Pleated Skirts + Setting Intentions
At the beginning of June I transitioned from being a crazed corporate girl to suddenly being a full-time blogger and freelance professional. My schedule has completely changed (for the better) and is now way more flexible than it used to be. This is a wonderful thing, except that amongst the shuffle and trying to make sure I had enough freelance jobs to pay the bills I have neglected what I truly should be focusing on: creating content for the blog and consistently sharing it with all of you. At first I was in a great swing of posting at least three times a week, but as I’ve added other responsibilities I’ve become very inconsistent. So today I received an unexpected reminder to set intentions, both daily and long-term, to help guide and encourage me along the path that I am forging. Believe it or not, the reminder actually came from my first shipment from Arrive Clothing. They included a cute little insert in my package that had the following affirmation:
“I am experiencing confidence as I create my day, honoring my vision, myself and my choices.”
It’s exactly what I needed to hear to get back on track.
Admitting that the reason things aren’t going as planned is because you aren’t following the plan that you laid out for yourself is not an easy thing to do. Taking responsibility for missteps never is. Saying it feels like a punch in the gut: there are goals in my life that I’m not progressing towards because I, no one else, am continuing an unproductive cycle. I said it! There it is. Admitting that you’ve failed to commit to a plan is the best way to release yourself from that failure and allow yourself a fresh start. If you’re holding on to failure, how can you possibly move forward? You will always have it weighing on you. Today I’m moving forward by releasing myself of those past actions and saying “let’s try this again.” I know the things I need to do in order to succeed, so this is my opportunity to re-approach my goals by following through on my intentions.
While this may seem like a small or simple task to some, for me it is a challenge because I’m a creature of habit. I get stuck in a zone or in a mode of living and will continue that cycle until something snaps me out of it. For instance, I have really struggled the past couple of years with my diet and exercise. I used to be a gym junkie! I still love working out and eating healthy. However, I have allowed myself to go back to bad habits and replace the gym with the couch, indulgent foods, and way too much reality TV because why go exert more energy when I feel like all of it has been zapped from my body. It was my way of decompressing after some very stressful years in the the retail industry and my personal life. But when does decompressing go from a phase to just plain laziness? Or even worse: depression. It’s so easy to go down that rabbit hole. To slip into that dark place and snuggly up with all of your bad habits that momentarily make you feel better. This is why I work everyday to get out of those habits and replace them with the healthy ones I know and love. However, consistency is key and going from one cycle of habits to another (like one activity to another when we were kids) is a challenge for me. Today was a great reminder that setting daily intentions helps us move toward the “big picture” goals we have set for ourselves. So let’s refocus, recharge, and go at it from a different angle.
Outfit Details: tie front shirt // pleated skirt // similar sandals // earrings // similar clutch
To celebrate this mental refresh, I wanted to share a really fabulous look with all of you! If this outfit doesn’t make you experience confidence, then we need to talk! This updated party look can go from bridal shower, to wedding reception, and on to date night. I love the metallic purple color of my pleated skirt because it just looks like a fun night out! How can you resist it? I’ve paired it with a crisp tie front shirt that you can pair back to any other skirt in your wardrobe, including a classic pencil skirt for work, or you can wear it with your favorite high waisted jeans. Some may have initially shied away from pairing this look with silver sandals, but I think they add the perfect pop of shine! The extra dose of metallic complements the fabrication of the skirt and really help those pleats stand out. I kept the clutch neutral because there is plenty of glam in this look! We have to balance it out somewhere, right?
Thank you for reading and I hope you all have a wonderful week!
