Dear Photograph is an amazing community-driven art blog. “Take a picture of a picture from the past in the present.” I love nostalgia, and there are many photographs I’d love to do this with if I ever make it down to Tampa again one day.

Speaking of nostalgia, Young Me / Now Me is another community-driven art blog where people recreate old photos. Some of them are just okay, but there are some that are REALLY good. I’m trying to talk my brother into recreating this one with me…

If you have nice clothes that the kiddos have outgrown, you can trade them on ThredUp. And if you’re in need of some almost new kids clothes, ThredUp is a great place to purchase them. I bought some back-to-school clothes for my oldest this week, and it came out to be cheaper per piece than the thrift store. Score!

Paperback Swap is a great place to swap books. I’m a library geek myself, but there’s a few things I want to read that my library doesn’t have on their shelves. For those books, I use Paperback Swap. I’ve got a few swaps under my belt, and the books work out to around $2.41 each which is less inexpensive than a 1 cent book on Amazon when you factor in the shipping costs.

If you like to read, GoodReads is incredible. I keep track of my reading list there, as well as connect with authors that I really like.

I started reading Her.meneutics a while ago, and it’s now my favorite way to gain a Christian woman’s perspective on topics being considered and discussed in modern culture. The recent article on Bert and Ernie is a great example of what you’ll find here.

I’ve been reading more style blogs lately, and Girl With Curves is one of my favorites. The name says it all!

And Pinterest, oh Pinterest. I signed up a while back and didn’t use it much, but I’ve been on a real Pinterest kick lately. I love cataloging the items I find on the internet and discovering others’ picks as well, like this farmhouse table that Spence has promised to make for me soon, or this iced coffee recipe that is better than Starbucks (seriously!), or this free Amy Butler bag pattern, or this inspiring graffiti, or… the list goes on and on.

What are your favorite online things?

Yesterday, my manager Sydney and I attended the 2011 Chick-fil-a Leadercast at the beautiful Port City Community Church here in Wilmington. I had originally heard about Leadercast from Kelly Cain’s amazing blog and when I heard Seth Godin, John Maxwell, Sir Ken Robinson and Dave Ramsey were all lined up to speak, I knew I had to attend. I told my manager about the event, and we decided to go together. It was an incredible experience, worth much more than the up-front investment. What I learned yesterday will certainly change my life.

There were so many takeaways that I couldn’t quite possibly cover them all here. The most profound idea from yesterday that resonated throughout many of the presentations was the idea of living authentically, finding your purpose and living it. I’ve titled my blog “A Life of Purpose” and I strive to live an authentic life but I’m still in the midst of finding my one true purpose, the thing that gets me out of bed in the morning and drives me to do the things I feel I could never possibly do simply because I know they have to be done to fulfill a higher purpose.

That’s a lot to consider, isn’t it? Dave Ramsey used Truett Cathy as an example. Chicken is not just his business, but the vehicle he uses to live his purpose.

Dave Ramsey said that a higher calling matters because you’ll play harder when you play for someone bigger than you. Muhtar Kent said that you must have humility, not arrogance. Suzy Welch said to stop being reactive in your decision making and focus instead on your values. Mack Brown said to stop focusing on your past and instead plan for great things in your future.

Live an authentic life. Fulfill your purpose.

Since my notes from the event look a lot like chicken scratch, I thought I’d share these beautiful handwritten notes from Mike Rohde. Take the time to go through them. You just might pick up an idea or two that sparks something in you, too.

Mizrahi says that a timeless piece that you love the way you look in is worth more than many pieces that aren’t flattering or that make you feel less than beautiful. My self-confidence is the casualty of my cheap wardrobe.

It’s too early to start investing in a new wardrobe, though. I’m still losing weight and working my way out of debt. But I can start thinking about the future, and that means reinventing my style.

To do this, Mizrahi says that you should create an inspiration board to determine what colors, shapes and eras influence your style. I decided to make mine digitally on Pinterest, and this is what it looks like.

Right away, I notice that this looks nothing like my current wardrobe. If you looked in my closet today, you’d see a lot of safe clothes in mom-appropriate shapes and slimming dark colors. When I saw my inspiration board in its entirety, I realized that I had been getting it all wrong. My size has limited my choices and my ability to feel confident enough to pull a daring look off. My true style includes vintage shapes, pretty ruffles, muted colors, girlie details, even a bit of an edge. My body has held me back from fully embracing my eclectic style.

Don’t get me wrong… Mizrahi covers fashion for the full-figured woman in his book as well and I have to say, his subject is completely adorable but she exudes a confidence that I don’t have yet. Mizrahi mentions that he’s never met a woman that doesn’t think she’s fat, but I do think there is a difference between owning it and letting it get to you. I know my comfort level, and I’m past it. To pull off your own style, you have to own what God gave you.

As I lose weight, I’ll be on the lookout for pieces that can size down with me – wrap dresses, skirts, easy-to-alter blouses – and will still buy on sale while working Dave Ramsey’s plan. But during this time, I’ll also be developing my sense of style – learning what I like, what I don’t like, what flatters my figure and what’s too trendy to waste time on. Then once I’m at my goal weight, I imagine that I’ll start building a wardrobe that reflects my own personal style. I can’t wait.

Here are three of my favorite talks recently. They’re better than a sitcom, I promise. Take 45 minutes to listen, then use your newfound inspiration to go be great!

Singing After a Double Lung Transplant

The 3 A’s of Awesome

How to Live to be 100+

If you’ve got an extra 76 minutes, you should watch this. It’s one of my absolute favorite lectures, definitely in my top 3.

Randy Pausch Last Lecture: Achieving Your Childhood Dream