Created a random mix of some of my favorite songs I listen to while at home. A healthy mix of feel good and mellow vibes for WFH, cleaning or just relaxing on the couch
WHAT I’M THANKFUL FOR THIS YEAR
I know everyone says this, but I seriously can’t believe another year has passed and we’re almost to 2020. As I reflect on this year, I feel like I’ve grown and changed so much compared to where I was in life last year. Life may have its highs and lows, but I think it’s important to appreciate all the good and remember to be grateful for what I DO have, rather than what I don’t.
All of the wonderful friends in my life:
Even though I’ve only lived in San Francisco for a year and a half (I moved here in June of 2018), I have met so many amazing people turned into best friends that I can’t imagine my life without today. I’m so thankful for each and every friend I have in this city or else life would be very boring.
My health:
I recently had a little bit of a health scare, and it’s made me realize to slow the eff down and take care of myself. You can’t enjoy the rewards of working hard if you don’t have your health in the first place!
My career:
The reason I moved to San Francisco in the first place was to advance my career and grow in my industry. It’s amazing everything I’ve learned so far and where I feel I am today compared to when I was living in San Diego. It only motivates me to keep going and see where I can be at the end of 2020, and that’s such a good feeling.
The ability to pursue my passions:
I’ve said it before, but life is way too short to settle and NOT do what makes you happy. I’ve always had this creative side to fuel and I love that I found my passion for fashion blogging and actually launched my blog and IG two and a half years ago in June of 2017 (seems like I tend to make major life changes in the month of June?) I’m also grateful that my creative drive keeps me going and I’ve cultivated so many partnerships with brands and companies I only dreamed of working with before I got into the blogger/influencer space.
My mental health:
Just as important as having your physical health is having your mental health. I went through some lows this year that I didn’t reveal on IG (because remember it’s only the highlight reel) and actually kept pretty quiet about to most people in my life because I didn’t want to talk about it. I think when I hit the lowest of the lows this past summer, I decided to take control of my mental health by seeking treatment and it’s honestly the best decision I’ve ever made. There’s definitely a stigma around mental health which is so dumb, because if you have anything wrong physically you’d go get it treated - so why not do the same for ALL aspects of your health.
My home:
I own a condo in San Diego, so when I moved to SF it sucked having to go from being a homeowner to being a homeowner that ALSO had to rent in the most expensive city in the U.S. My first apartment in SF that I moved into in 2018 also sucked. It was tiny, cramped, overpriced, and I had to live with a roommate which is seriously so difficult to do when you’ve been living on your own for so long. I hated being home, which I think contributed to my not so great mental health at the time. In June of this year (again, a big life change happening June, WTF), I was able to move into my own apartment in the Russian Hill neighborhood of SF and it’s improved my life so much. I’ve made my home cozy and enjoyable to be in and I honestly look forward to spending time at home now. I’m thankful to be able to afford the means to do AND that I found a great apartment in SF in itself which can be like finding a needle in a haystack.
Yoga:
I started going to hot yoga at the beginning of this year and was even able to partner with my favorite yoga studio on IG later, which was amazing. The reason I’m grateful for yoga is that it’s a physical activity that clears my mind and makes me feel good all around, which I never got from other kinds of workouts. It’s not only helped me get into better shape physically but helped me manage my stress.
My best friends:
I know I mentioned all the wonderful friends I have in SF at the beginning of this post, but I definitely need to mention my lifelong best friends who don’t live in the same city as me but I basically consider family. I have two best friends I met in college almost 10 years ago now. One of them lives in LA but we talk everyday and see each other as often as we can so it doesn’t even feel like we’re a long distance from each other. My other best friend just recently moved back to LA as well after living in Kentucky so I’m so excited to be able to see her again since she was living so far away before! I also have an incredible group of friends from high school that I grew up with. Some of us have moved to different cities, gotten married, some even started having kids but everytime we get together it feels like no time has passed and we can pick up right where we left off which I’m so grateful for.
My growing ability to stop caring so much:
When I was younger, I was so concerned of what other people thought of me. It made me very self-conscious and I feel like it made me seem like a shy person to others. Through the years, I’ve learned to stop giving a f**k what others think, and instead focus on how I feel or think about others. I think this mentality is how I can take so many photos in public without feeling embarrassed, speak my mind to friends, bosses or significant others and and feel confident in the decisions I make everyday. You kind of have to just stop caring so much and focus on yourself sometimes in order to get rid of insecurity.
