What a jolly big year it’s been! Phew! Are you ready for a lie-down? I am! I’m off for the rest of the year — with the exception of your final Carousel, and a year in review post — so I thought it was a good time to recap some of my favourite posts from the year.

Thanks so much for being here. I think you’re the bees knees… And I’m very excited about what 2015 holds!

LOVE YOUR LIFE

Radical Self Love In Action: Start A Gratitude Jar! / This is a great way that you can make your gratitude practice feel real and tangible, and as you create more memories or have more wonderful moments, you can literally see them piling up in front of you!

Making Magic In 2014: Live, Right Now! / I have a few tricks up my sleeve which I can’t wait to share with you…

How To Make This The Best Year Of Your Life! / Over the last few years, I’ve written stacks of articles on goal-setting, becoming self-actualised, planning and scheduling your time, how to have a retreat at home and even what to do when you feel burned out… And it felt like a good time to compile them in one place.

How To Sass Up Your Radical Self Love Bible! / “I wanted to make time for Radical Self Love everyday, beyond passively reading, so I finally started my own Radical Self Love Bible…”

Knowing It vs Feeling It / I know what it’s like to intellectually know that what you’re doing is unhealthy, and to know that theoretically, it could all be solved quite easily. But then you look in the mirror and break down in tears, because you can’t stand how repugnant you are.

The Lively Show: Radical Self Love And Disordered Eating With Gala Darling / It was such a delight to connect with Jess Lively and be featured on her excellent podcast, The Lively Show. We sat down for an action-packed half hour to discuss radical self love, how to deal with disordered eating, blogging, business and coping with challenges.

A Punk Rock Take On The Four Agreements / Be impeccable with your word. I love this phrase…

Radical Self Love Manifesto / Years ago, I wrote a Radical Self Love Manifesto. If you ask me, a manifesto is never done, never finished: there is always room for it grow, evolve, and change…

You Don’t Have To Be Perfect To Inspire Others / We walk around so carefully, tip-toeing past issues, declining to give our opinion for fear of insulting some invisible angel of judgement. We allow our taste in fall in line with everyone else’s, shrinking down our ambitions so as not to offend anyone else. In short, we slowly murder ourselves on our quest for so-called perfection.

Why Should You Love Yourself Now? / Good question. Why should you love yourself now? Are you really worthy? Is it really time? Are you really ready? The answer to these questions is YES, YES, YES. Yes, you are worthy. Yes, it is time. Yes, you are ready!

100 Ways To Show Yourself Love If You Hate Pink And Bubble Baths / Radical self love is for everyone, no matter your gender, your age, your race, or how much you like pink.

TRAVEL THE WORLD

Babes Gone Wild In Queensland! / We managed to pack in more activities and incredible experiences than I could have ever imagined. So of course, it was only right to make a video of our weird and wonderful time in Queensland.

Lonely And Drifting: The Flipside Of Being An International Playgirl / Sometimes, being an international playgirl sucks. Sure, you’re constantly meeting new people, having wild adventures, and challenging your own comfort zone, but it’s not all triumph and passport stamps! When you pause for a second, sometimes an overwhelming feeling of sadness and loneliness can sock you right in the guts.

Oh, Canada! (A Video Of Our Adventures) / I just returned from Calgary last night, and on the plane, I couldn’t resist editing together a quick two minute video of some of our more colourful adventures.

Jumping For Joy In Europe: What We Did This Summer / A little summary of our holiday is below. I think it’ll make you laugh… It definitely cracks us up!

Got One Day In NYC? Here’s A To Do List! / When Shauna told me she only had one day in New York City before flying back to Portland, we decided to play tourist. Instead of loitering around our old familiar haunts downtown, we headed uptown to do things a little differently.

BUSINESS AND BLOGGING

Welcome To The New Galadarling.com! / Nothing feels better than a comprehensive rebranding effort, and that’s exactly what has been going on behind the scenes. It’s now feeling a lot more fresh and looking much more sophisticated, while retaining the quirkiness (and bright pink vibes!) that are a hallmark of what I do.

Got Blogger’s Block? Here Are 50 Ways To Kick Its Ass! / Blogger’s block happens to the best of us. If you’re feeling stuck for topic ideas, glom onto one of these and get writing! The best way to beat blogger’s block is just to start typing, I promise.

Hope And Solace: Advice For Writers / For years, I’ve been compiling quotes from writers about writing, and I’ve shared some of my favourites. Maybe they will make you feel less crazy, perhaps they will give you hope and remind you that you’re not alone.

Should You Become A Girlboss? / Quickly, the question becomes: should you go into business with a friend? Certainly, from the outside, it seems like a less risky proposition than going it alone. But it’s not always that simple.

Celebrate The Little Things: 5 Ways To Recalibrate Your View Of Success / Make no mistake: not every step of the way is going to be a smash hit, a home run, a Hollywood ending. But even when you don’t attain the results you dreamed of, you always learn something from putting in the effort.

