Personally, this is something that I believe comes naturally to some, and for others, it is like a skill that must be developed. Speaking in terms of myself, I am naturally a very reserved person by nature, yet I have learned with age to be more open and vulnerable. However, I have also learned that there are just certain people that you can not open up to in that way and people that you shouldn’t open up to, either. It’s all about knowing who you are safe with and setting boundaries as to who you share your inner self with. 

In this article, a Hello Lovely Living contributor shares some practical advice as to how you can be more open about your thoughts and feelings for overall mental wellness. I think it is so important to let things go, and that includes things that can’t be seen or touched in physical form. We must be very conscious of what we are holding onto because it can harm us down the line if we don’t deal with it in a healthy way.

via Indigo

Sharing your thoughts and feelings helps you to cope with many things in life. When you're too closed off or feel unable to communicate with others, it can cause you to feel isolated and alone. If you struggle to open yourself up to others, it doesn't mean that you don't want to or that you can't benefit from doing so. However, sharing your emotions and opinions when you're not used to it can be hard. It can take a while to learn to open up and share more about yourself, but doing so can benefit you in a number of ways. Here's how you can start to be more open about your thoughts and feelings.

Start with People You Trust

Opening up to people can be hard, but it can be easier if it's with people you know that you can trust. Think about who is able to trust you when they want to talk, and you will probably be able to trust them back. You might have very good friends who will listen to you or relatives who love you. You might even find that many of them have encouraged you to open up more before, but you have been reluctant for various reasons. If you're not sure who would be receptive when you want to talk, simply asking someone if they have time to chat can be helpful.

Discuss Facts, Feelings and Opinions

If you want to be more open, there are lots of things that you can talk about. It's a good idea to talk about a variety of things, rather than just focusing on one area. Not everything must be plain facts or all about your emotions. Sometimes you might be asking for practical advice for a problem, or sometimes you might just want someone to listen to how you feel. Other times it could be a good idea to share your opinion and ask others to offer their own opinion in return.

Be Willing to Listen

When you open up about what you're thinking or feeling, it's not just the talking that's important. It can also help to be willing to listen to what the other person has to say. It helps you to get more from the experience, making it a conversation that you can benefit from. When you talk to others, they can offer you advice and feedback, or just give you their opinion on your situation. Sometimes the best thing that they can do is to offer words of comfort, and listening to them when they comfort you is definitely a benefit of opening up to others.

Find Anonymous Places to Open Up

It can sometimes be a struggle to open yourself up to the people you know and love. You might not want to tell them something that you would rather keep to yourself for a number of reasons. Perhaps you don't want to worry them or you're unsure if they will judge you for what you say. Sharing your thoughts and feelings anonymously can offer another option. You can find anonymous peer support groups online that offer you people to talk to. You can share your thoughts without revealing who you are and get valuable advice from others. It's a great way to connect with others while still maintaining your privacy.

Try to Be Honest

If you want to open up more, honesty is key. It's essential to try and be honest about what you want to say, otherwise there's not much point in opening up. Sometimes you can end up being closed off because you you don't want to tell the truth about yourself. But if you open up more about who you are as a person, people can start to trust you more. Avoid telling people what you think they want to hear, which is something many people do when they have a hard time opening up. You have to try to push away your fear of being rejected or judged for what you say, although you should still think carefully about what you choose to say.

Don't Be Afraid to Be Vulnerable

It can be difficult to let other people see a more vulnerable side of you. There can be a lot of fear connected to how they might start seeing you or even if they might use the things that you say against you. But if you want to be more vulnerable, you need to let go of these fears. Talk to people who you know you can trust about more personal things, whether it means talking to a friend about a painful experience or sharing a relatable story with your support group.

Try Talking to a Professional

There are some cases when talking to a professional who can help you with your thoughts and feelings is the best thing to do. If you're struggling to talk to the people you know and love, you might find that a therapist is able to help you. When it's someone you don't know personally who has to keep what you say confidential, it can feel easier to share. Not all therapists will be right for you, but finding someone who you do feel comfortable with can help you. Once you start opening up to them, they could help you to be more open with others.

Choose the Right Things to Share

If you want to be more open, you should think about what sort of things you want to be more open with. Just because you want to share more, it doesn't mean that you have to share everything about yourself. Everyone is allowed to have secrets or keep some things to themselves. Some things also might not be appropriate to share with some people or just might not be necessary to share with others. There are also occasions when you could offend or hurt someone's feelings. Being open and honest doesn't mean having no filter at all, so think about what you want to say before saying it.

May is Mental Health Awareness month, and today I have a guest contributor that shares a few positive effects that meditation can have on your wellbeing. We all deal with mental health challenges at various points in our lives - we are only human.

Acknowledging that we constantly need to be attentive to our mental health is so important in creating healthy patterns that manage the stresses that we experience daily. We can’t simply wait until something happens, we must do our best to prevent ourselves from turning to unhealthy responses.

I hope this sheds some light on a topic that we need more conversations about. 

Source 

Everybody is looking for ways to improve their wellbeing and manage their mental health effectively. Making changes to your lifestyle like exercising more often and improving your diet can be a big help, but one thing that people find makes a big difference is meditation.

In the past, people associated meditation with religious practices and didn’t think it was really for them, but now, more people are starting to introduce meditation sessions to their daily routine because the results are so good.

You can download some great apps like Headspace that will teach you the basics of meditation and if you like, you can pay for different courses that are designed to help with things like stress, anxiety, and depression.

If you haven’t considered it before, these are just some of the ways that meditation can improve your wellbeing in a big way.

Activate Energy Healing

Energy healing is a big part of a lot of alternative medicines and some of the concepts involved can be a big help when you’re trying to improve your wellbeing. Meditation is a big part of that and a lot of people find that they go through a transformation when they start doing it regularly. It’s all about removing blockages in your mind and meditation is one of the best ways to do that. A lot of people that struggle with motivation and self esteem find that energy healing practices, and meditation in particular, can improve their life a lot.

Improve Sleep

Lack of sleep has a big impact on your wellbeing and unfortunately, a lot of us aren’t sleeping as well as we should be. When you’ve got a busy schedule and you’re stressed at work, it’s hard to switch off at night. Often, that’s because people are playing on their phones or worrying about what they have to do at work the next day. But if you meditate for ten minutes before you go to bed, you can learn to switch off and relax properly so you get a good night’s sleep every night.

Manage Pain

We all get aches and pains from time to time and if you’re constantly in pain, it can have a negative impact on your wellbeing. You can always use medication to manage pain but a lot of people don’t like the idea of being reliant on painkillers all of the time. But the good news is, you don’t need to. Meditation has been shown to help people manage their pain naturally without the need for medication.

Fight Depression

So many people struggle with depression and treating it can be very difficult. Medication and talking therapies are both effective ways of dealing with depression but prevention is always the best treatment. There are a lot of different lifestyle changes that you can make to help reduce feelings of depression, but meditation can be one of the best ways. Studies show that meditating regularly will reduce the symptoms of depression and make people less likely to develop depression in the future.

These are just some of the ways that meditation could improve your life and you only need to do it for ten minutes at the end of the day.

Welcome back to the blog! Today, I am bringing you another article on the topic of money and financial health. This topic has been at the forefront of my mind on a daily basis, and I’m sure it dominates your thoughts on the regular, too. It is so important for us to think long-term when it comes to our financial wellbeing. If we want security, we need to plan ahead and be very strategic about the choices we make. Sometimes, all it takes is a shift in mindset to achieve change. Here are ten steps provided by a Hello Lovely Living contributor that will help supercharge your wealth early in life. I hope these give you actionable steps that you can implement right away!

When you’re young, the priorities you have might not seem all that serious in the grander scheme of things. Sometimes you want a nice car, you want to find love, and you want to look great, too. When you graduate, it may even be that you think about finding your dream internship or starting job - and that’s about as serious about the future that you want to get. Most of the time, this is absolutely fine because your twenties are for living, for learning, and for having fun. Yet, sometimes, you absolutely want to think about trying to get a lot more serious about things that are further ahead. When it comes to your career and your finances, you are going to find that the earlier you start, the better. Yet, this can often seem overwhelming.

However, the world of building a lucrative career and growing wealth from an early age can be much simpler than you imagine because it’s the same with everything - the earlier you get started with it all, the easier and more efficient it’s going to be down the line. You know that it’s going to take you a long time to get to where you want to be in your career – especially when you’re in your twenties or early thirties, and the same goes for your wealth. You may not get to where you want to be overnight, but the earlier you start, the better. Let’s take a look at how this can work.

Be Responsible With Your Money

First of all, you just have to begin with being responsible. If you can master this, then any of the following nine points will be painless. Since you have to be financially responsible, you need to be able to manage your own money and not always be asking to borrow from others if you ever intend to be wealthy.

Budget

When you know that you’re ready to be responsible, and you actually want to grow your money, it’s time to create a budget. Take your monthly net salary and divide it up between everything that you pay for. Rent, bills, groceries, clothes, savings, eating out – all of it. By managing your money this way, you’ll have more control over it.

Set Goals

You need to make sure that you’re setting some financial goals because if you want to grow your wealth, you need to be intentional about it. Whether you want to start investing, buy a house, launch a business, travel - anything - you may need to set a goal and then align your financial attitude and actions towards that goal.

Live Within Your Means

For most people, this point seems really obvious, but that’s not always the case. You really do have to live within your means to be wealthy because it’s easy to spend on credit cards and feel as if you can afford everything, but you can’t. You really do have to make sure that you’re only spending money that you have, and this is why budgeting can be so important as it allows you to foresee all of your expenses and set restrictions on your spending.

Spend Wisely

Now, you know that you’re going to spend money – you’re only human - but when you’re buying clothes or groceries or anything else, just make your purchases count. If you are spending wisely and the things you buy are very conscious purchases, you’ll have much more money available to set aside.

Save, Save, Save

The flip side of getting your finances in order and spending well is to then to start saving. First, you’re going to want to start with building a safety net if you don’t have one already. When you have a regular salary, you may wonder why you need money set aside, but it’s important to have an emergency fund in place in case you need cash for any unforeseen expenses that may arise. Additionally, it can get you into a good habit of saving for much larger purchases down the road, like a house.

Plan For The Future

You’re also going to want to make sure that you’re thinking about your retirement. Sure, when you’re in your twenties, this is often the last thing you want to spend your money on because it seems so far away, and you’d rather spend on the here and now, but if you can put away for your retirement now, you’ll have a more lucrative life in old age.

