Thirty

“Life doesn't end at 30.” - Jeanne Moreau

I am turning 30 on January 26th, and to say that I’m looking forward to this journey is an understatement. Initially when I realized I would be approaching this new age bracket, it totally freaked me out. I began thinking of all the things I have yet to accomplish, but then reflected on how far I’ve come in my journey.

Each year I always set goals for myself and prioritize the new things I’d like to do. Yet, this year feels a bit different, and I’m focusing on how to make myself happier, healthier, and just living a more amazing fulfilled life. In my 20’s I spent a lot of time and effort making sure other people were happy, and during that process trying to find myself.

Today I’m sharing a few things I’m looking forward to embarking on in this new phase of my life, and how I’m actually pretty excited to leave my 20’s behind.

Self-care. I know self-care has been a huge topic lately, and honestly, it’s so important. My goal is to really take my overall health a bit more seriously. I’ve always been mindful of how I am feeling and taking a personal inventory of my emotional or physical needs, but it is something I really want to focus on even more. It’s so easy to get lost in situations, people, or things. By staying more grounded spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically it is my hope that I use this season to really focus more so on how to be a better individual. I want to be at my best, so I can be a blessing and helpful to others, while still remembering to nurture and grow myself in the interim.

Travel. Traveling has always been something I’ve loved to do, and as I get older I crave it even more. Going to a new place, and learning the culture is something that I really value. For the first time, I am spending my actual birthday outside of the country in a new place, and I’m absolutely looking forward to it. My goal in this new season is to spend more money on experiences, and less on material things. It is so true what they say, “You can always get more money, but time is something that you can never get back.”

Time. Speaking of time, my goal for this year is to be more mindful of how I’m spending my time. Personally, I get so caught up in the act of doing, that I forget to really remember the importance of it all. My intention during this season is to prioritize my time much better and getting in more quality moments, while cherishing them just a little bit more. I want to carve time for myself, husband, family, and friends more carefully.

Motherhood. In my late teens and early 20’s, I for sure thought I’d have a child way before I turned 30, and obviously things did not pan out that way. Right after college I went full-throttle into my career, and quickly climbed the corporate ladder. I was more focused on learning as much as I could in the IT field, which left very little time for any relationships. I met my husband when I was 25, and we got married when I was 27, yet I was nowhere near ready to start a family. Even with the constant questions from family and friends (all with good intentions of course), G and I simply were not ready to have a baby. We wanted to travel, build a home together, and honestly just get to know one another a little bit better. Honestly, I realized in the first few years of marriage how important it was to build a foundation with my partner before we began starting a family. There will never be a perfect time, but we want the time to be right. I know my 30’s will be perfect time to add an addition to our family.

What are some new goals you're setting for yourself this year? Share below!

 XO, Analise

Girlfriend's Christmas Gift Guide

“I love going shopping.” - Serena Williams

Do you ever find it challenging to find the right gift for your best friend? Well look no further! I absolutely enjoy finding the perfect gifts for my girlfriends during the holiday season. It is so much fun watching their faces light up when they open their gift..

Today, I am sharing the perfect gifts to give your bestie at Christmas.

For the friend who loves to read

For the friend who loves wine

For the friend who loves to cook

For the friend who loves to accessorize

For the friend who needs a little bit of self-care

For the friend who loves gadgets

What are some gifts you are giving your friends this year? Share below!

XO, Analise

Songs for the Season

“The smell of pine needles, spruce and the smell of a Christmas tree - those to me, are the scents of the holidays.” - Blake Lively

Christmas is my favorite holiday, and nothing gets me in the spirit more than some amazing songs.

Today, I’m sharing some of my favorite songs for the holiday season, from my Spotify playlist!

A playlist featuring Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera, PJ Morton, and others

Share some of your favorite Christmas songs below. Happy Holidays everyone!

XO,

Analise

Classy Cavalier Turns One

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” - Lao Tzu

A year ago today, The Classy Cavalier was born, and I couldn’t be more thrilled and ecstatic.

