While I admit the reconnection with nature is more than necessary once in a while, don’t expect Fake Leather settling down in a place different from a big city; noisy, active, diverse and always in the move. For me, it’s the life that keeps me both sane and on the border of chaos, my ideal personal balance.

So here it is, a simple outfit suitable for both working and playing, shot within the five minutes between the office and the last afternoon’s coffee.

This year, it’s been all about check prints for me. Easy to wear, I love the way this print breaks up the monotony of solid colors. For example, if you tend to wear a lot of black, adding a check blazer is a great way to inject a bit of variety into your outfits without stepping out of your comfort zone too much.

I mean, classic check prints like black, white, red combo or browns, burgundies and creams are extremely easy to pair with just about any solid color and of course these color pairing never go out of style, so you’ll definitely keep and love this blazer for years to come.

I can’t pretend I have all of the answers, but I do have a few mottos. I have some rules I live by that work for me to stay stress-free all day, every day. If you find that you get stressed out a lot and you can’t identify why, spend some time with a friend or some time alone to think about what doesn’t feel right in your life and how you can make a change. I did, and this is what I came up with:

1. Be present. Life isn’t going to wait until you’re done running an errand so that you can have a moment to smile. No. Life is always happening, so be present and soak up every ounce of goodness that you can. Sit back and relax, embrace the moment… every moment, even if you’re waiting in line at the post office or sitting at a doctor’s appointment. There is fun to be had everywhere!

2. Do what you love. Find a creative outlet and immerse yourself in it. I love music. I love to dance. Both of these things have amazing creative power and allow me to move my body, so it’s like doubling down. I think it’s so important to find something you love to do and dive into it as often as possible. Doodling, playing a board game, listening to music – no matter the activity, your mind turns off and you can just let yourself be taken away for a bit. For a second, nothing else exists.

3. Spend time with people you love. Family, friends, and of course, yourself. Surround yourself with people who inspire you and who give you that yes feeling. It’s so important to be around positive energy and obviously, to reciprocate and be the positive energy for those around you. By checking in with loved ones, you take a moment to recognize and acknowledge that you have love in your life. When you have love, what else matters?

4. Celebrate yourself! Take stock of the choices you’ve made and the goals you’ve set and then take a moment to celebrate your achievements. Big strides, small steps, they all count and they all move you closer to where you want to be.

5. Choose happiness. Happiness is a ultimately a choice. You can choose to stay stuck in the negativity and find a million reasons to support why you should feel sad or bad for yourself, but you can also flip that switch and find a million more reasons why something positive can be drawn from every experience. Sometimes it takes time and distance to get that perspective, but try to look beyond the immediate pain, because a little further down the road, something amazing is waiting for you.

Staying positive, happy, and stress-free is not as simple as I’m making it out to be. I get that.
It’s taken me a lot of work to get to where I am.
I have stayed focused, I stayed positive, and I stayed true to myself. I surrounded myself with people I love and who love me. And, I take a moment every day to say thank you for all life has given me and for the strength I’ve nurtured in myself.