A little piece of advice.

It's a new year. We've made it. This is more time on this earth that we are given to be who we are meant to be and it's up to you to make that happen.

If there is one piece of advice I know to be true, it is not things we have or buy on this earth that will make us happy. It is the moments, those sweet memories and magic that occurs when you open your mind and life to new things that the Lord has planned for you.

Invest in making this year an adventure. Make your life richer and full of meaning by stepping outside of your comfort zones. Instead of following the status quo, find what makes you happy and be the best version of yourself. Be the person to ask the people in your life if they're doing good and truly mean it. Show others that they matter. Have their best interest at heart. Pray for them. Root out the negative in your life and strive to be positive with all that life is consistently throwing at you. Respect others. Don't let the actions that other people make affect the way you act. In the end, you represent yourself and nobody else. Magnify the strengths of those in your life, not their weaknesses. Compliment people around you. Don't worry about the idea of having others love you. Worry about loving yourself first.

Always remember that nothing will ruin your 20's more than thinking you should have your life completely together already. The new year means nothing if you're still in love with your comfort zone. Do what you love. Do your thing and don't apologize for it. Let criticism go in one ear and out the other. Don't focus on failure and always take chances.

I think we can hear the phrase, "we only have one life to live" a thousand times to where it almost becomes numb to us. Truly think about the phrase. Let it resonate in your mind and your soul. Are you going to be the best version of yourself this year?

Dress With Jenny: Fall Basics

Hello, O c t o b e r !

Campfires, pumpkin flavored treats, colorful leaves and football season are just a few things on my list as to why October is the best month of the year.  The weather finally starts to cool off and the cold weather fashion starts to make an appearance. It's layer season so this means over-sized cardigans, beanies, scarves, vests, blazers, etc. There are so many reasons to love the month of October in fashion world and today I am going to give you a peak at some of my favorite fall basics.

Start off this fall by looking fresh and fabulous. Rock those leather pants that you've always loved but been afraid to wear. Step out of the norm and have fun with your attire. I know I did this past weekend in the mountains when I decided to wear my new floppy felt hat from Nordstrom. I've always been obsessed with this look but never had the courage to purchase one.

There is nothing better than completing a perfect Fall outfit with a floppy felt hat. I decided to pair my hat with one of the most comfortable light-weight sweaters I have ever worn from American Threads. The stitching is beautiful and can be worn with so many different fall colors! Underneath I wore my black lace bralette which was also from American Threads. This lace bralette is gorgeous and a must have in your wardrobe. Throw out your old boring plain bandeau's and purchase a bralette instead! On bottom I wore my black low-rise ripped skinny jeans from Forever 21. I am a huge fan of ripped jeans this fall and the selection at Forever 21 right now is endless! For shoes, I wore my black short boots from 6pm.com which are on sale right now for only $28.50!

LINKS BELOW:

 LINKS: 

Floppy Felt Hat

Ripped Skinny Jeans

Bralette

Sweater

Boots

 *Sweater is not listed online yet

Soy Taco Lettuce Wraps

If you are like me then you would choose to have Mexican food for every meal! That's why this Soy Taco is one of my favorite dishes. I am still getting my Mexican fix but keeping it nutritious. This dish is quick, simple and healthy. The lettuce wraps make this delicious taco low in carbohydrates, yet high in protein.

Ingredients

- Simple Truth Soy Crumbles

- Lettuce Wraps of your choice

- Fat Free Feta Crumbled

- Cilantro

- Diced Red Onion

- Fresh Jalapeno

- Grape Tomatoes  

- Lime

Directions

1. Cook and stir 1 Cup of crumbled soy in a skillet over medium heat with Extra Virgin Olive Oil for about 10 minutes. 
2. Dice desired amount of toppings using tomatoes, jalapeno, cilantro and red onions. Mix together and squeeze one fresh lime on top.
3. Add small amount of crumbled feta on top
4. ENJOY!

YUM!

Love your neighbor

kind·ness

noun

1. 1. the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate.

What does the word kindness mean to you? The word has almost become insignificant in our world. We think that mindlessly opening a door for a stranger has made us a kind person. Or waving for someone to cut in front of you in traffic has made you a kind person. Kindness is more than just this. We live in a world now that is completely fixated on social media and it has opened so many doors for judgement and opinions. It's easy to scroll through your timeline on Facebook or Instagram or whatever social media it may be and instantly think to yourself or say aloud negative things about that person. 

Everybody is different. Nobody is going to dress, look, act or believe in exactly what you believe in. Everyone has different dreams for their life, different stories and different struggles.

What can you ever really know of other people’s souls— of their temptations, their opportunities, their struggles? One soul in the whole creation you do know: and it is the only one whose fate is placed in your hands. —C. S.LEWIS

Kindness is more than just lending someone a helping hand. Kindness is about not judging that person who posts their opinion on social media (including me & this blog post, haha). Kindness is about not judging that stranger who is in line in front of you at a coffee shop. Kindness is about not judging that friend who dresses differently than you. Kindness is about loving others and more than just pretending to love them to their face. It's about loving someone for who they are even if they are different than you. 

Judging other people has become such a natural response for us as humans that sometimes we don't even realize when we are doing it. We need to become more aware of the way we treat and love others even if these strangers, friends or family don't always show you love back. Live a life that people gravitate towards. Be a breath of fresh air. 

So remember this when you're with your girlfriends/guyfriends and they are talking about someone and the life they are living. Remember this when a stranger passes you by. Remember that someone is always going through something whether it is obvious to see or not. Nobody was raised in the exact same home as you and had the same experiences in life that you have...and that's okay. Love your neighbor. 

Now it's time I read my own blog post because lets face it, nobody is perfect. Jesus was perfect and because of him it doesn't make it okay that we live a life of sin, but it means we are forgiven. Now THAT is a breath of fresh air. 

"In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace." (Ephesians 1:7)

Spring into your smoothie body

First of all,

Happy Spring!!! 

"Look at the way the flowers bloom for you. They want to show you their beauty"...

Springtime is FINALLY here and I couldn't be happier. Hopefully our weather will stay consistent and we will only have to pull out light sweaters to wear instead of pea-coats. It's time for baseball games,sweet cocktails, patio brunches and pastel colored clothing to come back into our lives.

With Spring finally here, that means one thing...bikini season. Swimsuit weather will be here before we know it. It's time to put away the junk food once and for all. Changing your diet to clean eating can be a hard transition but once you begin you will realize how little your body will crave sweets.

If you are ready to get serious about clean eating, I have one product that I stand by 100% and that is the Nutribullet. This product is my baby and I use it just about everyday. It's the best investment you will ever buy if you want to start eating right. Go buy a Nutribullet, TODAY!

This smoothie that I am about to introduce to you is easy, healthy and tastes scrumptious!

Step One: 

Grab a household blender or the Nutribullet.

Step Two:

Grab a big handful of spinach and stuff it towards the bottom. What is spinach NOT good for? Spinach needs to be in your daily diet. Spinach is high in fiber and a great source of iron. Spinach is high in vitamin A which helps to provide flawless hair and skin.

Step Three:

Throw in one banana. No matter what smoothie I am making, I almost always throw in a banana. They are high in potassium and truly help me with cramps more than any food out there. There are many more health benefits to bananas as well.

Step Four: 

Throw in 1 cup of raspberries (frozen or raw). I like to buy frozen because they go in the place of adding ice to your smoothie and it's cheaper to purchase. Raspberries are my absolute favorite fruit. Raspberries are low in calories and fat and high in fiber. This power packed fruit helps to fight depression as well as other mood disorders. Basically you should eat Raspberries daily because they are that awesome.

Step Five:

Add 1/2 cup to 1 cup of Unsweetened Blue Diamond Almond Breeze Milk. This milk is low in calories and tastes amazing!

Step six:

Squeeze one full lemon. Lemons provide immune-boosting powers and can even help weight loss because of it's liver cleansing, digestive aid benefits. 

Step Seven: 

Add one spoon-full of Chia Seeds. I buy Simple Truth brand. Any brand is okay! Chia seeds are an excellent source of fiber, omega-3 fatty acids and protein. Chia seeds help to fight belly fat!

Step Eight:

Add one-two spoon-fulls of flax seed. Any brand works for this as well. Flax seed is an excellent source of fiber and is amazing for your skin and hair. There are many other health benefits from flax seeds as well.

Step Nine: 

Add desired amount of your favorite protein powder. Make sure you read into how much protein powder you should add to your smoothie. Adding too much protein to your meal when you aren't working out can be something you want to watch out for! My favorite protein powder is GNC's 100% Whey Isolate. Isolates are virtually fat-free for those wishing to eliminate some fat from their diet.

Step Ten:

Blend and enjoy!

More smoothie recipes soon!

Dress With Jenny: The Sequined Blazer

Some people might only like to incorporate sequins into their wardrobe around the holidays, specifically New Years Eve. I beg to differ. Sequins are like accessories and can always be incorporated into your outfit if worn correctly.

I have paired my sequined blazer with a silky blue crop top and black high-waisted dress shorts. For shoes I chose to throw on my black ankle boots. For accessories I incorporated a gemstone statement necklace. This look is perfect for a night out on the town.

{Links Below}

• Gold Sequin Blazer - Nordstrom (Sold Out) Similar here & here.
• Shine On Sleeveless Crop Top - Forever 21 
• Paneled High-Waisted Shorts - Forever 21
• Black Ankle Boot - Target (N/A) Similar here & here
• Gemstone Statement Necklace - Francesca's (N/A) 

Dress With Jenny: Plaid & Leather Weather

Two staple items that you always want to have in your closet are a pair of leather leggings/pants and a plaid shirt. When you pair the two together, you get a street style look that is always a winner. If you don't own a pair of leather pants, I urge you to go out and buy a pair tomorrow because they are so versatile. So you aren't a biker or a rockstar, (even though you ARE a rockstar) who cares! You need a pair in your wardrobe!

In my OOTD I have paired my plaid and leather with a pair of combat fashion boots and a gemstone bib necklace. To add some glam to this edgy look, I painted on my red lips and called it a day. Leather and red lipstick are always a wild perfection in my book. Don't be afraid to try something new and be bold in your wardrobe! Remember, you ARE a ROCKSTAR! 

{Links Below}

• Plaid shirt - Forever 21 {Similar HERE}
• Faux leather leggings - Forever 21 {Similar HERE,HERE,HERE}
• Fashion combat boots - H&M {Similar HERE,HERE,HERE}
• Gemstone bib necklace - Forever 21 {ONLY $9.80!}