Author: jaclynzisa

Hi there, my name is Jaclyn, and I was born and raised in New Jersey! I’m just your average twenty-something woman with a (slightly above average) passion for all things fashion, beauty and travel. Day-to-day I work as a preschool teacher near my home, and in the evenings I spend my time researching where to travel next, pouring over the latest fashion trends on my favorite blogs, discovering affordable beauty finds and home decor. I do this while living a beautiful life on a budget. My outlook on life, as well as my lifestyle, is always changing and evolving. I think it’s important to value each and every day no matter if it’s a celebration or just your typical Tuesday. Documenting what I love helps keep me focused on what matters most to me and allows me to prioritize those things so I make space for them regularly. For me, the goal of this space is simple — a place to keep myself inspired and to share my journey living an intentional life. Thanks for stopping by!

29 Life Lessons for my 29th Birthday

Published on December 21, 2020December 21, 2020 by jaclynzisa1 Comment

December 21st has snuck up on me once again and today I am turning 29 years old! I woke up feeling nostalgic and reflective, so I thought I’d share some lessons I have learned over the years that have helped me find myself and have brought me inner-happiness!

29 Lessons on my 29th Birthday

1.) You do not need to have it all figured out by an arbitrary age.

2.) Comparison is the thief of joy.

3.) It is totally OK if you haven’t hit those “milestones” that the media has tried to tell you “should have hit by now.”

4.) Don’t get frustrated if people don’t agree with what you do for a living. Remember you are the one working the job and paying your bills! It’s your career to map out, no one else’s.

5.) You are allowed to say “no” when you need to, and not feel like a bad person for it.

6.) It is OK to change your mind. (After all, change is good!)

7.) Try to put your needs first (especially in your 20s.) There will be many years ahead that you may not be able to do that.

8.) Good mental health starts with good sleep. Get enough, and try your best to make it a priority. I know it’s hard but it really is so important!

9.) Only follow those who make you feel your very best and want the very best for you!

10.) Always remember that life is SHORT! Practice gratitude every day.

11.) Life is a journey, not a destination.

12.) Try not to get hung up on regrets, after all, your past mistakes will make you the person you are today.

13.) Never let a relationship change you for the worse, stay true to yourself.

14.) Create goals, big or small. They help you stay on track.

15.) Only use social media if it truly inspires and educates you.

16.) You can never spend enough time with your parents and grandparents.

17.) Laughing is the best medicine.

18.) Go out and buy that dog you’ve been wanting. After all dogs are the best therapy.

19.) Practice your self-love mantra. Mine: “I am silly, sensitive and quirky but those who matter will love and accept me anyway.”

20.) It is OK if your home gets messy.

21.) Make traveling a priority.

22.) If you need help with direction in life, start with finding those who inspire you most and write down what it is that inspires you to help guide you.

23.) It is OK to live out of your comfort zone — that’s where growth happens!

24.) Find someone you deeply trust (for me, it’s my sister) and talk through your emotions and concerns with them. It is so nice to hear yourself say them out loud and to get them off your chest.

25.) Find time in the day to put your phone down for an hour or two. My husband and I do this every night during dinner time!

26.) If you have found your soulmate, love the {heck} out of them!

27.) Always tell those you love most how much you love them. Even if they are your family, don’t underestimate how nice it can be for someone to hear and feel it!

28.) The key to happiness is always being grateful. Focus on what you do have and not what you don’t have!

29.) Live your life for YOU!

Finally, when you start feeling anxious, stressed or lost, a good way to help soothe yourself is to drink a nice glass of wine, put on your cozy robe and your favorite chick flick.

Just writing these down has made me a little emotional. I wish I really listened/carried out these in my early 20s. I spent so much of my energy and time worrying about what people thought and trying to change myself to be liked by everyone. Reality is you will not be for everyone. Just remember you can’t change people. You are allowed to spend time discovering yourself and becoming who you were meant to be all along!

I hope everyone enjoys the Holidays and more importantly stays safe!

