Intentional Living

Something that I have really tried to focus on recently is living intentionally in all areas of life.  The past six months have been a busy whirlwind of travels, events, business growth, and new projects but lately have been feeling the urge to step back and really think about what my values are, what is most important, and how I can spend my time not just crossing things off my to-do list but actually focusing intentionally on the few things that matter most. 

It's funny that I picked today to write this post because I am actually in the process of preparing for a hurricane to hit the Hawaiian Islands later this week! There's nothing like preparing for a natural disaster to make yourself focus on the things that truly matter the most. 

Intentional living can truly have so many different meanings. For some people it has to do with finances and possessions and for others it relates to goals and ideals. For me, its a little bit of both. 

This month I spent some time going through my closet and getting rid of a ton of clothing items that I wasn't in love with. There have been so many times where I have purchased something just for a specific event or just because it was "trendy" and everyone was wearing it only to realize that I don't actually love it. This month I have really been trying to hone in on what my personal style truly is and so I can avoid those types of purchases and only get things I really love and will wear over and over again. 

I also have been keeping track on how I spend my time and I've been trying to be really intentional about what I say yes to and what I say no to. I really been trying to distinguish the difference between my strongest desires with my deepest desires. 

Your strongest desires are the things on your to-do list, the stuff you feel pressure to get done and the responsibilities on your plate. My strongest desires are cleaning, cooking, housework, social media, managing my skincare team, etc.

Your deepest desires are the things that truly light you up inside but oftentimes get put on the back burner. My deepest desires are writing, empowering female entrepreneurs, working one on one to help people find solutions for their skin, reading, etc. 

Most days it is so hard for me to distinguish between my desires. Oftentimes, my to-do list wins over my deepest desires. I'm trying to be really intentional about this, though, and focusing on how I can incorporate my deepest desires In every day life. 

Lastly, I want to live intentionally with how present I am. I am scatter-brained about 99% of the time and there's always a million ideas swirling through my head. I really want to focus on being more in the moment and present with the people I am with. I have been focussing on putting my phone down more and really being present. here. right now. 

I would love to know your thoughts on intentional living and how you try to live intentionally in your daily life! What is an area that you are aiming to be more intentional in? 

xo,

Lo

August Bucket List & Intentions

Happy August! I can't believe the last month of the Summer is already here! Summer has gone by way too fast for me but I'd be lying to say that I wasn't excited for a new season. Fall is my absolute favorite season of the year! There's something about Fall that reminds me of new beginnings & possibilities. Okay, now I'm getting carried away... lets talk about August! 

I've decided to start a new series on the blog and share my "bucket list" and intentions each month! I wanted to call it a bucket list because I want to add things that make me go outside of my comfort zone and be intentional! I added some things to my list that I have wanted to do since I moved to Hawaii and so this month I am being intentional about making them happen! 

A big theme in August for me is intentional. I want to be intentional about my work, my possessions, my friends, my money, etc. This month I want to step back from the hustle, bustle, clutter, and noise to gain clarity and stay focused on my priorities. 

1. Log off all social media every Friday night to Saturday night

This is probably the most important intention I have this month. I LOVE social media but recently it has cluttered my mind and brought too much excess "noise" into my life. I have found that I am most creative when I have time to let my mind wander and so I am committing to a social media free 24 hours every week to give myself time to reflect! It may seem like nothing to you but for someone who works completely online, 24 hours away is HUGE! 

2. Read 30 minutes a day

One thing that I have slacked on in July is reading! I feel the most inspired when I am constantly reading and so I am committing to taking a work break and reading 30 minutes a day even if I have a million things on my to-do list! 

3. Snorkel at Sharks Cove

One thing that has been on my Hawaii list since I moved here is to snorkel at a popular free diving spot outside of Sharks Cove in North Shore Oahu! I'm determined to make it happen this month though because there are no waves this time of year so the water is perfect for snorkeling! 

4. Invest time into new friendships

I have made some amazing friends in our new home but there are still so many people I have met here that I would love to get to know better! This month I want to intentionally plan coffee dates and beach days to deepen friendships and get to know new friends better.

