Stretchy legging pants!

My ideal style of myself is effortless, cool, with a touch of femininity. I’m not super girly and comfort is my top priority when selecting my outfit each day. If I don’t feel comfortable in the clothes I’m wearing, my entire day is thrown off. I quickly learned at the beginning of the lockdown, working from home, that my productivity was affected if I dressed “too casual” (think sweatpants and hoodie). I learned to adapt by wearing comfortable bottoms with stretch and a pretty top or cool t-shirt.

I love the creativity and fantasy that fashion creators conjure up. Recently, I watched a Fall 2020 catwalk show on YouTube. I was flooded with a roller coaster of emotions! I’ve never experienced emotions like that before just watching a video of a runway presentation. I believe I had such a visceral reaction due to the emotions of dealing with the pandemic. Side note: I’m not usually a fan of that designer's clothes. However, I appreciated the art that went into that show. After all, isn’t art supposed to make you feel?

I’m not a fan of fast fashion. When I was doing research for my job, I started learning about what the fashion industry has done to the environment and to the people that make the clothes. It saddened me so I decided to stop buying fast fashion. I really try to purchase second hand or from brands that are making an effort to be more sustainable. I recognize that fashion is never going to be 100% sustainable but appreciate the brands that are taking steps now.

My son, Eric. He has challenged me and helped me grow in ways I never knew possible. My dog, Dakota, has also brought me joy. She’s a happy golden retriever and loves me unconditionally. I see why some people decide to not have kids and only have “fur babies”. I think I’m going to be a dog mom for the rest of my life!

I had a gift card to a local consignment shop. Recently, I stopped by for the first time in months. I was super excited about a pair of designer leggings that I scored for an awesome deal! The other things I have been purchasing have been art supplies (from Michael’s or Amazon) as I’ve found time to get back into art.

Pre-covid I would wear this knit blazer (another consignment find!). It is so comfortable yet polished and put together when I wear it with a tee shirt and jeans. I had to tell myself to give it a break in wear because I was noticing the wear on the elbows!

My father. He passed away this past Easter from melanoma cancer. I would have loved to hear a range of his entertaining and hilarious stories from being the oldest of 3 boys, to his time as a police officer one last time.

Making art or reading a book. Sometimes a bath with Epsom salt and lavender essential oil.

I quickly learned that I had to create a new routine at the start of the pandemic. I have to set my alarm to wake up and I start my day by moving, either an at home strength training workout or a long walk with my dog in the neighborhood, listening to a podcast. When I get back, I make myself breakfast and then get ready for work. I’m at my home office desk by 9am. I’m finding the morning routine to be the best. My family is still sleeping and I get this time to myself. It’s very relaxing and not rushed compared to my pre-covid morning routine.

I’m not usually a quote person but lately I’ve had to remind myself to learn from the losses and celebrate the wins. My family is going through a season right now (death, job loss, family issues, etc.) so it’s easy to fall into a negative mindset especially with everything that is going on outside of our home. I’ve had to remind myself to celebrate wins, even if they are small.

My first job was making dog biscuits at a local dog treat bakery. It was a summer job that I had with my friend. Daytime television played in the background while we made huge batches of treats. It took nearly two weeks after that job ended to get the smell of dog biscuits out of my hair and body!