Inspired to give...

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Does the ocean inspire you like it inspires me? I have been living near the ocean for most of July and I can't help but feel more grounded, more alive, more inspired than before my toes first touched the hot sand 4 weeks ago. 

I have been writing a lot. Writing is simple really. It is an awareness of experiences, letting yourself feel and then sharing your very own interpretations that come. The beach has a way of bringing out the very best in me. It has a beautiful way of opening me up. What brings out the best in you? Where do you feel most free, relaxed and confident? It is really easy to forget how nature and our surroundings effect what we choose to do everyday. Year after year I am amazed by the ocean, the beach and what it gives me.  

It gives me a renewed sense of purpose and self. It inspires me to give more than I possibly know how to. The beach, the ocean fills up my cup, year after year. I think that each one of us must know that it is OK to be slow, it is OK to crave alone time. The ocean gives me permission to adore solitude and for that, I am forever grateful for you, ocean. 

Find what fills up your cup. What inspires you to be the best, fullest most wonderful version of yourself. 

XX, Molly 

WHAT'S IN OUR BEACH BAG?!


THE BEST TIME OF THE YEAR, SUMMER! 

We have our fave. items that make a full beach day the dreamiest experiences and we thought we should share with y'all! For one thing, a refreshing beverage is a must. We discovered this watermelon cooler at a local restaurant on the Cape. Buy one large melon and slice it, add 3 cups of coconut water, 3 cups sparkling water, 1 fresh squeezed lime, chop up several mint leaves and sip! It is seriously amazing!! Our book of choiceThe Summer Girls all about 3 sisters reuniting on Sullivan's Island off the Coast of South Carolina after years of separation, it's the first of a trilogy so there is more if you LOVE! Our real obsession? These Rothy beach flats that are made out of 100 % sustainable materials! They can be machine washed and they have several designs to choose from! Amazing mission plus cute equals the jack pot. This beach cover up can be customized with your monogram found on Etsy and our beach game must have? Backgammon board on a towel found at Free People. 2 for 1's are the best :) 

Sunscreen is a serious thing. For one, lots of "nice brands" are super expensive. We have tried everything from Coola, Sunbum to Supergoop and Neutrogena. Our two choices are Tarte & the baby Aveeno stick, sure to keep you protected and happy and chemical free! Key: order your Tarte on ebay for the BEST deal! And obviously Waverly Girl's need their art set from, nothing but the best, Michael's of course! Now...lets go chill on the beach! 

Have a great Tuesday, babes. 

XX, Molly 

Oh, a new season!

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Dear Waverly Girls!

I want to start off by saying how GRATEFUL I am for each and every one of you who show up to our studio, hug me when I see you or send me an encouraging email! I adore all of you so much. I know this season in particular has been a bit off as Waverly Tours have made their way into the school system! While this is beyond exciting for us and for the future of girls, it has been a bit sad and maybe confusing :( Our studio isn't the same without all of you. As summer approaches, we have a few workshops for TEENS which you can find online and we CAN'T wait to see y'all this fall!! Thank you, thank you for being so very patient in the mean time as I "bop around" trying to make this whole thing explode for the sake of all us girls!

As I have been challenging myself business wise to stretch, push and grow, I am also trying to incorporate that same perspective in my day to day life. Life is full of "new seasons", literally and figuratively. If you happen to live on the east coast, (or not) lets try and take each season (summer, fall, winter & spring) as an opportunity to challenge ourselves to try something new. This summer I have decided I am going to be a halfway decent skateboarder by October 2018! I ordered a cheap board on amazon with a helmet and pads and will def. look ridiculous for a while, but I will master this! What do you want to master? Don't let the fear of being totally untrained stop you. This is your season. This is the very beginning of you pursuing something totally new 4 x's a year for the rest of your life!

Have the best day,
Molly
 

Heart Equation...

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Dear Waverly Girls,

I have and always will be dedicated to matters of the heart. I really believe that if your heart is healthy, the rest of your body, mind & soul, will feel aligned, at peace. Think of life as equations; practice + hard work = making a team, helping + loving = an amazing relationship. Equations can provide a structure for how we make choices, right? What do we need in our "heart equation" in order to have a healthy, strong, happy heart?! And therefore live a full and focused ( happy heart)life. They do very much connect.
 


Well, the truth? To keep it simple? Truth. Here is where you come in! What is truth to you? What do you consider your standard in terms of how you treat others and how YOU wish to be treated? Make a list. Words like respect, love, acceptance, wanted, heard, helped, cared for etc. those words are your standard and your truth! Those words are your equation and those words, if followed, will maintain your healthy heart. For example my #1 heart equation, authenticity + love = happy heart!! TRUTH: We wont always abide by our standard, it's OK! As you grow, as your heart grows your standards will strengthen and your potential to change the word will be infinite! Plus dark chocolate helps too :)

Happy Thursday!
Love,
Molly

Encouragement Can Change the World!

