Jan3

Scarf Series: Intergalactic Planetary Edition

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Scarf Series: Intergalactic Planetary Edition

Helloooo everyone! Today we are going to talk about a fabulous new scarf from my Holiday Haul compliments of my mom and Mr. Steve Madden. One thing that I love is really cool galaxy prints, and a scarf of the like caught my eye when my mom and I were shopping at TJMaxx. Other things trumped purchasing the scarf, and I had all but forgotten about it until Christmas day. Take a look and let’s discuss:

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It turns out that my mom went back to TJMaxx the following day to get this here scarf for me, because I did like it a lot! I was so surprised when I opened this present, because it was so thoughtful and sweet of my mom to make the trip back there just for one thing. I love all of the planets, stars, and different colors of this Steve Madden scarf. It’s such a fun pattern but it still looks chic and I can picture myself wearing it to work with a crisp white button down to let all of the planets pop!

I love bold accessories, like this scarf, because your outfit doesn’t need much afterwards. Throw on a cute pair of black booties and a sweet peacoat and you’re out the door in no time. This scarf is also perfect for playing around with makeup while wearing it, thanks to all of the gorgeous different colors featured in it. A navy smokey eye would look lovely or even a metallic liner for a cool galaxy pop.

So there you have it, the next part of my Holiday Haul in today’s Scarf Series: Intergalactic Planetary Edition! What is your favorite pattern to wear? How would you style this scarf? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan2

Ensuring Your New Year’s Resolutions Stick

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Ensuring Your New Year’s Resolutions Stick

The New Year is upon us, and if you’re like the majority of people in the western world, chances are that you’ve made a resolution or two. Perhaps you’ve decided to make 2018 the year you get serious about exercising, giving up drugs and alcohol, or volunteering in your local community.

Whatever your resolutions are, if you want to stick to them, you’re going to have to get serious because approximately 80 percent of all resolutions are broken by February! If you want to buck that trend, here are a few things that you can do:

Small Steps:

In January, it makes sense to start small. Instead of resolving to spend six days in the gym every week, start with two or three. That way, your resolutions will be much easier to stick to, and you can build upon them as time goes by instead of doing too much too soon, burning out and failing!

One Thing at a Time:

You might want to quit smoking, take up lifting, and eliminate any and all junk from your diet, but numerous studies have shown that the more you try to do, the less likely you are to succeed at changing any of your habits. So, instead of doing the traditional thing of writing down multiple resolutions and trying to work on them all at once, try working on one at a time. Once you’ve got the exercising habit down, then start working on your diet, and so on. Chances are you’ll be much more successful.

Share Them:

Whatever your New Year’s resolutions are, it’s always worth sharing them with others, whether that be friends, family, or even a dedicated support group. Why? Because once you let people know what your intentions are, you’ll be more motivated to stick to your goals and see results, so that you don’t let them down. Not only that but having the support of a group can make the whole process simpler.

Track It:

Whether you’re using an app to track how many pounds you’ve lost, a calendar to mark off every day you’ve gone without a drink/smoke/etc., or something like My Fitness Pal to log the nutritional value of your food, keeping track of your progress is a great way to keep your head in the game. Try it!

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Log that progress!

Seek Help:

Whether it’s a personal trainer, an intervention specialist, or your spouse, asking for help from someone who understands your issues and wants to help you overcome them can be a very effective way of not only sticking to your resolutions but of achieving your goals, too.

Don’t Be Too Hard on Yourself:

Remind yourself that there isn’t such a thing as perfection. Just because you caved and ate a piece of cake a week after you vowed to give up sugar doesn’t mean that you’re a failure. The only thing that will make you a failure is throwing in the towel. Most people slip when they’re trying to make positive changes to their lives. But it is the ones who don’t beat themselves up, who stand back up, and keep fighting, who get to where they want to be eventually!

Good Luck!

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Jan2

Positive Mindsets To Kick Start Your New Career

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Positive Mindsets To Kick Start Your New Career

You wake up each morning with a sinking, fearful feeling at the prospect of heading to work. When your alarm goes off, you aren’t filled with ambition and motivation; it seems you’re stuck in a rut and you can’t find your way out of it. With the New Year well and truly upon us, now is the time to shake it up and make a change for the better. Alter your mindset and become a happier, unwavering, career-driven person. Make some decisions and get yourself on track today:

Own Your Goals:

When was the last time that you sat down and thought about where you want to be in life? You have probably found yourself in a dead-end job, which you are constantly trying to escape. Your job may well pay the bills, but you can’t put a price on your own happiness so let’s start reassessing. Write down your career goals on a piece of paper and be proud to have big ambitions. Planning out a meaningful career path will boost your motivation and set you up to succeed.

