most out of your walk—yes you heard me, walk—really grabbed my attention. For the non-runners, it explains how to burn the max number of calories while you walk away. Or if you'd rather become a runner, then follow this little link here that has what seems to be a totally doable plan for those that aren't so light on their feet... yet (cough cough, hands raised).

Spirit: And since I'm all about my little reminders of our place and our purpose, don't forget this along the way.

Daily gratitude: a healthy body that takes me where I need to go, a healthy mind that allows me to think straight along the way, and a healthy heart full of love. 
xoxo

What March Has Taught Me

Yesterday someone asked me for the date and after answering them, I doubled back and thought, wow it really is March 26th.
Where did this month go?

2013 didn't joke around about being the year of change for me. And often throughout these first three months of the year, I've felt like I was navigating a rather rocky terrain—blindfolded. But those are the greatest life lessons, I've found. Because during it all, I've been led by a presence bigger than me towards something, though I'm not sure what that is, that is exactly where I'm supposed to be going. I'm absolutely confident in that.

March has been one big lesson. About who I am, gratitude, letting go, faith, and perseverance. Lessons have been abundant. Some frustrating, some exhilarating, some freeing—but all working towards making me a better me. And, in true Ainsley fashion, I wanted to document those lessons. Because I know I'm not the only one on the way somewhere great but with skepticism lurking in the wings.

I've found logic doesn't always win. As a planner, I rely on logic. 1 + 1 = 2. The obvious choice. Priorities lined up as they should be. But this year, I've found a lot of that to be untrue. Sometimes the heart leads and logic goes out the window. Sometimes passions distribute priorities rather than logic. And occasionally, 1 + 1 = 2... +1. And then you get something totally different. Deal with it.

Because there is not a formula to becoming who you want to be. And sometimes who you thought you wanted to be isn't really who you're meant to be at all. Sometimes, the heart defines that as well—a creative soul isn't comfortable in a cubicle, you discover an entrepreneurial spirit during your climb to the top of the corporate ladder, or a free spirit discovers they're better governed by rules and regulations. Your road to success isn't always straight and occasionally there are parts that are rocky and you have to hike, or it rains and you have to sprint, or, as my favorite Kid President reminds us, there are thorns and broken glass and though it's not cool (Robert Frost), you just gotta keep going until you find your beat to dance in the end.

And that's because plans change. And you only figure out your path by trying different ones. You really can do whatever you want to do. You just have to explore your options, and figure out a way to make it happen. Because all those people that told you it wouldn't be easy—well, they were right. It's not. Figuring out what you want is even hard. But your focus really does determine your direction—so stay focused on figuring it out, then how you're going to get there.

And that network of family and friends that's been around forever? The ones that you occasionally forget to call or become accustom to being there. Well, they're the most important thing. Because they're the ones who will surprise you. They'll support you—morally, directionally, financially—as you find your way. They'll understand what it is that you're doing, even if you really aren't so sure. And sure, sometimes your dad will play the devil's advocate intentionally or your mom won't understand your plans the first time, but they won't go anywhere. They'll qualm those fears that you'll never find your way. And your friends will send you encouraging messages and pray for you and tell you 19301 that you're special and will end up where you are supposed to be. Because you are and you will. When that defeating feeling knocks on the door of your heart, turn to these people.

Don't stop praying, though. In the car. In the shower. When you get scared. When you feel confident. Up, down, and sideways. Pray for direction but most importantly pray with gratitude. Because when you're focusing on the things you have, your blessings become abundant and it's easier to keep on keeping on.

Big changes are scary. But making a point to live the littlest moments with intention, and one day at a time, make change a little less threatening and far more exciting. Because even when the future seems a little fuzzy, you'll still have the opportunities to dance at a wedding with your best friends, to laugh at your brother, call your mom with an exciting update, and find the simple inspiration in everyday moments that add up to equal a well-lived life.

This is a long post, but it's a turning point post. Because what I learned in March is that, sure, I'm a public relations professional and a writer. But I'm also a blogger (or trying to be one), a friend, sister, daughter, stylist, art enthusiast, everyday moment enjoyer, thinker, doer, and the list goes on—I hope indefinitely. And for that I am thankful this month.

Daily gratitude: turning points and growth spurts.
xoxo

{Photo creds here}

Monday Mantra + Inside, Outside

Monday, Monday, Monday. You and I are beginning to resolve our relationship.

Perhaps it's the sunny blue skies and these new springtime sounds I can hear through my balcony. Perhaps its the new month stretched ahead like a blank canvas that seems so promising. Or, perhaps, it's simply the sense of change running through my veins that is invigorating as I stretch my legs for the first time in a while, beginning to create something a little different this time around.

Here's to the inside and the inside this week, my friends.
Happy Monday!
xoxo

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Tuesday Treats: Tips and Tricks

If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times: I am a self-improvement junkie.
I'm always looking for a way to be more fit, more organized, more creative, more resourceful. Don't get me wrong, I'm very satisfied with myself—but I think this habit probably has something to do with my desire to constantly evolve and keep things interesting—ya know, living with intention.

So, for a few treats this Tuesday, I've compiled a few tips and tricks lists from my favorite lifestyle genres that have me taking on new habits and trying new things in my daily routine:

Life: 4 Tips to GSD in Your Daily Life. GSD= Get S*** Done. And I am all about Getting S*** Done. And their is some awesome advice for adding filters to your email (whaaa?) that will change your inbox's life.

Interiors: 9 Interior Design Tips for Your Home. When to use what color, where to place that rug, when to use this over that—shortcuts for making your space a designer space.

Travel: 50 Greatest Festivals in the World. Though it's not technically an official tips and tricks list, it's tipping me off for where to plan my next vaca!

Beauty: The Best BB Creams for Your Skin. Y'all, summer is quickly approaching. Be your own best friend and find your perfect BB Cream. Thank me later.

Crafty Hands: Remove Your Own Gel Nail Polish (!!!). This was a big find for me—no time for that salon removal? Voila—do it yourself!

Hoping some of these work for you!
xoxo

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Happy {Awesome} Friday

Y’all. It’s Friday.

The past two weeks have, literally, felt like a lifetime—of uncertainty and change and decisions. But February 1 feels like a good time for a new beginning (you know how I love those). A fresh attitude. A fresh perspective. New, new, new.
So to get you started, please meet my newest bff though we’ve never met, The Kid President:
(I know many of you have seen this video, but judging by the numerous plays I’ve given it for the last week, once more won’t hurt ya.)

So there you go, loves. I wanna be on the road to awesome. Give the world a reason to dance. And thank goodness for Space Jam. (If you didn't watch the video, you don't get it. And you're also missing out!)

So, the unofficial theme of the weekend is 'awesome.' And for that, a few awesome things for you with my favorite Friday Finds for your weekend:

• An awesome mantra of encouragement here
• An awesome three-day cleanse to get you feeling light and new (my Mon-Wed of next week)
• An awesome tutorial for how to take better pics on you iPhone here—hello, instafamous
• A ridiculously awesome maxi here—like, so awesome I need to go try it on right now
• My awesome inspiration for my Super Bowl party contribution (tutorial to come if all goes well)

That should get you started.
Here's to a weekend embarking on the road to awesome!
xoxo

(Photo credits)

Diary of a Morning Person

Did you a double take when you read that title? I sort of did writing it. But it's true. After 25.5 years of resisting the early hours of the day, I can honestly proclaim that I am well on my way to true morning enjoyment.

Growing up, I was the little girl who had to be told three times to start getting ready as she stared at Full House groggily over eating her cereal. In high school, my teachers would stand outside homeroom door and watch as I flew down the hall while the tardy bell rang. In college, I quickly learned classes were absolutely not to be made before 9 a.m.—and that was even a little too early for complete comfort. So after entering the working world (ie: time management), I struggled with wanting to sleep up until the last minute possible while also wanting to rise early to utilize some extra hours in the day. Which, so it seemed, was impossible.

But then, last weekend, while on my bachelorette weekend in Nashville, I noticed I was rising naturally pretty early, refreshed and ready to go (and let me tell you, those nights were long). This was confirmed when —big moment here, people—I woke up this Saturday, naturally, at 7:30 a.m. and was out the door for coffee at 7:45.
If you know me, this is huge.

Let the record state that I adore sleeping in. But along the way, there have been some helpful tips and tricks I've found to get me moving. So, for all you other bedheads out there looking to start your morning earlier for whatever reason, maybe a compilation of a few of these will help:

• Set a new alarm—and no, not just a new time. I read about Morning Worm here, and immediately downloaded it. This iPhone app has you set an alarm, a song, and a trigger. So, when your alarm goes off in the morning and you snooze it, the song starts to play—and keeps playing until you complete a super simple puzzle, or shake your phone 30 times (whichever you choose). But trust me on this—at the end, you are wide awake. Set your alarm in ten minute increments as you work towards waking earlier so it doesn't shock your system too badly.
• Gulp a glass of water. Every night, I keep a bottle of water next to my bed. I found that drinking this water as soon as I wake up in the morning actually puts my feet on the floor.
• Make your bed. This sounds super simple, and maybe a little crazy but I'm convinced it's psychological. I make my bed every. single. day. And when I make my bed as soon as I hit the floor, it not only engages me in a thinking activity to stimulate my brain, but makes it much less appealing to crawl into the cozy, unmade bed you just came from.
• Wash your face. I'm pretty religious in my skincare routine and a before bed and in the morning face wash is a necessity before I apply any product to my skin. However, I noticed that if I washed my face first thing in the morning, as opposed to when I worked around to getting in the shower, the cold water woke up my eyes and charged me.
• Stretch. I don't mean a full-out pre-run stretch session. Now, maybe you yogis can throw in a few of your favorite poses here, but after washing my face, I typically take five seconds to stand up, fold over, and touch the floor or hug my knees. Then, I stretch my arms out to the side, over my head, and behind my back. For you morning exercisers (which is not me, unfortunately), your fitness routine probably does the same thing here—it gets your muscles buzzing and creates a little extra oomph to keep you from getting back in that bed. 
• Look forward to one thing in your morning routine. No one really loves to wake up early (and if you do, congratulations). But if you're waking for one rewarding activity, then it makes it a little easier to complete the above process. And nurture that activity. If your favorite thing is your morning cup of coffee, treat yourself to your favorite creamer or a pretty new mug while you're training yourself to wake up earlier. If you're waking up earlier for your quiet time, invest in a new journal that makes you happy. Maybe you're waking up earlier for a new fitness routine—that you just haven't grown to looooove yet—invest in some new workout clothes that make getting dressed feel like you could kick some serious bootay. Whatever it may be, remind yourself why it makes you happy and invest a little extra oomph in that activity.

Whew, I'm realizing now how slightly pathetic it may seem that I have to do these things in order to roll out of bed before 7 a.m., but it works. And if it doesn't, you can always follow these makeup tips here for simply appearing as if you are a morning person.

xoxo

(Photo creds via my Pinterest page)

Mid-Week Mashup

This post has been in drafts all week. With the week's events thus far, there's been no time to write. But as I finished my quiet time this morning and began to prepare for my day, I kept feeling nudged to finish.
So here I am.

Last week, I stumbled into a moment that nothing in my whole being wanted any part of. One of those real knock-you-out-and-down doozies. You know them—we all do. Feelings of insecurity, rejection and inadequacy flooded my conscience as unmet desires continued to be oh, so very unmet. And as I walked my dog around the neighborhood before bed, somehow, without my even realizing I was thinking it, one sentence filled my thoughts as I clung to it over and over:
You are more than enough.

He whispered it over and over as I began to repeat it to myself.

It's funny how life is a beautiful gift that can create and dish out these ugly, crippled situations to us: The job you didn't get and wanted so badly. The class you failed after trying so hard. The mistake you made when you weren't thinking. The boy who said you weren't special enough.

But you are more than enough. And that's why we're equipped to handle it when life throws curveballs quickly and furiously. I'm not sure about you, but I've never been so great behind a bat, so these curveballs shake me up a little more than perhaps the average person. But good news girls—He bats for us. And I was ever-so-thankfully reminded of that last week, when I was in danger of crumbling behind the bat, and He stepped up to the plate, took over, and kept me together.

I have no idea how that turned into a baseball metaphor, but I'm going with it.
So today, you are more than enough.

And turning the corner to other great things on this Wednesday that I've intended to write about this week but haven't:

1. The best news—the new issue of VIE hit the streets. You can read it here, and watch a behind-the-scenes video shoot of our cover here. It's good stuff—trust me.
2. It's officially cold here on the coast, and the lack of Fall attire means shopping is at the forefront of my brain right now. A few fantastic looks I fell in love with this week to incorporate into the ole wardrobe here, here, and here. 
3. Speaking of falling in love, if I had an excuse to wear this ensemble, I'm convinced I would. 
4. And lastly, though I'm late, an exquisite mantra for this week here  in light of recent events.

I hope the first half of your week has been a fabulous one!
xo

Photo credits here.

Living with Intention Lesson #2

I had a conversation the other day that I haven't quite been able to shake. It went a little something like this:
Me: Blah blah blah (I mean come on, this is me we're talking about). "I'm really just starting to think I expect too much."
Wise friend: "Excuse me—what? Those words have never come out of your mouth. When did that change, little miss 'I expect life to be lovely all the time'?"
Me: "I don't know, when I turned 25? Quarter-life crisis and such?"
Wise friend: "If by that you mean when everything you touched stopped immediately turning to gold, then ok."
Me: Silence.
Wise friend: "Hey, you said it—you're 25 now. Life isn't always easy. Gold takes a little longer to turn. That's why what you touch is that much more important."

Cue Mumford and Sons' "Awake My Soul."
Where you invest your love, you invest your life.

Living with intention lesson #2—touch only the things you deeply care about turning to gold.
I don't know about your days, but mine are often filled with completely frivolous things I feel like I must do. But respectively and ironically, I'm not a big fan of wasting time. Aside from the necessary evils—bills, working out, errands, etc—how often do you fill your time with things you could pretty simply say no to? I could list off a few pretty quickly. Many weeks have gone by where I feel like not only has nothing I've touched turned to gold, but many of those things haven't felt the warmth of my touch long enough to remember it was present. It's as if the world stands still and my presence in it is a blur of movement and self-imposed obligatory haste.

I tell myself weekly...no let's be honest—daily—to slow down. Spend more time on things, Ainsley, Because that wise friend was right (hey you, don't let your head expand): Be choosey with what you invest your attention on—the things you care about nurturing, deepening, succeeding in will only turn to gold when the others are discarded.
Relationships. Talents. Wellness—all golden things on my list.
Faith. Thanksgiving. Hope—all gold.
My relationship with Him—the ultimate golden presence.
Pay attention to your source of joy, and it turns to gold. Listen to where He says your attention should be, and He helps turn it to gold. Surrender to Him your attention—give up the things that steal it from Him—and let Him turn your life to gold.
Discard the clutter. Choose joy.

So many words and perhaps incoherent fragments of thought to simply say: Living with intention lesson #2—choose joy and turn your life to gold.

In case you missed living with intention lesson #1.
Happy Thursday—just one more day!
xoxo

{Photo creds}

Monday Mantra

I am such a dreamer.
My whole life, people have commented on this particular state of thinking. I think my parents probably thought I'd grow out of the mad make-believe skills I practiced as a child. But as I grew older, my tendency for daydreams turned into something slightly different—just good ole dreams in general. Dreams for my future—where I would go, what I would accomplish, what I would be good at, who I would share it with. I was, and still am, quite the dreamer in anticipating my future.

So, as I made plans for the future, I was used to seeing the slight smirk on the face of the listener, or a delicate nod, and yes, occasionally a laugh and an "are you crazy?" I was therein labeled a dreamer, a romantic, at times cheesy and unrealistic—all of which I embraced because really, what else can you do? I oftentimes still don't take in the realistic factors that go into planning the future because I do wholeheartedly believe, good things are about to happen.

And yes, I'll admit, my dreams are big. And they change quite often, but they never go away. But I never look at what I haven't done, only all that there is left to do. It has been an insatiable quest my entire young adulthood that I've accepted without reason—a desire for something more to life. So when I stumbled across this quote a few weeks ago, I couldn't quite shake the feeling that it pertained to me in quite the specific way. Until I was looking for this week's mantra, and it suddenly dawned on me:

I am constantly searching for adventure, romance, creativity, innovation and change because, quite simply, this world is not enough for me. This world is not enough for me because it was not made to be. We, with hearts full of love for Him and on our mission to continue to grow closer to Him, were made for Heaven with Him.

Simple as that. So there's my reason for all that dreaming—I was made for something bigger than this life.
Remembering that as I start my week. Here's to a good one!
xoxo

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Monday Mantra + October + More Confessions

I'm ignoring the fact that I haven't written in almost a month.
I'm also ignoring the fact that I've said that before.
The truth is, I'd look at the blank pages of my blog as life was happening so quickly around me, taking aways moments, hours, days in what seemed to be the blink of an eye. I'd look up and, oh, yes, there it goes—I've stopped making time (like I've discussed here before.) I was left wondering, more than once, about balance and managing everything just so and how occasionally weeks can seem like a house of cards that you're building up, up, and up with the utmost optimism but maybe, and who knows when, those cards will fall if you aren't careful. I would look up from my cell or my computer or the camera just long enough to think, I'm just so busy, I don't possibly have time to do anything else one hundred percent, so I'll wait just a bit longer until I do.
And then I stumbled across this, and it couldn't have fallen together more perfectly:

Sometimes all you need to get back in the groove, whatever your groove may be, is a little nudge. And it looks like Miss Prepared for Everything could use to be a little less prepared.
Big surprise.
So here I am, making time again. For what, exactly, who knows? But making time nonetheless. Maybe making time for phone calls and catch-ups. Making time for long walks and lessons. Making time for writing words that come straight from the soul, and making time for me so that moments to myself don't feel so much like this:

Making time, essentially, to live life a little less deterred by the significantly small amount of hours in the day and let the edges unravel just enough that the schedules and time frames aren't quite so important.
September was a month of whirlwinds and fantastic adventures. After spending a week in New York for Fashion Week take two, I jetted back to the beach for birthdays, reunions, and a challenging but creatively satisfying work schedule. And amidst the events and the photo shoots and the meetings and the planning, I was thankful for moments when I felt myself able to exercise the ole brain muscle.
But now it is October, already, which always means a new start essentially. So here's to a Monday mantra, though a bit late in the game, celebrating a bit less planning and a lot more doing.
Happy Monday.
xoxo

Photo creds here.