In today's boundless beauty shops, you can find just about every color of lipstick imaginable. From radiant reds to beautiful berries and every poppy pink and peach in between, any lip color of your dreams is available in an array of finishes and textures. With such grand collections of colors, you'd think my signature shade would already be found. While I have a handful of favorites I've repurchased time and time again, there's one shade I just can't seem to find.

Oh those tricky pumpkin/brunt oranges.

There are certainly a plethora of burnt orange lipsticks currently on the market and it seems I've tried them all. The trouble is the true color of these lovely lipsticks appear differently on my lips due to my natural lip under tone. I often find that every burnt orange or pumpkin lipstick I've tried turns brick red or a variation of peach on my lips. It's very frustrating as the perfect burnt orange tone can only be achieved by layering 3-4 products.

This week marks one year since the heartbreaking event that changed my life in unimaginable ways. If you know me, I'm no stranger to difficult and frightening surgeries. While my first 2 major life-saving surgeries were filled with incredible happiness and joy, this one was just the opposite. It was unexpected, traumatic and completely heartbreaking -- the year following was a tough one which only strengthened my positive perspective on life and continuously reminded me to seek the light rather than the darkness.

I learned that it is OK to lean on your family and loved ones during a bad time. To depend on their love for a bit and to really take the time to recognize and appreciate those who have helped you build a life you've worked hard for and love. I am lucky to have an incredible support system -- my sweet family always reminds me that I don't walk alone in life. It is important to highlight these encouraging, incredibly caring and positive individuals as they help show you the light on darker days.

I always say you should never make a life out of a bad day. That one bad day is just 24 hours long. Twenty four hours to experience the worst, feel awful and still in between it all, we find the fight to make the following days better. For me that bad day lasted months. My recovery was, in one word, brutal. Every complication and downfall that could happen, happened. But hey, it could've been worse. My life could've ended last April.



Though you don't need to experience something devastating to appreciate life and to change your daily outlook.  My difficult journey in life taught me the tough lessons early and to really appreciate it all -- good and bad. In the midst of the absolute worst, happiness and peace can be found, its all about  keeping a positive attitude. At the end of the day, your attitude is the only thing in your control. Even on the extra difficult crappy days, know that it'll get better. Just learn to keep your attention on the light.
As someone who has really met death face-to-face on many occasions, nothing upsets me more than hearing absolutely comfortable and healthy individuals go on and on for hours, days, and weeks (yes, weeks) complaining about the same trivial frustrations of daily life. We all endure irritating daily annoyances such as traffic, simple work frustrations, or times when we question "why is this happening to me?" -- well, I'll tell you a simple way to get past it -- it could be worse.
How lucky are you to have to your health, to have a job in which earns you a living, to have a car or a paid monthly metro pass to get you to said job, to have a warm bed to sleep in every night and to have caring friends and family who stand by you through the good and bad. Remind yourself of this the next time something bothers you and you feel the need to take up another's time simply to detail these minor troubles. Its all about patience and attitude.

Expanding on these minor frustrations allow them to eat at you and ruin your days. I've learned that seeking positivity on smaller scale helps diminish daily negatively and ultimately makes it powerless.

An amazing mentor once explained to me that God only gives us the challenges we can handle. The ones that test, question and break us are only given to remind us of our strength. When the big heartbreaking things happen, it's important to remind yourself of this lovely outlook.

Without sounding too much like a fortune cookie -- learn to celebrate life. Life has dealt me a very tricky hand that has tried time and time again to snatch away my life card. We never know when our time will come, learn to COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS and speak of positive things. Negativity only invites negativity.