Just Stop Doing It! / Saying those words felt radical, momentous. Freeing. Like being let out of bondage. And when we got back to the apartment, we continued talking about it. The days wore on, and the discussion became, “I can’t wait to stop doing that!”

My Best Piece Of Advice For Writers / The world has changed. We cannot wait around hoping to be “picked”. The days of relying on a gatekeeper to hand you a golden ticket are over.

How To Get More Likes: 10 Tips For Instagram Overachievers! / I like to use Instagram as a kind of visual diary, but I’m also very thoughtful about what I post. Like all my other online spaces, I strive to make it a place of positivity.

Stop Waiting To Be Picked; Choose Yourself / The days of waiting for a publisher, an agent, a record label, or a talent scout to pluck you out of obscurity are over. No more waiting. No more daydreams about Prince Charming. If you want something, you have to go after it yourself.

Announcing… My First Book! / This week I submitted my manuscript for my first book! Yes, it’s really happening! Cue loud screaming!

What Does It Mean To Run A Heart-Centered Business (And How Can You Still Make Money)? / This is the age of doing work that matters, and for most of us, if you feel like what you do doesn’t make an impact, no amount of money will keep you there.

BEAUTY AND STYLE

Tweak It, Tone It, And Tart It Up: My 10 Everyday Skincare Essentials / I adore this serum, and I truly feel it working when I lay my head down to rest! Sublime.

Trapped Inside A Psychedelic Wonderland… I Found My Mecca, And It Is My Delirium / It was like torture! From outside, we could see right inside this colourful, kaleidoscopic galaxy… And yet we couldn’t get inside. I stared through the windows, willing the handle to turn and open.

Style Is The Way You Live Your Life / Money doesn’t buy style, but a glance at Pinterest and fashion blogs might convince you otherwise…

Rainbow Gangster / When I go shopping with Kat, you can accurately predict that I’m going to come home with something ridiculous.

I Woke Up Like This: On Flawlessness, And Admitting The Effort Required / We’re all guilty of it: in a world where the more beautiful and picture-perfect your life appears, the more validation you receive, it’s hard to step away. Given the choice between posting something real and something pretty, we almost always err on the side of pretty. After all, that’s what will result in more approval, and isn’t that what Instagram is all about?

Salted Vanilla, Roses And Vitamin C: 5 Fabulous Beauty Products For Your Hair, Face, And Body / Here are my top five products of the moment…

Your Guide To Perfectly Winged Liner / Oh, how I love winged liner. It’s my standard, my go-to look, and it has been for years. Thankfully, I’ve come a long way since I was 13 and mimicking the Eye of Horus with a dull, blunt pencil!

MAGIC AND MYSTICISM

Now Mars Is Retrograde?! Are You Kidding Me?! / So I bet you’re wondering, ‘What does Mars rule?’ Well, it rules sex, war, and new beginnings. Oh, brother.

Magical Thinking: Crystals For Beginners / Crystals are also one of the easiest and least intimidating ways to start bringing magic into your life. If you’re new to the cult of the crystals, here’s what you need to know!

Why Do I Keep Seeing 11:11? It’s A Message From The Universe! / Do you find yourself glancing at the clock at the same time every day? I’ve been seeing 11:11 for what feels like forever.

Magic And Mischief: Create Your Own Full Moon Ritual! / Choosing to focus your intention is a wonderful way to bring your life into focus. Today, we’re going to talk about to create a Full Moon ritual that serves your individual needs!

House-Witchery: 13 Easy Ways To Infuse Your Home With Magic (And Attract More Of What You Want) / Once you’ve cleared all the muck, emptied your garbage bins, and cleaned out your fridge, it’s time to move onto cleaning in a more metaphysical way. Here are some of my favourite ways to do that!

MISC

Climbing Trees To Take Photos Of Flowers / Today was so glorious that I couldn’t bear to be in my office. I slung my handbag over my shoulder and set off, camera in hand. I sauntered across streets and through parks, meeting hyperactive dogs and interesting characters along the way. But when I encountered this row of blooming trees, I had to stop and take photos.

Making Magic At Darling HQ! / I have dreams. Dreams of hot pink armchairs, enormous mirrors, and candy-coloured art. Visions of floral garlands, mirror balls, and huge quartz crystals. It is time for Darling HQ to become a reality: a spectacular, multi-coloured, shimmering reality!

The Key To More Money In Your Wallet? Drop The Fear! / What’s the deal when you work your toosh off but never seem to gain any traction? Maybe it’s not the work you’re doing but the beliefs you hold that are the culprit. Mind-blowing, right?

We Love You, Hank Williams… / Last Thursday, we put our beloved 14 year old pitbull, Hank Williams, to sleep. That morning, we went for a walk as a family — Mike, Hank, Dolly, and me — as the autumn leaves were starting to fall.

A Beginner’s Guide To The Filofax: How To Plan Your Life, Kick Some Ass, And Make Magic… With Stationery! / I cannot help but personalise, prettify, and pimp everything I get my hands on. That’s why my Filofax is a RAINBOW EXPLOSION.

Enjoy your time off, get some rest, and eat something with way too much sugar in it!

Love always,