Happy Wednesday, everyone! I’m so excited to be sharing some of my spring favorites with you all today. Spring is one of my favorite seasons because it’s the light at the end of the cold winter tunnel (haha). When I lived in Miami, I never really noticed a change in seasons. But now that I’m in New York, I get giddy at the thought of finally being able to wear spring clothes! It’s so hard to switch things up with your style when you always have to wear a turtleneck or a coat and jeans. So, to keep myself sane, I spend a lot of time looking through the web for the best (and affordable) spring pieces that make my heart skip a beat. Below, find 14 of my favorite new arrivals that will be sure to make a new home in my closet… soon. Also, make sure to head to the end of the post for a little life update!

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Earlier today, I ordered these in two colors. They remind me of the Isabel Marant ones but they’re a fraction of the cost. I actually love this shoe brand so much and have so many pairs from them! I can’t believe that this top is only $35. Like what?! It’s so cute for spring with white ripped jeans! And speaking of jeans, these are on their way to me and I couldn’t be more excited! It’s safe to say that I had to hold onto my credit card today while searching the web because I wanted basically everything, especially this because it would make a perfect Easter Sunday dress! My mom also loves me in this color so maybe she’ll read this and get this dress for me #onecanonlyhope.

When I graduated college, I already had a job and was so excited to embark on a whole new journey. I was moving to a new city, had a new job, new apartment, whole new lifestyle. Of course, one doesn’t anticipate for something to go so wrong, but it happens. Over the years I’ve realized that a lot of unfortunate crap happens to me. That’s the truth. But I would be lying if I said that each misfortune didn’t lead to me growing as a person and learning more about myself and this crazy world we live in. I didn’t anticipate hating my first job out of college so much. I didn’t expect to find myself waking up sick and anxious every morning at the thought of having to go into an office. But, things happen. Life happens.

When I first got the position at IT Cosmetics, I was over-the-moon excited. I couldn’t believe that I had 1) gotten a job and 2) gotten a job at a huge beauty company. I remember getting the offer letter and being so excited. I was never someone who got straight As. It’s hard for me to study because my memory has become foggy ever since the fibromyalgia came about. So I got frustrated so many times during my college career, especially when I saw others excelling. But I always tried hard, had a job, worked on my blog and kept a positive attitude. I knew that once I graduated, it would be my time. So getting that job offer was proof to myself that I was good enough.

Fast forward to my first day. Everything went well. Sure, I was overwhelmed. But who wouldn’t be?! I sat at my new desk, with my new laptop, new coworkers and tried to settle in.

A quick background for those of you who don’t know me personally: I am a very outgoing person. I’m passionate about what I do and I put 110% into everything I work on. I voice my opinions (respectfully), participate in conversation, become friends with people and acclimate well. I was hired for this job because of my personality, the life I brought to the company and the ideas I had already started to come up with. 

For the first few days, it was fine. I was really happy! But then came the first meeting where I was told that I needed to keep my mouth shut and not talk. That it wasn’t my place to participate in conversations around me, that I wasn’t allowed to give ideas yet because I didn’t know anything yet. Red flag number one. Oh, and the fact that I thought I was entitled because I had a fashion blog. Mind you, whenever someone mentions to people that don’t know me that I have a blog, I get embarrassed! It’s not something I go around bragging about, so to hear that was so hurtful. To be told that I couldn’t be myself in a place where I would work at for 40+ hours a week put a real damper on my mood. Needless to say, I got home that night and felt defeated.

After that, nothing was the same. I was constantly called out for things that were unnecessary, I wasn’t taught anything (instead told to quote-on-quote Google it), I was ostracized, bullied, treated like an intern and given no respect. I was then told that I wasn’t being myself when I was told NOT to be myself in order to get acceptance from my peers. I was called out via email with my whole team CC’d, made fun of and felt so uncomfortable that I would go home sick and tired. My mood changed and I was no longer happy. I didn’t want to talk to anyone, I didn’t want to blog, eat, go out, nothing. That’s when I knew. I know that it wasn’t me. It was my boss who was unhappy and she took it out on the new, vulnerable employee. When people are so unhappy with their lives, they will do anything to make sure you aren’t happy.

For me, I’ve always been taught that you need to be happy in life in order to succeed. This toxic environment was not only stripping me of my happiness but stripping me of the person I have spend 23 years being. Leaving there was the best decision I’ve ever made. Yes, it was after 3.5 weeks. No, I am not a quitter. I am simply someone who respects her happiness and believes that I bring so much to the table that it is unfair for someone to kick me to the dirt. I wrote down everything that happened to me during that short time and the list took up a whole page of a notebook. So, no. I am not a quitter. I actually think I would have been a quitter had I stayed because I would be giving up on my right to be happy and comfortable. Let’s just say it was so bad that they didn’t even make me give 2 weeks. I was able to leave that same day... that same moment.

I’m now working part time at a brand marketing agency and going to strongly pursue TFD on the two weekdays I have off a week with the help of my mom. I just decided to switch from full time to part time because it’s time that I do what I love and grow it. I’ll be incorporating more lifestyle, personal and NYC-related posts as well as starting up my YouTube channel again.

So, I guess you can say it was a blessing in disguise. While it was probably one of the worst months of my life, it allowed me to realize what I deserve and that no one has the right to make me feel unhappy.

Thank you for being patient during this relatively rough transition. Thank you to those of you who have stood by me through this crazy process and who have been such loyal TFD followers for years now. Every supportive comment and message has proven to me that this is what I’m supposed to be doing. I love you all!