I know that New Year's resolutions are meant for the beginning of January, but studies show that most people don't follow through with their resolutions after February, so I am going against the odds and making my resolutions at the end of January.

I have always put "workout" and "eat healthy" on my resolutions list, but those are so vague and so not fun that I have decided to steer away from them. I personally love yoga, but hate cardio and strength training. I used to do HIIT everyday when I was riding horses, but it just turned into a chore that I did not enjoy. I also eat pretty healthy all ready, that I just need to tweak a few things and I'll be good on those. So I wrote real, accurate resolutions for me and maybe for you!

New Year's Resolutions for February Through Forever

• Stop drinking soda: pretty specific if you ask me! I should be able to do this pretty easily, considering I rarely drink soda. If I find myself needing a sweet treat, I'll just go to Drought and get myself a coconut shake or a raw juice. 

• Attend yoga classes more regularly: I currently take a yoga class when my schedule permits. Between work, church, and school; I don't have much time to take care of myself. So I have decided to use most of my free time to extend my yoga practice. 

• Take more risks: Ha, if you know me personally or just from my blog, you know I don't take many risks. This year is going to be designated the year of risks, so that means telling people how I feel about them, forgiving people, and just reaching out to people I have lost along the way.  
• Write way more that usual: I have been getting better at doing this, I just have zero inspiration currently. Maybe I need to fall in love or something, which leads me into my next one.
• Fall in love: not necessarily a person, maybe a poem or an aspect of nature. I mean a person would be great, but it doesn't have to be one! Currently in love with my dog and the veggie muffin I am eating, but I am not going to write a poem about either of those things. 

• Sleep more: I sleep like crap, so sleeping more and better would be a huge plus!
• Read a lot of books: I have been slacking on reading, so I am going to start that soon!! If this is on your list too, be on the look out for info regarding a book club Angela and I are starting!
• Make peace with your past: Get over that idiot you were in love with since you were 14, forget about stupid events that aren't relevant to your character, and just move on, please.
• Go phone free twice a month: NO phone for two whole days out of the month. That means NO phone at all! Do it, it is so freeing! 
• Forgive people who have wronged you: It never helped anyone when they held a grudge. Forgiving doesn't mean forgetting! Forgiving doesn't mean rekindling. 
• Volunteer more: I already volunteer in the middle school ministry at my church, but I'd love to help with mentoring or something along those lines. If children and youth aren't your thing, they have soup kitchens and community projects. 
• Live your life: For me it's senior year, which means soon I will be moving on to bigger and better things! So I should have some fun while it lasts, like making a short film this summer or road tripping to see some friends in different states. Fill your life with fun before you're a grown up!

Carry out some of your own resolutions or use mine for starters, you go this! Good luck!!

xoxo, Aubrey

excerpt from my journal no. 8

This is a piece of writing from my January writing challenge. I wrote it on Monday for Day 25: Talk about a color without saying color. I don't have much to say about this other than, thanks for Amanda who let me photograph her eyes, even though this isn't about her or blue eyes.

01/25/16

Day 25: talk about color w/o saying the color

his eyes are like the night sky during a storm,

the clouds over power the light of the moon

his eyes are a dark raging sea,

ready to sweep me away into their eerie depths

his eyes are a sweet abyss that 

i cannot help but fall into 

Thank you for the read! Hope you enjoyed! Remember to check out my January writing challenge, you still have time to get writing!! 

xoxo, Aubrey

twitter: @aubreysanne instagram: @mybabychai snapchat: auburnrider206 

trees on the beach

Were you mislead to believe that I was somewhere on the beach? Yeah me too, I wish I was on a beach somewhere.

Well this post is actually about Birch Box, because I love them and I wanted to share them with you!
I don't really know how to tell you all how much I truly love them, I enjoy their samples and their cute little boxes and everything about them.

I got my first Birch Box in December and I fell in love...with a box. I love all the products they sent me, especially the amika dry shampoo.

Then came January, where I got to pick one of the samples for my box, I picked a makeup primer. I also got a dry texturizing spray, a hair protectant, liquid eyeliner, and a face mask. I have had a chance to try everything, except for the face mask. So far my favorite sample is the makeup primer. This month's box came with stickers to personalize your box, I chose the sticker that said "risks" because I want this year to be the year of "living on the edge," if you ask me, that's a pretty good goal for me!

If you are interested in trying Birch Box, you can use my referral link and then you will be entered to win a beautyblender! I love Birch Box and I know that you will too!

love, Aubs

excerpt from my journal no. 7

This one is an oldie, but a goodie! I wrote this before spring break last year, when I had a horrible viral infection after going to two concerts in a row. I really love this poem and the emotion that it holds.

04/06/15

falling ill

i have recently fallen ill

and i don't know if it is because he left
or because the weather keeps changing
all i know is that my body aches for anything
but these white pills and nasal spray

it's like a windstorm that's so strong you keep falling over
or maybe lightning hitting you right in the chest
or it's like that time he left and you couldn't sleep on your back
because you could see his side of the bed

i don't quite care that i've eaten
every single type of soup the world has to offer 
or that i could cook you a million different dishes
because i've watched the cooking channel
for 5 days straight

the only way i think this illness would go away
is if you came back
and held me as i drank my tea with honey
and coughed my brains out

i wish you would rub my back
as i complained about being cold
or being fatigued
i just wish you'd come back

I hope you loved the emotional feelings this poem brought to you, I also hope that I can find some inspiration soon so I can write more quality poems like this one. 

xoxo, Aubrey

freedom from things

Today I cleaned my room for the sake (when I was writing this I read that as sake, like the Japanese alcohol lol) of a blog post. What has my life come to, I literally do everything for the sake (you read that as sake, the drink didn't you) of my blog and my viewers (cause I love you guys! Okay I need to stop using parentheses)!

Before I begin with my organization and cleaning tips, I am going to show you my nasty room before I cleaned it! 

I am so unorganized, like why do I have my birch boxes all over my desk or why do I have so many clothes on my floor?

The first thing I did to clean was make my bed, I read on Buzzfeed a while ago that you should make your bed everyday to improve your life, I don't know if it's a bunch of crap or not. But anyways, I made my bed, for once in my life. (I may or may not have danced while doing it)

After dancing to No Pressure by Justin Bieber and making my wonderful bed, I cleaned up my desk and put my dirty clothes in the hamper. I also recycled a bunch of random papers that I didn't need anymore, put some memories in my 2016 birch box that I converted into a memory box, and reviewed my blog planner/calendar. 

Tips:

• Get rid of it if you don't use it!
• Use a calendar
• Clean room = good mood
• memory boxes are amazing, make one! 
• JUST DO IT! (I mean clean, not workout. I'm not Nike) 

Just clean your room fam, you won't regret it! 

see you soon! xoxo, Aubs

freedom from others

Good friends, good books and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life. -Mark Twain

I started to write this post, but I felt like a hypocrite because I was going to tell you to get rid of people who don't serve a purpose in your everyday life. I love my friends and family and honestly wouldn't change them. I am very content with all the people and relationships in my life, therefore I felt like a hypocrite.

After a lot of thinking, I scratch my idea of telling you to get rid of people and changed up my philosophy...

To successfully get freedom from others, you should surround yourself with people that you enjoy being around and who pick you up when you are down. If someone is fun to be around, but is mean to you; they are not a good person to have in your life. If someone makes your life interesting and always has your back; they are probably a wonderful person to have in your life. 

 My friends are always there for me and are super fun to be around. I also have a lot of other friends and family that I didn't include in this post because I simply wanted to focus on these friends who don't normally show up on my blog. I kind of wanted to pay a little tribute to the wonderful people that I see everyday. I don't know what I would do without them. 

See you next week! Aubrey out!

excerpt from my journal no. 6

Here is a cute photo of the day I arrived in Pennsylvania to see Angela! 

For this journal excerpt I used a prompt from my January writing challenge; "letter to someone you love." I decided to write it to Angela because other than being my cousin, she is my best friend, sister, and partner in crime. 

01/05/16

Dear Angela,

This is pretty normal, considering we've been writing letters since we were little. I just want to thank you for being there for me through everything and also for putting up with all the annoying things I do. I am so happy to call you my cousin, best friend and twin. I don't know what I'd do without our summer even though they really lack the living on the edge thing. 

I can't wait for the future; the cafe, the cute apartment, and the maid of honor speeches. I don't know for sure what will happen in the future or who will be in my life; all I know is I don't want to live in any future without you by my side. I love you and the fact that no matter what we will always be family. 

love, Aubrey

freedom from myself

I often find that my head and my heart fight with each other. My head usually tell me to care about the way I am perceived, but my heart tells me to do everything I want to without worrying about the consequences. I have been struggling to let my heart win for sometime now.



This year I am striving to not let my stupid head control my heart, I want to "live on the edge" (Angela and I say this so much). I want my heart to encourage me to speak up and say what's on my mind. I want to tell cute boys that I think they're cute. I want to do so much stuff, that my head won't usually let me do.

I cannot wait to tell my head to shut up and finally listen to all my heart's wisdom. I cannot wait to share that journey with you!

items picture: tan tote bag, the 52 lists project, leather journal, daniel wellington watch, free people catalog, vita coco with lemonade, sunnies, button up shirt from h&m, free people cardigan, and now, now record. 

I hope you enjoyed! See you soon!

xoxo, Aubs

excerpt from my journal no. 5

Welcome to Aubrey's weekly journal excerpt, I hope you are prepared for this very mushy poem I am about to share.

12/27/15

attachment

i cannot help 

but be attached

dark hair,

always up for a surprise

bright eyes,

pulling me in

i cannot even leave, 

i cannot even try

I honestly haven't written a genuinely happy poem in SO long, so that was pretty shocking! I hope you enjoyed my sappy poem! I have a legitimate post for you coming Friday! See you super soon my friends!

xoxo, Aubs