Help! Feeling Stressed

Standard
Help! Feeling Stressed

Sweaty palms, splitting headaches, loss of appetite, difficulty sleeping at night: all of these are indications of stress. Stress is an invisible yet destructive phenomena that can damage your mental and physical health, without mentioning your relationships in your personal and professional life. When you’re stressed out, you’re not yourself anymore. Not that you turn into the kind of strong and powerful character that the Hulk becomes. You become weaker and more easy to break. Stress is the Kryptonite of Superman. It affects you in ways that can isolate, harm, and limit you in your every day life. That’s precisely why it’s crucial that you don’t approach stress without a plan.

Silence is where anxiety brews:

The more you stress about things, the more it turns into a constant feeling of anxiety. And anxiety is not just a thing that you can brush aside easily. It’s debilitating! So it’s important to develop healthy habits before it eats you alive. You need to learn to talk about it with someone you trust, whether it’s a friend or a therapist – or both. More often than not, being able to open up about what’s going on in your mind is all you need to get back on track and take control again. Additionally, if you work with a therapist, you can discover the benefits of cognitive behavioral therapy, which can help you to develop a healthy response to stress. But ultimately, the easiest way to destroy stress is to get rid of the stressful factor.

Is it a money problem?

If you’re stressed out over financial issues, you need to look for solutions rapidly before it destroys your sanity. For instance, if you’re struggling with loan repayment, you can consider loan refinancing options such as Refinancestudent.loan for student loan repayment or a new mortgage deal. If you’re in debt; it’s time to learn to manage your budget efficiently and find ways of saving money without depriving yourself – in other words, where can you cut down on expenses without putting your health and professional career at risk?

Is it a love problem?

Relationships are difficult to maintain, so it’s natural to feel stressed out when things go wrong. Thankfully, these are problems that can be sorted out through communication and with common effort. But, there are situations where the best thing that you can do is to let go of the relationship. If you have contempt for each other, this could evolve into finger-pointing and resentment that could really push you two apart.

helppp1

^^^ Amen to that!

Is it health related?

When your health is at risk, of course, it’s impossible not to stress out. However, stress weakens your body. According to Healthcoachfx.com, stress consumes a lot of energy which your immune system can’t use to heal your body. As impossible as it sounds, when you’re dealing with serious diseases, you need to learn to relax through meditation and mindful activities to help decrease your stress levels and strengthen your immune system.

helppp2

Yoga helps, too!

Stress is like a tight embrace of darkness. Don’t let it win. Talk about it and look for a solution to better handle your problems so that you can start feeling better today.

Featured Image By: Flickr

3 Things You Need To Know When Your Partner Has Hearing Loss

Standard
3 Things You Need To Know When Your Partner Has Hearing Loss

There’s nothing more wonderful than falling in love with someone and embarking on life’s journey with them. As strong as your love is, no couple can escape one immutable fact of life… People change. This doesn’t just mean that their personal and career goals change or that their likes and dislikes change. Their bodies change, too. If you met your beloved in high school, college, or early in your career, you may not be prepared for the health issues that come later in life as you grow older together.

Thus, when a partner develops hearing loss, it may seem pretty trivial at first. So, you may have to repeat yourself now and then. It’s no big deal, right? Well maybe not right now, but over time your partner’s hearing loss may drive a wedge between you if you don’t educate yourself. A 2009 British study revealed that 44% of respondents with hearing loss encountered problems in their relationships as a result. If your partner is beginning to lose their hearing there are some things that you should know as soon as possible:

It’s not their fault:

There are numerous causes of hearing loss. While some can be caused or exacerbated by lifestyle or career choices such as working with loud machinery or attending a lot of rock concerts, there are other causes such as Meniere’s disease which are genetic and hereditary. While there are measures we can all take to safeguard our auditory health, it’s not your partner’s fault if they suffer hearing loss. Even some prescription medications can result in hearing loss, so click here to learn more.

