Grocery List of Happy:

With the hustle and bustle of the average day it's hard to take a second to take a deep breath and release the stresses we carry on our backs. Putting the day's stresses in perspective is nearly impossible while it is all whipping around us at lightning speed! So try Lily's agenda to add a sense of reality and dose of happiness to a day which can prove to be just the opposite:

1. Wake up And Smile- As you wake up with your mom yelling from down the hall to get yourself out of bed, smiling is the last idea which crosses your sleepy mind. You look past the present into the future of the day to come and all you can visualize is a schedule filled with work, stress, and drama. It is often hard to wake up and realize what a gift it is to rise from your bed and have every body part working exactly the way it did as you dozed off into the slumber of the evening. It is a gift to wake up in the morning, and have a day to live! Treat it as the gift it is, force yourself to smile and brighten up an average day just a little more.

2. Push Yourself with Patience- As each day progresses and the stress of average life dawns upon us, its so simple to loose understanding for those around us. However it is so important to remain patient with your friends and realize that just as you are not in their head to visualize exactly what it is they desire from you.. They are not in yours. Have patience for those who are kind towards you. Those who make an effort to treat you as the individual you yearn to be respected as are the same ones who should be admired with this same courtesy.

3. Communicate a Little More, Whine A Little Less- Communication is key in receiving the essential amount of happiness we all are determined to achieve. To voice an opinion you have says I have a voice. Listening to a friend in need says, Im here for you. Speak your mind and you shall receive what it is you are searching for so much quicker. Communicate with those around you, regarding wishes you may have. It is than that wishes become reality, however do not let time pass you by. Speak up, you will respect yourself more for it, in the end!

4. Fresh Air (5 minute rule) - We do not value the land on which we live often enough. Get outside for 5 minutes a day and embrace all that your life has granted you. The fresh air will cleanse your brain and create a clean palate on which to do work. The health aspect of this simple and quick goal, mixed with the appreciation for the surroundings around us, will create for a more observant, more understanding person.

5. ME time- Reflect on your day, prior to your slumber. It will assist you to clear your mind of the stressful thoughts we bear upon ourselves during the waking hours of our lives. Think of all you accomplished. Think of all you need to work on. Think of all whom you have helped. Question whether you did your best during every affair you included yourself in. Question thoughtfully, and undertake the goal to not strain yourself for every little mistake. Instead, adopt those faults as your own and use them as a learning experience for tomorrow.

Dont Worry.. Be happy

We tend to define ourselves and slowly evolve into the people in which we surround ourselves with.  If they are in a melancholy mood, we too are put into that same type of forlorn state. Where on the contrary when they choose to be a positive influence, we as people are encouraged to want to be the same way. Our friends represent so much more than they are granted. They lead us through the bumps and curves and have our backs when we need to fall. Their ears are always open to listening. Their mouths always available to advise. However, a key component to friendship is to look deeper than the surface of just another pretty face. It is then, when you dig deeper into a person, that you discover traits within them that you too wish to possess. When they themselves, embody the type of people we want to become. In realizing for yourself that happiness is not one that should be equated with rainbows and sunshine but rather one that regards knowing who you are, knowing where you have come from, respecting your body and your mind, appreciating all that surrounds you. Finding friends who believe the same philosphy will help you as a person stop believing in happiness, and begin living it. Happiness has not one definition but rather one which changes for each person who chooses to embrace it! Friendships lies in the palm's of the beholder's hand, the power instilled in that who chooses to understand it. It goes un-noticed most of the time that we are effected by the situations that encompass our own.  It puts a weight on our own idea of happiness when we are unable to be exposed to it, from a premature stage. How can a person grasp a concept when they are not vulnerable to it? While I am not saying that being happy at a constant rate is crucial to enjoy life to its fullest potential, I am saying that being surrounded by other people who are striving to attain this end goal of contentment is. Make the choice to find the correct perspective for yourself on the subject regarding happiness. What does it mean to you? Who can help you reach it? Why is it important in your life? Because without happiness and satisfaction for you current standing in life, for the foundation on which you were built off of, and for the excitement on what is to come.. it will be hard to understand everything in between.. Make friends who support your journey in becoming a positive influence on the world around you. Then choose to be the friend who exceeds happiness and chooses to understand it...

