Tuesday, January 19, 2016

DIY Planner/ Organized Notebook



I ALWAYS have to have a planner. Without a place to write down all of my tasks for the day, I will definitely forget something. So if I'm going to use a planner every day, I might as well use something cute right? I always love using stickers, washi tape and decorative paper, so I came up with this DIY project to make/ decorate your own life organizer. I hope it gives you some creative ideas! Have a fabulous day!

XO, Lauren

Monday, January 11, 2016

Get to Know Me!



Here's a little bit about me! Hope you enjoy and have a fabulous day!

XO, Lauren

P.S. Look forward to a giveaway once we reach 5,000 subscribers!!

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Romp and Roll

patterned romper, maroon tights, romper and tights, winter outfits, Lauren Banawa

patterned romper, maroon tights, romper and tights, winter outfits, Lauren Banawa

dainty rings, simple rings, dainty jewelry, patterned romper, winter ootd, winter outfits

patterned romper, maroon tights, romper and tights, winter outfits, Lauren Banawa

patterned romper, maroon tights, romper and tights, winter outfits, Lauren Banawa

patterned romper, maroon tights, romper and tights, winter outfits, Lauren Banawa

patterned romper, maroon tights, romper and tights, winter outfits, Lauren Banawa

patterned romper, maroon tights, romper and tights, winter outfits, Lauren Banawa

I think I'm allergic to cold weather... I walked out of the house today and immediately started shaking like a chihuahua. It was only around 60 degrees, nowhere close to snowy weather, which got me thinking... how am I going to survive winter if I end up moving to New York!?? Well, I guess I'll just worry about it when the time comes. For now, I'm perfectly content with comfortable warm weather. Anyways, with this cold weather finally coming in, I had to make a few wardrobe changes. I wanted to wear this cute printed romper, but without anything covering my legs, I would surely turn into an icicle. So I decided to solve that problem with some maroon tights and my favorite (more like 'only') combat boots. BUT, that was still not enough to keep my little body warm, so I paired it with this black utility jacket. It ties in the boots and helps with the overall composition of the ensemble by bringing the eye around the whole look. For accessories, I am wearing my black quilted leather cross-body bag, and some dainty gold jewelry that matches the gold chain on the purse. 

Moral of the story: If you're creative enough, you can still wear summer clothes in winter without turning into a popsicle.

Anyways, I hope you got some inspiration from this outfit! I got a cute suede dress today, so look forward to another outfit post coming soon. Have a super duper fabulous day lovelies!

XO, Lauren

Monday, January 4, 2016

DIY New Years Resolutions



To kick off the New Year, I decided to do a DIY video to help motivate you to keep your New Years resolutions! I used four common resolutions or goals and shared a fun project for each of them. I hope you enjoy! Also, I just finished my work out this morning, so if you want to check out the workout I did, I'll include the links in this post! What are your resolutions or goals for this year? Which DIY projects are you going to try? Let me know and have a super fabulous day!

XO, Lauren


CIZE Challenge Pack:

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Sunday, January 3, 2016

Create Your Own Happiness

create your own happiness, how to be happy, how to be positive, Lauren Banawa

Happiness is something people often dream of, chase after, wish for. Some people think you have to have a lot of money to be happy, or have the best grades, or have tons of followers to be happy. I have often let myself fall into the trap of seeking happiness from temporary things. I've even found myself relying on others for my happiness. This is not a healthy habit to form. So, with the start of the new year, I've decided to take the bull by the horns. I'm going to create my own happiness. 

Here are 10 TIPS that I am working on to improve my happiness:

1.) Get enough sleep. You will not be in a very good mood if you are sleep deprived. In fact, not getting enough sleep can lead to irritability, stress, depression, and anxiety. Trust me, those are not synonyms for happiness.

2.) Stop hiding your feelings. I do this one a lot... I'd rather keep the peace than tell how I really feel and risk upsetting someone. But, in the end, it's better to be open and not keep things bottled up. You may not even realize that something is bothering you until one day it just comes up out of nowhere. You must realize your feelings are real and valid. This is one of the biggest pieces of advice that I am working on. 

3.) Banish anger and negativity. It seems like an obvious thing to do, but it is important. Your reaction to a situation is up to you. You can either choose to react calmly, or choose to let your emotions control you, and make you act before you think. Be more conscious of how you react to different problems, people, and thoughts. Turn anger into acceptance and forgiveness, and negativity into motivation and positivity.

4.) Find and do the things you love. Another obvious but important one.
What makes you smile? What makes you laugh? What's something you could do all day and never get tired of? Incorporate these things into your daily schedule. Some examples for me would be blogging, making videos, sewing and visiting new places.

5.) Find music that puts you in a good mood. I love this one. Sometimes if I'm in a bad mood, I'll put on some Imagine Dragons (the Night Visions album), and I'll almost instantly be in a better mood. You could put it on while your working, driving, writing in your journal, anywhere really! It's a super easy way to create your own happiness.

6.) Keep a gratitude and/or achievements journal. I personally have just a normal journal that I write everything in, but on some days when I'm not so bubbly, I like to list out everything I'm grateful for and everything that makes my life amazing. It helps you see a different perspective, and focuses on the positive rather than the negative. Listing your achievements of the day, no matter how little, is also a great way to improve your mood. Being productive feels so amazing and helps motivate you to continue doing great things.

7.) Clear out clutter from your living area. This even applies to your car, workspace, locker, etc. I don't know about you, but having a messy room majorly stresses me out. Literally, I cannot even do my homework until my room is clean haha. So if you're like me, make sure to clean as you go, or set a cleaning day to get rid of clutter and let more good energy flow! It will definitely help stop bad vibes and in turn help you be happier and more productive.

8.) Help others. Volunteering, helping a neighbor with yard work, tutoring a friend, all of these can help you feel more fulfilled and happy because you are supporting others and giving them happiness too!

9.) Don't take yourself too seriously. You will make mistakes. Sometimes they will be embarrassing. Trust me, I've had my share of embarrassing moments. One time I was walking down the football field in a gown and heels for the homecoming court ceremony, and I tripped and fell right onto the muddy grass, right in front of everyone. Now, I could have chosen to let myself feel like a total loser. But instead I laughed it off. There's nothing you can do in a moment like that except decide how you want to react. It kind of goes back to tip #3. Accept that it happened and move on.

10.) Know that everything is temporary. You won't be in this situation forever. These problems won't last forever. Even the good things won't last forever. This is why you must deal patiently with the "not so enjoyable" things, and appreciate the things that make you smile while they're there.

Now that I've told you my tips, I wanted to go back to what I said in the beginning of this post. If you find yourself relying on likes, followers, money, grades, or other people for your happiness, stop and think. These things may make you feel good in the moment, but if you find yourself getting stressed out because you have less followers than someone else, or because you want to please someone, you are not living for yourself. You are living at the will of others. You are comparing yourself. To be truly happy, it is important to accept yourself, be positive, be grateful, and make sure you take care of yourself. And with that, I hope you have a positively fabulous day!

XO, Lauren