Better Be The One That Smiles...

Oct 26, 2018

Better Be The One That Smiles...

"Better be the one that smiles, than the one that doesn't smile back."

There was a time in my life when I as that woman that walked around with sorrow in her eyes and a stoic face. Not quite a frown or scowl, but for sure never a genuine smile. There were several factors that contributed to this, but to be a bit more specific. It was the fact that I relied on external situations to bring joy and happiness in my life. The relationship that I was in at the time, the friends/ company that I kept, and the material things that I acquired were the driving forces behind my happiness. 

When my relationship was on track I was happy and joyful, when I was among people that I considered to be friends, I was happy. When I would score something on my wish list, I was happy. However, when the relationship/friendships would take a turn for the worst or I got over the "shiny" new "thing", the feeling of happiness would wear off just as fast. It became a vicious cycle in which wore me out. 

It wasn't until my late 30's after the relationship/marriage ended and I lost all of those pretty "shiny" things that I realized that I had to break the cycle. I had to get off of the rollercoaster and start a new journey to find happiness. That journey was going to require a commitment to hard work and quite a bit of soul-searching. While it felt intimidating, I knew it was something that I needed to tackle head-on in order to experience the joy and live the life that I truly wanted to live. 

The very first step was the hardest, admitting to myself that a change was necessary. The second step, even harder - identifying what needed to change. Change is not an easy feat and most often "unpretty". However, this process is WELL WORTH IT.. 

Do the work and be the one that Smiles, it's better. Trust me! 

xo xo, 

Tren

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Theory No.: 001 – If you keep your goals in plain sight, they will NEVER die!

Oct 23, 2018

Theory No.: 001 – If you keep your goals in plain sight, they will NEVER die!

Theory No.: 001 – If you keep your goals in plain sight, they will NEVER die!

(Shoes: Jessica Simpson, Sunnies: Target, Green Juice: Suja)

If you’ve visited this blog or IG you may notice that there can be spans of time in between posts. You see, when I began this journey, I knew what I wanted to do and thought I had a solid plan on how to do it but things didn’t quite pan out the way I thought they would. Roadblocks kept surfacing, keeping me from the goals that I set.

The blocks didn’t only keep me from blog goals, but other goals as well and in the midst of it all, I would get frustrated with things not going according to MY plan. I would lose faith in myself and my ability to create the life and experience the things that I wanted to experience. During these times, I would say to myself, Tren, take some time. Relax, breathe, take care of [insert other priority here]. Come back to it and it will be waiting for you. And wouldn’t you know it, every time I would allow myself time to break, relax, and refocus I would come back refreshed. It didn’t matter how long or short, I realized the most important thing, not to give up.

Don’t get me wrong, there were times I would say, I’m not good as [insert any of the great bloggers that I follow], I should just focus on work (ie my day job). But it was in those times I would be presented with things, people, or opportunities that would encourage me to keep going and not give up.

This process has taught me a few lessons about how to keep going and never giving up on dreams, with the biggest lesson being never to lose sight of the things that are important to you. No matter how large or small. 

What are some things that help you to keep your eyes on the prize? 

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Expect Nothing, Appreciate Everything...

Sep 13, 2018

Expect Nothing, Appreciate Everything...

Expect Nothing, Appreciate Everything... 

We all fall victim to our expectations at times. It can be as simple as having the expectation to wake up in the morning if our health seems to be in order. Or maybe, we expect no rain if the weather forecast calls for a sunny day. Whatever the situation, our expectations can make us all fall victim to disappointments. 

Friends, I just want to remind you that nothing in this life is promised, nothing... not today, not tomorrow. There are no true guarantees. 

Like everyone else in the blogosphere, I have been saddened by the loss of Fashion Blogger Kyrzayda. She shared her great passion for fashion and style with us all and when she became ill, she shared that experience with us as well. Her reason for doing so was to teach us that life within itself is a blessing and that we must cherish every moment, no matter what. 

