Tag Archives: 2014

October Goals

October 9, 2014 Pamela Stephens

Somehow I went to sleep one day in September and woke up to October 1st! I don’t know how it got here, but it’s October now and I’m excited about it. The weather was nice and cool in Louisiana for the beginning of October and it just felt right.

September pretty much flew by, so when I looked at my September goals, I realized I didn’t quite accomplish as much as I’d hoped. If I’m being completely honest, I didn’t really accomplish most of them until October 5…when I sat down to write this post to be exact. You appreciate my honesty, right??

My full disclosure above brings me to a couple of thoughts. First, sharing my September goals was a good thing because even though I didn’t accomplish most of those things in September, I knocked them out quickly when I realized I was going to have to report back to you guys this month.

Secondly, the timeline doesn’t really matter than much. I could easily have gotten discouraged because I didn’t accomplish everything in the time-frame I set for myself. However, the important part is that it still got done! Have you dropped the ball on something lately? Don’t fret. Get back on that horse and knock it out! (Not the horse, of course.) How you get to the finish line really doesn’t matter that much. The finished product is what counts, so set aside your frustrations or failed attempts and mark that item off your list!

Here’s what I accomplished from my September goals (even if I did some of it in October):

Closet: Lots of progress! It’s not a finished project, but we’re getting there.
Kitchen: Most of the boxes are unpacked, and we’ve cooked several meals in there. We still have approximately 5-8 boxes left to handle.
Unpack major boxes: I have certainly made a dent in the boxes. Our bedroom is clear of anything that doesn’t belong in there, and most of the dining room boxes have been emptied. Progress feels good!
Garage sale: Didn’t quite make it to this one. The new goal is October 18. (That’s my only free Saturday in October.)
Hang 5 things on the walls: We hung the first items on the wall on October 5. I’m totally counting that as a win!
Using the master bath: Didn’t quite make this one either but once we get the shower curtain up, we’ll be almost ready!
Settle on living room furniture placement: Is this even possible?? I’ve moved the couch 4 times. It’s staying where it is for now, so I’ll mark this one as a win too.
Purchase a shower curtain: It’s not the Anthro ship curtain that I’m drooling over, but I ordered one that’ll do for the hall bath…..on October 4.
Halloween party: We are having a small party, so I can mark this one off too!

Since blogging my September goals helped me get so much done, I’m going to try it again for October. This month I hope to:

Put up fall/Halloween decor.
Host a Halloween party.
Begin using the master bath. (Let’s see if this one gets marked off on round two.)
Empty every box in the dining room. (This is a big one!)
Bring the dining table in from storage.
Do something with the boxes in the foyer. (Most of the boxes are photo albums and keepsake-type items. It’s time to get serious about what “stuff” I keep in this house and decide what should get to stay. Even if these boxes aren’t emptied this month, I’d like them tucked away somewhere other than our entry way.)
Finish all kitchen boxes.
Put down another rug. (I don’t even care where it goes…I just want rugs on the floor!)

So there you have it! I’m determined to get this house in order. I’m also determined to not keep any of the extra stuff that we don’t really need. I’m ready to have free time instead of always having a house to work on. It’s time to make that dream a reality!

What are you hoping to accomplish this month? I also plan on drinking lots of coffee and wearing cozy sweaters. You too? Let’s be friends.

Halloween Decorating Ideas

October 2, 2014 Pamela Stephens

Halloween has always been one of my favorite holidays. Costumes, decorations, the cool fall air…it’s just so much fun! Matthew and I hosted a Halloween party shortly after we were married in 2012, but I never shared any pictures from that night. (We ended not having a party last year.) When preparing for Halloween 2014, I thought it would be fun to share a few photos from the 2012 party. We didn’t get pictures of all of the guests, but how fun are these costumes?!

Here are a few quick and easy decorating ideas from the 2012 party.

1. Giant spider web: Use masking tape to put a spider web design on the floor. I did mine coming out from under the food table. Note: Be careful using masking tape on hardwood floors. It didn’t leave a lasting web impression on the floor or anything. I’m definitely warning you from past experience.

2. Hanging ghosts: Cut scary ghosts from butcher paper and hang from the bottom of doorways. I added a little caution tape from the Dollar Tree to give it something extra.

3. Giant hanging spider: Tape black streamers to balloons and hang from the ceiling to make a giant spider. We used push pins to secure it to the sheetrock ceilings. This is a great idea to take up a large space…you could make it as big as you’d like!

4. Apothecary jars: Use plastic bones in water with green food coloring to create a lab-like vibe.

5. Food labels: We made Halloween themed labels for the food and included names like Petrified Popcorn, Witches Stew, Black Cat Cakes, Poisoned Punch, Casper Crunch, etc.

6. Faux spider webs: You can never have too many spider webs. This is a cheap and easy way to make any space look more festive. Stretch them over everything!

7. Invitations: It’s no secret that I have a slight infatuation with stationary and paper products. We printed invites on fall-colored paper, cut them out, and glued them to Martha Stewart Halloween paper (similar to these). I mailed them in black envelopes and wrote the addresses with a white marker. I also drew a little spider web in the corner. I loved it! I might have to use this idea again this year.

Whether you’re doing a small get together or something larger, these ideas can be incorporated into practically any space or event. I’m getting pretty excited about this Halloween, and I know that I better get busy! I’ve been pinning quite a bit of Halloween and fall décor ideas lately. If you’d like an extra dose of inspiration, go check out my Halloween/Fall Board on Pinterest!

3 Comments Projects 2014 - costume - DIY - fall decor - Halloween

One Box + One Thing

September 29, 2014 Pamela Stephens

Every time someone asks me how the new house is coming along, I say the same thing. I’m ready to be settled. I’m ready for boxes to be unpacked and things to be pretty. I had coffee with my assistant, the lovely Taylor McCarty, recently (for her to tell me she’s leaving me…boooo) and I told her the same thing. I’m tired of boxes and the sheer number of things left to do overwhelms me.

Honestly, this tends to be the case with everything for me. When the project feels too much or too overwhelming, I tend to avoid it altogether. Rather than chip away at it a little at a time, I just don’t bother with it. I put it on the bottom of my to-do list and then it nags away at me forever. I even have this approach to cleaning sometimes. Unless I have time to clean the entire bathroom, I won’t even do one thing like wipe down the sink. Reality is, I seldom have time to clean the entire house in one sitting, and I’ll likely not have time to unpack all of the boxes at once.

During our meeting, Taylor suggested that I unpack just one box a day. While I’ve had that idea before, it just sounds dreadful! However, I finally realized that this is really the only way that I’ll make sense of my new home, so I decided to give it a shot. In addition to unpacking just one box a day, I decided that I’d also do one “thing” a day. The list of “things” that need to be done in this house is simply astounding. It feels like it could go on forever. Instead of avoiding all of the things like I have been doing, I’ll do one “thing” a day and unpack one box a day. It’ll likely be painful at first, but I’m hoping that I’ll adjust to the new approach quickly. I decided that I’ll unpack one box and then wipe down the door, hang the shower curtain rod, or clean a set of windows, etc.

After a week or so of using this method, I realize just how helpful it has been. I’ve certainly not enjoyed teaching myself to be okay with not accomplishing everything at once, but I’ve seen progress in my home and that makes it worth it.

As a matter of fact, things are really coming together around the new house. With the exception of the dining room/kitchen/entry way, I don’t feel like the boxes are taking over. We’ve also hung some art on the walls which was one of my September goals. I’ve done quite a bit of moving things around and then moving them again, but nonetheless, I feel like we’re making progress. I suppose I’ll keep unpacking one box and doing one thing until this house of ours is squared away. For my sanity’s sake, let’s all pretend that day is right around the corner!

3 Comments Inspiration & Thoughts - Our First House #mapfirsthouse - 2014 - inspiration - organization

Saturdays.

September 25, 2014 Pamela Stephens

I’ve had a couple of Saturdays off lately and it’s been fantastic. One Saturday, I wore Matthew’s old t-shirt all day with leggings. I even wore it with a cute jacket to grab dinner at The Fieldhouse that night. Add a pair of sparkly sandals to a baggy shirt and leggings, and you have yourself a real outfit. (Kids, don’t try this at home.)

Another Saturday morning was spent doing laundry. First of all, I actually sort of like doing laundry…except for putting it away. I do NOT like putting it away. Deep down inside, I actually like having those days where I can do the laundry start to finish. I feel so accomplished! I am learning, however, that I don’t like it when I have to do a load here and a load there. I’m realizing that clothes tend to end up getting left in the dryer and it takes us much longer to put the clothes away when they’re done this way. Therefore, let’s all get excited about days where I can do the laundry start to finish. They’re the best. (Side note: I read on a blog once that taking pics of your messes in black and white make them look so much more attractive. So true! Try it!)

This brings me to another topic. I’ve mentioned “things that I’m learning” a few times in the past. I feel like I’m constantly growing and learning new things about myself or the world around me. Sometimes they’re monumental like my discovery about self-guilt. Sometimes they’re a little more trivial, like it’s best for me to do all of the laundry at one time. I really want to try to discuss these discoveries with you guys, even though sometimes they’re hard to put into words. Therefore, I’m creating a new category here on the blog for “What I’ve Learned.” Again, you may find life-changing, amazing things here. Or it may be just that I realized that I only like carrots if they’re cooked. I think paying attention to both the large and small discoveries in life is monumental to your personal growth. Writing about my own discoveries helps me to process them. If you learn anything new about yourself, I hope you’ll share along the way too!

After wrapping up the laundry that Saturday, Matthew and I went to hear Code Blue and the Flatliners at Landry’s Vineyard. (They are a group of musical doctors which makes their name so hilarious to me! They’re also very entertaining. We seldom miss their performances at Landry’s.) I felt so lucky that Matthew and I both happened to have that Saturday off. For a couple that works as much as we do, this was something to celebrate in itself. We had a great time at the vineyard and look forward to the next event. You can find the concert schedule on their website, and we’d love to see you there!

This Saturday, I’m looking forward to the ULM Homecoming game. Matthew and I are season ticket holders which makes me feel like such a grown up. What do you usually do when you have Saturdays off? If I keep up this streak of having time off, I might need some suggestions!

Leave a comment Fashion 2014 - What I Wore - What I've Learned

When can I start wearing boots?

September 18, 2014 Pamela Stephens

This is one of the questions I got most often this time of year at Salt & Pepper. Keep in mind, this advice is primarily for folks in the southern states because for us here in Louisiana, it can – and will most likely be – quite warm until almost Christmas.

We had a bit of a cool snap on Saturday, so ladies like me who are itching to dip into our fall clothing options, pulled out boots and scarves and sweaters and wore as much of it as possible while we had the chance. Deep down inside, we knew that we’d have to wear something sleeveless by mid-week this week, but we were going to make the most of those 60-degree temps while we had them!

As I was thinking about which fall item I was itching to wear, I thought back on my time at S&P, and I thought about that ever popular question – When can I wear boots in Louisiana?

The fact of the matter is, I think you can start wearing boots in August – if you can stand it. For me, the fall season is in full swing once August arrives. I begin to put away and avoid the more summery things and start wearing more fall colors and items. However, it’s usually still HOT here, so I mix in whatever fall pieces I can stand. If I enjoyed taking outfit photos, I’d share a few here to show what I’m talking about. I’m really working on that, folks. (If you want to see some outfit options that I’m drooling over these days, check out my Fashionista board on Pinterest.)