The blogger community:
Let me just say this. It’s f*cking hard to be a blogger (coming from someone who also has a full time corporate career). You’re basically running a small business, but the business is yourself. Aside from the countless hours it takes to secure partnerships, plan content, take photos, see if the photos are any good or worth posting in the first place, editing, getting approval from brands, meeting tight deadlines and SO much competition in an oversaturated industry — you’re making yourself very vulnerable by putting yourself out there online for everyone to see. Luckily, through this industry I’ve met a handful of talented and badass women that have become my fellow blogger friends. It’s such a good feeling to have a community of women that not only get what you’re dealing with on a daily basis but are also there to support you whether it’s attending each other’s events, taking photos or helping to direct content. I don’t think I could do it without them at the end of the day (or at least it’d be even more difficult to do so).
What are you guys grateful for this year? Let me know in the comments and I hope everyone has a fabulous Thanksgiving holiday!
2019 READING LIST
“I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library”
- Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice
Every year I procure a reading list of books that have been recommended to me and ones I’ve heard of and want to read. And surely enough, it seems like every year I only set aside enough time for about half of my list. Don’t get me wrong, I read plenty of articles, blog posts, journals and magazines but there’s just something about sitting down with an ACTUAL book and turning the pages that makes it that much better. Also, not to mention I find books helpful for learning information you probably can’t get elsewhere.
I love reading all sorts of books — from entertaining Gone Girl-esque thrillers to informative reference books about how to lead a more productive life (I guess this could also be categorized as self-help but for some reason I feel like self-help has a negative connotation to it? I blame this episode of Sex and The City where Charlotte tries to go to the self-help aisle and get scared away by the sobbing women).
I’ve broken out the books by category: Fiction, Non-Fiction/Memoir, Suspense/Thriller, and Self-Help/Reference. I hope you guys find some books to spark your interest and add to your reading list from mine!
FICTION:
What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty (OK so I’ve actually read this one ages ago — it’s by the same author of the Big Little Lies . I really loved the message in it — plus it’s a sweet, feel-good read so I want to re-read this one)
A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens (a lot of people have recommended this! part of Reese Witherspoon’s book club)
Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty
This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel
You Think It, I’ll Say It by Curtis Sittenfeld
The Mars Room by Rachel Kushner (this one looks really interesting)
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah (this one looks like it’ll probably make me cry)
REFERENCE/SELF-HELP:
Pathways to Bliss: Mythology and Personal Transformation by Joseph Campbell (I’ve read another one of Joseph Campbell’s books; The Power of Myth - which I also highly recommend to anyone struggling to find their passion in life so I’m excited to try this one out!)
The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle (I’ve read excerpts and quotes of this book but I really want to sit down and read this one from start to finish)
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson (I was hesitant about this book but I follow this author on twitter and really like a lot of what he has to say so I figure why not try it)
Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth and Happiness by Richard Thaler
The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg (This one I half-assed listened to on Audible on my commute to work while I was scrolling through IG - probably why audio books don’t work for me but I remember it being interesting because they used a lot of psychological experiments for the reasoning behind how powerful habit forming is! Personally, these kinds of ‘self-help’ books work better for me than the ones that just cheer on “being positive” because there’s actual scientific data backing them up)
SUSPENSE/THRILLER:
The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine
The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware (I’ve read Ruth Ware’s other books before and it’s definitely good if you want something suspenseful/creepy)
Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeny
The Other Woman by Sandie Jones
I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh
Hidden Bodes by Caroline Kepnes (this is the sequel to You - yes, the same book the Netflix show is based off of. I was hooked on this book so I can’t wait to find out what happens next!)
NON-FICTION/MEMOIR:
Wild by Cheryl Strayed (I saw the movie that was based off of this book a while back but I’ve always been curious to read it! It seems like an incredible moving story and I can’t believe it’s based off someone’s life)
Tools of Titans by Tim Ferriss (This is basically an encyclopedia of interviews ranging from a variety of successful people in various fields. I also recommend Ferriss’ podcasts where he interviews some really interesting people and you get their take on what it is to be successful)
Educated by Tara Westover (Really want to read this one ASAP - It’s a #1 New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Boston Globe bestseller)
The Library Book by Susan Orlean (Reese Witherspoon just had this as the book of the month for her book club)
Becoming by Michelle Obama (regardless of your politics, this one looks like a good read and I’ve had countless people recommend it to me!)
I would love to know if you guys have read any of these books or if you have any other recommendations for me to add to my 2019 reading list!
My favorite HIIT workout with Misfit Wearables
One thing I always advocate and think is important to spend time on is my fitness. Not only for the obvious reason of my physical health (duh), but working out gives me the best stress relief. Exercise is my own personal form of therapy and I truly believe it's vital for not only physical well- being but mental well-being too.
I love trying all different kinds of workouts - whether it be an Orange-theory or Soul Cycle class, going for a run by the beach, or just doing sit ups in front of my TV at home. But I also totally get that life is busy and sometimes you can't schedule a workout class or time to go for nice, long run. I definitely have more than less of these days but I never want to compromise on my fitness which is why I have a go-to HIIT workout I want to share with you guys! All you need is a treadmill and 30 minutes.
I was gifted the Misfit Vapor Smartwatch by Misfit Wearables which not only does the normal things a smart watch does like track steps and calories but it also displays my heart rate which is crucial when you're doing a HIIT (high-intensity interval training) workout. I want to make sure I'm constantly getting my heart rate to go up and down during this kind of a quick workout in order to burn more calories in a shorter amount of time which my Misfit Vapor Smartwatch makes so easy to do!
QUICK HIIT WORKOUT
WARM-UP
Walk on tread for one minute - I go at 3.0 speed, 1.0 incline, followed by a three minute jog at 5.0 speed, 1.0 incline (you can adjust this accordingly to your own jogging pace)
CIRCUIT 1
- Run on treadmill for two minutes at an accelerated pace - something that's do-able but challenging so you're working up your heart rate now. I go at 7.5 speed, 1.0 incline (again, adjust this accordingly!)
- Now sprint as fast as you can for 30 seconds so you can get your heart rate up to max intensity - I go at 9.5 speed, 1.0 incline
- Walk for 1 minute to let your heart rate come down now at 3.0 speed, 1.0 incline
**REPEAT THIS CIRCUIT THREE TIMES**
CIRCUIT 2
The second circuit I get off the tread and do some workouts on the floor
- 60 jumping jacks
- 20 hip thrusts
- 14 V - ups
- 30 bicycles
**REPEAT THIS CIRCUIT TWO TIMES**
CIRCUIT 3
The third circuit I get back on the tread for the last ~5 minutes
- Jog for 1 minute (5.0 speed, 1.0 incline)
- Run at an accelerated pace for 2 minutes (7.5 speed, 1.0 incline)
- Sprint for 30 seconds, (9.5 speed, 1.0 incline), followed by a 30 second walking recovery (but feel free to walk a little longer if you need to catch your breath and work your heart rate back down)
I finish my workout by either holding a squat or holding a plank for 1 minute. This usually concludes about 30 minutes of working out.
The combination of these circuits shows me a good pattern of constantly increasing and decreasing my heart rate on my Misfit watch which is what I want to see after a quick workout.
And be sure to stretch after you're finished!
*Note: The Misfit Vapor Smartwatch was gifted to me, but all opinions are my own.
HOLIDAY COCKTAILS WITH GREEN HOPE VODKA
The holidays are definitely my favorite time of year. I love everything from the decorations to the food to the glitzy dresses and overall everyone just seems like they're in a better mood.
To help get in the holiday spirit this year, I've teamed up with Green Hope Organic Vodka and created a holiday inspired cocktail! I was so excited to discover Green Hope as their vodka is not only organic, but gluten-free and composed of non-GMO cane, giving it a clean and pure taste.
Scroll down for the recipe for my twist on a Pomegranate-Rosemary cocktail.
What you'll need:
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 8 fresh rosemary sprigs
- 1 cup pomegranate juice (you can sub with cranberry juice if you prefer)
- 3/4 cup Green Hope Organic Vodka
- 1/2 cup club soda
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- rosemary and pomegranate and/or cranberry for garnish
How to make it:
1) In a small saucepan, bring the sugar, 4 of the rosemary sprigs, and 1/2 cup water to a simmer. Remove from heat and let cool.
2) Strain the sugar syrup into a shaker and add the pomegranate juice, vodka and lemon juice and shake with ice.
3) Serve over ice and the pour over the club soda, stirring gently.
4) Garnish each glass with rosemary sprigs, pomegranate seeds, and/or cranberries. Cheers!
SHOP MY LOOK AND MY BARWARE:
XO,
Jasmin