Follow me at www.larueneuve.posterous.com
I've Moved!
Follow me at www.larueneuve.posterous.com
Gray Skies
It is so much easier to blog when the weather cooperates.
Sigh.
Weekend Travels
Jacket - Line / Shirt - Michael Stars / Skirt - Thrifted /
Shoes - Boutique 9 / Necklace - Banana Republic
Work - Play - Recess - Nap
Sometimes I think that my yoga instructor can read my mind. Time and again, I show up to class on Saturday morning and during our savasana, she speaks words of truth directly relevant to what I am experiencing in that very moment. I am so grateful to her for that.
Jacket - Vintage / Cami - Ella Moss / Jeans - Banana Republican /
Necklace - Vintage / Shoes - Michael Kors
Overwhelmed is a significantly understated qualification for my state of mind for the past week or so. I just have so much on my plate right now and am honestly handling it very poorly. Unfortunately, this is fairly typical of me. Work and school are always my first priorities. I never take time to play. I refuse myself the opportunity to have recess. And I find a use for every possible waking minute, never taking a moment to actually rest until I crash every evening. Healthy, right? This past Saturday morning, as my weekend was just getting started, my yoga instructor thankfully gave me (well, I suppose it was meant for the whole class) a recipe for a productive, yet stress-free, day. I put it to work this past weekend and wouldn't you know that I actually got everything accomplished AND felt infinitely more positive about life in general!
Work - I had a ton of school work to get done this weekend and succeeded in doing all of it. I finally feel caught up. Interestingly, last week I did nothing but work and got very little done. I also was incredibly stressed out and frustrated.
Play - I played a lot this weekend. I participated in events held by both the DC Independent Film Festival and the DC Environmental Film Festival. I also went to dinner with friends a couple of times and to two yoga classes.
Recess - On Saturday, I took a break from studying and finished a completely pointless but utterly fascinating book that has been on my bedside table for a month. On Sunday, I walked over to a friend's house and enjoyed a couple of glasses of wine and good conversation in their front yard. It was such a beautiful day to be outside!
Nap - I napped. I napped a lot. And it was glorious. I took a long nap on Saturday afternoon and on Sunday morning I allowed myself to fall back asleep several times before getting out of bed.
It might seem like I was rather unproductive this weekend. To me in particular. I rarely give myself the opportunity to do anything but work and occasionally play. I certainly need more playtime in my life. But perhaps more importantly recess and naptime need to become a regular part of my day too. I'm going to work on this. If anything, this weekend proved to me that I can have a more-or-less balanced schedule and still accomplish the things that must get done for work and school. Go figure.
Jacket - Vintage / Cami - Ella Moss / Jeans - Banana Republican /
Necklace - Vintage / Shoes - Michael Kors
Overwhelmed is a significantly understated qualification for my state of mind for the past week or so. I just have so much on my plate right now and am honestly handling it very poorly. Unfortunately, this is fairly typical of me. Work and school are always my first priorities. I never take time to play. I refuse myself the opportunity to have recess. And I find a use for every possible waking minute, never taking a moment to actually rest until I crash every evening. Healthy, right? This past Saturday morning, as my weekend was just getting started, my yoga instructor thankfully gave me (well, I suppose it was meant for the whole class) a recipe for a productive, yet stress-free, day. I put it to work this past weekend and wouldn't you know that I actually got everything accomplished AND felt infinitely more positive about life in general!
Work - I had a ton of school work to get done this weekend and succeeded in doing all of it. I finally feel caught up. Interestingly, last week I did nothing but work and got very little done. I also was incredibly stressed out and frustrated.
Play - I played a lot this weekend. I participated in events held by both the DC Independent Film Festival and the DC Environmental Film Festival. I also went to dinner with friends a couple of times and to two yoga classes.
Recess - On Saturday, I took a break from studying and finished a completely pointless but utterly fascinating book that has been on my bedside table for a month. On Sunday, I walked over to a friend's house and enjoyed a couple of glasses of wine and good conversation in their front yard. It was such a beautiful day to be outside!
Nap - I napped. I napped a lot. And it was glorious. I took a long nap on Saturday afternoon and on Sunday morning I allowed myself to fall back asleep several times before getting out of bed.
It might seem like I was rather unproductive this weekend. To me in particular. I rarely give myself the opportunity to do anything but work and occasionally play. I certainly need more playtime in my life. But perhaps more importantly recess and naptime need to become a regular part of my day too. I'm going to work on this. If anything, this weekend proved to me that I can have a more-or-less balanced schedule and still accomplish the things that must get done for work and school. Go figure.
Be Gentle with Yourself
I have learned so many unexpected life lessons from meditation as I have furthered my practice. I am still learning and am by no means an expert but every sitting teaches me something new. The chatter is surprisingly not my biggest obstacle. Of course, there's chatter - still much more than I'd like to admit - but my biggest obstacle is my reaction to the chatter. As soon as I recognize that my mind has strayed, I begin berating myself for once again not being able to completely release. Ironic, no? I am so harsh with myself and it's unfair and unproductive. It was after a group sitting that I did a couple of weeks ago that it came to me. Be gentle with yourself. The chatter is not ideal but I'm not perfect and eventually I'll be able to ignore the chatter. I will get to that point. So in the meantime be gentle.
Jacket - aryn K. / Sweater - Splendid / Tuxedo Tank - Wilt / Harem Pants - F21 / Boots - Dolce Vita
It wasn't until yesterday that I realized that I should begin applying this same attitude to other parts of my life. A friend and colleague emailed me with questions regarding my diet and ways to be healthier. I still think it's funny that people come to me with these questions considering I fail at being healthy much more than I am successful. In my response, I finished by telling her that my rules are just guidelines that have helped me be more conscious of what I'm eating. They are not meant to make you feel bad about yourself if you don't follow them. I told her to be gentle with herself.
I just finished up a class for my master's program and will begin another on Monday. I got my final grade back: 95. Good but it's not a 96 - what I would consider a high A. I was home alone that night and my stomach began knotting up as I sat on the couch with disappointment. No, I didn't get the grade I wanted. But I got a very good grade. I should have been more gentle with myself.
Growing up, I learned the power of positive and negative self-talk the hard way. I had to learn to consciously reverse negative thoughts about myself in order to calm my nerves and feelings of panic. But I still have a hard time being gentle - to my mind, body and soul. But am I not worthy of a little tenderness? Aren't we all?
Being gentle with yourself isn't the same as making excuses. Continue to work hard and continue to set goals. But when you fall short of those goals, remind yourself that it really is okay in the grand scheme of things. That you will try again next time and that next time is just as good as this time. Chatter doesn't just exist when one meditates. We are always chattering to ourselves and more often than we realize the chatter is hurting our selves. You are worthy of being good to yourself as much as you are worthy of others being good to you.
I will continue my meditation practice and will one day be able to ignore the chatter altogether. A 95 is a really good grade and a point lower than what I expected is a small price to pay for the nights I took off from studying to spend with loved ones. And it was a genuine mistake that I forgot to ask for no mayo on that vegan sandwich I tried to order a couple of days ago. There's always next time and in the meantime, I tried. And that's good enough.
Be gentle with yourself.
Jacket - aryn K. / Sweater - Splendid / Tuxedo Tank - Wilt / Harem Pants - F21 / Boots - Dolce Vita
It wasn't until yesterday that I realized that I should begin applying this same attitude to other parts of my life. A friend and colleague emailed me with questions regarding my diet and ways to be healthier. I still think it's funny that people come to me with these questions considering I fail at being healthy much more than I am successful. In my response, I finished by telling her that my rules are just guidelines that have helped me be more conscious of what I'm eating. They are not meant to make you feel bad about yourself if you don't follow them. I told her to be gentle with herself.
I just finished up a class for my master's program and will begin another on Monday. I got my final grade back: 95. Good but it's not a 96 - what I would consider a high A. I was home alone that night and my stomach began knotting up as I sat on the couch with disappointment. No, I didn't get the grade I wanted. But I got a very good grade. I should have been more gentle with myself.
Growing up, I learned the power of positive and negative self-talk the hard way. I had to learn to consciously reverse negative thoughts about myself in order to calm my nerves and feelings of panic. But I still have a hard time being gentle - to my mind, body and soul. But am I not worthy of a little tenderness? Aren't we all?
Being gentle with yourself isn't the same as making excuses. Continue to work hard and continue to set goals. But when you fall short of those goals, remind yourself that it really is okay in the grand scheme of things. That you will try again next time and that next time is just as good as this time. Chatter doesn't just exist when one meditates. We are always chattering to ourselves and more often than we realize the chatter is hurting our selves. You are worthy of being good to yourself as much as you are worthy of others being good to you.
I will continue my meditation practice and will one day be able to ignore the chatter altogether. A 95 is a really good grade and a point lower than what I expected is a small price to pay for the nights I took off from studying to spend with loved ones. And it was a genuine mistake that I forgot to ask for no mayo on that vegan sandwich I tried to order a couple of days ago. There's always next time and in the meantime, I tried. And that's good enough.
Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder
First of all, allow me to apologize to those of you who thought that I fell off the face of the earth and were genuinely concerned. Please do follow me on Twitter (@larueneuve) where I post daily nonsense about my very ordinary life.
Secondly, thank you to those who emailed me, commented and wrote on my Facebook wall, asking me to continue posting. Not gonna lie - it's nice to be missed. And yet, it was also nice to take a break. I didn't really have a reason for stopping; it just sort of happened. I'd plan outfits and then fail to get pictures. Or I'd go a week wearing only blanket-like, black layers. As any style blogger knows, winter is simply not conducive to style blogging. But today I woke up early and the sun chose to do the same. I also have this fabulous vintage Vivienne Westwood jacket that I have been dying to share. And let's face it, no one in my real life would appreciate it appropriately. So, here I am. Blogging again. And it feels good.
Jacket - Vintage Vivienne Westwood / Skirt - French Connection / Shoes - Steve Madden
I left off just before Thanksgiving intending to write a post about what I am grateful for. Let's just say that I have so much to be grateful for that it took me three and a half months to process it. That actually isn't far from the truth. Gratitude has been on my mind a lot lately. I read through my posts the other day and it struck me how much has changed in three short years. How many prayers have been answered. And I am so grateful to the Universe for listening.
Almost six years ago, I revealed to a counselor that I was profoundly unhappy with the person I had become. Her response was perhaps the most powerful thing anyone has ever said to me. She simply asked me who I wanted to be. Her point was that you will always be unhappy with where you are unless you have an idea of where you want to be. You must have something to work toward. Although my response that day was tainted with age-appropriate immaturity and naïveté, its core was this: I wanted to be confident and content. Who knew that six years later, my own prophecy would self-actualize.
I take credit for the things that I have achieved in my life. I am often told to thank supernatural beings - "God" - for success but let's face it, I put in the time, the effort and the tears. I can take credit for them. However, I would be lying to myself if I couldn't recognize that many prayers have been answered, that the coincidences in my life were far too coincidental to be anything other than designed. My hard work has made me confident and the Universe has graciously given me the gift of fulfillment.
Simply put, I am grateful for answered prayers and beautiful souls. Including all of you. Thanks so much for reading.
Secondly, thank you to those who emailed me, commented and wrote on my Facebook wall, asking me to continue posting. Not gonna lie - it's nice to be missed. And yet, it was also nice to take a break. I didn't really have a reason for stopping; it just sort of happened. I'd plan outfits and then fail to get pictures. Or I'd go a week wearing only blanket-like, black layers. As any style blogger knows, winter is simply not conducive to style blogging. But today I woke up early and the sun chose to do the same. I also have this fabulous vintage Vivienne Westwood jacket that I have been dying to share. And let's face it, no one in my real life would appreciate it appropriately. So, here I am. Blogging again. And it feels good.
Jacket - Vintage Vivienne Westwood / Skirt - French Connection / Shoes - Steve Madden
I left off just before Thanksgiving intending to write a post about what I am grateful for. Let's just say that I have so much to be grateful for that it took me three and a half months to process it. That actually isn't far from the truth. Gratitude has been on my mind a lot lately. I read through my posts the other day and it struck me how much has changed in three short years. How many prayers have been answered. And I am so grateful to the Universe for listening.
Almost six years ago, I revealed to a counselor that I was profoundly unhappy with the person I had become. Her response was perhaps the most powerful thing anyone has ever said to me. She simply asked me who I wanted to be. Her point was that you will always be unhappy with where you are unless you have an idea of where you want to be. You must have something to work toward. Although my response that day was tainted with age-appropriate immaturity and naïveté, its core was this: I wanted to be confident and content. Who knew that six years later, my own prophecy would self-actualize.
I take credit for the things that I have achieved in my life. I am often told to thank supernatural beings - "God" - for success but let's face it, I put in the time, the effort and the tears. I can take credit for them. However, I would be lying to myself if I couldn't recognize that many prayers have been answered, that the coincidences in my life were far too coincidental to be anything other than designed. My hard work has made me confident and the Universe has graciously given me the gift of fulfillment.
Simply put, I am grateful for answered prayers and beautiful souls. Including all of you. Thanks so much for reading.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Congratulations to my cousin, Lauren, for winning the fill-in-the-blank! There were a couple of people who got one or two wrong but came soooo close. Thanks to those who participated! Here are the correct answers.
1.) A trip to his hometown
2.) The Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear
3.) Computer
4.) All is well in the world.
5.) My final semester paper
6.) Lobby
7.) 10
8.) Over-the-knee socks
9.) 5 a.m.
10.) Black skinny pants
I hope everyone has an amazing Thanksgiving and I'll be sure to post what I'm thankful for in the next few days. Until then, happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy time spent with friends and family. And go ahead - have that second piece of pie. :) I'm so excited - it's officially the holidays!
Kimono - purchased from a boutique in Old Town Alexandria that resells items made from all over the world / Tee - Old Navy / Leggings - Hue / Boots - Kelsi Dagger / Necklace - no idea...
1.) A trip to his hometown
2.) The Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear
3.) Computer
4.) All is well in the world.
5.) My final semester paper
6.) Lobby
7.) 10
8.) Over-the-knee socks
9.) 5 a.m.
10.) Black skinny pants
I hope everyone has an amazing Thanksgiving and I'll be sure to post what I'm thankful for in the next few days. Until then, happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy time spent with friends and family. And go ahead - have that second piece of pie. :) I'm so excited - it's officially the holidays!
Kimono - purchased from a boutique in Old Town Alexandria that resells items made from all over the world / Tee - Old Navy / Leggings - Hue / Boots - Kelsi Dagger / Necklace - no idea...
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