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6 Tricks to Staying Positive During the Winter

Published on February 1, 2018February 13, 2018 by PeculiarPorter11 Comments

This past weekend it was in the mid 50’s and I had to celebrate by wearing a light jacket (and even taking it off to take pictures of my awesome shirt). To some of you that live in warmer climates that might seem crazy, but this girl has been in negative degree weather for the past month so the 50’s felt like a serious heatwave. Too bad its back to the low 20’s now. A girl can only hope for an early spring…

Winter is one of the times of the year where everyone is sick, cold, and miserable (the trifecta of serious misery). For those who know me, I’m pretty obnoxiously positive. Literally, I think sometimes I’m too positive. But that hasn’t always been the case. In high school, there were a lot of things that I thought negatively about. Whether it was mental, physical, or emotional I was pretty negative back then. Eventually, I started to rethink what type of energy I was putting out into the world and tried to fix it. Here are some of the things I tried along the way.

Shirt (DIY) | Pants (Romeo and Juliett from Marshalls Very Similar)

Shoes (Sold Out) |Bag (Similar)

Write down 3+ things you’re thankful for in the morning and night.

This is by far my favorite tip because this is what helps me remain so positive each day. It’s very easy to just come up with three things in your head that you’re positive about but it’s another thing to actually write down said things. By writing down these positive feelings, moods, or moments you’re creating a pattern that will help you remember these positive things in the long run. You can write them down on a small notepad and keep it in your purse or even a note section on your phone. Plus, you’ll have so much fun looking back on past entries on what made you happy. For example, I still have quotes from my freshman year of college from friends.

If you’re upset, mad, sad, or any other negative emotion write down how you feel, rip it up, and throw it away.

The fact that I have a blog that you’re actually reading is pretty telling that I love to write. Now, sometimes it may not make sense, I may spell something wrong, and the grammar may be all over the place. That is totally fine. When I’m frustrated with something, I write it down. If it’s really stressing me out I throw it away or cross out things, but most of the time I just leave it in my journal. I like doing this because it helps me really think about why I’m upset and then most of the times I can just leave that negativity on that page.

Smile: Fake it until you make it.

There is some truth to the idea that you can fake it until you make it. There have been many studies that show a correlation between smiling and being happy. The idea is that if you smile each day you can actually trick your brain into believing you’re happy. If that isn’t a reason to smile I don’t know what is.

Workout.

This one is a big one for me. Whenever I’m cranky or stressed out it’s probably because I haven’t been to the gym in a while. There is something about releasing a ton of sweat and breathing out my frustrations that calms me down. For some, high-intensity workouts like Tabata, Kick-Boxing, or Sprinting might help remove negativity while others might do better at mentally focused workouts like pilates or yoga. Personally, I like a mix of both. The work out will help you get your stress out while feeling better about yourself in general.

Surround yourself with positive people.

Surrounding myself with positive influences wasn’t something I really thought about until recently and boy, did it make a difference. Removing yourself from a situation where someone is rude or sarcastic to you allows you to not directly place that negative energy into your life. This is definitely the hardest tip because you want to give everyone the benefit of doubt. The sad reality is sometimes you need to cut the cord when you’re in a toxic environment. I talk more about this here.

Lastly, remember that you’re living the beautiful life.

If you speak Italian, you probably saw that coming. The shirt I made last week reads “The Beautiful Life” in Italian. This positive saying is a great reminder that you’re living an incredible life no matter what you’re going through. You can find happiness and positivity in the darkest times if you just turn on the light. By remembering that you’re truly fortunate really helps you put into perspective on what you should be positive about.

Don’t forget to check out how you can make this shirt here.

How do you remain positive in your day to day life? Let me know in the comments down below.

As always,

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5 Ways to Find New Things to do in Your Hometown

Published on January 25, 2018January 25, 2018 by PeculiarPorter13 Comments

As some of you may already know, I’m currently living at home so that I can save money to eventually move out. There are a ton of upsides of living at home such as home cooked food, two loving puppies, no rent, and simply just going home to a loving atmosphere. I can’t complain… I have it good. The only downside I can really see is that nothing is really new to me. I grew up my whole life in the very small state of Connecticut where I’m half an hour to an hour from literally everything (unless you count Boston or New York City because then I’m two hours away). It’s the perfect location if you want to go and do something. I’ve made it my mission to look for new and exciting things to do while I’m spending the time home. Here are some of my tricks to making your hometown feel like a travel destination.

