Hey there,

I know I haven’t been on here in a while, but I’ve been trying to figure out what direction I want to take with my blog. To be honest, I still don’t have it all figured out but I have a plan.

Anyway, life has been hectic for many of us. I have been taking it day by day. We are now 3 weeks into the year 2021 and so much has taken place. As we embark on this New Year I just want to remind y’all of somethings I have learned and implemented this year and beyond.

  1. Raise the bar and the expectations you have for yourself. Whatever you want for yourself think of it on a larger scale.

  2. After God, you come first. Sometimes we do too much for others, people please will get exhausting. Go the extra mile for yourself.

  3. Make space for God. Our ideas and plans can be good, but are we leaving space for God to come and direct you? 2020 has shown us that we make our plans and God laughs. Involve him in all of your plans and be okay with him redirecting you.

  4. Start moving out on faith. A lot of us believe but we don’t have the faith to take the first step. Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase. — Martin Luther King, Jr.

  5. Your ideas and voice are valid. Speak up for yourself and pursue things that you feel as if “too many” people are doing. Apply this to where it is needed and, ESPECIALLY in the workspace.

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The unpopular truth...

Following the Bible is not easy nor popular. People always challenged the word of God, his existence and purpose. Before Christ was born, when he was alive and still till this day. This blog post is a little different from what I normally post but it has been something that has been on my mind heavily. This isn’t a think piece either. I took a 21 day social media fast in November to clear my mind, pray and focus on the end of the year.  It was getting harder for me to hear God’s voice. The post, memes and arguments were excessive also this talk of the “universe” was starting to annoy me. Why you ask? Because people use it in the same context as God. The one and only God that sent his son to die on the cross for our sins. Nowadays I have to be exact when I refer to God because people create their own “gods”. It sounds “like”, but they never mention Jesus. John 14 verse 6 says Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” You cannot get to God without acknowledging and accepting his son Jesus who died on the cross for our sins. With the constant misinformation shared online I have to hold myself accountable with what I share online. Not everyone is going to do the research.

 

It seems like the internet is trying to rebrand God by spreading words of positivity that kinda sound like something you would hear in a sermon or read in the Bible but without any context. But I am here to be CLEAR and HONEST with you. The “universe” cannot do NOTHING for you. God created the universe so therefore it is a creation just like you and me. Hence we cannot praise or worship it or put our faith in it. This post is not to shame people who believe in the “universe” it is to bring some clarity to the misconceptions that is shared online. The false message sounds so common that I have seen people who are Christians or people who believe in God use his name and the universe as if they are synonymous to each other. Romans 16:17-18 Says "I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them”. I am here to tell you that God is NOT synonymous to the universe. Reading the Bible in a translations that fits to your understanding will clarify that for you.

 

I use to burn sage in my apartment and one day I asked myself where did I get this practice from? Is it Biblical? Who told me to do it? And a bunch of other questions. Then I realized that I was just doing what I’ve seen other people do online. That is how easy it is to start doing things that God does not approve on. Sage or smudging does not get rid of negativity or bad energy. To be honest all it did was make my apartment stink. (No offense but burning sage smells bad based on the ones that I’ve burned) Also after burning sage I would just open my windows. So whatever bad energy I was trying to get rid of would have just come back in??

 

I write all of this to say be aware of the practices and beliefs that you start to practice and believe. If you want to serve a true living and never changing God follow Jesus. He will lead you to the right path.

 

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My experience at Woman Evolve 2019

A few weeks ago, I went to Denver Colorado for the Woman Evolve conference created by my big sister and leader in Christ, Sarah Jake Roberts. Originally, I was supposed to arrive at my Airbnb in Denver on Thursday around 5pm mountain daylight time. But life happened and my plans where derailed. Long story short, I had to rebook my flight for another day and because of the combination of a connecting flight and bad weather, I missed the entire first day. When I finally arrived to my Airbnb late Friday night, I was exhausted from traveling all day My host, Sarah, made my stay comfortable, clean, and safe. She even left me a bottle of white wine which was much needed after spending most of my day traveling.


