14,000 Things To Be Happy About

It's 11 p.m., and instead of sleeping soundly, I am wide awake thinking about all things   life . You know the feeling; you try to map out your entire future in one night, at the latest possible hour of course. This is definitely a regular occurrence for me; but tonight is a little different, because I have 14,000 reasons to let every worry go. For now at least 😉

Lately I've been struggling with some things. I won't go into detail, but I wasn't focusing on the big picture. By accident, I was scrolling through Instagram and found this book, '14,000 things to be happy about.' Without hesitation, I ordered this gem off Amazon for a wild $4, and it's hands down the best investment I've made in a long time.

I forget how blessed I am in my moments of weakness; and how little it takes to be happy. Some days it's just a smile, or a lick from your pup, maybe just a phone call from a friend. But that ONE tiny thing is enough. That's why this book is so special to me, it's 14,000 tiny things that remind me just how important and easy it is to be happy. 

"A stream-of-consciousness list: pajamas at breakfast, seeing the moon rise, a lake catching the last flecks of sunlight coming in over the pines, the position of your head as you bite into a taco." ✨ 

Don't forget in all the hustle and bustle to rejoice in the little things too. 💘 Happy Wednesday friends! 

So Worth Loving

I knew I had wanted to write this blog post for awhile. I also knew I wanted to be blatantly honest with myself while I wrote it. So deep breath in.... Here we go. 

My name is Alyssa, and I live in Kansas City Missouri. I have 25 years worth of beautiful memories in my rear view mirror, with plenty of stops ahead, (at least I hope!) But life isn't always easy. This blog post reflects so much more than a tshirt, but this tshirt is also much deeper than 100% cotton.  

Before I get into the brand, here's my 'story'.

I have struggled many years with depression, I think we all have in some ways. Mine was always staring at me back in the mirror, my appearance. I hated that it affected me the way it did; but sure as the sun would rise & set, I woke up fixated on my thighs, or my nose that was bigger than I would have liked it to be, or my acne that I couldn't rid even though I had acquired those stubborn zits since my teen years.

When was it going to be my turn to feel good about who was looking back at me in that mirror?

What I had been forgetting all along though, was that I had stopped loving myself. Sounds crazy right? But it's true. Somewhere along the way, I had ripped myself apart to the point where I was forgetting to love anything about me.  

I wasn't allowing myself to grow into the woman I was meant to be. I was a half bloomed flower that I just stopped watering. 

So how do you change that mindset? I had gone years feeling this way, I wasn't sure how to fill such a hole. And if I'm honest, sometimes I still don't. One thing I've learned throughout this struggle, is to take it a day at a time. Would I like to be slimmer and toned? Absolutely! Realistically, Is that going to happen overnight? No. (No matter how hard I struggle through my run or jumping jacks. Some things take time). 

I've also learned that you have  to take time for yourself. Go to a yoga class, spend some time walking around in Target, (oddly enough, target is a treat for me. To each their own!), go get yourself a sonic slush. You deserve to treat yourself.   Don't deny yourself of this small truth.

Something else that has helped me tremendously is the brand So Worth Loving.  They remind me it's not about where I've been, what my past is, but it's truly a daily reminder to love ME . Because you know what? We're worth that. We are  worth loving. We are more than our mistakes. We're more than our weight on the scale, than the nose on our face or the freckles we hate and try to cover up. We are worthy of so much more than what we can physically see.

I encourage you, if you're struggling like I am, to follow them on Instagram  . I'm lifted up daily by their posts, and as silly as it seems it's helped me tremendously. 

I hope this post finds someone somewhere who is struggling just like me, and I hope you know we're going to be okay. We've got this! And I've got so much love for all of you! 

Thank you for letting me get a tad personal tonight. It means the world to be able to bond with people going through the same highs and lows. ❤️

Oh Shiny Paper Co.

Birthdays are important; but birthdays of our favorite humans are epic!  

First off: I love  giving gifts. Most of the time it's for no reason. Just your normal run-of-the-mill, "I saw this and thought of you and had to get it" type incidents. 

But birthdays..... Are.... My... Favorite. So for one of my best friends birthdays, I had to go all out. I highly recommend checking out Oh Shiny Paper Co  

Not only is it on Etsy, (and we all know you'll stop by there and then sneak a peek at 15 other shops.. It's okay, judgement free zone!) But it's also very affordable for really unique, (and fun) party supplies! Here's a look at the unicorn cupcake toppers and fun balloons I bought!