How Setting Goals Will Change Your Life

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Many of you may know this but I lead a team of over 200 skincare consultations for a living. It is the best job I could have ever picked for myself and I am honored to be able to grow such an amazing team of micro-entrepreneurs! One of the biggest topics we talk about as a team is setting GOALS and so I thought I would share my philosophy on goal-setting here and how it can truly change your life. 

Let’s start with at the beginning. 

A goal is a dream or wish you PLAN to attain. Notice my verbiage there. A goal is not something you WISH to attain, it’s something you PLAN for. A goal is something that takes planning and preparation. I think a lot of times we get our aspirations and our goals mixed up. For example, stating that you would like to run a marathon is an aspiration; actually training for that marathon, is a goal. 

I think a lot of people think that they have goals, but they really just have aspirations. Dreaming and aspiring to do great things really is awesome… until those things never happen because you lack preparation and planning. Through owning a business and building a lifestyle brand, I have learned the power of goal-setting. There truly is so much power in writing out your goals and working hard to achieve them! 

I explain goals to my team in this way: If you don’t have goals, you are like a fish swimming in a fish bowl. You may swim round and round and round but you will never really get anywhere. When you have goals for yourself/business/family/ etc. you are like a fish in the ocean. You have SO much more opportunity ahead of you because you have a road map. 

Setting goals for your life can be simple, they don’t have to be extreme. Simply setting a goal to drink more water is a great place to start… And then actually come up with a game plan on how you are going to drink more water. ;)

Below I have my fool-proof goal-setting strategy. If you set these parameters around your goals, I truly believe you are setting yourself up for future success! 

 

MY GOAL-SETTING STRATEGY

This is my system on how I effectively set goals: 

1.    Write out what you would like to achieve, get better at, accomplish, or excel at in life

2.    Write out what you are already doing to achieve your goal

3.    Write out what you could be doing BETTER to achieve, accomplish, or excel at your goal

4.    Plan out specific times in your calendar that you will be working towards achieving your goal

5.    Lastly, give yourself a time limit on how long it should take for you to achieve your goal 

When you set goals this way, you are planning for success. You aren’t leaving your goals up to chance or luck, you are MAKING THEM HAPPEN with your action! This is how goals can be truly life-changing!

Obviously, things don’t always go as planned and so if you don’t reach out goal at your allotted time, don’t beat yourself up about it! The most important thing is that you are working towards what you want to achieve in life. If your goals are worth it enough to you, you will do what it takes to achieve them! Remember, effective goal planning is only the first step. After you make your goals, it’s time to turn your plans into ACTION! 

It’s time to RUN after your dreams! I truly believe that you can create massive change in your life by setting goals & working hard to achieve them! 

Comment on this post and share one of your goals with the community! Let’s all help motivate each other to effectively plan and reach our goals!!

 

Your friend,

 

Lauren

 

Life Update: My thoughts & new direction on Live Well With Lo

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I am SO ECSTATIC to be launching my new site! This has been a long time comimg and I just wanted to take a moment to share my heart on this launch, where the blog is headed, and what the future of Live Well With Lo holds. 

Where do I even begin?! Well, I have been blogging since high school and I’ve started and stopped too many blogs to count. I have had photography blogs, Christian blogs, personal blogs, fashion blogs… you name it, I’ve done it. I LOVE sharing my heart with the world because I truly think that when we share our lives, we are able to inspire others. I get SO inspired by reading blogs and following people I admire online. 

The problem I have always faced with blogging is that I get bored of just writing about one thing. One of my biggest strengths ( & weaknesses) is that I am extremely multi-faceted. I am passionate about SO MANY things. In an ideal world, I would be able to write about cooking, holistic health, self-care, fashion, faith-based content, relationship advice, productivity, motivation in the workplace, and everything else in between. I love to share what I’m passionate about and while sometimes that stays the same, my interests also change as I continue to grow as a person. 

Basically, since I have started laurenkissee.com which is now livewellwithlo.com, I’ve struggled with the identity of the blog. What are my main categories? How do I stay on topic but also share what I am really going through in life? How do I maintain a cohesive brand when I want to share ALL THE THINGS?!

-Insert Epiphany-

I don’t have to be like anyone else. I don’t have to have a food blog or a fashion blog or only do health coaching. I don’t have to talk about the same thing all the time. I am allowed to grow. I love seeing what other people love and so I realized that it’s okay for me to share what I love with the world even if it is always evolving.

