Start Your Spring Cleaning With These 10 Personal Wellness Products

Spring is here! Flowers are blooming, and the weather is warming up -- it’s time to clear out the old and bring in the new to become a better you. Are you ready to start your spring cleaning?  And I’m not talking about dusting and vacuuming and packing up your things... I mean cleansing and upgrading your mind, body, and personal space to make you feel better ASAP and in the months to come.  Don’t worry! I already did the dirty work for you. I found and tried a bunch of different products and mobile apps to find the easiest way to organize your things, get into a better mental state, and declutter your home this spring. You’re welcome. 

Here are the 10 best personal wellness products and apps to help you with your spring cleaning this season.

Organize Your Thoughts & Things

 

fitlosophy Grateful Heart Fitspiration Journal 

 Journaling (and writing in general) is super helpful for organizing your thoughts, feelings, goals, etc. The fitlosophy Grateful Heart Fitspiration Journal is perfect for doing all of the above.  Its pages are filled with fit tips, inspirational quotes, and writing prompts like “Today I am grateful for…” and “THIS INSPIRES ME” so you can jot down everything going on in your scatterbrain. See?  

choose to be happy: daily to-do jotter

 If that fitspiration journal intimidated you, then maybe an empty notepad is more your style. Fill in the blanks with whatever you want in the choose to be happy daily to-do jotter.  Use it to write down your list of groceries, things you have to buy, or which errands you have to run. It also serves a water tracker. Color in the little water drops on the bottom of the pages to track how many glasses of water you drank each day. 

Boxy Girl Everything Stack & Double Stack Organizers

 Declutter your vanity, desk, or dresser surfaces and save space by putting all of your things into stackable organizers. Boxy Girl stackables come in all shapes and sizes and are typically used for makeup and jewelry, but I have like five pieces of makeup and no jewelry, so I use the Everything Stack & Double Stack for my CBD product collection instead.  LOOK HOW PRETTY IT IS!  I also gifted a couple to my mom so she could clean up her makeup vanity, and she’s equally as obsessed. 

Adero Smart Organization System

 Have you ever wished there was something you could use to magically find the stuff you always lose? Same.  Well, Adero created it, and it’s a smart organization system that works via Bluetooth. If you’re like me and you lose your keys all the time, get your sh*t together and never lose them again with the Adero app and smart tags. 

Cleanse Your Mind, Body, And Spirit

 

Meditation Studio App

 Clear your mind and get into a better headspace by meditating with the help of an app like Meditation Studio. I use a bunch of different meditation apps but this one offers a huge variety of collections and courses taught by world-renowned teachers that literally anyone can use to meditate for improved sleep, work, health, kindness, and happiness. WANT TO START MEDITATING? READ MY GUIDE TO MEDITATION FOR BEGINNERS!  

Way of Will Muscle Soak Bath Set

 Relax, unwind, and refresh your body in preparation for spring with Way of Will’s natural bath soak set, complete with essential oils and Himalayan bath salts. It’s the perfect way to clean yourself after you clean your house.  Way of Will also makes a bunch of other natural cosmetic products like healthy deodorants and serums in case you want to swap out some of your old, unhealthy personal care items (the tea tree and pumpkin seed deodorant: A+). 

Clean & Upgrade Your Space

 

Moodo Smart Aroma Diffuser App

 Rich-fragranced candles are a thing of the past. There are so many healthier candle alternatives out there like beeswax, soy, and coconut wax candles -- but those still might spark up your allergies, which is the LAST thing you want more of in the springtime. Get rid of your toxic candles in exchange for a natural aromatherapy device like Moodo. Moodo is a smart home aroma diffuser that enables scent personalization and customization right from your phone. So cool, so modern, so good-smelling (such bad grammar). 

Awair Glow Wall Plugin & App

 Do you know how clean the air is in your home, apartment, or bedroom? No?! Well, it’s time for you to learn.  Get educated about the air you breathe in and out every day by monitoring it with the Awair Glow wall plugin and app. You get phone notifications whenever the air quality changes (which I’m obsessed with) like this:  I never thought I’d be so pumped to know about the CO2 levels in my apartment.  

PhoneSoap Smartphone Sanitizer

 Do you know how many germs are on the very thing you touch every day all day long? Well, according to PhoneSoap’s website, a cell phone carries about 18x more bacteria than a public restroom. BARF. SANITIZE THAT SH*T! Clean your phone with PhoneSoap 3’s phone cleansing case. Literally just pop it in the case and turn it on to kill the microorganisms breeding on your phone that wiping your screen on your shirt won’t clean off. 

FitOn Fitness App

 Throw out the dumbbells you never use that have been collecting dust in the corner of your room, and workout without equipment by using an app instead.  FitOn lets you exercise from home with your friends or by yourself with the help of world class fitness trainers. Choose from cardio, strength, HIIT, dance, yoga, and even prenatal workouts, and never pay for another gym membership or look at dusty dumbbells again. 

The best part about all of these personal wellness products? You can use them to help you clean this spring then continue to use them all year long!

 Good luck with your spring cleaning. Let me know how it goes in the comments below or on Instagram/Twitter @morganmandriota. :) 

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Work Smarter, Not Harder: How To Stay Organized & Improve Productivity At Work

It can be difficult to stay sane when you work a job with heavy responsibilities and tight deadlines. Things can get hectic when emails are flowing in like crazy and you have a meeting in an hour but you need to finish working on a project you pushed off until the last minute because you were too busy handling other important tasks.  I get it. We’ve all been there.  Before I started freelancing full-time, I worked as a creative content director at a digital marketing agency and a digital project manager at a software and mobile app development company. Throughout all of these high-level (and high-stress) positions, I would have absolutely lost my mind if I hadn’t found ways to organize my tasks and save my sanity. If you aren’t a very orderly person who thrives on color coding your inbox labels and creating beautifully structured spreadsheets, that’s okay. There are so many things you can do, routines you can get into, apps and platforms you can use, and simple ways to help you stay more organized and boost your productivity throughout the workday. 

Stop working harder, and start working smarter! Here are my tips on how to improve your workflow, no matter where you work or what you do:

Apps, Tools, & Platforms To Use

  Google Drive. Google Drive is your new best friend (if it isn’t already). When you’re in charge of handling a million different projects, using Google Drive enables you to keep everything in one place. Since they’re stored in the cloud, all of your important documents and spreadsheets are easily accessible and manageable by anyone from anywhere at any time. Google Docs and Google Sheets have been my two lifelines when it comes to organizing my client information, like assignments, payments, and invoices. Some of the other Google Drive features include Calendar, Slides, Forms, Drawings, My Maps, and Sites. Google Docs. Google Docs drastically simplifies the whole content management process, including managing writer submissions, storing blog posts, and making edits. Microsoft Word or PDF files work if you don’t need to work as a team, but tracking documents across users is a breeze when you write, edit, and submit all content using Docs. Google Sheets. In my opinion, spreadsheets are the best way to manage all campaigns and keep data in one place. Create separate spreadsheets and tabs for each client, website, or project that you manage, and grant access to each individual user who works on it. You can even create your own personal spreadsheet to track daily tasks, eventual goals, login usernames and passwords, etc. Bookmarks. Bookmarking is an effective way to save important websites, links, and articles to read at a later date. I personally use Google Chrome as my bookmarking tool of choice since that’s the main browser on both my phone and computer. All of my bookmarks are stored in a centralized location and assorted into special categories (like “Video Editing Tips,” “Freelance Work,” and [Project Name]), enabling me to refer back to them with ease no matter which device I’m on. However, there are other bookmarking tools and apps you can use, like Evernote or Pinterest. Project management software. If you’re part of a big team and in charge of managing multiple campaigns, project management software keeps everybody on track and in-the-know of what’s going on, what needs to be done, who’s in charge of what, and the status of each project or assignment. Trello is my favorite project management tool, but there are hundreds of others that enable users to share files, store data, and communicate with coworkers. Team communication apps. Skype and Google Hangouts are the two apps that I’ve used most frequently to chat with people at work. No matter which software you use, keeping all communication with coworkers, clients, and freelancers stored within one place is crucial for referring back to important messages as quickly and easily as possible.   

