True Happiness

In this age of materialism and the thought process of we must have more, more, more of everything, this blog post was very refreshing. Reading it made me think about the things that truly make me happy. I love shopping and buying new clothes, technology and cars, but is it the material thing that truly makes me happy? I began to retrace my last few purchases and think about why they made me happy. For example, why is it that Toms shoes make me happier than Uggs or Converse? I soon realized that it's not the style of the shoe or the brand that makes me as happy as the meaning behind it. I love that they don't just make money by selling shoes, taking the money and walking away. Their One for One mission is extremely important, because it shows that Toms has a real purpose, a "sole", you could say (yes, pun intended). As consumers, companies often try to get our attention by creating advertising that appeals to our sensitive side. Companies will donate "a percentage of the profits to [so-and-so charity]" and more often than not, we purchase something from them, even if we didn't need it, because we want to show that we care. As Americans, we all need to reevaluate what we value most. If you ask someone what is most important to them, they will likely say, "family" or "friends". But just because we say this doesn't mean it's really true. If you're one of the people that would answer family or friends to the question, think about this: when is the last time you've told these people how much they mean to you? Do they know how you feel about them? Don't just assume that because you're related to them or spend everyday with them that they know. Sometimes a smile and a hug is all it takes. What we all need to take from this is that although we may think that material things make us happy and our family and friends mean the most to us, sometimes you have to dig deeper and find the real reason you get happiness from these things.

Obsession...

For those of you that don't know, I am beyond obsessed with Toms. (Clearly.) I own four pairs and a sweatshirt and have a giant pack of stickers that I don't even know what to do with, since I have already stickered everything I own. I recently received my new spring-time Toms and I love them more than I thought I could ever love a pair of shoes. They're different than the other pairs I own because these have the option of having shoelaces (which are PINK, btw). Because Wisconsin has decided that it wants an early spring, I've decided to go along with it and only wear these as an "Ode to Spring". Ooh, good song title. Anyway, as much as I wish that this weather would last, I know that eventually the cold will come back, but I'll just close my eyes and remember that even when you can't see it, the sun is out there. :)

Winter blues? I have the answer!

Well this is embarassing. I've been...busy? I promise I didn't forget about you guys! I'm in the middle of finding a summer job, finding housing for next year, settling into this semester's classes, and trying to find a way to fund my shopping addiction! This is no easy task, but somehow I've managed. Because I haven't taken any outfit photos lately (sorry!!) I will indulge you all in my favorite winter break purchases. It was hard to pick out of such a vast collection! Enjoy!