1. Make a memory book 

Memory books are mementos that can take the recipient back in time to wonderful moments that invoke all sorts of strong emotions. For the past five years, I have created one for my partner to celebrate the year and give it to him during the holidays.

To create a physical memory book, I utilize Shutterfly, which almost always has some kind of percent off or freebie happening on the site. Not only does Shutterfly have great deals, but they also have a variety of options for making the photo book quickly and easily; you can create it via their mobile app, using a desktop via their website, or if you have your hands full, you can have a designer create the book for you. Check out this quick video that shows the basics of creating a photo book.

2. Do an embroidery project

For those of you unfamiliar, embroidery is the craft of decorating fabric or other materials using a needle to apply thread or yarn. Beads, quills, pearls, and sequins can also be incorporated into the embroidered design. The great thing about embroidery is that it is quite simple and straight forward. You don’t have to spend a lot of time on the front end learning how to do it. You can watch a YouTube video or two and be ready to go.

A few beginner/easy-to-follow YouTube videos I recommend:

• Cherry Blossom’s Hand Embroidery for Beginner’s video
• Tasha Leelyn’s DIY Hat Embroidery video 
• Fatimafaruq’s Flower Embroidery video

3. Complete a macrame rainbow 

If you know someone who is obsessed with colorful rainbows or has had a baby following a miscarriage, completing a macrame rainbow could be the right project for you! At Home with Ashley is an interior design blogger and a force to be reckoned with regarding all things DIY for home (PS: she’s also obsessed with rainbows). Watch her DIY tutorial.

4. Create a needlepoint canvas

I recently read this article on grandmillennials, known as “millennials who prefer a nostalgic design aesthetic inspired by the quirky comfort of their grandparents’ homes and the opulence of bygone eras,” described Shayne Benowitz. If this description speaks to your soul, you just might be a grandmillennial. And if you ARE a grandmillennial, I’m going to guess that needlepoint just might be your new calling. Bonus points for needlepoint pieces making quite unique gifts. Resources for getting started with needlepoint are below:

• Needlepoint.com’s Learn How to Needlepoint in 5 Minutes video
• Barbara Reinfeld’s Needlepoint Basics video (LOVE her accent!)

5. Knit a scarf

Make a gift that a loved one can WEAR! I taught myself how to knit a couple of Thanksgivings ago, and creating a scarf is one of the easiest projects to do because it’s a simple rectangle. So many tutorials and resources exist for novice knitters – here are a few I used to learn:

• Hobby Lobby’s Knitting for Beginners video
• RJ Knits How to Knit: Easy For Beginners video
• Free Knitting Patterns
• Beginning Knitting Supplies

6. Turn pickle jars into candle holders

Want to upcycle something and create a gift with it? Try turning pickle jars into candle holders for a nice home decor gift. Seriously, it’s SO straightforward. Simply remove the label, use a hot glue gun to wrap a bit of rope at the top of the jar, and voila! Check out the article that covered the original story.

7. Assemble a set of wooden bead coasters

This is the next DIY project on my to-do list: wooden bead coasters! Only a 4-step process – love easy to follow DIYs. Take a look at Jacqueline Clark’s blog post on how to assemble these coasters. (Hint: you can choose what color to paint the beads!)

8. DIY a marker mug

Who doesn’t love a good personalized mug? This project is so flexible – you can literally put just about anything on the mug! Because they don’t take long to produce, you could even make a few in one sitting – make a few gifts (I call that scratching multiple itches at once). Here’s the step-by-step tutorial (video included).

9. Make edible watercolor cookies

We can’t have a DIY holiday gift ideas without some kind of food on the list, right? Try making edible watercolor cookies! Not only is this gift edible, but you also get to express your creative freedom with your cookie decorating skills (or lack thereof, no pressure). Also, your gift recipient will be able to eat their gift.

This idea has a few more steps and takes a bit more time and patience, but if you’re a baker, artist or both, I think you’ll really enjoy this one.

10. Patch and pin a jean jacket

Confession: I added this idea to the list because I think it’s the coolest idea on here, but it’s definitely not for the faint of heart – you really have to know someone well to nail this DIY gift idea.

Giving a gift that best expresses the essence of the gift recipient is terribly hard for me to do. How unique would it be to create a final product that’s a patched and pinned jean jacket that truly shows off the gift recipient’s personality? I’m obsessed with this idea (heck, I may make one for myself!). Watch this tutorial and this video for patch and pin inspo. 

If this list of ideas doesn’t keep you busy, then I don’t know what will! If you decide to try one (or more) of these DIY holiday gift ideas, let us know in the comments below.

Happy (early) holidays!

Whenever I heard about Dr. John Gray and his Mars & Venus series of books, I was instantly intrigued and picked up Men are from Mars, Women are From Venus: The Classic Guide to Understanding the Opposite Sex and dove right into it. I happily welcomed learning about gender insights in order to become more understanding, tolerant, and forgiving of men.

Below, you’ll find four insights from Dr. Gray on how to better understand and communicate with the opposite sex. When used, these insights can also alleviate the disappointment and frustration that we’ve all felt before and lead to increased happiness and intimacy in our relationships.

Insight #1: Our sense of self is unrelated.

