TGIF!!! Second week of work down. I had meant to post this last Friday before heading out of town for my birthday weekend....which isn't as exciting as it sounds as it was mainly for training. But a trip is a trip! It was my second time to Chicago. I actually posted the first one on the blog oh so long ago, my second post ever.

Anywho, all that to say so far it's been a struggle to find balance in this new routine of life; when I get home from work, I find that there's no time to do anything. I haven't been reading, my apartment needs to be cleaned, phone calls to friends have been postponed, the blog has been neglected. Taking the time today to finally get to posting as well as do laundry...and clean my bathroom...and mop the floors... Time to savor the weekend.



Alongside Cora and Nicole, I'll be sharing some of the things that have been inspiring me as of late for Fab Finds Friday:

How to read more books -- For the past handful of years, I've made it a goal of mine to read 52 books. However, one thing I'm terrible at is stopping books if I'm not really into it. Appreciate that tip to read what you enjoy. Another one that resonated with me was that first tip on stop thinking there are things I'm 'supposed to be' reading. Sometimes I get trapped into thinking I have to read popular/classic books as books I'm choosing to read aren't "challenging" enough. But like all things in life, I have to focus on me and what brings me joy vs. what others are doing.

Beautifully written piece on our relationships with our bodies. Too many quotable things! Here's one that stood out:

"Part of me is convinced that to be a woman is to live in fear of being reduced to the smallest, meanest thought I’ve ever had about myself, and that’s why I tried to make my body smaller instead. I tried to beat the world to the punch, but I played right into its trap. My body found its way back. My mind is still catching up."

For a while there, I hated Dallas (and still sometimes do); but simultaneously, I felt I wasn't giving it a true chance of inspiring me. The city has grown on me only because I allowed myself to be all there. So even if it's temporary, even if it's painful, even if it's not where you thought you'd be, wherever you are, be all there.

As mentioned earlier a few weeks back, I went to a movie theater by myself for the first time. Then coincidentally came across this Buzzfeed things to do alone list, things like watching a concert or traveling.

A good read on keeping it real, comparison on Instagram and being transparent on social media from an influencers' perspective c/o Cupcakes and Cashmere

This post from The Real Life RD resonated with me -- feeling the need to eat how an non ED person would eat; almost like sometimes I'm afraid of eating 'so called healthy foods' again. Especially when I'm around friends that know about my struggles or my family. I feel almost judged for getting a salad.

"I was eating out of fear of what others might think .

And in turn, I wasn’t caring for myself"

Along similar lines of what Robyn had to say, another of Naomi's posts on eating and people pleasing.

Questions:
Do you make any reading goals?
Do you ever struggle with people pleasing when eating with others? Or even people pleasing in general?
What are you up to this weekend? 

Happy Friday! Trying out this Fab Friday Finds thing again, Cora and Nicole's link-up to share what's been inspiring you lately.

With summer winding down, a fun interactive NYTimes analyzing the oh so catchy songs of the summer.

Another flurry of posts from the Man Repeller site:
FYI, you don't need to look good.
Some words on happiness
As a bad texter myself, this piece defending not replying spoke to me.

"The more I appreciate how much modern life expects of us, the more I believe that showing the people in our lives patience and understanding when they seemingly drop off the radar for a while should be the standard, empathetic practice."

First saw this next one on Rachel Hartley's blog and gave it a read. The problem with nutrition and health goals: health = value; ≠ goal.

With another big transition coming up in my life (hello working world in t-minus 20 days!), I'm trying to think ahead in the space, the boundaries, the margin I'll need to create for myself to stay mentally and emotionally healthy. Sort of similar to what Naomi is looking to balance right now too.

One of my goals this month is to take myself out more--preferably at least once a week--whether this be for a fancy meal, a middle of the day movie, a coffee and book date. So these tips on on solo date nights (SDNs as the author puts it) came at the right time.

Lastly, I'm currently reading Lauren Graham's--aka Lorelai on Gilmore Girls--memoir, a book that's been on my to-read list for a while and my bookclub's pick for this month.  In one of the chapters, she talks about Hollywood diet secrets and this part really stood out to be. It essentially highlights everything wrong with society's standards of health. It's a pretty lengthy passage but well worth it!

