Decide what you want, decide what you are willing to exchange for it.
Establish your priorities and go to work.
(H. L. Hunt)

It’s been awhile since I sat down and took stock of my priorities. I feel like I’ve been swept up by life’s demands and have done little to anchor myself. I don’t know about you, but I have a tendency to get overwhelmed by my ambition. When I think about all the things I want to do, all the places I want to see and all the people I want to meet—I lose sight of the tiny treats my everyday life can offer.

Does this ever happen to you?

In order to make every day of this week extraordinary, I’m going to…

to take my time
sip peppermint tea
keep a gratitude list
remind myself that I’m doing enough
enjoy the ride
be patient with myself
send some snail mail
practice yoga
snuggle with my mister
read some blogs
smile at strangers
make my priorities a priority!

photo credit: theogeo on flickr

Hello sweet souls. I hope you are enjoying March so far. It’s definitely one of my favorite months. Winter begins to fade, spring colors hit the shelves and I get to blow out birthday candles. This year is an exciting one because I’ll be celebrating my 25th birthday on Monday, March 29th!

A small update to those of you who participated in my Good Karma Gift Swap—some people are still waiting for their packages, but I should be able to do a recap post soon. Thanks again to everyone who joined in! I’m in the beginning stages of planning another swap, so stay tuned for more details.

Thanks for all your congratulations and well wishes about my dream come true. I will definitely let you know when my podcast with Kimberly Wilson goes live. Also, I appreciate everyone who sent kind thoughts about the new job! I love my new teammates and am enjoying the work a great deal.

I’m excited to share my intentions for March soon. In the meantime, check out my thankful thoughts on lovely anomaly’s blog and upcoming post on Tranquility du Jour.

image credit: via weheartit

It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and
seemingly secure, to embrace the new.
But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful.
There is more security in the adventurous and exciting,
for in movement there is life, and in change there is power.
(Alan Cohen)

Hello fabulous ones. How’s your week going? Mine has been super full! It seems that making a major change (like starting a new job) will do that to someone. Training is going great and I’m finally getting into the groove. Something really cool happened to me on Sunday that I’m dying to share with you…

Kimberly Wilson interviewed me for her podcast!

I’ve literally listened to every single podcast she’s ever put out. I began listening back in college and always wondered what it would be like to be an artsy, creative, blogger chick. I still can’t believe that I’m on the other side of things now. It really is a dream come true.

I will definitely let you know when the podcast goes live. I’m a bit nervous to hear how it turns out, but also very excited to soak it all in.

Kimberly made me feel comfortable and confident during the call. She asked so many great questions! I was honored that she highlighted my Modern Girl’s Manifesta and guest blogging over at Tranquility du Jour. My heart skipped a beat when she asked if I’ve thought about writing a book someday—seriously? I would love to.

photo credit: kennymatic

The grand essentials of happiness are:
something to do, something to love, and something to hope for.
(Allan K. Chalmers)

Welcome to another fabulous Monday. My goal for this week is to dwell in the beauty of the present. I have a tendency to focus on to-do lists and plans—which means that I sometimes forget to enjoy my life for what it is at this moment.

Does this ever happen to you? Do you find yourself overwhelmed by your plans and forgetting to cherish what you have today? If so, take a few seconds to smell the roses and sip your tea. Breathe deep and center yourself. Enjoy today!

Going around under an umbrella interferes with one’s looking up at the sky.
(Jerzy Kosinski)

I’m happy to report that this week flowed at a lovely pace. I enjoyed each day and am welcoming the weekend with open arms. The following items are from my creative to-do list. Please take a look and let me know what kind of sparkly shenanigans you will be up to in the days ahead!

create an art wish list

discover a new friend in the blog world

make time to be healthy

do taxes & hope for a big refund

savor soup made from scratch

get a big up of tea & watch a chick flick

find inspiration in glossy magazines

keep this in mind when getting dressed

appreciate the details in everyday life

photo credit: clairity

Conditions for creativity are to be puzzled;
to concentrate; to accept conflict and tension;
to be born everyday; to feel a sense of self.
(Erich Fromm)

Hello my lovely creative friends. I hope you’re enjoying a productive and inspiring week. On Tuesday I shared my celebrity (girl) crushes and today you will learn about my top 5 celebrity boys. Of course, my mister is always #1—so I guess this list is really my #2-6.

Boy Crushes

Matthew McConaughey
Between his southern accent and boyish charm, Matthew McConaughey is nearly the perfect man. I first fell in love with him alongside Jodie Foster in Contact. I’ve also adored him in romantic comedies like The Wedding Planner and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.

Edward Norton
There are so many reason to love Edward Norton. He’s good looking, smart and a super accomplished actor. He has been in so many great movies—a few of my favorites include The Painted Veil, The Illusionist, The Italian Job, 25th Hour, The Score, Keeping the Faith, Fight Club, American History X and Rounders.

Mike Rowe
If you haven’t seen Dirty Jobs, you should immediately record it on your DVR. There is something about Mike’s fearless nature and sarcasm that keeps me laughing throughout the show. He’s also the voice behind Deadliest Catch, another entertaining and boyfriend-friendly program on the Discovery Channel.

Hugh Laurie
Grey’s Anatomy and House are the only 2 shows my mister and I must watch each week. We love seeing how every episode, Hugh Laurie’s character manages to save his patients from rare and nearly incurable diseases, while effortlessly driving his coworkers crazy with his biting wit and practical jokes.

Jake Gyllenhaal
He’s funny, cute and a bit awkward. He has a famous sister and is an on-again-off-again relationship with one of my favorite actresses. I haven’t seen all his movies, but I really loved Jake Gyllenhaal in Donnie Darko, The Good Girl, Brokeback Mountain and Rendition.

photo credit: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

Sometimes you have to let go, to stake your claim.
Be still, to move forward. Give, to receive.
Cry, to feel the joy. Pretend, to make it real.
Fake it, before you make it.
And sometimes, oddly enough, you must first decide
to feel their love, to find it was there all along.
(Notes from the Universe)

Hello gorgeous souls. A reminder to those of you who are participating in my Good Karma Gift Swap, today is mail day! Please do your best to send all packages before the post office closes today.

Remember that your package should include 4 gifts—a treat that calms, something that comforts, a bit of celebration and a piece the promotes creativity. If you have any questions, send me an email or message on twitter.

I’ll be connecting with each of you this week via email to make sure everything goes smoothly. I’m so excited to see everyone’s blog posts about the good karma (and gifts) they receive. Thanks again for your participation. Happy swapping!

photo credit: moi – package from stephanie @ heart piercing life

The most beautiful people we have known are those who
have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss,
and have found their way out of the depths.

These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity,
and an understanding of life that fills them with
compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern.

Beautiful people do not just happen.

(Elizabeth Kubler Ross)

Micaela from the gorgeous blog Dolce Vita wrote a fun post last month about her favorite beautiful people. Her list included famous girls & boys I adore like Penleope Cruz, Jen Aniston, Jude Law and Clive Owen.

In the spirit of all that’s lovely and fun in February, I’ve come up with a list of my top 5 celebrity crushes. For more celeb-spiration, check out … or so i feel and poprocks & photographs posts on the same topic.

Girl Crushes:

Claire Danes
I first fell in love with Clair Danes while watching My So-Called Life in the mid-90s. She was amazing in Romeo + Juliet with Leonardo DiCaprio and much more recently in Shopgirl with Steve Martin.

Natalie Portman
A total chameleon, Natalie Portman always looks gorgeous. Closer and Garden State are my two favorite movies of her’s—but I also adore her moments in Hotel Chevalier, the short film before The Darjeeling Limited.

Rachel McAdams
She makes me laugh and she makes me cry. I want to go shopping with her and talk about guys, make-up and magazines. I loved her in State of Play, The Family Stone, Wedding Crashers, The Notebook and The Time Traveler’s Wife.

Ellen Pompeo
Seriously. I’m a dedicated Grey’s Anatomy fan. I watched the first season with my best friend—and even though 2,300 miles separate us today, I feel close to her when I watch the show. Ellen Pompeo is an inspiration, the dark and twisty type.

Sarah Jessica Parker
I didn’t know it then, but my love for blogging began when I started to watch Sex And The City on HBO. I sometimes imagine that I’m Carrie when I sit down to write. Her quirky style and eloquent messages are always in mind when I’m in need of inspiration.

photo credit: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

If you want to make your dreams come true,
the first thing you have to do is wake up.
(J. M. Power)

My mornings have taken many forms in past years. I’ve tried waking up super early—and rising with just enough time to get out the door. I’ve tested a variety of breakfast foods, and have yet to settle on something that tastes good & leaves me satisfied. I gave up coffee for 2 months, wrote volumes of morning pages and practiced yoga before showering.

All these attempts have been in an effort to find my ideal morning—a series of effortless transitions from sleepy a.m. tasks like waking up and brushing my teeth, to getting out the door looking gorgeous & ready to take on the world.

No matter how my morning goes, I always get in my car and drive to work. This playlist is for the that time I can always count on—the space between my front door and my desk chair. A consistent opportunity to get pumped up and ready to rock my day.

The sweet, adorable and always kind Chelsa Bea from Pencil Skirts & Pearls mailed me thoughtful note & mix CD in honor of my first day of work. Feel free to copy, link to and share this mix with anyone who needs good mojo for their morning commute.

All Love – Ingrid Michaelson
What I Wouldn’t Do – A Fine Frenzy
Like a Prayer – Madonna (Hope for Haiti Now)
Down the Line – Jose Gonzalez
Empire State of Mind – Jay-Z & Alicia Keys
Hey, Soul Sister - Train
Us – Regina Spektor
This Sweet Love – James Yuill
Heads Will Roll – Yeah Yeah Yeahs
1901 – Phoenix
Hot Mess – Cobra Starship
Imma Be – Black Eyed Peas
The Best of You And Me – Number One Gun
House By the Sea – Iron and Wine
You Are The Best Thing – Ray LaMontagne
Free Fallin’ (Live) – John Mayer

all links will take you to iTunes

photo credit: via weheartit, iTunes album mosaic

Love is love.
All, everything that I understand,
I understand only because I love.
Everything is, everything exists,
only because I love.
(Leo Tolstoy)

Hello gorgeous friends. I want to wish you a fabulous Valentine’s Day. Take time out to nurture yourself and those you care about. Enjoy a restful nap, relax by the fire, read a book, soak in a hot bath. Smell the roses, nibble some chocolate.

Find peace in your heart and joy in your soul. Know that love is all around you and it always wins. Check out these last minute Valentines and consult this kissing checklist if you’re in need of some holiday help.

Thanks for sharing your love, support and sparkle with me. Happy Valentine’s Day!

photo credit: papaya! blog