I’m starting to realize one of the most difficult parts about exclusively buying fair trade fashion: You can’t just “run out real quick and grab ____.”
This realization recently hit home when I was preparing for a big meeting at work. As I was putting together my outfit the night before, I noticed how my tan belt was worn and frayed and looked as though it might snap in half. No problem, I thought, I’ll just run by Target on the way to work tomorrow and pick up a new one.
Well actually, no. No I won’t. Because I’ve committed to this fair trade deal. Read More
Hey friends. Any of you feeling lost or uncertain today? Passionless? Restless for a new adventure? Today I’m sharing a little bit about how I have addressed those same feelings in my own life recently, and I’m also going to tell you about a fun journal that is launching today that helps you discover what it’s like to live a life of spiritually-driven adventure (full disclosure: I received a free copy of the journal to take a peek at. I also have a discount code for y’all in case you want to snag one yourself!).
First, a little bit of back story on the adventure I’ve been on for the past year or so. My life doesn’t look like it has changed all that much on the outside, but since December 2014, I have been on a soul-searching adventure for passion, health, and Truth. After becoming incredibly sick with an unknown illness and finding little cure or relief despite countless visits to my family doctor, acupuncturists, and several specialists, I felt like my world was crashing down around me. I felt too sick to go to work, but I desperately needed health insurance, so I got by as best I could. I slept 10 hours a night but woke up exhausted and in pain each morning. Eating was difficult, and I quickly became pale and gaunt. With my social life at a screeching halt and my health failing, I became anxious and sad.
The core of my self image had always been my high achieving, go-getter personality. Suddenly, with my health in shambles, I felt like I wasn’t able to achieve anything. I could barely get out of bed in the morning, and I felt anything but successful. At the time, “adventure” was the last word I would have used to describe where I was in life.
But here’s where things got good. Because there were few things I was physically up to doing, I was forced to turn inward and reflect. I didn’t particularly like what I found. I felt like I had been floating in the wind for several years and had no idea how I had ended up where I was. I didn’t want to live like that anymore. I was ready for purpose and guidance. My faith, which has always been important to me, became my refuge.
I began praying and seeking spiritual truth like never before. I began reading about purposeful living through books like Make It Happen and A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. My illness was the wake up call I needed to make some big changes on how I was living my life.
I am now much healthier, both physically, spiritually, and emotionally. To most people, my life probably doesn’t look that much different on the outside. I didn’t quit my job, move to a foreign country, or sell everything I had to start my dream business. But my life is a world of difference on the inside. I’m living on purpose and passion.
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Well hey there, long lost friends! After a brief hiatus on the blog while I was studying for and taking my social work clinical licensure exam (I passed!! Happy dance!), I am back at it with an update on how the Inside Out fair trade fashion challenge is going. Spoiler alert: pretty well.
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As a social worker, I talk and think about privilege a lot. “Privilege” was probably the most used word during my time at the UNC School of Social Work. So, as I begin this challenge of exclusively purchasing fair trade fashion and accessories for the next year, I can’t help but think about how much easier this challenge is for me because of the many privileges I have. Read More
Y’all, I discovered an incredible phone app a few weeks ago and am dying to share. If you’re the praying type (regardless of specific religious beliefs), this post is for you.
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Happy New Year, belles! Are any of you making resolutions for 2016? I’ve never been one for New Year’s resolutions, though I do set personal goals for myself from time to time, and I almost always give something up or take on a new practice for Lent. This year, however, I’m kicking off 2016 with the Inside Out Challenge, which my friend Traci and I have created to explore ethical fashion and natural beauty products. We will be blogging about our experiences and invite you to follow along and/or join us (more on that below!).
I’ve known for years that many clothing companies use child and slave labor in their supply chains or pay foreign workers unfair wages. We all see it in the media from time to time when companies like Nike get exposed for supporting sweatshops. It didn’t sit well with me, but I also wasn’t sure about alternatives, and most of the time it was out of sight, out of mind. A few years ago I stumbled upon Slavery Footprint and was appalled by how many slaves I had working for me in various supply chains. I fired off emails to several companies (and amazingly, actually got a few responses!), then got busy with graduate school and never did anything serious about it. Given the choice at Whole Foods, I would typically choose the fair trade product, but that was about it.
Then, this past November, I read 7.
Traci selected it for our monthly book club, and heavens, am I glad she did. I am not kidding when I say it changed my life, in many ways that I’m only beginning to wrap my head around. Best believe, y’all will be hearing about this book more on the blog in the future.
7 really got me thinking about the choices I make with my money as a consumer, especially in regards to clothing. Simply put, it got me fired up about ethical fashion.
For the duration of 2016, I am choosing to only purchase fair trade fashion. This includes clothing, shoes, and accessories for myself as well as gifts for others. No ifs, ands, or buts. The only exception I will make is if the purchase is required in some way (i.e. a bridesmaid dress or a volunteer t-shirt). I honestly don’t foresee any of these “required” purchase in my 2016, though.
I am approximately 99% super excited about this and 1% nervous. I am taking the values I hold on the inside (social justice, belief in the value and worth of all human beings) and physically wearing them on the outside. I can’t wait to see how this challenge changes me from the inside out. And I can’t wait to share about it with y’all!
Traci’s doing something a little different with natural beauty products, and she’ll be sharing more about that on her blog soon.
Join in with us if you’d like, even if just for a month or a purchase or two, using the hashtag #2016insideout.
xoxo Laura
(Jeans photo credit: public domain image)
Two weeks before Christmas (so three weeks before I kicked off the Inside Out Challenge), I got slapped with a giant reminder of just how horrible my consumerism had become. Read More
Yesterday was my first gluten-free Christmas, and my sweet mama made it special for me by adapting my favorite Christmas cookie recipe. Isn’t she the best?? So here’s my Christmas present to y’all: the recipe! Even if you don’t need to be gluten-free, you will ADORE these Hello Dollies. Warning: non-professional iPhone photos ahead.
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Monday was one of those mornings. I hadn’t gotten home from Thanksgiving vacation until 10:30 p.m. the night before, I was pawing through my unpacked bags for my toothbrush while scrambling to get myself out the door for work, and on top of that, I was rushing to 10 different websites to snag Cyber Monday deals before they disappeared. My to do list was so long, I couldn’t cram it all into the allotted “Monday” space in my weekly agenda, so I filled up “Tuesday,” too. I was really, really stressed just looking at it, and I didn’t think I would ever be able to catch up. I was starting off my week totally exhausted. Read More
Do you ever find yourself feeling a little less-than-inspired at work? Even for those of us who like our jobs, there are times when the everyday routine just gets….dull. About two months ago, I was having a lackluster day at work when an idea suddenly popped into my head.
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