Happy Thursday! Lately I’ve noticed a shift in my confidence. In my desire to get out of my comfort zone, meet people, wear all the jewelry, be extra and bold in my style choices & courage in my work and personal goals. So today I’m sharing some words that really resonated with me recently. Along with some fit shots from a few days ago… Enjoy!
Imperfection is a form of freedom
Let your process, your struggle and your progress inspire others.
You don’t need perfection to encourage those who are watching you
I recently saw this on Instagram and after a quick google search found that the post that I stumbled over on Instagram was actually inspired by a good. I felt it really resonated with me, and once that happens – I feel compelled to make sure it has a permanent home on my blog (or my twitter or instagram(s)) :P
Today’s post is a quick one! I’ve been feeling a little off alignment. So in my research to get back on track and out of this funk – I researched some inspiration and knew I had to share here :)
One thing I do want to say is that, our journey is full of ebbs and flows. There are highs and lows and sometimes how we operate will be effected by that. What I’ve learned that it’s completely okay to lean into the slow, quiet, idle restful time just as much as the fast paced productivity.
Having an off day, week or month is completely okay & we all go through it. And when you are ready…read on to learn ways to get back on your path…
So our last 2 days in NYC we kept pretty light. We decided on a few things we wanted to definitely see but did not stress if we didn’t get around to actually seeing them. So here was the list:
MoMA
Fao Shwartz
Statue of Liberty
Central Park
DUMBO
Although, I had a longer list (always positive!), with the kiddos we knew it wouldn’t have been possible to make it all happen (and that was OK).
Day 3 We wanted to keep it an easy day outside of the downtown core. We went to a mall in Hoboken, tried Chick-fil-A (hated it!) Later for the day, we had made ferry reservations for the Statue of Liberty so we headed straight there! The girls were really enamoured by the statue and it’s history. Glad we made it happen!
packed the wrong colour socks :P
Day 4 Saw us with a start at the MoMA! After a quick bite to eat from a falafel vendor (there on every corner!) and few blocks down from Times Square – we were in. TIP: Buy your tickets online before you go! Like the theme for the last 2 days, we had a good idea of what we wanted to see in the art gallery, which was every Van Gogh, Picasso and Salvador Dali then had on exhibit. Anything else would be considered bonus! It was such an honour and treat to see these works of art in person. It confirmed for me that I made the right decision getting an annual pass to the AGO (Check out those trips here and here).
We finished the day by checking out Macy’s, having dinner at Olive Garden and packing to to hit on the road the next day…but not before getting a few shots at DUMBO.
Day 5 Now IYKYK that every influencer on the block wants their elusive picture at DUMBO. And I was no exception (well the influencer title is debatable 😆). So what exactly is DUMBO? Well it stands for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass. Although it refers to the entire neighbourhood – it’s really popular because of the well framed view of the bridge (and if you look closely – the Empire State building!). Because of the locations popularity (ahem ahem social media) there are a few things I planned for:
Getting there early! Anywhere between 7:30-9am is your safest bet. I did read online that pretty much any day the weather is good, the street would be swarming with isntagrammers.
Consider taking the picture at a different angle. The road is either busy with people or lined with cars so move around the road and sidewalk to see where the different angles are and you can get the best shot.
Go on a day when the weather is bad! We went on a morning that was was windy and below zero. Only a few people were there and I didn’t feel rushed to get my shot!
Want to know more about our trip – feel free to reach out at thru les yeux at gmail dot com. Or leave a comment!
I always say, life is a journey. Sometimes you are running top speed through the valley and other times you are grasping for oxygen at high altitudes. Most times you are going steady through long stretches of mini climbs and plateaus.
from pinterest
But one thing I’ve started recently saying to myself is that I’ve got to live life like it’s rigged in my favour. And that statement alone has made me realize that through self and situational awareness – you can quickly see what activities and behaviours are supporting you and what are self sabotaging you.
from pinterest
Below I share 7 ways to stop self sabotaging yourself. Whether that’s in personal relationships, with you 9-5, business pursuits or personal goals – consider how you may be engaging in these activities and how it’s effecting how you live your life.
from pinterest
💫 leave any situation where you are not valued
💫 deprioritize your mental wellness for anything
💫 what everyone else is doing
💫 disregard your feelings, instinct, needs or emotions
💫 showing up as someone you are not
💫 stay on a path just because it’s the path you are on
Although is been almost a month since we went to NYC, I still have 3 days left to cover on the blog (for my memories and for any families out there wondering if they can road trip to NYC with their kids and have a good time – spoiler alert …you can!)
The second day was planned as a full day in Manhattan and it did not disappoint. Our New Jersey hotel was a 30 second walk to the bus stop that went straight to Times Square, so we took advantage of that (with a backpack full of snacks). However, we did purchase tickets to the Big Bus Tour. I got a deep discount for the bus and we were glad we got it. More on that in the next post!
At Times Square we enjoyed all the screens, the people watching and the energy. And a few blocks away was Brant Park and the New York Public Library. Because it was so close – we just walked! Totally do-able!
The NYPL was on quiet hours so we didn’t get to explore any of the book rooms but the kids were just as mesmerized by the interior structure. Another few blocks away was Grand Central. Perfect place for more people watching and Magnolia cupcakes!
We then spent 2 hours at Empire State building LOL. Given that we’ve already seen sky high views at the CN Tower (Toronto) and the Twin Towers back in the 90s – I wasn’t sure there would be anything novel here. However the Empire State had a completely different vibe. Maybe it was the NY history (the story and details of how it was built) or the related culture of the landmark (King Kong move) or how art was incorporated into the experience (helicopter city sketch) – the whole experience was really all encompassing. We could easily have spent another 2 hours there.
After the Empire State building, we grabbed some NY Pizza and hopped on the Big Bus, which ended up being a great way to see some of the sights and learn history about the neighbourhoods. We did get off at the Brooklyn Bridge to take some pictures and get a few souvenirs.
The bus took us back to Times Square, where we grabbed dinner and watched some street performances. The girls did really great given it was a lot of walking and standing. But I think having a place to sit and just take in the sights as they passed through thru a window (without actually having to drive) – definitely helped the whole family.
Next up we have the MoMA, Statue of Liberty and DUMBO!
