The Good Life

Yesterday's post was heavy but it felt so good to write about it. Therapeutic in a sense.

Some of you might be wondering if I'm dating right away and the answer to that is...

Kind of.

I'm not in a rush to find my ride or die. If anything, I'm just going with the flow. Keep in mind, I just got out of a long-term AND live-in relationship, so it's really important to take a step back and just "do me".

At the same time, I won't ever turn down a fun night out. It might be all the film noir I grew up on but I can't say no to romance.

For those nights, that I have said yes (few and far, my friends) I opt for a relaxed silhouette that features my best assets - my strong legs.

Dress: Tobi  Boots: Zara  Purse: edressme  Sunglasses: The Row  Necklace: La Soula  Lipstick: Daringly Nude via Maybelline  Hair: Terax Life Drops

Since I don't have that many date-night dresses, I've been making updates to my closet to include a few more thigh-skimming mini dresses. In the name of research, I've spent a few hours viewing all of the options on tobi.com and possibly found a few more favorites.

They tend to have really great sales and an amazing first-time customer deal (50% off sitewide if you sign up for their newsletter), so I'd click over soonish :). As for accessories, I try to keep it as delicate as possible so they don't detract attention from the dress. For that reason, I've been wearing La Soula, which is known for gorgeous hand-crafted pieces. (P.s. Keep them in mind for Mother's Day).

Photos by Gita Woosley.

Shop the look:

The Fourth Wall

Twenty-sixteen has been an unbelievable whirlwind of foreseeable events. One of them being my recent arrival into the never-boring world of singledom and couch-surfing. Both, I tried to take in stride but later realized my emotions are a bigger beast than I imagined. Ups, downs, sideways - I went through every single one. There were days I went through ALL of the feels within five minutes, only to be left exhausted and alone. Not knowing how to deal, I found solace in Fireball at two am and bullshit compliments fed to me by strangers. It gives me acid reflux thinking about it now.

Before we dive even more into this heavy shit you should know, there's only love for my ex. When someone finds you encapsulated in a seal of worthlessness and pain only to resurrect you from the ashes - there can only be love. But not even that is capable of escaping an expiration date.

With blank pages set before me, this next chapter needs to be spent solo as I peel back the multitude of layers I buried myself beneath. Work out some kinks for sure. Or as my mother claims, I should. Possibly uncover what truly makes me tick, excited, and pissed. Discover and hold onto my self-worth. But mainly, be a happier version of myself; unchained from my sometimes paralyzing past. I'm finding it to be a lot harder than it seems.

Yet, at the end of every night, there's a sense of hope by not taking the easier road. Abandoning the comfort of our set routine and leaving behind everything we built up, as I set out to find myself instead. The silver lining comes to me almost immediately, a feeling of liberation.

That in itself is everything and more.

Photos by Lydia Hudgens.

Let's Talk Juicing!

Right off the bat, my diet is something I've always struggled with. I'm constantly reaching for sweets or oversalted snacks and neglecting the leafy greens and barely know how to peel a tangerine.

I do get a little better about hydrating when in training mode, but I know I could do better. According to the 80/20 rule, I could actually work out less if I put more effort into eating cleaner. Which, I did none of while in Nashville. No regrets either way.

via jusbyjulie.com

Since this year is turning out to be a huge one for me I'm going to put more of an effort to eat cleaner, hydrate more, and work out smarter. If you're interested, I could share more of what I'm eating. Until then, I'm keeping track of my meals & water intake with my Fitbit.

After making this commitment it's time to clean the slate which I tend to do by juicing. Now, I'm not the best at juicing and find it extremely hard but mama didn't raise no quitter. 

Now there are tons of Juice companies out there, but I wanted to keep it local and with one that never disappoints when it comes to 100% blended goodness - Jus by Julie. They were kind enough to send out a one-day cleanse to test out. Unfortunately, I lasted about four hours before supplementing my cleanse with lots of steamed veggies.

via jusbyjulie.com

But here are a few tips to ensure your best cleanse yet:

1. Be Prepared
This means avoiding any fried or processed foods (including alcohol) a few days prior to your cleanse. During this time, you should also be drinking lots of water and getting in quality sleep. By the way, the above is guaranteed to give you glowing skin from the inside out if you make it a lifestyle change.

2. Right Timing
If you want to be successful, make sure the timing is right. A day following vacation or during an intense training period might not be the prime choice. Instead, aim for a day that is low-key and will allow you to focus on the cleanse. Next time I cleanse I'll opt for a Sunday which has always been reserved as my homebody day.

3. Be Easy on Yourself
Just because I didn't complete the cleanse as it was structured out doesn't mean I failed. Look at the positives - I fueled my body with amazing good-for-me ingredients and hydrated along the way. At the same time, I learned a lot about how my body works and figured cleanses are better once a season (for me) and that getting a few key weekly juices (Dr. Green & Açai Blend are my current faves) in works better. And it's super easy to incorporate Jus by Julie into my week with their super easy subscription service or by simply walking into one of their four locations.

What's your take on juicing and are you incorporating it into your lifestyle?

Learn more about these guys at jusbyjulie.com or visit one of their locations here.