I believe books can serve many purposes in a person's life. They can show us new things. They can entertain us. They can transform us. And my personal favorite, they can help us through rough times. On Wednesday I talked a little about my plans for 2016 and how I am going to work on personal growth within my self and appreciating the little things. Finding gratitude. I am doing this by trying new things, falling in love with old passions, and reading lots of books.

Some of the books I have added to my reading shelf this year have a lot to do with finding happiness and appreciating things around me. I was never big into self help books, but I am on my second book this year and I am enjoying learning new ways to explore my own feelings and needs.


Here is just a taste of some of the books I am planning to explore this year:

• The Happy Stepmother: Stay Sane, Empower Yourself, Thrive in Your New Family by Rachelle Katz 

• The Gratitude Diaries: How a Year of Looking on the Bright Side Can Transform your Life by Janice Kaplan

•  The Wishing Year: An Experiment in Desire by Noelle Oxenhandler

• Better Than Before: What I Learned About Making and Breaking Habits to Sleep More, Quit Sugar, Procrastinate Less, and Generally Build a Happier Life by Gretchen Rubin

• Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand in the Sun and be Your Own Person by Shonda Rimes

• Voluntary Madness: My Year Lost and Found in the Loony Bin by Norah Vincent

• Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage by Alice Munro

• The Crossroads of Should and Must: Find and Follow Your Passion by Elle Luna

What are some of the books you are planning to read this year? Have you read any of these? Any suggestions?

I hope you all have a nice and relaxing weekend!
 

It's Wednesday, my nose is stuffy and I'm currently typing this on my phone from my bed with my fluff ball Grace laying on my chest. This is the sick life. I feel very grateful for this moment. There us so much peace and quiet in this moment. I feel at ease and for once that everything will be okay.

That thought reminds me that I haven't set myself any goals for the year yet. Something I was taking the month if January to figure out. As I lay here in peace it makes me want to learn how to be grateful again, even when I've had a bad day.

I've added a slew of books to my reading list this year, in hope to retrain my thoughts to stop focusing only on the negatives.  I've already checked out 5 books from the library to help get me started. I'm planning to read them in between all of my fun reads for the year.

These books put my goals into place for me. I'm going to intertwine all my monthly goals with personal growth and gratitude. On Friday I want to share the books I'm planning to read and how they are shaping out my year.

It's time to take back the positive and make it the best year yet. How are you shaping your year?

Now I'm going back to snuggling with Grace.

Happy Wednesday :)

Did you ever have such a strong connection to something, you knew you had to have it? No matter what you did you couldn't get that thing off your mind? That's how I felt last week at work.

Back in November I started a new job at my local SPCA. I am surrounded by cute and cuddly kitties and dogs all day, every day. When I took the job I got asked a lot how I was going to manage not adopting every animal that came through the door. That was a simple response; "I can't have pets at my apartment so there's no issue there." Or so I thought.

On January 8th this really cute kitten came in. She was a stray and pretty malnourished. She was pretty tiny for her estimated age and she was really really shy. I walked past her cage that day and fell in love instantly. She hadn't been named yet and was being taken out of her cage for an exam and some vaccinations. I went into the next room and could hear her little screams as she got poked and prodded. My heart ached.

I walked past her cage everyday as she went through the process of getting closer to being on the adoption floor. I stopped and talked to her any chance I got and she slowly came around to feeling at ease with me. She had even gone as far as putting her little paw outside of her cage to bat at me. I was hooked.

On Wednesday of this past week I went to talk to her and she was gone. I went into a slight panic. Where could she of gone? I didn't see her on the floor. Had something went wrong? I got scared and ran to the computer to see where she was. Instant relief. I had forgotten it was Wednesday. She was in surgery for her spay. Whew. I felt better. That also made me worry. She was getting closer to being ready for adoption.

Thursday morning I came into work and there she was. She was on the adoption floor. I nearly cried. I had such a connection to this kitty. I knew I couldn't have her, but I just couldn't accept that. I spoke to R. I was going to ask the apartment complex if they would make an exception. He said it was okay, but not to get my hopes up. I put my kitty on hold so no one else could take her home in the process.

Any interested adopter can place a 48 hour hold on an animal if they have to think about it or get further clearance to get a pet with us. This was a god send for me, but also made me nervous. I could still end up not taking this pretty girl home with me. I heard nothing on Thursday. Nothing at all.

Friday morning came and I knew if I didn't get some kind of response I would have to give her up. Everyone immediately asked if I had heard anything. Nope. I looked at my e-mail at 9am and there it was. A response. My heart started to pound. I got nervous again. Here goes nothing..

Hi Trish,
One cat would be fine..  

