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Top 5 Favorite Podcasts + Why I LOVE Them

February 25, 2020

Crime Junkie

My #1 holy grail podcast is without a doubt Crime Junkie! I started listening to it over a year ago, and it’s become my favorite podcast for long car rides! I am such a scaredy cat, so playing it while I’m alone at night on a highway in another state probably isn’t the smartest! Lol. Once I caught up to the current episodes, I was actually sad because I loved binging them. My favorite ones are the cases classified as missing because they’re extra spooky since they’re unsolved!

Culpable

After Crime Junkie, Culpable easily takes the cake! If this podcast had more episodes, it would be a solid tie. Culpable hits very close to home, literally. The story is about a guy from Meridian, Mississippi (45 minutes up the Interstate from my hometown of Laurel) who was murdered, but the local law enforcement labeled it a suicide. This all happened back in 2014, but the story of Christian Andreacchio has only recently caught national attention because of Culpable podcast! I never knew any of this was going on until a few months ago, and it was happening so close to me. Insane!

Up & Vanished

I might need to clarify that my favorite Up & Vanished is the first season about Tara Grinstead! It was one of the first crime podcasts I ever listened to and still a favorite of mine. Payne Lindsay is the guy telling Tara’s story throughout the podcast, and I could listen to him all day. He has a great voice that makes you want to focus on the case! Lol. Tara’s story was super crazy with men coming out of the woodwork every episode. It’s a great one if you’re a newbie podcaster!

True Crime Obsessed

This is my lesser favorite of the crime podcasts I mentioned, but the two hosts are hilarious! The best episode from them is definitely their coverage of Fyre Festival. They were roasting all the people from the documentary! I also like that you don’t have to listen to the episodes in order because each one has a new case. I should mention they joke and laugh a lot, so I personally enjoy them making light of the situation/case! It could offend some, though. Lol!

The Viall Files

If I’m listening to podcasts, they’re 90% crime related. But, I also have a reality tv addiction so that’s where my low key love of The Viall Files comes in. It’s funny because Nick Viall was one of my least favorite bachelors of all time; however, I am such a fan of his podcast! He has made me totally change my opinion of him. I even listen to his podcast before Ben Higgins and Ashley I! That’s saying something! HA

XOXO

Kels

TWEED SET + MY ENNEAGRAM TYPE

January 27, 2020

I know I’m late to the party, but I finally took the enneagram test! I am a type 7, which was no surprise to me. The most interesting part of the results was that it revealed what your typical behavior at great, normal, and poor levels! Basically, how you act at your best and at your worst. Overall, Sevens are extroverted, optimistic, and spontaneous! With these traits, it’s easy for Sevens to become over-extended, scattered, and exhausted though. They can also have issues with impatience and impulsiveness!

The deeper I dived into this information, the more I realized how fitting the type 7 was to me! From the good traits to the bad, every single one made sense. At some point, I was reading an article that told me how most sevens think, and I had never realized it was how my brain worked until now! Their basic desires are to be satisfied and content and basic fears are being deprived of and in pain. This hit very close to home!

The Enneagram Institute further mentions how Sevens are super enthusiastic and approach life with curiosity, optimism, and a sense of adventure! They choose to do things that stimulate their minds and that’s why they usually have a lot of tasks happening at once. I related to this because I always have a mile long to do list, and I get a natural high from being busy! It’s hard to turn my brain off some nights! Haha.

Another trait of a type 7 that resonated with me is how indecisive most of us are. We are so worried about making the right choice that we cause ourselves anxiety! THIS IS ME. Especially when I’m traveling, I have to have THE perfect itinerary. I want to go to all the best, most popular spots! I don’t like being idle because it makes me feel like I’m wasting precious time! Sevens yearn for freedom and satisfaction, which can be a negative thing sometimes.

I could go on for DAYS about my enneagram type because I LOVE psychology and understanding how my mind works! It’s crazy to me that so much goes on in your subconscious that you don’t even know about. Or you don’t realize at first! Apparently, most Sevens use rationalization as a defense mechanism aka they love to justify things to make themselves feel better. Another point that is very spot on!

This blog post just got SUPER long, but it wasn’t intentional! Haha. I just thought it would be fun to share more about being a type 7 since it helps y’all get to understand me better! This might even require a part 2 once I do more research! 🙂 If you want to take the enneagram test, I will link the free one I did HERE!

PS: I planned to talk about this pink tweed set more, but just know it’s worth EVERY penny! And it’s actually super affordable. My mom thought I spent hundreds on it judging by the quality and fit! I think it’s the perfect mix between Jackie O and Elle Woods! 🙂

XOXO

Kels

HOW TO STYLE A CARDIGAN + WORD OF 2020

January 19, 2020

CARDIGAN | JEANS | BOOTIES | PURSE | NECKLACE

Since I never chose a word for 2019 and regretted it, I decided to not make the same mistake twice! I thought long and hard about my word for 2020, and what I want to focus on. There were others that I loved (intentional, patience, travel, connect), but peace is what I kept circling back to! Why peace? For me, this word goes hand in hand with my faith. I previously mentioned (HERE) that I saw this quote about praying anytime you start worrying because you’re choosing positivity over negativity!

