The New Southern | Making the Holidays Your Own

The New Southern’s holiday approach is all about creating new and warm memories while living your best life right now. This is a concept that builds upon the things in life that are already bringing us joy, love, and warmth. I am compassionate and understand this can be a sensitive time of year for so many for so many reasons. For me, the holidays haven’t always been joyful, but, my husband and I are taking this season’s warmth into our own hands and are mindful in creating beautiful memories now with a fresh set of eyes. These are our building blocks for years to come and this is how we are making the holidays our own:

Top 3 Ways of Making the Holidays Your Own:

1. Start a New Tradition: For me this was an easy one, I haven’t ever had a tree until this year. I am Jewish and I am looking at it as more of a symbol of love and acceptance… Since this was our first tree and I do not have ornaments… I incorporated a very New Southern approach and made this tree our own! I love soft linens and silk velvet bows. I styled beautiful linen and velvet bows all over the tree…… HELLO RIBBON IS THE NEW ORNAMENT!!!! #TheNewSouthern - This was easy, economical and delightful while assembling with Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga playing in the background!

2. Focus on Making Memories: Now that I am off the road for a few weeks, I hosted a soulful friend dinner with memory making at the forefront of my mind.. My chosen family is very important to me. I left my hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma at 18 years of age and haven’t spent any real concentrated amounts of time there since leaving. Now, well into my adult life, I hold onto the people closest to my heart. I think it is so important to hold space for soulful authentic connections. These are the relationships that hold a safe space for your truth, these relationships are energizing rather than draining, and deeply supportive. May we all have life giving and loving relationships based on truth and connection. These are the relationships that will continue to support and expand our worlds in the most beautiful way. I created a night filled with Prossecco and Pizza in an intimate setting. I placed beautiful quotes around the dining room table and encouraged people to sit down with the quote they most resonated with. This set the tone for soulful conversations. Xx

3. Give yourself a Gift of Service…. This is being of service to yourself (Ask yourself what you need? More rest? More Relaxation? More time? and give it to your self… this is a form of love and you have my permission to give yourself the gift of rest or stillness if you need it) AND this is being of service to others! Connect with your local shelters / community youth programs and see how you can give your time and energy to another human who is in need of your love and warmth.

My Home Xx

Easy Decorating Tips Xx

Shop-able Links Below Xx

My First Tree Xx

The New Southern | Style + Substance 2018 Holiday Gift Guide

The New Southern, a movement of substance and style, stands to inspire your home and your soul — and our Holiday Gift Guide has been crafted with this in mind! We are a community rooted in deep love and kindness...It is all of us together that lead this movement of connection and creativity. So, this year, I wanted to stay connected with all of you and deliver what it is that you all wanted to see most. You were all very vocal during our Instagram Stories poll and with that, I am giving you a little bit of the soulful New Southern paired with some New Southern picks for your closet and home!

It can be easy to allow ourselves to get caught up in the rush of the holidays — mindlessly moving through this time of year. That’s why it is so important to slow down and keep the substance, the heart and the soul in the Holiday Season. These stylish and heartfelt selections can be universal gifts for anyone and everyone in your life...the most ideal holiday nuggets of cheer and the perfect stocking stuffers. With toasty whites and soft creams being the focus of this year’s New Southern Holiday Gift Guide, every pick is meant to warm up the home and the soul this winter. Whether it’s some hot chocolate and an equally sweet mug to go along with it for that special someone who loves cozying up or a style-centric gift for your wardrobe-obsessed friend. There’s something so special about gift giving with intention and it’s something that your loved ones will appreciate from the bottom of their hearts.

Let’s spread cheer and stay soulful this holiday season. I am sending love, light and warmth to each and every one of you. Happy Holidays, sweet friends! Xx

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The New Southern 2017 Holiday Guide | Staying Grounded is The New Gift

This month, my attention is on stillness. As I wrap up travel with one more west coast trip on the calendar, my desire in closing out the year is focusing on getting back to basics. As fundamental as it sounds, I am intentional in taking deep, life-giving breaths in, releasing my lungs of the energy that no longer serves me and filling it with soulful planning for the year to come. Reflection remains at the forefront of my mind; it is so important to know where you have been to understand where you want to go next on your journey. Foregoing the busyness of the season, I am focusing my attention on connectedness, gratitude, intention—words that capture the month of December. I am walking to my own beat, prioritizing my clients and staying grounded within my own internal compass and connection to those I love and cherish in life.

December…a time of stillness and presence. Thirty-one days devoted to remembrance, a month for us to return to our core, centering ourselves with what life is about: connectedness and love. I leave you with a selection of some of my favorite items to bring a little stillness and solace to my life, and I deeply hope they serve you in a similar way.

Connectedness is a daily practice. Grounding us to know ourselves and to "see" one another, connectedness fills life with joy and love. Happy Holidays sweet friends, I am sending each of you love and light to conclude the year. Xx

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Feed Your Soul: Podcast 

For daily inspiration through the holidays, my go-to podcast is Oprah’s SuperSoul Conversations. Showcasing leaders from every facet of life, Oprah’s series of thought-provoking interviews will leave you lifted up while bringing you one step closer to yourself and the world around you.

Salts + Scents

If someone knows what’s more relaxing than a good bath, please tell me!! When I have time, this is how I like to conclude the day. Consider the products above my "Bath 101” crash course, along with some uplifting, calming, and grounding scents, all to help take the holiday edge off.

Feed Your Mind

Gabrielle Bernstein’s The Universe Has Your Back is a must-read (or a must-listen if you opt for the audiobook—my medium of choice while I edit). She is a true inspiration, and each time I hear her words, I become closer to transforming into one of her spirit followers…her words turn fear into faith, continuing to spread light into the world. She has helped confirm my own belief that there is light and love within us all, and I continue to encourage you to recognize not only the light within yourself, but the love and light within others. We are all one. Stop living from your mind and start living from your heart.

Journal

Free flow may be one of my favorite ways to start creating in the morning. For me, there is no difference between art and prayer. Putting pen to paper, I spend my morning writing my intentions, waking up in a way that hones in on my voice, clears the clutter, and sets the tone for a creative day. I give myself the freedom to jot down whatever comes to mind. The more vulnerable I am, the more open I become. As a result, the more creative I can allow myself to be. Pick up that pencil and try it out…what do you have to lose? Start with The Five Minute Journal—a great tool to set daily intentions, practice gratitude, and celebrate self-love.

Daily Practice of Gratitude + Intentions

Like anything in life, we have to practice and be intentional in developing a thorough skill set. Authenticity is a daily practice. Gratitude is a daily practice. Setting my intentions is a daily practice. For five minutes a day, setting aside time to take a personal inventory of all the things you are grateful can be life-changing. In turn, this trains your mind to focus on small, beautiful moments throughout the day, replacing mundane with magic. Just a little time spent practicing setting your intentions will have a tremendous effect on your mood and positivity; imagine drawing a map of where you want to go—that is exactly what you will be doing daily. Helping to create clarity and fueling your dreams and visions, intention setting is positive, uplifting, achievable, and present. I can confidently say it has been what has propelled me to this point in my life. EvenFlow is a new mindfulness app to help you ease into the new year.

Robes + Throws

While we all love a little bit of Bravo Andy, I like to shut it all down and take a little tech break with a cozy moment. The ingredients for this involves: a cozy couch, a good book, my favorite robe, and a soft throw. Give this gift to yourself soon, you won't regret a little stillness and self-love.

Play Music

Another love and form of connection for me is music. Especially living in Music City, it sparks emotion and community. Valerie June and the incredibly talented Kelleigh Bannen are my current favorite loves, and I encourage you to listen to their sounds. Slow down your holiday with these two gems. 

Get Moving

Take a walk with loved ones for some quality time (hello, Meyer Lemon) or hit the yoga studio for a solid power flow. A local favorite, Inner Light Yoga is a setting for me to find energy amongst others as well as free my mind. Good for the body, good for the soul.

Fuel The Holidays!

Staying fueled is important when you are in the midst of the holiday rush. I orient my fuel around easy, grab-and-go snacks like Rx bars, nuts, kale chips, and smoothies. For healthy and energizing ideas, follow three of my favorite ladies to discover their current musings and nutritional inspirations. I love all three of these women, as each has such a beautiful soul. Follow them here: Be Well By Kelly, Nutrition Stripped, and Laura Lea Balanced.

The Gift of Giving 

As warm and welcoming as the holidays are, they can also create stress and sadness around your life circumstance. A soulful way to get though the holidays is by helping someone else or donating your time to a good cause. Our top organizations to do that are: 

Local to Nashville: Hands On  National: Salvation Army | Ali Forney Center | Toys for Tots | OneSimpleWish | Family Giving Tree

My Subtle and Sweet Pink Room Round on Style Me Pretty Today!!

I personally like to incorporate the sentiment of love everyday. In a world of grand gestures, I think it is important to experience this feeling in a stripped down basic way and apply it to everything we pursue. I find love to be simple in a complex world and I see it in even the smallest details that exist with in the spaces I shoot and amongst my nearest and dearest. 

Head over to STYLE ME PRETTY LIVING to find a few more of my thoughts about Valentine's day with more soft and simple hues of love. Xx