How to stay motivated and be a total girl boss

Hey guys! Today was one of my days off and I've realized, even on my days off, I'm always wanting to do something with my time. I know how to relax and I can certainly sit in front of my T.V. and binge watch a show, don't get me wrong, but only to a certain extent, and then I just feel like I need to get up and be productive. I basically just always feel like I need to be doing something. So, with that being said, I've thought of some important tips for anyone who is feeling stuck in a rut and wants to feel more motivated and productive. Of course, some of these are easier said than done, but for the most part, even the littlest of things can really help you change your mindset into a girl who knows how to get things done. Hopefully these tips can help you to channel into your inner girl boss!

• Get up early and make your bed. Okay, the 'making your bed' thing is really important to me. I just feel so "put together" when my bed is made. It really sets you up for the day, plus you can't crawl back into bed if it's been made. I try to wake up between 8am-9am because I feel like this is the ideal time (for me) to get enough beauty sleep while still having my whole day ahead of me. Mornings are just so happy to me, just that peaceful, quiet morning sun glow gets me in my feels. (Honestly sometimes I kinda feel like Snow White in the mornings bursting through my bedroom door and opening the french doors to my patio and breathing in that morning dewy air as if birds are going to fly in circles around me. Okay, that sounds dramatic, but it's kinda true haha).

• Make some coffee and eat a healthy breakfast. Breakfast is probably my favorite food of the day. I don't always eat it when I'm working in the early mornings though, but on my days off I always make breakfast for myself and Alex. Of course the coffee thing totally depends on if you even like coffee, but for me, coffee is an essential way to start my days productively. Some easy meals I make in the mornings are:
• Scrambled eggs mixed with spinach and shredded cheese.
• Vanilla greek yogurt with blueberries/strawberries, almond granola, and dark chocolate chips.
• Or just over-easy eggs, with sausage links, and raisin-cinnamon toast (with strawberry jam or just butter).

• Work-out, even if it's for 15 minutes. I am so bad with this one honestly, but you will just feel so much more motivated if you work-out, even for 15 minutes. You don't even have to go to the gym, just grab a yoga mat and follow some YouTube videos. You can look up anything, "morning work-out routines", "ab workouts", "easy at-home work outs". They have it all, and it's free and you don't have to drive anywhere.
• My current favorite Youtuber for at home workouts is Chloe Ting.

• Find a new hobby! If you're feeling uninspired and not motivated what-so-ever, maybe it's time to find a new hobby. This is kind of what I did with blogging. I've never wanted to start a blog before, but in the past year or two, watching vlogs and reading other people's blogs, something just clicked in my head and I was like, "ya know, I can do this, I might be really good at it, and I might really enjoy it". And I have loved it so far! About two months ago, now that I'm comfortable at my job and I've graduated college, I've kinda been itching to do something else with my time. I feel like I need to put something else out into the world. Like something was missing. If you're feeling that way, you should try taking up a new hobby too! It can be anything from playing a new instrument, trying trial yoga classes, buying and tending to some plants, baking, anything at all. I was actually just talking to my best friend on the phone today, who lives in another state, and she told me how she started a 2 week trial yoga class. I was thinking of doing that for a while but wasn't sure if I could get another friend on the same schedule, but my best friend told me she has just been going by herself. So don't feel bad if you're venturing out of your comfort zone to start a new hobby on your own. Just do it!

• Change your atmosphere. If you're just feeling stuck and can't seem to move forward with where you want to be, maybe think about changing your atmosphere and surroundings. This can be changing your home decor, living situation, taking a 10 minute walk with or without your earphones, or going down to a cute new coffee shop and reading a book. Maybe a new idea will spark up or you'll just find your inner boss girl and she'll be unleashed and you'll be so so motivated like never before. 

• Do some spring cleaning around your home. There isn't a better productive activity then vacuuming your home, wiping the counters, or mopping the floors, and then setting a candle. I mean, did you even clean if you don't set a candle afterwards? I don't know why this is a thing but it definitely is. It's important to prep your space, especially the space you live in. Because if you live in a messy environment, how are you ever going to get anything done?

