2016 | Creating Happiness

The new year is always the perfect time to reflect on the things going on in your life, and make changes for the better. This year, I decided to forego the traditional resolutions that I always make, and just make a general commitment for this year. I am in such a great place mentally and emotionally, that I just want to continue that throughout this year and not let anything get in the way of that. With that being said, there are some things I'm introducing into my life that is helping me stay in a positive mindset, manage my stress, and be the best me that I can be. Today I thought I'd share some of my new favorite things that are helping kick my year off to a positive, happy start.

This instant happy journal is the epitome of what I'm trying to accomplish this year. I am trying to have more gratitude for every day that I am given, and reflect back on my own strengths and build my own confidence. This book has daily prompts to help you reflect on your current feelings and build your own "instant happiness". You can find your copy of this book here. I think this would make an extremely great gift for a friend, or also a fun gift for yourself. I've had similar books to this that already have dates built into the book, and I ended up forgetting to write in it some days, and then just gave up because I got behind. The good thing about this specific journal is that there aren't any dates built in, so you can go at your own pace, or even jump around from page to page if you wish.

One more book that I just finished up and LOVED was The Emotional Edge. It was a really powerful book about finding your inner strengths, and turning your fears into courage. I struggle a lot with irrational fears and anxiety, and this book really helped me work through some of those challenges and re frame my mindset. I have already recommended this book to a few friends and colleagues, and I definitely recommend you check it out! You can find it on Amazon here.

Another thing that I've been trying lately is meditation. I know, I know, it sounds a little crazy. I have always thought about meditation as something that is way beyond my lifestyle, and totally not necessary. I struggle with a lot of anxious feelings at night time, and often have an extremely hard time falling asleep and shutting my brain off. I have been meditating at night for a little over two weeks now, and I've never slept better or fallen asleep faster! I have been using the app Stop, Breathe, & Think and I highly recommend it. You "check in" with your current feelings of that day, and then it generates 3-4 options for you to choose from. Most meditations are around 5-7 minutes, which is perfect. I know it is a little weird, but it honestly has been a huge game changer in ending my day on a positive note. You can learn more about this specific app here, or you can download it in the app store.

This year is already off to an amazing start (other than the fact that I spent this weekend with the stomach flu) and I can't wait to start introducing more things every month that help me stay extra positive, thankful, and motivated to have the best year ever. Do you guys have any specific things you do to remove negative energy/people/things out of your life? Share below.

As always, thanks for reading.
xoxo, Jaimie

Glitter with Grace | 2015 In Review

2015 was a really great year for me. I went through major changes in my personal life, but I'm so thankful for every change that occurred. I'm so close to being done with my masters degree, and I am seriously on top of the world with how grateful I am for the people in my life. I thought it would be fun today to share my favorite products and moments from 2015. 

Favorite Makeup and Hair Products of 2015: 

BECCA x Jaclyn Hill Highlighter in Champagne Pop 

This highlighter is so beautiful! I don't always wear highlighter, but when I do, this is the only one I reach for. I get a lot of compliments when I wear this because it looks really great on my skin tone. It is the type of color that truly would flatter a lot of different skin tones. I also use this as an eyeshadow quite a bit! If you would want to see a blog post about how I apply highlighter and some tips and tricks, let me know! 

Loreal Infalliable Foundation

This truly doesn't require a lot of explaining. If you are a fan of medium to full coverage foundation, you need to try this out! It is such a good price at the drugstore, and it truly compares to a lot of my high-end makeup. I highly recommend this! 

Garnier Texture Spray

This texture spray has changed the game with my hair! I chopped my hair in the summer to a "lob" style haircut, and this spray has been my best friend since. I usually curl my hair with a curling rod, brush it out (I like it really messy and not looking curly) and then spray this all over. This adds such great texture and volume to my curly style to give me the exact messy look that I go for. I would highly recommend this affordable product to anyone who loves a good amount of texture to their style! 

Batiste Dry Shampoo

I've talked about this so many times on the blog, so it doesn't require much explaining. I've tried so many dry shampoos, and I can guarantee that this is the BEST one on the market at a reasonable price point. I highly recommend this if you are looking for a good dry shampoo that truly absorbs the oil in your hair and helps extend your style. They do carry an original version (without the brown tint) but I like the version for brunettes. I have repurchased this multiple times, and I've gotten many of my friends and family members hooked on this too! (I have an entire post about dry shampoo here)

Favorite Blog Posts of 2015: 

I have a lot of favorite posts from this year, so I'm going to share my top 5 most viewed posts from 2015.

1. My Wheel of Fortune Experience
2. Vacation Summary from Aruba 2015!
3. Prom Essentials | What You Really Need
4. My Favorite Blushes
5. My Top 5 Fashion Staples

Favorite Photos from 2015: 

Biggest Accomplishments of 2015:

I would say clearly my highest outstanding memory of 2015 was being on Wheel of Fortune. I'm not sure that I will have a memory that tops that for a really long time! Here are some other things that I'm rather proud of this year:
>>> Cruising through my masters program (I'm done in 6 months!)
>>> Balancing a full time job and a 400hr internship at an Elementary School
>>> Making myself a top priority and making so many memories with friends
>>> Doubling my blog views from 2014

Why I'm Looking Forward to 2016:

Do you ever have a really good feeling about something? Well I have that feeling with 2016. I don't normally fall for the hype of new years resolutions, but I have a feeling this year is going to be a major turning point in my life! Here's why:
>>> I'm going to be graduating with my Masters Degree at 23 in June.
>>> I'm hopefully going to be securing my first job as a School Counselor.
>>> I'm planning on relocating and moving in the summer to live completely by myself.
>>> This is the first year since I was 18 that I've been focused on myself as a top priority, and not another person.
>>> I have a LOT of fun things planned for the blog for this year, a lot of new blog series and posts that I can't wait to start.



I hope you all have a very happy New Year.
As always, thanks for reading. xoxo, Jaimie.