The Pursuit of Happiness

Shirt: Pacsun

Skirt: The Loft

Cardigan: Old Navy

Shoes: Nine West

Earrings: Gift

Necklace: JessLC

Don't mind my half-hearted smiles in the photos above. These pictures were actually taken yesterday, but I've admittedly been trying to turn my frown upside down all day. Since the stylish blogger duo Chicfaced (check them out!) tagged me a while ago to create a list of 10 things that make me happy, now is a good time to respond:

1. Family. I love my family and appreciate the love and support they've always given me. I don't know where I would be without them.
2. Friends. "Hold a true friend with both hands." - African Proverb. That proverb really sums my feelings about real friends up. I really appreciate and value my friends that are truly there for me and I hope they know that.
3. Cupcakes. Cupcakes are by far my favorite dessert. Enough said!
4. Traveling. I love visiting new places and learning about new cultures. I also love going to places in the U.S. I've never been to. I look forward to doing a lot of traveling nationally and internationally in the near future.
5. Concerts/Music. I've always had an appreciation for music and performers, so obviously, I love going to concerts of my favorite musical artists. I play my favorite songs over and over. If you spend enough time around me, you will be able to attest to that. There are certain artists that I could see perform over and over again like this group comprised of fellow Philly natives.
6. Flowers. The sight of a bouquet of beautiful flowers always puts my in an excellent mood.
7. Nonprofit organizations that help urban youth. I realized a while ago that teaching wasn't a path I wanted to take in life, but I definitely respect educators and realized that I wanted to give back to youth in some other way and for the past few years, I've given back by volunteering for nonprofit organizations that serve adolescents.
8. New York City. New York is by far my favorite city and I never get tired of visiting.
9. Accessories. My love for accessories goes back to my childhood where I distinctly remember lugging around my Mother's purses, jewelry, scarves and shoes while I "played dress-up." Some things really don't change.
10. Books. I have an appreciation for the various forms of the written word (blogs, magazines, etc), but books will always be my favorite. I take advantage of my local library and swap books with friends and family. My Metro commute every day is my daily reading opportunity and for this reason, I don't know if I would ever want to drive on a daily basis and give that time up.

Just writing this list down put me in a better mood! Now I'll tag La Rue Neuve, Onada's Lookbook and This Little Piggie.

Song Currently on Repeat: 'Daydream' By Lupe Fiasco featuring Jill Scott