• Plan a trip or fun activity for after important due dates. Always have something to look forward to! I feel like doing this helps motivate me because I'm like "Okay, I have this fun day planned or a trip in a few months, so in order for me to feel like I actual deserve this, I gotta get on my grind". I guess it's like having a reward set for you in advance, so if there's something important you have to get done, like an exam or that dreadful 20 page capstone paper, there's something at the end of that tunnel waiting for you as your reward for a good job done. If you don't have the funds for an actual trip, just plan a fun day out with something you've always wanted to try out or maybe something you love to do. But I really feel like it just makes you feel so much better if you have something to look forward to. Even if it's something planned months from now. The anticipation leading up to the trip or event always gives me something to feel good about (not to mention the planning and new clothes that you may buy ahead of time in preparation for the trip that just brings more excitement).

• Practice self-care. If you take care of your mind and your body,  you'll have a more positive mindset. And by just having a more positive mindset, it'll help you stay motivated and productive. Give yourself a manicure at home, put on a face mask, get into comfy clothes, whatever you gotta do, do it.

• Journaling and reading. Try to make a routine out of this. For journaling, you don't need to spend that much time on it, but maybe just take 10 minutes out of your day, before bed or as soon as you wake up. Write down things you want to get better at, or how to be a better friend, how to be more compassionate to others, favorite words, or just create a "to do" list of what you want to get done for the day. Reading is also very important. I mean, it's a big part of me, but I personally think everyone should take some time to read. It doesn't have to be every day, but I think it's good to always have a book available to you. Not that I need it, but I know for some people it's a good way to relax and fall asleep before bed. It could just be one chapter, it doesn't have to be much. Finding a good novel and getting that "I-can't-put-this-book-down" feeling, is the best.

• Plan your goals and write them down! You can know what your goals are and keep them in mind, but there's definitely something different when you take the time to write them down. When you see them mapped out and can even say "Okay I would love to have this done by this time period" and then it actually gets done, it's just so empowering. But at the same time, don't create too strict of time limits. Things happen and we're human, we can't expect to exceed all of our expectations. If you can't get something down in the time you want, don't feel bad about it. Instead of saying "I want this done on this specific date" instead, tell yourself  "It would be wonderful to get this done around this time period". Down below I linked a "Goal planning" worksheet I've actually used with clients in a past internship before I graduated. They loved it and I loved doing it with them. It's amazing how feeling motivated can really boost your self-esteem and it's even more amazing to realize how much you can actually get done when you set your mind to it. Just click on the picture and it'll take you to the website where you can download and print it for free!

• Watch vlogs, read blogs, or listen to podcasts of others who inspire you to channel you inner girl boss! I honestly haven't gone super deep into the YouTube world and I'm sure there are some great people out there I don't know about, but one of my favorite vloggers who motivate me is Kristin Johns. She is just the sweetest person I have never met in my life, to be honest. Also, I love Danielle Carolan. She's a total "girl boss" and such a young, independent, and motivational gal. I love her (not just because she's from Tampa either). She's also got a podcast called "Gals on the Go" you should check out. I also am in love with the podcast, "What We Said" (my personal favorite) Two girls who have been best friends since high school, Chelsea and Jaci, are hilarious, fun and super sarcastic together and their energy just flows perfectly. They have guest speakers on at times who may talk about health/nutrition, creating an audience, mental health, and sometimes they have funny podcasts about "embarrassing moments" or "family traditions".  They also both have Youtube channels that I like watching. I honestly think a lot of my "new-found motivation", if you'd like to call it, has come from listening to others who are independent, go-getters and seeing or hearing how they live. 
• Some other good podcasts are: The Morning Toast, Girls Gotta Eat, Okay Sis, RISE podcast, Recovering from Reality (this is an AMAZING podcast for people who have struggled with addiction/mental health), and Pretty Basic.

• Change your attitude and practice mindfulness! I think I'll end up doing another whole blog post on "mindfulness", so I won't go into it too much. But really just look into if you don't know too much about it. Even just type it into YouTube and you can listen to some really awesome people talk about the concept of mindfulness. It's just so important and I think having a positive mindset of "the glass if half full" is so so important. 
• Here's a great book to practice mindfulness! (Not that you even need books to do so, but it can definitely help motivate you.)
  