Routines & Habits To Get Into

  Set goals. Setting goals is a key part of establishing when and how you will accomplish all of your tasks for the day, week, month, quarter, and year. Take the time to devise a plan of what you need to do and the deadlines associated with each project. Every morning, create a handwritten or digital note with a checklist full of the things that need to get done that day to make sure they’re all taken care of, pushing you one step closer to completing those bigger, overarching goals.  Set reminders. We aren’t superheroes or elephants. We can’t remember everything, especially when we have so many different things happening at the office (and in our personal lives) on a daily basis. Set reminders on your phone or in your calendar to notify you of when deadlines are approaching, when meetings are scheduled, and when to follow up with certain people.  Stop multitasking. Although this may be easier said than done, you need to stop multitasking and trying to tackle a million things at once. You can’t split your energy in 15 different directions and expect to get anything accomplished. Close the 500 tabs you have open in your browser, get off social media, and focus your energy on knocking one task off of your to-do list at a time.  Keep your desk clean. As silly as it sounds, decluttering your desk will also declutter your mind. A clean desk can go a long way for many reasons. It will clear space so you can organize papers and files, it will reduce your stress, and it will make you feel better walking into a clear workspace each morning.  Take breaks. Whether you head outside to get some fresh air, go for a drive around town, grab a snack from the kitchen, or take a lap around the office, it’s super important to take breaks throughout the workday. Stepping away from the computer to clear your head for a bit can give you the sense of refreshment you need to conquer writer/creator’s block and tackle the project that you’ve been stuck on for the last hour without progress. Put your phone down or away. Notifications constantly popping up on your phone are one main source of distraction at work. It’s hard to get anything done when your friends are going off in a group chat and you keep receiving Snapchat messages. Put the phone down and flip it over, store it in your bag, or throw it in a desk drawer until your priorities are taken care of and you can spare a minute or two to check Snapchat or send a text back.  

General Organization & Productivity Tips

  Create a calendar. Whether you purchase a paper calendar for your desk or you set up a digital calendar (via Google Calendar or some other sort of platform), doing so will allow you to see the bigger picture and keep you on track toward meeting deadlines, completing tasks, and reaching goals each month. Use this calendar to schedule out days and times of when certain assignments are due, posts should be shared on social media, and meetings are to be held.  Label everything. Labeling emails, paperwork, and spreadsheets is so important for keeping things in order. Stick Post-Its on notebook pages, carefully title email subject lines, and name and color code digital folders. Using certain colors is also extremely helpful for quickly recognizing what a certain file or message relates to and reducing your time sifting through thousands of files to find something.  Organize your inbox. Organizing emails is one of my favorite organization tips. Take the time to go through your inbox and categorize important emails by project name, sender, or campaign. I’m beyond proud of my Gmail inbox and the way it’s arranged (yes, I’m a nerd). I’ve assigned labels, colors, and filters to each important contact and campaign so I can simply click on a folder and find whatever topic or message thread I’m searching for.  Keep a notebook or agenda. Writing things down has been proven to help you remember them. It also feels great to literally cross things off of your list after you accomplish them. If you’re not tech-savvy or you just prefer to have everything done manually, purchase a cute notebook or agenda and use it as your calendar, checklist, and planner for the day, week, month, and year.   I hope you will use these tips to help you become better organized, increase your productivity, and start to work smarter rather than harder at your job. Did I forget an important tip or tool? How do you stay sane at work? Let me know in the comments below! READ NEXT: 3 Positive Habits That Will Change Your Life 

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How To Style Your Apartment On A Budget

 So you just moved into a brand new place, or maybe you're trying to redesign the layout of your current space... but you're tight on cash. You might be wondering how you’re going to find the funds to buy furniture and decorate your apartment in a way that doesn’t look super tacky or cheap. In a rental space, you might not have the freedom to paint walls or renovate rooms. Wondering how to style your apartment on a budget? There are tons of ways to tastefully (and temporarily) decorate your apartment on minimal funds so you can live in a chic, cute place that matches your personality and feels like home.  I’ve lived in my own one-bedroom apartment for over a year now, and these are all of the things I did and continue to do to make my rental feel more like my own.  

Welcome to my guide on how to style your apartment on a budget!

Where To Find Design & Decor Inspiration

 First things first, you are going to need some design inspiration. Here are a few places where you can look to find apartment style ideas: Pinterest: Pinterest is your one-stop-shop for all things design inspo. All you have to do is enter a search for absolutely anything apartment or home related, and you will find thousands of photos of beautiful, quirky, uniquely designed rooms and decor. Organize and save your favorite pins by creating boards for each room in your apartment so you can easily refer back when it’s time to go shopping.  Instagram: Instagram is the social media platform where influencers typically showcase personal, behind-the-scenes images of their lives and homes. Think of your favorite fashion or general influencers, then check out their Insta-feeds. Chances are there will be photos of them drinking coffee in their gorgeous kitchens and high-angle shots of them sitting on beds of cozy blankets and fluffy pillows.  Home design magazines: Yes, magazines still exist, and they are great resources for finding design inspiration. Next time you visit the store, locate the magazine racks near the cash registers and flip through a home design magazine to see what’s trending when it comes to modern decor. No, you don’t have to buy those exact items, because they are probably extremely expensive, but you can search for similar things online or in-store elsewhere.   Google: Google is the most popular search engine for a reason. It returns millions and millions of blog posts and image results that are ranked in order of how relevant and how much value they provide users based on their search query. Type in “apartment decor inspiration” or “kitchen design ideas” or “how to style my living room” and either read the recommended blog posts or click over to Google Images to view thousands of related photos. The internet is a wonderful thing. 

Apartment Styling Tips & Guidelines

  Now that you have the inspiration of what you want your dream apartment to look like, it’s time for you to follow these general tips and guidelines for how to furnish your place:  Don’t fill your apartment with “stuff.” Minimalism, a philosophy that adopts the idea that less is more, is in. Enrich your apartment with meaningful items like souvenirs from past travels or things passed on to you by family members. Don’t waste your money by spending it on useless decor that serves no purpose. Opt for special, functional furnishings that add character to your space instead.  Follow a set color scheme. Chances are that your apartment will have neutral colored walls, and that’s okay. That just means that it’s up to you to complement those grays, beiges, and whites with pops of color. However, don’t go too crazy with colors (unless you have a funky style, then do your thing!) because it might be too overwhelming. Strive to maintain a consistent color scheme throughout your place mixed with splashes of colored accessories, like artwork, pillows, and blankets. Remember that specific colors can change an atmosphere, enhance a mood, and help to make your space appear more uniform, so choose wisely. Get creative with your storage. A little bit of organization goes a long way, especially if you’re willing to get creative with it. This could entail something as small as piling up your mail that is scattered across your place and storing it in a hidden drawer or crafting a DIY project like restoring an old cabinet or dresser that somebody on your block put out on the curb as junk. Keep things clean and orderly. It might sound silly and simple, but keeping your apartment tidy and neat will actually make it appear larger (and much nicer). Something as easy as making your bed every morning before work or vacuuming once a week will make a noticeable difference in the way your apartment looks.   

Little Things To Buy For Your Apartment & Where To Find Them

  Here is a short list of little things that will help to spice up your bedroom, living room, kitchen, or hallway: • Throw pillows • Decorative blankets• Plants (MY FAVORITE!)• Candles• Wall art/decals• Removable wallpaper• Area rugs• Mirrors• Couch covers• Fake/removable tile backsplashes• DIY projects And here are some cost-effective places where you can buy those items: • Marshall’s• Home Goods• TJ Maxx• Target• Amazon• Bargain websites (like Brad’s Deals)• Facebook Marketplace• Craigslist• eBay• Dollar stores• Thrift stores• Garage sales 

Ballin’ On A Budget

  Last but not least, here are a few ways to score decor for as low as possible, or even for free: Use coupons and shop around for discounts. If you shop at more popular, mainstream stores, then you will most likely wind up paying top dollar for things you can find way cheaper elsewhere. If you do wish to shop there, check for coupons and special offers. For example, Bed Bath & Beyond regularly sends out coupons in the mail for 20% off an item or $5 off a purchase of $15 or more. A simple Google search will also return a bunch of online coupons you can use on your phone at checkout. Don’t be afraid to shop around for less expensive options for items of similar quality and style. If necessary, you can always spring and buy the more expensive item that you love so much and can’t live without, then spend carefully on everything else. Check clearance sections for reduced and/or slightly damaged yet 100% useable items. No matter where I shop or what I’m shopping for, my favorite thing to do is browse the clearance section. Yes, because I’m thrifty, but mainly because I don’t see the need in throwing so much money toward a brand new item when I can spend a fraction of the price on something that looks gently used. Rather than buying a perfectly untouched garbage can for my kitchen at full price, I bought one with a couple of dings and dents in it on Marshall’s clearance shelf for $10 instead. Save your money and spend it where it counts. Ask your family and friends if they want to give away anything that they don’t need anymore. Sometimes your parents, siblings, or close friends are clinging to things in their basement or closets that they outgrew, don’t want out for show, or just don’t have a need for anymore. If you ask, you might be pleasantly surprised to find that they have a bunch of cool things in mint condition for you to take off their hands. As a result, they clear up space and get rid of something they don’t want and you gain something that you need for free -- it’s a win-win.  Thanks for reading! I hope this apartment style guide helps you to figure out where to find design inspiration, how to decorate your apartment, and where to get the things to pull it all off. Please feel free to share your own tips and personal experience in styling your apartment in the comments below. Read Next: The Ultimate Guide On How To Plan A Road Trip On A Budget 

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Cyber Monday 2018: Exclusive Deals From My Affiliate Partners!

Hi, and happy Cyber Monday!  Cyber Monday is the best day for shopping since everything is discounted and you don’t even have to leave your house to buy anything.  If you like Black Friday better, you’re wrong. I personally don’t like it because 1) anxiety, 2) too many people are out shopping, 3) I don’t want to battle anyone for a deal, 4) I don’t want to get trampled by a stampede of crazy people, and 5) lazy.  Anyway, I’m an affiliate for some really great brands and I want to share their Cyber Monday deals with you so you can treat yourself to something nice or buy your friend/family member an early Christmas gift. Heads up: I’ll earn a commission if you purchase any products using the links within this post. THIS DOES NOT AFFECT THE AMOUNT YOU PAY IN ANY WAY. By using these links, you’re actually paying less than retail price. I’m literally just sharing awesome deals from my partnerships with these awesome brands so you can spend less and get more and I can earn a little bit of $$ for promoting their sales. It’s a win-win for both of us. :) 

ONNIT

  I’m a big fan of using Alpha Brain because it helps me focus and train better in BJJ, especially with Lyme brain and body, so if you haven’t tried it yet you definitely should.  There are SO MANY Onnit deals to share right now. Here’s the rundown: 

1. Get a FREE bottle of Alpha Brain when you buy a 2-pack of Alpha Brain 90 count - CLICK HERE

2. Get 30% off Total Gut Health - CLICK HERE

3. Get FREE GIFTS with a minimum purchase:

• Spend $100, get a $10 coupon for a future purpose
• Spend $150, get free shipping + the $10 coupon
• Spend $200, get a free personal care kit (MCT Oil Toothpaste, Lip Food, Castille Body Wash) + all of the above
• Spend $500, get a Division Dopp Kit + all of the above

 This is on top of all of the other awesome savings (sale ends 11/29 at midnight):

• Over 60% off Doorbusters
• Over 30% off Apparel
• 25% off Star Wars
• 20% off Foods
• 25% off Supplements
• 18% off Fitness

 Last but not least, as if these deals aren’t great enough, Onnit will match every dollar donated with purchase to fight testicular cancer.  CLICK HERE to shop Onnit's products now! 

HELLOFRESH

You already know I love food. HelloFresh is a meal delivery service that offers healthy meals with good ingredients straight to your door. You can cook their meals within 30 minutes -- and they give detailed instructions so you're not a lost puppy in the process.  CLICK HERE to get $60 OFF your purchase of 3 meals ($20 off each meal).  

MADERA OUTDOOR

  Madera Outdoor is an outdoor company that sells hammocks and a ton of other camping gear. Although their camping equipment is cool, what’s even better is that they plant two trees per every hammock sold. Their brand hashtag is #CampLikeYouGiveADamn. Soooo…. buy a lot of hammocks and help the Earth, please. Here are just a few of the deals they’re offering today: 

• 60% off hammocks
• 60-75% off hammock accessories
• 55% off sleeping bags
• 72% off sleeping pads
• 50% off headlamps
• 45% off knives

 They’re also offering bundle deals and FREE GIFTS, like knives, pillows, and more. Go to their Cyber Monday deals link on the black bar at the top of the page to check out all of their special pricing today. Shop Madera Outdoor's Cyber Monday sales now! get FREE SHIPPING on all orders of $50+.  Oh, and you can spin a wheel to get a free hat, hammock, or even better discount too.  Thanks for reading, and happy shopping! Let me know in the comments below if you used any of these links and bought yourself (or a friend) something new this Cyber Monday.

Simple Tips For Pocketing More Cash At The End Of The Month

Whether you're raising a family, a single parent with young children, or living on your own without kids, you might be wondering how you can pocket some extra cash at the end of every month. Think of all of the places you can go or things you can buy and treat yourself with even $100 more in your wallet each month. With old debt lingering around and new bills piling up, how is it possible for you increase the amount of money that you save without making any drastic changes like switching jobs? 

Here are 6 simple tips for saving more cash at the end of every month:

1. Only buy what's on your grocery list when you go food shopping.

How often do you go to the grocery store and wind up buying way more things than you originally intended to get? You might have walked in just to buy ingredients for tonight’s dinner but then you walked out with milk, ice cream, chips, avocados, and some cookies that looked good. Or maybe you bought far too many fruits and vegetables, thinking you or the kids or your roommates were going to eat them within the next couple of days, but then most of them went to waste. Create a set grocery list before heading to the store to prevent yourself from spending any more money than you want or need to. You can do this by either creating a handwritten list, using the Notes app on your smartphone, or downloading an organization/list maker app like Evernote. Only add the things you absolutely need for the next day or two so you do not go overboard and buy too much stuff that no one will wind up drinking or eating. Also remember to NEVER go grocery shopping when you're hungry. 

2. Eliminate any unnecessary monthly payments.

Do you currently subscribe to Netflix? How often do you actually have the time to sit down on the couch and watch a show or movie after work or on the weekends? If you consistently pay that $10 bill every month but haven't had the chance to relax and watch your favorite show series in four months, then it may be time to consider canceling your subscription until further notice. All of those unnecessary little monthly bills add up, and if you haven't utilized a certain service in a few months, then it's definitely time for you to stop throwing your money away and finally pull the plug. You can always re-subscribe later on if you find the need to start using it again. 

3. Lower your current monthly bills.

If you have all of your bill preferences set to auto-pay, then you might have forgotten just how much you're actually spending every month on your bills. If that's the case, then it's time to review your regular payments. Analyze each of your bills and give customer service a call to see if you can receive a discount for being a longstanding member, a good customer, or an employee/affiliate of a company. Is your car insurance bill too expensive? Compare car insurance companies to find a different one that charges anywhere from $20 to $80 less per month. Do you have a 6GB data plan but have 3GB of unused data left on your phone bill every month? Cut down to a lower data plan and gain back $10 or $20 in your pocket. Every little bit of money saved counts. Since you're already automatically paying your bills each month, you might as well try to save money while you’re at it. 

4. Buy gas from a cheaper station.

Driving a few streets over in order to save 10 cents per gallon on gas doesn't sound like a worthwhile investment when you live five minutes closer to a gas station with a slightly higher price. However, depending on how big the gas tank is in your car or truck and how many gallons it requires to fill up, going that extra mile down the road each time you need gas could save you a few extra bucks each week. If you have a spare minute or two, do the research before you leave the house by installing an app to your phone like GasBuddy that will show you the nearest gas stations with the cheapest prices. 

5. Stop going out to eat and hitting the bars as often.

We all have rough days at work when we want to go grab a beer after the shift ends. We also feel that need to go out on a Friday or Saturday night after a long week. Try to cut back on going out as often to keep spending habits a little lower. Instead of hitting a food truck or buying lunch at work every day, bring a homemade lunch instead. Rather than going out with the guys to watch the football game, drink beers, and eat wings on Sunday, invite them over to your place. 

6. Find an easy weekly/monthly side gig.

Do you have a skill that could be used to bring in some extra cash? Maybe you enjoy woodworking, fixing computers, or restoring old cars. If you have a hobby that you take part in in your spare time, consider how you can turn it into an opportunity to make some money. There are many ways to pocket more cash at the end of every month. Sticking to a grocery list, canceling all unnecessary service subscriptions, lowering monthly payments, buying cheaper gas, going out less often, and taking up a side job are all great ways to accomplish this. Ultimately, if you are willing to compromise some time and effort in exchange for a little bit of financial freedom, then you will have anywhere from a couple of bucks to hundreds of dollars back in your bank account every month to save or spend however you would like. Thanks for reading. Did I leave out any easy ways to save some extra cash at the end of the month? Let me know in the comments below! 

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12 Everyday Habits That Will Improve Your Quality Of Life

The things we do and the thoughts that pass through our mind every day have the power to directly influence the quality of our lives. By getting into the swing of regularly living a certain way and practicing specific behaviors, you can change your mood, mindset, and overall well-being. I wrote a post titled 3 Positive Habits That Will Change Your Life back in February 2017, but I want to elaborate and share more habits I’ve picked up since that time.  So what are some things you can do to improve the quality of your life? 

Here are 12 everyday habits that will help you to live better, happier, and healthier:

1. Set and follow a strict sleep schedule.

If you can find a way to follow a strict sleep schedule or sleep for a set number of hours every night, including weekends, you’ll wake up each morning feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day. I enjoy going to bed late and waking up early so I’m still struggling with this one, but sleeping at least 7 hours/night or setting my alarm for no later than 9AM every day (even if I don’t have anything to do the next day) helps to keep me in line.  

2. Exercise at some point throughout the day.

Some studies suggest that it’s beneficial to exercise in the morning to jumpstart your day and feel more energetic, but that’s not always possible when you work a full-time job or have a weird schedule. I personally prefer to work out at night. I train Brazilian jiu-jitsu three nights/week and ride my bike, go for a walk, or stretch on the other four days.  No matter what you do or what time works for you, try to get active and move at some point throughout the day, especially if you sit at a desk for 8 hours. Even if you go for a short walk or do some yoga poses, you’ll notice a difference in how you feel physically, mentally, and emotionally.  

3. Drink more (clean, alkaline) water.

I never knew the importance of drinking 64 oz of water a day until I met Brooke, one of my best friends who works at Phountain. Drinking alkaline water helps to neutralize the acidity in your body’s PH, and drinking enough water throughout the day hydrates your skin, improves your circulation, curbs your appetite, AND kicks cravings to the curb. I could go on and on. Just drink more water. 

4. Keep up with your health and appointments.

Whether you notice any changes or not, it’s essential to keep up with your health and doctor visits. Need to schedule that appointment? Stop putting it off. Feeling well? Still go to your yearly physical. Notice a loss in your hearing? Talk to a specialist and learn more about hearing aid options (*cough* dad *cough*).  The longer you leave a health issue unchecked or untreated, the worse it can get and the worse you’ll feel as a result. Your health is what keeps you going. Maintain it and don’t let things slip on by.  

5. Count your blessings and practice gratitude.

Gratitude is a practice that will absolutely 100% impact and improve the quality of your everyday life. Counting your blessings inspires you to take note of the good in your life, rather than constantly dwelling on or talking about the bad like most people do. Positivity attracts more positivity, just as negativity attracts more negativity.  Get into the habit of acknowledging and being grateful for the things you may be taking for granted. A simple “thank you” when you wake up in the morning and before you go to bed is a great start. I promise you that this slight change in your perspective will make a noticeable difference. 

6. Make your bed every morning.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6OoCaGsz94[/embed]According to NAVY Seal Admiral William H. McRaven, “if you make your bed in the morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride, and it will encourage you to do another task, and another, and another.” Plus, after a long day and at the end of the night, it feels so nice to get home, shower, and crawl into a nicely made bed.  

7. Set time aside to do something that you love every day.

Set a little time aside each day to do something you love. Whether you enjoy painting, reading, running, or watching a series on Netflix, find a way to incorporate it into your daily routine. It’ll boost your mood, promote productivity, reduce stress, and make you smile, even if only for a little while.  

8. Stop gossiping and judging others.

Gossiping and judging others are two toxic behaviors that don’t benefit anybody involved -- plus it makes you look bad. What you judge people for tends to be what you’re self-conscious about doing yourself. Pay attention to the negative traits you notice in others and think about whether you’re actually guilty of or insecure about that thing instead.  Also avoid getting into negative conversations with people. If/when they pop up, make an effort to change the subject or react neutrally. Don’t feed into the toxicity. No one trusts or likes befriending a gossipy, judgmental bitch... not even the one gossiping him/herself. ;)  

9. See the people you love as often as possible.

Make more of an effort to see the people you love on a regular basis. Try to arrange lunch/dinner dates, coffee breaks, or drives around town or down to the water. Stay close to the people that matter. Tell them that they matter to you. Spending time with the ones you love is way more uplifting than shooting them a text or call.  

10. Eat healthy whole meals.

[embed]https://youtu.be/hVep5u-rGYg[/embed]It’s easy to substitute real meals for snacks during busy days. But if you’re like me, not getting the proper nutrition eventually leads to binging and eating unhealthy foods like dark chocolate peanut butter cups or veggie chips.  Eating right makes you feel good and helps you think clearly. Try your best to eat healthy, whole meals throughout the day, even if that means taking the time to prep your breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the beginning of the week.  Related Post: How To Make Healthy Fried Rice (Recipe With Video) 

11. Start journaling or writing.

Writing is my favorite creative and therapeutic outlet (clearly, since you’re on my blog right now). I understand that everyone isn’t a writer, but something as simple as jotting down thoughts or journaling what you do throughout the day can help to relieve stress and vent in a personal safe space (especially if you want to gossip or judge someone… and if you do, refer back to #7).  

12. Get outside every day.

Make the effort to step outside every day for fresh air, sunshine, and Vitamin D. This Business Insider article lists many of the reasons why going outside is great for your health, including improved short-term memory, restored mental energy, better vision, and even possible anti-cancer effects. If the sun isn’t shining, consider investing in a SAD lamp to make sure you’re getting the number of lumens that will lift your mood and bring you those important benefits of being outside.  I hope you’ll try or pick up one or more of these 12 habits that will improve your quality of life. If they can work for me, I bet they’ll work for you too. :) Thanks for reading! If you have any other suggestions, please let me know in the comments below.  

33 New Year's Resolutions You Can Actually Set And Keep

It’s almost time for those “new year, new me!” social media posts, amirite?!  Rather than being one of those people who brag about how they’re going to drastically change then end up stuck in the same exact spot (or worse) come year-end, it’s time to start thinking about goals you really can achieve and things you really can do to live a better life this upcoming year.   From managing your finances and improving your health to living a more positive lifestyle and building better relationships, here are 33 New Year’s resolutions you can actually set and keep in 2019: 

Finances

1. Start managing and tracking your money.

On January 1, 2016, I started tracking every single dollar I spent, earned, and saved in a self-created spreadsheet. Call me psychotic (it’s fine, I do it all the time), but I highly recommend everybody does this to get a better handle on where their money comes and goes.

2. Check your credit card statements before paying every month.3. Pay any outstanding bills that have been weighing heavy on your mind (and start paying your bills on time).4. Don't spend more than you can afford.5. Earn more money by selling things or starting a freelance gig.6. Save more money, even if it’s $1 a day. 

Health

7. Cook at least one meal a day.8. Stop eating as much fast food (or, better yet, completely stop eating it).9. Eat more fruit and vegetables.10. Drink more water.11. Exercise more often.

...AKA the classic NYE resolution. If you hate the gym (like me!), sign up for classes somewhere else, or buy a bike, or go for walks, or do sit-ups on your bedroom floor. Just do something to get more active.

Lifestyle

12. Take an online course to learn something new.

Learn a new language or a new skill (try using Babbel, Lynda, etc.).

13. Extend your vocabulary by learning a new word every day.14. Cut back on the amount of time you're on your phone.15. Cut back on the amount of time you're on social media.16. Start fact checking things before automatically sharing them on social media.17. Spend more time in nature, even if it’s going on a walk or bike ride around your block once a week.18. Use your manners more often.

Say “please” and “thank you.” Stop interrupting people when they’re talking. Hold doors open for people. Smile at strangers. Life is better when you’re nicer.

19. Practice gratitude more frequently.

Even a simple “thank you” out loud before you go to bed or once you wake up in the morning.

20. Declutter your room, apartment, or house.

Hold onto the things that matter most and have meaning to you, and let go of the rest.

21. Improve your wardrobe.

Donate, sell, or give away any clothes that are outdated, old, don’t fit you anymore, or have been sitting in your closet since you bought them. Then go buy a new pair of socks, a couple of basics, a pair of pants or two, and some new tops. New clothes make you feel like a brand new person.

22. Travel more often, even if it's twice a year.23. Make those doctor's appointments you've been putting off for god knows how long.24. Use a calendar to remember upcoming events, bills, and things you need to take care of.25. Take up a new hobby, or find a way to be more creative and artistic.26. Stop being late (to work, school, plans, anywhere, everywhere).27. Stop bottling things up, even if it’s through journaling or writing your dreams, thoughts, or stresses to get it out of your mind. 

Relationships

28. Stop wasting your energy on people who don't care or treat you poorly.29. Let go of grudges and forgive... even if the person you forgive is yourself.30. Express your love for the people in your life who you cherish more often.31. Spend more time with the people whose company you enjoy most.32. Start communicating better.

Say how you feel, and don’t be afraid to do it either. Best said by “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.” (S/O whoever came up with this quote -- Dr. Suess or Bernard Baruch?)

33. Be more kind and loving to others, which will result in more kindness and love toward yourself. In a study conducted by BodyNutrition.org, 500 people answered the question "What have been the biggest obstacles in making your fitness or wellness resolutions regular habits?" and the results are really interesting (and different for women vs. men). Almost 40% of men said work got in the way, whereas almost 35% of women said anxiety and depression was their biggest obstacle.  Whatever the obstacles that are getting in the way of you reaching your goals may be, it's time to assess how to overcome them and become the best NEW YOU you can be in 2019! I hope you can find one thing from this list and try it out this year. If you do, let me know! Whatever you decide to set as your resolution, I hope you have a happy, healthy new year. :) You Might Also Like: Happy New Year: It’s Time To Review, Cleanse & Start Anew

The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly Of Living Alone

Living alone is an absolutely incredible experience. It is one that I strongly believe everyone should have the opportunity to do at one point in their life. It’s wild how drastically different it is living on your own as compared to coexisting with other people, whether family or friends or a significant other. What happens when you live alone? What’s so different? What’s so great about it? Is it awesome? Do you get lonely? This is my shot at describing what it’s like to live by yourself -- the best parts, the worst parts, the pros and cons, the things you do, and the things you realize along the way.  

Here’s the good, the bad, and the ugly of living alone:

 1. You can take your pants off whenever.Sorry to start off on the no pants note… but it had to happen.2. You can take your pants off wherever.3. You’re able to invite absolutely anybody over at any time.4. You don’t have to answer to anyone.5. You cook at 2:30 in the morning.6. And drink alone until 2:30 in the morning.7. And Netflix and chill alone.8. You bundle up on your couch in a blanket and sweats for hours.9. You walk around naked. Being able to walk out of the shower completely naked for however long you want is unreal.10. You make the rules.11. You buy plants. ...you feel responsible enough to buy and take care of plants! lol12. You kill plants. I recently killed my bonsai plant by placing my space heater on HIGH directly next to it. Sorry, bud.RIP13. You get scared. It can be creepy living alone, especially at night or if you hear a weird sound. 14. You eat like absolute crap.15. You somehow lose weight... then gain it right back.16. You get to decorate and buy home decor exactly like you've always dreamed of doing.17. You learn how much different it is to food shop for one person as opposed to 3-5 people.18. You learn which foods you have to eat in what period of time to avoid them going bad.19. You waste a lot of money on food that will go bad.20. You buy and burn a shit ton of candles.You'll never have enough candles.21. You (temporarily) brag.“My apartment…” “I miss my apartment” “I lo0ove my apartment” “My landlord...”22. You dress like an idiot.Because who cares? No one’s going to see you.23. You chill on the couch for an entire weekend because you can.24. You hibernate. For days... like your friends will call you out on and be pissed at you for all your Snapchats of your TV from your couch.25. You leave dishes in the sink.26. You feel irrationally empowered taking out your own garbage.27. Your place becomes the new go-to hang out spot with your friends.28. When people come over, you want them to get the fuck out so you can be alone.29. But you get sad when people leave. Really sad.30. You get lonely. Really lonely.31. You feel awesome. Really awesome.32. You hate yourself for waiting as long as you did to move out on your own.33. You feel like a boss paying rent every month.$$$$$...and sigh about how much money you’re throwing away instead of saving every month.34. You quickly realize the value of money.35. You feel adult and old.36. You begin to cherish and enjoy your personal time and space.37. You feel a sense of accomplishment.38. You are truly proud of yourself.39. You are independent.40. You are free.God, it feels good too.41. You realize all of these things.42. ...then you remember you have to clean... and vacuum, wipe down windows and mirrors, do laundry, do towels, clean the shower... and the toilet.Ugh. What did you realize once you started living on your own? Did you start doing something you never did before? What’s your good, bad, and ugly of living alone? Let me know in the comments below! You May Also Like: 17 Things I Wish I Could Tell My Younger Self

The Impact Of Social Media & Technology On Our Generation

Californication’s Hank Moody said it best: HM: People seem to be getting dumber and dumber. You know, I mean we have all this amazing technology and yet computers have turned into basically four figure wank machines. The internet was supposed to set us free, democratize us, but all it's really given us is Howard Dean's aborted candidacy and 24 hour a day access to kiddie porn. People... they don't write anymore, they blog. Instead of talking, they text, no punctuation, no grammar: LOL this and LMFAO that. It just seems to me it's just a bunch of stupid people pseudo-communicating with a bunch of other stupid people at a proto-language that resembles more what cavemen used to speak than the King's English. Interviewer: Yet you’re part of the problem -- you’re out there blogging with the best of them.  HM: Hence my self-loathing. (Love that man. If you’ve never seen the show, then you’re missing out.) Just a decade or two ago, all of these social media apps and sites and modern-day struggles were nonexistent. Now, the majority of our generation (and the generations preceding and following) are obsessed--maybe even addicted-- to our cell phones, laptops, tablets, and computers.  People cross streets and walk through parking lots with their eyes glued to their phone, unaware of potentially placing themselves in danger of a moving vehicle. Friends party together yet spend the entire time documenting their experience through their camera lenses, adding photos and videos to Snapchat memories rather than making real ones. Couples go out to eat together and lay in bed beside each other in silence, connecting with anybody inside the little rectangle in their hands but the one directly in front of or beside them. Mothers and fathers drive around while their child rides along in the passenger seat, avoiding conversation at all costs, staring into an abyss of an online social life that’s falsely illusioned to be reality. It’s disturbing to watch happen in public. It’s also extremely bothersome when the person you’re with is doing it. It’s even more painful when you realize you’re at fault for doing it too. Sure, technology has drastically improved our everyday lives in ways -- that I won’t argue. The world of tech, software, and digital marketing has created millions of jobs across the globe. I earn my living by working from a laptop 50+ hours every week and witness first-hand how digital utilities save us an insane amount of time and energy in completing tasks that would’ve taken 5x longer if done manually.  New inventions are created every single day that positively impact us and our environment. From gasless cars to medicines that cure the previously incurable, to tunnels that transport vehicles across cities in no time (shout out Elon Musk), to 3D printing, VR headsets, and beyond. Social media apps like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tinder, and Bumble enable us to connect with people we wouldn’t have been able to connect with without it. Just by performing a simple name search or swiping to the right, relationships can form and long-lost friends and family members are able to find and communicate with one another. We can literally form bonds with anybody through dating apps, even those who live 500 miles away. It’s so easy to swipe and see who’s out there and meet people we wouldn’t have met otherwise without these platforms.  But what happens when you match somebody? Who messages first? Do either of you even message at all, or do you linger in each other’s inbox collection of the unpursued? How long do you take to respond? Who stops answering first? Who wins in the contest of giving the least fucks? Or rather who loses in the contest of giving the least fucks?  In a recent conversation, my coworker who’s in her mid-forties had said she could never have survived the dating world as it exists today. Similarly, here’s a text conversation I just had with my mom when asking her to help me pick a featured image for this post:  Although her suggestion was more appropriate, for some reason I chose a photo of a photo of a sunset. We live in a time when Facebook comments are equivalent to personally reaching out to someone via phone call or an in-person interaction; when the amount of likes you receive on your Instagram selfie validate your worth and give you a false sense of fulfillment; when “good morning” texts with kissy face and heart emojis show more affection than actually spending quality time with each other.  When does this stop? How does this stop? When do we take a step back and realize how dependent we’ve become, and when do we do something about it? Have our lives been simplified to the point of no return? Can we even return?  I don’t know, but what I do know is that I’m over this generation’s, yes, including my own, reliance on technology. It’s time to put our phones down and out of sight and truly live life through our own eyes and not through our cameras. It’s time to have conversations and make real-life connections rather than digital ones. I don’t know what it’s going to take to make this happen, or if it even can happen at this point. All I know is that it’s about time for a change, and that time is now.

How Is It Possible To Balance Life, Work, And Play?

I went out yesterday with a bunch of people I hadn’t seen in awhile, including some who asked how my blog is going. Although I regularly receive a nice flow of site traffic and positive feedback from readers, I found myself responding negatively to their question.  Technically, it’s going well, but the truth is that I’m slacking... hard. The truth is that I find myself too caught up to write on a regular basis anymore. It’s been almost two full months since I wrote and published something on here. Finding topics to write about isn’t even the problem. I have a million things floating around in my brain, but somehow I can’t bring myself to sit down and actually dedicate the time to getting it out of my head and onto this site to share with you guys.  That’s what brings me to write this post.  As time goes on, we accumulate an ever-growing list of things we’ve brushed off that should have been taken care of a long time ago. Days turn into weeks, which turn into months, and before we know it, we’ve procrastinated to the point of complete disregard.  Whether it’s a writing a blog or making a phone call or scheduling an appointment or making the time to see somebody or do something, we get so caught up in the everyday routine that an inconsiderate amount of time ends up passing by. It’s easy to say life gets in the way, which it sometimes does, but there must be a deeper reason that lies behind the excuses.  Why are we not making time for what we really want to or need to be doing? Why do we fall victim to the excuse of being “too busy” to get something done? How do we balance life, work, and play? How are we supposed to balance responsibilities with hobbies and a social life and everything else life throws our way without losing our minds or failing to do what we love? Is there a set way to accomplish this, a tip to use, or a simple rule to follow that helps make this possible? Maybe we don’t prioritize things the way we need to, and our real priorities take the hit as a result. Maybe we work too hard then crash when we finally get down time, and wind up never getting around to doing the things we know we should. In order to fix this, maybe all we need to do is sit down and figure out what and who is most important and deserving of our energy rather than coming up with faulty reasons as to why they don’t, then make sure they receive the proper amount of attention from that point forward. If we care about something or someone, we make the time, we put in the effort, and we get shit done -- no excuses.  Maybe this isn’t a universal issue and I’m the only one struggling with this. Who knows? What I do know is that I have a really blessed life, and I’m grateful for everything and everyone in it. I'm especially thankful that my inability to publish a blog post every week is the driving cause of writing this article and not anything more serious. I just can’t help but wonder if it’s possible to easily balance life, work, and play while still being able to have time leftover at the end of the day.  Thanks for reading! If you relate to this post or not, please let me know in the comments below. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

3 Positive Habits That Will Change Your Life

Hi, all! I hope you’re doing well and your new year is off to a happy and healthy start. We’re already approaching the end of February, which is insane because I feel like the year literally just started. I wanted to take the time to share some things I’ve been doing this year that I feel you should be doing as well. These three habits that I recently picked up have helped me live a better life in regard to my finances, my mentality, and my goals, and I’m writing this in hopes that they’ll do the same for you. 

