Motivational Monday: Forgiveness

Today we are changing up Motivational Monday a little bit. I'm still going to be posting quotes and writing down some feelings, but for the most part, everything I have to say will be in a video. I think this a cool way to express myself to you guys in a way that is more personal than just words being typed down as I think. In a video you can see a persons raw emotion and connect with them on a deeper level. I hope you guys enjoy this new and improved version of Motivational Monday!

Today's Quote:

So this post/video went up a day late because iMovie decided it wanted to quit every time I tried to upload the video to YouTube! But better late than never! 

Motivational Monday: Start Now and Live Your Dreams

The other day I was doing my usual routine at work, fixing clothes, folding panties, etc. But the conversation I was having with one of the girls I work with was a little different. Typically we talk about our boyfriends, makeup, funny things, and what not. This day we were talking about our dreams and our goals for the future. She's very good at her job, I mean really good, but I know she doesn't want to work in retail forever. 

She had mentioned that she was thinking about going back to school for interior design, but wasn't too sure about it. I had questioned her a little bit about her hesitancy and listened to her concerns. Turns out, she and I are pretty similar. The whole "jack of all trades" type. I like a bit of everything, and i'd like to actually accomplish a bit of everything. So does she. 

I guess my little story for you was to stress the importance of doing what you love no matter what. You can work, go to school, have a family, and still pursue your dreams! There are so many ways to accomplish so much these days! Online course, self teaching, night school, and much more. 

I have a friend who works 2 job and is going to school to be a surgical technician. Another is working, raising her daughter as a single mother, and going to school to be a social worker. I'm working, running a blog and 2 YouTube channels, and preparing to go for my MBA. 

There is always time for you to live your dreams. Start now and you'll never regret it. 

Motivational Monday: Live Your Dreams

There's something that I tend to say to my family, mostly Briam and my dad, a lot. And that lovely phrase would be "Trust me, I got this." I can remember saying that to my dad so long ago, it's amazing. And somehow, each time I say it, I actually do have a handle on the situation. Maybe it doesn't seem like it, but I do. 

The best/funniest example I can think of is one of the more recent situations. In May, I graduated with my BA in Organizational Management. I seriously had no idea what I was going to do. I kind of figured I was going to fold panties for a living and hope that my blog would make me millions one day.   At this time my dad and I began walking in the mornings together just to workout and have some daddy-daughter time. Every morning we would walk, no joke, he would ask "Do you know what you're going to do?" and I would reply "No, but trust me, I got this." and about 2 months later, I decided I was going to get my MBA and I applied to my grad school of choice, and I got in. 

I got this. 

And now the most recent situation is me trying to get a handle on my weight. If you read my post about avoiding the freshman 15, then you know that I did not avoid the freshman 15, and that I have gained around 100lbs since I started college. Being the nice man that my father is, he's always asking about my health and trying to give me not so subtle hints about my weight, out of love of course. And every time it's brought up I say, "Trust me, I got this." Hopefully I really do "have it" this time. 

But I guess the point of this is that no matter the situation, you got this. When everything looks outright impossible, you got this. Whether it's school, your weight, your future, finances, what ever it is, you got this. I have been in every boat imaginable and I can relate to almost anything situation you are going through. My step-mom always tells me that when things go bad, you allow yourself to feel the pain for 1 day. That's it. After that, you pick yourself up and get it together. 

You all know that I'm a huge advocate for doing what make you happy. And if you have a dream that is larger than life and you just can't see the end result, you got this. I believe in you. 

In light of recent events, if there is ever a point where you feel you need to talk to someone, I'm always here. I will help you through whatever it is you are going through. There is no shame in asking for a helping hand and a shoulder to lean on. You must do good things for others in hopes that one day if the tables are turned, they will do good things for you. 

Fashion Inspiration: Summer Style Savings

Ever wish you could buy gift cards at a discount or sell your gift cards for cash? Well I've got the answer to your problems, Raise.com! Here you can search for your favorite stores and purchase gift cards at a discounted price. This is perfect for revamping your summer wardrobe and getting extra stylish without breaking the bank. Whether you need new workout clothes or want a new bikini, Raise has got you covered! The possibilities are endless when you have the freedom to chose where you want to shop for your summer style! Save your cash and visit Raise.com now!

