WHAT I'VE BEEN WATCHING LATELY | JANUARY

Au revoir, January. Yours truly is officially another year older! I didn't expect to be spending my birthday sick at home this year but I'm grateful for another year around the sun. Getting older is always bittersweet for me but also a good reminder of how precious health and life are. Being stuck in bed all day has also given me some time to rest and still make good on putting up today's blog post! I'm ashamed to say I've still been spending entirely too much time on Tik-Tok but I did squeeze in one cute rom-com this weekend, Can You Keep A Secret?.

Since the month is coming to a close, I thought it would be a good time to share with you what all I've been watching lately. I've also been looking for a fun new show to start, something light and funny. Please send your recs my way! If you need something new, here's what I've been watching!

WHAT I'VE BEEN WATCHING:

+ The Blacklist - My current show obsession! JJ and I have a weekly tradition every Saturday night where we pick up takeout and watch a movie or show. These past few months we’ve been on The Blacklist which is so so good. If you like action/crime dramas, highly recommend. There are also a ton of seasons so it’s the perfect opportunity for a binge-watch. We’re still only on season 2! 

+ Plane - This is the first movie I’ve gone to see at the movies in a hot minute. Anyone else feel like there haven’t been any good options out lately? I love to go but  the releases these last few months haven’t done it for me. I will always stan Gerald Butler though, so when I saw he had a movie out I was all in. I went to see Plane which stars Butler as an airline pilot. His plane goes down during bad weather and crash lands on a remote island off of the Philippines. They later find out it’s controlled by mercenaries with no government presence or control. The plane loses all communication leaving Butler with a challenging task of finding help in a hostile environment. It was action packed, intense and kept me engaged the whole time. 

+ Can You Keep A Secret? - A random whim I watched this weekend! I’ve been in the mood for some lighthearted rom-com’s lately and came across Can You Keep A Secret? on Netflix this weekend. Emma meets Jack on a first-class flight back to New York after a terrible work presentation in Chicago. After going through a rough day and terrible turbulence, she starts sharing all of these personal “secrets” about her relationship, job and self with Jack. Little does she know the stranger on the plane happens to be the CEO of the company she works for. He flew in to visit their office and has now heard all of the dirty details of the company. Jack takes a liking to her and in typical rom-com fashion, the sparks fly. Definitely the cheesiness you would expect but very cute and just what I was looking for! 

What have you been watching lately? 

WHAT I WANT TO READ: VALENTINE’S DAY

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner which means it’s time for chocolates and steamy romance. Ever since college, I’ve loved VDAY. I’m a sucker for the cuteness of it all and will gladly take any opportunity given to snack on Reese cups. For all my peanut butter cup lovers, what’s your go-to? The miniatures are my favorite! I know everyone loves the seasonal shapes but I think the choc to pb ratio on the miniatures is chef's kiss!! 

V-DAY is a must after the holidays are over and that winter depression sets in. I love having something fun to look forward to and whether you’re single or taken, there are so many ways to celebrate and make it fun. Two of my favorite activities (besides candy, obvs) is marathoning my favorite rom-coms and reading a lil' steamy romance novel. Also shoutout to my Target which definitely understood the assignment this year. They have some great book options out in stores right now so ya'll know I couldn't not buy. Here are my top picks for all the V-DAY vibes: 

You can read the synopsis + shop each book by clicking on the title below: 

+ The Chase by Elle Kennedy 

+ The American Roommate Experience by Elena Armas
+ By a Thread by Lucy Score

I'm starting with The Chase by Elle Kennedy first which has been described as an opposites attract, sorority girl likes the "nerdy jock" that's her brother's best friend vibe. I think "nerdy jock" is a new one for me though when it comes to social class? Reminded me of the lunch scene convo from Mean Girls, lol. PS-- always a great pick to watch for Galentine's Day! It sounds cute so I'm excited for it and also By a Thread and The American Roommate Experience. I've been reading The Body Keeps The Score so some lighthearted, fluffy romance is definitely a welcome change right now. It's a wellness/health book about healing from trauma that's really interesting and insightful but it's a pretty heavy topic. Sometimes I have to take a breather when it comes to the self-help books. 

