21 Things I’m Grateful for This Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Thanksgiving is a time to reflect back on everything that we are thankful for.  There is so much to be grateful for every single day, not just today.
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For those of you who don’t know, I have been keeping a gratitude journal since May of 2016.  Every day, I write down at least three things that I’m thankful for.  This simple exercise has completely changed my life.  It has opened my eyes to many aspects of my life that I have taken for granted over the years.  There will 100% be a post solely dedicated to gratitude, but until then, here’s a sneak peek into my gratitude journal and the top 21 things I’m thankful for this Thanksgiving.
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1.  My family
2.  Every single one of my friends
3.  Waking up each morning
4.  My friend’s surgery going well
5.  Living in Manhattan
6. Running into old friends and catching up with friends I haven’t seen in some time
7. Being very happy and enjoying the journey
8. My blog and YouTube channel—will be launched soon! 🙂
9. Almost 21 days without coffee! I’m feeling so much less anxious and my sleep and skin have seriously improved!
10. Being able to hop on a train and escape to CT to be with my family for the holiday
11.  The start of the holiday season!
12.  Being employed
13.  Meditative mornings to myself
14.  For all the recent opportunities that have come my way
15.  Finally getting a bit of a much needed break. I’ve been in need of some serious R&R
16.  For everything I have had the opportunity to experience (good and bad) in 2017 this far
17.  Feeling inspired. I woke up yesterday morning in a blah mood (perhaps also because of this rain), and I opened up my phone to a Gabrielle Bernstein video that inspired me and put me back on track. The Universe will always give you what you need!
18.  For the tradition of Thanksgiving
19.  Whoever invented pie (although I’m not a huge pie fan, I love it around this time of year!)
20.  My persistence and strength when times are tough
21.  Anyone and everyone reading this—thank you for taking the time to do so!
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I wish you all a very happy and safe Thanksgiving! I hope you ate copious amounts turkey and watched a lot of football.  This holiday certainly calls for some serious

R&R with your family and loved ones, so I hope you enjoy!
Xx Marisa

Daydream, Darling

Whenever I find myself daydreaming, I am immediately taken back to my English class during junior year of high school.  Don’t tell my mom, but hands down, it was the best class to completely zone out in and fantasize about my future.  Daydreaming or spacing out definitely isn’t encouraged (as it can clearly serve as quite the distraction), but that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t visualize our hopes and desires in our leisure time.

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The more I learn about manifesting one’s destiny, the more I realize that visualization plays a major role.  Picturing yourself achieving your dreams or visualizing a particular situation unfolding in your favor allows for the event to happen.  Simply taking a few minutes out of your day to daydream or visualize what you want for yourself will help you to obtain exactly that.  When you picture yourself succeeding, you will naturally feel more confident and secure about yourself, exude positivity, and be more attractive to other people and situations which will manifest into more opportunities.  Essentially, we respond to our own positive energy by manifesting the picture we are holding in our minds and making it happen.  If you can visualize it, you can actualize it.  It’s that simple.

Every day I try to set aside some time (usually before bed) to daydream and visualize myself achieving a goal or pursuing something that I want to do (i.e. taking a relaxing vacation to Italy).  The Universe truly does respond to your thoughts and vibrations, and it will start to make whatever you’d like to happen, happen.   Through visualization and positive thinking, you can accomplish your goals and overcome obstacles in your life.

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I always get such an adrenaline rush thinking about what my future could entail.   These are the moments when I truly feel like I’m “high off life.” I used to look at the future through “fear goggles,” but realized that fear did nothing more than hold me back.  Although some things about the future still give me some anxiety, I do not get nearly as worked up about uncertainty as I used to.  If anything, I now embrace the unknown!  We are all in control of our own lives and our own happiness.  If we choose to view the future with a positive outlook and embrace it, we create numerous opportunities to attract even more positivity and prosperity into our lives.

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I am so exited for this collaboration with one of my all-time favorite brands, Tobi!  I first discovered this brand in college.  This red “Be Your Lady Bodycon Dress” is so classic and simple, yet it’s absolutely a perfect staple to have in your closet.  Can we also talk about the gorgeous detail in the back?!  Seriously sexy!  This dress also comes in black, so definitely add it to your LBD collection.

I’m obsessed with this Rebecca Front Tie Romper Dress.  A dress and a romper? What a great combo!  I love the soft pastel color and sophisticated design, which takes elegant to a whole new level.  This piece is absolutely stunning and can be worn out for an intimate dinner, or paired with the right accessories even to a night at the opera or equally elegant occasion.  This dress lends itself to a dramatic setting!  Need I say more..

I haven’t worn many crop tops this season, but this Every Time Tie Blouse is so chic and can be worn with a high waisted skirt, shorts, or your favorite pair of jeans.  It makes me feel super groovy and as if I just walked off set from That 70’s Show.  After all, they say that fashion repeats itself every 30 years or so! Be seen in this edgy crop top and you will be sure to turn heads!

Shop these Tobi looks and more here 🙂

Xx Marisa

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All photography is by Josh Lobel Photography (@jlobelphoto) and shot in Dumbo, Brooklyn.