Dr. Gray explains how a man’s sense of self is defined through his ability to achieve results. Power, competency, efficiency, and achievement are what men value most. Success and accomplishment are how men experience fulfillment. 

A woman’s sense of self is defined through her feelings and the quality of relationships. We value communication, love, and relationships. It’s in our nature to help, support, and nurture. Females experience fulfillment through sharing and relating to one another – personal expression and communication are vitally important to them.

It’s important to identify these two varying perspectives and sets of values because it impacts all of the rest of the insights from this book. Because we’re fundamentally so different, the way we each approach the world and how we communicate are, too.

Insight #2: Our reasons to communicate vary.

A woman talks for a variety of reasons – to convey or gather information, to explore and discover what it is she wants to say, to feel better and more centered when she is upset, and to create intimacy through sharing her feelings.

Women can easily talk about their problems and how they feel – it’s refreshing for them to get it off of their chests. Men, on the other hand, feel frustrated by problems unless they are doing something to solve them.

When a woman verbalizes that she simply needs someone to listen to her – no advice or solutions needed – she helps a man realize that just by listening, he is helping her work through her thoughts and emotions. When she’s going into an emotional rabbit hole, it’s also a good idea for her to say “It’s not your fault,” and “I really appreciate your listening; I feel so much better talking about this with you.”

A man, on the other hand, typically communicates to convey or gather information. In fact, oftentimes a man WON’T talk, and that’s the time when he needs to think about a problem and find a practical solution. If he doesn’t have an answer to a question or problem, he can sometimes become more upset or stressed and needs to cool off to find his control again, or he needs to find himself.

Learning this has been helpful for me to realize when it’s appropriate to engage in conversations with my boyfriend and when it makes more sense to reach out to my sister, based on what it is I want to talk about.

Insight #3: We communicate differently and need to read between the lines.

Men and women may use similar words, but they mean totally different things. What do I mean by that? Men use words quite literally while women tend to use words as expressions of a general feeling.

As you might’ve guessed, this can cause A LOT of communication issues between men and women. Both men and women unknowingly communicate in ways that are not only counterproductive but may even be a turnoff.

“I’m OK”, “It’s nothing”, and “It’s alright” are a few common comments you might have heard come out of a male’s mouth. When a man makes one of these statements, he typically wants silent acceptance and space. When a man says he’s okay, what he means is that he’s okay because he can deal with whatever issue has arisen alone and doesn’t need any help. He’d like to be supported by not having you worry about him – trust that he can handle it on his own. 

What about women? When a woman says something like “I’m so tired, I can’t do anything else today” to a man, what she means to communicate is “I’ve been doing so much today, and I need to rest before I can do anything else. Will you reassure me that I’m doing a good job and that I deserve to rest?” More often than not, a man will judge or invalidate their female partner’s feelings, which leads to arguments and resentment.

I can’t agree more with this sentiment, and learning this has made me push myself to try and be more literal when I’m communicating with my boyfriend, although I’m still quite longwinded and probably always will be because…that’s the female way of communicating!

Insight 4: We have different emotional needs.

Males and females have different emotional needs, but typically they don’t realize this. As a result, men and women don’t instinctively know how to best support each other – each mistakenly assumes that the other has the same needs and desires, and as a result, they both end up dissatisfied and resentful. Oftentimes, both men and women feel their love goes unappreciated.

Why? Dr. Gray highlights the 12 kinds of love – men and women each have 6 unique love needs that are required before one is able to receive and appreciate the other kinds of love. For women, we need caring, understanding, respect, devotion, validation, and reassurance, while men need trust, acceptance, appreciation, admiration, approval, and encouragement. Men and women get their feelings hurt most easily when they don’t get the kind of primary love that they need.

Examples of common mistakes that men and women make

The book showcases a variety of common “mistakes” that both men and women make when in conversation that I totally related to. For example, one mistake men commonly make is that they don’t listen or get easily distracted, and a woman doesn’t feel loved when this happens because he isn’t being attentive or showing that he’s invested in her life. Similarly, when a man takes a woman’s words about her feelings literally and corrects her, she will not feel loved because she feels completely misunderstood.

With women, they often try to improve men’s behaviors by offering unsolicited advice, and men don’t feel loved when this happens, because he thinks she doesn’t accept him as he is anymore. Another common mistake a woman can make is not acknowledging what a man does for her, but complaining about what he hasn’t done, which makes a man feel taken for granted and unappreciated.

I must say that the amount of insight that I found in Men are from Mars, Women are From Venus is significant, and I just scratched the surface with the ones shared here today. If you’re intrigued by what you just read, I encourage you to go pick up a copy of the book and dig into it yourself – you’ll learn something new, I promise.

After finishing this book, I’ve begun to switch up my own approach in order to better respect men in a way that’s important to them. Changing lifelong communication habits is tough, but I’m continuing to practice small tweaks in my communication techniques in order to better communicate and understand the men in my life better than before.

Intro to Trello

For those unfamiliar, Trello is a free web-based application that utilizes lists for project and task management. I personally find Trello the best option for keeping my job search in order because the lists can be visual, I can see a variety of information all in one place, and there are ways to make Trello work smarter for you – tons of “power-ups” and customizations exist.

Here’s a brief overview video of Trello and a high-level review of its features. You can sign up for Trello for free at www.trello.com. 

