Category: love: personal growth

Categories
love: inspiration love: personal growth love: self-care

You Are Worthy of Your Dreams

photo of an elderly woman sitting on a sofa
Photo by Ron Lach on Pexels.com



Everyone has a dream.

Not a dream like you have when you’re sound asleep – but a dream that you feel deep inside your bones that you long for.

The majority of us think of our dreams as something unattainable, something too good to come true.

FALSE

Your dreams are important and quite frankly, too good NOT to come true.

We live on this earth, dealing with chaos and stressors related to family, work, school, politics, health, friends, relationships… the list goes on.

We work our butts off in hopes to retire when we turn 65 or 70 years old.

But WHY are we doing this??

Why are we waiting until our life is more than half over to start doing what we love and start living our DREAMS??

Many self-limiting reasons come to mind when we think about the why.

Time, money, responsibilities… But one reason that might not come to you right away, the one reason that might actually be the most important, is self-worth.

The #1 reason why people aren’t out there pursuing their dreams is because they lack a sense of self-worth and self-confidence.

What is self-worth?

Self-worth is defined as an internal state of being that comes from self-understanding, self-love, and self-acceptance.

Self-worth is unshakeable and steady, because of that it holds the power to completely transform your life for the better.

When you have a high level of self-worth, you have faith in yourself. You believe that you are worthy of your dreams – whether that be happiness, wealth, freedom, success, or love.

Okay, you get it. Having self-worth is amazing and pretty much necessary to go after your dreams and everything you desire for yourself.

Soooo how do we gain a sense of self-worth?

It’s simple really. The key is that you need to get to know yourself on a deeper level. Understand who you are and how you see yourself.

To do this, ask yourself these 4 questions:

  1. What are your 3 favorite qualities about yourself?
    This can be anything about yourself that you like. It can be your personality, your drive for success, the way you look, the way you dance… Just think of 3 qualities you possess that you love. Now consider how each of these qualities can help lead you to personal or professional growth.

  2. What are 3 qualities that you wish you had?
    Okay, now on the other hand, think of 3 qualities that you don’t see in yourself but wish you did. Think about why these qualities are important to you. It is now a goal of yours to develop these qualities; come up with a plan to attain them.

  3. What is a fear that you overcame and how did you do it?
    Overcoming a fear of yours shows true growth. This fear of yours can be anything from going to the doctor, to speaking up to your boss about a concern, to interviewing for a job that feels above your pay grade. Regardless of the outcome, you did it. Remind yourself of what steps you took to help yourself be so courageous and confident.

  4. How do you define success for yourself?
    It can be helpful for you to define your own success and what you wish to attain for yourself. Once you spend some time to reflect on this, it will be easier for you to create an environment that encourages you to meet those goals.

Once you can fully understand and answer these questions, you will be able to carve a path for yourself to continue to work on your confidence and grow your sense of self-worth.

Need a little motivation to start really working towards your dreams?

Check out my pep-talk: Start Living Your Dream Life

Categories
love: personal growth

Pep Talk: Start Living Your Dream Life

Your dream life… Can you picture it?

Take a moment and think about what your dream life is to you…

What do you wish you could be doing every day to make you your happiest self?

Are you by yourself? Are you with the love of your life? Your friends? Your kids?

Do you go to work in an office every day? Do you work outside? Working from home and setting your own schedule?

Maybe you’re a stay-at-home mama, or maybe you’re traveling the world?

I’m working on my dream life right now, and I have a vision for my end goal.

Myself, my husband, and my babies are outside enjoying the sunshine on the weekends. I can feel the ocean breeze while we’re in the backyard of our beach-front house.

During the week, I set my own schedule and I work from home. I’m finally happy with my career and love what I do for a living.

Whatever your dream life is, now is the time to get started on it.

I’m going to sound super cliche right now… but you only live once.

What are you waiting for??

Live your life for you. Do what makes you happy and get started on that dream life of yours.

Feeling motivated yet?

Click here to learn how to start living your dream life.

Categories
love: inspiration love: personal growth

Start Living Your Dream Life

woman in grey jacket sits on bed uses grey laptop
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

Feeling ready to start that dream life of yours?

Step number 1 is defining for yourself what your dream life truly is…

So, if you don’t know what exactly that looks like, or you feel like you just can’t get there, here’s a quick pep talk before you go any further.

Ready now? Have a seat, get cozy, and just focus for these next few minutes.

#1. Determine what your dream life looks like.

Consider the who, the where, and the what. Be honest with yourself, what do you want out of life?

Right now, some of these things you’re envisioning might be out of your comfort zone or feel too good to be true.

But those dreams are in your heart for a reason; get real and come to the conclusion that you can achieve anything if you put in the work.

#2. Put a plan together and start taking step-by-step action.

Break down you dream life into categories and make a plan with steps for each category.

Consider this… If you want to lose weight, you should start by making a plan consisting of a healthy diet, exercise schedule, etc.

If you want to quit your job and start traveling the world, you should start by making a plan of how you’re going to financially support yourself. Do you have an emergency fund, will you be working remote and on the go?

Having a dream and just “winging it” can be extremely stressful and overwhelming.

If you break it down and make a plan, you’ll find that your dream is attainable if you just follow the steps to make it happen.

#3. Stay focused and intentional.

Stay focused and adjust the way you see the world. “Your beliefs create your consciousness, your consciousness creates your reality, and your reality is maintained by the way your mind filters information.”

Here’s an example:

You find a new car that you love, and you make the purchase. It’s yours. Suddenly, you realize you are seeing that same car out on the road everywhere you go.

Now obviously, you know that not all of these cars were purchased on the same day that you got yours… you’re just noticing them more now.

When you bought your new car, you were sending the signal to your mind that “this car is important to me”. Because of that, your mind is now showing you these cars that have always been there.

If you focus your attention on what you want and what you need to do, opportunities will become more noticeable to you.

#4. Consistency (and courage) is key.

Being consistent in your plan is very important.

Think of all the steps you need to work on right now to get closer to living your dream life and try to turn them into habits.

Eventually, we will all have a day (multiple days, actually) that we feel like giving up on our plan.

Don’t.

Allow yourself to take a break… but after a day or two, revisit what your dream life looks like and remind yourself why you’re working so hard to get there.

Jump back into it once you find your motivation and have the courage to keep moving forward.

#5. Put a stop to any self-limiting beliefs.

There’s no doubt about it, everyone working towards their dream life will at some point be hit by a self-limiting belief.

It’s important to learn how to overcome these limiting beliefs that you might have about yourself.

Identify what your self-limiting beliefs are and how they impact the way you live your life.

An example of this is thinking you are not worthy or qualified enough. In return, you might never allow yourself to apply for opportunities leading to your dream career.

Another example is thinking that you cannot handle conflict or confrontation. In return, you might never stand up for yourself and find yourself giving into others even when you disagree.

Once you identify your self-limiting beliefs, challenge yourself by developing new behaviors and positive beliefs.

Also, take a moment to think back on all the things you have accomplished. Have you proved any of your self-limiting beliefs wrong while accomplishing those things? Most likely.

Self-limiting beliefs only cause you to have a negative mindset.

Work on your mindset and your confidence and keep working towards those dreams, girl. I believe in you!

Remember, life is short.

Don’t waste your time being unhappy when you can be achieving your goals and living your dream life.

Your dream life is not only attainable, but also important.

Categories
love: personal growth love: self-care

10 Signs You’re an Introvert

Do you enjoy spending time alone? Are you usually ‘the quiet one’ in a group of others? Do you find yourself making excuses to stay in your cozy robe at home rather than attending a party?

If that sounds like you, you might be an introvert just like me.

What really is an introvert?

I’m sure you’ve heard the word before – but many people have misconceptions of what it really means to be an introvert. Let’s clarify!

An introvert is someone who prefers calm, minimally stimulating environments. While some introverts might enjoy socializing with friends, after a while it leaves us feeling drained; this is when we need alone time to recharge ourselves.

Did you know that 30-50% of people in the U.S. are introverts?

It’s perfectly normal and you shouldn’t feel any shame.

One misconception that people have regarding introverts is that they wish they weren’t introverts…

This isn’t the case! The majority of introverts are happy with their chill lifestyle and wouldn’t trade their cozy, quiet alone time for anything.

Thinking you might be an introvert?

Here are 10 signs that you’re probably right.

1. You enjoy spending time by yourself.

This is likely the most obvious one. While many introverts enjoy a bit of social time, we still look forward to getting home, getting cozy, and soaking in the silence. Introverts require this alone time to recharge from socializing. This doesn’t mean we like to be alone all the time… Yes, we like to be alone – but we don’t like to be lonely.

2. You feel lonelier surrounded by others than when you’re actually alone.

When you’re surrounded by a group of others who are not introverts, you feel pressured to be chatty and make conversation. You begin to feel socially awkward, shy, fatigued, and disconnected from your true self. Feeling out of place or that you look like a wallflower in these types of situations, is a huge sign that you’re an introvert.

3. When it comes to expressing your thoughts or feelings, you’re better at writing them than speaking them.

Whether it’s a birthday card, a simple to-do list, or a note used to confront someone, introverts tend to express their thoughts and feelings very thoroughly when it’s with pen and paper than a face-to-face conversation.

Here’s a personal example of my own…

When I was younger and living with my parents, my step-dad and I didn’t see eye to eye very often. I remember having to have conversations at the dinner table with him and I could never get to fully express what I wanted to say because I would leave the table in tears and run to my room. Not because I was scared or in trouble, but because I was frustrated and couldn’t get my points across.

Since then, any time that I have something serious that I need to speak about with someone (even my husband), I tend to write it all down on paper first. I make sure I get each and every one of my points out there; because I know if I try to have the entire conversation face-to-face, my mind will not be able to handle it and many things will be left unsaid.

4. Being the center of attention is not something you wish for.

Everyone wants to feel important and wants to feel seen, but introverts like to feel this from afar. For example, when you have an idea at work, you’d rather speak with your boss one-on-one (or better yet, send an email) than to bring up your suggestion during the staff meeting in front of all your co-workers.

5. You don’t always know what to say.

You’ll end a conversation and then realize what you should have said after the fact… Struggling with word retrieval is very common for introverts. Once the conversation is over, you’ll likely be able to recharge and then the right words will come to you (unfortunately, a little later than hoped for).

6. You never stop talking to yourself inside your head.

Basically, you have an inner monologue that never stops. Your mind is constantly racing and the voice inside your head is always talking to you… About the past, what you need to do the next day, something awkward you said 2 years ago… You just can’t seem to shut off your inner thoughts.

7. You work better with less social stimulation.

You’re easily distracted when working with a group of others. Things might become feeling hectic and you feel overwhelmed and unfocused. However, in solitude, you can do some of your best thinking.

8. An introvert strength: You’re very self-aware.

Because introverts spend so much time alone, they have the opportunity to really get to know themselves inside and out. Introverts enjoy gaining a deeper knowledge of themselves and their motivations. More often than not, you’ll find that introverts choose to explore hobbies and books that are of great importance to them. They know what they like.

9. You lean towards jobs that are more independent.

Introverts don’t typically apply for jobs that consist of a lot of social interaction. Careers that offer a more independent setting like an accountant, writer, or computer programmer are much more appealing to introverts. Most of us are also very much all about that work from home lifestyle.

10. You try to avoid small talk at all costs.

If you’re like me and think small talk is one of the worst things on the planet, you’re probably an introvert. There have been many instances when I open the front door and step outside to take out the trash, just to quickly walk back inside because I notice one of my neighbors out in their yard. Or what about seeing someone you know from high school…

Introverts dread that “Hi! How have you been?” small talk, so we tend to quickly look the other way and walk in a direction that we weren’t even headed, just to avoid it altogether.

Are you an introvert?

Add yourself to my mailing list for more posts regarding our amazing introvert lifestyle.

JOIN THE FAM

Categories
love: personal growth love: self-care

#1 Self-Care + Productivity Journal “Silk + Sonder”

Subscribe to the blog for a 15% off Silk + Sonder Journal discount code!

SUBSCRIBE

I’m insanely passionate about all thing’s productivity, setting goals, self-care, and mental health.

I’ve tried countless tips and tricks in the attempt to boost all of the above, and finally I stumbled upon Silk + Sonder.

Though I was skeptical at first, I read tons of real reviews from and did some research on the Silk + Sonder company.

I learned that the journal is backed by evidence-based science, powered by a huge community of wonderful and empowered people, and based on the reviews… it made an incredible impact in the lives of those who gave it a shot.

S + S was created to help lovely people like yourself prep, plan, and organize your life while also staying focused on your emotional health and allowing you to treat yourself to some (much needed) self-care.

It quickly became obvious to me that this journal was something I needed to try.

I purchased one for myself and one for my beautiful sister-in-law.

Silk + Sonder will help you…

Increase IQ and memory

Heal trauma

Reduce anxiety and stress

Build positive habits

Unlock mental clarity and focus

There are multiple subscription options available so you can do what works best for you.

For less than $20, you get an adorable journal that has been perfectly curated by proven positive psychology.

Inside are bullet journal techniques, guided prompts and self-help layouts, wellness trackers, dated calendar spreads, and so much more for easy creativity, focus, and fun.

I recommend taking just 5 minutes each day to ground yourself and get unstuck – whether your goal is to build a healthy productive routine or to find some balance in the midst of chaos.

Once you receive your journal, you’ll also get access to the exclusive Sonder App which is filled with personalized self-care activities and accountability.

I’m obsessed with my S + S journal and the way that it has completely changed my day-to-day life for the better.

I have a special code for any new S+S members to receive 15% off their journal… Subscribe to the blog to receive your code via email!

SUBSCRIBE

View Silk + Sonder Journal Here

Categories
love: personal growth love: self-care

7 Step Morning Routine for a Great Day

Hey lovely! Welcome back.

If you’re reading this and looking for a great, simple morning routine, you’re most likely just about to crawl into bed for the night or just woke up and are having a hard time crawling out of bed for the day.

Either way, I don’t want to take up too much of your time, so I’ll cut to the chase for this one!

Practicing a quality morning routine works wonders for your mind, body and spirit.

Turn these practices into habits, and soon enough you will be happy to wake up at 6:00 AM and start your day off on the right side of the bed.

Step 1

You’re probably not gonna like me for this one… Stop hitting snooze.

It’s so tempting but don’t do it.

Getting those extra few minutes of sleep won’t make a difference.

And did you know that hitting the snooze button actually does more harm than good??

Your body is very smart. You have a biological clock that knows your sleep cycle. The sleep cycle starts preparing you to wake up 1 hour before you actually do by releasing dopamine and cortisol.

If you hit snooze and fall back asleep, you fall back into a deeper sleep than before. Once your alarm goes off for the second time, it interrupts your sleep cycle, making you even more tired.

That’s when the vicious cycle of hitting snooze begins again.

One tip to combat that tempting snooze button is to set your original alarm a little bit later.

For example: You don’t have to wake up until 6:30, but you set an alarm at 6:00, hitting snooze every 10 minutes until finally getting out of bed at 6:30.

Can you see how this interrupts your sleep cycle and interferes with your body releasing hormones to wake you naturally?

Getting that extra 30 minutes of interrupted sleep between 6:00 and 6:30 allows you to get quality rest. Breaking that 30 minutes up into 10-minute intervals, messes with your sleep cycle, causing you to feel more tired and groggy throughout the day.

Step 2

Wash your face (with an invigorating cleanser).

As skincare obsessed as I am, I hope you already wash your face every morning.

But even if you’re not getting into the shower right away, or usually eat breakfast first, the first thing you should do after waking up is walk to the bathroom and washing your face with cool water.

Not only does it feel incredibly refreshing and help to wake you up a bit, but the cool water helps to close your pores, relieve puffiness and even prevents acne (hot water strips your skin of its natural oils that it needs to prevent breakouts and stay hydrated).

Since we’re on the topic of face washing… I have to share with you my all-time favorite facial cleanser: New Groove Hemp Wash.

It’s a gel that turns to a foam as you wash your face, minty and invigorating to help wake you up, and infused with full-spectrum hemp oil to limit breakouts, unnecessary oils, redness and even wrinkles.

Alsoooo, I’m an animal lover and every purchase you make on this website goes towards rescuing abused and neglected animals (I’m not crying, you are).

Check out the New Groove Hemp Wash here.

Step 3

Drink a large glass of water.

When you wake up in the morning, your body is naturally dehydrated.

Aside from that, drinking water when you first wake up has many benefits like…

  • promoting weight loss
  • keep skin radiant and clear
  • stops headaches
  • increases mental activity (I need all I can get in AM)
  • relieves sinus symptoms
  • helps with cell renewal

Step 4

Stretch your body.

Working out in the morning is amazing. Props to everyone that does that, but it is not for me. If you don’t exercise in the morning, just make sure you at least get some good stretches in.

Stretching your body has obvious benefits such as improving your posture and flexibility.

But stretching also jumpstarts your brain, relieves stress, and improves your mood… all things that make for a better morning.

Take 5 minutes, even 2 if that’s all you have time for, and stretch your arms, legs, back, neck… even your fingers and your toes.

Step 5

Stay off your phone first thing in the morning.

If you’re tired when you wake up, you’ll probably want to scroll social media on your phone because you’re sleepy and want to distract yourself from everything else you should be doing in the morning.

Scrolling on your phone in the morning is not only a distraction that can cause you to be late for work or whatever other activities that are on your calendar, but it also depletes your energy.

Checking your phone first thing can also cause information overload; something you don’t want to deal with in the morning. This can make it harder for your mind to stay on track and prioritize your tasks for the day.

Step 6

Make your bed.

It sounds so simple; how can this really help?

If you already make your bed every morning, good for you! If not, it’s time you start. Here’s why:

  • develops consistency and self-discipline
  • gives you momentum to start your day
  • gives you a sense of self accomplishment
  • can be a great mindful exercise – perfect time to gather your thoughts
  • it looks good!

Step 7

Set 3 goals for the day.

It’s always good to set goals for yourself. Setting goals every day can help to create healthy habits for yourself.

No matter how small or large the goal might be, setting goals helps you to focus and prioritize what you need to do to get to where you want to be.

Goals can be as simple as drinking 200 ounces of water today or putting the laundry away.

You can even set bigger goals such as gaining a new customer at work, making a big sale, or putting your phone away for 3 hours.

Whatever it is, setting 3 goals for yourself every morning is a great way to keep yourself motivated all day long.

Any must-have steps in your morning routine that you’d like to share? Let me know in the comments!

Categories
love: personal growth love: self-care

How To Be Your Happiest Self

close up photography of person wearing pink house slippers
Photo by Lisa Fotios on Pexels.com

Hey lovely!

Maybe you’re reading this because you’ve been feeling kinda low lately… maybe you feel pretty happy already but have that gut feeling that something in your life is missing.

Either way, keep on reading and you’ll learn how to be your happiest self and feel completely fulfilled within your life.

First things first… you need you think of everything in your life that is not bringing you joy or purpose and let it go.

I want you to grab a pen and paper and list everything in your life that is making you feel: down, angry, scared, jealous, tired, or any other negative emotion.

Got your list?

Now cross off everything on your list that you can erase out of existence.

Not everything on your list will be something you can cross off… for example, struggling with money to pay the bills isn’t something you can just toss away and ignore.

For these things, I want you to list an action that you can take to change that thing from a negative emotion to a positive emotion.

Basically, set a goal that will eventually make it so that you are able to cross that thing off of your list.

An example of this could be: If you’re struggling with money to pay the bills, an action to take would be saving money by not getting that $9 coffee on the way to work every morning… another action could be starting a money jar and putting aside any extra change you have to begin saving.

Work towards these goals.

It can be easy to fall off and lose motivation – look back at this list and remember the reason you started it in the first place.

Next, I want you to define your true happiness.

Write down what you want in your dream life. Write down what makes you happy, what makes you feel fulfilled.

  • Is it a sense of belonging that makes you feel happy?
  • Is it the feeling of having a purpose or making an impact that makes you feel happy?
  • Is it having absolute freedom in your daily life that makes you happy?

Whatever it is, write it down. How are you supposed to be your happiest self if you can’t define what it is that will make you truly happy?

Now just like we did before, we are going to list actions that you can take to help you get to the bottom of those things that would make you happy.

Don’t think too big here, think realistic. Think of the small steps that you can take that will eventually lead to larger steps. Don’t stress yourself out by setting extreme goals – you need to take it one step at a time.

Now that you have your actions or goals that you need to take to get those things that will make you happy, you need to turn these actions into habits. Make these actions a routine in your day to day life. Make them something that you look forward to GET to do each day rather than something you’re dreading that you HAVE to do.

Here are some key tips to help you turn these actions into habits:

1. Make an appointment with yourself.

Think about it like a doctor appointment – you might not want to go but you’re still going to. You’re not just going to skip your appointment.

Set a reminder on your phone or write your action on your calendar (if you’re still old school like me and have a wall calendar on your fridge) and don’t let yourself skip this appointment for yourself.

2. Make it fun, make it relaxing.

Create a happy place, or a safe place to take your actions. Maybe you have an office that you like to do work in, maybe you like to sit on the couch with a candle and a blanket, maybe you like to go to a nearby cafe and put your headphones in. Whatever works for you and makes you excited to work on your actions.

Along with a happy place, consider the best time to take your actions. Are you most motivated in the morning when everything is still and quiet? Are you most motivated after dinner time? Be consistent and make it a routine.

3. Reward yourself!

Remember when I said to take small steps instead of setting one huge action goal?

Each time you complete one small step, cross it off. It will feel so good to see that you’re getting closer to your end goal. Each time you cross off an action, treat yourself a little.

Now we need to talk a little bit about your well-being: health and self-care

Exercising sucks (I think so at least) but let’s be honest, exercising can really help improve your mood and overall thought on life, not just your body.

Yes – exercising obviously has its physical advantages. But it also increases your mood and your energy. If you’re someone who is never active, you’re going to feel lazy and tired more often. And I have to say it… Lazy and tired people are generally not the happiest of people.

Eating right – I am a sucker for chips and salsa, popcorn, noodles, and all things unhealthy. But you need to find balance.

Eating superfoods will help your body to feel better, to look better, and be more energized. Also, the benefits that eating healthy foods has on your skin is huge. Clear skin. That right there is enough to make me happy (almost, lol).

My favorite part of this entire post… take care of yourself. Practice self-care.

Practicing self-care is no joke. It makes all the difference in your mind, body, and soul. Do things for you, things that you like, things that make you happy, things that expand your mind.

Check out this list of self-care activities you can do alone.

Okay girl. Do you have the recipe for your happiest self?

Let’s review real quick…

  • Let go of all things not bringing you joy
  • Define your true happiness
  • Set small actions to get to your big end goal
  • Turn actions into habits
  • Stay healthy
  • Practice self-care
Categories
love: personal growth love: self-care

Why You Should Join The 6:00 AM Club

Just looking at that gif makes me tired!

I know how wonderful it feels to stay in your warm bed as long as possible… especially if it’s still dark outside.

But waking up at 6:00 AM or earlier has so many benefits.

I wasn’t always a morning person. I used to enjoy staying up past midnight and sleeping until 11:00 AM. But let me tell you, I’m so glad I changed that habit!

WHY should you start waking up at 6:00 AM you ask? Let me give you some of the best benefits that waking up earlier has for your mind, body and soul.

Go to sleep earlier

Okay, to some this might not seem like a benefit. However, going to bed at a decent time (yes, definitely before midnight) will allow you to wake up earlier while still getting the amount of sleep your body and mind needs to function properly.

Having a regular and healthy sleep cycle really is crucial to how each day will be.

Healthy breakfast

It’s not a myth, breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. Eating a healthy breakfast kickstarts your metabolism, which helps you burn your calories during the day. Eating a healthy breakfast also gives you the energy that you need to do and feel your best all day long.

Before I started waking up earlier, I would skip breakfast because I wouldn’t allow myself the time to eat before going to work. On the weekends, I would skip breakfast all together because I would sleep end up sleeping through it and waking for lunch.

Increased energy + productivity

Many of the most successful people report that they wake up before 6:00 AM. Have you ever heard the line “the early bird gets the worm?” It’s true!

Not only is your brain most alert in the morning – but there are way less distractions in the morning when the rest of the world is sound asleep.

This might sound odd, but my favorite time to get work done or household chores finished is on Saturday and Sunday mornings. I actually enjoy waking up bright and early on the weekends to watch the sunset and get things done before everyone else wakes up.

It just feels like a great start to my day.

You’ll be more organized

Seriously! Picture yourself when your last alarm goes off… you can’t hit snooze anymore or else you’ll literally be late for work.

You rush in and out of the shower, rush getting dressed and ready (I hate this, nothing worse than having no time to get ready and feeling like you look sluggish all day) and rush out of the house to get to work on time. Without eating breakfast, I might add – remember that’s the most important meal of the day you’re missing out on!

Waking up earlier gives you the time to be organized in the morning and rid yourself of that yucky rushed feeling.

You’re less likely to forget anything and more likely to feel ready and dressed for success because you actually had the time to prepare for your day.

Quiet time is sooo good for the soul

Like I mentioned before, I love waking up early when the rest of the world is sound asleep.

There’s a real appreciation that you can gain for the peacefulness of a quiet morning to yourself.

For example, when I was younger and lived with my parents, I remember thinking my mom was crazy for waking up at 5:00 AM only to sit in her recliner, sip her coffee, and read the newspaper.

But now I understand why she did that… that quiet time is like no other. It’s a great time to be alone with your thoughts and maybe sneak in some meditation for a great day.

Maybe the least exciting but one of the most important… Exercise

Most of us are not fond of exercising. I’m sure not, but I’m working on it.

Waking up early gives you the opportunity to get in a quick 20-minute workout before showering and starting your day.

If you try to go for a run or hit the gym after a long day… chances are the little devil on your shoulder will win the fight and you’ll go home to your couch instead – because let’s face it, that sounds great.

Exercising in the morning is a great habit to have because it really kickstarts your day and gets you up, motivated, and energized.

Have I convinced you yet?? Waking up early can actually be amazing and might be just the change you need in your life.

This can be a difficult change to make, but it’s possible and so worth it! Here are a few quick tips to help you join that 6:00 AM Club:

  1. Start slowly – If you normally wake up at 9:00 AM, don’t switch to 6:00 AM right away. Start getting up a half hour early each day and ease into it.


  2. Go to sleep earlier! Sounds obvious but I just had to throw it out there. If you’re waking up earlier, you neeeeed to go to sleep earlier to keep a healthy sleep cycle.


  3. Put your phone down and try reading a book in bed. Studies show that being on your phone before bed can actually make it harder to fall asleep once you put it down. Find a book that sounds interesting to you. Once you get through a few pages, you’ll likely feel sleepy.


  4. Make sure you want it… If you don’t believe waking up earlier will actually improve your day to day life, you won’t have the willpower to make the change. Remind yourself of all the benefits of getting up earlier and remember the things you’ll have time to do and enjoy before starting your day.


  5. Step out of bed! If you alarm is right next to your bed, it can be so easy to just hit snooze and fall back asleep. Don’t do that! Set your alarm or phone (if you use your phone alarm) on the other side of the room so that you are forced to get out of bed to shut it off. Why not stay up and start your day since you’re already out of bed anyways?

Feeling motivated yet??
Join that 6:00 AM Club, girl!

Categories
love: personal growth love: self-care

10 Things You’re Not Doing That Are Killing Your Productivity

I love a lazy Sunday spent binging Netflix on the couch as much as the next gal, but I know how important it is to stay productive. I’m not saying you should quit your lazy Sundays all together (I know I won’t!) but allow yourself to have a good mix of ambition in with it.

We all have dreams, right? Even if we don’t think about them every day, we all have things that we desire and a life that we wish for.

I have a powerful little equation for you:
Self-care + mindset = productivity = success

You read that right. Achieving your dreams starts with self-care.

I’ll say it again… achieving your dreams starts with self-care. This is so important.

In order to live your best life and find success, you need to be productive. In order to be productive, you need to have the right mindset… Finding the right mindset only happens when you truly take care of yourself.

If I was a grumpy, sad, glass half-empty kind of person, I would not be doing what I am doing right now. Instead, I make time for me and practice self-care so that I can show up here on my blog, do what I love, and create my dream life.

Here are 10 things you’re probably not doing that are totally killing your productivity. I’ll let you take a guess what #1 is…

#1 Practice Self-Care

Woohooo! You guessed right, right?

Have you ever been neck deep in life, stressed out, feeling like you just can’t catch a break? Working too hard nonstop can cause you to burn out.

Whether you’re working too hard at your 9-5 job, working too hard at home for your family each night, or even if you have your own blog and you’re working too hard to constantly try and make your blog better… you need to make yourself a priority.

If a nap is what you need, nap. If you could benefit from a professional massage, book the massage. If you just need a night to yourself to binge Netflix and eat salt and vinegar chips, do that.

The point is, do not forget to take care of yourself. You need to be healthy and happy before you can put all of your focus into something else to create your dream life. Find balance.

#2 Set Goals

Take a moment and jot down your dream. Now jot down some of the things you need to accomplish before you can get there. Next, identify how you can accomplish each of those tasks to get you one step closer to living your dream. These are your goals.

Instead of setting 1 or 2 huge goals, set 8-10 smaller goals to reach those big ones.

You’ll feel accomplished and motivated each time you reach a goal.

#3 Reward Yourself

Okay, this sort of ties in with self-care… I just really love self-care, okay?

But no, this is a little different. Self-care is something you should always work on for yourself no matter what. Rewarding yourself because you reached one of your goals brings you a sense of accomplishment and honor.

When setting your goals, write down next to each one what you can reward yourself with. This can be something as simple as making popcorn and renting a new Redbox movie or purchasing a new pair of jeans that you’ve been eyeing up.

Reward yourself and celebrate you getting one step closer to achieving your dreams.

#4 Rid Yourself of Distractions

This one sounds like a no-brainer, but it’s something I struggle with all the time.

Distractions aren’t only the TV being on in the background… for me it’s having my phone next to me, my Apple watch on and vibrating every time I get a notification, and my husband being home. Yep, my husband is my biggest distraction (sorry babe).

Create a distraction-free space for yourself.

I like to light a candle, get comfortable with a fuzzy blanket, and focus in a room by myself.

I realize we all have very different goals – getting comfortable and lighting a candle might not help you achieve your goals, but my goal is creating quality content for you lovlies, so it’s a yes for me!

Either way, just give yourself space to really focus.

#5 Figure Out Your Peak Hours

I am an early bird… definitely not a night owl. Therefore, if I try to be productive any time after 8:00 PM, I’ll no doubt be a struggle bus.

To be productive, you need to figure out when your peak hours are and aim to get your tasks done during those hours.

If you’re a person who has the hardest time waking up in the morning, being productive before the afternoon hits probably isn’t your best bet.

My peak times are 30 minutes after I wake up, and then again immediately after dinner. What are your peak times?

#6 Get Some Vitamin D

Did you know that vitamin D can almost immediately increase your energy levels?

Whether you’re sitting on the deck soaking up some sunshine or taking vitamin D supplements, you’re sure to combat fatigue and improve your overall health.

#7 Breaks Are Powerful

When some people think “productive”, they think you need to be working for your goals constantly. That’s not the case. Productivity is about working efficiently, not continuously.

Make scheduled breaks for yourself throughout the day. For example, every hour on the hour, allow yourself 5 minutes for an active break.

Yes, I said active. Don’t let yourself fall into a trap and get tired on your break. Try going for a little walk to boost your energy.

Coming back from a break is like hitting restart. You’ll be able to sit back down with a fresh mind and be more productive than if you were tired and burnt out from working too long.

#8 Routines Are Key

Have you ever heard the saying that it takes 21 days to make a habit out of something? Well, that’s a great start… but actually, studies show that it takes 66 days to build a new habit.

Set a goal for yourself to get to work during your peak hours every day.

Think of that time as an appointment that you have with yourself that you can’t miss – just like if you had a doctor appointment.

If you continue to (hate to say it but…) force yourself to focus and work on your goals during those same times every day, it will stop becoming a daunting task and start becoming more of a fundamental part of a your daily life.

#9 Sleep Is Goooood

I’m not good at this one… but I try. I think every knows how important sleep is for your mind, body, and soul. But some of us over-achievers tend to put sleep on the backburner in order for us to complete more tasks.

Here’s the thing: Sleep deprivation completely destroys productivity.

Most adults need 6-8 hours of sleep each night. Your brain will not work correctly and up to your highest standards if it is tired, stressed, and overworked.

Make sure you allow time for yourself to chill out, take work off your mind, and relax.

Have a hard time clearing your mind and falling asleep at night? Try lavender scented candles to promote relaxation. Another good strategy is to stay off your phone right before bed! Your device actually has a ton of power over your sleep pattern.

#10 Find Passion in What You’re Doing

I know not all of your goals are something that you LOVE to do. But try to think of the positives and remind yourself of the good that will come by achieving your goals.

I’ll use myself as an example.

If I was writing this blog post about cars, I would dread every minute of it. I don’t know anything about cars and I don’t care to learn about them either, lol.

Instead, my blog focuses on self-growth and wedding planning. Two things that I am passionate about.

Not only do I get to talk about topics that I love, but I also get to help my readers in the process, and that’s something I really love.

If you find passion in what you’re doing, it’ll make it easier for you to work towards. You’ll actually enjoy doing it. 🙂

Now work towards those dreams, girl!

Categories
love: inspiration love: personal growth

Easy Side Hustles For Every Personality

A ‘side hustle’ is defined as:
A part-time job or occupation undertaken in addition to one’s regular employment.

Basically, a side hustle is work that you do on the side of your normal job for some extra money.

Having a ‘side hustle’ has become an incredibly common thing in today’s world… When the price of nearly everything has gone up (like, right now) who doesn’t want a little extra spending cash or some extra help getting the bills paid??

If you’re anything like myself, you’re working a 9-5 job, craving something more in life, and if that extra something includes an opportunity for added income… well, then that’s a huge bonus.

Money isn’t everything – but most of us know how stressful it can be to not have enough to get by. If you can start a side hustle that’s related to something that brings you happiness, that’s amazing.

Side Hustle Idea #1

Selling items on Facebook Marketplace.

How it works:
Becoming a seller on Facebook Marketplace is actually extremely easy. You’ll of course need a Facebook account… Once you’re logged in, access the Facebook Marketplace my clicking on the icon.

You’ll want to take decent photos of whatever you’re selling.

Really the options are almost endless. You can sell clothing, household appliances, kid’s toys, dog beds, video games, house decor, and what I’m starting to work on right now... your old wedding decor.

Once you take a photo of the item(s) you want to sell, just set your price!

This side hustle is good for people who:
Have a Facebook account, of course
Are willing to separate themselves with certain items
Have too many clothes in their closet and could benefit from a closet clean-out

Selling your unwanted items can bring you both extra cash and happiness. I know I’d love to get rid of some old home decor and clothes that I haven’t worn in over a year… But making money while I do it? YES!

Girl, grab a box and start going through that closet.

Side Hustle Idea #2

Become a delivery driver.

Okay, now I’ll be honest, at first I felt like this definitely was not the side hustle for me.

First of all, I’m a huge introvert. Going into restaurants or grocery stores to pick up items and then deliver them to a person’s house sounds equally awkward and terrifying to me.

Secondly, I get super anxious driving places that I’m not super familiar with.

However, I gave this side hustle a little more thought… and I realized how much fun it could be to go basically go “shopping” with my husband and then drive around to deliver the food or items with him.

Doing this together not only rids myself of the fear of going places alone, but it also counts as a fun little date night once a week!

How it works:
This is different with each company that you decide to apply for, but check out their website and you’ll be instructed on how to become a driver for their company.

Companies to check out:
Instacart
Postmates
Food Dudes
Door Dash
Hy-Vee
Grub Hub
Walmart Delivery

This side hustle is good for people who:
Have a car, obviously
Are comfortable with shopping by themselves
Are comfortable with following directions and driving alone
Have a significant other or friend to join them for the fun

Side Hustle Idea #3

Complete surveys online.

This might not be the highest paying side job out there… but it sure ranks high on the easy list.

Literally all you need is a way to get onto the internet and some free time and you’re good to go!

Website to check out that are actually legit:
Survey Junkie
Zap Surveys
Swagbucks
Life Points
Inbox Dollars
Opinion Outpost

This side hustle is good for people who:
Enjoy staying home, sitting on the couch, and answering simple questions about your lifestyle or your opinion on various topics.

Side Hustle Idea #4

Proofread papers.

I’ll start off by saying this side hustle definitely isn’t for everyone… but for the right person, this side hustle can be amazing.

If you’re a grammar nerd like myself, you’ll appreciate sitting at your computer, correcting people’s grammar mistakes, and getting paid for it.

Online companies to apply at:
Freelancer.com
Polish Paper
Proofreading Services
Lion Bridge

This side hustle is good for people who:
Want to stay at home while they work
Have education in proofreading
Are just really, really good with pointing out spelling and punctuation errors

Side Hustle Idea #5

Selling T-Shirts.

This one is actually really cool! It sounds way more complicated than it is, I promise.

Have you ever heard of the website Printify? Me neither until recently. Printify has tons of products like t-shirts, coffee mugs, and socks that are blank and ready for you to customize.

Printify has a free generator that allows you to upload your own design (so cool right?) to get printed onto your shirt, mug, etc.

Canva.com is an amazing website where you can design your own images, logos, or even just quotes with a super cute background. I can’t say enough how much I love this website! I literally use it almost every day to design my social media images for this blog and for my regular 9-5 job. Canva is free but has options to upgrade. Use Canva to make your design and then upload it to Printify.

Once you’re happy with your design and your product of choice, promote your product on your website or onine store such as Etsy. Printify does the rest of the work for you! They print, package your product, and get it shipped out for delivery.

You pay the base price for the shirt (or whatever product) and then keep the profit of the sale! So cool!

This side hustle is good for people who:
Enjoy creating designs
Have an imagination or open mind
Have really cool design ideas in their head already!

Well, are you ready to start that side hustle?!

While there are so many side hustles out there for you to choose from, I hope this list helped you. Whether it gave you a little insight, helped you find a side hustle that really works for you, or even just increased your motivation.

Put your free time to good use and make some extra money for yourself to put towards that car payment, buy those boujie skincare products you’ve been eyeing up, or start that life you’ve always dreamed of.

You can do it!