  
  

All of you are amazing and can do amazing things! I'm a firm believer in, if you want something enough, and work towards that something, and actually envision it, you can achieve whatever it is you want. The little things are more important than you think and you all have this one life to live, so live it to the fullest.

Oh yeah and here's a picture of how the end of my afternoon went. I was jotting down ideas for this blog post and decided a change in atmosphere was in order. Being outside sometimes makes me feel more productive.

Well, that's it for today's blog! Have an amazing day everyone,

- Lots of love, Sammi

How to plan vacations on a budget

Hello hello lovely people! I know I said I was going to post a few days ago but with working 10-12 hour shifts.. I needed my beauty sleep. But now I'm off for three days, and I am sooo ready.
Today I want to talk about how I plan my vacations and give you my own guide on how to go about planning the best vacations ever (on a budget, cause ya know ya girl is on one). I love to travel and I'm a big planner so I thought this might give some of you some good ideas. My last vacation was this past December to North Carolina in Banner Elk, and one of the most memorable vacations I've ever had. It was just perfect. But mainly perfect because of my oh so strategic planning. So without further a do, here ya go:

• Decide on where you want to go. If you know where you want to go and you're totally set on it, then awesome! This won't be hard. But for most, you're probably deciding on a couple different places cause I mean, there is just so much in this world we all want to see. And if money is an issue, which for most of us it most likely is, definitely take that into account. When I was planning my last trip I was deciding between Las Vegas, Vail (Colorado), Disney World, and North Carolina. One of my major decision breakers was the fact that we were going the week before Christmas. Sooo..

• Take into account the season/what time of year it is. I was able to cross out Las Vegas on my list because of this. Since I already live in Florida, and I LOVE Christmas time, I really wanted to go someplace that would give me that wonderful Christmas aesthetic, because Florida definitely does not. Las Vegas was not going to do that for me. Plus, even though it was winter time and the prices for hotels (seemed) incredibly cheap, when you stay at one of the hotels on the Las Vegas strip, the taxes and extra fees are outrageous. At the time, we were moving out of our apartment the following month, but we really wanted to go somewhere, so spending that kind of money (not to mention soo much extra spending cash we would need for shows, food, drinks, and other entertainment). I'm going to save Las Vegas for another time for sure.

• Are you going to need a rental car? How are you going to get around? When you're thinking of a place you'd like to travel and you get all excited about going there, don't forget this! If you're going to a major city like New York or Chicago, you don't need to worry about this because of all the easy transportation like subways and cabs, not to mention just being able to walk to places. But this is definitely something to think about. This was kind of my deal breaker with Vail, Colorado. Since it was further away, airfare was more expensive and I couldn't just get a rental car and drive it all the way from Tampa, Florida to Colorado. I mean I technically could... but that would be a long ways away. So buying plane tickets PLUS having to get a rental car was just not in the works for me. Also, if you're getting a rental car, take into account the money it will cost to buy the rental, plus don't forget filling it up with gas back and forth from both destinations. If you're setting up a budget, put that in there.

• How much is there to do in the area you're going to? What do you want to do while there? Finding an exact location. This was also a big deciding factor on where I was going to go too. Just searching around for new places to go, somewhere may look cute or fun, but how much is there to actually do? Look into it! When we decided on North Carolina, I had no idea where I wanted to actually go I just knew I was going to use AirBNB to find a cute cabin with a fireplace or small home to really soak in all those Christmas feels. Plus, my boyfriend was set on snowboarding. So, Asheville was kinda out of the question. It wasn't near any ski resorts or snowboarding. And even though I was taking a rental car, I didn't want to drive an extra hour and a half one way to do that. That's when I found Banner Elk. I googled some ski resorts and found one called Sugar Mountain. (We ended up going to Appalachian Ski because it was recommended by our AirBNB owners, and only about 15 minutes away from where we were staying). I saw multiple ski places so I started to look into more. I found a cute town another 15 minutes away with antique stores, breakfast places, artsy bars and more and was like "um, yes". Then I found some local trails we could go on with beautiful views, gem mining, a local cave, and more. Just by researching a little bit and taking that time I was able to plan an amazing trip on a budget!