Amp up your summer wardrobe buy buying gift cards here: BUY

Need some extra cash for summer activities? Sell your gift cards here: SELL

Theme Park Look

Get your American Eagle cards here!

Summer Workout Look

Get your Under Armour cards here!

Beach Party Look

Get your Buckle cards here!

How would you style these summer looks? 

Motivational Monday - Shooting Down Negativity

So something amazing happened to me on Thursday. I was accepted into grad school! I'll be going next July for my MBA in Marketing. I could not be more excited. 

But something that has been coming along with the congratulations is not so sweet, and I wanted to use this Motivational Monday to address it. The first thing everyone I've told about my acceptance has said, right after congrats, is "What about Briam?" 

And I explain the situation: He'll stay here, I'll go to school. It's only 2 hours away. We have text, FaceTime, Skype, calling, and he'll come visit every 2 weeks. 

The next thing they say: "That's going to be so hard, isn't it? Aren't you going to miss him? Are you going to break up? Do you want to break up? Do you not love him?"

All of those questions make me so angry. 

Yes, it's going to be hard. Yes, I'm going to miss him. No, we're not breaking up. No, I would never want to break up with him. Yes, of course I love him. 

I'm going to get my MBA because it's something that I've always wanted. It's something that I know I need in my life to feel fulfilled. Briam understands this. He would never object to something that is only going to better my life. And his too. 

I want you all to know that if you truly want something in your life, and you feel extremely passionate about it, go for it. The right people will stand by your side no matter what. The people who are meant to be in your life are the ones who will support you the whole way through. And if anyone speaks negatively about your dreams or goals, dismiss them. At no point do you need negativity in your life. Take your goals and run forward. Do what you need to do to get where you want in life. 

My education is something no one will ever take away from, and I plan on keeping it that way. 

Food for thought: My dad always said "If someone is mean to you, they're probably jealous of you." 

Motivational Monday - A Brand New Me

This quote really stuck with me today. It's taken time, but I've learned that if you live your life trying to please people, you'll never please yourself. You'll never be happy with your accomplishments because you'll forever have the need to be validated by someone else. Well for me, that era of people pleasing ends here.

This past week has been a very good opportunity for me to reflect on my life and make some pretty interesting and possibly life-changing decisions. First off, I got pretty sick last Saturday. I had to leave work early, I could feel it in my body that something wasn't right. Sunday morning I woke up feeling like I had been hit by a semi-truck going 100mph. Stuffy nose, serious congestion, migraine, rough cough, etc. I went to work and barely made it through. Monday I made an appointment with the doctor for Tuesday. Turns out it was (and still is, almost gone though!) a hardcore sinus infection. My 3rd one in less than a year. Because of that and other factors that I can't openly discuss, I missed work all week and ended up only getting 3.5 hours for the week. 

Now when you're cooped up in your house for 6 days, you tend to lose your marbles. I could only watch so much Futurama and The Big Bang Theory before my brian became a mooshy blob. So on day 4, I decided, without much thinking, that I was going to chop 10 inches off my hair. And I did. And I couldn't be happier! My hair is so healthy, soft, and strong! My hairdresser, Bart, also did some highlights and toned my hair. It was quite brassy-orangey before. Now it's perfect for the summer!

I also made the decision, maybe 2 weeks ago - but I solidified my decisions this week, that I was going to go back to college and get my MBA in Marketing. After almost 6 months of indecision and not knowing what I was going to do with my life (maybe fold panties for a living...), mainly while I was finishing my BAS, I finally realized what was going to be best for me and my career. I've chosen my school, gotten all my admission materials ready, and now I just have to wait until my admission window (next fall) opens. Many people say that if you wait too long to go back to school, you'll never go. Which is why I made myself a "game plan" on how to handle the next year and ensure that I do indeed to go grad school. I'm going to pay off all of my credit cards and start saving money. 

Well now that you know how my week was, let me get to the point of this post. You have to stop looking to other people for validation. If you think you have a good idea, well then you have a good idea. And you should speak up about it. If doing something, whether it's chopping your hair off or getting your master's degree, makes you happy, then go out and do it. My dad always told me that the only person stopping me was me. You need to let go of what others think or say about you and go into the world doing what is best for you. Every day. 