Don’t blame yourself:

At the same time, you mustn’t blame yourself for any (perfectly natural) feelings of frustration that you may be feeling. Becoming irritated at having to repeat yourself, being half heard, or misheard by your partner is completely normal. Don’t beat yourself up too much about it and just try and adapt your thinking to help you grow beyond it.

Hearing aids are not a perfect solution:

Surprisingly, only 1 in 4 hearing loss sufferers regularly uses a hearing aid. There are many reasons behind this, but chief amongst them is the fact that hearing aids can take a lot of getting used to. When someone with hearing loss starts wearing a hearing aid, it can take a long while to adjust. After years of being unable to hear, it can take a while for the inner ear to recognize the vibrations as sound and even when recognition occurs the sound can seem distorted and unnatural. Some users even feel that hearing aids create more problems than they solve. Rather than getting even more frustrated if your partner seems reluctant to use their hearing aid, resolve to support them by gently encouraging them to use it regularly to help them adjust. They’re by no means perfect but they can certainly help.

Hearing loss can be frustrating for both the person suffering and their partner. Be sure to encourage each other to help minimize the stress that it can cause.

Featured Image By: PxHere

Blog Post Ideas For When You’re Out Of Blog Post Ideas

Standard
Blog Post Ideas For When You’re Out Of Blog Post Ideas

As writers, we all have those days where we can’t seem to come up with anything. Whether that be writing a novel in pen or typing away on your blog, when nothing seems to click, it can be nothing short of ripping your hair out frustrating. We’ve all had writer’s block in some way shape or form as far as creating content goes. And today, I am here to help you get unstuck when you need some ideas for posts on your blog. Take a look:

You can write about…

Your Favorite Travel Location:

Whether it be your favorite family vaca or just your local coffee shop around the block, shine some spotlight on it. Everyone daydreams about travel, so give the people something to wanderlust about. Perhaps you visited Harry Potter World in Florida or California. Maybe that cute little smoothie shack in town makes the best strawberry banana treat that you’ve ever tasted. Giving people an escape from their own world is what blogging is all about, so literally let them escape and transport them to your favorite place.

All Things Beauty:

Do you have a cupboard full of makeup products or nail polishes? Do you dye your own hair? Perhaps you’re a cosmetologist, hair stylist, or nail tech. Tell us more! Beauty tips and tricks will always be popular, but it’s seriously such a hot topic right now. From YouTube influencers to celebrities spilling their secret hacks, everyone seems to be enthralled in learning more about the world of makeup. Dish about your favorite products, tricks, or your profession in the industry and watch your stats skyrocket.

Passion For Fashion:

Are you a shopaholic like myself? Are you a shoe hoarder? Do you love styling OOTDs? Similar to beauty, fashion is a hot trending topic right now. Whether you’re a full blown fashionista or just starting to develop your personal style, fashion posts will always be in demand. Tell us where you score the best deals for designer looks. Write about your tips on finding amazing steals at the thrift shop. Teach us how to style a wardrobe staple, like a blazer, two or three different ways. Or, maybe you have some crazy stories about working fashion retail. No matter the topic, those with a passion for fashion will certainly appreciate it.

Snap Some Pics:

Are you a budding photographer? A selfie queen? Or, you might just love snapping some quick pics on your iPhone of things that interest you as you make your way throughout the day. Like writing about travel locations, pictures can transport the reader, as well. It doesn’t matter if you’re a photography professional or just starting out, because a picture is worth a thousand words. Show your readers the world through your eyes, and discover or refine a newly found or old passion.

Tell Us More:

A blog is literally an online diary and sometimes it can help to treat it as such. Maybe you had a bad day. Perhaps you had a totally embarrassing moment that, in hindsight, was hilarious. Or, something amazing happened and you want to scream it from the mountain tops. Write it out. Your days might not be interesting to you but, to others, it might feel like reading reality TV. Everyone has had the feeling before that literally every single person on the planet has a more exciting life than them. Or, they might just want to relate to someone else’s problems instead of focusing on their own. No matter what the case may be, share it with the world and watch as people come forward to share their own similar situations or just offer a kind word.

Blogging is a tough job, but somebody has gotta do it. So why not you? Getting stuck on creating content can certainly suck. But, with the guide above, you should be able to start cranking out new posts in no time!

How do you shake the feelings of writer’s block? What is your go to topic to write about? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Featured Image By: Planet Minecraft

February Jams

Standard
February Jams

Howdy! Did you know that singing in the car or shower is a great stress reliever? That’s what my therapist told me and, damnit, it’s true. Nothing makes me feel better than playing my music really loud in the car and singing along with my favorite songs. Including some of the following:

(And, as always, I have no rights to these songs or videos!)

This month, I had to give credit where credit is due because Justin Timberlake’s halftime show at the Super Bowl was just to die for. No one can deny how much talent that that man has and his nod to Prince was a much appreciated touch during his performance. I also have fallen back in love again with Sufjan Stevens, thanks to his song “Tonya Harding”, which was perfect to listen to after seeing I, Tonya which was absolutely fabulous.

And, of course, I had to celebrate some new tunes by the love of my life, Jack White, from his upcoming album Boarding House Reach. What a guy, what a guy, what a heck of a guy! ❤

What have you been listening to this month? How did you feel about the Super Bowl halftime show? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Happy Valentine’s Day!!

Standard
Happy Valentine’s Day!!

Helloooo everyone and Happy Valentine’s Day! I just wanted to write a quick post to tell everyone to enjoy their day no matter how they spend it. For some people, V-Day sucks. For others, it’s the most awaited day of the year. So whether you’re with your significant other, best friends, or riding solo – try to make today your best day yet! After all, it’s just like any other day, except slightly more romantic.

Regardless of how you go about your day today, just remember that you are all my Valentines and I freaking love all of you!!

neville

How are you spending Valentine’s Day today? What is your best or worst V-Day memory? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Blogger Recognition Award #6

Standard
Blogger Recognition Award #6

Hihihi! This past Friday, lifewithlilred was nominated for its sixth Blogger Recognition Award by my friend Cherilyn over at Cherilyn Does. I love chit chatting with Cherilyn and her blog is definitely a must read – especially if you have an interest in makeup. She seriously does the most fabulous product reviews! Thanks for your friendship and the nomination, darling! The rules to this award are as follows:

The Rules:

  • Thank the blogger who nominated you and link to their blog.
  • Write a post to show your award.
  • Give a brief story of how your blog started.
  • Give two pieces of advice to new bloggers.
  • Select 15 other bloggers that you want to give this award to and comment on each blog to let them know with a link to your award post.

Because my original thoughts on my first Blogger Recognition Award hasn’t changed much, you can view them here and I will just move on to my nominees!

My Nominees (I’m only doing three):

Once more, do give Cherilyn’s page some love – her blog is such a treat! What are some of your blogging tricks and tips? Who is one of your favorite bloggers? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

New Pink Glitter & Black Nails

Standard
New Pink Glitter & Black Nails

Helloooo! With my nail tech leaving for a much deserved vacation with his wife this week, I had to fit in a fill a bit earlier than I would have liked. I’ve been going about four and a half to five weeks in between getting my claws fixed up and it has definitely been a time and money saver! Despite getting a fill right at the four week mark, it was well worth it, because they look gorgeous and are right on time for Valentine’s Day. Take a look:

pinkkk

Despite the harshness of jet black claws, I had to sweeten things up with a pale pink polish with glitter on top for an accent nail. It felt perfectly like goth My Little Pony fun for Valentine’s Day and I just couldn’t resist. Even though I’m not the most girly girl in the world, I can totally sacrifice two accent nails on each hand to all things glittery and sparkles. I love pastel nail polish as of late and am looking forward to doing a lavender accent nail next fill! 😀

What color of nail polish do you have on right now? How long do you go in between getting your nails done? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Bath & Body Works February Freebie

Standard
Bath & Body Works February Freebie

Hihihi everyone! It’s been a while since I have gotten a freebie coupon from Bath & Body Works, but it happened last week. I assumed that they had finally caught on to me never buying anything and just cashing in the coupons, but it looks like I am back in the good graces of B&BW. Since I haven’t been in in a minute to nab my freebie, I haven’t noticed that they repackaged their signature scents and I am so not a fan. Take a look:

bbwwwfreebies

  • Picture 1: New School
  • Picture 2: Old School

In my opinion, pretty packaging is a must when it comes to bath and body care goodies. Good packing should tell you everything that you need to know about a product before you even smell it. The new packaging tells the buyers nothing. If you didn’t look at the minuscule print at the bottom, you would have no way of knowing that I picked out the Pretty As A Peach lotion.

