Fifty Facts about Me.

It felt like time to share some things about myself. I have done some surveys (reminiscent of MySpace) in the past, but I thought it would be fun to add fifty things about me that give insight into me.

1. I have always been surrounded by the number 8.
2. I am 5'8".
3. I wear shoe size 8.
4. My birthday is June 8th, 1988.
5. My younger brother is the COOLEST person I know.
6. He's writing a novel.
7. He inspired me to write a novel as well.
8. Him and I look VERY similar. You would never knew we were five years apart.
9. I have naturally curly hair. I hated it the first 20 years of my life, and now I love it.
10. I don't take it too seriously though. I have had my hair every length, and every color, including purple, which was my favorite!
11. I spent the first half of my life believing that my eyes were hazel. Then I really looked at myself and realized they are as green as green eyes can be.
12. The Raw Food Diet sounds amazing to me because I love fruit. I eat a lot of it.
13. I also love Doritos, macaroni and cheese, ice cream, doughnuts, and cereal. All of which would make the Raw Food Diet impossible.
14. Milk is at the top of my list as favorite drinks.
15. I am very much an old woman at heart. Bed at 9 pm, up at 5 am, watching TV and reading, and being content with the small group of family and close friends.
16. Grocery shopping gives me a thrill.
17. All shopping does, actually.
18. I have been with my boyfriend for just over a year ( He asked me to be his girlfriend on July 22, 2013), and I knew from the moment I saw him, two and a half months before he asked me to be hid girlfriend, that he was the one.
19. I have always had a thing for tall men. My boyfriend is 6'5".
20. I have done a bit of travelling, and would love to do it more and more as I grow older.
21. I lived in Hollywood, California for a brief time.
22. I studied abroad in Ireland.
23. I believe, strongly, in God and Heaven but don't practice any specific religion.
24. I out a lot of emphasis on The Universe. It is the thing that drives everything in our lives. God, serendipity, karma, fate, etc.
25. I have a Bachelor's Degree in Behavioral Science.
26. I am a licensed Esthitician. This allows me to practice waxing, skin treatments, and make-up.
27. Every four years in school, I would hop back and forth between Public and Private school. 
28. I went to an all girls, private high school.
29. I speak to the friends I met on the first day of high school, every single day.
30. One of my closest friends, I met when we were two years old.
31. My best friend, I became friend with when we were in second grade.
32. I have always chosen quality over quantity when it comes to my friends.
33. I hate using the calendar on my phone. I prefer a tangible planner.
34. Dresses are my favorite thing to wear, but I am very picky when purchasing them.
35. I am a Type 1 Diabetic. This means I produce NO insulin and have to inject it into myself every time I eat.
36. I was fortunate enough to get to spend lots of time with my dad since he too early retirement because of an injury. He is the smartest man I know and still my number 1 call whenever I have any problems.
37. I have the OVERWHELMING sense that I need to live in North Carolina at some point.
38. I want to own a dog so much, but am worried that I wouldn't be a good enough mother.
39. I have a very close family unit. My parents, my brother and I could spend weeks together and, fight yes, but still enjoy ourselves thoroughly. 
40. The beach is my favorite place to be. But the Oregon Coast is the top of the list.
41. I am a huge softy.
42. My closet, drawers, shows, and jewelry are all coordinated by color, type, sleeve length.
43. I absolutely LOVE going to the movies.
44. I will not see a scary movie unless I am thoroughly bribed by money and gummi butterflies.
45. Binge watching a show is an understatement for me.
46. Veronica Mars remains my favorite series.
47. I love to read. Once I pick a book up, it is struggle to put it down and to think about anything else.
48. The library is the best place on Earth. I don't own any kind of digital reader, so real books are like gold to me.
49. I tend to get stuck on a song and replay it a million times until I am stuck on another song.
50. I have had the same top three movies since I was 15.
1. The Little Mermaid
2. Walk to Remember
3. Breakfast Club

I thought that would be harder than it was. In the middle I was thinking I wouldn't find anything else. But I got to number 50 and realized I could do a few more. 

However, I will save them until next time.

Inspirational Moment...

This is something that really hit home for me today!

xxLindsey

It's a Hard-Knock Life...

I know, better than most people, that life is hard. I have had my fair share of things happen to me, bad things, good things, hard things, easy things, sad things, happy things. And all of those things entertwine and mix in my memories and self and just have helped me become who I am. They continue to shake me and shape me as I grow up, and grow older  and offer me my personalized life experience.

So, with all these 'things', I am faced with constantly growing, constantly changing, acting and reacting to life. The hard part is, and correct me if I'm wrong, the hard part is having the guys to get the things your heart whispers to you about. Being a "go-getter" is terrifying and scary! There is a beautiful quote (by whom, I'm not sure) that says, "it only takes 20 seconds of insane courage, and those 20 seconds can change your life". This is, of course, paraphrased. But it's a quote I constantly thing about. 20 second?! That's all?!

