Living Simply October Challenge: Day 28 Pulling it all together

     The whole point of this month's challenges is to help you get prepared before you're in the midst of the holiday season, all stressed out, busy with no time left for what's really most important to you. Today's challenge is to begin to really pull it all together this weekend.

1.  Wrapping gifts - we've talked about scheduling several times this month, now it's time to put things on the calendar. Schedule what day you'll wrap your gifts that you are giving.

2.  Shipping - schedule the day to ship anything you're mailing far away, don't wait til the last minute because it costs SO much extra to rush it later, and usually you have to agree that shipping will take longer than usual when paying for those services.

3.  DIY Day - schedule a day or weekend when you'll be making the homemade gifts. There's a post on here about DIY gift ideas, the Day 3 challenge.



4.  Baking - are you planning on baking cookies, bars, pies, etc? Did you know you can make them ahead of time and freeze them until the holidays are here? Pick a day or two for getting all your baking done in one or two shots so you aren't stuck in the kitchen at the last minute.

5.  Meals - plan your holiday meals that you'll be responsible for, whether you're cooking it all, or just making a few things to bring to somewhere else. Include parties, events, and other things that you plan on bringing food. List out all the ingredients on a separate list from your grocery list. Then, bring it with you (or keep it in your wallet so you don't forget it), and whenever you're in the store, take advantage of sale items as they come up. Most people buy ALL their meal ingredients in one week, overspending by hundreds of dollars unnecessarily.  By buying a little at a time at the best prices, it's going to save you lots of money as well as prevent you from having an overwhelming shopping trip. Don't forget to schedule what day you'll be doing the actual cooking too.

6.  Laundry - don't forget to plan a time to wash all the table cloths and napkins, (and iron them if you need to), the guest room linens, pillowcases for the extra pillows for guests, and anything else you normally need for the holidays.

7.  Floors - if you're someone who likes to have the carpets professionally cleaned, or your upholstery cleaned before the holidays, schedule it now, or as soon as the company lets you put a date in the books. The longer you wait, the busier they'll be and you may end up with a very inconvenient scheduling. If you're going to steam clean any grout or tile, or treat your wood floors, plan a time to do it now.

     By having all these things done early, you can get through the holidays with less stress, making more time to intentionally spend with those you care about most. So grab your calendar and start planning.

Living Simply October Challenge: Day 27 Apologies

     I'm sorry to all my readers. Yesterday got away from me before I knew it and I missed posting. I normally try to post early in the morning if I'll be away from my desk all day, but I got caught up in homework for my classes, ran errands, and by the time I got home, I forgot I hadn't already posted.

     As a way to give back and add value for yesterday's missed post, here are a few links to some minimalist and living simply sites that you may enjoy this weekend. I will post today's challenge next.

The Minimalists

Joshua Becker

Leo Babauta

Living Simply October Challenge: Day 26 One Another

     The holiday season is supposed to be a time when we think of others, we're kind to one another. So what does that look like? Today we'll talk about ways to be kind to one another and today's challenge is to start TODAY. Make a real effort to make others' day a little brighter.

1.  Perspective - Just as you see things from your own point of view, through the lens of your own experiences, understand that others have their own points of view and experiences as well. When there's some type of misunderstanding, tense communication, or argument, remember to stop first, understand their perspective, then proceed in a way that can mutually benefit both of you.

2.  Affirmation - People often don't get the recognition they deserve. Sure the top sales guy gets his face framed on a wall, or the boss gets special parking, but what about the average person? What about the single Mom working to support her family on her own? What about the student struggling to maintain good grades while trying to work a job at the same time? What about the neighbor that does nice things for people yet never gets recognition for it? How about your family member or friend that's always there for people but gets forgotten by others who are "too busy" to reciprocate? Take time today to say Thank You to those people. It doesn't cost you anything and it'll make their day.

3.  Compliment - Find a reason to genuinely compliment someone today - even a stranger. It takes nothing to walk by a woman and say, "Nice dress" or to walk by a guy at work or on his job and say, "Great job" or even just, "Thanks for your help."

