Happy New Year!

I want to start off this year with a fresh new start. As you can see, I have redone the theme of my little space on the internet, and I think it is pretty special. Just looking at it makes me feel calm and reminds me of all of my favourite things.

Since my last post quite a few things have happened to me and I am going to tell you about it all over the next while, but today I want to reminisce. I was a bad blogger and neglected Just Paige the last few months and so I am going to do a Zeitgeist of my 2015.

We started off the year on pretty exciting terms. I started my new job and was given a lot more responsibility then I am used to. I think I did ok with it and eventually got used to the new changes that comes with entering a new role, and in my case, a new company. I have learned so much through this new opportunity, things I never expected to know, and I think it has changed me for the better. (que Wicked music)

I turned 25 this year and it was a bit of a shock. I don't feel a quarter of a century old and I am not sure I will ever get used to saying that I am in my "late twenties" now.

I made my first visit to the Weight Wise clinic in Edmonton, which has inevitably changed my life entirely and I will be forever grateful. The clinic was able to give me answers to a lot of health issues that have been plaguing me my entire life. I am still waiting for surgery (Gastric Bypass), but I am getting closer and I have them to thank for putting me on a path to success.

During one of my many trips to Edmonton, we made a side trip to Calgary and spent a weekend with a family friend, Laurel. She took us to Banff National Park and I saw Lake Louise and the beautiful Fairmont hotel. We road the Gondolas, shopped, ate great food and had an amazing time together. We ended the weekend with a trip to meet my new baby cousin Alex, (My cousin Matt and Ivy's son) and Ivy made us the best banana waffles. They rivalled the likes of IHOP (which is my fave breakfast joint). I made memories I will cherish always.

I went on an amazing adventure with two renewed friend

s, Michael and BeeJay. I attended, along with my sister and a few other friends, the travelling show of The Book of Mormon. Though it was extremely offensive (in all the funniest ways possible), I still think it is one of the best shows I have ever seen. That night we also went to do an Escape Room activity, and though we did not escape in time, it was a great experience and I couldn't have imagined a better team to try it with.

This year I also went to 4 concerts. Coleman Hell/DCF, Imagine Dragons, Ed Sheeran and my second time seeing One Direction. Imagine Dragons put on an amazing rock show and is phenomenal live. Ed Sheeran was truly a life altering experience. He does a complete show with just his voice and his guitar. I would jump at the chance to see him again. Both shows were within a couple weeks of each other and made my wait until the best night of my life a lot easier. Coleman Hell & DCF were a pleasant surprise. A cheap night out to The Pyramid in Winnipeg and they are now both two of my favourite artists.

July 25, 2015 will go down in history as one of those nights you still remember 25 years down the road. It may seem a little dramatic for a boy band, but it wasn't just the main event, One Direction, that made the night amazing. I spent it with three of my best friends, Laura, Laura and Kristy, and my big sister, Brianne. We ended up upgrading our not-so-great seats to 8th row from the stage and it was amazing. The crowd was infectious, the music was heart-thumping and my energy was sky high.

The day following the concert, I did something that I have always been terrified of. I got my first tattoo. I was always planning on getting one, but I wanted something meaningful. The arrow is a sign that my friends and I crossed paths at the best time in our lives, the three tails on the end stand for the three of us and the arrow head is a glyph that stands for creativity. It is made even more special by the fact that we designed it together and all came to an agreement two days before what it was actually going to look like.

Another highlight of my year was being asked to be a bridesmaid in my friend Mary's wedding. The dresses are bought, the day is planned and I cannot wait to celebrate her special day with her. I wish her and Paul the best of luck in their future and am looking forward to see what their life brings.

One of the most unusual things that I started this year was my YouTube channel with my friend Laura Wallis. Its called Lipstick & Liquor and is a shining light in my rather dull life. We discuss our favourite things, review the concerts we attend, ramble on about nothing and play games to test our wits. In May, Laura moved away, making YouTube sit on the back burner a little. Though the transition has been difficult, she is only 3 hours away and we have made the best of what it is. I try to visit once and month  and she comes home just as often. We took two months off at the end of the year to really decide what we wanted out of the channel, and I think we have found it. I can't wait to see what opportunities that brings in 2016.

Now that I have written down my favourite things of 2015, I am realizing that my life is filled with a lot more excitement than I give it credit for. In 2016, I want to banish the thoughts that make me think my life isn't full of amazing and show more gratitude towards my little corner of the world. It is these things, events and people that I will remember on the tough days, though they are becoming fewer and farther between. Happy New Year!!

In the comments, tell me your favourite things from 2015!

The Itch.

I am, by nature, a creative person. I crave something to shove my eccentric thoughts into and in my career, this is seriously deprived. I want to create something lasting, something that will follow me and I can be proud of.

I long for a day when I can spend my days immersed in culture and inspiration that can feed this creative monster that has recently been growing inside me. I want to write, I want to dream, I want to soar for the unattainable and possibly...reach it.

If I keep suppressing this side of me, I feel as though it will reach the depths of my being and disappear. I don't want that. What kind of life would I have if it broke away from me? I don't want to live in a world where I can't see that it is cerulean, not blue. Where a book is just words and not a story waiting to be told.  I want to be heard, I want to listen, I want. I want more.

We live in a world where people compartmentalize their lives and don't show their entire self to all parts of their life. I hate the idea that people are not truly being themselves and it really scares me that I have so easily followed their lead. I have slumped and become complacent with just being fine or ok. Its not OK. I want to succeed, possibly need to succeed, but at what cost? Is success and materialistic wealth worth the pressure? Can I live with mediocre? Can I live with so many questions, and no answers?

I want to feel fulfilled and inspired. I want to travel and adapt to a better lifestyle. I want to loose my fear of failure. I am grateful for what I have, but there is more to life and I want to experience it all...

...Someday.

Motivational Monday, Just Because...

Well, I obviously have commitment issues with this blog. I have once again failed at setting a posting schedule for myself. Summer has just been incredibly busy. I have been doing distance courses, visiting with family, catching up on TV I neglected all winter and planning my next trip. As I set out to do this year (have adventures if your new here) I am going on my next adventure. In ten short days I am going to be road tripping 17 short hours to Chicago to see One Direction. Please do not tell me how as an adult I shouldn't listen to or like One Direction, their music makes me happy and I deserve no judgement for doing something that makes me happy.

So now onto the motivational message of this post. I hope that by me doing something somewhat extraordinary to achieve happiness that it inspires you to take a big chance if the reward is beneficial to your happiness. Shouldn't we all try a little harder to find the promise land of life. Happiness is a choice. You can choose to say no to opportunities, you can choose to stay sedentary in life and never take chances. Or you can say yes, say yes to adventure, say yes to opportunities that might scare you, say yes to you. You are the most important person in your life and you deserve to be just as happy as anybody else.

Happy Monday!!

Finally....Vegas Photo Journal!

I have to re-do the slideshow, coming soon...again.

Travel Week #3 - The Home Stretch

I am a bag of nerves. Last night I made myself sick I was so nervous. I know this sounds odd as I am going on a fabulous trip, but it is scary at the same time. I am a person who likes control. I do not like unknown variables. If I am unsure, I am uneasy. Today the stomach ache has morphed into a slight butterfly feeling and the headache has subsided, but I still have a sinking feeling. I have not been on a plane since the age of five and it was with my parents. I suppose I need to grow up and have fun. Any tips on settling nerves?

So I embark tomorrow morning. We first have to make a three hour trek to Minot Airport. Then we will have a three hour flight, 2 hour time change and voila, we will be at our destination of Las Vegas, Nevada. Next weeks schedule will be slightly different, and by slightly, I mean completely different. I will not be posting until Friday or Saturday and it will be an entire download of my trip. If you think that is too long to be without me, make sure to follow me on all my social networks to get updates of how things are going!

      Have a great week!!!

Travel Week #2 - Packing

If you are reading this, chances are you are like me and have a hard time packing lightly. I tend to over pack and always have. When I was 9 and went to summer camp, I filled a hockey equipment bag and I was only going for a week. Well for my upcoming plane trip, this is not an option as most airlines impose a weight limit on baggage. I think I have come up with a great way to battle this.

Heys - Christmas Gift (From Costco I think)

For Christmas I received the holy grail of luggage, HEYS. It is a 2-piece set and one fits inside the other. What sets this luggage apart is how sturdy it is, but on the flip side, extremely lightweight. With the one suitcase inside the other they still only weigh 8 pounds. I recently came to the conclusion that I can pack my clothes in the smaller one and still bring the bigger one and only pay the extra bag fee on the way home. This way if myself or my travel companions buy too much stuff, we have a whole extra suitcase that we can use. I know that the extra bag fee is pretty steep at $50, but if we all use it and split it three ways, it is very tolerable. 

Hope this inspires you to do some creative packing. Leave in the comments some other tips you might have for me to pack lightly.

Travel Week #1 - Toiletries

Forever 21 - $4.80 (now on sale for $2)

So have you been in Target and walk down the aisle with the super cute miniatures of shampoos and that beyond adorable miniature container of vaseline hand lotion. Well I have and let me tell you, such small things come at a very big price! 

My biggest tip I have found in my vast traveling (as in none. I have been nowhere), is to get some empty small bottles and take what you already have. I managed to pick up a bag of bottles at Forever 21 of all places for $5. It came with 2 bottles perfect for shampoo, conditioner and body wash, a pumper bottle that will work great for my clinique face wash and a spray bottle that I am going to fill with my Sally Hershberger Keratin Treatment. I also found I had some extras from buying my makeup bag.

The only travel sized item that I bought into was tooth paste. At $1.00, it is a good idea to go mini because, beleive it or not, toothpaste is heavy! And when you are trying to limit a weeks worth of outfits and shoes into one suitcase that is under 40lbs you have to do what you have to do. Well I am off to go pack (not really I will leave it till the last minute, as always) 

Have a good day! :)