Tip: Write a personal manifesto

Speaking of balance, it can be so easy to get stressed these days, can’t it? Sometimes, it seems like all you have to do is breathe and all that crazy stress just fills your lungs. Appointments, obligations, family, work, those never-ending to-do lists, even a headache that’s been nagging me for the last couple of days — they all compete for our attention.

I’m always on the hunt for ways to dial back the stress, even if it’s only a little (every little bit helps, right?), and sometimes, I’ve found, just writing things down…just…gets…it…off…my…chest.

Enter: The manifesto.

Think of it as a playbook or a road map for your journey ahead. What do you want to accomplish? What steps do you have to take to get there? What’s your action plan going to be? They can even be little rules that you want to follow to enrich your life. 99U, the Web hub that helps you makes your ideas a reality, perfectly explains the power of manifestos…

“Manifestos are a powerful catalyst. By publicly stating your views and intentions, you create a pact for taking action. If you want to change the world, even in just a small way, creating a personal or business manifesto is a great place to start. Needless to say, developing a set of principles that you believe in and constantly strive to stand by is an invaluable tool.”

The article also lists the personal manifestos of some famous — and successful! — folks, like Frank Lloyd Wright (“An honest ego in a healthy body“), Seth Godin (“The greatest bloggers blog for their readers, not for themselves“), Leo Tolstoy (“Get up early — five o’clock“) and Apple (“We have the self-honesty to admit when we’re wrong and the courage to change“).

I’m a big fan of outlining. Whether you’re thinking of changing careers, moving to a new city or merely trying to add more vegetables to your diet, articulating your vision and ideas is a solid first step. A few things on my personal manifesto…

*Give your heart in all you do. It could make all the difference in the world.
*People want to help. Let them in.
*Trust your instinct and stick to your guns.
*Develop a routine and make sure you follow it.
*Family comes first, no matter what.
*Don’t be afraid to blog exactly how you’re feeling. Honesty and vulnerability is a beautiful thing.
*Sing like nobody’s listening and fangirl to your heart’s content.
*Smile like it could move mountains.
*Be the friend you’d like to have.
*Kindness is a gift. Give it often.

So, friends, have you ever written a personal manifesto? What are some things you’d include on your list? Have your goals/ideas changed over the years? Do you think they’ll change in the future? I’d love to hear what’s on your manifesto now, so be sure to share in the comments! Let’s inspire each other, shall we? xoxo

[Photos via We Heart It]

A tip for remembering names

It’s happened to us all at some point: You run into someone who’s ecstatic see you. They instantly recognize you and begin talking a mile a minute about that one time when that one thing happened. And all the while, you can’t think of their name, let alone that great thing that apparently happened. Their name…

It’s…

On…

The…

Tip…

Of…

Your…

Tongue…

It can be frustrating, I know. On more than one occasion, I’ve been out and about shopping and someone will come up to me and say, “Oh, hi, Melissa! It’s so good to see you! I was the nurse in the hospital when you were born.”

I won’t pretend that my face didn’t turn a shade of red brighter than my wheelchair in these instances. Eventually, I have to awkwardly ask for their name. I can’t help but feel a bit defeated and a bit embarrassed at my lapse in memory. I can remember what I did May 1997, but names? They sometimes elude me for some inexplicable reason.

But! As it turns out, there are helpful name-remembering tricks out there. Malia Wollan wrote a short piece for last weekend’s New York Times magazine. She interviewed Indira Pun, who has worked as chief concierge at the Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong for the last 11 years.

“Your brain needs to be like a camera,” Pun says. “Take a picture in your mind of a unique thing about that person and register that uniqueness with their name. Use the name two or three times during the first interaction.”

How cool is that? Such a handy trick, and I’ll definitely be trying it out the next time I want to remember someone’s name and avoid that red-faced embarrassment. What about you, friends? How do you remember people’s names? Any helpful tips or tricks that have worked in the past? Do share! xoxo

[Photos via We Heart It]

How much time do you spend on your phone?

Just a few short years ago, phones had a very specific and distinct role in our lives. You picked up the phone to call someone — maybe you were calling in sick to work or calling your wise mother for some sage advice — or, you picked up the phone to answer it.

That was basically all you could do, thanks to Alexander Graham Bell’s good old invention.

But now, you can practically live your entire life on your phone. You can order groceries, set up appointments, keep up-to-date on social media, binge-watch your favorite TV show and surf the Web to your heart’s content — or rather, until your battery runs out.

Sometimes, I can’t help but think the term “smartphone” is a misnomer. Walk down the street and chances are, you’ll see most people walking with their heads down, eyes glued to those little screens. Remember when I talked about my smartphone addiction a couple years ago? Well, something tells me there’s one person who might need to read that post again: My mother. She got an iPhone a few years ago (I’m still a loyal Android lover…), and since then, she become worse than her 7th grade students. She’s on that phone…all…the…time.

A typical conversation in our house, albeit, a mostly one-sided one…

“Are you listening?” I’ll ask her, my frustration level building by the second. “I’m going to throw that thing out the window…!!!!”

I fully confess that I’ve also become one of those people, though rest assured that I don’t go on my phone while I’m driving my wheelchair. But I do find it hard to resist the allure of my phone, especially when it glows all shiny and bright to tell me I’ve got email or a new text waiting for me. Ever since I became a full-fledged, smartphone-carrying person of the future, I’ve been astonished at just how quickly those “little moments” can add up to huge time sucks. Five minutes checking celebrity news while waiting in line at Target. Twenty minutes scrolling through Facebook and Instagram while lying in bed on a Saturday morning. Ten minutes answering emails — OK, sometimes while I’m simultaneously brushing my teeth. But in my defense, the email was really, really important… ;)

Thankfully, though, two apps have come to the rescue (Are you reading this, Mom…?). Moments tracks the number of minutes you’ve been on your phone, while Checky shows you how many times per day you’ve checked your phone.

So, does this mean that there’s hope after all, friends? I’d like to think so! Have you ever used these apps? Have they worked? Got any other tips for kicking your smartphone addiction? And, be honest now…how much time do YOU spend on your phone? xoxo

[I Forgot My Phone video via NPR, illustration by Anna Sudit]

Tip: Give someone a hug today!

Picture this: You’ve just had the absolute worst day imaginable. Everything went wrong, and despite trying to look on the bright side of things, you just can’t seem to shake those black clouds that keep following you around.

And then you talk with a loved one — your dad, best friend, boyfriend — and they wrap their arms around you.

A giant hug. It’s just what you needed.

It turns out (not surprisingly) that there’s more than just love going on here. Yes, science is hard at work, and you can thank it for lifting your once-gloomy mood. New research recently published in the journal Psychological Science even shows that a simple hug can boost your immunity. Lead researcher Dr. Sheldon Cohen studied 400 adults, who were monitored for interpersonal conflict and the number of hugs they received. They were also exposed to the common cold virus and were monitored for signs of infection. The results? The frequency of hugs significantly reduced the risk of infection. The findings, Cohen concluded, point to the sheer power of hugs…

“This suggests that being hugged by a trusted person may act as an effective means of conveying support and that increasing the frequency of hugs might be an effective means of reducing the deleterious effects of stress. The apparent protective effect of hugs may be attributable to the physical contact itself or to hugging being a behavioral indicator of support and intimacy. Either way, those who receive more hugs are somewhat more protected from infection.”

I couldn’t agree more! You all know I’m a pretty big hugger. I always have been. I love the immediacy of an embrace. The connectedness of touch. It’s something that can seemingly feel like such a small gesture, but in the long run, the benefits are overwhelming.

When was the last time you hugged someone? When was the last time someone hugged you? Did it bring you comfort? GO ahead and hug someone today, and never let anyone tell you that hugs don’t matter. You never know — you just might be turning someone’s day around. *HUGS* to you, friends! xoxo

[Photos via We Heart It]

Tip: 6 upsides to six more weeks of winter

Well, it looks like the mighty groundhog has spoken! Punxsutawney Phil, everyone’s favorite furry weatherman, saw his shadow this morning, predicting six more weeks of winter. I’m not sure if I have it in me to withstand six more weeks of cold temps and wind chills that make your eyelashes turn to icicles, but we can do it, friends! If for no other reason than to honor Phil. Because he would want us to enjoy these final weeks of winter, wouldn’t he??? I mean, just look at that face! With that in mind, here are six upsides to six more weeks of winter…

1. More nights to enjoy warm chili and Netflix: We made some delicious chili last night and binge-watched all sorts of show. And guess what? It was pure heaven!

2. You can still get away with wearing layers and layers: Here’s to perfecting the sweater weather look! With six more weeks of winter, you should be able to get it down to a science. Plus, you don’t have to trudge down to the basement and get look for your spring clothes yet. Save that stress for later!

3. You can still hope for snow days: Even though it may be years since you’ve been in a classroom, the possibility of a snow day is still magical. And if you happen to have one? Well, they can be such a welcomed little surprise!

4. The chance to play around with classic winter beauty looks: If you ask me, those rosy cheeks and red lips never, ever get old.

5. There’s still time to soak up the beautiful scenery: Snow can be a big pain, yes, but there’s a certain beauty to it, especially as it’s falling down with an almost mesmerizing rhythm. So grab some hot chocolate, sit back and enjoy!

6. You’ve got an excuse to finally take that weekend getaway: If you’re not a fan of winter, what better time to take a little weekend trip to a warmer locale? Or, if you loooove all things snow, the slopes might just be calling your name!

And! A bonus: In honor of Groundhog Day, AMC is showing — you guessed it! — Groundhog Day all day! It’s Bill Murray at his finest as a cynical weatherman forced to relive this most pivotal of days over and over again!

How do you feel about Phil’s prediction, friends? Do you believe it? How is winter going in your neck of the woods? What’s been your favorite winter activity so far this season? Any survival tips and tricks you’d like to share? xoxo