Feeling like a ROCKSTAR today in my birthday get up. Now I know you guys are no stranger to my faux fur vest, but it was calling my name when I opened my closet this morning. I paired it with a simple gray stretch-cotton dress, my black leggings with a little sheen, those chunky over-sized camel boots, and a pair of large round-frame glasses to complete the look.
Accessories are all in silver (except the sunnies) and the deep red lip adds that sultry, bad ass vibe that boosted my confidence and made me feel like an absolute Boss Babe all day!!! Just check out the attitude I'm serving in these pictures I snapped during my lunch break.
Can I just say...I feel AMAZING!!! I am only 2 years away from 30, but I honestly have never felt better. Not only am I in better physical shape than ever before, but I also am more in tune with my outlook on life as well as my personality. Over the span of 28 years I have finally discovered who I am, what I like (and don't like), what I actually believe in, and how I ultimately would like to live my life moving forward into the future.
I kind of had a depressing 2016, with two back to back deaths occurring to people I was very close with...(my grandmother and boyfriend's dad) and it made me feel like I was at a stand still in my personal and professional life. I was 27, no where near accomplishing the things I had hoped for when I was younger (family, career, house, car, etc.) and I was upset about it. However, as the year went on, I figured out just how strong I really was, along with how much stress I could handle. This is actually what led me to create "The Inspirista" because through all that searching I found some sort of inspiration within myself and in that moment I knew I wanted to share it with others in the hopes that they too might discover themselves and venture onto the path of true happiness.
For me...this little lunch time photo shoot is more than just a few pictures. To me this photo shoot is a milestone, representing how much I've endured over my 28 years, as well as how much I've accomplished, grown, and experienced. I have learned tons about myself, one thing being how to find something positive in even the shittest of situations. There is ALWAYS good...remember that. Maybe not in every single person, but in every single situation there can be a positive outcome and in order to see it you must not dwell on the negative, but accept it, then move on to view the entire situation as a whole. You can't always control a situation or the people involved, but you can control what you decide to take from it. This is where you will find the light...that positive message.
The confidence you see on my face in these pictures, or in any of my other pictures for that matter, is the product of determination, hard work, self-discovery and acceptance, as well as a fairly positive daily attitude. I try very hard not to let little things get to me, brush off negative vibes, and fill my days with all things that make me happy. Even my job change has brought more positive energy and people into my life. Of course none of this was easy to achieve or easy to maintain if I'm being honest, but once I found my underlying daily drive...well, that's when I began to really feel like my true self.
I also did some more close up shots...mainly trying to be creative with my framing and body positioning. Slowly, I think I'm really starting to like this whole modeling thing. It's actually much more than just standing around looking pretty...there's a vibe you want to capture with each picture, then there's the ever important background and can't forget the creative direction. Most of the best photography shots have some type of inspiration or story behind them and even if there isn't a specific narrative to drive the shots there is usually something in the background that propels the entire shoot forward. You can absolutely tell the difference between a dead shot with no motivation next to one that's filled to the brim with spirit and creative drive. This is what I hope to move towards in all of my future photo shoots...creative, dynamic, unique pictures.
THAT COST WHAT?!
Grey Cotton Dress (Charlotte Russe): $20
Black Sheen Leggings (H&M): $15
Faux Fur Vest (Macy's): $45
Camel Boots (Cathy Jean): $135 orig. - SALE $42
Necklace (Forever 21): $12.50
Sunglasses (Target): $11
Watch (Gift): FREE
Mexican Blue Opal & Silver Ring (Ensenada Shop): $25
GRAND TOTAL = $170.50
It's important to take time out to really sit and reflect on your life and surroundings. Embrace your "imperfections", tune into your natural nature, dismiss negativity, and then accept the things you cannot change. This will lift a huge weight off your shoulders, allowing you to feel more free and comfortable in your own skin, which will actually open the doors to more opportunities. For example, something small I did was stop straightening my hair on a regular basis and turned my focus towards make my natural locks healthier... and let me tell you, I have never felt more like myself!!! The burden of time spent straightening or damaging my hair took out more of a toll on me than I thought it did until I stopped doing it so much. Now I feel freer and healthier, a decision that has definitely helped change my life for the better.
By writing this post I hope to not only inspire your own self-reflection process, but to also help fuel your growing fire of confidence. Once you find that strength and acceptance for yourself you will become unstoppable in life and things will slowly start falling into the places you always hoped they would.
My advice is to stay persistent my friends...good things come to those who are kind, work hard, and remain positive. I really do believe it's true when people say your everyday mindset is a direct reflection of your daily lifestyle and the more positive vibes you inject into your life the happier you'll ultimately become.
So get out there and live it up...who knows when you'll have other chances so make them count today and everyday moving forward. It only takes one simple thought to put you on your path of true happiness and success.