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A New Year is the Perfect Time for a New Life

January 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment

A new year is the perfect time to reinvent yourself. You can take inventory of the previous year, and you can decide what things to work on this year. It is an ideal time to become more of the person you have dreamed of becoming.

 

Challenge Your Mind

Your mind is one of your most valuable assets. The quest for knowledge should never end. It is such a waste to not use your mind to its fullest potential. One way to learn more is to become a more effective listener. People have much to teach you when you dare to listen.

You must make an investment in yourself by committing to read every day. A visit to the local library, or a new subscription to the newspaper are good ways to make this a reality. In addition, you should strive to push your limits. Get out of your comfort zone and learn something new. A new language is a great challenge, or music lessons may be a great idea. A new challenge will stretch your brain in a good way.

Take That Class This Year

A new year is also a good time to start a class. What have you been dreaming of doing? Have you thought of taking a photography class? This may be the perfect time to finally sign up for the class.

Make Time For You

Saying no is so hard for many people. This year you can choose to spend the majority of your time on those things that really matter to you. Find out what ignites your true passion. You deserve to know what really moves you on a deep level.

A journal is a wonderful place to record your ideas and thoughts. It can be quite therapeutic and cleansing. Putting your words on paper is a way to heal the soul. There are some things that are best told to the journal. Your most private thoughts that are not appropriate to share with most people can be recorded in a journal.

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Take Control of the Clutter in Your Life

January 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Clutter seems to creep into most of our homes. It slowly seems to grow into a massive heap. It is so easy to collect things over the years. A great sale can be the motivation to buy more things that you don’t need. Many people do not understand the frustration that clutter can cause.

 

Clutter is a Stress Inducer

Excessive clutter can add unnecessary stress to your life. The key to ridding your life of this stress is eliminating things you do not need.

Stress releases a hormone in the body called cortical. This chemical causes many negative reactions in the body. For example, weight gain is a main consequence of this stress hormone. Anxiety is another result of this hormone. Anxiety is a general uneasiness and nervous feeling.

It is surprising how much stress can be alleviated by cleaning out closets and drawers. The kitchen is a main culprit of clutter. How many spatulas does one really need? Is it really necessary to have ten of each gadget. All of this excess results in clutter.

Check the Dates on Products in Drawers and Cabinets

Clutter also results in outdated products, so it is important to check the dates on these products. The next project to tackle is appliances that are seldom used. These type of appliances can be stored somewhere else in the house. For instance, they can be stored in a closet or in garage.

Counters Should Stay Clear

The most important rule to keep in mind is keeping flat surfaces clear. The counters must stay free and clear of clutter. This is one of the main mistakes that people make. They tend to want to use flat surfaces for storage.

Another culprit of clutter is the family desk. This spot is where expired coupons collect, junk mail piles up, and catalogs stack up. If you set up some type of system for household business, the clutter will disappear. It is a good idea to set up zones for different household business. Each zone is designated for a certain purpose.

A few strategies can help you rid your life of clutter, and you can create a peaceful, serene space for your family.

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Organize Your Purse and Planner For Maximum Effectiveness

January 11, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Coin purses

Image by diwong via Flickr

Life is busy, and most of us yearn to bring order to our lives. Working moms and stay-at-home moms have busy schedules to manage. How do we get it all done? There are some tools that can make organizing our lives a bit easier.

Organize Your Purse

The purse or handbag is a must for most women. We carry our lives in these bags. The key to less stress is having easy access to the essentials. Finding things in your bag is much simpler if each item is always in the same location regardless of the purse you are using at the moment. This seems nearly impossible because every purse is made a little different, however, switchable pouches are a great tool to put in any purse. This handy tool organizes the messiest purse.

Get the Right Organization Tools

The switchable pouches divide the purse up into three main compartments: makeup, money, and communications. Your makeup compartment should probably just contain the basics. This is not the time to have eight shades of lipstick. The money compartment should have a few cards, checks, and cash. If you have a wallet full of credit cards, this may be the time to pare down to a few main cards. The pouches can be put into any purse you are using, so you will always know where your purse contents are at any time.