5. Buy Nothing

I would be lying to say that this won't be a hard one for me. If you know me, you know I love to shop! Since I am working on being more intentional with my possessions, I want to spend the month de-cluttering and minimizing things that don't bring me joy and so I am going to make it a goal to buy nothing as it comes to clothes, shoes, etc! The only exception to that will be when I host a Noonday trunk show for a friend later this month! ;)

6. Surf on the South side 

One of the things that my husband has been trying to get me to do since forever is to surf the South shore of Oahu. I have only surfed at one spot on North Shore and I am super timid to go surfing anywhere else! I know that I need to get out of my comfort zone and just DO IT, though, so I'm aiming to cross it off my list this month!

7. Eat greens in every meal

Eating leafy greens is SO important for your health and it's sometimes easy to go an entire day without those amazing nutrients! This month I am aiming to eat some type of leafy greens for each meal, every day. I plan to put spinach into my smoothies every morning and then add greens into salads at lunch and steamed for dinner. 

8. Create a Capsule Wardrobe

I have been watching and observing the capsule wardrobe life for years and have never tried it out myself! Since I am aiming to be more intentional in every area, I want to try out a capsule wardrobe and see what I think of it! Would you want me to write a blog post on my experience? Let me know in the comments! 

Thats it! Those are my intentions, goals, and bucket list experiences I want to accomplish in August! I want to encourage you to make your own bucket list & intentions! Share one of them in the comments below- I would love to know what you are aiming to focus on next month! 

xo,

Lo

Summer Wardrobe Essentials: Part 2

Here is part two!!! In this post I will be sharing my favorite for swim, shoes, and accessories!! 

If you missed part one, click here to see my favorite summer pics for tops, bottoms, and dresses! 

SWIM

A Go-With-Everything & Well-fitting One-piece swimsuit: 

I am SO GLAD one-piece suits are on trend because they are everything classic, elegant, and comfy! I have been loving my Billabong one-piece and that Becca One-piece is EVERYTHING. It's the most comfy and flattering one-piece that I own! I wear these with cut-off shorts and they are perfect for hiking, boating, and basically any other Summer activity!

SHOES

Go-With-Everything Sandals:

These are actually my VERY FAVORITES. The tan Sam Edelman gladiator sandals I have been wearing since highschool! I was so sad that they discontinued that style a few years back and then I was ECSTATIC that they brought them back this season! My old ones from highschool are totally falling apart at this point and so I just bought some new ones! YAY for staple pieces that you never get tired of! I got the white slides too because they are a little bit more fancy but will still go with everything! I also linked a super affordable tan slide version from my favorite online boutique, Red Dress! 

ACCESSORIES

A Pair of hoop earrings & statement earrings: 

Since I don't wear a ton of trendy clothing, I'm all about wearing trendy accessories like fun statement earrings to spice up an outfit! That being said, It's almost embarrassing how many pairs of classic gold hoops I own... don't judge me, they are a STAPLE! I have these beaded statement earrings from Red Dress Boutique in a ton of colors because I LOVE how light-weight they are and the shape is so fun and unique! 

Classic Sunnies: 

Hi, I'm Lauren and I'm addicted to buying sunglasses. Seriously though, I feel like a good pair of sunnies can instantly elevate an outfit. These three are my must-haves for Summer! If you are more of a minimalist type of gal, then get the gold retro aviators... they are SO GOOD. 

The Perfect Summer Bags:

I'm the type of gal that pretty much finds a bag I love and then wear it until its completely worn. I don't get new bags very often but I absolutely looooove these! I got the Top Shop bucket bag and I love how much it can hold! All of these options will pretty much go with any option I mentioned above and thats what I love about neutrals! 

I have never done blog posts like this before and I would LOOOVE your thoughts! Do you like fashion posts? hate them? Are they helpful? Would you like to see more? Please leave me a comment and let me know your thoughts!!! I hope you find some looks you love through these posts and if you do decide to get anything, take a pic and send it to me on Instagram! I'd love to see you in these looks!! <3 

xo,

Lauren

Summer Wardrobe Essentials: Part 1

Ahh, sweet, sweet Summertime! If you read my previous post on the anxiety I dealt with last summer, then you will understand how much it means for me to say that I am loving & appreciating this Summer season SO MUCH. It's been such a sweet time adventuring, BBQ-ing, and traveling with Danny and our friends!