Y’all don’t see it as much, but I am the queen of worrying! Even my close friends probably don’t notice, but it all goes back to how much I care and invest in the people I love. If someone is struggling, I’m going to do everything I can to help! I’m pretty unstoppable! And a select few can attest to this. Lol!

In 2020, I want to find peace in every situation that troubles or worries me! I feel like discovering a word that you can grow with and actually implement is important. That’s why I went with peace over the others! Peace is something I’m striving for in both my personal and professional life this year. I’ve already felt God bring me peace in situations, and I only pray it continues! Trusting God’s perfect timing in my life and knowing everything will fall into place exactly how it’s supposed to truly comforts me and provides major peace at the end of the day! 🙂

On a lighter note, this cropped cardigan and boyfriend jeans have ended up being one of my favorite outfits! I really didn’t think I could pull the look off because it’s more edgy than my usual style. Cardigans as tops are a HUGE trend for Spring, and I’m loving it!

XOXO

Kels

2020 NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS

January 5, 2020

Now that we’re a few days into 2020, I finally had time to stop and think about my resolutions for the new year! Like I mentioned on Stories, I hit such a holiday slump between Christmas and January 1st! I felt like my brain was in a haze, and I wasn’t sure exactly what I needed to be doing! Lol. So, I just stopped worrying and spent lots of time with my family and friends! I had an extremely busy, yet successful year with Sassy Southern Blonde, and I figured I deserved some grace. It’s crazy because once New Year’s Day hit, I was back on my game and ready to take on 2020! 🙂

One of the things I love about a new year is all the hope, anticipation, and excitement for what’s to come! It’s a chance to start fresh and reset your focus. I enjoyed reading my resolutions from 2019 (HERE) to reflect and also inspire me for 2020!

Instead of worrying about it, PRAY about it!

A few months ago, I saw this quote on Facebook, and it basically said every time you’re worrying about something, pray about it instead. Now when I’m stressing, I almost always think of this quote and I will switch the worrying for the praying. It has made a HUGE difference and is something I am definitely bringing with me in 2020!

Blog > Instagram

I pour so much time and energy into Instagram, but I want to make sure Sassy Southern Blonde is receiving the same attention. After all, my blog is the only thing I own and can 100% control! Instagram, not so much. My goal is to make SSB the one stop shop in 2020!

Learn to say NO

If I tell someone no or that I can’t do something, I feel guilty for DAYS. Then, I think they could be mad at me when the other person probably didn’t think twice about it. I don’t like disappointing people, but I also have to make sure I’m not pushing myself too hard. In 2020, I want to say no with zero regrets!

Be a GREAT friend

My friends were so good to me in 2019 whether it was lending an ear or buying through my links! I wouldn’t survive without them, and I hope they know how much they are appreciated. The older you get, the more you realize who your true friends are, and I’m glad I’ve found mine!

Focus on my health

This is a goal I started a few months ago, and I’m happy I got a jump start on at least one of my resolutions! I have been slacking the last two weeks from the holidays, but I will be back at it on Monday. So excited to continue my fitness journey and share it with y’all!

Enjoy and embrace each season of life

For me, this is easier said than done! I feel like it’s something I have already gotten better about, but there’s always room for improvement! Of course I find myself wondering and wishing for the next big thing, but I know I must trust God’s timing. That means praying for patience and understanding in the process! 🙂

Create quality content

Even though I love my photos, I want to create quality content that I’m proud of! My goal is to invest in a better camera and find fresh inspiration on Pinterest!

Travel

2019 was a huge travel year for me, and I hope 2020 brings me as much adventure! I didn’t even realize how many trips I planned. It just happened that way! I visited SO many new, incredible places like Palm Springs, Portland, and Austin. I cannot wait to get the ball rolling this year! A few places on my dream list are Banff, Hawaii, Lake Tahoe, and Santorini!

XOXO

Kels

REFLECTING ON 2019

January 2, 2020

Last January, I posted a recap of 2018 by each month, and I decided to do the same thing this year! (If you want to check it out, linking HERE) Even if I’m the only one who enjoys reading it, I like to keep track for my own memories! Lol. 2019 was an insanely busy year for Sassy Southern Blonde but in the best way possible! I traveled to many new places, accomplished huge goals, and moved to a new city. God blessed me big in 2019 and I know there’s only more amazing things coming for 2020.

JANUARY

I started 2019 in Nashville with my best friends for the third year in a row, and it was an amazing time per usual! Like most Januarys, it was a slow month, but I was fine with it because my travel schedule was crazy for rest of the year. I traveled more in 2019 than ever before, and now I can’t stop! 🙂

FEBRUARY

My first stops of the year were back to back trips to Nashville! (Can you tell how much I love that place? Lol) I stayed with my friend Karrah for the Super Bowl and then came back a week later for the Lauren James event. I think attending that party was a turning point for me because I met many online friends for the first time in real life! Networking is important in our industry, but it was so much more than that. I formed real friendships with those girls! And it never would have happened if I didn’t start my blog! Wild to think about! Haha.

I also experienced my first big girl purchase (my car) and did a weekend trip to the Mississippi Gulf Coast with a girl I had only met once before. Now, Meagan is one of my best friends! It’s so cool to see how everything unfolds! 2019 definitely brought me amazing new friendships!

MARCH

I can now say I experienced a true Mardi Gras weekend in NOLA, but I don’t think I could ever do it again! It was a lot, even for me. After a wild New Orleans trip with my friends, I headed to Palm Springs, CA with Pink Possum Boutique for the first time! This spot had been on my bucket list for years, and it did not disappoint. I will say traveling there in March was better than June but more on that later! 😉 I also landed a dream collaboration with Walmart! March was good to me! 🙂

APRIL

Another month, another trip! Just how I like it, though! Haha. I boarded my plane for Texas for a blogger trip where we partnered with Fairmont Austin, and it’s definitely one of my favorite memories of 2019. Even in such a short period of time, I felt like I had known the girls on the trip for YEARS! We all instantly clicked, and some of us hadn’t even met before. Everyone was so kind and just wanted to have a fun time! We all stay in touch and are planning our 2020 trip as I type. We want to make it an annual thing! 🙂

At the end of the month, I headed to Seaside, Florida for blogger trip #2! We got incredible content and had a fabulous time. Like I said 2019 was the year of travel, but I also built friendships with women from all across the country!

MAY

Maybe I’m partial since it’s my birthday, but May is the best month! The weather finally stays warm, and it’s the beginning of summer. I spent my birthday weekend in Charleston, and it was perfect! Year 24 has been good to me. The rest of May was filled with bridal showers and bachelorette trips! It was a blast celebrating my girlfriends. Business wise, I landed a huge partnership with Budweiser! One of the coolest collaborations yet!

JUNE

If you thought I was busy the other months, just wait. No joke, I had something happening every weekend of June! But again, I really didn’t mind. I went back to Palm Springs for another blogger trip, and it was HOT! I don’t know how I was lucky enough to travel there twice, but I definitely preferred the weather in March! Haha. I then headed to New Orleans to meet up with some blogger friends from previous trips! We missed each other, so we planned a weekend getaway! Since I live 2 hours from NOLA, it was an easy drive for me. It was great experiencing New Orleans with them because we did the touristy things and ate at popular restaurants! Next, I went on another Pink Possum trip to Orange Beach, AL with other Mississippi bloggers. We had a blast! The month ended with my best friend Parker’s wedding. 🙂

JULY

July was when I knew I wanted to move to Jackson! The majority of my friends live there, and I was always in town for something. Plus, it’s still super close to my hometown. It’s not like I was going far! Lol. I spent July 4th with them on the reservoir and then headed back to Orange Beach for my other friend Caroline’s bachelorette trip. A highlight of this month was going to and meeting Cole Swindell! I LOVE his music (more than Luke Bryan who was the headliner haha) I went back to Nashville for another girls weekend with my blogger friends, and boy did we have fun! Also, I got to collaborate with Walmart again, which was incredible!

AUGUST

I finally caught a slight break at the beginning of August, and then Caroline got married! It was wedding season this summer! 🙂 The next weekend, I hopped on a plane to Chicago with my friend Andrea. As soon as I made it home from there, I went to Nashville AGAIN for Pink Lily’s fall launch party! You would think I was tired of Nashville by now, but it’s not possible! Lol.

SEPTEMBER

I got to live my DREAM of attending NYFW (more on that HERE)! It was an incredible experience that I will cherish forever! I took a much needed break the last few weeks to recover from the months of traveling and to prepare for a busy Fall.

OCTOBER

As soon as October began, I packed my things up and moved to Jackson! Luckily, I adjusted really quick. Even now, I’m so happy I made that decision! It was good for me to go out on my own and start adulting! Haha. Football season was also in full swing, so my friends and I went to the MSU/UT game in Knoxville! And since the fall foliage isn’t great in Mississippi, I flew across the country to Portland, OR to meet up with my friend Maxie! (She has become my travel buddy lol) Portland had amazing scenery AND food! 🙂

NOVEMBER

This month started all things holiday aka the best time of the year! My friends and I dressed up super fancy and went to the Mistletoe holiday gala. Any excuse to buy a long dress! 🙂 I continued working out regularly and I noticed a huge difference in how I felt. I think I’ve stuck with it because I actually enjoy the place I go and the people I work out with! Who would have thought this would be me! Lol.

DECEMBER

My last trip of 2019 was back to NYC for Christmas! If there’s one place you need to visit, it’s the city during the holidays. Meagan planned the itinerary perfectly! We were never wandering around wasting time at any point, and we fit in SO many great spots! (Like Mean Girls on Broadway, Tavern on the Green, etc) And I know I still haven’t recapped the trip, but that post is coming soon! Promise!

All in all, 2019 was probably my favorite year yet! I felt like I had great consistency/stability both in professional and personal aspects of my life. That was a huge goal for me at the beginning of the year! I’m also going to be sharing my new year resolutions soon. I’m still trying to decide on those! Until then, you can check out my goals from last year HERE! 🙂

XOXO

Kels