Go ahead; treat yourself.

I’m a strong believer in the importance of appreciating the little things in life. 
It can easily turn an ordinary day into something special.

Sometimes, I think we tend to put others before ourselves. And while there is certainly nothing wrong with that, we need to remember to do things that make ourselves happy too! That being said, treating yourself every now and then is a wonderful thing and will leaving you feeling happy and content.

My challenge for you this week; find little ways to treat yourself.

One:: Go ahead, order that sugar-filled drink from your favorite coffee shop.
Don’t worry about its’ calorie or fat content!

Two:: Chocolate for breakfast? You betcha!

Three:: Pour yourself a glass of wine and settle in to watch hours of your favorite TV show. 
My current favorite: The Vampire Diaries

Four:: Buy yourself that thing you want but are always putting off. 
Just do it and don't feel guilty. You earned it.
(Still saving up for a new one of these!)

Five:: Take a spontaneous day or weekend trip!
My favorite getaway: Minneapolis.

Six::Treat yourself to some new music! 

Currently loving...

                     Midnight Cinema                           Ben Rector                         Brendan James

Seven:: Spend time outside. It's August, which means our warm, sunny days will soon be coming to an end. Enjoy it! 

Have a great week!

Wanderlust

And she's back! 

Between finals, moving home from college and working, 

it's safe to say I've been off the radar for a while.

But no need to fear! I am back and itching to share whats on my mind...

Travel.

Travel.

Did I mention travel?

From New York City with my best sidekick, Meg,
 to studying abroad in Florence, Italy next spring, 

I have not been able to stop planning, reading
and dreaming about the opportunities which lie ahead.

Someone once told me I have a strong case of wanderlust. 

At the time, I knew nothing of this word or what it meant.

However, it is now one of my favorite words
and describes precisely my feelings towards travel.

Wanderlust is a vague feeling. Vague, yet entirely unmistakable.
 It begins with a twinge in the back of your mind, 
then leads to a feeling of excitement in your heart. 
A feeling like this you cannot ignore. 
It has the capacity to bring the greatest sense of longing and happiness ever felt.

The feeling of wanderlust is centered fully on the unknown and the desire to know it.
It is a yearning to explore, to learn and to see what one has never seen before. 

I leave with you, a quote to ponder over.
You may have heard it before,
but I hope it inspires you to take a risk, go somewhere new
and experience all this awe-inspiring world has to offer.

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." -Mark Twain

Until next time, 

Captivated.

Coffee// Cameras// Books// Travel// Fashion// Food
A few of my favorite things.

I have always been captivated by the way you can see someone’s passion in their eyes when they talk about the thing they love. Their eyes gleam with excitement and fill with light. It’s infectious. Passion is something our hearts desire, and it ultimately defines who we are.

A song I feel fully embodies the idea and feel of passion is called
 “This Is Beautiful”, by singer/songwriter Tyrone Wells.
It goes something like this…

“I never could have seen this coming

The most amazing things

They arrive within a moment

You are here with me, I'm alive all of a sudden

Anyone can see, anyone can see it's beautiful

You set off avalanches in my heart”

For me, this song fully embodies the feeling of passion and desire.

Although I believe Tyrone wrote this song about love for another person, you can certainly relate it to all aspects of life. Whether coffee and books, fashion and photography, or a compelling case of wanderlust, surround yourself with whatever it is that makes you happy. I for one, am remarkably intrigued by all the above.

I am excited to share with you my stories and pictures, along with thoughts and ideas about anything and everything. Enjoy!