• Go somewhere new! If you're a creature of habit (and I am a bit), step outside your box and experience something new. This is why I crossed Disney World off my list. I can't count the number of times I've been there on both hands because it's just too many, with it being an hour and a half away from me. I mean, I love Disney and during Christmas time it's even more magical, but I'm so happy I did something new.

• Write out your exact plans! I love planning and getting organized, so this was a no brainer for me. First I decided that we were going to be renting a car to drive up there. It was about a 10 hour drive. (I didn't want to use my own car just out of preference, I don't like putting all that mileage on my car, but that's totally up to you). It was about $130.00 for the rental car for six days. Plus I estimated how much gas I would likely spend at I believe it was about $70 bucks each way. I knew we wanted to go snowboarding so I reserved one whole day just for that and estimated the cost. The first day I wanted it to be kind of a relaxing day, so I decided we could probably go to that town, check it out, go into antique stores (my boyfriend likes antiquing which is awesome) and get breakfast. The rest, for the most part, I wrote down the things to do in the area, one was Blowing Rock (a little nature trail with incredible views and I guess a famous rock?), a cave tavern, alpaca farm, gem mining, and more. I decided to just wing the rest, since everything was so close to us and depending on our mood, what we felt like doing that day.

• Utilize AirBNB! This is what I used on my trip, it was my first time, and oh my gosh, it was absolutely perfect! Anddd not to mention, cheap! Ours was $79 a night for two bedrooms. If we had another couple staying with us, it would have been even cheaper, the couch in the living room was also a pull-out. It was the most adorable two bedroom cottage guest house, complete with a huge stone fireplace, kitchen, private outdoor patio area with hammocks and an outdoor couch, aesthetically pleasing distressed wooden floors, and just the most perfect mix of old fashioned charm and modern updates, including a real Christmas tree and stocking on the fireplace. 

• Go grocery shopping! If you're staying someplace like an AirBNB for your vacation and they have a kitchen, utilize it! We saved so much money going grocery shopping the second day. We had breakfast out once and lunch out once as well, but besides that we cooked food where we were staying. Honestly, our place was so cozy and charming we didn't want to go out to a fancy dinner, we just wanted to kick back, put on the fireplace, make hot cocoa and snuggle up. 

• Don't forget about automatic payments! (Or any other bills due while you're away). This got me once when Alex and I went to New York. I have most of my bills set up on automatic payments, except for a couple at the end of the year, and while we were away, I moved a certain amount of money into my checking account and totally forgot that I would lose $140 of it during my time there because of my car payment. So don't forget about bills! If you can, pay them before you go or just add it into your budget.

• Plan your outfits ahead and mix and match them; so bring some basic tees/tanks. To best budget your money, plan ahead and find ways you can mix and match your outfits. There are often so many times I'm looking through my draws and closet and find a completely new way to wear something. By bringing some basic white or black tees/tanks, you can easily mix and match them with your favorite jeans, some flowy pants or a cute skirt. To me, it's just so fun picking out some cute new outfits, and it gets you excited for your trip. 

• Plan on what to bring according on the weather. And check the weather app! Don't forget this! If there's a possibility you may go swimming, even if you aren't planning to (if you're going somewhere in the summertime) don't forget a swimsuit. Or if you're going somewhere cold during winter, don't forget gloves, scarves, and some cute winter hats! Also, make sure the week following up to your trip, you check the weather app for that area. If it's going to rain the first two days of your trip, you don't want to forget your hoodie, maybe bring an umbrella, and you might want to find some alternative plans if you were thinking of hitting up the pool or beach that day. Or maybe there will be a weird cold front the week you go, then bring a jacket and some long sleeves!

• Take time away from your phone. Nothing to do with being on a budget, but just something that many of us should do from time to time. Sometimes the best memories are made when phones are put away.

