Saturday, July 25, 2015
Read!
This week try to find some time to read. I try to disconnect from technology and TV for at least 30 minutes before bed. I find this relaxing. I choose to still read real books. I find that the light from my I Pad keeps me awake. There is research behind this.
My ordinary person/real tip this week is Read What You Want! It is Ok to read fluff. This includes magazines like People. I have found two great apps for magazines that include FREE reading material.
Zinio
Issuu
I still read books, too. Here is what I am currently reading.
Better Than Before - from the author of The Happiness Project.
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil - since I'm going to Savannah soon.
At the Water's Edge - from the author of Water for Elephants.
I wrote about some of my favorite books here.
Here's another tip for you avid readers. I like to keep track of what I want to read in Goodreads.
Then, to save money, I reserve books from my local library.
Monday, July 20, 2015
Essential Oils
One way to make your life a little less ordinary is to use essential oils. You will be surprised by how a little essential oil can change your mood in just seconds. You can inhale essential oils, apply them to skin when combined with an oil like jojoba, or use a diffuser.
You could spend hours trying to research the best essential oil companies. Remember, this blog is about making small changes, so I am not going to overwhelm you with all of that information. I will tell you that from my research, I chose to order from Rocky Mountain Oils. I have also used doTERRA. For the sake of ease and price, many times I will just go to Earth Fare or Whole Foods and buy Aura Cacia.
Here is how I use my oils:
I love my diffuser!!! I don't even remember what brand it is, but I bought it off of Amazon. This might be the one. For use on your skin, mix with an oil like jojoba, or I have even heard of mixing with vodka for use as perfume. I have not had luck with this, as the scent seems to disappear quickly. For that reason, I usually buy a premade rollerball from the store. You will find them by the essential oils at your health food store. My current scent is Dharma.
So, tip for the week - Try an essential oil! I'll post another time about the benefits of different oils.
Surviving Ordinary
I took a break from blogging to start a new teaching job. Blogging was fun for me, and I've decided to start again. When I asked a friend what I could give to people through a blog, she said tips on "surviving ordinary". I found that interesting. I had just seen this quote from Brene Brown:
"When I look at narcissism through the vulnerability lens, I see the shame-based fear of being ordinary. I see the fear of never being extraordinary enough to be noticed, to be lovable, to belong, or to cultivate a sense of purpose."
My friend and I read a lot of online content, and much is about lofty goals of finding your passion or making major changes in your life. I think all this social media, that I enjoy so much, has made me feel guilty for feeling ordinary. My friend and I started talking about a blog that was more down to earth, and more realistic.
So, with everything out there why should you read this? I hope to give you a weekly simple tip to try.
That's it. One tip - once a week.
Check out my first tip.
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