Happy Final Friday of the month! As we wrap up another week and month, I’m sharing five things I’m loving this week as I’m teaming up with Erika and Andrea for Friday Favorites! Here we go!
Peach salad-I have been loving fresh peaches this summer. I had this peach salad at a wedding last weekend and loved the sweetness mixed in with the cheese and greens along with the crunch of nuts. Yum! I definitely want to try my own version of the recipe at some point.
Rose Water and Vitamin C serum– I got a few beauty products samples recently and have been testing them out over the past few days. I’ve been using this Squalane, Vitamin C and Rose Water serum by Biossance each night. I apply a few drops to my face each night before bed and I have been really enjoying how it feels on my skin and how I wake up feeling extra refreshed. I’m just using a sample, so I’m not sure if I will invest in it full time, but it’s fun to try it out at the end of summer.
5 Ways to Take Better Breaks During the Workday. I have been a fan of Shondra Rhimes for years, from Grey’s Anatomy to Scandal, How to Get Away with Murder and more. I’ve also read her book, Years of Yes and LOVED it! Shonda now has a newsletter that I subscribe too where she has different articles about life, tv, health, and business. I saw this article and found it so informative especially when it comes to the importance of taking those work breaks whether you are in an office or work from home. A great thing to keep in mind as we make our way into a new season.
Simplified Large Desk Pad–Simplified is one of my favorite brands and I love all their products, from planners to note books and stickers. When I have a busy day or a long to-do list, their large pads are a go to for me. I have been using this one a lot recently, it’s also great if you need to do a brain dump!
Those are just five things I’m loving this week. Tell me! What’s been a favorite moment of this week for you?
Hello hello! Happy Wednesday! I hope you are week’s are going well. I don’t know about you, but I’m SO ready for spring. We had a 70 degree Sunday last week and it was absolutely beautiful. I got out for a walk with no snow on the ground and got to soak up some sunshine. Even that taste of sunshine has me craving spring even more.
I always love my routines and rhythms, but I always like to try new things. Today I’m sharing five things I’ve been loving. They are a mix of products, snacks, make up, and fun things.
Simplified Wellness Journal (one of my New Year’s resolutions this year was to focus more on my well-being and health and wellness. In addition to working out, I’m putting more emphasis on eating right, getting enough sleep and making sure I’m more well-rounded for my physical and mental health). The Simplified journal helps keep everything organized and help you track your workouts, how much water you drink, what you are eating and how you are taking care of yourself. If you are looking to put wellness first, this is a great resource, but you can easily keep track of your fitness and health goals in a regular notebook or journal.
I use my Wellness Journal every day
And a look at the inside
For makeup lovers: Since I wear a lot of makeup for my job, I stick with what I know and what works for me. However, I do like to change it up and try new things. I got this lipstick from Covergirl at Target and I love the dark pink color, It’s long lasting and I love how it goes on.
My new favorite color
For snacks: I always like to try different snacks and trail mixes. I saw this smores bark from Target and thought it looked fun and tasty and boy was I correct. I love anything with chocolate and the crunch of the graham crackers, the only problem is you want to be careful not to eat them all in one sitting. Haha!
A tasty favorite!!!
For technology lovers: Last week I did a post about my Apple Watch and what I loved about it. Since I wear it all the time even at work I purchased a few bands to switch out for dressier occasions. I bought a gold and a silver band that really dresses up the watch.
A look at the gold watch band.
A look at the silver band.
For shoe lovers: I love a good heel and since I wear them all the day, I love a sturdy heel too. I have been searching for years for a blue heel. I wear a lot of blue, from dresses, to pants and skirts. I have been searching for a blue heel for years and I finally found a pair at DSW. Here they are! They are very comfortable, sturdy and affordable. They also have them in different colors if you want to change out the colors.
That’s just a few things I’m loving right now. Definitely a mix of fun things and affordable too. What are some things you are loving right now?
How was your first month of 2022? For me, this month seemed to drag. I got a lot done at the beginning of the month as I got back into my routines and rhythms after the holidays. But then came the snow and the cold and high Covid cases, so I really hunkered down. I’m looking forward to the warmer days and lower case numbers but until then, I’m making the most of warm days inside, cozy clothes and trying to get fresh air and go on walks when I can.
Here’s a look into the first month of 2022!
What I’m up to: I have been doing lots of cleaning, decluttering, and organizing. This month has been all about organizing my life mentally and physically. I’ve been using my planner more for short and long term thoughts and projects. I have also been cleaning out closets, cars, drawers, and more getting things refreshed for the new year. I even have been making trips to donate things which makes me feel great. Besides cleaning, I’ve been all about getting back into routines from last year and adding some new habits in my daily life.
I’ve also been doing a lot of baking to cope with the cold days.
What I’m wearing: It has been cold here. Temperatures in the single digits with lots of wind. For work, it has been lots of pants and warm sweaters or blouses and blazers since you never know where you may end up. Plus, you can never have too many layers. For my off-days, I have been enjoying leggings, boots, big sweaters, and heavy coats for running around or just hanging around the house.
What I’m reading: New year, new books! I started Januray off by reading an inside look at Grey’s Anatomy. As an avid fan of the show, I loved this book and found it super interesting. Then I also read, this book about home design and styling. Another fabulous read that will give you lots of inspiration for interior and exterior design.
What I’m Watching: I have been enjoying the return of This is Us especially since its in its final season. I also really have been loving Tidying up with Marie Kondo on Netflix. I know I am late to the party but I love it.
What I’m Loving: I love the fresh start of the new year. We have seen a lot of snow fall and there’s nothing better than enjoying a warm drink like tea or hot coco and having a smooth start to the day. I have also been enjoying lighting the fire place at the end of a long day.
Nothing better than a cozy morning and a warm drink
What Inspires Me: I am always inspired my setting New Year’s Resolutions and Goals. I am inspired by fresh starts and new beginnings. There’s no better feeling than lighting a new candle, a clean desk and fresh planner to kick off the new year. I also am excited to get back into my new routines and establish some new ones too.
I went on a coffee date with a friend and loved the wallpaper. So cute!
What I accomplished: I had a very successful Christmas with my immediate family and I got to see some extended family too. I got enjoy some family time and do some activities too. Although, I had to work, I’m still very grateful that I got to see my family and still carry on holiday traditions.
Going skiing with my family was a fun activity over Christmas
We also went to see the Van Gogh exhibit around Christmas. It was so beautiful and interesting.
Goals Accomplished from Last Month This past month was all about starting the year on the right foot and I did that. I was thrilled to get my new Simplified planner all set up. I also started my new year’s goals and resolutions which I’m very pleased with how they are going. It’s those little things every day that make a huge difference. I can’t wait to see what this year has in store an how I can learn and grow.
New year, new planner set-up.
Goals for the New Month: Next month, I want to do my best to get outside more, especially for walks when I can. My friend Sydney gave me the idea to schedule time for “Me Dates”, essentially it’s about carving out time to do something for you, whether it’s going to a coffee shop to read a book, taking yourself to a movie or going for a solo walk, it’s all about taking time for yourself. I want to make that a priotity for myself this year. I also am looking forward to celebrating love with Valentine’s Day next month.
That’s a look into my life today. How has 2022 been treating you?
Happy New Year friends! I hope you had a wonderful New Year’s!
As much as I love the holidays, there’s just something special about the fresh start of the new year.
During the week between Christmas and New Year I always like to set-up my Simplified planner for the new year and reflect on the passing year and set up my resolutions for the new year. I always like to see how far I’ve come and look ahead to what I want to accomplish in the new year. Here’s a recap from last year’s resolutions.
Each year I come up a word or phrase to live by….my phrase for 2022 is….Be the Best Version of Myself…I truly found my rhythm last year and I want to continue to cultivate my routines and lifestyles and grow in this new year.
Out with the old and in with the new…getting my new planner set up.
From mottos to goals…I always like to set a few realistic goals for myself each year and this year is no different.
I decided to break up my goals into different categories this year. The four categories that I want to work on are: Physical, Spiritual, Professional and Lifestyle.
Physical– I love getting my daily workouts in and fitness and health are a big priority for me. This year, I want to work more on healthy eating. I have a major sweet tooth, but I want to incorporate more veggies in my daily meals and be more mindful about what I’m putting in my body. My goal for my physical health is to put more greens on my plate.
Spiritual– I always try to make my faith a priority and I want to continue to do that in the new year. Besides going to church every week I want to carve more time every morning for prayer and time with Jesus. My spiritual goal is spend more intentional time with God every day.
Professional– I want to continue to work on my craft and skills at work. This year I want to get more creative with my storytelling and writing. My goal this year is to really up my game with how I shoot video and tell stories every day at work.
