Tag Archives: inspiration

Three Fun Ways To Get Your Partner To Propose

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Three Fun Ways To Get Your Partner To Propose

Getting engaged and planning a wedding is a pretty big deal. Having an ultimatum like that can be a little scary. Things don’t always go according to plan, either. It is easy to see why both people in the relationship might be having hesitations to get engaged. It might be the scenario that your other half is really dragging their heels, though. So here are a few fun little ideas, to drop some hints to your darling. They’re never going to propose if they think you aren’t interested in it! It can feel like a conversation that you aren’t ready to just say so sometimes signals can work the best. But, as always, honest and open communication is always good in any relationship.

Give a Signal: You’d be surprised at just how many people aren’t proposing because they think they will get rejected. Really! It can be a big thing to make changes in a relationship. Especially if things are going well as they are so dropping them a few hints might be needed. Try bringing in conversations about weddings more and more. It could be a friend is recently engaged or a new movie that features a wedding, for example. Just drop hints about your take on marriage. If you’re feeling brave enough, then you could ask them their views on it, too. Another bold choice could be showing your partner some budget wedding dresses. They won’t be able to help picturing you in them! Chatting about it more and more will help eliminate the excuse of not knowing if you were interested or not.

Hint at the Ring You’d Like: The chances of you going out shopping together are quite high. So how about wandering past an engagement ring shop? Or you could even check out some custom engagement rings online together. If that is going to be way too obvious for your liking, then try a conversation, instead. This low key approach is especially effective if you already wear a lot of jewelry. You could talk about the things you do or don’t like such as your thoughts on platinum vs white gold or whether you prefer a ring that is unique or classic.

Do you like a ring to have one single stone or several smaller ones? Subtly bring up the topic. Looking online is a simpler way, as you are more likely to stumble across a friend’s ring on Instagram, for instance. Then the next thing you know you’ll be looking online at wedding rings. Somewhere like Tacori wedding rings might be a good place to start. Have a browse if you aren’t sure of what style you like. Just be subtle about it!

Don’t Set Timelines: In your head, you might want to be engaged by a certain age, married by a certain age, or having children by a certain age. Don’t set timelines on yourself, though. It can knock your confidence when things don’t happen as you’d like to. You could have those things as goals but avoid putting a time limit on it. It also works in terms of your wedding, too. If you’ve always wanted a summer wedding, you might be thinking of when you need to be engaged to make it happen. But this can also be detrimental! If your other half knows it, it adds extra pressure. So chill out with the timeline. If all else fails, though, you can always propose to them! Good luck!

How did you or your partner pop the question? What is your dream proposal like? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Totes Adorbs Featured Image By: Pixabay

“Why Can’t I Quit You?” – Mistakes You’re Making When You Try To Break Bad Habits

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“Why Can’t I Quit You?” – Mistakes You’re Making When You Try To Break Bad Habits

I feel like everyone has at least one or more bad habits. If you say you don’t you are probably a liar! From binging on three gallons of ice cream in bed to smoking a pack a day, we all do things that we are not necessarily proud of. But, if you are at a point in your life that you would like to quit some of these behaviors, here are some tips for you:

“Why Can’t I Quit You?” – Mistakes You’re Making When You Try To Break Bad Habits:

It’s somewhat comforting to know that we all have bad habits. None of us are perfect people, floating through life unencumbered by the things that might sway us from our perfect course. They are those little things we do that our friends might have once brought up, polite as can be, before telling us to knock it off! We know about them, yet we do them anyway.

It’s unlikely that you don’t know that some of these habits can be an issue. Most of us are acutely aware of our failings, even if we try to ignore them. We even go as far as to seek to justify them and explain that it’s okay that we do X because we don’t do Y. If we try to stop them, we come up against a roadblock.

With the time for New Year’s Resolutions creeping up on us at a frightening pace, try and do something differently this time. Rather than just stopping something because you know you need to, find out the obstacles in your way. That way, you can be prepared when the Facebook New Year’s posts clog up your newsfeed!

You’re Not Just Giving Up A Habit – You’re Gaining A New One: This sounds a little bit worrying, but it’s actually helpful so long as the substitute is a healthier one. Take the biggest, baddest habit of them all: smoking. When you stop smoking, you lose the time and energy you would have previously spent smoking. You now have a vacuum of time, and succeeding at quitting is going to be about finding a new habit to fill the gap. It’s the same for a simple thing like biting your nails. You do that when you’re stressed, right? So what are you going to do when you’re stressed now?

