My May Bullet Journal!

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Hey everyone!

We’re getting close to the end of the month, which means it’s time to start up my bullet journal for the next month! I started bullet journaling at the beginning of this year, and it’s been a great way to keep track of my goals, to-do lists, and habits. This year has been an absolute roller coaster for me, and while I haven’t always kept up with it regularly, I’ve found it to be an invaluable tool for keeping myself sane during Social Distancing. Since I’ve been finding it so helpful, I figured I’d share some of my favourite ways to bullet journal so they can help you stay on track for the month of May, no matter what it throws at you!

Right now, everything in life is pretty uncertain for all of us — it can be hard to find a balance between staying on top of your goals and responsibilities, taking time to de-stress and taking care of your mental health. I’ve found that bullet journalling is a great way to do this — you can use it in so many different ways, and it gives you a little more freedom and creativity than a regular agenda (which, TBH, I haven’t used once since this all started in mid-March). I’ve included all the pages, lists and trackers I’ve created so far for May, but if you’re already an avid bullet journal user and you have any other ideas that you’ve included for the month, drop a comment and tell me about it! I’m always interesting in finding new ways to expand my journal and it’s many uses.

My Mood Tracker

This one has been my favourite, and so far, my most important use for my bullet journal lately. It’s a lot easier to check in with yourself when you can actually visualize how you’ve been doing. I keep track of my mood with a colour-coded list of 7 possible moods ranging on a scale from really amazing to downright terrible, as well as an “unsure” for when I really just don’t know how I’m feeling. Every night, I fill in each day with how I feel about the day overall right before I go to bed. As time goes on, the chart helps give you a visual of how your mood has been over the month — good or bad, it’s important to know so you can best take care of yourself.

My Habit Tracker

First of all — I don’t own a ruler and didn’t really consider it “essential” to go out and buy one with the current world situation, so I know the lines are super messy — I had to make do! I’ve been getting in to habit tracking lately and it’s really helping my stay on track of things I’m hoping to do every day (or almost every day). A lot of these are things that I aim to do every night, so when I go to fill in my tracker it helps me to remember if I haven’t done them yet. As well, for blogging and working out, it really helps to to visualize if I’m keeping up with my goal or not — especially since it’s so hard to keep track of days lately. This way, there’s no way I can go a week without working out and not even notice it — I’ll be able to see it in my tracker!

My Goal Tracker

I’m trying to keep my goals pretty small for this upcoming month to help me unwind after the year I’ve had. Yes, I could try to jam-pack this time off with as many goals and plans as possible — but I’m starting to realize more and more lately how much I need to give myself a proper break. A lot of my goals for this month are also hobbies of mine, so it’ll help to keep me busy and productive without pushing me too hard. Plus, hopefully after Social Distancing I’ll be caught up on all the little goals I’ve been putting off for a while (like decorating) so I can properly catch up on my blogging!

My To-Do List

I’m hoping to use the month of May to catch up on all the little things around the house I was putting off while being so busy last year. A lot of my to-do list is just decorating and little fixes, but I want to be sure I get it all done by the end of the month, especially before I start my next job. With this handy little list, I’ll be able to keep track of everything I need to do, and have it all in one place so I don’t forget it. Plus, I’ll be able to visualize how many tasks I have to complete as the month goes on!

My Blog Tracker + Brainstorm Page

In the front few pages of my bullet journal, I have a year-long plan of all the blog posts I’m going to make. I have this page so I can brainstorm ideas of what I may post over the next month, and once I’ve solidified my plans I add them to the year-long calendar! This way, I won’t end up writing stuff down there that’s just a possibility that I don’t end up using, and I can keep track of all the ideas (both good and bad) that I have — which can be handy to reference even in later months.

My Boredom-Cure Brainstorm Page

Social Distancing really is a weird time. While I kind of desperately needed a break from life, it’s not all that relaxing to spend every day lying in bed scrolling through my phone. As well, I know myself, and that I have to be careful about falling into the trap of slipping into a depression when I have nothing to do — once I fall into it, it’s hard to get back out. I’m keeping this list of little things I want to keep myself busy with over the next month, so that when I feel like I have nothing to do, I can check up on my options! A lot of these are past hobbies that I haven’t had time for over the last year, so I’m really excited to be able to pick them back up. As well, I intend to add to this list over the next months with any new ideas I have, so I never run out of activities! (Also, yes, I did buy a Nintendo Switch just to play Animal Crossing. I’m a little obsessed — it was my favourite game as a child. If you wanna visit my island, HMU!).

