I hope you guys had a great weekend! We’re finally getting to see bits and pieces of warm weather in Boston which totally has the city feeling alive again! I’ve got summer on the mind and that includes New England day trips (you can find some New England day trip ideas here + here). Boston was recently voted the best city to visit in the summer and at first I was SUPER surprised, but once I got to thinking about it, I remembered how amazing this city really is once it gets warm out again (I mean it’s amazing all year round but great weather is always a plus). Plus there are TONS of quaint little cities and towns within driving distance of Boston that are worth visiting in the summer months. I always say that New England in the summer is the most magical place on earth. I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else for those three months!

With warmer weather comes spring outfits, and I’m so excited to share this dress with you today. I purchased it before my vacation to St. John and it’s actually transitioned me into spring as well with just an addition of a long cardigan and my Vans. I’m loving dresses with slip on sneakers lately. If you’re not a cardigan person, a denim jacket would also be perfect! This dress is from one of my new favorite boutiques that has now become my favorite online boutique ever. I literally want everything they carry and their shipping is SO insanely quick. I think I got this dress in 2 days when I ordered it? Which is extra impressive since it’s coming from Australia! A plus in my book. Definitely make sure you check out the size guide because the sizes aren’t US sizes. I’m typically a size 6 and went up two sizes to a size 10 and everything fit great!

SPRING STYLE + WHY YOU SHOULD DO THOSE THINGS THAT SCARE YOU

I know you guys like reading some of my more personal posts, so even when I post an outfit I try to share a bit of myself and what has been going on in my life and my thoughts lately. Something I keep coming back to lately is about those things that scare us…. and why you should do them! I’m not talking about jumping off a bridge or cuddling tarantulas or anything like that (unless that’s your thing).

I’m talking about those little things that we deal with every day that make our palms sweat just a bit. They might take up more of our thoughts than they should and often, we may let them consume us. Those things that might seem so little that we feel silly calling them a fear or sharing them with someone else. I’m talking about things like going to eat at a restaurant alone, giving a presentation at work, asking that special person out on a date, going on vacation alone; Things that are just a bit out of our comfort zone, but all things I think are worth doing!

Sometimes I find myself consumed over tiny things that are literally no big deal, but they still scare me just a bit. Lately it’s been a conference call and presentation I had to give at work (this was a few months ago but I was so scared! Happy to say it went very well), going to blogging/influencer events in Boston alone, and sometimes, just saying how I feel and what I’m thinking. All of these things I just listed have made me just a bit nervous in the past months but they’re all things I’ve gotten through. Sure, it’s easy to crawl into bed and pull the covers over or ignore something, but there’s nothing quite like the feeling of facing a fear. So why should you face them? Here are my top reasons:

1. YOU GROW

A beautiful thing happens when you stop thinking and just do those things that you’re scared of. You grow as a human being! No one grew from staying in their comfort zone.

All my life, I’ve always felt most alive when I’ve done the things that have scared me. While I’ve never been an adrenaline junkie, I was a gymnast all through my childhood and I was constantly trying things that terrified me. Whether it was a new skill that I knew I just had to throw (nothing quite like flipping and throwing yourself backwards on a 4 inch beam that’s 4.1 feet off the floor), going to summer camp for a week five states away from my parents for the first time, or even the day I quit the sport (I was so terrified), it definitely helped pave my way to doing the things that scare me. I’ve grown through all of these things that have scared me and/or made me nervous!

2. YOU GAIN CONFIDENCE

Perhaps the best example is an event I got invited to this past month. Blogging/influencer events in Boston are an interesting thing. You almost never know who’s going or what the event will entail. When I went to my very first blogging event I was so terrified but I went in and got through it (and also met my girl Meaghan!! She’s awesome). The more I go to them, the easier they get, and while it’s true that I know so many more Boston area bloggers than I did when I went to my first blogging event, the truth is that I also feel a million times more confident as a human being. You’re forced to look people in the eye and shake hands with them. You’re forced to chat with people you’ve never met before. You’re forced to mingle by yourself a bit (sometimes).

Case in point: last month I went to an event at a well known luxury hotel in Boston. I figured I would know someone there and it’s also a brand I’ve been wanting to build a relationship with so I told myself to go. Twenty minutes into the event, I know no one there. One hour into the event, I still know no one there. One hour and a half into the event, I still know no one there. What I can share is that while I felt incredibly awkward at first (who wouldn’t?!) as the night went on, I started to feel myself embracing my nerves and being just a bit more bold than I would have been if I had known 10 people there.

I talked to people I had never met before, I networked, I had food I had never had before (caviar on a potato chip… like what!), and guess what? I lived to share this story 😉 ! Two hours into the event, a girl I knew showed up, but my point is, now I have the confidence to get through just about any event and know that I will survive whether I know anyone there or not, and that’s empowering! And I know the same thing would happen with you guys too!

3. YOU FEEL ACCOMPLISHED

I try to do at least one thing a week that scares me. It doesn’t even have to be anything crazy. After you do these things, you feel accomplished, empowered, and alive. Do them! You’ll be proud of yourself!

4. YOU GET BETTER AT DEALING WITH STRESS

Stressful times are an unfortunate part of life. However, the more calm we can feel dealing with these stressful moments, the better it is for our physical and mental health. One of the best ways I deal with stress (other than exercise, listening to music, and meditation) are to deal with issues and stressors head on when they FIRST approach me.

Are you the type to put things off or ignore things in hopes that they get better on their own? Unfortunately, most of the time there’s no magic fix and things don’t get easier by us ignoring them. Some things just have to be dealt with. I find that when I deal with stressful things immediately, they take up so much less of my thoughts (always a good thing).

Dress (Make sure to check size guide, not US sizing!) / Sneakers (run true to size) / Cardigan (similar here) / Lip Color (in the shade rosé) / Sunglasses / Hairband

What do you guys think? Do you agree that you should do the things that scare you? Would love to have a conversation in the comments!