When you have dreams and ambitions, there are always a few people who relish telling you that you’re not good enough.  Growing up in rural Montana, I heard all the time about how I wasn’t good enough to achieve my goals.  One teacher was especially cruel.  She liked to hold up my homework and tell the class how I did “just enough to get by” because I knew my “Daddy would always be there to bail me out.”

Last month, I went home to help my Mother with the local debate tournament.  Guess who was volunteering at the event?  Guess who kept referring to me as “one of her favorite students” and telling people how proud she was.  It made me kind of sick to my stomach but it was also sweet revenge.

Everyone has goals and dreams.  Some people achieve theirs, some people don’t.  And sometimes when people don’t go as far as they aspired to, they take out their sense of failure on others by tearing down their dreams.  Don’t let people like that get you down, turn their derision into fuel.

Your number one goal should be to be content and satisfied with your life, what anyone else thinks doesn’t matter.

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1) I adore Emily McDowell’s Etsy shop.  Her greeting cards are whimsical and funny.  This “Awkward Dating Card” is a winner, but my favorite is this sassy one.

2) Bauble Bar sells some of the chicest jewelry on the Internet.  The delicate crystals on this long, station necklace make it perfect for any occasion.  I also love this thin-banded infinity ring and this super-chic bracelet set.  And if you need to store your baubles, don’t miss their selection of reasonably-priced jewelry boxes.

3) He is The Most Interesting Man in the World…(she’s no slouch either).

4) Apparently Dolce & Gabbana decided to take a page from Vera Bradley’s book and bring back garish prints for spring.  And, not to be outdone, Versace put them on a pair of slouchy ankle pants perfect for the label-craving, shuffle-board loving octogenarian in your life.

5) I enjoyed this article titled the Top 10 Ways to Make Sure Your Best People Quit.  And I couldn’t agree more that how you feel about your workplace during the first 60-days will color your experience there.

6) Has anyone ever tried the Kevyn Aucoin beauty products? I’m intrigued by the Sensual Skin Enhancer and the Airbrush Foundation.

7) Having a unique name can make ordering at Starbucks an exercise in futility.  So a few years ago, I developed a “Starbucks name” to speed up the process, and according to The Atlantic, I’m not the only one.  So what name do I have written on my chai lattes?  Belle, of course.

8) I’m always on the lookout for cool cocktail attire.  This Zara two-tone peplum dress certainly fits the bill.  And I would be more than happy to find an occasion for this long, red Anthropologie maxi dress.  Plus-size ladies should check out this uber-chic Melissa Masse dress with a cool drop neckline.

9) These magnified photos of beach sand are incredible.  Who knew the individual grains–made up of tiny shells–could be so beautiful.

10) I have a love/hate relationship with The Outnet.  I love their clearance-priced designer wares, I hate the impact it has on my wallet.  Who can say no to a Tibi coat as fab as this one or this inexpensive snake ring?  So many discounted-diamonds in the rough, so little money.

11)  One of my goals for 2014 is to travel more.  The article 23 Resources for Cheap, Free or Paid Travel was a real eye-opener.  I also found this article on the 10 best budget destinations helpful, my friends have been singing the praises of the Dominican Republic for years.

12) Many fashionable “It girls” are eschewing technology in favor of pretty journals and day planners.  And with so many pretty ones to choose from, who can blame them?  This one from Barney’s has gold foil and lizard print and this pocket-size notebook from Trina Turk would fit perfectly in your purse. I also like this DC-themed journal from Blackberry Press.

13) And since we could all use a little pick me up on this dreary, cold day, don’t miss this article about the power of empathy.