Making the Most of Summertime

Outfit: Romper | Shoes [Similar]

I have to admit, typically I am a fall obsessed girl. Not this year, though.  I have probably been craving summer since probably February.  Now, that I can see my school year start date on the calendar so soon I don't want it to end!

This summer has been so necessary for me personally, it has also been a lot of fun.  There has been a lot of transition for me with moving to a new apartment, and learning a lot of little life lessons that Jesus and I have been working on. This summer I have also decided to set the to do list aside for what is really important.  I want my actions to reflect my words.  If I am going to be true to that it means calling my loved ones, setting up friend dates, exploring my new neighborhood, being outside in the sunshine, and truly celebrating this life.

Summer has been my opportunity to reflect on what is important and incorporate that in my life.  With a few more weeks of summer I am determined to make the most of it.  I also want to bring a little bit of my summertime self with me to my school year.  The to - do list will always be there but the experiences, the daylight late at night, the outdoor yoga, the flowers, those things end up fading with winter.  Not this year.

Summer you are slowly becoming my new favorite because of all the life changing lessons you have taught me. You have brought me closer to friends.  You have given me sun kissed skin and lighter hair.  You have given me lots of much needed rest.  You have warmed my heart and soul.  You have taught me to explore, to cherish life, and to slow down.

Cheers to celebrating summer and making the most of it.

How are you celebrating summertime? 

P.S.  If you love my romper as much as I do; check out Ivy & Leo.  You can use the code AMANDA10 for 10% off your purchases, they are also having a crazy summer sale right now - 30% off all summer items to make room for their fall line!

On Striving for Perfection

Today we are getting a little more raw and a lot more real here on Sweet Surrender.  I have been wrestling with the concept of perfection for a little while and wanted to share my journey and thoughts through this process. Comparison is a topic that is brought up in the blog world quite frequently and I wrote a post about that here. Perfection or wanting perfection is sometimes stemmed from comparison but in my case today it is coming from a variety of places.

I am a to- do list maker, people pleaser, rule follower, and strive for recognition that I am doing the right thing. Lately, striving to get it all done, to have my apartment be beautiful and pinterest worthy only a week after we moved in, to have the right clothes, hair, & make up, and to make all those around me happy, has had the opposite effect.  Reaching for perfection has made me miserable. It's exhausting.  It's also not worth it at all. In trying to do all the things I was actually losing myself, who I was, and what truly makes me happy.

Perfection isn't an attainable thing at all.  We all fall short.  We all make mistakes.  We all live very different lives and that's okay.  I am learning to accept myself.  I am learning to thrive in the imperfections.  Most of all God's grace is free flowing. If he can forgive me through it all, why can't I learn to forgive myself and give myself permission to slow down?

My apartment will take time to get organized and saving for a couch won't happen overnight.  Sometimes others aren't going to be thrilled at the decisions I make for myself and that's okay.  My wardrobe will take time to build. I have so much to be grateful for right now.  Wanting perfection will only bring misery.  Practicing gratitude brings joy.

Instead of striving for perfection I have created a new goal: strive for health and happiness.  When I am making healthy choices and decision that bring me joy I am my best self. We only get one life to live and I don't want to waste mine guilt tripping myself and creating unnecessary anxiety because perfection simply couldn't be reached.  I want to spend the time I have living my best life.

Have you had to shift your mindset when it comes to perfection? How has that changed your life for the better? 

Welcome

I am so glad you are here.  

My vision for this blog is to get back to the core of who I am.  I want it to be simple, clean, and beautiful.  A space to share and to connect.  A place to just cherish the memories of each and every day that I get to have.  

This is not my first blogging adventure.  I hosted another blog for many years, with my life getting so busy during graduate school it kind of fell apart.  Another reason for me fading away from the blog scene was a feeling of inadequacy.  I started that comparison game, that never lets you win, which lead to my inspiration and excitement for blogging completely stop. I spent so many hours pouring my heart and soul into something only to feel like I wasn't good enough after reading through so many other beautiful blogs.  That, my friends, is not okay. I am here for a reason.  My life is worth sharing.  I am good enough.  

So I am starting over. Starting fresh. Remembering why I loved blogging in the first place and letting that carry me through. I love photography and writing.  I love living an adventurous life and documenting it through the eyes of a lens. As humans we forget to be vulnerable, to live in the present moment, to cherish the little things. We can always set the reset button and start again. That's what I am doing here. 

Welcome to Sweet Surrender.  A blog about me living my life, being brave for Jesus, and my lessons that I learn along the way.