Reflection - Lifestyle

My Summer 2018

9/13/2018

Hi. So it's been a hot minute- literally. The heat of the summer flew by and I could come up with a million excuses why I haven't posted. Instead I've decided to just show you some highlights of what I've been up to!

#1- Disney World
When people say Disney is magical, they aren't lying. I loved the food, rides, performances, scenery, etc. I cannot wait to go back someday :)

#2- Senior Prom
Ah, yes. The stereotypical prom. Some people hate it, others bow down to it. I'm somewhere in the middle, but definitely leaning towards the "love it" side. Prom was a bit stressful at times with finding the right dress and, you know, getting to appointments on time, but overall it was an experience I'll never forget. I got to experience really good food, better than average music, dressing up, and having fun with my favorite people. If you're thinking of skipping your prom or any event that seems intimidating, give it a chance! If you open yourself up to the unknown, good things can happen.

#3- Graduating High School
I think it's so strange that I'm done high school. Graduation day felt surreal, like a walking dream. You work towards getting your diploma for four years, and then just like that it's over. I didn't cry, though! (which is something very uncharacteristic of me) :)

#4- Visiting Friends in Spain
Spain was like being on a postcard. Some parts of it with the uniform white buildings and cerulean sky felt like Greece (or at least the Mama Mia! version lol), and other parts with the cobblestone streets and old-fashioned cafes felt like Italy. Spain should be on everyone's bucket list to experience because the food, scenery, cheesy tourist sites, and everything in-between are enough to last a lifetime.

#5- Having a Wonderful Summer
The rest of my time was filled with lovely days in the sun with my doggo, friends and family. I cherished every minute of it because I knew what was coming next.

#6- Starting College (oh my god I'm old)
I feel strange these days. A good strange, don't get me wrong, but this whole college thing is new for me. I'm absolutely loving it so far, though! I will be sure to keep you guys updated on this journey :) as always, thanks for reading!

My Favorite Podcasts

8/1/2017

So I've always been a fan of podcasts, and I thought I would share my favorites! Here they are

Sheroic - by Cassey Ho & Lisa Bilyeu

This podcast is so incredibly empowering! I've listened to almost every episode so far and have really enjoyed it. Cassey has a fitness company and workout clothing line, and I do her videos that are on YouTube sometimes. Lisa co-founded the protein bar company Quest. I find this podcast so compelling because I learned a lot about these two successful business women, and their insights on different important topics. They discuss a range of things, from how to stay motivated to work out, to building a brand, to empowering yourself and believing you can do anything, etc. They both got to the same positive headspace in different ways, so it's interesting to hear their journeys (as well as ones from their guests). Give this podcast a listen to on iTunes, it's free! :)

Not Too Deep - with Grace Helbig

Not Too Deep is a classic favorite of mine. I've been listening to this since the beginning (2014...) and although I haven't listened to every episode, I can still say I'm not a fake fan. Every time I listen to this podcast, I'm cry-laughing within the first fifteen minutes. Grace's dry sense of humor really gets to me I guess, and I couldn't recommend this podcast more. It's a great escape from the world, and she has interviewed a lot of people, so chances of there being someone you like on there are high. And even if you don't see any familiar names, I would still listen because it's just quality comedy. Find it on iTunes :)

At Home With... - by Lily Pebbles & Anna Newton

This podcast is one of the more recent ones I've been listening to. I first discovered it through Zoe Sugg when she was on it, and since then I've found it to be really relaxing and interesting. There must be something about British people's voices that's calming, I guess. In "At Home With" Lily and Anna go to these different women's houses and discuss their careers, lives, and interiors with them. I'm a bit of an interior design nerd (gotta love Pinterest am I right) so this podcast is right up my alley. They've chatted with a load of really cool people, including the Editor in Chief of Glamour magazine, Zoe Sugg, literally LIZ EARLE (like omg), and many more. I would highly recommend this podcast for long car drives alone. Find it on iTunes!

Hope you enjoyed, see you next Wednesday with another post :)

Edit: I just realized I put this up on Tuesday instead of Wednesday, whoops! I just got too excited about this post. Also I'm trying to make Wednesdays my "regular weekly posting schedule", so I'll give it my best shot.

Edit #2: I also just made a Reflection Blog Instagram account! Follow it @ReflectionBlogWeebly for updates on when new posts go live, behind the scenes pictures from posts, and some inspiration on your feed :)

The Positive Influence of Online Creators

7/26/2017

I didn't realize until this past week, but online influencers have had a huge impact on my life. I'm talking about YouTubers and Bloggers here. Back when I was in seventh grade, I discovered YouTube for the first time. And there was something about it that dazzled me. Everything these people were saying was so inspiring to me. I didn't idolize them, per say, but they were definitely role models for me.

I remember before I was allowed to actually make a YouTube account and subscribe to creators, I had my mental list of channels I would check up on daily. It was always in the same order, every time. And I had their uploading schedules basically memorized. I knew their intros and greetings by heart, and looked forward to coming home from school or practice and watching them. But to me, it didn't feel like watching, it felt like greeting a good friend. One who I could expect the same, "Hey guys!" from every time.

The other day I was scrolling through all my subscriptions to people, and as I clicked on a few of my old favorite videos, I remembered little details about them. I also came to the realization that I had incorporated a lot of their things into my life, even today. Let me give you an example. So if you swivel your head around my room, you can almost play one of those "find the hidden object" games you see in the backs of magazines, or nowadays on SnapChat Discover. Starting from left to right, you see my bedside table. On it perches a tissue box, hand lotion, hand sanitizer, chapstick, a picture frame, a coaster, my planner, and a lamp. Nothing too special, right? Well what you wouldn't know is that the lotion on there is actually Daisy by Marc Jacobs. When my aunt asked me what I wanted for Christmas a few years back, I answered that I had heard that the fragrance Daisy was really nice. I had actually seen Meredith Foster talk about it in one of her favorites videos. The hand sanitizer is Bath and Body Works, which is funny because I didn't even know what that was until the infamous Black Friday Hauls videos came around with the 2 for $20 steals. Now, I shop there all the time for my hand sanitizer and hand soap needs. Next is the chapstick, which is a Zoella lip balm. Don't think I need much explaining there. The picture frame contains a Polaroid picture, and, as you probably guessed, I was inspired to get by Bethany Mota. My planner is (big surprise) the 2017 Blogilates planner. My coaster is actually a DIY by LaurDIY (another YouTuber). So literally 6/8 objects on just my BEDSIDE TABLE alone are connected to YouTubers.

I could go on like that for every section of my room, but we'd be here for a while. And that's not the point of this post. The point is that kids in this generation are growing up with new types of role models and leaders in their lives. YouTube has been around since 2009, so a lot of college students have grown up with YouTube as a driving force in their lives. For me, it's given me company when I didn't have very many friends. The people on there have inspired me to read new books, throw outdoor camping parties, and even start this blog.

If the generations before us had, to name a few, Audrey Hepburn, Dolly Parton, and Madonna, we have Zoe Sugg, Lilly Sing, PewDiePie, Roman Atwood, Dan Howell, Meredith Foster, Liza Koshy, and many more. I guess the main difference between the aspect of role models "then and now" is how personal these people in the limelight get. We have mainstream celebrities, but YouTubers' and Bloggers' jobs is to share a part of themselves. To put themselves out there. What they are known for is being themselves, which was often not the case back then. I'll be interested to see if this is a factor in shaping the next leaders of the world, making them more open and honest; more empathetic. Guess I'll get back to you on that one in thirty or so years. Hope you enjoyed this more introspective piece :)

Beach Daze

7/4/2017

Look at that! I completed something off of my summer bucket list already, which is going to the beach with friends! The beach is just the epitome of summer for me, and I knew this wouldn't be a hard one to check off the list. Here are some fun pictures from my trips! Hope you enjoy

Summer Bucket List 2017

6/9/2017

Summer is almost here, and with that in mind, I wanted to compile a nice list of goals that I have for the summer. Things that I want (and a few need) to achieve. As I check these off the list I'll be sure to document it on here with some fresh posts and artsy pictures. Hope you enjoy :)

Run a 5K
Get in shape for field hockey season ✓
Have a picnic in a park
Go to the beach with friends ✓
Visit NYC
Write some of my college essays
Improve my surfing skills
Maintain this blog ✓
Wake up early to see a sunrise with friends
Make homemade ice cream
Watch fourth of July fireworks ✓
Go to a drive-in movie
Go to a theme park
Find some new records
Do yoga at least 3 times a week
Stargaze
Go to a farmer's market
Geo caching
Have fun :)

Hello October...

10/2/2016

I'm so happy it's officially fall! Everything fall is just the best. I have a bunch of fun fall things I want to do before Halloween, so I decided I'd make a cute little list. Hope you enjoy :)

Pumpkin Picking with friends
Decorate for Fall/Halloween ✓
Bake something with pumpkin ✓
Wear a dark lip ✓
Have a fall photoshoot
Have a Halloween movie marathon ✓
Put together a cute and original Halloween costume ✓
Have a bonfire with my friends
Do a corn maze
Carve/Paint pumpkins
Go on a hayride
Apple picking
Go hiking

Blogs I Love

4/18/2016

Hey guys! I was reading through some blogs that I love and check on the daily when I realized; I never shared them! I thought I would recommend some really good ones that just make me happy :) I hope you enjoy!

Barefoot Blonde by Amber Fillerup Clark

_www.barefootblonde.com

Amber's blog is amazing! She has such a cute family and they travel the world together. Her braids and tutorials are so incredible, I'm sure you've seen them on Pinterest somewhere before haha. She blogs quite frequently, and just her whole aesthetic is life goals. You can't not be obsessed :)

Zoella

www.zoella.co.uk

If you haven't heard of Zoe Sugg, where have you been? She has a very successful career with her Youtube channel, blog, bestselling novels, beauty range, etc. But Zoe is so much more than a list of accomplishments. She's a kind, funny, caring person who's personality translates really well through every platform she uses. Her blog has been recently relaunched, and I'm obsessed with it. You guys have to check it out :)

Hannah Maggs

hannahmaggs.co.uk

Hannah is a super funny and genuine person! Her posts always have an undertone of humor in them and I really appreciate that. You can tell she is passionate about everything she talks about which is so refreshing to see. :)

Aspyn Ovard

aspynovard.com

Aspyn's life is what I aspire to. She travels the world with her adorable husband, all the while doing her dream job, has an amazing fashion sense, and remains down to earth. Her blog is a good mixture of travel, fashion and lifestyle posts and I always find inspiration from her outfits! She's one of the people I'm obsessed with, and you should check out her blog :)

Tanya Burr

tanyaburr.co.uk

Tanya is such a loveable human who always want to reccommend the best to you. She blogs about everything from fashion to baking to beauty, and every post is so amazing! You can see the time and effort she puts into her blog, and I think that is something to be proud of. Totally check out her blog because it's fun and amazing!

Girl Lost In The City by Emma Gannon

girllostinthecity.com

Emma's blog is a new one that I just started reading recently, and I am obsessed. She's more about the writing aspect of blogging rather than pictures, and I have so much respect for that. She recently launched a podcast, Ctl Alt Dlt, to accompany her book launching soon, and the podcast is just as funny and insightful as her blog. She talks about important issues in society with a humorous approach. Check out her blog :)

Poppy Deyes

poppydeyes.com

Poppy is such a sweetheart with a really aesthetically pleasing vibe on her blog. Everything is very clean, but not so clean it's impersonal. All her posts are really helpful whether it be beauty, fashion, skincare, food, travel, lifestyle, etc. She has a unique voice and I really enjoy her blog :)

Sprinkle of Glitter by Louise Pentland

sprinkleofglitter.blogspot.com

Louise recently just got back into blogging, and I really missed her! Her blog is like a diary, and it feels like you're really getting to know her as a person. She's super witty, and I will read anything she writes because she puts her own spin on it. Check out her blog :)

Lucy & Lydia

lucyandlydia.blogspot.com

Lucy and Lydia are twins who both have it all together. Their blog is a good read, and I find a lot of fashion inspiration in it as well as beauty. They are both equally enjoyable people, and you should totally check out their blog!

Snow Day

1/26/2016

Hey guys! So for this week's post I had planned to do a movie review of The Fifth Wave, but since there was a blizzard, I wasn't able to go see it. That really put me in a rut. I could put up a book review, but that would mess up the schedule I had etc. etc. I was feeling really uninspired, but on the other hand really motivated to post. I literally had no plan for today. Then I went on an adventure with my friend in the woods in my backyard. You see, I have a whole Pinterest board with 270 pins about traveling to far off places like Venice, Paris, England, Greece, California, Spain, etc. I love traveling, and cities are just amazing. But until my friend convinced me to, I never thought to explore the forest right in my backyard. And it was so much fun! We followed animal tracks, army crawled under bushes, and had a mini photoshoot in a clearing. What I'm trying to say is, you can find adventure right in your backyard. You just have to know to look.