Lifestyle– As far as my goals for my lifestyle goes for this upcoming year, I want to use more sustainable and recycled products in my daily life. From using recycled bags while shopping, to using plastic containers for my lunches. I want to waste less and do small acts every day to my part to help conserve materials.
I decided to work on four areas of my life this year in addition to continue to flourish in my routines and daily life.
I can’t wait to see what this year holds and all the adventures that it entails as well as see how I grow personally and professionally.
As we make our way through September, I always feel a sense of nostalgia of back to school and being back in the classroom. As much as I love my job, I sometimes do miss being in the classroom and being a student, but it’s all a part about growing up.
I’m a big believer in setting goals and to-do lists. Even as I write this post, I have a to list of things I want to get done while I’m in work.
I found it helpful to write out things I want to accomplish whether they are big or small. Plus, there’s always a sense of satisfaction when it comes to marking things off a list and seeing hard work pay off.
Here’s my tips on how to accomplish goals (big and small):
Write it down
I find it helpful to write down daily, weekly and monthly goals. In my planner, I always write down my goals for each day and because I have a weekly layout, I can see what things I want to accomplish across the seven days. I always use Emily Ley’s Simplified planner. This helps me stay on track for the days, but in case I don’t get something done on a Monday, I have the next day to get it done. As far as big plans goes, writing down big plans or goals on a post-it note or in a journal where you will see it, keeps it in front of your mind always.
A look at my planner
Set realistic goals
I’m all about following your dreams and having the world be your oyster, but I also know that you need to work hard to get there. Here’s an example: if you want to be a performer, that can’t happen overnight. But if you take lessons, practice, perform at small venues, share your music online and on social media and network, then the dreams of being a performer could become a reality. Dreams are possible if you set goals to get from one step to another. Dreams take years to accomplish, but if you get goals to get there then it’s possible. I love seeing how accomplishing small goals can lead to big changes.
Allow your Goals to Change
It’s great to have a plan, but don’t be afraid to be flexible if your plan changes. I filled out a journal/book after I graduated college and it was called “In Five Years”, it was all about where you wanted to see yourself in 5 years. It was exciting to see what dreams and plans I had and where I saw myself in the future, but I also know that life happens and plans change. I think it’s important to set those big goals but also be open to the future and the possibilities it could hold.
I’m a very Type A, OCD person, so I’m all about staying on top of to-do list and goals. I think setting and accomplishing goals is a great way to achieve your dreams while also being realistic.
Hey guys! Happy Wednesday! I hope your weeks are off to a great start! Every few weeks I like to do a roundup of favorite things of mine to share with you, sometimes it’s food, other times, it’s places, but this time it’s hobbies or things I want to share with all of you!
If you have been following for a while you know that I am a huge fan of Emily Ley. She has her own planner company, but she does so much more than that. I love her planners, I love her books and she recently started a podcast that I am loving.
I have never been a huge fan of podcasts, most of the time it’s because I can easily get distracted while listening to them. I have the same issue with audiobooks, you can read about that in last week’s post. But with Emily’s podcast, the Simplified Podcast, I don’t have that issue at all. She launched it just over a month ago and every week she has episodes that are between 15 and 20 minutes long, the perfect length of a podcast, sometimes she has guests, other times it’s tactical tips or life hacks or just sharing what’s on her mind. I often listen to them when I’m driving or picking up or doing laundry, I love that she shares her story and her life while also presenting ways to simplify our lives at home.
The Simplified Podcast
These past few weeks, she has been doing a series alongside her book, Growing Boldly. I finished the book in a week but you could finish it in a day. It was such a game changer. She wrote the book before Covid hit but so many of things can be easily applied to life now. It’s all about building a life you want to live and growing in the stage of life that you are at. Think about it for a second, you may think, I’m good where I’m at, I don’t need to grow anymore but Emily shares how you can keep growing and changing in any season of life. I love that!!!
Her latest book, Growing Boldly
She also shares her close friends’ stories too and how they grew in difficult situations. These stories reminded me that you can constantly grow and you shouldn’t be afraid of growing. I have enjoyed all of Emily’s books and I feel they all served a purpose and helped me in different areas of times of my life. As I read the words, I almost feel like Emily is having a conversation with me. I highly recommend Growing Boldly to anyone.
