Miss Your Favorite Café?

If you are anything like me, you are missing your favorite coffee shops right now. I am missing the atmosphere so much!

 Fortunately, you do not need a lot to replicate the coffee shop atmosphere at home!

We all have our preferences when it comes to coffee shops. You can replicate any drink you enjoy, but this wouldn't be my blog if I didn't talk about coffee. Therefore, I love to make an iced latte, and it pairs perfectly with a pastry. I use my beloved espresso machine, but drip coffee and instant coffee are totally options!

Sooo whenever I drink coffee I just need to pair it with something sweet! I've been baking more than ever before, and I'm always down to experiment in the kitchen. I tried to make pain au chocolat for the first time, and I was so happy with the result. You don't have to bake pain au chocolat from scratch, but if you are interested, here's the recipe I used: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/homemade-chocolate-croissants/

I'd say coffee and a pastry are the most important parts of getting these vibes right, but music always helps. I usually find a jazz playlist on Spotify, and play it on my Beats Pill.

I know it's not the same, but hopefully this helps you incorporate those coffee shop nuances into your home!

Thanks for reading ♥

- much love, Suzan J

Habits for Intentional Mornings

     Look. I am not going to write about how you can use this time to change your life and become super productive. Those are just not the vibes and we know it. Some days I have aesthetically pleasing mornings, where I am productive from the moment I wake up, and other days I fall down an Instagram rabbit hole and stay in my pajamas until noon. However, I have had more than enough time to sit with my thoughts and analyze my habits, and I've figured out how I enjoy my mornings nowadays. There are some basic things I implement into my mornings - honestly, just to make myself happy.

I don't like to watch the news first thing in the morning, because it makes me anxious. I check my emails, along with my NY Times briefing and that's it. Or I will choose to not touch my phone at all, that early. I think it's important to remember that even though we have so much time on our hands, it is easy to be mentally absent, which isn't always the healthiest thing. Therefore, I make sure at least my mornings are distraction-free. I prefer to eat breakfast with my family, without being preoccupied.

I love effort. Putting effort into my breakfast and coffee gives me something to look forward to everyday. I also take my coffee very seriously. Lately my go-to is a cappuccino or latte.

Simple joys keep me grounded, and I make sure to express gratitude every single day. Before any media enters my mind, I take a second to be thankful.

You do not have to do extreme things to set yourself up for the day. Being in the moment is already so much.

Thank you for reading!

- much love, Suzan J

Do you live your own life, or do you care what others think?

"The version of me you created in your mind is not my responsibility."

I love this quote, and find myself frequently referring to it.

I live life with compassion and my values, but I am not responsible to create other people's perceptions of me. I give the best I can, and what you make of that is your own opinion.

I would say thinking about who you aspire to be from an external outlook is different. We are social creatures that care about how we present ourselves. With that being said, there is a difference between thinking about how you carry yourself vs. letting people's opinions dictate your life.

This goes back to accepting and honoring your individuality. Own your decisions. Own your mistakes because they help you in your journey. I think we lose sight of the fact that there is more than one way to do things. Especially during very pivotal moments, where everyone believes the route they decided to take is the best. It is - for them. And your route is right for you. Since we are all different, we all have different perspectives. Don't take judgements to heart, and don't criticize someone's decisions that have nothing to do with you, because we are all trying our best.

Do not seek validation in what others have to say about you. Of course, listen to constructive criticism, but do not assign it right away to who you are as a person. Why? Because the same way you take a compliment right to your mind, you create the same habit with negative remarks. Know who you are, hear people out, but remember that the person who decides whether or not a comment changes your sense of identity is you. 


Thank you for reading!

- much love, Suzan J

How To Be Confident For Real - Volume 2

Reading my previous blog posts has me all sentimental so here I am!

Two years ago, I made a post about confidence, and it's cool to see how my perspective has changed, and stayed the same in some ways. Suddenly I'm seventeen and I feel like this seasoned woman - time flies by rapidly, but at the same time certain memories feel a lifetime away. I honestly can't believe there was a time where I was trying to be someone I wasn't, trying to be some type of carbon copy just to get some validation. My start, or my childhood years, were pretty carefree. And that's usually how it is until society takes ahold of you and makes you desperate to fit in for a sec.

Confidence has many layers when you try to explain it, but it's quite simple. It's just: I'm here, this is me, that's all. And staying solid in that belief.

When you realize you are you and that is literally it, you are unshakable.

I agree with the things I wrote two years ago, but there is definitely much more that I have discovered. One thing being embracing that I'm a human and dealing with my insecurities in a healthy way. By a "healthy way" I mean acknowledging my temporary issue and moving forward. Confidence isn't feeling perfect - it's being at peace with yourself. I pray for peace. It is truly my goal in life above all. I used to think truly confident people feel stunning all of the time. And then I learned that those I would not even suspect to, struggle on the inside. We are all people, and life is a constant journey of problem solving. With a clear mind, I am happy, and that is why I try my hardest to not let my minuscule insecurities take away from my peace.

Confidence and insecurities kind of go hand in hand. What I have learned is that insecurities come and go, and that is the only attention they deserve in my life. Think about how much a selfish little "flaw" matters in the grand scheme of things. We don't even know our real size. We are here to enjoy life and help others do the same. It starts with ourselves, and our inner peace.

When you accept yourself, and vow to always put out the best you can, what other people think of you loses importance. Being whole within yourself is essentially what confidence is.

Thank youuuu for reading!!

Stay safe ♥

- much love, Suzan J