[disclosure] Wealth is the ability to fully experience life. ~ Henry David Thoreau This post is in partnership with Borrowell, all opinions (and rather funny money stories) are my own. When I was in my 20’s, money was some fantastical creature. Like a Unicorn? Kind of. Hard to grasp, and full of dysfunction. I turned 20 in 1996 a few short years before Y2K, the Dot-com technology bubble and 9/11. I was lucky to land my first real job in 1999 before everything imploded. I lived through nervous times of job cuts, budget cuts, and wondering whether my customers were going to spend money or if I ..read more

[disclosure] Throughout life, I’ve been a curator. I curate all the beautiful things, books, people, places, and time spent in luxuriously intentional moments.  I’ve always edited my life in one fashion or another. Whether it’s editing out certain thought patterns, my closet, or toxic relationships, I curate and edit fastidiously. Through all of these “edits” and “curations,” I’ve always stuck like glue to my values, beliefs and principles – whatever they happened to be at the time. Because yes, they do change as we age and experience new things. One thing is certain — I will always have ..read more

[disclosure] For the past four years, I’ve been following my heart and refusing to give up on wherever it leads me. And it’s led me to some exciting places, to vibrant people, and new mindsets.  When I lost my job, I made a decision. Actually, the most important decision of my life — to follow my heart. And to intuitively listen to where it was guiding me no matter what and to never give up on whatever that is until I exhausted it completely. Some may see it as reckless and irresponsible, but I see it as tuning in to my true self. After all, how can we live a wholeheartedly authentic lif ..read more

[disclosure] “I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls.” ~ Audrey Hepburn I believe that true elegance is in styling your mind. Since I was a young girl, I always had a vivid imagination. It’s been both a blessing and a curse. As a child and teen, I often imagined faraway worlds with interesting characters on a whim. My mind was the place I hung out; it was the chic Parisian cafe I longed for in my backyard. While most other kids spent time with each other, at parties, or the mall, I lived a very private life. Quite often, what I imagined and believed became a reality. As an adult ..read more

[disclosure] Over the past two weeks, I stepped away from my usual routines, activities, and digital life. It meant stepping away from social media, this blog, my newsletter, and pretty much the entire internet. When I took a moment to think about how I’d been spending my time and energy, I quickly realized why I was feeling burnt out and overwhelmed lately. The truth? I’d begun to question things like: why wasn’t I making any progress on my life and business goals, why did I lack clarity and focus, and it even went so far as doubting whether I could follow through on my dreams.  When qu ..read more

[disclosure] Last week, I turned 43. As I always do, I took the day off from everything — for me —to be with friends, family, and have some alone time doing what I enjoy. I bought myself a beautiful bouquet of flowers; just because. I took time to wander, to leisurely read a book over a long-anticipated Starbucks Caramel Macchiato (half sweet with almond milk of course), and to enjoy a day of shutting off from the pressures I’ve faced with starting a business and keeping up with this blog. My 40’s have ushered in significant change and discovering myself in a whole new light. Although it ..read more

[disclosure] Last week I had one of those romantic little epiphanies. You know the one, you suddenly see your life through rose coloured glasses and realize quite suddenly, that you’re not living as you should or would like to. You should be living the life you desire.  You should be eating better. You should be less stressed. You should be more mindful, present, and intentional about, well, just about everything. So what was my epiphany? I need to raise my standards. Again. Because I’ve done this before. But somehow, whenever I have a small life tragedy, whether it’s divorce or job loss ..read more

[disclosure]   When I started my minimalism/simple living journey back in 2016, I knew I was committing to more than decluttering my closet and organizing my wardrobe. Minimalist fashion is more than a style trend or closet full of neutrals – the aesthetic is not the movement or the meaning behind it. It’s the conscious choice to align actions with beliefs and values, to put your money towards meaningful pursuits. What it looks like is putting my money into brands that help this beautiful planet of ours, curating a closet with fewer but better quality items, and consuming less overall. W ..read more

[disclosure] Great food is simple. It’s in the creaminess of my fave comfort food Risotto. It’s in the orange zest in the classic French Madeleines I love baking. And yes, it can even be found in Kale; in its crunchy sweetness.  Great food requires little effort, few ingredients, and minimal seasoning.  I’m a foodie by nature. It’s in my blood, in my Taurean sensibility. By nature, I’m a lover of beautiful things. Things that matter. Comforting things.  But for me, food hasn’t always been about eating simply. When I was married, I would cook ridiculously complicated meals; slav ..read more

[disclosure] When was the last time you got super inspired about your money situation? Like, so empowered you could take on the world like Lizzie Bennet or Oprah? What if I told you that saving $10 last payday made me feel like a million dollars?  I know, you’re shaking your head and thinking, hey I’m an adult here, I’m not ten years old swapping blood, sweat, and tears cleaning my filthy pre-teen room for a measly ten dollars.  Let me start by saying that every smart, classy, sophisticated woman has started somewhere (and sometimes started over again, like me!), and there is no sha ..read more