How I use Trello for job searching

A lot of people that I know who utilize Trello create workflow boards that have “To Do”, “Doing”, and “Done” lists or a variation of that format. For me, though, I prefer a less granular list view and choose to get more in the weeds within the cards that live in the lists. Read on to learn more about how I organize my job search with various lists.

A mantras list

To begin, I prioritize my mindset during a job search – it can be an incredibly stressful experience for people, including myself. Unique to my job search board, “Mantras” is the first list that I see when I open up the board. I chose a few mantras related to instilling a positive mindset while doing job search work and uploaded the images to separate cards, and these images are the first items that I notice when opening up the board. I even repeat these mantras out loud and take a couple of deep breaths in between – helps a TON with my mindset.

The prep list

Moving left to right, next up is my “Prep” list, which includes a master to-do list, a list of “dream” companies that I either have a job posting notification for or need to check out their respective websites for job postings, a master resume, and cover letter card, and finally, a card with links to online courses. You could add additional prep cards to this list – whatever preparation to-dos make the most sense for you.

In terms of my master to-do list, this is a compilation of random to-do’s that I want to take care of. See the screenshot below for an in-depth look:

Once I’ve completed a to-do, then I check off the item, move it to the bottom of the list, and keep my most important to-dos at the top of the list.

My dream companies list is exactly what it sounds like – I have a list of 10-15 companies whose mission, culture, size, and industry align with the kind of place I want to spend my professional time and energy. I add or take off companies depending on if I do get an interview with one and my opinion changes (it happens!) or if I’m introduced to another company that I hadn’t heard of before that sounds right up my alley. 

In order to determine dream companies, I often look at the following sites to gather information:

• The company’s website
• Glassdoor
• Indeed
• LinkedIn
• Twitter

The next card in my list has master copies of my resume and cover letter. It’s a best practice to tailor your resume and cover letter for each and every job that you apply to – it’s important to show how you directly align with the kind of person they are looking to hire. Having a master resume and cover letter that you tailor is a great strategy for cutting down the time it takes to apply for each job. I name each of these files “First Name-Last Name-Company Name-Resume” so it would read “Jane Smith Google Resume,” for example, and “Jane Smith Google Cover Letter,” respectively. 

If you’re someone who applies for a variety of roles like I do, then another smart tactic for saving time with your resume is to have a couple of different versions for the different types of jobs that you’re applying for. For example, I may apply for learning and development manager roles as well as program manager roles (I’ve worked in education for 9 years). Based on the type of role I’m applying to, I’ll pull my template resume tailored for either a Learning & Development Manager or Program Manager and tweak it for this specific role, and a lot of the skills that I list will be left the same because most companies want similar skillsets for L&D Managers and Program Managers, respectively. This tactic can shave off a few minutes of the tailoring process. 

Side note regarding your cover letter: I have heard from a variety of recruiters and other HR professionals how important it is to showcase why you’re excited about the company you’re applying to – how do you align with their mission? Be sure to highlight the alignment and why you want to be a part of their team in your cover letter.

The last card in my prep list is one that links to online courses. Upskilling is a common term used to describe learning new skills, and it’s one differentiator for job seekers. Nowadays, continuous learning and improvement is more of a rule than an exception, but it’s important to learn meaningful skills that will help you add value to whatever role you’re in. For that reason, I read through job descriptions that interest me and see where it’s a stretch – what skills am I lacking? And then I look for some kind of free online course to prepare myself with at least basic level knowledge. The three online platforms that I have used and had great experiences with are Coursera, EdX, and LinkedIn Learning (if you have a Premium account, then access is included). 

The resources list

The next list on my board is dedicated to resources: templates for reaching out to people, interview Q&A for a variety of scenarios, and job search e-books and templates encompass this list. You could add whatever resources that you’ll frequent often to this list.

During a job search, you reach out to a lot of people for a variety of reasons. Because I try to work as efficiently as possible, I copied a few template messages into separate comments on this card and am able to copy and paste the template message into a message and tailor it without a ton of effort because the template message has been carefully crafted beforehand. Here are a couple of examples:

The next card in my resource list is the interview questions for different scenarios. One feature that I love about Trello is that you can attach a link to a card, so if you have a list of interview questions and answers that you’ve compiled for practicing, then you can link to that file within this card. I do!

I also linked to a couple of great resources that I found while doing some prep work that reviews the most common interview questions and sample answers as well as an informational interview guide that spotlights the different kinds of questions you should ask someone who you admire professionally to get the most out of the call.

Job search best practice websites/ebooks/guides is the last card in my resources list, and it’s home to a variety of value-added content. My list is below:

If I’m ever in doubt about a best practice or need advice on how to do something, I almost always can find answers from Madeline Mann, Career Contessa, Cultivitae, The Muse, Job Jenny, or the Everygirl.

The execution list

My next to last list is my execution list – a to-do list for each and every job that I apply to. I created a template card that I copy for each job that I apply to, and then I work my way through the list of to-do’s to ensure I don’t forget all the steps it actually takes to apply for a job from start to finish.

See my lengthy to-do list for each job:

The complete list

My final list is the “Complete” list, which is quite simple. Once I totally complete a card from Jobs Applied To-Do’s list, then I move it over to the Complete list. This way, only jobs that I am actively pursuing are in my Jobs Applied To-Do’s list – simple as that.