Movie-wise, I always tend to go for the same ones every year. I'll link my post with the Top 10 Movies to Watch on Valentine's Day for you here. It's an oldie but the movies are all still goodies! Let me know if you have a go-to movie/movies that would also be worth watching! 

What are your V-DAY plans this year? 

I love sharing my picks with you all! Should you click on or make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :)

WHAT I'M CURRENTLY OBSESSED WITH

This is a major throwback to the good ole days when everyone would share their monthly beauty or lifestyle favorites in a blog post or on YouTube. I L-I-V-E-D for those back then! I feel like they aren't as common now (or maybe I'm just not seeing them?) but they were some of my favorite videos to watch. I'm still just as nosey today and curious about what everyone is loving. In a way I guess a lot of Tik-Tok is like that? People share a lot of what they do and use daily, it's just more vlog style. 

I think I got out of the habit of sharing my favorites because I didn't always have new favorites every single month. For me it only makes sense to call it a favorite if I really love or am obsessed with something. Typically once I find a favorite, I stick with it which can get boring month after month, lol. 

Right now happens to be one of those times where I have several newish items that I've been constantly reaching for + enjoying over the last few weeks and months. 

+ HATCH RESTORE ALARM CLOCK - I bought the Hatch Restore Alarm Clock in the summer last year (I'll link my unboxing post here) which has a lot of features to help you create a good sleep schedule. I love the sunrise alarm but more recently started using the manual color changing feature. It has presets but you can also set the light to almost any color which I've been using to help me relax, de-stress and even go to sleep. I switch it up depending on how I'm feeling. I love using green + blues to relax/de-stress and orange and red colors for sleep. 

There's something nice and calming about having all of the other lights off and just the faint glow from the clock. It makes me feel more relaxed and I look forward to every night now. Occasionally I'll also use the sound machine at night too if I'm having a harder time going to sleep or if I'm feeling more anxious. 

+ ARITZIA TNA BUTTER LEGGINGS - I jumped into the Aritzia girly sandbox, ya'll. I placed my first order a few weeks ago and I finally get the deal-- at least with these leggings. For years I've heard people talk about the TNA leggings but I never gave it much thought or even really browsed on Aritzia. At the beginning of the year, I started looking up where to find high quality closet staples (tees, basics, etc.) and I kept seeing people mention Aritzia. $300 later (lol, she's a little fancy ya'll), I secured these amazing TNA Butter Leggings and some other goodies. 

I haven't worn everything yet but the leggings have been in my weekly rotation. They are the softest, lightest fabric but super soft and definitely buttery. They also stretch and aren't too tight but they still give great shape and feel secure. I loveeeeee them and as long as they hold up, I'll keep buying them! 

+ AGENT NATEUR ACID(WASH) CLEANSER - I've been really enjoying the acid(wash) cleanser from Agent Nateur. I purchased this awhile back and always liked it, however I think I've found a new love for it recently. I've been working on being more consistent with skincare (newwww year, new me!) and love how acid(wash) works. It leaves the skin feeling very clean and refined. It's an exfoliating product and leaves the skin with a bit of a tightening feeling but it isn't harsh or abrasive at all. As someone with very sensitive skin, that's huge! 

I also think it just brightens and adds some life back to my face. I love it! After I cleanse, I usually follow up with the holi(trinity) or I'll just moisturize. Highly recommend Agent if you're looking for luxe, high-quality products that have clean ingredients.  

+ SUMMARY DEODORANT - Alright we haven't really had the deodorant conversation in awhile. Last year I started a journey of trying to find the perfect non-toxic, aluminum-free deodorant. I'm not sure that the "perfect" one exists, but we're trying. Along the way, I've discovered that me and baking soda formulas don't mix. Since most "clean" deodorants have baking soda, that makes it even harder to find a good one. I finally found the Summary Purple Deodorant which I've been loving so far.

It has clean ingredients, 100% natural fragrance and no aluminum​, baking soda​, talc​, parabens, synthetic colorants or synthetic fragrance. It also smells nice + glides on. So far, it's the best one I've found. I don't know if it's possible to find a natural deodorant that works quite as well as a regular one but I think some of the trade-offs are worth avoiding toxic ingredients. 

+ THE BLACKLIST - The bf and I have been watching The Blacklist which is my current obsession. It's a thriller based around ex-government fugitive Raymond Reddington who partners up with the FBI to take down his personal blacklist. It's so good with lots of action + backstory. It's also impossible to not love Red's character-- he's definitely one of a kind. He's sharp, funny, quirky and a force to be reckoned with. If you like crime/action/drama, definitely watch. It's still current but Netflix has the first nine seasons for you to binge watch!

-SHOP THE POST-

What are you obsessed with right now? Let me know!

I love sharing my picks with you all! Should you click on or make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :)

AQUARIUS SEASON

Silk Sleep Mask // Tee // Candle // Headband // Zodiac Diamond Pendant // Trinket Dish // Herbivore Face Cream // Book // Mug 

It's officially AQUARIUS SEASON for all of you fellow water-bearer babies. Your independent, quirky and confident self has made it another year around the sun! I love reading horoscopes and fully embrace being an Aquarian-- it's crazy how spot on it can be for my personality. I tend to lean into it all a little extra during my birthday month which inspired today's post. I always love a good horoscope knick knack or themed tee so in honor of Aquarius season, here are a few of my current faves! So many fun things to treat yourself with or put on your bday list. 

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I love sharing my picks with you all! Should you click on or make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :)

What's your horoscope sign?

WHAT I WANT FOR MY BIRTHDAY

Planner // Moon Juice SuperYou Supplement // Diamond Hoops // Prada Fragrance // Aquarius Tee // Pillow Spray // On Cloud Sneakers // NodPod // Prada Wallet

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I love sharing my picks with you all! Should you click on or make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :)

A HEALTHYISH GROCERY HAUL

I'm patting myself on the back for doing a pretty good job last week eating at home! One of my New Year's resolutions is to eat better which in my mind means healthier choices, cleaner ingredients + lowering my sugar intake. As a big foodie and someone who loves and usually eats out, this can be tough at times. I love all the goodies that aren't too goodie for you. Like with most things in life, it's a constant balancing act. I do my best to try and consciously make better choices, however I still think it's important to live a little. Everything in moderation! 

Right now I've been shooting to eat more of my breakfast + lunches at home, ideally for at least 3-4 of my workdays. I have Tuesdays off from work so I usually give myself some grace there and on weekends. It isn't always exact, however intentionally preparing by grocery shopping and planning out what I want to eat makes a huge difference. A lot of the times I find myself eating out just because I don't have anything at home. Having a plan takes some of that guess work out + usually encourages me to eat at home. 

Last week I took a slightly healthier approach with grilled chicken, rice + sweet potatoes for lunch. I ended up really enjoying the meals, however I prepped everything during my lunch which was a little bit more time consuming. This week I decided to tone it down a little bit with some easy wraps. I grabbed some deli items to throw into my favorite low carb tortillas which will be yummy. 

I also needed to restock a few of my favorite breakfast go-to's like eggs, turkey sausage + cheese. A new purchase I've also been wanting to try is Almond Malk + Oat Malk. They are non-dairy "milks" with super clean, organic ingredients and no gums or yucky additives. I don't use a ton of milk products daily but like to have it for oatmeal, recipes, etc. I also grabbed some bananas and an apple (honey crisp for the win always!) for oatmeal, yogurt or just to snack on. I felt silly buying just the one apple but it never fails that when I buy two or three, I don't use them up before they go bad. I hate wasting food and figure I can always go grab more.

You know I couldn't forget the snackies!! I love love love Lesser Evil's popcorn-- it's seriously so good and a great clean, healthier snack option. It's minimally processed with clean ingredients and actually tastes amazing. My favorite is the Himalayan Gold (tastes just like buttery movie theatre popcorn!) but I also like the Himalayan Pink Salt. Also a huge fan of the Quinn Peanut Butter Filled Pretzels. They're gluten free which gives them a little bit of a crunchier texture but they are yummy with cleaner ingredients. 

PRODUCE
+ ORGANIC BANANAS

+ ORGANIC HONEY CRISP APPLE

+ ORGANIC ARUGULA 

DAIRY/NON-DAIRY

+ ALMOND MALK (UNSWEETENED) 

+ OAK MALK (VANILLA) 
+ BOAR'S HEAD SMOKED GOUDA CHEESE

+ TILLAMOOK SHREDDED CHEDDAR BLEND

PROTEIN

+ VITAL FARMS PASTURE RAISED EGGS
+ JOHNSONVILLE TURKEY SAUSAGE LINKS

+ BOAR'S HEAD BLACK FOREST HAM

SNACKS

+ LESSER EVIL HIMALAYAN PINK SALT POPCORN

+ LESSER EVIL HIMALAYAN GOLD POPCORN

+ QUINN PEANUT BUTTER FILLED PRETZELS 

MISC.

+ BUITONI THREE CHEESE TORTELLINI 

+ BOAR'S HEAD DELI DRESSING

Do you eat out or at home more?

I love sharing my picks with you! Should you click on or make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping. Pretty cool, huh? :)

TOP 5 MOST POPULAR BLOG POSTS | JANUARY 2023

It never fails to amaze me how fast the months go by and these monthly round-up posts come around. In the second half of 2022, I started uploading one of these every month with the top five most read and viewed blog posts on TheKristenDiary for that month. I like to do them halfway through the month so really it's more of a blend from the previous thirty days. You all seem to really enjoy them which of course makes me feel good. As long as you keep reading + enjoying them, I'll keep posting! 

Whether you just love different lifestyle content or are maybe a blogger of your own, hopefully you'll find these enjoyable or insightful. Every month seems to change too which keeps it interesting! I love to see which posts make it on the list. Sometimes there are repeat offenders (peep #1!) and sometimes there are newbies. Here are the top five we're kicking 2023 off with: 

1. OURA RING UNBOXING - Unboxing my Gen3 Oura Ring in Heritage Gold! All of the nitty gritty on my ordering experience, some photos + more.

Read here: Oura Ring Unboxing 

2. TOWER 28 BEAUTY HAUL - Who loves a lil' beauty haul? I sure do! Tower28 is a clean beauty brand with the coolest packaging. If you're a fan of the brand or are interested in trying it out, I purchased several of their different items in this post. Lots of photos with their lippies, blushes + more.

Read here: Tower 28 Beauty Haul 

3. UNBOXING THE 2021 BUDGET BY PAYCHECK WORKBOOK - There's no time like the start of a New Year to get your money right! This post is a little bit of an oldie but the BBP Workbook is still a great tool if you're looking to budget, save more and/or pay off debt. 

Read here: Unboxing the 2021 Budget by Paycheck Workbook 

4. TOP 5 MOST POPULAR BLOG POSTS | DECEMBER - Last month's round-up with December's most popular blog post. This one has a mix of beauty, lifestyle + holiday posts that you all have been reading! 

Read here: Top 5 Most Popular Blog Posts | December 

5. NEW ABERCROMBIE JEANS - Still my favorite jeans! One of my favorite things to buy at Abercrombie are their jeans. They have so many great washes, cuts + fits for everyone. 

Read here: New Abercrombie Jeans 

Which post is your favorite?

WARDROBE STAPLES YOU SHOULD REPLACE EVERY YEAR

As I was doing laundry this morning, I faced the reality that I may or may not have one too many old pairs of pajamas and undies that have outstayed their welcome. Besides the one exception-- my tragically shredded but too-comfy-to-get-rid of pj pants (definitely have attachment issues!)-- when they start to get rips and holes, it's time to go. There aren't many things I loathe more than having a toe poke through a holey sock. The literal WORST. 

Although I do my best to purge, it got me thinking that underwear is probably one of those things you should be replacing every year. I wasn't really sure if there was an actual "rule" on this so I went to Ms. Google and ya'lllllllll. Tell me I'm not the only one who had no clue nor has she ever replaced her underwear every SIX to TWELVE months?? I mean I thought I was a clean + hygienic person but d*mn! With the prices of Hanky Panky and Victoria, might we all fare better switching to depends and diapers?? I'm joking but am I???? 

On a real note, I always think the start of the New Year is a great time to refresh and purge your closet and wardrobe. There's something nice about having a few new pieces to reset your look and get you looking your best for the new year. Time to be that b*tch! I personally like to focus on the basics + those everyday things that you always reach for. I normally want to buy new seasonal or trendy items as they become relevant so I like to start with the versatile pieces I can wear all year. 

+ BRAS & UNDIES - No more explanation needed on the undies, lol. Bras are another thing that I'm guilty of not replacing as often as I should. It's always hard to find the perfect one and so when you do, it'll cost you your first born child! Normally I end up wearing my favorite one until it starts stabbing me, lol. We're all creatures of habit but I think we can aim to do better here. It might not be a terrible idea to splurge and have 1-2 more backups! 

+ SOCKS - Separating this from the bras & undies but it's essentially the same. Because I hate both the holes and feeling like all of my socks disappear, I tend to stock up on these a bit more often. Right now my favorite pairs are these low cut ankle socks. They are the best-- so comfortable and cushiony. 

+ ALL THE BASICS - Your staple tees may never go out of style but they will go out of commission. At some point the fading, pilling and holes become inevitable. I like to reset the new year with new ones in all of my favorite cuts and colors. You can also upgrade other basics that you wear in your day to day such as blazers, button-ups or slacks. They'll be versatile for lots of outfits, all seasons + will keep you looking fresh and put together. 

+ YOUR NEXT FAVE PAIR OF JEANS - If you buy a nice quality pair of denim, they don't necessarily need to be replaced every year. I have had some of the same pairs for years that still look great, however I think there's something nice about finding a new favorite pair for the year. The one you'll fall in love with and reach for nine times out of ten. Denim is always a classic staple but the styles come and go which keeps things fun and exciting. Abercrombie has some of my favorite pairs-- they fit + look great. 

+ SNEAKERS - I'm on my feet for most of the day at work which means I usually live in sneakers. I typically buy a "work" pair that I don't worry about beating up which will usually last me six months to a year. After the holiday season, they have definitely seen better days and it's always time for a new pair. Right now I have my eye on these in black--- I have them in a different color and love them. I would say in general it's probably a good idea to upgrade yours every six to twelve months if you're wearing them constantly or working out in them. 

What are some closet staples you can't live without? 

I love sharing my picks with you all! Should you click on or make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :)

WHAT I WANT | JANUARY

sweatshirt // straight leg jeans // sneakers // brow gel // satin button-up // hair mask // bodysuit // sandals // ice roller

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I love sharing my picks with you all! Should you click on or make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :)

A HEALTHYISH PUBLIX GROCERY HAUL

Are you still keeping up with your 2023 New Year's resolutions? We are one week down already! One of mine is to work on eating a little bit healthier/cleaner and at home more. My lifestyle has always been centered on mostly eating out for meals, especially during the holidays when my schedule is busier. Now that things have calmed down a little, I'm looking for easy things I can make for breakfast and lunches. I struggle a lot of the times to come up with ideas for one person that don't involve meal prepping the same thing for five days in a row. 

I also think it's important to work on building sustainable change so I'm starting small with how often I eat at home + the types of food. Always a fan of everything in moderation! I did a little Sunday night Publix run and grabbed a few things for this week. We'll call it a semi-healthy haul? Here's what I picked up: 

THE GOODS

+ TERIYAKI CHICKEN BREAST 

+ GREEK YOGURT
+ HONEY BUTTER
+ ORGANIC BLUEBERRIES
+ SPINDRIFT SPARKLING WATER
+ MINI BAGELS
+ SUPER COFFEE
+ HONEY CINNAMON PEANUT BUTTER

Usually for a leaner breakfast I like to make some version of eggs + turkey sausage. Occasionally I'll add in some carbs too, usually a slice of sourdough. I also love bagels but they can be pretty calorie heavy when I'm trying to moderate so I grabbed these Thomas mini bagels. Can we talk about HOW CUTE they are?! Adorableeeeee, I'm obsessed. I also remember eating them as a kid, hahahah! Usually I just buy the plain for at home but cinni raisin was calling my name this time!

For some other breakfast/lunchie options I grabbed Greek yogurt, organic blueberries, peanut butter and an iced coffee. The Oikos Triple Zero is my favorite Greek yogurt-- it has a higher protein content, no added sugar and I like how it tastes. I love the Mixed Berry flavor + also grabbed Strawberry Banana to try. Danielle on Tik-Tok also influenced me on the RX Honey Cinnamon PB! I'm excited to try it with the bagels or on bananas. Any chance you've tried Super Coffee before? This was a total impulse buy that looks really good. I love iced coffee + it has zero added sugar, 10g of protein, MCT oil and is only 70 calories per bottle. Not bad! 

Alright, lunch is typically where I struggle. I thought this week I would try out a chicken/rice/veggie vibe so I picked up Teriyaki marinated chicken breasts that you can just pop into the oven or cook in a pan. I already have rice and sweet potatoes (will use the honey butter on them!) so hopefully it will be a quick + easy lunch. The Spindrift purchase is my attempt to kick my Diet Coke habit?? TBH I don't know if I ever see myself giving it up completely but I would definitely benefit from cutting back some. I'm well aware of the negatives + I think part of it for me is having something carbonated and fizzy. I'm telling myself that at least, lol. I've never been a big fan of regular flavored water but I'm willing to give the sparkling a go. I was attracted to Spindrift because it has minimal ingredients + seems cleaner than some of the other options. I'll report back how it is! 

If you have any go-to meals or recipes that aren't too complicated to whip up during the work week, please send them my way!! 

What's your go-to healthy meal? 

JANUARY 2023 READING LIST

Here's to starting 2023 off with better habits. I decided to leave a specific reading goal off of my New Year's Resolutions this year, however I still want to work on building a habit of reading more consistently. I usually enjoy both wellness/self-help as well as fiction. It's a toss up depending on what I'm in the mood for so I tend to just switch them up randomly. With a new year and new goals, self-help and growth is the current mindset. I also have a plan to start off by reading through some of the unread books I already own. One habit I do a little too well is buying books that I ultimately don't end up reading. I always have good intentions, they just get the best of me! 

Normally I like to set specific goals such as reading X books per month/year, however that hasn't really worked for me and the books these last few years. For whatever reason, I've been in an on-again, off-again slump. Sometimes I'm just not in the right headspace to want to read and I think making it too much of a task can take a lot of the enjoyment out of it. At some point I transitioned from "I can't wait to get home to read my book tonight!" to "Ugh, I should probably read some when I get home tonight." This year I want to go in with an intention focused more on the learning and enjoying aspect versus the "I need to read more" mindset. In some ways it's the same thing but different? I think the motivation has always been based on growing more, learning or just escaping reality, however the actual purpose gets lost in translation. 

I'm going to focus more on the experience and the content I want to read without putting too much pressure on how quickly I get through something and the number of books I read. This month, I'm interested in two books I pulled from my shelf: The Body Keeps The Score by Bessel Van Der Kolk and The 5AM Club by Robin Sharma. 

I've always said that one of my ultimate, long-term goals is to becoming a 5am morning person. Right now I'm lucky enough that my work day starts a little bit later so I can sleep in, however I would love to become a morning person with a full-blown morning routine. We're talking the gym going, meditating, eat-a-healthy-breakfast and get readying morning person. Currently, we are in the roll-out-of-bed, too-tired to function club. I've always been a night owl so the mornings are a struggle. Maybe between building better sleeping habits and some insight from The 5 AM Club, I'll make some steps in that direction! 

When I first bought The Body Keeps The Score, I thought it was based more on lifestyle factors (how what you do, eat, etc., affects the body). I later learned it's more about how trauma and experiences have affected the body. I've never really thought of myself as someone who has experienced a lot of trauma in life, however I think a lot of us have probably experienced different levels at some point. I think the premise of the book is super interesting and because I don't know a lot about the topic, I'm interested in learning more. It seems like an insightful read to kick the new year off and focus on healing and moving forward. 

Are you reading any books right now?

I love sharing my picks with you all! Should you click on or make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :)

TARGET WORKOUT CLOTHES ON SALE RIGHT NOW

black muscle tank // cropped muscle tank // white sports bra // orange shorts // camo shorts // black shorts // black sports bra // grey leggings // fuchsia sports bra 

Today I checked off my first Orangetheory workout of 2023. In case you missed my 2023 Resolutions post, a few of my goals for the year are to keep up with my workouts and just be healthier overall. Ever since first signing up back in September, I've been wanting to buy some new workout clothes to wear. I think having a cute outfit can boost your motivation to go to the gym and just makes the entire process more enjoyable. The start of the New Year feels like the perfect time to refresh with a few new pieces, especially if you can snag them on sale!

Target currently has a ton of workout clothes on sale for 30% off which is a great buy. I was shopping online and kept finding so many cute things, I figured you might like some of them too. I've been wanting some new tops and a few sports bras, however I ended up finding these shorts too. They're only $11 so I thought, why not? Most of the time shorts are at least $40-50+ when you look! They'll also be nice for casual outfits once it gets warmer out. 

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Do you have any fitness goals for the year?

I love sharing my picks with you! Should you click on or make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping. Pretty cool, huh? :)

MY 2023 RESOLUTIONS

2022 brought me a new love for brussels + squash in one of my fave salads! 

We all know the start of a new year means new goals, intentions + resolutions. I am all for it. I've always had an ambitious attitude when it comes to the future and achieving certain things in life. That can sometimes become overwhelming, especially if you constantly find yourself wanting to work on everything at once. My approach to goals over the last several years has evolved into starting small and staying consistent. It ultimately doesn't matter if you don't know where to begin or how to get where you want to go, you just need to put one foot forward.

I think that's an important sentiment not only to succeed in achieving your goals, but to remember when you start them. It's inevitable that at some point we'll all be faced with adversities, setbacks and failures. You can always keep going, start again or pivot where you need to. When it comes to resolutions, you may also find yourself having the same ones that you did last year, maybe the year before that and so on. Maybe you didn't know where to start, maybe you stumbled and gave up. I have been there, done that. Still do that. The secret is it's OK. When you accept that you may struggle or mess up, it takes the pressure off. Don't get me wrong- it's of course important to take your goals seriously. I'm not a fan of half-assing things. You should be all in but most importantly, disciplined and consistent. Disciplined enough that when you do slip up and skip working out, you still show up at the gym tomorrow. It's so easy to let minor setbacks feel like failures and keep you from moving forward. In a weird way, when you give into that you end up creating the failure instead. 

In order to stay consistent and work towards your goals, you have to know what they are. I always like to keep a list of my goals, weekly tasks, etc. in my phone. It's a great reminder that helps keep you focused both on a macro and micro level. Right now I'm writing out my overall goals for 2023 (macro level) to help focus + guide the year. Here are my resolutions + the thing I want to work on! 

+ CLEAN LIVING - I'm not proud to admit that I often feel like I live in chaos. I'm constantly go-go-go with my job to the point where keeping things super clean and organized is never my main priority. That usually means I find myself disorganized and a little untidy at home, in my car, at the office, etc. To say I HATE it would be an understatement, lol. I typically get to the point where I can't take any more mess and will do a big cleaning/purge every few months, however I need to be better about it day to day. I fully believe in "a clean space is a clean mind." Out with the old + in with new things I love. 

+ PRIORITIZE HEALTH - Covering all of your typical NY resolutions with this one. Like you, I too need and want to eat healthier, exercise more and sleep better. I wouldn't be mad about dropping a few pounds either, hehe. My main goals are to cut back on my sugar intake and just eat cleaner, less processed foods. More fruits and veggies and as much as it pains me, *maybe* less Diet Coke. The addiction is real, ya'll. I also plan to keep up with my OTF workouts each month and maybe bump my plan up to more classes. I want to keep things manageable where I'll stick to it (consistency!!!) but also push myself to keep getting better.

+ ELEVATE STYLE - Alongside of decluttering, I'd love to purge old clothes and completely revamp my style/wardrobe. I'm at the point where I just want good basics and pieces I love. A la capsule wardrobe. I want my closet to be full of things I love and that will upgrade my look. 

+ EARN & INVEST - Something I've also been thinking over for the past year or two is new ways to generate additional income. In my mind I'd love to find something more passive like an investment property but I haven't figured out if that's feasible or where/how I would accomplish that. I don't know too much about real estate but I'm putting it on my map for consideration. Every year I also prioritize investing which I always work to at least match or beat.

That's the general gist of my resolutions. I keep saying it's going to be "2023 the year of me," lol. I've really tried to start focusing more on myself over the last couple of years and the way that I can continue to grow and evolve for the better. Change can be hard but is essential to becoming the best version of yourself. Crossing my fingers I'll also make some time for new experiences too. It's hard for me to travel with my job but I need to start exploring the world a little bit more.

What are your 2023 resolutions?