As this first #blogiversary week draws to a close I wanted to share a few exciting things with you. I’m so incredibly relieved and honestly really proud of myself for meeting my goal. I’m also tired. Can I take a nap, please? Posting five times a week takes time and usually that time happens in the middle of the night. It’s not to say that it hasn’t been worth it, it totally has been, but I’m excited for some changes moving forward.

Namely, you may notice that I may not be posting quite as often over the summer months.

Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere.

I’m just feeling the call to transfer some of the discipline that I have developed over this past year into some other areas of my life. I proved to myself that I can do it in this area, now I’m working to transfer that skill elsewhere. I have some other exciting projects I’m working on (I can’t wait to tell you all about them!) AND I’ve been feeling the need to rest. That can almost seem like a dirty word in our super busy society, but I wholeheartedly believe in it’s importance. That being said, I’m committing over the summer to focus on taking time to enjoy the moments…to laugh at the jokes…to have long chats on the porch…to lay in the sunshine… fall asleep in the hammock…read a book (or at least finish one)… make new friends and celebrate old ones… and, to really revel in the amazing adventure that is life.

via

So while I may not be posting quite as often (I’m aiming for 2-3x a week instead of 5x), you can rest assured that I’m not going to lose momentum. I’m more focused than ever. I have more ideas than ever. I’m also more excited than ever because I can see the amazing things that are in store.

I hope you’ll come along with me on this journey. I really do believe the BEST is yet to come!

p.s. I’m also going to be taking into account your feedback from the survey here as I plan ahead for the next few months.

One of my favorite things about my life is the fact that I get to live it with amazing people. I am blessed with incredible friends who each uniquely define what it means to have style! StyleLove is my way of highlighting their signature style and showcasing that beauty and style come in a million different flavors and forms.

Meet Jinyoung

She’s Confident, Classy & Charming

LAH – How would you describe your style?

Jinyoung – Classic with a touch of modern elegance. I gravitate towards simple pieces that are both feminine and functional. CoCo Chanel and HRH Kate Middleton are my style icons because their style choices are a reflection of who they are and the impact they have decided to have in the world. Many people don’t know that CoCo was orphaned and raised by nuns. That is where she learned to sew and what inspired her signature austere look and lines. In an era where women were restricted by their clothing, namely corsets, CoCo sought to set them, and by association, herself, free — eventually building the empire we know and love today. HRH Kate Middleton carries the responsibility of influencing the modernization of a monarchy and setting a global example for being a modern woman with grace. Her pieces are tasteful and timeless – as women were originally designed to be.

LAH- What’s one of your favorite things about yourself and why?

Jinyoung – The scars of my heart. At first glance, most people assume that I live a fairy tale life. In fact, people often tell me that I do! However, if someone took the time to know my story, they would learn that growing up, money was scarce and tensions at home were high. That being a military brat, I felt lonely – all the time. That being in survival mode was the only way I knew how to function. And they would know that I had not one, but two life-changing breakups in my twenties – the second ending with a broken engagement. At the time, my future resembled a black hole because we had planned a life together and I did not have a vision for my life apart from him. When I sought a counselor to walk with me through my pain and brokenness, he gently reminded me of Jesus’ hands. He held out his own and said that even Jesus had scars, but that the message of his life was, “Though I am scarred, I live.” I look back now and thank God for the deep dark valleys of my life. Without them, I would not be the woman I am today and that would be really sad because the woman my husband loves is the one he married, scars and all.

LAH – Have you ever experienced insecurity about yourself? How have you overcome them?

Jinyoung – Almost Every. Single. Day. Definitely more so in my early 20’s than my late 20’s. I realized that overcoming insecurities is an ongoing process because I purposefully challenge myself to keep growing. As a result, my most common insecurity is feeling like a failure – professionally, as a wife, a daughter or friend. I don’t have a formula for overcoming, but I do ask myself a few questions whenever I start thinking down that path:

1) How much water have you had to drink?

2) What have you eaten today?

3) How much sleep did you get last night?

4) What is the Lord saying about your day?

5) What stressors could be elevating this feeling out of proportion?

6) What is something you have succeeded at lately?

7) What is the Lord saying about this situation?

8) What are you thankful for today?

For me, I realized that I needed to practice stepping back from the insecurity so that I could identify the root cause. Sometimes I am physically exhausted and malnourished or simply being unthankful. Other times, it is because I am viewing my life and circumstance through a worldly and fear-based lens, instead of a heavenly and faith-based perspective. Either way, the questions help me to drill down to the root so that I can take active steps to overcome.

LAH – What is one of your biggest goals/dreams in life?

Jinyoung – One of my dreams is to empower ordinary people to live extraordinary lives by providing the roadmap, tools and resources to do so. I am thankful for the men and women who have invested in my life to help me understand my story and how I am uniquely designed. I want to pay that forward and equip others to live their lives by design, not default. This is the inspiration behind Fé Ventures, a boutique strategy consulting and seed funding company. Fé means “faith” in Portuguese and Ventures is a play on the word “adventure” and “venture” as in “venture capital”. Wouldn’t you agree that every adventure begins with a step of faith? If you’re interested in learning more and receiving an invite to the launch party, sign up here for updates!

LAH – You always amaze me with the grace with which you tackle the many different things you have going on in your life. Can you share what you have learned thus far about finding balance in life?

Jinyoung – Thanks for the encouragement! From my point of view, it does not feel or look like I am doing this with grace! To be honest, I am continuously working towards achieving balance. More often than not, life feels like a see-saw – where I am constantly challenged to find balance. One tip I keep close to my heart is from one of my former bosses and mentors, Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers. Her MO is to be faithful with the little things because there will always be more to do. So even if I don’t finish my to-do list, I now ask myself, “Of the things I did do, did I do each task with excellence and treat every person with dignity and respect along the way?” In addition to that, I practice setting healthy boundaries in every arena of my life. Most importantly, to know where I end and someone else begins so as not to take on more than I should. I have a tendency to want to give and help everyone, but that is neither realistic nor healthy. You can only give the best of yourself to others if you choose to take care of yourself first.

LAH – If you could give other women one bit of advice, what would it be?

Jinyoung – “A woman is most beautiful when she is at rest.” I don’t remember where I picked that up, but it’s true. Stop striving. Instead, work hard to choose to live out of a place of faith, peace and trust — not fear. In order to live this way, you must resist the temptation to compare yourself to and compete with other women. The reason being, without knowing her story, it is impossible to understand why she is where she is and you are not. I have a great friend whom I respect and love dearly. One day, she confessed to being jealous of where I am in life. I was sincerely shocked because I was feeling jealous of where she is in life! And then it dawned on me… she is where she is because she is the leading lady in her own unique story and I am the leading lady in mine. Next time you feel down because you find yourself comparing yourself to or competing with another woman, I suggest sitting down with her, hearing her story and reminding yourself of your own. We were meant to live extraordinary lives and you can only do that if you are courageous enough to be both the heroine and the damsel in distress in your own story!

Jinyoung is a very special person. Her style is effortlessly cool and simultaneously elegant. Her approach is meticulous, with an emphasis on quality over quantity and as a result, her taste is flawless. She’s a visionary and undoubtedly a strong leader. She’s a go-getter and I’m constantly inspired by her unwillingness to get sidetracked. Her determination and drive are contagious. When you get around her, its easy to believe that your dreams are possibilities because she believes in you, wholeheartedly. She is fiercely caring and incredibly generous. I have been on the receiving end of her generosity on numerous occasions and am always overwhelmed by her graciousness and wisdom. She’s determined to change the world and she already has. I know my world has been vastly improved because she is in it!