I am so excited about my new site re-build because it has all the functions I need to be able to talk about anything and everything! On the blog you will now be able to find specific topics much easier and as I keep adding more categories, the content produced on here will become even more diverse! 

I realize that there is a big risk involved in shifting my branding to have an all-inclusive focus. I know I have many friends who really only like to see wellness & recipes and I have others that love work-related topics and motivation. My hope is that you will find so much value in all of the topics I want to share about! I hope and pray that this little space on the internet will inspire you in life, in relationships, in fashion, and in health. I hope you will see this blog as a one-stop hub to elevate your lifestyle and encourage you in your everyday life. 

Are you sticking around?! I would love for you to be on this journey with me and I would love to hear what you are most excited to read about in my upcoming posts! Write me a comment and share your thoughts!! 

Your friend,

Lauren 

How to live a life of FREEDOM

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As Independence Day is approaching, I've been thinking about Freedom in all different areas of life. Here in the United States, we live in one of the most free and opportunity rich countries in the entire world. The world is our oyster and opportunities are available for anyone who wishes to work hard for them. That being said, I think there are many things that still hold us captive and keep us from living out our purpose. Here are a few things that may be holding you back, they hold me back too! If we can master these areas in our lives, we will be able to live lives of more clarity, purpose, and direction which will FREE us up to do what we are made to do! 

1. TRUST YOUR GUT

I think that many times, we KNOW the right decision we need to make, but outside influences keep us from doing what we know is best. Have you ever been caught between what you feel you truly want to do and what you think you should do? Sometimes, it's important to clean our house because we should do it, but thats not what I'm talking about here. I'm talking about when we know in our hearts that we have to take a leap of faith, build a business, start a blog, apply for a new job, etc. but we don't because its risky and we feel like we should stay in our comfortable, stable life and not rock the boat. I'm speaking from my heart when I say that true freedom comes when you are spending your days doing something that makes your soul light on fire. No stability or predicability in the world will be able to out-weigh that type of creative freedom and passion! 

2. LET GO

We all have something we need help letting go of. Maybe its a negative influence or an unhealthy relationship. It could also be the fear of what others may think of you. Maybe you need to let go of your ego, which is keeping you in a prideful position and unable to experience any type of personal growth. Many people need to let go of insecurities and expectations which create a permanent negative mindset for themselves. For me, letting go of friendships and negative relationships is something that has been the hardest for me. Letting go doesn't mean you're giving up, it means you are starting over. Letting go of something means that you are creating space for something new. 

3. PEOPLE PLEASING MAKES YOU A SLAVE TO PEOPLE

It sounds pretty obvious, but you will never be able to experience more freedom in your life when you are living your life to please others. I HATE disappointing people or letting anyone down. I also HATE having to say "no" to anything. #REALTALKWITHLO: My first year living in Hawaii was hard for me to follow my dreams with this blog because I was so worried about making new friends and pleasing others. I would drop everything I was doing to go hangout with a friend, and I let all my personal goals & aspirations lay to the way-side. I had to choose to make myself & my goals a priority and fit outside influences in my life around that. Of course I still put my close family and friends pretty much before anything, but having the mindset that my dreams MATTER, has changed everything for me. 

4. DON'T LIMIT YOURSELF

I'm speaking to myself here because this is something I am personally working on. When you limit yourself, consciously or unconsciously, you put a cap on your success. I am constantly fighting with feeling undeserving of success. I don't know why I feel this way but I have always felt that I am not deserving of true success and happiness. It's a horribly negative mindset and LIE that I have been believing that I am working on letting go of. YOU ARE WORTHY FOLLOWING YOUR DREAMS AND BEING SUCCESSFUL!!!! Don't limit the amount of impact you can have on the world. Keep doing your thing and keep making your goals bigger and bigger! True freedom comes when you truly believe that you can achieve ANYTHING! 

5. CONTINUE TO GROW

I love this quote, "If you aren't growing, your dying." This is SO TRUE. If you feel stagnant in your career, relationships, or in any area, it's probably because you aren't intentionally focussing on personal development. Personal development has been SO HUGE in my personal success and ambitions and it truly is the missing link for so many people who want to take their lives to the next level but they aren't sure how. We have SO much knowledge at our fingertips, we should be hungry for growth in all areas! 

I hope these tips help you stay focussed on your goals, re-priotize what's important, and help you live a life of FREEDOM in all areas! I would love to know which tip spoke out to you most! 

and here are some of my all-time favorite personal development books...

I hope you all have an amazing 4th of July!!! 

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! 

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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

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!! 

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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