Xx Jaclyn

Getting a new puppy guide

Published on April 9, 2020December 21, 2020 by jaclynzisaLeave a comment

I thought I knew exactly what I was getting myself into when my husband and I brought our new puppy home. After all, I had two dogs growing up and have been around puppies/ dogs for as long as I could remember. I remember taking our puppy, Kona, out and about to get her comfortable. It was hard to really accomplish anything without strangers coming up to us complimenting how adorable she was, but also how our lives were about to change forever and the amount of work she will be. I remember turning to my husband with no worries and thinking, “we got this.” We prepared for years for this moment. But oh how little did I know! I’ve learned so much since we brought that little furry bundle of joy home, and now that my puppy is eight months old, I totally understand from a different level what it means to own a dog. Raising your own puppy is a completely different experience from the experience you may have had with your easy childhood dog you were so lucky to grow up with (and your parents raised). I now truly know the amount of dedication and patience my parents (both of whom worked two jobs) had by evidence that they raised three children and trained a puppy that ended up fitting perfectly into our family.

Now that our puppy Kona is about eight months, I believe we have gone through the most challenging stage and the worst has passed. The first months consisted of little-to-no sleep, constant guilt, puppy training classes, monthly trips to the vet, and A LOT of questions. I do feel our little family finally has some sort of routine together, so here are some important facts I learned after getting a puppy that might help you if you, too, are looking to bring a puppy home soon!

1) You will spend way more money than planned.

Before getting Kona, I knew puppies were expensive, and I thought we could raise our pup on a budget. We have a miniature golden doodle which could cost up to $4,000, but we found Kona for $900 from keystonepuppies.com. We figured we could find food, toys/bones, a crate, and a vet all on a budget easily, but after bringing Kona home that notion flew out the window. I felt like I became obsessive with the ingredients in dog food, toys/bones that wouldn’t cause harm to her digestive system or that were cheaply made which would fall apart easily, and that meant spending more on dog stuff. Kona has chew toys made of all different materials: toys specifically for play, balls for throwing, frisbees, tug-of-war ropes, deer antlers, Kongs for peanut butter or apple sauce, the list just goes on and on. And all this adds up to a lot of money.

If you end up finding a reasonably-priced vet in your area, you are still going to be making a trip there and paying a bill about once a month, so prepare for that. They need so many vaccinations, Heartgard pills to prevent heart worms, Nexgard pills to prevent fleas and ticks if you are in a highly wooded area. (Your puppy could have a parasite that needs treatment like Kona did when we first got her, which is more expensive.) They charge you monthly for a wellness exam. Then you eventually have to schedule the appointment for your puppy to get spayed/neutered. You will be handing over at least a hundred dollar bill each visit.

2) Prioritize socialization.

If you didn’t know, puppies have a socialization window that ends at 14 weeks of age. By this point you should’ve introduced your puppy to anything and everyone that you would want her to have a great relationship with. When we first brought Kona home almost all of our relatives and close friends came to meet her. We even had her meet all of her puppy cousins as well — we wanted to make sure she was super comfortable with people. It was very important for my husband and I that Kona had a strong relationship with children and other dogs in the family, since we want a family one day. Puppies and children can be challenging to have at the same time, but if you want to expand your family or already have children, you want to make sure that they all get along.

3) Don’t have crazy expectations on training.

As dog owners we know that puppies learn quickly, so it is tempting to start teaching them sit, stay, lie down, paw but its also important to focus on their behavior as well. When bringing home your puppy for the first time, everything will be new to them. It’s important to use a calm welcoming voice so as to not overstimulate them or make any bad associations with confusing harsh tones. To reinforce good behavior, whenever you catch your dog laying down, acting calm, and playing nicely with their toys, reward them with a treat. For my husband and I, training treats were a godsend, and crucial for us for rewarding good behavior and going potty outside. Puppies are going to be hyper but always remember you will get the behavior you reward, so pay attention to your body language, commands, tone of voice, etc.

4) On Handling.

You want to get your dog used to being handled. So handle your puppy as much as they will allow. Things like picking your dog up, playing with their ears, gently pulling on their tail, playing with their paws, going near their food and water dish while they’re eating are all good ways to get your puppy used to being handled and sociable. A good way to think about it is to basically get your puppy used to things that the vet might need to do during an exam or that a baby/child might do. The more comfortable they are with this, the easier time they’ll have transitioning to new experiences and different phases of life.

5) On Crate Training.

My husband and I tried crate training for about two weeks (I know, we gave up quickly!), but it just didn’t work for us. Kona has bad seperation anxiety, and none of us were even getting an hour of sleep. This should go without saying, but we need to function at work, hah. We knew that eventually we would want Kona to sleep in our bed with us anyway, so we decided to forgo crate training. If you don’t want your pup in bed with you and would rather crate them, you want to make sure you don’t have anything in the crate that the puppy could choke on or destroy. It’s also nice to keep something in their crate that has your scent. We do have Kona crate trained during the day and we have blankets in there with our scent, a safe toy and water.

6) On Exercise.

You want to make sure you are giving your puppy enough exercise to be healthy and happy! If a puppy isn’t getting enough exercise it’s one factor that can contribute to bad behavior. You always want to make sure you’re not exercising too much, as that can lead to illness or injury. I use my judgement to see how much exercise is right for my dog by monitoring her behavior, energy levels, and pace. It’s also important to note that each breed, gender or personality may differ and contribute to exercise tolerance. For us, we love taking walks around a nearby lake, our neighborhood, and in our backyard, and really look forward to visiting dog parks this summer.

The exercise routine I have followed:

exercise for about 15 minutes before heading to work
crate training our puppy for 8 hours with visits from relatives throughout the day
visits include dog walking and about 15-30 mins of exercise
once we get home from work, another 30 mins of exercise a little before dinner
about an hour before bed another 15 minutes of exercise indoors

Of course this daily routine wouldn’t work for everyone, but it has for us! I found it very beneficial to create a daily routine for my husband and I and for our pup and it’s made all of our lives better. Consistency is key.

For any first time dog owners, you may be asking yourself is a dog really worth it? Is the money really worth it? They don’t live long enough. It’s hard to put into words all the good a dog does for you and your family, but they are SO WORTH IT!! Here are some quotes that have stuck with me over the years:

“Before you get a dog, you can’t quite imagine what living with one might be like; afterward, you can’t imagine living any other way.”

“Such short little lives our pets have to spend with us, and they spend most of it waiting for us to come home each day. It is amazing how much love and laughter they bring into our lives and even how much closer we become with each other because of them.”

-John Grogan

“They [dogs] never talk about themselves but listen to you while you talk about yourself, and keep up an appearance of being interested in the conversation.”

-Jerome K. Jerome

“You know, a dog can snap you out of any kind of bad mood that you’re in faster than you can think of.”

-Jill Abramson

“A dog will teach you unconditional love. If you can have that in your life, things won’t be too bad.”

-Robert Wagner

“Dogs die. But dogs live, too. Right up until they die, they live. They live brave, beautiful lives. They protect their families. And love us, and make our lives a little brighter, and they don’t waste time being afraid of tomorrow.”

-Dan Gemeinhart

Stay safe loves! Talk soon x.o

Don’t let your anxiety define you

Published on February 24, 2019April 9, 2020 by jaclynzisaLeave a comment

As I psych myself up to write this, I start thinking about all the things I have to psych myself up for in my life. I have always been an anxious person but recently, it has developed into a deeper level. On February seventeenth I was admitted into the Emergency room because I had a resting heart rate of 210 bpm. (For reference, your resting heart rate should never exceed more than 100 bpm). While it could’ve been caused by a million and one things, doctors believed due to my age and overall healthy lifestyle, that it was most likely caused by a blood clot to my heart. After spending almost five hours in the ER, my blood tests, EKG and CT scan showed no abnormalities and everything appeared to be great (besides my elevated heart rate and blood pressure). I left the hospital with the doctors believing it was anxiety related. When leaving the hospital, I realized that my anxiety was what put me in the hospital, I now understood what my anxiety was doing to my body and I knew I had to make a change for my overall well being and mental health.

For me, my general anxiety developed in my later teens, but it didn’t interfere too much with my life. But, the older I got, the more of an issue it became. There were things I would become more anxious about than I would normally be in the past. Things like: flying, having multiple events to attend in one weekend (although I am so grateful for the life I live, it can become overwhelming), meeting deadlines, and managing household chores, became more of a struggle. On top of that, it wasn’t always easy to talk about it. I remember being a teenager and opening up about it to people and all I would hear in response was that I was “being dramatic” or that “anxiety isn’t a real thing” or “what is so wrong in your life, you shouldn’t feel this way.” These were the types of things I would have to hear when confiding in someone, and it made me feel as if I was imagining the problem — I didn’t feel that my struggles or the feelings I was experiencing were valid. Although I am extremely close to my family, I didn’t even confide in them because I didn’t want to add extra stress to their lives. As a teenager I thought I was alone with my anxiety because no one could relate to me, so I kept it bottled up.

To me, one of the most comforting feelings in my life has been realizing that I’m not alone when going through something difficult. Many people suffer with anxiety because it’s not an uncommon problem. I’ve found ways to deal with mine better. I don’t necessarily need someone to relate to me and go through exactly what I am to make me feel better, I just need people to listen to me, to check in, and most importantly accept this as part of who I am. Through this experience I’ve learned that anxiety isn’t something that you “outgrow” or a “phase” you go through — for me, my anxiety is part of me and something I need to learn how to cope and live with.

It’s been a week since my trip to the Emergency room and I have found natural ways to help cope with my general anxiety. During the workweek, I decided to set my alarm for work about fifteen minutes earlier than usual. This allowed me to wake up peacefully, without starting my mornings rushing around to get ready. (I am a preschool teacher, so you can imagine some of the loud craziness I go through in a single day, so keeping my mornings quiet and smooth is a must). While my job is my absolute passion, each day I benefit from taking a quick five to ten minute break where I have time to myself to take a few extra breaths and relax. So that’s exactly what I did. Each day I would escape the craziness of my room for about ten minutes, splash water on my face, drink some water and take deep breaths. Those little things seriously changed the whole dynamic of my day. Then, when getting in my car to drive home, I didn’t drive home in a rush like I normally do. Instead, I decided to take my time driving and focused on my surroundings, taking in how beautiful nature is and a few extra breaths of fresh air. I know this might seem corny, but I really enjoy my commute home when I approach them this way.

When I got home, I made sure not to cram in every task and chore I had to get done before I went to bed. I decided to put off any laundry or chores until the weekend, where I’d spend that time taking care of all that. Instead, I put on a face mask and watched some of my favorite shows. Then, when my husband came home we cooked dinner together and just relaxed. Sometimes that’s all your body needs — a little relaxation! Finally, I would take a nice long and hot shower and head to bed early, around 10pm. I kept that routine up for the entire week, and it really made a difference. Now I know that obviously not everyone’s schedule can look like this, and having children or a job with very long hours makes taking true, unadulterated time for yourself much more difficult. But I do believe that we all need to take some time for ourselves each day for a healthy and sustainable peace of mind. Whatever that may be for you, you should do it. Whether it’s yoga, a walk outside, unwinding with a book, or catching up with friends. Personally, during this time I said “no” to all plans this weekend, which is very hard for my husband and I to do because we absolutely love being with our family and friends. But, it was a very much needed, stress free, and relaxing weekend that we got to just enjoy each other’s company.

I minimized my anxiety in the past subconsciously because I didn’t think it was that bad, but I am committed to making the levels of anxiety I do have more manageable. Anyway, it’s only been a week but I haven’t felt this rejuvenated in awhile. I know not every week/weekend will look exactly like this, but I do know that some of the techniques I’ve practiced this week I can keep doing, and that will help me through this particularly rough period of anxiety I’m experiencing. Even if you aren’t dealing with anxiety, we all have stressful times in our life so finding what works for you to reclaim some of your mental wellness — it can be life changing. Always remember that no one is ever alone in his or her struggles.

I would love to hear of other techniques that have helped, so comment below if you have any advice!

As always, thanks for stopping by!

What’s in my vanity

Published on January 28, 2019February 2, 2019 by jaclynzisaLeave a comment

If you’re like me, you know that keeping your life organized helps to lower stress and clears your mind. I think that’s why I have always been this way. I try to keep the space where I get ready every day as decluttered and accessible as possible. It makes my early morning routine more enjoyable. My collection consists of different products, brushes and brands. Although it isn’t nearly as big as some of the ones you see on YouTube when a room is entirely dedicated to make up, it’s still perfect for me. Adding things to your vanity such as pictures, words of encouragement or even a mini vision board are all great ways to start your mornings! Be sure to have things that make you smile.

