Cuffing Season is here again.. Where do you fit in?

 ..... Oh my , it's that time a year again where if you're newly single you are probably thinking that you don't want to go into the holiday season alone, singing the holiday blues and over eating at Thanksgiving. Before I dive in about relationships and how this season usually puts people in a funk , I want to share how this could be the year where you turn that frown upside down. 

......I remember before I got into a relationship, which by the way is going strong. I made sure that I went on a lot of dates during the holiday season because you never know who you may meet that you can carry into the new year. Oftentimes we are stuck in the old relationships that we never give ourselves the grace to shake off that feeling and go out there and live life. That sulking behavior is a thing of the past in my opinion and I feel like we should never waste our years and we have the ability to change the course of our lives if we want to.

Dating apps have come a long way and yes be aware to always take safe precautions meeting out in public and going on dates with a stranger. 

1. Date multiple people because dating is about getting to know who the other person is and along the way you end up learning about yourself.  We all don't have it figured out, so as you date different personalities you start cross things off your list of Dos & Don'ts.

2. Spice the dates up, try new activities with your potential date, Go out to a park for a walk (only if you've been on a few dates with the same person). If you're both nerds have a date at the library and peruse the isles and share your interest with each other.

3.  Be Summer Walker and don't become Taylor Swift, Enjoy a hot steaming night of sex if that is a mutual situation you both consented to. Cuffing season is about laying up in the house and cuddling but if you're not ready for that commitment then just keep it platonic and avoid the "Baby boy" syndrome

4. Get the idea out your head that the people you connect with is automatically available for relationships, sometimes that is not the case especially with the opposite sex. This is the time of year that the "Representative is highly vigilant"

5. Always have an ace up your sleeve when someone feels the need to waste your time, keep in mind if he is flirting with you but isn't making waves to do more, he's not trying to stick around after the first of the year. Listen to your gut and always go with your first mind.

.... Don't pressure yourself to get CUFFED this season, enjoy whatever comes your way and let all the cobwebs out ladies and Gents and enjoy this season.

 

Leveling up the quality on Vlogging : Iphone 14 upgrade

 Hey friends,

Hope all is really going great with you as you read yet another entry into my crazy diary.

Let's get right into it. So i did mentioned that I went full on updating my tech gear so that I can bring valuable content to the platforms I decided to use to get my social media footprint together. Instagram has really changed from just being a photo app and no following the trend like TikTok, and Youtube by pushing short form content to capture the audience attention in just a small amount of time. I have yet to master reels , posting on tiktok but I have figured out how to navigate my way through my Youtube channel.

Last August when i decided on this journey I only had my Iphone 12 pro with limited experience in editing and created aesthetically pleasing visuals. However even though I was limited with experience that did not stop me from doing research and learning how to create vlogs. Never would I have imagined that after a year and 100 subscribers + counting {manifesting 1000 subs and 4000 public watch hours} in order to meet the Youtube/Google adsense program so I can start making passive income along with all the other streams i have planned for the future.

After getting my first vlog up on Youtube my birthday was around the corner and my husband and son got me a new camera. I've shared this story early on in the blog, but long story short having a nice camera gave me the ability to improve my quality over quantity. I learned all the nice setting features on my camera and in doing so I was able to get  better at vlogging and creating nice content. Now I am not a pro but I have come a long way.

I just upgraded from my Iphone 12 pro to the 14 plus , I did loose a camera lens but the quality on this phone is so much better than my old phone and now I can get better quality clips or B-roll on the go if I don't have my actual Camera. Click the link to see my unboxing Iphone 14 plus unboxing

Self-Care: What it looks like to me

 

Good morning loves, 

               I hope everyone reading this blog is having a wonderful day like myself. It is Sunday and as usual we all reset on this day for the new week. I'm currently sitting in bed waiting for my husband to arrive back with coffee and a soufflee. It's how we start every Sunday Morning, with coffee and some kind of desert. This is our thing and I love every minute of it and I always look forward to these little moments because this has become a part of my SELF CARE routine. 

