Category: Lifestyle

2020 Mood Board

Hello everyone!

So here we are, back in the roaring 20s once again! Last year I was inspired by Shayna Klee, on her YouTube channel Purple Palace to create a mood board for the year, with all of the dreams and goals I want to manifest during the year. In this week’s episode of my podcast, In Cahoots!, I reacted to my 2019 mood board (if you want to read the original blog post, CLICK HERE), and whether or not I achieved those goals or not.

So, I thought it might be fun to carry on with the tradition this year, and create a mood board for 2020!

This year, I decided to go with a little bit more of a theme than I did last year. I decided to include some of my favorite woman artists, writers, and creators in this mood board. Each of these women and their bodies of work inspire me so much to chase after my dreams, and I thought it was only right to include them.

  • “You are only the only one responsible for giving yourself the life you want. Read that again.” Quote from Brianna Wiest. I love this quote because You may also notice that the majority of the quotes I chose to feature are from Brianna Wiest. She is a local writer from where I live, and she even went to the college where I also graduated from, Elizabethtown College. I love her essays and poetry because she always makes me think and feel deeper that I originally would. Her words just hit so hard, and are so beautifully written.
  • The second image is a Screenshot from Purple Palace vlog in 2019, where she cuts her hair. Shayna Klee, the woman behind my favorite YouTube channel called Purple Palace, is a huge inspiration to me. She inspired me to put together these mood boards, starting last year in 2019, in the first place. I’ve also had the joy of messaging back and forth with her, and she encouraged me to make a YouTube channel for my poetry, which wasn’t something I considered seriously before she suggested it to me. So, in 2019, I’m hoping to make some videos that are just my poetry, and do my best not to make them too perfect, but to make them as uniquely me as possible, as Shayna does in her Purple Palace videos. The reason why I chose this picture of her specifically is because it is from one of my favorite videos she published in 2019, where she cuts her own hair and reflects on doing so. Obviously, it’s more meaningful than just that, and you can CLICK HERE to watch the vlog as well (and I would highly recommend her videos if you don’t watch her already, she’s an amazing creator!), but the video was so uniquely Shayna, that it was one of the inspirations for my releasing my poetry collection, Under The Pisces Moon, and shamelessly owning my life experiences in that collection.
  • “You still have a lot of time to make yourself be what you want.” Quote from S.E. Hinton. I chose to feature this quote to remind myself that I have time, and I don’t have to achieve all my goals in the space of one year. I tend to get pretty down on myself when I think about everything I want to achieve in my life, and I often feel so behind when I compare myself to others (which… definitely don’t do this!). But this quote also reminds me of this quote from the 1994 movie Reality Bites, which I think pretty much speaks for itself:
  • Portrait of Frida Kahlo with “Be Fearless.” Frida Kahlo is one of my biggest inspirations, as an artist and as a human being. She was such a prolific painter, even though she went through so much in her lifetime. If you read some of the diary entries she wrote as well, you can get a sense of her courageous and fearless spirit, and this is what I have also found so inspiring about her, and is an attitude I want to carry into the new year. I’ll also include one of my favorite quotes from her, where she says: “At the end of the day, we can endure much more than we think we can.”
  • Trust. This year, I want to learn to have more faith in myself and the plan that I know God has for me. I am a pretty impatient person, and I often get discouraged when things don’t happen as quickly as I want them to. But, I need to have faith and trust the process this year, and if I do I feel like I will be much happier in the meantime.
  • Artemesia Gentilischi is next, and is another one of my favorite artists. She, much like Frida Kahlo, experienced a lot of adversity in her lifetime, but she was still a prolific artist, and was well respected in her time, back in the 17th century when there were not many well-known female painters. I want to take her courage to heart in 2020, as well, especially when it comes to my own art and writing.
  • “Don’t do it for anyone else. They’re not paying attention anyway. Your job us to create a life that you are happy to live every day, that’s all.” Quote by Brianna Wiest. I included this as a reminder to keep on doing my own thing in 2020, and not to be as much of a people-pleaser as I have in the past.
  • A screenshot of Carrie Bradshaw writing is next, and I included her without knowing I actually had a similar image in my 2019 mood board. I decided to keep her in 2020 as well for the same reason, to take her spirit and attitude towards writing into the new year!
  • Productivity is how you run away from yourself. Creativity is how you become yourself.” Quote by Brianna Wiest. This final quote is to remind me that I feel my best when I’m creating and writing, and to keep up with it in the new year! Especially when it comes to this blog, the In Cahoots! podcast, and the novel that I have been working on.

