Happy New Year! I hope you enjoyed a lovely holiday and some well-deserved relaxation. I’m lucky enough to work somewhere that closes the office between Christmas and New Year’s Day – it’s the perfect time to recharge!

Looking forward, I’m excited for my 2024 plans. There are a lot of things, big and small, that I’m anticipating. The first (and biggest) is my wedding. There are still details to be ironed out, but I’m a 2024 bride?! It feels a bit surreal. I’m beyond happy to make the commitment with my partner and have our special day.

With a wedding also comes a honeymoon to plan, so I’m excited for some travel in the new year. We are currently exploring the idea of another Nashville vacation. The first time we went, we loved it. Also, there are quite a few things that we’d still like to see in the city. To name a couple: The Ryman and The Patsy Cline Museum. It feels like the kind of getaway we’d really enjoy for our honeymoon.

Aside from the major events, I do have goals on my mind for the year. Fitness-related goals are near the top of my list. It feels like a cliché resolution to say, “I want to live a healthier lifestyle,” but I believe it’s still important. I’ve had a fairly consistent workout routine, but this year, I want to push myself outside of my comfort zone. I’m planning to take more workout classes with weight-lifting components (this really intimidated me before!). In 2024, I also want to do more writing, whether it’s on this blog, guest blogs, or journaling. I find that writing helps me to focus and relax. Something about all of the words on a page provides clarity.

2023 was a big year – I got engaged, moved apartments, and learned lots (in and outside of work). Thank you for everything, 2023. Let’s get started, 2024!

What are you looking forward to in 2024? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments or on Instagram. Let’s chat!

If you’ve been here since the beginning of my blog, then you’ve been a reader for 4 years! Cheers to that!

Each blogiversary, I like to look back on the content of last year and see the places and things I wrote about. As I look back this year, I see some of the mini-trips that I experienced. I enjoyed bringing you along on my Sheboygan, Door County, and Fox Valley adventures. I also see posts featuring some of my favorite local coffee shops in Green Bay and De Pere. Content that’s close to home is what I want to continue creating!

I’m grateful I started this blog while I was in college. At that time, it gave me a creative outlet in between writing papers, part-time jobs, and attending class. Now, with a full-time career, I still appreciate this space that I can come to and create. It’s a place where I can express myself through writing and share the experiences and things that are special to me.

Little did I know the people and opportunities you get to know through committing some words to a website! During this past year of blogging, I’ve continued collaborating with Goodwill NCW on thrifting content and even got to cover a concert at the EPIC. It has been great to partner with brands that I admire, and I’m excited to see what opportunities may come this next year.

Thank you for being a part of my blogging journey! I look forward to chatting with you soon in the next post!

What would you like to see in year five? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments or on Instagram. Let’s chat!

Looking back on my 4 Tips for Beachy Waves blog post, I realize that there are more tricks to share! As I’ve continued to collaborate with Beachwaver, I’ve continued to get questions about achieving the “Insta-worthy” look. The reels on Beachwaver’s Instagram page show stunning before and afters, but it takes a bit more than 30 seconds to really transform your mane. Also, it takes a little experimentation to see what works best for your hair. If you’re thinking, “How can I get my hair to look like that?!” read on for some tips to try!

Set your heat to accommodate your hair type. The temperature of your tool will impact if your hair holds a nice curl or falls flat. If you have coarse hair, you’ll likely need a higher temperature. If you have fine hair, you’ll likely be okay with a lower temperature. It’s a good idea to test out some different temperatures and see what works best for you. Also, don’t forget to use a heat protectant!

Section your hair when you curl it. Without sectioning, you may notice a lack of volume in your final look. I personally like to curl my hair in three horizontal layers starting at the bottom. This helps me to curl all of my hair, not just my top layer. Darby clips are great for holding layers back as you do your hair.

Use an appropriate barrel size for your hair length. Generally, the shorter your hair is, the smaller the barrel size you will need. The opposite is also true. Yet, even with longer hair, I sometimes like to use a small barrel size for extra-bouncy waves. I think it’s a good idea to experiment with different sizes to see which suits you best.

Set your final look. In my initial blog post on this topic, I suggested finishing your hair with hair spray. This is still a perfect option, but you may want something more. If you are seeking more volume, try a texture spray. If you still need to control some frizz, use a smoothing cream (Beachwaver’s Keep It Calm is my favorite).

I’d love to hear if these tips work for you! Do you have any other hair care questions? Let me know in the comments or on Instagram. Let’s chat!

P.S. In this blog, I have affiliate links for you to shop if you’d like. Code MEGANRWAVE will give you 10% off of your order. Using my code doesn’t cost you a thing. I make a commission, and you save some money. It’s a win-win!