Layered Top (On sale and 4 different colors) | Jeans (On Sale) | Shoes | Vest (Similar)

Look up your state on Pinterest and Yelp just as you would do if you were traveling somewhere new/special. You’d be surprised how much stuff you’ll find.

One random Saturday, I wanted to do something but had no idea what. I started to look on Yelp, Only in Your State, and Pinterest for things to do in Connecticut. I came up with tons and tons of things to do that I never thought about doing. Thus, this ‘research’ was the exact reason why my friend and I visited Yale to see their incredible art museums. Sometimes you need to act like an unknowing tourist so that you get rid of your blinders.

Force yourself to go to a new town or city near your hometown.

Growing up, I never ventured to New Haven because it just seemed so far away. In reality, it’s only thirty minutes away and I drive four times that in one day for work. Go a little further from your hometown so you feel like you’re “traveling” but in reality, you only have to cross a few bridges and highways. Even just walking down the street or “sightseeing” might be worth the little travel.

Look up events near you on Yelp and Facebook.

I just recently found the tool on Facebook where you can search for events near you and let me tell you… it is pure genius. How else would I have known that there was a giant air balloon festival this past summer or a food truck event? My favorite part of this genius invention is that you can actually pick a date further in the week or last minute and it will tell you what events are going on based on categories. This is also perfect for finding something to do on a holiday. Valentine’s Day is just around the corner after all!

Once it’s warm again, go on a hike to see your town from a different perspective.

One of my favorite things this past summer was visiting Talcott Mountain State Park because I was able to see Connecticut from a completely different perspective. Once you hike up the mountain, there is a huge 360° viewing tower. These random gems are in almost every state you just need to look around for them. Plus, hiking gets you moving and grooving which is always a good thing.

Don’t forget about exploring new restaurants!

If you read my last post you probably can tell that I’m a little bit of a foodie. So when you’re looking for new places in your state don’t leave out the food! There are always so many new and upcoming places you can visit to spice things up. Try a different cuisine or order something you never thought you would. It’s the perfect way to spice things up in your hometown.

How do you make your hometown feel like a destination place? What is the best attraction near your home? Let me know in the comments down below.

As always,

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How to Rock a Sleeveless Dress During the Fall Season

Published on December 12, 2017December 12, 2017 by PeculiarPorter14 Comments

Before I start talking about this fun, warm combo… these pictures were taken before it snowed and dropped to temperatures more suitable for the Arctic (blogger problems). So with that in mind… to make this outfit winterized just add some tights, a thick black jacket, and maybe some over the knee boots.

If you live in a southern area where the weather might be a little bit warmer and you still want to rock your dresses… boy, do I have the opportunity for you. Since it isn’t officially winter yet (December 21), I can still rock my fall apparel on this blog.

Cuff your sleeves so that you don’t have so much fabric up top.

Whenever I have a button up, 9 out of 10 times I will roll up the sleeves. It adds the perfect amount of dimension to any outfit. This particular dress is more formal than a normal summer dress. It can easily be dressed up or down. To make this dress seem more casual the rolled up sleeves on this flannel do a fantastic job.

Don’t be afraid to mix black and blue.

Growing up it used to be a huge taboo to wear black and navy together. I still have no idea why. They’re both neutrals and they’re often found together in nature. Hello, black and blue eyes are an actual thing. So why can’t I wear these colors together? Frankly, this is a rule I break quite frequently and have no intention to stop (fight me, fashion police). So if you want to be a rule breaker with me, rock what your mamma gave you and fight the power.

Don’t worry about adding too many layers in the fall/winter seasons.

It’s better to be warm than fashionable. So throw on those puffy jackets, thick warm flannels, and over the knee socks. You could easily wear this outfit with thick tights, over the knee socks and boots, a long coat, and a hat. Winter and fall are my favorite times to try out new combinations because you’re always fighting to stay warm. Don’t be afraid to try out new combinations. After all, you might end up loving the look.

Play around with necklines when incorporating bold undershirts.

The best part about style is you can try out anything. This outfit isn’t something I would traditionally wear but it’s something I’m able to have fun with. After all, shouldn’t every day feel like you’re playing dress up? To switch up this look I would love to play with lower neckline dresses and different flannel patterns. The contrasting textures make an interesting look.

What do you think about adding a flannel to an otherwise warm dress? Do you ever mix black and navy blue together? Let me know in the comments down below.

As always,

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