Perfect Goal

Perfection is the candy bar held in front of a kid's face beginning at a young age. From an adolescent age we are teased with the unrealistic goal of attaining perfection. The constance determination to be better than someone else. As a child who has grown up in a competitive environment-- fighting to be the best is unfortunately not a foreign concept. Receiving the highest grades, sporting the most stylish clothes, having the best features all accumulate together to create the fake image of a quintessential person or woman in particular. However, the piece of information that is left out when this goal is set is that this unrealistic goal will never and has never been reached before. We all strive for this end target without thinking about the larger image. It never occurring to us that maybe, from too young an age, we are being too hard on ourselves and that perhaps this unreachable aspiration is too high set and that it may create unnecessary strain on our lives to come. This idea of perfection comes from not only the people who surround us or the people we visualize on TV but this programmed person within each of us. It is as though we disregard our education on the understanding that flaws are the characteristics that make us who we are. And by the time we have wiped those imperfections away we are on the race track to reach perfection first. It is that voice within you that mumbles "your not as skinny! your not as pretty! Honey, you are NOT as smart.." What you need to learn to respond with to that inner competitive friend is "But I am beautiful! and I am smart! And I am who I am. And I am who I want to be." Never question who you are just because you are not the same person as the girl sitting next to you. Perfection is an interesting concept--partly because no one can fathom such a distant idea. We are all in competition with each other, or so we say! When it comes down to the core of the issue, the only person we are all in rivalry with is our own inner self. However, always working towards a goal is what keeps a human running, there is nothing wrong about it. When we feel a cause, we feel importance. We feel needed. Perfection or any other unrealistic goal is not a necessarily negative thing one can bring into their life. The word itself would never have been created if someone out there did not see a need. It is the process one takes to getting to this finish line that creates the importance of this constant competition. Break down that wall of self-consciousness, overcome that inner voice, understand that flaws add to personality and without them we would have a cookie cutter society. Setting realistic goals for ones self is vital in success. Set a goal to make a difference. Set a goal to become the understanding person you have always wanted to be. Set goals you can be proud of. Never rush to the finish line, because in the grand scheme of life there is no race. Forget time, do what it is needed. Set realistic goals. Be someone who is imperfect and strive to let those around you understand that because you are not perfect you are someone different and therefore someone to be proud of..

Open Up, Speak Out

Woman's Rights. Media. False Portrayal. These words, coming together to create an ongoing issue this society has struggled with for so long. Simply because of their gender, disparaged woman in all industries are forced to deal with bias opinions and constant doubts from all ends, however we are all stronger because of the strong women we have leading our exclusively female pack. It has been estimated that the average American spends 10 hours and 45 minutes per day, enticed in front of a TV screen or a computers images, learning from the opinions of the media, a male dominated industry. The information going straight to our heads, all adding up to form a community where women are belittled down to nothing. As mere objects to the world around us, this false representation of the strong females in this world, most of whom our success should be credited towards, is shaping who we are as a community. This distorted image young girls everywhere are led to believe at such a young age, clouds the achievements we believe we will be able to attain, lowering our self esteems just a little bit more. We are led to believe that our dreams of becoming scientists or great doctors, are jobs in which only a man can withstand, because we are simply not strong enough. More often than not we are rendered as the victims, criticized when we achieve something great, perhaps greater than that of a male and I am now choosing to do something about it. When you begin looking at this demoralized situation with a more critical eye, you will begin to notice, what I have just begun to see. We as a community are blind to the way women are treated, and the few of us whom are brave enough to open our mouths to challenge the circumstance at hand, are often looked down upon if in fact we represent the ultimate target, a woman. The unfortunate truth of it all is that it is a revelation when we hear of a woman running for president, or a woman finding the cure to some worldwide disease, solving issues the world has yet been able to merely question. The answer to how women are constantly one step ahead of it all is simple. We are forced to look at things more critically because our opinion is often outspoken, clouded by the image which meets the eye, because we are forced to believe very early on that our value to society depends on it. All the thinking and questioning is forced to take place internally. Why this situation came to be, remains an unknown. However, the reason why a change has yet to me made, leaves most flabbergasted, an even more surprising unknown. Subconsciously, as a community we are promoting this type of behavior looking at this male dominated society with open eyes and a shut mouth. Challenge the situation at hand, protect the woman in your community. Spend a tenth of the time you may spend worried about the image in the mirror, making a difference trying to focus on worldwide issues. Perhaps even the one which is leading to the constant concern regarding external beauty. Never doubt your inner strength, your mental strength, and your physical strength. The mere fact that we as woman have been able to withstand such torment and denigration for so long, should be enough to prove to the world around us, that there has to be more to us deeper down than the outer most layer. When will, the strong woman we are, be enough? Never be afraid to dig deeper. To challenge woman rights. To speak up. To Make a difference.

"The Most Common Way People Give Up Their Power, Is By Thinking They Do Not Have Any..." -Alice Walker

LUV or LOVE

Love. It makes your heartbeat fast, allows smiles to appear on your face, and happiness to grow in your soul. It surrounds us from childhood, to motherhood and every second in between and Valentines day is a happy time for those who have it and seems like a solemn reminder for those who don't. Having a boyfriend often seems like the one important thing to have in your life as a girl of any age. We are often hearing about 1st graders who are in "love" and 16 year olds who are preparing to be a mother, and all too often we convince ourselves that the important things in life are the people who can make it better. On the 14th day of the month of February we have 2 roads, and for me one is taken much more commonly than the other. We as teenage girls can mope around feeling sorry for ourselves that love has not yet come our way. Look at the roses on the doorsteps of all of our friends, the chocolate in the lockers..it practically smells of love in the air.  Or, we can treat it as the holiday it was meant to be. A simple reminder to express to those who have given you SO much how much you love them and how lucky you feel to have them as the loves of your life. Never, put yourself in the situation where you feel as though you need a boyfriend to make you happy: this will never result in anything good nor is it true.. One of the most valid points anyone has ever demonstrated to me are these words, "Never let anyone determine your happiness." Take it to heart and think about what it may mean to you. Whether it may stress to not depend on a boy, or to take your own road instead of follow in a friends footsteps, do what YOU need to do in order to make Valentines day EXACTLY what it is. Tell your best friend that you love them, tell your parents that they mean the world to you, or perhaps look in the mirror and remind yourself of the amazingly strong and gorgeous person you are inside and out. Give yourself a pat on the back for everything you have accomplished and embrace the love that surrounds you each day. Do not define it as something given to a girl by a boy, the words mean nothing. It is the actions that viably back it up. How about the support you get from your friends as the tears drip down your face, or the sacrifices made by your family in order to assure the best life possible for you. That is love. Valentines day is not over yet, there is still time left..dont make it about the love of a soul mate, make it about a love for the people who really do adore you for who you are and will never leave your side, no matter what. Love, it makes your heart beat fast, allows smiles to appear on your face, but does not determine your happiness level inside.

Happy Valentines Day my LUV birds!!!

A Hairy Situation

Hair as well as other external features tend to define how a girl reflects on herself each day. I can relate to those same hair-crazed teenagers on more levels than one. When I was in 6th grade I was put in the fortunate enough situation to go to the "promised land of the Jewish people." My mom saw it fit that I cleaned up my appearance before I took this journey half-way across the world: therefore I took a pre-adventure to the hair salon. The 6th grader within me, prompted my brain to express the fact that I wanted a shoulder length, layered, side bange cut. So what did the hair dresser do? She gave me exactly that, and boy did I think I was hot stuff! While in 7th grade, at a brand new, fashion forward school in a community with all new kids, I came to the realization that my juvenile haircut was no longer wanted. It was from that point on that I decided to boycott getting a cut! It has been since that march of my sixth grade year (currently in the 8th grade) and I have failed to loosen my views, and I have since gotten a hair cut. My hair, almost reaching my tush at this point, is one that I am not only proud of but take pride in! However, after rethinking my outlook on beauty, I have decided and wish to share with all of you, that it is not about having the most pin straight, longest hair on the block. Its about finding a style in which you can say "I am proud that I choose to rock this." Emma Watson, and Michelle Williams, two of the most empowering and gorgeous women in Hollywood both coincidently happen to sport the "guy" cut, and constantly look amazing doing it. Never do anything, simply because you see photographs and magazine portraits of those celebrities in your society doing it. Do it to be proud of yourself, and proud of the entire girl you see reflecting back in your mirror, internally and externally. Never feel like you need to hesitate before you share the feeling of the true amazement you feel regarding the woman you have become. It is OK to go against the grill sometimes, and do the opposite of what is expected of you by the society surrounding us teenagers each day. Never let one feature define your external view on yourself. Be humble yet gratified at what you have the guts to strut, love yourself while doing it, and respect yourself enough to never do anything your heart is not in 100%.. I love you all SO much, continue to be the amazing girls and boys you are constantly proving yourselves to be!

