For those of you who don't know, I am a total book worm, I absolutely love reading and I always have. I always enjoyed engrossing myself in lives and stories that were not my own. And as I've mentioned before on here I am a total quote fanatic, so today I decided to share with you my personal list of the greatest quotes in literature. I know that I am not a teacher and am only 18, so my opinion may not be very scholarly, but these quotes have stuck out to me in the books that I have read. I have always sought comfort and advice from the books that I read and feel as though sometimes the author says exactly what I need to hear. Out of all the books I have read, which for my age I think is quite a lot, these are the lines that have stuck out to me the most.

1.“I can’t explain what I mean. And even if I could, I’m not sure I’d feel like it.” -J.D Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye.

2. "How wild it was, to let it be." -Cheryl Strayed, Wild.

3.“I have always thirsted for knowledge, I have always been full of questions.” -Hermann
Hesse, Siddhartha.

4.“The loneliest moment in someone’s life is when they are watching their whole world fall apart, and all they can do is stare blankly.”  -F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby.

5. "Isn't it pretty to think so?" - Ernest Hemingway, The Sun Also Rises.

6. "You are your best thing." - Toni Morrison, Beloved.

7. "Anyone who ever gave you confidence, you owe them a lot." -Truman Capote, Breakfast At Tiffany's.

8."Sometimes we get sad about things and we don't like to tell other people that we are sad about them. We like to keep it a secret. Or sometimes, we are sad but we really don't know why we are sad, so we say we aren't sad but we really are." -Mark Haddon, A Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.

9.“She wasn’t doing a thing that I could see, except standing there leaning on the balcony railing, holding the universe together.” - J.D Salinger, A Girl I Knew.

10.“And now that you don’t have to be perfect, you can be good.” -John Steinbeck, East of Eden.

11. "And in that moment, I swear we were infinite." -Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower. 

12.“In spite of everything, I still believe people are really good at heart.” -Anne Frank,  The Diary of Anne Frank.

13. "Stay gold, Ponyboy." -S.E Hinton, The Outsiders.

14. “You can't eat the orange and throw the peel away - a man is not a piece of fruit.”  -Arthur Miller, Death of a Salesman. 

15.“You can not stop you from being who you are.” -Khaled Hosseini, A Thousand Splendid Suns.

16.“The sun burnt every day. It burnt time.”  -Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451.

17.“Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all living humans read the book.”  -John Green, The Fault in Our Stars.

What are your favorite quotes in literature?

Love Always,
Olivia Jane

After having a crazy, stressful week, I finally have time to sit down and blog. I noticed that when I get stressed I don't make time to do the things I need to do in order to keep myself balanced. With midterms in full swing, this week has gotten the best of me I must admit. But amidst all the chaos I have learned a few ways to cope with the stress.

First of all you have to remember to breathe. Take deep breaths and know that this will all be over soon. No matter how many papers or tests you have, as long as you breathe you will get through this. You will make it out alive, I promise. Even though you are drowning in work and feel as though it is never ending, the suffering will end and you will be okay. In times of chaos find your breathe. 

Break down what you have to do. Don't look at the big picture of the scary tasks that lie ahead, focus on each individual task one at a time. If you just think of the long list of things you have to do it is just going to create more stress for you. Go through your day one task at a time and it will be a lot easier to accomplish your goals. You will get through this one step at a time.

Be kind to yourself. Don't forget to give yourself time to relax and recover. Take time to escape from the stress and do whatever you need to do to cope. Go for a run, take a yoga class, blog, paint, read, do whatever it is that helps you alleviate stress.  Don't push yourself beyond your limits, know when it is time to take a break. It's okay to do something for yourself. Do little things that make you happy, it'll boost your mood instantly.

If you need to cry, cry. Yesterday I walked into my room after a stressful class and I stubbed my toe and before I knew it the tears started flowing. Don't bottle up your emotions because that is just going to make things worse. Express how you are feeling and let it out so that you can move on. It's okay to feel overwhelmed, just don't let it get the best of you. Cry it out, dry your tears and carry on.

Sleep. Your body cannot function to the best of its ability without proper rest. Even if it means missing a class to catch up on that extra sleep do what you need to do. If you aren't well rested you are just going to be exhausted and stressed which is a terrible combination. The other day I was wiped out and felt like I was getting sick, so I missed class to sleep in and I'm so glad I did. It's okay to do something for yourself, you need sleep more than anything.

Remember that this too shall pass. Though it seems like this hell will never end, it will. Nothing lasts forever, the assignments will be completed and you will finally be able to breathe again. Even though you are stressed out now, soon enough things will be calm again. Don't lose faith.

Take a few deep breaths, and let that shit go. You are doing the best you can so be kind to yourself. Everything will be okay.

How do you handle stress?

Love Always,
Olivia Jane

Though I try my best to be pleasant and understanding in my daily life, there are some things that just piss me off. I think most people have certain things that will always grind their gears. I cannot express how many times day to day someone does one of these annoyances and it makes all my strength to remain calm. And as humans, we sometimes like to complain, so today I am going to share with you a list of the things that piss me off the most, and hopefully you can relate.

10. People who talk to me when I have headphones in.
Hi, did you not see these white things in my ears that CLEARLY mean I am listening to something that is most likely far more interesting than what you have to say?! If someone has headphones in, they are literally saying DO NOT TALK TO ME. When I put headphones in for whatever reason I have no desire to interact with people, and if you try to talk to me I'm going to be annoyed. Unless there's an emergency, if the headphones are in, shut up.

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9. Slow Walkers.
WHY ARE YOU WALKING SO SLOWLY?! There is nothing worse than trying to get from point A to point B and being stuck behind a human snail. Move, get out of the way, I am trying to walk like a normal human and somehow am surrounded by morons who are taking their sweet time. Nothing pisses me off like someone who doesn't know how to walk efficiently. It's like road rage without the cars, if I had a horn I would be honking it.

8. Over sharers. 
You KNOW that person when you are sitting in class and the professor asks a question, and this kid raises their hand and shares their whole life story. The question could be "How does technology impact us?", and this idiot is like "Well one time my brother's, ex-girlfriend's, third cousin twice removed, got catfished online when my parents were getting a divorce and then my grandmother died and he told us the story about it at my grandmothers funeral." By the end of this you know more than you ever wanted to know about this complete stranger and you have a huge case of second hand embarrassment. Please spare us all the details, no one cares.
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7. Poor Grammar.
Please, for the love of God, educate yourself. Know the difference between you're and your, and there, their, and they're. If you are texting me, I don't care if you are the Queen of Sheba, if you have grammatical errors I am going to cringe while reading it. I could actually write a whole post about how much I can't stand common grammatical errors that people make but I'll spare you the details. I'll just simply give you one of my favorite sayings: There's a difference between knowing your shit, and knowing you're shit. 

6. People who don't cover their cough/sneeze.
Do I even need to explain this one? EW. I am a perfectly healthy individual who does not need your nasty germs being spread all over me. Did no one teach you common courtesy? It is not that hard to cough or sneeze into your elbow and sneezing and coughing into the open is just plain disgusting.

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​5. People who are rude to waiters/waitresses. 
As a waitress this one is a no brainer. It makes my blood boil when I see people being rude to wait staff or when customers are being mean to me. We.Are.Human.Beings, not your servants. Half the shit you're complaining about isn't our fault and we are doing the best we can. Also, you look like a total ASS. I've had fellow employees as well as other customers comment when a table is being rude, so check yourself. ​

4.Unnecessary Touching.
You know those people who just grab you for no apparent reason? I hate when I'm having a conversation with someone and they feel the need to touch my leg or arm or something fucking weird. Do not touch me unless I've made it clear I want to be touched. Don't get me wrong, I love a good hug. What I don't love is people in my personal space for no apparent reason. Keep your paws to yourself.
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2.  Staring.
What are you looking at......can I help you? Take a picture, it'll last longer. I hate when I am minding my own business and all I notice is someone literally grilling me. It is rude to stare at someone for no apparent reason and it makes me super uncomfortable. Look away.

And if you didn't get the irony/sarcasm in the #1 pet peeve, then that is another pet peeve. There you have it, a list of things that drive me up the wall. Can you relate?

What are some of your pet peeves?

Love Always,
​Olivia Jane

Bob Marley once said, "That's the thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain." We all have those songs that have shaped our lives somehow, they take us back to certain people and places and hold a special place in our heart. A person's favorite songs say a lot about them, compiled all these songs tell a story about who the person is. So today I'm sharing with you the soundtrack to my life, a list of songs that are important to me for various reasons. Some of them remind me of middle school dances, while others contain the words I wish I could say, either way all of these songs make me feel some type of way. 

"The Moment I Knew" by Taylor Swift 

OMG! Listening to all of these songs brought back the memories man, so many emotions right now. Music speaks to the soul, and it is SO powerful. These songs all mesh together to form the past 18 years of my life in some way, and that's pretty freaking awesome. Some make me want to dance, others make me want to cry, and that's what makes someones favorite songs so beautiful. 

What songs would be the soundtrack of your life?

Love Always,
Olivia Jane

I decided that I wanted to start a weekly blog segment called Mindful Monday, where each monday I'll share a quote to hopefully make Monday's a little less sucky! The purpose of this is to start the week off on a positive note and give you a little insight or advice to get you through the week. I'm a huge quote lover and I love discovering new quotes and finding the meanings behind them, so I'm really excited about this!

