Thursday, November 9, 2017

20 Things I Learned Before Turning 20

*via




Hello friends and happy Thursday!

It seems like just yesterday I was turning 19 and praying God would make it a good year. Some years have felt harder than others (18, I'm looking back at you), but overall, 19 was good. I learned a lot about myself, met some wonderful people, & have sensed myself starting to grow up a bit. Now, here I am, two decades of life down! At first, I dreaded turning 20. I've heard so many young women talk about how your 20's are full of insecurity and confusion because you're finally trying to figure your life out. In a few short years, I'll have to become a real adult (scary!). I thought I would share 20 things I learned before I turned 20 and maybe some of you can relate to these as well.

1. Even after the darkest night, the sun will always rise.

2. Time heals most things.

3. Forgiveness is a very powerful thing.

4. There will always be more than one bad phone call.

5. Everything happens for a reason, you just might never find out why.

6. When in doubt, write it out.

7. Reading a book is a good way to get lost.

8. Long walks/drives are important.

9. God gives you the people you need when you need them.

10. Always call your mom.

11. You can always go back home.

12. Find the people who challenge you + support you and make them your people.

13. Love with all of your heart, even if you get nothing in return.

14. Know when to put someone else's needs before your own.

15. But, self-care is sooo important.

16. Know your worth.

17. Know what you're willing to fight for.

18. Travel often.

19. Embrace change because it leads to growth.

20. Adulthood is inevitable! 


I hoped you enjoyed this post! Anything that you've learned before getting another year old?!

xoxo,

Carly 

Thursday, October 19, 2017

My Italian Adventures Part 2

Hello everyone and happy Thursday!
I am sooo looking forward to the weekend. This week has been pretty hectic with clubs + initiation but I am ready for some much need R&R this weekend!

I know it's been a long month overdue, but I am finally getting around to sharing all of my pictures from Italy with you. Milan was our first and last stop during our vacation in June. We flew into Milan this time and went back into town the day before our flight so we could explore some of the city. Unfortunately, my camera died but I was able to capture a few pictures!





Both of the first two pictures were taken at the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. It is absolutely breathtaking. It's home to some of the most high end stores in the world such as Louis Vuitton, Prada, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, and Chanel. There are store surrounding the exteriors of the galleria, including a little mall. Right when you step outside, you see the gorgeous cathedral. Leonardo da Vinci was one of the architects and it is very much Italian-Gothic style. It took nearly six centuries to complete and is the third largest cathedral in the world!! When we were there, they were setting up for fashion week and the stage is set up right beside the cathedral #goals. I finally understand why Milan is one of the fashion capitals of Europe. It reminded me so much of New York and everyone was very elegant and dressed to perfection. The city is full of art, culture, and rich history. I did not get to spend as much time there as I would have liked but I plan on going back!

I hope you all enjoyed these photos and stay tuned for my next post!

xx, 

Carly 


*©All photos were taken by me. If used, please give credit back to the source. 

Wednesday, October 18, 2017

October Inspiration Board

Hi friends and happy Wednesday!

In the past few years, I have become obsessed with making inspiration/mood boards. I have a pin board in my room that I pin stuff to from magazines, stickers, and I even have jewelry on it! I typically change out that board every season to help freshen it up and spark inspiration from the trends that are currently out at the moment. 






For October, I wanted to create a mood board to share with you all. October is one of my favorite months #Scorpioseason. The vibe to me is much more darker and neutral than September and if you know me, you know black is my favorite color! I knew I wanted to design this inspiration board with black in mind, adding some pops of gold here and there. I used all of these images from my Tumblr feed! Look out for my November inspiration board coming soon!

xx,

Carly 

Monday, September 11, 2017

My Italian Adventures Part 1

Hello, friends. It's been a while!
I hope everyone had a fantastic summer and is getting into the swing of things with the new school year. 

I wanted to finally share all of the photos I took while I was in Italy this summer. This was my second time going back and I could not have been more thrilled. We stayed in new places this time, for the most part. However, I enjoyed going back to the places we went to last time because I always notice different things that I had not noticed before!

