I’ve been wanting to write a blog post about kindness for a while now because I think it is such a key ingredient to life that we either take for granted, or don’t think about as often as we should. And before I begin this, I want to stress something so crucial: I’m not perfect. I know there are many times in either my day or week where I could display kindness better, or when I let frustration and anxiety get the best of me. However, that doesn’t mean that I don’t hear the little voice in the back of my head that tells me, “Hey, maybe that wasn’t the best way to approach that situation.” Then I move on, and try better next time.
I had never really given much thought about the word “kindness” until I saw the 2015 adaptation of Cinderella. The whole message that was referenced in the movie was to “have courage and be kind.” Not only did I absolutely love this quote, but it had me thinking about what kindness meant to me. The more I thought about the word, the more I realized how big of an impact it can truly have. And again, I’m no expert. But I do think kindness is something we should all take the time to consider more and to ask ourselves, “how am I displaying kindness in my life?”
Living in Los Angeles has definitely opened my eyes to what a person with true kindness in their hearts acts like, and it can be a very rare quality to find in this city. A good majority of the people that move here, are coming to be the best or to make something of themselves. Whether it be for acting, modeling, dancing, singing, directing, etc. in this business, it’s hard to be anything but selfish. We are constantly told we have to look a certain way, eat a certain way, dress a certain way, take a certain class, go to a certain event to meet a certain person, talk a certain way, have our hair a certain color, go to the gym a certain amount of times during the week, live in a certain area, work the system a certain way to benefit ourselves, the list goes on and on (and you wonder why some celebrities fall off the deep end.) Kindness can be quite a challenge to find in a business that preaches vanity and doing whatever you need to get ahead. And yes, I know that not all of you live here. But I think regardless of whatever career you have, where ever you may live, or whatever stresses you may face, we all are seeking kindness in one form or another. So here are some ways I think we can all try to incorporate kindness more into our lives:
Be kind to not kind people
I know this is hard. Probably one of the hardest things anyone can do. But in all honesty, the people who are the least kind, are the people that probably need it the most. We have no idea what battles they may be fighting, and even if we do know, we’re not in their shoes going through it. Regardless of whether they show kindness back, you never know how you might positively impact their day by giving them a smile or a genuine compliment. Who knows? They might take your actions as an example of how they should act around the next person they encounter.
Take the time to listen
I forget very easily. I can memorize lines all day, but when it comes to remembering someone’s name that I just met, I’ll forget it as soon as they say it. I don’t think it’s necessarily my memory that’s lacking as much as my listening. We’re all busy, and we’re all constantly thinking about what we have to get done or, in my case, what I want for dinner. But pausing whatever you may be doing to ask your friend about his day, or maybe listening to your sister vent about her job, you are giving them kindness in one of the most considerate forms: your time.
Show yourself kindness
Everyone has insecurities and we’re all hard on ourselves to some capacity. But how can we expect to show others kindness when we’re busy criticizing ourselves? Lady GaGa said that each morning she gets up, looks in the mirror, and says five things that she likes about herself before progressing with her day. I thought that was interesting so I decided to try it. Not going to lie, it’s pretty cool! It starts your day off in a positive way, and it gives you a boost of confidence to tackle whatever you might face through out the day. Showing yourself kindness can cause you to have more faith in yourself, and when you feel great in your own skin, it can help you spread that joy to other people. You never know who might need it!
Help others
It’s simple and I feel like sometimes we make it so hard. Helping others doesn’t have to be this grand affair. It can be something as easy as opening the door for the person in front of you, or giving a dollar to someone in need. I recently read a quote by Morgan Freeman that said, “How do we change the world? One random act of kindness at a time.” It’s so true and it all starts with helping others, no matter how big or small the act may be.
I hope this post has encouraged you to think about the ways you display kindness in your life. Whether it be through listening, helping others, being kind to those that need it the most, or even giving yourself a smile in the mirror, kindness is a powerful thing that we need more of in the world. So lets start spreading it!
Until next time,
Grace
P.S. one of my dear friends, Emily, has an amazing blog called Adventures and Kindness where you can find more ways to incorporate kindness into your day, as well as fun tips for traveling and planning your next adventure! Check it out! 🙂
Now it’s time for the best part of getting 
HELLO EVERYONE!
Now you’re probably thinking of some things along these lines:
Even though the rainbow has been a bit stressful at times for me, because it is very time consuming, I’ve had so much fun with it, and it’s an awesome way to get your creative mind flowing. My biggest advice to any of you that want to start your own Instagram project, is to stick to what YOU like to see, and follow that theme. For example, if you like more neutral colors, no matter what you’re taking pictures of, incorporate the backgrounds or what it is your shooting, to fall under those neutral tones. I would also download some editing apps, if you don’t already have some, just to be able to enhance what you’ve already captured. You’d be surprised how a good picture can turn into a great one with just a little touch here and there.
So with all of that, have fun with your photo projects, everyone! Above everything else, remember that this is all about enjoying every second of it and it’s a way to show others your own creative style! And in case you’re wanting to check out some of the wonderful accounts or people I’ve mentioned above, I’ve attached their Instagram links below. Show ’em some love!
Hi loves! I’m SO excited about this post because I’ve been wanting to write about a DIY project that I’ve been working on, and now I finally get to! Today I’m going to talk about how I turned my boring desk into a vanity that I absolutely adore and is so so useful. And thanks to a fellow blogger I admire, Vandi Fair, for the inspiration!
As I’m sure you can all tell by the title, I had the pleasure of being a bridesmaid while I was back home in Arkansas. I was so excited when my good friend, Katie, asked me to be a part of her big day back in 2014. Then it seemed like I blinked, and it was already the wedding week! Since I was in LA during most of the wedding showers, I couldn’t wait to finally get to be a part of the celebration when I arrived back home.
Considering the fact that I couldn’t make some of the wedding festivities, my mom and I had the idea of coordinating the bridesmaids brunch for Katie, for when I would be in town. I’m not going to lie, I was more excited about this than the actual wedding! We had all of the bridesmaids and their moms meet at the most charming little bed and breakfast around 10am. We sat in a beautiful dining room where we were served delicious fruit, and the most amazing french toast. We played games, won prizes, and even gave advice to Katie for her and her fiancé, Drew. 
I have to admit, my favorite part about the brunch were the decorations. Katie’s colors were black, gold, and ice blue. So, naturally, I tried to incorporate as much of those colors as I could into the prizes, flowers, and table settings. With the help of my mom, I think we pulled together the perfect amount of elegance and fun. All of the girls loved what we came up with, especially Katie. It felt so good to see her so happy and enjoying herself. It definitely made me feel like Blair Waldorf at the end of throwing a successful party.
(I know what you’re probably thinking, what about the rehearsal dinner?? Well, sadly, I don’t have many photos from the rehearsal. And the reason why? We went bowling! After rehearsing at the church, we all made our way to the bowling alley, where we were greeted by a huge dessert bar, and a catered dinner. It was such a fun and new way to have a rehearsal dinner.
Now it was time for the best part of the night: the party!! It was held at Hardscrabble Country Club (basically the usual place to throw nice events in my town), and there was dancing, music, a delicious dinner, and an all around good time. It was also my first experience with sitting at a Head Table with the rest of the bridal party, which was super fun because it felt like we were royalty (plus it was nice getting our food before everyone else). Ultimately, you could see the happiness on Katie’s face, which was all that mattered.
When it was time for the happy couple to leave, we all gathered around the main entrance and made a walkway for them, while holding sparklers. It looked magical and then before we knew it, it was time to wave goodbye as they started to leave for their honeymoon.
We’ve all heard the phrase, “New year, new me” when it comes to setting New Year’s resolutions. And we also know that its kind of a laughable saying, considering the fact that a majority of the time, it’s hard to make this resolution actually last. Or at least for someone to become a brand new person starting on January 1st.
I was even going to write a whole blog post about how this phrase could actually stand for something, and how it IS realistic and blah blah blah. And hey, if this is your resolution, go for it! But the more I thought about it concerning myself, the more I realized that I didn’t want to become a new person. As crazy as it might sound, I like being me. Were there things I could improve on? Absolutely! But becoming a “new me” wasn’t exactly what I had intended for 2016 when I really thought about it. So here is a different approach to this phrase, and I hope you can agree with me that it’s far more achievable:
A majority of what I wrote, all attributed to one common denominator: simple things I can do each day that would improve my happiness. Before I continue, I want to clarify that I am a very happy person. I’m so thankful for the life I have! However, I think there is so much to life that sometimes we take for granted or overlook, that could instantly make a bad day better, or a good day great. For example, one of my resolutions is at the end of each day, to write down the joy I found in each day, and what I’m thankful for that happened that day. Believe it or not, there is something good that happens in each day, you just have to take the time to find it. Like right now, I’m sitting in my favorite coffee shop and a song I love is playing over the speakers. It’s a very simple thing that brings a smile to my face but because I’m taking the time to acknowledge it, I’m now slightly dancing while I’m writing this, which is way more fun than just slouching over my keyboard.
