Loft Dress {sold out, but similar here} // Cuyana Clutch/iPad Sleeve // Leather Jacket {similar here and here}// Loafers {under $30!}

I know I’m not the only one who struggles with taking the time to appreciate where I am, rather than where I want to be, but for some reason I’ve been having an extra hard time the last few weeks. Maybe it’s the changing of the seasons, or having a little more social media envy than I have in the past, but I’ve been a little harder on myself than I should be these days.

We all get into a funk now and then, and for some reason I’ve been in a little one the last few weeks – I’m sure you know the feeling too. There’s always those days {or weeks too} where you don’t quite feel like you’re good enough – whether that means being a good enough friend, co-worker, girlfriend, daughter…the list goes on and on and on. It’s easy to feel a little overwhelmed by this “I’m not good enough” feeling and I’ve been stuck in a little rut myself the last few weeks. It seems like whenever I catch up on one thing {being a good blogger, friend, etc.}, something else starts to fall apart – and balancing it all has gotten to be a bit of a struggle.

But rather than trying to stress about everything – I’m trying to take the stressful times and take a few deep breaths to appreciate being exactly where I am, rather than where I want to be right now. And if I really step back and think about it – I’m not doing quite as terribly I sometimes think I am {you can probably relate to being your harshest critic too, right?}. Only a 4 years ago, my biggest dream was to be living in Chicago and working downtown in social media – and now I spend my time in one of the coolest buildings in the city – spending my days {and let’s be honest, some of my nights} working on social media and living in my favorite city. Not too shabby, right? Sometimes we all need the reminder that we’re exactly where we need to be, and to stop mulling on what you’re not, and instead focus on what you are – and how far you’ve come.   Anyways, I’m sure you can relate to feeling “not good enough” at something, or wishing you were somewhere else than exactly where you are right now. Whether it’s living alone and having mostly married friends {struggle city!}, still looking for the perfect job, dreaming of living somewhere else, watching other people kick ass and take names – you know the drill. But regardless of where you want to go, it’s important to take a few moments to be thankful on where you are – and no matter where that is, I want to send you a virtual cheers and big congratulations – because wherever you are today, it took you a little while to get to this point {and I promise you’re way more successful, and accomplished and “enough” right exactly where you are – so yay you!!!} I’m going to try to give myself that little reminder on the daily too 😉  Okay, now that I’ve given myself {and maybe you!} a little morning pick me up, I guess it’s time to share about my new favorite outfit that I’ll be rocking to work all season long. I picked up this amazing drop waist dress from Loft a few weeks back and immediately fell in love. I mean, who doesn’t get a little excited my perfect pleats and a silhouette that flatters everyone? I’ve been wearing it with comfy loafers, over the knee boots, heels and this leather jacket on repeat to the office, client meetings and even drinks with girlfriends. It’s so comfy and it’s one of those no-brainer pieces that’s so easy to pop on for work or adventuring around the city during the weekend, and I love that it’s a classic play on a perfect little black dress.

For a day at the office, I paired this piece with my new monogrammed clutch from Cuyana and these comfy loafers I bought at Old Navy for a steal a few weeks back! I’ve been on a serious loafer kick and bought a few pairs while shopping {oops!} because a gal can never have enough shoes in my humble opinion 😉 Anyways, it was the perfect cute and comfy look to made me feel a little more polished than usual at the office – I’m pretty sure everyone on my team noticed that I wasn’t rocking my usual jeans 😉 In other news – happy Friday eve! We’re so close to the weekend I can taste happy hour cocktails already. Hope you have a good end to your week and be a little kinder to yourself – you deserve it 🙂

If you’re looking for a little more of a pick me up this morning – I love this new {and very true!} video with Jessi Klein and LOFT! Girlfriend speaks the truth {and she has some serious style by the end of the video too!}. Watch it here.