A Year In Review // 2016

A Year In Review // 2016

Saturday, December 31, 2016

Is it really New Years Eve already? One Day until the new year.....2017.....I still can't wrap my mind around it! Truly this year has flown by. Two semesters of college have gone by, I am now a Senior in college, I turned 21, met so many new people, learned so much about myself, challenged my comfort zone, stretched beyond my limits, did CRAZY things, spoke out about topics I believe in, and so much more.......and that's just in my personal life! 

As for my blog, I can't even believe how much my blog has grown, how Minnie Muse has truly become another part of me, and how I have learned so much more about blogging in general and grown in doing what I love. Not to mention the number of AMAZING bloggers and people I have met through the "blogsphere," whether they be fellow bloggers whom I have grown to respect, look to for inspiration, and talk to outside of our friendly comments on each others posts, or lovely friends on Instagram who have shared such sweet words with me or shared a common interest with something I love. You guys are the BEST! It has also been a great year for Minnie Muse in starting to work with new brands and companies on reviews and style collaborations! I love connecting with brands in learning about them, and working with their team members to bring their products to you lovely readers. I can't wait to see what the new year has in store for the growth of the blog! 

However, on a deeper note.......I must say that in contemplating the past 12 months I cant help but think of the chapters and stories that I have flipped through, because I have always looked at life as a series of books. A series by which we start and finish books in different seasons of our life and in which we are characters in a story who go through many chapters in the course of a year, and learn so many things. Thus, as this year quickly draws to a close I can't help but reflect back on all the chapters that I have ventured through this year, the many journeys I have taken, lessons I have learned, and important characters I have met. While life isn't always perfect and while some years are just flat out dreadful, I think it is important to remember that while things might not always be how we want them to be, those things happen because they are important to the BIGGER story. Just think.... if you were to skip 3-4 chapters in a book you would find that you would be surrounded by new characters whom you know nothing about and become surrounded by things and situations that seem foreign to you. With that being said, each chapter is important to the story because they all build upon each other, teaching us valuable lessons for our future. So while there might be some weeks, or months, or series of months, or even an entire year that we wish to forget, I think it is important to reflect on the lessons that certain challenges, chapters, or characters might and have taught us. 

Thus, as the hours to the new year tick away I hope you take a minute to remember both the good and the bad that this year has imparted on your life and be thankful that even though there are negative things in life there are also blessings that come too! However, while I hope that 2016 has been one with new journeys and adventures for you, but most importantly I hope that 2017 is even better! 

I look forward to everything that 2017 has in store for me as well as Minnie Muse and I want to say a HUGE THANK YOU to each and every one of you who stops by my blog to scroll through my page, read my posts, follow me on social media or leave sweet comments that always brighten my day! It is truly because of the supportive community created through the "blogsphere" that I have found such a special place to share what I love and belong!

Blessings! 

What has been your highlight of 2016?

Have you ever looked at life as a story?

What are you looking forward to for 2017?

-Madison

To Be Thankful

To Be Thankful

Thursday, November 24, 2016

HAPPY THANKSGIVING! I seriously can't believe that it is already the time of the year where we stuff ourselves till we almost burst and then fall into a daze once the triptofan hits :) While there are so many holidays that we celebrate throughout the year, Thanksgiving is one of  those holidays that seems to kick off the entire holiday season, full of life lessons, family, thanks, cheer, and Christmas spirit. However, before I get caught up in talking about Christmas lets turn back to Thanksgiving and reflect on what it truly means to be "thanful!" 

I have to say that the idea of Thankfulness has taken on an entirely different meaning for me over the past couple of weeks. I feel as though we often focus on being thankful for the good and positive things around us and try to forget about the things that might not have been all that great. However, I think that if we could start to focus on the things around us that might have started off as negative situations, we would soon find there are truly more things to be thankful fore than we realize! 

With that being said, I think it is important to be thankful for the blessings in our life, but at the same time, we should reflect on the things that we often fail to give thanks for, because they themselves are likely to be things we don't want in our lives. 

Keeping this idea in mind, on Thanksgiving day I am Thankful For......

1. The lady at the campus parking office who called me 10 minutes before my car almost got towed, and who also erased 8 of my 10 citations (that I didn't even know I had) from my parking account. 
2. The opportunity to work in college, have a steady salary and meet incredible people.
3. For friends who know exactly what I am thinking and who stick by me in difficult situations.
4. People, places, and things that stretch me beyond my comfort zone even though it might be the scariest thing EVER!
5. Opportunities....to meet new people and be a positive influence.
6. Being awkward (as unfortunate as it is sometimes) because without that side of me there would be no funny stories to tell....
7. Still being single....yes, I did just say that, but seriously being single is a time to cherish for its freedom and ability to be available and openly used by God. 
8. Only having 2 more semesters of college left.....yes that means that the future is looming ahead and I don't exactly know what will happen after graduation, but I am thankful for an uncertain future. 
9. Only living an hour away from my family!
10. Having a crazy family who laughs at the most ridiculous things, has the funniest inside jokes, and who baffles everyone that we meet with our closeness. 
11. Lessons...both good and bad, whether it is someone correcting my mistakes, learning from others mistakes around me, or simply learning general life lessons.
12. The Blogsphere....so much has happened over my time of starting the blog and I couldn't be more grateful for all of those experiences and for all of you who are such lovely and loyal supporters of the things I am passionate!
13. Coffee.....gotta throw that in there because it is a substance to surviving college (kind of) and being a "hug in a cup."
14. Valleys....valleys are the hard journeys of life that we don't want to be happy about and we want to feel down in the dumps about, but in order to reach a peak on the hill we have to first go through valleys. 
15. New phones....or might I say, an iPhone......yes, I just upgraded from my prehistoric slider phone. Let's just say I am SUPER happy:)
16. Parents who support me in college, in my interest, and in following my dreams.
17. Siblings who make life so much more interesting and who inspire me daily!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

What are the difficult things you are thankful for?

-Madison