That’s it for my 2020 mood board reflections! I much prefer this to making resolutions, since I feel creating a mood board makes me dedicate more thought to the dreams I want to achieve in the long run, not just this upcoming year. However, I do have a couple more goals for 2020, or resolutions so to speak, and I thought I would add them here at the end before I sign off:

  • Work on my second poetry collection, possibly to publish by the end of the year. 
  • Release a hard copy of Under the Pisces Moon
  • Consistently create, whether it be writing, podcasting, or creating poetry videos.
  • Complete The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron course!

In case you were also interested in listening to me react to my 2019 mood board blog post that I published last year, you can CLICK HERE to access the episode!

Quarantine Catch-up: reflecting on the Covid-19 crisis and my first year as a post grad – The Ginger Introvert Podcast

In this episode I talk all about how I've been feeling since graduating college a year ago in 2019, and how unconventional that year has been. Especially since the beginning of the quarantine. This is an especially vulnerable episode, since I talk about how I have struggled with finding a full time job since graduating, and how I got laid off from my part-time gig at the beginning of quarantine. Creators to check out: Check out Jazmine Rogers for all your thrifted fashion and sustainable lifestyle! Follow her @ThatCurlyTop on Instagram, and That Curly Top on YouTube. Check out one of my oldest friends Cassie Braun for some awesome bookish content for my fellow readers out there! Follow her @manoshgirl51 on Instagram, and Cassie Braun on YouTube. Where to follow Liz: You can follow @thegingerintrovert on Insta for all of my blog content and some thrifted fashion inspiration! I also have new posts on The Ginger Introvert website on Tuesdays and Thursdays, all about thrifted and sustainable fashion! I also have a page where I sell vintage clothing as well, and you can follow my shop @thegingerthrift on Instagram, or @thegingerintrovert on the Depop app. I drop new inventory every Friday!  Additionally, if you're a big reader like me, you should follow my Bookstagram @gingerintrovertreads to see what I'm reading on a weekly basis! Click here to access the full show notes, including all these links and a full transcription on The Ginger Introvert website!
  1. Quarantine Catch-up: reflecting on the Covid-19 crisis and my first year as a post grad
  2. A quick life update + 2020 favorites!
  3. Reflecting on 2019 and welcoming 2020!
  4. Ep.4: Witchy & Spooky Goodness
  5. The In Cahoots! Spooktacular episode, reading "The Cask of Amontillado"

What are some of the dreams you want to manifest in the new year? I would love to hear them! Leave a comment or come chat with me on Instagram, my handle is @thegingerintrovert 🙂

XOXO

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Spooky Podcast Recommendations!

Hello everyone!

I am fully obsessed with podcasts, as you may have guessed. In addition to producing my own (CLICK HERE to check out the In Cahoots! podcast), I am constantly listening to podcasts while I drive, clean, write, etc. So, since this is spooky szn, I have been listening to a fair amount of spook-themed podcasts. Here are some of the ones I’ve been listening to recently:

The Art History Babes

This is one of my favorite podcasts of all time. Not only do they satisfy my longing for continuing art history education since I graduated from college (in case you didn’t know, I minored in art history), but they take Halloween VERY seriously. They’ve put out some super spooky content about haunted paintings, Momento Mori, and more! It is always a joy to listen to them, and I highly recommend this podcast, even if you’re not an art history aficionado!

Teen Creeps with Kelly Nugent and Lindsay Katai

This was a recent recommendation from a friend of mine, and I was instantly obsessed with this podcast! They’ve reviewed old chap-books from our childhood like R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps, and the like. It is such a fun podcast, and definitely a blast from the past with all the books and movies they discuss!

Let’s Talk about Myths, Baby!

This isn’t necessarily a super spooky podcast, but it’s all about Greek and Roman myths, which you have to admit can often be horrifying and disturbing in its own right! The episodes are short but pack a punch, and are super fun to listen to. Highly recommend if you’re a mythology geek like me!

The Strange and Unusual Podcast

I haven’t been listening to this podcast very long, but at the title aptly puts it, they discuss all things strange and unusual… monsters, hauntings, and all sorts of horrifying goodness! Since I just recently discovered this podcast, I’ve enjoyed delving more into the content.

Some more podcasts I found that I haven’t personally listened to but fully intend to now that I’ve discovered them:

Two Girls One Ghost

And That’s Why We Drink: A Paranormal and True Crime Podcast

Hillbilly Horror Stories

Weird Darkness: Stories of the Paranormal

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Do you have any fun or spooky podcast recommendations? We would love to hear them! Leave them below in the comments, or come join the conversation over on my Instagram, @thegingerintrovert! I would love to hear any thoughts you have, or if you listened to any of my recommendations and loved them, too!

XOXO

In Cahoots! Episode 2 Show Notes

Hello everyone!

The second episode of the In Cahoots! with @thegingerintrovert is now live! Today I’m talking about the new music I’ve been listening to and loving, including Aly & AJ, Clairo, Lana Del Rey, and new Charlie’s Angels collab with Lana, Ariana Grande, and Miley Cyrus.

However, my main topic of discussion is Taylor Swift’s new album, Lover, which made me fall in love with her music all over again. I review the album track-by-track, and share all of my thoughts about this amazing album!

Click here to see the Teen Vogue article I talk about.

As always, I made a playlist for this episode with all of my favorite songs from the artists I discuss in this episode.

You can listen to the episode HERE on Anchor, as well as on Spotify!

What music have you been loving lately? Let us know in the comments below, or over on my Instagram, my handle is @thegingerintrovert!

XOXO

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Autumn Reading List!

Hello everyone!

Now that we’re solidly in the middle of September, let the Autumn content begin! I thought today was a good day to start, since it is both Friday the 13th and a Full Harvest Moon!

Admittedly, I have been in the Fall-mindset since the stroke of midnight on September 1st, but I know there are many of you out there who are mourning Summer and are having a little bit of a hard time flicking that seasonal switch. If this applies to you, I think I can help you get into the Fall spirit…

I have put together a little reading list of all the books I could think of that make me feel all the Fall vibes when I read them. Because what is more quintessentially Autumn than being wrapped in a cozy blanket and reading an equally cozy or spooky book?

An additional a fun fact for you! The image used above was a photograph from Unsplash by Annie Spratt, and it was taken in the library of Wells Cathedral. I visited this library back in May during my two week England trip! I have so many amazing photos and stories of my own to share, and I will have to do a post (or a series) dedicated to this amazing adventure in English literature I took. Tune in soon!

If you have any more books you would like to add to the list, leave your recommendations here in the comments, or head on over to my Instagram (@thegingerintrovert) and join in the conversation!

XOXO

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In Cahoots! With TGI podcast, episode 1 show notes!

TGI is releasing a podcast!

Hello everyone!

We have some very exciting news! After a very long period of deliberation, I have decided to create a podcast! In Cahoots! with @thegingerintrovert is a podcast where I talk about anything and everything that I experience as a twenty-something and a recent post-grad. I am so excited to release this episode, where I take the time to answer some fun and unusual get-to-know me questions!

I am also planning on releasing a playlist with each episode. Below is the playlist for episode 1! You can find it on my Spotify (my username is @writerchic), and you can scan the picture here to access it!

You can listen to the podcast now on Anchor by clicking on this link! It will also be on Spotify later this week! I hope you all enjoy!

XOXO

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Feast Your Eyes&Ears 4

Hello everyone!

It’s been a while since I’ve written one of these posts, and since they’re some of my favorite things to write, I thought it was high time for part 4 to come out! If you’re new here, these posts are basically a space where I share all the media I’ve been loving both recently and in the long-term. However, this edition is a little different than the previous ones. I am only featuring two women whose content I have been loving recently. Since both of these women do SO much, and I love it all, I wanted to share with you all what I love about each and every facet of their businesses. So, without further ado, let’s hop right into it!

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Stephanie May Wilson

Stephanie is a podcaster, writer, speaker, and on top of all of these things, she is an influencer on Instagram. I have been listening to her podcast “Girls Night” on nearly every drive to work the last month or so, and I feel like I’m either always moved to tears or inspired with each episode. She also writes a blog, and with each podcast episode she publishes “show notes” on her website. I especially appreciate her linking every single linkable thing discussed in each episode, which I love because I always want to check out everything she talks about. Her interviews in each podcast episode don’t even really sound like interviews, they are heart-to-hearts with the best women on such important topics. She talks candidly about dating, choosing the right career, depression and anxiety, and a slew of other issues that women in their twenties and thirties are worrying about.

I was listening to her episode called “How to Date with Intentionality,” and the episode was actually a rare case where Stephanie herself was being interviewed. In this discussion, she talked about how she wanted to be a best friend figure in her audience’s lives. Even beyond that, she views her audience not just as a bunch of subscribers and followers, but just as a group of women who are her friends. This unconventional and loving outlook on her audience is what I think draws me to Steph’s content the most, because you really feel how much she cares about each listener and reader. She really does want to be your friend, and I feel like we are friends (even though we’ve never met!).

Finally, Steph has also written a book, among many others, called The Lipstick Gospel, which you can download FOR FREE on her website. Isn’t that amazing?! In this book, she writes all about how she became a Christian. It’s her testimony as well as travel memoir. It is so honest and raw, and I downloaded this book at just the right time in my life. I’ve been going through some rough stuff recently, and along with my upcoming graduation from college in the next couple weeks, I’ve been leaning more into my faith than ever before. I have been committing myself to God more and more these last few weeks, and this book has been an immense help. Steph is also just an amazing writer, and I so appreciate her being willing to share her story for free and in such an open and honest way.

Here are some links where you can find Stephanie’s content: Her podcast, her Instagram, Her book The Lipstick Gospel, and her website!

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Kristin Johns

Kristin is a Youtuber, boss-lady business owner of her company Kristin Made, and is also an Instagram influencer. I have been watching her YouTube videos for a few years now, but I feel like recently Kristin has really come into her own. Her videos are so unique, and you can tell she tries her hardest to be true to herself with her content. She posts vlogs of her day-to-day life, videos about her plants (she has like 50+!), and also style and thrifting. I really identify a lot with Krsitin because of her love of thrifting, plants, her home life, and her faith. She even went to Coachella in the last few weeks, but unlike every other influencer who went to the festival, Kristin’s vlog felt the most down to earth and real. She talked a little bit about how she felt like a fish out of water, and I really appreciated her honesty when other influencers were just posting glossed-over versions of their Coachella experiences.

Most of all, and similarly to Steph’s content, Kristin makes a concerted effort not to lump all her viewers together as one big audience. She is intentional about her content, and really cares about what each and every one of her viewers and followers want to see from her, which I appreciate.

Also, really quickly, her new business Kristin Made, which is both a community for homemakers and also sells apparel, has a really refreshing Instagram account. She shares recipes, DIY projects, and style tips for the hair scarves she sells. Her apparel is also ethically made, which I love. You can just tell that Kristin really puts a lot of time, thought, and effort into each business move she makes, and I admire that so much about her.

Here are some links to Kristin’s content and business: Her YouTube Channel, her Instagram, and her business Kristin Made!

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I hope you guys enjoyed this pretty rambly FYE&E post. I love both of these women and what they do, and maybe (if you hadn’t heard of them already) you may, too! And, of course, if there’s any new book, music, or any other sort of content you’ve been loving, please share it with me and the rest of those reading down below in the comments, or on my Instagram @thegingerintrovert!

XOXO

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Never let loyalty and kindness leave you! Tie them around your neck as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart. {Proverbs 3:3}

Healing from the Holidays

If you’re still feeling a little lost and raw after a hard holiday season, I’m right there with you. Here are a couple ways I’ve been coping.

Hello everyone,

It’s been about a week since we rang in 2019 and closed the door on 2018 for good. In doing so, we also said goodbye to the holiday season once again. While the internet really does love to hype up the holidays, we all know that it can be a rough time for a lot of people. Whether it be family issues and conflicts, personal hardship, or in my case, the recent loss of a loved one, sometimes the holidays just leave us feeling drained and sad rather than joyous.

I’ve mentioned Katie Dalebout’s podcast Let It Out many times before on this blog. In the early part of December, Katie released a solo podcast about how to take care of yourself in the face of all of these hardships during the holidays. I found this podcast really inspiring and used a couple of the ideas she mentioned. However, no matter how hard I tried, I still found the holidays to be extremely difficult after the passing of my grandmother on Thanksgiving. No matter how many extra self-care tactics I employed, I still couldn’t shake the dark cloud of loss that hung over my family during Christmas dinner and donkey kicked me with emotion when I realized I would ring in 2019 without her. So, I’m gonna be brutally honest. This holiday season kinda sucked, not because of anything my family did wrong, but just because I missed my grandmother. And because of this, I’m still feeling a little raw, even eight days into 2019.

If I’m feeling this way, I have no doubt that there are a couple of you out there who are still struggling. So, I thought I might tell you how I’ve been coping, and maybe they’ll help you, too.

Find an ally.

An ally can be anyone. A friend, your partner, your mom or grandmother, they just have to be someone who understands what you’re going through and has either been there or can empathize without judgment. Go out to grab a coffee or even have a knitting session—anything— with said person and just talk. Give and take. Listen to what they might be going through, and they’ll listen, too. It’s both a dose of normal life in the midst of chaos, as well as a small distraction.

Take some time to yourself.

After the frenzied holiday season, sometimes one of the best ways to heal is to just give yourself some much needed. While this is coming from an introverted perspective, I really do believe that it is important to give yourself time to breathe and process whatever you may be feeling alone. Writing, cooking, meditating, exercising, or doing something else you enjoy by yourself can really give you both peace of mind and space to figure yourself out.

If you’re really feeling low, get yourself to some counseling or therapy.

I will always be a big believer in the power of therapy. I’m one of those people that view mental health in the same light as physical health. If something is off or wrong with your body, you get yourself to the doctor. The same applies to your mental state. If things are really off, a professional opinion can only help. I go to the counseling services at my school, so I haven’t been able to follow this advice. However, I have been taking notes on things to discuss with my counselor so that when I make my first appointment, I’ll know exactly what to talk about. Much like exercising, I never regret going to counseling, and I always find that it gives me peace.

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As we are all moving forward into healing in this new year, I hope you are all doing well and are helped in some way by this post. If you have anything you would like to share or can think of another helpful tip, please feel free (as always) to leave it down in the comments! Or, head on over to my Instagram and start the conversation there. If you do, leave the evergreen emoji on my last post so we can all see who read this post! (I’ve seen other bloggers and influencers do this, and I thought it would be a cute idea to do as well!)

XOXO
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Holiday Book Haul!

Hello everyone!

In the last couple of weeks, I am sure we have all seen/read/watched alllllll of the fresh Christmas hauls that have been floating around the internet. Since I am just a naturally curious person, I always enjoy reading/watching these hauls. I don’t think I typically post about what I receive as gifts for the holidays, but this year I was exceptionally blessed to have received quite a few books and Barnes and Noble gift cards for Christmas and my birthday (which is about a week before Christmas on the 16th… if you didn’t know before). So, I thought I would share this haul with you guys, for all of you book lovers out there!

rustic mood board photo collage

Women Who Run With the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estes

This was a recommendation from some of the wonderful ladies over at the Goddess Council! I heard so many women rave about this book after that, and I figured I had to read it. I put it on my Christmas list, and it turned out my mom had a copy she was finished with and gave to me. I’ve read the first couple of chapters, and I have found that all the raving was well-deserved. This book is both empowering and captivating, and the perfect balance between storytelling and gender-study. This is not the kind of book you would read in one sitting, however. This is the type of book you savor, make notes in and highlight, keep on your shelf to refer to or read for a dose of empowerment, or if you’re feeling a little lost. Lately, I’ve been keeping this book in my purse to read whenever I have a spare moment since my copy is so small and portable.

Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman

I was a little late to the CMBYN train, but I’m totally here for it now. I watched the movie back in October, and I fell in love with the story. Quite honestly, I think it would be impossible not to. After I watched the movie for the second or… ahem *third* time, I knew I had to read this book. So, once I had some birthday money in my pocketbook, this was my first purchase.

The Crimes of Grindelwald: The Original Script by J.K. Rowling

When a new installment in the Harry Potter universe comes out and is penned by none other than the queen herself, I gotta snap a copy up. I got my copy a little early in the Holiday season, on the Wednesday after Thanksgiving just before my local Target closed. I’m including this book in my Holiday book haul because I got it as a gift for my mom and myself when our family was dealing with the passing of my grandmother. Since we both love Harry Potter so much, this book and movie lifted our spirits during a difficult time, which is a major part of reading… In my humble opinion.

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

I found out about this book in a video made by one my favorite YouTubers, Shayna Klee, who was also the inspiration for my 2019 mood board post! When I read more about this book online, I found Cameron’s ideology on art and creativity as a spiritual practice so enticing, I added the book to my Christmas list as well. I have skimmed some of the chapters, and I already know this book is going to be a life-changer. Also, Cameron was the author who came up with the idea of morning pages, which many of my past creative writing classes have used as an exercise. I had no idea the impact this book had on the writing and art world before, so I’m looking forward to learning more from Cameron as I work through this book!

The Art of Character by David Corbett

A friend of mine recommended this book to me, and to be honest I didn’t know much about the book before I added it to my list. However, as someone who writes around character a lot of the time, at least when I’m writing fiction, I’m looking forward to digging into this book more!

I’ll Be There For You: The One About Friends by Kelsey Miller

I have been drooling over this book since I heard Katie Dalebout interview Kelsey in this interview on Let It Out, which is one of my personal favorite podcasts. I am not alone in the fact that I grew up watching the tv show Friends, and I am still an avid viewer to this day on Netflix. (Which, sidenote, they nearly took the show off Netflix at the beginning of 2019?! Nearly gave me a heart attack.) And since I also love learning about popular culture, this book seemed like a perfect fit for me. Since I’m hoping to go back to my blogging roots and start reviewing more books on TGI, I am thinking this will be one of my first reviewees!

The Masterpiece by Fiona Davis

This is yet another book I came across through one of my favorite podcasts when the Art History Babes interviewed the author in this episode. This is a historical fiction novel, and I found the concept of the book fascinating because it takes place in the long-forgotten art school at Grand Central Terminal in New York City. When I listened to the interview, Davis was so well articulated in explaining her research and her writing process with each of her novels, I snapped this book up when I saw it in Barnes and Noble.

Becoming by Michelle Obama

There was been so much buzz and love surrounding the release of this book back in the later months of last year, this book seems almost to be required reading. The fact that so many women I follow on Instagram were raving about this book joined with my ten-year (!) admiration for Obama fed into a need to read this book. This is going to be another book I will probably make plenty of marginalia in, as well as review sometime in the coming months.

Eat Smart by Niomi Smart

I recently discovered I am lactose intolerant. Or, to be more accurate, I’ve known for a while I’m lactose intolerant… I’ve just recently given in to cutting dairy out of my life. Since I am a vegetarian as well, this has driven me to a more plant-based diet (ugh). I will admit this new development in my diet has left me stymied and frustrated multiple times since I’ve been more serious about being dairy-free. However, this cookbook has helped me so much in coming up with more ideas for yummy dairy-free meals. I’ve already tried a couple recipes which have all turned out deliciously well. I have also been thinking nonstop about trying Niomi’s recipe for vegan shepherd’s pie, which she prepared in a recent Vlogmas. The recipe looks to be a little complicated though, so I’ll be sure to document the process on Instagram when I finally undertake the task!

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In 2019, I am hoping to make it a point to read more, especially once I graduate and I won’t be under the collegiate pressure to read constantly. I was a voracious reader growing up, and even though I am a literature major, I rarely read for pleasure in the way I did when I was a kid. As a form of motivation, I’ve committed to reading 40 books for the 2019 Goodreads Challenge, which seems like a pretty daunting task… But I think I’m up for it! If you have an account, connect with me on Goodreads and let’s motivate each other to read more! And, of course, I’ll be posting about the books I’m reading on my Instagram, too!

Do you have any book recommendations? Any books you were gifted during the Holiday season and you’re currently loving? Share them down below or head on over to Instagram to discuss!

XOXO

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2019 Mood Board

Hello all!

The time has come, yet again, to close the book on one year and begin a new journey in the next. That also means that right about now, we’re all being bombarded with media and messages about our New Year’s resolutions. I, for one, have never been a huge fan of making resolutions. I tried to do it as a kid, and I would make a long list of goals I would end up forgetting about by the third of January. Then, as we all do when we have failed on a resolution so early, I would feel pretty bad about myself and quit all of my original resolutions and return to being the same old me. After a few years of disappointment, I gave up on the idea of New Year’s resolutions altogether. I mean, I love the idea of a fresh start at the beginning of the year, but let’s face it. Thinking logically, I’m still the same old me when the countdown ends one year and ushers in the next. My life doesn’t magically become something that it is not by the stroke of midnight. I’m no Cinderella, believe me.

However, this year is a little bit different. In 2019, I really will be ushering in a new chapter in my life. I will graduate from college, (hopefully) find a job, and maybe even find an apartment for myself. All of these goals are things I hope to accomplish before 2020, but there are so many more that go along with them. By the time 2020 rolls around, I want to find more growth and success in being myself. I want to try my hand at part-time blogging, and maybe even freelancing. I want to start making YouTube videos consistently, for real this time. I want to write every day, even if it is only 500 words. If there was ever a time to make resolutions, it’s now, at the advent of a new life for myself.

However, being that I am still not crazy about the idea of “resolutions,” I came across the solution to my problem by watching a video made by one of my favorite YouTubers, Shayna Klee of The Purple Palace. She made this video about how she makes vision boards for every year, so that she can constantly be inspired by her goals and dreams. Manifest them, so to speak. I loved this idea so much, instead of just resolving to do things, I would visualize them, and make something to remind myself of what I want all throughout 2019. So, I made my own. However, since I’m on break and I don’t have access to a reliable color printer (the printer here at home has been possessed by a demon that’s out to get me since 2012), I did the next best thing. I turned to Pinterest and Canva, collectively my two favorite places to visualize/create on the internet. I got so excited, I made two…

Let me explain.

2019_1

Let’s start clockwise from the top left corner.

  • “Never be afraid to change,” because I struggle with change so much. Being this year is going to be filled with nothing but changes in my life, I figured this might be a good little reminder.
  • The same kind of goes for the next, “Things will work out,” because even though I may fail and think I’m not doing well enough at this whole “adulthood” thing, I know eventually it will all work out.
  • Next, I have a picture of a little kitchen, to signify the apartment I want to save up money for. This picture serves the purpose of two reminders: being more fiscally responsible, and by doing so becoming financially independent enough to live on my own. Also, this kitchen is just adorable and is exactly how I picture my first little apartment being. Albeit, it will probably be much smaller, but still.
  • “The secret to having it all is knowing you already do.” This is to remind me to keep a happy and grateful heart no matter what. I am very privileged to have a good support system, and a good life in general. Even if things don’t go exactly how I want them in the coming year(s), I need to keep grounded in this fact. Also, it reminds me of the old Veggie Tales song from Madame Blueberry, and I always love a good Veggie Tales song to break up the whole adulting of it all.
  • “The best is yet to come,” on a graduation cap, for obvious reasons. I may even decorate my grad cap this way, because it’s so pretty! This, or one of my favorite quotes from the books I’ve read in my time at college. Gotta put that Literature degree to use, right?
  • “Take care of yourself,” because it is way too easy for me to forget to take care of myself. I have made a lot of improvements with my mental health this year especially. I’ve learned to deal with my anxiety in a more constructive way, and my body dysmorphic disorder hasn’t reared it’s ugly head in a while now. In order to keep all of these good changes going, I need to remember that even in light of change, I still need to nourish my mental and physical health.
  • This one is a more physical goal I want to manifest. I want to get this tattoo in this spot on my wrist, in remembrance of my grandmother. She passed away on Thanksgiving, and I have missed her sorely this holiday season. I may write more about how I have learned to deal with grief, but I know I want to remember all of the things I loved about her and all the happy memories I have with her in the new year.
  • This last one is related to the “Take care of yourself” picture from before. I love the mental picture of nourishing my mind and body as if it were a garden of flowers. I want to carry this visualization through 2019, and remember that I can only accomplish the goals I hold so dear by taking care of myself.

2019_2

  • Another reminder for a grateful heart. Kind of going along with the aforementioned reminder, I liked this quote as well.
  • I think Shayna talked about this in the video that inspired me to undertake this project. Carrie Bradshaw with her laptop, writing away. Carrie is my favorite character on Sex and the City, mostly because she is a writer, and is even more neurotic than I am. I have always loved her style of writing, which they feature on each episode. She is so raw and relatable, and she’s in tune to the world around her. Also, she has such good habits when it comes to writing. Since she is basically a freelance writer, a career path I wish to pursue, I really appreciate her work ethic. This picture is to remind me of how I want to write in 2019: often, and with intention.
  • “Do your thing.” Enough said. I want to be fully and unapologetically myself as I advance into the beginning of my adult life in 2019.
  • Ah, yes. Friends on Friends, one of my all-time favorite shows. This is one of my favorite scenes from the show with Monica, Rachel, and Phoebe. They are just the ultimate picture of “friend goals” to me, and I want this picture to remind me to nourish my relationships. After I graduate, keeping in touch with my friends from school will not be as easy as when we were all living right on campus together. So, this just means I need to be more intentional with my relationships, as well. This will also remind me to take a Netflix break once and a while.
  • “Plant your own garden…” This goes along with the previously mentioned idea of how I want to visualize my life in the coming year(s), but I liked this addition as well. This takes the visualization to the next level. In order to achieve my goals, I have to make it happen. I can’t depend on anyone else to make my dreams come true.
  • Lastly, I hope to travel in 2019. More specifically, I want to go to England. My school is taking a group of students abroad on a two week trip to England, and I am hoping to gather enough money in order to be able to go. I have so many places in the world I want to visit, and England has always been first on my bucket list. Hopefully, if this particular dream comes true, it will mean that I will be able to write about it here on the blog.

So, after all of these goals, “resolutions” if you will, I wish to manifest in my life, here are the big takeaways. I want to write more consistently, maybe even on this blog! I want to nourish my mental and physical health, and take care of myself. I want to keep up with my friends after we graduate. I hope grow more with my fiance as we take on yet another year together. I want to speak to the small audience I have grown here, on the blog and on my Instagram. I hope to inspire those who read my work, and I will grow my body of work more than ever before in 2019. In looking at these vision boards, which I will eventually print (when I’m at school and I know it won’t be just a streaky mess…) and hang up. When I do, I’ll post a picture of where they end up as they move from place to place this coming year!

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Just a bit of housekeeping before I sign off… At this time every year, I like to take a moment to wish my blog a very happy birthday! I started my first blog, then “Lizzie’s Garden,” on December 29th, 2011. I must have lost track of the years, because the fact I have been blogging in some capacity for SEVEN YEARS (yes that was an all-caps, bolded, and italicized statement… don’t @ me) is just amazing to me! If you want to read my first ever blog post on the oft-renamed blog that eventually became the very first iteration of TGI as we know it today, click here!

2018 treated me well, and it’ll be bittersweet to say goodbye to this past year as we ring in 2019. But you know what? I think I’m ready to take 2019 on. It will likely be my most challenging year yet, but I’ll be okay. And I know you, reading this, will be, too.

XOXO

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New releases I can’t wait for

Hello everyone!

It’s been a minute. I really dropped the ball on blogging over the summer. However, I felt like I had run out of ideas on things to write about… You can only write so much about skincare, you know? So I’m just going to go with the flow and post more about pop culture and media, because that’s what I’m really obsessing over right now. And there’s so much to talk about! There are so many new releases coming out over the next few months, and I think we need to take a moment and obsess and fangirl about all of them together. So, without further ado, here’s some media that I just can’t wait to consume.

1.

The 1975’s new album, which comes out in November. I keep replaying the four singles they’ve already released because I think they’re pure gold. However, you can only replay four songs over and over for so long. I need my fix. Also, they’ve posted pictures and music videos on their YouTube account, and I’m here for it. Go check out the music videos right now, and start with TOOTIMETOOTIMETOOTIME (this one’s my favorite)–yes that’s the actual name of the song.

2.

The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is being released on Netflix on October 26 tomorrow!!). I’ve been watching Sabrina the Teenage Witch over again recently, and I can’t wait to see the more thriller-esque spin of one of my favorite shows. It’s also by the creators of Riverdale, so it’s got to be gooood. However, as a reader of the original comic as well, I’m a little nervous (as I was when Riverdale came out). However, I (so far) love who they cast as the characters, so we’ll see how I like it. I’ll report back when I’ve binge-watched the entire show over 48 hours, as one does.

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What new releases are you looking forward to listening to/reading/watching? Let me know in the comments, or come talk to me on Instagram @thegingerintrovert! I would love to hear any recommendations for awesome content you have as well!

XOXO

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