"Over the years, I’ve been told that meat is an important protein; meat is bad for you; the best way to lose weight is to eat a high-protein diet; the best way to lose weight is to eat a vegan diet; juicing is good for you; juice cleanses are pointless; someone with my blood type should eat only lamb, mutton, turkey, and rabbit, and avoid chicken, beef, ham, and pork; bacon is okay; bacon is bad for you; consuming fat helps you lose weight; all fats should be avoided or used minimally; yogurt helps your digestion; yogurt has no impact on your digestion; calcium from dairy is good for you; dairy is bad for you; gluten is no problem for people without celiac disease; everyone should be gluten-free; kale is a superfood; too much kale can actually result in a thyroid condition causing you to gain weight; and using non-natural toothpaste can cause bloating of up to five pounds. Just eating fruits and vegetables? Sure, that sounds like a good plan, as long as you aren’t sensitive to nightshades (eggplant, tomatoes, peppers), like some people are. You could probably be fine if you ate nothing but spinach all day, unless it’s the spinach that was part of the recent salmonella recall. Fruits are okay, but some fruits, like bananas, are so high in natural sugar you might as well eat a piece of cake. What’s that? You’re still eating regular, processed sugar, the kind that’s can block their effectiveness. So enjoy your new diet of berries and water, people—unless you’re allergic to strawberries, that is, as many people are! And don’t forget to also be very very very worried about GMOs! And don’t drink just any water either: tap water is obviously poison, but beware the BPAs in your bottled water too. Also, try to get the type of bottled water that addresses your imbalanced pH levels, because while you may not know it yet, most of us are too acidic and not alkaline enough! Well, there you have it! Make sense? After all, I’ve given you the secret to everything. It’s obvious what you should do now. Could it be any clearer? You’re welcome!"

What was your song of the summer? 
Have you ever taken yourself out for a date night?
What inspired you this month?

Based on how often I actually end up sharing these must-reads posts, I've decided to shift gears and change the name to monthly reads as opposed to weekly. Also linking up with Cora and Nicole for my first Fab Finds Friday!



In case you haven't heard already, JOMO is the new FOMO

How do you treat your body with appreciation rather than hatred? c/o Immaeatthat

source

Body positivity advice from Emily and crew of Cupcakes and Cashmere and Lily of Kale and Caramel

Robyn's letting go of the thin ideal in your intuitive eating journey

"Accepting that no matter your body size, you are still you and you still have to deal with the mental and emotional problems in your life no matter what your body size can be really hard. But letting go of these things allows you to actually begin living your life. It allows you to begin showing up for yourself."

Easy, quick and affordable ways for self-love for the body, home, soul and well...self.

Beautifully written essay on the power of food amidst a difficult diagnosis. Also inspiring me to make my own birthday cake this year!

Naomi's reminder that sometimes we just need to let go of control over our lives

"Not having everything figured out–not having the answers, the 360 degree view of the outcome–doesn’t equal the inability to move in the right direction.  Instead of focusing so much on the results, focus on the process. Instead of making decisions with the aim to micromanage the outcomes, do what’s right, right now."

source

In terms of kitchen inspiration, looking at making either of these no bake date and oat chocolate cookies at some point this weekend! Hope you find some sweetness in your weekend too.

Questions:
Have you ever made yourself a birthday cake? 
What are your plans for this weekend?

repeat to self x 10

Speaking of affirmations, The Fab Five's Jonathan Van Ness has something to say to you

You are special but you are also pretty average and that's more than okay

Word of the day = Swedish word lagom to mean just enough, which reminded me of what Brene Brown said

"For me, the opposite of scarcity is not abundance. It's enough." 

On Relationships:

Virtual communication is cool and all but there's nothing like connection with others in real life as Joyce explains
Showing more gratitude in relationships -- in my opinion, this isn't just for romantic ones but applies to all types

Good Advice:

NYTimes' laundry guide

As we've established I am a terrible decision maker. I suffer from FOBO (fear of better options). I am a maximizer. So reading this article from the NYTimes was life-changing


On Health & Wellness:

Kylie aka Immaeatthat on sitting with fullness and pleasurable overeating

When healthy habits become unhealthy and how to deal -- definitely resonated with my orthorexic past

What does eating clean even mean? A great analysis of the trendy "non-diet"

A reminder that health should not necessarily = wealth

The supposed magical thinking of weight loss

"...,your body is simply a body, and its size is simply a size. Your weight is not your happiness, your capacity for love, your capacity to be loved, your worth or your worthiness."