Invest

When you’ve got your savings in place and your retirement covered, you might want to also think about growing your money with investments. You will find that instant access to savings may not give you the best return, so why not make a longer term investment? You could look at tying the money up, buying a property, looking for land for sale, or even other commodities. The idea here is to invest in something that will give you a higher return than instant access savings. If you want to manage your money or your investment income easier, be sure to check out Swissmoney.

Be Secure

Now, it’s important to invest your money early if you really are looking to grow it, but it’s very important to adopt a long-term strategy. Some people think that to invest, you have to bet big to win big, but you may find that the best strategy is to put your money into a reliable stock or bond for a long period of time for the best possible returns. Of course, if you start young, then it’s going to be much easier for you reap larger returns over a much more extended period of time.

Make Smart Decisions

Finally, there’s really nothing more important here than for you to do than just be smart about your money and your financial situation, overall. Always look to save, think about climbing that career ladder and earn more, maybe even consider starting your own money-making endeavors. You know the basics, so stick to them because the smarter you can be about your finances early on, the more financial success you will achieve, and that’s how you build real wealth.

That is it for this post! Thank you to our contributor for giving us very useful steps to get our financial health in order. The sooner we become disciplined about money, the sooner we can begin to benefit from the rewards of it. I look forward to covering more on this topic again soon.

Do you enjoy these types of posts? Let me know what topics you’d like me to cover below.

Normally, when we’re in the midst of a bad situation, we tend to focus primarily on the negative, which is understandable.

However, in order to actually learn from the bad experience or to move forward from it, we actually have to take control over our thoughts and look at what role we have played in allowing this situation to manifest.

Of course, each experience would be different because we obviously can not control certain things that happen in life. We also have to look at how we could have approached the situation a bit differently.

On the bright side of every negative experience, there’s always, as they say, a light at the end of the tunnel. Everything that happens will never last forever, which can ultimately be a good or bad thing depending on the viewpoint you choose to adopt.

For example, when on vacation, you likely want it to never end, and it seems to be over within the blink of an eye. Likewise, when you're in the middle of a difficult situation such as a breakup, you want the pain to be over as quickly as possible. The bittersweet thing is, nothing lasts forever, and we just have to appreciate each moment for what it is.

With every bad situation, there definitely comes a learning experience, so instead of focusing on the negative and what happened to you, try to develop some good thoughts around the situation, and look at what the positive outcome was - no matter how small.

Realistically, it’s not always easy or possible to be optimistic during difficult times, so if you’re really struggling with your mood and not being able to look at the positive side of things, then you may be dealing with something like anxiety or depression which requires treatment. This can be treated in various ways - through medication, therapy, or even natural and alternative methods like you’ll find at places such as bud express.

Although during the time you are going through something, it may be hard to see when you're in the midst of a bad situation, the answers are definitely there if you look hard enough. It won’t always show itself in the most obvious of ways, but you can be assured that that it will always make itself known over time regardless of you seeing it right away or not.

One way of looking at things (and changing your perspective around the situation that you're in) is to journal and show gratitude for every experience that you have.

For example, you may have a really bad cold or flu that makes you feel lousy and prevents you from doing something that you had planned, so that puts you into even more of a state of feeling sorry for yourself and not feel good in general. Instead of focusing all of your energy and thoughts on your bad feelings, take to your journal and be grateful for the fact that you don't have a serious illness that prevents you from living your life in the long term. This is only a temporary experience in the grand scheme of things, and you will be back to normal soon.

Changing your mindset can really make a huge difference because it will cause you to start seeing the bigger picture, and you’ll be able to differentiate between the things that are important versus the things that are not. 

Don’t get us wrong, there are always going to be days when you feel bad. Nobody's saying that you should put your bad thoughts away or that you should not be allowed to feel down or negative about anything, ever. That’s absolutely not the case, and you wouldn't be human if you didn't have days like that.

The truth is, holding onto negative emotions just does not benefit you in the long run. It’s not healthy to constantly sit and wallow in the negative thoughts and things that are going on around you.  Be grateful for the small things that are good, and you’ll find that you’ll soon start to attract more of those same things that you want to receive into your life.

How do you stay positive throughout life’s challenges?

Last month was my birthday, and the reality hits me every time another year passes that my time is getting shorter and shorter on this earth. I know. You must be thinking I’m crazy for being so dramatic. Heck, you probably think I’m still in my 20’s! #iwish

I may still be in my early 30’s, but I feel like the years go by faster these days than any time in my life. I can’t help but think about the value of time more seriously and try to come to terms with how I am not getting any younger with each day that passes. Just as I can’t come to terms with how my children are growing so fast and getting older, I look at myself and realize that I have less time to be here to enjoy them and life itself. I am so much more aware about how limited time is that it has become something that I think about a lot these days.

For purposes of being more dramatic, here is a note to my boys that I thought I’d share: Dear Kodi and Uriah, If you every get a chance to read this, although it is a little early to be having this conversation, I want you to know that I am getting OLD(er), and although I may be considered “young” right now, one day I will lose my strength and need you both: my two strong boys to come to my rescue. One day, I will be the one needing you both more than you need me. Ps. On a lighter note, I hope you both give me a gazillion grandkids! LOL

via jasminedowling

All joking aside, I also think about my mom and how she is getting older too - even though she never seems to age! I think about how I want her to start enjoying her years more and to finally be the one who is cared for at this time in her life. I wish she didn’t have to worry about anything anymore and that every burden could be lifted from her. Now that I know what it is like to be a mother, I can say that I have walked a day in her shoes and that she deserves the world for keeping it together all these years.

I remember how my mom cared for my grandmother, and how she lived to be 92 years old. Seeing my grandma reach the age where she was changing mentally and physically really took a toll on me. I remember visiting her one day and dropping off a flower arrangement I had made in one of my college classes. I didn’t get to give it to her directly because she was resting at the time, but I just remember hoping so much that she would know how much I loved her even though she wasn’t able to understand things like she used to.

With all that said, let’s not forget about our parents and our elders and really think about ways that we can help them, even in the smallest ways. What can you do today that could show your parents or elders how much you care for them? Here are a few ways to show concern and care for them as shared by a Hello Lovely Living contributor.

Look Up Helpful Information

Thanks to the internet, we can find out about pretty much anything we want. There are hundreds of articles and videos that can explain how our parents are feeling as they age, what they can do to keep busy as the years pass, and how you can contribute to their life at each stage.

Simply Visit

Just showing up and being there for them can mean so much. In some cases, a lot of seniors are left isolated in their homes with nobody to talk to, and it can be a sad existence. Being social is very healthy for the mind, and being around others regularly can do a world of good for them.

Hire A Care Service

If you’re finding it a little difficult to do things yourself, you can always get the help of professionals. There are specialists near you who have worked in senior home care for years and will be able to shift the weight off your shoulders and ensure your loved one’s safety at all times if there are things that have become overwhelming to handle on your own. It can save you a lot of stress, and you can use the time you do have with them to simply enjoy each other’s company.

Help Them Feel A Sense Of Purpose

As people get older, they find that they can’t exactly do things they could before – and if they were passionate about them, it could bring them down and make them feel like they don’t have purpose anymore. Try to help them find new hobbies and interests that can lift their spirits and bring smiles.

Keep Them Active

If they are still somewhat able, perhaps encourage them to go for walks – maybe even jogs if they can. If they are unable to move well, there are still many exercises that older people can do to keep the blood pumping and the endorphins releasing. It might be a struggle, but it’s obviously way better for them than just sitting around.  

Keep Them current With Technology

Technology is advancing quickly, and many people are utilizing the newest tech. It’s not essential, but maybe introducing them to the latest gadgets and updates can be of interest to them. The new tech could help them keep in touch with friends and family, and they won’t feel as intimidated about learning about it with your help.h

via romanrochelle

I hope you enjoyed this post! Our elders need us more and more as time goes by. I hope you will reach out to someone special in your life and show them just how much they mean to you. We have such a limited time to do it, so why not do it today.

What is one thing you can do today to show your elders you care?

I am back with another article on the topic of careers. If you haven’t read my previous article, Career Growth Tips For The Career Driven Woman, then click over after this one as it will be another helpful article on this topic as well.

Today’s article is all about getting you to take action if you have been on the fence about starting a new career or advancing yourself in your current one. This article is brought to you by a Hello Lovely Living contributor who is sharing this helpful information for all the career-driven ladies out there. I hope you will find it helpful!

Life is full of big and small surprises. Sometimes we may feel like the path we chose, originally, isn’t quite right for us after all, or we might just have closed an important chapter already and feel ready for a brand new one.

Nonetheless, it’s the perfect time to reset your brain a bit and try to think about everything you’ve wanted to do. Going from a stay-at-home mom to starting a small business, for example, can be a huge transition, but it’s also a lot of fun and definitely a risk worth taking.

Similarly, you may want to change your career field after struggling away in the same job for years. While it may seem difficult to overcome, at first, it’s a challenge that will make you grow both personally and professionally.

Here is a handful of ways to get started on something new with your career so that you can feel like you’re heading somewhere more rewarding. It won’t necessarily be easy, and you will have to be prepared to put in a lot of work, but the end result is within reach.

First: Use your contacts

Sure, getting started with a brand new career can’t be done overnight, but with the right contacts, the whole process can be so much easier. If you try to see this whole networking process as a way of making new friends and gaining new acquaintances, it won’t feel that awkward.

Keep in mind that the people you will meet might want to boost their own careers as well. It’s an advantage to be aware of this, though, as it opens up a lot of new opportunities, and it will make it a bit easier to build meaningful connections. Go out there with the intention of helping others as well, listen to them when they talk, and try to be interested in them rather than trying too hard to be interesting.

Just like you, these people are out to make career connections and get ahead in life. Take their needs into consideration as well, and try to see if you’re able to help them. The chances will be much higher that they would like to help you in return if they sense your genuine desire to help from the start. 

Another point to this is that networking is something that doesn’t just happen at regular networking events. You could build a few more connections in the company you’re already in, for example, or reach out to the people you know who are in the field you’d like to break into.

See all the interactions you have with other people in your field as a type of networking, and you might be able to get a serious career boost out of it.

Next: Broaden your knowledge

There is no denying that those with a bit more education tend to have a better chance of getting a job interview. They will also have a higher salary, which should make it even more enticing to pursue that degree you’ve been thinking about. With the availability of online courses, pursuing something that you know is sought-after in your career field is simply a click away.

A particular form of computer literacy, for example, or even a master's in lean manufacturing to build on your existing bachelor of science could be just the advancement you need. The great news is, of course, that you can take many of these courses and degrees online to make it easy to fit into your existing schedule.

The good thing about online courses is that you won’t have to compromise in terms of your full-time job or your family, and it’s going to be much easier to follow through with the goals you’ve set for yourself.

However, to achieve the set goals, you must keep yourself motivated and encouraged. Because pursuing a degree alongside a full-time job may sometimes feel exhausting, therefore, you should do different things to keep your morale high.

For instance, you can buy a degree online that acts as a source of motivation. Moreover, hanging it in your room can act as a constant reminder that you have the ability to accomplish your desired objectives. Similarly, treating yourself to solo outings can be a way to express gratitude for the effort you have invested in enhancing your skills.

If you’re not completely sure about which course or degree you should pursue in order to get that promotion or have a better chance at landing your dream job, it’s a good idea to talk to your current employer or just someone you know who works in the field you’re interested in.

They will have a much better understanding of what’s needed and where their businesses are lacking; plus, it’s going to make it pretty clear that you’re the kind of go-getter candidate that they’ve been looking for.

Feeling stuck? Get a mentor

While it’s easy to cough up a lot of different options in terms of boosting one’s career, it’s not always that simple to pick the right one. Pursuing a new degree or spending time taking a course is going to feel pretty meaningless if you’re not feeling 100% sure that this is what you need in order to get that promotion or land your dream job.

An excellent way around this is, of course, to seek out a mentor. There are a lot of different websites you could try your luck with, or you could just approach someone with a bit more experience in your company.

Let them know that you’re looking to learn a bit more about what they’re doing and that you feel that they would be a great person to shadow or to just ask some questions. It’s more likely than not that they’ll be flattered and willing to help out someone who looks up to them career-wise, and you’ll have someone to turn to in case you should feel a bit stuck sometimes.

Keep in mind, however, that whoever you’d like to have as a mentor already has a lot on their plate. Make sure that they know that this isn’t some obligation that will take up a lot of their time, and try to find someone who you already have some form of connection with. This will make communication a lot easier, and your mentor won’t feel like they have to spend a lot of time guiding you through your career, either.

While figuring out which steps you should take in order to get to where you’d like to be can be tricky, the most important thing you can do is to do something. Anything at all, really, and remind yourself that every little step helps and is much better than doing nothing at all.

I hope this article gave you that extra push you need to go after what you want regardless of where you are at in life. It’s never ever too late!

Have you been considering starting a new career or advancing your current one?

At Hello Lovely Living, a large part of my work involves helping women start a new business by creating a brand from scratch. Although I do love this line of work, my passion is in helping, guiding, and offering advice in other areas of business and life, which is why this blog truly exists.

I know how scary it could be to enter unknown territory, so if I can offer my experience as proof that you can get through all of the hiccups of starting a new business, I will gladly do so.

With that being said, today’s article touches on just a small piece of the pie when venturing into running your own business. Many of the things that you will encounter are not as frilly and cute as the branding and visual identity of your brand. Much of running a business requires that you take matters into your own hands and develop solutions to an endless amount of problems.

One of those problems that I have encountered is having to figure out the insurance dilemma as an independent contractor. When you work independently, you are responsible for providing yourself with your own insurance. This means that you will have to do a lot of research about how to get the best and most cost-effective coverage as an independent contractor.

This can be a very time-consuming and stressful process in comparison to if you were just simply employed by a company and provided with your healthcare coverage right off the bat. Not to worry, with the market opening up more than ever before to independent contractors with the rise of services such as Uber, Lyft, and Postmates, healthcare coverage is getting more easily accessible to those who are self-employed.

I know just how hard it can get when it comes to dealing with medical expenses when you do not have insurance. I was without healthcare insurance for quite a while and had to pay out-of-pocket. Although it was rare for me to get sick or need care, it was very stressful knowing that if something did happen to myself or my son, we would not be covered. 

If you are on the same boat as I was at the time, here is some advice to keep those medical costs down or a few things to consider that may help you get to your end goal, which is to get reliable healthcare coverage for yourself and your family.

Look for group discounts

As I mentioned earlier, companies such as Uber, Lyft, and Postmates (to name a few) that employ thousands of independent contractors are leveling the playing field for us all. These companies offer access to third-party services at group discounts, making it easy to save on anything from shopping at your favorite stores to health insurance.

Of course, not all of us will fall under this umbrella, so look into membership benefits that are offered through your bank, perhaps. It’s worth looking into online banks that offer discounts on a wide range of expenses.

Know when to make a legal claim

In situations where you may have been injured or made sick through the negligence of someone else, it’s possible that you may be able to make a legal claim. This could give you access to compensation, which you can then use to pay for the required medical treatment.

To increase your chances of getting your claim accepted, it’s worth using a credible law firm such as this company with almost 30 years of legal experience. Online reviews can often give you a good indicator of a law firm’s integrity.

Pay in advance

Some clinics may allow you to pay for treatment in advance in installments. The overall price of treatment may even be reduced if you’re willing to pay far enough in advance.

This won’t be helpful when it comes to emergency treatment, but it could be useful when paying for planned treatment. Clinics may not offer the option up-front, so make sure to inquire about it when discussing treatment with your doctor.

Shop around for treatment

Different clinics may offer different pricing for the same treatment plan. As a result, it’s worth shopping around.

Additionally, getting treatment abroad can be much more cheaper. However, you do need to factor in the flight costs.

You should also shop around for medication, as this can also vary in price. When it comes to over-the-counter drugs, many people stick to the big brands, but it’s likely that there could be a cheaper off-brand available that is just as effective.

Get health insurance

Getting health insurance is definitely the end goal. Like I said earlier, there are many options available for idependent contractors in 2019. The benefit is that by paying monthly installments, all or a portion of your medical bills can be paid for by your insurer.

You may end up paying more in the long run. However, it will be easier to foresee and budget those costs rather than having to pay out-of-pocket for unexpected medical treatment.

Of course, you should always shop around to find the best rates. There are many companies offering health insurance to people who are self-employed. There are even family plans out there that can insure your whole family.

I hope you found this article helpful and that it offered solutions or gave you a few ideas you can launch off of.  

If you are needing help with starting a new business endeavor, get in touch with me! I offer consultations and would love to help you achieve your goals.

what are some business topics that you want me to cover?

Did you know that household dust exposes you and your family to a wide range of toxic chemicals from everyday products?

A 2016 first-of-a-kind study on consumer product chemicals found in household dust, led by researches at the George Washington University, found that ninety percent of household dust contains ten harmful chemicals.

In the study, indoor dust consistently contained four classes of harmful chemicals in high amounts: phthalates, phenols, flame retardants, and highly fluorinated chemicals. In total, 45 toxic chemicals that are used in many consumer and household materials were found.

The most frightening fact is that the toxic chemicals that are found in dust pose a much higher risk to young children who are more vulnerable to the effects of the exposure on their developmental health. The chemicals from dust are much more likely to get into their bodies and cause harm.

That is not the only reason to be concerned. Dust is a breeding ground for another threat to your health: dust mites. They are microscopic, multiply very fast, and can be very harmful, especially to those who suffer from asthma and/or allergies.

For these very reasons, dust should be taken very seriously, and your exposure to it within your home should be reduced significantly. 

In this article, a Hello Lovely Living contributor shares tips on how to reduce dust from entering into and accumulating in the home. I, for one, need to apply a few additional measures of dust prevention in my home because I am scared out of my mind about the dangers it poses to my family’s health now. I didn’t know just how serious it was.

I hope you will find these tips helpful as well and find yourself better informed about the dangers dust poses to your health.

Take Off Your Shoes

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Did you know that 80% of household dust comes from shoes? For this reason, it helps to take your shoes off whenever you enter your home. When you do this, you can stop yourself from dragging dust throughout your home and you can also keep allergens outside where they belong. It also helps to have a shoe basket as well. When you have one of these, you can collect the dust that comes off the shoes and dispose of it accordingly.

Always Dust Your Doormat

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If you do not have a doormat, then this is another huge mistake. Doormats can help you to trap dust, and they are ideal if you sometimes forget to take your shoes off at the door. It is really important, however that you clean your doormat on a regular basis. To do this, you need to shake it outside, then vacuum over it. When you do this, you can reduce the amount of dust in your home by a significant amount, and you can also keep your home cleaner, too.

Change Your Air Filter Frequently

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Many manufacturers will tell you to change your air filter every 3 months or so. If you change them more often, then this will really reduce the amount of dust in your home. If you can, use disposable filters as these can be thrown away, and they are much more hygienic. AC repair may also be required, because if your unit is not working, then dust will collect and become stagnant, leading to a build-up of allergens in the home.

Avoid Feather Dusters

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You may think that feather dusters are retro, but they really are awful. They don’t remove dust at all, in fact, they spread it throughout the home. If you want to stop this from happening, then you need to use the bristle attachment on your vacuum cleaner to dust down your curtains. When you do this, the dust will be removed rather than being transferred from one room to another. If you find that the bristles do not remove all the dust, then a wet towel is the way to go.

Don’t Forget Those Hard-to-Reach Areas

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Doors and window frames, skirting boards, and underneath the fireplace are all areas that people often forget to dust. If you don’t get these areas, you will find that dust accumulates rather quickly. In addition, some of these areas are prone to humidity, which combined with dust, becomes the perfect breeding ground for mold - yet another health hazard you do not want. Dust these areas down at least once a month if you want to prevent dust from accumulating over time.

I hope that this article wasn’t too frightening, but sometimes the truth is. To know that we are exposed to so many environmental toxins in our homes is scary. We think of our home as our safe-haven, and we try our best to ensure that it stays that way, but unfortunately there are still so many threats to our health that even we can not avoid, not even in our home.

did you know dust was that serious?

Welcome back to the blog! I am here with another post that will hopefully aid us all in getting a better night’s rest - or any rest for that matter. If there is anyone that has suffered from insomnia, it would be this girl.

I’ll admit, I’m a night owl through and through, and I am one of those creatures that actually doesn’t like going to sleep at night and must force myself to do it. It kinda sounds like we’re talking about my toddler son, Uriah, right now. Ha!

Well, yes, I guess you could compare me to a toddler in that case. I ALSO need to be forced to sleep! I typically love to stay up late and work because it is during this time that I am most able to focus, have a clear head, and be productive without any interruptions. Mix that with being a night owl and a mom who values the freedom that only comes when her toddler is asleep, and there ya have it - an insomniac!

The real fun part in this whole cycle though is when I do want to go to sleep early, and I just can’t. *cue insomnia* It then becomes a game of strategy of how to get to sleep in time to get enough rest before the sun rises - and before Uriah wakes up! I am easily one of those people who can struggle with insomnia if I don’t actively and consistently take steps to prevent it. I am also one of those people who would probably google, “how to go to sleep”. If you clicked on this post, you’re probably one of those people too! Right?

That’s where this post comes in handy. In this post, I will be discussing tips on how to sleep better and prevent insomnia. Not to mention, these tips actually work. Trust me, they do because I’ve tried them! Let’s get started.

These points are mainly steps for breaking the cycle of insomnia, to begin with. For me, it comes down to correcting unhealthy sleep patterns that I have been accustomed to, which is caused by my overall disposition to be more alert and active in the evening hours. I am not 100% perfect when it comes to sleep, but this is what I have learned.

sleep at a decent time / Restart your sleep cycle

The first thing that you must do is restart your body clock or sleep cycle, and by this I mean STOP GOING TO BED LATE! Sorry for the all-caps but I just had to emphasize that. It’s so important to set a schedule that ensures that you are going to bed at a decent time and holding yourself accountable to a consistent and predictable sleep schedule.

Personally, I don’t like schedules, so this has been a tough one for me, but this is really important, and it has helped me so much in my mission to sleep better. I have found that when I sleep a lot earlier, I wake up way more rested and prepared to wake up at an earlier hour versus if I had gone to bed later and woke up later. Even if I had a solid 8 hours of sleep in both cases, I would still wake up feeling not so fully rested on the day I had gone to sleep at a later time.

Get a solid number of hours of sleep consistently

Have you ever experienced getting less sleep - we’re talking 4 hours - only to wake up feeling so vibrant and refreshed? Yeah, it’s crazy, but for some people, less sleep is more. The key here is to get a consistent amount of sleep every night so that your body is not feeling deprived. For some people, 8 hours of sleep is needed. For others, it is 6 or even 10! It just depends on you, so listen to your body and find the optimum number of sleep hours that you feel works best for your body.

For me, I can sometimes do really well with less sleep, but that only lasts so long until I start to feel drained again. I think my optimum sleep hours is 8, but I still need to work on this a bit more because I don’t always get the same amount of sleep every night to accurately determine the exact amount of hours I need. I feel like it just depends, so that’s where it gets tricky.

Create a relaxing sleep environment

I’m sure you’ve heard that the colors in your room directly affect your mood. It is very true, so make sure to be conscious of the way you choose to decorate your bedroom space. Instead of making it busy, keep it simple and as a space that is only used for sleep. Designate TVs to only being in your living spaces such as living room, family room, and areas of entertaining instead of in the bedroom.

One of the most important things you can do is to make sure that you have quality bedding and a premium quality mattress. These days, you can buy a luxury mattress at down-to-earth prices and have it shipped directly to your door. In most cases, you could order a mattress online and even try a mattress for free for several months before you dive in and splurge. Make sure to look at reviews before you make your decision because it will be one of the most important decisions you make in the quality of sleep that you receive for many years to come.

Another important thing is to make sure that it is completely dark and silent when you go to sleep. I have found that when lights are left on or when there is any noise, my body isn’t able to fully rest. It’s as if I am half awake when there is any type of sensory distraction, so I always make sure to turn everything off.

Leave your phone in a different room

I tried this several nights and it was a game changer! Leave your phone to charge in a different room and put it on sleep mode so that it won’t distract or tempt you. I’m telling you, my phone is literally one of the main reasons why I have insomnia on most nights. I often have the intention of going to bed at a decent time, then once I’m in bed and my phone is by my side, I either stay up browsing or pick up my phone after tossing and turning for 30 minutes because I can’t fall asleep. It doesn’t help that all of my best ideas come to me at night and I want to research all of them on my phone at 1 in the morning!

If you want to be a little more extreme, just ban your phone from being in the bedroom. It will do wonders and will solve more of your sleep problems than you know. I am still working on adhering to this self-inflicted policy, but I have tried it, and when I follow this rule, I have the best sleep a girl could ask for.

Get yourself relaxed and in “sleep mode”

Preparing to sleep shouldn’t start when you turn off the lights and lay down on your bed. It should start several hours prior to you getting into bed. This is the time when you will be mentally and physically preparing yourself for rest.

One of the first things that you can do is diffuse some relaxing essential oils like lavender throughout your home. Spray it on your bed sheets, pillows, or mattress or add it to a warm bath. Lavender is an effective natural sleep aid and remedy for insomnia along with chamomile, which is also another good way to get your body relaxed.

Prepare some chamomile tea and be amazed at how sleepy this gets you. I’m actually getting sleepy just thinking about it. I love chamomile tea! If you’ve ever tried Sleepytime Tea, well, chamomile is the active ingredient, and I grew up on that stuff as a child. My mom used to give it to us all the time to get us tired! They even now have Sleepytime Extra, which I just discovered.

Instilling better sleep habits for your children is essential as well in your quest for better sleep. By creating healthy sleep patterns and habits for your children, you will be able to effectively create a peaceful nighttime routine and setting so that you can look forward to your personal downtime every evening. You will avoid the bedtime stress that often comes with getting children settled in so that your family evenings can be more peaceful.

Magnesium is another amazing way to get your body ready for a restful sleep. It is known as the calming mineral, so it will help relieve any tension or stress within the body and mind. Magnesium can be found in different foods, but I prefer to just take them in pill form.

I have also found that CBD oil works amazing for insomnia. Whenever I have taken it, it gets me drowsy, and I have had the absolute best sleep without any interruptions. I have several articles on my experience using CBD oil, so make sure to check those out for its other benefits as well. If you suffer from other conditions that make it difficult to sleep, exploring natural options is worth a try.

Avoid caffeine and sugar throughout the day

If you want to do yourself a huge favor, just stay away from caffeine and sugar altogether. However, if you are like me and love green tea and need to stay alive during the day, then just drink that and stay away from coffee. Sorry, coffee lovers! The reason I say green tea is okay is because you won’t crash from it as you would with coffee. You will still be able to sleep, but of course, the best thing would be to give up any type of caffeine for the best results.

If you are still wanting caffeine alternatives, the best alternative to caffeine would be taking a daily Vitamin B complex. It works so amazingly well to boost energy levels, but naturally. A daily multivitamin can also do the trick. If you are one of the brave ones, try this apple cider vinegar drink. It is also a natural energy booster that I promise you works great when taken in the morning instead of coffee.

Takeaways

Well, that is it for now! I have a lot more to say on this topic, so I will be back again on the topic of sleep in future posts. I hope that these simple tips offer some very helpful ways that you can apply to help prevent insomnia and help you sleep better. Make sure to share your response to the question below in the comments!

Do you have any sleep tips? Let us know in the comments.

Welcome back to the blog! I’ve been on a roll with this money series. In my previous post, we talked about a few paths to financial freedom.

Today, I have another post by a Hello Lovely Living contributor that offers a few tips for the career-driven woman and how you can propel yourself further in your professional career rather simply by applying any of these tips.

Change doesn’t happen over night, but by applying simple solutions to often daunting long-term goals, you can steadily work your way toward achieving all that you want in your career and in life.

Knowing where to start is often the greatest challenge, so here are five ideas that will help to get that ball rolling toward achieving more in your career in 2019 and beyond.

Get Your Life Under Control

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The harsh reality of life is that it’s very difficult to focus on your career when pressures from all areas of your life are constantly at the forefront of your mind. The key is to be conscious of how your personal life impacts your career and to make sure that you are addressing any problems before they get out of hand.

Managing the financial fallout from your college years is one of the most important things you can do first because this is often where the financial burden originates when you are just starting out in your career. Being sure to have a plan in place is critical in relieving yourself of a lot of the pressure down the road, especially as new responsibilities begin to mount.

Meanwhile, stable relationships and living arrangements can have a telling influence on your career, too. Naturally, a clear head free of negative energy allows you to focus more on your work. In turn, this can only encourage quicker progress towards your career goals.

Invest In Your Look

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First impressions count for everything in business. As such, it’s never a bad idea to invest in your appearance to boost your confidence and ensure you looking and feeling your best at all times.

A haircut, a few sessions in the gym, or a new dress can make a huge impact in how you feel about yourself and how you present yourself to the world.

It’s not all about physical appearance, though. A new resume or business cards could be the key to creating a more memorable impression.

Alternatively, a new website or portfolio will allow you to stand out in positive way. The importance of getting your foot through the door to be considered is huge, especially being that competition is steep these days, so be sure to always pay attention to the details in your presentation both on paper and in person.

Invest In Your Development

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Education truly is the ticket to a better future. Even when you are well-educated in your chosen field, there's always room for further growth.

Medical experts, for example, can use online DNP nursing programs to further their education. Even if courses directly linked to the industry aren’t applicable, management courses can work wonders.

A better understanding of the latest tech developments in any chosen field would enable you to boost your productivity and value. This can only lead to larger earnings. 

Speak To Your Bosses

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Nobody is going to give you a higher salary if they believe that they can get away with underpaying you. With this in mind, merely asking for a raise could be the quickest route to an improved salary.

Check job boards to see whether the company is paying you a fair amount. If not, crafting an effective argument as to why you deserve a pay raise should be a lot simpler.

Even when increased wages aren’t possible, you can look at additional perks. If your employers won’t do either, perhaps it’s time to move to a new company. 

Take Matters Into Your Own Hands

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If the opportunities aren’t presenting themselves to you, there is another solution. Taking matters into your own hands by starting a business is worth consideration.

Even when cash is short, you can look to crowdfunding ventures and private investments to get your plans up and running and with the support you need to get started on a new path.

A lot of work is involved, but there’s no greater reward than being in charge of your own destiny. The fact that it could lead to huge financial rewards is also promising, so it shouldn’t be ignored as a potential gateway to achieving your career goals.

That is all for this post! I hope that this was helpful and that it offered a few solutions to how you can grow in your career regardless of where you are currently at. I support all the working ladies out there who hustle and grind day in and day out. No matter what we are called to do in our professional lives, we all have a unique purpose, and we’re ALL important. I’m all about supporting each and every one of you where you are at now while helping you to get to where you ultimately want to be.

Thanks for joining me! I will back again with another post really soon.

What career field are you in? what are your career goals for 2019?

