Oh, How I Love Autumn

Y'all.  I love fall so freakin' much.  And it's weird--I always forget how much I love it until it's here.  But, by then it's too late, and I'm overcome with the need to wear scarves, burn candles, and consume all things pumpkin (like, basically everything in this Buzzfeed list).  And, college football season is in full swing, too!  So. Many. Great. Things.

Though, I will say my fantasy football team is absolute garbage this year.  I don't even care anymore.

I painted my dresser this weekend, and the weather could not have been more perfect.  I still want to paint my nightstand and freshen up my vanity table/bench.  I think I'll need to save that for another weekend though, since this upcoming one will be quite busy.  The Black Crowes are playing Bulldog Bash on Friday, and my parents are coming up for the LSU game on Saturday.  AND, I think some people might be staying at my apartment for the weekend?  Probably Definitely need to clean before then.  Yep.

But who has time to clean when there's so much good television on??  Honestly, my Hulu queue is out of control.  With all the new shows premiering and my returning favorites, I think I'll just keep letting them pile up until each episode's expiration date nears.  It's just hard to keep up with TV and try to have a life, too.  I don't know how TV critics do it.

This post really has no point other than expressing my excitement for autumn. Yay.  :)

And, here's some music I've been enjoying lately (yep, still into The 1975...)--

Wandering

Hey,

J.R.R. Tolkien once wrote, "Not all who wander are lost."  You'll figure things out.

You are enough.


____________________________



I've officially been doing this project for a month now!  I'm probably going to take a break from posting these every weekday and just post as needed.  I do think it has helped me work on some issues, and I hope that it may have helped anyone who's been reading along the way. 

Attitude

Hey,

You did a really good job today not losing your cool when others were displaying bad attitudes.  Let it roll off your back, and continue to try to be a positive presence.

You are enough.

Hope

Hey,

Stay hopeful.  

You are enough.

Birchbox: September 2013

Oh, how I love Birchbox.  This month's theme is "Heritage", which I adore because it makes me think of vintage flea market finds and family heirlooms.  The theme is also appropriate for Birchbox as a company, with September being its 3rd anniversary.  It's cool to be a part of its journey and growth.  If you want to subscribe to Birchbox, check the company out here.  Now, on to this month's goodies!

Davines This is a Sea Salt Spray: "This styling spray gives you beachy texture and megavolume without any stickiness." Full size- $27.00, Sample size- $10.80.

This actually arrived leaking a bit, but nothing else in the box was ruined by it.  To me, sea salt spray is more of a Spring/Summer product.  I know it's still technically summer (I'm so ready for fall weather!), but I don't know that I'll get much use out of this product in the coming weeks and months.  Nevertheless, I am excited to try this since it's supposed to be moisturizing.  Most sea salt sprays I've tried leave my hair feeling parched, so it will be interesting to see if this does the opposite.

Ruffian Nail Lacquer in "Fox Hunt": "Vibrant orange from the fashion label's first lacquer collection. Exclusive to Birchbox!" I seem to have received a full size lacquer, valued at $10.00.

Gotta love nail polish. Of the crowdsourced shade selections, this would not have been my pick.  It is a nice shade for autumn, though, so I'm sure I'll be using this soon.

Paula's Choice RESIST BHA 9 for Stubborn Imperfections: "Whopping 9% salicylic acid spot corrector for everything from blackheads to wrinkles." Full size- $40.00, Sample size- $3.95

Isn't that just the tiniest little vial you've ever seen?  Lately, Birchbox has been sending me skincare items that are supposed to be do-it-all products (see the Vivant cleanser in this post).  Maybe it's because I have my profile set to "Low Maintenance"...perhaps I should look into tweaking that.  I guess most people would think these kind of products are convenient, but I just find them slightly confusing, honestly.  I don't know, I guess I'm weird.  I'll definitely still try this out, though. 

Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Color Luminous Lip Gloss in "Precious Petal": "Long-lasting, vibrant color and shine that moisturizes and plumps the appearance of lips." Full size- $18.00, Sample size- $11.08.

Oh, lip gloss.  I'm generally not a huge fan of this product category as they are usually sticky.  Any girl (or guy?) who has ever felt the struggle of getting strands of hair stuck in goopy lip gloss feels my pain.  I just prefer to stick to lip balm or lipstick.  As soon as I got my box, I tried it out to see if this one would be different, and unfortunately, I was not impressed.  Pretty shade, though.

Lifestyle Extra:
Borracha Pearly Wipes: "Peppermint-infused wipes that whiten teeth and freshen breath with hydrogen peroxide." Full size- 15 wipes for $7.95, Sample size (2 wipes)- $1.06.

What a neat idea.  I feel like everything comes in wipe form these days, and Birchbox is, once again, surprising me with these innovations.  Last month, it was a deodorant wipe (which worked well, by the way!), and this month we have wipes for teeth.  I feel like these will be like those Colgate Wisps, just in wipe form.  On Birchbox's site, they are also selling a variation of these specifically to be used after a night of drinking red wine.  Pretty cool.

And, that's all!  The grand total value of my Birchbox this month is: $36.89--definitely worth the $10.00 paid for the box.  And, even though these things aren't products I'd necessarily pick out for myself, the whole point of Birchbox is to try new things! 

Expectations

Hey,

The best way to avoid disappointment is to lower your expectations.  This article sums you up pretty perfectly right now.  Happiness is achievable--simply adjust your assumptions.  You may not be special, but you ARE unique.  And ...

...you are enough.

Timid

Hey,

Aren't you so glad you're not as shy as you once were? 

You are enough.

Focus

Hey,

You're head has been in the clouds lately.  There's nothing wrong with daydreaming--just don't let it pull focus from the tasks at hand.

You are enough.

Growth

Hey,

Remember that there is always room for improvement.  Don't strive for perfection; instead, open your mind to the possibilities for change.

You are enough.  

Introversion

Hey,

It's perfectly acceptable to need some time to yourself every now and then.

You are enough. 

Friendship

Hey,

You have a few really awesome friends.  Nurture those relationships, and don't let them fall by the wayside.

You are enough.

Good Music

A few songs I'm loving lately:

 

 "The City" by The 1975

Yep, I'm still very much into The 1975.  To see another song of theirs that I like, click here.  Their debut album came out this week (finally), and I'm so excited to get it!

"Royals" by Lorde

I've been hearing about Lorde for several months now and even bought this song on iTunes a while back, but I've just recently started listening to it.  Can y'all believe she's only 16?!  

"I Remember You" by Rilo Kiley

Love Rilo Kiley.  Love this song.  Just...love.

"Bleeding Out" by The Lone Bellow

Discovered this band by listening to the local college radio station, and I'm loving them so far.  This song is like going to church, especially by the end.

That's it for now, but I hope everyone has a good weekend!  (Hail State!!)

Willpower

Hey,

Getting back on the "dieting" wagon is difficult, but you're trying--that counts for something! You can do it!

You are enough.

Tenacious

Hey,

You're stronger than you think.

You are enough.

Jealousy

Hey,

I know it's so, so easy to look at those around you and be jealous of their successes.  But, you have to remember that you are meant for something great.  It will all be revealed to you in time.

You are enough.

Falling for Fall

The internet at my apartment is out at the moment, so I'm blogging from my office.  Hope everyone had a wonderful Labor Day weekend!  I visited my parents and friends in Hattiesburg, and despite almost having a heart attack after losing my keys (I later found them--thanks to a good samaritan), it was a lovely weekend.  You know when you're feeling kind of down, and you see good friends and have the kind of conversations and those laugh-til-you-cry moments that just feed your soul?  That was my weekend.  I'm coming back after the holiday feeling somewhat refreshed and renewed.  I also went shopping with my mother, and we got clothes for the fall, even though it's still hot and miserable outside.  I'm just ready for that crisp feeling in the air.  Got a bunch of fall candles at Bath & Body Works, too (2 for $22 right now!), so I'm just going to start early. 

And hey, guess what?  We are enough. :)