The skinny on how I set goals and actually achieve them! 

Today I want to talk with you guys about goals, how you set them, and how you can achieve them. Ah yes, things are getting very real today. Get ready for this. 😉  

So, getting right into it… I have always had a very clear vision for how I want my life to be. Along with this vision comes a very clear set of steps to help myself achieve my goals and make my vision a reality. It can be hard some days to keep pushing, when all you want to do is stay in bed and watch Netflix/sleep/be lazy. There are a few tips and tricks I have up my sleeve to keep myself going and always be moving towards my goals.

It can be scary as hell to set your sights high, as many people often think this leaves room for failure. I actually think the opposite. If you have high expectations for how you want your life to be, you have already mentally set yourself up for success. By setting high goals (even if you only accomplish half of what you originally set out to achieve) chances are you will achieve more than you would have if you had set modest goals.

“SHOOT FOR THE MOON. EVEN IF YOU MISS, YOU WILL LAND AMOUNG THE STARS.”

Totally obsessed with that quote, always have been. Just ignore that fact that it is totally factually incorrect and pretend that those literal distances make sense haha. But it is the spirit behind the quote that I like and apply to my life legit every day.

Aim for the top. Don’t be conservative. Be bold with your vision, and your achievements will directly reflect that!

How to bring your goals to life? VISION BOARDS!

I like to have physical reminders of what I want in life plastered all over my house. One key thing that I always am updating and working on is my vision board. A vision board is kind of like a scrapbook for how you want your life to look – a visual representation of your goals. Having a vision board is a great way to remind yourself why you get up every day and work so hard. (It can be easy to forget when you get in the thick of work/school/general life responsibilities.)

To make a vision board, all you need is a cork-board from the dollar store and a bunch of magazines. Go through the magazines and cut out anything that represents or looks like something you want in life. Your vision board is completely personal and can be organized any way you want. It is also something that is never “done.” I know I always am adding new things to mine that are more relevant, and taking away things that have maybe become a lower priority for me. Compile your favourite words, phrases, photos, or quotes and throw them all together on your vision board. Put the board somewhere you literally can’t avoid it (mine is above my full length mirror lol) so you will see it every single day.

Whatever you want in life, it is yours. So go out and get it babes! And remember, set them goals high. You won’t regret it 💕

How to you make your goals come to life? Do any of you guys have tips to share?? Comment below!

x,

20% off custom designed iPhone/MacBook cases + giveaway for you! <3

Hellloooo friends! Happy Sunday! Seriously the best day of the week. I would even go as far to say that Sundays are magical.

What do you guys think of my new phone case & MacBook skin? S’cute no? I designed these myself from an online store called CaseApp. It is sweet, you can legit make any kind of phone case of laptop skin you want. Custom font, photos, you name it. Definitely one of my new fave sites.

Which is why…. **drumroll** I have teamed up with the people at CaseApp to get you guys 20% off your entire purchase on their site! Hell. Yes. 

All you have to do is use the promocode “SKINNYBELLE20” on the CaseApp website and you are good to go! 🎉

ANDDD I am doing a giveaway! One lucky winner will get $40 to spend in the CaseApp store. 💰 All you need to do is COMMENT BELOW TO WIN. $40 FO FREE. Yaaaas.

Happy shopping friends! Remember to comment on this post to enter to win $40 <3

x,

Jeans: Citizens of Humanity / Boots: Timberland / Shirt: Oak + Fort / Jacket: Vintage

Andddddd I’m back! Did you miss me? 

Decided that I needed a little bit of a vacation, so for the past week or so I have been in New York with one of my oldest and best friends. It was my first time visiting the city and I can most certainly tell you it will not be the last. I am totally in love.

First off, the culture is just fantastic. Everyone is so nice there, I have seriously never had that many non-crazy people talk to me in a short period of time… ever. I love the buildings, how people dress, the food, like… just everything. I will be posting my favourite things I did in NYC later this week, and would love to compare notes with you guys! 

Anyways, vacation is over and I’m back babies!!! Can’t wait to be posting again, I missed you guys 🙂

x,

Can someone tell me when Vancouver got cold?

OKAY BUT FOR REAL. It is f’ing freezing right now in Vancouver. For all my American and international friends, it honestly never gets cold in Vancouver. Like, ever. The worst that happens is there is some wet snow during December and it is such a rare occasion that the entire city basically shuts down. Panic ensues to say the least.

Anyways, it is freezing cold right now and I actually went out and bought a full down filled jacket with fur to stay warm. Never ever have I felt the need to do that before. Maybe I am just becoming more feeble at my ripe old age of 24. Or global warming is happening, who knows. Either way, this beauty of a jacket has come into my life because of the weirdly cold weather. 

Another thing that it is absolutely essential for you guys to know, is that I feel like a Russian mafia princess in this jacket. Like, THE MOST gangster. It is of the upmost importance to me to maintain a feelings of gangster at all times. So this coat definitely fits the ticket.

Coat from Danier, click here to check out their site!

x,

A spicy twist on a traditional recipe! (Gluten-free 😌 )

So the other day I had this spicy cornbread-crack creation in a restaurant for dinner. It was SO GOOD. Obviously the first thing I did was drove straight home and whipped up my own version. Wasn’t really sure what to call this, but Chilli Corn Bread seemed the most appropriate. No?

