 As the clock strikes midnight and a new year begins, many of you probably make promises to yourself about what you’ll accomplish in the coming year. Sometimes the goals are lofty, and sometimes you may lose sight of your goal before the first month of the year is over with. Take into consideration these 10 pieces of advice I’ve curated for you! 1. Get a Handle on Your Stress
My mom had a stroke in her 40s, and my family and I attribute it to the stress she endured at work. She worked alongside a woman who was very critical, despite not really understanding how to do her own job. Additionally, she was a single mom with two kids in school who participated in several activities. Getting a handle on your stress can help you live a happier and longer life. 2. Make Smaller Goals and Set Timeframes
But we often forget that these goals can be easier to reach if we set smaller goals that help us stay focused. This usually means setting goals for each month. Maybe you want to try to lose 5 pounds in January. Maybe you want to read 10 books cover to cover in the first three months. Making these smaller goals will help you meet your goals. 3. Cut Out Toxic and Negative People Toxic and negative people can suck the life out of you. These are people who constantly vie for your attention, or make you feel bad about yourself. There are several ways you can cut out negative people or lessen their impact on your life. Check out WebMD’s article on toxic and negative people and how to deal with them. 4. Focus on You
If this sounds like you, you likely spend a lot of time doing for others, sometimes so much so that you work yourself into the ground. Take time to put yourself first. Burnout happens to everyone, and it can shorten your life and make your life less enjoyable. Make time for you and learn to say no if you feel you will be negatively impacted by giving more of yourself. 5. Keep Learning
This is a great way to build up your resume with official certifications. It will keep you at the top of your game or can help you learn new skills for a new career! 6. Spend Time with Family and Friends Spending time with family and friends who bring you joy is a great way to lower anxiety levels and depressive episodes. I personally loved having a ton of time with my family over Christmas break. I spent nearly three weeks with my mom and brother, and was able to spend quality time with them, my husband, and his family. COVID-19 has put a stop to a lot of family get togethers. I recommend you get vaccinated or at least tested before you spend time with family members or friends, especially if they are prone to infection. 7. Drink More Water
You can get away with not keeping clean oil in your car for a while, but eventually it will break down. The same goes for your body. If you want flavor when you need something to drink, consider using flavor packets or liquids like MiO. 8. Put Energy into Things/People That Pour Back Into You
For example, you may feel you are pouring too much energy and effort into your job without learning anything new. However, someone else may be pouring in a ton of energy into their job, but they find the knowledge they are receiving useful for their personal and professional growth. It might be a friendship, or it could be an organization that only you and a few others are putting time into. Do what you can but remember that you need to refill the energy that you pour out! 9. Set Boundaries
Whatever it is, setting boundaries will help you live a more enjoyable life with healthy relationships. 10. Don't Get Discouraged Finally, don’t get discouraged if you miss a goal or fall behind. While progress is imperative for growth, sometimes you won’t always meet your goal. That’s OK, if you’re trying. Therefore, setting reasonable goals is important. If you set too lofty of a goal, you could be setting yourself up for failure. But everyone fails. It’s how we learn. Don’t get discouraged and keep moving toward your goals. ConclusionThis year, you can live up to the “New Year, New Me” phrase. All you have to do is follow these 10 steps. Do you have an idea or tip that could help others stay motivated in 2022? Leave it in the comments below or find me on social media and let me know what you think.
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If you've been following me on Instagram and Twitter, you know that I am moving TODAY into a new office space on the other side of my campus! My office has accumulated a ton of things, and its taken a few weeks to get everything together for the big move today. Regardless, I'm sure we will still run into some hiccups. Follow me on Twitter and Instagram today to see how the move is going. Since it is the summer and many families move around this time of year before the new school year starts, I wanted to share a few moving tips. Keep reading for more: 1: PUT YOUR ESSENTIALS IN ONE BAG
2: YOU DON'T HAVE TO BUY BOXES
3: TRASH BAG YOUR HANGING CLOTHES
This keeps all of your clothing gathered in one place, and can reduce the number of hanger slip-off incidents. When you get to your new place, simply hang the hooks in your new closet, untie the bags, and you've easily transported all of your hangup clothing without the need to rehang! 4: LABEL BY AREA AND PRIORITY
I love clothing, and I really wish I had more of it. But, style has become really important to me. However, a lot of people don’t understand that some traditional style suggestions might not work well for plus size ladies in particular.
I want to make it clear that I believe anyone should be able to wear whatever they want! These are just suggestions to make your photos look better and to make your other friends envious of your style. PLEASE also know that I am not an expert, but a plus-size gal with 25 years of experience in a plus-size body! So, here are a few tips: 1: OPT FOR VERTICAL STRIPES
2: THINK BIG WITH ACCESSORIES (FOR THE MOST PART)
3: PLAY WITH PRINTS
4: DRESS FOR YOUR BODY SHAPE
I believe that I have more of an apple figure, as I carry most of my weight in my midsection. I love dresses that taper just under the bust and flare out. This, for my body type, draws attention away from my midsection!
I really liked this blog that explains body shape. Scroll down, click the shapes, read the description, and find which shape you believe fits you best: http://www.thechicfashionista.com/body-shapes.html The term "Life Hacks" became prominent for me when Pinterest came around. Since it is finally summer, I figured now would be a great time to share some summer life hacks with you! Keep reading for more: 1. MAKE YOUR OWN SLUSHY
2. BEACH HACKS FOR THE BEST SUMMER EVER
This will prevent large amounts of sand from getting onto your relaxation spot. 3. Use baby powder to help remove stuck-on sand! 3. KEEP YOUR CAMPFIRE BUG-FREE
4. STAY PROTECTED FROM THE SUN AND SMELL GREAT
5. COOL YOUR DRINKS IN MINUTES
There are without a doubt millions of people who will be going into this weekend without a father or grandfather to celebrate. Because my father isn’t in my life anymore (by my own choice), and because my grandpa recently passed away this year, I am now one of those millions who may feel a little off this Father’s Day. I do have an awesome father-in-law and grandfather-in-law to celebrate, and I suppose my brother and husband are both fathers to furry little friends. However, I know this is an issue that many deal with. Today, I’ll be giving suggestions on how you can enjoy this holiday even if your father isn’t in the picture, or if you’ve lost the loved ones you would traditionally celebrate. Keep reading for more: HONOR A FATHER FIGURE
Take them out to lunch, buy them coffee, or send them a special card. Do something to celebrate them and thank them for being a father to the fatherless. CELEBRATE THE LIVES OF FATHERS/GRANDFATHERS YOU HAVE LOST
ENGAGE YOUR SPIRITUAL SIDE
Religious spirituality might not be for you, but perhaps simply meditating and focusing on the intricacy of life and of yourself will help you engage your spiritual side. This can help you forget about the worries and anxieties that you associate with Father’s Day. INTERVIEW YOUR PARTNER IF YOU ARE CHILDLESS
Ask your partner what they would want to teach your child or what they think is the most important thing they learned from their father. The answers will not only help you learn even more about your partner, but will also help you understand what they’ll be like as a father! GO SEE A MOVIE
These include the new Spider-Man movie, Men in Black: International, Dark Phoenix, Aladdin, Ma, and so many more. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SALES
Good Housekeeping has actually gathered a list of sales happening at some of your favorite stores, both online and in person!
I know, the title sounds a bit cocky. However, I think we should all be aware of our talents and I think DIY decor runs in my family. I learned a lot from my mom and my mom usually helps me on the parties I've decorated for. Today, I'm going to share some photos from my wedding and my mother-in-law's 50th birthday party. Keep reading for a few tips to decorate your party venue beautifully! 1: PHOTO BACKDROPS ARE A MUST!
I spray-painted the white roses gold to give it a timeless look! We borrowed the pillars from the church and added some plants for a gardenesque look. Other photo backdrops include a backdrop made of PVC pipe, a painted mural, and more. Figure out what makes most since for your party and do that! 2: THROW OUT THE TRADITIONAL GUEST BOOK!
3: BUY CHEAP, SPRAYPAINT'S YOUR BEST FRIEND!
4: DON'T BE AFRAID TO DIY
I could sit here all day and tell you DIY projects that you should do for your party. At the end of the day, DIYing is almost always cheaper than purchasing the product! 5: USE ODDS AND ENDS TO MAKE CENTERPIECES
6: MAKE A TABLE POP WITH FABRIC
7: ADD GREENERY FOR A FRESH LOOKOn each of the tables at my mother-in-law's party, we added a little succulent plant inside of the bird cage. This brought a bit of nature to the table without overwhelming the coordinated decor. This is an awesome idea because the plants can also work as party favors. I certainly didn't need 12+ succulents and three bigger plants to drive back home three hours with! DIY TO SAVE MONEY FOR THESE THINGS:
2. THE FOOD: Trust me, it is always better to save up for some sort of catering, even if they just drop it off and guests can serve themselves. Having to refill everything when you just want to enjoy the party sucks!
3. TABLECLOTHS AND NICE PLATES: The one thing I always splurge on is tablecloths. That's because the dollar store seldom has a good selection of colors. Instead, I usually go to a party store like Party City for my tablecloths. I usually get the plates from there, too! For me at least, it is officially summer. That means it’s time for sun, hopefully some pool time somewhere, and fun and colorful projects. While visiting my family for Memorial Day weekend, we decided to do a craft. Instead of choosing something like a canvas, we decided clothing would be more useful for everyone!  What you’ll need:
STEP 1: BLEACH THE SHIRT I spiraled my shirt the way I wanted it to look and kept it that way the entire time. If you want one that looks similar to mine, you can pinch the shirt in the middle and twist until the whole shirt is twisted together. head to your sink, wet your shirt, and pour bleach on both sides. Using a gloved hand, massage the bleach into the shirt. Since it is nice and warm outside, I recommend sitting your shirt outside while the bleach does the job. It doesn’t take long. Check back in 30 minutes to find the shirt has turned white or light orange in certain places. STEP 2: ADD YOUR DYES Bring in your shirt and rinse it with water. Remember, leave the rubber bands in place so that you know the tie-dye will hit the bleached areas. After that, add colors to your shirt in whatever places you desire. I noticed that all of the colors did show up, but lighter colors didn’t shine through as well. One tip on my tie-dye box said you could add less water to the dye bottles for a more intense color! I’d recommend doing that with lighter colors! after you’re done with this part, take your shirt back outside to dry. Leave it for 2-24 hours. We left ours outside for maybe 4-5 hours. STEP 3: WASH AND WEAR!After you’ve let your tie-dye shirt “cure,” remove the rubber bands and put your shirt in the wash on cold. Add detergent/fabric softener! I was worried that mine having a bit of a bleach residue would ruin the other shirts, but it didn’t. However, wash with other things at your own risk! after you wash the shirt, dry it and wear it! If you’re a visual learner, check out this video for the process! Coming up on a year ago, I decided that I had enough of the white walls surrounding me in my full-time job's office. So, I got to work decorating. A lot of what I did was DIY, so I wanted to share that as well as some decor and functional decor tips in today's blog post! Without further ado, here we go! YOUR THEME
DIY 1: DYED CURTAINS & CUSTOM PICTURE FRAMES
I used a gold glitter ribbon to gather the sides of the curtain, and I tacked them into the wall. I also added fairy light, which were great for a while, but they don't last very long. You have to be religious about turning them off. DIY 2: WINDOW TASSELS