Thank you to everyone who reads this blog. Starting this journey was a huge step for me. Typically, I am much more reserved in sharing my stories, but being able to meet so many amazing people through this platform has been a pure joy.

Today, I am sharing the key things that I have learned from starting my blog a year ago.

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  • Be consistent. When I began receiving advice from many bloggers in the start of my journey, the same advice was given to me across the board, “stay consistent.” I learned very quickly that posting weekly and staying true to myself would be the foundation of my blogging journey. Their advice was easier said than done, and at times it would be super hard to find the motivation or energy to create content. I learned very early that the only way to be consistent, is to stay organized and find a core group of individuals to hold you accountable.

  • Write about what you love. When I initially started the blog, I began writing about various topics in my life. As I began to find my voice, my topics became more narrow. I think for any blogger in the beginning never limit yourself, and be open to possibilities as well as new opportunities. When you begin writing about things you are passionate about it shows clearly in your work.

  • Recharge & refuel. It can be a challenge creating quality content, and if you are like me, I have a full-time job on top of doing my passion project. Blogging is something that I love doing, and really enjoy. It is very important to take some downtime and allow days to disconnect from social media and creating new content. I never wanted to the blog to become a chore I had to do every week. So, taking some time to rest and recharge, the creative juices really makes a world of difference.

  • Do it for the right reasons. I never started this blog to generate revenue. The overall goal was to have a platform for me to share my advice and experiences. Through this blog I have been able to partner with amazing companies and vendors. I’ve been able to connect with so many people, and share some recipes that my family enjoys. My initial goal for the blog was to connect with people, that was my reason for creating this little space on the World Wide Web. Whatever your reason is, make sure it makes sense for your overall mission.

Again, thank you for your continued support, this blog wouldn’t be what it is without all of you.

XO, Analise

Netflix Night

“I love a good Netflix binge!” - Simone Biles

One of my favorite things to do is curl up with a glass of red wine and binge a new Netflix show.

There are so many amazing shows out right now, and I love discovering a new series to watch. We have been stuck at home due to Hurricane Florence, and thankfully we haven’t gotten the severe weather we initially anticipated. Since I’ve been working from home all week, I decided to catch up on a few shows!

Today, I am sharing my top shows on Netflix!

  • Luke Cage - I am a huge Marvel fan, and this is one of my favorite series! If you are into comic books, and love 90’s hip-hop, you’ll absolutely love this show.

  • 13 Reasons Why - This was recommended to me by a friend, and it’s such a great show. It definitely tackles a lot of sensitive issues going on with teenagers in today’s society.

  • Black Mirror - This show is amazing, and definitely gives me all of the “Twilight Zone” vibes. Each episode has a new cast and storyline, which is very engaging. You can start this show anywhere in the series!

  • Wentworth - My best friend and I stumbled upon this show a few years ago … it was one of the greatest things to happen to us. It’s a way edgier version of “Orange is the New Black”, and the cast is phenomenal. The show is filmed in Australia, and Netflix gets the series super quickly!

  • Ozark - This is a newer show, and I totally love it! A seemingly super normal family, is heavily involved in the drug business. You get to see all the hoops they have to go through in keeping a cover in their community.

  • The Office - When this show was originally on the air, I was in college, and didn’t really watch it on a regular basis. Also, during that time I did not exactly connect to the storyline. A few years, my husband recommended I give it another shot, and I haven’t looked back. The comedic performance of the entire cast is spot on, and is so relatable now that I’ve been working in an office setting for almost a decade.

  • Queer Eye - I was obsessed with the original “Queer Eye” from the early 2000’s and used to watch it with my Mom all the time. When the reboot came out, I was so excited. Also, the new Fab Five is amazing, Karamo Brown is perfection.

  • Dear White People - This show originally was a movie, and it was fantastic. When I found out there were be a show, I was totally thrilled. It shows the perspective of a group of Black students at a prestigious Ivy League university. Having my own experiences at a PWI, this series totally resonates with me.

What are some of your favorite shows on Netflix? Feel free to share below! Happy binge watching y’all!

XO, Analise