The Simply Luxurious Life newsletter 112

Published: Fri, 08/03/12



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I particularly like the quote in this week's newsletter (in the top of the right column). As someone who is always planning, it can be frustrating when things don't go as I had expected especially when I've put in so many hours, computations and analysis into the outcome. 
 
However, if you find you have experienced similar situations, freight not. Your hard work, your passion, did not go unnoticed. While it may not have worked out exactly as you had planned, something is still churning underneath the waters of what you initially see as a failure. In fact, I would wager that your expectations were not unrealistic, but perhaps not big enough. 
 
While you won't know why things didn't work out immediately, most of the time, as months and years pass, if you continue to strive forward, hold your head up and have faith, you'll look back fondly on an experience that had you not tried to accomplish, wouldn't have set you on the path that merged with the one you were supposed to be on to help you reach a reality you didn't dare to dream about. 
 
Life is funny in this way. It basically is asking of each of us to have faith in what will be, what is possible. It is asking us to always put our best foot forward, to quickly assess what we can improve upon and then move forward with somewhat of a blind trust.  This can be frightening. It can cause nights filled with tears and questions, but if you trust yourself, if you believe can and get busy doing and focusing on the positive, beautiful things will materialize. 
 
I took some time a few days ago to read an old journal from twelve years ago when I was traveling and going to school in France. I am so thankful that I did this because I was able to truly step back into who I was at the time and realize that so much of what I now have experienced in my life since then were things I didn't expect to have happened. Things I couldn't have even fathomed, but I kept moving forward, I kept wiping away the tears and believing in myself (and of course I had a loving support system). If we dwell too much on what could have been instead of what might be, we only cause ourselves to miss out on amazing experiences.
 
Sometimes it can be hard to believe that something better awaits us, but trust me, it does. I write those words even when right now at this very moment, I have questions about what will happen in my near future in love and work. But I can't help but believe in amazing moments. Here is a post from the archives that may provide some help to garner that courage to keep striving forward:
 
 
 
 
For the first time in over two years, I am taking a two week vacation from the newsletter. I went back and forth as to whether I should or not, but in making the decision, I want to let you know I will still be blogging during each of the two weeks I am traveling abroad. This weekend I will be hopping on a plane and flying to London to enjoy the last week of the Olympics before taking a ride on a train to Paris. It has been twelve long years since I've jumped across the pond, and this a trip I have dreamt about for quite some time.
 
With all of that said, the newsletter will return to its regular schedule on Friday, August 24th when I will be announcing first to you, the subscribers of the newsletter, a fantastic giveaway for a luxurious piece of clothing that will begin on August 27th. Also, the newsletter on the 24th will be extra large because it will include three weeks of posts from the blog instead of its traditional one week.
 
In this week's newsletter, an anticipated collaboration between JENESEQUA and Everlane Tees was finally released. Have a look here to see how I, along with four other editors, styled their tee on a quick jaunt I took up to Seattle a few months ago.
 
The most popular post by readers this week was Wednesday's Why Not . . . Make Someone Feel Special?. No matter how busy our lives get, I think ultimately we all want to be loved and feel special in someone's eyes that we too love and respect. Have a look to see the list and feel free to add ways that you think makes someone you love feel special.
 
The last full month of summer has just begun and fall fashions are already available to pick up at your favorite stores. It is amazing how quickly warm summer evenings turn into nights when the light dims a bit quicker and a chill is often in the air. 
 
Thank you in advance for understanding why the next weeks the newsletter will be on vacation and be sure to look for it to return on August 24th when preparation for school and fall fashion will be in full swing.
 
Have a beautiful weekend! And be sure to stop by the blog during the next two weeks where I will be sharing a few of the photos from my trip as I go about exploring London and Paris.

-Shannon

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    August 3, 2012             Issue #112

    "It was amazing how you could get so far from where you'd planned, and yet find it was exactly were you needed to be."
     
    -Sarah Dessen


     
    Readers' Favorite Post
    Why Not . . . Make Someone Feel Special?

    Weekly Themes

    Monday Inspiration:

     
    Wednesday's Why Not . . . ?:
     

    Thursday's Style Inspiration:
     
    Extra Posts
    Mid-Week Motivation: 10 Instant Mood Lifters

    Modeling Everlane's Ryan Tee
    A Peek at My Tumblr
    A Glimpse at my Pinterest Boards
    Shannon's Pick of the Week