Start small with your goals and plan out each stage that you can take in order to reach your ultimate dream. You might want to try out an internship on the weekends to get yourself networking with people you need to know. You may dream of starting a business from home, which will take time and energy outside of your current job. Plan out your time meticulously and use each moment to get where you need to be. It could take one year of really hard work to make a huge step in the right direction so get to grips with your goals today.

Love To Learn:

Once you have your goals and aims in order, you need to establish how you’re going to attain them. You may need to take on some additional courses or go back to college. There are tons of tools online which can help you to get the qualifications you need. You can even earn an mba online and kick-start a career in whatever your heart desires.

You should thrive in a learning environment and be motivated to grow your knowledge. Be prepared for some hard work, as getting a further education isn’t a walk in the park. You may need to keep earning money in your current job as you learn other skills part-time. It will all be a balancing act at first, but if you’re determined enough you will stick at it and feel proud when you achieve each step.

Take a Risk:

Now is the time to take the leap and conquer the unknown. If you’ve always dreamed of starting your business or creating a brand new company of your own, you can do it with the correct support and planning. Be meticulous in the process of finding staff, software, and the like so that the reward will outweigh a risk should you choose to take it. Consider services like online accounting or a sportsbook solution provider if this is something you can’t do on your own. Before taking a financial risk, make sure that you’ve got adequate savings to fall back on. Build your own brand from scratch and finally be happy in your career. If being your own boss appeals to you, then this might be the way forward.

Leverage Tools That Support Your Growth:

As you move forward in your career journey, don’t overlook the power of structured digital environments to support your learning and productivity. If you’re working in a corporate or collaborative setting, tools like a site collection website can help you find relevant industry resources, stay informed on emerging trends, and connect with valuable content in your field. Whether you’re in marketing, content creation, or simply looking to expand your knowledge base, tapping into curated link directories can quietly enhance your efficiency and keep you ahead of the curve. Of course, you will want to keep all of your digital operations secure and efficient, especially if you are using the cloud. Cloud management like aws devops consulting services can be hugely beneficial to your company to streamline this process. With the right tools and services in place, you’ll be better equipped to take control of your workflow, adapt quickly, and deliver impactful results.

Make a plan, carry out the method, and take the leap. A happy, healthy and open mind will allow you to reach your career dreams in no time!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Jan2

New Year, New Home

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New Year, New Home

The New Year is the perfect time to start thinking about revamping your home. Traditionally, a lot of people wait until the spring to spruce up their homes, but that just means that they don’t get to enjoy the change in the weather quite so much. No, the winter time when it’s cold, and we’ve just started a new calendar is the best time for fixing up the home and here are some tips to help you with that:

Clear Your Clutter:

Chances are that you’re entering the New Year with the aim of cleansing your body and keeping it as clear and clutter-free as possible. Why not do the same for your home? A house that is free from clutter is a house that looks great, allows you to live life exactly how you want to, and best of all, is easy to clean. So, pick a room and start decluttering. Do the same with another room tomorrow and keep going until you have no stuff in your home that you don’t expressly want to be there.

Ensure it’s Safe:

Your house is your home, your safe haven, and the one place you can retreat to and not have to worry about the outside world. So, it’s important that it is really safe. Now is the perfect time to go around your property checking that the security cameras work, ensuring that the fire alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are in great shape, and testing the locks on your doors and windows. That way, you’ll have a safe and snug 2018.

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Is your smoke alarm working?

Keep It Clean:

A clean house is an inviting house. When your home looks and smells god, it makes you and your guests happy to be there. So, make 2018 the year when you finally get serious about chores. To make it easy for yourself, invest in the basics like rubber gloves, brushes, cleaning fluids, and dusters and store them all in one central location. Then, draw up a schedule of when you’ll clean each room or when you’ll complete each cleaning task. By grouping tasks like cleaning the windows or vacuuming the carpets together, it’ll be easier to keep your home cleaner without missing anything or spending too much time on it.

Mend the Cracks:

January is an excellent time to call in the handyman and have him do all of those little jobs like patching up the holes in the basement floor or re-tiling the roof, that you haven’t got around to yet. Why? Because handymen are often less busy at this time of year, before the spring rush, so you can get things done more quickly, and sometimes even cheaper, than at other times of the year.

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Patch it up!

A Fresh Coat of Paint:

Last, but not least, if you want to seriously spruce your home up for the New Year, why not treat it to a lick of paint? It’s amazing how transformative a new color on the walls can be, and it needn’t cost you too much money or time (Get the handyman to do it.), either!

