This holiday season, as you’re bombarded with advertisements and social media posts about the latest must-have items, take a moment to reflect. The Stanley Water Bottle phenomenon is a perfect example of this trend-driven consumerism. But let’s pause and ask ourselves: do we really need another water bottle? Almost every household has a collection of […]
6 Daily Actions To Spark A Positive Mindset
We live in a modern society that seems determined to make us buy what we don’t need, fear what we don’t understand, and replace accountability with entitlement. It can sometimes feel like the world is burning, but I don’t think it is. In fact, there seems to be a growing number of people seeking to […]
7 Things That Can Lift Your Spirits This Holiday Season—Without Needing to Spend a Dime
The holiday season, often portrayed as a time of joy and celebration, can also be a period of reflection, grief, and melancholy for many. Amid the glittering lights and festive gatherings, it’s important to remember that lifting your spirits doesn’t always require monetary expenditure. In fact, some of the most effective ways to alleviate stress, […]
The White Envelope
It’s just a small, white envelope stuck among the branches of our Christmas tree. No name, no identification, no inscription. It has peeked through the branches of our tree for the past ten years or so. It all began because my husband Mike hated Christmas–oh, not the true meaning of Christmas, but the commercial aspects […]
How to Make Your Holiday More About Experiences and Less About Gifts
If you’ve been dreaming about shifting away from toys and presents for the holidays, here’s the guide you’ve been looking for. For one of our most memorable Christmases as a family, we skipped gifts and made a getaway to the charming village of Mendocino, on the northern California coast. We visited the botanical gardens, rode […]
This Christmas, Give the Gift of Togetherness
As the Christmas season unfolds, with its twinkling lights and merry carols, what if we shift our focus from what’s under the tree to who’s around it? What if this year, our most precious gift is the gift of togetherness? In a world often preoccupied with finding the perfect present, there’s a simple, yet profound, […]
9 Ways to Shop Smarter for Clothing
Do you have a closet full of clothing but nothing to wear? Have you tried shopping for new clothes only to find items hanging in your closet unworn? Or maybe you’re holding on to things hoping you will wear them in the future. This is pretty common with all the closets I declutter and organize. […]
How to Decide Which Holiday Traditions are Worth Keeping
As the holiday season approaches, the air fills with excitement and a touch of nostalgia. But along with the joy, there often comes a sense of obligation to maintain traditions, even those that leave us feeling drained, both financially and emotionally. Rachel Jonat wisely points out, “We don’t have to continue holiday traditions that leave […]
99 Experience-Based Gift Ideas
Experience-based gifts can be more memorable and satisfying than physical items. They range from simple, low-cost activities to extravagant adventures, and can be enjoyed by kids, teens, and adults alike. Here’s a list of 99 experience-based gifts, organized by cost, to inspire your holiday season: Free or Low-Cost Experiences: Moderately Priced Experiences: Higher-End Experiences: Extravagant […]
Living More Intentionally by Thinking Less
## Constantly On A typical person has on average 12,000 to 60,000 thoughts per day. Out of all those thoughts we only remember the ones that happen the most often, are the most positive, or the most negative: food, sex, and that stupid video your friend sent you, or traffic, why you hate your boss, […]