This Monday's quote:
"Just look at life with more playful eyes. Don't be serious. Seriousness becomes like a blindness. Don't pretend to be a thinker, a philosopher. Just simply be a human being. The whole world is showering its joy on you in so many ways, but you are too serious, you cannot open your heart." -Osho  

Try to incorporate this idea in to your day/week! We are so serious whether it is with school or work, but we are only blinding ourselves to the world. Allow life to shower its joy on you and stop taking life so seriously. Once you open your eyes and your heart life becomes so much richer. 

For me, I try to let go every now and then and not worry about things I can't control. There is a time for being serious, but too much seriousness takes away from enjoying life. Embrace your inner child and look at the world with playfulness and wonder. Simply be you, it'll make all the difference.

Hope you liked my quote choice, can't wait for next week!

What do you think of this quote?

Love Always,
Olivia Jane

If you ever stop to think about this world that we live in, it can only be described as a beautiful chaos. There are billions of people all going about their lives simultaneously and you are in the midst of it all. However for whatever reason, in a world with so many different types of people, being unique is frowned upon. Instead what is promoted is normalities and efficiency, it is almost as if being different is an inconvenience to society as a whole. How ridiculous is that? Why would anyone want to live in a mundane world of predictability when there is so much enchantment to be found. Embracing the unpredictable nature of life and the individuality of people is where the magic begins.

Our society constantly tries so desperately to get us to conform to their desires and ideals. Recently my eyes have been opened, and I've realized how routine most peoples lives are, including my own. I don't know about you, but I don't want to be the same as everybody else. I want a life of wonder and surprise, I want to be comfortable with uncertainty and to be able to embrace my individuality. Why try to fit in when you were born to stand out?

Don't let anybody or anything rob you of your uniqueness and your beliefs. Society is constantly thrusting their ideas upon us and trying to crush our creativity. Creativity is honestly so important, whatever you do that is creative is part of what makes you who you are. Think outside the box and do things that aren't considered the norm. No one is going to encourage you to do so because it's easier to fit in, it's easier to just go with the flow, but nothing worth doing is ever easy.

Most importantly, question everything. Don't be afraid to question authority. At 18 years old I'm beginning to realize so many authority figures have been shoving their views down my throat for years, and I'm beginning to wonder how many of my beliefs are my own and how many are somebody else's. Challenge the norm and what you are told, be bold enough to have your own voice. Don't just be another puppet in this world, allowing the puppeteer to make your every move, cut the strings and set yourself free.

Bring enchantment back into the world, it starts with you. Each one of us plays a crucial role in how this society functions, and instead of being a submissive character in their grand scheme, act out. Be you, be weird, be loud, be crazy, be bold, be whoever the hell you want to be and share it with the world. You don't have to be a child to believe in magic.

Love Always,
​Olivia Jane

Fall is in the air! As an autumn lover, these past few days have been totally amazing and a breath of fresh air. The hot and sweaty New York days are finally coming to an end and being replaced with cool breezes and falling leaves. Though summer is my favorite season, fall will always hold a special place in my heart. As F. Scott Fitzgerald says, "Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall." Here are my reasons why I love fall!

Fall Fashion: Boots, flannels, and scarves, oh my! Fall is the perfect season for adorable outfits. You can wear jeans without sweating, but you don't have to worry about wearing a heavy coat. I love shopping for fall clothes and it makes waking up every morning a little bit more fun.

Fall Foods: PUMPKIN EVERYTHING! Pumpkin spice, pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, pumpkin seeds, you get the idea. Also pumpkin and apple picking season! Fall foods are so delicious and it is the only socially acceptable season to indulge in so much pumpkin.

Halloween Movies: Hocus Pocus, Halloween Town, Tower of Terror, It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, need I say more? I wait all year long for my favorite Halloween movies to come back on TV, they are spooktacular! Curling up with a cup of hot coco and some halloween cookies and watching a halloween movie marathon is the perfect evening.

Foliage: One thing I'm missing about Cape Cod is the gorgeous autumn leaves. The fall foliage is so beautiful and is a good reminder that change is not always such a bad thing. The reds and oranges take over and make for a beautiful sight.

Halloween: Honestly, who doesn't love Halloween? It is the one night of the year where you can pretend to be someone else for a whole evening and it's totally acceptable. Some of my fondest memories were spent trick or treating, and I am now making more memories at Halloween parties. As a candy lover, the child in me kicks in every time Halloween rolls around.

Candy Corn: Fall is the only time where there eating candy corn is socially acceptable. I am obsessed with candy corn and love that during the fall it can be found everywhere. 

Thanksgiving: Fall is the home to quite possibly the best holiday, when else can you stuff your face with absolutely no judgement? Turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, I'm drooling just thinking about it.
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It's not winter: Appreciate fall, because before you know it there will be five feet of snow on the ground and you will be wearing a winter coat and boots and you'll wish for it back. Embrace the perfect weather while you can, you don't know what you've got till it's gone.

And those are my reasons why I love fall! Why do you love fall? Below are some of my fall fashions, hope you enjoy!

Love Always, 
Olivia Jane
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