If you know me in real life you know that gift giving is not my giving or receiving love language. Quality time is, so I would much rather do something with you than spend a crazy amount of money on something you may not use in six months. That said, I do love spoiling the people I love. That's why inexpensive gifts that have meaning are how I like to give gifts during the holiday season. As we ramp up our last minute holiday shopping, be kind to your wallet and give a gift t

There truly is no better feeling than having healthy hair. When I decided to balayage my hair in September, my main concern was that my hair would become a damaged mess. Bleach dries out hair and a bit of work is required to keep hair manageably soft. After some research and product testing, I've found the products that keep my color-treated, fine hair healthy and happy. And it would be rude not to share with you. OUAI Detox Shampoo If you are sweaty and use dry shampoo like

How is this the first Favourites Friday of 2021? Luckily my obsessions right now are particularly fabulous, so it makes it okay. The summer is ending - and September is here with the promise of turning leaves and autumn decor- and it's time to get our lives in peak form so we can enjoy to the fullest. My focus lately has been on getting my mental health as positive as possible (which is difficult with the current political climate). Here's what I've been loving lately, what h

Want to make your budget go farther when decorating your home? Here's how you can hack FB Marketplace into working for you.

*Content is not sponsored and all opinion are my own Throughout the pandemic we've all had our projects to keep us busy. We learned to knit, bake banana bread, grow vegetable gardens...the list goes on. I discovered that plant-based milk can be made at home. After watching videos on TikTok on how to use a blender and cloth to get the perfect consistency I knew that, as much as I love oat milk, making it at home was laborious. Work smarter, not harder. And that's when I discov

If you've known me for more than five minutes, you probably think I am a massive extrovert. It's not uncommon to see me in the middle of the action cracking jokes and throwing in a random dance move. But would you guess that I've had social anxiety since I was a little kid? In 2019 I discovered the unexpected answer to my crippling social anxiety and today I'm sharing it with you. Earlier this year I realized why I was no longer as anxious when it came to group gatherings. I

Good morning! Or if you're not a morning person...good morning! As we deal with the time change and losing an hour of precious sleep, it's time to learn to enjoy the glorious morning hours. It's a process that can take a while if you naturally wake up at noon, but with some patience and a good plan you can easily start waking up at 6 and getting more done before work than you used to get done in a whole day! As a morning person since birth, I can attest that these tricks have

Does anyone else feel like their day is controlled by how they feel about their hair? When it's shiny and soft you can accomplish anything, but when it's greasy and limp...should have stayed in bed. Having a good hair day can be a game changer, but what happens when nothing you're doing fixes your bad hair day? In December I hit a straight month of greasy, limp hair no matter how much I washed it or what product was used. Finally, after many hits and misses, I finally found t

If you have turned down drinks because they sound gross, this article is for you. Hello, I am the girl who never ordered a cocktail if it wasn't gin or vodka based. On a date, a guy very sweetly offered me a sip of his old-fashioned to try and I declined without a second thought. I am an adventurous person, but not with alcohol. So I decided to make a different cocktail every day of January 2021 (using 11 liquors new to me) to see what would happen. The Inspiration My booze p

I woke up this morning to an email from LinkedIn, congratulating me for 10 years as Founder of The Enthusiast. Wow. I've been doing this for 10 whole years: announcing my life and interests with complete strangers on the internet. An entire decade of enthusiasm shared with the world! Thank you to everyone who has followed along on this wild journey. To celebrate, here is a rough history of The Enthusiast. Here's to the next 10 years! Birth: January 2011 In January 2011, a 15-

We made it to 2021! The light at the end of the tunnel feels closer than ever, and the new year always presents a blank canvas to decorate with our hopes and dreams. After a week to recharge and find what I want in the new year, I have finally centered on my 2021 focus word. If you are unfamiliar with focus words, I did a post on it a while back. It's my version of resolutions, without the setup for failure. Intention This year's focus word is 'Intention'. I cannot control ev

We're entering the holiday season and it's a mad dash to buy gifts. And treat yourself (you deserve it). But we are on a budget, and quality does not need to be sacrificed for price. Purchasing something that will make a lasting impression does not need to cost more than $25, and my house is proof. I rounded up some of my must-have, would-die-without products in my house that all cost under $25. Happy shopping! Dash Egg Cooker I got this as a gift from my aunt, and it was fav

Can you believe it's almost the end of 2020? What a year we've had! I'm entering December with a smile, excited to celebrate my favourite holiday in a different way. Decorating my apartment might be the extent of any holiday party I'm throwing, but it feels good to get into the holiday spirit! Let's end this difficult year with a little cheer and joy and giving - we could all use it! As we unwrap our Black Friday purchases and start wrapping them for under the tree, here's th

2020 is a hard year to find the positives. Especially when we're spending Thanksgiving not surrounded by all of our relatives and friends. But at The Enthusiast, we do not let negativity get us down! As we enter a holiday season that doesn't feel as jolly as usual, I challenged myself to find some positives. It's a good vibe check, and the blessings I got out of this year are more than enough to keep me trucking along to 2021. My Health First and foremost, I am so thankful to

With rising coronavirus numbers and lockdowns happening across the United States, most of us are settling into having fairly laidback November social plans. And if you don't have a state-mandated lockdown, might I suggest hanging at home for a few weeks until numbers are down? Staying home isn't too bad when you have lots of blankets, hot cocoa, and a great lineup of television to keep you occupied! I've compiled everything I've binged, loved, and recommended the past few mon

I was 18 the first time I experienced burnout, and I did not know what was happening or how to stop. It was a less common term in 2013, and in the years that followed it has become a regular part of my vocabulary. Burnout is when you become mentally fatigued, overwhelmed, and feel unable to keep up with responsibilities. After seeing several therapists, doing a lot of reading, and applying these techniques to myself (I have a stress disorder, so low stress is very important t

Is anyone else sad that October is over? We still have Halloween to look forward to tomorrow - although celebrating looks a little different - but the crisp fall air is quickly moving to winter. Luckily, October was an amazing month and this month's favourites definitely helped me enjoy it even more. Nothing beats a cozy fall night, wrapped in blankets, enjoying a festive fall beverage, and enjoying a show that makes you belly laugh. Torani Syrups I feel very late to this par

Want to be more sustainable but not sure where to start? These simple, affordable products will get you on the right track.

We spend the majority of our lives at home - especially in quarantine. But decorating can be a challenge for anyone. What is my personal home decor style? And how do I bring it into my space? Save yourself a very expensive meeting with an interior designer and find your style with the four steps that I used to decorate my studio apartment in 2017, and redecorate this past month. They're that timeless! Oh, and it costs you $0. Before we begin, personal style is not defined by

Every time I scroll through Pinterest or TikTok, I see these beautifully detailed bullet journal spreads that make me green with envy. How are these people so talented? And how can someone like me, with zero artistic skill, make one? I dedicated a whole weekend to learn how to bullet journal and here's what I discovered. First off, you need to grab your materials. I got this gorgeous matte black notebook from STIL. For pens, I used my favourite TUL .7mm (because the rose gold