A little while back, I had the opportunity to hear Mariana Atencio speak during a women’s leadership event at my alma mater. She’s an award-winning journalist, best-selling author, and she has a lot to say about the topic of authenticity. Something that stuck with me the most from her speech was a series of 7 steps that she explained as “the control framework.” She designed it to help deal with uncertainty and take control of authenticity.

I think many of us find ourselves in situations where it may seem easier to just bend to fit a mold than to be our authentic selves. Her speech served as a great reminder of why “faking it” doesn’t actually benefit anyone. So, if you’re ready to take control, here are some steps to consider:

Covering

Mariana describes this first step as identifying what you’re leaving at the door. If you aren’t being your whole self when you walk into a room, what’s missing? What parts of yourself are you covering up or hiding? Think about what you can do to let these parts of yourself shine.

Outlook

When you’re not being your authentic self, are you giving in to some type of external or internal pressure? It’s important to identify your frame of reference and whose lens you’re choosing to view yourself through.

Network

Consider the people that you surround yourself with. Personally, I find this step to be a big one. There’s a saying that you are the average of the 5 people that you spend the most time with. To some extent, I do believe this to be true. I think it’s important to surround yourself with individuals that make you happy, that motivate you, and that embrace who you are.

Time

As Mariana says, being inauthentic is hard work. It can waste a lot of your time trying to be someone that you’re not. Instead, invest time into yourself and develop who you actually are.

Ritual

Think about your habits and your routines. Do they serve you well? If not, make adjustments. If so, think about how you can enhance them.

Opportunity

I view opportunity as finding the spaces where you can thrive. Look for opportunities that align with who you are and what you care about. These are things that will make you feel electric.

Love

Last but certainly not least, you gotta love the authenticity journey and your true self. Taking control of your authenticity is all about caring for yourself in all aspects of your life.

How will you take control of your authenticity? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments or on Instagram. Let’s chat!

One of my favorite cozy-time drinks is the Honey Citrus Mint Tea from Starbucks. You may also know this drink by its nickname, Medicine Ball. I find this tea so soothing when I need a little pick-me-up or a drink to cuddle up with. It’s the kind of drink that I like to have especially during snowy or rainy days. It tastes fruity, tart, and extremely refreshing. The best part? It’s super easy to make at home!

Seriously, you don’t have to be a barista to successfully make this beverage. Plus, you can most likely find everything you need to make it at your local Target.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• A microwave-safe mug
• Water
• Lemonade
• Teavana Peach Tranquility Tea
• Teavana Jade Citrus Mint Tea
• Honey

Step 1: Heat up a cup of equal parts water and lemonade

You don’t have to be too scientific with the measurements here. I typically just grab a mug and fill it halfway with lemonade and then fill the rest with water. I microwave it for about 60-90 seconds. You can heat this mixture over the stove as well; it just takes a little longer.

Step 2: Add honey to your mug

After the water and lemonade mixture is heated, I stir in a bit of honey. I use about a teaspoon. If you prefer sweeter tea, add extra honey. If you want it more tart, add less honey.

Step 3: Add one of each tea bag to steep

It’s the mix of 1 Peach Tranquility tea bag and 1 Jade Citrus Mint tea bag that really gives you the delicious sweet yet minty flavor. I like to let these tea bags steep for about 3-5 minutes.

Step 4: Enjoy

Once your tea is done steeping, you can remove the tea bags or leave them in for continued diffusion. Then, all that’s left to do is enjoy your drink!

What’s your favorite Starbucks drink? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments or on Instagram. Let’s chat!

Here’s to another blogaversary! MeganRoshak.com just turned three years old today.

Before starting this annual post, I looked back at what I wrote for year one and two of blogging. It was interesting to open up the digital time capsule and see what I was thinking and feeling at those times. The posts still resonate with me, yet I know so much has changed for me personally from the time those were written to now.

When I wrote about year one of blogging, I was still in college. When I wrote about year two of blogging, I was just getting into the groove of post-grad life. Now, I’d say that I have more of my ish together. I don’t mean to say that I have it all together because that’s just not true, but I feel good about the place that I’m at.

During year three of the blog, you may have noticed some changes too:

• I had the opportunity to share way more experiences and dabbled in travel blog posts. My trip to Nashville inspired me to write about travel and capture memories as well as recommendations.
• I shared a couple of new Q&A posts with people/brands I admire. For our mostly female community, I found Victoria Lyons’ story especially important to share. I’m glad I had the opportunity to speak with her about her female-first condom brand, Slipp.
• I brought you to my home in Wisconsin through a few posts. If you find yourself in Madison or Green Bay, you may recognize some of my favorite places.

In year four, I want to continue sharing adventures on the blog: big and small. You can also expect Q&A posts from time to time with lifestyle and fashion content in the mix. As always, if there’s anything that you’d like to see, you can let me know! I appreciate your ideas and input.

Thank you for following along and celebrating year three with me; I’m happy you’re here!

What would you like to see in year four? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments or on Instagram. Let’s chat!