That's all I could see. She was mine. I was going to take her home today! Friday my life got a little happier. I brought home a 6 month old buff colored kitten with white patches on her chest and feet. She is very small for her age, but she is doing great. She has fit in perfectly and is already ruling our home. She love both R and I equally and doesn't like to take her eyes off of either of us. She bounces back and forth to both of us

Meet Grace.


Life is good today. How was your weekend?

Soooo who's snowed in today? I have to admit if I was going to be snowed in, Sunday would be the day I would pick for this to happen. We actually missed the storm up here in central NY. Who would of thunk it? I moved further north and somehow keep missing all of these fun storms. For those of you who are in the middle of all of this, I wish you all safety and warmth. Stay indoors and snuggle up with your family.


It's been awhile since I've done a Sunday Snaps. I unintentionally took off a lot of time from blogging over the last 2-3 months. I didn't put my all into it and guess what? I feel better mentally and actually miss my blog.

Not much came out of the last 2 weeks blog wise. Another Blog Staycation happened and that always makes me happy. This time around was slow moving on my end due to a lot of personal stuff that came on. I sat down and wrote a lot about what I want to post here. I have been reading a lot. This has really helped me clear my head and that makes me feel better.

On Thursday I went to another adult coloring club night at Barnes and Nobles. I really enjoy that my local store is offering this. I am not sure if it's something happening all over or just here, but check it out on your local page to see. I think it is fun to hang out with a bunch of people, coloring and discussing colored pencils, pens, and markers.

Friday I got some fabulous news, which I am planning to talk about tomorrow. I don't want to give it away yet, so please come back tomorrow to see my news. I will say it has warmed my heart and offered me lots of love this weekend.

Today I am pretending I am snowed in. Most of the east coast is, so why not join them? I am hanging out on my couch writing, planning, and nursing the beginning of a cold. Perfect day for hot tea, books, and naps.

Looking ahead this week I have a few fun posts planned. I hope you all have a great rest of your weekend and stay warm!

I came into this room completely unprepared. I have nothing planned and I'm feeling a little under the weather. Could it have anything to do with the snow that fell last night? Probably. Nothing frustrates me more in the morning than seeing fresh snow that I may have to shovel and/or clean off my car.

Anyone else feel like this?

So today is going to be one of those typical Mondays, and I am going to leave you with that.

I have you all have a wonderful week! See you back here on Wednesday.

You may see hundreds of solicitations a year from local and national charities and non-profits. Maybe you are someone who donates regularly, or maybe you are interested but have no idea how to go about making a donation.

I have been working for a non-profit organization for just over 2 months now and it has really opened my eyes to how time consuming processing donations can be. Non-profits depend on these donations to keep their organizations alive and running and the donors depend on getting that tax receipt for the end of the year.

Because most of these organizations are living on the bare minimums they most likely only have one or two people processing these gifts. This can take a lot of time, especially at the end of the year when everyone is trying to get in last minute donations. 

Here are a few tips to make this process run a bit smoother for both the donor and the processing officer so you get your tax receipt that much quicker.

Use the donation card: If you receive a card in the mail, please use it. Sending just a check in an envelope with limited information can be very difficult, especially if you have never donated before. We strive to get all of your information correct in our systems to make sure you are properly thanked and receive your tax receipt promptly.

Handwriting: We understand that everyone does not have perfect handwriting, however if we can not read what it is you have written to us, we could make a mistake. This is especially true if you would like us to send a card in honor of someone. If we cannot read the name it may be impossible to do that.

Details: If this donation is for something specific or you would like us to send a notification to someone on your behalf, please provide the proper information. This includes: full name and address. We do appreciate everything you do, and can understand you may be in a hurry when sending out your donation, but the process goes much quicker and more accurate if all the information is there when we receive your donation.

Credit card information: If you decide to send us a credit card to use, please make sure you give us all of the information. We need the full card number as well as the expiration date. It is clearly marked on the donation card what is required. Going back to the handwriting category, this would be another area to make sure you are writing clearly. 

Patience: We love each and every donor who donates to our organization, and we understand you may get concerned that you have not received notification from us right away.  We ask that you have confidence and patience in us, as we are trying to weed through and decipher numerous donations on a daily basis. We strive to get your acknowledgement out promptly, but there will be times where it  may take a few extra days.

I think I have covered the basics here. A few steps to make your donating experience a pleasant experience. The more information you can provide the better. We are happy to go out and look for this information for you, but this will push back the time it takes us to get your tax receipt out to you.

I hope this was helpful to anyone out there who makes donations, or someone who is debating making a donation.

Let me know if you have any further tips in the comments!

With all of the hype over the record breaking Powerball jackpot it makes me stop and think as to what I would do with all of that money if I were to win it. I have seen oodles and oodles of Facebook posts asking people what their top 5 buys would be if they were to wake up $1.3 billion dollars richer on Thursday morning.

I saw everything from paying off debt, to buying a house, to buying cars, college funds, and luxurious trips. The options would be endless. You would have to remember there would be taxes involved as well, but even after taxes you would still have a wonderful windfall.

I sat and thought about this all day on Sunday. What would I want? What decision would ever be considered the right choice?

Is there really a right answer here? Probably not. I do know for my own purpose, I would still want to do what I could to preserve the money and make smart choices. I put budgeting into my goals for 2016, and adding another $1.3 billion dollars wouldn't change that decision.

If I absolutely HAD to pick 5 items to spend my money on I would most likely go with things that corresponded with my life currently:

1. Pay off my student loans (It's the last of my debt!).

2. Fund my wedding as I am getting married in September. Nothing big or flashy but it would be nice to throw a nice party without the debt that comes with it.

3. Build my first home. Me and my hubby to be have some pretty unique ideas for a home we want one day. We are not looking for a large home but the ideas we have will make the house very efficient but very costly to build. It will pay off in the long run though.

4. Make sure my parents are taken care of. They have done so much for me over the years and have been a great support system when I needed them. Making sure they can retire comfortably would be important to me.

5. Donate to a few of my favorite charities. I always feel like if I am in a place to help someone else out then I will. Working in a non-profit myself I see the real struggles and understand that the donations really do make a difference.

So there you have it My top 5 things I would put spend my winnings on if I won the Powerball. I completely missed the cut off to buy on Saturday I was not in that pot. Maybe it was a sign?

What would be your top 5?

Each year I am sure we all make all kinds of goals and resolutions for ourselves. Am I right? If you are a blogger that adds another whole set of pending to-do lists that we may or may not have left in the previous year. You need to come to a point where you can set aside some time to get things done. Enter the Blog Staycation. If you are not familiar with this, it is a 4 day span where you tackle some of your blogging to-do list with a little help from your friends. We hope you can join us:

 

Thursday, January 14th through Sunday, January 17th

This is the 4th Staycation since August of 2014 when it was founded by myself, Jen from Jenerally Informed and Julie from Girl on the Move.


You can also read about some of our past staycations here, here, and here if you are looking for a more in depth picture of what the staycation is all about.

Important info you need to know!

When is it? January 14th through January 17th! (That's a Thursday through Sunday)

What can I expect? Each Staycation we try to touch on new hot topics. We want to be able to educate and learn together. Whether we are featuring an expert speaker or giving away a useful prize, we are making sure you leave the staycation with something. We enjoy meeting all of you and giving you all the opportunity to network and connect.

We are always up for recommendations and requests for future content with the staycation. Please send me an e-mail if you have any questions or suggestions!

We hope to see you there! 

Is it just me or are there a $h!t ton of programs and groups out there this year to help you plan and reach your goals? Has it always been like this or is this the first year I have really paid attention to making myself some meaningful and useful goals? I wrote out a whole bunch of things I thought I wanted to label as goals for 2016, but decided to go back to the drawing board after diving into all these goal planning topics.



I don't want to set goals that are un-achievable, but I also don't want to sell myself short by placing goals in effect that have no real value to me. After going through and reading some of my favorite bloggers goals, I found it really fascinating how each person seemed to take a different approach to setting them. I wanted to give this goal thing another thought.

There are all sorts of tools out there to help you make a list. There are free worksheets, printables, as well as books and workbooks. You can read oodles and oodles of topics on just about every kind of goal out there. Personal, professional, blogging, relationship, financial, fitness, and the list goes on. If you want to achieve it, there is something out there for you.

I have printed out a bunch of different worksheets that ask more in depth questions about what it is I am looking to do in 2016. I have joined an Instagram reset challenge that encourages you to plan your goals around your current lifestyle. I joined a Facebook group dedicated specifically to goal crushing. I ordered a planner that will not only keep track on my daily activities, but also my goal progress.

All of these tools have made me realize if I want to set healthy, reasonable goals, I need to really think about what it is I wanted to achieve in not only the next year, but in the next 5 years. Then the next 10 years. Goals to help me grow as a person for my whole life, not just my year.

So instead of posting those old goals I came up with today, I am going to sit on this for a bit and see what where it takes me. I am going to fill in my worksheets, and read more exercises on these things. I can already start to feel the stress falling off my shoulders as I look forward to my year.

How about you? How do you set goals? Do you have a plan or do you just go with the flow? Lemme know! I need all the help I can get :)

I know you all expected to read about goals today. The goals I am setting for 2016. I woke up this morning expecting to post them and something changed. I let my emotions drive. Something more important was on my mind.

A big part of my goals this year is to come back to being me. I am going to continue to remind myself that I am doing things like blogging for me.

My holiday week was pretty jarring. I faced a lot of hard realities. I am starting my first week of the new year with a heavy heart and frustrated.

I know there has to be some bad to see the good, but sometimes that is really hard.

I know you can all relate and can understand my frustration.

Hello first Monday of 2016..

I gave up on new year resolutions a long time ago. I feel like they are meant to be broken, and if that's the case, why make one? In 2015 I decided to set goals and break each month into a different project. I feel like it worked out for me, more than I had anticipated.


I started 2015 with a word. I felt 2014 was a little crazy, so I picked the word Rejuvenate. I wanted to slow things down a bit. Come to peace with some things. Get some rest. I have to say, my year was the complete polar opposite of this.

I struggled. I stressed. I hurt. I cried. A lot.

Looking at it now, I think I did rejuvenate more than I had realized. The official definition of rejuvenate is: make (someone or something) look or feel younger, fresher, or more lively; restore to a condition characteristic of a younger landscape.

I was able to finally move past some harsh realities and I have made myself feel more lively. I am working on having fun again. I am learning to look at everything in a different angle. It's really hard but it does seem to help you think more positively. 

I have thought about my word for 2016 for awhile now. It is something I have fought with in my head but in the end it keeps coming back to me. It only makes more sense to me because I have this word tattooed on my body already. I had that done 10 years ago.. It's time I start remembering why it was put there. 

My 2016 word is Dream.  

I forgot what it feels like to have hopes and dreams. I have watched others in 2015 achieve some of their dreams, while I sat on the sidelines feeling sorry for myself. That will not happen again this year. It's a new year and I am a new age. Time to prove to myself that I can do it. 

Official yearly goals to come next week!

So today is the day. The end of another year. Another birthday. I also am sitting here reflecting on the fact that so much has changed for me in the last 8 weeks. A whole entire year and 8 short weeks of it made the difference for me. It goes to show that any amount of time can change the way a person lives their life.



There are 2 things that have happened in those 8 weeks that have really made the difference. They will send me into 2016 as a 33 year old with a new vision. Those 2 things are finding a new job and meeting my new therapist.

I  have made it no secret that I have been burnt out and unhappy this year. You saw that in my writing. You saw that in my inconsistency. I was in desperate need of a change. I was in desperate need of a new point of view.

Making the decision to change jobs was not an easy one, no matter how unhappy I was. It was familiar and I was comfortable there. We must remind ourselves that just because we are comfortable, doesn't mean we can use it to justify our unhappiness. The opportunity came up quickly and I knew in my heart I needed the change. Before I knew what I was really doing I accepted the job and sat on it for a few days.

Putting in my notice was really hard. In those days leading up to my decision I saw things in the people around me that made me remember why I once did love that place. I saw the kindness in the coworkers that became my friends. The friends who became my family. I was shown such respect and kindness in my last days. I almost felt guilty for leaving.

I stood my ground and left with my head high. I knew it was time for something new. A new chapter in my life. It was my last day at my old job that I got the call about my new therapist. I had been waiting 2 months for a replacement due to my therapist moving out of the practice.

I started my new job on a Monday and met my new therapist the next day on Tuesday. They have both opened my eyes to new ideas. They have both shown me that I have been unhappy for way to long.

I am happy to say, that today, on my birthday, I am finally ready to move past all of the sadness and pain I have held onto this year. I am ready to take on 2016 as the strong person I know I am. That is the best birthday gift I could ever give myself. Letting it all go. Setting myself free. Setting up myself for great things to come.

It also makes me a little less bitter that I have to share my birthday with the entire world ;)

Happy New Year!

As R and I drove back from my parents house on Christmas night, I was lost in thought about how this year didn't go as planned. At first I was sad and a bit upset about this, but then I started thinking. Was it really as bad as I thought it was, or was this the normal thought for this time of year?  Christmas always seems like the time of year when we all focus on all of the things we don't have. The year is ending and we focus on what we didn't accomplish.  Why do we do that?

I started thinking back to all of the things I wanted to accomplish in 2015. I started thinking about this blog and what I posted here. It started out as a place to write down my thoughts on products and ended up turning into a diary of sorts. Even when I talked about something specific, I still tied it into my everyday life. You can't really write about something you didn't experience right?

I looked at past posts and realized how often I gave excuses for things I didn't do, or places I complained for not good reason. Was I really that miserable this year? Had I allowed myself to get so far into the negative that I forgot about the good things?

I thought about the things I didn't post about. How I reconnected with a friend from my past, only to have it cut short by his untimely death. It makes me wonder why these things happen as they do. Then there was the uphill battle of depression. I fought the feelings so much this year, only to finally give in and realize I needed to do something about it. I lost my relationship with my brother. We have not really had a conversation in 6 months. I dealt with getting engaged and not having the support from people we hoped would be there for us.

The lessons I learned this year can be looked at as struggles, but looking at them now, I understand they have shaped me into something I thought was long gone. I still have fight in me. I can still stand tall and find strength in the hard times. R always told me he fell in love with me because of how strong I was. He admired my will to fight even when everyone tried to prove me wrong.

That alone makes me want to do better. Be better. Move forward and think about the positive.

I know who I am. If you don't, maybe it's time you get to know me.

Even with all my struggles, I am still ending this year with things I am proud to say I accomplished.

I found a new job that I absolutely love to go to everyday. I thought that was an impossible goal. It does exist if you are willing to take a risk.

I have friends and family who are willing to stand behind me no matter what the circumstance.

R and I are still in love and ready to take the next step into marriage in 2016. We have been through hell and back, but we are still here and are excited more than ever to start our lives together.

As far as this space goes, I got myself on and off track what feels like a million times this year, but I am not going to look at that as a failure. I am going to see it as testing the waters. Taking risks. 2016 is going to be an open canvas and I can't wait to see what I create..

Thank you to all of you who have stood by my side this year. It was not only me going through this roller coaster, but you all were along for the ride. Whether we have met before or not, I hope to spend more time with you in the upcoming year. I hope to get to know you all even better. And most importantly I hope we all can continue to help one another grow and prosper in whatever it is we want to accomplish.

If I don't see you again before then, have a happy and safe rest of 2015. Don't sweat the big things and focus on the little things you can change to make the big things happen!

MUAH!

It's that time again. We are running out of days in this calendar year. We are all scrambling to achieve all of our goals and then somewhere in the middle of December we all say screw it, and focus on Christmas. Today I want to start recapping my year. It has been a real roller coaster, but I think by documenting it properly, I can see where I went wrong. What I can do to change it. And what was the best parts. I am going to do this in 3 increments. So that means 4 months each week for 3 weeks. Lets see how January - April went...

January 

 

I started my year in Nashville. It was a birthday present from R (Remember my birthday is New Years Eve). I had a magical time but I wish the weather would of been nicer! It was colder in Music City than it was in Times Square folks! While on this trip I also got to visit Louisville, Kentucky where I have family. It was amazing to see cousins I haven't seen in years and to meet my 2nd cousins. My uncle was a fabulous host. Such a great start to the year.

I also decided to start a happiness project. My first goal for the project was R & R (Re-focus and Relax)



While on the runway getting ready to head home to New York I signed up for a 6 week Stress Relief Yoga class. That was probably one of the best ideas I made all year. It started my journey to dealing with stress in a better way. It also inspired me to write some yoga newbie tips..


One of my most viewed of the year was written in January. How to order eyeglasses online. I loved this post because I spend a good portion of my adult life working in the optical business. It went on to be featured later in an online publication for women! I was an optician and sometimes miss working with people to find the perfect look for them!

February

 

February was a pretty chill month for me. My happiness project goal was Fitness and Friendship. I did really well this month, meeting a new friend who has become a close friend.

I wrote a fun post on creating your own spa experience at home with Bath Teas. It snowed a lot. Winter was pretty over the top this year. I don't recall many times when there wasn't some form of snow happening. 

Me and R attended a Valentines brunch at a friends house where she make homemade heart pop tarts! They were so good!


I attempted an e-book reading challenge that failed miserably. Maybe I will try again this year. See what happens.

I ended the month with a yoga-thon! It was a lot of fun on top of challenging. 

March

 

March brought on another round of The Blog Staycation. I absolutely love the resources and community this event brings to the table of blogging. Look for information soon for the winter 2016 Staycation!

My March Happiness Project goal was organization!

I attended a Pi day party at a local brewery. We brought pies, they supplied the beer. It's a win/win!


I started a 10 minute fitness challenge on my blog that kind of died out quickly. I need to get back into that in 2016. I always enjoyed it!

April

 

I started gearing up for my move. My lease to my apartment officially ended on April 30th. I was moving in with R and was quickly trying to get some organization into effect. My happiness project goal was organization part 2. I didn't get as much done in March as I had hoped to this goal got extended and accomplished!

I wrote a lot about wellness in April. This was more to help me achieve all those goals I set for myself, and maybe help someone else. I wrote about many topics including exercise, water, and not feeling well due to stress

I attended my first ever fancy tea party and cut my hair! I attended a lot of local events which really made me want to blog more about my city. I did some and then fell uninspired once again. Another goal to get back into in 2016.


I hosted my final party in my apartment. It was so bitter sweet. I loved that little house!


So there you have it! My first third of my year! Stop back next Monday to see part 2!

You know that morning where you're quickly running out of time and your computer decides to do every update humanly possible to slow you down? Yeah that's this morning. I am going to truck through it though and give you the top five moments/things of my week. I feel like it was a pretty fulfilling week and I am excited to share with you.

R's (AKA my old job) Christmas Party

I left my job in November, but not before putting the finishing touches on the Christmas party. You see I was on the activities committee at work, so I got to do fun stuff like that. It was a lot of fun to visit with my old co-workers on Saturday and see the vision we had come to life. It was a good night.

Finished a book... Finally!

I finally finished Landry Park. In case you didn't already know. I am a YA fanatic. I have been severely lacking in reading this year, so 1 full book read is a pretty big accomplishment to me. I really enjoyed the book and am looking forward to the second/final book, Jubilee Manor.

My Wednesday Night..

I attended/worked a fun little party! Let's just say it was pretty amazing because puppies and kittens :)

Planning for 2016

I ordered a Spark Planner from a Kickstarter a few weeks ago. It is going to be such a great tool for 2016. It is going to help me get back on track and remember to dream. I am also starting to look into travel in the new year. It used to be such a passion and I have lost that lately. I have some really awesome ideas and I can't wait to share them all with you!

Festive Gatherings

I have had many gatherings this week and I am ending my work week with another one. Meeting up with some old coworkers this evening for some cocktails and appetizers. Really looking forward to it! I will go into the weekend ready to get our tree and finish decorating before going to another party. I am really loving this month so far!

Happy Friday!

If you're reading this, it means I managed to get myself up out of bed and hit publish before I headed off to work. While I am typing this I am also entering as many 12 days of Christmas contests as I can and day dreaming about my new planner that isn't scheduled to arrive until January. Boo. It's going to be a long day.



I didn't have any real ideas on what to post about today, so I am winging it. I have always been really good at winging things, so lets see where this goes. Today is already December 9th. We have
two and a half weeks until Christmas and three weeks until we go into 2016.

I am looking forward to 2016. I know a new year doesn't necessarily mean everything will magically change and the world will get better, but there is hope. 2015 had a lot of good things for me. I got engaged and I found a new job that I love. It also brought me a lot of challenges and tried my patience way past the limits I am used to. I know this is a part of growing as a person, but it also makes life very difficult at times.

No, I am not going to cry you a river over that.

The point is, is that no matter how you look at the changing of the year, it gives us a reason to want to change, or fix the things we aren't happy with. It gives us a chance to "leave the past, in the past" so to speak. As humans we are creatures of habit. We can get so stuck in our ways, even if they are toxic that it is easy to keep digging a rut. For me, if I look at the new year as a fresh start, I can slowly remove myself from that rut and move forward.

Anyone else think like that?

I am already wrapping up the year in my thoughts. Thinking about all the stuff that happened in 2015 and what I want to accomplish in 2016. As I said in my goals post, I am using December as a month to have fun and enjoy myself. That is part of the reason why I am rushing to write this before I go to work today. It is helping me let loose a little and remember my original goals in life. To remember my dreams.

I am slowly getting back to that "go getter" attitude I had when I got out of college. I am remembering all of the things I wanted to accomplish and are applying them to the life I am living today. I am excited to see what 2016 has to hold, and how much more fun I can get myself into before the year ends.

Lots of holiday parties and get togethers coming up in the next few weeks. I attended my old jobs Christmas party this past weekend. I am attending one for my new job tonight. Another get together is happening Friday and then again on Saturday. I decided to host a holiday gathering myself on Wednesday of next week. I think I am fulfilling my goals just fine!

I am sorry if this is a rambling post. It is what I had at 7am! I hope you all have a great day and I will see you all back here on Friday!

Let's stop living on the negatives and start living on the positives. Today I wanted to catch those small moments over the weekend that really made the difference. They weren't huge extravagent things. They just made me happy.



Happiness is that moment on Friday afternoon when I realized I had a good week and it was time to go home to my family.

Happiness is a Saturday morning yoga class to clear my mind.

Happiness is discovering a wellness gift fair just blocks from my home.

Happiness is warm apple cider and good company.

Happiness is reuniting with co-workers for a night of cocktails, music, and laughs.

Happiness is snuggling up on a cold night with R, talking about our day. 

Happiness is finishing a book that took a little longer than anticipated.

Happiness is a Sunday visit with the future in-laws and feeling comfortable.

Happiness is a quiet Sunday evening to collect my thoughts.

Happiness is getting my Christmas cards done early.


How was your weekend?

Today I wanted to take a minute to catch up with you all. I have once again been a little MIA. This doesn't mean I do not care about this space, nor does it mean I do not care about all of you. If you read my goals for December you would have seen that I am using this month to let loose and have fun. I think this year has been a very hard a stressful one for me. I rarely let myself just relax and enjoy the little things around me.

I am trying to get back to a place where I can feel like me again (More about that soon. I promise). The me that enjoys travel, and playing with my makeup. The me that gets excited over entering sweepstakes and gets that child on Christmas morning feeling every day when I check my mail. The me who loves to laugh with my friends, no matter what the situation is.

I want to be the best person I can be, and right now the way I am doing that is by disconnecting a little more and spending more time on things that I enjoy. I have been writing a lot. I have been coloring in my adult coloring book. I have been entering more sweepstakes (There are SO many 12 days of Christmas giveaways going on right now FYI). I have been spending time with friends.

It has been a really great experience for me and it is allowing me to deal with some of the issues that have put me into this hole. I am able to wake up feeling more cheerful and less drained. I am hoping to be able to continue that feeling through the month and into the new year.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Do lots of fun things and don't feel guilty for it!

Blogging can be challenging at times, but so can life. This is why I try to set some healthy goals each month to keep me on track. We are in December now and I can honestly say that by setting these goals along with linking them into my happiness project I feel like I have made a difference this year. I am not going to 100% evaluate all of that yet as we have not finished out the year, but I am going to pat myself on the back for making it to December and not quitting half way through.



Now let's see what I accomplished in November.

Personal Goals

Blogging Goals

Why hello there December. So nice to see you. SO glad you are keeping your cool temps at bay.. remind Winter to do the same once she gets here as well. (Knocking on all the wood in the house now. No way am I going to jinx the warmer temps we have been getting up here in central New York!) Anywho, today I am excited to be co-hosting The Awesome Link up with Anne over at Love the Here and Now!

So let's see what's currently cooking in the awesome pot..

December Birthday

The place we do lunch every year for my birthday! Always decked out beautifully!

Journalling

Adult Coloring Books

Swaps!

Black Friday/Cyber Monday

I'm not gonna lie, I did a little shopping this year. I am a sucker for a good deal, and man did I hit the jackpot this year! Not only did a get some great Christmas gifts for my family at the outlets, I also was able to find myself a deal on upgrading my cell phone (FINALLY!) without having to pay that ridiculous monthly fee all the phone companies are charging there days. I call that a super win!

Dream

So much awesome happening! I hope you all have some awesome to share with us! Link up below!
 

I could write about my weekend or maybe how my Thanksgiving went, but today I want to write about my trip to the book store. I know that may sound weird, but I went into a Barnes and Noble this weekend and it was like walking into a candy store as a child. Anyone else feel like that?


Me and R were running errands and I had this urge to stop in and browse. I didn't have anything in mind to buy, but it doesn't matter to me. Book stores are magical this time of year. It doesn't matter if you walk into a small private boutique book store or a large chain. They are all decked out for the holidays and feel warm and inviting.

I am a sucker for all of the little gifts and paper goods. Planners, journals, games, and books. It doesn't matter to me. They suck me in. I wandered around for what seemed like hours losing myself in all kinds of creative thoughts. I was amazed to see all of the adult coloring books and adult connect the dot books. These all made me smile and laugh at the same time. So many feel good memories coming out of these things. I began to make a mental wish list. Things I needed to have. Things I wanted to give as gifts.

The book store reminded me that the world is still a place of mystery. We can read books to help us discover some of these wonders. I enjoy escaping into these stories. They help me flex my creative muscles and remind me to keep on dreaming.

I left the bookstore reminding myself that books can help us. From readings someone else's story to reading a fantasy that doesn't really exist. We can relate to these stories and work them into our own lives. We can work on coloring books and relax our minds. We can write in journals and create our own stories. Everything is magic when you enter a book store. Do you agree?

Now I need to write about what I put on my mental wish list. That is for another day though!

Also as a reminder, when you pick up those new books, you mat want to have a big hot cup of tea..  Don't forget to get signed up for my 2015 Holiday Tea Swap! It's a little magical itself.

Happy Monday Folks!

Now that I have recovered from my food coma, stayed up WAY to late shopping online deals, and have a quiet house to enjoy, I figured it's time to get the Holiday Tea swap under way!


If you aren't familiar with my tea swaps, this is the 2nd annual holiday swap and the third total I have offered on my site.  I am a sucker for holiday teas and thought it would be fun to share my love with you all. The swap allows you to be partnered up with another tea loving buddy to swap your favorite teas.

Sign ups start today and will close on Saturday, December 5th. I will get all buddies emailed no later than December 6th.

