Shoes, Shoes, Shoes

I don't know about you, but I'm pretty pumped for this Friday's launch of ShoeMint. If you've been living under a rock and haven't heard yet, ShoeMint is a new shoe collection designed by Rachel Bilson and celebrity stylist Nicole Chavez, in collaboration with Steve Madden. I can only image how beautifully stylish and comfortable all of these shoes will be. And if this picture of Rachel is any indication of what's to come, I think it's safe to say our bank accounts are in bad shape. Sign up now for your chance to win some free shoes for an entire YEAR. That's right - a brand new pair for your feet every month for 12 months. But you have to hurry! The contest ends this Wednesday, November 23.

Wisdom Wednesday

“Be daring, be different, be impractical, be anything that will assert integrity of purpose and imaginative vision against the play-it-safers, the creatures of the commonplace, the slaves of the ordinary.” -- Sir Cecil Beaton

"We're All Mad Here," Winter 2011 Look book, Threadsence 

Every now and then, I am reminded never to settle for less than I deserve. These reminders come at me in little ways, yet, regardless of how little they may be, they are still there. So, I listen. I am reminded that every single day is full of possibility and that I am to bring some sort of purpose, some meaning to it. Just the other day, I was having a relaxing lunch with a coworker, and before heading back to the grind we decided to crack open our fortunes. We both smiled as we read words that seemed to be made just for us. Mine read, "You will take a chance in the near future, and win." I was thrilled that my fortune was as sweet as the cookie it came in. I sat there thinking about all the opportunities that were just waiting for me to reach out and grab them. Then, I sat some more and asked myself why I wasn't out in the world grabbing them with both hands. I went home that night and seriously contemplated some of my dreams, goals, plans... you name it. It was then that I stumbled upon this quote, and realized once again, that settling is not an option. Playing it safe is not an option. So, I dare to dream. I dare to be different. I dare to make choices that some would call "impractical." I'm betting on myself, because like my fortune says, I know I'm bound to win. So, that's my wisdom for this Wednesday. Hope I've inspired you to take a chance on yourself and win big. 

Wisdom Wednesday

"Timing is everything; take it slow and you'll get there on time." -- The Daily Love

Hilary Rhoda by Lachlan Bailey for Harper's Bazaar US, June/July 2011

Earlier today, I read this tweet from The Daily Love (which by the way, if you love daily inspiration as much as I do, you must follow them on Twitter). I  couldn't help but read it over and over throughout the day, as I thought about all things going on in my life. Lately, my head has been in a bit of a jumble. I have all these thoughts, ideas, plans -- you name it -- going on up there, pulling at me from left and right. If there's one thing you can probably figure out about me, it's that I am constantly thinking and planning. My Moleskine is a scary sight for some, not because it's color coded and has post-it's up the wazoo, but because I'm constantly filling it up with all the little things that pop into my head.  Sometimes it honestly feels as if my mind is going a mile a minute. So, when I read this simple sentence from TDL, I realized that I just need to live my life day by day, enjoy the little moments and not worry so much about pressing the fast forward button on all my plans. My goals and my dreams, they'll happen, no doubt. So for now, I might as well take the time to enjoy the journey I'm on to get there. I mean, what is the rush, after all? The best part about getting to where you want to go is the journey you take to get there. So, be sure to take your time and enjoy the sights along the way. If you need to make a few pit stops, do so, as long as you keep going. Don't worry about how long it takes you to get there - you'll get there when the time is just right.

Wisdom Wednesday

"If you don't go after what you want, you'll never have it. If you don't ask, the answer is always no. If you don't step forward, you're always in the same place." -- Nora Roberts

"Urban Bazaar," Fall 2011 Look Book, Threadsence

Hello my beautiful blogger buddies. Happy Wednesday to you! Can you believe we've hit another month? October already?? Which reminds me, a pancakeLEFTOVERS post shall be heading your way! But, on to today's Wisdom Wednesday. I spent most of September pretty stressed out and a majority of my days were filled with complaints. Yes, even though my weekly Wednesday posts are filled with words of encouragement, sometimes it's terribly hard for me to follow my own advice. It wasn't until the very end of September (seriously, like the LAST day of the month) that I sat at my desk at work and thought, "Seriously, Chandamheer, what do you have to complain about?" I have a great job, a great apartment, an even greater family, and truly wonderful friends. I am so very lucky for all that I have been blessed with. So, this self-realization at 5:00pm at work lead me to come up with something I like to call, my "90-day wellness plan." Right about now, you're probably thinking, what in the world does this have to do with anything?? Well, patience, grasshopper, it will all come together...

There are a lot of things that I have complained about in the last month that are all within my power to change. And, like the saying goes, if you can't change something, change your attitude about it, right? So, for 90-days, I'm going to work on all the little things I can change to improve my overall wellness - mind, body, and spirit. That means: finding an awesome yoga studio in my neighborhood and getting my workouts back into my regular schedule, taking time to read all the books on my reading list, going out and exploring the beautiful city that I live in and taking advantage of all the awesome events that go on more often than not, and most importantly, taking time to do all the things that I genuinely love to do. Of course this list merely scratches the surface of all the things I am planning to work on for these next three months, but I figure, I'll take it all one step at a time. So, this Wednesday, my wisdom for you is to move forward, one step at a time. You don't have to do it all at once. But if you don't do it at all, then you'll always be in the same place. And I don't know about you, but I like it when there's a change of scenery.

Wisdom Wednesday

“Don’t wait. The time will never be just right.” -- Napoleon Hill

 Fall Look Book, Sosie

There has never been a more perfect time to do what you want to do than now. Never a more perfect time to start something you've been putting off than now. There has never been a more perfect time to stop waiting and start doing. If you wait too long, you'll miss the moment. But, you already know this. You know all of this. So, what are you waiting for?