Skinny-Jeans-Pleated-White-Button-Up-OOTD-Classic-Fashion-Over-40-50-Blog

(ABOVE) Can’t get enough of white button-up shirts with skinny jeans.


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May 2, 2018 / Video Post Notes

GATHERING THE FIERCENESS WITHIN

Wisdom of a Candy Wrapper

I didn’t talk about this in my video, but I met a girlfriend for lunch last week, and I can’t stop thinking about something she read to me.

After we had finished our salads, she unwrapped and ate two small chocolates stashed in her purse. Then, smoothing out their two-inch green wrappers with her pretty, manicured hands, she read me the quotes printed inside of the crinkled but flattened foil squares.

This is the one that is still pestering me: “Be fiercely authentic.”

“That can be scary to do,” I said, thinking of all the times I’ve upheld just a simple boundary or told someone no, only to have them upset with me.

I hate disappointing people and, even more so, confrontation. When I think of actually being fierce in my life…it feels like then I’d offend people that much more.

The Rough and Tumble World of YouTube

It doesn’t take much to set others off. I know this by the angry, all-cap (use your imagination) comments I’ve received on my YouTube videos–thankfully there aren’t many of them–and yet, on all my social media platforms, including YouTube, I always try to be respectful and benign.

I understand that the angry comments reflect a long-festering discomfort inside those people themselves. Also I understand that their offendedness has nothing to do with me. As I learned years ago, if someone is hysterical, the issue is historical. Still, it’s dispiriting when others are offended by even the tiny bit of myself I show on social media–my style and my health journey. If the things I’ve posted so far get people riled up, I can’t imagine the kind of all-cap comments I’d receive if I shared some other parts of me.

What’s so…frustrating is, I want to be someone who brings healing, peace, and joy into the world. However, I also want to feel free and confident in expressing who I am–in both my relationships and in my creative pursuits like my blog and my YouTube channel–whether or not others agree with me.

Which circles me back to that quote and, more specifically, to the word fierce. Even though I’m much better than I was 10 years ago at not letting other people’s feelings and opinions about me get to me, I still cause myself too much stress over them, especially when it comes to my family, close friends, or clients.

Living Fiercely

That this quote has come into my life at this particular point is more than coincidence. I’ve been feeling for some time as if I’m at a juncture. I’ve successfully climbed a mountain, but ever since then I’ve been on a plateau, idling, procrastinating, looking at the rest of the mountain looming up in front of me. I could easily stay where I am, safe and comfortable, but I’d only regret it if I did.

The mountain and fierceness must be the way. My own kind of fierceness, that is, which may not seem fierce to anyone else.

One step in front of the other….

Thank you so much for listening. You can’t imagine how much it means to me.

All the best to you.

~Janis Lyn Johnson

P.S. Please share what you think about being fiercely authentic. I’d love to know, and I’m sure that others would, too.  Are you fiercely authentic? If you are, please share how you do it. If you aren’t, please share if you think it’s for a good or not-so-good reason.

P.S.S. These photographs and the video at the bottom of this post are of a recent lunch-date with my husband OOTD. 🙂


 

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100% Pure Gemmed Lip Gloss, Citrine

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100% Pure Blackest Long Last Liner

100%-Pure-Gemmed-Lip-Gloss-Citrine-Swatch


 

MY CLOTHING

SHIRT: Ann Taylor / JEANS: Articles of Society (more high-waist skinny jeans Nordstrom, Talbots, Macys).

MY ACCESSORIES

EYEWEAR: (Similar Le Specs) BAG: Longchamp (similar Longchamp here, here ) BELT: (similar Halogen) / SHOES: Vaneli (similar Michael Kors, Patricia Green).

MY JEWELRY

EARRINGS: 14K Gold 1.25-Inch Hoops  / WATCH: Michele (also Saks Fifth Avenue, Michele) / WHITE BRACELET: Hermes.

MY MOISTURIZERS/MAKEUP (All Natural/Organic Ingredients)

FACE SCRUB: Coconut Oil Mixed with Himalayan Salt (alternative 100% Pure Organic Acai Pulp Facial Scrub) / FACE MOISTURIZER: Nourish Organic Face Lotion / LIPS-EYE AREA MOISTURIZER: Nourish Organic Shea Butter / FACE MAKEUP: BareMinerals Matte Foundation SPF 15, Golden Medium 14 and Golden Fair 04, applied with BareMinerals Flawless Application Face Brush (also available here) and Sigma Flat Angled Kabuki F88 Brush / CHEEKS:  Gabriel Apricot Powder Blush, applied with EcoTools Cruelty-Free Stippling Brush  / LIPS: 100% Pure Gemmed Lip Gloss, Citrine  / EYELIDS: 100% Pure Blackest Long Last LinerLASHES: 100% Pure Ultra-Lengthening Mascara, Black Tea, combed out with a Folding Eyelash Comb With Metal Teeth.

100% Pure Also Here: 100% Pure Europe100% Pure UK100% Pure Canada

(Some links in this post are affiliates. More information here.) 


 

YouTube Video


 

ann-taylor-white-pleated-ruffle-perfect-shirt

Ann Taylor Pleated Ruffle Shirt

Articles of Society Heather High-Waist Skinny Jeans, Monaco Wash

Articles of Society High-Waist Skinny Jeans

le-specs-bandwagon-51mm-sunglasses

Le Specs 51mm Sunglasses

halogen-leather-skinnny-belt

Halogen Leather Skinny Belt

Longchamp Penelope Tassel Drawstring Leather Tote

Longchamp Penelope Leather Tote

Longchamp Le Pliage Cuir Leather Handbag

Longchamp Le Pliage Cuir Leather Bag

michael-michael-kors-sutton-moccasin-pink

Michael Kors Leather Moccasins (2 Colors Available)

patricia-green-camel-suede-mule

Patricia Green Suede Mule (6 Colors Available)


 

Favorite Stores

NATURAL & ORGANIC MAKEUP

100% Pure

Gabriel / Zuzu Luxe

Hemp Organics/Colorganics

BOOKS, ORGANIC FOODS & MORE

Amazon.com

CLOTHING STORES

Ann Taylor

Banana Republic

Brooks Brothers

J. Crew

Kate Spade

Land’s End

Lilly Pulitzer

L.L. Bean

Ralph Lauren

Talbots

DEPARTMENT STORES (ACCESSORIES, CLOTHING, JEWELRY & HOME DECOR)

Bloomingdale’s

Henri Bendel

Lord & Taylor

Macys

Nordstrom

Neiman Marcus

Saks Fifth Avenue

DISCOUNT DESIGNER ACCESSORIES, CLOTHING, JEWELRY & HOME DECOR

Gilt

Neiman Marcus Last Call

Nordstrom Rack

TJ Max/Marshall’s

The RealReal

Ruelala

Saks Off Fifth

HANDBAGS & LEATHER AGENDAS, CALENDARS, ACCESSORIES

Gigi New York

Graphic Image

Kate Spade

HANDBAGS, WALLETS & SHOES

Jack Rogers

Kate Spade

TheRealReal (Authenticated Luxury Consignment)

Shoes.com

6pm.com

Zappos

Zappos Luxury

HOME & PATIO DECOR, TABLEWARE, FURNISHINGS

Belle & June

Birch Lane

Horchow

JossandMain.com

Land’s End

L.L. Bean

PBTeen

Terrain

Wayfair.com

HOME ORGANIZATION

QVC

HOME OFFICE ORGANIZATION (AGENDAS, BINDERS, CALENDARS, PLANNERS & MORE)

Filofax

FranklinPlanner

Graphic Image

JEWELRY (COSTUME & FINE)

Bauble Bar

Ross-Simons

Satya

TheRealReal (Luxury Consignment)

QVC

WATCHES (DESIGNER)

Michele

Kate Spade