MY CURRENT INSPIRATIONAL, THOUGHT-PROVOKING AND FUN READING LIST

I have always liked to read. I remember secretly loving school trips to the library, haha!  But as school workload increased throughout the years and as college came along and then grad school I had no extra time to devote to reading anything that was not school related. But, now that I have been out of school for over 2 years my book collection is consistently growing. There are SO many great books I cannot wait to get my hands on!

Earlier this year I told myself that I would aim to read one book a month. That didn’t happen. As much as I tried to stick to one book at a time I just couldn’t do it. The untouched books just sitting on my bookshelf were such a distraction that I had to dive into those too! So now, I am juggling three great reads:

This book has been around for quite a bit of time and it has been on my short list of books to read for several months. One of the main reasons I really wanted to get my hands on this book is because it is referenced SO frequently by many great speakers and entrepreneurs’ and I really wanted to know first had what it was all about.

This book has a very solid core message around society, education and our modern corporate world. It is a definite must read that will allow you to view our modern society from a new perspective and may or may not influence future decisions you may need to make.

The Art of Possibility: Transforming Professional and Personal Life by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander

This book is very different from all of the other ones I have read in that it is partly written from a musical conductor’s point-of-view and experiences. The main takeaway from this book is certain practices that can be incorporated into our daily lives that will enhance the way we view events, people and society. I will admit that some of these practices will take time for them to feel like second nature to you BUT if we take small steps daily towards making them second nature I will drastically change your outlook. It is a must read!

I have a constant smile on my face when I read this book. Jen does a great, great job at turning what would be and are serious topics into these funny stories and experiences that just get the point across so well.  This book is most definitely in my list of top books to re-read – aside from being inspirational it does it in such a fun was that I totally lose track of time while I am reading this.

Now your turn – what is on your current reading list for the next couple of months? 

Six practical ways to give your mood an instantaneous boost

Ever wake up on the wrong side of the bed? I have. Sometimes there is nothing really “wrong” in your life but for some reason you may not feel as energized as the day before. I feel this way maybe a handful of times a year and there usually is not explanation for it. Overtime I have realized that this is totally normal and there is no need to worry because it is just temporary feeling. Whenever I feel this way, I do a few simple things in order to help lift up my spirits.

TAKE IN SOME VITAMIN D          

There is (scientifically backed) a direct correlation between the amount of Vitamin D in your body and how happy you feel. There are three main ways to feed your body the Vitamin D it needs – the food you eat, the supplements you take and the amount of exposure to the sun you take in. When I am in a not-so-great mood I grab a seat and take in the sun for no more than 30 minutes. And for those of you who are in the middle of winter right now (like me), no this does not only have to happen in the summer months – when it is cold outside I find a sunny spot by a window and simple feel the sun rays on your skin.

CALMING SCENTS

My all-time favorite thing to do is to light a candle (or two!). Good candle scents instantly boost my mood and having a candle lit truly relaxes me while also making my home smell divine, that is a win-win in my book! But, if in case you are not a candle person you can try incents – if you like muskier scents these may be a great option for you.

TAKE A WALK

Yes a good old walk will do the trick in getting you in a better mood. Something about getting the blood flowing in your body and breathing in some fresh air will re-energize your mind, body and soul from the inside out. Give it a try!

WATCH A MOVIE

Pop in your favorite movie! I have favorite movies in different genres but on not-so-good days I stick to my favorite comedies which are…Money Talks and The Devil Wears Prada. Now I know, these are not technically considered comedies but in my book they are J. My point here is to laugh whether it is a movie, a tv show or a book – whatever floats your boat.

HUG IT OUT

That’s right! Hug your mom, your dad, your sister, your brother, your dog… you get the gist. When I am not in a great mood I always hug my dog – Nina. She is cool with about 2 or three hugs, after that she needs her own space but something about hugging someone you love will always make you feel better. No question about it.

DO SOMETHING YOU LOVE

Do you like to draw, cook, sew, read books? Do anything you love to do and do it with passion, immerse yourself in whatever your favorite activity is and you will come out feeling refreshed and motivated.

How do you lift up your energy on your not-so-good days? What tips can you share with us?

7 FOOLPROOF WAYS TO STICK TO YOUR NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION

Every time the beginning of a New Year comes around people make New Year’s resolutions to begin doing things they should already be doing (YEP, I’m guilty of this!). One of the mistakes I have made in past years is setting too many resolutions and this causes too much change for a person to handle all at once. I am going to do things a little differently this year by committing to ONE resolution which is to eat healthier. However, that resolution is too broad and I know I will break that resolution in a matter of a week (if that!). So instead of simply stating that I will eat healthier in 2016 my resolution is to have one green smoothie every day.

In 2014, I went four solid months of drinking a green smoothie every…single…day but then I stopped. And why? Because I grew tired and bored of the same 2-3 recipes I was rotating. But a few weeks I found out of Simple Green Smoothie (through a podcast) who put on a green smoothie challenge every quarter. I went to their website and have been hooked to their recipes and conveniently enough their first challenge begins January 1, 2016! To make a long story short I am confident that I have found a way to make my new year’s resolution stick in 2016 and I’ll share the process I used to plan for a successful resolution.

Make one resolution

Think of something you are constantly telling yourself you are going to do whether it be to make your bed every morning, do at least 20 minutes of exercise very day, drink more water or start meditating – it is important to pick the one that will make the biggest difference in your everyday life.

Focus on what you want

Similar to the above tip, in order to keep your resolution you have to really think about what it important to you right now at this point in your life. Don’t simply pick a trendy resolution because everyone else is - because you and I both know that that resolution will be broken within the first 48 hours.

Keep your goal manageable

Once you decide on a resolution that is meaningful for you it is key that you to plan out how you will incorporate this into your everyday life. For example, say your goal is to read more you now need to make this manageable and to do this you can break it down to reading one book each month. But you have to get even more specific than that so the next step could be to plan on reading 20-30 minutes every day. See how I did that?!

Pros and cons list  

Make a list of the pros and cons of sticking and succeeding to your new year’s resolution. Keep this list handy all year – put it in your planner, on your fridge, keep it in your phone – whatever works best for you. Whenever you feel like skipping a day or if you feel like giving up whip this list out and read it out loud to yourself. I am sure this will light a fire under you again and keep you engaged with your goal.

Stay consistent

It takes 21 days to build a new habit, that’s it three weeks. In the grand scheme of things three weeks fly right by so stay consistent and give it your all for the first three weeks - I promise it will get easier from there on out. You will also feel an immense amount of satisfaction from which you will WANT to keep giving it your all.

Create a support team

No, you do not have to tell all of your friends about you resolution. In fact, I even recommend you do not tell all of your family and friends because chances are that you will find one or two naysayers and you do not need to invite any negativity. What I do recommend is that you pick one or two people in your life who have achieved a goal in the past – these people are more likely to keep you in a positive state of mind and keep you accountable.

Reward yourself

Set certain increments to reward yourself throughout the year whether it be once a month or once a quarter – you can go get a massage, a facial, a mani/pedi – anything that will leave you feeling good about yourself is the way to go.

Have you achieved a new year’s resolution in the past? If yes, how did you keep yourself accountable to it? Do share below!

Gift Guide For The Book Lovers

Buying gifts is easy but buying meaningful gifts can be pretty hard and with the holidays right around the corner you may be brainstorming gift ideas for your loved ones. I am a big believer in giving meaningful gifts – like a gift that keeps on giving (I know, cheesy!) but books are great for that and luckily there are so many incredibly great books out there for all sorts of needs, wants and tastes. Today, I’ll be sharing books that have read over the last few years that have really made an impact on me and that I highly recommend to my friends and family.

The Body Book by Cameron Diaz

This book is great for the person who is looking to live a healthier lifestyle and not necessarily in the form of nutrition (even though that is a huge factor) but it inspires you to love your body and treat it well. This book is filled with important and useful information that you can use to become a healthier person – mind, body and soul.

The Green Beauty Guide by Julie Gabriel

Part of living a healthy lifestyle is not just how many times you work out or what you eat but also about fully understanding the ingredients in what you eat AND in the products we use on our bodies (makeup, lotions, shampoo, nail polish, etc.). This book is for the person who will find an interest in learning about the harmful chemicals that are added to products we use in our everyday lives. This is a book I always keep handy and use a reference guide pretty often when contemplating a product purchase.

The Happiness of Pursuit by Chris Guillebeau

This is an interesting and fun read (I read it while on vacation to Costa Rica a year ago) so it is a bit nostalgic for me! This book really takes you into a world of journeys and quests and inspires you to take risks and be curious about what else is out there for you. This is a great book for someone who is searching to find more meaning to their life, this books provides a good foundational guide that anyone can use to begin taking steps towards the life they envision for themselves.

The Best Advice I Ever Got by Katie Kouric

This book is a collection of essays written by celebrities, politicians, authors, etc. and it is a fun and encouraging read. I like that this book keeps it relatively light and it is a great book to read whenever you are need of some uplifting positivity. This may be a great book for someone who is beginning to read books on empowerment and positivity.

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

This book was given to me by an employer after a team training while I was still in college. Maybe since it was the first book of its kind I had ever read – it made such a big impact on me. While it was definitely a sad book it makes you realize how important it is to live a life that provides a positive impact for yourself and those around you. This book is full of inspiration, a lot of great advice and would make a great gift for almost anyone on your list.

Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

And last but not least, I could not do a book round up without including Big Magic. This is my most recent read (I actually have about 15 pages left) and I cannot tell you how glad I am to have picked this book up. Big Magic encourages you to embrace those magical moments in your life – some of them are very obvious but others can be easily glossed over, it also encourages you to embrace whatever you are passionate about and to make sure you incorporate whatever makes you happy into your everyday life. This is a must read for anyone (or everyone) on your list.

Do you have book recommendations? Any good books you have read recently that were a gift? Share below!