Fun, Random Reads

Food bloggers look back to their first posts

The process of creating a hit song: The Middle. Will never not sing along to this!

An analysis of rom coms

Lastly, cashews as the cure to anxiety?

Questions:
Do you have a favorite affirmation?
What's your best laundry tip? 
What song(s) are you into at the moment? 
Have you ever looked back at your old posts/diaries and cringed? 
Any of these resonate with you too?

Hope you are having a fabulous weekend friends. I apologize for another long must-reads post; I accumulate waaaay too many good ones, let them pile up before sharing 'em on here. I'm bound to learn my lesson eventually.
On Body Image & Exercise:

How to accept your changing body
Food & Diet Related:

Great advice on how meal planning and intuitive eating can work together

To Think About:

On the privilege of traveling.

Even as I'm still in it, I know deep down that college was not as amazing as many make it out to be. With graduation looming, however, part of me has been worried that I hit my peak. So I was reassured by Davida's post on her college experience and how they weren't the best years of her life either. On a slightly related note, if you are struggling, please talk to someone; seriously, it was one of the best decisions in college and life to go see a therapist.

From Medium: Three Things We Should Have Learned in School But Never Did

Fun Stuff:

Another before and after photography project this time depicting how the American suburbia has changed.


Questions:
What are your grocery shopping staples? 
What is or was your college experience like?
If you consider yourself a minimalist (or minimalist wannabe like me), which type are you? 

50 more reminders for when you're feeling blah

Love Megan's analogy comparing life to bread. Don't rush the process.

Journaling for abundance--Thought-provoking journalling practice where you list ways your life is in abundance and how you're filling others' lives 

One of the best decisions I've made was to start going to see a therapist. Highly recommend for anyone quite honestly. Also vouch for these practical lessons one guy learned throughout his time in therapy. 

Some fun things and random stuff to ponder: 

I have turned to Unreal to satisfy my Bachelor obsession now that the season has ended. If you're in the same boat, fun, slightly disturbing facts from behind the scenes.

What's the most important factor in a relationship? Emotional stability and self-sufficiency.

Tips on going waste free 

If you're like me and are thinking of cutting back on your social media usage, what teenagers who have quit social media have to say.

Questions:
Have you heard of or watched the show Unreal? 
Any other suggestions on how to go zero waste? 
What has made your life abundant as of late?

On when perfectionism goes wrong 

Has convenience destroyed the world we live in?

"Today’s cult of convenience fails to acknowledge that difficulty is a constitutive feature of human experience. Convenience is all destination and no journey." 

Non-appearance related things to compliment someone on c/o Rachel Hartley

How to fall in love with food and simultaneously yourself. Plus, the additional chocolate truffle recipe at the end looks delish!! 

Self-care-y stuff: 

• Another post one what self-care is and is not
• Cheap self-care tips for college students
• How eating alone can be good for self-care

Have you been to Boston? Love to hear any recommendations of stuff to do, eat and see! 
How do you embrace the inconvenient? 
If you currently have a S.O., how did y'all meet? These stories are the best!! 

Did anyone else feel like if January felt like 50 days long, February was more like 2.5? Seriously, where did the time go in the past month?!!?

To be completely transparent, as weird as it is to say but recently it seems like food is becoming more a chore for me. In this point in my life, this is not necessarily a bad thing. I've been busier. I feel like I am living more. It's almost refreshing. Just different. More meals spent out, less time in the kitchen. In fact, my dietician and I even experimented and I had a break from logging my meals for her. It was so great to not have another thing to add to my to-do list every day.

No themes again really this time around my meals; just sharing the food. Like in past recent eats posts, I will throw this caveat out that this is just a snippet of what my meals have looked like in the past 4 weeks. You have to find what works for your lifestyle and your body. And I hope to inspire you to do so even in the slightest.

• Sandwiches on repeat! Like this eggplant bacon BLT or a grilled cheese sandwich with this Naturally Ella-inspired chutney. 
• Also, as I mentioned last month, been digging having some wine with dinner a couple of times a week. 

• Delicious soy braised sweet potatoes served with cold tofu and sauteed kale. Had it another time for lunch with avocado, roasted eggplant and asparagus. 
• Another meal in was green fettuccine with asparagus, tomatoes and pesto. Pretty simple but tasty nonetheless.

• If we haven't already established my love of eggs, February had them on rotation in the form of..
• A hybrid recipe of fried tumeric eggs on a a layer of yogurt with crispy kale, eggplant and cherry tomatoes (based on this and this). Obviously I am not very good at following recipes... Also had pretzels on the side for extra starch. 
• A classic breakfast nachos with eggs, kale, tomatoes and cheese. Used these sweet potato tortilla chips from Naturebox

• Apparently even when eating out I gravitate towards them. Went for a late lunch with my mom and got this delicious quiche that came with a side salad that included pickled veggies.
• To end things on a sweet note again and on the topic of eating out, I visited my sister at her campus earlier in the month. She took me to this shop called the Back Dough where they serve late night doughnuts exclusively on Friday and Saturday evenings (11pm-1am!) at the back of a nice steak restaurant. I chose the chai flavored one, which tasted like an even more spiced cinnamon roll. Totally not complaining.  

"And with self-esteem will come stronger self-assurance, the termination of insufferable indecisiveness, the wherewithal to just do. "

- How indecision & self-esteem connect

- Especially with the CPA exam around the corner (less than a week away!!!) and as a perfectionistic ruminator who inflicts stress on herself in general, really needed to read these stress reduction tips 

Self-care isn't all about spending $$$ on yourself

I love infographics and charts so this one on the statistics of happiness naturally caught my eye

100% agree with this frustration of some people at museums

❤️❤️❤️ the message of Amy Schumer's new movie, I Feel Pretty 

A few Valentine's Day specials, like this New Yorker piece on dating (long but worth it!)

And this photo essay of real love portraits, which was a great reminder that we should celebrate more than just romantic love, showcasing besties and a parent-child relationship

Questions:
What do you wish you did before you turned 30? Or if you're under 30, what do you wanna do before then?
What are your pet peeves?
What movie(s) are you looking forward to? 

Another week, another round of lovely links. January is chugging along albeit slowly. Despite this dragging month, I still feel I am crunched for time. There's so much I want to get done and never enough hours, which causes me to lose the intention in what I'm doing. So I thought I'd take a moment for myself to slow down and share what I've found on the Interwebs with you. Whether you are spending today cozying up inside by yourself, or are out and about running around, sending you good vibes this weekend.

As a naturally risk-averse person, I love this more relative way of defining and looking at risk especially in the context of creating a more meaningful life for yourself. What is a risk for me may not mean that it is a risk for you but that doesn't mean it's not a risk.

"The 'exquisite risk,' she says, is daring to live from a place of true openness, a place where we aren’t shielded by our pre-existing ideas of who we are and what is acceptable. Operating from that place — a place of 'unconditional presence' — is a risk, yes, but also the only way to discover both what we are capable of and what we truly want. Risk is the path by which we become more fundamentally ourselves."

Wise words from Joyce at The Hungry Caterpillar on how the meal plan and intuitive eating fit together as part of her Eating to Gain series.

More positive things to keep telling yourself every day. Numbers 2, 6 and 8 are my faves!!

We often are told that we have to constantly strive to improve ourselves, to be better versions of ourselves. But to what end? This read from The Pool goes into the potential down sides of the search for self-improvement and will make you go hmmm.

As read on Girl Boss, self-care is making sure your basic needs are being met. Love their little handy dandy illustrated guide to keep yourself in check in terms of self-care.


Questions:
How did you take care of yourself this week? 
What are your thoughts on any of these posts? 

How to enjoy life more as it is right now: More reminders that today is the youngest you'll ever be. To not overlook what is going right in your life. And that you can choose to make this the best time of your life. (Easier said than done, I know.)

From the Man Repeller, finding the simplicity. I expecting too much from the grand where we forget how much joy the simple things-like toast in this case can bring -- let's bring it back to the basics

might not be toast & jam but still a

As I've mentioned before, something I would like to tackle this year is decluttering my digital space--from photos to email to social media. Interested too? These tips on digital minimalism are a good place to start.

On a similar note, have you heard of white (negative) space in photography or design? Well, maybe we need to take that concept and apply it in our day-to-day lives.

I love how Vangie presents self-care from the lens of a parent-child relationship, learning to ask yourself probing questions like a mom or dad would their kid: How are you feeling? What are you excited about? Are you getting enough sleep? Why are you cranky?

With college nearing its end and me being my overly sentimental self (...again...), this diptych photo piece entitled "Reunion" that has former classmates recreate scenes from 15+ years ago gives me goosebumps.

Here are some food-related but non-diet resolutions. Especially liking that first one on buying something new and fun at the grocery store every trip!   

And one more on the new year and diets. This time about the difference between dieting and healthy eating.

Lastly, if you ever find yourself trapped within the confines of your past 'self'--whether that be put upon by others or by you--by read this one from Ask Polly. 


PS. Have the loveliest of weekends ahead friends!

Questions:
Which of these resonated with you? I'd love to hear your thoughts! 
What are some simple pleasures of yours as of late?
 How do you create white space? 

I wanted to start the new year off on the right foot with a clean slate. Part of my cleaning up includes decluttering my web browser. Before 2018 comes (uhhh, what?!!), here is a dump of all the posts I had been saving up to share but had yet to do so. Consequently, some of these are from months and months ago. Yet, all of which are still completely relevant or even more so with the supposed fresh start that new years beget. 

With hygge (hue-gah) being such a buzzword nowadays, how to host a holiday party full of all the coziness feels

Christmas may be over but but the season of self-giving can be celebrated throughout the year

Thinking already of my reading challenge for 2018, here's an interactive way to navigate this past year's top books. As usual, so many books and so little time.

You might've seen this article floating around the web on what self-care really is. Self-care is not just the mainstream 'treating yourself'--the candles, nail painting or shopping spree. Rather, it's learning to accept, to embrace who you are, and simultaneously not beat yourself up.

True self-care is not salt baths and chocolate cake, it is making the choice to build a life you don't need to regularly escape from. 

Similar to a link I shared earlier this year, perhaps balance isn't all it's cut out to be. I plan to bring this idea with me into this new year, reprioritizing what matters to me and reexamining my concept of balance.

Why can't we let go of our old things? This Buzzfeed post reminds me much like when Cora thought out loud. Despite the positive emotions we harbor holding onto our junk whether they be old notebooks or old clothes, there is for negative emotions to linger and clutter our lives too. I'm hoping 2018 will be the year I finally clean up my life.

Learning to abolish the 'chill girl persona,'--the one of feigned disinterest and complacency with whatever

Look like I'll have to postpone making this cheesecake from Broma Bakery until the next fig season 

A brief history of romantic love (and why it kinda sucks)

Finally, how to do a hard reset on all aspects of your life in the new year

Questions:
How are you bringing in the new year?
What are you letting go of and taking with you to 2018?

Christmas is my absolute favorite time of the year. This fun comparison of the various holiday meals around the world satisfies both that Christmas lover and foodie soul.

On a related note, a peek into what a modern Christmas in the US looks like even though I'm on the other side of the world for the holidays.

An article on the relationship between nutrition and pleasure

"When your meal comes with a side helping of guilt, it erodes whatever pleasure you would otherwise feel, because you don’t allow yourself to feel it."

Being around a a diet/weight/appearance-centered mindset when with family and friends right now has definitely been challenging. These two different posts on how weight gain and HAES fit together and altering the conversation away from diet talk this season from Robyn and Rachel respectively provide strategies on how to cope

Finally, how to be a little more alright in the new year c/o Buzzfeed

With that I bid you, a happy Christmas (or Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, winter, December, etc) to all and to all a good night (or morning or afternoon depending on where you are in the world right now)🎄🎁🎅

Questions:
What are your family's holiday traditions?
What is your favorite Christmas meal? 
How are you planning to take better care of yourself in the new year? 

Hard to believe it's been a solid month since my last round of links. And that we are smack in the middle of December. I am headed out of the country in less than twelve hours and had a busy day behind me filled with cleaning, packing, attending a friend's graduation and a Christmas party. So without further delay because I'm exhausted and still have to finish packing up, here are some of my most-enjoyed links as of late:

To start, a couple of posts from Cupcakes & Cashmere. One on easy ways to give back and share the love during the holidays. And the other on cultivating an intentional morning routine, which I have been struggling to find in my life right now. Emily's experiment to incorporate things like reading in bed, walking to a coffee shop or staying in a bed a little longer seems like an awesome idea.

source

Another thing to ponder especially during this time of year. Me being my sentimental self has an extremely difficult time letting go of old journals, magazines, cards, clothes, among other things. Like Cora described last month, maybe I would be better at cleaning up my life if I approached it more from a mindset of gratitude as opposed to regret.

The Most Important 'Life-Hack' I Learned -- in short, ask yourself what's fuelling and what's draining your energy

Vangie has put my thoughts into her own lovely words in her post on letting go of fitness. Been struggling with this one a lot lately but I know the benefits outweigh the costs in the big picture for where I am at right now physically.

A better way to be there for others: Shift responses vs support responses 

Confused by coconut milk vs coconut cream too? Check this post out from Oh Ladycakes. Apparently helpful for making coconut whipped cream, something to tackle in the new year for sure!

Found this one about letting go of control c/o Naomi's Random Roots

As future employee for corporate America, this post on loneliness in the workplace, a place where it is often overlooked, got me thinking
In the age of smartphones, gifting presence means the most

Similarly, these simple tips for minimizing phone time. Particularly #3--keeping your phone across the room or out of sight--is something I've found that works for me!

If you're like me and have never had a real boyfriend, this one's for you. Hit me right in the heart. Also, shoutout to my friend sends me articles like this to read ❤️

Was intrigued by the title of this post on Free People called What Is... , which was just beautiful. This is my reminder to you that you are important and you are enough. Embrace your aliveness.

"Being alive is the only achievement that really matters."

Questions:
Do you have a morning ritual/routine? 
How do you practice the gift of presence? 
Do you connect with any of these posts too? 

Happy Friday friends! 

Headed out this afternoon for a quick trip to Austin with family (though instead I really should be holding off since Thanksgiving break is a week away). Before I go, here are some things I have enjoyed on the Interwebs lately: 

Things to Think About

On practicing gratitude

Lovely advice from Megan on handling the burnout of life's daily grind 

"Even the things that are fun can become a little too much sometimes."

25 Tiny Changes That'll Make You Feel Really Good About Life 

Intuitive Eating/HAES/Anti-Diet Mentality/Recovery
Questions:
How do you practice gratitude?
If you own a cast iron too, how do you 'season' it? 
What TV show are you currently obsessed with?

Good morning friends!! And happy Hump Day. I'm counting down the hours before I get to hop on a plane for my weekend trip to New York (approximately 33.5 by the way). Given how often I really should rename this, reads of the month instead. Also, I know I've been a tad quiet on the blog-verse lately but hopefully all these can tide you over until I get return. So in this case, wishing you a happy weekend as well.

A couple of Rachel's recent-ish posts-- How Not to Self-Care and The Privilege of Wellness. How grateful I am to have the problems I do because life could be much worse. Not to say that my problems aren't valid, but perspective is all.

On a semi-related note of self-care, love these boring self-care wins.



Has the Smartphone Destroyed a Generation? Fair warning, it's a lengthy one, but definitely a must-read.

"you’ve got to be a minimalist to be a maximalist; if you want to be really good, master and thoroughly enjoy one thing, you’ve got to say no to many others."

A quick and easy lesson for catching and counteracting your negative thoughts. Very DBT-esque.

In short, control is not the cure for your anxiety. Sometimes specifically around food to retain control, to regain control  is to let go of it.

Don't forget to celebrate the miracle that is your body. There's more to it than just your physical exterior.

What our Google search questions are really saying about us

Megan of Apron Strings and Sticky Fingers on learning to embrace your biggest insecurities. 

A little reminder for myself even if i'm not a physically affectionate person (hello quality time love language!) on the power of a hug. 

I can get lost in this visual representation of food seasonality, trend and search patterns for days.

Because we know what time of year it is..

From my favorite writer on Thought Catalog, another goodie on self-deprecating habits we're all too familiar with. 

As someone who has never really identified as being maternal, since even when playing pretend as a kid myself I never played the mom (I was the cool, childless aunt), this article on choosing to have a life without kids spoke to me.

Love the analogy that Kylie makes on eating and breathing in regard to supposed willpower around food. To continue, similarly to learning to cultivate awareness of your breath--not control or discipline--, through intuitive eating, we can cultivate awareness around food and eating, so much so that it will become second nature to us.

And lastly, what does the American dream mean to you?

Questions:
What boring self-care habit did you do today? 
Do you think balance is overrated? 
What food are your looking forward to as the fall season rolls around? I personally can't wait for pomegranates & persimmons!!!