The Look:
Express Romper (Similar from Forever 21 – $19.50), Aldo Shoes (ON SALE – $45.00), Bloom Jewelry Earrings ($113.00), Francesca’s Crossbody (similar from Kate Spade – $228.00)
Who doesn’t love a romper? It’s all the fun, flirtiness of a skirt or dress without having to worry about your lady bits showing! In fact, I love them so much that I have an entire Pinterest board dedicated to rompers =). This one from Express is great because the v-neckline and removable sash create such a flattering silhouette. Plus, POCKETS!!! The floral print is out of stock, but there’s a pretty cobalt blue and also a rich teal option (at $29.95, I’m probably going to go grab this color immediately after I post this =X)!
I paired the romper with Aldo’s FELTRONE block heel ($45.00 – 50% off right now!) for a more dressy look, but it will go just as perfectly with your favorite flat sandal (loving these ones) for something more casual… Gem, I see you looking at these dazzling Sabra Hoops from Bloom Jewelry ($133.00)! Like all of Bloom’s pieces, they have a lifetime guarantee (SAY WHAT?!) because your jewelry should work as hard as you do!
The Lesson:
Sometimes life just doesn’t go your way. I had every intention to publish this post last Friday, but last week, I spent 8 days taking care of my teenage sisters while my mom was out of town (I love them to death, but they’re a lot to handle). It was a rough week. I had trouble sleeping. My normal driving routes took longer. I ate like crap. At the end of things, it took me like a good 5 days this week to get back in the swing of life.
I don’t want to live my life like that. I want to be able to help my family and not feel like I’ve dropped all the balls in my own life and business. While on my mat this morning, I was focusing on creating mental space when, ironically, it all came full circle – I didn’t create any space in my life to handle the additional responsibilities that last week was going to hand me.
I knew it would take me longer to get places… I knew I would want to spend some time beating my sister at Mario Kart (okay… maybe that’s not true, but I did beat her like one time out of the 10 rounds we played)… I knew it would be a more stressful week and I did nothing to prepare for it. I didn’t create any room for the things I was well aware were going to happen.
What I should have done was create some cushioning in my life. I needed to release the expectation or the pressure I put on myself to get as much done over the week as I normally do. I should have adjusted deadlines accordingly by relaxing my editorial calendar a bit and not telling any brands/clients I would have their projects done or features up over that time. I should have continued my normal self-care practices – keeping working out and putting good food in my body as a priority instead of sliding those necessary activities down on my list just so I could squeeze in more work.
Gem, the lesson is, get in the habit of raising your standard of living. When you know you’re going to be dealing with extra things, stresses, or commitments, save yourself from a lot of overwhelm and expand your margins first. Plan out gaps in your schedule where you can catch up or take a break. You’re only allotted so much time, effort, and energy each day. Despite what our hustling society idealizes, constantly living on the rim of maximum capacity doesn’t do you or your business any good (and it takes a lot more time to recover from when you max out like I did). You don’t have to fit it all in the week. You don’t have to say “yes” to everything. There’s nothing glorious in jam packing your Google Calendar. Make space (+ wear florals and get your butt outside).
<3,
A
**This post may contain affiliate links and sponsored content because we all have to pay our bills and I’d rather keep creating awesome content for you than get a real job. All opinions are my own.**
