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January 16, 2017

Words of Inspiration from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

January 16, 2017

I’ve been reflecting lately on what I can do to further impact my local community and the world at large.  I don’t yet know the answer to that question, but I feel that the right opportunity will manifest the moment the timing is right.  It feels appropriate on this MLK Day to look to Dr. King for inspiration through his words, so here is a round-up of some of quotes by Dr. King that inspire hope and action.

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.

I have decided to stick with love.  Hate is too great a burden to bear.

Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others?

I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality… I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.

Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable… Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.

Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal.

More from Dr. King: Letter from a Birmingham Jail |  I Have a Dream Speech |  Our God is Marching On

· Labels: Lifestyle Tagged: MLK Day

January 14, 2017

On Practicing Yoga and Cultivating Habits

January 14, 2017

While not very consistent with my practice these days, I truly enjoy yoga. As is the case with many people, I use yoga to feel good. Yoga, a practice that is thousands of years old and originates from Indian Ayurvedic tradition, has proven health benefits such as reducing stress, strengthening bones, building balance, staving off cognitive decline, among others (source). Cognitive decline can happen to anyone and every one, some more than others, yoga can help with things like this but unfortunately, it may not be able to stop the rapid decline, if a family member of yours has diseases like dementia, you will want to help them maintain quality of life that works for them, many things can help add to this and yoga can be a part of that. Yoga is a form of self-care and exercise that I feel makes a difference in my personal quality of life. Though gym memberships go unused every time I’ve tried them, I’ve always enjoyed exercising in group settings. In some ways, group exercise classes like yoga take me back to my childhood during which I took various dance classes for over a decade. But I haven’t made time for practicing yoga at home or attending my usual studio in recent months. Especially since the weather has gotten colder, it seems far easier to head indoors at the end of the day than to take the extra effort to trek to the yoga studio! And the call of my couch and Netflix is strong after a long workday…

After watching a yoga program for beginners (of which I was at the time), I decided to make practicing yoga a daily habit I want to focus on cultivating this year. I know this website will help me and with most habits, once I get back into the swing of it, I’m sure yoga will again become a cherished part of my regular routines. I’m truly not a night time person, so I’ll commit to waking up earlier to do a short yoga practice before starting my day. I also want to try a trap yoga class (a vinyasa yoga practiced to trap music) in DC that’s been on my to-do list for ages. I’m going to sign up for a class this week and stop coming up with excuses not to go.

Here’s to creating sustainable, good habits in 2017!

Image: Black Girl in Om’s Instagram

· Labels: Lifestyle, Wellness Tagged: habits, health, yoga

January 10, 2017

January Recent Beauty + Skincare Buys

January 10, 2017

I’ve been on a quest to find beauty and make-up products I’m really excited about this winter. I’ve also been trying to find some mens skin care products for my husband too. I’m really into my skincare but my husband isn’t, so I thought a few new products might excite him a little! Of course, I had to treat myself to a few new bits too! It’s an added bonus if they have less toxic ingredients since your skin absorbs so much as your largest organ. Sometimes in the winter people will want to supplement their regime by going into a clinic for some extra help – this service has great reviews – but finding brand new products that can make a serious difference to your skincare routine is a genuinely great feeling, which is why you may want to have a look at a site like ReviewingThis for some hidden gems that you’ve never come across before. Products such as the Tree of Life Retinol Serum get a comprehensive review that could potentially help you get your hands on a product that can benefit your skin massively. There are also skincare tools that can help you achieve perfect skin. A friend has recommended looking into the best derma roller out there as many users have claimed that using a derma roller has drastically improved their complexion. Here are my most recent beauty and skincare buys.

Glossier Priming Moisturizer – I really like the richness of this primer that adds a barrier to protect my skin from the harsh elements before applying my tinted moisturizer or foundation for the day. It also makes whatever make-up I put on last longer.

Josie Maran Argan Black Oil Mascara – I cycle through mascara’s and this Josie Maran one is currently rotation. I like that’s it’s easy to do a few coats before it gets too clumpy.

DeVita Under Eye Repair Serum – The media practically shouts to women 25 and over that we should be using eye creams and serums as soon as possible. I haven’t managed to be consistent with applying eye creams and serums in the past, but my latest effort involves this serum. We’ll see if I can stick to it but I like it so far. I can’t speak to the serums effectiveness yet…stay tuned.

Acure Brightening Facial Scrub – Scrubs and masks are an easy way to take a few moments for self-care on a regular basis. Exfoliation is another skin care task I’m not super consistent with, but I like this scrub so far and have enjoyed including it in my routine lately.

· Labels: Beauty, Lifestyle Tagged: make-up, skincare

January 4, 2017

On Making New Year’s Resolutions

January 4, 2017

Happy New Year! As many others have been doing since January started, I’ve been using the early days of 2017 to map out how I’d like my year to unfold. But unlike I’ve done in previous years, this didn’t involve making resolutions. Instead, I was inspired by blogger, Victoria McGinley to pick a word for the year instead and will direct my intentions toward embodying that word through my actions rather than making a list of resolutions that I’ll promptly forget about by the time Spring comes around.

I’ve decided that my word for the year is: CREATE. I’d like to consider taking guidance from this word in a myriad of ways. I hope in 2017 to create in terms of financial abundance, creation of professional opportunities, creation of fun, creation of rituals and practices around wellness/self-care, and the creation of hobbies/side projects. I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m the happiest when I’m creating (for myself and for others). For this year, creating could be as simple as making a meal or it could be more involved, such as nurturing a side project that I want to evolve into a profitable side hustle. I’ve always wanted my own side hustle but I’ve never known exactly what I’d like to do. I have some friends who have bought Zipmex Indonesia Bitcoin as an investment in their future and this is something I would like to look into further. So many people seem to be investing in Bitcoin these days, so maybe I should consider it. Apparently, people make their money from Bitcoin by trading it. This can be done by using BitQT, for example. My friend said that platform is good. She even showed me some reviews from real-life BitQT Erfahrungen (BitQT experiences), so it seems pretty safe. Perhaps I will look into that. However, I also know a lot of people who make decent amounts of money from online casinos. People often think casino games are down to pure luck, but after doing some research I discovered this isn’t true. Sure, luck is involved, but it is all about playing the right games at the right times. It is also important to utilise any free offers or bonuses if you want to make bigger profits. You can find a list of the casinos with the best bonuses at paybyphonebillcasino.uk. Again, this is something that I will consider further. Whilst these are both great ways to make some extra money, they aren’t really side hustles as such – as I usually think of side hustles as businesses. I think I’ll have to do a few marketing courses before I decide on a side hustle business though. I was recently reading a marketing review that answered the question ‘is the local marketing vault really a scam‘. I found it super helpful to read and I learned so much from it! I don’t know much about marketing at the minute so I definitely need to learn more!! With so much all over the world and in our own backyards to be sad, scared, and worried about, it feels comforting to focus on something I DO have control over like my own happiness, intentions, and productivity. I can do whatever I set my mind to!!

If you were going to choose a word as a theme for the year, what would it be?

Image

· Labels: Lifestyle Tagged: goals

June 26, 2016

Links of the Week: June 25, 2016

June 26, 2016

unsplash

Happy weekend!  Here is some reading material to keep you occupied as you enjoy the tail end of the weekend.

  • Needing time to recharge is not just an introvert thing.
  • Best ab workouts to get ready for crop top season.
  • I found this so fascinating: 10 weirdest facts about your microbiome.
  • I bookmarked this for my upcoming summer vacation: How to overcome travel disasters.
  • A recipe to try if you are as in love with matcha as I am. I also really like this one since it’s getting a bit warm for my usual hot matcha latte.
  • A few of these were new to me: Essential oil hacks.
  • I haven’t purchased many dresses this season, but this one is at the top of my list.
  • I thought these wedding images (and love story of the couple) were just lovely.
  • So sad to hear about Bill Cunningham…we’ve certainly had a lot of losses of amazing creatives this year : (
  • Since I just picked up this book from the library, I also bookmarked this interview of the author to read.

Image: Unsplash

· Labels: Lifestyle, Links of the Week Tagged: linklove

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Welcome!

My name is Shen Dove, I'm a Philadelphia native currently living in DC. I decided to turn my life-long love of style and fashion into a blog. I love books, films, traveling, cupcakes and pretty things. Thanks for stopping by!

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Shen Dove Style contains some contextual affiliate links. An affiliate link is a link in which advertisers have agreed to pay a commission should a purchase be made from that click-through. I do not post anything that I haven't or wouldn't purchase on my own. All images on this site are taken by myself unless otherwise noted. If an image of yours that appears here has been miscredited or you would like it taken down, please let me know and I'll take care of it! I strive to maintain good blogging manners!

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