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Shared Apr 25, 2016 comment

How to Be a Better Friend Today

Published: by Crystal Paine on April 25, 2016 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

If you recall, my friend Mackenzie and I scoped on friendship awhile back. I’ve had several follow-up questions from that scope with people wanting me to expound more on friendship.

Today, I want to share 4 ways to be a better friend today…

1. Take Initiative.

Don’t wait for the other person to show up and do something for you. So much of the time, women feel lonely and left out, like nobody is inviting them to be a part of anything.

You have a choice in that moment to be self-defeating and live under the lies that you’re unlikeable and that nobody will ever want to be friends with you. This will prevent you from ever opening yourself up, letting people in, or taking initiative.

Good friendships require taking initiative, but don’t wait for the other person. Send that text, write that email, or invite that person into your home and life.

When I meet someone whom I feel some synergy with and see the possibility of a friendship with, I try to take initiative to invite that person into my home or even just out for coffee. There’s no long-term obligation with that. Sometimes it won’t be a great fit, but sometimes it will turn into something meaningful and beautiful!

Don’t wait for others to come to you. Go to them and take the first step. Look for ways to bless them first!

2. Ask Good Questions.

People are desperate for community. They want people to really care about them at a deep level.

When you take the time to look into someone’s eyes and listen, that means the world to them. Show people you care by giving them your full attention and fully engaging in conversation.

When you ask good questions in response, it shows that you care and that you’re interested in them. Sometimes you may really love someone but feel that you don’t share much in common. That’s a perfect opportunity to ask questions and learn about someone who is different from you!

There is SO much to learn from people who live different lives and have different viewpoints. I like to ask questions like:

“How can I be a better friend to you?”
“How does that make you feel?”
“What is the hardest thing you’re going through right now?”
“What do you most need right now?”
“How can I encourage you?”

Just recently, I was with a group of women that I’m getting to know. We went around the group and answered these types of questions openly. This helped transform the small group into true, authentic community. It prevented us from hiding and just showing up superficially without forming relationships. Good questions often facilitate friendship.

3. Find the Good and Praise It.

How are you celebrating others right now? People love to know that what they do matters. Find the good. Celebrate it, praise it, and affirm it.

I think everyone at their core has a desire to be noticed, affirmed, celebrated, and to know that they matter. It doesn’t take a whole lot of time or money to notice something about someone and then verbally affirm that.

Think about how you can celebrate other people in simple ways. Maybe it’s just sending a quick text to celebrate someone. Words of affirmation can mean the world to someone!

4. Learn Their Love Language.

Learning the love language of those in your life is SO important. You can feel like you’re pouring your love out to someone, but if it’s not in the way that makes that person feel most loved, there may be miscommunication. Once you know what someone else’s love language is, it really helps you to be able to demonstrate love in a manner that means the most to them.

For instance, my dominant love language is Words of Affirmation. It means the world to me when Jesse tells me how much he appreciates me and how proud he is of me. This speaks love to me much more than buying something for me does.

My husband’s love language is quality time. When he feels like I’m busied, hurried, and not fully engaged, he feels unloved. I’ve had to learn over time how important it is to love him well in the ways he feels most loved.

I’m not great at giving gifts, but I try to put forth that effort when someone’s love language is gifts. If you don’t know someone’s love language, simply ask someone what makes them feel most loved!

Related Posts:

I’d love to hear from you: How do you intentionally seek to develop and foster deeper friendship? How have other been a good friend to you?

P.S. If you’re struggling with friendships, I’d highly recommend reading the book, Safe People.

Shared Apr 23, 2016 comment

5 Things I’m Loving This Week (+ an important note about next week)

Published: by Crystal Paine on April 23, 2016 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

1. Fresh Flowers — For Just a Few Dollars!

This picture is clear evidence of this whole new savoring life and slowing down transformation in my life: On the weekends, I’ve been leisurely walking to the store, picking out a $3-$5 bouquet of flowers, and then coming home and salvaging all I can from last week’s flowers and putting together some freshened up arrangements for around the house.

It makes me happy all week long to see these around the house and it’s a simple way I can cultivate beauty in our home, while also giving my soul space to breathe.

2. Launching Make Over Your Evenings

This week we accomplished a HUGE goal for this year — we launched my brand-new course, Make Over Your Evenings!! This was my only business goal for the year, so it was pretty exciting to have it D-O-N-E!

We worked so hard on this course and I am so thrilled with the finished product — and also so honored that thousands and thousands of you have already bought it and begun it. Thank you SO much!

3. Dusting Off My Bike For the First Time in a Long Time

After my poor bike has sat neglected for, um, maybe TWO years, I dusted her off tonight and took her on a 40-minute leisurely ride with Kathrynne and one of her neighbor friends on Thursday evening.

It was such a relaxing way to end a l-o-n-g and full week filled with prepping for our big Make Over Your Evenings course launch.

4. Brown Sugar Biscuit Twists

We celebrated the end of a long and full week and gearing up for a very full and busy weekend by taking a “Sabbath Day” on Friday. We went to bed early, slept in, and had a slow and leisurely morning.

I surprised the family by making Brown Sugar Biscuit Twists for a late breakfast. These are a family favorite and we’ve not had them in a long while. Yummy!!

5. Kaitlynn’s Figure Skating Competition

Kaitlynn competed in four events at the Skate Nashville Competition this weekend. It’s so fun to see her confidence building and her love and passion for this sport start to come out more and more and overcome the nerves of competing.

She pours her heart and soul into this sport and I just love watching her blossoming as a skater and an individual through the hours she spends on the ice every week. {You can watch a little clip from her short program here.}

An Important Note About Next Week

So you know how I only set 4 goals this year? And you know how one of them was that my husband and I would go on two overnighter trips without our kids?

Well, we were able to work out a bunch of details and plan a trip for just the two of us for 4 entire days beginning Monday morning through Friday morning this coming week. We are SO excited as we rarely ever get away by ourselves!

And I’m even more excited because I finally have a great team in place who can cover for me while I’m gone. Which means… drumroll… that I’m leaving my computer at home and plan to be 100% offline while we’re gone.

I’ve never, ever done this on a trip that I can ever remember. Even if I go offline for some of the trip, I always have my computer with me. So it’s a pretty big deal for me!

My team will make sure there are deal posts going up here and on Facebook like usual, I’ve pre-scheduled content pieces for every day of next week, but I won’t be around the comments section nor will I be on social media at all.

I’ll be back sometime on Friday, and while I’ll miss you all, I honestly cannot WAIT to have four whole days to just get to hang out with my husband! See you on the other side!

What are YOU loving this week? Tell us in the comments!

Shared Apr 23, 2016 comment

My Top 7 Favorite Books for Moms

Published: by Crystal Paine on April 23, 2016 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Want to encourage a weary mom this coming Mother’s Day? Or just need some inspiration and motivation for your own mothering? Here are 7 of my favorite books for moms:

Surprised By Motherhood by Lisa-Jo Baker

My friend, Lisa-Jo Baker, is one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever met. She just oozes with love and grace. And she’s hilarious, too.

I loved her book, Surprised By Motherhood — and it’s what actually turned my life upside down and inspired me to fall hard and fast in love with South Africa.

Seasons of a Mother’s Heart by Sally Clarkson

I’ve been so blessed by Sally’s life and her books. She’s inspired me so much as a mother to enjoy my children, nurture my children, and give them a love of beauty and learning.

I had trouble picking just one of her books to put on this list here, but I finally decided on this one as I think it was my favorite of hers. It’s a great read for homeschool moms!

Pocketful of Pinecones by Karen Andreola

I adore Karen Andreola’s books. She inspires me as a mom, she encourages me to really invest in my kids, and she motivates me to raise kids who love life and learning.

In this fiction book, she really encourages homeschool moms with practical ways you can weave learning and the love of learning through all of life. There is a followup book, Lessons At Blackberry Inn, that I also enjoyed.

Desperate by Sarah Mae and Sally Clarkson

Okay, so I chose just one more Sally Clarkson book… because I couldn’t help myself. 🙂

If you’ve ever whispered the words, “I just can’t be a mom today!”, this book will encourage and uplift you. Sarah Mae and Sally have a passion to encourage and build up struggling weary mamas and they do just that in this book.

Parenting the Wholehearted Child by Jeannie Cunnion

I usually stay far away from any book that remotely resembles a system or method of parenting. Because I truly have come to believe that there are no one-size-fits-all plans.

At any rate, I was hesitant to start this book because it fell under the “parenting book” genre. But I’m so glad that I did because it was one of my favorite reads and challenged me in a deep level as a parent.

Don’t Make Me Come Up There by Kristen Welch

Kristen is an incredibly gifted writer who knows how to communicate spot-on truth in a laugh-out-loud-funny manner. Some of her stories in this book were so good I immediately had to go find my husband and read them to him and then we both busted up laughing together. 🙂

Loving the Little Years by Rachel Jankovic

I really enjoyed Loving the Little Years. It’s not a book with lots of practical, hands-on advice, but it’s a book the deals with the heart issues we moms face.

I didn’t agree with the author on all points, but I loved how these book challenges moms to really delve down to the heart of the matter. As the author says, “The state of your heart is the state of your home.”

Encouraging Articles for Moms

What are YOUR favorite books on mothering? What books would you add to my list?

P.S. You may have noticed that I’ve been doing more book round-ups lately. I plan to continue to do more of these in the coming weeks and would love to hear from you: what topics would you love for me to share my favorite books on? Leave a comment and let me know!

Shared Apr 23, 2016 comment

How to Make Money by Self-Publishing

Published: by Crystal Paine on April 23, 2016 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Guest post from Jill of By Jill B

If you’re struggling to make money from blogging, consider self-publishing. I stumbled upon self-publishing by accident and discovered that it is a very viable way of making money from my writing.

The best part about it is that you do NOT need an existing platform to make it. Your books become your platform.

So how do you make money from self-publishing? Like any business, it takes time and persistence with no guarantees. However, here are some tips on how to turn self-publishing into a business.

Focus on a Niche that Sells

Look for niche markets that have large audiences. In non-fiction, big genres include how-to, self-help, health and motivational books. In fiction, the big-hitters include romance, sci-fi, fantasy, mystery and thrillers. Look for sub-genres that you can target.

If you’re looking to make money, avoid writing in difficult-to-sell niches like poetry. However, I’d also avoid trying to get traction in a very competitive niche like contemporary romance. Instead, find a smaller sub-genre that interests you, like Jane Austen fan fiction, for example.

A good place to figure out if you’re targeting a good niche is to see if the top-selling books in the Amazon subcategory are ranked at #30,000 or less (the lower the rank, the more the book is selling). A rank of #30,000 means the book is selling a few copies a day. In some non-fiction niches, you might also be able to tell if a subject is popular by the number of magazines that are available in stores.

Follow Your PASSION

Next, figure out what your passions are. What do you like to read? What do you like to do? What do you find yourself talking about a lot?

Those are your passions. Try to align them with a niche that sells.

While some people are able to do very well writing books that they have no interest in, I do not suggest following this route if you want to develop a long career in indie-publishing.

Understand Your Audience

Once you’ve decided on your niche, read a few books from the bestseller lists to see why they are selling well. Read some of the reviews. Positive and negative reviews can be very helpful in understanding what that audience is looking for.

Figure Out How You Can Produce a Lot of Books Within Your Niche

This applies more to non-fiction because you can always make more fictional stories up.

In non-fiction, try to figure out how you can position yourself as an authority in a niche. I admit that my own publishing plan took a while to formulate. I started with a “How to Keep Backyard Chickens” book and focused too much on trying to write many books around chickens. It is a niche that is too small to build a business around, and I couldn’t come up with enough marketable topics.

It turns out that I should have been looking at the forest and not just a tree. In my case, the tree was chicken books. The forest is the large topic of homesteading — which includes frugal living, livestock-keeping, gardening, food preservation, hunting, home business, emergency prepping and much more. Now, I can write a lot of books on the topic of homesteading!

Write in Series

While not a must, writing in a series makes it easier to sell more books to your readers. Once you’ve hooked them, readers tend to want to buy more from you. This applies to both fiction and nonfiction.

In fiction, a series can consist of books that focus on the same characters or about the happenings in the same area. In both fiction and nonfiction, you can make a sequential book series, or a series out of a theme.

For example, I used “The Modern American Frugal Housewife” theme to write a series of four nonfiction books, based around frugal living.

Produce Good Products (Books)

If you want to make a business out of self-publishing, your books are not “your babies”; they are your products. Write books that resonate with your audience, edit them well, and use a genre-appropriate cover.

By genre-appropriate cover, I mean to examine the covers of other top-selling books in your genre. Thriller books normally feature the author’s name in large, bold text and depict silhouettes running. Romance books normally depict a couple in some form of embrace. The cover should be legible even when viewed in thumbnail size.

Do not try to be original. Your audience has to be able to recognize what the book’s subject is at one glance.

If you’re hiring someone to design your cover, make sure that they know how to design a digital book cover. Good book cover artists understand the nuances of color and typography, which an artistic person may not necessarily grasp. For those on a budget who are design-challenged, I recommend using Canva.com, which is free if you use your own images.

Make Your Books Work for You

The nice thing about indie publishing is that you retain all the rights to your work. Make it work for you!

While Amazon is the biggest self-publishing platform, do not overlook publishing your book on other platforms like iTunes, Nook, Kobo (Canada), and Google Play (which is currently closed to new members).

For a 10% cut of royalty payments, you can use an aggregator like Draft2Digital.com or Smashwords.com to help you upload your books to all these platforms at once with a click of a button.

Expand your reach further by offering print books through Amazon’s Createspace or Ingram Spark. Certain books also do very well in audio, which you can distribute via Audible.

A few helpful resources:

Crystal has said that blogging is “a marathon, not a sprint”. This also applies to the self-publishing business. Take one step at a time to build your brand and backlist of books.

Your journey will be different from someone else’s. Always be kind to yourself.

Jill Bong writes under the pen name Jill b. She is a homeschooling mom, homesteader, author, entrepreneur and inventor of Chicken Armor chicken saddles. Visit her author site: By Jill B. You can download her Self-Publish on a Budget With Amazon ebook for FREE right now!

Shared Apr 22, 2016 comment

10 Productivity Tools You Should Be Using

Published: by Crystal Paine on April 22, 2016 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Wondering how I stay on top of tasks? Here are my current top 10 favorite productivity tools…

1. Sleep Cycle App

This app will gently wake you up within a 30 minute window at the optimum time when your body is most ready to wake up. If you are feeling exhausted all the time and hate being jolted out of sleep by a noisy alarm clock, I recommend giving this one a try. It might revolutionize your sleep!

It also tracks your sleep cycle, so that you know how long it takes you to fall asleep and how restless you are throughout the night. I love this feature, because it has helped me track trends in my before-bed routine or behavior each night that are preventing me from getting the best night’s sleep possible.

I don’t know the science behind this app, but I will tell you that I’ve truly felt more well rested and energetic in the morning since I started using it. The Sleep Cycle App costs a couple dollars through the app store.

Note: I also have been using my new Jawbone Up3 to track my sleep and love it so much. It’s a lot pricier, though, so I’d recommend the Sleep Cycle App as a great starting tool for tracking your sleep.

Related: How to Get More Sleep

2. Google Calendar

I’ve sung the praises of Google Calendar many, many times. Google Calendar helps me organize anything and everything in my life by getting it out of my brain and into a secure, safe place that I can access from anywhere. I love that Google Calendar syncs across all of my devices and I can share it with family members and business team members.

Any time I think of an appointment, task, meeting, or deadline that I don’t want to forget, I add it to my Google Calendar on the day I need to remember it by. Google Calendar sends me reminders, and I check my calendar each evening when writing my to-do list for the following day.

Their Drag & Drop feature has changed my life. If I don’t get to a task or need to reschedule something, I simply drag and drop that task to another day. It keeps things organized and simple in one place. No more messy loose papers with scribbled words and scratch-outs on them.

I also love the Recurring Tasks feature, which makes it so easy to add in tasks that occur on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. Just add it once and specify how often it should recur. Super easy!

3. Gmail

This is another one you’ve probably heard me mention several times if you follow me online! Gmail has so many great features that help me keep my inbox cleaned out.

Their Send and Archive button allows you to reply to an email, hit send, and it will automatically leave your inbox. You don’t have to send and then go back to your inbox and delete it. All of it happens at once, which saves time in the long-run and allows you to follow the “touch it once” email rule.

I also love the ability to set up filters to have emails skip my inbox entirely if I don’t want to ever see those types of emails. I can use their labeling system to find emails later, or even have a filter set up to have an incoming email labeled and skip my inbox.

In this way, it keeps my inbox clean, and I can find all of those emails in one place when I’m ready to deal with them.

4. Boomerang

This is an app that is added to Gmail that allows you to choose when you want to send emails, or when you want to receive and deal with an e-mail.

For example, if an email comes in that is not a priority at the moment, I hit the Boomerang button on my email and choose when to have it be emailed back to me. I choose a later date when I will have more time to handle it.

This helps me keep my email inbox clean but still prioritize the most time-sensitive emails first and not forget anything important.

5. Feedly

I use Feedly to read all of the blogs I follow. I don’t follow too many, but I would forget to read them each day if I did not have Feedly set up. It’s such an easy way to quickly go in, check my favorite blogs, and read through them efficiently.

Related: How to Make Money Blogging

6. Waze

If you regularly drive to places you need directions for, or if you live in a city with high traffic, I recommend the Waze app for navigation. Not only will this app tell you the fastest way to get somewhere, but it will also alert you to traffic, accidents along the way, construction, and anything else you need to know. It will then give you a bypass detour route that will get you there much faster and help you avoid those obstacles.

This app has saved me so much time and frustration since we moved to Nashville where rush hour traffic can mean it takes 3-4 times the usual amount of time to get to your destination.

7. TripIt

The TripIt app has been a life-saver to me with traveling. What I love about this app is that once you set it up, you can elect to have it connected with an email.

Any time I have a new hotel reservation, plane ticket, or any other travel information emailed to me, I can just forward it to TripIt. TripIt then automatically sets up an event for that trip and will add all pertinent information — flight times, hotel reservation number, a map of the hotel, etc. in an organized file in my TripIt app.

It is so convenient, and I don’t even have to think about it! I usually just check the day before I travel to verify that everything is in my TripIt app for my upcoming trip.

8. Podcasts and Periscope

I love feeding my mind with good things, because I want to grow as a person. Podcasts and Periscope really help me in this area.

I turn on my phone when I’m getting ready in the morning, washing dishes, folding laundry, working on an easy project on the computer where I can multi-task, or riding in the car. It’s so nice to have great podcasts or periscopes to listen to right at my fingertips, so that I can fill my mind with good things while my hands are busy.

9. The Delete Button

This might seem like an odd tool to have on this list, but it’s really made a difference in my productivity so I had to include it!

I think if we would all do better at learning how to use the delete button very liberally in our lives, it would help us lead so much more productive lives. Delete the spam. Delete or archive the emails you no longer need in your inbox.

Don’t clutter up your life and time with the unnecessary. Become best friends with the delete button and free up time to focus on what matters most.

10. Pen & Paper

I am such a pen & paper girl at heart. When it comes to my daily to do lists, I’ve found pen & paper to be much more effective than anything electronic.

There’s something about the physical act of writing things down helps me to clarify, be more organized, and visualize in my mind what my day will look like.

If it’s only online, I will forget or have to go look it up. Writing it down on paper helps cement my priorities into my mind as I face each day. It makes such a difference in my daily productivity.

What are YOUR favorite productivity tools?

P.S. You can find a list of my Top 10 Favorite Productivity & Time Management Books here.

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Set your next day up for success by doing these 3 simple things every night! If you're feeling overwhelmed with life, this is a great place to start!

Shared Apr 19, 2016 comment

3 Things You Should Do Every Single Night

Published: by Crystal Paine on April 19, 2016 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Do you struggle to get up and around every morning? Does your day start with you feeling overwhelmed by everything you have to do, need to do, and feel you should do?

I want to challenge you to try doing three things every single night before you go to bed. These are not hard or difficult or time-consuming, but by doing these three things almost every single night before bed, I set myself up for success every morning when I get up. And I truly believe that a successful day begins the night before.

Here’s my list of three things I think you should do every night before bed:

1. Clean Up the Kitchen

Waking up to a clean kitchen does wonders for my spirit. I don’t know what it is, but when my kitchen is clean, it feels like my whole house is clean!

Jesse and I usually work together to clean up the kitchen at night before we head to bed. Not only does this mean that we don’t wake up to dishes with food crusted on them that then we have to try scrape off, but it also makes me feel like I have a fresh head start on the day.

A few tips: I’ve found that if I make sure the kitchen is completely clean after breakfast and after dinner (here’s our simple system for keeping the kitchen clean), it makes it so much easier to stay on top of the kitchen. It seems like letting it go for more than two meals makes for an almost insurmountable job!

Also, if you have a dishwasher, use it. And if you don’t, maybe consider simple meals and paper plates as often as possible?

2. Pick Out Tomorrow’s Outfit

When I dress in an outfit that makes me feel great, I tend to feel happier, more energetic, and more productive. Taking a few minutes each night to pick out an outfit — down to shoes and jewelry — not only saves me time in the morning, but it makes it so much easier to actually get dressed in something I love.

A few tips: I found that keeping my closet simplified (here’s my system for keeping my closet pared down) and only owning what I love, makes it much easier to put together outfits that I feel and look great in.

I also have found it so valuable to wear things that are my type and style (here’s the course that changed my approach to how I dress).

3. Plan a Time-Blocked To Do List

Every night before bed, I write out a prioritized to-do list. It’s simple and it only takes a few minutes, but it has revolutionized my productivity, helps me sleep better, and allows me to go to bed feeling peaceful and calm.

I check my Google calendar to see what projects and activities are already planned for the next day and then I write down a to do list with time blocks for each item on the list. (See my system for creating this to do list here.)

I aim to focus on getting the hardest tasks done first because I’ve found that when I “eat my frogs” early in the day, I have a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment to carry with me the rest of the day.

Want some practical help with setting up your day for success? Be sure to grab a copy of my brand-new online course, Make Over Your Mornings.

This 14-day online course includes videos, a workbook, and step-by-step projects and is designed to help you revolutionize your productivity, streamline your routines, invest your time in things that truly matter, and find more joy and peace in the process.

If you’ve ever wished that you could figure out how to get more done, have more organization in your life, and find time to spend on things you love, the Make Over Your Mornings Course is for you. Find out more about it here.

photo credit

Shared Apr 19, 2016 comment

That Day I Was The Mom Who Forgot To Bring Snacks

Published: by Crystal Paine on April 19, 2016 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Last Saturday, in the last few minutes of Silas’ baseball game, I heard one of his teammates say something about the snacks after the game. And my heart skipped a beat… Because I suddenly remembered that Jesse had told me the week before that he’d signed us up for snacks that day — and I had completely forgotten to put it on the calendar or buy the promised snacks!!

It was one of those Worst Mom Ever Moments. Not only did I let all those little boys down, but I was sure I had completely embarrassed my son, most of all.

I started telling myself all sorts of things about how I was probably the only mom who had ever forgotten she was on snack duty. I started beating myself up for failing, yet again, to get my act together. And I just felt shame and guilt and failure.

Jesse was so encouraging and told me that it was his fault for forgetting to put it on the calendar. Which was kind of him, but I still I dreaded having to apologize to my son for being The Mom Who Forgot The Snacks.

When I apologized, however, Silas shocked me by smiling and saying, “It’s okay, Mom! I should have remembered to remind you and I totally forgot, too!”

And just like that, I realized how we can often beat ourselves up and make up stories in our head about how we’re such failures and how everyone must be so disappointed in us… When usually, the stories are entirely fabricated between our own two ears.

Moms, give yourself grace. And if yesterday was rough, know that today is a new day! We’re in this together, we all have our struggles, and we’re all going to mess up.

That’s why there’s this thing called grace — even for The Mom Who Forgets to Bring Snacks.

Shared Apr 18, 2016 comment

The Greatest Gift You Can Ever Give Someone (and it’s FREE!)

Published: by Crystal Paine on April 18, 2016 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Over the last year, a few of my dearest friends have walked through some of the greatest struggles and most intense grief of their life.

Because I’m by nature a doer and a fixer, I want to be the Solutions Girl. I want to swoop in and make everything better. I want to wave a Magic Wand and take away all the hard from them.

But the reality is that I’ve been powerless to fix the situation, heal their broken hearts, or take away their anguish and hurt.

The one thing I could do? I could show up and give the gift of myself.

Show Up -- The Gift of Your Presence is the Greatest Gift You Have to Give

Showing up and giving of ourselves is one of the most valuable gifts you can give — and often, it’s the one that is the hardest. It’s the gift that says, “I’m not here to try to change or fix or solve; I’m just here. And I’m not going anywhere.”

In the midst of others’ grief and loss, we often want to slap on bandages and trite phrases so that we can feel like we’ve “done something”.

However, the greatest gift we can give is not “the perfect word” or “the perfect solution”. As I’m slowly learning, in the middle of intense grief, there really aren’t any words that will be perfect.

Show Up -- It's One of the Greatest Gifts You Can Give

No, the greatest gift we can give is the gift of our presence. To show up again and again.

Practically speaking, this might be:

To just sit with someone in their pain, listen to them, look into their eyes, and say, “I’m so sorry.”
To send them that text to let them know we’re thinking of them.
To call them to pray with them or ask how they are doing.
To drop off flowers or coffee or a note of encouragement at their door.
To order pizza for them for dinner or to make a simple meal and drop it off.
To hug them and hold them and let them ugly cry on your shoulder.
To pick up their groceries or run an errand or watch their kids or clean their house.
To send a little note in the mail or an email to let them know we care.

However it practically plays out, the most important thing is that we show up without an agenda or a quick fix or a solution. We just show up to remind someone that they are seen and noticed and loved. And we keep showing up — even when maybe no one else is.

We can’t show up like this for everyone we know or we would be exhausted and spread too thin. But I challenge you to step outside your comfort zone, and look for one or two people who are hurting in your life right now.

Find one simple way to show up for them today. To give the gift of your presence — with no strings attached. To let them know that you are there for them, you love them, and you are walking with them as best as you know how.

There’s a powerful bond that is forged when we are willing to give the gift of ourselves like this. It doesn’t cost us anything financially, but it’s one of the greatest gifts we have to give.

Notes:

The first quote is from the book: A Life of Being, Having, and Doing Enough by Wayne Muller.
I recommend the book, Just Show Up, if you need further encouragement & practical ideas.
The second quote is from the book: Rising Strong by Brene Brown (such a great book!)

Shared Apr 18, 2016 comment

6 Ways to Save on your Weight Loss Journey

Published: by Crystal Paine on April 18, 2016 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Guest post from Jessica.

Have you ever set out to lose weight and get into shape, only to find out that, while your pants might be feeling bigger, your wallet isn’t?

Did you end up crashing and burning after adding up the costs of gym memberships, fresh fruits and vegetables, workout clothing, and fitness gear?

My name is Jessica Bowman, and I am a failed dieter! After trying about every diet under the sun, I finally figured out how to lose 50 lbs the healthy and happy way, all while remaining frugal.

Here are 6 ways I have saved money while on my weight loss journey:

1. Make a meal plan.

I have experimented with pre-made meal plans in the past, but now I make my own each week.

First, I look to see what I have in my kitchen. Then, I search some of my favorite healthy food sites and cookbooks for recipes using these ingredients. This helps me use what I have in my pantry, saving me money while still getting to try some new and exciting dishes.

I cook or pre-cook everything on Sunday mornings, and this makes weeknight cooking a breeze.

My husband and I used to be so tired after working and then working out; we’d be tempted to get a pizza or fried chicken from the endless supply of restaurants nearby. But thanks to meal planning, we can save money and calories by just heating up our healthy dinner!

2. Shop at big box stores.

I LOVE Sam’s Club when it comes to buying healthy foods! I’m sure the other big box stores like Costco and BJ’s have great healthy items as well.

Not only do they have excellent buys on meat, but Sam’s Club also has amazing buys on produce and individual-sized snacks, too!

Some of my favorites are the Hormel fully-cooked Black Label bacon, the Planters individual size peanut packs, and giant bags of Mandarin oranges. You can even order your groceries online and go pick them up. Which brings me to…

3. Buy groceries online.

Did you know that some grocery stores will let you shop for your groceries online and then pick them up either inside or curbside? This can save you a lot of time when it comes to shopping for healthy groceries!

A frugal friend of mine and I disagree about this money-saving tip because there is a $5 charge for this at my local grocery store. However, I usually only shop on “free” weeks or can justify the $5 very easily. For one, that’s at least an hour of time I will not have to spend at the grocery store, and my time is valuable to me. However, the main money-saving feature for me is I don’t get distracted by impulse buys.

Last week I created my meal plan for the week and saw that I only needed to buy $8 worth of additional items to complete my grocery list. With some breakfast items it grew to $22, but that still wasn’t enough to justify an online shopping trip to me. I asked my husband if he could pick up these items in the store instead so we could save our $5. He came out with over $50 in groceries! We definitely save time and money on our healthy groceries by shopping online.

4. Make a thrifty home gym.

Whether you turn your laundry bag into a punching bag or find free workout videos on YouTube, it can actually be pretty easy to give yourself a space to workout at home.

You just have to have enough literal space (and don’t forget that cleaning burns calories, too!)!

5. Take advantage of the outdoors.

Did you know there is a free gym that everyone can join? It’s called nature!

When the weather is nice outside, nothing can keep me indoors! I want to be out in it as much as possible, whether it be walking, jogging, hiking, swimming, or even playing a sport or game like Pickleball or Disc Golf.

If you’re good at sports, you can check out some sites like Meetup or Facebook for some fun intramural sports activities in your area. If you aren’t, you might find lots of great walking or hiking trails or parks in your area.

Most high schools have walking tracks around their football fields you can go to for free!

6. Make money with your big-purchase items.

Did you know you can make money with FitBit?

I used yard sale earnings to buy my Fitbit Flex two years ago, but it still felt like a huge purchase to me. I was determined to make my money back on it! Little did I know, having a fitness activity tracker is actually an awesome way to make some extra money and earn prizes and rewards.

No, you’re not going to get rich, but being able to earn money just for walking is a great motivator, and your Fitbit will at least be able to pay for itself! I have paid for my FitBit many, many times over!

By making small changes, I was able to change my bad habits into good habits and lose 50 lbs without hurting my wallet!

How have you managed to save money on your weight loss journey?

Jessica Bowman is a weight loss blogger who loves to eat and hates to exercise. In 2014, she decided to stop dieting and start living a healthy lifestyle and managed to lose 50 lbs in the process. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and two dogs. Her favorite pastimes include watching 80s new wave music videos, creating lighter versions of Southern comfort food, and putting Lisa Frank stickers on everything! You can find her at The Failed Dieter.

Shared Apr 16, 2016 comment

5 Things I’m Loving This Week (+ some thoughts on a slow life!)

Published: by Crystal Paine on April 16, 2016 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

1. My Big Family

It was National Siblings Day this past week and I dug up this picture for it… yes, there are a LOT of us in my family! 🙂

We had this taken together with my parents at their 40th anniversary celebration last year.

While it’s always loud and crazy when we’re together, I wouldn’t trade my big family for the world! (Also, yes, we’re not really a touchy-freely kind of family, if you hadn’t figured it out by this photo. We make up for it with lots of laughter, though! ;))

2. This Girl Who Inspires Me to Be More Creative

Kaitlynn came in before bed one night this past week with her hair washed and braided and says, “Hey, Mommy, do you like my new braid style?”

I said yes and asked her where she’d learned that braid from.

“Oh, nowhere, actually. I just made it up. I was trying to figure out a new way to do a 4-strand braid.”

That’s my Kaitlynn! Why settle for a normal braid when you could “invent” a new type of 4-strand braid?

This is how she lives her life… I love it and am constantly inspired by it.

3. Slowing Down & Savoring Life

I’ve been slowing way down this year, living life at a much quieter & relaxed pace, and really having time to enjoy the moments and memories.

I’ve also been giving myself space to feel instead of stuff.

To listen intently instead of rush through my days.

To pay attention to the heart needs of my family instead of just trying to come up with quick fixes.

I’m learning that slowness can be good, powerful, and life-impacting. I’ve missed so much depth in life by hurrying through it instead of slowly savoring.

I just got this book in the mail this week and it looks like perfect reading material for The Year of Rest. Have any of you read it?

4. A Fun Surprise at the Chicago Airport

Do you recognize those two books in that display window?? Yes, there are not one but TWO copies of Money-Making Mom by yours truly!

LeAnn snapped the pictures and emailed me and said:

“My family and I went to Chicago last week. We were in O’Hare, walking to our gate to catch our flight home to Atlanta, when something familiar caught my eye in a shop window. I looked up to see two copies of your book on display, surrounded by lots of random things with red and pink. I had to take some shots of it because it was such a nice surprise to see it there. -Leann”

What a fun surprise!!

5. My New Exercise/Eating Plan & Feeling SO Great!

Y’all. I’m just not sure what’s gotten into me. Not only have I consistently been working out (mostly weight training) for an hour and half every single week day and absolutely loving it, but I’ve also consistently stuck with this eating plan Jesse put together for me.

I’m even eating — and enjoying! — things like Greek yogurt. Something I used to hate.

Did I mention I feel stronger and happier and more energetic than I have in, well, quite some time? Yeah. It’s amazing how much this whole “taking care of yourself” thing really does work!! 🙂

I don’t know how long this motivation will last, but I’m going to ride this wave as long as it lasts!

What are YOU loving this week? Tell us in the comments!

OVER-SPENDING EVERY SINGLE MONTH?Grab these FREE Budgeting Sheets!

Click here to download!

Shared Apr 16, 2016 comment

3 Steps to Make Peace With Your Starter Home

Published: by Crystal Paine on April 16, 2016 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Guest post from Alicia of Turquoise Grace

My parents have been married for 36 years. For 30 of them, they’ve been living in their “starter home” – the very first home they ever purchased.

I can tell you from watching, it hasn’t always been easy for them to be content with staying there for this many years. But I know without a doubt they did the best thing for their family, and I’m thankful for their example.

Fast forward 25 years or so, and here I am with my own family, five and a half years into our “starter home of 1-2 years”.

I love our starter home. It’s not huge, it’s not extravagant, but it’s ours.

It’s cozy, treasured, and filled with the people that matter the most; but I will be the first to admit that I was not always so lovey-dovey about my home. There was a time when I wanted more, and contentment with regard to my home was something I had to learn.

Maybe you can relate?

Maybe your grand plan has been greatly impacted by an uncomfortable dose of reality.

Maybe life has hit you with one hurdle after another and your ideal plan of living for 1-2 years in your starter home ended 5, 10, or even 15 years ago.

Maybe you’ve simply decided that your budget is more important than your square footage.

Whatever your reason, there is always a way to make peace with your current living situation.

Starting right now!

If you are discouraged about living in your starter home – take heart from these suggestions below.

1. Stop comparing yourself to other people.

Comparing ourselves (and our homes) to others is SO easy to do… and gets us absolutely nowhere.

Comparison is the thief of joy. By comparing what you don’t have to what others do have, you are not only allowing, but inviting yourself to dwell on only the negative aspects of your circumstances.

If you’re too busy trying to keep up with your peers, you will quickly lose sight of what you DO have! Stop focusing on what other people have and start focusing on what you can do with your starter home and your smaller space.

Think of some things that you can do to maximize and make the most of your space, and then make a list of them. Then make a plan to tackle your list and turn it into a reality.

2. Remember your WHY.

Why did you decide to stick with your starter home – either for the time being or for the long haul? Focus on the bigger picture of WHY you’re staying put.

There are many practical reasons why you might want to make peace with your starter home.

To save more money by maintaining a smaller mortgage
To make a larger down payment on a future home, or even to pay cash for the entire purchase.
To avoid relocating. Maybe you like your kids’ current school district, or maybe moving is just not something you’re willing to tackle right now.
To avoid a larger mortgage. Not to state the obvious here, but maybe you just plain can’t afford to take on a larger mortgage. That’s a totally respectable and responsible reason to stay put.
To free up more of your money to spend in other areas like travel, hobbies, or giving.
To pay down debt (student loans, credit cards, car payments, or other outstanding debt you may have accrued over the years)

Whatever YOUR reasons may be, make a list of them and position them front and center where you will be reminded of what your larger goals are. And WHY you’re doing what you’re doing.

3. Change your mindset.

Make the best of what you have. Focus on the positives, be thankful, and own it.

You are blessed more greatly than you realize. When you change your mindset to choose positivity, it is so much easier and obvious to see where your true blessings lie. Realize that owning a home in and of itself is an enormous blessing.

And then… do something about it! If you’re unhappy with something, change it. Begin the changes within your home to make it as comfortable, welcoming, and homey-feeling as possible for you and your family.

Do what you can to create more space – or simply create the illusion of more space. Clear out the clutter, deep clean the entire house from top to bottom, and reorganize. There is much that can be done to make the most of your home, no matter how small it may be.

After 30 years, my parents are still living in their starter home. It’s filled with love and tons of memories. And you know what? I could not imagine growing up anywhere else. It’s still home to me.

At the end of the day, it’s not the size of your house, it’s not the amount of money in your bank account, it’s not even the quality of your things. See, you, your husband, or your kids won’t remember any of that. I know this first hand.

It’s the memories you make in your home that will never be forgotten.

Have you come to a place of peace with your starter home? What did that look like for you?

Alicia is a Jesus follower, coffee lover, avid reader, chocolate addict, self-proclaimed health enthusiast, wife to one amazing husband, boymom of three. She writes about all things faith, motherhood, and making the most of her home over at Turquoise Grace, where she offers up a little dose of grace for the mommed-out heart.

Shared Apr 15, 2016 comment

How Choosing Love Changed My Heart and Our Home

Published: by Crystal Paine on April 15, 2016 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I thought I was a patient person… then I had kids.

I said I’d never yell at my kids… and then I had kids.

I pictured myself as a sweet, loving, always-cheerful mom… then I had kids.

Motherhood has stretched me and humbled me. It’s brought out the best in me and the worst in me.

A couple years back, I found myself snapping at my kids more and more frequently, which only served to frustrate me. The more I snapped at my kids, the more frustrated I was at myself. And the more frustrated I was at myself, the more I’d snap at my kids.

It was a vicious cycle and I felt trapped.

One night, I was up late thinking of the kind of mom I’d been and feeling so ashamed of my behavior and the example I was setting before my kids. I started praying and asking God to help me to love my children, to help me have patience with them, and to stop getting so angry with them.

As I was praying, an idea birthed in my head. I decided to make a commitment that every time I was tempted to lash out at a child I would, instead, find a very practical way to love that child.

It was a BIG commitment, but I told my husband about it and he agreed to keep my accountable to it. I went to bed resolving that, by God’s grace, I was going to change the tone in our home.

In the beginning, it was very, very difficult. But I’m a stubborn person and I was determined to stick with my commitment. When I was tempted to lash out at a child, I asked that child to come snuggle next to me. I poured love, love, and more love. To help me remember to choose love instead of lashing out, I started wearing a bracelet as a reminder to choose love.

When I would look down at my arm throughout the day, the bracelet served as a tangible reminder of my commitment to love instead of lash out.

Because this commitment had such a profound impact on our home, we designed the Choose Love Bracelet so that other moms and women could join me in this quest to choose love when our natural tendency would be to lash out in frustration or anger.

This bracelet is a constant visible reminder of our desire to live a life of love. To show love in tangible ways. To think loving thoughts. To respond in love. We can’t always choose our circumstances, but we can always choose our responses.

In addition to the Choose Love bracelets, our Choose Love Gratitude Journals are designed to encourage moms to go throughout their day looking for the blessings in life. It’s so easy to focus on the hard and the discouraging and to miss the amazing blessings all around us.

Each month of the journal has a specific theme — mostly related to Choosing Love in the middle of motherhood. There is a line for each day of the year for you to journal something short and there are encouraging quotes and verses sprinkled through the journal.

These journals can be used like a regular Gratitude Journal — where you write down a line of blessings every day. Or you can use it to record a motherhood moment, memory, or funny story so that you have a record of your motherhood journey to keep and read through in the months and years to come.

It’s simple, easy to keep up with, and just might change your whole outlook on life!

Get Your Choose Love Bracelet and Journal Combo For Just $19!

Mother’s Day is coming up, so we wanted to offer a special on these two best-selling products from our store. So through April 18, you can get the Choose Love Bracelet and Journal Combo for just $19! No coupon code is required. Just add it to your cart at the sale price.

You can order as many as you’d like at this price. These would make great gifts for yourself or anyone in your life might need some encouragement and inspiration as a mom!

As always, shipping is free with any order over $50 from our store.

Get your Choose Love Bracelet and Journal Combo for just $19 here.