On June 2nd, I boarded my flight from Charleston back home to Atlanta to meet my family and friends to hop on our flight to Milan. Almost everyone who went on the first trip to Italy came back to go on the second one, minus a few people and two new people, but we still had a blast. The flight from Atlanta to Milan was direct and about a 9 hour flight, plus 6 hour time difference (Italy is 6 hours ahead). Last time, we flew into Rome.  I was able to capture a photo of us flying over the Swiss Alps which was so cool. I had zero interest in skiing/snowboarding anymore but I would still love to see them in person!


I definitely preferred flying into Milan this time over Rome. Milan is in the northern part of the country and Rome is in the southern portion (it's also the capital.) Our main focus of this trip was to see the northern part of the country since we saw what we wanted to see in the southern part last time. There are still parts of Southern Italy I would love to see!

Our first stop: Lake Orta. 

Lake Orta is located Northwest of Milan. It's about an hour from the Switzerland border. Lake Orta and Lake Como are both in the northern parts of Italy but Lake Como is more touristy and known for celebrity sightings. Lake Orta is a little touristy but it's not overwhelming by any means. 




A monastery from centuries ago in the middle and the town surrounding it!



A few from one of our friends' clients home! They cooked us a homemade, Italian meal and it was the best food I've ever had. 




Overall, I highly recommend visiting Lake Orta! It was very beautiful, peaceful, and rich in history.  I'll be honest, there was not a ton to do in this city. It was more of a place to relax. We drove up to the mountaintop and walked around in a few older churches and observed the lake down below. 

I am going to be doing an Italian Adventures series where I will be posting all of my photos of the different cities we visited! 

Stay tuned and thanks for reading!

Carly


© Copyright 2017 Carly Mixon. All photos were taken by me. If reposted, please give credit back to the source. All Rights Reserved. 

Saturday, June 3, 2017

Skin Care Review

Hello friends and happy June! I can't believe we are already more than halfway through 2017. It truly does go by sooo fast but I'm thankful summer is here! About a month ago, I finished my freshman year of college! It's surreal to me to think that 1/4 of my college experience is over. I also moved to Charleston to work a summer job, which has been exciting + relaxing.

Today, I wanted to share what products I've been using on my skin these past couple of months. I changed my face wash after I noticed my skin was so dry and it felt time for a change. Along with face wash, I've been seeing an increase of toners + serums becoming popular. One of my new years resolutions was to find products that would help my skin look fresh while keeping its' youthfulness. I actually wrote an article on Spire & Co about the research I did on toners and serums. 



This rosewater spray is so popular and I can see why! It's a very refreshing scent + instantly wakes up your face. Sometimes, I spray this on before I wash my face and I use it to set my makeup as well. I like how this spray is multipurpose. Like I said, you can use it first thing in the morning, to set your makeup, or just give your skin a boost of hydration during the day. I will definitely be re-purchasing this product!


This orange cleansing soap is what I have been using on my face. It has a nice scent to it and it's very calm on my skin. I have eczema so my skin is crazy sensitive to anything I put on my face + body. I love that the bottle is very large; it's worth the money for how much product you're getting. I know this will last a while!


I don't know how I went through high school without this product. This toner is my ride or die! Not only does it remove the last bits of makeup, but this has cleared up my acne scars tremendously. I used to pick at my face in middle school (bad habit), and I had some red spots on the side of my face. I noticed that within a couple of weeks of using this, those spots had faded. They're not completely gone but the color has decreased! You only need the tiniest bit of product on a cotton ball or cotton pad. Use the product in a downward motion, don't go side to side or up and down!

xoxo, 

Carly 

Thursday, June 1, 2017

Do People Really Change?



It's the same old problem, over and over again; complaining to our mothers about boys who don't deserve us or talking to our girlfriends about why that guy isn't texting us back. It's our mothers asking us in concerned voices what do we see in him anyway to the calm, soothing tone of our girlfriends saying that he'll come around. But after the voices of our loved ones fade away, the ones in our head appear. Our right side of our brain battles our left side till the end, or at least until we experience another painful heartbreak by making the same mistakes.