• Plan early on for the best rates and shop around for rates! This is definitely a must. I like to have an idea of where I want to go on my next trip, always. Even if I'm planning it out six months ahead of time, it's never too soon to plan out a trip. Especially because if you plan too close to your vacation, hotels and even AirBNBs could be more pricey, not to mention booked already (especially AirBNBs, plan ahead so that you can get the place you want and don't have to worry about it being booked). And also, shop around for different rates. I like to use different apps or websites because honestly, you can almost always find a cheaper price for the same place somewhere else. If you're booking a flight, look on different airline websites. I've tried using the app Hopper, but it honestly isn't that great to me. And I personally rather travel round trip without stops, if it means paying extra. If you're using that app, watch out to make sure there aren't multiple stops if the price seems too good to be true.

• Travel on a weekday. Tuesdays are usually the best days to travel, if you're booking a flight. For some reason they're the cheapest. But click through different days of the week when booking a flight to make sure you grabbed the cheapest. Even traveling on a weekday in a car is better, weekends are always busier for travel no matter what.

• Travel to a location during the off-season. Now, sometimes I like to do this, but other times I just really want that seasonal vibe you can only get going the busiest time of the year (Example: Christmas in New York or a cruise in the summer). Obviously, it's always better to do this because you'll save more money. So if you're planning a trip on a cruise, the best times to go is September through early January. Typically, most people go on cruises in the summer time, when kids are out of school and because, who wouldn't want to go on a cruise in the hot summer? But if you can, definitely go during Sep - Jan. It's much cheaper and it stays warm in the Caribbean even in December, so it's really not an issue. Same thing with amusement parks such as Universal or Disney, go during September through November. (But October may may be busy due to Halloween). 

• Most importantly... have fun! That's about all the tips I have for you guys. If you're not already planning a vacation, maybe plan one! Even if you don't have the money now or it wouldn't be for a while, it's never too early to start dreaming of traveling. Never stop exploring, beautiful people :)

I wanted to also leave some of my pictures from my North Carolina trip, this past December 2018. Since I was gushing about this place in my post, I figured you might as well see what it looked like. Remember, if you think these pictures are awesome and you would want to plan your own vacation here, we were staying in Banner Elk, North Carolina.

Our guest house actually had two separate private upstairs and downstairs units. Ours was the upstairs and it had a private door to the side that led up to our unit from an indoor staircase. Walking inside was so charming, the owners really outdid themselves. The owners lived next door in a big beautiful white farmhouse. The place we stayed at was originally a Carriage house 100 years ago where they used to store old fashioned cars and horses. How freaking cool is that?! Since then it has been updated to a two unit cottage for AirBNB guests but they kept a lot of the original charm. Alex and I loved using the fireplace at night. The owners even decorated it for Christmas! There was a real Christmas tree inside along with stockings on the fireplace. They had sun windows on the ceiling that automatically opened up in the mornings. Literally so aesthetic. Oh, and they had the cutest sheep dog puppy on their property we got to meet, some chickens, and their outdoor/indoor cat who actually followed us inside the second night and decided to be our cat for our stay there, haha.

Enjoy my pictures,

- Lots of love,

Sammi

 

(This whole patio was ours, by the way. How awesome is that? I came out here in the mornings with my cup of coffee.)

Can it get any cozier? 

This place is called Appalachian Ski. Also nearby is Sugar Mountain, but our AirBNB owners suggested this place. It was so great.

I fell riding this snowboard a million times (my first time ever), but so worth it.

Surfs up! I mean.. snow's up?

This is Aspen. We met him at the cutest Alpaca farm. He loves the camera.

Blowing Rock is a pretty cool attraction that was about 20 min from us. Beautiful views and a pretty famous rock.

This was a delicious breakfast we had the first morning of our trip. Some type of mushroom sauce was on my biscuit. And yes, my silverware is rolled in a bandanna. Adorable.

You never say "no" to an opportunity to drink cappuccino. 

My mood in a picture. Because the fresh, crisp winter breeze felt AMAZING.

Live Cozy and Feel Cozy (Part 2)

Happy Friday, everyone! I'm off for the next two days and after working three 12 hours shifts in a row at my hospital, all I want to do is curl up in a ball with some snacks, my blanket, and watch Netflix. But lucky for you, I'm writing this blog post instead of watching netflix! (I have the snacks and blanket though).
So this post is going to be a "Part 2" of my last post, about 'living cozy and feeling cozy'. I have a habit of going on rants when I talk, and apparently when I write too, so initially I was thinking I was going to have both "how to make your home cozy" and "how to feel cozy" under the same blog post but then I realized I had just wayy too much to say so this is now Part 2 of my post; how to feel cozy. So without further ado, let's get into it!

My lifestyle revolves around "self-care" and wearing what I feel comfortable in, or even just relaxing after a long day of work, a lot. In short, coziness is a big part of my lifestyle.
Here's what I like to do to feel more cozy:

• Comfy socks. Can't really go wrong here. I'm the type of person that almost always needs something on their feet inside my house. I went on a little shopping haul to target during the winter and got the COMFIEST socks ever. One pair are more like slipper socks, with little foxes on them and non-skid rubber thingys on the bottom. Those socks are actually pictured above in my blog post picture.
• Pajama sets. I don't know why, but I really feel like I have my life together when I'm wearing a pajama set. I've currently been wanting a silk pajama set. (May ask for one for my birthday from Victoria's Secret). But yeah, pajama sets just make me feel like I've got my life together and that I'm a real adult. Anyone else feel the same?
• Face masks. Not much to say here. Not only does it make you feel cozy, but sooo relaxed and makes me feel like I am living da life. Just put a cocktail in my hand, please. My favorite mask I've found so far was from Target. And it's not just me that thinks it's amazing, but I had my good friend try it on one night when we were hanging out and, yes it does sting for a bit, but when you take it off.... omg. It feels like I have a new face. And I can never tell with any other face masks I've used before, but THIS ONE, honestly makes my skin look more bright and seems to make any blackheads disappear. I'll link it here, just click on the pic!

• Journaling. This is something I personally need to do more of. They have so many cool journals you can get for whatever your interest is! I currently use a blank journal that I got from Barnes and Noble where I write some poetry or whatever is on my mind. (It's a beautiful red leather journal made in Italy. Tip: find a beautiful journal that makes you want to stare at so that way you WILL write in it). I also have a journal with "300 writing prompts" that I got from Target. (Side note: one of my major goals in life is to write a book one day. I LOVE writing). They also have gratitude journals, prayer journals, mindfulness journals, really anything. It's great to use either first thing when you wake up in the morning, instead of reaching for your phone (we all know we're guilty of this) and also right before you go to bed to clear your mind.
• Tea/Coffee/Hot Chocolate. Whatever you're in the mood for, it doesn't matter! I prefer tea at night before bed and hot chocolate on a cold/rainy day. Something about it appealing to multiple senses makes it so lovely to me.
• A good movie/documentary. If you're feeling like just chilling and bringing on the cozy vibes, find a great movie or documentary to watch! I'm picky so I may do a bit of research before finding something that I want to watch, like watching trailers on youtube.
• Clean up your house! I personally cannot relax if my house is a mess. In order to get into my comfy and coziest element, I need my house to be clean. So bring out the vacuum before cuddling up in your bed or on the couch.
• Candles and air diffusers. When you wanna get in the mood for a cozy night, ya need a candle or an air diffuser. Air diffusers are pretty cheap on amazon. I know Doterra products are very in right now, but I honestly don't understand the hype. Their scents are just SO harsh to me. So my favorite types of oil to put in the diffuser are the kind you get from.. hmm, what would you call them? Hippy stores? Haha, I'm not sure. Okay, I just googled it and I believe their called "Metaphysical stores"? Correct me if I'm wrong. But there are a lot of local shops that sell essential oils. These places typically sell crystals, sage, tarot cards, that type of thing. I love those stores. But they have the best smelling oils for your diffuser! One that's a chain is called: The Bodhi Tree.
• A fieldtrip to the bookstore. (Don't forget buying a coffee) Nothing says cozy like curling up on your favorite chair and reading a really good book. In fact, I need to find a new one.. suggestions are welcome :)
• Paint your nails. Matter of fact, just have a spa day with yourself! Nothing beats that.
• Take a bath (maybe even with a bath caddy). Okay so this one, I personally have mixed feelings about taking a bath. That might be weird, but it's just me. Although I really do want one of those cool "bath caddy/board" things where it fits right above your tub in a perfect display to put a glass of wine, hold your phone, tablet, or book in a way that will make you feel like royalty. I low-key really want an iPad just for the fact that putting it on a bath caddy and scrolling down Pintrest with it sounds like A mood for sure. Also, throw a bath bomb in there! I'll link a picture down below of a good bath caddy to get from Etsy. (I may be getting this for myself as well).