Powerful Women are the Most Intimidating: Own Your Stuff

She is the mastermind behind it all, the woman who I think switched my mirror out for one which only recognizes the imperfections I have learned to own. Lauren Greenfield, has taught me that teenage life is not easy but will become simpler in time if we learn to understand that inner confidence not perfections is what will get everyone else to realize how beautiful you are. She is an American photographer whom has written and made some of the most inspirationally life changing books,documentaries, and museum exhibits which sparked a love for confidence within this teenage girl RIGHT HERE.  The road to understanding the power of inner beauty, owning who you are, and embracing your flaws, is not one which can be understood or explained automatically, it's a time consuming adventure but one which will be rewarding and a present to the girl within you, in the long run. The first step to understanding yourself as a person, and learning about how to deal with this self competition of perfection is the toughest and most difficult: we must first figure out what perceived flaw makes you most self conscious before we can start "owning" who we are. Beacuse, truth be told, how can you embrace yourself, if you aren't sure what it is you are needing to embrace? Identify what makes you the most self conscious, and what you are constantly beating yourself up about. For some this may be as simple as a scar on your forehead, or the pimple that just appeared on your nose. However, for most teenage girls these solvable issues seem like the end of the world, a situation which I myself can identify with most easily. The culture of beauty is unfortunately encouraged and advertised by the community surrounding us, nonetheless we as strong women and men cannot let those involved in the industry get to our heads and destroy how we reflect inwards upon ourselves. The turning point in my journey in understanding what Lauren Greenfield had been trying to get across to the rest of the world for so long was that, the girls we see on Tumblr and in Vogue are not the girls which stand before the camera. Before the magazine or website URL reach our fingertips, the process of photoshop begins. Their pimples are removed, and the cellulite on the back of their thighs is erased, the cuves they possess hidden: so that 13 year olds feel as though this image of a "perfect" being is what we too are supposed to obtain. Understand the process, and realize that there is NO definition of a typical beauty. Each of us attain something that someone else envies, each of are beautiful in our own right. Never doubt who you are based on what the girl sitting next to you appears to look like, because chances are they are battling that same inner war with themselves, that you are: but the sooner you can say you truly believe in yourself, the sooner those around you will too. Look in the mirror and be proud of what you see on the inside, because changing what you look like or what you wear, will never alter that internal being. 

Always remember to flaunt who you are: even if that implies a few imperfections, you will be proud that you did, more proud than you would have been than to say, "hey! i just totally changed who i am so that you will think of me as beautiful!" Today I will end with a quote to help inspire each of you to understand how gorgeous and proud of you I am,"take the journey, regardless of the end result. Take it cause you want to, the worst that will happen is you will learn about a piece of yourself you did not know existed.."  

That "WOW" Piece

Skirt: Dolce and Gabbana

Shirt: Lucky-Brand V-Neck

Headband: Jcrew Bow-Headband

Shoes: Oxford MeToo

The corduroy pockets and the simple title of "dolce and gabbana" is head turning. Every successful outfit has one key component: a single stand out piece. Whether it be a colorful head piece, a gorgeous up-do, letting your hair go natural, that special belt that looks like it came straight out of the 1970's, a brand new pair of shoes, or in my case a red wool skirt. Whatever it is, its vital to make sure its your signature thing, something unique to who you are: never wear or do ANYTHING that you are not 100% committed to. An essential aspect in my dressing, is the pride in being able to say that you spent no more than a maximum of 70 dollars. Never be ashamed to shop at a thrift store, or to ask your friends big sister/neighbor/mom/sibling for hand me downs: its part of what will make people say "wow!"

Intro: BEyouTIFUL

The pure lack of expression had gone on for too long. The stifled fashionista within just kicking at the door, begging and pleading to come out: I had decided it was time to go for it. Who cared what I decided to wear the progressive community I was a part of was bound to embrace the "new" me. I wasn't concerned with it becoming a daily pattern of youthful, cooky, outfits because if it did: at least I was expressing who I was internally. This is when I came to the conclusion that there was no such thing as a "classic" beauty and my self conscious mind was not going to get me any farther than where I currently was standing. I crawled out of the insecure teenage skin I had been dwelling in for too long  and thew on the first outfit that came to me. The Levi Denim Pants and White Velvet Tank Top (which I describe to look like something straight out of the Parent Trap) revealed the girl that had not been known to the world, and started of a love for beauty: both inner and outer. To be totally honest with all of you, it actually did not start with the way I was going to tweak my appearance. But rather, after I had been struggling with the idea of internal beauty I took a visit to Lauren Greenfield's Beauty and Culture Exhibit. This experience altered my view at how I was determined to look at myself, by learning from the insecurities that those in my Los Angeles community had taken to another level. My idea of external beauty was changed however the way I reflected inwards upon my teenage self had been eternally changed. I knew from that moment on that I was gorgeous whether that meant more than met the eye.

Anyways, I want to spread this internal beauty to the rest of my community and truly explain to the rest of the unsure teenage girls out there to look farther than the image that is reflected back into the mirror because truly we are all so much more than the appearances we possess. The sooner we convince ourselves that beauty does not, and never has, had a set definition, the sooner we can start reminding everyone else: make it your own, be who you are, own your stuff, pedal to the medal full on all of it or none of it, and then never change...

"Beauty comes as much from the mind as from the eye so make it count"