And that, my friends, is my process for using Trello for a job search! Did you find this helpful? Would you like access to my Trello board?

I made a copy of my board and turned the settings to public so you can see it and create a copy of it here.

You can read my blog post about trying out a GYST Day over on my blog.

Coley read my post and thought it would be interesting to share out how my GYST Day went, and here we are!

A GYST Day’s main purpose is two-fold:

1) Get tasks done that usually get neglected throughout the week.

2) Complete tasks that will set you up well for the next week. With that in mind, a GYST to-do list should be broken down into the following categories: maintain, prep, and self-care buckets.

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Tips from my GYST Day experiment

Tip 1: Write down your GYST list the day before you have it

I wrote out my GYST list the day before I had my GYST Day, and I did that because I wanted to think as logically as possible about how to execute it (this was my first time trying one out), and for me, thinking through execution takes time and preparation.

If I had written it out the morning of and tried to execute, I know I would’ve felt more stressed out because there were a lot of menial tasks that I needed to get done in the “maintain” category, and I hate mundane tasks (which is why they are neglected during the week ). Writing those tasks out the night before allowed me to better mentally prepare for having to deal with those tasks.

Tip 2: Start early and do the tasks that you hate first

If you’re going to be getting your shit together, then it makes sense to wake up early and get the ball rolling so you have plenty of time to execute and be productive. The night before, I made sure to went to bed at a reasonable hour and got plenty of sleep. I woke up well-rested and ready to tackle my GYST list.

As I mentioned, I despise mundane tasks, which my “maintain” bucket was full of. Doing the tasks that I hate first was a strategy I employed so they wouldn’t be lingering in the back of my mind throughout the day as well as using Gretchen Rubin’s “Power Hour” philosophy to mentally help me get my nagging tasks done. Because of this, my personal efficiency felt higher throughout my GYST day because I wasn’t dreading the future tasks that I needed to get done – I had done all the annoying to-do’s first.

Tip 3: Take short breaks to check off your list and assess next steps

Checking off a to-do list is a simple pleasure in my life, so taking the time to check off the tasks that I completed felt rewarding.

On top of that, it also allowed me to reassess my list and determine what items should be done next.

After my “maintain” category was complete, I wanted to multi-task as best as I could to knock down tasks as efficiently as possible. I mixed my “prep” tasks together with my “self-care” tasks, which was quite easy to do.

For example, I put on a face mask before I decided what to cook for the week, then I placed an online order for groceries, and then I rinsed off the face mask – pretty simple way to knock out multiple tasks at once.

When I was walking my dog, I thought about potential outfit options for an upcoming family photoshoot, and then when we got back inside, I knew what to pull out of my closet to try on and see if the outfit looked like how I imagined it would.

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My GYST Day results

The day I dedicated to getting my shit together, I had all morning and until 2 pm to do it.

I began around 8am with my “maintain” tasks, which I was able to complete all of them in two hours total (it would’ve been like 1.5 hours but laundry takes a while to dry!). It was a gorgeous fall day so I walked my dog multiple times and thoroughly enjoyed the sunshine beating down on us.

Deciding what to cook for the week, ordering and getting groceries delivered, and actually meal prepping two meals was the most time-consuming series of related tasks, but I was able to finish that by 2 pm.

From the entire list, the only to-do I didn’t do was lifting weights for 30 minutes. Usually, I would’ve felt bad about this, but I went on multiple walks with my dog and later in the day, my best friend came over, and we walked outside, too, so I took advantage of the great weather in lieu of lifting weights and didn’t feel bad about it.

Overall, I appreciated the structure and thoughtfulness behind the GYST Day as well as the intentionality behind weaving in self-care for yourself, too. It also felt like a sustainable way to approach a laundry list of to-do’s.

I definitely will be incorporating more GYST Days in my life and would love to hear about any GYST Days that y’all do or have done and your own tips ‘n tricks.

That’s why when I recently heard Tommy Spaulding speak about servant leadership during a work conference, my heart got excited and dare I say it, even hopeful, for one day changing the manager-employee narrative to a more collaborative and empowering one.

What is ‘servant leadership’?

The original definition of servant leadership was penned by Robert K. Greenleaf in “The Servant as Leader”, an essay published in 1970. Greenleaf declared the most important characteristic of being a servant leader is making one’s main priority to serve rather than lead.

“A servant-leader focuses primarily on the growth and well-being of people and the communities to which they belong. While traditional leadership generally involves the accumulation and exercise of power by one at the “top of the pyramid,” servant leadership is different. The servant-leader shares power, puts the needs of others first, and helps people develop and perform as highly as possible,” described from The Robert K. Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership website.

Examples of servant leadership in the corporate world

While most of us have had few and far between servant leaders in our work lives (if any), there are notable companies whose organizational leadership has cultivated servant leadership in their culture.

I first experienced servant leadership at the workplace while interning at Nordstrom. As a Nordstrom college intern, I saw the leadership team encouraging management to best support and empower sales and support employees so they could create a fantastic experience for their customers. Even as an intern, I had the autonomy to make judgment-based decisions.

Their operating philosophy is summarized in one-line, “Use good judgment in all situations.” I was also encouraged to share new ideas and try out different strategies to experiment and determine best practices for my work. Often, employees were recognized for their hard work and success with shout outs at team meetings, fun competitions, and perks. Read more about Nordstrom’s servant leadership culture.