Here are 3 positive life-changing habits you should pick up as soon as possible:

1) Create and implement a monthly spending budget.

 Whether you want to understand where your money goes each month or you want to start saving better, the best (and only) way to do it is to follow a strict spending budget. Want to go on vacation but don’t have the funds? Go out to eat or drink too often and need to adjust your priorities? Have a bad shopping habit and need to reel yourself in? To create a budget, all you have to do is take an hour or two to sit down and lay out how much you can afford to spend on what every month as compared to your income. At the end of every month, assess how you performed and re-evaluate as necessary. (In my first draft of this post, I laid out my entire how-to on creating a budget but realized it was way too long. I’ll be posting it in the future in case you want to keep an eye out.) Being able to visualize exactly what you spent your money on helps you to adjust your spending habits, spend smarter, and save better. By doing so, you’ll be able to afford that vacation or purchase that high-priced item a lot sooner. 

2) Maintain a checklist of things you want to do and goals you want to achieve.

 I have a vision board in my bedroom hanging directly behind my desk (where I typically sit when I’m in my room). Here’s what it looks like:It’s extremely large (36” x 24”) and full of notes, photos, and to-dos. I have pictures of my family on the left, inspirational quotes and photos in the middle, and goal/visualization photos of cars/homes/other things I want on the right. Across the bottom of the board is a large section dedicated to my to-dos. My main “To Do List” is located in the most visible spot in front of where my seat is (the white sheet of paper shown above), and it lists my short-term goals (to complete within 1-6 months) and my long-term goals (to complete within 6-12 months). Additionally along the bottom are tons of post-it notes created on-the-fly that are pinned in any open spot with ideas to research and things to take care of sooner than later. I update this section regularly. Why do I do this?Being able to SEE what you need to do or work for is key to getting it done. Whenever I finish a task or achieve a goal, I cross it off the list. Reminders that I have to succeed and reminders that I have already succeeded are motivation for me to keep going -- this is what keeps me on track. What do you have to do to make a vision board?Buy a large poster board and fill it with everything mentioned above (or whatever you want). Check Pinterest for ideas from other boards. Above all, make a checklist of the things you want to do, places you want to go, and the goals you want to achieve by year’s end. I promise it’ll help you make it all happen. 

3) Focus on your well-being and improving your overall quality of life.

 How’s your year going? If your immediate thought was that the year is going well, then good for you! If your answer is anything less than that, it’s time to make changes. It’s time to start focusing on yourself and improving your quality of life. How can you do this? Do any or all of the following things: Surround yourself with as much positivity as possible.Eliminate toxic people from your life.Focus on growing within your job.Treat yourself every now and then (whatever this means to you).Eat those cookies but also get to the gym. Spend some time in nature once a week.Spend less time on your phone and on social media.Listen to good music.Cook more.Eat better food and drink more water.Do what makes you happy.Be with people who make you happy.Be the type of person who makes you happy. It may be difficult to make the necessary changes in order to live a better life, but complacency kills. Comfortability is nice, but pushing the boundaries and exploring new possibilities is nicer. Take better care of yourself so you can take better care of others. Do what you have to in order to put yourself closer to (or at) the top of your list of priorities and watch everything else fall into place. Not happy? Become so. When you become happy, life becomes a lot more enjoyable in return. And that’s it!  I know this was a long post -- I’m a wordy person -- but I hope you see value in what I’ve written here and you’ll implement these three changes to your life as necessary. If you enjoyed this post, please share on Facebook and Twitter so we can all start living better this year and moving forward. Also feel free to let me know your thoughts in the comments below! Thanks for reading. :) Related Post: 25 Natural Stress Therapies That Don’t Require Medication 

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20 GIFs That Will Perfectly Sum Up Every Part Of Your Monday

Happy Monday, errbody!  

Here are 20 GIFs that will perfectly sum up every part of your Monday (specifically if you work Mondays):

When your morning alarm goes off 

All images used from GIPHY 

When you finally muster up the strength to get out of bed

 

When you take that first sip of coffee

 

When you start your morning commute

 

10 minutes into your morning commute

 

When you walk into the office

 

When you’re drowning in assignments mid-day and decide to have a third cup of coffee

PS: If anybody knows where I can find this mug, please let me know so I can buy it.

When you realize there’s only an hour left before you leave work for the day (but you still have so much work to do)

 

As soon as the clock strikes 5PM

 

When you start your evening commute

 

10 minutes into your evening commute

 

When you take that first step through your front door

 

And you get to relax for the first time all day

When you remember you still have to cook dinner, do laundry, go to the gym, feed your pets, prepare tomorrow’s lunch, and run all the errands you’ve been putting off for the past month

When you get in the shower after the day is done

[embed]http://giphy.com/gifs/pCz1Mfcjx6g36[/embed] 

That moment when the day comes to a close and it's time to get into bed

The *sigh* when you set your morning alarms

When you swear you’re just going to sleep and NOT scroll through social media on your phone for an hour

When your eyes are too tired from looking at memes and unimportant tweets and Facebook statuses and you NEED to pass out

That moment when you finally close your eyes and get to dream about all of your big plans, goals, and fantasies that you’ll get around to fulfilling tomorrow... or this weekend… sometime... maybe.

...aaaaaaaaand repeat straight through to Thursday night. Thanks for reading! Like what you read? Subscribe or leave a comment below. If you related to this post, please give it a share on Facebook or Twitter. :) 

12 Simple Ways To Be Less Of An Asshole While Driving

The roads are loaded with ignorant, oblivious idiots who don’t look, don’t move, and don’t care. Are you sick of sharing the streets with these dopes? Because I am. You’d be surprised about how many ways there are to decrease your level of shittiness and become more of a decent driver. To avoid writing for a decade, I’ve comprised a short list of essential tips for anyone in need of some driving assistance -- you’re welcome.Without further ado, let’s get started! 

Here are 12 simple ways to be less of an asshole while driving:

1. Don’t cut people off if you don’t have to.

Sometimes it’s inevitable, but if there’s literally a mile in between that person and the next car behind them, just wait three more seconds and pull behind them. 

2. Similarly, let people get in front of you once in awhile.

If you’re not in a rush, it won’t kill you to let someone get in front of you. I promise you’ll get to your destination around the same time. Furthermore... 

3. Allow people to merge ahead of you.

See #2. 

4. Lay off your horn.

Whether it’s 0.5 seconds after the light turns green or for some other irrelevant reason, nothing grinds my gears more than someone honking their damn horn. Stop it. Just stop it. 

5. Speed up when merging onto the highway.

“On” ramps are designed for you to increase your speed to merge with traffic. Do not brake. Step on the gas and GO. Upon successful merge... 

6. Drive faster than the minimum speed limit on the expressway.

It’s called a MINIMUM speed for a reason. You’re allowed to go faster… actually, you’re encouraged to go faster! However, if you do plan to drive less than the average speed limit, at least get in the right lane. Which flawlessly leads us to #7... 

7. If you’re going to drive slowly, get out of the left lane.

It’s actually a pretty simple concept. Right lane: slow lane. Left lane: fast lane. Got it? Great. Let’s move on. 

8. Use your blinker.

Most cars, with the exception of high-class vehicles like BMW, Mercedes, and Audi, were designed with blinkers. These fancy contraptions are not only for directional purposes, but they’re also safety features. Use them. 

9. Don’t ride someone’s ass when they’re doing the speed limit.

Okay, if they’re going super slow, then fine. But if you’re on my ass and I’m keeping up with traffic, I’m intentionally going to drive slowly just to piss you off (which may contribute to being an asshole while driving, but hey, it’s well-deserved). 

10. Let pedestrians cross the road.

I’m guilty of not letting people cross the road when they’re not at a crosswalk, but I always let them go when they are. ESPECIALLY if it’s raining, hot, or unpleasant outside, let pedestrians cross. You’re sheltered inside of a vehicle. They’re not.  And last but certainly not least are these two key points... 

11. Get off your damn phone.

With the wide array of advanced technologies we have now, including but not limited to smartphones with voice-to-text accessibility and Bluetooth devices, there is absolutely no reason for you to have your phone in your hand while navigating a vehicle. Whoever is on the other end can wait for your reply. Keep your eyes on the road. Seriously.   

12. Don’t drink and drive.

It may be safe to say that we’ve all been there -- after a drink or two (or maybe even more), we’ve gotten behind the wheel. Well, STOP IT. DON’T DO IT. It’s not worth incriminating yourself and endangering the lives of others. Request an Uber. Call a cab. Have a DD. Just don’t drink and drive... please.Whether you are an asshole driver or you know someone who is, I’m sure you know at least one person who could stand to take a look at this list. So please, share this post and spread the word, and maybe together we can make the roads a better place with fewer shitty people.

Happy New Year: It's Time To Review, Cleanse & Start Anew

December is coming to a close which means another year has officially passed by.Congratulations, you’ve made it!Whereas others won’t have the chance to ring in the new year, you will. Too many of us look past this blessing and unintentionally continue to do the same old thing we’ve been doing for the last 12 months (or longer).A new year is symbolic for several reasons. It is a time to make resolutions and implement ways to fulfill them. It is a celebratory period to welcome the new, the exciting, and the unknown with loved ones. It is the reset button to cleanse your life of the toxicity that has built up and resonated with you throughout the past year. It is the chance to let go of whatever and whoever causes you unnecessary stress and move forward in clarity and positivity. Essentially, a new year is an opportunity to wipe the slate clean and start anew. Do yourself a favor before the new year arrives… Reflect on your past year and ask yourself questions. Are you happy with how it played out? What do you have the ability to change? What can you do differently in the future to improve your quality of life? How do you plan to make sure you don’t make the same mistakes? Who doesn’t serve a beneficial purpose if your life anymore? Who do you want to grow closer to? What/who is in your life now that is/isn’t conducive to your well-being? Create a list of goals, both short and long-term, that you’d like to achieve before the next 365 days are up.Devise solid plans to set those goals into motion, including what you can do as soon as the calendar marks January 1st as well as what you plan to do at some point before the year is over. With every beginning comes change and transition. Choose to break out of your comfort zone and grow. Remember, out of all the people in this entire world, the only one who is in charge of giving you a better life is YOU. Whatever happens over the course of the next 12 months, I hope your actions bring you happiness and fill your heart with joy. I hope you don’t feel “stuck” and you make the changes that may be difficult but necessary in order to live a more fulfilling life. I hope you surround yourself with wonderful people who believe in your dreams and support you in all you decide to pursue. I hope you smash your goals and surprise yourself with how powerful and capable you truly are. I hope you find good health, an abundance of love, great luck, and all of the great things you deserve. Happy new year, everyone!  Did you accomplish everything you set out to do this year? Did you reach your goals or surpass them? What are your resolutions for the new year? I’d love to hear. Feel free to let me know in the comments below. Related Post You May Like: 17 Things I Wish I Could Tell My Younger SelfRelated Post You May Like: 3 Reasons Why You Should Eliminate Toxic People From Your Life

8 Cold Harsh Truths About Modern Dating

Welcome to the age of the hookup culture and technology-induced awkward interactions!  Modern dating is absolutely horrendous for an infinite amount of reasons. Even with all of the dating apps available for use today, including but not limited to Tinder, Bumble (check out my Bumble BFF review!), Match.com, POF, Christian Mingle, SugarDaddie, Gluten-Free Singles, and EVEN Tindog for dog lovers, we still struggle to find a suitable significant other. Aside from technology, we have opportunities to meet people in person through mutual friends, by going out on weekends, attending school, etc., etc., but somehow, someway, it is damn near impossible to find somebody worthy of our consistent time and effort. Here are 8 cold harsh truths about modern dating: 1. Dating apps fucking suck. This person seems cool… Yay, we matched! But we’re never going to message each other... and if one of us does, the other one isn’t going to respond... and if one of us does, our conversation will last for a day… oh, wait, you just want to meet up to have sex? Fabulous. 2. Texting for too long before finally meeting someone makes things awkward and even slightly uncomfortable.By communicating for an extended period of time before any face-to-face interactions take place, we build up this (oftentimes unrealistic) image of who this person is or should be. When the time comes that you finally meet him/her, that image almost always never matches up to reality. We set ourselves up for disappointment and might even stop talking to that person -- then jump start this vicious cycle back up once again. 3. Social media has tainted our perception of what real relationship goals (and real relationships) truly are.News flash: wearing matching outfits is NOT a #relationshipgoal. Wanna know what IS a relationship goal? Commitment. Loyalty. Respect. Compatibility. Oh, and “Facebook official” shouldn't be the defining factor of whether or not you're officially dating/in a relationship.  4. Everything is a game, and the winner is usually the one who cares the least and/or plays hard-to-get the best.Is it just a social norm, or is it immaturity? Either way, it’s annoying and a shame. You can’t text first but you want to talk to this person/start over thinking when you go without contact for too long. Don’t respond too soon or too late. You shouldn’t have to play games in order to keep someone’s attention, but I suppose when you find the right one, he/she won’t play games. 5. Nobody wants to have small talk, but it's hard to find somebody who knows how to hold a deep conversation. Let’s talk. By talk, I mean talk. Tell me about yourself. Share a dream, fear, or goal with me. Ask about my hobbies and I’ll ask about yours. 6. If you’re shy and/or always busy and/or don’t enjoy going out/getting drunk/hanging out in bars on weekends, the chances of meeting new people are pretty slim. 'nuff said (and if you’re going to say you can just resort to dating apps, see #1). 7. Relationships are practically disposable nowadays if your S/O doesn't act right 100% of the time. Bae ain’t texting you enough throughout the day? Did he send a text without an emoji? Ugh! Toss him/her in the trash, download Tinder, and start swiping to find that special someone who will act right. 8. Everybody wants to hook up and nobody wants to commit.Many people have goals of starting a family and settling down before they’re 30. Unfortunately, an inability to commit restricts many of us from achieving those goals. We are fearful of committing in case something better is out there. It’s easier to commit to a hookup culture and a one night "Netflix & Chill" rather than actually date and seek a life partner. Never settle, of course, but be willing to work for what you truly want, otherwise everything will always be disposable. What is your experience with dating in this day and age? Let me know in the comments below! Feel free to share your Tinder fails or your interesting first date story or how you found your special someone. I’d love to hear about it. Also, if you agree with or relate to these cold harsh truths, please give this post a share on Facebook or Twitter! May the (modern dating) odds be ever in your favor. :)

3 Reasons Why You Should Eliminate Toxic People From Your Life

Have you ever had a friend that just totally dragged you down? And whenever you’re around this person, you feel so drained and so low, so much so that you practically can’t wait to stop hanging out with this person just so you can be alone and recharge? Because I have. I like to call these people “energy vampires.” Disclaimer: This post is not about having friends with problems. I’m talking about purely negative people. The Negative Nancys. The ones who are never happy for you. The ones who never have anything good to say about anything. The ones who suck the life of out you with their inability to be anything other than pessimistic and toxic. What I want to discuss in this post is why it is so important to cleanse yourself of those energy vampires who are stealing your precious time and well-being.Although the list is infinite in length, here are three crucial reasons why you should eliminate toxic people from your life: 

1. Negativity breeds negativity (and positivity breeds positivity!).

 Let’s start with an analogy.Have you ever had a bad start to your day? Did you think to yourself, “This day is off to a shitty start. Let’s see what else could go wrong...”?Suddenly, something else went wrong... then something else went wrong… then something else went wrong… until your day was a complete whirlwind of crap that left you wondering what the hell happened and where the hell you went wrong?I’ll tell you where you went wrong. You set yourself up for failure.If you expect bad things to happen, bad things will happen. If you anticipate good things to happen, the likelihood of good things happening increases. If you changed your way of thinking -- if you changed your attitude and your perception -- and said, “well, that sucked, but it’s okay. The rest of this day will be better,” then chances are your day would have gone a helluva lot smoother. Yeah, yeah, I know what you’re thinking...“So you’re telling me that all I have to do is think my day is going to go well and it will? Sounds like total bullshit to me.” Yup! 100%. No bullshit. In fact, that’s what many refer to as “The Secret” and I just shared it with you. I’m not making this shit up, I promise. It’s the law of attraction. There are books about it. Read about it. Research it. Thank me later.You’re welcome. 

2. By ridding your life of toxicity, you make room for better things to take its place.

 Have you ever heard of the saying “stress kills”? Yes? That’s because it does (it’s actually not even a saying… it’s more of a universal truth backed by studies).Toxicity practically translates to stress. By ridding your life of stress, you'll naturally feel more at ease. The same goes for the type of people with whom you surround yourself. If you hang out with negative people, then you surround yourself with negative energy. Negative energy is contagious and leads to an increase in your level of stress (unless you’re a superhuman who just doesn’t give a fuck about anything -- then props to you). Less stress = happiness.It’s a no-brainer.Rid yourself of those wicked energy vampires to clear up space for new, better things to enter. You’ll notice that the more positive people and vibes you engage with, you’ll have more positive experiences and a healthier mental outlook as a result. 

3. You regain valuable headspace, time, and energy to focus on yourself.

 No matter what you’re seeking, you’ll ultimately recover the ability to focus on YOU. My whole point here is based on this simple principle. By decreasing the headspace, time, and energy used for external sources that do nothing but bring you down, you regain those vital elements to spend on yourself… or whatever the hell you want to spend them on. The opportunities are endless! Those 3+hours you would have spent hanging out with that person you feel obligated to see despite not wanting to because you know it’ll depress you? Now you can spend that time doing what YOU want to do -- either alone or with your new, non-vampirous friend(s)! SCORE. If you made it this far into my post, thank you. Really. It was a long one, and although you might think I’m a total wack job, I’ve composed this post and these reasons from my experiences with energy vampires and throwing them out of my proximity.I never said it would be easy, but what I am saying is that it’s worth it. You just have to be willing to make the cut.Now go ahead and cut that toxicity out of your life. Cut him/her/them right out then reward yourself with a nice, big, delicious cup of IDGAF-about-you-anymore/you-ain’t-gonna-stress-me-out-ever-again/I-love-my-sanity-more-than-your-insanity tea. Or coffee. Whichever your preference.Either way, sip that shit and enjoy it in your new sense of peace.

16 Reasons Why Fall Is The Best Time Of Year

Fall is officially here, and life just got 100x better (and it's not just because pumpkin spice lattes are back). Here are 16 reasons why fall is the best time of year: 

No more sweating

Mosquitoes and wasps retreat back to hell

BYE, EVIL BEINGS.

You no longer have to worry about maintaining your beach bod

Oh, how I’ve missed you, ice cream and everything else non-dietetic.

Fashion

Flannels, oversized sweaters, hoodies, scarves, boots...

It’s acceptable to wear dark colors again

I mean, I wear black every day of the year anyway, but it’s more acceptable when it’s cooler out. Why? I don’t know.

Football and hockey season is back

The game, wings, beers. Life is good.

New TV shows

New seasons = binge-watching your favorite TV shows!

Roasted corn at local farm stands

(above is an actual video taken of me eating corn)

Apple and pumpkin picking

 Speaking of pumpkins… 

Pumpkin beer

With a cinnamon sugar rim? Flawless.

Pumpkin everything

No, seriously EVERYTHING. PSLs, muffins, pie, ice cream, coffee creamer...

Leaves change color

Not many sights are quite as beautiful as trees covered in multi-colored leaves.

Halloween

COSTUMES.

Thanksgiving

FOOD.

Bonfires

Perfect cuddling weather

Technically you never need a reason to cuddle, but cooler weather just somehow has a way of making it that much better. Did I miss your favorite part of fall? Let me know in the comments below! 

What It’s Like To Not Be A Party Girl On The Weekends, Or Ever

If you’re wondering what I’m doing on a Friday or Saturday night, I’ll probably be doing the same thing as always. But I won’t be out drunk partying all night. I won’t be seeking a next one night stand, and, no, I certainly won’t be in a pair of heels or a short dress.

Not that there’s anything wrong with anything mentioned above… you just won’t find me like that.Rather, you’ll find me hanging out at one of my favorite local coffee shops. You’ll find me home in my bed or sitting on the couch with my mom watching TV. You’ll find me going for a walk down Main Street or sitting by the water with a friend. You’ll find me reading a book or working on my blog or learning how to produce music. You’ll occasionally find me doing something more exciting. You could find me grabbing food or watching the game/fight with friends out in town. You might see me at a show watching one of my favorite artists perform. You may even catch me making a spontaneous trip into the city to check out museums or cool parks. You could even pass me on the expressway, listening to good music, with no destination, solo or not.If/when I do wind up going out, it’ll probably be at a local, low-key spot. I might have a drink or two (I do love my tequila and red wine), but I know damn well that I won’t drink too much and I’ll most likely be home earlier than everyone else. I won’t have a headache in the morning, and I won’t be throwing up before I go to bed and/or after I wake up. I’ll also remember what I did the night before -- I’ll actually have a head full of memories created 12 hours prior. However, I promise I’m not boring. I also promise that I won’t judge you or anybody else for living a different lifestyle than I do. Sometimes I wish I could keep up with those who can drink beer after beer and shot after shot night after night… but I can’t, so I don’t pretend to. But I will probably be up until 3AM! I’ll just be in my bed and it’ll be from one of the cups of caffeine I had earlier or a typical case of insomnia due to my brain that doesn’t have the ability to shut off so easily at night.I’ve grown to willingly accept texts making fun of me for not coming out. I’ve accepted the fact that I’m the grandma of my friend group. You’ve heard the saying “I didn’t choose the thug life -- the thug life chose me?” Well, I don’t know if I chose the grandma life or the grandma life chose me, but either way, I’m okay with it. The heels and the late nights in bars and the hangover in the morning weekend lifestyle just isn’t for me. I’d rather be in a coffee shop in jeans and a hoodie with my laptop or a book and a hazelnut latte with almond milk. It’s all good -- promise. I’m just not a party girl on the weekends, or ever. And I’m totally fine with that.

Dear Future, I Need To Let You Go

Dear Future,I don’t know you. I don’t even know if we’ll ever meet. I mean, I hope we do, but nothing is promised, you know. Well, I’ve been thinking about you a lot lately so I figured I’d write you a letter.The past year or so has been a roller coaster. Career changes, life changes, lives lost, lessons learned, events passed, and it’s all got me thinking about what’s going to happen next.What’s in store for me tomorrow? Next month? Year? Decade? Will I ever get married, let alone find a steady partner? Will I solidify a steady income and buy a house? Will I get to travel the world like I’ve always wanted to do? Will I live in my home state forever or will I ever finally decide to venture out and explore new boundaries? I’m not even promised tomorrow, and yet I’m so worried about what the future will hold.So, Future, I’ve come to the decision that I need to let you go. It’s time to change the way I think and the way I live my life. I need to stop worrying about what’s to come and rather focus on the present moment. I dwell so much on what I can be doing later instead of what I can be doing right now, and now my goals are slipping away simply because I keep putting them off until tomorrow tomorrow tomorrow.No more.Future, I’m taking you for granted, and it’s doing more harm than good.I need to get my head in the NOW because the NOW is all I ever truly have. I can spend so much of my time and energy on what could happen when absolutely nothing is ever set in stone. All I’m really able to do is work on my current situation with the time I’m allotted to fulfill any goals I have right now. Of course, I’m still going to work toward my long-term goals and make long-term plans in case I’m granted the chance to make it that far. And, of course, little worries are going to find their way to the forefront of my mind, but you know what? I’m going to stop giving them as much weight as they’re being given right now.Future, I need to let you go. It’s time for a change, and that time is now.

Why It's Important To Shine Light On Dark Topics Like The Stanford Rape Case

We've likely all heard about the Stanford rape case that has recently been circulating the media.By slim chance you haven't, in short, Brock Turner was caught by two Swedish bicyclists sexually assaulting a 23-year-old woman, repeatedly referred to as “the unconscious woman” or “the victim” in news articles, behind a dumpster on the Stanford University college campus. Although the jury found Turner guilty of three counts of sexual assault, equating to a total jail time of 14 years, Judge Aaron Persky let Turner off easy with a six-month sentence because he felt jail time would “severely impact” him and his future athletic goals.Since the conviction, multiple news platforms, including but not limited to BuzzFeed, CNN, NPR, FOX, and The New York Times, have covered the case. Additionally, our social news feeds and search engines have been saturated with posts and articles regarding the situation.I've witnessed friends of all races debate how wrong it is for a privileged college student, swimmer, white male to be sentenced to six short months in jail for a crime worse than what many black males have been previously convicted of and are serving more time for.I've witnessed multiple female friends reveal their personal rape stories and state how situations like this justify there’s no faith in the judicial system for victims like them.I've witnessed male friends come forward and say this court case sets a miserable example for women and women's rights and how livid they'd be if this happened to their wife, mother, sister, or daughter.Although the posts ranged in sentiment, there was an underlying common bond throughout them all. There was a sense of unity that brought everyone together under one common cause that needed to be discussed.The general consensus was that something had to be said and done about the blatant injustice at hand.After this past week alone, change has already begun to occur. Brock Turner is now banned from USA Swimming for life. Judge Aaron Petsky is now facing a potential recall of his judicial position due to a series of inappropriate sentences and similar actions during the course of his career.Although it could be wishful thinking, I’d like to believe this is a direct result of the powerful force we, as a collective people, have created. Whether it was from our outcries of emotion and a demand for change or some other forces of good, our voices have been heard and something has been done.This should stand as a lesson to us all that we, the people, DO still have power, and we, the people, DO still possess the ability to make a change.No matter how dark or how grim or risqué or “hush hush” the topic at hand may be, whether it's rape, murder, gender equality, human rights, racism, abuse, political scandals, or any other potentially controversial situation that stands to be addressed, this is exactly what needs to happen. We need to stand united against the wrong and fight for our beliefs in what is right.This is how a nation should be -- as the pledge of allegiance that we once upon a time repeated day-in and day-out itself states, we are “one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” We are not as different as we may seem to be. We all crave fairness and equality and the fundamental human rights we deserve no matter our race, gender, sexual orientation, or religion.By standing and fighting together, we can demand and produce change. By pushing whatever nonexistent differences we have aside and instead choose to work together, we can create miracles. We have the ability to be loud enough to revolutionize and incite change. Let’s continue to use this power and fight for the other hundreds or thousands of inequalities and injustices we are faced with as human beings in America and across the globe so maybe one day we will eventually know peace, liberty, and justice for all.