"An entire sea of water can't sink a ship unless it gets inside." 

-Goi Nasu

Motivational Monday: A Birthday Is A Chance To Reflect

So yesterday was my 24th birthday. Which is why I've been MIA for almost a week. Celebrations have been occurring!  But I'm back to reality. But that's also why this Motivational Monday is going up on a Tuesday. Silly me. But I wanted to talk about how I feel about birthdays today. 

Birthdays are the perfect chance to reflect on your past year. Kind of like a New Year in a way. Because to me, your birthday is your true new year. You can look back on you past year and see what you've accomplished and what you want to accomplish moving forward. Regardless of how your past year was, you need to accept it as a stepping stone. Maybe it was the worst year of your life thus far. Okay, so now take that motivation and kick ass this year. Maybe last year was the best year of your life. Time to beat that record and set the bar even higher for the best year ever. 

Either way, use what you've learned over the past year of your life and go forward into the future head on. Maybe you need to get more organized in order to kick ass, okay, so do that. Maybe you need to buy healthier groceries to kick ass, okay, so do that. Maybe you need to refresh your wardrobe to kick ass, okay, so do that. Whatever you need to do to go kick some ass this year, GO DO THAT! 

Maybe I'll share with you all how I'm getting my business together to make my year a kick ass one. So here's to me turning 24 and making the next year of my life. 

Motivational Monday: Beating The Odds

Most of my life I heard more than my fair share of the following phrases: You can't do that. You're not smart enough for that. Why don't you try something else. Wouldn't this be easier for you? Are you really sure you should do that? 

For real? How do you even treat someone that way? Maybe that's why I have such a hard time with commitment. Or maybe I get too committed sometimes. I don't know. Indecisiveness though, on point. And if we're being honest here, I have fallen prey to those negative comments. I believed the horrible people who told me I would never amount to anything. And it's held me back from so many things. 

I'm not sure what it was. Maybe it was the late night ham sandwich or all of the negative comments acting as a peanut gallery in my dreams last night but I realized this morning that shits gotta change. Sorry for the naughty word but really though.

So today, May 12, 2014, I'm creating, starting, and will be documenting my goals for the rest of the year. I guess you could say that I'm "restarting" my New Year's resolutions. So let's take a look back and see if I've accomplished anything that I origannly planned to do this year. (Click this link to see my NYR post)

1. I've really tried to be a better person. That's kinda hard to document, but it's always noticeable when you're nicer to others. You tend to feel really good inside.

2. I am not fit. Nor am I healthy. So, gotta work on that one.

3. I GRADUATED COLLEGE! YAY. I accomplished something and I'm damn proud of it.

4. I am not financially stable yet and I have a butt load of loans coming in 6 months.... So gotta work on that too.

But I have some new ideas, goals if you will. So let's call redo and make with a new resolutions list!

So yeah. Let's do it. Share your mid-May resolutions and let's call redo for each other! 

Help me work on #2! 

Check out my Chloe+Isabel online boutique!

 And visit my other blog, Dreaming of Success, to learn more about the Empower Network!

Motivational Monday

My entire life I was taught this: If it doesn't make you happy, don't do it. Everyday I try to live by this philosophy. Now that's not to say that everything I do everyday of my life make me happy, of course not, but what I get as a result of what I do makes me happy. I'll give you a few examples to better explain myself. 

I had a good job. Paid $9/hour, always had Sunday and Monday off. But I was so unhappy. I found a different job that paid $8.25/hour and I was continuously happy. I left the first job because the second job made me happier. I still have a job, my bills are still paid, and I have a much larger chance of growing with the company. Taking a small pay cut for greater rewards made me happier. 

Still on the subject of jobs, I got a 2nd job whilst at my $8.25/hour job as a  guest services manager of a bigger retail store. Paid $14.25/hour, full-time. After 2 months, I left. I was horribly mistreated, harassed, and gossiped about. The pay was not worth it. I would cry on my way to work because of how much I hated working there. No job should EVER make you cry. I went back to my $8.25/hour job, because it made me happy. 