You don’t have to be a company employee to recognize servant leadership in action. We can all think about companies that do their best to make customers happy and will make things right if they’re wrong.

Starbucks has built a servant leadership culture where they value employees first. They emphasize supporting subordinates via a culture of belonging, inclusion, and diversity to prioritize everyone’s growth in the company. Openness in the form of encouraging employees to communicate with superiors and ask questions and building relationships with colleagues is also engrained into the organizational culture.

Want to learn more about which companies prioritize servant leadership? Check out Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For, and you won’t be surprised that many organizations self-identify as companies that practice servant leadership. 

Qualities of a servant leader

I’ve been highlighting companies that practice servant leadership, but not just companies do this – individuals exercise servant leadership, too. Think back to your favorite manager and consider what made them your favorite supervisor. Did they practice transparency, humility, or empathy? What qualities did they exude that made them compelling to follow as a leader?

Below is a list of soft skills that effective servant leaders emanate:

Listening
Empathizing
Acting intentionally
Dedicating time for others
Empowering others
Removing obstacles
Serving others
Helping with humility
Interact with integrity
Persevering 

How enlightening would it feel to walk into work tomorrow and feel trusted, valued, and empowered by your boss/company to do your job? Similarly, how badass would it feel to start practicing these skills yourself and incorporating them into your own professional career? You can be a servant leader, too.

Bring servant leadership up at a team meeting or with a colleague. Have a discussion about what it means and what it could look like if intentionally implemented at your workplace or ideas for how to start incorporating it into your work life (I bet it wouldn’t hurt to practice these skills in your personal life, too!).

Remember, you don’t have to do everything to do something that makes a positive impact. Let us know what you decide to try out!

1. Goals

Why leave where you are right now? What do you want to gain from a move? Perhaps it’s a change of scenery, a better chance to land a dream job, or maybe it’s a way to test out being away from home. Whatever the reasons, make sure you’re clear on WHY you want to move so you’re able to manage your own expectations.

2. Your network

Who do you know in this city? If you know people in the city that you move to and leverage those relationships, then the transition could be much easier than if you move somewhere with no network at all.

If you don’t have a network, that’s okay! Just know that you’ll need to be vulnerable and put yourself out there to meet new friends and make professional connections. I found great luck with joining my neighborhood NextDoor site as well as city-specific Facebook groups.

You can also ask your current network for connections to people that they know who live in the city you’re wanting to move to, so you can pick their brains about what it’s like to live where they are from afar.

3. Career opportunities

We spend so much time working. You’ll want to ensure that the place you move to has ample opportunities in your field before making a final decision. One strategy that I’ve used in the past is to reach out to people who have a similar job title that I want (in the same field that I work in) on LinkedIn and ask for a 10-minute networking call/email to discuss the job market, networking groups to join, events to attend, etc.

4. The weather

Yes, I am soo serious about this one. What kind of weather do you prefer, and what’s the weather like in the place you’re eyeballing? This factor actually makes a HUGE impact if it’s not aligned with your preferences.

For example, I thought that living in Phoenix for a summer would be great. I imagined it being sunny nonstop, poolside all the time, and low-key desert vibes. What I got was overwhelming heat to the point where I could only enjoy being outside at night (I spent only two afternoons at the pool the entire summer!), and I didn’t enjoy the desert landscape at all. Everything was brown and seemed…. well, dead to me. However, one surprising pro of living in AZ for a summer was the sunsets. I have never seen a better sunset to this day (it wasn’t enough to make me want to live in Phoenix, though!).

5. Pleasurable activities

What activities light you up and feed your soul? It’s important to research if those things are commonplace in your potential new city or not. You’re not going to be hiking often in New York City (although I bet you WILL walk like 3x as much as any other place you’ve lived). Is there a vibrant food scene? Or at least some good options for the cuisine of your choice? Whatever activities that you enjoy doing, go on a research spree to see if they exist where you’re considering moving.

6. The cost of living

What are the different neighborhoods, and what’s the going rate for a rental or buying a home? How much does it cost to buy groceries, pay for gas/monthly transit pass, utilities, dog walking/boarding? Are there ample parking options or do you have to pay for monthly parking? How much are taxes? Many factors exist for this one –– check out BankRate to get a breakdown of the average costs of things for any city you want to learn more about.

7. The city’s vibes

What’s this place known for? Good live music, the land of endless career opportunities, its laidback culture? Know what you may be getting yourself into before you’re in it. I moved to NYC from Denver the year marijuana became legal, and I moved back to Denver this past spring. Being back and realizing that nowadays, it’s truly commonplace to smoke blew my mind. Honestly, I’m indifferent about it, but I know that others may have stronger opinions about it.

8. The pros and cons

Wherever you’re at now, you have a life and a routine that will undoubtedly be up-ended if you decide to move. Make a list of pros and cons for each place so you can compare your “current state of being” to your potential “future state of being”. This can highlight gaps/deficits that may be hard to see with the thrill of moving on your mind. 

