Hi everyone!
Today I wanted to post about something a little different from beauty or fashion- something that brings positivity to my world! Positive thinking helps us be healthier, more productive, and ultimately happier. There are too many negative things and people out there in the world today that we beat ourselves up about. I’m trying to focus on things that bring joy to my life, rather than sulking at minor annoyances. Below are 8 things that lift my mood despite all the negativity surrounding me. #ThePositivityProject
1. Hitting 10,000 steps per day
I love my Fitbit for reminding me to do this. It makes me feel so accomplished, even if I haven’t gone to the gym. I work primarily in an office, so sometimes it’s hard to pull myself out of my chair and go for a walk. I love wearing my Fitbit because it buzzes every hour reminding me to get my butt up and move! Fitbit is as addictive as checking Facebook or Instagram, no joke.
2. TREATING YO SELF
Who else believes in retail therapy? I don’t know about you, but when I go to the designer end of my favorite mall and make a splurge purchase, it makes me feel like a boss lady. Is it because we feel the lure drawing us into a happier, less stressful world full of perfect things? Who knows? When the going gets tough, the tough go shopping, right??
3. Getting a manicure
When my nails are on point, my mood is too. I drive out to the ‘burbs every 3 weeks and treat myself to a gel manicure. The nail salon I go to is not your typical salon. You pay a flat fee, and get whatever you desire painted onto your nails. The manicurists are legit artists. I always leave with perfect nails and the polish lasts forever.
4. Setting a goal and achieving it
I use a really cool weekly planner to map out my week. I think it’s the only planner that I can actually stick to because it’s so darn cute! It even has a section titled “snowball in hell”, perfect for the things I put off into the next week! On a serious note, I plan pretty much every aspect of my life. It’s the only way I stay on top of things and not get lazy. I need to visually see my errands/tasks in order for it to hit me that I have loads to do. It is the most satisfying feeling in the world when I cross out a completed task.
5. Playing a board game with friends and family
It’s so nice to detach from social media once in a while. You ever hear the saying, spend time with the kind of people that distract you from your phone? One of my favorite things to do is play a board game with my close ones. I especially love going out to bars that have boardgames! I love that they’re popular again. Snakes and Lattes is an awesome board game bar that I visited with friends in Toronto. I think it’s a great concept that makes for a unique and tremendously enjoyable experience. I highly recommend looking up board game bars in your area!
6. Watching a brand new season of my favorite TV show
The excitement that takes over my body when a new season of Black Mirror airs is unreal. Nothing feels better than spending an entire day lounging in bed binge-watching a show. Even though you later feel the guilt of not having done anything important all day, you feel GREAT after having immersed yourself in a fictional world. #LazyMillennial
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
7. Strolling through the city
I live in a section of Philadelphia called Fishtown: a neighborhood brimming with artists, hipsters, millennials, and DOGS. On the weekends, I take my pup out for long strolls on Frankford Ave, grab an iced tea at Steap & Grind (or one of the many other fantastic coffee shops), and tire Sonia out at Palmer Doggie Depot. I love everything about the neighborhood: the parks, restaurants, coffee shops, street art, and much much more. I love it so much that I will be dedicating an entire blog post to it (coming soon!). What I appreciate most is that it’s FULL of community pride and cultural diversity. “This place used to feel like the edge of the world. It used to be under the radar. Now it feels like the center of Philadelphia.”- Wm. Mulherin’s Sons’ Cook.
8. Going out for brunch
And lastly…brunch: arguably the most important meal on the weekends. My love for brunch comes from a combination of sleeping in, savory + sweet food options, and the weekend ambience. Or maybe it’s the drinks? Yeah..it’s probably the drinks. The best way to get me to go anywhere is to invite me to brunch!