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Dear Waverly Girls,

What does encouragement really look like? Girl to girl? Human to human? Encouragement can be hard because it requires you to think of someone else over yourself. What do you want to see more of in the world? Love, kindness, happiness? Encourage whatever you wish to see more of in the world. Your experiences are unique to you, harness whatever those experiences have given you and share that with the world, your world!   
 

Our culture loves to  encourage us to only think about ourselves, when in fact, most of the time we are the very thing standing in the way of stepping into our potential! Fear, Insecurity, doubts all prevent us from stepping into our full, true self. Encouragement stomps on doubt, fear and insecurity, providing that push, that power we need. DO that for someone else and it will be done for you. Be the reason someone believes in their authentic self today. Be you, give love and encouragement and share your smile, it will change the world.  



With love,
Molly

Actions speak louder than words!

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Dear Waverly Girls,

You know when people ask, "If you could invite 4 people to a dinner party who would your 4 people be?" I wouldn't need 4 people, I just need Maya. Today is a really good day, today would be Maya Angelou's 90th Birthday!! Given that she is one of my biggest inspirations, I couldn't help include traces of her influence all over the W Report today. A quote of hers that has motivated me to love well, "People may not remember exactly what you did but they will always remember how you made them feel." If that's not motivation to love well then I don't know what is! 
 

Feelings are universal but not black and white. Feelings can be complicated and personal and sacred. If feelings are universal, one would think that more people would be conscious of how they behave, how they make people feel? Myself included!! I am going to give up on fixating why someone feels the way they do and replace it with trying to love them just because. Even if it doesn't make any sense! No matter what anyone might say, or how hard it may be, loving is always an option.

With love,
Molly

Be A Light!

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What gives us light from a practical standpoint? The sun, candles, lightbulbs, flashlights, stars and planets...?! Can people provide us with "light"? I have been fixed on the idea of light for years. From a good vs. bad, light vs. dark stand point, I certainly think there lives a power of light within people. Now begs the question, what generates such light in people? Why are some people super positive and full of light while others struggle to be nice to the very people right in front of them? I think the world needs more love. Personally, when I am feeling pissed off or short tempered it is usually because I have felt misunderstood or not heard. "No one ever listens to me!" type deal. For one thing, lets make it not about ourselves. Shut down the negative and self serving thoughts by taking the focus off ourselves and instead pouring into someone else.  

 Lets love by listening to the people in our world today. Lets love by seeing people, letting them know that they matter to us! Love is thee source of light and without love it is impossible to show kindness to a stranger, smile at your sister or do something for a friend without expecting anything in return. Light is what changes the world for good. Light is what brings people together. Light listens. Light sees people & reveals the truth and allows for real growth!  Gardens cannot grow without the sun & people cannot grow without love.

With Love,

Molly

Waiting...what is the key!?

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Dear Waverly Girls,

Waiting is not a cool topic. I get terribly anxious just saying the word out loud! The truth of that matter is that waiting is a central and universal fact of life. I read an insert that stopped me in my tracks, "When mechanical clocks began to spring up in the town squares across Europe, the line between keeping time and control blurred further." Carl Honore

In an age where you can order virtually anything from your ipad or ask google anything in the world or click a button to recieve a hot meal at your door within minutes, its easy to become addicted to speed. By avoiding waiting we do our hearts and minds a disservice. Waiting builds trust and develops patience. Patience allows for real moments that step beyond the daily hustle and into life alive and present. Waiting can be  a good thing!  

What are you waiting for? A school acceptance, a boyfriend, a best friend, an internship or job? I have come to see that the waiting period, if fully accepted, brings refining and strengthening  necessary  for when that door finally opens up! What is the key to waiting? Perspective. Be grateful you have something to wait for! My brother always says, "Perspective is everything." If we slow down, allow ourselves to see the situation honestly, there is always a flicker of truth that whispers, "soon enough, keep going!" or "The next door is much better for YOU!" A door closes...we wait...and another door always opens!

With love,

Molly

Loving Well...


Dear Waverly Girls,

I have been taking this four week-long course for two hours every Wednesday morning. For one, mornings are my favorite. I love waking up with fresh expectation waiting to see what the day might bring. I love the challenge of pushing through a hard day and finding the little gems that creep up behind me in the grocery store, sit in front of me for coffee or call me unexpectedly. Today was our last Wednesday and what a good send off it was! We talked about loving well.

What does "loving well" mean to you? What does "Loving well" look like in action, to you? In our large group of women, it was amazing to hear personal stories of how love has looked to them over the years. My take away? Loving well means seeing people, just as they are. Really seeing people, in the present, listening to them, smiling, helping them in that moment. It sounds so simple, right? But how often do we hustle through life and ignore the people right in front of us? We mentioned legends who have recently died, and the common denominator between them? They all loved well. Lets be girls and women who go down in history as loving well.

With love,
Molly

 

Forgiving Heals

Dear Girls,

Thanks to Pinterest, google & insta I am a phone junkie this time of year, spending hours searching for different types of flowers and gardens and beautiful images. I design my spring flower boxes in my head and day dream about summer and my decked out flowerbeds AKA pots on a porch. I picture games on the grass and full trees and fireflies. GAH, I just love spring! I love the birds, the smells, the early mornings and late evenings, the dinners outside and fresh air from open windows. The very nature of spring & summer focuses on growth! We plant seeds and flowers, we water them and they grow. It is amazing to watch a plant from beginning to full bloom as it BURSTS, literally, into something living! 

Symbolically, spring is all about starting fresh. Refreshing our spirit from winter, opening us up, literally, to the outside beauty that blooms its way back into our everyday. I think the best way to fully receive the spring season is to learn from this beautiful season. Let go of anything you may be holding onto. Forgive that one person you can't seem to forgive. Holding on to negative thoughts and feelings only hurts ourselves, sucking us dry. Not to sound cheesy, but I think we were all designed to bloom, but it is our choice to fully bloom. Forgiving fills us back up! Step into this spring fully open and grateful for all that is blooming inside of you!   

With love,
Molly

How to "de-clutter", realistically!

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Dear Waverly Girls,

I watched an eye - opening documentary last night. Wow. "Minimalism" tracks these two dudes who decided to seriously "de-clutter" their lives by eliminating most of their possessions. Is their choice extreme? By todays standards, yes. By historical standards? No. Currently, we live in a product heavy world. Walk into your bedroom. Do you have books and dolls and cool collectibles lining your shelves or the walls of your room? Me too.   

In the movie there was this gal who wore only a set 30 pieces of clothing everyday for 3 months( these 30 pieces included shoes, shirts, accessories etc.). It is now known as the 303 challenge. She said it changed her perspective for good and in turn changed her life. I am not suggesting we go this route, but I will challenge us with this...let go of 1 thing per month for this next year! I think it can be an empowering discipline, to not be controlled by stuff. I am going to track my own "letting go" and I will keep y'all posted! The documentary closes with one of the two guys saying, "Love people and use things, cause the opposite, never works."

With love,
Molly

Valentine's Day On Waverly Terms!

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Dear Waverly Girls,

Because it's Wednesday which means W REPORT day and it just so happens to be...Valentines Day, I feel obligated to touch on this day, at least on Waverly like terms. It seems via social media there is a lot of shade thrown on this holiday, which maybe shouldn't be. Yes, it is slightly cheesy with some Disney agendas but all in all its about love. Its an excuse to hug someone longer. Its a reason to write someone a thoughtful, affirming card or give a love - bug of yours flowers.

Regardless of your relationship status, we all have people in our lives whom we love and this day builds in a reason to say so! More so!

Disney vibes aside, I love, love, and I love excuses to show love for my friends and family. Whether you choose to participate in the whole flowers and cards rendition, at least know you are loved ( we love YOU!) and give that love to one other person today!
With love,

Molly

scratch away

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Scratch away

Dear Waverly Girls,

I have recently gotten into photography. I must admit, it's not as easy for me as I thought it was going to be.  I am signing up for a class this summer, but until then, I am determined to keep at it.

Like anything in life, when you really dig into something new, you quickly realize there are layers your never knew existed! There is so much to  photography. What goes into a shot? Perspectives ( landscape, portraiture), production styles ( art, photojournalism etc.), techniques ( horizontal, zoom etc.) and so much more! It is an amazing art form...and I have only scratched the surface.

I am not going to lie, I want to be a sick photographer. It has brought out a competitiveness within myself that I haven't seen in a while. With that being said, currently, I am not that good. Fine. I will continue to work at it. I always think about how Ben Franklin found his passion for electricity AFTER he put his heart and soul into books and building the first Library. He wasn't all that savvy with electricity at first! Gifts and talents are born as we grow into ourselves and they are unstoppable if your heart is fully committed to the process. What do you feel like giving up on but know, deep down, its something you were born to do? Don't stop. You have only scratched the surface!

With love,
Molly

YOU'RE A GIFT!

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Dear Waverly Girls,

You are a gift to this earth. You are made up of amazing, unique abilities, qualities and potential itching to be heard, known and revealed. Think about how exciting it is to open a present you have been dying to get!?! Imagine yourself being a beautiful box with a beautiful bow & your whole purpose on  earth lives inside this gift-box of you! This glorious reveal starts wherever you are, right now!   

A few steps I take routinely to connect with what's inside of my "gift-box":
1. Refresh my mind & body : meditate every morning & run 4 x a wk. keeps my mind clear and alert. Alert is key. Whatever keeps your mind healthy and alert...DO IT. Dance, write, exercise, cleanse, drink loads of water, hang out with your girls, watch motivational videos etc...

2. Get Inspired : For me, being around people that share similar values and vision enables me to connect dots in my own life. Leading me to...

3. Connect: I am constantly taking care of my mind ( refreshing ) so that I can connect little dots on a daily basis ( think day by day!) !!

4. Create: testing out things I love helps reveal what truly makes me feel JOYFUL...!!!

5. Reveal: Simple, intentional patterns will reveal who you are and what you were put on this earth to do!

As I said, this process is amazing & freeing & ( I believe) designed for all of us! Remember, always, YOU are a gift to this earth :)

lots of love,
 molly