This post isn’t about a specific topic, I’ve just been feeling like writing something casual about what I’ve been up to over the last few weeks because I have a lot of feelings, and this seemed as good a place as any to talk about them all.
I set so many personal goals for myself this year, and they got all pushed to the side about three weeks into the new year when I was put on a massive project at work. I’m really excited about it, because it’s a great opportunity for me to stretch my skills and work with some colleagues I don’t get to work with often. But at the same time, I’m freaked out about handling it all and still adjusting to work hours I didn’t expect to have – either early calls to collaborate with colleagues based in Europe, or staying up ridiculously late to meet tight deadlines, or working on the weekend.
Oh – after I was talking about work on Instagram, I realized some of you don’t know what I do for a living. I am a marketing and communication manager for a recycling technology company.
Right now, the weekends are the only time I have to blog, take photos or work on reading the climate books on my list, but I am trying really hard to free up one or two evenings during the week for my hobbies. Nobody can work late every. single. night. and not get completely burnt out, and I was getting to that point before I realized I need to have some boundaries about my time. Plus, this isn’t a hobby I want to give up, regardless of how tough it may get to do everything. I’ve invested so much time in this space and I’m proud of what I’ve built here.
Fortunately, I’ve been keeping up pretty well with staying active, eating well and keeping the house neat and organized. I feel like those things are important for me to be able to do good work, whether that’s for my day job or for blogging. I’ve also been spending some time with friends when I can – like when I went to New York City to Arcadia Earth Museum.
The Rainbow Cave at Arcadia Earth is made of 44,000 plastic bags – the number used in New York each minute. The installation celebrates the state’s new plastic bag ban.
Reni and I ended our Saturday in NYC with wine and vegan food at The Butcher’s Daughter.
I’m also really eager to find some time to finish some projects in the house – namely, our guest room/ office that we need to properly paint, decorate and organize so that it is a functional space and not a storage room. But, that probably won’t be realistic to start for at least a few weeks.
My style has been a little different lately. I’m leaning hard into neutrals and classic silhouettes, even more so than I have in the past (who knew that was possible?!). I think I’m finding that some of the more artsy ethical fashion pieces just don’t suit me. I’m much more content these days in black pants or jeans, button downs, blazers and sweaters with clean lines.
I think the way I’m dressing lately is a result of all of the above – I don’t have time to fuss around with adding a silk scarf or steaming my clothes or mixing up my jewelry the way I used to. One day I’ll have the time again, but for right now, it’s all about being as minimal, streamlined and simple as possible. And maybe when I have the time, I still won’t want to fuss the way I used to. I loved the outfit I’m wearing above – I felt smart and strong and like the best version of myself. I notice when I dress that way, that’s also when I do my best work.
I get dressed for my life. I don’t post outfits on my Instagram or blog that I don’t actually wear for the sake of partnerships or having outfits that fit my feed or whatever. Even the times when I do take professional photos or batch my content, I don’t think I’ve ever shared an outfit I haven’t actually worn. The reason I’m saying this is because my life is requiring me to change how I get dressed, and so the way I show up here is changing, and will keep changing. I guess I will see how it affects my content’s performance, since people aren’t used to me being quite so minimal (and maybe…boring?) with my outfits.
Besides being busy at work and doing some reflection on my personal style, I’ve been working on some self-improvement! I mean, I think I’m fine the way I am, but there is always room to be better. I’ve done some coaching sessions on managing my anxiety in a different way, and it has really helped me to be a more authentic communicator in my personal and professional life. The method is focused on our humanity and worthiness and how we can show up in the world in ways that honor that. (That’s like, the ten-second version of it, haha!)
I’m also doing an online course on Circular Economy so that I can speak more credibly on the topic within my content.
Lastly, like I said, I’ve been taking care of my body by staying active and trying new plant-based recipes (huge fan of how Purple Carrot makes weekday cooking easier, too).
Fitness is fun with friends. My friend Cait and I met on Instagram!
Matt got me these sparkly barre socks for Valentine’s Day.
The cats are good! Magnolia is adjusting well in her new home, and Luna and Ares are as sweet as ever.
Ares.
I haven’t added or subtracted much in my closet lately, though my Elizabeth Suzann Florence pants arrived (love them! I shared more about them on Instagram), and I did buy a new bag for work from MZ Wallace. They’re a conventional fashion brand for sure, but they are at least very invested in meaningful give back programs. Ultimately though, the bag I purchased is the most functional thing I could find for what I needed. It’s foldable and packable and also has a luggage sleeve, and since I have a lot of travel coming up (Buffalo and Nashville in the next few weeks…then onto summer travel), I needed a bag that could attach to my suitcase. The only drawback is that is has some leather detailing, but I’ve also been becoming less strict on how I look at being plant-based – being less hard on myself, and making my life a little easier. I’m sure that will disappoint some people, but ultimately I think I’m realizing I live sustainably the majority of the time, and my individual actions are only part of the total solution. It’s okay to cut myself some slack.
I have officially rambled here for more than 1,000 words, so I think that’s enough for now. What have you been up to lately? Feel free to drop me a comment and we can chat!
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