When I arrived to the church Saturday morning, I tried not to let missing the first day of the conference make me feel like I missed out on everything. I still had a full day ahead of me and so, that was all that mattered. As I looked around the sanctuary I couldn’t help but notice the number of women that came to attend. It was a full house! We praised and worshipped with each other; we all did not want it to stop. Pastor Touré took the stage next, he was going to preach. Now to add some context to what I am about to say…

I participated in the Woman Evolve WE Drive Dreams community grant contest. In the video, I said that my dream is to become an Executive Producer, which I know is a long and hard journey but I know that it is tied to my purpose. For me, it is more than just a job title, it is what I want to impact the world . Winning the grant would’ve helped me drive my dreams by helping me relocate to a bigger city where there are more opportunities in my desired field. Unfortunately, I did not win the contest. However, what happened instead, was nothing short of God confirming His purpose for my life.

As Pastor Touré took the stage, he welcomed us and started his message titled “Becoming a Produc(HER)”. Becoming. A. PRODUC(HER)! I would be in denial if I did not take that as a sign from God! I immediately took out my notebook and I started writing notes. The message was just what I needed and from the energy of the crowd, I could tell it was a message that everyone else needed as well. Pastor Touré’s message had a lot of layers, but the main takeaways were things that I have been praying about, such as relocating, claiming and owning what is inside of me, killing procrastination because it not only hinders your growth, but it also insults God because you assume that life is on your own schedule. Another key takeaway was that we need to get out of our default setting. Too many of us go about life like it is no big deal or the regular same old same old. Humans are not made to be average and  live without a purpose. We are called by God to do amazing things on this Earth. Our purpose is tied to each other, imagine if everyone pursued their God given purpose! 

Overall,I had an amazing experience at Woman Evolve, I met and exchanged numbers with some great women, reunited with some old faces and met many new faces, learned some new things about side hustling, and I got to see J. Bolin and Sarah Jake Roberts again. Despite the hectic traveling and plans not going my way, I enjoyed myself and my heart is so full! I got just what I needed and more.

Also sorry about the lack of photos. It was a really long day and I wanted to enjoy the moment. I do have some videos on my IG that I shared @fanneoflife.

Open House.

On weekends when Carson and I have time, we enjoy driving around new and old neighborhoods looking for yard sales and open houses. Last weekend we came across a new neighborhood that had about 5 new houses on the lot, and two of them are for viewing. All of the homes are modern from the exterior to the interior, when we opened the front door our jaws basically dropped! From the entrance you can see the small back yard with a pool and a patio on the left side is a casita with it own bathroom. Perfect for guest, in laws or maybe even an office. On the other side was a door that lead to the main home, high ceilings with plenty of natural lighting to make it feel as if you are still outside. The home has two floors with an open concept, everything nook and cranny of the house was designed with great detail. To the hidden pantry, double oven and even dish washer. The home is inspired by Scandinavian design. Imagine a IKEA, West Elm and CB2 all in one, that is how the house would look like. Clean lines, elegant details, very minimal furniture and did I mention that it is a smart house that is GREAT on energy. It even has a TESLA charging station in the 3 car garage, oh did I mention that it was a smart home? Meaning that I can adjust the temperature of the home or shower before I step a foot outside the car?

Now I know some people are wondering…Anne are you in the market for a home? The obvious answer is no. I am not ready to buy a home anytime soon, but in the meantime I can plan by seeing what is out there. Going to open houses makes me think about my future. I will have a husband, a few children, pets, a TESLA, and a home someday in the near future. Until that day comes I can plan out the home that I want to build. Going to these open houses inspire me and push me to keep going. It opens my mind to numerous possibilities, you don’t have to wait until you are ready to buy a house to start looking. Look now search on Zillow, watch Youtube videos, drive around a nice neighborhood, get out and see what is out there. Where you are is temporary. The same applies from a car, a state you would want to live in, a designer bag you’ve been eyeing and ect. Go out and see what is out there, yes you can look online, but seeing it in person is very different. For me it shows me that it is possible, it put a battery in my back to go hard and not to give up.

This is one of the homes that I got to see, the only thing I wish this house had more of is a backyard. You can visit to see more models and blueprints online

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A Trip to Los Angeles

For my birthday this year I decided to visit California once again, but this time I decided to go Southern California, Los Angeles to be exact. After visiting San Francisco last year, California has been on my mind heavily, currently I I live in Florida. Overall my trip was fun, I visited museums, went sight seeing, ate some amazing food and spent a lot of money on Lyft rides. The weather was absolutely beautiful you could even smell the flowers and the best part is no humidity unlike Florida. After visiting Hollywood blvd the first day we decided to ditch our tourist plans and just visit different places in Los Angeles and surround neighborhoods.

Another reason why I wanted to visit Los Angeles is because I want to move sometime in the near future, so I have been visit different states to get an idea of how it would be like. I still have not decided where I want to move, but I have been putting applications to random places that I would love to work at.

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Disney Concert Hall

Disney Concert Hall

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Bossa Nova

Bossa Nova

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Santa Monica Pier

Santa Monica Pier

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Beauty Hack

Recently I was going through my skincare collections and I realized that I try a lot of products, in all fairness the reason why I try so many products is because I am looking to create a solid skincare routine. My skin is oily and dry at the same time, so I fall into the combination skin category. A year ago I tried to use products that do not test on animals and then I tried to find green beauty products. Both searches were a challenge for me green beauty products are expensive, not accessible (mainly online), and when I did get my hands on some of the products they were not as effective as I thought it would be. I have a blog post about some green beauty products that I tried that you can check out, I  share products that I have used on my IG stories, they are all saved on my IG highlights.

      The hack that I want to share with you today is buying travel size products and asking for samples that are prepackaged. When I am in the checkout line at Sephora or Ulta I am always looking for mini size products to try. I keep an eye out for brands that I want to try and products that grab my attention such as Tatcha, Ole Henriksen, Drunk Elephant and Origins just to name a few because full-size products are expensive, and since I am trying out the products I prefer to test it out without paying full price for a product that may not work for me. Some travel size products come in packs of two different products to try and the price is usually around $18-$25 compared to a full-size bottle that can cost up to $50 or more. Yes, you can always ask for samples, but depending on the store associate you may not get that much product. ( Yall know they are stingy when you ask for a sample.) When trying new products, it is best practice to test it by itself and then incorporate it with other products to see how it pairs with each other. A dime size sample is not going to do much of anything, results do not happen over one night.

Tips:

1)Find out what kind of skin do you have. Ex:

Acne-prone, oily skin, dry skin or combination.

2)Check to see what products you are currently using. Create a keep and trash pile.

3)Research new products that you would like to try out, read/watch reviews online and then create a list of products that you want to try.

4) If you can visit a dermatologist and get a professional opinion before you try new products.

5)Visit a TJMaxx, Marshalls, and Ross before Ulta or Sephora. They may have products that you are looking for more than half of the price.

6) Once you decided to visit a Sephora or Ulta visit the checkout line and see what travel size products they have and do not be afraid to speak to a store associate about other travel size products they may have in the back stockroom.

A recent product that I tried and fell in love with is Ole Henriksen Truth serum, after reading so many positive reviews I decided to give it a try. I went to Sephora and they had it in a travel size package, the package is called the 3 Little Wonders Mini. I paid $25 plus tax and I got to try not only one of Ole Henriksen product but three of them, moisturizing gel for night time, a moisturizer for the day time and the vitamin C serum. Ultimately after 1 month of trying out the different products the vitamin C serum is what I loved the most. I used the products consistently and incorporated it with other products that I own. If you are looking into trying new products I highly recommend buying travel size products, you will save money and your skin will thank you.


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Please remember...

Happy New Years! I know I am about 20 days late, but I still think it is appropriate to start the blog post by saying so. So far how is this year going for you? Are yall still on the New Years high, you know the ambition and excitement for a fresh start? I still am, and I want to share some motivations and reminders that may help you stay focused on the goals that you have for this 2019.


  1. You can't cheat the work. Behind every successful person or business are people who put in the work. Do not let the internet fool you.

  2. Do not compare yourself to other people. We all have our own journeys and definition of success. Follow your path and stay focused on what you need to do. This is not a race it is a marathon.

  3. What is the purpose behind the goal? Really ask yourself what do you want out of this? Having a purpose is helpful when you feel stuck or like giving up.

  4. Be mindful of how you spend your money. Plan, budget and start saving.

  5. Keep a group of supportive friends who will tell you the truth even when it is not what you want to hear.

  6. Read, do research, do what you can to find information before you pay x amount of dollars on a webinar. Have you exhausted your resources? You can learn so much on the internet if you really go out and search. Do not always think that someone will spoon feed you the information.

  7. It is okay to take a break, do not burn yourself out. I would recommend to unplugging from social media while you take breaks. Enjoy the moments that you have in real life.

  8. Trust God, after all, he did create the plans for you.

  9. Learn healthier habits and stick to them.

  10. Be more present. Sometimes our head is in the clouds and that robs us from the present.

  11. Be grateful, joyful and aware.

  12. Get some sleep. Too many people brag not sleeping, and personally, I think it is unhealthy. The body needs rest, 7-8 hours of sleep per day.

  13. Get more serious about your life.

  14. Get started with your goals NOW! A lot can take place in a year.

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I tried Green Beauty...

I have said this before, but I will say it again. I love trying new products especially  hair, beauty and health-related products! A few weeks ago I was watching Amy Lee’s Youtube video about her morning routine (which I will put the link below) she did  in collaboration with Follain. Follain is like a Sephora for green beauty, all of their products are non toxic and vegan. They had a special offer for the first 100 customers and I was excited because it was only for $16 for 4 products with free shipping and handling. So I decided why not? I got the products in two days and the packaging was quite lovely. When I open the box I love the  small and neat packaging, it gave me that luxury feel. It was wrapped neatly in a white tissue paper (the kind you put in gift bags) with a gold seal that says FOLLAIN. I have been wanting to try green beauty products for quite some time, but the prices always deterred me.


I ordered a cleanser by a brand called OSEA, a moisturizer and face wipes from URSA MAJOR, toner from INDIE LEE, and last but not least a hand washing soap made by Follain themselves. For the first week, I strictly used the green beauty products, I also used a rosehip oil every other day. In that first week, my face started to break out which turned out to be because of my upcoming monthly visit. I also wore my regular makeup just to see how  the products performed when it came to removing makeup. After that week, I tried the green beauty products with my regular products just to see how they mixed. Overall I did not like the products

First impressions: I did not see much of a difference in my skin. I have combination skin. Around my nose and T- Zone area, I get oily, but ever since I started using oil overnight after I have washed my face with a cleanser and toned my face. I wait for my face to air dry and then I put apply oil to my face by patting it in.  After a few days of using the green beauty products, I notice that the texture of my skin was not as smooth as it used to be. This may have also been due to the face that I did not have a mask to try; I usually do a facial mask 3 times a week.  Last week, when I mixed the green beauty products and my regular products into my routine, I still did not see much of a difference. Overall, I did not like the products that I ordered. I have been making changes to my skincare routine, but I think for now I will stick to products that cruelty-free.  Likewise, I will keep looking for green beauty products that are in my price range.  Although, the products did not work for me, that does not mean that they may not work for you. Also, I am not a skincare specialist just a skincare enthusiast. Your skin is your largest organ, you MUST take care of it.

AMY LEE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BT1XR-hCD9k

https://follain.com/p/clean-essentials-kit?promo=zjds81&utm_source=influencer&utm_medium=youtube&utm_campaign=Amy_Vagabond The kit is now $22.00

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I joined Youtube!

Long overdue, but I have finally joined the Youtube community. I am excited about this new endeavor and a little nervous at the same time. I got my first big girl camera, and already uploaded my first video. One day I will be working in the world of television and radio, so instead of waiting for those doors to open I decided to create my own platform to start doing what I love and what I went to school for. I am starting with what I have and what I have learned so far. With the powerful tool of social media, I know it is a perfect time to get started and pursue my dreams. My channel will consist of interviews, DIY, style/fashion, Chit Chat, TV and movie reviews, maybe VLOGS and much more. Since you are already here watch, subscribe below and let me know what you think!

Hello all, my name is Anne and you may know me by fanneoflife on Twitter, IG and Snapchat. On my Youtube page I am here to talk about important topics that I want to spark a conversation on, share my personal style and my passion of tv and film.

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Visiting Haiti, 20+ Years Later.

The memories I have growing up in Haiti are really faint. What I can remember is my family, my parents friends and school.I remember my auntie taking me to school every morning. When it rained  she would carry me on her back or on the top of her shoulders to keep my school shoes from getting muddy. When I think about it, most of my memories are from school. I remember the mean teachers who would grip my hands tightly to teach me how to write, my uniform, and the lack of friends. When I was five ,my dad decided to move us (me, my mom and brothers to the US) to live in Florida. I remember that day very well . Probably because we took pictures before we left. I was sad to leave my auntie, she always took care of me when  my mom was busy, she was my second mother. Now twenty years later I returned to Port Au Prince, Haiti. While in the car going to my aunt's house I asked myself “Has the country always been like this?” I left the country at a young age so there are plenty of things that I did not notice while growing up in Haiti. The country seemed so foreign to me but once I heard the Creole roll from my fellow natives’ tongues, I knew I was home.

 

Twenty years is a long time to leave home without visiting. I put off this trip so many times. But finally I went and I am so glad that I did. It has been so long since I embraced my auntie a.k.a second mother. She did not recognize me at first, her little niece is now a grown woman. I met so many other cousins that I never knew existed. My family is big but we live so far from each other. During our stay, my aunt would cook us breakfast and dinner, and accommodate our needs to make us feel at  home. Our whole family in Haiti made sure we were comfortable and happy despite not having consistent electricity. While in Haiti, I visited Leogane, the town in Haiti  where my dad grew up. It was quite a drive, we went all the way up to the mountains,  the view was beautiful. When we arrived, there was not much to see besides small shacks, people who lived in the mountains, old churches, cows, horses,  and other livestock. We did not get to visit Jacmel, the town where my mom was born. Both of my parents did not come from much. I could tell life for them was hard. I now see why their faith is so strong and they encourage us to do well. Their life is a living testimony that situations are temporary, God has a purpose for us all and your faith needs to be strong to understand what God has in store for you. During the trip, my parents had conversations that we never had with them before. Real adult conversations.  We talked about the past, present and future. I do not know why some Haitian parents wait so long to have conversations like this with their children but I am glad that they finally sat down and talked to us. This was our first family trip since leaving to go to the United States.


This year I have been blessed to visit so many places. It is a true blessing because I have always wanted to travel and visit some places. Out of all of my trips this year only 2 were planned, the rest were opportunities that I jumped at and God provided. Going to Haiti put a lot in perspective, it reminded me of where I  came from and everything that God has done for me and what he is going to do for me. Going down the streets of Port-Au-Prince was sad because the conditions of the country is horrible. Yes the country is beautiful but the living conditions are terrible. Some people do not have roofs on their homes, a car, decent shoes, healthcare and the list goes on. God made a way for me and my family because I could have easily been in that situation. Haiti has such a rich history that is unknown by many people, including myself.  I want to visit next year and every year after that. I want to see different parts of my country and learn the history, brush up on my Creole, and learn about my peoples’ struggles and needs. I have a few ideas on what I can do for my country and for my people, I know God has already planned for that in my purpose. To all of my fellow Haitians and immigrants out there, take a trip to your country and reconnect with your roots. Talk to your family and fellow brothers and sister in Haiti and in the states, connect with them and ask about their Haitian experience and where they came from. Living in America is a true luxury but we must not forget where we came from and who we truly are.  

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Have you ever stayed in an Airbnb ?

This year I have been doing some traveling. Now, before you start thinking I’m out here ballin’ on a catch flights not feelings type of vibe, please note, I’m a budget baller. Traveling can be costly, especially when you are traveling to popular cities; before you know it, you could be overspending or looking at a negative balance on Monday after all of your transactions have posted. When I was planning my trip to San Francisco, I started to get overwhelmed by the cost of the hotels. I was looking 2 months before the trip and the prices just kept going up, which is common in the hotel industry. I closed out of all of the tabs I had and decided to look on Airbnb.com.

 

What is an Airbnb you may ask? It is basically temporarily renting a room or an entire home to stay in while traveling or transitioning between residences. A friend told me that she once stayed in an Airbnb all to herself for a few months; I never even knew you could do that. I know it may sound sketchy but similar to booking a hotel, you must do your research before you book with Airbnb. Both of my Airbnb experiences were great! The hosts  had great ratings and reviews (always go with a Superhost). A Superhost is someone who is an experienced host and has provided excellent service to past guest.

In San Francisco, we stayed at an Airbnb in Foster City,  just a few miles away from San Fran. It was a one  bedroom and one bathroom apartment. The apartment building was not the newest but when we got inside the apartment it  had definitely been remodeled.Very clean and it  felt like home. We had the entire place to ourselves equipped with a balcony, parking, access to a pool, wifi, an entire kitchen to cook in with kitchenware as well as all the regular accommodations you would get in a hotel minus the resort fee. The location was perfect as well. The neighborhood was in the suburbs next to the ocean. Overall, we paid $200 less than what we would have paid if we booked a hotel.

 

My second Airbnb stay was in Atlanta, Georgia. This time I did not have the entire place to myself; I had my own room and shared my bathroom with another guest. The Airbnb was in an okay location, it was a few miles from both the airport and the convention center, no more than a 10 minute drive. At first when the Uber was taking me to the Airbnb, the neighborhood was a little sketchy but when I got inside o the Airbnb, it was clean and once again felt very homey. The host, who also lived in the home, did a lot of remodeling and it looked great! She also  had a security camera (one of those Nest cameras) at the front door and was a great communicator. Don’t be afraid to ask the Airbnb host about your travel destination. Many times, they are your best resource for information on your travel location. Likewise, you can also ask about accommodations such as early check-in/out times; sometimes, they will work with you.I stayed in the Airbnb for 4 days and paid about $106.51! SCORE!

 

All in all, I know some people have had Airbnb nightmares, but by doing your research, talking to the host, and making a decision accordingly will ensure that you have a good stay. Also keep in mind if you are planning a group trip and plan on staying in a big city, the cost may be more than what you expect. Recently when I went to New York our original plan was to stay in an Airbnb for 4 people and the price was high and they Airbnb were not nice, in other words they looked questionable...ALWAYS look at the photos.



 

Just like hotels, Airbnbs have rules too.

Do

  • Ask the host to specify the exact location of the Airbnb (you will not know the exact location of the Airbnb until you book the stay). This will help you plan out your daily activities while you’re traveling (you don’t want to be super far from the places that you want to visit).Talk to the host before you book the stay, communication is key because if something happens you need to be able to reach the host.

  • Remember, Superhosts are the best hosts!

  • Read the reviews and ratings!

  • Read the refund policy

  • Look at the pictures (if they do not show good pictures, look for something else)

  • Look at the number of guests they’ve had in the past. (You may not want to be the first person to stay there)

  • Check the check-in and check-out times. Hosts set their own check-in/out times and they vary, thus it is imperative to check.

  • When booking, ensure that the date of your arrival and departure as well as the number of guests that will be staying are correct.

 

Don’t

  • Invite other people without your host’s permission. They may charge extra or cause issues. (You do not want to get kicked out!)

  • Be too loud. Keep the noise level down.

  • Do not lose the key!

Dirty the home, respect the host space.

The two pictures below were taken on my phone. The other pictures were taken from the Airbnb host page, I do NOT own the rights to these photos. The first set of photos are from Foster City and the other set of photos are from the Airbnb in Atlanta, GA.

 

    

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Visiting San Francisco.

As a late birthday gift to myself I decided to go to San Francisco to try something new. I have never been to San Francisco, California. Heck I have never flown to anywhere on the west coast; the last time I was on a plane, I was going to New York with my mom to visit family upstate. Since I did not visit any of the boroughs nor the city, I do not really count that as a trip to New York. Also, that was YEARS ago, the summer before my freshman year in high school.  A lot of people ask me “Why San Francisco”? At first, I wanted to go to L.A, but there is so much to do in L.A and I did not want to rush my trip, plus we (me and Carson)  have friends who live in San Francisco so we visited them while we were there. This may sound crazy to say but going to California really opened my eyes to a lot. When you do not travel a lot you miss out on seeing what the other side of the country look like. I live in Florida and there is not much to see or do, well for me there isn’t. I have been living in Florida since I was 5. Before I moved to the United States, I lived in Haiti. I do not see myself living in Florida for long; it is time for me to expand my horizon .

Before the plane took off, I was SCARED! Terrified to be honest. I am terribly afraid of heights, yet I sat by the window. The turbulence was a little scary but I said a small prayer and then watched a movie. When we arrived at San Francisco International airport, a friend picked us up and dropped us off at our Airbnb. It was my first time staying in an Airbnb and it was amazing. Way cheaper than a hotel. It was a one bedroom apartment and the owner did a fine job in renovating the apartment. Shortly after our arrival, we went to bed. We were tired! The time difference and the long plane ride left us exhausted. We woke up every day at 4am, which is 6am Eastern Standard  time, the time difference was real.

During the next few days, me and Carson saw so much to do and see. We got a tour of Facebook thanks to Amber our friend who works there and it was amazing. Facebook has a beautiful campus, they treat their employees very well. They have so many amenities such as a gym, free valet parking, a spa, nail salon, transportation to work, bicycles to ride around campus, an arcade and so many restaurants that are free.  The work environment does not seem stressful at all, but hey that is just me looking from the outside in. Afterwards we passed through downtown San Francisco to get to the Golden Gate Bridge, such a beautiful site to see in person.  The city is overall beautiful and busy. When we got to the residential area we went over so many steep hills, minus the ruggedness it felt like we were going up a mountain. 

I am not sure if it was the excitement of being there but everyday felt different, I woke up with such a positive attitude an outlook towards life. It is hard to explain but the vibe in the west coast is different, I would say it is relaxing yet motivating at the same time. When I went back home that same attitude and outlook remains still till this day. This year I vowed to myself that I would take a different approach towards life in every aspect. Sometimes in life in order to advance yourself you need to let go of old habits and thoughts. If that means turning into a new person it must be done, sure people may look at you differently or doubt you, but none of that matters. I used to make some decision in my life and I did not include God in them. Doing the same thing constantly and expecting different results is insanity.

This trip to San Francisco was like a recharge for me.  It opened my eyes to the unlimited possibilities out there, going out and actually seeing the world really changes the way you think. Post grad depression is REAL, but we as people need to stop thinking that if we do not have it all together in our twenties we will never have it together. Instead this is the time when we have to hustle even harder, raise the bar for ourselves and go out there, explore, learn and live. Your life is not going to change until you do.

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Rooftop at Facebook

Rooftop at Facebook

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China Town, San Francisco 

China Town, San Francisco 

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Spring Wishlist

Spring is here and it is time to buy some new clothes. As I mention on my pervious blog post I am on a diet (mostly changed what I eat and workout when I can lol) and I have been losing weight. I still am trying to go down a few sizes but I am starting see the progress. For the longest I have not bought new clothes because I am not comfortable with my new size but that does not mean I have not window shopped or browsed online. 

Since I am buying new clothes I decided to get rid of clothes that I no longer wear or does not fit, the process was easier than I thought since I am not attached to the clothes (especially since they do not fit anymore). All of the items I have listed below is not exactly what I plan on purchasing but items that are similar which I will be sharing below. Also the website I used to create this wishlist is POLYVORE.COM. I have been using this website off and on since high school. Oh and if you have a POLYVORE feel free to follow me @DYVERSESOUL.

Spring is all about color and prints but at the same time you do not want to look too trendy. In my opinion it is best to buy some basic items with a mix of statement pieces. Co-ord sets are in trend and I cannot make up my mind about wanting a solid set in lavender or something with a floral print.  I still need more mules or  nice chunky heel with a bold color can go perfect with a dress or a co-ord set, you can match or color block. Fanny pack are back thanks to Gucci, I was able to purchase a red fanny pack from Target for less than thirty dollars. (link is below) Also 90's inspire cat eye sunglasses are a major trend since you can get them in so many different styles and colors. Last but not least ever since I bought a pair of culotte trouser last summer from UNIQLO I have been looking for another pair that is as comfortable and affordable as the one I currently own. When it comes to buying new clothes I look for comfort, quality, price and ask myself how often will you wear this? If I cannot make at least 2 random outfits off the top of my head I do not need to buy it if I cannot imagine myself wearing it with something I already own. 

Do you have any rules or guidelines that you follow when you shop?

Check out my POLYVORE where you can find similar styles to what I have below.

https://www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=236717457

https://www.target.com/p/women-s-quilted-fanny-pack-with-metal-bar-a-new-day-153/-/A-53166356?preselect=53111537#lnk=sametab

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Girl FINALLY!

This blog is long overdue but SHE IS HERE! Blogging is something that I always wanted to do but I never had the time to set aside to start one but now I am done with school. To be honest I have been done with school for a while but it has been a struggle to put my thoughts into words. I am in introvert, so I also struggle with sharing my thoughts with other people who I have never met. But it is time to change and get out of my comfort zone and do something that I always wanted to do which is share things that I like with people who might have a similar interest as me. So if you like fashion/style, hacks, beauty, home décor and to get to know me a little more you have come to the right place.

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                                                Blouse (boohoo.com) Skirt (Forever21) Shoes (Shoeland) Photography is by Geraldin…

                                                Blouse (boohoo.com) Skirt (Forever21) Shoes (Shoeland) Photography is by Geraldine Jean.