There is always someone in our lives we wish would change. Whether it's to drink less or exercise more, there is going to be something that someone needs to change in their lives. Upon, reading the book "You Are A Badass" by Jen Sincero, I began asking myself, do people really change?  I've come to some harsh, yet crucial conclusions that I figured others needed to hear as well.

Humans Are Not a Light Switch
Inevitably, we are going to have bad days. We will have days where it feels like the world is against us and other days where the world is beside us. Having a bad day doesn't exempt you from having bad behavior. A person cannot be turned on one day and off the next. Someone cannot say they are going to change one day but go right back to doing the same thing they were before the next. Our behavior is constant and our attitudes and beliefs are constant. However, if you chose to think of a person as a light switch, consider this: no matter how long you leave the lights on, the bulbs will go out eventually. The person who is trying to change will break if they are under constant pressure from you about how much they need to change. Then you'll be left wondering why you didn't change it sooner.

Maybe People Can Change, but It Won't & Shouldn't Be For You
We all know that couple who breaks up and gets back together again a thousand times. "He says he's going to change his ways and become better for me" your best friend will say. So, you mean someone is going to automatically change the things you hate about them into things that make YOU happy? That's quite the commitment. However, what does the person you want to change gain from only making you happy? Nothing. People do not need to change for other people. People need to change for themselves. Remember, you are the one starring at yourself in the mirror everyday. You are the one living your life. Your willingness to get out of bed in the mornings needs to be because you want to better yourself everyday, not to please someone else who cannot accept you for the person that you already are.

Someone is Meant to Love That Person As They Are. It Just Won't Be You.
Often times, we build up how great someone is in our head. How they could do no wrong, how no matter how many times they ignore our calls and texts, they are still the fabulous person we think they are. Even after this same person has hurt us countless times, we still hold them to a higher standard than anyone else. I can recall numerous occasions that I've complained to my mother about someone in particular. She silenced my complaints with the simple questions, "What do you see in this person anyways? What long-lasting qualities do they have?" Her questions puzzled me but made me realize that I could not answer them honestly. Just because someone isn't perfect for you doesn't mean that they aren't perfect for someone else. The qualities that don't appeal to you may appeal to someone else. It's okay to realize that we aren't capable of loving everyone and not everyone is capable of loving us. Also, don't think that the person who is perfect for you will never come. Some say that what's meant for you will never pass you by.

Change Usually Evolves From Gut-Wrenching Experiences
I can remember the times in my life where I've experienced dramatic change better than I can recall what I ate for breakfast yesterday. That's because it changed me and well, my breakfast probably just made me bloated. Anyways, I've never met someone who's road for change and happiness was all flat with no bumps in it. Some roads go over mountains and some are just curvy. Unfortunately, some people will have to hit rock-bottom before they completely change their lifestyle. Not everyone will face something terrible for them to change, but usually the experiences that are the hardest transform you the most. I have learned more when I had nothing than when I had everything. I've never appreciated my life more than when I saw it in ashes versus when it was pieced perfectly together in a white dollhouse.

All in all, do people really change? Eh, I'm no psychologist, but they might after self-accessing and reaching that conclusion themselves. The bottom line is that, if you're waiting for someone to change, you're going to be waiting for a long time. You need to stop waiting. You need to let go of the person you thought they were and realize the person who is right in front of you. The kind of glorified change I'm talking about does not happen in a day or over drinks. It happens with the willingness to want to change to better yourself, your life, and your health. If we spent less time accessing the change that needs to occur in our people's lives instead of our own, that energy could be used to be more productive in our jobs, being nicer to our parents, and being a better friend.

"People often show their true selves early on, if you're paying attention." - me

Monday, May 1, 2017

Thinking Italy


I can't believe a month from now, I'll be on my way back to one of my favorite places in the world: Italy! This time, we will be traveling to Milan, Lake Orta, Verona, Venice and then Florence! Last time we made this journey, we visited Rome, Florence, Venice, Tuscany, Voltara, Pisa, Luca, and the Cinque Terre. I have been itching to go back to Italy for years now and I'm so happy I will be able too!





I hope you all enjoyed the wanderlust post! A little life update..I finish my freshman year of college this week! Where did the time go?!

Carly 
* all pictures are from Pinterest.