Mindfully Glam!

Hello everyone!

The time has come where I must transfer you over to my new blog, Mindfully Glam

Mindfully Glam: a place where wellness meets glamour.

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If you’re a glam girl like me, you love putting on makeup, stepping out in a pair of stilettos and wearing the latest fashion trends.  You may also be passionate about exercise, meditation and incorporating healthy eating habits into your lifestyle. You’ll typically catch me at the newest hotspot in SoHo or a meditation studio in Flatiron..probably all in the same evening!  If any of this sounds familiar, then you know that life is about balance, and Mindfully Glam gives you just that.

Living in New York City is a challenge in so many ways, but I realized that you don’t have to compromise who you are or the person that you want to be in order to be happy here.  It took me three years to find my place and figure out how to stay grounded in a chaotic city that attempts to throw me out of alignment on a daily basis.

This lifestyle blog is all about positive thinking, gratitude, spirituality, fashion, beauty, holistic health, wellness, nutrition, and everything both mindful and glam!

Happens for a Reason will always hold a dear place in my heart.  Please check out my new blog and subscribe here!

Xx Marisa

 

New Year Vacation Fashion

Hello everyone!

I hope you have been enjoying the New Year!  I have been traveling a lot during the month of January.  Although I get easily exhausted, I absolutely love traveling, especially to warm and tropical places! I thought I’d share with you a few of my vacation styles from my trip to Los Cabos.

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This red jumpsuit from SheIn is absolutely gorgeous.  It’s no secret that red is my favorite color! It’s very lightweight, so it’s perfect for the summer or your next tropical vacation.  I love jumpsuits so much–I honestly own 10 of them.  It’s hard for me to find ones that fit and are long enough because I’m tall.  It is a wide-leg jumpsuit, and you have to be careful about which size you choose–you definitely don’t want to be swimming in it.  I am wearing a size Small here, and it fit perfectly around my waist.  I love how it also has a deep v-neck–very sexy, but just make sure you adjust the straps so you don’t have any wardrobe malfunctions!

Surplice Front Box Pleated Culotte Leg Cami Jumpsuit by SheIn

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This little black strapless dress from Romwe is also another stunner.  It is a staple piece that I think every girl should have in her closet.  I love the strapless, bodycon style.  It is a bit longer than in the last picture pictured (I was running around on the beach to get these shots, and the dress rode up a bit!).  It is very sexy, elegant, and classy.  I love pieces like this because you can both dress it up or dress it down.  Because it is a bit plain and black, I suggest adding some fun and colorful accessories, like the red fringe earrings I’m wearing here.  Makeup is another way to accessorize a look–try adding a red lip to your next LBD outfit!  Also, this dress has a thin material, so be cautious about what you wear underneath!

Bandeau Mini Bodycon Dress by Romwe

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While I was on vacation, I lived in these suede espadrilles from Viscata.  I had received this product a while ago, however, I got very caught up with moving to a new apartment and winter in New York City that I never had the opportunity to do an appropriate post for them.  I knew these shoes were the first thing I needed to pack for my trip to Los Cabos!  This brand is truly amazing! All of their shoes are gorgeous, and I even “planted a tree” with my purchase–how cool!  I have had a few pairs of espadrilles in my life thus far, however, none of them were suede.  I absolutely love how Viscata used both suede and raffia to create this dynamic look…and no, they are not too hot for your feet!  The suede really dresses up the shoe more, however, these really are the perfect espadrille for any occasion.  Viscata also has gorgeous flats, sandals, and espadrille “platforms.”  I think I need every shoe in every color! I seriously can’t wait until summer so I can wear these espadrilles again.

Peep Toe Espadrille Suede Wedge Shoe by Viscata

Can’t wait until my next vacation to share even more of my vacation looks 🙂

Xx Marisa

3 Sneaky Signs You’re Self-Sabotaging-  How I Let Go of Fear & Launched My Dream Blog

Hello everyone! Words cannot explain how happy and proud of myself I am for finally launching Mindfully Glam.  I feel like I’ve been talking about rebranding and relaunching for years now, but I actually only started this process back in July.  Everything has come such a long way since then and has developed beautifully, better than I envisioned, and I am just genuinely so excited!

I was my goal to launch before the end of 2017, but I had some hiccups along the way, like moving to a new apartment and taking on more at work.  I also got in my own way many times..enter today’s topic about self-sabotaging.

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Everything in life is mind over matter.  Your mind is stronger than your body, and your thoughts are stronger than your actions.

I had some setbacks that were out of my control, but I’d say 80% of my setbacks were a me problem because I was self-sabotaging.

I was self-sabotaging out of fear—the fear that I’m good enough to launch a blog or Youtube channel and the fear that what I’m doing is not going to be well receive and I’m going to embarrass myself.  Most importantly what if this fails? What if this is all a waste of time?

Although I think vulnerability is one of the strongest qualities to have, I was afraid to be vulnerable.  I had this huge mental block that I could not break through.

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I prayed on it, and I set my intentions out into the Universe to help me release this fear.  A few days into the new year, something just clicked and my whole attitude and perception changed.

I was able to let go of the outcome of starting a blog and Youtube channel.  If I failed, I failed.  If I embarrassed myself, I embarrassed myself.   I was doing this for me.  This was a goal of mine and I needed to accomplish it, regardless of the outcome.

It took me over the course of six months to realize I was self-sabotaging.  It was actually someone else who pointed it out to me.  I did some self-reflection, and I became aware of what I was doing and how I was doing it.  So here are three sneaky signs that you may be doing the same things and self-sabotaging your goals:

  1. Procrastination

I’m queen of the phrase “I’ll do it later.” I am the master of never finishing projects that I start—something I am very aware of and seriously trying to work on!   Whatever it is, get it done.  For me, putting things on the back burner causes stress and anxiety that builds up over time.  One day you’ll wake up and think about all long list of things you have to do.  You’ll be so overwhelmed that you don’t want to do any of them, so you’ll feel like the only option is giving up.

  1. Excuses 

“I’m too busy” or “I don’t have time.”  These two are my favorites and most used.  This also ties in with procrastination, but I think this deserves it’s own recognition.  I am the type of person who always has to be busy.  It is very difficult for me to empty out my mind, even for just a few hours.  I noticed that I am trying to get out of working on my blog, I will literally create a full day’s activity agenda in order to validate the fact that “I’m to busy” to work on my blog.  I’ll say yes to every and any invitation to do something, when I can easily so no.  Or, I’ll reach out to people myself, so I’ll have a full day of being out of the house and zero time for my blog.  I’d go out of my way to validate my excuses and procrastination.

  1. Negative Thinking 

This is just touching the surface; I can write a whole book on the power of negative thinking.  It’s human nature to have doubts, but that doesn’t give us a free pass on thinking in a negative mindset.   If you are constantly getting down on yourself and thinking negatively about yourself, you are going attract more negativity into your life and make it harder for yourself to achieve your goals.

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Once upon a time, I used to be a perfectionist. I would beat myself up about every little thing I did wrong.  Over time, I diminished my own self-confidence.  It’s taken me years to build it back up.  Don’t be like old me.  Anytime you have negative thought about yourself, immediately reach for a positive one.  Don’t be so hard on yourself, and certainly down beat yourself up.

So, do a little self-reflection.  Take a look at your life, goals, and thinking patterns.  Are you self-sabotaging?

At the end of the day, we are all our own worst enemies.  In order to reach your dreams, you have to get out of your own way.  Let go of the fear that is holding you back.  Let go of your procrastination, excuses, and negative thinking.  Allow yourself to believe in yourself.

Remember that you typically feel the strongest desire to quit right before you are about to achieve your goal.

P.s. Cowel Neck Pencil Dress from Romwe and Color Blog Faux Fur Coat by Shein! I love these styles together.  This is the perfect Winter dress and jacket (although it is very lightweight!).  Romwe and Shein have the trendiest clothes and accessories for each season!

 

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Xx Marisa

 

Upbra: A Girl’s Best Friend

Ladies—I have found the most amazing piece of clothing on the planet! A push up bra that gives you everything you want and more.  Upbra: where have you been all my life?!

The Upbra was designed with three goals in mind: 1.  Cleavage that you never thought was possible 2. Fully adjustable so that women could select the amount of lift they’d like 3. To create this cleavage and lift naturally without excessive padding.

This bra is amazing. It pushes you up all in the right places, and makes the gals look amazing and very natural.

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For the most part, I have been eating healthy and exercising (despite the holidays!), and I hate to say it, but I swear I lost some cleavage weight. This bra gives me the extra push up that I need.

My favorite part is that they make strapless bras! I feel like I wear strapless bras more than regular bras.  This strapless bra doesn’t slip, and still gives you the perfect push up.  They also have a gorgeous swimsuit line—how perfect for the summer months!

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Thank you for the collab Upbra!

Xx Marisa

Holiday Gift Guide from Romwe

Looking for a cute gift to get one of your galpals or sweetheart? I’ve been browsing Romwe’s site and came across some adorable finds.  From apparel to accessories, this brand has it all! If you especially love comfy yet chic lounge wear, they have a bunch of trendy outfits  Here’s a list of holiday gift options that I adore:

Faux Pearl Beret Hat

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Wool Blend Newsboy Hat

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Knit Faux Fur Pom Beanie

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Tassel Trim Knit Scarf

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Faux Pearl Tippet Scarf

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Faux Leather Tassel Crossbody Bag

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Chain Tassel Decorative Velvet Crossbody Bag

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Eyelash Pattern Purse

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Bear & Pom Keychain

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Heart & Key Keychain

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Off the Shoulder Texture Knit Sweater

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Low Back Scallop Sweater

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Happy shopping and gift giving! Shop these accessories and more at Romwe! 🙂

Xx Marisa

 

 

 

 

SheIn Party Dress Wish List!

Hello ladies! December, my favorite month of the year, is here!  Have you been struggling to find the perfect outfit for NYE or a holiday party?  I’ve been browsing SheIn’s site to find my birthday, holiday party, and NYE dresses.  Bring on the reds, blacks, metallics (my favorite colors 🙂 ) and sequin everything!  I especially love seeing trends like wrap dresses, bell sleeves, fringe, pearls/beading and ruffles move into holiday looks.   Here are some of my favorite holiday dress options, all available on SheIn!

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 3. V Notch Sequin Bandeau Dress

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 4. Fluffy Fringe Cami Dress

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5. Knot Side Surplice Wrap Slip Dress

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6. Backless Ruched Velvet Tulip Dress

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7. Allover Fluffy Fringe Cami Dress

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8. Mock Neck Exaggerate Bell Sleeve Dress

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9. Flounce Trim Tulip Wrap Dress

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10. Tiered Trumpet Sleeve Slit Back Bardot Dress

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11. Pearl Beading Boxed Pleated Flare Dress

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12. Pearl Beaded Tiered Bell Sleeve Choker Neck Dress

Shop these party styles and many more at SheIn!

Xx Marisa

 

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.

 

 

Trust the Process

This past month I have been constantly reminded that there is a plan greater than mine. I was so adamant about following my own plan that I continued to resist the path that the Universe was setting for me. Enter feelings of uncertainty and frustration as well as the constant question of “why is this happening?!” The best way I could describe the past month is like a puzzle: a puzzle I had all the wrong pieces to yet was trying to piece together. When something is not meant to be, it will simply not be, no matter how much we think we can control it or force it.

Naturally, resistance occurs when our plan doesn’t match up with what the world is throwing at us. The Universe will place new people and experiences into our lives and take out what is no longer serving us, and if you don’t make the changes yourself, the Universe will make them for you, as we each have a plan that’s greater than our own. You just have to be ready to let go and trust the process.

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Surrendering to a plan greater than yours is indeed difficult, however, it is ever so rewarding. I can’t emphasize this enough: everything happens for a reason. You might not know or understand the reason while you are going through the process, but when you take the time to look back on the experience or situation, you will find that it happened because it was meant to.

In my most recent experience, the Universe was setting me up for a better situation that I didn’t even think was possible! (Thank you, Universe!). We all put the utmost trust in our own plans, while we should be putting trust in a power greater than ourselves. Allow yourself to find comfort in trusting the process, and everything will come with ease.

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P.s. This gorgeous red, asymmetrical blouse is from SheIn.  Shop my favorite fall styles here!

Xx Marisa

Sweater Weather Wishlist x Romwe

Hey, babes! Although it’s still 80 degrees and insanely humid here in NYC, sweater weather is right around the corner.  If you’re familiar with weather in the Northeast, then you know that with a snap of a finger 80 degree weather drops real quick.  Sadly, summer has come to an end, but fall (and its fashion) has arrived!  Romwe offers so many affordable, chic styles for the fall, and I’d thought I’d share some of my favorite picks with you.

Here’s a roundup of my favorite, comfy sweaters you’ll be needing for this sweater weather season (all from their site!):

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Drop Shoulder Mixed Knit Jumper

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Cable Knit Open Front Longline Sweater Coat

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Pearl Beading Layered Bell Sleeve Jumper 

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Cold Shoulder Loose Fit Longline Jumper

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Laddering Sleeve Jumper

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Contrast Lace Up Hollow Out Ripped Sweater

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Criss Cross V Back Sweater

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Embroidered Chunky Kit Jumper

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Contrast Bow Oversized Knitwear

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Geo Pattern Hollow Out Jumper

Clearly, I love black and white with a pop of red 😉 I can picture myself wearing any of these and lounging on my couch, with a hot apple cider in hand, while watching my latest Netflix binge.  I hope these sweaters get you in a comfy Fall groove.  You can shop any of them here on Romwe!

Xx Marisa