Happy Birthday To Me...

If you had sat me down last year on my birthday and told me what my life would look like exactly one year later, I never would have believed you.

Not. In A Million. Years.

But here I am...on my 31st birthday...reflecting back on my year. And all I can say is WOW.

It has been a year of intense sadness, shock, anger, tears, confusion and depression. My husband left me, I was trying to keep my brand new small business afloat, I had no money, moved in with my sister and basically felt like I was drowning in my own life.

But it has also been a year of intense love, growth, friendship, light and new beginnings. People I never would have expected have rallied around me, I have made new wonderful friends, my relationship with my family is stronger than ever, I realized that I am stronger than I ever thought possible and my business is kicking ass.

It was a terrible year and a wonderful year all at once. And I wouldn't trade it for anything...

It really is amazing what a difference a year can make. I have learned so much about myself and I am really proud of the woman I have become this year because I fought really hard to become her. I am stronger, braver, happier and more awake than I have ever been.

So my advice to all of you on this day is to KEEP GOING. Sometimes life sucks and it hurts and it seems like nothing is going to ever get better. But when you reach the other side of that darkness, it really is magical. Life opens up and you're able to look back and realize how far you've come, and that is pretty damn empowering.

Things happen for a reason. Let them happen. Life gets better. I promise.

xoxox

Anna

100 Days of Happiness

100 Days of Happiness...

Do you think it can be done? I'm sure as hell going to try!

My mom told me about this website she had found that was challenging people around the world to post a picture a day, for 100 days, of something that makes them happy. I signed up immediately.

I am a firm believer in the power of gratitude. The last few weeks have been stressful and I am feeling burnt out. Taxes, money stress, divorce papers...not fun. Life can begin to feel like it's piling up on you.

So I have started a new practice of going through what I call my "Grateful List". I go through it in my head every morning when I wake up, at night before I fall asleep and any time during the day that I am feeling stressed. It just takes 30 seconds and I begin to feel better almost immediately.

Here is my current "Grateful List" ::

- My health and strength and ability to work out daily
- A safe home that I get to relax in every day
- My ultra supportive family
- Clean running water
- Fresh food
- My car that gets me where I need to go
- My business that I love and get to go to every day

Your list doesn't need to be very long, it just needs to be genuine. Think of things that really and truly make you happy and make you physically FEEL grateful. Like you can feel it in your stomach when you repeat your list back to you...that feeling of happiness and contentment.

If you do this often, things will begin to shift. I have already noticed a difference in just a week of practicing this.

And that is why this challenge resonated with me...it's another daily reminder of all the good and beautiful things we have in our lives.

If you'd like to join me you can sign up here :: www.100HappyDays.com

Let's change the world one grateful thought at a time, shall we?!

Live Beautifully,

I Remember When The World Broke In...

You know when you go through something so terrible that you just feel...broken? You feel like you will never pick up the pieces again. Like life will never be the same.

I went through something like this recently. And I felt broken. No...more like shattered.

Getting through the initial pain of that was the hardest thing I have ever done. And I will never be the same because of it. But in a good way. In a great way actually.

People ask me how this is possible. "How can you be great when you went through something so awful?"

What I realized is that everyone is broken. We all have something that has taken a piece of us.
It is how we grow, it is how we learn, it is how we become who we are.

It's how we relate to other people and learn how to live a beautiful life.

It's how life becomes bigger and better.

Being broken means you have lived and loved and felt something so strongly that it changed you forever. And that is never a bad thing.

This poem perfectly puts into words what I'm talking about <3

Erin Hanson is only 19 but writes like she is worlds older. She's Australian, which just makes her that much cooler, and has her first published book out called "The Poetic Underground." Total #GirlBoss

Live Beautifully,

Looking Back...

A look back at 2014...

I think it is so important to reflect on the past year and all of your accomplishments before moving into the new year. It feels really good to realize how far you have come in a single year and how much farther you can go in the future...so here is my year at a glance. 

My Top 10:

1. Having my highest sales day ever at the shop - What a sense of accomplishment!

2. Spent my sister's birthday on Catalina Island with our dad - The best Daddy/Daughter day.

3. Being a bridesmaid in my "little sister's" wedding - So happy to see HER so happy.

4. Raised $5200 for Walk MS - So much love and generosity from so many wonderful people. 

5. I Turned 30 - My life looks different than I thought it would at 30...but I'm ok with that.

6. The Lavender Festival - The last great day I had with someone I no longer have in my life.

7. Had the 1 year anniversary for the store - Still can't believe I get to do this job everyday.

8. Summer pier concerts in Santa Monica with friends - Some of my favorite nights.

9. Best friend's birthday weekend in Santa Barbara - Wine tasting, friends, good food...the best!

10. Learning just how strong I really am...

Places Visited:

1. Monterey, CA

2. Wine Tasting in Solvang, CA

3. Arizona for my "little sister's" wedding

4. Palm Springs with friends

5. Coronado Island, San Diego for 4th of July

6. Las Vegas for my best friend's birthday

7. Santa Barbara for my other bestie's 30th

8. Lakeport, CA for a holiday family reunion

Looking Forward To In 2015:

- My very first business trip to Washington D.C. 

- Focusing on getting more fit and healthy

- Growing my business

- Reading more books

- Hiking more

- Meeting new people

- Traveling more

- New beginnings...

Here's to a fabulous new year filled with laughter, friends, family, 

travel, success, love & light!!

New Year, Old Myths

3 Myths That You Need To Stop Believing in 2015

1. The myth that there is only one definition of success. 

It involves the big house, brand new car, high powered career, Victoria's Secret body and 2 kids. 

Everyone's definition of success is different. What makes someone else happier isn't necessarily going to make you happy.  So ditch the need to fit the status quo. True success is measured by how happy you are. So do more of what makes you happy this year. 

2. The myth that we need to be more realistic and less of a dreamer. 

For the most part we are taught to trust our mind and not our gut. That's bullshit. Be a dreamer, and don't let anyone tell you differently. When I decided to open my boutique I had a lot of people telling me how crappy the economy was or how I couldn't compete with big box stores. Of course those are realistic ways to look at the situation but I knew in my gut that I could do it and prove them wrong. So I did. 

3. The myth that life is supposed to be hard. 

We grow up learning that hard work is what will get us to where we need to be. This is true...most of the time. However, we have now taken this idea to the extreme with endless meetings, all nighters, more work and less play. We dread Mondays and push through to the weekend just to do it all again next week. We think that the harder life is, the more we are accomplishing. 

But when you start to really live your life, it begins to become easy and sometimes, even effortless. And you know what?? It's ok for life to be easy. It doesn't mean you're a slacker, it means you are in tune to what really makes you happy. 

Moral of the story: Ditch the haters. Believe in yourself. Take care of yourself. Be happy. 

I'm counting on this new year to be bigger, brighter and happier. I am setting goals but I am also going to try and go with the flow. I'm setting my intention to be gentler, to myself and to the people around me. 

Happy New Year ~ Live Beautifully,