Happiness Budget

I a m lucky that I work in the banking industry now,  but I do wish that someone sat me down in university,  made me do a budget and taught me how credit works. When you turn 18 everyone seems to want to give you a credit card, loan or a line of credit and then the reality of how much spending money you don’t have kicks in. Once I realized how little in my best interest all the people “offering advice” had by selling you their credit products, I panicked and created a budget for each little thing I wanted to spend money on each month.

Having a traditional budget, a job that paid decent salary and trying to be diligent about where I spent my money wasn't working for me. It wasn't doing anything for my happiness. Although, I highly encourage you to have a budget, creating a budget based on a balance between what makes you happy and being financially responsible is what made a world of difference for me. 

Here are four things I changed to help me spend only on what makes me happy while making good financial decisions:

Check your spending.

I went through 6 months worth of bank and credit cards statements and came to the realization that spending money carelessly (mainly on take out and Starbucks) didn't actually do anything for my happiness or well being. By coming to the realization that spending nearly $200 a month on coffee (which I do love) wasn't actually worth it. Based on this I cut my spending in those places and applied it to things that actually made a difference in my happiness.

Write down what makes you happy.

Write down things that you want and that make you happy... it can be as small as yoga once a week or as big as backpacking in Australia.

Prioritize.

Based on the list of things that make you happy, prioritize! List these things in the order you want to accomplish them.

Make a new plan.

You now have a list of things that make you happy, you know what order you want to accomplish them, so go ahead and set your budget accordingly. 

Travel seems to be a reoccurring thing on my happiness budget list. I created a separate savings and put money in there regularly. Employing this way of budgeting makes way more sense for me, and its achievable.

How do you budget? What would be on top of your happiness list? 

What to Wear on Date Night - Outfit Ideas

Regardless if you have been in a relationship for ages or you going on a date with someone for the first time there is  pre-date-excitement/anxiety-inducing thought: What am I going to wear?( No? just me?) But worry not, I have rounded up few outfit ideas that are perfect for summer time date nights:

Casual:

Pair your favorite t-shirt with jeans or a fun skirt, add some heels and you are good to go.

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Elegant:

A LBD or a one piece is always a good options for an evening out for a special dinner. Finish it with minimal accessories and red lip and you are ready to go.

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Playful:

 Sometimes you just want to be little more on the playful and sexy end of thing; wear leather, lace and strategically placed cut outs for a perfect date night outfit.

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What do you wear on date nights?

OOTD - Feeling Blue and Loving it

Personally, I try and stay away from one tone looks, because according to my sister I over do it – or don’t 100% match my colors. So, when I found this matching two piece, I knew I had to have it. It had all the things I like, a pretty and flowy skirt, sparkles and polka dots. I paired it with black sandals and accessories for work. I added a higher heel and wore it to drinks with few friends.

top and skirt: Joe Fresh

purse: Kate Spade

shoes: Valentino 

Top 5 Hair Colours for Fall

As you know here at Letters to LA LA Land we love changing up our hair. Since Summer is sadly coming to an end that also means our hair colour should change with the seasons. Here are my Top 5 picks for fall hair colours. 

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1. Black Cherry- An in between red and purple 

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2. Fall Auburn- not sure what that means but it spoke to me when I saw it 

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3. Rose Gold- Rose gold on brunette hair is perfect for fall 

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4. Red to Blonde- a cool take on ombre and very fall

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5. Purple Ombre- Low maintenance way to add some colour and change up your hair

What colour are you going to do next? Stay tuned for my DIY purple hair at home. 

Do One Thing That Scares You Everyday.

Blogging is one of my favourite parts of the day; I get to check my emails & social media and connect with all of you awesome people. Being a blogger has helped me tremendously in so many ways, but one major thing it helped with is being more confident. If you could measure being insecure on a scale form 1 (least) to 10 (extremely) I would be about a 9.