You have to find a habit to replace the one that you’re losing. For example, smokers may turn to vaping and nail biters buy stress balls. Places like Shoreditch Vape will give you a fresh start away from tobacco and can make it easier to ease into quitting. If you are buying a vape to help transition into quitting smoking, it is important to stick with that goal so you don’t end up going back to smoking again. Making sure that you use vape products that are actually enjoyable rather than a plain substitute for cigarettes can make a big difference. It is for this reason that choosing a brand that sets the standard for excellence in the world of vaping isn’t just a matter of taste and it can actually help to fight your addiction by helping you to forget the positive association you had with smoking and replace this instead with high quality vaping products.

One of the best ways to help cease your smoking habit is with nicotine free vapes. It will still provide you with the physical act of smoking sans the harmful additives. HealthVape’s Caffeine Vape could be an excellent alternative that comes in a variety of flavors with a formula blend of caffeine, Vitamin B12, and L-Theanine. If you are considering a nicotine free vape, read the customer reviews so you can choose the one that gave people the most success.

You Don’t Understand Physical Addiction: Few of us do something because we don’t like it; we have our habits as they meet our emotional needs. They make us feel better and when they do that, we get a rush of a chemical called dopamine into our brains. This chemical is linked with feelings of joy and happiness. So when we break our habits, the dopamine goes away. We don’t like that.

You may associate physical addiction with the likes of heroin and nicotine, but it applies to pretty much anything. Deny your brain its daily rush of dopamine and its not going to be happy about it. So when you’re struggling in the early phases, give yourself a break. You’ve got to retrain your brain chemistry.

You Don’t Give It Time: Most of us want to shed our bad habits and be done with them ASAP, but it doesn’t work like that. Research at University College London concluded it takes us 66 days to adopt a new habit – which is what you’re doing – as routine. So give yourself time and don’t try and rush it. Anything else and there’s a risk of expecting too much and suffering the subsequent disappointment when you fail.

Creating healthy habits and new routines can be very difficult if you are staying in the place where your addiction festers. If you are binge drinking a lot in your own home, for example, that can be a particularly tough habit to break. Should this be the case for you, you might want to consider a Drug & alcohol addiction treatment in Texas (Or anywhere you fancy!) to get a fresh start away from your usual stresses and triggers. A change in location is a simple idea but it really can be effective in creating good habits and coping skills.

I am the first to admit that I have bad habits. But the right knowledge, tools, and willingness to change can make breaking your bad habit a little more easy. What is one of your worst habits? Have you ever broken a bad habit before? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Featured Image Photo Provided By: Flickr

Get Inspired With These Exciting Startup Ideas In The Travel Sector

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Get Inspired With These Exciting Startup Ideas In The Travel Sector

Get Inspired With These Exciting Startup Ideas In The Travel Sector:

Those with dull, dreary jobs often have two dreams they regularly think about at work. One is getting out of the 9-to-5 and starting their own business. The other is traveling the world. If this sounds like you, then here’s a good idea- create a travel business!

There are all kinds of ideas for a startup in the travel sector. Some of them are relatively easy to start and run. You can mix your passion with your work and get a lot of enjoyment out of it. It can also be lucrative- the travel industry is a large and growing one. If you’re considering starting a business in the travel sector, here are some of the best ideas.

Open A Hotel: People always need somewhere to stay when they’re traveling to different places. That’s why starting a hotel is always a smart business idea. Whether you want to start a budget hotel in a tourist area like Berlin or a luxury hotel in a tropical location like Rio (you can read this blog for ideas on how to start a business in Brazil if this is something you’re thinking of doing), it’ll be a rewarding project.

Of course, buying and setting up a hotel will take a lot of money. You’ll need to rack up funds from business loans and possibly investors, as well. If you can create a great place to stay and market it to tourists, you can start making a lot of money fast. The best thing about it is you can live out a dream by residing and working in a luxury location. It’s one of the best ways to start a business overseas. It’s a fantastic startup idea if you have the ambition, passion, and funds.

Start A Travel Agency: Travel agencies offer a range of services to help people find and book holidays. Although physical travel agencies are dying down, online travel agents are bigger than ever. You can set up a website to offer flight and hotel price comparisons.

