We're officially in the 2nd month of 2023 and the year is off to a very strange start. It was chaotic yet calm, and brought a lot of anxiety that I wasn't expecting. I think a lot of people were feeling the same way so I take comfort in that.

This week was weirdly long; I worked from home all week, had a lot of meeting sand felt like I got a lot of work done. I had a doctor's appointment, needed to take care of some car things and felt a little more present than I have the past few weeks.

Now, I need to start getting ready for a Charleston trip I'm going on at the end of the month, along with bridal showers and weddings I have coming up this spring and summer. I need to buckle down and get my head in the game.

This weekend is going to be really cold in New York so I can't wait to snuggle up and rest, and then also see some family! Rest and relaxation makes the world goes round.

Let's get into the round up! 

TGIF and I've never been happier. My anxiety and depression were high this week and I'm ready to just not think about anything of substance all weekend. I know WHY I was feeling this way, for once, and it's mostly because I don't feel fulfilled. I need to write more and I want to write more because when I think about what I love the most in this world it's books and writing. I need to satisfy that part of my soul more than I am.

I also have been feeling like I'm not good enough. I'm not good enough at my job, I'm not a good writer, I'm not really good enough to be who I want to be. That is a very strange feeling for me because I've always had a lot of self-confidence. Maybe it's constant rejection, or the constant comparing I do on a daily basis to all the fancy editors and influencers I aspire to me. The 'not good enough' epidemic has finally come for me and I'm not sure how to combat it.

I'm trying to push that feeling deep down to a place where I can't feel it but I don't know how well I'm doing. Maybe it was just a bad week, maybe tomorrow will be better.

To help get through the hard days I immersed myself in goal setting, made 100 google docs for my life, from the blog to budgets, and watched Youtube videos on planning. The videos oddly calmed me and I recommend everyone watch Milk and Honey Life's videos.

In other news... I did my civic duty yesterday and voted in the New York Primaries. I had forgotten about election day until I was flooded with it on social media and I was already at work, far away from my voting location. As I mentioned, I was not having a good day and it would've been really easy for me to just go into my house and crash on the couch. However, I shook it off, got in my car and drove to vote. The entire process, door to door, took maybe 10 minutes. And guess what? I felt SO much better afterward knowing that I did my part.



Enough with the rambles, let's get into the good stuff.

Links

• An inside look at the Kate Spade Spring 2019 Collection
• Uh, Revolve totally missed the mark on this one
• 15 Adult Lunchables for the work day
• Hair products to help keep static away
• How to start being more productive
• Ever wonder how Erin Condren stays motivated? I do
• A beautiful image of the Freedom Tower on 9/11
• The best exfoliating masks for congested skin

What You Missed On Royally Pink

What I Bought This Week:

Thursday night could not have come soon enough. It was a really hard, long week at work and just in life. I was incredibly stressed out and drained all week -- it was just really upsetting and difficult.

I'm happy to be home and to have 3 days off, yet again. Tonight I'm going to the Taylor Swift concert in New Jersey with a few of my friends and I think it'll be a great way to kick off the weekend. Make sure to follow me on Instagram & Twitter to get the play by play of

In the midst of all the stress and nerves, I was really inspired to take the reigns on Royally Pink. I want/need to start thinking of it as a business if I want it to be a business. I have so much to my advantage and I love this blog so much, even when I'm tired and I don't want to write.

I want to make Royally Pink incredible and give all of you unique content. I want to build this blog into something big because I love it, and I want to share my thoughts with everyone on so many topics.

Anyways... we'll see what happens. I've said that before but I really want to stick to it this time.



For now, here's what I loved this week:

• How to meditate at work
• Spend your Sunday preparing for your Monday, in the best way possible
• What to do when your anti-depressants stop working
• How to let go of imposter syndrome -- because I always feel like an imposter
• 24 things Millennials haven't thought about recently ---*I think about Two of a Kind very frequently. 
• A wellness editor's guide to relaxation this summer
• I need to go to Casper's dreamery -- this look so cool!! 

Happy Friday!! Did anyone else feel like this was the longest week ever?? The days dragged on.

It was a bittersweet week, for personal reasons but I got through it and I'm happy to have it be Friday. I worked from home today because I had a doctor's appointment right smack in the middle of the day. It's a good day to work from home too because it's rainy and gross outside.

There is nothing I love more than waking up to the sound of the rain and knowing I don't have to commute. I am just obsessed with the rain!

It was also a great excuse to break out my Jack Rogers Rain Boots which do not get enough love in my wardrobe.



ALSO: THE ROYAL BABY WAS BORN! It was the perfect way to start the week off and we finally found out his name today: Louis Arthur Charles!

This week also gave us the first real taste of Spring, and I kind of loved it. It was so refreshing to wear a light jacket instead of a huge winter coat. I've also really been into Spring fashion and looking for new items for my wardrobe.

I just did a huge shop at Ann Taylor Loft and J.Crew Factory and I am totally obsessed. I will try to do a post or video about them soon.

I went to brunch on Sunday and it was amazing!

Speaking of video, did you see my latest Youtube video from last week? I showed you everything I've been shopping lately! Subscribe to my channel here.



Anyways, enough rambling. Here's everything I loved this week!

• I am all for the PVC bag trend this year. The more bags I could carry, the better! 
• New GMAIL features were released this week and I'm kind of excited
• Ms. Tyra Banks confirmed LiLo will be in Life Size 2 (!!!!!!)
• How to write your way through your emotions
• The truth about working from home
• When is the best time of week to apply for a job

Boy, what a week! A lot happened and I'm happy to say hello to Friday, the weekend, and almost 1 week until Christmas! I so need a vacation so I can't wait to lay up on my couch for almost two weeks.

Even though the week was hard, I think the blog content was very festive & fun. I really enjoyed writing it so it was nice to see it well received. I wrote all of the posts Saturday night while I watched Christmas movies, sat by the Christmas tree, and as it snowed outside. It felt really good to have things scheduled and not have to worry about it during the week...

Which is why there was no post yesterday. With the crazy, emotionally insane week, I just didn't have the head to sit down and finish a post... but that is usually what happens when I don't have a post go up.

One of the reasons I was nuts this week was because it was my dad's birthday on Sunday, and I really just miss him. Grief is a funny thing and it sneaks up on you... I've written about it once but I feel like it deserves another post, an update on my grief. That's probably the most blogger thing I've ever written but writing helps me in every aspect of life.

This weekend will be a busy one; I have a family reunion of sorts tonight in Manhattan, and then I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow morning and will head back into the city to go to the Louis Vuitton exhibit which will be so much fun.

I also still need to finish Christmas shopping because it really is sneaking up on me... there is just so much to do and so little time, and so little motivation.

It snowed yesterday too!

Anyways, here are my links for the week:

• A very interesting article about the new moon coming up in a few days
• Chunky knit blankets are the #1 decor trend of the year and I need one
• Why do you jerk awake when you're just falling asleep? This will tell you
• What do successful people do over a 'holiday break'? Find out! 
• How to be happy on the go
• How and why social media can actually reduce anxious feelings

This was a tough one for me, not going to lie. Even though it was a short week, I felt completely lost. I was anxious, angry, nervous, and just really confused. I don't know if it was because of the end of Mercury Retrograde, my allergies kicking in (I always get very confused and dreary when allergy season starts up), or just plain old PMS.

I'm really glad Friday is here and the weekend is upon me. I have no plans other than an engagement party Sunday night, but I'm looking forward to recharging my batteries after a strenuous, emotionally draining week!

It's Fashion Week here in New York and I'll be going to an event next week so that'll be fun, but the city is just abuzz with fun and excitement! The weather was also exceptional this week with lots of fall fun in the air so those are two bright sides.

I have a new article on Out of Office NY about slaying the day before 8 AM so check that out for some morning routine inspo!

I got my fall candles this week from Evil Queen and they're AMAZING

On another note, here is everything I loved this week!

• I'm very tempted to buy something from the Fenty Beauty line!
• Stassican teach us all so much
• I am HARDCORE feeling all of this Halloween nail art
• Why do readers do better in their careers? Find out here!
• I need all of these honey themed products from Bath and Body Works! 
• I will be going off my weight watchers at some point for a cheat day involving all the dough
• Travel essentials that POPSUGAR editors cannot live without are spot on
• The Bold Type was the show of the summer -- did you watch?

Here's what you missed on Royally Pink:

• Brand Buzz: UNiDAYS + REN Skincare
• Book Review Wednesday: Tales From the Back Row
• Fashion Files: What to Wear in Fall 2017
• Monthly Muse: August 2017 Favorites

We're halfway through February and I can't even believe it. I don't want March-August to come, but I do because it means I'm one step closer to Fall! I really don't think anyone understands how much I hate the spring & summer, but whatever, I'll stop talking about it!

This week was tough for me; I battled some bad days at the beginning of the week and it was kind of eye opening to me. I've realized that I really haven't been in a good place and it's time that I accept I'm in a funk. Just because I'm on anxiety medication doesn't mean the world is full of sunshine and butterflies. My life is not that bad and I make it horrible -- I feel like I'm fighting against myself on a daily basis and I need to fix it.

For the past two days I've really been paying attention to this and just choosing to be in a better mood and it seems to be working. I think I also need to realize that by constantly complaining that I'm tired and forcing myself to accept that, that I'm actually just making myself tired.

I think a few weeks ago when I found about the Vitamin D deficiency, I grabbed onto that and ran with it. I used it as a crutch and an excuse for how I was feeling. I think I do that a lot; with my anxiety and my depression as well.

I'm realizing I have some work to do on myself and I think it's a good time to do it. I had a similar epiphany during September of last year and had a really good thing going but then my dad died and it all went to shit, and rightfully so.

I always seem to get super deep on weekly wrap ups but it's the perfect time to just dump my feelings out on all of you. I hope you know you can dump your feelings out on me too, I'm always here to listen!



Onto happier things... here are my favorite links from this week!

• I have a work trip in May and I really want this suitcase
• Unicorn makeup is SO in and I kind of love it
• Such adorable loafers! 
• I need to try Babyfacial ASAP
• Everything you need for the ultimate night's sleep

And another week bites the dust! It was the first full week of 2016 and it kicked my booty! I was in Pennsylvania Sunday-Tuesday for a work trip and it really wore me out. I've talked about it here before--once every few months my coworkers & I head down to QVC Studios and we basically stay up for 24 hours while the live shows are going on.

It is unlike anything I've ever seen or experienced and I really love it. It's one of my favorite parts of the job as Social Media Coordinator. However, it is quite exhausting. I was tired and run down all week so it definitely affected me but I'm glad the weekend is here. I'm hoping to get back to regularly scheduled programming soon.

Before I get into the links I loved, I really have to share one of the highlights of my week. I decided a while ago that I wanted to take my blog to the next level and I've been saying it for months. I've tried my hardest and I'm not anywhere near there yet --side note, I don't know where THERE is but whatever! I knew that one thing I needed to do was get new business cards. I purchased my domain last year and have never updated my cards with the new email address (Briana@royallypink.com) and the new URL.

I knew I needed new ones and when I logged onto Moo.com to pick them out, I fell in love with the Elle Woods design. I ordered them and they arrived last Saturday and I almost cried out of happiness.



How beautiful?! I am truly obsessed. They have rounded edges and feel really professional. I will be proud to hand these out whenever that time comes!

Anyways, if you want to help me take the blog to the next level, sign up for the Royally Pink newsletter! It's definitely in the working stages but I played around with something over the holidays and I like how it turned out! I have some more ideas for weekly content there so I'm really excited!

It's going to be a good year :)



And finally, here are my links!

I usually have my shit together but these apps would make things a lot easier (PS: I have some of them already -- oo maybe I'll do a favorite app post!)

Umm...the Tatums are HOT

I loved Barbie but I loved ALL of these toys too

Things to try in 2016 -- sure! 

Kourtney Kardashian is HBIC

I can sometimes relate to this article all too well

Tea has been my new obsession lately and I'm loving the benefits

Fake it till ya make it!

Happy weekend everyone!