Friday Finds! #GirlsCan

So this Friday Find comes from Covergirl and it's one of the best ads I've seen in a while. When you combine some of Hollywood's strongest women for one video, you know it's going to be great. The video particularly struck me because it's something that I think we've all heard before.

Girls can't? Please.

I appreciate chivalry. In fact, I don't think our society focuses on chivalry enough however there is a difference between carrying a bag for me if my hands are full and grabbing a bag if you think it's too heavy. I hate the whole "let me pick that up for you" thing. I appreciate the gesture but when you're starting to doubt my strength because I'm a girl. Oh no you didn't. Boy, I go to the gym just as much as you. I got this.

"Girls are sugar and spice and everything nice"
I read a quote earlier this week that called out this quote. There's a difference between being polite and being a doormat. We have every right to push for higher salaries, to negotiate the price of a car and to speak up in class. This message is so important and we can't say it enough. Growing up now, little girls are constantly exposed to the pop culture phenomenas of thigh gaps, barbie dolls and up talk and this culture is destructive. Acting dumb isn't cute. Getting that promotion, that's attractive.

I was that little girl that begged and begged her parents for legos and hot wheels cars but I still love a good manicure. My gender doesn't define my friends, my hobbies or my strengths. Anything men can do we can do. (Feel free to add "better". You said it not me.)

Amidst all of the photoshopped and sexualized commercials on tv right now, Covergirl got it right. Spread the message chicas. Strong women are bringing the big guns and it's been long overdue.




#GirlsCan,
Emily

Spring Break State of Mind

As I mentioned before I'm currently on Spring Break. And also as I mentioned before I'm home, in Kentucky, where it's snowing. Brrrr. Now don't get me wrong, this was exactly where I wanted to be. I needed a place to come relax and crash on the couch for a few days and it has been absolutely great. However, I am still a little jealous of all my friends lounging on the beach. I'm currently living vicariously through their Facebook and Instagram posts while I'm all bundled up. Some tanning oil, a good book and a margarita sound like a dream.

In the meantime I can handle my warm chai and J.Crew scarves but I could also handle this J.Crew striped bikini and these adorable Jacks. Fortunately for me, summer is coming soon and by April Memphis is already scalding. The pool on campus is going to be seeing me as soon as possible so I guess I can wait until then. 

*sigh,

Emily

Check me out on Bloglovin!

Ahh this is great news! 

I've recently linked up with Bloglovin to make it even easier to check out my posts. The same great me now in two places! 

Click Here and Enjoy!

Relationships trump Spanish papers.

So I'm type A. I'm constantly moving, constantly working, constantly go-go-go and it's hectic. In the midst of school and life in general I easily get caught up in work and meetings that I fail to put my true priorities first and focus more on the busyness in my life. I've been working more on taking a breath. Because quite frankly sometimes I just need to chill out. The work will get done, it always gets done but I need to quit putting off the things that are truly important.

Yesterday I got some time to really step back and reflect on a lot, mainly focusing on everything in my life that is good. I thought about everything in my life that is rewarding and everything that I want to hold onto. And this is something that I think I need to do more often. I've never been consistent on journaling or keeping a diary but I do need to work towards a way of stepping back and checking in on my life. I think sometimes we get so caught up in jobs and school and work that we fail to recognize when things are falling behind and most of the time it is the most important things that we push aside.

I'm personally at fault about pushing relationships aside in order to focus on work. I push conversations to the next day and I opt out of social events with my girlfriends to finish up projects that I could work on later. However in doing so, I take little steps away from these relationships and I underestimate the toll that this takes. I need to stop assuming that these relationships will stay strong even if I'm not making deliberate efforts to strengthen them. This is such a faulty way of thinking and I'm working on changing this. We can't build and keep relationships if we don't work at them.

Friends, family and significant others trump work any day so why are we focusing so much time on work?

My problem is I need to breathe. I need to take a step back and call my dad on the phone. I need to walk to my friends house and vent on her couch (wine optional). I need to Skype my boyfriend and simply smile. Because ultimately, at the end of the day that spanish paper didn't really matter and that budget project was just a grade but these relationships I'll have for the rest of my life. And that, is what I need to be focusing on.


Feeling grateful,
Emily

Coffee Shop Minus the Coffee?

So I'm totally one of those coffee shop people. I'm definitely not hipster nor do I spend all of my day there but I really love coffee shops.

Also, Starbucks doesn't count. Of course I love my cake pops just as much as the next girl but it doesn't match the homey and neighborhood feel of a local coffee shop. They're one of the places that I could sit for hours and get so much work done but they're also the places that I love to just sit and chat. Not to mention the smell. Gosh. Love it.

Conveniently I'm currently sitting in a coffee shop pondering the fact that I love these places but I don't love coffee. *Pause…

I know I know it sounds kind of silly but I do have my reasons. For one, I don't want to become addicted to it. I don't want to be one of those people that the first thing they do every morning is make / buy a cup of coffee. Ain't nobody got time for that. Second, coffee breath. Need I say more. And last but essentially the most important, I just don't like it. And you know what? I'm fine with that.

So no coffee but I still come to these Coffee Shops? Because I love everything else. The fact that I don't drink coffee nearly cuts out half of their offerings but it doesn't necessarily cut out the best.

Here's a list of my favorite (non-coffee) drinks both hot & cold to get from coffee shops.

1. Chai Tea Latte
     
2. London Fog
    
3. Hot Chocolate
     
4. Matcha Green Tea Freddo

5. Vanilla Steamer
     
6. Chocolate Freddo
     
7. Italian Soda
   
8. Apple Cider

9. Smoothies & Frappes

10. Tazo Tea Bags
     


Hope it might spark your inspiration to try something new!



Coffee-less,
Emily