“I'm a bit too pop for the punk kids, but I'm too punk for the pop kids.”

The Summer Set recently released their newest album “Stories For Monday”. The album features 11 tracks, all of which are composed of infectious melodies and creative lyrics that deliver “nostalgia-ridden goodness.” These songs are honest and relatable. They remind you of nights out with your friends, reckless loves, and the joys that life can bring. You can listen to the album stream here.

For me, one song that stood out on the album was the opening track, “Figure Me Out.” The song talks about finding your place in life, which is something everyone has dealt with or is still dealing with. It touches on the struggle of finding where you fit in and your purpose in life.

“I'm a bit too pop for the punk kids, but I'm too punk for the pop kids
I don't know just where I fit in cause when I open my mouth I know nobody's listenin'
To the words of a prophet who still can't turn a profit.
Cause I don't fit in with the in crowd, but I'm too Hollywood to go back to my hometown.”

Those lyrics in particular touch on something that I’ve always dealt with. The feeling that you’re too much of one thing and not enough of the other to really find where you fit. When you’re into a little bit of everything it can be tricky to find those that share your interests. It’s disheartening when you’re with people that you feel you can’t truly be yourself around because they’re either not going to understand – or not care enough to listen. Everything I love and everything I am, it all clashes. Picture Elle Woods, if she was into punk, horror and comics.


Part of figuring yourself out is learning not to hide any aspect of what makes you who you are. Especially, if you’re hiding who you are in order to fit in. This is something I had to figure out as I got older and learned to accept myself. If you love something, you should talk about it. Find people that listen to you and accept every part of you, not just the parts that are the most convenient to them.  On the contrary, if someone shares a part of themselves with you, be open to listen to them even if it’s not something you’re into. No one is completely one dimensional. If all of the people in my life were exactly the same, it would be incredibly dull. Once you figure out the things that make you who you are, never let anyone make you feel bad about it. Find ways to express yourself when you feel like you’re not being heard. Don’t let others keep you from using your voice because someone out there will listen.


“Let's get back to the basics and take it back to the basement
Where I heard Born To Run for the first time and I stared at my dad in amazement
He said, "Son don't stop chasing great and keep pounding the pavement."
So I'd much rather die tryin' to make something sacred than live as another YouTube sensation.”

Another part of figuring yourself is finding your purpose in life. As you grow, you’ll change your mind about the things you want in life. And that’s totally okay. If you’re going to spend every day dedicating your life to something, it needs to be something that you’re passionate about. Don’t limit yourself; you owe it to yourself to do the things that make you happy. Allow yourself be inspired and go out and inspire others. This is connected to figuring out who you are and finding your voice. If you feel that you’re not being heard, find a way to use your voice and it could lead you to your purpose. Get loud, be bold, and discover new ways to express yourself. Whether it’s through writing, music, art – it doesn’t matter. As long as you’re doing what you want. When I felt that I wasn’t being heard, I turned to writing. If the people around me weren’t going to listen to me, I knew someone else out there would.


“But I believe there's more to life than all my problems maybe there's still hope for me to start again.”


A huge part of life is spent figuring yourself out. Figure out what makes you who you are and surround yourself with people that encourage you to be just that. Go out and find the things that make you passionate and do those things. It you thought you had it all figured out and you’re starting over, it’s okay. Things happen, setbacks occur, and life gets in the way. No matter what the case may be, there’s always a chance for you. A chance to start over, to continue to progress and go for the things you want. Never stop going after the things you want. But most importantly, never stop being unapologetically yourself. Never apologize for the things that you love or make you happy. 



March was a busy month full of new products, music and lots and a whole lot more. I have a ton of new favorites that I’ve been loving so far. Everything from: beauty, skincare, music, movies and more.

Let’s get started.

Beauty:

Colour Pop Ultra Matte Lip in Trap, Teeny Tiny, Kapow- I am absolutely OBSESSED with these liquid lipsticks. I finally understand the craze and at $6 a pop, I can shamelessly fuel my obsession without breaking the bank. These are highly pigmented, go on smooth, and they last forever. Make sure you have a great makeup remover because you’ll need to scrub these things off at the end of the day, which I don’t mind. Plus, the color selection is on point. I have quite a few but these three colors are the ones I’ve been reaching for the most.

Trap- Probably my all-time fave. It’s a grey-beige (greige), similar to Cashmere by Lime Crime. It goes with pretty much every look. I was a little hesitant to try it at first but I’m so glad I did.

Teeny Tiny- It’s a few shades darker that Trap so if you’re not into a full on greige, this is perfect for you. It’s a bit warmer and brown based. Flattering on every skin tone.

Kapow- This was another that I just had to take the plunge and go for. It’s a muted grey taupe shade and the grey definitely stands out. If you want something a little out of the box, this is the shade for you.

Colour Pop MatteLippie Stix in Grunge- Damn Mikayla, back at it again with the Colour Pop. These lippie stix are great for those that want the pigmentation of the liquid lipsticks but without the drying feeling. They come in different finishes from: glossy, pearl and satin. The color Grunge is pretty much me in a lipstick. It’s a cool-toned plum brown and it’s everything I want in a lipstick. It’s matte but it doesn’t dry your lips out and doesn’t wear off.


L-R: Trap, Teeny Tiny, Kapow, Grunge.

Nivea Lip Butter- Between all of these matte lipsticks and the spring weather, my lips have been going crazy. This lip balm is a life saver. It’s thick and keeps my lips hydrated. Plus, the smell is amazing.

Elf Blush Pallet- This blush pallet features four different shades. They’re highly pigmented and they blend out nicely. It’s very easy to go in heavy handed so use a lighter hand or a stippling brush. Since I go bare faced a lot I rarely wear them as blushes, but I do wear them as eye shadows a lot - especially the darker berry shade.


Garnier GelMoisturizer- This has been another life saver after I ran out of my Clean and Clear Gel Moisturizer. With my combination skin, I find that gel moisturizers work the best for my face so while searching for a new product, I lucked up on this. It’s in the dry skin formula but it doesn’t leave my skin feeling oily or greasy. It sink into the skin, keeping it hydrated without the shine.


Entertainment:

The Divergent Series: Allegiant- Y’all, this movie was everything. They redeemed themselves after Insurgent (which I wasn’t too big on). It kept you wanting more from start to finish. Shailene Woodley is phenomenal. Bring on Ascendant!



Fifth Harmony- Work From Home (Ft. Ty Dolla $ign) - If you play this song there’s a 110% chance you’ll find me dancing.


Tonight Alive- Amelia- I saw Tonight Alive during their Fight For Something tour (post on this to come soon) and it was amazing. During the show they performed an acoustic version of Amelia from their first album and I’ve been listening to it on repeat ever since. It’s so heartfelt and seeing it live is something everyone needs to experience. 



Until next time,

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