As promised, I am back with another article in my money series. In the first article, I talked about how to earn real money using an app, not just points or gift cards. I am always looking for ways to make my dollar go even further, so with this series, I share my money making tips in hopes that you can benefit from them too.

There are so many ways that I have found to be effective money generating avenues. I believe in having multiple sources of income, so I am ALWAYS looking for more opportunities. Many nights, I don’t go to bed without coming up with more money making ideas because this activity alone truly helps encourage me and keeps me motivated. Working for myself has taught me to be very resourceful and to never toss out an idea. The more you train yourself to think outside of the box, the more you will see the opportunities right in front of you.

In this article, a Hello Lovely Living contributor will be sharing three options you can consider if you are looking for avenues to explore that are more of a long-term solution. Investing in your future should be your top priority, and with these three paths to financial freedom, you are sure to see results in time. Everyone is different, so what may work for one person may not work for another, so take these ideas as a starting point in brainstorming ways to get to your financial goals. I hope you enjoy this brief article!

Enter Into The World Of Business

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Business is the place to be, and what we’re referring to here is the corporate level of business. The companies we encourage you to consider working for are the big corporate companies where you could thrive in the working environment and rise to positions that promise huge rewards.

Of course, it’s not so easy to advance quickly if you don’t have the qualifications to make yourself competitive, so consider getting qualified with a degree of your choice or a degree that is highly sought after such as an online communication masters degree. The more qualified you are, the greater probability there will be that you will be able to land better positions, take on higher roles quicker, and of course, with higher roles comes more money.

Be Your Own Boss

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Perhaps you’ve always dreamt about working for yourself and owning your own business, never having to answer to anyone again. It’s the dream that many of us have, and it could easily be yours if you take the right steps.

One of those steps is to develop a business idea that you are passionate about, then take the necessary actions to setup your company. You must be very proactive from the start and follow through with your business goals even on days when you feel discouraged.

If you are on the fence with your business idea, seeking professional advice first by talking to a financial advisor and a business analyst will help give you things to consider before you take the plunge.

Trying Your Hand At Investment

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This is one option you can easily do from home or on the go in addition to the job that you currently have. Consider diving into the world of investing and learning about one of the most lucrative markets there is while you have a steady stream of income already coming in. It can be risky, but then again, what worthwhile decision with the potential for great rewards isn’t?

Forex trading is extremely popular at this time, and something we definitely think would be a great option if you already have a job, but you are looking for ways to make your money work for you. If you succeed at it, it can be highly rewarding and bring you the financial peace that you are seeking with the potential to become a full-time investor down the line.

That’s it for this article! It was short and to the point, but three very viable options if you are looking to advance yourself financially. I hope you enjoyed this article! I look forward to sharing more articles on the topic of money very soon.

Would you consider any of these options?

This post is sponsored by POP SECRET® but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

I believe it is so important to listen to our bodies and to be proactive about responding to it in a caring way. Sometimes we just need a little break, so having a number of things to fall back on to help us unwind is essential in recharing and getting back in line with being able to present the very best version of ourselves the next time around.

In this article, I’ll be sharing a few ways of how I unwind and destress during the week because who wants to wait until the weekend! I hope you enjoy this post, so let’s get into it!

 work on something new

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I know that many people might attribute work to stress, but that is not always the case, especially if you are doing something that you are passionate about and that you love. I do agree that there are some parts of my business that aren’t as enjoyable as others, but there are many other aspects of it that I truly do enjoy and feel rewarded by. 

My favorite aspects of my creative business are blogging, making videos, photography, and designing, so these are things that I love to do when I want to unwind. I just love to create, so when I start a new project, I feel excited and fulfilled in so many ways. I turn to these things when I need that boost, and I am at my best when I am creating and coming up with new ideas for my business.

If you have a day job that you are not happy with, try to create a side-hustle that you can find joy in. When you are looking to unwind from your day job, turn to it, and watch it grow little by little. You’d be surprised at how eager you will become to work on this new gig, and it will become a way for you to put your energy toward something that you are truly passionate about. You’ll develop a sense of purpose in this process, and who knows, you could potentially make that into your full-time career!

Make something by hand

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I recently picked up macrame as a new way to express myself, and I have found it to be so relaxing. I have always loved to make things by hand, so learning macrame and being able to create new designs has been so fulfilling.

I have found that handmade projects are so relaxing because it really forces me to focus on what I’m doing instead of what I’m thinking. This is why it’s such a great way to relax. I literally zone out when I am making a piece and enter a really peaceful place where I can focus my thoughts around the beauty of what I’m making and the anticipation of what it will turn out to be.

At the end of it, I feel rewarded by the outcome of my macrame piece because the end result is always different from what I had expected. I also learn so much along the way, which builds my skill little by little. 

I encourage you to do a handmade hobby as well. You can pick up on a hobby that you had when you were little or start a new one. There are so many things to do these days, so just start with anything that you’ve always wanted to learn or do, and just go for it! You’ll be surprised with what you get out of it. 

treat your tummy

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Who can ever disagree about the power of food! I love to eat, and I don’t always indulge, so when I am feeling the need to unwind and destress, snacking always does the trick. There’s something nostalgic about eating snacks from my childhood, so I typically try to pick up any of those types of snacks, but of course there are classics like POP SECRET® that I can just literally buy anywhere. I can even buy Pop Secret on Amazon. There’s something about curling up with a big bowl of warm, freshly-popped POP SECRET® popcorn that just feels so homey and relaxing, right! 

If you follow me on Instagram, I sometimes share what I’m snacking on in my stories. The other day it was nachos, prior to that it was asian snacks, and sometimes it is an artichoke or a baked potato with cheese, so it really depends on what I am craving. 

I’m sure I just made you hungry right about now, but isn’t it the truth! Sometimes you just need those feel-good foods in your system, especially if you are usually strict on yourself and rarely indulging in the foods that make you happy-happy. 

care for your plants

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Caring for my plants has always been a small practice during the day that can instantly boost my spirits. I can be in the middle of a long and stressful day when I take a minute to touch and acknowledge my plant-babies, and it immediately makes me so happy and changes my mood.

Recently, I did a video about how to propagate a rubber tree cutting, which is a perfect example of me unwinding and destressing. I remember feeling overwhelmed and not in such a productive mood that day, so I decided to film that video and share it with you guys. It was such a simple task to do, but it really brightened my day and made me feel so good.

If you are not a plant person, perhaps you have a pet that can instantly brighten your mood. Turning to something or someone who is nonjudgemental and that can simply be there as a source of love is so uplifting. The truth is, it is not always useful or necessary to turn to people when you have so many other ways of venting and expelling that negative energy. You wouldn’t want to pass it onto them if it’s something you can easily take care of yourself.

care for yourself

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It’s so important to take care of yourself just as you would your loved ones. Sometimes we can feel guilty about giving ourselves too much attention, but that is the only way that we are going to be happy and whole and able to put our best foot forward.

When you are feeling overwhelmed with things, try to do at least one thing that shows care for yourself. It could be as simple as taking a bath, plucking your eyebrows that you’ve let grow out for a week, or playing your favorite sounds and dancing away in the shower. Selfcare is just being in tune with what makes you happy, so it really depends on you and what you’re feeling at that moment.

Some of my favorite daily self-care activities are starting my day with warm, green tea, music, and a great breakfast so that I am ready for the day ahead. If I’m feeling like I need that extra boost, I will do something that makes me feel pretty such as giving myself a mani and pedi or doing my makeup even if I’m just heading out for errands. It’s the small things that truly make a difference.

So, there you have it - 5 ways to unwind and destress during the work week! I hope you found some useful tips from this article. Please do share how you unwind and destress in the comments below. Until next time, have a wonderful day!

What are some ways that you unwind and destress? 

Anxiety is one of those words that I feel like I am not allowed to use unless I’m “officially” diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, but I don’t believe that I should ever feel forced to place myself into a box - ever.  I know my body, and I know what I feel, so I can say that I do experience anxiety on varying levels. I have anxiety - not because a doctor told me, but because I live in this body and know what I feel. I’m not saying that I always have anxiety, but I do experience it more often at this particular time in my life, which is why it has come to my attention and why I am addressing it and giving it light.

In this article, I’ll just be sharing little pieces of what I’ve been going through for the past year and a half. This is my experience, and I know myself well enough to say that I, at times, have no idea why or how I’m feeling the way I do. I am just trying to understand myself more, and I always listen to my body and what it is trying to tell me, so this is serious business to me. Obviously, there is something wrong, so I am learning how to respond to things in a positive way so that it gets better instead of worse.

To give you some context, I experienced some very life-altering events in 2017, and I have basically been in fight-or-flight mode since. Side note: I just realized through writing that statement that I can say that I’ve felt like I’ve been in fight-or-flight mode for a great part of my life. I’ve always been anxious about the potential of fight-or-flight, so it is in my nature to want to go, go, go or anticipate that needing to happen at any given time. Wow - did I just have a revelation just now. I think I just did.

When you are placed in survival mode, I guess your body just kicks into overdrive and you have no choice but to replace fear with action. That has basically been my life this past year and a half. There is literally no time to cry or to be weak, but the truth is, I pride myself in how soft I can become, so this takes a lot out of me. I guess this is why the anxiousness has been more apparent. There is literally no moment for me to let my guard down, so I am constantly in an anxious state.

Imagine a car that is in 3rd gear when it only needs to be in 1st. Well, if you’ve ever driven stick, you’d know that this puts extreme pressure on the engine, and it does not feel good at all. It is actually scary. You must quickly switch back to 1st gear for all to be good and for your engine not to explode! That is literally how I feel. My body is in a constant state of overdrive, and it gets draining. I DO feel like I need to explode sometimes. It is a feeling that you can do everything in the world to try to settle and put yourself at ease, but you just can’t.

Now that I am more in tune with my body relating to anxiety, I can pinpoint when I am experiencing it. I feel like I need to do something immediately. I get antsy and restless. When I start to notice it, I truly do not know what to do with myself. I try and try to fill the space with activity or lack of, but it just does not make it any better. I can’t breathe well. I can’t think logically. I can’t seem to calm myself. I can’t sleep at night. All I can think about is what I need to do - next.

When I first started dealing with these symptoms, I just turned to drinking in the evening to put myself at ease, but then I noticed that it became a cycle whereas I would get anxious the next time around simply by thinking about alcohol. I was pairing my anxiety with alcohol, so it kind of became a trigger for it in my mind. So weird to say that, but that’s what I think happened.

I decided that I wasn’t going to continue that cycle, so I tried not to turn to alcohol when I would feel anxiety. I started to do such things as diffusing lavender before bed, which helped tremendously. Drinking tea is another thing that has always calmed me. I also began to drink less coffee and lessen any caffeine intake and try to sleep at an earlier hour or at least try to do so more nights during the week.

When I identified the triggers, I was able to limit feelings of anxiety a lot. I also turned to CBD oil, a natural treatment and prevention for anxiety. After my 4-part series on CBD oil, I learned so many positive uses for CBD oil, so I made the choice to take that next step. I knew about the benefits of CBD oil for anxiety, so I chose not to sit on that knowledge. I wanted to experience it for myself.

Thanks to my BFF, I got a special Christmas gift because I had told her that I had wanted to try it out. Since we are literally the epitome of #SAME #BFFGOALS, we both had been looking into it prior to us even mentioning it to each other, so it was so nice to have someone to talk to about it. She was able to encourage me based on her experience, and since it was all positive, I felt that much more at ease.

I decided to go with a 1:1 tincture in a peppermint flavor, which is basically an even ratio of CBD oil to THC liquid drops placed under the tongue for maximum absorption. I wasn’t sure what it would taste like, but it tasted so good. I actually love the taste. It did take a while to kick in, but after an hour or so, and I was able to experience the benefits thereafter for about 4-6 hours. I have found it to be very calming, and it definitely helps me to sleep well. I literally sleep like a baby and actually get drowsy, which is a feeling I so miss!

The reason why I chose a 1:1 tincture was because I did want to go with something that would immediately provide relief when I am experiencing anxiety and give me that euphoric feeling as well. I do want to try a straight up CBD oil blend next, so that is what I will likely purchase online or at a local dispensary. I’d like to buy CBD gummies as well because they are a convenient way to take it. The reason why I’d like to try 100% CBD oil is because the THC content is not always necessary, even at a 1:1 ratio. I would rather have both on hand so that I could take the 100% CBD oil without having to experience any psychoactive effects. It is definitely a choice that is totally mine to make, and with so many options available, I feel free to find what works best for me.

One thing that I noticed after taking CBD oil, and it’s only been a month, is that my anxiety is less frequent. I have not really had extreme episodes that lasted for days since taking it. I think I’ve taken my CBD drops a total of four times, but I already have been seeing a huge difference in how much anxiety I experience. I am less worried, more at ease, and generally eager about my days and less anxious about the the day-to-day stresses.

As of now, I do plan to continue this method of anxiety prevention and treatment. It’s a natural alternative that is proving to be promising, so I am very happy about it so far. As you may or may not know, I am a huge proponent of going the natural route. I am also an advocate of awareness and being in control of your health, which is why I decided to share my story. If you are curious about CBD oil, I highly suggest you check out my 4-part series on CBD oil and learn more about it. I also recommend you research everything for yourself first, find the answers to all of your questions, and look for the best products and dispensaries.

Things are rapidly changing for the cannabis industry, and it is not like it was nor are people naive to its health benefits. People are educating themselves, building awareness, and breaking stereotypes. I am a firm believer in education and taking it upon yourself to not be influenced by external sources, but by taking on an introspective reasoning and finding the truth for yourself. A few years ago, I would not have said that I would be exploring this industry, but that is what growth is about. It is there for you to attain if you leave room for your ideas to be challenged and for your perspectives to mature so that you can become your best self. I am not the same person I was yesterday, and I am proud of that.

That is it for now! I hope you enjoyed that little glimpse into a bit of a more personal side to my life. It is not easy to share my struggles, but if I can help someone, then it is all worth being vulnerable. I hope you find some useful information in this article. If you should have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below, or simply email or DM me on social media.

how do you cope with anxiety?

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Today, I’m sharing one of my favorite meals to eat for breakfast. It’s healthy and easy to make, and if I could have this for breakfast every day, I would! I typically use kang kung (water spinach) with this recipe, but when it is unavailable, I like to use yu choy. Chinese vegetables are so delicious! I highly recommend you pick some up the next time you are at an asian market.

If you haven’t had yu choy yet, it has a mild flavor, so it soaks in all the flavors of a dish really well. Typically, I stick to a few main ingredients when I season asian vegetables. The ingredients in this recipe are what I use for literally all of my vegetable dishes. You can use the same ingredients to experiment with other vegetables as well.

Now, let’s get into the recipe! Watch the full video below first, then refer to the specific measurements and ingredients within this article. Happy cooking!

Stir Fry Yu Choy & Eggs

Stina Abion | Hello Lovely Living
January 15, 2019



Servings: 1 serving
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 5 mins
Total time: 10 mins

Ingredients

• 6 stalks yu choy
• 2 eggs
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 stalks green onion
• 2 Tbsp yellow onions
• 2 Tbsp fried shallots
• 1 tsp chicken bouillon
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp water
• garlic powder
• black pepper

Instructions

1. Heat wok or skillet on high. Add 1 Tbsp butter to pan, and add garlic, onions, and green onions. Saute for a minute until transparent and slightly golden on the edges.
2. Add vegetables and water, then stir fry for several minutes. Add garlic powder, black pepper, and fried shallots. Stir fry until vegetables are a bright green and slightly cooked through until crisp, but not overcooked. Remove from heat, and set aside.
3. With the same pan, add 1 Tbsp butter and pour in scrambled eggs. Lightly move eggs around until cooked through, but not overcooked.
4. Assemble plate with vegetables and eggs, and enjoy!

Notes

• Substitute yu choy with other vegetables such as kang kung (water spinach), bok choy, or other vegetables of choice.

What is your go-to healthy breakfast?

We’re two weeks into 2019, and I’m making it a point to explore a lot more of California and hopefully travel out of state a few times this year. I love to travel, and I am already getting antsy from keeping still for too long, and I’ve only been in California for a year. I believe traveling and getting beyond your comfort zone is so important for growth and in realizing that there is so much more beyond us and outside our little box that we create for ourselves sometimes.

Over the weekend, we took a drive to Oceanside, which is around an hour from where I live. You don’t need to hop on a plane to travel - just hop in your car! I was absolutely blown away by the colors of the sunset and the water when I arrived. I did not want to leave! I’ll be sharing a few photos from that day and a brief writeup from one of my Hello Lovely Living contributors about why traveling is so good for you.

Have you booked your next vacation yet? You should, as traveling is good for your mind, body, and soul. If you know you are long overdue for a holiday, let this article offer you the incentives you need to book your next flight and escape into your nearest getaway. You might then reach new levels in your life, giving you a sense of renewal in a holistic and meaningful way.

Traveling is good for the mind

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You probably don't need us to tell you this, but for your mental wellbeing, traveling is a must. It will sharpen your mind, and you will be forced to think on your feet, such as when you're trying to navigate new places or make sense of foreign languages.

According to this article, traveling is also a number one mood booster because getting away from it all is an effective way to alleviate the symptoms of stress and depression.

You will also increase in knowledge since while traveling, you will get to experience new cultures, tastes, sights, and sounds, each of which will grow your mind and your perspectives on life.

Traveling is good for the body

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This depends on you, of course. If you spend all of your vacation time sunbathing on the beach and eating and drinking anything that is an escape from your usually carefully-prescribed diet, then you are doing your body a disservice.

On the other hand, if you explore your surroundings by hiking on foot or by using a bicycle, spend some of your days swimming in the sea or in the pool, and make use of the exercise facilities at the hotel, then you are going to do your body a lot of good.

That mixed with the health benefits of the sun in more tropical climates and the courage to try some of the more healthier cuisines will ensure your body feels the benefits while away.

Traveling is good for the soul

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We aren't necessarily talking about the religious benefits of traveling, although many people do find the ability to connect with their faith when away. Rather, we are suggesting that traveling is a good way to help you connect with yourself.

This is your opportunity to get away from it all, so while you might still keep in touch with friends and family back home through phone or this physical address service, you might also want to remove yourself from the chaos and people of your life by finding time to be alone.

It's while you are away that you will be able to gain a new perspective on your life and on who you are as a person. You might spend time meditating on mountain tops or on a secluded part of a tropical beach to ponder life's bigger questions.

You will have the opportunity to think without your usual distractions getting in the way. As you learn new things about yourself, and as you get a better sense of reality away from life's worries, you should return home with a renewed soul and vigor for life.

So, what are you waiting for? For both body, mind and soul, getting away from it all could be the best thing you do this year. Book a flight away, and renew every aspect of your life. It could be just what you need to do to feel complete again.

If you are looking for a place to stay while traveling, I highly recommend Airbnb. You can find really affordable and convenient places to stay within the area you want to explore while still feeling at home. Get $40 off your first Airbnb trip with the link below!

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HELLO LOVELY LIVING

discount codes

AIRBNB

$40 off your first airbnb trip

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where are you wanting to travel to this year?

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This post contains referral links. Please see my privacy policy for a complete disclosure.

Today, I’ll be showing you how to make these oh-so-cute hanging wood shelves. The idea came to me after coming across wooden cutting boards at Daiso. If you’re not familiar with Daiso, it’s a popular discount store that sells Japanese products for $1.50 and up, so you can find many things for the home there for very cheap. Daiso is everywhere here in California, so I am living for it!

I purchased the wood cutting boards not knowing for sure what I was going to make with them until I remembered this Urban Outfitters hanging shelf that I had bookmarked a while back. I realized that the wood pieces from Daiso would be perfect for creating a product dupe for much less. In all actuality, these DIY hanging wood shelves probably cost less than $5 each to make, and being that I already had everything I needed to make these except for the wood, it only cost me $3 for two - what a steal!

I love how they turned out (I made two of them), so I hope you try making them too. This is one of the easiest wood shelving ideas, especially if you live in one of these apartments for rent in McKinney and you want floating wood shelves, but you are looking for more of a quick and easy way to do it. I absolutely love the raw and natural wood look of these too, so these came out perfect and fit my aesthetic and decor so well. They also have that minimalist + bohemian + Tumblr vibe going on, and we are all about that life over here!

Watch the video below to learn how to make it, and if you are needing a to refer back to the instructions, I have written them out below. I have also listed all of the supplies needed for this project. Enjoy!

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Supplies

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• 2" Natural wood rings

• Off-white yarn

• Daiso wood cutting board 30 x 19 x 0.9 cm (11.81 x7.48 x 0.35")

• IKEA Drill

• Scissors

• Pen

• Wall hooks

instructions

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STEP 1

mark holes + drill

At each corner, mark 1” in from each side, then drill a total of 4 holes.