My List Of Shows To Watch

Something I’ve been finding lately is that as soon as I finish a show, I feel like I’m at a loss for what I want to watch next — which is silly, really, as I have so many shows and movies I’ve been meaning to watch forever. However, when one show ends, it can be kind of overwhelming and annoying to scroll through endless titles — so I end up picking something at random and forget about everything I’ve been meaning to watch. I’ve started this list to keep track of what I want to watch next, so that from now on I never have that problem! Plus, I’m super excited to catch up on a lot of these shows — many of them are my favourites. The best part about this is that as I see things I want to watch, or remember even more TV shows or movies I’ve forgotten, I can just add it to the list!

Chores and Meal Lists

This little page is just for me to remember both recipes I’ve been wanting to make when I don’t know what I feel like eating, as well as my chore list for cleaning days so I don’t miss anything. I’ve seen a couple of bullet journals where people write down their favourite recipes, which is something I’m probably going to do in the future, too. This page is really a work in progress and new to me this month, but I’m hoping to have a more solid list and use for it by the end of May.

Little Daily Schedules

This one probably won’t be super important this month, but on days that I actually have a whole list of things I want to do, I’ll write them down here the night before to ensure that I don’t forget anything. I’m always the worst about just “remembering my lists”, thinking it’ll be fine. However, my list always ends up a little scattered in my mind, or I forget something. Or — especially with all my free time — I decide it can be put off to another day, as nothing right now is really set in stone. I’m hoping with this little page, I’ll be able to solidify daily plans when I need them so I can feel more motivated to get all my tasks done by the end of the month!

And that’s what I have so far for this month! This little journal is always a work in progress for me — I’m hoping to find more practical uses for it over the next month to ensure I use it every day. If you’ve been using a bullet journal to help stay on top of things this year, I’d love to see your ideas! Taking the time to write things out is more helpful than I ever realized before I started this journal, plus it really is fun to design and decorate it. (While it may not be perfect or beautiful, I have plenty of time to practice over the next month!). As well, if after these tips you find you’re still struggling with Social Distancing, you can always check out my fifteen tips to survive Social Distancing to help you through this next month or so.

Love you all, and happy last week of April!

Xo,

Meredith

Thursday Favourites: April 23rd

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Hey y’all!

Today I wanted to share with you a little product that’s been an absolute lifesaver for me. You guys already know how obsessed I am with FabFitFun, and how I’ve discovered so many products from it that I’ve incorporated into my everyday life and routine. Today, I wanted to share one of those products with you, and why I love it so much.

The product in question is Murad’s Rapid Collagen Infusion, which I received in my spring box back in March. This product immediately got my attention, as collagen is such an important aspect of skincare and I was looking for a holy-grail skincare product to add collagen into my everyday routine. And, spoiler alert! — I finally found it, because this stuff is absolutely dreamy.

First of all, this stuff smells amazing — it has a nice, light scent that I have a bit of trouble placing my finger on. It’s very refreshing, though, and really helps me feel awake when I apply it in the mornings.

But most importantly, this stuff WORKS. I’ll admit that, obviously, I’m not that old, and wrinkles and fine lines aren’t much of an issue for me yet. However, this serum filled any that I had right in and has even helped my dark, puffy under eye area — which you guys all know is something that I’ve been struggling to fix. Not only that, but the lightweight cream formulation of this serum absorbs quickly, leaving your skin feeling fresh, and not greasy like some serums can.

If this sounds like the serum your skin has been needing, you can find it online at Murad here!

As well, if you’ve been wanting to grab a FabFitFun box of your own, click here and use the code SPRINGLOVE for $10 off your first box with my affiliate link!

I hope you’re all having a fantastic week! Drop a comment below with how you’ve been keeping yourself busy with social distancing — I’d love to get some fresh ideas! This week has been huge for me catching up on my blogging, as well as getting back in touch with friends now that my finals are over.

Much love (and stay safe out there!),

Meredith

My Picks: Sephora Sale Spring 2020!

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Photo by Boxed Water Is Better on Unsplash

Hey y’all! Happy Sunday!

This week marked the beginning of Sephora’s Spring sale, and now kind of feels like the perfect time to treat yourself. I don’t know about you guys, but I’ve actually been saving a lot of money ever since Social Distancing was enacted, and it’s been a while since I splurged and got myself something nice. Not only did I need to do a little restock on items I had been running low on, but I branched out and got a couple of new products I’ve had my eye on for a while. Honestly, I’m already a little too excited to try out my new stuff — waiting on a package is 100% more exciting when you’re on lockdown with not much else to do.

If you’re not already familiar with Sephora sales, they often happen around the holidays and offer special rewards for members. The sale kicked off on April 17th for VIB Rouge members offering a 20% discount, with VIB sales starting on the 21st offering 15% off, and will be open to all Beauty Insiders on the 23rd with 10% off basically everything in store. These sales end on May 1st, April 29th and April 27th, respectively. If you’re not a Beauty Insider, fear not — you can sign up anytime, earn points, and it’s totally free!

I figured that I’d use this time to make a little list of products I’d recommend trying right now — some of my all-time faves that I feel would be perfect for stay-at-home enjoyment. This list ranges from skincare, self-care to spring makeup that you can play and experiment with to combat boredom during this time (and just about everything in between!).

Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask by Glow Recipe

This mask is absolutely perfect for giving your skin a little extra TLC while working from home. First of all, it is SO lovely to apply — it’s lightweight and smells amazing (it’s made with real watermelon, and you can definitely tell). But past that, it’s gentle exfoliating and hydrating effects help to clear your skin and make it glass-skin level clear and glowy. If you don’t really have a solid skincare routine but have looking to get into the habit, now is the perfect time! If you make a routine now, it’ll be so much easier to keep up your routine when your schedule starts picking back up. Plus, you’ll come out from it all and head back to work with flawless skin, ready to take on anything the world throws at you!

You can buy this product online at Sephora here! (As well, be sure to check out my personal review of Glow Recipe’s Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask)

Pastel Obsessions Eyeshadow Palette by Huda Beauty

One of the activities I’m most looking forward to now that I’m done my studies is practicing and experimenting with makeup. This is especially true when it comes to eyeshadow — it’s not something I wear often in my everyday makeup, and I’ve been dying to practice and improve my skills both in terms of everyday looks, but growing my confidence when it comes to more experimental looks as well. These palettes are SO cute and perfect for spring, and are something I’ve been dying to try for a while. Huda Beauty’s Obsessions Palettes, as you guys already know, are some of my all-time favourites, so I know the quality of these palettes is going to be next-level, and I can’t wait to see what they can do.

You can buy this product online at Sephora here! (As well, be sure to check out my personal review of Huda Beauty’s Obsessions Palettes — post on these ones in particular coming soon!)

Mini Anastasia Beverly Hills Spring Lip Gloss Set

Credit: @anastasiabeverlyhills on Instagram

This is something I purchased for myself this Sephora sale, as they were just recently released. I’m obsessed with these colours and when I saw them, I knew they were the perfect treat for myself as a pick-me-up during these stressful times. I’ve tried ABH’s lipglosses before and the quality of them is insane — they’re so pigmented and beautiful. These are perfect for a cute, nude spring-time look, and I can’t wait to give them a try.

You can buy this product online at Sephora here!

Crushed Amethyst Exfoliating Body Polish by Herbivore Botanicals

I’ve already made about a billion posts mentioning this product, so you guys all know by this point that it’s one of my all-time favourites. I’m going to refrain from saying TOO much right now, as I’m FINALLY going to be writing a proper review on this product soon (I know — it’s about time!). All I’m going to say right now is that this really is the best exfoliator I’ve ever used (and I have used so, so many). It smells heavenly, exfoliates gently but thoroughly, and is infused with all kinds of oils to leave your skin feeling as smooth and soft as it ever has when you’re done. 10/10, perfect way to treat yourself during these times.

You can buy this product online at Sephora here! (As well, be sure to check out my personal review of Herbivore Botanical’s Crushed Amethyst Exfoliator here — it’ll be getting a full post of it’s own soon, I promise!)

Treatment Masque by Ouai

I’d highly recommend this product if you’re looking to come out of Social Distancing with the shiniest, healthiest hair of your life. Similarly to exfoliators, I’ve also used many, many hair masks in my life — they were a real lifesaver back when I was bleaching my hair regularly. I’ve come to learn what makes a hair mask just “good” compared to what makes it great — and this hair mask is FANTASTIC. My hair is healthier than it’s ever been — its so smooth and shiny that it basically reflects light and really shows the depth of my hair colour. It achieves all this without being heavy, too — after all my time using this mask, I’ve never once accidentally ended up with greasy hair or heavy roots by accident. This stuff, no joke, has totally revived my hair and I couldn’t be happier with it.

