I'm writing this just after reading a letter addressed to myself, written by myself as an 18 year-old high school senior. "As of now, I have big plans for myself," it reads. I remember my excitement about this class assignment asking us to write letters to our future selves, to later be mailed out by the school five years later. It was, however, that last thing I expected to receive on this typical January weekend.

I've come to learn that your twenties are precious. It's a time of instability, discovery, and endless cycles of challenge and success. Reading this letter quickly had me holding back tears, as cliché as that sounds. Not for reasons of nostalgia or regret, but more out of realization. Of the goals I had set for myself five years ago, almost all have been accomplished thus far (minus consistent exercise of course). It was that kind of realization that makes you step back to acknowledge everything you have to appreciate.

Emotionally speaking, the start of this new year has been exactly what the twenties are -- unpredictable. Waves of feeling burnt out are followed by elation and determination, and often times I'm not sure what my next steps should be. But realizing that I've now exceeded my 18 year-old expectations is a small but much-needed feeling of encouragement. As my final partnership with Reebok's #PerfectNever campaign, I want to pass off the reminder that the inevitability of challenge should never offset accomplishment of any scale. Stay proud of your present and determined for your future. Things will fall into place. Please excuse the cheese.

During my month away in Europe, I spent a week exploring the beautiful country of Portugal on my own. It was not a long time, but it was enough for me to discover the beauty of traveling solo and the effects it has on self-awareness and perspective. Today I am sharing seven reasons to travel alone in hopes of convincing you to do the same one day. I promise you, despite the challenges, you will never regret it.

I am approaching two years of blogging this fall, along with my last semester of college. 2015 has no doubt already been a game-changer for me, so there is no telling what is still to come in its second half. Between traveling across continents and landing the most unstructured, but exciting job I've had thus far, I have a new pursuit in mind to finish off the year -- adventure.

I've spent the past few days becoming reacquainted with the city, or the place I'll soon be calling home again. It's funny the way New York works. Despite having this jungle of opportunities, it is easy to lose yourself. Lately I have been feeling a bit lost, but for the first time in my life, I think it's okay.

Hello 2014!

I just wanted to take some time to thank everyone who has supported my endeavors in fashion throughout 2013. It's only been a little over a year since I started posting my amateur mirror pics on Instagram to showcase my outfits. I never would have imagined creating my own personal style blog by the end of 2013! I truly appreciate the sincere words of encouragement and support I have received from my first post on Instagram to this blog. I hope that I have been able to inspire some followers/readers in regards to style. 2013 was a life-changing year for me, and I can only look forward to what 2014 will bring to the table!

That being said, I created a collage of some Instagram highlights starting with my NYE outfit post from January 1, 2013. From attending a fashion school to getting inspiration from hundreds of Instagrammers and bloggers, my style has evolved over the past 12 months. Staying connected with so many fashionistas has improved my own creativity and confidence in personal style. Check out my Instagram (@christinalau_) for yourself and take a glimpse at my journey through 2013! I feel truly blessed to have been able to interact with so many people on this account, and I am excited to see how fashion evolves in the coming year.

Please comment below if you have any questions/comments about the outfits above. Thank you again, and let's make this year a fabulous one!