STEP 2

cut yarn + string through holes

Cut 2 - 4’ pieces of yarn and then string each piece along the landscape orientation of the wood. Evenly distribute yarn so that when it is held upright, you have even lengths of yarn at both sides.

STEP 3

loop strings through wood ring + adjust placement

Gather strings through the wood ring and then place the shelf up against a wall to test out the placement of the strings. To ensure that the wood piece hangs level to the wall, adjust the string’s tension by allowing the wood piece to even out so that it is laying flat. Your strings will be angled slightly, so just hold them tightly against the wood ring because a knot will be placed around them at this length.

STEP 4

cut a 12” piece of yarn + make a gathering knot

Watch my YouTube video above for how to do this part because this is the tricky part!

STEP 5

hang + enjoy

Hang your shelf anywhere on your walls with a picture hanger hook which provides a bit of an angle for the wood ring to rest in. These are the exact ones I used to hang mine.

Wasn’t that so simple?! I thought it was a very easy project to do. Two shelves could very well be done in less than 15 minutes, so it is also a very quick project. If you decide to make these, let me know how yours turn out. I’d also love to see how you style these.

what home decor items have you been eyeing lately?

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This post contains affiliate links. Please see my privacy policy for a complete disclosure.

This post is sponsored by Palm Springs but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

Uriah and I took a day trip to Palm Springs over the weekend, and I wanted to share what we did, so in this post I will be doing just that. If you are in the SoCal area, Palm Springs is a great destination for a quick getaway. I wanted to plan my trip so that it was kid-friendly since it was Uriah and I on this trip, so I have compiled a few places that you can consider if you have children too. The Palm Springs Home Page was a great resource for me to start when planning my itinerary for the day.

On the way to Palm Springs, the perfect pit stop is less than 30 minutes out from Downtown Palm Springs if you are heading east from Orange County. Cabazon Dinosaurs is an iconic pop culture attraction located just outside of Palm Springs and was featured in Pee Wee Herman’s Big Adventure and The Wizard. Mr. Rex’s Dinosaur Adventure includes a dinosaur exhibit featuring over 50 lifelike dinosaurs, a dinosaur dig, fossil panning, and access to climb inside Mr. Rex all the way up to his mouth.

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Uriah absolutely loved it there, even if we didn’t get to go into the exhibit. It’s a nice stop and we simply enjoyed the large dinosaur statues that were outdoors and the dinosaur-themed shop that was located inside one of the dinosaurs. This is a must-go for snapping some photos of some unforgettable memories.

That was our first stop, and then we were headed straight to Downtown Palm Springs. On our way, we could see the vast amount of windmills sprawled across the desert, which is also a popular attraction that is worth the view along with the beautiful mountainous landscape.

Once we got to Palm Springs, we were welcomed by beautiful palm trees and a drive through the main downtown strip that is lined with an abundance of shops and restaurants. Instead of exploring the usual attractions, I chose Frank In Bun as our lunch spot since I knew they had kid-friendly food options such as fries, corn dogs, etc., and of course, their interior was Instagram-worthy and very charming, which was a must! It’s great to go off and explore places that are a little hidden and off the beaten path, so that is what I chose to do.

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Once we were all finished with lunch, we headed back to the downtown area which was just a couple mins away, and I parked a few blocks out so that I had effortless parking and could just walk a few short minutes. On our walk, we came across a beautiful mural of Marilyn Manroe and we could see Palm Spring’s version of The Walk of Stars along the sidewalks. There is a lively arts district in Palm Springs, and you can find many art museums and shops in the area, so be sure to explore.

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We then headed to a small boho shop called Thick As Thieves. It is located along Downtown South, which is at the very end of the Downtown strip, so it was less busy, and I loved that. The shop was quite small, but had miscellaneous and cute bohemian-themed home accessories and decor.

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Along the side of the shop, there was a cute alleyway with additional shops, which happened to be my favorite spot from the trip because there were perfect little photo backdrops that I just loved. It had a very cottage-like feel, and it was a cute area that Uriah enjoyed exploring and running through. I also took a lot of cute shots of him there.

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We then crossed the street, and in a few minutes, we were at Rudy’s General Store Museum, a recreated 1930’s shop filled with old fashioned, unused products. It was pretty interesting to see how many authentic products they had that were in such great condition. None of it was on sale, though - bummer! I also thought it would be fun for Uriah, but he didn’t really get the concept yet haha, so we didn’t stay too long, plus it was a very small shop, so look to spending only a few minutes there browsing through. They also charge a $1 admission, but that is not too bad at all!

After that, we stopped by at a candy shop just located right outside of the museum called Palm Springs Fudge & Chocolates. They have various sweet options as well as Dippin’ Dots. Uriah just got bought a ring pop, then we headed back to the car because we only had an hour before the sun would be going down.

I decided to find an outdoor park/playground for Uriah to get his energy out at and have some fun since much of the attractions were geared toward indoor activities. I found a playground called Demuth Park, which had really great reviews and looked like a fun spot for him with huge slides. It was only about 10 minutes away. So, we headed there, and he had such a great time.

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Before the sun went down, I decided to find “That Pink Door”. If you are an avid Instagram-addict like myself, you would have seen and heard about this popular Palm Springs Instagram-photo-op destination. Since it is private property, I simply drove past and didn’t stop to take photos, but happy nonetheless to see it in person. The homeowners have since announced that they do not want anyone to take photos there anymore, so I respected their wishes! Watch my vlog for all the footage though of me driving through and getting excited to see it in the wild.

So, that was it and the end of our trip! The sun had gone down, so I headed back home which was a 2-hour drive. I enjoyed our quick little mini getaway! Exploring a different environment and soaking in the different scenery is always my favorite thing to do to reset and recharge. There is a lot more to do in Palm Springs that I would have loved to do, so I will list just a few other things that may be of interest to you if you are planning a trip there soon! Another great resource that I highly recommend is the Palm Springs Home Page, so make sure to check them out for ideas of what to do in the area.

Links to Places Mentioned

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Cabazon Dinosaurs

Frank In Bun

Thick As Thieves

Rudy’s General Store Museum

Palm Springs Fudge & Chocolates

Demuth Park

other kid-friendly things to do

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Palm Springs Aerial Tramway

Lappert’s dole wip

Robolights

living desert zoo & gardens

save money

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HELLO LOVELY LIVING

discount codes

AIRBNB

$40 off your first airbnb trip

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I hope you enjoyed this little travel inspiration post! I encourage you to get out there and explore your area! There is so much to see and do, and you don’t need to go out of state or spend a ton of money to experience different things, sceneries, and environments. Be sure to also watch our vlog from this trip for some extra footage of Palm Springs on my YouTube channel or click the video below.

have you been to palm springs? what is your favorite spot?

I love to save and earn money whenever and wherever I can, so today I am starting a series in which I feature ways to do just that! As a business owner and single mom, I am always looking for every opportunity to make my money go even further. Every single thing adds up, and if you are going to spend money anyways, why not save a few bucks? These days, there is always a deal and there are always ways to save - you just have to be resourceful and not impulsive when it comes to purchases. I look forward to sharing more of my money-saving and money-making tips in this series, so I hope you enjoy it and find it to be helpful!

ibotta

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Ibotta is a cash back app that allows you to transfer 100% of your Ibotta earnings to PayPal or Venmo as soon as you've earned $20. If you'd rather convert your earnings into a gift card, you can do that, too. You can earn money on purchases from 289 retailers like Target, Walmart, Sprouts, and Amazon (to name a few) and have 3 ways to earn, so it’s easy to rack up those earnings quickly!

how it works

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Step 1

Sign up + add offers

SIgn up here. You’ll receive a $5 bonus just for signing up! Simply search for offers and add them by completing simple tasks like answering a question or watching a short video.

Step 2

go shopping: three ways to earn + bonuses

Earn money in 3 ways: Send receipt, link a loyalty card, or make mobile in-app purchases. Depending on which way(s) you choose to earn, you will required to follow the steps in order to redeem your purchases. You can also earn cash from bonuses.

Send Receipt

Buy the products at participating stores. Redeem offers by taking a photo of your receipt and Ibotta will match your purchases with the offers you selected.

Link Loyalty Card

Link your store loyalty account by choosing one of Ibotta’s Preferred Partners. Use your loyalty card or phone number at check out.

Mobile In-app Purchases

Before you shop, browse cash back offers from top apps. Tap on the Shop button from the Ibotta app. Make a qualifying purchase in a participating app.

Bonuses

Get extra cash back by completing bonuses such as redeeming offers at specific retailers and by completing certain tasks.

Referral + teamwork

When you invite friends to download the app, Ibotta gives you a cash gift for doing so. Friends can also become a part of your team if you sign up using Facebook and everyone can take advantage of teamwork bonuses offered every month.

Step 3 get cash

Your cash back will be deposited into your Ibotta account within 48 hours of submitting offers. You can then cash out your earnings to PayPal or Venmo once you’ve earned $20.

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“Get Real Money! Money Making Apps That Really Work https://bit.ly/hllxibotta @hlovelyliving #hellolovelyliving”

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Final Thoughts

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Why I like Ibotta

Ibotta is an easy way to save money on ordinary purchases, and offers are so easy to redeem. Cash back can really add up quickly. I have earned over $50 using Ibotta so far, so I highly recommend it from my personal experience.

PRO TIP

To save even more on my purchases, I also like to search for matching offers on other coupon apps like the Target app. Many times, offers will be available on both the Target and Ibotta apps, which means that you can save even more on products and potentially get products for free or next to nothing. If you are an extreme couponer, you could even find matching coupons that you can redeem at the store in addition to using Ibotta and other digital coupon apps.

Of course, there’s always the option of benefitting from coupons, promo codes, and credit offers from shopping online. So, if you are wanting to make an online purchase at say, Walmart, you can still save money, but instead of having to submit receipts, your purchases would be automatically tracked. It’s a win-win situation either way!

That is it for today’s post! I hope you do take advantage of using Ibotta because it is such a simple and easy way to save and earn money, and it would be a tragedy not to haha! Make sure to follow along for more posts just like this in the near future. I am happy to share more of my money making hacks really soon!

do you use cash back apps? which ones are your favorite? 

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This post contains referral links. Please see my privacy policy for a complete disclosure.

I’m back with another post, and today we’re talking about a few important tips to creating a brand presence that is authentic to you. On this blog, I love to discuss topics that are real and often vulnerable, and in this article, we reinforce the idea of getting outside of our comfort zones.

I often work with women that are starting a brand new blog or website, and if there’s any advice that I try to share with them from the get-go, it is exactly the advice that you will read in this article. I hope you enjoy it, and I hope it inspires you to just get out there are share your story (struggles and all), be yourself, and be confident in it all.

We recently got the opportunity to sit down with Debbie Millman: author, educator, curator, and host of the podcast Design Matters, one of the world's first and longest-running podcasts. 

As the host of Design Matters, Millman has interviewed over 400 artists, designers, and cultural commentators. In the 13 years since its inception, the show has garnered over five million downloads per year, honored with a Cooper Hewitt National Design Award, and designated one of the best overall podcasts by iTunes. 

Debbie is the author of six books and President Emeritus of AIGA, one of five women to hold the position in the organization’s 100-year history. She's a frequent speaker on design and branding and has been a juror for competitions including Cannes Lions, The Clio’s, the One Club and many, many more.

Here, she shares her thoughts on authenticity and vulnerability in branding and life. 

Debbie, tell us a little bit about yourself.  

I am a designer, an author, and an educator at the School of Visual Arts. I co-founded and run a graduate program in branding. I'm also the host of a podcast called Design Matters.
 

What tips can you offer to someone who wants to create a new brand presence for themselves?

Well, I wouldn't recommend that someone ever recreate themselves; I would recommend that they feature who they are on their best day, in a way that feels very authentic and true to their soul and being. People tend to respond more favorably to people that are being themselves, and, in many ways, holding that "freak" flag really high, because they can then relate and be able to connect with them in a much more visceral manner.

So, my recommendation would be to celebrate who you are on your best day, speak from the heart, and offer an opportunity for people to get to know who you really are.
 

A lot of people are hesitant to really put themselves out there. What would you say to them?

Watch Brené Brown's TED Talk about vulnerability. I really, truly believe that vulnerability is the birthplace of creativity, and you can't be creative and say something that is going to touch or reach other people unless you are doing it with your own open heart. So there really is no choice. If you're not comfortable with being vulnerable, my strong recommendation would be to get comfortable being vulnerable, because why else would anybody want to get to know you or pay attention to what you have to say? What are they getting to know, then? Some false friend?
 

How can people get out of their comfort zone and become more authentic?

Take small steps, small moves. You don't have to reveal everything about your childhood in your first email, but if you can share some part of yourself that you feel is worthy of connecting with other people, and people will feel is honest, then why wouldn't you want to do that?

That's what people want to know about you. They don't want to know all of the successes and all of the amazing things you're doing. They want to know how you've struggled, or how you've overcome an obstacle, or what lesson you learned in the process of doing something. And the more you can share that, I think the more value it has, both to yourself and to others.


Specifically, what kind of value does sharing your failures provide?

Well, everybody has experienced failure. And if you aren't able or capable of sharing what you've done wrong, why would anybody care if you're sharing what you've done right? And I feel that if we're putting a face forward that's only positive and only impressive, then we're manufacturing our meaning, because that's only one small part of what it means to be human, and strive, and long for things, and create things, and make things. And there is none of that without failure, rejection, vulnerability, fear. All of those things are just part of the process of being a maker.

Are there any particular failures or struggles that you can recount from your professional career that helped you become who you are today?

Well, almost anything I've done has been fueled by an enormous amount of rejection, whether it be book ideas, business ideas, or new pitches. My past is riddled and littered with rejections and failures. But, there are very few that I can actually look back on now and say, "I didn't either learn something, or overcome something to get to a better place, or create something out of that failure, that then became successful."

And, of course, it's easy to look back on it and say in hindsight, "Well, if that hadn't happened, then that wouldn't have happened, and then that wouldn't have happened, and I wouldn't be sitting right here," but I can tell you that it's really true.

Are there any other places that you turn to for inspiration in your career? 

Well, I love to read. I love to learn, so for me, some of the people that I'm either mentored by or inspired by are people like Seth Godin, who is one of the most generous, smartest, kindest people on the planet. And he does a daily blog, seven days a week, and so you can get daily morning inspiration from him. Also, Steven Heller. He's somebody that has also been enormously supportive and helpful to me, and mentored me, and inspired me, and educated me in ways that I could never have imagined. So those are two people, on a daily basis, that I turn to, both personally and professionally, online and offline.

Finally: What's your number one tip for brands who want to create a better connection with their audience?

Think about the benefit you can provide your audience. People aren't really interested in another form, or another flavor. They're interested in what kind of difference you can make in their lives. So, what can you offer your audience that will help them grow, help them become more successful, help them learn something that they wouldn't have expected or had the opportunity to do? What can you offer your audience that no one else can?

Interested in hearing more from Debbie? Check out her podcast, Design Matters! 

I hope you enjoyed that short inspirational post. I know how hard it is to be vulnerable, especially in this online space. I can personally say that I have shrunk back a little just due to a lot that has happened within the past couple years within my personal life. I feel like I have a lot to share, but I don’t know where to start. It can be overwhelming. It IS tough to share our struggles, but at the end of the day, that is what helps us get through them.

Lately I’ve just been feeling the pressure to have it all together. Perhaps this opens a new chapter for me to share more struggles that I’ve been through. This interview really brought me back to why I’m here in the first place. I want to continue to create a space that is inspiring and real. This may be the start for more sharing and being confident in my imperfect story.

A special thank you to Emma for this guest post. They have many amazing marketing resources to help you with your online business. I especially enjoy their Email Showdown series where they compare the email marketing of two brands. I highly recommend their resources, so do check them out if you are needing help with email marketing and want marketing tips from the pros!

In addition, if you are needing help developing your brand, I am here to help you from start to finish. Get in touch with me here for a free consultation.

is being vulnerable something that you struggle with and how? i’d love to have a discussion below.

This series started out with me being curious - and rightfully so! With so many talks about the benefits surrounding CBD oil, I just had to learn about it and share those findings with you all. I’m all for discovering new things, which includes things that will improve my quality of life and wellbeing. In my search for truth, I learned a ton of things that really opened my eyes to a whole new world - literally. In the final part of this series, I will be sharing a few of my final thoughts about CBD oil.

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what i learned

my main takeaways about cbd oil

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Prior to doing this series, I was very curious about CBD oil. Simply put, I did not know that there was so much to learn about the topic and that I was highly under-informed to say the least. Here is a list of things that I learned that made a huge impact on how I viewed the CBD oil industry as a whole:

CBD oil has an outrageous amount of health benefits

In part 1-3 of this series, I talked about the many benefits of CBD oil and Hemp Seed Oil. Of those benefits, the main ones that caught my attention and that I believe would particularly benefit me are in treating the following:

• migraines

• insomnia

• nausea (caused by migraines)

• acne

• stress

• anxiety

cbd oil is legal and safe

Anyone can buy CBD oil online, and it is legal and regulated across the 50 states. The World Health Organization concluded that it is not harmful in 2017.

CBD oil will not get you high

Little did I know that CBD oil actually had a purpose - and it was not to get high. If you read Part 1 in this series, I explained that CBD oil contains less than 0.3% of THC, which is essentially 0% in terms of it ever having the ability to produce a high whatsoever.

CBD oil is made from industrial hemp and not marijuana

Hemp and marijuana are essentially variants of the same plant, cannabis sativa, but they have very different purposes and composition. CBD oil is produced from industrial hemp, which has high levels of CBD. In contrast, marijuana is primarily produced for its high levels of THC content. An easy way to look at it is hemp = CBD and marijuana = THC

CBD oil has many uses and comes in different products

There are so many ways to take advantage of the benefits of CBD oil. It can be vaped, applied topically through various skincare products, taken orally using MedsBiotech CBD oil in the form of CBD capsules, various edibles such as gummies, chocolate, cake pops, dabs, drops, and drinks. I’m sure there is more out there too! CBD oil has many benefits, but specifically, CBD for anxiety is one of its common uses.

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the conclusion

Will I be trying CBD Oil and other hemp products?

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I wouldn’t have imagined that I would ever venture into this category of products or even consider using them. The truth is, I was not educated about the properties, uses, and benefits of hemp products, so I really was naive in my thoughts about them. It took me so long to look into it, but here we are, and I learned so much. I can honestly say that my views have expanded and yes, I definitely would like to try hemp products in the near future. Here is a list of hemp products that I would like to venture into trying and experiencing the benefits for myself:

• Flavored CBD vape oil

• Hemp Skincare

• Edibles (gummies)

• Hemp seeds

As a huge supporter of going the natural route in terms of treating illness and health concerns, I believe that CBD oil and hemp products are just as good as any other natural products on the market. All natural products have their specific uses and benefits, so why not explore and enjoy them if you choose? It feels so good to know what you’re putting in your body, and it is even more fulfilling when you are choosing products in a conscious way. When you know what specific products do for your body, you can listen to your body and determine what is best for you at that particular time.

As always, treating the underlying cause of the issue is even more important, in my opinion. Symptoms are usually a result of a deeper-rooted issue, so try to listen to your body and identify what it is trying to tell you. When the body responds in illness, your body is saying, hey, pay attention to me! I believe that the body has the ability to heal itself with the proper care that we give it. Of course, natural products will always be the better option when dealing with health concerns that traditionally require over-the-counter or prescription medications.

Many people are recognizing that there are so many natural alternatives available, which is amazing because people are becoming more educated about their options. I remember when I first started learning about natural remedies and natural products - I felt like an alien venturing into some far off land because it was a new concept that I had to prove to people. At the time, I was living on Guam and found myself dealing with many health problems. I decided to take control of my health by doing research on natural ways to heal my body. That was the start of my whole wellness journey, which is an endless pursuit because I’m always learning something new, and there’s always room for growth. I am glad that I added all of this information to my “farmacy” as I like to call it. Nature is so abundant and amazing, and I believe that so many answers to our problems can be found in it.

Thank you for tuning into this series, and if you have not already, make sure to go back and read Parts 1-4. This will seriously expose you to some new ideas about a wonderful plant that has so many amazing benefits. I learned so much from this series, and I hope you did to. Are there any other questions that you’d like answered? Comment them below, and I will do my best to answer them. I’d also love to hear about your thoughts about the different CBD and hemp options that I shared, and if you’ve had any experience using them, please share that too.

are you interested in trying hemp products?

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Disclosure: This post is purely from my personal findings and for informational purposes only, not to be construed as medical advice. Please seek medical advice from a licensed health practitioner. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Please see my privacy policy for a complete disclosure.