Another example, regarding my education: I went to FSU (Florida State) for almost 3 years. I switched between 4 different majors and was floundering. I got a 4 in my Calc 2 class. A 4 out of 100. Big fat F. So I packed up my things, moved home, and went to a local state college. I now have a 3.83 GPA, I was inducted into Sigma Beta Delta, and I have plans to get my MBA. I still love FSU, that's where I'll get my MBA, but it wasn't making me happy at the time. Now I'm extremely proud of my education and intelligence. Moving home and starting fresh made me happy. 

Living your life this way will seriously increase your quality of life. Planning for your future, of happiness, and mapping out how to get there with a clear plan of action will lead you to your happiness. Everyday try to be happy. Do something everyday that makes you happy. Exercise, read a book, watch YouTube videos, scroll through blogs, play with your pet, kiss your significant other. 

JUST GO BE HAPPY

Blair Waldorf Inspired Tutorial

I love Blair Waldorf. I loved her character in the Gossip Girl books and T.V. series. Of course being able to see her on the T.V. screen brought her character to life. She wasn't exactly what I imagined her be from the books, but I ended up loving her more. And I can't even handle her and Chuck Bass. I die. 

Of course I know that I don't look like Blair, but it was fun to do a makeup look that was inspired by her, but suited to my skin tone. And of course I had to add the ever so classic headband! The one I wear in the tutorial is from Anthropologie! Love that store, so freaking much. 

To watch my Blair Waldorf Inspired Tutorial, click here! 

Motivational Monday

Need some motivation for your Monday? Check out these 5 inspiring and uplifting quotes! 

Share your motivation with me on Instagram and Twitter by using the hashtag

#cmxoxomotivationalmonday

Motivational Monday

Check out this five inspirational and motivational quotes to get you through your Monday and the rest of your week! 

Share you weekly motivation with me on Instagram and Twitter using the hashtag #cmvlogsmotivationalmonday

Pinterest Favorites

I've been slightly slacking in my pinning department these past weeks. It's so sad, I know. Finding new pins is so exciting and, in a way, refreshing. It's like "Oh! I haven't seen that before! I better save it!" Certain pins become very popular on Pinterest, and they're all you ever see. When I found these pins, I was so excited! Something new!  

Dream Destination: Lombard Street, San Francisco 

Dream Home: Walk-in Master Closet 

Future Closet: Navy Anchor Sandals

Wedding Ideas: Twinkling Backdrop

Beauty: Sally Hansen Leg Makeup

(This stuff works wonders!)

So Funny!: Best Friend Requirement

Wisdom: Positive Thoughts

Decor and Such: Lemons and Flowers

(So pretty!! Perfect for Spring and Summer!)

Random Things I Love: Cat Shaped Ice Cubes

Food: Springform Pan Recipes  

Health and Fitness: Lauren Conrad's Calorie Blast Workout

Interesting Life Tools: Spaghetti Measurer 

Vegan/Vegetarian: Vegetarian Rueben  

Which pin is your favorite? 

Make sure to follow me on Pinterest! 

Home: Motivational Decor

One of my favorite places to shop for simple home decor is Hobby Lobby. I mentioned Hobby Lobby yesterday in my post about makeup storage, but it's true, Hobby Lobby has some really great things! I've found that the decor there is very uplifting and motivational, which I definitely need in my office! A while back I went on a little shopping spree and picked up these four pieces of motivational decor! 

I have this one right next to my computer as a constant reminder to choose happiness!

Don't mind the minnie ears on top of my sign! 

I keep this one above my door to remind me that I'm always loved. 

This is one is my favorite! For anyone who doesn't know it's I Corinthians 13:13

As you can see, all of them are about happiness and love. Without these two things, life just seems dull. Everyone has ups and downs whether it be with family, friends, significant others, or just with ones self. But just remember, where there is rain, there will be always be a rainbow! 

Which piece is your favorite? 

Do you have motivational decor in your home?

In each picture my walls look a different color... but they're a light teal... promise! 

Side note: I am not endorsed, sponsored, or paid by Hobby Lobby. I just obviously shop there a lot.