I had heard other bloggers/ creatives talk about being in a slump but I hadn’t ever felt that way.  I was always super excited and motivated to watch what I was creating grow.  Then I went through the breakup and it was something to keep my mind occupied.  I wanted to prove to myself, him, and my followers that I didn’t need him to keep this thing going. Yes, he was a huge part of it for 3 years.   But I knew I could do it on my own, and I did.  I landed some of my biggest contracts and felt awesome about it.  Fast forward 6 months, I had proven to myself, (and whoever else may have doubted me) that I could do it, and I felt like I could breathe… and I did.  I breathed for a long time and the longer I did, the deeper I sunk into a creative slump.

Well, I’m happy to say I think I’m back! I have been loving creating content for you guys lately!  So, now that the fog has cleared I thought I would share what helped me get through the slump.  I know I am not the only one who has felt this way.  If you are a creative in any capacity I’m sure you have felt this way at one point or another.  It’s natural, it’s okay, and you too will get through it!

1.) Clean up your space, get rid of clutter, and make yourself a special place to work.

I was so guilty of working in bed.  I have done it for years and it always worked for me.  I slept great and I was able to get a lot of work done- I loved being cozy in my bed!  But one day, out of nowhere, that all changed.  I wasn’t sleeping and I wasn’t able to focus, at all!  Initially I stopped working from bed to get my sleep habits on track and I soon realized how beneficial it was for my work habits as well.  I cleaned up my spare room, which until then was always the room where I threw anything I didn’t have a spot for, and turned it into my office space.  It’s cute, girly, and is filled with all things I love.

2.) Get lots of sleep.  This is something I never struggled with until this year.  I’m working on a blog post sharing how I got my sleep habits back on track so stay tuned for that but in the meantime just know how important it is.  Get lots of it… your mind and body need it.  How can you be creative when you’re constantly yawning and thinking about sleep (or lack there of it).

3.) Surround yourself with people who inspire you.  Tia, the beauty behind Lady Getz has been such an inspiration to me.  Whenever I hang out with her I instantly feel excited about creating. She was the one many years ago who put the bug in my ear to start Teach Me Style.  We have been friends for manyyyy years but recently we have reconnected again and she has really stuck by me and encouraged me.

4.) Be patient and kind with yourself.  Clearly there was a reason I was in a slump.  I experienced a huge life change and I didn’t allow myself to deal with it right away.  I buried myself in my work and it wasn’t until I let myself breath and really absorb the change that I felt uninspired when it came to Teach Me Style.  I felt like I was failing but in all reality I was facing the changes, processing it, and putting all my energy into healing.  The old idea of taking care of yourself before others is SO true! How was I supposed to create fun, uplifting, and inspiring content for you all if I was struggling… it just doesn’t work! Now that I am feeling good and like my old self again, I am ready and excited to get back to it!

5.) Don’t give up!  Do what you can.  For me this was creating lists and brainstorming ideas.  I had SO many things I wanted to write about.  It wasn’t that I didn’t have ideas it was just the motivation piece I was missing.  So, I kept my journal handy and every time I had an idea I would jot it down.  Now that I have motivation again I have pages and pages of ideas to choose from. 

Thank you for your patience.  I appreciate you all sticking around… you will be hearing from me again, VERY soon!
Have you ever been in a creative slump? If so, h0w did you pull yourself through?

The post How I Get Out of A Creative Slump appeared first on Teach Me Style - A style, beauty and life blog..

Picking out a new pair of sunglasses is exciting but can also be daunting.  The options truly are endless.  So, I have created a list of three tips to help you choose the perfect pair this summer!

1.) First, and probably the most important, go see the experts!  Like I mentioned before, typically every summer I like to set out and find a good pair of sunglasses for the season.  I almost always head to Spareparts.  Their selection, customer service, and expert stylists help finding your perfect pair easy breezy. They have the process down to a science, knowing exactly what questions to ask, identifying your face shape, and inquiring about what purpose these shades are going to serve… sport? fashion? trendy? or all of the above?  Within minutes they have a variety of shapes, colors, and sizes pulled to help you narrow it down.  Once you have the details dialled in they are then able to pull a few more to ensure you truly have found the perfect pair for you!

2.) Check your inventory.  Know what you have before you go.  It’s easy to get sucked into a shape, color, or style that you love.  For me it is the eyebrow bar trend. I LOVE this trend but already have 3 pairs so clearly I didn’t need another.  I wanted something that still complimented my face shape but was different than what I already had.  I told my stylist this and she was quick to steer me away when I was wandering back to the eyebrow bar.

3.) Know your face shape but don’t swear by it. This is the trickiest tip. There are SO many articles out there suggesting certain face shapes stick to certain styles of shades. Although I think it’s great to know your face shape and choose a pair that compliment that shape, I don’t think it is the be all, end all, when picking out a pair.  You definitely want to identify your shape and then choose something that is complimentary but I often like to throw caution to the wind and try something totally different… I’m just such a rebel For more information regarding what face shape and complimentary sunglasses I suggest checking out this post!

My experience at Spareparts was nothing short of amazing! The stylists were so helpful pulling frames upon frames until we found the perfect pair. If you live near a Spareparts location I highly recommend popping in and chatting with one of their stylist, you won’t be disappointed!

How fun are these Round Metal Ray-Ban’s?! I am obsessed with the blue mirror polarized lenses… ah, perfection!

How do you choose the perfect pair?!

Sunglasses c/o Spareparts || Shirt c/o Uptown Casuals || Two Piece Skirt & Crop Top c\o Uptown Casuals

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3 reasons why you need to drop everything and clean your brushes NOW!

1.) Acne- Dirty make-up brushes, tweezers, even your make-up bag can be the culprit for those annoying break outs that seem to happen more often than we’d like.  By not cleaning your brushes you’re creating a breading ground for bacteria.  Those beautiful brushes you spent a pretty penny on deserve some cleaning at least once every two weeks, ideally once a week.  They harbor things such as dead skin cells, germs from being sick, toxins from sweat, dust, oil, and dirt… need I say more?! Yuck!!!

2.) Ruins Your Brushes-  Washing and reshaping your brushes actually helps with the longevity of your brushes.   Whether you have spent a little or a lot, money does not grow on trees ladies! Cleaning your brushes on a regular basis will help maintain the shape and keep them soft.

3.) Application- using a saturated or dirty brush can create a poor application.  I find this to be especially true when it comes to foundation.  If your brush is saturated in product it begins to go on streaky, can be hard to blend, and can almost create a muddy look- not cute!  Also, if your brushes are not clean the intended shade will not show up on your skin its’ true color. Blending, especially when it comes to eye shadow or contouring, becomes nearly impossible as the build up of product often leaves you looking spotty…let’s face it if you’re gonna take the time to contour (bravo!) the last thing you want is to end up looking like a dalmatian… WOOF! (haha, see what I did there?!)

Okay, so now we’re at the part where you KNOW how important it is to clean your brushes but I haven’t solved the problem of when and how to make it more enjoyable… enter Sigma Beauty.  You all know my love for their brushes, well I love their gadgets just as much!  My two personal favourites are the Dry n’ Shape Tower and the Sigma Spa Brush Cleaning Mat. Because my brush collection is slightly out of control, the tower and mat help make the job faster and much more enjoyable.   The tower helps with the “when do I wash my brushes?” issue as it cuts the dry time in half.  It also takes up little counter space… bonus!  This tower is definitely not necessary for those with small collections but for those who have a lot, it’s totally worth it!

The Spa Cleaning Brush Mat has 7 different textures to help get your variety of brushes clean. I love the mat because it cuts the cleaning time in half and I use much less cleaning solution!  The different textures allow for a deep clean with much less elbow grease!  The textures also help create a great lather causing me to reach for much less solution. This mat comes in a mini version for those with smaller collections!

Speaking of solution! I have tried manyyy different brush cleaners and my favourite, by far, is olive oil and Dawn dish soap (you can also you baby shampoo).  Cheap and it works!!! 1/2 teaspoon of each, mix them together and voila, the cheapest/best cleaner (in my opinion) out there!

Tell me about your brush cleaning routine! When do you do it and how do you make it more enjoyable?!

Happy Cleaning!!!

PS. Sigma is having a sale today and tomorrow! Save 30% when you spend $200 or more, 20% when you spend $100 or more, and 15% when you spend over $75 or more!

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