You can buy this product online at Sephora here! (As well, be sure to check out my personal review of Ouai’s Treatment Masque)

Sugar Hydrating Lip Balm by Fresh

I know I just posted a review of this product, but it really is the best. It’s just so lovely and smooth, and it works wonders on chapped lips. If you’re looking for the perfect lip balm, this is it. And if you were looking for the perfect time to buy it, the time is now! After all, this sale is only on for a few weeks — and this is the perfect little self-care item to avoid dry lips when you’re cooped up in your home all day long.

You can buy this product online at Sephora here! (As well, be sure to check out my personal review of Fresh’s Sugar Hydrating Lip Balm)

Pillow Talk Instant Eyeshadow Palette by Charlotte Tilbury

You guys already know how much I love this palette. It is THE perfect palette for fresh, glowy everyday looks. It comes with four pre-set looks, that range from every day to nighttime looks. Whether you’re looking to experiment with makeup in your newfound new time, or just want to stock up on staples while this sale is on, this is the perfect time to get your hands on this limited-edition palette.

You can buy this product online at Sephora here! (As well, be sure to check out my personal review of Charlotte Tilbury’s Pillow Talk Palette)

Lover Rubber Face Mask by Dr. Jart+

If you’re planning an upcoming spa night, these masks are a must. First of all, the rubber mask-element are SO fun. But past that, these really are the best single-use masks I’ve ever tried. They legitimately change your skin within a single use and leave your skin looking brand-new. If your skin is looking a little worse for wear lately, or you’re feeling stressed and just need a little pick-me-up — invest in one of these and take a night off for self-care. Trust me, it’ll be worth it.

You can buy this product online at Sephora here! (As well, be sure to check out my personal review of Dr. Jart’s Lover Rubber Masks)

Solid Brush and Sponge Cleaner Mini by Sephora

If you’re looking to do a little spring cleaning right now and get your life together during this time off, this is the perfect purchase to grab during this sale. This brush cleaner, which is only $10.50 (!!!) will leave your brushes looking brand new. Not only is it a crazy-effective cleanser, but it doesn’t leave behind any residue and has never damaged any of my brushes in the least. Plus, it comes with a little silicone cleaning pad to help scrub out every last little bit of makeup and grime out of your brushes and leaving them in perfect condition.

You can buy this product online at Sephora here! (As well, be sure to check out my personal review of Sephora’s Solid Brush Cleaner)

I hope you’re all holding up well in quarantine, and have plenty of tasks and hobbies to keep yourself busy! While, yes, this is the perfect time to catch up on work and be productive, its also a time to relax and take time to enjoy yourself. If you’ve been looking to unwind, take care of your skin and practice your makeup I hope you found plenty of inspo from this list! Just remember, it’s important to be working towards goals, but it’s also just as important to take care of yourself. Don’t worry about using this time to constantly be working on all of your tasks — it’s okay to take a day off to relax, unwind, and do absolutely nothing at all. This is an unprecedented and stressful time — don’t let anyone tell you how you should be spending it! Just do what’s best for you and be sure that you’re taking care of your mental health.

Love you all!

Xo,

Meredith

Thursday Favourites: April 16th (+Some Exciting News!)

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Hey everyone!

Sooooooo, I’m finally back and I have some exciting news! As of yesterday, I’ve officially completed my last final and finished up my Undergrad!!! It’s been a long time coming, but I’m so excited to be done and I’m ready to move on to the next phase of my life. However, since life as we know it is kind of on hold right now, you guys are now getting my full, undivided attention!

I hope you guys are all ready, because I have SO many posts I’ve been wanting to share with you all over the last month or so that I just haven’t had time to write out. I have a feeling being stuck inside all the time with no job or schoolwork is going to get kind of tiring after a while, but right now I honestly couldn’t be more excited for this break.

This week, I wanted to share with you guys one of my all-time FAVOURITE lip balms — Fresh’s Sugar Hydrating Lip Balm! I first bought the Coconut one around April 2018, and even with regular use it lasted me forever. Ever since, I’ve only just purchased a new flavour even though I’ve been wanting to try more for a while now. These balms look pretty small in person, but they last forever which was a pleasant surprise (especially since they are a little pricey — but very worth it, I promise!).

But apart from the value for your money, these lip balms have lots of other bonuses. Personally, I do like Fresh’s Sugar Lip Treatments — which I feel like are much more well-known — in my opinion, these ones are WAY better. Not only are they crazy soft and smooth, they’re incredibly lightweight. They have the same silky smooth quality the Sugar Lip Treatments do, but they’re not as heavy and you basically don’t even notice this balm once you’ve put it on. However, most importantly — these balms really do an amazing job of hydrating your lips and keeping them ultra-soft. Every time I’ve run into problems with my lips being chapped, no matter how bad they get, this balm has it fixed QUICK. Even today, for instance, after a couple long weeks of stress and being inside I’ve been feeling kinda dried out and my lips were super chapped. I applied this balm right after I took the photo and right before I starting writing this post out, and they already feel just about perfect — which is crazy considering how chapped they were just before. There’s a lot of lip balms out there that don’t really do much for helping dry and damaged lips (or even dry them out intentionally so you’ll use them up quickly and buy more) but rest assured, these balms SERIOUSLY work.

If you’ve been looking for the perfect new lip balm to try, you can check out the Lime-Mint (and all the other new flavours) as well as the Coconut (a classic favourite of mine) online at Sephora!

I hope you’re all doing well and social distancing, hang in there! Spring is coming and the weather is just going to keep getting better from here, so hopefully you have access to outside and can go enjoy it.

Love you all,

Meredith

A Little Update

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Hey everyone,

I just wanted to give a little update as to why I’ve been so AWOL lately. Even though I’ve only been posting regularly on my blog for a little under a year, I already feel it’s kind of unlike me to just disappear like this without any explanation. This whole post feels a little weird and overly personal to share, but I do kind of feel better putting it out there.

Obviously, this last month has been a hard month for us all. All of our lives have been thrown completely upside down, and it’s definitely been a weird adjustment. When I think about what my life was like just six weeks ago, I never would have imagined where I would have ended up now. Not just in terms of Social Distancing and being laid off — which was already a brutal adjustment in itself. Unfortunately, on top of dealing with all of this, I’ve been going through a couple of personal losses in my life, and to be honest, I’m having a bit of a hard time coping with them.

My life has sort of felt like it’s been on hold since just about the time I’ve started this blog back in May — as I’ve briefly touched on before, a bit of an administrative error held me back from graduating last year, which I took really hard. I’ve really felt that I’ve been stuck in limbo ever since — while I’ve graduated from my sorority and moved off of UBC campus, I’ve still been in classes and had a hard time balancing my coursework with my rather hectic job.

However, I’ve finally got one of my two classes all finished up and I only have one final between me and finally finishing my degree. I’ve already put a crazy amount of effort in to my class and secured grades that just about guarantee me passing this class no matter what, but I really don’t want to make any errors at this point. I’ve come to far to let anything hold me back, really. With my final now exactly one week away, I want to make sure I really give it my all. Unfortunately, because of everything that’s happened over the last six weeks of my life (COVID-19 aside), I’ve been stressed about being behind in my studying. While I’ve worked hard enough at this class over this year that I technically don’t have to do well on this final at all to pass the class and finish my degree, I’ve just been feeling very worried and a little lost lately, and I’ve been trying to dedicate all my time to this final as I really just want to ensure nothing goes wrong.

I guess that’s kind of all there is to it. After this next week, I’m really looking forward to getting back into posting regularly and hopefully reintroducing some sort of normalcy into my life. I know things are never going to be exactly as they were for me at this point, but I really do miss sharing my thoughts with you all and having time to read all of your posts and hearing your stories. When I’m done with studying and my final, I’m going to have just about endless time to finally do everything I’ve been hoping to get done over this last year — not just creating new posts for you all every week, but being able to finish decorating my apartment, creating a more regular daily routine, making sure I have time to meal prep and work out every week and finally having time to reach out to friends it feels I haven’t had enough time to dedicate to over the last year.

I hope you’re all doing well, even with all the crazy stuff going on in the world. Make sure you’re taking care of yourselves! I’ve been missing having my little blogging community lately — you guys really have been so supportive of me over the last year and it means the world. I can’t wait to be able to be able to have the time to finally catch up with all of your posts and start sharing with you all again.

As a final note, I just wanted to thank everyone who’s shown me kindness this last month and a half — it’s been the most challenging time of my life but it’s taught me to never take anything for granted.

Stay safe out there, and love you all!

Xo,

Meredith