The kicker? It's getting passed the 20 seconds that can be even more terrifying than all the things you could gain after. Whether it's kissing someone, telling them you love them, quitting a job, telling the truth, taking a test, a job interview, a speech, walking into a funeral, calling an old friend. There are millions of things in this world, and in this life, that we need 20 seconds of courage for and on the other side, we come out better than we were before, as well as changed.

When I was younger, I struggled with public speaking. I wouldn't know if I still do, since I avoid it at all costs because of the overwhelming paralization that it used to give me. I would turn beat red, I would shake, stutter my words, never look up from my notecards, wish I was blessed with laryngitis so I could skip my presentations all together.

A side rant: why is speech class required in middle and high school? Are humans tortured enough between the ages of 11 and 18 with insecurities and acne, puberty, college applications, orthodonture, school dances, and several other things? Forcing those who don't want to, to stand in front of their classmates and give a five minute speech on England seems cruel and unusual! If someone likes giving speeches and enjoys that as an option, great! Let them do it! Have every test be oral! But for those who could not move passed it and were scarred for life from it, art projects, papers, one on one oral exams, multiple choice, anything else, will suffice. I remember more from papers and art projects I did than any of the speeches I gave.

But! Back to the point. I have this thing, a life change coming up, and I need to share it with someone, the only problem is it isn't beneficial for them at all. So I'm working on thinking back and helping ease my heart and my head by outting myself in their shoes. Though that helps with being logical, it doesn't help with nerves. 

I just have to do it. I am thinking to the other side of the conversation and it will open up so many doors and avenues for me. It's something that will move me towards a life that I want to lead, a life full of possibilities and dreams coming true. 

Wish me luck! I will share more about it when I can!

xxLindsey

***UPDATE

I did it! And it worked out so well! Things are looking up and I can't wait for all the exciting new chapters to come! 

Dear Human,

You've got it all wrong. You didn't come here to master unconditional love. That is where you came from and where you'll return. You came here to master personal love. Universal love. Messy love. Sweaty love. Crazy love. Broken love. Whole love. Infused with divinity. Lived through the grace of stumbling. Demonstrated through the beauty of... messing up. Often. You didn't come here to be perfect. You already are. You came here to be gorgeously human. Flawed and fabulous. And then rise again into remembering.

We are all searching for something; a place in this world, a purpose, a reason for living. For some people, they find this in a soul mate, in a hobby or activity, or their faith; sometimes it’s a mixture of all three.

For me, for a long time, I was obsessed with growing my faith. I didn’t feel drawn to any one passion and I wasn’t anywhere near finding my soul mate. So I turned to the one I was constantly surrounded by: religion, faith, and spirituality. I went to a catholic high school so there were many opportunities for me to grow in my faith. Mass once a week, religion class three days a week, and a massive Campus Ministry and Service program. I loved to see those people who were unrelenting about their religion and I wanted to feel so strongly about something!

Diving in headfirst was not a big deal at all. I had so many friends who were involved in all my school had to offer that I just continued to sign up for service projects, I would volunteer to read things at mass weekly, stayed after school to help organize. Plus, I began attending church on my own as well, on Sunday evenings. It was the only way I knew how to find that… something.

But, now being very far removed from high school, I have come to con realizations about this. I realized to religion and faith, spirituality, I was looking for and wanting to find wasn’t happening for me. The services I was attending twice a week weren’t making me feel any closer to God or my something. I wasn’t getting that overwhelming and all encompassing feeling of faith. It didn’t feel like it was going deep enough for me.

Enter the ideal of The Universe.

The Universe is how I look at all things in my life. The Universe has a plan for me, a way of making everything work out just as it’s suppose to. There is a quote that says something along the lines of: “Once you make a decision, with all your heart, the universe conspires to make it happen.” This is a quote adapted by something Johann Wolfgang von Goethe wrote. And I think that explains it all.

The Universe involves so many things such as God, karma, and everything happening for a reason.

I believe in God. My ideas about Him are a little different than the typical vision of God, but my beliefs in Him  and The Universe are rooted in Christianity.

I turn to Him when I am having a really hard time, when I need guidance or advice, or when I feel as though I have exhausted everything I can do, and I need a little divine intervention. I tend to keep a constant conversation with Him in my head. Not, necessarily praying, but more reaching out and speaking to someone who is always listening, who always cares, and who I know would never allow me to go through or feel more than He believed I could handle.

The most important thing I can tell you, that I get out of my faith, and having the beliefs that I have, and my center of spirituality is to love. No matter who the person is, what they believe, their lifestyle, color of their skin, socio-economic status, none of that matters. All we need is love in our lives and everyone is deserving of love.

That's how I try to live my life and that's how I try my best to look at each difficult situation. I am not perfect by any means, and I often lose this ideal when I am extremely upset or anything like that, but I do my best to always remember that. Everyone wants to be treated like a person and have their heart understood, no matter what.

There is too much in this world that is unexplained. There are so many beliefs. Not one of them is more true, right, or real than another.

Love Makes The World Go Round.

The Three Things that Matter Most.

In the end, only three things matter:
how much you loved,
how gently you lived,
and how gracefully you let go of things not meant for you.
--Buddha

Sometimes we just need a little reminder that the little things in life don't matter as much as they seem. Focusing on your heart and the type of person and energy you are blessing the world with will leave room in your soul for all the things that really matter.

Sunday is Bun Day!

Follow me on Instagram for more ridiculousness and shameless selfies!

@beautyandwonderment

Happy Sunday!

xxLindsey

My Prince Charming...

Doesn't have to be a prince at all. For everyone out there looking for their Prince or Princess of their dreams, there is always a little list. This list can be written out, or just mental, and it is a list of things that we want in our life partner, soul mate, other half.

My list was written out. I had it in a note in my phone and I would add to it every time I had a.. less that perfect dating experience. But it became a list that didn't leave me with much of an open mind. I got so stuck in the mind set of a man with a certain look, certain accomplishments, and so many superficial things.

A good friend of mine helped me break free of this. She wrote me a small note that I have kept ever since. It was a beautiful note and it was such insight that I found a weight lifting off of me.

The note said this:

"What to look for in a man!
-integrity -adhere to a moral code
-honesty
-confidence
-makes you feel valued
-someone one, if he leaves me, he'll leave me better off
-someone who is prepared to take care of me
-someone who can take care of my heart
You deserve the best! and you're worth it. You don't need to settle for less."

There is nothing wrong with the need to be attracted to your one true. There has to be a little bit of a physical attraction. However, her list opened my eyes to the things that are ACTUALLY important.

My list, before this epiphany, included: dog lover, over 6'3", owns a car, college degree, loves his family, dark hair, kindness, belief in a higher power.

Nothing wrong with those, but if I was going to be strict to that list, I would miss out on a lot of great people, and I would also be boxed into dating a certain kind of man.

The weight that was lifted when she gave me her list was this: the superficial things don't matter as much as I was making them out to. A kind hearted man who would take care of mine. He may be shorter, like cats, drive the car he's had since high school, and still working on college. None of those things matter as much as what is present in his heart.

So, thank you Hollie! You have opened my eyes to what is out there.

And interestingly enough, when I opened up my heart to other things, I was pleasantly surprised to find a man who I have fallen head over heels for. He checks off everything on Hollie's list, and had proven to be one hundred percent better than any old list I had.

Open heart, open mind, just know you deserve to be treated like a treasure, a precious stone, because we are all just that.

xxLindsey

Stop Being Them, and Start Being YOU!

Welcome! and Welcome back!

This blog has been so many things before. A makeup blog, a place to launch my freelance makeup artistry business, a personal space for quotes and pictures... It became those things in the past because those were the suggestions of others. I often heard the question, "What do you write about on your blog?" and to that, I answered, "A little bit of everything!" Proud of my answer, I would get confused looks and then the suggestions came rolling in. "You need to focus on one thing." "How can you gain followers if you don't have a focus?" And the list goes on and on.

But I recently came to the conclusion, while wishing I had a single blog instead of three, that I am allowed to share on my blog, all the things I wish to share. If it is an amazing beauty product, some tips and tricks I picked up doing a wedding, or if I just feel like sharing a heart wrenching realization that I need to put out into the world, I am going to have a place to do it. 

The title of my blog: Beauty and Wonderment. This is a perfect, and all encompassing umbrella phrase for everything I find beautiful and wondrous. Makeup, fashion, religion, feelings, books, art, projects, my friends, love, family. All of these things have a place in my heart and are a part of who I am. Some people have a main focus, a talent that they cannot go a day without experiencing. I have that too! It isn't easily summed up in a single word or hobby. I love it all. I am passionate about so many things.

So, I am hoping that this will be a great and new beginning for me. 

Like I mentioned above, I have two other blogs, along with this one. But I want to merge them together to for something beautiful and wonderful and something that is all mine.

Confessions of a Book Lover, the blog I started a few summers ago when I was reading at least 15 novels a month, was so much fun, but quickly became daunting since I was blogging more than I was reading. So I will be transferring all my book reviews from there, to my GoodReads.com profile. I will be reviewing books there from here on out. That website is so amazing!

The Life of Lindsey is a personal blog that I started when I was living in LA, almost three years ago. I needed an outlet from the situation I was in and it became my obsession. But once I stopped posting every single day, and obsessing about it, I became torn between posting things here, or posting things there. So I will be taking some of my earlier posts and revamping them for here. But some of the older ones that are no longer pertinent will be erased, released to the world wide web...

So, this is day and a time for new beginnings. There are so many things that I have on my heart write, there are so many beauty products I want to write about and review, and there are so many quotes and stories I want to write about. 

Welcome to Beauty and Wonderment! I hope you enjoy, subscribe, and embark on the journey with me!

xxLindsey