Welcoming Twenty Sixteen | Favourites, Goals + More

I know everyone says this and it's completely cliche, however I have to say it too: WHERE DID TWENTY FIFTEEN GO? This past year has been an absolutely whirl-wind for me, full of new beginnings and a lot of personal growth. Twenty fifteen definitely has been the biggest year of my life thus far and I'm excited to see what twenty sixteen will bring about!

Milestones of Twenty Fifteen

April saw the birth of this blog and I honestly can't believe how much it has grown already! I started it out of boredom as I was taking a year off of school to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. I'm so happy that I took the plunge and started writing this blog and I'm positive I'm going to stick with it for quite some time. September brought about my move to Ottawa; moving ten hours away from home was easily the scariest and most rewarding experience I have ever had. I have learned so much about myself, about life, and of course about photography as that's the program I'm taking in college. I know I have been a legal adult for almost three years now, but I feel like this year, after becoming independent, I am truly an adult mentally and emotionally. I'm not a completely different person by any means but my priorities have shifted and my maturity has definitely improved.

Favourites of Twenty Fifteen

From makeup and beauty to television and music, to books and so on, twenty fifteen brought a lot of new favourites into my life. When I say a lot I mean a lot, so I'll share twelve with you today- one to represent each month of the year!

1. Minimalistic Makeup

I went through a phase toward the beginning of the year wherein I wanted to be like all the YouTube beauty gurus and go the whole 9-yars when it came to makeup. I started experimenting with foundations and dramatic smokey eyes and I quickly realized that that's just not for me. I have discovered a quick, minimal go-to look that I wear everyday and I really love it. It's enough to allow me that extra little bit of self-confidence going out in to the world but I still look like me and I really appreciate that.

2. Greek Yogurt

Athentikos by Astro in Plain has become my go-to snack for the afternoon. I love adding a touch of cinnamon and raw cacao powder for flavouring. It's jam packed with protein, contains good fats and is relatively low cal- what more can you ask for? It's also amazing for cooking with. It adds protein to any meal and thickness for cream sauces like Alfredo without all the extra fat of heavy cream.

3. Journaling

I have kept a journal for as long as I can remember but it was a very passive way for me to express myself. This year I made it my mission to write in my journal at least twice every week, using it as a way to express myself and my emotions in a positive and effective way. Journaling has helped me to control my anxiety and keep track of my thoughts and emotions throughout the year. It has definitely become a daily task for me and I'm sure I'll be keeping it up well into the future.

4. Clinique
My skin has been something I've struggled with since about the tenth grade and I finally have found my holy grail skin care brand that works for me all the time! The Clinique products that I use on a daily basis are the extra mild bar facial soap, take the day off cleansing milk, and the dramatically different moisturizing gel. My skin has never looked and felt better. Finding my perfect combination of products has definitely been a huge blessing as my skin was one of my biggest insecurities.

5. Painting My Nails
I discovered, probably around May, just how much I enjoy painting my nails. Over this year I have tried almost every colour you could imagine as well as many different brands. Essie and Revlon have become my favourite brands without a doubt with my favourite shades being reds and blues. 

6. Cinnamon Everything
I'm not sure when exactly my love for cinnamon developed but I have become somewhat obsessed with the spice! I love mixing it in to greek yogurt, sprinkling it on cereals, and even brewing it on it's own to make a big cup of cinnamon tea!

7. Konjac Sponge
Along with Clinique products, this little guy has really helped my skin tremendously! When I don't exfoliate my skin it gets quite lumpy and spotty, however most exfoliants irritate my sensitive skin. Konjac sponges have been such a blessing for my skin and it's overall glow- it's such a gentle exfoliation but still so effective.

8. Curling with a Straightener
I've been a fan of curling my hair for ages but I tended to stay away from doing so due to my tendency to be an absolute putz and burn myself on a regular basis. Discovering that I can curl my hair with my flat iron has changed the game and I've been wearing my hair in soft, loose curls almost every day since said discovery.

9. Gum Flossers
Super random, I know haha. Oral hygiene is very important to me- I think it is for most people- and I'm a huge advocate of flossing and brushing at least twice a day. I have issues with traditional floss as the feeling of the string between my teeth makes me cringe like you wouldn't believe! These rubber flossers have made flossing an enjoyable experience and I'm happy to use them twice a day!

10. Social Media

I can't say I was too involved in social media before this year. I've had a Facebook account since ninth grade and I dabbled in Twitter, but this year I really grew to appreciate social media for blog promotion and for staying in contact with my friends and family back home. My favourite social media platforms are definitely Instagram and Pinterest.

11. The Saccone-Joly's
I'm a big fan of YouTube videos over TV any day. I love that you can learn to do anything and also see real people living their authentic lives. The Saccone-Joly's have definitely become my favourite channel to watch- the family is so entertaining and down to earth! I look forward to their videos everyday.

12. Cooking Shows
As far as television favourites for the year I honestly couldn't narrow it down so I lumped all cooking shows into one for the sake of the favourite. My favourite cooking shows have definitely included Chopped Canada, The Great British Bake Off and Jamie Oliver's SuperFood. It's awesome to get inspiration for new recipes as well as learn new techniques to apply in the kitchen! 

Goals for Twenty Sixteen

 I don't want to say I'm setting new years "resolutions" per-se, but I do have a few goals for twenty sixteen that I want to work at;

1. Strengthen my Faith

I feel that every time I become anxious (which is quite often) it is insulting to God because it means I don't trust Him. I really want to strengthen my faith and trust in Him so I can cast my anxieties upon Him and leave it all in His hands. He has a plan for me and I need to have faith in that plan.

2. Love my Body

I have always tried to be active and eat healthy for the benefit of my physique more so than my health. I want to learn to love my body the way it is instead of micromanaging my calories; EAT THE DANG COOKIE!

3. Explore New Mediums of Creativity

There are so many arts and craft actives I want to try and learn. Painting, knitting, and pottery are high up on that list. I think trying my hand at wood working and stained glass pieces would also be amazing!

4. Find More Joy

I tend to be one of those people who focuses on negatives instead of positives and I can be quite hyper-critical of myself. I also worry quite a lot about others when I really shouldn't- it isn't my business nor my problem. I want to focus on only helping when it is is needed or I'm asked, realizing that there are some things I just can't fix. I don't want to be bogged down by the problems of everyday life, especially those that aren't my own. Instead, I want to focus more on the positive aspects of my life and find more joy in every thing.

5. Have an Open Heart

I've been hurt, by men mostly, so many times that I tend to block off the possibility of new relationships and even friendships. I want to make it a goal of mine to put my past experiences and pain behind me and move into twenty sixteen with a clean slate and an open heart.

I think these goals are definitely going to take time and effort. I may not see total success in accomplishing said goals in this coming year, but progress will definitely be made. My specific steps I'm planning to take in January are not crystal clear yet, but I definitely want to devise a concrete month by month plan that will help me move forward in achieving these goals.

And to finish off welcoming the new year...

A Cheeky First OOTD of Twenty Sixteen
My entire outfit is from H&M and I'm obsessed with it! I love the colour of the pants and the sweater, especially together and I really like how soft the sweater is. My favourite part of the outfit though has to be that it cost a total of $14.00... Thank you Boxing Day sales!

I want to thank you all for joining me on this journey of life- the support I have received for and from this blog have been so overwhelmingly positive. I can't wait to see what twenty sixteen has in store for me and to share it all with you guys. I wish you all the best for the new year (hopefully the hangovers aren't too bad today haha).

Thanks for reading, xo, Katelyn

August: Sworkit, Shawn Mendes, Sappy Moments + More! | Monthly Favourites

Not only was August an incredibly busy month for me, but it was also a month where I made quite a few new discoveries! Here are my August favourites:

TV Show: I have been OBSESSED with Rookie Blue lately (no not just because everyone is incredibly good looking). I love the story line and the fast paced action of the show. I'm not usually a fan of cop shows, but this one I really love. I also really like that it's a Canadian show- filmed in Toronto!