Not only did they do away with their signature scent packaging, but they also eliminated the coloring of all of the lotions, as well. I guess that’s a good thing, because they’re getting rid of any excess or unneeded ingredients – but it definitely makes for a pretty blah looking product. #notimpressed

The final surprise when I got my freebie was that B&BW increased the price of the mini products from five dolla to five dolla and fifty cents. Is that a huge increase? Not necessarily. But is a mini lotion or shower gel really worth five fifty? Definitely not. But, I got my mini lotion FO FREE so who am I to complain?! 😉

Am I super bent out of shape over this new rebranding? No, I honestly don’t care. But am I petty enough to nitpick the not so nice looking aspects of it. Hell yeah. Unappealing repackaging and a price increase is never a good look, B&BW!

How do you feel about the new Bath & Body Works packaging? Are you a fan of the new school or old school marketing? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

New Love Notes Cropped Button Down

Standard
New Love Notes Cropped Button Down

Heyyyyyyy. One style of top that I have grown increasingly fond of as of late is the button down. I LOVE them and have began to accumulate quite the collection. And, my love grows even more specific, because I always seem to be drawn to blue, vertical striped button downs – like this cropped cutie by Love Notes seen below:

mini5mini6mini7

  • TJMaxx Price: $13

I really freaking like this shirt and, yes, it does look fabulous underneath the sleeveless hoodie that I wrote about yesterday! This top reminds me a lot of clothing from Zara and getting it for a fraction of what it would have costed there makes it an even sweeter buy. My new Love Notes lovely shows what looks like geese in different stages of flight and it’s just a cool pattern to have over the blue stripes.

Not only is the pattern of this top unique, but so is the style of it because it’s cropped. I am so looking forward to pairing this with black shorts this summer and maybe even during the spring with tights underneath for a quirky fun look. Everything about this top is a score for me and you definitely can’t beat a thirteen dollar price tag!

What is your favorite style of top? Who else is an avid fan of the button down? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

New Kyodan Sleeveless Hoodie

Standard
New Kyodan Sleeveless Hoodie

Hello! I had a really lovely Saturday this past weekend. My mom, sister, and I went out to lunch and then we went shopping at TJMaxx and HomeGoods. We had a lot of fun and it proved to be a fruitful trip to TJs. For the past month or so, I have been trying to incorporate some more tops into my wardrobe and I finally have had some success. The second top can be seen tomorrow. But, for now, check out this New Kyodan Sleeveless Hoodie that I am obsessed with:

mini3mini2

  • Original Price: $42
  • TJMaxx Price: $20

Athletic apparel that can double as normal clothing is very in as of late. And it’s sure hard to escape seeing all of the work out garb when New Year’s Resolutions are still being pushed in stores. I have wanted a tank top hoodie for a while now, but haven’t been able to find just the right one.

I normally don’t go for anything too plain while shopping but, in this instance, that was exactly what I needed. I wanted the sleeveless hoodie to layer well over different tops and that wouldn’t happen if it was a loud pattern or color. I always prefer black clothing and, in this case, I super preferred black clothing because this half priced Kyodan tank hoodie is perfect.

I am so excited to be able to throw this over a tank, crop top, or T-shirt. But, I am really looking forward to pairing this over classic button downs or long sleeved shirts for a comfy cool look that is still work appropriate. I like that this hoodie doesn’t look like I’m about to go for a work out while wearing it, but I definitely could if I wanted to! Either way, it is sure to look just sporting wherever I go. See what I did there?! 😉

How would you style a tank hoodie? How do you mix athletic gear into your every day outfits? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah