Resolutions + Achievements

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Happy New Year everyone! I love getting the opportunity to have a fresh start with the new year so I thought I would share my new year's resolutions to help keep me on track! After getting started on this post, however, it really got me thinking - at the end of every year, why don't we also celebrate the achievements of the past year and focus on how far we've come as well? This year I've achieved so much and didn't even realize it until I stopped to think about the year that's gone by. I've shared some of my happiest and biggest achievements of the past year below and I hope that you will sit down, even just for a moment, to reflect on and appreciate what you've achieved this year, too. It's something we rarely take the time to do and it's one of the most important because what's the point of making new goals if you don't celebrate where you've been? 

• Graduated college and started a big girl job
• Adopted an animal & started volunteering at an animal shelter
• Moved to a new city (and made friends! - whew!)
• Started a blog (:

But ahhhh back to the new year's resolution. Every year I always make a huge list of things I want to accomplish and like 99% of people, my resolutions usually fall through the cracks. I struggle with new year's resolutions because I have too many things I want to accomplish and not enough time! There are so many languages I want to learn, so many things I want to write about, and so many places I want to go. I've already made a giant list of things I want to accomplish in my planner, but I know fully well that it's completely impossible to accomplish everything. I think half the time, I write things down just to remind myself of all the goals I have in life - even if it won't be accomplished in that year.

This year, I hope to actually keep my new year's resolution by making this year's focus on one thing only. As cheesy as it is, I think this is the year that I want to truly focus on my health. Not just the working out/sweating type of health but a more comprehensive type of health. I want to eat healthier. I want to focus on the health of not only problem spots like love handles, but body parts like my teeth and skin as well (This means moisturizing and flossing - things that lazy me hates to do!). I also want to practice more self-care and to remember to schedule time for myself to keep my emotions and mind just as healthy as my body.

On top of all of that, however, I also plan on looking at this resolution from a more bird's eye view perspective because I want be kind to myself throughout the process of becoming a healthier me. If that means a cookie here and a lazy morning there instead of cardio or a salad, then that's okay, too. So this year, I'm hoping to keep my resolution of being healthy - but with a little dose of realism and honesty (: 

What are your resolutions this year? This is a great time of year to re-vamp and get a fresh start on any new goals - but remember to be kind to yourself in the process! 

PopSugar Must Have: December 2015

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I think this month's PopSugar box is my favorite of all of the boxes I've received! There's not one thing in this month's box that I won't be using. Plus, it's introduced me to a couple of new brands that I love and am excited to learn more about! As always, my curious little cat couldn't keep her paws off the new goodies so I've featured some of her shenanigans as well (: 

The PopSugar Must Have box is a monthly subscription (about $40/month or less if you make a 3 or 6 month commitment)  that sends subscribers full-size versions of the season's must-have beauty, fashion, home, and fitness products.

I love that the PopSugar box includes a little card each month with descriptions of all the products. Having these descriptionsmakes me even more excited to try all of the products because there are suggestions on how to use each one of them. Plus, being the nerd that I am, I love to go back through my past subscription cards to see all the goodies I've gotten over the years.

Luv Aj The Rose: Gold Ombre Bracelet - Retail $65

After an initial look at this ombre bracelet, I loved the style but wasn't sure how it would fit with my existing accessories/clothing since I very rarely buy anything that resembles a chain. After wearing it alongside my watch for a couple of days, however, the bracelet has really started to grow on me! The simplicity of the bracelet means that it pairs well when placed with other accessories. Although I do wish that the whole thing was rose gold instead, the ombre colors are very in tune with current trends.

Stowaway Cosmetics: Crème Lipstick Trio - Retail $30

I love the size of this sweet little lipstick trio! Lip products are my number one makeup purchase but I always find myself not being able to use up all of my lipsticks before they expire. These stowaway lipsticks are the perfect little size and incredibly handy to carry around in a purse or even a clutch. Plus the lipstick colors are beautiful and bright and the lipstick itself has a nice faint minty smell.

Nima Oberoi: Lunares Geo Stopper - Retail $24

I am constantly losing my wine stoppers (I have no idea where they disappear to - probably the same place as all my hair ties and bobby pins wander off to) so I was very excited to receive this geo stopper. All of my other stoppers are rubber and come in bright colors so I like that this stopper has a classy, more luxurious-looking design.

Swing Design Nova: Blue Mist Jewelry Box - Retail $36

This little jewelry box is so sweet and adorable! The light blue color is absolutely beautiful and the material on the outside is incredibly soft. Since I already have a bajillion boxes/hangers for my jewelry, my plan is to use this as a desk organizer for my office. Since it’s such a simple, classic-looking box it would pretty much fit in anywhere as the perfect place to store knick knacks. 

My Cup of Cake: Classic Belgian Chocolate - Retail $5.99

I was pleasantly surprised by this little Belgian cake in a cup mix! I’ve tried a couple of Pinterest mug cake mixes that ultimately didn’t end up being very tasty so hopefully a pre-made mix will make a slightly more successful cake. I’m excited to use this mix on a cozy holiday evening with some hot chocolate and slippers (: 

Meri Meri: Silver Stars on White Glitter Tape - Retail $4

One of the things I love about PopSugar is that the focus of their box is not just limited to beauty or fashion items. As someone who is not only beauty-obsessed but also an organization freak, I loved this little glitter tape addition to the box! Although I think it's intended for Christmas-wrapping, I love using different colored tapes in my planner so I plan to use this glitter tape there. 

Gift Tag Stickers + $20 Tiny Prints Promo Card + coupons

I used these Tiny Prints gift tag stickers (not pictured- sorry!)  as soon as I received them as I had a box full of presents labeled with sticky notes at the time! These gift tags are classically designed and simple to use so I will definitely be looking into more of the Tiny Prints products to see where I can use my $20 promo card! PopSugar also included two coupons for future Stowaway and My Cup of Cake purchases.

This was the last box of my initial 3-box test run of the PopSugar Must Have and I’m hooked! I’ve already been planning on buying more PopSugar boxes and saw that they had a fantastic deal for $75 off 6 more boxes. Unfortunately for me - because I didn’t read the fine print carefully - this meant that I made the mistake of buying two December boxes. Lucky for me, however, I love every single item in this box so much that I’m not even mad that I’ll be getting a double! 

What did you think of your December PopSugar box? I would love to hear from you! 

Last-Minute Holiday Gift Guide!

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I'm usually a huge planner making lists upon lists of Christmas gifts months before the holiday gifting season even starts, but there are always a few that somehow slip through the cracks and become a part of my last minute scramble to get every gift ready for the holidays. I thought I would share my last-minute holiday gift guide for every type of person on your gift list!

For the coffee addict:

Starbucks Mugs: $10-$30 (Their holiday styles are on sale now!) Any coffee addict knows that a big, cozy coffee mug makes a huge difference when it comes to rough mornings. Starbucks has a huge selection of mugs in all shapes and sizes with a huge variety of patterns as well. Their travel mugs and tumblers, too, are some of the sturdiest and most stylish ones out there. I've found that a lot of mytravel mugs end up leaking after use or start to deteriorate after a season, but my Starbucks mugs are always just as put together as the first day I bought them. 

For the mother-in-law:

Bath & Body Works Candles: $22.50 (currently $15 on sale!). Candles are one of the easiest gifts for anyone who owns a home or apartment and loves making it just a little bit homier! Bath & Body Works has an amazing line of three-wick candles that comes in all kinds of scents. Since the holiday season is prime time for candle buying - they're very easy to find and pick up - which makes them perfect for last-minute gifting! 

For the work-a-holic:

Day Designer: $50 + Shipping. I haven't even started using my 2016 Day Designer yet and I'm already suggesting it as a gift. Work-a-holics need an on point organization to get all of their work done and Day Designers offer a classy, beautifully styled planner that is set up to make organizing hectic lives easier. 

Desk Terrarium: $18-$50.  Work-a-holics are constantly stressed and staring at a boring desk all day can make for long days. A desk terrarium brings a little bit of green outdoorsiness into the office and can help brighten your work-a-holic's mood! 

For the hard-to-shop-for dad/brother:

Go Tech: cost varies. I've always found it incredibly difficult to shop for the men in my life (dad, brother, boyfriend - you name it) but one thing I've found that they generally all appreciate is tech gifts . While tech gifts tend to be a little on the pricier side, the sleeker and more high-tech a gift is, the more likely they are to appreciate the gift! Some examples of past gifts I've given include noise cancelling headphones like these and wireless chargers like this one.

Birchbox Man: $20/month (or less if you buy a 3 or 6 month deal). I know, I know - here she goes again with the subscription boxes - I can't help it! Subscription boxes have not only been fun for me, they've also been a life saver when it comes to gift ideas. There's a subscription box for nearly everything and when it's gifting season and I'm running out of ideas, they are perfect because all you have to do is select a box that caters to the interests of your giftee. Plus, it's a gift that keeps giving long after the holiday season has passed, which in my opinion, makes it more fun! Birchbox man is an awesome box if you have a hard-to-shop-for man in your life. It provides a monthly subscription of hygiene and lifestyle items that are picked and sent for you (less work for you!). 

For the couple-friends:

Groupons: cost varies. As I've gotten older, there are more and more cases where I feel like I need to get my couple friends a collective "couple gift" rather than individual gifts - especially since I usually know one of them better than the other but don’t want the other to feel left out! Usually when I'm in a pickle like this, Groupon becomes my number one source of "couple" gift ideas. There are tons of date night ideas to choose from - plus, you can instantly print the groupon out or send it via email which makes it a perfect last-minute gift. 

For the health-crazed:

Fitbit: varies. I can't say enough good things about my fitbit and would highly recommend it to anyone else who is looking to keep better tabs on their fitness goals this upcoming year. Tracking my eating habits and workouts has given me a realistic look at what I need to do to be healthier - plus it's fun to compete with friends who also have fitbits to see who can get the most steps (:

ClassPass: varies by city. If you're lucky enough to live in or close to a big city, ClassPass is a fantastic service that allows you to take classes at boutique yoga, pilates, cycling or other fitness studios with just one pass (instead of having to buy each membership individually!) While I currently do not have a class pass because I'm part of a gym that offers great classes, Classpass is something I've considered joining over and over again because it offers such an unbeatable deal. 

For the perpetually-cold:

Toast Hand Warmers: $46. Not only are these the cutest hand warmers to have ever graced the earth, they are also incredibly useful for the perpetually-cold! Just make sure to check on the dress code of your friend's office - while they're adorable, they may not be considered "professional"!

For the cat-lover:

Space Cat Leggings: $16.  Because….well, who doesn’t want leggings with cats in space on them. 

I hope that these last-minute holiday gift ideas can help round out your holiday shopping for the 2015 season! Happy Holidays everyone!