Travel agencies usually make a commission from getting users to book flights or accommodations with companies. You could also provide consultancy, where you design an entire holiday package for a customer. It can be competitive to get into, so you might want to appeal to a niche market. For instance, instead of focusing on average consumer holidays, you may want to focus on business travel or cruises.

Create A Travel Blog: One of the simplest ways to profit from traveling is to start a travel blog. It takes minimal costs and anyone can do it. It’s easy to create a blog with a service like WordPress and start posting interesting articles about your travels. You can create a travel blog as a hobby but building it into a business will take more effort. You’ll need to find ways to profit. This might involve advertising travel products and services for other companies. You can also offer advertising space on your blog and increase profits by getting more views.

You could also expand to other sites. Many travel bloggers post video content on YouTube of their travel experiences. You can make money off of YouTube views and also attract more users to your blog. Those who build up followings can even get sponsors so you can truly live the dream of being paid to travel.

Where is your dream location to travel to? Who runs a travel blog of their own? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Featured Image Photo Provided By: Wikimedia

Adore Me Inspired Lingerie Flat Lay

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Adore Me Inspired Lingerie Flat Lay

Hi everyone and happy weekend! I hope all of you had a great week and are ready for some fun or R&R – I know I am! If there’s one thing that a Lil Red loves, it’s lingerie. There is nothing better than sporting a sexy little outfit or a hoodie and a pair of sweats and knowing that you have something pretty on underneath. If you are like me and are always looking for the best looks for an amazing deal then you have got to check out the selection of bras and panties that Adore Me has to offer. Their lingerie is seriously gorgeous and they also have a beautiful selection of plus sizes to choose from, too.

After treating yourself to a new set of lingerie from Adore Me, make sure you check out their Pinterest page and give them a follow! Now, on to my Adore Me Inspired Lingerie Flat Lay:

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My lingerie flat lay was inspired by my days when I work on my summer classes from home. My homework days are filled with reading about everything from Shakespeare to Psychology so there are a few essentials that are a must to make the day not completely miserable:

  1. COFFEE, coffee, and did I say coffee?
  2. An adorable bra and panty.
  3. My new glasses.

Okay, so coffee is self explanatory but what about the glasses and lingerie? I’m so glad you asked! When I work from home, I would never be caught dead in anything but a pair of sweats and my boyfriend’s hoodie. My homework days are a no makeup and no contacts day, as well…Hence my new specs! Because I am rocking a look that I do not feel my best in, a pretty set of lingerie is a friendly reminder that I’m still a stunner and a sass machine. Cute bras and underoos on my “bumming it” days is my way of keeping my self-esteem at a perfect ten even when I look like I just rolled out of bed!

So there you have it, my Adore Me Inspired Lingerie Flat Lay! Once again, please make sure to check out the Adore Me Pinterest page and do some shopping on the links provided above! When it comes to lingerie are you a mixer or a matcher? Do you have a bra or panty that you consider “lucky”? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

A Letter To A Friend

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A Letter To A Friend

Hello all and happy Friday! I had a long day in Columbus yesterday for work but it was definitely worth it! Stay tuned for the Monday Update to hear more on that. ANYWAYS, If there’s one thing that Lil Red loves, it’s letting close friends borrow books from my extensive collection. What I love the most though, is when I find a book that I think one of my friends would respond really well to and personally give it to them with a hand written message explaining why the book reminded me of them. Recently a very dear friend of mine had to go away for a spell so I made a special care package just for her with books and of course, a letter. This very well may be one of my favorite things that I ever wrote, so I thought that I would share it with all of you. Take a look:

Hello, you. I brought you some of my favorite books and I hope you find as much comfort in their pages as I do. You’ll meet girls who are brave like Coraline and Liesel. You’ll come to fall in love with a boy who never grows up and a Little Prince from a planet far away from here. In The Little Prince, the fox teaches the little boy a lesson: “One sees clearly with the heart. Anything essential is invisible to the eyes.” Well, I see you so clearly in my heart and eyes, for that matter, and I think it’s important for you to know what I see.

I see a beautiful young woman who is working so hard to better herself and I admire you very much for it. G.K. Chesterton states that “fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten. You have a big obstacle to face during your time away but I trust that you will be able to beat it and come out victorious on the other end. Please treat my books with care because they hold some of my dearest friends but don’t be afraid to let them help you on the way. All my love, Sarah

I dunno, I kinda liked it! 😉 I always enjoy sharing my personal writings with my readers so I figured “why not”, especially because I like this letter a whole lot – and maybe it might just help one of you! I hope you’re all having a great day and I’ll talk to you all soon! Until then, what is your favorite book? What book inspires you when you need encouragement? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

PS: The books that I referenced in my letter were in order: Coraline, The Book Thief, Peter Pan, and The Little Prince – all of which are some of my favorites!

Trades Of Hope

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Trades Of Hope

Hellooo everyone and welcome to a very special article here on lifewithlilred about a wonderful company that one of my good friends works for, Trades Of Hope. I had the pleasure of sitting down with Sarah White to discuss her work with the company and some of her favorite accessories that are offered through her Trades Of Hope party to kick start the holiday shopping season. For those of you who don’t know, Trades Of Hope employs women artisans in third world countries so they can earn a fair living wage to help provide for themselves and their families. Take a look at part of our interview conducted by yours truly and then stick around to see some of Sarah’s gorgeous fall favorites:

  • Lil Red: Ever since I’ve known you, you’ve been passionate about volunteering your time for programs that help women world wide. What would you say is the most rewarding part of being involved with Trades Of Hope?
  • Sarah: I’ve always wanted to have a tangible way to help women coming out of poverty but I specifically have a passion for women coming out of trafficking, like many of the Trades Of Hope artisans. I’ve been involved with various programs that help raise money for women, but Trades Of Hope isn’t a charity – these women are hired, paid a fair wage, and are then able to take care of their families in a long term way. Trades Of Hope is an organization that helps women stop their cycle of poverty and betters their lives, I think that’s the best part.
  • LR: If you could say something to the Trades Of Hope artisans, what would it be?
  • S: I think it would just be…Thank you for what you’re doing. Thank you for making these products to support your families. We care about you and we love you…I would keep it pretty simple.
  • LR: You actually introduced Trades Of Hope to me one afternoon over coffee. If someone wanted to get involved with working for the company, what should they do?
  • S: To become a Compassion Entrepreneur, which is what we call ourselves, anyone can reach out to me for additional information! (Sarah’s contact info will be posted below.)
  • LR: Trades Of Hope offers an abundance of beautiful handcrafted accessories through catalog and on their site. It must be hard to pick a favorite!
  • S: It is! Of course I love the Mosaic Clutch and the Mustard Infinity Scarf but out of the jewelry the Julia from Guatemala is one of my favorites. The necklace was made from a young artist aging out of her orphanage and it’s simple but so pretty. If you look closely on the silver pendant the fingerprint of the artist is engraved in it.
  • LR: Are there any items on the site that are considered a fan favorite by the shoppers?
  • S: Definitely. The Eternal Seed necklace is very popular (it’s a Lil Red favorite too) as well as the Haiti Signature Bracelet which is made out of cereal boxes. (The pictures of the accessories mentioned can be seen below, as well as the Kala necklace, which I’m the proud owner of!) Not only does the bracelet help support our artisans but it’s great for the environment as well.

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Mosaic Clutch: I got to see this cute clutch in person and it’s even better in real life, if that’s even possible. Sarah is a self proclaimed “bag girl” and the Mosaic Clutch, made by Trades Of Hope artisans in Guatemala is one of her must have staples for fall.

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Mustard Infinity Scarf: This beautiful scarf was made by TOH artisans in Cambodia who have survived acid attacks. Despite such horrific events, the amazing women making these scarves have found joy again in their craft and they truly do it so well. Sarah has also deemed this scarf as one of her must have autumn pieces because of how much she likes the color! My friend has great style and would pair this infinity scarf with a hat of the same color, a sharp dark green jacket, dark wash denim, and a tall pair of boots for a fall OOTD. I’m a fan!

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Sarah will be hosting a party to ring in the holiday shopping season and it promises to be a lot of fun! Anyone who places an order through Sarah’s party has the opportunity to win free or half off items as the “hostess rewards”. The shopping extravaganza will be up and running for at least two weeks, so you’ll have lots of time to make your purchases and maybe get lucky by winning some rewards! Unfortunately, Trades Of Hope only ships in the US, but if you live abroad and are interested in any of the products seen on the site, you can email Sarah who will do the best she can to get you your accessories.

Sarah’s contact info and party links:

I had so much fun chatting about Trades Of Hope with my dear friend and before we parted ways, she gave some terrific ideas on stocking stuffers for the holiday season. Not only does Trades Of Hope offer chic accessories but you can also find items for kids, men, home decor, and beauty. Sarah recommends the soap and chapsticks from the site as a sweet and small gift but she’s partial to the jewelry! “All of the Trades Of Hope jewelry comes in a pretty bag and you can wear it and think of the person who got it for you” she says. I, for one, would love to find the Eternal Seed Necklace under my tree! Sarah can be seen below sporting some Trades Of Hope earrings and a mega watt smile! I see you!!

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Writing about Trades Of Hope was such a blast and I encourage all of you to do some shopping at the links provided above! What is your favorite item on the website? Do you have any questions about the company for Sarah? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Woman Crush Wednesday: Julianne Hough Edition

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Woman Crush Wednesday: Julianne Hough Edition

Heyyy everyone and welcome to the newest edition of Woman Crush Wednesday – Julianne Hough style! The darling and newly engaged Miss Hough has been the apple of my eye ever since her Dancing With The Stars debut so it only seems right to feature her as Lil Red’s #WCW. Take a look at my all time favorite dance that she ever performed on DWTS and then let’s discuss:

Dear Julianne Hough,

Oh Julianne, you precious tiny dancer, you. I admire your immense talent on the dance floor so very much. You make the most difficult dances look effortless and I had a blast watching you win the Dancing With The Stars mirror ball trophy with Apolo Anton Ohno and Helio Castroneves. It’s a family tradition over at casa da la Lil Red to watch DWTS together and we always rooted for you! I am so happy that you’re back on the show to share your expertise on the judges panel and to occasionally grace the dance floor with your presence. It has been such a joy to watch your transformation from a sweet young woman to a sassy and fabulous goddess! I love your elegant yet fierce style and your ever changing hair! You are just SO beautiful – hubba hubba, lady! Thank you for allowing your bubbly personality into our homes every Monday night during Dancing With The Stars. And most importantly, thank you for being such an amazing role model and inspiration to performers (and people in general) everywhere. I LOVE YOU!!!!

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^^^ OMG, could that pic of Julianne cuddling a puppy be any more adorable?! I think not!

So there you have it, this week’s Woman Crush Wednesday: Julianne Hough Edition! Who is everyone’s #WCW this week? What is your all time favorite Julianne Hough moment on DWTS? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Woman Crush Wednesday: Sasha Cohen Edition

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Woman Crush Wednesday: Sasha Cohen Edition

Helloooo everyone and welcome to the newest edition of Woman Crush Wednesday – Sasha Cohen style! For those of you who don’t know, I figure skated competitively for ten years and the lovely Miss Cohen was and still is one of my biggest inspirations. Check out this gorgeous routine that I picked solely because she’s wearing one of my all time favorite skating dresses and then let’s discuss my woman crush:

Dear Sasha Cohen,

Beautiful little Sasha, where do I even begin? I guess I have to ask if you remember me, for starters. We met when you came to visit at the Wooster skating rink. We took pictures together and you signed my skates, a hoodie from a previous competition, and my copy of Skating magazine with you on the cover. You were just as sweet as I hoped that you would be and you were even smaller than I thought! You have the most darling petite figure and it was pleasantly surprising for you to be the same height as me when you stood up to give me a hug. Meeting you was one of the highlights of my skating career/life in general and I’ll never forget it. Your exquisite grace and beauty on and off the rink is extraordinary. You skate with such genuine emotion and elegance and your talent is undeniable. I always wanted you to get the gold in the Olympic games…I daresay I wanted it for you just as much as you wanted it for yourself! Your career as a figure skater motivated me to push myself on and off the rink. You taught me the importance of hard work and dedication and for that I thank you so much. I can’t close this love letter without also mentioning how hard I laughed at your cameo in Blades Of Glory when you caught Chazz Michael Michaels jock strap…It was truly a moment for the ages. 😉 I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!

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^^^ She’s just divine. Lord have mercy on a gal!

So there you have it, this week’s Woman Crush Wednesday: Sasha Cohen Edition! Who is everyone’s #WCW this week? What was your favorite routine skated by my woman crush? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah