Jan22

Why Career Mistakes Can Be A Good Thing

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Why Career Mistakes Can Be A Good Thing

No one gets to where they want to go in life by taking the express shuttle to the top. If you look at the world’s most successful people, what you’ll typically find is a sort of zig-zag journey, one that took them to highs and lows and false-starts, before eventually ending up where they wanted to be. This is just as it is with the rest of life, which is always filled with ups and downs.

Your reasons for taking a different path in your career could be many-fold; you might be bored with your current work or you might make a serious error that ultimately ends up with your termination. When we find ourselves in this position, it’s easy to fall into a disheartened state of mind. We can begin to identify ourselves with our failures, or the dissatisfaction that we feel in our work.

But there is a way towards more career fulfillment. Instead of falling into a pit of negativity, we can embrace the idea of our career shortcomings, learn from them, and then push forward. These career detours can ultimately lead us towards a better and more fulfilling life. It’s all about owning the mistakes that you make, rather than allowing them to own you. There are lessons to be learned everywhere, and you can always take on a positive state of mind, rather than taking the negative route. To learn more about the idea of career detours, take a look at the infographic below, which was produced by the University of Maryland:


Infographic design by University of Maryland University of Maryland

 

Jan22

How We Can Improve The Health Of Society

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How We Can Improve The Health Of Society

There’s no clear route towards creating a better society; indeed, some of the things that we think push us forward actually lead to more problems than they solve. But there is one field that undoubtedly serves to make us better: the improvement of healthcare. As a society, we have a duty to take a look at the health issues that cause the most damage to the population and take steps to move beyond them. While there are many areas of health that deserve attention, it’s best to start with the ones that are among the leading causes of death, which include heart disease, strokes, and diabetes.

It falls to public health officials to identify the threats that lead to serious medical issues and to educate the public about what they can do to protect themselves. As well as underlying health conditions, there must also be a spotlight on social factors that can impact a person’s health and quality of life, including alcohol and drug abuse, and accidents on the roads.

So how do you go about helping to eradicate these problems? It involves looking at the data, and making a note of any sharp increases in the numbers of people suffering from certain conditions and then looking at the lifestyle changes that might have contributed to this increase.

If you are interested in this topic, then you can look at becoming a public health official yourself. To learn more about the challenges and responsibilities of this position, take a look at the infographic below:


Infographic design by University of Nevada-Reno University of Nevada-Reno

Jan22

Perfect Valentine’s Day Gifts For Your Girlfriend

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Perfect Valentine’s Day Gifts For Your Girlfriend

Hi! Valentine’s Day is getting closer and closer which can serve as a friendly reminder of the love you have for your partner OR that you are truly all alone in this world. 😉 I kid, I kid. Despite having a boyfriend, I think Valentine’s Day is a bunch of garbage and your relationship should be celebrated every day, not just on February 14th.

However, it will be nice to have a special day with my beau and I’m sure that those who are participating in V-Day are looking forward to it too. Frankly, I’d be hyped for Valentine’s Day even if I didn’t have a partner because it gives me the perfect excuse to drink wine and eat chocolate!

Speaking of wine and chocolate, how about we discuss some great gifts for the special lady in your life? And, be sure to tune in tomorrow when we explore some gifts for the fellas. Let’s get to it:

The Classics:

Some will find the gifting of the classics on Valentine’s Day lame or cheesy. However, I would be so amped up to receive sweet gifts like heart-shaped boxes of chocolate, a bouquet of flowers, or a good bottle of vino from my boyfriend. I find that the simplest gifts are the most effective and your ladyfriend will be tickled by the adoring gesture of a timeless variety of gifts.

Pampering, Please:

If you have a hard working, independent woman in your life, a treatment at the spa might be just what the doctor ordered. How about splurging on couples massages? Or a mani/pedi package for your princess? Pop some champagne, relax, and enjoy.

On a budget? No matter! Run a nice, hot bath with rose petals in it, light some candles, and turn on some Barry White. It works every time. 😉

Hopeless Romantic:

If you are overwhelmed with feelings of love for your girlfriend, fiance, or wife and have a way with words, perhaps a poem or a letter would be the perfect gift. Nothing is more swoon worthy than reading all of the reasons why your boyfriend loves you and it is something that you can keep for forever.

Date Night In:

Contrary to popular belief, Valentine’s Day isn’t about fancy dinners and posting your new heart shaped jewelry on Facebook. Rather, it’s about celebrating the bond between you and your partner. If you’re not into the hoopla of V-Day, plan a date night in. Cook a delicious dinner, don’t skimp on the chocolate cake, and play your lady’s favorite movie while enjoying a glass of wine. Beautiful.

Over The Top:

If you have the extra cash burning a hole in your pocket, plan a nice weekend getaway. You don’t have to travel far, two or three hours will do. But, a weekend together in a lovely B&B or hotel to celebrate the holiday is a definite treat. Look into Valentine’s Day suites or packages wherever you are staying for the best deals or a special gift from the location. New York City is a popular option for a getaway as there is just so much to do! You could see a Broadway show, visit museums, or opt for a spot of shopping and bbq in Soho for lunch. Wherever you go, plan at least one special date to truly take your Valentine’s Day over the top.

In this post, we explored different options for every budget to make this Valentine’s Day the best one yet for you and your partner. You’re welcome in advance! 😉 ❤

How are you celebrating V-Day? What are you gifting your loved one with? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan21

Valentine’s Day Card Call To Action

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Valentine’s Day Card Call To Action

Hi everyone! I often see people post different news articles about an individual asking for a bunch of cards in the mail for a holiday or birthday. I used to think nothing of it but, when the holiday season hit, I figured that it was the least I could do to send a little holiday cheer to someone who is down on their luck, struggling, or could just use a smile.

Now, every time I see a post on Facebook of someone with a card request, I happily comply and send some snail mail their way. I also like to publish it on lifewithlilred so a larger, world wide platform can be reached for those who would like to make a Random Act Of Kindness.

A few days ago, I saw a post about a 104 year old WWII veteran asking for an overflow of Valentine’s Day Cards. You can read the full article here and send a card to the following address:

Operation Valentine
ATTN: Hold for Maj Bill White, USMC (Ret)
The Oaks at Inglewood
6725 Inglewood Ave.
Stockton, CA 95207

I hope that Maj. White enjoys his Valentine’s Day and the influx of cards that he is sure to receive. He is going to keep every single one and it makes me happy that one of them is going to be mine! 🙂

How do you do Random Acts Of Kindness throughout the day? What is a Random Act Of Kindness that you have received recently? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan20

When Can You Say That You’ve ‘Made It’?

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When Can You Say That You’ve ‘Made It’?

Perhaps the easiest thing in the world to do is compare yourself to other people. As children, we learn this technique to help us understand our place in the social hierarchy, for better or worse. As we get older and compare our grades to other children or our siblings, we continually find out if we’re ‘good enough’ or where we’re lagging behind.

This can translate into adulthood, where the means of our livelihood or how much money we pull in each year can be somewhat intrusive areas of discussion at the Christmas work party or family barbecue. But when can you say that you’ve ‘made it’? We often use this term to express artists that now have enough listeners to guarantee material success, but should we really limit ourselves to this description?

In the following post, we hope to widen the parameters through which you may give yourself the real credit of ‘making it’, allowing us to think along healthier and more considered lines. Please, consider:

A Home You Love:

When occupying a home you love, you have one of the most vital and beautiful possessions anyone could hope for – no matter if you rent or use a mortgage to gain said property. A home you love can be a vital part of your personality, help you raise a family, or schedule the best social events within, and generally give you the room to be your most authentic self. General contractors can help you express your creative interests and tastes over the years, and that in itself gives you the opportunity to design to your hearts content. If you have this, no matter if you live alone or own a property in which you keep roommates or a humble family setup, you have something to be proud of.

Connections You Care About:

It’s very easy for us to mark ourselves as only successful when affluent, or able to define our material success this way. But really, the people we know, the loving connections we adopt, the closeness to our family, the genuine experiences we share with our friends – these are the things that count. It’s possible for someone living on a shoestring budget to enjoy and curate the closest relationships around them, while it’s also possible for someone within a beautiful, million-dollar home to feel completely isolated from those they are supposed to call friends. This realization can help you adjust your priorities accordingly.

Curating Your Interests:

Curating your interests is something that can seem so simple and basic. We’re all supposed to have hobbies. But more than simply watching something on Netflix or playing a video game (which are more than justified methods of relaxing and taking some stress off), curating a real interest can help bring you an incredible amount of joy over the years. It might be reading into a subject, learning a craft, or cooking well and eating a wide array of cuisines. We take interests for granted, but really, we should appreciate them as additional pursuits that give our life value. If you have a few of these to curate, you are truly a lucky individual.

With this advice, we hope you can see the conventional idea of ‘making it’ is only worthwhile when contributing to a healthy, humble life!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Jan20

Paranormal Activity Pt. 3

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Paranormal Activity Pt. 3

Hi! So as all of you know, I have experienced some paranormal activity in my apartment. The major occurrences happened when I first moved in and the last activity before the most recent one took place about a month ago. This spooky situation came about on Friday the tenth around two in the afternoon and it had me SHOOK. So, let’s discuss:

I always have the afternoons off on Friday and some of the days are spent running around doing errands while others involve curling up with a good book and a cup of coffee. This Friday afternoon happened to be one of those days, so I lit my candles, got myself comfortable, and cracked open one of my comic books.

All was going well and I was enjoying my time relaxing when a piece of paper I had on my coffee table FLOATED ON TOP OF ONE OF THE CANDLES. This paper was sitting on top of a board game that was about a foot and a half away from my candles and when I adjusted my head I saw the paper in the air.

Luckily for me, the piece of paper landed on a candle that was burnt down enough that the flame wasn’t going to touch it. But, the candle that it did fall on was about six inches away from a brand new Yankee Candle that I got for Christmas whose two wicks were burning close to the top. Yikes!

Needless to say, I freaked out and phoned my parents who know about the haunting situation in my apartment and they freaked out too. Lol, it was such a crazy thing to have witnessed and I still get goosebumps when I think about it. There was just no way that that paper floating could have happened on its own. It had also been sitting there for months and a situation even remotely similar has never happened.

I have come to associate my “friend” in my apartment with being a man. When I first moved in, I always seemed to hear heavy footsteps at night coming from the office in my top floor apartment. In fact, I used to have to go downstairs to make sure there was no one there.

There is also a mirror in my loft bedroom with a skylight shining directly on it. And, at night when the light from the outdoors is coming in, the shadowy shape that forms behind the mirror looks like a poor silhouette of a man to me. Believe you me, nothing makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up like when I see that at bedtime.

The paranormal activity I had in my apartment in December seemed to be a friendly one but this last occurrence was anything but. I think it will be a good long while before I light my candles again!

What did you do to deal with paranormal activity if you’ve ever experienced any? Does anyone have any advice for me? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan19

The Best Spinach Artichoke Dip EVER

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The Best Spinach Artichoke Dip EVER

Hi! One of my favorite snack foods has to be spinach artichoke dip with tortilla chips or Wheat Thins. I love the cheesy goodness along with the crunch of your dipping utensil and I enjoy it so much that I can eat it by the fork full! One of my client’s moms just so happens to make the best spinach artichoke dip that I have ever tasted and I am going to share it with all of you. The secret ingredient? Water chestnuts! Prepare to drool in five, four, three, two, one…

Spinach Artichoke Dip

  • 1 bag of fresh spinach (Think the size of a salad mix)
  • 1 bar of Philadelphia cream cheese
  • 1 can of water chestnuts
  • 1 can of artichoke hearts
  • 1 small bag of shredded mozzarella cheese

Chop up the veggies, mix everything together, and bake until light brown on top.

This recipe for spinach artichoke dip surpasses any kind that I’ve ordered at the restaurant or bought at the store by a landslide. The variety of cheeses combined with the crisp crunch of the water chestnuts makes my taste buds do a dance for joy every time. This is the perfect treat to make for a party or game night with your friends (I’ve already made it quite a few times for my “crew” and it has been a hit.) … But you might want to double the batch as it will go quick!

What is your favorite snack food? What do you like to cook for entertaining guests? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan18

New Champagne Pink & Deep Purple Glitter Nails

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New Champagne Pink & Deep Purple Glitter Nails

Hi! For Christmas, my boyfriend’s parents and aunt were all kind enough to give me gift cards to my stomping grounds of Elysian Nails. It was so sweet and not paying for my new set of nails was even sweeter! My old set was definitely ready to come off and I say good riddance, because these new acrylics have me feeling like a million bucks. Take a look at some pictures and let’s discuss. Although, you will surely be able to tell which pictures my boyfriend took and which were taken by me!

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Before anyone asks, yes, the palms of my hands are tattooed! I recently did a tap out tattoo session and got thirteen new ones in a matter of nine hours, my palms included. I am absolutely obsessed with them and needed some sassy new nails to go with my sky high “just inked” confidence. We all know by now that Lil Red is a lover of all things pretty and looking down at my palm tattoos and fresh new nails never ceases to put a smile on my face.

I was in the mood for some fun colors when I got my nails done and wasn’t quite sure what to pick. I examined hot pinks and pondered over an electric blue but wasn’t feeling any of them. Despite it being in mid January, we have had a very mild winter here in Akron, Ohio. But, it is winter none of the less, so I decided to go for something darker.

Deep berry shades are a popular choice during the winter months and I have never done a dark purple before so I thought I would give it a try. I love the inky midnight hue offset by the girly pop of metallic pink. Each of the colors I chose have glitter in them but just a slight dusting, which offers a little fairy magic every time they hit the light.

This isn’t a combination that I was too confident with but I am so happy with the end result. Although we have had temperatures of up to seventy degrees this winter (Crazy!), I am not quite ready to break out a bikini and tropical colored nails any time soon. But, the eye catching shimmer of my new nails will keep me in a sunny disposition until the warmer seasons officially hit!

What color of nail polish do you have on? Which colors do you prefer on your nails during the winter? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan17

Accessory Story: New Earrings Pt. 2 Edition

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Accessory Story: New Earrings Pt. 2 Edition

Hi everyone! As you saw yesterday, I purchased some earrings worthy of the Queen Of Hearts at Target. But, I didn’t stop there. NO SIREE BOB. Because, damnit, I just like to sparkle. Lol, I also ended up with a darling pair of glittery hoops and some dangly pearls that I just couldn’t say no to. I swear, I’ll stop buying jewelry… Said no girl ever! Take a look and let’s discuss:

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When it comes to earrings, I love when they have a lot of movement to them, which is what made me so attracted to the two pairs seen above. There is also nothing better than fun pairs peeking out from my short hair, making these two optimal choices to add to my collection. And, in my defense, I don’t own any earrings that look like my new Sugarfix and A New Day pairs!

I am so obsessed with the glittery hoops because of their unique shape. I really like the pink, rhinestone bordered gem stone dropping down into a sparkling hoop, making for fairy dust magic with every hair flip. And, I never say no to pearls, fake or not! The shape of the dangling pearls are also interesting because it goes from big to small, when it’s normally the other way around for a drop style pair. These earrings are classy but still a lot of fun and will be a great pair to mix and match with ones that are a little more fierce. My bloody knife pair, anyone?!

Nothing says “treat yoself” like some pretty new earrings… or four. But, hey, sometimes a girl just has to spoil herself! 😀

What do you like to buy as a treat yoself purchase? What is your most unique pair of earrings like? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan16

Accessory Story: SugarFix By Baublebar Earrings Edition

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Accessory Story: SugarFix By Baublebar Earrings Edition

Hi! I am a firm believer that when you go to stores like Target or TJMaxx, you will be told what you need when you get there. Lol, I can’t tell you the amount of times I’ve went to either location for one or two things and left with a cart full of stuff. For example, I needed roughly two things at Target last week: Toilet paper and champagne. An amazing combination, I know! And, yes, I did get both of those but I also ended up with four new pairs of earrings too. It was an accident I swear!

Check out two of the pairs today and be sure to tune in tomorrow for the next set of two. Here we go:

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My grandma was one of those people who would buy a clothing or accessory item that she liked in multiple colors if they were available. And, I certainly inherited that trait from her! If the colors suit me and the piece is to die for, then I say the more the merrier. When I saw these dangle heart earrings by Baublebar, I knew that it was going to be impossible to choose just one pair, as I have a strong drawing to both red and black. So, without shame, I carefully placed them both in the cart.

I love the girly sweet design of my new earrings and am especially excited to wear the cherry red pair on Valentine’s Day. And, of course, I’ll be sporting the black pair the rest of the time! I also really like the idea of wearing one different color in each ear. Nothing sweetens up a more rocker look than some darling hearts and they were a perfect treat that I definitely didn’t need. 😀

What is your favorite type of accessory? Which store do you end up buying more at than you intended? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah