Transcend

I found this wall a few months back when I still lived in The Heights. The Heights is an area in Houston with so many fun restaurants, shops and small businesses. The houses are painted in bright colors and it was the original surbanan neighborhood in Houston, TX. In fact, a lot of the places are historic establishments. This is a wall outside of one of the bicycle shops found on White Oak. It's such a fun and inspiring idea - I couldn't wait to find the right time to get a post going. (I swear bloggers live to find walls like these.)

One of my favorite bloggers, Blair Eadie from Atlantic-Pacific taught me so much over the years from following her about layering. Just because an item was originally a dress, doesn't mean it can't be worn as a skirt. I've even seen her wear dresses as tunics or shirts. It's really pushed me to get more use out of items I love. This outfit was put together based on that idea. 

I've been wearing my pink Ted Baker a lot lately. Probably more than I usually sport a bag, but this fall has been all about blush tones and camel for me. I really love that color combo and find that pastels look just as pretty during Fall as the do Spring. Plus, if you recall from the Spring 2015 runway shows, Fall pastels were all over them.

It was really fun to read all of the different posts on the "Before I Die..." wall. Some were love letters, goals, and I even saw some sweet messages for families. Finding inspiration every day is something important in life. It really breeds a positive lifestyle. I've personally gone through really tough periods in my life, and been under ridiculous pressure - but I've found the motto "sun up to sun down" is what I live by. I've come to accept that I cannot control tomorrow and yesterday has passed. Being in the moment allows me to focus on what's really important and to find more fulfillment. 

I used to be one of those people who worried about everything, and you know what? I went no where, but deeper down that worry hole. The mind can be a powerful tool both positive and negative. Changing your thoughts from negative ones to positive ones is not always easy. But, over time - you can reshape your thinking.

One of the things I did early on to reshape my thinking was to journal. During a really rough period, I found it was hard to come up with positive thoughts out of my own creation. So I picked up a few of the books I've found inspiring in my past (this one was a great starter for me), and I would copy the text I found meaningful. 

Then, I started making small adjustments to my morning and evening routines. Some of these adjustments included getting up 30 minutes earlier to have tea, reflection time and watch the sunrise. In the evenings, I had a few cups of chamomile tea and would go back to my book and journal the passages which resonated the most with me. 

Before I knew it, suddenly not only had I created "me" time - but I also had changed my thinking. My journal then consisted of what I wanted to do, having goals again and getting myself into a better mental state. I started to check my words, thoughts and actions... if it was negative - I recognized it! 

The results are were so empowering! I was able to start seeing my future and I felt good about taking on challenges. No more did I worry about what other people thought of me, I simply made the highest choice I could and stayed as close to my truth as possible. Kindness, gentleness and patience were the three attributes I strive to display in every single day. I'm no perfect creature, and still find myself saying something sharp or being careless with words - but I recognize them and step away from those actions. I would love to hear some ways you guys changed your thinking?

Sweater: Random - love the look of this one. Dress: HM. Shoes: Bandolino (old - other options below). Purse: Ted Baker (very similar here).