Giving purpose brings focus, balance, and consistency to the day. 

It is easy to wake up in the morning and let your mind immediately focus on the day's to-do list and the running tally of stressors you'll face throughout the day.  The hustle and bustle outside may get your blood flowing and mind racing, but taking those few extra moments to stretch, open your eyes, and feel your breath will help slow you down and start your day right.



I have found that if I consciously make an effort to take in the morning with all its light, peace, and silence, I feel happier as well as more motivated for the rest of the day. As soon as I wake up, I take a moment and pull in deep breaths into my chest and belly and look out the window at the rising world. I then set an intention for the day.

Intentions do not necessarily have to be "go to the gym" or "do not snack today". My intentions range in message from "become more conscious about my facial expressions" and "truly listen in today's conversations".  Give meaning to the day, not a mission.

Take time. Think about what you want to squeeze out of the day. Realize all the possibilities and opportunities that lie ahead, not just the obligations and lists you have to complete. And perhaps, when you roll out from the sheets and place your feet on the floor, you will feel a spark of life run through you.

Sometimes we just need a little push in the right direction, or maybe just in any direction...

Self-help books are intimidating. I mean, who wants to admit that they need help or that their life isn't what they want it to be. We have a hard enough time admitting what is wrong with us already, why would we want to go out in public and purchase, read, and analyze a book that says self-help on the cover?

Perhaps it is easier if we look at it like a self-improvement process. Maybe we don't need help as much as we need inspiration, and that is just was Jen Sincero's You're a Badass provides.

You're a Badass is a humorous look into Jen's life with words that so perfectly describe and reflect your own. Reading her wisdom and brutal honesty is like dunking your head in cold water, leaving you gasping for air. And that wide-eyed, gasping-for-life feeling is what we should feel every morning. We should wake up every morning bright-eyed and bushy tailed and be excited to carry out the day, holding on to life with everything we've got because life is just too good.

What I enjoyed most is that this book is real. Jen is a real person with advice and inspiration that you can actually use and chase after, yet she doesn't burden the dreamer with reality.  You can use all of the inspiration in various aspects of your life as well; in the smallest parts of your life when you are trying to make quicker decisions when determining which coffee to buy or when you need someone to tell you how to finally sign the lease on your own dreamy boutique.

Jen underlines that we all have room for improvement, and what we should improve upon most is our desires and habits to live out a happy life. I appreciate that. That's the goal of life, isn't it? To reach a time of utter, complete, and true contentedness? That is surely what I strive for.

So, I strongly recommend this read. Short and sweet, yet lengthy and complex if you let your mind wander to all the extraordinary opportunities and possibilities that lie ahead of you. Wake up in the morning, do a little stretch, grab a cup of tea and start your day off right.

the holidays have always held some sort of magic. with the ability to unite families, bring together neighbors, and spread joy to millions of people, the holidays are almost unreal.