For me, this message hit home, the importance of appreciating every moment of my life, every relationship/friendship, and experience. Both the good and the bad, the losses and the wins. Nothing should be taken for granted, nothing. Remember that, and if you see me forgetting - remind me. 

Thanks for reading. 

xo, xo, 

Tren 

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Theory No.: 411- There will never be a more perfect time…

Jul 2, 2018

Theory No.: 411- There will never be a more perfect time…

Theory No.: 411- There will never be a more perfect time…

I was talking to a friend at dinner last week, discussing the timing of things. Babies to be exact, she asked if I had any intention of having a child. I tossed my head back and laughed because I’m over 40 for one and two, she should know me a lot better than that. While my answer was not quite sufficient enough for her, the feedback that she provided spoke to me in more ways than one. It was like her lips moved in slow motion and the words landed not only on my ears but in my heart… “There will never be a perfect time, so what…”

While her intent was to speak to me from the standpoint of creating a family, the message went far beyond. The universe was conveying a much bigger message, through her. Confirming that:

•  - There will never be a more perfect time to follow your dreams…
•  - There will never be a more perfect time to follow my heart…
•  - There will never be a more perfect time to forgive… 
•  - There will never be a more perfect time dive in head first… 
•  - There will never be a more perfect time to build something lasting… 
•  - There will never be a more perfect time to grow…
•  - There will never be a more perfect time to do what you love… 

While I can go on and on with a laundry list of things that time will never present perfection for, I will just say this… the perfect time is always now, in the moment, in the presence in which we exist.

There will never be a more perfect time to live life your life to the fullest. The perfect time is now. 

xo - Tren

#29DaysofTren #Countdownto43

Outfit details: Top - Forver21, Jeans - H&M, Wedges - Target, Sunnies - Forever21

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Fri-Yay Faves: Drink, Accessorize, and Eat Your Heart Out!

May 4, 2018

Fri-Yay Faves: Drink, Accessorize, and Eat Your Heart Out!

Well hello there! It has been quite some time since my last post and trust me there has been a good reason for it. Over the last few months, there have been quite a bit of change occurring in my life which brings me to this weeks and a well overdue installment of  Fri-Yay Faves!!

Now one of these life-changing events included another relocation, taking me back to my roots. Well, that's a little dramatic, not my original roots but the place I'm proud to call home - Dallas, Texas!! After being here for a few weeks I was craving some good old cajun food (not originated in the DFW but closer to home than the mid-west). 

1.) Razoo's Cajun Cafe - Not to slight some of the more authentic Cajun/Creole restaurants in the area, I typically opt for this jewel because it is so close to my new digs.  This casual dining chain offers up lots of cajun spice, some of which are too good to pass up. You name it they bring it! Some of my favorites include boiled shrimp and crawfish (yes I eat them like a true New Orleanian), shrimp and fish any way you like it, and a ton of good drinks. How about this one for some eye candy. A classic New Orleans drink - the Hurricane! Sooo good, two of these and I'm good for the night! Maybe a little "too good".  

2). Two Tone Bib Necklace - Can we talk about this necklace, PLEASE? I've held on to this thing for years and never wore it until now. While it's an oldie but goodie, right now all I can say is that it's one of my faves. Since I've been back, I've been trying to recapture my style and my efforts are coming along nicely. Trust me, I will bore you with more of my style evolution soon and you WILL see this in heavy rotation, no matter how old it is :).

3). Digital Progressive Lens - Okay ladies, if you're anything like me, once you hit 4.0 you began to notice that you are squinting a lot more. Well now at 4.2, I've gone a bit beyond squinting and according to my optometrist while I'm not for bifocals I am in need of an alternative progressive option. He then introduced me to a digital progressive lense, let me tell you I never want to take these off. With the addition of this super cool Tory Burch frame, I don't like taking these off. Not only are things super clear just as if I were watching an IMAX movie, but I feel so stylish when I wear them. I have received so many compliments, they are an all-around winner.

4). Kona Grill - North Park -  They say that all folks do here in Dallas is shop and eat. I can't dispute this by one bit, hence the two eateries posted on today's favs and trust me a shopping post will come.  Speaking of shopping, one of my favorites go to spots after a day of shopping at North Park Mall is Kona Grill. My go to is their Chicken Satay.... Grilled to perfection, served on a bed of Asian slaw, with a side of peanut sauce. OMG, can you say heaven?! Pair it with a nice margarita on the rocks and you're set.

Thank you for taking the time out to visit my blog. While I've had one of the longest breaks ever, I look forward to getting back to posting, not only my Fri-Yay faves but lots of other gems that speaks to mid-life. Stay tuned!

XO,

Tren

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Fri-Yay Faves - Sweet Smelling Full Bodies

Nov 10, 2017

Fri-Yay Faves - Sweet Smelling Full Bodies

Every time Friday rolls around I get super excited to share my faves with you! This week was no different. With the temperature dropping I've decided to dive into some of my cold weather favorites for this post. I have to admit, I find that this series motivates me to keep going even when I want to give up. On top of that, as I prepare these little weeklies, they tend to spark ideas for future content. It's a win-win for my blog goals and I get to continue to share with you guys. Hang in there with me guys, I promise, there's much more to come from PolkaDotTheory™.  Now enjoy this week's Faves!

 

 1). Perfume:  In my younger years (20's), I never considered myself as perfume girl. I would tend to opt for clean smelling spritzers and lotions but totally stayed away from brand perfumes. Well that wasn't until the day I found myself on a random elevator and this woman got on. Dressed in a black chic outfit with classic pumps, her hair was arranged in a neat bun, I almost felt a girl crush coming on and then it hit me. As she settled into her spot, a short breeze followed, it was filled with such a sweet scent of goodness.  "Oh my word", I thought to myself, "who is this woman and what in the hell is she wearing?" I'm not one to strike up small talk, so I got to the point. I had to ask, "what perfume are you wearing?" She graciously revealed the scent that sent me running to my nearest department store to purchase.  Oh thank you Chic Mysterious Good Smelling Goddess!

I find that I wearing perfume in the winter makes the cold a bit more bearable and life more interesting. There's something about the cold weather mixing with sweet aromas that tend to make me feel all warm inside. What's your favorite scent?

2). Moisture, Moisture, Moisture: Speaking of winter and the cold weather, I don't know about you but my skin goes through the motions in the cold. As I continue to age, I find that my need to keep my skin hydrated is even more important. Therefore during the winter I to ensure that I am keeping my skin moisturized to avoid dehydration, which leads to what - you said it - wrinkles.

Here are a couple of the products that rescue me from drying out all year round. While this is my core set of products for hydration, I add on a bit more as the weather gets cold and dry. I'm penning a post that talks more about these products and for tips on how to keep your skin hydrated to maintain a youthful glow. 

 3). Full Bodied Reds: First all who doesn't enjoy a good Wine Down? We all know some of the benefits of a good glass of wine, which I will save for another post. But I have to confess...  I love, love, love wine, red wines, especially in the winter.

When the temps begin to drop, I look forward to getting cozy with a good ole full bodied red. Gone are the days when I settle for any old glass of wine, I tend to lean towards Shiraz, Syrah, and Malbecs. While I'm continuing to expand my knowledge of wineries and the best brands, the Delectable Wine App has become a handy tool in this journey. I encourage you to check out this app, it's free and it has a snap-and-seek tool, which gives you the run down on a wine based on a snapshot from your phone. How cool is that?

4). A Very Good Read: What pairs well with a good glass of wine? Not only cheese, but a good book. Pair the two with a cozy corner and it's a great evening. There's nothing like settling into a good book while sipping on a good glass. Speaking of a good read, stay tuned for my "What I'm Reading" Series, coming soon on the blog.

As always, thank you for taking the time out to visit. Now it's your turn, tell me what are some of your favorite go to's for the cold weather season?

Happy Weekend!

xo xo,

Tren

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