This corn bread is honestly a must for the holiday season. It is warm, spicy, and just all around delicious. Also, I need to be honest with you guys about how I actually ate this. Let’s just say that my slices of bread were not just topped with avocado slices. They may or may not have been slathered in butter. And I mean SLATHERED. I oiled those babies up. Because fresh-out-of-the-oven bread with melted butter on top is life. And you gotta live!! So make sure you serve this one warm with a nice fat slice of butter on top. 80/20 people.

Ya’ll ready to do this?! Lets get cookin’!

Ingreds:

• 1 cup (120g) cornmeal
• 1 cup (125g) spelt flour (I felt like being trendy and gluten-free, but regular flour works too!)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (115g) butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 4 tbsp chilli powder
• 1 tbsp paprika
• ¼ tbsp cayanne pepper

Here we gooo.

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Grease and lightly flour an 8 or 9-inch square baking pan. Set aside.

Step 2: Whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, all spices, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk the cooled melted butter together with the egg until combined. Next whisk in your coconut milk and lemon juice. Finally pour them wet ingreds in with the dry ingreds and stir until combined. Make sure you don’t overmix! 

Step 3: Pour batter into your baking pan. Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown on top and the centre is cooked through. To see if the bread is cooked, carefully poke a toothpick in the middle and look to see if it comes out clean. If the toothpick comes out clean, it’s done!

Step 4: Let cool for a few minutes, then serve while still warm. And obviously drench it in butter and avocado. 

SO GOOD. What do you guys think? Will you be trying this one at home? Comment below! <3

x,

Coat: Bernardo Fashions / Pants: Citizens of Humanity / Photos: Michael Mak

How cute is this coat?! Thank you to my friends over at Bernardo Fashions for sending along this gorgeous gift. It is such a great piece for fall, and even for transitioning into spring. I am all about clothing that I can use throughout multiple seasons. It feels good to get more use out of something than just for a few months!

So anyways, a little personal update here. Lately I have been so awesomely busy. I am literally so stoked about everything I am working on I can’t even deal (<– full on white-girl “can’t even.”) But I am also totally lacking any time at all for myself. Do you ever feel like that? Like you are so happy that things are going great but at the same time feel like you need to sleep for a week? 😂 Not complaining, I am very thankful for my hectic schedule as it means I am getting shit done! 

That being said, sometime over the next few weeks or so I will be making a big announcement here on Skinny Belle, and I honestly am having major difficulties not telling you all right now. MUST. BE. STRONG. 💪

More details to come! Be patient babesicles. 😘

Another big thanks to Bernardo Fashions for this gorgeous jacket! If you want to grab one for yourself, hit up the Nordstrom website by clicking here. Bernardo is definitely one of my fave brands, so make sure you go and check them out!

x,

The newest addition to my skin-care routine <3

Everyone, meet me latest skin obsession: Vitamin E-Oil.

I am determined to do everything in my power to keep my skin looking as young as possible for as long as possible (the natural way.) This means major prevention measures. Nobody wants to wake up one day and wonder when the hell their face got wrinkly. You have got to start thinking about this stuff NOW. It is so much easier to prevent an unpleasant situation that to already be in one and try and get out of it. For all things in life haha. But especially when it comes to the health of your skin. 

Have I got you panicking yet? Haha! Welcome to what goes on inside my brain every day. It’s okay friends, I am here with my verging-on-obsessive determination to keep my skin young, and am more than happy to share my fave tips and tricks here with you!

So, I did some research and found yet another way to maintain and boost my skin’s health. Needless to say, Vitamin-E Oil has definitely been added to my weekly skincare routine.

Here is why I am obsessed:

• Blocks the formation of wrinkles!!
• Treats existing wrinkles by boosting collagen production!!!
• Reverses sun damage and decrease the appearance of sun spots!!!!
• Diminish the look of stretch marks!!!!!
• (!!!!!!) 😁 <– exciting stuff right?!

So how do I use my Vitamin E-Oil?

Well, it is a super thick oil so I mix it 50/50 with my regular face cream to make a homemade night cream. E-Oil is definitely not something you want on your face in the daytime. Way too much shine going on. Your face would look like a shiny Christmas bobble or something equally unappealing. So yes, nighttime only.

Also, Vitamin E-Oil is great to put on your cuticles before bed to hydrate them while you sleep. Yes yes yes. All good things. 

I ordered my Vitamin E-Oil on Amazon. Make sure whichever you order is pure E-Oil, and doesn’t have any rando fillers in it. This one here is really good. 

Make sure you check out the “Beauty” section here on Skinny Belle to get all my other skincare tips! They are the bomb, if I do say so myself. 😉

So have any of you used Vitamin E-Oil before? What do you think? Comment below babes! 💕

x,

The perfect protein-filled lunch!

Confession: I ate this salad almost every day for lunch last week. Yup, it happened. And it was awesome. Keeping salad exciting is so key to making yourself actually want to eat it on a regular basis. Which is why I have about a million different salad recipes, all of which I will obviously be sharing with you guys. Because, sharing is caring. 💕 For today, this southern-style salad is legit the easiest thing to make, and is the perfect food to prep on Sunday night for a week of healthy lunches. It is time consuming being a girl boss, and so it is important that we prepare for that!

Okay I would also like to say that I am the master of balsamic salad dressing. Not only does it taste freakin’ bomb on this southern style salad, it is my go-to dressing for pretty much any salad I make. It is a recipe that you need in your life.

Let’s get to it friends. 

Skinny Belle Balsamic Dressing

• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 tbsp real maple syrup (you guys KNOW how rageful I get about that Aunt Jemimas crap. None of that here. None of fit I say!)
• 1 dollop of horseradish mustard (about 1/3 tbsp)
• pinch of garlic powder
• pinch of salt
• pinch of fresh ground pepper

Dressing instructions: Put in cup. Shake about like a mad woman for a few seconds. Taste, enjoy.

Southern Salad

• Kidney beans
• Corn (I used corn from a can, because I’m hood like that.)
• Diced purple onion
• Cherry tomatos, halved
• Leafy green lettuce!
• Avocado
• Salt + fresh cracked pepper for topping

Put all dat awesomeness in a bowl. Pour awesome dressing on the awesomeness. Toss the awesomeness. Enjoy and thank me later babes 😉

You guys clearly already know how much I love this salad, but what do you think? Yay? Nay? Comment below!

Also, here are more of my fave salad recipes I have shared here on Skinny Belle:

LENTIL SALAD! (More exciting than it sounds!)

BLUEBERRY KALE SALAD

SPINACH + AVO SALAD

YOGURT TAHINI SALAD + DRESSING

Enjoy!! 

x,

Sweater: Free People / Jeans: Habitual / Shoes: Sam Edelman

Sometimes I really feel like I was born in the wrong fashion era. Taking outfit inspiration from the 70’s is something I do so frequently, seriously makes me question the decade I was born in haha. Can I not just be a flower/love/peace child and wear flare pants all day? Is that an acceptable job title? 😝

Totally loving these Habitual Flare Jeans which I have been holding on to for a few years. Still so chocked that Habitual isn’t making jeans anymore, they are definitely one of my favourite brands. Hence why I am holding on to my old pairs like they are gold. Because, a  great fitting jean is hard to come by and important to keep. Have you ever bought a pair of jeans (probably because they were on sale) and then worn them ONE TIME and been so uncomfortable that entire day. Yep. I have too. Never again though. This is a quality jean only zone. Nothing is worth squirming around in your seat in discomfort all day. 

My sweater is from one of my favourite companies, Free People. I have posted more than a few outfits from Free People on Skinny Belle. Check out this jumper, this dress, and this dress to see my favourites. They have this awesome boho-chic look that totally vibes with my 70’s style obsession. If you haven’t already, click here to check out more of the goodies my friends at Free People have to offer. 💕

That’s all from me today folks! Peace & love everyone. In the wise words of Ellen, “be kind to one another.”

x,

Hands down my favourite meal replacement bar.

Sometimes life happens, and you don’t have time to make yourself a nutritious meal. Work, school, you name it. Vega One Bars are basically my lifesaver from eating complete crap when you get super busy. I carry these bad boys everywhere with me. No matter what I am doing, I always keep at least one of these in my purse. Because you never know. Being hungry sucks, because hunger leads to hanger and hanger is definitely not a cute look on anyone. LOL.😜

Plus, if you don’t come prepared you will end up eating whatever garbage is closest. AKA fast food. AKA the fast track to becoming a slug. Fast food is legit the worst thing you can eat and it is so often the thing that we lean on when we get super busy. That or just junk food in general. Solution? VEGA ONE BARS!

Alright so why do I choose Vega to be the bar that I carry around with me? Well… there are a few reasons:

PLANT-BASED PROTEIN

Plant-based protein is my freakin’ favourite. I hate eating weird dairy byproducts and getting all bloaty and gross after. Just feels so nasty. Vega One bars are filled with protein from plants! Which makes my tummy very happy 😊

TASTE UNREAL

It is like eating a straight up chocolate bar. I don’t know how those guys do it… when I eat a Vega One Bar I am like a kid in a candy shop. Every single ingredient is plant based, and it tastes like a nice slice of heaven.

NUTRITIONALLY FORTIFIED

Vega One Bars are packed with all the nutrients you need to cover you nutritional bases. Which is happiness! Way better than some gross fast food meal if you ask me.

The one thing you guys might not love about Vega One Bars is the price. They are about $4 per bar, but if you ask me that is TOTALLY worth it. 

Anyways, I am definitely team Vega! And team “come prepared”, so you don’t end up eating junk food when life gets busy. 

As you guys might have seen before, I have teamed up with my friends at Vega to do a fall/winter smoothie series. Check out my first post on my PB Apple Smoothie and my classic Coconut Berry smoothie recipes. 

What do you think? Will you start to bring a power bar with you “just in case”? If you have another great meal-replacement bar to recommend please leave it in the comments, I always love to hear what you guys like <3

x,