Now I know life can be super busy and it’s not always easy to keep things where they belong, but I find having a vanity with plenty of drawer space helps me to stay organized. This collection didn’t happen over night. I have been using/ buying make up since as long as I can remember. Here are a few pictures I captured of one of my favorite spots in my home! I hope you enjoy!

IMG_6711 (2).jpg img_6689 (6) This vanity fits perfectly in the corner of my bedroom! It has tons of space inside and on top. Although there are many organizers that can sit on top of your vanity, it’s nice to have drawer space. You don’t want your vanity to look too cluttered. My vanity is also right by my bedroom window which brings in plenty of natural lighting!These little lanterns were the favors at my Wedding! I try to decorate with them in every room, but I especially love them here.My cousin bought me this adorable make up brush holder that comes in handy for my every day make up brushes! I love how I don’t have to go searching for them in my drawers. I also have my favorite lipsticks, skin products and essential oils out.Although I have a big perfume collection, I only leave my favorites out. I’ve always wanted to be the girl who has her “signature scent” but there are just too many perfumes that I absolutely love.This vanity has TONS of room for storage and the draws go so far back! img_6707 (2) Can you tell that I am OBSESSED with lipsticks/ lipgloss?!?! img_6706 (6) In my humble opinion, I think it’s so important for everyone to have a space in their home that they get to themselves, even if it’s small! This is a space where I get to feel confident and have some quiet/alone time.

Shop my vanity details:

Vanity (also got the table topper from Ikea as well): HERE!

Vanity chair (similar): HERE!

Chandelier lamp (I have the smaller version): HERE!

Make up mirror (seriously couldn’t do my make up without it): HERE!

Mini make up organizer (similar): HERE!

Make up brush holder (I have seen it for a lot cheaper though): HERE!

Happy beautifying/ organizing loves! xO

Honeymoon

Published on January 18, 2019January 28, 2019 by jaclynzisaLeave a comment

Our honeymoon began on April 8th, two days after my husband and I got married! I always dreamt of seeing Maui, but never thought I would actually see it — It just seemed a little too far away and possibly a bit too pricey. But, in the end we found a way to make it work. The honeymoon met both our wants. My husband wanted something relaxing, while I wanted some adventure and one-of-a-kind feeling — I wanted to take a trip that I may never take again, after all, it was a honeymoon. After months of researching, we decided Maui was the perfect place for both of us. To break up the long flight and six-hour time difference, we made a stop in California first. While we were in Los Angeles for three days, we explored a good amount of the surrounding area. We stopped for lunch at the incredible Urth Caffe, toured Rodeo Drive, ate some delicious gnocchi for dinner, rented bikes and explored Santa Monica, went to the Malibu winery and ate at Geoffreys. (Geoffreys happened to be one of my favorite meals of our entire honeymoon!) The following day we were off to Maui! During our time there — eight days in total — we had breakfast every morning at The Andaz, which was where we stayed. Some of our highlights in Maui were: attending a traditional luau party, hiking the road to Hana, watching the sunrise at the Haleakala volcano, and snorkeling at Molokini. They were all such unique beautiful excursions that had me in awe of the natural beauty, the culture, and the people of Hawaii. And the restaurants were no different. Everywhere we went in Maui, we had some of the best food I have ever eaten and I eat…a lot. Some of my favorite meals were at Ka’ana Kitchen (where we ordered a watermelon salad and lobster), Old Lahaina Luau, Morimotos (where we tried exotic sushi rolls for the first time) and Spago. I think Maui will forever be one of my favorite places to visit and because it’s where we had our first vacation as newlyweds, it obviously holds a special place in my heart! In my humble opinion, I do think it was worth every penny and I’m so happy we ended up there. Finally, to end our honeymoon with a bang, we drove from Los Angeles to Vegas during sunrise, when it’s the most visually spectacular time to go. For our time in Vegas — three days in total — we decided to stay at the Bellagio. While in Vegas, we explored almost all of the casinos, saw Cirque du Soleils “O” show, and went to Prime Steakhouse. Since it was our honeymoon, they were extra sweet and gave us prime seats to watch the water show! Our honeymoon was hands-down the best vacation I have ever been on and the memory of it all will last for years to come. It was everything I ever dreamed of and more! I would strongly recommend this itinerary to anyone doing a similar leg of travel. Comment below if you have any questions about my trip! I’m by no means an expert, but I’d love to help! Here are a few of my favorite memories…

We found this in our room when we arrived! How sweet is this!

