the art of letting go

“let go of the parts of life that you honestly don’t want”

what a simple statement.  so elegant in its poignant conciseness.  yet how many of us really & truly embrace this concept?  whether it’s that ugly teapot from aunt mildred or a bad habit that’s compromising our health, letting go is hard.  we feel guilty.  we feel stuck.  we feel comfortable with the way things are…even if we know a change would serve us better.

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just think how freeing it would be if we rid ourselves of all the crap that is holding us back and weighing us down.  our cluttered closets, our addiction to junk food, our incessant worries.  we all know that these things inhibit us.  they strap us down and keep us from our fabulousity – our full potential of happiness & health.  so, why don’t we just let go?  because we’re scared?  probably.  because change is hard?  well, yes…sometimes.  but, if you let go of the things you honestly don’t want, it makes space in your life for all the wonderful things you love and enjoy.  and with all the junk cleared, you can begin to appreciate the beauty that was already there, waiting to be uncovered.

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so, take a (mini) leap.  donate the teapot and try an apple instead of a bag of chips for your afternoon snack.  i guarantee you’ll feel better, and you’ll begin to tap into your inner maven as you move one step closer to being effortlessly fabulous…

what are you going to let go?.

vision comes to life

when i graduated college, i started an interior design company, cailen ascher design.  since its inception my focus has migrated more towards living fabulously in every aspect of one's life, rather than just creating fabulous interiors.  that said, it's so much fun to see your vision come to life!  jillian from cornflake dreams is having a "decorate this space" blog crawl, so i thought it would be fun to share one of my decorated spaces : )

this is a bedroom i created for a designer show house.  each year the show house committee selects a handful of designers to overhaul spaces, and then they open the house to the public to raise money for a local hospital.  for this room i went for a 1940s hollywood glam look.

the rough space.  yikes!

my vision for the bedroom

and the room after the makeover. much better, right?

can you sense the grace kelly-esque nature of the space?  it's feminine and glamorous and a lovely place to repose.  it wasn't easy but with the help of my family (and especially my mom), we pulled it off, and i must say, i was really pleased with the final result. 

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a maven revelation

do you know why we’re tired and stressed all the time?  because we’re all desperately trying to live according to externally imposed standards and ideals.  we’re instructed to work 9-5, told to eat this, not that and that we should want to make a ton of money or be super skinny (i mean really, who decided a size 2 was the perfect size for all women?).  we’re suppressed by the latest diet, the newest gadget that we need to have and the latest health study, but we rarely look inward for the answers.  (and the answers are there, believe me.  if you’re quiet enough and patient enough to listen.) 

deep down we all know there’s a better way.  a way without diets or rules or “should wants” or “should haves” or “should dos”.  we know that there’s an innate wisdom that can guide us closer to our best selves. 

evaluate your health and happiness.  are you becoming your optimal self, or just morphing into somebody else’s version of what you should be?  do you feel effortlessly fabulous and in sync with your needs?  think about it.  what do you really want for yourself?  what makes sense and feels good for you (and no one else)?  don’t worry about what other people might think or say (that’s just wasted energy).  be a little selfish (it’s ok once in a while), and think about what works best for you.

so, what can you do today to get closer to your inner maven?  the girl who doesn’t give a damn that she’s “not supposed to” eat dessert because it’s “bad” for her.  the girl who speaks her mind and follows her heart.  the girl whose vivacity and courage to be herself is completely contagious.  acknowledge her.  it’s as simple as that.

i’ll start it off to get the ball rolling : ) 

i’m a maven because i make it a priority in my life to do things i love (i.e. practicing yoga, cooking, going to happy hour : )

so, girl, what makes you a maven?.

200!!! yeah, baby!

woohoo!!!  lifestyle maven has hit the 200 follower mark : )  thank you all for your love and support.

now, let's celebrate!

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