While I’m on a roll, Simplified just launched their new planners and products for the upcoming year and I’m obsessed. You can check them all out here. What are your favorites?
This is just a look into what I’m loving. What are some things you are loving this week?
Hi everyone! Happy Wednesday! Can you believe we are already gearing up for back to school?! Whether you are learning in the classroom, at home, or a mix of both, this year will be an interesting one for sure!
Today, I’m sharing some school must haves! Whether you are in the classroom or at home, these are all things you can benefit from.
Planner
My must have is a planner, someplace to keep everything in one spot, especially if you are going back and forth between home and school. It also works great for parents if they are balancing different schedules or routines. My go-to planner is by Simplified. You can see how I organize my planner here.
My planner layout
Space to Work
My next must have is a place to work. Whether it is children doing homework, or learning full time, having a designated space is key. I know I work best at my desk in my room, I always have a candle burning and my planner next to my laptop and my to do list out too. There is nothing better than crossing something off a to-do list. I also like to have all my things in one space where I can quickly access them.
My work space at home
The Right Mindset
No matter what the school year brings it all comes down to having the right mindset whether it’s about learning from home, school, or both. This year will be an adjustment for everyone but knowing that you aren’t alone, that we will get through it and making the best out of the situation is the driving force for having a great year!
That’s a quick round up of my top things to focus on when it comes to the upcoming school year, yes, it will be different but as long as you are prepared and have an open mind then that’s the best thing to do!
What ways are you getting ready for the 2020-2021 school year?
For long time readers, you may have picked up on the fact that I love to journal! It’s my favorite way to start my day, having some quiet time and then time to write and reflect. I have been journaling throughout my time in college, you can read more about it here.
During my senior year in college and my first few months out of college, I journaled in the companion to Grace Not Perfection, by Emily Ley. This was my journal for 2019-2020. There were prompts every week, to give me something to reflect and work towards. But it also has enough open space to jot down you thoughts and feelings and emotions.
Finding Grace in my senior year and first few months working
The phrase “Grace Not Perfection” has been a mantra that I have kept coming back to through the year, when times get busy or hectic, I remind myself to give myself grace and not everything is going to be perfect. It truly puts things in perspective for me.
My favorite quote and a college throwback
After reading “Grace Not Perfection” during my sophomore year of college and now spending a year journaling with it, I’m much more aware and better with implementing it in my daily life. It’s no longer a matter of remembering to do it, rather it’s always in the back of my mind and I apply it without realizing it.
Maybe “grace not perfection” is not your mantra, but whatever you believe in or focus on, be sure to keep it in your mind on the good days and the not so good days.
I also believe that these past few months have put my grace not perfection to the test, so many things in life have gotten cancelled or post-poned and in those times of uncertainty it’s even more important to allow ourselves that grace and knowledge that it will all work out.
Happy Wednesday! I don’t know about you, but one of my favorite ways to unwind after a busy day at work or a great way to start my day is with a good book. I am looking to make more time for reading in my day to day life. I always start my day by reading a devotional and journaling. Now, I want to start incorporating reading a bit every night to wind down.
Last November, Emily Ley launched her third book, “When Less Becomes More”, If you have been following for a while, you know that I love Emily Ley, her planners, books, and her mission. I have really made an effort to bring simplicity into my life and it has ultimately made me more balanced, calmer, and I lead a more purposeful life with it.
My new favorite heading into 2020
Now, onto the book review. I remember Emily sharing with her followers the process of writing her new book and I couldn’t wait to dive in.
The whole book is about how sometimes less is more and we can be happier in life when we aren’t distracted all the time and pulled in different directions. She breaks the book down in 10 areas where we can make the choice to live simpler lives and not be stretched so thin that we aren’t living fulfilling lives.
I started reading the book right when it came out, which coincided with my upcoming college graduation. I was at a time in my life where I was balancing classes, being very involved with school and campus, working, applying and interviewing for jobs and ultimately being spread too thin. Emily’s words about being overcommitted and not overwhelmed resonated with me. Like me, she loved everything that she was doing but felt burnt out. As I made my way through her book, I came to the realization that we have the power to make changes in our lives to lead happier and purposeful lives and that’s something I’m working on in this new stage of my life. Making time for things that matter to me and cultivating friendships and relationships that bring me only joy and allow me to grow.
Without fearing of being too dramatic, reading Emily’s new book came at the perfect time for me and it changed my life. I strongly recommend reading this book and Emily’s other books as well. You can see my reviews of A Simplified Life here or what I learned about Grace Not Perfection here.
This year, I also decided to buy one of Emily’s signature simplified planners. I purchased this one here. When I started a new job, I wanted to start on the right foot with getting organized. What I love about the Simplified planner is that you can use it however you want, for classes, meetings, to do lists, meal planning. There are so many ways to use it.
New 2020 Planner
I’m going to break it down for how I use I best for my schedule and life.
I first use the month calendar for when I work, have appointments, events. I have it colored coordinated for work and personal, the same colors for the calendar on my phone.
Full month calendar
For the day to day set up, I have what days I work, the times I work, and what things I worked on each day, then I have a to-list for each day. My days off is when I have longer to-do lists but I still like to see what I need to do every day.
Day to day calendar
I like having all my information in one area that I always have with me and not in several different spots.
Having a planner saves me time and makes my life run smoother, two things that Emily Ley is a big advocate for.
That’s just a quick look into how I am starting off the new year and the mentality for the upcoming year.
Hey hey friends! Happy Tuesday! I hope you all had an enjoyable and fun Labor Day weekend. Although, I was at school, I did have a fun weekend with friends, and it was a great way to say goodbye to summer. Although, school started back last week for me, I’m still trying to find a good routine. Last week was all about getting adjusted to a new schedule, classes, work time and organizing all the appointments. This week is weird since we had off yesterday and tonight I’m going to a concert with friends. I’m trying my best to soak up every moment at school this semester.
I know I’m late to the game, but I am finally on the band wagon with using the calendar on my phone and laptop….I know I know, it’s a long time coming. Before I get started on how and why I am using this system now, I want to give a little bit of background on how I stay organized.
A few years back, I did a post about staying organized with school. You can read about it here.
Let me break it down for how I stay on top of things, I have a feeling this may change once I graduate from college, but for now this is what works.
Big Desk Calendar
My desk calendar
I love to see everything laid out in front of my on my desk. I have everything color coded. Certain colors for classes, Green for school things (tutoring, dinners, meetings), Blue for Work (staff meetings, when things are due), Red for when I work, and then purple for anything else that comes up. I like seeing the month as a whole and this helps me plan better when I have new things to put on the calendar. I got this planner from the Simplified Collection by Emily Ley at Target. I put everything on this calendar- it’s basically my master one-school, work, home, family, friends. It all goes here.
This has the week layout. Every day is split in two columns (The My Day and To Do). In the My Day is where I put any meetings, events, test dates or things to remember. In the To Do is where I list all my homework assignments.
What my weekly spread looks like
This is the first year that I used the monthly calendar too. Although, I love my desk calendar I was scheduling things without looking. I only write the important things in the month section like tutoring, meetings, scheduled events just so I have a reference. This planner is mostly used for school things-homework, exams, meetings for school and work things for school.
The month of September as a whole in the month section of calendar
iCalendar
This past summer, I started to use the calendar app on my phone and laptop to keep track of work things and events happening with family and friends. Since I wasn’t in school I wasn’t using a planner and since I spent most every day on my laptop it made sense to have my calendar in front of me, now I am loving it. It’s so easy to use and I LOVE how you can sync your phone and laptop calendars to be the same. I am also able to customize when I put things on the calendar and color coordinate them too. Also, the best part, by using iCalendar it keeps all my blog posts in order and I can schedule things better too.
For this calendar its divided by four topics: school (blue), blog (purple), personal (yellow) and important (red).
My four categories of what I put on the calendar
For school I only put important meetings, appointment and work commitments( no homework, no tests, no when my classes are), for blog I put down what posts are being published when, personal is activities and things with friends and family, and important are basically when the big things are due like credit card statements. This calendar is the big picture stuff, I refer to this when I am planning an event or meeting to see if I have conflicts and I always have it with me, unlike my desk calendar and planner which aren’t always on me.
The whole month at a glance
Is it necessary to have all of these? Probably not, but it’s what works best for me. I am a super organized person, so I like to do all this and keep myself on top of everything. I am thinking once I graduate about ditching the desk calendar and just keeping a planner and using the calendar on my phone. Thoughts from any recent graduates about what works best for you? After I graduate, I want to focus on simplifying my life more and I know once I am done with school a lot of these activities will be done too, so for now I am enjoying my life with my three color coordinated calendars!
