0 the responsibility to lead

I thought this quote was so appropriate for MLK Day 2014. I hope that we all take some time to reflect on how Dr. King and others gone before us accepted responsibility to lead, and to think about how we can do the same thing.

8 *tap tap* is this thing still on?

Happy New Year y'all! I know... it's been a while! Since I last posted here, my life has, yet again, transformed! It's so amazing how no matter how much we plan, God can top your goals and dreams. If you have been following my blog for a while, you know that at the end of 2012 I decided to leave Atlanta and move back home to Raleigh, NC to finish my Interior Design degree full-time. Packing up my life and moving back in with my mom was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. I would need about half of the emoji keyboard to really illustrate all of the emotions I experienced during that move, but I pushed through them all because deep down I knew I was making the best choice for me. Being back at Meredith was surprisingly refreshing, my love for Raleigh deepened even more, and I scored an awesome internship for the summer. I started classes in the fall of 2013 with the intention of finishing the LAST 4 classes I needed to graduate and moving on to the next thing in 2014.

Well, when I was sitting in the first day of classes reading through my syllabi, I got a call from Chip Wade saying that he wanted to interview me for a full-time position with his show HGTV Elbow Room. I didn't apply for this position. Someone left the show for another opportunity and somehow my name was suggested as her replacement. You can imagine, I'm immediately excited because I absolutely love this show and isn't the whole point of getting an education to be then gainfully employed in your area of expertise?

...But wait...

The job starts in September? So... what about school? I was falling in love with my Raleigh again, and I wasn't ready to leave my family and friends! Once again, I was challenged to make a difficult decision based on faith. Well, I knew that this job was for me and I couldn't pass it up. So I have accepted the fact that I may not be able to finish my degree in 2013 after all, but would take the opportunity regardless, and plan to finish the classes when I can. I presented my situation to my awesome advisor, fully expecting to hear "Good luck with your job but I cannot help you..." and would you know that we work out a plan for me to stay enrolled in 2 of the 4 classes I needed. The other 2 I will be completing this spring and summer here in Atlanta.

I don't know which scenario gave me more joy; getting a dream job offer back in Atlanta or the reassurance that I would still be able to finish this degree. I truly felt an overwhelming sense of favor in both scenarios, as if God was literally hugging me. I am forever grateful to Chip & Cristi for giving me the opportunity to work with them and to my advisor Dr. Burpitt for believing in me.


SO... Now it's 2014 and I am back in Atlanta, working full time for Elbow Room. We're half way through 13 episodes that will make up Season 3. Man has it been a ride thus far, and I'm loving every minute of it. I am taking one class on Saturdays and will be DONE with this degree by August 2014. My timeline was delayed, but it's still unbelievable to me that I will be finishing this program that I started in 2007! Yes, 7 years ago! I'm living proof that no path is a straight shot to achieving your dreams.


With all that going on, I stopped blogging just so that I could ENJOY it. Another decision that I'm so thankful for because it allowed me to really focus on what is important to me, and find a proper balance. I think we (millenials, social media enthusiasts) can become slaves to online connectedness. I had to take a step back and ask "Who am I serving in all of this?" Your answer may be different from mine, but I think it's an important question to ask. Once I defined that for myself, I was able to prioritize my time and be more present.

I'm excited to get back to blogging and sharing some of my life and design inspiration with y'all again! I started this blog when I started design school, so it's only fitting that I bring you along for the last leg of it. I hope that 2014 has started off amazingly for you and even if it doesn't seem like it has, know that it will get better.

0 monday motivation

We all have our own personal + professional goals that we work towards each day. If you've been reading this blog for a while you know that I have had many many attempts to find at what works for me. I've lived in different places, worked so many different jobs, left school and returned to school. If you're just getting to know me at this stage in life, you have no idea what trial & error process I've been through. The lessons I've learned from my missteps empower me and keep me motivated, so I'm thankful for them! I was reminded this weekend that I have the freedom to keep trying because nobody remembers your trys, they only remember your wins! It's an exhilarating feeling when you realize that when that one big break happens, your flubs are erased from the memories of those who care about you.


PS - Can we talk about how AMAZING Oprah's Next Chapter was last night? So many great take aways from this group of talented actresses. I really want to continue the conversation! Tell me your thoughts on it in the comments below.

0 monday motivation

How is it June 10th already? We're halfway through 2013 and this year has been nothing but surpise after surprise for me. So much so, that I've had to really evaluate what I choose to keep in my life in order to make room for the new. One lesson that I've learned over and over again is to give only major things major time. In the past I have spent too much time & energy on people or things that really don't add value to my life. Sometimes it's hard to recognize that fact, but in the end, focusing my energy on what matters to me the most always yields the best results for me & those around me.

This week let's remember not to give minor things major time!