We had so much fun riding these bikes around Santa Monica!

Malibu winery is a must if you are in the area! The staff was so nice and the wine was incredible! Oh and look at those gorgeous views!

Just a few of the breakfast choices at the Andaz (included in your stay!)

Our resort had four infiniti pools, but here is the ground pool!

While on the Road to Hana we came across this bamboo forest and oh my was it breathtaking!

Our views before boarding the boat to snorkel Molokini!!!

My husband said our honeymoon would be the only exception for matching shirts!

I wore this “Mrs Zisa” hat every day around the resort!

img_5980 (1) — After dinner we would just love to sit outside of our resort with a glass of wine! How beautiful are those views!

img_5923-1 — We had professional pictures taken on our last night there! I am so happy we decided to take these! I have this picture hanging in my house!

I never knew what poke was until I came to Maui! I ate this for lunch pretty much every day!

We woke up at 2:30 a.m to watch the sunrise at the Haleakala crater and it was SO worth it!

One of the rooms at the Bellagio! Can you believe this whole bird is made just from flowers?!

As always, thanks for stopping by! xo

Keeping warm + looking fashionable in the winter

Published on January 13, 2019January 14, 2019 by jaclynzisaLeave a comment

Hey Loves!

So it has been pretty cold here in NJ the past couple of days..and snow is in our forecast! Thought I’d make the most of the bitter cold by heading into Montclair for the day. I have been coming to Montclair for years but never noticed how much beauty there is everywhere you look. It goes to show that beauty is all around us, we just need to take the time to appreciate it. Even though I am guilty of sometimes splurging and spending on designer items, I strongly believe you don’t have to wear expensive clothes to look cute and stylish. With that being said, I hope you enjoy this look and stay warm!

P.S. I’ve included links below to shop more affordable styles!

P.S.S. always remember that confidence is the greatest accessory you will ever wear.

Outfit details Here

Sunglasses: Here!

Gloves: Here!

Leather jacket: Here!

Sweater (similar): Here!

Jeans: Here!

Snow Boots: Here!

Kate Spade clutch & Crossbody: Here!

Similar styles for a better price

Sunglasses: Here!

Gloves: Here!

Snow boots: Here!

Thanks for stopping by!

New year, new skin

Published on January 5, 2019January 13, 2019 by jaclynzisa2 Comments

Happy New Year everyone! What I love so much about the new year is that it is a fresh start to any resolution you may have! One of my resolutions is to truly start having a new skincare routine before bed! Thankfully I have always had good skin, but as I get older I just find skincare products so important. While I do wash my face every morning and night, I’ve always wanted to be one of those girls who does it religiously before bed. I’ve been doing a lot of research for my (dry and sensitive) skin and I think I’ve found the right products for me! Now I know that I’m no expert, but my skin has been feeling better than ever! Just in time for the winter yay!! Here are the skincare products I have been using…

I absolutely love this face wash! My skin has been feeling super soft and moisturized! Great for the cold winter months that lie ahead! Now this under eye cream is a little pricey but TOTALLY worth it! I have spent years trying to find the perfect depuffing, line reducing and disappearing of dark circles. This one has definitely helped with all of the above.This cream is great for leaving on the whole day! It truly keeps my skin feeling moisturized! I even mix it with my foundation!

I use this jade roller that has more benefits than I knew! The jade roller helps reduce inflammation and puffiness in the face. The increase in circulation helps smooth out fine lines and takes away wrinkles! I mean how great does this sound? Even better, it has ACTUALLY been working! I have been using it every single night since I got it!

There are tons of hand creams out there, which can become overwhelming. This one has really been helping my severe dry skin during the cold days like no other cream has. I started developing eczema recently, but once I started using this it was gone within two days!

Now unlike the other products that I have been using every day, I try and only use this masque no more than once or twice a week! My skin becomes irritated when using them more than that!

I am always down for trying new skincare products, so please let me know about any other skin products that fit my skin type!

Hope you are all enjoying the new year! Talk soon xo

Kiehl’s: Here!

Jade roller: Here!

Philosophy: Here!