When I start to pull out my boots, I typically start with a short pair. This isn’t some sort of “rule.” Instead, it’s usually just my way of getting to wear a boot when I’m ready to without sweating to death. So, if you’re ever dying to pull out your boots but it’s just a little too warm, I’d suggest starting with a shorter option. This has been my strategy for the last three years. I know this because I documented it on Instagram. After all, the day you get to pull out your boots is a day to celebrate!

If you just can’t resist that tall boot, go ahead and wear them! I completely understand what it’s like to miss those babies for months. If it’s still a little warm, pair them with shorts or a dress with bare legs. This usually gives you the chance to wear the boot while still not ignoring the fact that it’s still pretty warm outside.

So, if you’re wondering when you can pull your favorite boots out, I say do it now! If it’s still a little warm in your neck of the woods, try one of the options above. No matter how you wear them, it’s time to dust those puppies off!

September is in full swing and I’m loving it. If only it weren’t back to 90 degree temps already…

Also, if you’d like some suggestions on how to wear cuffed jeans with short boots, check out this post.

Leave a comment Fashion 2014 - fall fashion - Salt & Pepper

#mapfirsthouse – Closet Plans & Inspiration

September 11, 2014 Pamela Stephens

I had a closet room in our last rent house, but I never quite made it into the room of fabulousness that I had hoped for. In this house, I have pretty large plans to make this room a dressing room paradise.

My overall inspiration for the room came from this nursery. I loved the black and white stripes with hot pink and orange accents. I even ordered this flamingo print from Elise! (Once upon a time, I really hated pink. However, since this spring I’ve really kind of liked it.)

My original idea was to hang black and white striped curtains, but when reading this post by Myquillyn, I saw the striped wallpaper and fell in love! Striped wallpaper would make such a grander statement than just curtains, and I’m pretty excited about my new idea. (Also, I love the idea of those Style Saturdays by Lowe’s and would love for one to take place near me!)

As for other inspiration, I plan to paint our current dining room chandelier and use it in the space. I’m also thinking I’ll spray paint/update my dear mannequin a copper color to pull from the orange. The yellow worked great at Salt & Pepper, but I think it’s time for an update. Have I mentioned that I’m loving copper these days?? I’d paint everything copper right now if it made sense. (P.S. That’s my wedding dress that she’s wearing.)

I certainly hated to take down my old shoe shelves, but I was excited to make a new plan for this closet. I brought in this shelf as a temporary solution for my shoes until I could decide exactly how I wanted things done. However, I think I might love this option! This shelf was built by my dad with 100 year old wood from our old barn. That’s amazing, right?? I’ve always used this shelf for picture frames and such because the shelves are too narrow for books and taller items. I never considered it as an option for shoes, but I’m thinking that I might be in love!

As of right now, I brought in the orange printed rug from my last closet. I’ll wait until more of the decor comes together before deciding if it stays, but I definitely love this rug. I’m thinking that I might end up with an ottoman in the center of the room, but I’m still thinking on that too.

My next plan is to recover my grandmother’s cream vintage chair in this black and white printed fabric. I purchased this fabric from a clearance rack years ago with no plan for it. I’ve been waiting on the right project, and I think this is it! You might remember this chair from my old living room. I’ve used it since I was a little girl. Speaking of recovering chairs, if anyone has any tips for that project, I’m all ears!

Things are definitely coming together around the house. Of course, it’s a slow and steady process, but I’m feeling good about what we’ve accomplished so far. I’ve enjoyed dreaming up plans for this closet space of mine, and I can’t wait to pull it all together. Have you seen any fabulous closet spaces lately? Send me a link!