0 monday motivation

I have a notebook that I write in. It could be called a journal, but I just call it a notebook. It's filled with thoughts and plans and notes. Sometimes I browse through it and wonder how I forgot some of the ideas and dreams I wrote down! Do you ever have moments where you remember and old idea of yours and become passionate about it again? Don't quit day dreaming! They don't expire, and you can always pick up where you left off.

Have a great Monday!

0 monday motivation

found on Get Togetha

While I was in Atlanta last week, I had dinner with my friends Ally and Dorothy Burke and something we were talking about made me blurt out, "I don't require myself to be perfect!" That may be the first time I have said that to anyone else, but it is the way I have been living my life for quite some time now. I am admittedly a retired perfectionist; at some point I realized that each morning God wakes me up, I am exactly how He wants me to be. No need to fret about what I think is "wrong". Once I let go of that annoying itch to FIX myself all the time, I noticed that the best of me effortlessly came to the surface.

I owe you guys a real recap of everything I've been up to!! I promise to fill you in this week! :)

Also, stay tuned for a new Design Talk webisode with Erika Ward tomorrow! She is truly one of my "sheroes" and I'm so happy to call her a friend.

Have a great Monday!

1 monday motivation

One of my best friends said this to me a week or so ago and I've added it to my list of mantras. So many times we "throw something away" (whether it be a person, a habit, a thing) and yet at some point later, we take it out of the trash, dust it off and try it again. If you threw it away, then obviously you had a reason to do so. Picking it out of the trash and trying it again is just stupid. Don't do it!

This week I'm determined to leave the trash in the can.

2 monday motivation

I saw this on Pinterest last week and it jumped off the screen at me. How many times do we subconsciously affect our mood by the label(s) we give ourselves? "I'm tired" leads to a long, dragged-out day. "I'm not ready" makes us procrastinate.

This week, I'm going to do my best to put only positive words behind "I am..." And let's see what happens! Have a great Monday y'all!

0 monday motivation

Last night I got an amazing comment from a woman in Atlanta who says she has been following my blog for sometime. I'm sharing this with y'all not to pat myself on my back, because honestly, these comments just make me so humble. For someone to see all that in me just let's me know that God is working through me. I do my best everyday, but I am far from perfect. I write this blog as authentically as I can, because I feel driven to do so. If there is something you feel driven to do, go after it! Do it! I cannot tell you how many times I've pushed myself to try something, even though I was scared to fail. Every time, I'm surprised by the results I get.

1 monday motivation

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Happy Monday y'all! I'm slowly but surely getting into the swing of things here in North Carolina. I started classes and it's such a trip to be back on campus! I'm feeling good about the semester though, and excited to knock it out. While I was catching up on the services I've missed at Mount Paran Church online this weekend, Pastor Cooper said something that stuck out to me:

"Problems are like clouds; no matter how dark or stormy they may be, they always pass. Goals are like stars; you can chart your course by them because they are always there."

I decided to add that to my list of mantras for the year and share it with you! I hope it stays with you in the same way.

0 monday motivation

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Just a reminder that you are AWESOME just the way you are. Happy Monday folks! I'm working at United Methodist Children's Home today in my room for Room Service Atlanta. So excited to finish up the room and share it with you next week!

Have a great day,

0 monday motivation

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We all feel like this on our good days right? You wake up and have the optimism of 5 people and come up with 100 ways that you can conquer the world all before you answer your first email. Somewhere along the way you start to feel like you're crazy. "I can't really do X,Y, & Z! What am I thinking?" But the secret is, you can. It may take more time, patience, work or resources than you can imagine but anything is possible.

Here's to making impossible happen this week!








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And don't forget, I'm collecting donations for my 2012 Room Service Atlanta project. If you'd like to make a donation, click the button below!

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1 motivation monday

"Sometimes the pain you may be going through in the present may actually be something you are holding on to from the past. Think about releasing yourself from then and allowing yourself to enjoy now. Everything has a season." -Jasmine Rose Wade


I was blessed enough to take the weekend off to spend some time with my amazing family in NC. To be honest, I often feel guilty for being so far from most of them & putting work and my life in Atlanta first. We are a tight-knit, big crew & I feel their love + support all the time, although I don't get to see them as much as I like. Being with them this weekend really reminded me that the best way to enjoy life is to just let go & be of completely present. It sounds cliche, but it's so true that no day is promised. We get so bogged down with what we have to do, how we think things should be, combating negative emotions, etc. etc. that we miss the simple bliss of being WELL at this very moment.

I left my to-do list & calendars alone for 3 days and it was the best thing I could do to soak up the priceless family time + recharge & rejuvenate for this week and beyond! I let go of the guilt & anxiety I sometimes feel about the constant balance of work & the people I love. Hopefully, you take a little time to LET GO as well this Monday AM.

Peace!