DIY 3: CORK BOARD PIN STATION
DIY 4: CUSTOM-PAINTED SUPPLY JARS
FUNCTIONAL DECOR 1: BUSINESS CARD/NAME PLATE
FUNCTIONAL DECOR 2: PINEAPPLE OIL DEFUSER
FUNCTIONAL DECOR 3: COFFEE/TEA STATION
OTHER TIPS
So, with my tax return and a little bit of extra money I had after paying bills in hand, we set off to put on a budget wedding. Here are the individual things we did to make the wedding more low-cost: THE VENUE As previously mentioned, we chose to have our wedding in the church we were attending. It was free and we knew that it would accommodate just about the right number of people. There were some down sides to this, of course. Because it was in a southern Baptist church, we didn’t share a first dance. That is something that I regret, but that is more because we didn’t have the cash to spring for a nicer venue for the reception. We had the reception in the church’s fellowship hall. The good thing about this was that it was free and it was easy to reserve the space. THE DECORATIONS
We used some of the leftover fabric from the hearts on our table. We bought some little, stained-glass vases from a craft store and filled them with fake flowers, butterflies, and pinwheels from the dollar store. I bought most of my décor from the dollar store! THE OUTFITS
THE FLOWERS
I don’t have exact numbers, but I came out way under $100 for the yarn, and my mom made them for me for free!  THE PHOTOGRAPHER I had a friend from work take photos at my wedding. She did it for me as a gift for my wedding. She didn’t have much equipment, and I had to edit these for myself. It was free and I got what I needed. But, I know that a lot of my family wish there were more. I’m not going to complain because it was free and I’m glad I have something! THE PROGRAMS
I also designed my own invite, because I’m a graphic designer. I also made a little activity book for the kids to keep them entertained during the more boring parts of our nuptials. I did blur some information and names, but you see the basic idea! THE CAKE
THE FOOD
The food was also good because of the hand cooking J, but I wish it was less intense. I would recommend doing some sort of catering, but we just didn’t have the money for it! THE EXIT
CAUTIONS
This photo is my favorite. My brother had returned a ring to me that he gave me when I was younger. It made me cry! MUCH THANKS TO:
As we all know, Spring has arrived. As a native of North Carolina, Spring arrived with a ton of pollen! It is so easy to track pollen and other dirt and dust into the house. It also doesn’t help that Jonathan works in landscaping, so I always feel like I’m trapped in a pile of dirt. But, these 8 Spring cleaning hacks and tips will make things a lot easier this season: 1: BOOT DROP-OFF
So, now Jonathan knows to leave his boots in the kitchen or living room. This keeps dirt out of the bedroom easily. I am going to also invest in a mat where he can place his boots by the door. This will keep the dirt concentrated! 2: KEEP THAT KEYBOARD CLEAN
Another thing I do is I use those Lysol wipes on my Mac keyboard. I make sure to do this gently to be careful not to damage the keyboard. Do at your own risk! 3: ADD BORAX TO NEUTRALIZE SMELLS
Borax can be used to clean a number of other things like mattresses, outdoor furniture, carpets, and more! 4: USE AN OLD, THICK SOCK TO MOP
This is not only the economical choice, but it is also a great ecological choice! 5: KEEP YOUR SHOWER CLEAN
6: TURN CLEANING INTO A GAME FOR YOUR KIDS
7: CLEAN OFF STUCK-ON FOOD EASILY
Leave it for a few hours and you will find that the food be easier to remove, making the washing process easier! 8: KEEP MAKEUP BRUSHES CLEAN WITH A TRIVET
Add baby shampoo or whatever cleaner you want to use to the trivet and then swirl your makeup brush around it. Add water when needed and repeat this until your brushes are clean. Hang them on a coat hanger with some clips to dry and prevent molding. CONCLUSION I hope this few hacks will make Spring cleaning a lot easier, fun, and productive for you. Do you have any tips to keep homes clean this Spring? Drop them down below and lets help each other out!
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