Use a Planner to Bring Order to Tasks

Another tool for life organization is the trusty planner. The planner is a way to improve your focus, and it encourages the user to be systematic about how they plan their day. One organization tactic is to group similar tasks together on your master to do list. For example, you can use the following categories: phone calls, e-mails, and writing. This little trick maximizes your brain power and prevents you from flitting between multiple tasks.

An organized life greatly decreases your stress level, and you are truly free to live your best life. You can make the most of each moment that life gives you, and you are able to truly enjoy the people and things in your life that matter.

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Sticking to a Budget

January 9, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Staying within your budget is not an easy task for many people. The financial issues and mortgage crisis as seen in recent years are proof that many are living beyond their means, and financial institutions, in many cases, perpetuate that. How can a person live within their means and still get by with what they need. The first step is to evaluate your needs list.
*Take a piece of paper and make two columns.
*Write “needs” in column one, “wants” in column two.
*Gather your paid bills and other receipts from the past month.
*Go through each receipt, itemizing everything from your mortgage bill to the package of gum that you bought last Monday.
*Be realistic about the column that you put each item in; electricity—you can live without it, sure, but practicality puts it in the “need” list. Going out to brunch yesterday goes in the “want” column. Anything you could realistically live without and still stay warm, dry and fed should ultimately go into the “want” column.
*Look over your list. The “needs” may include the mortgage, heat, light and gas bill along with groceries such as meat, cheese, fruits, vegetables and grains. The “wants” group will likely detail a cell phone bill, internet, ready-to-eat snack foods, a vehicle loan and entertainment expenses.
*It’s easier said than done, but you need to make sure that all items in the need list are paid prior to any in the want list.
*Prioritize the wants. Internet may be something that you use relatively often and possibly even make income from (posting on Craigslist, selling on eBay, etc.) In that case, it should be moved to the top.
*Cut any bills that you can by shutting lights off, making food at home and unplugging energy vampires (tv and coffee pot, when not in use).
These tips will help you stay on budget and out of debt.

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Great Shopping Comes From Preparation

January 6, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Shopping is fun for many, but some actually dread it. The key to a successful shopping experience lies in the preparation. This might sound a little silly, but those who actually plan their shopping trips tend to fare better than others. For example, the person that shops out of desperation usually pays more and does not truly get the biggest bang for their buck.

Prepare Your Shopping Survival Bag

It is best to go shopping when you are in the right frame of mind. A relaxed mind will probably yield better results than a anxious or irritated mind. It is important to keep in mind the importance of your wardrobe. What you wear sends a message to the world, so what message do you want to send?

There are a few useful tips that can make your shopping experience productive and fun. First, you should prepare a shopping survival bag. This bag will contain all the things that will keep you comfortable. For example, a wallet with money and credit cards is definitely a must for your shopping survival bag. A bottle of water, a snack, and comfortable sneakers are all necessary items for the bag. These simple items will do wonders to keep you energized and comfortable.

Choose a Friend that is a Good Shopping Partner

You will be prepared to do your best shopping armed with the shopping bag necessities. Including a good friend is another tactic that can be useful, but you must choose your shopping buddy wisely. There are some questions that you must ask yourself. First, does your friend have patience when it comes to shopping? If the answer is no, this is not the person to take with you. Secondly, does this friend truly care about your well being? Jealous friends should probably not be invited on this excursion. Next, does your friend have great personal style? If this person does not have fashion sense, they can not help you very much.

Your next shopping trip can be truly fruitful if you apply a few trusty tips. Your wardrobe will improve, and your personal image will be enhanced. Productive shopping is the key to a good shopping experience.

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Lifestyle Decisions–Making the Best Choice

December 5, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Changes in your lifestyle can benefit your mental and physical health. Asking yourself questions prior to taking action can help you make decisions that are advantageous to the way that you want to live your life. When considering any type of decision that seems to be giving you trouble, ask yourself the five “W’s” that you learned in school; who, what, where, when and why.
Who?
Who are you doing this for? Are you making a decision that will affect you in a negative or positive way? If you were on a sinking ship, you could not help anyone else unless you were to help yourself first. Remember this lesson when it comes time to make daily choices. That is not to say you should be selfish, just that you need to have consideration for yourself as well as other people.
What?
Do you know what you are doing? Think about how your decision will ultimately have an impact in your life.
Where?
Where is this decision taking you? Have you considered multiple outcomes that your choices could have? Make sure you are okay with the way that you will feel if everything does not turn out as planned.
When?
Are you ready to commit to your decision right this minute? If the answer is no, then you may need more time to think on it. If the answer is yes, then you should act with the intention of following through.
Why?
Why are you going with the choice that you made? Does it feel right?
Consider the answers to all of these questions anytime you need to make an important decision in your life. The answers can help you to choose the path that best fits your lifestyle. You can also use these questions to emphasize a resolution that you have made, such as quitting smoking or taking up an exercise class.

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Sticking to a Budget

December 3, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Staying within your budget is not an easy task for many people. The financial issues and mortgage crisis as seen in recent years are proof that many are living beyond their means, and financial institutions, in many cases, perpetuate that. How can a person live within their means and still get by with what they need. The first step is to evaluate your needs list.
*Take a piece of paper and make two columns.
*Write “needs” in column one, “wants” in column two.
*Gather your paid bills and other receipts from the past month.
*Go through each receipt, itemizing everything from your mortgage bill to the package of gum that you bought last Monday.
*Be realistic about the column that you put each item in; electricity—you can live without it, sure, but practicality puts it in the “need” list. Going out to brunch yesterday goes in the “want” column. Anything you could realistically live without and still stay warm, dry and fed should ultimately go into the “want” column.
*Look over your list. The “needs” may include the mortgage, heat, light and gas bill along with groceries such as meat, cheese, fruits, vegetables and grains. The “wants” group will likely detail a cell phone bill, internet, ready-to-eat snack foods, a vehicle loan and entertainment expenses.
*It’s easier said than done, but you need to make sure that all items in the need list are paid prior to any in the want list.
*Prioritize the wants. Internet may be something that you use relatively often and possibly even make income from (posting on Craigslist, selling on eBay, etc.) In that case, it should be moved to the top.
*Cut any bills that you can by shutting lights off, making food at home and unplugging energy vampires (tv and coffee pot, when not in use).
These tips will help you stay on budget and out of debt.

Filed Under: Budget Fashion Tagged With: , ,

Grooming Your Feet–Pedicure at Home

December 1, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Giving yourself a pedicure is a terrific way to relax while saving some cash. Grooming yourself is important, and while a person often pays attention to how their face and hair look, many women fail to think about the condition of their feet. This guide to an at-home pedicure will have your feet looking like perfection in no time!
1.Soak your feet in a tub of warm water and bath salts (Epsom salt or, in a pinch, sea salt may also be used) for at least 30 minutes, adding more warm water to the tub as needed. The salt helps to soften dead skin.
2.Using a pumice stone in a circular motion, gently rub any areas of callused or flaky skin. Be careful with a pumice stone, particularly if this is your first time using one. If you take off too much skin at one time you may end up with sore feet!
3.Take a nail brush and thoroughly scrub your toenails, making sure to get under the tips and around the sides.
4.Use an exfoliating foot scrub that contains peppermint oil to slough off ashy skin. This can be applied by hand , with a sea sponge or even a mesh bath pouf.
5.Rinse and dry your feet well.
6.Trim and file any nails that are long or rough.
7.Apply petroleum jelly liberally to your feet, concentrating on heels and any other rough areas. Cover with cotton socks. This is best to do right before bed so the petroleum jelly will soften your skin overnight.
8.In the morning, remove the socks. Your feet will be soft and moisturized.
9.Apply two thin coats of your favorite nail polish, waiting 20 minutes between each application.
10.Finish with a clear top coat and make sure to keep feet moisturized daily.
Repeat as needed and enjoy your sandal ready, baby soft feet!

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