A New Perspective

February 8, 2020February 24, 2020 ~ Livi ~ Leave a comment

So, I am going, to be honest, and say that I really am not sure about what to say right now. I thought about writing a typical post about being back to blogging and how I am going to post more but that just didn’t feel right.

This is going to be me just saying what is on my mind.

So, I realized that I want this blog to be about more than just fashion and products I like. Not that I won’t still post about that sort of thing but there are other things I want to post about as well. Some of these things include mental health, positivity, my life, and much more.

Why?

Because there is so much more to me than just my style. I feel like I have been holding back but now I am ready to post about literally everything.

I used to feel like I had to put my platforms into a specific category but now I feel like I can just post whatever I want.

I hope you all will enjoy the new content. It will be different from what I have posted before but I am very excited about it.

So, get excited about the new content that is coming. Y’all can also post suggestions about what you all want to see from me.

Staying Pumped With Ruckpack Energy Drinks

July 12, 2017July 12, 2017 ~ Livi ~ 10 Comments

I don’t know about you but I am always looking for a better way to stay energized throughout the day! So, when RuckPack contacted me about working with them on a collaboration I could not have been more excited! These energy drinks infused with vitamins and green tea are literally built to keep you pumped and ready to go all day!

Not only do these drinks give you enough energy to get you through the busiest of days, but they also taste super good! Some of their flavor options are, raspberry( De-Caff), citrus(Double Caffeine), and strawberry(Caffeinated).My personal favorite is the citrus flavor because it tastes just like an iced green tea from Starbucks, only with way less sugar!

The best part? Part of their proceeds go towards charity! 10 % of their profits so towards various charities so they can quote, “build a stronger nation”. 5 % of their profits also go towards The Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation, which raises funds for scholarships that help send military kids that have lost a parent in combat.

In addition to the energy drinks, RuckPack also sent me these brochures along with these really cool stickers! These stickers are gonna look so great on my school supplies in the fall!

When I replaced my coffee with a citrus flavored energy drink I was so worried that the caffeine and vitamins wouldn’t be enough for me. I could not have been more wrong! The flavor of the drink also went perfectly with my avocado toast and strawberries! The pairing made for a delicious breakfast!

If you all want to buy some of RuckPack’s products be sure to use the code, BBO73 for 20% off of your purchase!

While I did receive these products for free, my opinions are 100% honest. I would never promote anything to my followers that I don’t use myself.

Links:

Thank you RuckPack and BrandBacker for sponsoring this post!

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The Liebster Blogger Award

June 1, 2017June 4, 2017 ~ Livi ~ 4 Comments

I was chosen to be a recipient of the Liebster Blogging Award, by Cassie, AKA, Anchored in Amazing Grace! Her blog is so amazing and she is so sweet! I highly recommend you check her out! I am so honored to have been chosen! Now let’s get right into it!

11 facts about Me:

My appendix ruptured when I was in the 7th grade, which brought me pretty close to seeing death at a very young age.
I actually live in the same town that J.Cole is from!
Kind of goes with the last fact, J.Cole actually came to my high school my senior year! His mom and our principal’s mom are friends so she arranged for him to come and talk to us! It was so cool! Needless to say I definitely fangirled!
My first celebrity crush was actually Daryl Sabara, AKA, Juni from Spy Kids. I used to have dreams about him saving me from the paparazzi. It was pretty bad.
My favorite movie is Clueless! Cher and Dione are also huge style inspirations of mine!
I am a huge politics nerd! 99.9% of the time you can find me either watching the news, writing about the news, or listening to a political podcast!
The Majority Report by Sam Seder is my all time favorite political podcast! I have listened to quite a few and this one is by far the best in my opinion! He always backs up his opinions with facts and is a retired comedian so he often throws in some humor to lighten up the mood with heavier stories! So funny!
I love Lilly! The woman, the brand, all of it! Her story is so inspiring and the designs are always so unique! Even though I don’t make a ton at my job, I save up a little bit each month so I can shop the After Party Sale! Those deals are just too good to pass up!
I love rap music! It is so catchy and fun to dance to! I get ready to Kendrick Lamar’s new album D.AM.N. pretty much every morning!
Going along with my previous fact, my favorite rappers of all time are Kendrick Lamar and Logic! I also love J.Cole , Russ, Chance the Rapper, and Childish Gambino!
I love KYLIE JENNER! I love all the kardashians but Kylie is my absolute fave! She seems so chill and super down to earth! She is also really sarcastic and really funny! Her lip kits are such good quality! I feel like we would be such good friends if we met.

Cassie’s Questions –

1. What made you want to start blogging?

I started blogging because I was inspired by bloggers like Tavi Gevinson and Carly The College Prepster. I was just starting to find my style and figure out what I liked! It’s crazy to think that my blog started as something so small! Now I have made so many great friends through it and even worked with some of my favorite brands!

2. If money weren’t a factor, what would be your dream job?

If money were not a factor, my dream job would probably be the same dream job I have now which is a journalist! I know most journalists aren’t exactly rolling in dough but I love writing and talking to people so much!

I would also enjoy being freelance writer. I love writing so much(shocker lol)! A lot of freelance writers do struggle with making enough money so if money were not a factor I would definitely want to do freelance writing as well.
3. Do you like to travel or are you more of a homebody?

I definitely enjoy traveling but I am also a homebody! I love being out during the day and even going out sometimes but I really enjoy chilling at home at night in my pajamas. So, I guess you could say I am a little both.
4. Could you ever see yourself living in another state or possibly country in the future?

State, yes, country not so much. As curious as I am about how people live in other parts of the world, I love America too much! My ideal plan would be to live in D.C. or New York during my 20s-30s when I am doing my writing as a big time journalist in the city( think Carrie Bradshaw meets Brooke Baldwin minus the heartbreak and annoying Trump debates). Then I want to come back to the South to raise my family in a small suburban town near a bigger city like Columbia or Charlotte. Once they are grown I would like to live near the beach in South Carolina with my husband and dogs. I’ll take my grandkids sailing and we will watch the sunset every night!
5. What’s your motto?

I don’t really know if I have a motto but for a while I have loved Kimmy Schmidt’s motto that ” you just gotta take it ten seconds at a time!” Even if something feels like forever or like you can’t do it you just gotta take it one step at a time, give yourself things to look forward to and before you know it you’re done!

I remember there was a semester of college that was just really kicking my butt! I just kept thinking to myself, “come on Livi, it’s just 3 months.” Then it was 2 months, then 1 month, and before you know it I passed all my classes and it was over!
6. If you could eat dinner with any one, dead or alive, who would it be? Why?

It is a three way tie between Roxane Gay, Betsy Johnson, and of course my girl Kylie! They are all so different but I feel like there is so much I could learn from each of them!
7. What place would you consider to be your “happy place?”

The woods behind my house! I love going on jogs through there! It’s like all of my responsibilities and problems go away! It’s just me, nature, and God!
8. Do you play any sports?

I played volleyball for a year in high school but I currently don’t play any competitive sports. I do still enjoy playing volleyball during the summer! I also love swimming!
9. What makes you unique?

Probably my sense of humor. It’s very dry. Not everyone gets it but if you do then you’re definitely in for a treat! Think Broad City meets Seinfeld!
10. If you made a perfume, what would it be called?

Margaritas and Meetups! I would want it to be sweet but also make you feel like the cute girl next door that everyone loves!
11. Who would play you in a movie about your life?

Definitely Zendaya Coleman! She’s stunning and so talented!

My Nominees:

My Questions:

What made you want to start blogging?
What is your favorite color?
What did you want to be when you grew up as a kid?
Who is your role model?
What is your favorite thing about blogging?
What is your least favorite thing about blogging?
What is your biggest pet peeve?
Dogs or cats?
Friends or Seinfeld ?
If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?
If you wrote a book about your life what would it be called?

I seriously had so much fun writing this post! I cannot wait to see how my nominees answer my questions!

My Goals For 2017

January 27, 2017January 28, 2017 ~ Livi ~ 2 Comments

Hello everyone! Long time no blog! I seriously could not be more excited about this year and all it will bring! I’ve been thinking a lot about goals and what I want to accomplish in 2017. While I don’t think resolutions are for everyone, I do think it is always good to set goals for the new year and strive to improve yourself through those goals.

Read at least 1 book a month. – When I was younger, I used to read all the time! Junie B Jones, The Magic Tree House, you name it, I read it! As I got into my high school years I got busy with school. Since I read so much for my classes, I found myself wanting to do other things in my spare time. I got more into things like YouTube and keeping up with my favorite television series. Now, there certainly isn’t anything wrong with watching television or YouTube videos. What I really want to strive for is a balance between these interests. I know that love for reading is still there! While I did read a few books in 2016 I really want to bring that number up in 2017. I thought having myself read at least a book a month would give me just enough encouragement without putting pressure on myself.
Take better care of myself. – 2016 was a very rough year for me as far as my mental health went. I realized that there were many times when I was so focused on work and my grades that I didn’t even take time for myself. I then became very anxious and honestly just didn’t feel like myself. Now, I want to make sure I focus on myself before anything else.
Focus more on my relationship with God.- I’m gonna be honest with y’all. In 2016, I barely went to church. Part of me wasn’t going because of my struggle with feeling torn between my faith and my relationship with the LGBT community. Another part of me wasn’t going because sleeping in on my days off from work feels really freaking good. I want to make sure that I get in the habit of not just going to church but also studying the Bible and just making God a bigger part of my life.
Get better with money. – In 2016, I started working at my first job. I work at a movie theatre about 3 days a week. It’s not the most glamorous job in the world but it pays and the people I work with are really nice. With this newfound biweekly paycheck of mine, I developed a bit of an online shopping problem. This year I want to save more money, while also treating myself from time to time.
Post at least 2 blogposts and 2 YouTube videos a month. – I really hope to get back into making YouTube videos this year. It is something I enjoy but because of how time consuming it is I tend to have a hard time getting the videos done.I am going to really strive to post at least 2 post and videos each month. I also want the content I make to really reflect myself and my style. I often see a lot of the same thing on YouTube so I really want to try and be unique while also being me.
Make new friends. – While I love my alone time and hanging out with my family I really miss having a consistent social life and This spring is my last semester at my community college. I am taking online classes so school won’t be giving me a whole lot of social opportunities. Most of my friends are made from my job at the movie theatre and since I only work a few days a week I don’t see those people that often. So this year I really want to step outside of my comfort zone to put myself in situations where I can make more friends. I also want to try and spend more time with the friends I have made at my job.
Learn a little bit each and every day. – Finally, I want to go out of my way to learn about something that interests me outside of school. I can do this by watching a documentary on Netflix, reading a book, or even going to a museum. In this day age, it is so easy to just go through our day, take in the media that is shoved in our faces, and do it all over again the next day. So it is more important than ever to make sure we know how to think independently and learn constantly.

Where I’ve Been + My Plans For This Blog

July 21, 2016August 4, 2016 ~ Livi ~ Leave a comment

Shoes – Jack Rogers(cheaper but similar)

Where do I even begin with this blog post? First off, I must say that I seriously missed blogging so much. Every time I put together a cute outfit or tried out a new restaurant, I could think of nothing more than writing about it and sharing my experience with all of you. Last semester was definitely one of my most challenging semesters so far. only that, but I was also struggling with my anxiety and depression. It isn’t something I haven’t really talked about on this blog or my YouTube channels but it is a huge part of my life.

Near the end of the semester, I had decided to start taking medication for my anxiety. This decision was far from easy but I am honestly so happy with it and where I am now.

Fast forward to present day, I am in a much better place! Even though school is still very stressful at time in my life and my anxiety is still very real I am in a much better place now. I am seriously so happy right now!

Now that my mental health is in check and the semester from hell is over, I am ready to get back to blogging again! I am also going to be posting videos on my YouTube channels again as well as freelance writing for some amazing online publications! During this coming school year I plan on posting blogposts on here once a week(give and take depending on how much homework I get and whether or not my math teacher sucks) and every other week I will upload a YouTube video. As far as writing goes, I have some drafts I am working on right now that I am excited about but once those are done I am kind of just going to play it by ear.

Thanks so much to everyone who has been following me! The fact that you have taken even 2 seconds out of your day to read my blogposts means so much! You guys are what motivate me to do what I do!

My Favorite Ted Talks of 2015

December 28, 2015January 29, 2016 ~ Livi ~ Leave a comment

2015 has definitely been the year of learning for me. It has had it’s ups and downs but I can honestly say that I am glad that I experienced it all because of how these experiences helped make me who I am today. Ted talks are another great way to learn a little more each and every day.

Ted talks are a bit sentimental to me. One of my favorite teachers used to have us do presentations based on our favorite Ted talks. At first it felt like a chore but I ended up really enjoying searching for one to present and found myself watching lots more long after the class ended! These Ted talks are the ones that I feel really had an impact on me this year, in 2015.

Why I Live A Zero Waste Life – Lauren Singer

I actually just watched this talk recently. One of my favorite blogs, Refinery29 has a YouTube channel with a series called Try Living with Lucie. The series follows their video producer, Lucie Fink as she tries a different lifestyle change for 5 days each week. Their most recent video was 5 Days of Zero Trash. I was amazed by how much trash Lucie was able to avoid throw using. Lauren Singer is an eco friendly blogger who helped teach Lucie how to live a zero trash lifestyle. After watching the video I remembered seeing in my subscription box a while back with her in it, giving a Ted talk. I then watched her Ted talk and loved her message! While I highly doubt I’ll ever amount to having just a mason jar of trash after 3 years, Lauren has definitely inspired me to try to use less trash and be more eco friendly!

2.How Reading Affects Creativity and Critical Thinking – Hana Saleh

This talk is a bit on longer than the others but I really enjoyed listening to it.I love how she discussed her different ideas of how to help kids get more out of their classes and education. Growing up I enjoyed reading for pleasure but not so much for school. Hana conveys her message in such an intelligent way that is really interesting.

3. What Internet Trolls Taught Me – Hannah Witton

Hannah Witton is one of my favorite YouTubers ever, so when she told her audience in a video announcement that she had done a Ted talk I was overjoyed! This talk started out with Hannah telling us the story of how she started out on YouTube and transitioned into us learning about how she deals with sexist comments and misogyny on YouTube. Even though Hannah and I live very different lives I honestly found her talk to be so inspiring!

Do you like watching Ted talks? If so, let me know what some of your favorites are below!