(Spartan Super, 2016 13Km, 28 Obstacles)

Being bullied all the way through my second year of university didn't help and people can be mean so you can imagine how even now I still struggle with it.

It wasn't untill my third year of university when my sister bought me a lululemon headband and the bag it came in had "do one thing that scares you everyday" written all over it that it donned on me that only way to become confident and not let my insecurities shape me as a person is if I face my fears  and do exactly what the bag said.

Do one thing that scares me everyday. 

It wasn't easy at first, some things took many tries before actually being able to face my fears. I have an accent so even putting my hand up in class was horrifying... But eventually one day my voice stopped shaking as much and I was able to say something without having an urge to cry. 

Now, before all this seems so gloomy, some "fears" were more fun... Like jumping off a building, zip lining or changing my hair color or staring this blog. 

It's a small thing but it has helped me come a long way. Don't get me wrong,some days I would say I am still as insecure as I was 7 years agao but most days I am more confident and don't let my insecurities determine how I spend my days.

So, everyday you wake up, do one thing that scares you. If you can't face it that day, try again tomorrow, and day after that, and day after that, until one day it doesn't scare you any more.

xo Nermisa  

OOTD - Sweater Weather

Over the past few days the weather in #YEG has been irregular to say the least, the fluctuating from plus 27 Thursday to a plus 10 and rainy weekend, and anything else in between. I had ton of running around to do so I threw on a skirt and a light sweater. This outfit was warm enough for the time of day it got chilly and cool enough when the sun decided to come out. I paid it with a pair of booties to complete the out outfit.

Things I Learned About Blogging.

I started blogging nearly two years ago. When I started out I had no idea what I was doing (some days still feel that way) back then I was blogging so I have a creative outlet. I never intended for it to be anything more than that, except I fell in love with blogging and was having fun and then the blog started gaining traction. I read so many stories of amazing people who blog full time, and how successful they are; and let’s be honest the dream is doing what you love and are passionate about and making a living out of it. In June 2015 I started writing and treating the blog as more of a part time job. This has been both awesome and overwhelming experience over last five month. If you are looking to get into blogging or grow your blog here are few things I learned:

Get a domain name. It makes all the difference; it’s easier for people to remember your blog name and look you up, also its set you apart from others. Think about what you want your blog to say, what you will be talking about before you go on and pick a name. I started out with no intention of trying to brand my blog name or make into a business, there for my blog name reflects that. If I were to start all over would I name it the same thing? Prob not, this name is very much me and I do love it, but marketing it is challenging.

Get business cards. I know, odd, considering we are in such a technology driven world but instead writing your blog name and contact information on post it notes, handing someone your card is more professional. Your business cards, thank you cards etc is an extension of your blog “brand” and you want to portray a professional image (especially if you are trying to make your blog into income earning business).

Stay connected. Social media is everything and it has potential to grow your audience exponentially. This means getting social media savvy and learning how to navigate though all of it. You have to stay current, on top of all new apps, new trend and hashtags and track when your audience is most active. There is no need to be posting in the morning if all your followers aren’t active until evening.

Respond to all emails, comments and messages. Yes, this can be a lot of work but if someone took their time to contact you, you need to take time to respond. It makes good business sense, even its just “Thanks” or “I am not interested at this time”.

Stay true to you. I originally wrote about what I wanted, whenever I wanted. Most of that hasn’t changed, I still write in the same tone about things I want but now I follow a schedule. Consistency made a huge difference on amount of visitors to the blog itself. Sticking to your tone and style of writing gives your blog authenticity and tells the reader more about you. Some of my most read posts are the posts that are a true extension and expression of me.

Be picky. Once your blog start gaining traction you will be contacted more for collaborations. Hint: You don’t have to accept them all. For one, some collaborations won’t fit your blog image; some might be too time consuming etc. Don’t be scared to say no thank you, I know it seems like you are losing potential connections or income but if it doesn’t “fit” you and your blog image it’s better not to do it.

Don't compare yourself to others. Growing your blog is a process and it takes a lot of time, hard work and dedication. Don't compare yourself to other bloggers (although they are awesome and seem to have figure it out) you don't know what they had to get though or what kind of opportunities they have had. Your location, blogging style, niche will all play a huge role on how fast (or slow) you start seeing your blog grow. Start with small victories and accomplishments; who knows, one day you might be able to quit your day job and make all your money blogging.

I would love to hear from you... how did you make it in the blogging world? What are some of your tips and tricks for blogging?  

How to Write a Thank You Note

 

One of the things I wanted to focus more on this year was to say Thank you more; especially to those people who make such a big difference in my day to day life. It’s a small thing to say Thanks, but we seem to forget that once in a while. I started writing thank you notes (and e-mails)  as I find that a handwritten thank-you note says more and means more to those who receive it.  

Here are few tips and things I follow when I write thank you notes:

Send you notes quickly and in a timely matter… whether it’s after a party, a meeting, when someone helped you, try and send your thank you note within a week or two weeks after said event. That way its fresh in your (and their mind) and doesn’t feel like an afterthought.

Have a greeting and make sure you’re using the correct spelling of the person’s name. There is nothing worse than receiving any communication and your name is spelled wrong… it’s the first thing people see so be diligent. (My name is Nermisa and about half the things I receive have my name spelled Nermissa)

Tell them why you are thanking them. A good thank you note begins with the two most important words: Thank you.

Be specific. Why are you thanking them?

Restate your thanks. Add details to thank them in a different way.

Add regards. Sincerely goes a long way (especially in more professional context) but close it with a warm regard.

Always sign your thank you note.

Make sure your writing is legible, I write my note on a piece paper as practice and to see how it will look. I also hand-write the address on the envelope. You can always do this via e-mail but I think a hand written note is way more personal.

Do you write thank you notes? Anything you differently?

OOTD - Put A Scarf on It!

There is something about cute blouses, denim skirt  and scarfs around the neck that makes me chic and cool. Perfect for those summer days that turn into nights. I wore this outfit for Fringe, and opted out for flats because you know, all the walking. 

shoes: Asos

skirt: H&M

shirt: Reitmans

purse: LV

Top 5 Amazon Prime Shows

I discovered Amazon Prime because of the show The Grand Tour, and then we signed up for the 30 day trail and I found some really great shows. Check out my picks below. 

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The Grand Tour- obviously this has to be on the list it started it all. I love this show, when they were on Top Gear I loved them and love them now. The first season, wasn't as good but the second season was way better and the previews for the third season look great. 

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The Marvelous Mrs. Masel- I loved this show it was hilarious, a housewives who accidentally becomes a comedian. I binged watched the whole first season, I can't wait for season two.

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The Man in the High Castle-  This show is really weird and interesting. The show is about after World War II but instead of America winning it was Japan and Germany that won. It's basically an alternate reality. I found the episodes really long, but really interesting.

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Sneaky Pete- This show is great a guy in jail who is a con artist takes over the identity of his cell mate. Watch this show its great! There's three seasons, watch all of them.

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Jack Ryan- This is a new show that just came out August 31st. The trailer looks so good, check it out here. A CIA analyst who has to give up the desk to go in the field. 

What shows do you like on Prime?

OOTD - Endless Summer

My entire wardrobes consist of basics I wear on repeat till they are worn out  and once in a lifetime items that I  probably wear once, or just hanging in your closet with price tags on them, but you simply can’t find the power to give them away.

Well, this denim skirt from Revolve has been one of those basic in my closet that I have worn multiple times in last month alone. Also this leather jacket, curtsey of the amazing Aleem from Bano eeMee is going to be my go to as soon as the weather cools down. I purchased a black leather jacket from his spring/summer of 14 and I love it. His leather jackets are the best quality and made only with highest quality leather.

skirt: Revolve

jacket: Bano eeMee

shoes: Asos

purse: (borrowed)