How to turn a setback/failure into an opportunity

Okay. Some real talk today you guys. I need to get this out of my head, and I feel like what I am experiencing right now is something we all go through at some point or other.

Skinny Belle is about keeping it real. THE REAL FOR REALZ. Sometimes that is messy, controversial, and just taboo. I will always share my favourite fashion, food, fitness routines, beauty tips, etc…  (because those things make my world go round 🙂 ) but I want to make sure we talk about the other stuff too.

The “things you aren’t supposed to talk about.”

You know?

I want to be honest with what’s going on with me rn and how I am dealing, in hopes that it could help you too

With that being said…. I can’t actually tell you what has happened. If I would, I could. Because I basically tell you everything. This one is out of my control tho.

Here’s what I CAN tell you: I’ve experienced a major setback as of yesterday. MAJOR.

What has happened is something I have wanted my whole life and have worked very hard for has been taken away from me.

I cried. A lot.

Anyways.

*Setbacks.*

This is today’s theme because I can’t really pretend to talk about anything else. And, I feel I am pretty good at handling these things despite my lack of ability to control my emotions at times.😝

Setbacks come in all shapes and sizes.

From tiny things that happen on a daily basis like missing a deadline and having your boss freak out on you, to big things like having something happen that alters your life plan.

Of the many shapes and sizes setbacks come in, they all have one thing in common. They hurt. Not like they actually hurt your life (I’m getting to that) but they hurt your feelings. It’s normal to not feel happy, or good when you experience a setback.

Believe me, I know.

If you have also experienced a “setback” or “failure” in your life, it’s okay to let yourself be sad about it for a minute. In my very unprofessional opinion. (For real tho, this is just what works for me. Always do what is best for you! I am not a pro by any means. This is just my two cents.)

That being said, allow only a SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME to wallow. Being sad about something is not productive, and does not bring forward a solution. And for every hour/day/minute you feel bad for yourself, is a lost hour getting creative and problem solving. Acknowledge how you feel, feel it, let it the fuck go, and decide your next move.

GIRLBOSS KIND OF STUFF. 👑👍🏻

You now need to look at your “setback” (in quotations on purpose), however small or large it may be, as an opportunity.

FAILURE = OPPORTUNITY

Let that one sink in for a second. And never forget it.

Failures and setbacks are really opportunities to do something bigger, greater, more exciting, and DIFFERENT than you had originally planned.

You are probably like yaaaaaa right. *Eyeroll*

But, it’s true. If I think about all my “failures” or “setbacks” in my life, they have pushed me to find new avenues to achieve what I originally wanted OR switch directions and do something better.

In the micro it might seem like everything is going to shit, but if you look at the big picture, usually things work out even better than you had planned. 👌🏻

There is a 100% chance you are going to have to work hard and get creative. But this is good news. Because nothing great in this life comes easy.

If you have experienced a setback lately, please please please don’t just give up. Look at it as a new opportunity to do things better than you ever imagined possible. And always live your best life.

*PAUSE FOR BREATH*

Wow guys. This post was so real. The realest of real. But it’s what I am feeling right now and it needed to get out. Bad.

One day when I can, I promise I will tell you specifically what I am talking about. It might be a ways away tho.

For now, let’s push through these pesky setbacks!!

If you can relate, please leave a comment and let me know we are in this thing together! Love to hear from you guys. I see you reading (on my analytics), and it makes me really happy when you leave a comment and talk with me. Skinny Belle is the place where we can talk about it all. And stop with the bs social media trend of pretending that life is a highlight reel.

YOU FEEL ME???

Lol anyways, I hope this post inspires at least one person. ❤

Off to finish editing my vlog from this weekend! Can’t wait to share. It’s funny lol.

xoxo,

How to get PERFECT, BIG, SEXY, eyelashes!

Hey babes!

My latest beauty tutorial is here – how to get perfect eyelashes!!!👀 I get asked almost daily about my lashes, if they are fake, and if not, which mascara do I use?!

All V good questions.

Because when people see me WITHOUT mascara (referencing the horrifying image on the left) they never believe that my eyelashes are real. So, here we have it! The super-duper-officially-official eyelash tutorial. And proof that I don’t wear falsies every day. 😂 Because, ain’t nobody got time for THAT. 🙅🏼

I am obsessed with this video because there are SO MANY GOOD TIPPITY TIPS IN IT!! ✔ It’s great being able to share all the tricks I learned over my many years modeling and working with makeup artists.

And makeup is fun. I’m never not having fun whilst glamming. So there’s that too.

What do you guys think? Do you like this beauty tutorial? Or, do you have another favourite? Comment and let me know!

Ifffffff you like this tutorial, pleaseeeee click here and give it a thumbs up 👍🏼 on YouTube! I’m still a noobie in the Youtube world, and the “thumbs up” really helps my content get seen. 🙏🏼 Pls and thankssssyou! ❤

Also: thanks for your patience with the quality of my videos. It’s still only been about 3 months since I first shared a video, and I didn’t even notice the EXTREME difference in quality between my first posted video and now. I actually had someone comment on YouTube the other day saying how I used to look really shy and awkward and now I am being myself and the quality of my editing/filming has improved drastically. After she commented I went back and watched my earlier videos… OH MY GOD. I am already so embaressed and want to delete hahaha. Fuck. Oh well. They will be there for us all to laugh at I guess. Anyways, kind of a random tangent I am on here but I just wanted to thank you for your patience — I am so used to being photographed and writing all the time, but the video thing is new for me. The learning curve has beena wee bit steep, but I promise you things will be better and better with every edit. If there is something you ever want to see, please TELL ME! Slide on into my dms, comment here, whatever. I value your input a LOT. ❤

LOVE YOU ALL. GOOD LUCK IN THE OLYMPICS!  WHICHEVER TEAM YOU ARE CHEERING FOR! The whole world has come together for this event. Pretty epic considering the climate of things right now. (Again, the olympics really has taken over my life lolz.)

OK BI.

xoxooxox,

WADDUP VANCITY!

Yayyyy I love it when James Manzano and I work together on videos. His videography skills are like 100x better than mine, and his edits are SO DOPE.

With that, you should watch this vlog of mine from Vancouver! James absolutely killed it with the editing, and I had a really fun day that day. So yah, check it out.

K I NEED A MOMENT HERE FRIENDS.

I need to talk about my belated Valentine’s Day yesterday. 💞

If you aren’t into mushy gushy stuff, probably just go watch the video above and stop reading now.

Okay back to my moment. 😂

So Troy and I decided to not to Valentine’s Day on the 14th, because 1) it was a Tuesday, and 2) the restaurant scene is a hot frigging mess that day. Not a fan.

Sunday was our decided Valentine’s Day date. Troy planned the date and refused to tell me anything outside of: be ready at noon, it’s going to be a “mind-blowingly-awesome” date.

I was like KAY I LIKE ALL THOSE THINGS. 😄 Ready at noon I shall be.

The date started by us driving up the Pacific Coast Highway from Santa Monica to Santa Barbara. We stopped for lunch along the way. But the drive itself is the real highlight here. Some of the most beautiful oceanfront is along this drive and it was prettttyyyyyyy. 🌊

Once we arrived at Santa Barbara I still have no fing clue what we are doing. Troy proceeds to tell me we have dinner reservations later at some mystery restaurant. I’m like k but what NOW THO..

Turns out, until dinner we would be WINE TASTING! 🍷🍷🍷

Something about me to know, I fucking love wine tasting. It fuels my soul. And I’m like, really really good at it. hahaha. I was so happy. It was awesome.

We tasted away, and got progressively more drunk as time went on. I embarrassingly documented this on my instagram stories but what else is new. I have no shame.

It’s time for dinner and Troy had to drag me away as I was begging to “pleaaaaaseeeee just do one moreeee!!!!”🍷I was having fun, don’t judge my alcoholism. You know how it is. 😉

He managed to get my away from the vineyards to go to this little Japanese restaurant. It had (hands DOWN) the best Japanese food I’ve ever had. And you know me, I like to eat a LOT, and am super picky about quality. This place, was the SHIT. (Like the good ‘the shit’ not literal shit.)

Anyways it’s one of those fancy shmancy restaurants where they have one set menu, and that’s it. No a la carte bs here. This is what we serve, and you will like it.

OBSESSED.

I am 99% sure I was making inappropriate groaning noises super loud through the entire dinner and other people were looking at me and wondering wtf was going on.. BUT IT WAS SO GOOD. Just thinking about it now I want to drive back up there and relive the experience. 🍲 🍥 🍣

If you are interested, the restaurant is called Yoichi’s. If you are ever in Santa Barbara, GO. Trust me on this one. You will love it.

****Disclaimer: the entire meal was delicious, except for the desert. Major fail on their part because after such an over-the-top amazing meal, they should have finished strong. Still would go again tho cuz everything else was unreal.

Anyways, thank you Troy for a fabulous belated Valentine’s Day. I love you and appreciate you. ❤

Ok going to do my laundry now, and go to bed. Was that weird I told that whole V day story here? LOL jk nothing is weird here at this point.

xoxoxo,

When you’re expecting a puppy…

LOL! Totally kidding, I am not actuallllly expecting a puppy for Valentine’s Day.

… or am I… 😂

hahah anyways,

Happy Valentine’s Day lovers!!! ❤

No matter what your relationship status is this year, I hope you are having a happy day. Treat yourself, buy yourself something sweet/salty/carby… whatever floats your boat and wash it down with some rose. Because, we deserve it.

All about just having a great day today, with or without a significant other! You can easily get drunk and judge the olympics from the comfort of your own  home, and have a  grand old time. I did it last year (minus the olympics part) and it was fab.

This year, I have a bae, and we are actually just chilling out tonight. We will be doing our very official ‘Valentine’s Day date’ this weekend when the restaurant craziness calms down.

So the plan to get drunk and be an at-home olympic figure skating judge still stands lol.

Anyone else doing this tonight?? Just me?

Message me your vday plans on instagram! Love to catch up with you guys and know whats happening in your lyyyfeeee.

Hugs and kisses! 😘

xoxox,

Lake Tahoe is the best!

Ah yes, here it is friends! My official travel vlog from Lake Tahoe. I love this because I feel like I get to have you along with me on my trip. Much more personal 🙂

We skied a total of 3 days, and I give my reviews on all 3 mountains local mountains we tried: Northstar, Squaw, and Alpine Meadows. Lake Tahoe is one of the most beautiful places, and there is nothing quite like traveling into the nature for a few days.

If you guys like this vlog, it really super helps my content get shown through the YouTube algorithm if you throw it a “thumbs up” and/or leave a comment! 👍🏻

More importantly, it helps me learn which videos you like the most. 😊

I need to go to sleep meow, because I am meeting a friend for an early morning hike tomorrow. FITNESS AND SUCH. 💪🏻

Talk tomorrow! 😘

xoxox,