Sprinkles and Booze

Snowy nights and great conversations.

| Self Lovin'

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So, i’m snowed in on a Saturday night. It can sound like a dream to some and a nightmare to others. I took it upon myself sit alone and have a mini proper freak out about my life being a late 20 something. It comes with the territory.

This mini freak out and some great conversation with others made me realize something. If I am complaining and freaking out about the same exact things I was say…a month ago, am I only attracting what I fear to myself? After a month, am I just whining and freaking out for the sake of doing so? I’ve been taught that you receive what you think about the most and i’ve had living proof of this over and over within my life.

My fears all lie within the fact that I am living my dreams. I am shooting for the stars blindly and ready to work my ass off. I am sure it sounds exciting from the outside but trust me, it’s terrifying. I am in love with the direction my life is going in but at the same time, it’s like jumping into the ocean without knowing how to swim.

Instead of whining, I WILL get off my bum and make my life completely worth living. Why should I stress and worry about failure when I should be excited about the life in which I am desiring. I will have the career I desire, I will travel and make new exciting friends while making new adventures with old friends, I will help others realize their worth and how beautiful and action packed the world really is. I want to live my life waking up daily and smiling at myself in the mirror because life is wonderful and worth it.

We all can live exactly the way we want right now. There are no excuses. Fear is an asshole and don’t let it get in the way of what you desire. Manifest the very best for yourself because you are the most stunning. Your energy continues to make the world wonderful in dark times and all of the time.

Keep shining my little bunnies,
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“We’ve got all the shine we need to find”

| Goals, Goals, and more Goals, Life, Self Lovin', Style-Nerdgasm

 

I have always been known as a ‘curvy’ girl. I developed my curves at a very young age (around like 11 or 12) and back then I hated them. I didn’t want to grow up. I wanted to play with Barbies forever and always be a kid. The idea of ‘becoming a woman’ was never exciting for me.

Once I realized that I couldn’t stop science and I could no longer go without wearing a bra, I accepted my body for what it was until about High School where my weight went up and down. I was surrounded by girls struggling to stay as thin as possible and I myself never had that body type. In my early 20s, I think I lost myself almost completely. I wasn’t fully happy with my appearance. I had negative voices coming from all angles in my life. Literally. Family members, guys I have dated, so called friends, it was all around me.

I personally didn’t come out of the fog until about 3 year ago. I have always loved fashion and the world of modeling. Like I mentioned yesterday, I have always been one to love being photographed. I never thought I would have a shot at possibly living my dream as a model since I love food and will never weigh 10 pounds. After being approached at the mall by a woman asking me if I modeled three years ago, I went on a journey for finding fiercely real girls like myself in fashion. In this journey, I discovered Gabi Fresh.

Photo from Gabi Fresh 

Gabi blogged about being full figure, loving fashion and loving who she is. It was the first time I saw someone be so open and candid about their life and struggles. It was lovely and cleared up my fog. Since I discovered this wonderful woman, I have been overwhelmed with inspiration. She knows how to market herself and the idea of loving yourself. To top it all off, her style is on point!

Finding Gabi by the powers of the internet has triggered a bunch of other great things within my life. The past couple years I have developed a confidence I have never had in my life. That might come as a shock to a lot of people that know me personally because even though I know I am the bomb.com I still have moments of self doubt. One of my major life goals is complete self love and to help others realize that we all have this amazing shine within us. Media, negative words and energy prevents us from knowing how radiant and brilliant we all are.

I decided to share some of this with you guys today because today I am starting a 14 day cleanse (Colorado Cleanse). It’s sort of a chance to give my liver a break of all of the holiday drinking and also reconnect with the universe on a spiritual and physical level. If what I said was just too hippy for you, it’s a chance to not be a total asshole to my body for a little bit in hopes that some of the healthy habits stick in the long run.

In order to properly begin a cleanse, you mentally need to be ready to do so. You need to begin the journey with a positive self image and why you’ve decided to move forward in the process. I like to start out by thinking about all of the things my body CAN do. I never go into a cleanse thinking about what my body isn’t but more about the positive that IS my body. I typically go about doing this by making a list of all of the positive things about myself. I make sure not to include physical traits in this list because it’s about the good within myself. Remember kids if you’re beautiful on the inside, you’re beautiful on the outside. Beauty is always a state of mind and not a state of body.

Another way to prep for everything in life is developing a positive circle of friends. I have said it before and probably never will stop saying it. I can not stress how much this has changed my life. I continue to develop stronger and more positive people in my life because like attracts like. Having a kick ass team of positive people is such a major and quick way to get to your mindset in gear to dominate the world.

If you’re going to do a cleanse of any sort, you definitely need to hit the off button to any negative voices within your head. Mute (and completely get rid of) the voices that are telling you that you’re a bad person or you’re not good enough. These ideas more than likely were put there by other influences and are not genuine. Become more critical about the messages you’re getting all around you. Whether it be something someone said to you or within media. That positive shine is within us, we just need to not taint it with others bullshit.

One final cleansing tip that I can give is occupy yourself. Stop worrying about the fact that you’re cleansing and what you’re missing out on because in reality you’re gaining. You’re doing something amazing for yourself and in the long run this will pay off way more than that donut you’re not having. Occupy your time with the projects you’ve been putting off or developing a new hobby. If you’re distracted by something positive, you will benefit more from the cleanse and it is serving it’s purpose.

Don’t fear the cleansing, be one with the cleansing. How do you feel about cleanses?

Eating a apple and excited about it,

Latanya Rene

P.S. Happy December! Being that some believe the end is near, I have made a playlist for us to all dance to until we can point and laugh in those people’s faces! Enjoy!

Welcome to the end of the world 2012 from latanyarene.barrett on 8tracks Radio.

This used to be a fun house but now it’s a sad house.

| Life, Self Lovin'

Sadhouse by Sam Rennocks

Somewhere down the line, most of my guy friends decided I was the go to female to ask about relationships. I don’t know if it’s because I like superheroes and zombies, but my opinion definitely matters to my dude-bros.

Lately there has been an overwhelming number of guys that are having women issues in my life. I don’t know if it’s something in the air or if women are getting crazier but a lot of nonsense has been taking place. I mean complete nonsense! Chicks getting back with their guys only to mess with their heads, asking to go to fancy restaurants with no intentions of being with the guy, the list is endless and not unheard of. Us ladies tend to have evil moments but it doesn’t make it okay.

Being that I am female, I do love being spoiled and attention but I also like to be an equal. For the countless amount of times that I have heard a woman talk about how a guy is an ‘asshole’, we need to also take note of our actions and intentions.  That guy has probably dated and had shit experiences in the past and expecting history to repeat itself. This is what leads the guy to be said ‘asshole’. Or he could be an actual asshole and in that case, keep it movin’!

The largest bit of advice I can give anyone, male or female is COMMUNICATE. When you are hiding things, and not being honest, and plotting and just carrying on with complete fuckery it’s not benefiting you. Just because someone bought you an expensive gift or meal, that doesn’t define you or make you a better person. Talk about how you feel about the person (or don’t feel about the person) and find that person that suits you. It’s about complimenting one another not completing one another.

Really love zombies,

Latanya Rene

Envy killed the Elephant : Part II

| Life, Self Lovin'

Photo by LiLou 

When I think of jealousy, I tend to think of evil queens and witches in fairytales. That evil queen would have never poisoned Snow White unless she wasn’t completely jealous. I now bring you the follow up on my rant about jealousy in which I began last week. I feel like a lot of folks hold on to things that are completely out of their control (and sometimes within their control). I hope these tips in which I use are helpful. There is nothing more troublesome than letting negative fester.

We are trained to be competitive. To always have the best, biggest, and greatest. Because this is something we are taught very early on, it’s hard not to compare ourselves to others. The reality is everyone has flaws. How many times have you hung out with someone you thought ‘had it all’ and realized that person has a lot of hidden struggles themselves? Most of these ‘perfect’ people have perfected the concept of hiding their flaws. Instead of worrying about what you don’t have, worry more about your positive traits. What do you bring to the table? What skills do you have? How awesome is your collection of comic books or fashion magazines? Once you bring the attention back to the positive, your confidence typically will grow. That positive energy will assist with manifesting other great things that you’re longing for. You’re sure to get fantastic results.

You can’t have jealous feelings without the assistance of someone else. With that said, a lot of angry jealous energy comes from a lack of making yourself happy. That might sound completely nuts but when you think about it, if you’re looking for attention from someone else it’s possible you can fill that ‘need’ on your own. Take a look at yourself for a moment. What is  making you feel as if you need that other person to make you ‘happy’? It could be as easy as doing an activity that makes your happy. Always look at your true intentions and what will really make you giddy like cray-cray happy.

Do the complete opposite of what a jealous person would do. When you feel jealousy taking over, don’t assume, give the silent treatment, slash tires, throw things, angry text, drop obscure and sarcastic hints, Facebook/Twitter stalk, send horrible things to their house, throw out their belongings, or give them things baked with poison. Try what a trusting sane person would do instead. If you’re upset because your friend is hanging out with someone else, recommend a good place to eat or a great movie that just came out. If someone else gets the job that you want, be nice instead of being sneaky. Congratulate the person and offer to help them be successful. Only good things can come from this! The more good you put into the universe the more good will come to you. Obviously, you have to mean what you’re saying so stop being a jerk. Envy is an ugly beast…no one wants to be an ugly beast.

Photo by Evie L. Wray 

Recognize the bitch that is paranoia. Jealousy causes you to react to a fantasy scenario that’s all in your mind. Stick to the positive fantasies, those tend to have better outfits and a way better outcome. The bad things you’re making up in your head may never come to play. If they do, shit happens! You’re a tough cookie and you can handle it. You should develop a great support system of friends and family. This support team of awesomeness will have your back and help you move on to be a better person.

Don’t lose sight of your feelings. Always, always, always listen to your gut but if you start feeling jealous, your emotions are telling you something is happening. Something that you’re simply just not okay with and that’s fine. Figure out what the real issue is behind these feelings and most of the time you’ll realize what needs to be corrected to make you feel better. Ultimately, jealousy is a fear-based behavior. What you can end up doing is creating a situation where bad things could happen. You think negative, you bring negative. It is science and it’s also ironic.  

Working to never be an ugly beast,

Latanya Rene

 

Inspiration is naturally in our DNA.

| Goals, Goals, and more Goals, Life, Self Lovin'

Photo by Femke

Being that I am a creative person and have worked in many creative fields, I have always found inspiration to be a moody beast. A lot of people seem to believe it always shows up when you don’t need it but, when you do need a few kisses from the inspiration fairy, she runs away screaming.

Over the years, I made it a personal goal to always have little inspiration nuggets throughout my daily life. Every now and again, I have giant bursts of inspirational days and sometimes even weeks. This past weekend is my most recent example.

Friday started a little rough honestly but ended with some great conversations with the lovely Femke. Femke and I met last month but our friendship blossomed rapidly. We began speaking via the interwebs before going to the Blogcademy . From what I recall, our first conversation was basically “Hey! I am excited! Are you excited?” followed up by “I’m nervous!” to “OMG! I’m excited.” . We had the pre-awesome workshop jitters that’s for sure.

When Femke and I started speaking, I had a bunch of blog ideas and a lot of hope in my heart. She was a little more proactive than I was and had a blog up and running. And a brilliant one at that! This girl can make magic with a camera and I instantly was bitch slapped by the inspiration fairy. Since we began speaking, we have been bouncing ideas back and forth off of one another, to the point where I am rather sure I either need to move to Europe or she needs to get her bum to the U.S. of A.

Friday, we decided that we want to help keep each other on track with our personal goals, while collaborating with one another since we work so smashingly together. I’ve been overwhelmed with ideas since this conversation and keep coming across more radiant and vibrant inspirational events. From conversations to empowering events, this weekend can definitely go in my personal record books.

Photo by Femke

From time to time, I am asked what keeps me so inspired. Last night before I went to bed, I really thought about this. It was hard for me to break away from thinking about zombies since I had just watched The Walking Dead. But once I got brains off the brain, I made a list of things I do to keep myself inspired.

Here are a few things that might help you get punched in the face by the inspiration fairy:

♥ Pinterest! I personally feel that Pinterest came about for this reason. To inspire. I could easily spend hours on this site, but cut it down drastically. I try to go on when I am looking for extra inspiration, ideas, or have some down time. There are tons of great tidbits of inspiring DIY projects, photos, and quotes. Get your pin on!

♥ Read about something you typically would never want to. Yeah, I know that sounds strange but honestly, I find inspiration in the most random topics. The other day I was reading about soccer in the UK. Typically, I wouldn’t give a damn about any sport to be honest but reading the article triggered about 3 ideas I want to use for future projects. Also, gave me a chance to look at some hot photos of soccer players. It was a win/win.

♥Always do something out of your norm. One day while driving to work, take a different route. Just make sure to leave early enough in case you get lost. Which brings on another great tip…

♥ Get lost! Spend time getting lost and going on adventures. Most of my favorite places are ones I have discovered while walking about. When I want to escape or get inspired, I go to these places. They are like my little secret hideaways.

♥ Take photos. Most people have a phone with a built in camera. Take photos of things (daily if you can) that tickle your fancy. Something you want to remember and hold on to. Something you can look at and get inspired from. I am getting back into the habit of carrying around my actual camera with me. I would definitely encourage that you do the same, but can understand how it can be a pain. If this is something that you realize does work to help you get inspired, I would recommend getting a small pocket point and shoot camera.

♥ Take a cheap mini holiday. Go somewhere, even if it’s just for the weekend. With great sites like Groupon and Living Social, you can be on the look out for any good deals that come up. It’s a great way to recharge and get inspired.

♥ Listen to some new music. Spotify, Last.FM, and Pandora has a ton of great stations. It’s a great way to discover new music and build a new inspirational soundtrack to your life.

♥ Call up a friend! Call up that friend you know would always tell you that you have something in your teeth. You know that friend. Everyone has one. It’s one of the greatest ways to get motivated and move forward with your own personal goals. We are here to love and help one another.

♥ Get dolled up for no reason. Well, there is a reason to get inspired. I always feel MOST inspired when I know I look my best. Go get your nails done, your beard trimmed, or your face dolled up. If you look your best, you tend to feel your best. This is a sure way to get the inspirational juices flowing.

I could literally go on for days about my tricks for inspiration. I hope this short list was a bit helpful for when your inspiration fairy is PMSing.

How do you handle your inspiration blocks? What’s your inspiration fairy’s name? Mine is Musie.

Musie and I are going for a walk,
Latanya Rene