Be a Pineapple, Stand Tall, Wear a Crown, & Be Sweet on the Inside | OOTD + Small Life Update

I realized I haven’t done a super personal post in awhile, in the past I feel like I only get really vulnerable with you guys when I am going through something – an anxious time, a breakup, a big life change… but to be honest, life is just really good right now! Last September I got out of a bad relationship and something in my mind just clicked. I knew who I wanted to be and it wasn’t the person I was in the moment. My ex was manipulative and knew how to get me to stick around. So I ended up still being in his life for the months after our breakup, but ever since I cut him off for good my life has just been … perfect.

Okay, so no ones life is really “perfect,” – and I don’t blame him for who I was before, I had just lost a lot of myself being in such a draining relationship. I have had my hard days in between, but life is different now. I’ve learned how to love myself again and I am careful with who I surround myself with and what my energy goes to. I don’t think you have to go through a breakup to learn to value yourself – but I am so glad I did because it was the push I needed.

Through all the ups of this year so far, my one struggle has surprisingly been my blog. I was looking at my analytics the other day in frustration because in 2017 I had a steady incline of growth and traffic (…and income if I am being totally honest) and then it all changed. This year I made a big change and came back to school. My growth, income, and time for my blog drastically dropped in 2018 as I balanced classes and a social life again. Don’t get me wrong, I know this was the best decision for me, life is all about balance so I couldn’t be that person that hid away like I did last fall and only blogged. I am really good at time management so it wasn’t that I was blowing off my blog this year, classes and friends just gave me less time to truly focus on it.

I blame a lot of that on being back in the college setting (at least in the beginning of the year). Although I said I have been in a great place this year, I went a little crazy in the beginning after being in such a draining relationship and also after living at home last semester. I don’t regret it, I feel like I needed to get it out of my system – but it definitely didn’t help my time management when I was waking up hungover and spending too much time out with friends. I have my priorities in check now, I still see my friends almost everyday because I have learned to really value the amazing people in my life, but I surround myself with people who on the week nights are okay with just hanging out and doing homework and I try to save the fun for the weekends now.

I would love to do a full post for my blogger babes out there on how I am learning to balance my blog again now that I am back in school (or for anyone that needs tips on balancing life in general)! Life will always be changing and we constantly have to learn to rebalance our priorities. Regardless of my blog slipping a bit, I am so happy with where I am in life right now and I wouldn’t change a single thing! I feel so lucky for all the support I have gotten from my friends and family this year, I am also in a new relationship that pushes me to be the best me and I couldn’t be luckier to find someone that fit so perfectly into what I needed in life right now.

Okay so that is my little life update, I will do another one soon because it has been way too long! Keep scrolling for outfit details!

| Pineapple Sweater (I am wearing a size medium) | Denim Shorts (mine are sold out so these are similar) | Tie-up Sandals (comes in 5 colors) | Sunglasses | Bralette (comes in 14 colors) |

This whole post makes me crave some summer fruit! Ever since it’s warmed up here in Kansas City I have been non-stop eating it, I went to a grocery store with my friend the other day that sold local produce and I picked up the juiciest cantaloup! I am about to go eat some for breakfast! I haven’t had any pineapple yet this season, but I am oh-so ready.

I love Show Me Your Mumu sweaters for summer. They are light-weight and always have the cutest designs. My only complaint is they are a bit thin for the price, but I have a cactus one from last year that I still wear all the time and it’s still in amazing shape! I also wore this cactus one on the blog the other day, my sisters and I are sharing these sweater and I may be holding this one captive for awhile. Speaking of, I know I have answered this before, but I get a lot of questions about how I afford my blog clothing and the simple answer is – my mom, my two sisters, and I are all the same size! If one of us buys something we all wear it, and we split the price on a lot of things! I definitely do the most shopping because of my blog, but a lot of what I wear are also theirs! The one thing I got unlucky about is shoes, they are all a size 8-8.5 and I am a size 7.

Okay this post is getting too long and I have to finish packing for Tulsa today! I am going to a U2 concert and I am so excited! Later this week I am dying my hair more blonde (it is getting so dark) then I have a really fun Cinco de Mayo party Saturday! It’ll be the best week!

Shop this look + similar sweaters!

xoxo,

Lauren Emily Lindmark

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