9. The public school system

We’re at an age now where if you don’t have children yet, you might be closer to having them than not. If you think that one day you’ll have children, continue reading. Is there free Pre-K, all-day Kindergarten, school choice program, four or five-day school weeks, etc.? Knowing how the city’s public school system works may help you make decisions on neighborhoods to look into for housing and how to choose education options for your child(ren) or future ones. 

After considering these factors, I hope you gain some clarity on your choices and are able to make an informed decision on where you’ll be living in the near future.

Cheers to the next step!

I’ve begun to produce less waste when hosting gatherings, and I encourage you all to try these simple strategies to do so, too.

1. Use reusable dishware, glassware, and silverware

Don’t have enough of your own dinnerware? One way to build up an inventory is to purchase cheaply priced dinnerware items at thrift stores. I love the idea of having an eclectic collection of mismatched dinnerware for parties. If you’re looking for a good dinnerware option for children, bamboo is sturdy and biodegradable, too. I found sets on Amazon between $20-35. Getting a set of stainless steel straws is a sustainable option that makes drinking easy and helps to save the environment (read more about how plastic straws are polluting the oceans and killing marine life here).

Will you have more dishes to clean at the end of the event? Yes. However, the amount of trash that you will produce will be far less. Besides, some of your guests may even offer to wash and rinse the dishes or you can always ask them for help towards the end of the gathering.

One way that I prepare for having a lot of dishes to wash from a party is to make sure my dishwasher and dish rack are both empty before the event, so if I need to handwash it’s easy to do, or I can rinse the dirty dishes and put them in the dishwasher and run it right away.

2. Invest in cloth napkins and table linens

Instead of having throw away napkins and table covers, spend a little money on a set of cloth napkins, which you’ll be able to use over and over again. I ordered a 12-pack of linen napkins from Amazon for $13, and you could find some at a local store, too. If you need to cover a table(s), the same goes for table linens (I recommend getting a neutral color that can be used easily for different kinds of gatherings).

3. Use natural and sustainable decorations

Instead of balloons and plastic/paper party decorations, find some lovely, affordable bouquets of flowers to decorate your space with; Trader Joe’s has some great options. If you’d like more decorations than flowers, with a little time and effort, you could make your own sustainable decorations – see this blog post for DIY inspiration. Another idea is to focus on food as centerpieces. Here’s a creative post from Real Simple that offers a variety of ideas for centerpieces that you can create in 5 minutes.

4. Keep the food simple

Food is usually the main event at my parties, so I tend to overbuy and over make dishes and have a ton of leftovers, which usually creates a lot of waste. I’m learning to simplify menus and stick to more finger foods (fresh produce, bites of cheese, crackers, nuts, chocolate, or chopped veggies with dip) and 1-2 main dishes.

If you try any (or all!) of these tips, you’ll no doubt produce less waste at your party, but you’ll also set a good example for your guests. I encourage you to talk to your guests about what you’re doing, too! They may become inspired to do something similar the next time they host a gathering.

Cheers to less waste.

With that in mind, today I’m sharing 10 Instagram accounts that are business-focused in one way or another, and many of them have incredible resources to share from their businesses, too. If you’re looking for some serious business inspiration, get ready to go on a follow spree.

10 Instagram accounts to follow for serious business inspiration

1. @createcultivate

In need of a dose of colorful, girlboss high vibes? Check out Create & Cultivate’s feed. As an offline, in-person event producer, Create & Cultivate is all about connecting women both online and in real life to help them create and cultivate the career of their dreams. The conferences feature ultra influencers and celebrities that share their stories, offer advice, and what it means to them to be a modern woman in the working world. I personally have a goal to attend one of these events in the next 1-2 years.

2. @erinmayhenry

The ultimate personal branding goddess, Erin May Henry is one of my favorite business gals to follow on IG, because she has the BEST energy out there. Seriously, getting on my feed in the morning and seeing her stories (she’s Australian so her day begins hours before mine) and how excited she is to be doing the work that she loves to do and the advice she offers her tribe –– her energy is contagious. She’s the founder of @gamechangercompany and offers a variety of services to help entrepreneurs build their audiences and make money online. I actually prefer her IG stories and YouTube videos because seeing her through video is so much better than a static image with a caption, she’s that animated.

3. @girlsbuildingempires

As an avid quote lover and reader, the girls building empires feed is right up my alley. Their feed is a mix of more traditional themed pink, black, and white quotes in addition to these amazing illustrations that feature females with quotes on their clothes, cups, etc. Adore the high vibes they are creating. #girlpower 

4. @growyourbizng

While going through my own follow spree, I recently found Ifeanyi Julian Etuokwu-Oludumila, or #FabulousJulian, the brains behind @growyourbizng. As a marketing specialist, Julian shares actionable business tips, advice, offers, promotions, and #truthbombs that resonate with entrepreneurs everywhere. I love her cohesive feed and lively personality.

5. @jennakutcher

The ultimate online business powerhouse, Jenna Kutcher knows how to do online business through and through. She offers a variety of online courses –– all with a common goal of helping you be more successful in business. Jenna shares a variety of content on her IG, and I truly enjoy seeing her share both her professional and personal life on her account. She’s real, raw, and a great storyteller, too. The @goaldiggerpodcast is her podcast’s feed, which is also chalk full of business best practices, inspiring stories, and tips to help you rock your business.

6. @lifegoalsmag

If you’re as obsessed with becoming the best version of yourself as me, then you should definitely follow Life Goals Mag! A plethora of inspiration awaits you: self-care ideas, tips for living in the present, gorgeous quotes, links to latest LGM articles, and more. Shout out to LGM founder, @coleyln for this joy-inducing online space and community.

7. @mariahpcoz

I love it when someone has niched down and rocks at what they do, and Mariah Coz does that! She is an expert in launching courses, hosting webinars, and building evergreen funnels for business-related purposes and can talk shop about these topics all day. Her feed is all business related content, and I so appreciate how specific she gets within her content and how authentically herself she is. Mariah has a lot going on –– she hosts periodic masterclasses, runs an accelerator program, offers free trainings, and she hosts a podcast. 

8. @melyssa_griffin

A true OG online business entrepreneur, Melyssa Griffin has been in the online business game a longgg time. I’ve been following her for years and years (when her website was the Nectar Collective – now it’s her name), and her content is detailed, relevant, and most importantly, actionable. Her content is also varied. She has a ton of resources for blogging, using Pinterest for your business, how to build online courses, and so much more. From this list, I’ve been following her the longest and have gotten so much value from her expertise.

9. @samlaurabrown

If I lived in Australia, Sam and I would be good friends (so I tell myself). Sam is the creator of Smart Twenties, which has been rebranded to Sam Laura Brown (rebranding to your actual name is definitely a trend I’ve been seeing from bloggers who are evolving to build businesses). She is incredibly down to earth, shares the real struggles and doubts of running a business, dealing with Imposter Syndrome, tips for mastering your mindset, how to get the most out of reading personal development books (most helpful tips I’ve gotten from her!) and so much more. It has been a pleasure to watch her personal growth journey over the years, and she’s truly taking off in her business. So well deserved. 

Sidenote: we’re both obsessed with Brooke Castillo, Oprah, and plants – what more could I ask for in a friend?!

10. @theblogmarket

The Blog Market is a creative community for freelancers and bloggers, and it’s IG feed has a serene lifestyle vibe with business tips and tutorials spread throughout lovely lifestyle images. You won’t regret following this handle.

Alright, now it’s your turn. I want you to jump on Instagram, and do the following two things: 

1. Go through who you’re following and unfollow anyone who consistently makes you feel negative emotions when you see them pop up on your feed.
2. Click through the links above and follow the ladies who speak to your heart, the ones you believe will help you take yourself to the next level.

That’s all! Enjoy these resources, LGM fam.

PS: If you enjoyed this article, check out our other related ones below:

• 10 Best Instagram Accounts for Self-Care Inspiration
• 7 Instagram Accounts to Follow for High Vibe Inspiration
• 7 Authentic Women in Wellness to Follow ASAP on Instagram

It took me nearly three years into living in New York to create a small, intimate group of girlfriends – a few I worked with, others I drank with, some I met through shared interests and talked life goals, family dynamics, and the deep stuff with. The thought of having to re-do that entire process all over again made me sad, quite frankly. Couldn’t my friends move with me?! If only…

What I realized in those sad moments was that having people that I can spend quality time with, confide in, and depend on are some of the most comforting and enjoyable feelings in the world to me. So instead of letting the feelings of overwhelm and anxiety about moving and having to restart my friend circle from scratch take over, I decided to be proactive and take charge of my relationship-building. I’m a few months into my new life in Colorado, and I have to say, it has felt like a much easier time finding friends this time around.

Here are five tips that I did in order to start meeting new people and make friends in a new city:

Ask your friends, colleagues, and family members for connections

You never know who other people know until you ask them! When I announced that I was moving to my network, I also asked them for connections. I said something like, “Know anyone in Denver in the entrepreneurial community or someone who’s a local that would enjoy connecting with a transplant? Would love to be put in touch with them!” My neighbor actually put me in touch with her 70+ year old aunt, and my boyfriend and I went and enjoyed a lovely dinner with her and her husband within the first few weeks of moving. They even gave us a book all about things to do outdoors in Colorado! We’re still in touch, and it feels like I have a great aunt nearby, which is totally comforting.

Join Facebook and Meetup groups that spark your interest

You can join a bazillion online groups with the intent to meet people, but what I have found is that you have to find the groups that speak to who you are and your interests in order to engage and want to be a part of the community. Start slow by joining 1-2 online groups (bonus points if the groups have a different focus – will help you meet more people!) and have a goal to post or comment on other people’s posts once a week or once a day, and share who you are and your story there.

If you’re unfamiliar with Facebook groups, here’s how to find them:

Navigate to Facebook. On the side toolbar you’ll see an “explore” section. There, you’ll find a button named “groups”. Click on that button. Then you’ll see various categories like arts & entertainment, faith & spirituality, business, interests, etc. Make sure to type in your new city’s name when looking for online groups for meeting locals!

Interested in a personal growth Facebook group? Join The Life Goals Collective Facebook group.

Meetup has a feature where you can search for specific terms and also enter the city and how many miles from the city you’d like Meetup to search. I recently went to a clothing swap with the Meetup group I joined; about 10 other ladies came. We each brought a side dish/snack, and I got to know a few of the ladies pretty well in only 2.5 hours. I will definitely be staying engaged in that group!

Meet your neighbors

I can’t tell you how many times I have been saved from going to the store for one missing ingredient and invited over to grill because I took the initiative to walk over, knock on the door, and introduce myself to my neighbors. It can be as simple as, “Hi, my name is _____, and I’m new in the building/neighborhood. I thought I’d come over and say hello. What’s your name?” and have a brief conversation with them, ask how long have they lived there, what nearby restaurants do they enjoy, what are their hobbies? Taking five minutes to chat can truly build a lot of “neighbor equity”, I like to call it.

Another useful online resource for getting to know your neighborhood and potentially meeting neighbors is NextDoor. I once found a workout buddy through a posting on there, and recently, I went to a monthly potluck dinner get together for ladies in my neighborhood, and I met two of the funniest girls that I now hang out with on the regular.

Volunteer

Give back and meet people, too? Yes! Determine a cause that you’d like to volunteer for –– animal welfare, women and children’s rights, the environment –– whatever piques your interest. VolunteerMatch is a fantastic resource for finding volunteer opportunities in your community based off of a variety of causes. If you volunteer regularly, chances are you’ll meet other volunteers who have similar interests as you who may end up being a part of your tribe in your new city. Also, who doesn’t feel good after giving some of your time to make a positive impact in your community?!

Stick to a consistent routine

This last one might seem a bit different than the others, but hear me out. When you’re in a new place, your entire routine gets thrown off because you have to start over. A 2011 study led by psychologist Harry Reis, PhD, at the University of Rochester, found that familiarity breeds attraction. By sticking to a routine like going to the gym at the same time, regularly visiting a local coffee shop can turn strangers into friends (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2011).

All of these tips have one thing in common – YOU are in control. These aren’t all or nothing tips – try one tip at a time and see how it works out for you. You’ll find your tribe in no time and all the stress and worry about meeting new friends will be a distant memory.

Have other tips for meeting friends in a new city? Share with us below!

For those of you not familiar with the concept, I found this article quite helpful with understanding what it means to live a high vibe life.

The gist is this: scientifically, everything is energy that vibrates at a certain frequency, and higher energies vibrate at higher frequencies, while lower energies vibrate at lower frequencies. When you’re living your life at its fullest potential, you’re more aligned with all the good in the world, and that’s when you’re living a high vibe life! Pretty simple to follow, right?

Of course, you can’t be high vibes all the time because L I F E happens, and we are imperfect humans. The intention, though, for living a high vibe life is that you understand that regardless of your problems, stressors, insecurities, etc., you realize how to have those discomforts without letting them eat you up entirely, and you continue to focus on the GOOD.

Learning all about high vibes was quite refreshing for me, so I’ve rounded up a handful of Instagram accounts that exemplify this idea and hope it does the same for you.

@lavendaire

Aileen Xu exudes light, positivity, and the pursuit of happiness. She was the first person I found online who exemplified so much of what I wanted to have in my own life; she’s a true artist who is crafting her ideal life is a very intentional way.

@spiritualgangster

This is actually a clothing brand for yogis who’s IG feed is filled with nature, affirmations, body movement, and so much more. Seeing this feed makes me want to get out and MOVE in nature.

@kimberleywenya

I recently found this account, and Kimberley is a force to follow! She is a manifestation and mindset coach from Australia who is obsessed with creating a “luxe life”, as she calls it. Lots of travel, mindset tips, and inspirational words throughout her feed.

@manifestationbabe

Kathrin Zenkina has figured it out. She is a self-made millionaire that teaches manifestation through online courses. Have just completed one of her free 5-day challenges, I can vouch that she has stellar content and is always working to help others change their lives through their mindsets. Highly recommend checking her out!

@thechampagnediet

Do you enjoy seeing others’ daily intentions, mantras, and routines? What about pops of self-care indulgences? Cara Alwill Leyba is your gal, then. She is also an author of a variety of empowering books. One of her books, Style Your Mind has a workbook-like layout, and she walks you through a variety of mindset exercises that are so helpful to sit and ponder and eventually figure out what it is you actually WANT in your life.

@shutthekaleup

Real food, lots of fitness videos and tips, and raw mom-life are all rolled into Jeannette Ogden’s IG feed. She shares a lot about food hauls, what her family eats, supplements, her gratitude for the life she lives – she’s someone who is so genuine and puts a smile on my face when she pops up on my feed.

@samlaurabrown

Sam is one of my favorite people on the internet. She is so relatable, I appreciate her vulnerability and “figure it out along the way” attitude. She’s a constant work-in-progress (aren’t we all?!), and shares often about her entrepreneurship journey through her IG, blog, and podcast. Lately, she’s been highlighting mastering your mindset in a variety of ways, and I’ve been learning so much. She also has a great way of engaging with books that she reads (lots of personal development and business recs) – a process that I have adopted and truly benefited loads from.

At the end of the day, living a high-vibe life is working towards living your life at its fullest potential. With that in mind, a high-vibe life and manifestation go hand-in-hand. Check out these Life Goals articles to read more on that:

• How to craft your own desire statement
• How to reinvent yourself for a massive life transformation
• How to start manifesting your dream life

If you take a look at who I follow on Instagram, you’ll find even more high vibe accounts for extra inspiration. I could seriously go on and on, but I’ll stop here. If you have other high vibe feeds that you’d like us to know about, share in the comments below.