Movie: Ladies, get your tissues ready. I don't want to give any spoilers so all I will tell you is that the movie is a romance between a cowboy from North Carolina and a college girl from New York. There is a parallel storyline about an elderly couple that ties in beautifully with these young and unlikely lovers. WATCH THIS MOVIE! I honestly loved it so so much; it will leave you feeling every type of emotion.

Music: I have become a huge fan of Shawn Mendes lately. I remember really loving Life of the Party last summer and now recently I am adoring all of his music- especially Stitches.

Book: John Green is a novel-writing genius! This is only the second novel of his I've read (I also read- and loved- The Fault In Our Stars) but I'm hooked on him. Paper Towns is the best novel I've read all summer, possibly all year thus far. I absolutely love the story and I highly recommend adding this to your reading list. 

Fitness: I'm always looking for new workouts and this app has been such a God-send this month as it really has been so hectic and busy! You start by choosing a category then choose from said category which workout you'd like to do and where you'd like to target. You can set the time of the workout which is really handy! I also love that each exercise is only 30 seconds so you never get bored, and there is a gif of a person doing the exercise so you're never at a loss when it comes to fitness vocab. Your exercise choices from this app include:

Strength: full body, upper body, core strength, lower body
Cardio: light warm up, full intensity, plyometics jump cardio, boot camp
Yoga: sun salutation, full sequence, yoga for runners, pilates
Stretching: head to toe warm up stretch, full body, standing only, back strengthening

Food: I've always liked yogurt but I would never say it was one of my favourite foods. I am now a changed woman. I love plain greek yogurt! I think what I love most about it is the creamy texture and the sour flavour- I haven't been a yogurt fanatic mainly because it's typically really sweet. Athentikos by Astro also has 12g of protein per 1/2 cup which is amazing!

Random: I'm a huge proponent of oral hygiene- there's nothing more off putting than seeing someone with fuzzy teeth. My biggest dental downfall, however, has been that I hate the feeling of floss between my teeth (I can't even explain to you how uncomfortable it makes me feel) and so would only floss about once a week. After discussing this with my dentist- who reprimanded me at my check up for having inflamed gums due to lack of flossing- introduced these little guys to me. Let me tell you they're a life saver if you don't like to floss! They remove the plaque and such from between your teeth and stimulate your gums, which is exactly what dental floss does, but without the nasty feeling of that irritating string.

Random: I'm a huge junkee for organization. I recently got a new planner that is a little bigger than my old one. I like that I can fit everything in it without it looking crowded. The colour scheme is really pretty but doesn't overwhelm the eye- it's simple. The front and back covers are also gorgeous and it has a really handy conversion chart in the back!

Random: I have been seeing these 'adult' colouring books quite a bit lately and decided I would cave and buy one for myself. I really do enjoy it so much! Colouring the mandalas in this book is so methodical and calming- I'm totally hooked. 

Moment: Whilst on a run this month a sun shower broke out. It felt amazing to be running  through the rain on such a hot day. After it stopped raining, an absolutely stunning rainbow spread across the sky (with a faint double rainbow). It made the run so much more enjoyable and seemed to give me an extra little burst of energy- I made my best time!

Personal: We got a new dog! Duke came into our family on August 2nd and we all immediately fell in love with him. He is a great dane- he weighs more than I do and stands taller than I do on his hind legs haha. He is the perfect bike ride buddy, he actually keeps up! He's also incredibly cuddly and super adorable.  

Personal: What a bitter sweet experience to have all my favourite people gathered together but to know this is the last time I will see them until Christmas. I was so touched that my mom organized a farewell party for me and that all my family and closest friends took the time out of their schedules to come and wish me well. 

As September begins I'm so excited for this new chapter in my life. It's going to be hard to be away from my family but as I sit in my new apartment in Ottawa writing this favourites post I know that everything will turn out the way it's meant to and that I will definitely be okay. 

I hope you enjoyed reading my August favourites- it certainly was such an amazing month. I said goodbye to all the people I love and to my old life, and now I am just starting this new life in a new city and I can't wait to share the journey with you.

What have you been loving this month? Do you have any of the same favourites?

Thanks for reading, xo, Katelyn