Hope you guys enjoyed this! :)

2016 Inspiration & Excitement

1/18/2016

Hey guys! I know it's already over two weeks into 2016, and you've probably forgotten all about your resolutions or feel really guilty that you haven't kept to them. And that's perfectly okay! If you haven't been committed, that probably means you're not interested or motivated enough. I know I struggle to stick to my resolutions, so I've decided to call it something different. I'm going to get myself inspired and just remind myself why this year is going to be awesome! Basically give myself a pep talk and see what exciting things are going to be happening this year. Hope you enjoy :)

Fitness Board

New Books

Coloring

Room/Decor Touches

New Movies

The Fifth Wave

January 22, 2016

This comes out next week and I'm so excited to see it! I'll definitely do a review on it:) The book was so thrilling and that makes me really excited for the movie! Especially since it has Chloe Moretz.

The Divergent Series: Allegiant Part 1

March 18, 2016

The divergent series is totally one of my faovrites, and the last book made me cry sooo much. The movies have been really good so far and in line with the books, which I'm impressed with! I can't wait for this to come out:)

Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them

November 18, 2016

I can't tell you how happy it makes me that they are coming out with a new Harry Potter trilogy. Fantastic Beats and Where to Find Them looks like it's going to be just as magical! And it's starring EDDIE REDMAYNE. If you can't tell this movie is highly anticipated by me. Also I'd just like to say that it's so cool how we'll get to see the wizarding world in the 1920's, and in America!

The Jungle Book

April 15, 2016

So I love the classic Jungle Book, and I love how they are making all of the original cartoon Disney moves into live action ones. Cinderella was amazing, and I'm sure this one will be too!

Finding Dory

June 17, 2016

I loved Finding Nemo so much and it's just one of the best Disney films there is. When I heard they were coming out with a sequel, I was so excited! I can't wait to find out more about Dory's story, plus Ellen DeGeneres is always hilarious. Just Keep Swimming:)

Alice Through The Looking Glass

May 27, 2016

The first movie in this modern series, Alice In Wonderland, really made me look at the world a little differently. I adored it, especially since Anne Hathaway was in it, not to mention Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, and the recently deceased Alan Rickman :( anyway, I think this movie will be awesome!

The Secret Life of Pets

July 8, 2016

I saw the trailer for this movie pop up all over Twitter, and it literally made me laugh out loud. I then showed it to everbody near me and we all had a good laugh. Now I can't wait for it to come out!

The Legend of Tarzan

July 1, 2016

I saw the preview for this, and now I think it's going to be a fun take on the classic. Like I said before, I love how all the originals are being redone. It's refreshing!

Now You See Me 2

June 10, 2016

Now You See Me is literally one of my favorite movies, so I got so excited when I found out they were making a second one! Also, guys omg it has Daniel Radcliffe in it!

Ghostbusters

July 15, 2016

I love the original Ghostbusters, so when I heard they were making a version with female Ghostbusters, I thought that was such a cool and fun idea! Also, for spirit week my grade's theme was Ghostbusters, and I helped decorate our hallway.

Moana

November 23, 2016

I saved one of the best for last! This is the newest Disney Princess movie, and I am so pumped for this to come out!! It seems like it has an adventurous plot, and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is the voice of one of the main characters.

2016 Resolutions

1/4/2016

Happy New Year! I've never really made serious resolutions before, but this year I plan to do more of what makes me happy, and be around people who make me happy too. Something I really enjoy doing is blogging, and I'm going to post at least once a week on here:) I love writing, so I thought I'd include this short ramble I typed a while ago because it's a positive reminder! Hope you enjoy :)

Recently I've fallen in love with writing. I love the feeling of words flowing out of you, pouring, fitting in with each other like puzzle pieces. I like people being moved by what I say. I like having a voice. I like putting a melody to my thoughts and creating a song. I like putting my thoughts on the day in a little wood journal for just my eyes. I like creating characters, giving them personalities, and bringing them to life. I like poetry, and finding the meaning in it. I like writing blog posts. I love all this. So I'm going to keep writing everywhere I can. So I hope this little post inspires you to keep doing whatever it is you love as much as you can. It's just fun!