Here’s to a fabulous ‘new’ home this year!

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Jan2

Accessory Story: Betsey Johnson Edition

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Accessory Story: Betsey Johnson Edition

Hello!!! Basically all of my favorite gifts this Holiday Haul came from my sister, Kristen. Although our personal styles are very different, she always seems to know exactly what I would like. I like to think that the same goes for me, and it makes me feel good that we are close enough to pick out a slam dunk of a present every single time. This Christmas, Kristen treated me to a necklace from one of my favorite designers, Betsey Johnson. Take a look and let’s discuss:

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If there’s one thing that a Lil Red loves, it’s skulls on clothing and accessories. Normal old skulls, skeletons, sugar skulls – I love it all. I have already worn my gorgeous blinged out sugar skull necklace so many times and it seriously makes every single OOTD pop. I love the heart eyes, the flowers, and the ribbon threaded through the chain. It’s such a fun piece and it is SO obviously Betsey Johnson, which is what I love about her brand.

This necklace looks so pretty when it hits just above a V-neck top or against one of my many black sweaters. The pastel colors really make a statement, and it’s a fun edition to my wardrobe because I don’t have a lot of clothes or accessories in a pastel palette. Kristen took one of my favorite patterns and favorite designers and ran with it, and seriously hit the nail so hard on the head with this beautiful necklace. I LOVE IT SO MUCH!!! :*)

So there you have it, the next issue in my Holiday Haul with an Accessory Story: Betsey Johnson Edition! Who was gifted with jewelry this year? Who is your favorite designer? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan1

Happy New Year!!

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Happy New Year!!

Hellooooo everyone and welcome to 2018! Here’s to hoping that this is your best year yet, that you keep up with your resolutions, and that you accomplish great things in the new year. Enjoy your celebrations and thanks for sticking around with lifewithlilred! Much love. -Sarah

Dec31

If The Shoe Fits: Qupid Edition

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If The Shoe Fits: Qupid Edition

Hellooo everyone and welcome to a special Holiday Haul edition of If The Shoe Fits, compliments of my sister, Kristen. Back in November, I sent my sibs a list of gift ideas for yours truly, because I’m pretty particular. Granted, every item on the list was shoes, but that’s neither here nor there. Kristen took this list, which was hashtagged with “all I want for Christmas is shoes”, to heart and got me these amazing Qupid faux snakeskin heeled boots. Take a looksee:

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My favorite animal print of all time is snakeskin. I love it oh so much and, although I already have a snakeskin printed pair of booties, ONE IS NOT ENOUGH!! These Qupid pointed toe babies are just divine. I love the bright white in the pattern as opposed to darker greys and taupes. It gives such an edgy shock to a classic print and that it what I am all about. And, of course, I love anything with a pointed toe!! :*)

Kristen knocked it out of the park with this prezzie, especially because by the time I figured that I would just buy them for myself, they were already sold out – so she was way ahead of the game. These bootie beauties are going to look so sharp throughout the rest of the winter and are going to make a statement with short shorts as the weather warms up. Accessories are so required with these shoes, and I cannot wait to pair them with a huge Panama hat, chunky jewelry, and a bold bag for an overstated but still very chic look.

So there you have it, the latest Holiday Haul issue of If The Shoe Fits, Qupid Edition! What is your favorite animal print? How do you let people know what you really really want for the holidays? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec30

Holiday Haul: Beauty Edition

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Holiday Haul: Beauty Edition

Hi everyone! My Holiday Haul was bountiful and beautiful and I had a wonderful Christmas day spent with my family. To commemorate all of the sweet thoughts behind each present, we’ll go about each main gift individually. Today, I think that we will start with some delightful beauty and bath and body care goodies compliments of my brother and sister in law, as well as my older sister. Take a looksee:

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Peter and Megan treated all of the girls in my family to a box set from The Body Shop, which is so amazing because all of us really love their products. I am also totally obsessed with their body washes right now, so I’m happy to have another one to add to my hoard. I then got a double whammy of Better Than Sex mascara from Kristen and Peter and Megan and I am so thrilled about it, because I desperately needed a new tube. And now I have two! What whattttt.

Kristen knows me all too well, because I always ask for Better Than Sex mascara for every gift receiving occasion. And Peter and Megan were very clever in their purchase because they looked on lifewithlilred to know that that’s what I wanted, thanks to completing a Holiday Q & A! It was really sweet, because as soon as I opened it, I knew that that’s how they figured out what I wanted. Peter and Megan often turn to my blog to gather inspiration for gifts for me, and I think that that’s freaking awesome. It’s nice to have siblings that put tons of thought into presents, because it’s a physical reminder of how much they care. :*) I LOVE THEM!!

So there you have it, part one of my Holiday Haul: Beauty Edition! Be sure to tune in tomorrow for more Christmas fun here on lifewithlilred. What was your favorite gift that you received this year? What was your favorite present that you gave? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec29

If The Shoe Fits: Forever 21 Edition

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If The Shoe Fits: Forever 21 Edition

Howdy! So Facebook has this weird thing where it shows you EVERYTHING THAT YOU’VE EVER WANTED in their ads. It’s insane. Shoes that I overlooked but still liked, ModCloth clothes, Forever 21 accessories – all things that Lil Red loves but have yet to buy. So, imagine the distress of scrolling through Facebook and having the devil tempt you at every turn! I’m not too mad about it, though, because these new bootie beauties came from the aforementioned hardship! Take a look and let’s discuss:

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When I saw the ad for these Forever 21 platform boots, I fell head over heels in love (Pun intended!). And, somehow Facebook knows about my ballin on a budget lifestyle, because these shoes were only twenty-five bucks! #blessed Platform shoes became big this summer, and I am obviously not over the trend, because I still feel the urge to buy every single pair that I encounter. Seriously, how could I say no to shoes that would keep my feet warm with the flame decals this winter anyways?! 😉

I recently paired these shoes with my new Karl Lagerfeld button down, black skinnies, a moto jacket, and my favorite Stevie Nicks scarf to accessorize. And, let me tell you, I was really feeling myself, lol. I felt so posh, fun, and fierce strutting around in an edgy outfit with these disco fab platforms on my feet. The compliments that came rolling in didn’t hurt the cause, either! My new Forever 21 boots are the perfect way to add some cheeky fun to any look with an ode to 70s glam and I am so thankful to Facebook for tapping into my brain so that I could find them. Now, please cut it out so that I can stop spending money! THANKS.

So there you have it, the latest issue of If The Shoe Fits: Forever 21 Edition! How do you rock the platform trend? Has Facebook been tempting you with their ads as much as me? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec28

Is It Time To Make More Room For Yourself In Your Life?

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Is It Time To Make More Room For Yourself In Your Life?

If you’re the kind of person that finds it hard to put themselves first, you’re not alone. So many of us tend to put others, especially our loved ones, before ourselves. It’s only natural. We want to make sure that they’re happy and healthy, content and comforted, and we’ll deal with our own needs after. But sometimes, when this is something that you do all of the time, you may find that you get taken advantage of.

You may also realize that you’re not really getting what you want out of life, because you’re not working on you, but others instead. So, there’s going to come a time where you need to put yourself first. While it will take work, you’ll be able to become your best self. So let’s take a look at how you can make more time for yourself in your life:

Allow Yourself To Relax: When this is something that you’re really not used to, you’re going to want to start off slow. And a great way to do that is to allow yourself to relax a bit. In a way, this is encouraging you to make time for your own needs and happiness. So get yourself a scent diffuser machine, find the best bath products, and create a cozy space at home just for you. Then, by slowly relaxing more and more, you’ll be able to ensure that you’re comforted and rested, and you start to see why putting yourself first counts.

Fill Your Time How You Choose: If you’re someone that tends to do what others want you to do, you’re going to get to a point where you realize that you’re not really living for you. So, you’re going to want to start being a bit more assertive on how you spend your time. Be sure to fill up your life with the things you love, and you’ll instantly feel like you’re living a whole lot more.

Make Time For A Social Life: Whether you’re someone that spends a lot of their time working or you just tend to focus on the needs of others too much, you may not have much of a social life. It’s time that you changed that. By making more time for a social life, not only will you be able to do more of the things that you love, but you should find a circle of friends who care about your well being as much as you do.

Focus On Your Health: Making more time for yourself isn’t always about the things you do with your time, it’s also about how you treat yourself. You should definitely look to focus on your health a little more. When you improve your health, your mind and body will feel better and, in turn, you’ll be able to feel happier too.

Learn To Say No: And finally, you’re going to want to learn to say no more. Because when you’re stronger, you’ll be able to start making choices that will benefit your life, rather than make you unhappy. That always starts with the ability to say no to things and people when it could negatively effect your lifestyle.

2018 is all about loving yourself, which means taking the best care of you as much as possible. Try starting out with the above tips and seeing how you feel!

Featured Image By: Pexels