          I'll peruse the socials and set a limit of an hour, catch up on any youtube videos I want to watch and sift through tons of jobs recommended in my email. I'm currently on the hunt for a fully remote job. I have a very high stress career and I've learned how to have better work life balance by implementing these self care moments. So let's get into how self care looks like and how I change things to fit what's more important to me.

• a nice hot shower
• skin care 
• hair care
• clean the house make the beds
• plan Sunday dinner
• get out to the grocery store for bits and bobs
• infuse the entire living space with candles and scents
• write in my journal ( i'm intentional to keep this up weekly so I can keep on top of things)
• cook dinner
• sit on the couch and watch movie after movie

When my space is completely cleaned and my routines are completed my Sunday whine down is peaceful so that when the new week begins I can start stress free. 

What's your self care routine? 

P.s Don't forget to check out the youtube channel for vlogs and BTS footage.

Youtube channel

Instagram

Introducing my Etsy Shop-Olive Perth Stationery

 Hi World,

It's me, i haven't forgotten about the blog, its just that life truly has been taking over with all the non-existing hands i think i posses. 

I wanted to jump on here really quickly to give some life updates and to introduce my etsy shop https://www.etsy.com/shop/OlivePerthStationery?ref=seller-platform-mcnav. I started my first online shop that helps me get back in to my creative juices of being an author/creative. So currently i am working on some digital planners and notebooks. To get the shop started I have already listed two items to get those interested in digital planning and digital notebooks for Ipad and any tablet using goodnotes. 

Please check the link above and if you are looking to get a digital note book or planner I have two resonably priced items.

--- I got the macbook Air

---- I splurged on a new Gucci bag for my 44th birthday which was on September 10th

..... I upgraded my iphone to the 14

This year was truly one for the books and a lot of great changes occured. I fell more in love with my husband as he continues to bring me so much joy in this crazy world we live in. He has truly been my rock this year and I can't be more happy to share all my wins with him.

We are in need of a huge vacation but since the world is slightly on fire we will settle for a nice cabin in the woods in front of a lit fire.

Oh Yeah ,

Before I go 

Happy Fall

Tory Burch Totes perfect for returning to the office

 Even though I work from home most days I do travel into the office every other Wednesday to break up the monotony. Now that I’ve gotten into a rhythm of driving long distance for work and dealing with the hectic traffic I’ve gotten into the grove , it’s back to what do I take to the office now that things have changed. I’m mostly in sweats and a decent blouse in my upstairs office area. However heading back to my corporate office I have to dress the part again. 

I also realized that I don’t have a bag for work, in my previous job I always carried  a backpack provided by the company that had all the contraptions to hold all my tech equipment.  This new season in my life I want to project more of my feminine ability and in doing so I want to buy items that represents that. I purchaser the Tory Burch printed Ella Tote and I absolutely love it: https://www.toryburch.com/en-us/handbags/crossbody-bags/ella-printed-mini-tote-bag/88045.html

L'

This tote is to die for and it is very affordable in my opinion. You can purchase compartments to separate if need be but trust you’ll get you cost per wear. 

Mental health equals physical wealth

                          I’ve always felt that to get a better lifestyle change I needed to make sure I was mentally prepared for that change. Having health issues with diabetes and uterin polyps I’ve had it rough with hormones and emotions. Today I had my yearly exam and we brought up menopause and I realized that I was still isn’t fully educated on that stage of life and decided I wanted to blog about it. 

Diet and  exercise does play a great deal in dealing with that change of life especially when we hear about menopause middle, where women gain most of their hormonal weight in their midsection. So for all my women of color who are past 40, let’s breakdown menopause and what signs to look for so that you can discuss with your doctor in the future. 

My doctor told me today that my changes can come around the time my older sister has started out my mother. So my sister is a year older than I am and she’s peri-menopausal (.https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/perimenopause ). We’re never ready to face these things until we meet them in the middle of the road.Which is usually around the time when our physical health is in  jeopardy. I was told that unless symptoms presents itself don’t go looking for something, well that is not  accurate. 

If you allow your mind to be present at every age in your life your relationship with your body will be iTunes. You will know that  at age 35 you should request your doctor to just do a baseline mammogram so they have a record or history to go off of. Our medical history is extremely important and I don’t about you but I sometimes forget to mention concerns until after the visit. 

Our mental health will trigger either a positive or negative relationship without physical health. 

Ps. I had my mammogram this past Thursday and they saw something. Come back next week Thursday for updates.

Love Syn.

Finding my personal style by building a Capsule Wardrobe.

Let’s talk about fashion and personal styles. I did mention I wanted to work on myself but not only internally but the exterior. In the past few weeks I’ve been spring cleaning and donating every drab piece of clothing Irene in my closet so that I can’t start over. I know it’s not always financially sound to do a reboot and spend on a new look but this transition made me think strategically about achieving the goal of re-vamping my Wardrobe and ona budget. But how did I  go about doing that was the big question I had for myself. YouTube university helped me recognize my style and where I wanted to shop. Below I’ll breakdown what my personal style is, what’s a capsule wardrobe, why being fashionable isn’t necessary to look stylish and how I styled some of the pieces I picked up so far. So let’s jump right in.

 Do you know your personal style?

Having a personal style is unique to you and what makes you feel like your walking on cloud 9. My personal style has been lacking for decades, lol, I mean I wore the wrong fitted denim, oversized dresses that didn’t complement my shape and it was just awful . Somehow I still managed to try and create my own style with what I had. I knew I loved dresses and some skirts, but the denim was not where it was at for me. I had a tummy and I was constantly bloated so everything made me look pudgy, and I stop wearing jeans until recently. Since I started managing my diabetes through diet and exercise I lost a ton of weight, see the before and after below. Now after all the weight began to come off what do I do with all the oversized clothes in my closet. That’s where looking for my style began to transpire.

.

What  is a capsule Wardrobe? 

By definition  a capsule wardrobes is, “a collection of clothing that is composed of interchangeable items only to maximize the number of outfits that can be created.” I’ve included some mod boards with different capsule options. In my opinion, it can be created by color palettes, seasonal, trends and personal neeeds. For myself, I choose to start over with everything based on my weight loss. My inspiration came from YouTube influencers and different ideas searched on Pinterest. Once I figured out what I was looking for I began to build my new and improved wardrobe. It’s an on going process but I’m enjoying the process as it’s allowing me to reconnect with my personal style. 

. 

. 

..

.

 I’m not fashionable but I love fashion?

You don’t have to be  fashionable to love fashion, I’ve had this thing in my head that I’m order to love fashion I had to be fashionable, that’s not true. We’re all fashionable in our own right, some of us love vintage, modern, what’s on trend and others just aren’t aware of how to put outfits together after they’ve shopped for clothing. I was that girl. I knew what fashion trends were in, but no matter when I shopped I went back to the frumpy dark vibe because I was not seeing myself clearly. I couldn’t  see myself in these clothing, until finally I did. I knew what I liked to wear and all I had to do was start shopping for fashionable pieces and clothes that fit my body type. Now that was hard in the denim department, but it’s where you shop for good denim that will make you feel happy.

ps, if you want to see how this journey is going for me click the link below to my YouTube channel and follow along with me: 

Click the link to see my hauls: https://youtu.be/k.JXqrypoxnI

.

New Job , New Money what’s next

 Well hello there, I’ve been gone for a minute but I was trying to figure out this blogger life. So now that I’m back let’s chat and catch up on what I’ve been up to. So this new year’s plan was not to look for another job but to actually start up my retail jewelry business and hopefully quit and work for myself by June if this tear. Well that plan took a different turn and after . many prayers and pensive discussions with my therapist I revamped my resume and got the ball rolling. 

It’s been an entire month since I started my new job and a lot has transpired there in that front but I’m taking it in stride and hoping for the best. It’s always a learning curve when you started a new gig. However, I’m hanging in there and seeing where this will take me.

During these four weeks I have felt exhausted bad and depleted because I haven’t been able to mentally prepare for the podcast..  You know when you start something new it feels like  everything else takes a backseat, yeah that’s basically what happened. I was beating myself up because the perfectionist in me wants to be able to tackle everything on my list but in reality that’s not realistic. So I took sometime away from the podcast and promised myself that I would prioritize my plans and projects I can commit to giving content on all the platforms I’m dabbling in. Age defying obstacles will come as you go but it’s how your mindset develops that makes things go according to plan. 

I’m a firm believer that everything will work itself out but in the mean time organize your life sis. I bought a new iPad, I fell down the digital planner hold on Pinterest, and YouTube, I bought an expensive planner from Etsy https://www.etsy.com/listing/1083059014/2022-digital-planner-set-dash-planner?ref=yr_purchases click the link if you’re interested in joining me down this path. 

Journaling has taken a different approach for me and I find myself truly using this planner along with other Etsy items that helped me develop a connection between what’s to come for me as a content creator. Here’s a quick view of my April journal.

Ps Don’t forget to check out the YouTube channel and also to stay in touch with me follow me on my social media platforms.  Not TikTok because I’m still trying to figure that out.

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpEEz6V8rc736pb0rZDXe-g

www.Instagram.com/lifewithsyn_78

www.twitter.com/coyishwriter

Black women + Soft life

             Hello friends, I hope you've been doing well, lately I've been busy getting my chaotic life in order. It's taken me some time to figure out how to blog again. I used tumblr like most people before it went through some changes, But I currently like this platform.

        I have been interviewing for a new job since the beginning of 2022, several duds happened but I finally found one that was promising and i accepted the offer.. stay tune i'll tell you all about it in another post, but for now lets talk about this new "soft-life"/"Luxury" lifestyles that black Social Media influencers are channeling. 

    When you think of the words soft life you think of all the things that make your life easy, in my opinion. Like having a weekly or bi-weekly cleaning service to help with keeping your house clean. Clean spaces me me more productive. Being able to purchase luxury items knowing that you worked hard and earned every penny. Also being able to travel and handle your mental space better.

Last year we took a couples vacation, something we hadn't done in what felt like forever. Despite the country being lockdown we still made it to Ft. Lauderdale. 

    Ft.Lauderdale has become a favorite of mine. We enjoyed the best week ever just sitting out and doing absolutely nothing. I even got to wear a bathing suit, something that I shied away from for a long time. 
When a woman wants to live a soft life where she is meeting her needs and pleasing her wants that allows room for her to build and be creative. 

So ladies and Gents, if a soft life sounds appealing to you in this moment work to achieve that life that you want. i promised myself and my therapist that 2022 was dedicated to letting things flow. I have worked on planting seeds and this year all my flowers will bloom. I do have to tell you I never saw a new job in the vision board but I am happy with this detour.

until next time loves

Syn

Own your life at any age

               

   When I decided on this journey I knew not to beat myself up if i didn't get it right. Social Media can be a scary place for anyone especially for those who never moved past Facebook. I love social media and I have enjoyed using these platforms to help me share my work. I have shared my poetry on www.instagram.com/blu_sinclaire you can click the link to check it out. 

        After my last publication I took some time off to focus on another part of my life, myself. At 40, I was craving stability, not only in four walls, but stability in how I was treating myself. I bought my first house as a single woman in a state with no friends or family around. It didn't feel like I was making any mistakes, actually for the first time it felt right. 

       Then came Mr. Bigg, love came along at 42, and I was enamored by him and the way he made me feel. We fell into this lovely honeymoon stage and then the unthinkable occurred. Covid 19 happened and we quarantined together, these last two years have been the best romantically. 

        Now that I have decided to take charge of my life I am seeing things clearly. Where did I begin you ask? Well i began with a new wardrobe, got rid of old drugstore makeup and invested in some high end finds recommended by the YouTube gurus. Took charge of my health  by trying to monitor my diabetes and started a wellness journey. 

        You can't change one area and expect success all around. Take stock on your entire life and then go from there.

Oh an I am not only blogging here but I decided to create on Youtube to help me on this journey.

See you on the next post 💜

Luv Syn