Shared Apr 15, 2016 comment

Brigette’s $39 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6

Published: by Brigette on April 15, 2016 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

We have lots of leftovers to use up this week, so I just bought a few staples and then enjoyed Super Doubles at Harris Teeter. I plan to go back on Saturday, as that is usually when they restock. 🙂

Aldi

1 24-oz pkg Yellow Squash – $1.79

2 bunches Bananas (4.82lbs @ $0.44/lb) – $2.12

1 pkg Romaine Hearts – $1.99

1 pkg Frozen Strawberries – $2.09

1 3-pk Green Peppers – $1.79

1 pkg Brussel Sprouts – $1.99

2 pkgs Rice Cakes – $2.58

1 24-oz pkg Zucchini – $1.19

1 Cauliflower – $1.99

1 32-oz carton Half & Half – $1.89

1 gallon Milk – $1.99

1 pint Grape Tomatoes – $0.99

2 cartons Egg Whites – $3.99

1 jar Artichokes – $2.69

1 can Black Olives – $1.19

1 jar Green Olives – $1.19

Total: $30.46

Harris Teeter

(Super Doubles – Wahoo! Of course, they were out of stock of the best deals, but I still came home with some steals. :))

2 bags Eight O-Clock Coffee – $7.00, used 2 $1.50/1 printable (doubled) – $1.00/2 bags after coupons

1 pkg Luvs Diapers – $6.99, used $2/1 printable (doubled) – $2.99 after coupon

1 pkg Bob’s Red Mill Garbanzo Bean Flour – $2.99, used $1/1 printable (doubled) – $0.99 after coupon

3 large cans Furmano’s Crushed Tomatoes – $3.43, used $1/3 printable (doubled) – $1.43/3 cans

1 box Good Thins Sweet Potatoes – $3.50, used $2/1 catalina printout (doubled) – FREE after coupon

3 pkgs Old El Paso Taco Seasoning – used $1/3 Old El Paso Products, exp. 6/11/16 (SS 04/17/16) [Excludes refrigerated and product products] (doubled), plus $1/3 evic – FREE after coupons

2 16-oz Harris Teeter Peanut Butter – $1.94 (used rain check)

2 64-oz cartons Old Orchard Juice – $3.18, used $1/2 printable (doubled) – $1.18/2 after coupons

8 PowerBars – $8.00, used 2 $2/4 printable (doubled – FREE after coupons

1 pkg Spice Hunter Ranch Dip – $1.39, used $1/1 Spice Hunter Product from SS 3/06 (doubled) – FREE after coupon

1 bag Grapefruit, reduced – $1.00

1 8-oz pkg Challenge Butter – $1.50, used $0.75/1 printable (doubled) – FREE after coupons

2 Cover Girl Eye Shadows – $6.06, used 2 $3/1 CoverGirl Lip or Eye Product, exp. 4/30/16 (RP 04/10/16 #2) – $0.06/2 after coupons

2 boxes Post Cocoa Pebbles – $4.00, used 2 $0.50/1 printable (doubled) – $2.00/2 after boxes

used a $2.00 off your next purchase catalina from last week (doubled)

Total: $9.21

Total for the Week: $39.67

Weekly Menu Plan

Breakfasts

Cereal x 2

Oatmeal x 3

Eggs, Fruit, Toast x 2

Lunches

Almond Butter on Rice Cakes, Bananas, Green Peppers x 2

Baked Potatoes with Cheese, Tossed Salad, Oranges

Fried Egg Sandwiches, Roasted Zucchini Fries

Macaroni and Cheese, Carrot Sticks, Apples

Leftovers x 2

Dinners

Grilled Pizza, Tossed Salad

Baked Chicken, Roasted Brussel Sprouts, The Best Biscuits

Chicken Gravy Over Brown Rice, Easy Whole Wheat Bread, Steamed Peas

Hotdogs (3 on my guys will be on a campout, so the rest of us will be spending the night with friends)

Venison Roast in the Crockpot, Mashed Cauliflower, Roasted Carrots, Easy Whole Wheat Bread

Leftovers x 2

Shared Apr 14, 2016 comment

My Completely Honest Blue Apron Review

Published: by Crystal Paine on April 14, 2016 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Interested in trying Blue Apron meals? Read below for my really honest Blue Apron review! {Sponsored by Blue Apron. All opinions are my own.}

We recently had the opportunity to try out Blue Apron — a subscription service that ships farm-fresh ingredients right to your doorstep, in exactly the right proportions, so you can make home-cooked dinners for your family.

Blue Apron’s goal is to make it easy for you to create delicious, nutritional recipes at home. I’ve heard a lot about Blue Apron and have always been curious about it. So it was fun to try it out!

I also love having the opportunity to give all of you a really honest Blue Apron review.

Receiving the Blue Apron Box

I was so excited to get to open the box and see what they sent us! The ingredients were delivered in a refrigerated box and they were very, very fresh! I was actually impressed with how fresh they were for being sent by UPS!

One of the drawbacks I immediately noticed when I opened the box, though, was that there was a LOT of packaging. Each food item was packaged securely. There was extra packaging and ice in the box itself.

I was honestly surprised by the amount of packaging! And even though there isn’t a lot of food waste, there was a lot of packaging waste. Gratefully, however, they do offer a a recycling program now and you can return your packaging for free to Blue Apron via USPS. This made me feel better about all of the packaging!

Blue Apron ingredients on kitchen counter

ingredients from Blue Apron box on kitchen table

Making the Recipe

They sent us the ingredients to make two different recipes: Panko-Crusted Chicken with Pea Tip Salad and Honey-Garlic Cod with Sautéed Bok Choy & Coconut Rice.

I loved that they allow you some choice in what kinds of recipes you want, depending on your diet preference. I also thought it was fun that the ingredients they sent us were for recipes that were outside our usual fare. Some of the ingredients were even for things we had never even bought or tried before!

I loved that there isn’t wasted food with the Blue Apron recipes. They send you the exact amount of everything you need to make the recipe — so you don’t end up throwing out the extra food because you don’t have another recipe that calls for that ingredient before it goes bad!

Blue Apron offers a large selection of different recipes — all that are between 500 and 800 calories each. They are always adding new recipes to their line-up and do not repeat any of the same recipes for at least a year.

Jesse does a lot of the cooking around our house and he loves trying new recipes, so he was really excited to get to make the meals from our Blue Apron box. He had fun experimenting with some of the new ingredients and thought the recipes were really easy to follow!

They say that all of the recipes can be made in 40 minutes or less. I think that’s about how long it took him, so it seems like the estimation is right on.

The Menu Plans and Prices

Blue Apron offers two types of plans: The 2-Person Plan and the Family Plan.

I loved that you can choose what day they will deliver your box of food, too. This guarantees that it will be on a day when it’s convenient for you.

Since I’m trying to give you a really honest Blue Apron review, I do want to mention that I thought the prices were pretty expensive — especially if you usually cook from scratch and make simple meals like we do.

However, if you love to buy expensive and unique ingredients or you typically go out to dinner multiple times per week, it’s very possible you could save money and eat more healthfully by using Blue Apron. Plus, it could also save you time and effort when it comes to grocery shopping and meal-planning.

completed Blue Apron meal of chicken and salad

Have you tried Blue Apron before? If so, I’d love to hear your Blue Apron review in the comments!

Shared Apr 13, 2016 comment

My Top 10 Favorite Books on Productivity & Time Management

Published: by Crystal Paine on April 13, 2016 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Looking for the best time management books? This is a list of my top 10 favorites!

Psst! Looking for more time management tips? Be sure to check out Make Over Your Mornings — my 14-day course designed to help you set up each day for success. I also wrote two books on time management — Say Goodbye to Survival Mode and 21 Days to a More Disciplined Life.

Interested in the best time management and productivity books? These are my top 10 favorites!

Hands Free Mama by Rachel Macy Stafford

As a Type A girl who struggles to slow down, this book really challenged, impacted, and motivated me. The subtitle resonated with me so me: “A guide to putting down the phone, burning the to do list, and letting go of perfection to grasp what really matters.”

If you need some encouragement to spend less time distracted by devices and busyness, I’d highly recommend this book.

The Fringe Hours by Jessica N. Turner

If you feel overwhelmed with life and can’t seem to find time to recharge your batteries, I wholeheartedly encourage you to get a copy of this book. I’ve long admired how Jessica manages to do so much, and yet still have time for things she loves — like hanging out with friends and family, scrapbooking, and blogging.

In The Fringe Hours, she unveils her secrets to success and gives you the tools, tips, and techniques you can use to find time in your full schedule to refresh yourself and refill your tank, too.

Tell Your Time by Amy Lynn Andrews

This short ebook’s wisdom has done more for my efficiency than any other book or time management product I’ve ever read or listened to. It’s well worth your time — and it works, provided you actually do what the ebook tells you to do.

The section of the book that especially was life-impacting to me was Amy’s encouragement in developing a time budget. This simple idea truly revolutionized my life!

Time Management Mama by Sarah Korhnak and Beth Anne Schwamberger

If you are a work-at-home mom or are considering becoming a work-at-home mom, this is a great book to read.

My favorite part? The actual scans of the authors’ real-life goal lists and to-do lists. It makes the book come alive and truly inspires you that the ideas they are suggesting are truly doable!

Leading on Empty by Wayne Cordeiro

Even though Cordeiro is a pastor and much of what he shared was from the experience of leading a congregation, the principles are applicable to most anyone in a leadership position.

The author shares candidly about his own experiences with burn out and exhaustion — how the downward spiral happened, when he finally realized that he’d hit bottom, and the measures he took to recover and aim to prevent future burn out.

Hands Free Life by Rachel Macy Stafford

This book was one of my Top 10 Reads for 2015, and it spoke to me at a deep, heart level. It challenged me to stop hurrying through life, quit worrying about what other people think, and start savoring the ordinary, everyday moments.

I smiled through parts, cried through other sections, and came away from the book with fresh resolve to make each day count — not in more efficient productivity but in more meaningful relationships with others.

Breaking Busy by Alli Worthington

This was also one of my favorite top 10 reads of 2015.

It challenged me to analyze which activities I say “yes” to, make more time to rest and fill up my soul, and create a “stop doing” list for myself.

168 Hours by Laura Vanderkam

This book is based upon the premise that if we were to step back and look at our week as a whole, we have more time than we realize and we’re probably squandering more time than we think.

It gives real-life, practical examples for becoming a better manager of your time. It profiles a number of different individuals in different situations and shows how they are using their time well or specific ways they could improve their time usage.

The 5 AM Miracle By Jeff Sanders

I will admit, I was quite a bit skeptical about the The 5 AM Miracle book. Because Jeff Sanders isn’t a mom with young kids, I wondered if his methods would be applicable to my life. I was pleasantly surprised to find so many helpful tips and insights in it.

If you want some encouragement to start your days well, definitely check out this book.

The Best Yes by Lysa Terkeurst

Over the past few years, I’ve been simplifying my life. Paring down and cutting out the non-essentials. Saying “no” to the mediocre or even the good in an effort to say “yes” to the best.

If you struggle with knowing how to “make wise decisions in the midst of endless demands”, The Best Yes would be a great read!

A few more time management books I currently want to read:

Spark Joy
A Year of Yes
Design Your Day
New Slow City
Twelve By Twelve
Cleaning House
Teaching From Rest (I’ve read this before but want to re-read it again!)
10% Happier
Margin
Better Than Before
I Know How She Does It
Sleep Smarter

Have you read any of these? Which one would you recommend that I read first?

What are some of the best time management books you would add to my list? Tell me in the comments.

Summer Bucket List

Summer Bucket List

FREE Summer Bucket List!!

1. Take Initiative.

2. Ask Good Questions.

3. Find the Good and Praise It.

4. Learn Their Love Language.

I’d love to hear from you: How do you intentionally seek to develop and foster deeper friendship? How have other been a good friend to you?

1. Fresh Flowers — For Just a Few Dollars!

2. Launching Make Over Your Evenings

3. Dusting Off My Bike For the First Time in a Long Time

4. Brown Sugar Biscuit Twists

5. Kaitlynn’s Figure Skating Competition

An Important Note About Next Week

What are YOU loving this week? Tell us in the comments!

Surprised By Motherhood by Lisa-Jo Baker

Seasons of a Mother’s Heart by Sally Clarkson

Pocketful of Pinecones by Karen Andreola

Desperate by Sarah Mae and Sally Clarkson

Parenting the Wholehearted Child by Jeannie Cunnion

Don’t Make Me Come Up There by Kristen Welch

Loving the Little Years by Rachel Jankovic

Encouraging Articles for Moms

What are YOUR favorite books on mothering? What books would you add to my list?

Focus on a Niche that Sells

Follow Your PASSION

Understand Your Audience

Figure Out How You Can Produce a Lot of Books Within Your Niche

Write in Series

Produce Good Products (Books)

Make Your Books Work for You

A few helpful resources:

1. Sleep Cycle App

2. Google Calendar

3. Gmail

4. Boomerang

5. Feedly

6. Waze

7. TripIt

8. Podcasts and Periscope

9. The Delete Button

10. Pen & Paper

What are YOUR favorite productivity tools?

WANT TO SAVE $100 FAST?!Join the FREE 14-Day Savings Challenge!

1. Clean Up the Kitchen

2. Pick Out Tomorrow’s Outfit

3. Plan a Time-Blocked To Do List

1. Make a meal plan.

2. Shop at big box stores.

3. Buy groceries online.

4. Make a thrifty home gym.

5. Take advantage of the outdoors.

6. Make money with your big-purchase items.

How have you managed to save money on your weight loss journey?

1. My Big Family

2. This Girl Who Inspires Me to Be More Creative

3. Slowing Down & Savoring Life

4. A Fun Surprise at the Chicago Airport

5. My New Exercise/Eating Plan & Feeling SO Great!

What are YOU loving this week? Tell us in the comments!

OVER-SPENDING EVERY SINGLE MONTH?Grab these FREE Budgeting Sheets!

Maybe you can relate?

1. Stop comparing yourself to other people.

2. Remember your WHY.

3. Change your mindset.

Get Your Choose Love Bracelet and Journal Combo For Just $19!

Get your Choose Love Bracelet and Journal Combo for just $19 here.

Aldi

Harris Teeter

Total for the Week: $39.67

Weekly Menu Plan

Breakfasts

Lunches

Dinners

Receiving the Blue Apron Box

Making the Recipe

The Menu Plans and Prices

Have you tried Blue Apron before? If so, I’d love to hear your Blue Apron review in the comments!

What are some of the best time management books you would add to my list? Tell me in the comments.

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