Monthly Reflections | August

Ah summer, you are not over yet, and I refuse to fill you with pumpkins and fall colors, and forget about your final weeks, which are the sweetest. But how has your summer been? Have you been eating lots of ice cream, catching rays by the pool, seen some really cool places!? Last year my summer brought lots of travels, while this year it was slightly busier. Not complaining one bit, because every new client and job is a proud moment. Although, I didn’t get to vacation or head to a few places I had wanted too, I did keep my summer equally busy with some really fun weekend trips, activities, and recipes. Who knows maybe the next few months have a great trip in store for me…

With school back in session, it seems like daily routines are at their norm once again. Although, September marks more than half the year is done, I always find it to be a great time to reaccess how your year has progressed, how you’ve been tackling your yearly goals, or simply just to reflect where you are in your life, and maybe even create new habits.

I’m back on a Kygo kick again mostly because it’s been helping me get things done. After the beautiful and large wedding I coordinated and styled this past holiday weekend, I am all ready to get started on some ideas and cool client projects I hadn’t had the time to do.

During August, as busier as I was than the rest of summer, after an all-over the place month of July, mentally I found my footing and picked up simple habits again that have helped me be happier. And lately because of the changing season, which everybody seems to be excited for but me, I’ve been relying on these habits just a bit more. My trick, listening to music and dancing. I had to take a step back from running because of a minor knee setback after vacation and so I began dancing again.

Watch one of the Fitness Marshall’s videos and try not grooving’. I actually get excited to workout and dance, and have really needed it as a stress reliever. It’s definiltey got me in better shape, but mostly has helped me stay balanced. It’s why I’ve always loved music and dancing so much, you listen and move all your cares and worries away.

I’ve loved that this summer has been my “summer of music.” It started with the amazing and brilliant Portuguese Fadista Ana Moura, then Firefly Music Festival. It was my first multi-day music festival, and let me tell you, it was such an amazing time, like I seriously wish I could live each day at an outdoor live performance. I was so lucky to experience several of my all time favorite musicians, like Mumford and Sons for the second time, just a few feet from the stage may I add, Of Monsters and Men, Florence and the Machine, Kings of Leon, Fitz and the Tantrums, and so many more! I’m working on making this a yearly thing because it really was such an awesome time. Plus it’s right around my birthday, so why not spend getting another year older surrounded by great music and the outdoors. Now to convince everyone else…

But the granddaddy of summer concerts was…Coldplay! It was probably one of the things I was most looking forward to this summer, and man did it not disappoint. Undeniably, Coldplay is my all time favorite band, their songs have sung to my heart during sad times, made me dance during happy, and no matter what, always makes me feel something, take me on a journey to another world, another emotion.

Even if you aren’t the biggest fan of Coldplay, if you have the chance to see them, GO! For a super fan, like myself, their show is basically an out-of-mind musical experience. I sang at the top of my lungs, I smiled, I cried, I danced, I felt everything their music is meant to make you feel. On an extremely hot summer night, thousands of fans came together for this spectacular show. Okay, that’s my rant on all the concerts I saw but they really made my summer so great!

You know what else I’ve learned, actually begun making a habit again, putting a little extra care into my daily routine. Working from home or in a kitchen, I often only get dressed to meet a client, vendor, at an event, and the occasional errands, so I’m often dressed very casually, hair most likely not in the best of shapes or left in its natural curly state. Instead of leaving it a mess, I’ll simply put it into a high bun, and instantly, I feel prettier and more professional, as if in a regular office setting.

Hmm, let’s see what else have I’ve been up to…I finally made it the US Open and crossed that off my bucket list, I ate A LOT of tomatoes and peaches, nutrient packed smoothies got me through the hectic last week of wedding planning, have been brush lettering and calligraphing like crazy {my hand wasn’t too happy with me after 200 plus escort cards}, went sailing around NYC for my father’s birthday and he loved it, and plenty of days in the garden. It was nice.

It’s the little things like having a few quiet moments in the morning to eat breakfast outside, my favorite perfume that brings back beautiful summer memories, fresh cut garden flowers, weekly trips to the farmer’s market, rediscovering nearby attractions, and experiencing new ones, that have really made these summer months worth it. But hey, they’re not over yet, and I plan on savoring each day for what it is. I’m totally fine if I fall behind on autumn trends and posts, or I’m not already planning for Christmas, I want to be in the present. I want to tackle the season, the month, as it comes one day at a time.

What have been some of your favorite summer memories?