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The Beauty and Power of Transparency
Thanks to a recommendation from a friend, I recently listened to this incredible TED talk from Brene Brown and it has impacted me so much. Her books Rising Strong, Daring Greatly, and The Gifts of Imperfection are now on my list to read ASAP. I am definitely late to the party, as her books have been out for a while (same with her TED talk) but better late than never. I am so thankful that I have discovered Brene Brown and her message about vulnerability. Thinking about vulnerability has led us to thinking about transparency and the beauty of being completely transparent in relationships and in life in general.
It might be scary and feel uncomfortable, but what better way to live than completely honestly, openly, authentically, and truthfully? We have all had seasons where we go into our shell, put up walls, or paint a pretty picture. Doing this is a way to inform the world that: all is well here, no need to know more, I am fine! Sometimes we do this without even knowing that we are doing it! It becomes a natural reaction to discomfort. However, in the long run, that sort of behavior won’t help us. It might feel safe in the moment, but it actually robs us of true joy that comes from living full lives as our real, genuine, 100% selves. We will grow more if we let our true selves be exposed. There is nothing more real or more beautiful than that! 
Jesus want us so desperately to cling to Him instead of feeling the need to hide. He created us just the way we are, so of course He wants our inner beauty to shine completely to the world. Step into the place of being vulnerable with a real, raw, “this is me, world!” kind of way! Quirks, messes, insecurities, fears, mistakes, oops’, lessons, and whatever else can easily lure us into a mindset of uh oh, I gotta cover this one up, but I pray for all of us that we won’t fall for that trap. Instead, pray about it, own it, repent of it, forgive yourself for it, or whatever the case may be. We are not designed to hide. We are designed to live in His light and experience joy!!
What are your thoughts on transparency and living genuine lives? We would love to hear in the comment section below. Xo
THE OUTFIT: shorts and top set | sunnies | shoes
[show_shopthepost_widget id="2764741"]images by felicia lasala
Tops with Ties and Statement Sleeves
We love blouses that make a statement in a unique, stylistic way and tops with ties and statement sleeves do just that. The elizabeth & james top from above is one of my all time favorites and below is a round-up of tops that we are loving from the current Nordstrom Sale. Use the arrows to click through, click the image to shop, or find corresponding links below. xo[show_shopthepost_widget id="2765603"]
one | two | three | four | five | six | seven | eight | nine | ten
Afternoon Pick Me Up: Starbucks Refreshers® Beverages
This post was sponsored by Starbucks. While I was compensated to write a post about Starbucks Refreshers Beverages, all opinions are my own.I always seem to be fighting for energy when the summer heat wave hits. Who's with me? I absolutely love being at the beach and look forward to the fun vacation getaways, my birthday (yay!), laying out by the pool, and those country music-filled BBQ nights! There is nothing like the sweet memories of summer, but work still remains, energy lags more than usual because of that summer heat, and I try my hardest to stay excited about hot yoga when it's blazing outside.
I tend to switch drinks from season to season - hot tea in the cooler months and homemade spa water in the warmer times (yes, please!), but those choices can get a bit mundane. My new favorite afternoon pick-me-ups are Starbucks Refreshers® sparkling juice blends, the Strawberry Lemonade being my favorite flavor. It is crafted with tangy lemon and sweet strawberry juices, and a blend of vitamins. Not to mention, all flavors are made with coconut water!
I love swinging by a Starbucks cafe after a work out, grabbing a Starbucks Refreshers® sparkling juice blend, and heading back out on my day full of errands or back to working on my blog posts. It gives me the perfect break from working on my computer + it is the perfect combination with a protein bar or a fresh salad mid-day.
The Starbucks Refreshers® beverages come in three flavors: Strawberry Lemonade, Peach Passion Fruit, and Black Cherry Limeade. They are an uplifting alternative to energy drinks (they don’t have nearly as much caffeine) and best of all, they don’t skimp on flavor!
Five Clothing Brands We Love At Nordstrom
Hello, friends! As you know, the Nordstrom sale is well underway and continues through next weekend. We are still hooked on the great deals and amazing items that are available. Today we are focusing on five clothing brands we love at Nordstrom. We love so many brands, so it was super hard picking five, but these brands have especially great deals for the Anniversary Sale: Rag & Bone, Free People, Rails, Zella, and Trouve. See below for more! xo
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Shoesday Tuesday
Celebrating Shoesday Tuesday with 9 pairs of shoes currently on sale @ Nordstrom for their Anniversary Sale. We love these shoes because they are all great early fall options + come in a variety of neutral colors. Links are below! xo
one | two | three | four | five | six | seven | eight | nine
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Currently Loving from Nordstrom
Happy Monday! We hope that everyone had a wonderful weekend. Just in case you missed it, last week we rounded up a bunch of favorites from the Nordstrom sale in a few different categories: athleisure, comfy clothes, beauty products, denim and blouses, bar cart necessities, cozy home items, + things that sell out fast. Now that the sale is open to the public and some items have sold out, we thought we would round up what we are currently loving from Nordstrom as of this week. See below for the details (use the arrows to see our favorites) and come back tomorrow because we will be sharing some amazing shoes from the sale. xo
the outfit: [show_shopthepost_widget id="2756803"]
currently loving:
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Comfy Clothes From Nordstrom
Happy Friday, all! Today is the first day that the Nordstrom Sale is open to the public, hooray! Since it is the weekend and we are looking forward to some rest and downtime, we thought today would be the perfect day to round up some of the cutest comfy clothes currently available at Nordstrom. We are big fans of relaxing in soft clothes on the weekend and after work Monday-Friday. I don't know about you, but the moment I get in the door from work, the works clothes are off and the comfy clothes are on! xo
The Gift of Grace
Oh, sweet grace. The gift of grace is the best kind of gift. We have been thinking lately about how thankful we are for grace and the freedom that it brings, even when we don't deserve it. Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you aren't particularly pleased with a situation or person? These situations can bring about hurtful feelings of disappointment, critical feelings of judgement, heartbroken feelings of confusion, or heavy feelings of bitterness and resentment. However, there is a sweet way to avoid these negative, soul-weakening feelings! The answer is grace.
Give the gift of grace to others freely, abundantly, and always. Even when your mind might be raging, tap into your heart and give grace to someone. This will not only be so good for them, but it will be so good for you as well! You will feel light and unburdened and will be able to carry on, instead of being stuck in an unforgiving rut. It is harder said than done, and it takes patience, so we encourage all of us to praise the Lord for the sweet grace He gives us and pray for Him to give us the strength and the tenderness to give grace to others constantly.
Here is a quote from the daily devotional, Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young that really spoke to me: 'When someone mistreats you, try to view it as an opportunity to grow in grace. See how quickly you can forgive the one who has wounded you." I love the picture that this quote creates; each hurtful situation is an opportunity for us to grow! It is a challenge because we have two choices: to feel hurt, angry, and hold on to negative feelings, or to release the negative by forgiving, giving grace, and in return we will grow in grace.
Lysa Terkeurst has an amazing quote on grace: When to give grace? I'd rather stand before God knowing I loved others too much than regretting that I judged too harshly. Amen to that. Loving others by showing them grace in every opportunity that you have is the sweetest display of love. May we all keep this quote in mind as we live and interact with others, giving grace and loving people even when they let us down or hurt us. xo
SHOP THE OUTFIT:
dress (c/o) | shoes (c/o) similar, similar
LOVE THESE SHOES:
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