I did a little shopping this Summer since I sold some of my clothing on Poshmark and my creative side was itching for some new pieces to wear! It was so fun browsing numerous different sites & boutiques and picking out some classic pieces that I know I will be able to wear in any season here in Hawaii! Since I was shopping anyways I thought, why not share my favorites with you all?! 

From my curated picks, its pretty easy to catch on to my style this summer, haha! I am LOVING anything denim, classic shapes, stripes, and all things red, white, and blue! I've never been a huge "red" person but recently I have been loving it! My style is definitely more on the classic side than trendy. If I know that I am going to be over a shirt after I wear it twice then it's a no-go for me. I'd rather have a few really great pieces that I know I will wear over and over again then trendy, poorly made pieces any day! 

I separated each item by category for convenience and I'll explain what I like about all the items and why they are perfect for Summer! I actually own most of these pieces and so don't just think that I am recommending random things! These are actually pieces that I LOVE and you will see me wear all Summer long! :) Let's get to it! 

I separated this into two blogposts because I wanted to make sure all of these widgets load for you!!!! Here is the tops, bottoms, and dresses and in my next post will have the shows, jewelry, and bags!! 

TOPS

Basic & Easy To Wear Tops: 

I wear a basic top 99% of the time! I'm alllll about a white v-neck and cut-off shorts. Also, the new Free People tanks are AMAZING and the perfect tank to wear over a bathing suit! Lastly, if you are looking for a basic tee, look no further than Madewell's pocket tee. The best $20 you will spend! I have them in a few colors and they wash super well & last forever! I wear them almost every day! 

Fun & Trendy Tops: 

I laughed at myself when I titled this "trendy" tops because to most people, these are still pretty basic! When I want to dress it up a bit, I will wear one of these with shorts or jeans! The first Madewell top? I. AM. OBSESSED.! All of these fit super well and I have worn them numerous times! Add some jeans, cute sandals, and a pair of statement earrings and you are instantly fancy! :) 

BOTTOMS

Denim evvverrryyything: 

This is pretty self-explanatory. Denim will always win in my book. ALWAYS. Denim cut-off's are my daily uniform for me but I just picked up a denim skirt that I am obsessed with! Bringing me back to grade school in the '90's! I am also loving jeans with frayed bottoms! I'm usually a dark wash jean kinda girl but recently I have been loving the lighter shades!

DRESSES

Easy to throw-on-and-go Summer Dresses:

When in doubt, throw on a Summer dress!! These are my go-to's to take from day-to-night and for all-day adventures. I love anything lightweight and breathable and all of these are super comfy! I am especially obsessed with the denim shirt dress- SWOON! I ordered mine but it actually hasn't come in yet and so stay-tuned because I'm pretty sure I will never take it off. 

PS- I added the navy jumpsuit at the end because I.AM.OBSESSED. and I think it falls under the same category as light, throw on, & comfy! ;) I will be living in it all Summer! 

Check out Part two for the bathing suits, shoes & accessories!! <3 

xo,

Lo

 

Recipe: Beet Berry Smoothie

I am a creature of habit when it comes to my daily smoothies but I've been experimenting with some different ingredients and wanted to share! I've been researching foods that are good for liver function since I have been trying to balance my hormones naturally and one of the best foods to help liver function are beets! Beets are bright red and don't have much flavor but they have a ton of nutrients! I picked up some beets from the farmers market a few weeks ago and I washed & cut them in small pieces and put them in the freezer! Adding beets to your morning smoothie won't only turn your smoothie the pretty shade of purple but you are also adding amazing nutrients and plant enzymes into your diet!! 

Beet Berry Smoothie

- 1 beet

-3-4 strawberries

-handful of blueberries

-handful of spinach

-1 tablespoon coconut butter

-2 scoops of collagen peptide powder

-1 tablespoon cacao nibs

-1 tablespoon flaxseed

*Blend & enjoy!!!

Xo,

Lo

Ingredients Mentioned:

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