totally obsessed
Hello beautiful humans! This week I wanted to go back to my creative roots and send a roundup of things that piqued my interest this week.
WATCHING
I’m totally still obsessed with watching youtube videos of people drawing. LavenderTowne has become a genuine favorite
My internet homie, Puno, had cannabis cocktails in Chinatown. Her vlog makes Los Angeles look like heaven.
I’m in love with the trashy new TNT show “Claws” with Niecy Nash. Here’s what they said about the show on Vulture: “Perhaps the best thing about the show, aside from its excellent cast, is its insistence on revealing the humanity and nuance in flawed female characters struggling on society’s lower economic rungs. The worst things about it? A tendency to succumb to crime drama clichés and engage in tonal change-ups that sometimes make it difficult to know whether to laugh at Claws, laugh with it, or not laugh at all.”
READING
I voraciously read the first volume in this young adult horror series about witches and vampires set in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. The second book has yet to disappoint. You have to read The Romeo Catchers (The Casquette Girls Series Book 2) by Alys Arden
Wanna see all the books I read last year?
LISTENING TO
Here’s my one sentence review of SZA’s “CTRL”: Post-Tumblr insecurities over a cute dance beat. They were much more eloquent on the NPR blog: “Listening to SZA’s new R&B album, Ctrl, is like floating into a dream. Filled with her silvery voice, electronic production and an unabashed openness about her stage in life — she’s 26-year-old woman trying to balance relationships and honesty with herself.”
I’m loving this new podcast “By the Book.” It’s half reality show, half self-help podcast, and one wild social experiment. Join comedian Jolenta Greenberg and her skeptical friend Kristen Meinzer as they live by the rules of a different self-help book each episode. I started with their review of “The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up” and I died laughing at their results.
INSPIRED BY
I’m totally inspired by Mad Men style — especially now that I have this new job. Life magazine did a feature on the dapper rebels of Los Angeles in 1966. These men look so hip.
Take a look at these exploded art installations by Damian Ortega. (swoon)
I’m such a sucker for good branding.This asian eatery takes good vibes and good eats to a whole new level. Check this out.
PS. Take a deep breath and remember that you have the power to recreate your life.
new life. who dis?
I’ve talked about how 2016 was a difficult year. There was the election, the breakup, and the general malaise of living in an apartment filled with too many memories.
One month ago, I cleared out my old apartment and moved into a summer sublet with 10 boxes, literally no furniture, and no clear vision on what was next. The only thing I was sure about was that I wanted things to be different.
I was sure that I was leaving New Orleans. Things had gotten too expensive and everywhere I looked, I saw reminders of a life that hadn’t worked out quite as I expected.
I was sure that I wanted to get a job. I have the spirit of an entrepreneur and will always have solo projects, but I genuinely missed the camaraderie of working on a larger team.
I knew I wanted to transition into digital marketing. While the majority of my career has been connected to creating things, I was heavily influenced by a new personal interest in metrics, data, and conversion. And I was more than willing to start at the bottom and work my way back up.
So I applied for jobs all across the country. I had a few good leads, but nothing felt quite right.
A funny thing happened though–a chance encounter with two friends turned into an unexpected opportunity. A college friend was leaving New Orleans, opening up a position I thought was impossible to find in New Orleans at a company I had watched for years.
That brings us up to now.
Two weeks ago, I accepted a full-time position as Creative Director at FSC Interactive, a digital marketing company in New Orleans. It’s a huge transition professionally from solo entrepreneur responsible for producing graphic and web design for clients to now managing a team of six incredible content producers. It’s the perfect culmination of 10 years of varying experience.
The best part, though, is that honestly, it’s my dream job.
Here’s my message:
If you feel stuck, make a drastic change.
Let the universe know you’re ready with your actions.
But don’t get stuck on the outcome taking a certain shape.
Opportunity often comes unexpectedly, but you have to be open to receiving it.
How to Find Your Perfect Morning Routine
Only a few months ago, I was waking up feeling like I was already behind. I’d jump into the shower while brushing my teeth, throw on the cleanest smelling t-shirt and run out the door to start the day. I started my mornings in a total rush and carried that frenetic energy through the rest of my day.
As I’ve worked to establish balance in my life, I’ve slowly started to build a morning routine that works me. This set of daily actions makes me feel energized, optimistic, and ready to conquer the day.
Skip the Social Media and give thanks.
I used to rush to my phone scanning my social media and email the second I woke up. In this half daze, I would plan out the things I needed to accomplish for the day.
To better start my day and ensure that I don’t read an upsetting article about our 45th president, I spend the first moments of the morning giving thanks for waking up and the opportunity to walk in my purpose.
Find Your Daily Mantra.
After the moment of praise I read my morning mantra. I discovered this during a dark moment in business when I was having trouble with a difficult client. This Abundance prayer, helped to reframe my mindset and shape my attitude to encourage opportunity, instead of focusing on lack.
From The Light of God that I Am.
From The Love of God that I Am.
From The Power of God that I Am.
From The Heart of God that I Am.
I Decree–I dwell in the midst of Infinite Abundance. The Abundance of God is my Infinite Source. The River of Life never stops flowing. It flows through me into lavish expression. Good comes to me through unexpected avenues and God works in a myriad of ways to bless me. I now open my mind to receive my good. Nothing is too good to be true. Nothing is too wonderful to have happen. With God as my Source, nothing amazes me. I Am not burdened by thoughts of past or future. One is gone. The other is yet to come. By the power of my belief, coupled with my purposeful fearless actions and my deep rapport with God, my future is created and my abundance made manifest. I ask and accept that I am lifted in this and every moment into Higher Truth. My mind is quiet. From this day forward I give freely and fearlessly into life and Life gives back to me with magnificent increase. Blessings come in expected and unexpected ways. God provides for me in wondrous ways. I AM indeed grateful. And I let it be so.
(Author Unknown).
Note: While I do consider myself a Christian, I totally encourage you to adjust the mantra to suit your individual needs. Here are some non-denominational options to check out.
Set the Intention with a Morning Podcast.
After showering and brushing my teeth, I listen to “How I Built This” while getting dressed. This NPR podcast follows the stories of interesting business owners and their personal process of starting their multibillion dollar companies. I enjoy it because it’s a daily reminder that even the largest companies all started somewhere.
If podcasts aren’t your thing, I recommend finding a song that can be your morning anthem–something that makes you feel hype, encouraged, and ready to kick some ass.
Eat a simple, healthy breakfast.
I’m usually not hungry in the mornings, but I’ve started eating breakfast because it leads me to making better food decisions throughout the day (primarily because I’m not starving by lunchtime.) I normally add fresh avocado to a couple pieces of toast or eat a fried egg with an apple.
Add pinch of Cinnamon to your Coffee.
My other morning trick is making cold brew coffee at home with a pinch of cinnamon instead of cream and sugar. Not only does it save a few bucks every day, it ensures that I am fully caffeinated by the time I get to work. It also saves a few calories and has some unverified, but potentially meaningful benefits. According to Greatist it:
- Reduces blood sugar levels
- Softens sugar spikes and reduces cravings
- Relieves congestion
- Reduces stiffness in joints and muscles
- Increases brain function
With my coffee in hand, I take the short walk to work.
In total my morning routine is right under an hour and helps me to feel ready to create and conquer. Most importantly, it has set my mind on being positive, reaching for the big goals, and having a productive, meaningful day.
Added Bonus: I recently let go of the alarm clock.
From an article in Forbes, I learned that Pharrell Williams doesn’t use an alarm clock. I quickly decided that I would try this technique and after months of sleep training, my body naturally wakes up around 6:45am every single morning. Letting go of the alarm clock was a truly liberating experience. Being shaken awake by the stressful buzz of my cellphone has been replaced by a natural connection with my personal rhythm and my connection to the universe.
Let’s be real though: There are a few times I do use an alarm clock. If I have a meeting before 9am, I will set the alarm just in case. Also Daylight Savings Time almost always is an incredibly difficult adjustment for up to a month.