4.  Help - Every day you pass by people that need help. It may be someone down on their luck who needs a meal or water bottle, an acquaintance moving this weekend who needs an extra set of hands, a person with hands full that could use help opening a door, it's the little unexpected nice surprises that make people's day.

5.  Serve - How can you serve someone today? Can you bring a cup of coffee or a meal to someone you live with? Bring soup to someone who's sick? Take notes or share yours for the student who missed class? Volunteer somewhere? Fill a need when you see it? Most of these involve help that's free - all it takes is willingness to be kind, and maybe a little time.

Find a way today to be kind to one another - I challenge you.

Living Simply October Challenge: Day 25 Ready to launch?

     With the end of the month coming quickly, we're about to kickoff the holiday season - and in many stores, it's already in high gear. Today's challenge is to really get started on what needs to happen before you get attacked by the fast-paced holiday season.

1.  Plan your budget. We've spent all month talking about what you want and need, as well as what you don't want or need to do or have anymore. You should have an idea what things you want to eat, cook, wear, buy, decorate, and all those things you don't. Today, figure out a realistic budget for this season now that you've eliminated the unnecessary.

2.  Make a gift list - your budget should be broken down into who you will/don't have to buy for this year. Now you can put some gift ideas on a list next to people's names so you don't succumb to advertising and sales gimmicks on the spur of the moment. You'll be better off entering specific places, with a specific idea in mind, for a specific person or reason. It will help you from overspending if you stick to your list.

3.  List the things you want to include this year to make it more meaningful - and don't forget to drop those customs or activities that may have become habits, but you realize now they aren't bringing value nor joy to your life. Prioritize.

4.  Simplify. Simplify your cooking and menu plan, your gift list, your decorations, your schedule, your obligations, just simplify. Again, it's about prioritizing.

5.  Last, take a minute and think about YOU. If someone asks you what you want for the holidays, be ready with a real answer, or else you'll just end up cluttering up your space again with unwanted trinkets. Is there a new movie or book that came out recently? Do you enjoy gift cards for certain places - movie theaters? favorite restaurants? places you shop when you need things for your wardrobe or home? Is there an event you'd love tickets to? Do you need something for school, work, or traveling? Really think about it.

Hopefully, when November gets here, you'll be ready, less overwhelmed, and more at peace than previous years. Good luck.

Living Simply October Challenge: Day 24 Menu Planning

     I've had a few requests for healthy meals to add to a weekly menu planner. We've talked about healthy eating and starting to add in a few healthy meals here and there before the holidays are here.

     Today I challenge you to choose one (or more) of these simple, quick, inexpensive, healthy meals to plan into this week. Feel free to make healthy substitutions based on your own needs, like gluten-free or dairy-free options, or adding chicken if you don't eat shrimp.

1.  Lettuce wrapped turkey tacos - just brown some ground turkey (instead of beef), add just a dash of salt, pepper, paprika, cumin, onion powder or onion salt. Add the turkey crumbles into lettuce leaves, top with a little shredded cheese (pepper jack works great), and chopped tomatoes or some salsa. Only takes a few minutes.

2.  Shredded BBQ chicken sandwich wrap - buy an already cooked rotisserie chicken. Shred the meat from the breast with 2 forks (google it if you don't know what I mean). Add a little BBQ sauce and either serve it on a low-carb wrap, tortilla, healthy bun, or even top a salad with it. You'll be able to have the legs, thighs, wings, etc. for another meal too, and it's already cooked - or chop remaining chicken and make a chicken salad with reduced fat mayo, celery, and whatever else you like.

3.  Salad that tastes like a Big Mac - This is actually a recipe from the Trim Healthy Mama plan/cookbook, so instead of reprinting it, which would be wrong, I'll sum it up. Brown some extra lean ground beef with some diced onion mixed in. Use it to top shredded lettuce and chopped tomatoes (like a salad). Add some shredded cheddar cheese. Top with Thousand Island Dressing (lite is preferable, or make your own with lite mayo, ketchup & relish). Add one piece of healthy bread that's been cubed if you want, although I like it without the bread.

4.  Try an open faced tuna (with light mayo) sandwich, under the broiler, with a slice of tomato on top, then cover with one slice of cheese. Just be careful to watch it closely so the cheese doesn't burn.

5.  Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup - One quart box of chicken broth, add a can of chunk chicken (fresh is better if you already have it), add about a cup of pico de gallo (easier to buy it already made at the grocery store in the produce section and it's pretty cheap), warm it all up in a pot. When you serve it, add a spoon of sour cream, or shredded cheese. It's got so few calories and fat you can add a handful of either tortilla strips or fritos. Easy. Cheap. Quick.

6.  Parfait - An easy, quick breakfast is to take a cup, add some fresh berries or a sliced banana, then add an Oikos Triple Zero Greek Yogurt (sweetened with Stevia, not sugar), top with either more fruit or lowfat granola.

7.  Healthy snacks under 100 calories - 1/2 a small melon, 1 cup of berries, 2 cups of popped popcorn, 1 sweet potato, 30 grapes, 1 small banana or 1/2 a large one, 14 almonds, 1 apple, 1 Tbs. peanut butter (which you can spread on celery that has no real calories), 1 hard boiled egg (add to a salad of just lettuce, tomato and cucumber and top with 1 Tbs olive oil and 1 Tbs of balsamic vinegar).

Living Simply October Challenge: Day 23 Make Room

   
Today's challenge to help your holiday season more meaningful, more simple, more intentional, is to MAKE ROOM:

1.  Make room in your home - be sure to get some decluttering, throwing away, giving away, and donating done before November 1st. Get rid of the things that don't bring you value, that are no longer necessary nor relevant in your home. This will make room for whatever you do get during the holidays.

2.  Make room with your digital life - eliminate the unnecessary apps from your phone, bookmarks from your computer, label those repetitive unwanted ads from your email account, reduce notifications you don't need, unfollow (I didn't say you had to "unfriend" or "block") people in your social media accounts. Stop your phone, tablet and computer from constantly demanding your attention. Reduce that pressure so that you're only alerted by people and places you WANT to see.

3.  Make room in your schedule - block out time for yourself, important relationships, working on things you want to do (like DIY projects, homemade gifts you'll give this year, etc). Schedule times to rest and recharge.

4. Make room for your health. Don't spend the next 10 weeks dragging through the day with little sleep and tons of anxiety. Make room for stretching, yoga, dancing, meditation, walking, working out, whatever you enjoy doing to be more fit.

5.  Make room in your menu. Take the time to add a few more healthy home-cooked meals, a few healthier choices in your snack items, drinking more water, even if it has to be something quick and frozen, you can make a few better choices each week that will be helping you get healthier, and worst-case scenario, it'll be a few less unhealthy choices you'll be taking in each week, so at least you aren't damaging your health as much as you normally would be.

     Taking time to make room today will pay off many times over during these next 10 weeks or so. Be prepared, make the time you need happen. Focus on living an intentional life - not one dictated by everyone else. You are not responsible to live up to the whims of everyone around you. Choose how, where, and when you spend your one and only life. Make some room for what's important today.

Living Simply October Challenge: Day 22 Weekly Planning

     For the last three weeks, we've talked about things you can do, baby step challenges, to make the holiday season easier this year - to help you live a more simple, intentional life. Now today's challenge is going to get you to put a few of these things into practice!

     Take out (or print out) a planner and actually schedule some of the things we've covered here. Add in a relationship-boosting meet up with someone you care about, a little exercise, even if it's just a little walk one morning or evening. Schedule a half hour of cleaning twice this week. Plan a block of time to rest and recharge yourself, to get re-centered. Plan a time to set up a few simple decorations. Plan to shop for and cook at least one healthier meal at home this week. Begin a list for your holiday shopping so you aren't taken in by superficial junk that's advertised. Take time today to plan this week so you're living intentionally, yet simply. Have fun with it.