There are a few rules (Only to make this a fun and fair experience for everyone!):

I am asking that everyone provides at least 4-5 bags of tea for your buddy to sample. You may include more.  You can do this in anyway you choose, but I ask that you include a little blurb about each so your buddy knows what it is they are sampling.

Please have packages sent out no later than Wednesday, December 16th.

Last year I asked everyone to include a Christmas card with their packages since this will be arriving right around Christmas. This is optional, but a nice touch for your buddy.

If you have any questions or concerns please let me know. As always use this as a way to have fun!

Sign up for the 2015 Holiday Tea Swap!

 

The Holiday Tea Swap!

The holidays mean different things for different people. Some people love the idea of shopping, parties, and all around cheer. Others dread it. Not because they are trying to be a Grinch, but because this is the time of year when seasonal depression rears its ugly head.

Seasonal depression can happen for many reasons. Remembering the loss of a loved one. Stress. Family issues. The list goes on. With the days being shorter and the temperatures dropping, hiding in our homes sounds like a great idea. I have a spoiler for you. It's not.



Now I am not a doctor or in any way telling you how to deal with depression, but I can tell you I have been in multiple situations with people from children to the elderly who have dealt with some pretty bad depression. Myself included. Today I want to tell you how I have dealt with seasonal depression and what has worked for me and the people around me. I am hoping some of the tips that have helped me in the past will help one of you.
 

Self love 

 

First and foremost, love yourself. When times get hard we tend to put everything else before our own health. Do little things for yourself. Enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning. Write in a journal. Smile at yourself in the mirror. You woke up today. You get another day to love yourself.

Limit Alcohol and Sugar

 

I know you are probably thinking this is impossible. Everywhere you turn there are sweets and parties with endless holiday drinks. The truth of the matter is, when you add sugar and alcohol to your diet when you are already feeling blue, it can give you a sugar spike and then bottom you out, making your mood even less desirable.

Exercise

Hitting the gym or a quick yoga session can really help bring you back to center. If you don't have time to do a full workout, sit quietly at night and meditate. Only 10 minutes of quiet can make the difference. If that is not your thing take a 10 minute walk during your lunch. Getting out into the fresh air helps boost energy and can help shift your mood to a better one.

Socialize

Accept invites. If a friend invites you to lunch, go. If a co-worker invites you to a party, attend. Getting yourself out of the house and connected with the world keeps you from being alone to your thoughts. You don't have to be a social butterfly or center of attention, but being around others can boost your mood if you let it.

Arts and Crafts

 

Running low on the dough and stressing about gifts? Working with your hands helps your mind stay busy. Not only will you be creating meaningful gifts for your friends and family, you will be saving cash and giving your mind some exercise. It's a win/win if you ask me.

There are so many ways to help beat the blues, but I hope these 5 ideas can help you out. Making time for yourself and letting yourself relax can make all the difference.

One last thought. Make sure you also check in on your loved ones. If you notice anyone having a hard time, don't be afraid to reach out. Maybe even offer them some of these tips if they are struggling. Most people suffering from depression is looking for someone to talk to at their own pace.

Make the difference this holiday season and take your life back. Happy Holidays all.

I had every intention of writing a lot in November. I had ideas and things I wanted to get done. November has proven to me once again that life is unpredictable. You never know what is going to get thrown at you. Today is November 22nd and Thanksgiving is next week. I am already 2 weeks into my new job and 4 weeks past putting in that notice. Crazy huh? Where does the time go?


Last weekend I felt good about writing. I even wrote and scheduled 2 posts, which did actually get posted. On Monday I posted a little update on my life and Wednesday I had a fun post of Bachelorette Ideas for every taste. I really felt like I was back on the blogging horse. I had every intention of sitting down last week and writing up a post for Friday. A full week of scheduled posts. Well as you saw, it didn't happen.

Between the new job and a situation that came up at home that was unexpected, I failed to do what I intended to do. Again. Does this make me a horrible blogger? Am I allowed to claim human? Either way I am hoping as the holiday season comes and goes I will be more involved in taking this space back to where I started to go last month.

I really want to talk to you guys about the yoga class I am taking and how the new job is going. I want to fill you all in on my weight loss journey and how the wedding planning is going. I am excited to share with you all of my freebie tips and how to save over the holidays. Those are the reasons I started this blog. I want to get back to that and away from the fillers I feel like I have been posting.

Now I need to find that inspiration and motivation. I feel like I am seeing that a lot here in the blogging world lately. Lack of motivation. Burnout. Writers block. Must be in the air?

What do you all do to get past some of these challenges? I would love to hear what you are doing.

Now I need to get moving so I have some stuff to share next week. Have a great rest of your weekend!