My other resolutions also include waking up early, so I can enjoy my mornings instead of feeling like I’m rushing, and doing at least one productive thing each day, no matter how small. As well as, not being quick to anger, creating a menu for myself each week to insure I eat well (because it feels awesome when I do), and above all else, live fearlessly (trust me, I need to remind myself of this each day because I worry about everything). All of these things are all important to being the person I want to be without fully becoming a “new” me. I’m not changing my views, I’m not changing the way I think or the way I act. I’m just making little adjustments here and there that can insure happiness. In other words, making improvements.
Now you might be wondering about my pictures since none of them have included a “Happy 2016” hat or confetti. Believe me, I thought about it. Instead, I decided to find some celebration right in my local home town, and take some pictures by the new murals that were painted this past year. I loved all of the bright colors and I thought this particular section of one of the walls represented exactly what I want my 2016 to be: fun, colorful, and bringing a smile to my face when I think of it.
So with all of that, Happy New Year, loves! I hope that this year is the best one yet for each and every one of us. And I don’t know about you guys, but I can’t wait to see what all is in store!
Hi everyone! I’m finally back to writing after a nice long two-week Thanksgiving break. I purposefully left my laptop in California so I would focus more on spending time with the fam than being glued to my computer. But, I have to admit, I’ve missed it so much and it feels great to get my fingers typing again!
After a week of seeing friends and family, I went on a road trip to College Station, TX, along with my mom, sister Casie, and her 4 kids. We were on our way to visit my other sister, Sarah, and to spend Thanksgiving at her house along with her husband, Jason, and her 4 year-old daughter, Allie. It was the first time I had seen Sarah, Jason, and Allie since Christmas last year so I was beyond excited for a fun weekend!! We arrived at their house the night before Thanksgiving and enjoyed some much needed tex-mex that I had been missing for far too long. Since we had been on the road a majority of the day, we all turned in early so we could wake up all rested. Our Thanksgiving was so fun! It was awesome not having to worry about going anywhere or doing anything. Sarah already had most of everything cooked so the morning of, we just got to enjoy the parade and ALL of the delicious food that we had been waiting for!
Our celebrating ended by the late afternoon though, because we started our Black Friday shopping at…4PM! Yes, I have that family. We LOVE Black Friday shopping! While we were shopping, we ended up starting a new tradition. We picked out gifts for each other, then just gave each other the gifts right in the store! We decided it was more fun and each of us were getting exactly what we wanted, and that way, Christmas presents could be primarily focused on the kids. So, I got most of my Christmas presents in one night and it was awesome. We finished shopping around 8 or 9 that night and we all got matching pajamas to celebrate our shopping successes!
The rest of the weekend was all about seeing and exploring College Station. Sarah and Jason had moved there in May and it was our first time seeing where they had lived. It was such a sweet little town and despite the fact that it rained most of the time we were there, we all still had a great time. Then on Sunday we made our way back to Arkansas. A few days later it was time for me to head back to California! I was actually considering just staying until Christmas because it was so so nice being home. But considering the fact that I would only be gone for about 10 days, it made it a lot easier to get on the plane, knowing I would be back very soon.
I feel like I haven’t really done a lifestyle update recently, so I thought it would be fun to fill you guys in on what I did this weekend!
Okay, back to the pictures. I found my little Arlo (that’s the dinosaur’s name) from Target, and brought him along for the adventure. I wasn’t the only one with this idea either. Pretty much everyone that showed up had an Arlo, or another Dinosaur toy from the movie. I also brought my new Pixar ball that my very good friend, Skylar (who was also co-hosting the event), gave me when he had the lucky chance to visit the Pixar studios a few weeks before. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to use it in some of my photos! It’s safe to say, it’s my new favorite possession. What’s even more fun about the photos we were taking, were that at the end of the day, we picked our favorite one to be entered into a contest! Whoever won got two tickets to The Good Dinosaur premiere! All we had to do was post our favorite photo to Instagram, tag @thegooddinosaur and #gooddinomeet. That’s it! And, obviously, the photo had to relate to the movie.
Hunter came with me to the meet, and we took this very seriously, needless to say. On the drive up to the ranch, he was putting together a loincloth to represent the little boy in the movie, Spot. And youbetcha he wore that loincloth! Obviously the photo turned out great and hilarious, as you can see on the left. Definitely a head turner.
Plus, the sky was so pretty and clear that we couldn’t help but use it any chance we had!
I had so so much fun at my first instameet and I can’t wait for the next one! Thanks again to Disney, Andrew Kuttler, and Skylar Bartlett for hosting that awesome afternoon!
Essence of Grace 