For some reason I always forget to drink water until the middle of the day where all of a sudden I'm dying of thirst. I really need to get one of those bottles that count down hour by hour to tell me when to drink. So this month as soon as I get up I am going to fill up a glass of water, not like a gallon or anything crazy, just a 16oz cup or water bottle and put it on the counter or by my makeup so before I leave the house for the day I make myself drink it. As i mentioned starting with something big sometimes makes things harder to do so by starting with just a little it makes the goal so much more attainable. Who knows. Maybe by the end of the month ill be drinking one cup in the morning and one at night... maybe even another at lunch!?
This one is a big one that I always challenge my mom to. Her pantry is stuffed full so is the fridge & extra freezer outside. But every week she still is grocery shopping. Why? For what? She has more then enough food to last months or feed the whole neighborhood. So this month I challenged my whole family to use what they have before buying anything new. Obviously you may need milk, eggs, or some cold cuts but for every meal the challenge is to use what you have & NOT buy anything else as long as you possibly can!! I urge you to use up what you already have until you are down to the bare minimums. I'm talking like bare cabinets & fridge besides some condiments. Don't buy extra snacks, pre-made or frozen meals, fruits/veggies or random items because you really don't need them. (unless your one of those who don't keep much in the house) but for a majority of people who have kids usually your house is fully stocked. So in doing this you will not only rotate through all the product in your house but you will SAVE a significant amount of money this month which is great because I'm sure you overspent at the holidays.
When I was younger no one had cell phones & social media wasn't even really in existence. In fact it wasn't until I was in middle school that my dad got a huge flip phone & pagers became a thing for work & teens. Some of you may not even know what a pager is, but looking back over that time reminds me of such a simpler times. Kids actually looked at you when you spoke to them, Bullying wasn't really a big factor, families were more united because they spent more time together, the negativity from cyber world wasn't so nasty & everyone could focus on themselves & the ones they loved more because they weren't buried in their phones. As a social media influencer & blogger its hard to stay away from your phones but if I can I try to take a weekend off here & there but sometimes that's just not enough. This month I am vowing to myself to be more present with my family & putting them first over work & whats going on outside of my home. We have made dinnertime a NO phone zone so we can talk to each other & for myself personally I will be putting my phone away for 1-2 hours every night before the little ones go to bed so I can give them my full attention. I cant recommend this enough for parents with children. Set a good example & show them that family time & their relations are more important that browsing online for highlight reals of peoples lives that may not even be whats really going on in their lives. Be present, live in the moment & dont miss out on time with your family.
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Over the years I have seen how age definitely changes you. Things sag where they didn't used to, wrinkles are more prominent & my skin just isn't the same as it used to be... And I'm only 37. The biggest change I saw was after I had kids. Something definitely flips modes in your body. When I watch other peoples routines online I see them using sometimes 5-10 products at night I understand maybe that's why i have wrinkles & they don't... or maybe its the botox haha. No but in all seriousness as you get older you really need to take care of yourself to prolong your youthfulness & keep your skin & body healthy. I know there are tons of products I could and should be using, but changing a ton of things at once with a beauty routine can lead to rashes or breaking out. So this month I am just starting with a few simple changes & then next month I can add to it. Maybe by the end of the year I will have a whole routine of a bunch of products to share with you all. For now lets go with just a few things. I have decided to start using a double cleanse method when washing my face. This ensures all the product is off my face so I can go to bed with a fully fresh face. Next is a charcoal toothpaste for teeth whitening r& flossing my teeth at least 3 times a week. Some is better than non right? While I brush my teeth I can do a few squats or leg lifts all at the same time. Look how easy that is a routine & workout. Wow I'm on a roll haha. Lastly I put chap-stick & hand lotion on my nightstand so every night I can put those on too! I know there is so much more I can do but these simple little things are just the beginning to whats to come next month!
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As a single mom sometimes I dont have time to clean up or do my household chores in a timely manor because it just seems like so much to do all at once and sometimes I just need a break to relax. I mean who wants to clean to whole house or do laundry all day or at nighttime. Not me! That's why I am trying this new PICK 5 method. Its not a whole task its just 5 little things. After you put the kids to bed do 5 things real quick before you sit down or go to bed. Whether its washing a few dishes real quick, clearing 5 things off the counter, picking up 5 toys, putting away 5 pieces of laundry, etc. whatever it is you can do it. Its so much easier to accomplish things when you dont let them pile up. Little by little you can get it done. I already have seen my 5 go to 10 sometimes just because once I start i realize I can do a few more! Maybe by the end of the month... or year my whole house will be clean ;)
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