1 Comment Fashion - Home - Our First House - Projects #mapfirsthouse - 2014 - closet room - DIY

White After Labor Day

September 8, 2014 Pamela Stephens

White After Labor Day 2 Before I even begin discussing wearing white after Labor Day, let me first tell you what I think the number one most important fashion rule of all is. Get a pen…you’ll want to right this down. Are you ready? Rule number one is…WEAR WHAT YOU WANT. Yes, I love keeping up with the latest trends. And yes, there are certain guidelines that you can follow to look your best. However, the most important rule that you can follow in regards to fashion is to not take all of those rules quite so seriously.

So, let’s talk about Labor Day. I think it’s safe to say that most people know that I don’t really enjoy following the rules. After all, rules are made to be broken right?? I think the no-white-after-labor-day rule might be one of the longest living and most strictly followed fashion rules of old. People who still follow this guideline usually stick to it pretty firmly. Today, I want to offer some tips for ways to wear white after Labor Day in a trendy and acceptable way.

I never wear white shoes after Labor Day or before Easter. Honestly, I don’t really care for white shoes that much at all. However, I usually reserve my creamier colored options for the spring and summer months. (Actually, you should be very careful with true white shoes, as they can sometimes look cheap. Usually, something with a creamier color to it will look more expensive and classy.) Now certainly, there could be some exceptions to this rule. None of the tips I’m offering today are meant to be followed religiously. There are always exceptions and it’s always okay to bend the rules a little. Have a fabulous pair of cream heels like these? Wear them! They’d look fantastic with a pair of cuffed jeans and a baggy sweater.
When wearing white pants out of season, I always wear dark colors or heavier fabrics with them. Wearing a bright color or summery printed fabric with white pants will make your outfit look a little out of season. However, pairing the pants with an oversized sweater or deep fall colors, looks perfectly acceptable. Similarly, I usually only wear dark colored shoes with white pants after Labor Day. Wearing a dark shoe instead of a light-colored one helps bring the white pant on into the cooler seasons. One of my favorite looks for winter is white pants with black riding boots and a heavy wool sweater. Following this guideline helps ensure that you won’t look out of season. Instead, you’ll look crisp and trendy!
In addition to not wearing light-colored shoes with white pants after Labor Day, I’ll also seldom wear sandals with them. The exception to this rule for me is wearing a sandal that’s dark-colored and more substantial like the one in my photo from last week. I try to avoid wearing a simple sandal with white pants after Labor Day unless I’m wearing a long sleeve or bulkier top. I usually opt for a closed toe flat or boot instead. Again though, don’t take this rule too seriously. There are almost always exceptions.

While these are a few of the parameters I use when breaking the no-white rule, I don’t even follow them exclusively. As I said above, there are typically exceptions. What I tend to do when planning to wear white after Labor Day or before Easter is ask myself….does this outfit look like fall or does it look springy? If I think it looks a little springy, I’ll try to darken it up a bit. If it looks like I could be standing in a pile of fall-colored leaves holding a steaming cup of coffee, then we’re in business.

As for white purses, if your handbag has an ivory or cream tint to it, then I think it’s acceptable year round! I would, however, reserve a true white purse for the spring and summer months. Again though, be very careful with true white accessories. You always want your clothing and accessories to look more expensive than they actually were, never the other way around.

So there you have it…my thoughts on the no-white rule. As I’m writing this, I can’t actually think of any fashion rules that I follow exclusively. I think I’ve created my own list of “rules” and I like the flexibility of those rules so much more.

Do you have an outfit idea that you’re unsure of? Or a question about how to wear your white accessories after Labor Day? Leave a comment below! I’ll be happy to offer some thoughts/suggestions.

Let’s go break some rules!

Leave a comment Fashion 2014 - fashion - inspiration - What I Wore

Hello, September.

September 4, 2014 Pamela Stephens

I think September is quite possibly my favorite month of the year. (Full disclosure: I will likely say that for other months too.) I think that I love September because I feel like fall is just around the corner. Temperatures start to cool off but it’s still warm (especially in Louisiana). I feel like it’s time to pull out all of my fall attire and start getting ready for the fall holidays. I want to wear boots and sweaters and oversized hoodies.

This September, I’m thrilled to be in a new house. Even though I’m still unpacking and decorating, I can’t help but begin to think about Halloween decorations. I’m excited about decorating for the holidays that are ahead…so much so that I might just skip regular decorations and go straight for the holiday stuff!

I’m excited to get the ball rolling on September, so I thought I’d share a few goals I have for this month:

Work out my closet organization – yes, I still have a bedroom as a closet in this house. I’m a lucky girl.
Get the kitchen unpacked and squared away.
Unpack most of the major boxes.
Host a garage sale (or make a gigantic donation to charity).
Hang at least 5 things on the walls – I’m chomping at the bits on this one!
Begin using our master bathroom instead of the hall bath.
Settle on living room furniture placement.
Purchase at least one new shower curtain – This has been tough….everything I’ve fallen in love with has been $60-$150. Like this one. And this one. Swoon.
And decide if I’ll be “ready” enough to host a Halloween party.

From the looks of this list, I better get busy! September is going to be fantastic!

2 Comments Goal Setting - Home - Our First House #mapfirsthouse - 2014 - closet room - goals - home decor - husband and wife - monthly goals

#mapfirsthouse: All the Small Things

September 2, 2014 Pamela Stephens

If you didn’t burst out into a Blink 182 song when you read that title, you need a little fun in your life.

Now that Matthew and I are actually living in our new home, I figured it was time for an update. We made a ton of progress the first weekend with squaring away furniture and unpacking boxes and such. Unfortunately, most of the progress was the small, not-so-fun-and-exciting things. You know, those things that have to be done but aren’t exactly glamorous. Here’s a list of some of the small things we’ve been working on lately:

1. Cabinet knobs and hinges: We had to replace most of the cabinet hardware. There were 7 different knobs in the kitchen alone! I’m still looking for the perfect knobs for some rooms.

2. Door knobs: We replaced all of the exterior and interior knobs in the house. While it’s a relatively easy update, it can certainly cost more than you might think. If you only have one or two to replace, you could always consider spray painting them. Since we replaced all of the knobs, we decide to go ahead and buy new ones. It cost us over $300 though, so be sure to budget accordingly!

3. Kitchen plumbing: We had to replace the plumbing under the sink and install a water valve for the refrigerator. Like I said, we’ve been working on the not-so-glamorous projects.

4. Hanging blinds: We kept the blinds that came with the house, but we had them taken down and cleaned. When the painters re-installed the brackets, they weren’t quite in the right spots, so Matthew had to go back and move them all. What we thought would be a quick and easy project ended up taking much longer.

5. Installing new toilets: We weren’t originally planning to replace both toilets, but as our renovation progressed, we ended up needing to. My video of the soft-close lid cracks me up a little bit.

6. Closet rods and shelving: I totally underestimated how much it would cost to add shelves and new rods to most of our closets. It also took quite a bit more time than I expected. Again, these are simple updates when making a home your own, but you want to be sure to plan accordingly.

7. Mopping and other cleaning: The amount of mopping that I’ve done in this house is simply mind-boggling (especially when I HATE to mop). I have never seen so much lingering dust in my entire life. I spent pretty much an entire day mopping, over and over again, and I still don’t feel like they’re clean. (By the way, I still stand by my statement that this is the best mop in the world. Hands down!)

8. Hauling off garbage: Matthew spent one morning hauling all of the leftover materials to the dump. We had molding, scrap pieces of Sheetrock and wood…you name it. I think he underestimated the amount of trash we’d accumulated so far. We had 0.4 TONS of stuff to drop off at the landfill…that’s almost 1,000 pounds!

9. Laundry repairs: We had to install new shut off valves for the washer because one of them had a slow leak. This was another one of those items that we weren’t planning to do. We also added a new dryer vent because the other one wasn’t sealing off properly. I can’t wait to show off my new dryer vent….said no one ever.

10. Cable outlets: We had to install new cable outlets because we are planning to put our TV and router in different places from where the previous owners had them. You should ask Matthew how much he enjoyed hanging out in our attic mid-August in Louisiana. Doesn’t that sound fun??

11. New shower heads: This one is something that you’re likely to not think about until you’re living in a new home. The shower heads in our new house looked fine. However, after taking our first showers, we quickly realized the current shower heads didn’t provide enough pressure. It took FOREVER to get the shampoo out of my hair! I absolutely love the new waterfall shower head that Matthew got at TP Outdoors.

(By the way, if you’re local, you can order things from the True Value website and have them shipped to either the Monroe or West Monroe stores for free! We also got our door knobs (and practically every other supply) from there. This is a super easy and convenient way to shop local!)

This list is just a few of the things we’ve been working on since moving in. It’s important to keep these sorts of things in mind when you’re renovating because they’ll not only cost money, but they’ll also take up a lot of your time. I must say that I’m very thankful for such a handy husband. He’s done all of these projects himself and done a fantastic job…with my supervision of course. J

Now that we’re through with most of the small/boring things, we can move on to the fun parts! Like looking for new rugs. And hanging things on my freshly painted walls. I’m getting excited just thinking about it! I’m pinning quite a bit of inspiration on Pinterest lately. If you’re up for seeing all of my crazy ideas, go follow me!

Leave a comment Home - Our First House - Projects #mapfirsthouse - 2014 - husband and wife

One of Those Days

August 25, 2014 Pamela Stephens

In one of my first training classes at Keller Williams, the instructor talked about how she handled “bad days.” Our entire livelihood as realtors revolves around interacting with people. Calling people. Talking to people. Visiting with people. You see where this is going, right?

So, when you have one of those funky days where you don’t feel on your game, working to generate new business is really a waste of time. This particular instructor said that when she notices that she’s slipped into a bit of a funk, she leaves the office and goes to watch a funny movie at the theater by herself. I’ve held on to this random comment for a while now, because we all know that when those sort of days come our way, we don’t actually accomplish anything. I, however, have always forced myself to “push through” and continue working…even if all I want to do is to go home and put on pajamas. Her approach, however, seemed so much more productive. Rather than wallowing and not accomplishing anything all day, she does something to bring her mood back up so she creates at least a few productive hours. Genius!

So, I had one of those days a while back. The morning started out ok but the day went south pretty quickly. In addition to being extremely tired, I was having trouble focusing or wrapping my head around things. Everything started to annoy me…I spilled my entire drink in the parking lot at work, and then I emptied a big box of band aids on the floor. I decide today was the perfect day to give my friend’s method a shot.

I didn’t go to a movie, but I did leave my office and run a few errands I had been putting off. There’s no better time to go get those necessities from Sam’s like the day you don’t feel like being at the office. Rather than using a movie as a pick-me-up, I choose to do a little shopping! I had some Bucks Back to use at Old Navy, so I took a bit to roam around and search for something to perk me up. Then, I ran by Hobby Lobby and grabbed some new paints for a project I’d been dreaming up. What better way to motivate yourself than to plan out projects that you’ve been looking forward to?

Of course, during this afternoon extravaganza, I still worked (My phone rings constantly.), but I was much more productive running errands than I would have been sitting in my office, wallowing in my weird mood. So, next time you find yourself slipping into a little funk, take an hour or so to do something you enjoy…something that is guaranteed to brighten your mood. Then, see if you’re able to come back to your task with a fresh outlook after taking a little breather. More than likely, you’ll have a productive rest of the day rather than wasting an entire day unsuccessfully pulling yourself from a funk.

Let me know if this strategy works for you! I think I’m a new believer. What sort of things do you do to motivate yourself or turn a bad day around? I’m always open to new suggestions!

1 Comment Inspiration & Thoughts 2014 - inspiration