Hey everyone,

I hope you all have a great holiday this past week. On my end, I was able to get caught up on some homework and, since watching Marie Kondo's "Tidying Up", I was even inspired to organize up bits of my dorm room. 

In doing all of this, I realized that I tend to place emphasis on things that either don't matter or are simply bad for the environment. I've shared a few of my goals for the new year on here before, but this time around I really want to take charge with controlling more of the things I carry with me and want to strive to be more sustainable. I have teamed up with some amazing companies and hope that you will be inspired by each of the brands I work with and aren't as afraid to be more sustainable in your own life! 

Sustainable Option #1: A (Cute) Reusable Cup

This was the first major change I made in my day-to-day life, and I honestly don't regret it at all. I am a huge fan of hydro flasks and when I saw the tumblr that Angie, shop owner of "Simply JLynn", made I knew I had to have it in my life. What I love about reusable cups is that they are portable, easy to customize, and, in some ways, more versatile than traditional cups. In some instances, stores will even give you a discount for using your own mug. For those times when you want to grab a quick cup of coffee but don't want to lug your heavy water bottle, I highly suggest buying a tumblr. The one I have is the personalized tumblr cup, viewable HERE, with initials in the rose gold color with the interlocking script. I can't stress enough how much I love this cup and how many compliments I have gotten with it around campus. For those of you more interested in hot drinks, HERE is a link to one of her mugs I am obsessed with!   

Sustainable Switch #2: Aromatherapy Candles

Believe it or not, many scented candles contain ingredients that release tons of harmful chemicals into our air; some of which end up ingested into our bodies. To name a few, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and lead are all popular chemicals that have harmful side effects (Source: Molekule Blog) to our environment. In my search for new ways to care for myself, I wanted to find more natural, safer ways to clean the air around me and through this found that candles with a soy wax are healthier for the air and your body (because, hello, you're not inhaling those gross toxins!). Even more, companies are beginning to employ essential oils and even crystals into their candles. Using essential oils, rather than unnatural scents, are overall safer for you and also help to create a more enjoyable experience. Now when it comes to crystal candles, I'm no expert by any means, but I do know that many people believe in the power of crystals and their properties. Whether you do or don't, the nice thing is that companies like The Divine Femme include an informational sheet on the crystals and oils in their candles, ensuring you learn a little something with each purchase. Even better, companies like The Divine Femme are entirely self-supported, meaning each purchase goes directly into helping support a small business. What's better than supporting small businesses rather than large corporations? 

Sustainable Switch #3: Laundry Dryer Balls

Now, in the spirit of sustainability I wanted to share with you my new holy-grail: dryer balls. Rather than spend my money on dryer sheets that I'm likely going to use once and just toss, I have decided to invest into dryer balls. They come in various forms, ranging from wool to plastic, and can be reused for years. Depending on which you try, you might find that they reduce static, help speed up drying time, and are safer for your clothes. I personally use two dryer balls from target, but have not used them enough to say if I've noticed a difference. HERE is a link to view the most popular one on Amazon, where you can learn more about the benefits to switching to dryer balls. 

How are you making strides to being more sustainable? While only three, I hope this post inspired you to make switches to the things you drink out of, wash your clothes with, and even decorate your space with. Next week I hope to tackle clothing, and how I am choosing to be more sustainable in my fashion choices! This hasn't been easy, but it has certainly been eye opening! 

Until next time, 

Hey everyone,

I am so excited for Valentine's Day this year because, unlike last year, Daniel will be on island and we will likely be able to see each other! With this in mind, I realized how little I had prepared on what we should do or where we should go. I know I can't be the only one overwhelmed here, so I decided to bite the bullet and come up with 5 creative date ideas for those looking for ways to enjoy the holiday with their S.O. 

1. See a Movie

• The Prodigy: A horror movie starring Taylor Schilling
• Isn’t it Romantic: A comedy starring Rebel Wilson and Liam Hemsworth
• Cold Pursuit: A drama starring Liam Neeson

2. Spend the evening indoors (thanks, polar vortex!)

3. Dinner and a museum

4. Go ice skating

5. Play hookie and explore your city

What do you think of these ideas? Let me know if you and your S.O end up doing these dates, or if you decided to do something different entirely!

Hello everyone!

It's no secret that I have been obsessed with going to the gym lately and I knew I wanted to touch base and update you guys on my routine, what's working, what's not working, and what I'm doing differently! I hope you enjoy!

I try and set aside approximately one hour every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday for the gym. Last year I was very much dedicated to my lower body, but this time around I have tried to expand my reach and have been doing workouts more targeted to my upper body. From when I first started things were hard, but even in the few weeks that I've been going I have already noticed myself building strength and stamina. So first, what do I do? 

I always start my workouts with a quick warm-up set. I start on the machines and stick to my traditional lower body regime. The biggest difference in my lower body workout now is the weight I use, but I know that I'll soon catch up to what I used to press, curl, and push. 

If you're curious about my lower body workouts click HERE!

This part of my workout typically takes me anywhere from half an hour to 45 minutes, and after I'm done I head to the yoga room and begin my upper body workout. 

Now, I'm not going to front. It's a very simple, no equipment necessary, kind of workout. In fact, I actually found it on Pintrest, so that should tell you how informed I was about this kind of thing. For my upper body workout I grab two 5 pound dumbbells and do 5 sets of 15: bicep curls, tricep curls, front raises, and occasionally the push press. This doesn't sound like a lot, but I have definitely been feeling the burn. Plus, I'm starting to love the little muscle bump I get on my upper arm when I flex. Is that weird? Probably. 

After it's all said and done my workouts can typically be done in 45 minutes to an hour. I try and walk to and from classes everyday, and this allows me to cool down after a tough gym session. This is also where I switch from my pop playlists and play more low-key, relaxing podcasts.  

And that's it! I am so excited to be going back to the gym again and have so many great things coming both in the gym and here on the blog.

Let me know down below if you like upper body workouts or lower body-- I'd love to get more information and inspiration from all of you guys!