• Lotion up! After taking a shower at night before bed, I LOVE to lotion up. Two of my favorite go-to scents right now are "in the stars" and "spiced gingerbread swirl". Both are warm, pretty scents that make me feel so good.
• The app, "Calm". Definitely not sponsored, (I wish I had sponsors), haha but the app called "Calm" is amazing! Not sure if it's available on androids but I use it for my iPhone. Sometimes when I'm working I honestly just put it on for the background noise. You can set up a background with different scenery like a rainy day, a rain forest, a field of wildflowers, the ocean, literally anything and it's so relaxing. They have guided meditations, bed-time stories, calming music and more. Some are free but some are locked, the app is $59.99 for a whole year, but honestly I just use the free ones. It really puts me in my feels.

Welp, that's about it guys! Tomorrow I'm going to be going to the Renaissance festival with my boyfriend but I plan on waking up early tomorrow morning, making some coffee, and writing another blog post. Have a relaxing, lovely and comfy night everyone! Till tomorrow :)

Live Cozy and Feel Cozy

Hey guys! I thought this might be a cute way to start off my blog, especially because I've been practicing some self-care lately and I realized that "coziness" is kind of a big part of my lifestyle. So keep reading if you'd like to hear some of my own tips on how to create a cozy lifestyle.

Just thought I'd throw in a picture of my cozy little living room.

1. Making your home more "homey":

• Get plants! Inside or outside plants, it doesn't matter. If you feel like you have a terrible green thumb, fake plants are great too, to bring those cozy, airy vibes into your home. I recently just got about five plants for our outside patio. Inside plants can also "clean the air" in your home and can not only cozy your home, but brighten it up.
• Candles, candles, candles. Not just candles though, but a candle holder. A great way to make an ordinary candle look elegant AND cozy is to get one of those candle holders from bath and body works. They are so cute and help a candle stand out. I bought a candle holder from there that has a tiny stand and it's made to look like leaves growing around the candle. I personally keep it on my kitchen counter in the middle to give a homey look and I'll switch my candle out depending on my mood or the season. You can fit almost any other candle in it too, I currently have a yankee candle placed inside of it. Side note: get cheap candles at home goods or TJMAXX!
• A chalkboard memo board. I think this is such a cute, homey look that will bring a nice family aesthetic to your home. I got mine at Target and it's just a simple stand-up board with a cork board on the back. There are all different kinds though! I saw the cutest one at target with little mason jars on the side and the chalkboard next to it. There are a lot of "organizer" chalkboard memo boards. I currently have "love grows here" written on it inside a circle of flowers. It's pretty adorable. A good idea to write on one would be a countdown to something important, like an up-coming vacation. Be sure to get colored chalk! Also, letter boards are pretty in right now and a cute, cozy way to spice up your home. I'll link two down below, as well as my own chalkboard I have in my kitchen. That's the first pic right down here (I couldn't link mine to Target's website because I got it a while ago and I don't think they have the exact one anymore.



• Throw blankets. Pretty self-explanatory. How much cozier can it get? Home goods is my go-to place for most home accessories like this. Just throw it over your couch, ottoman, or fold it nicely across the end of your bed.
• Rugs. Even though I have carpeting in my living room, you can't believe how much getting a rug has brightened up and brought complete coziness into my home. My favorite type of rug is "oriental" but of course that's totally up to preference. I think it has something to do with how my mom always had a few oriental rugs around my home growing up, so naturally it reminds me of "home". Not to mention, they look elegant. I got my current rug off of Amazon and, wow, just wow, I wasn't sure what to expect because sometimes buying rugs online doesn't always go over well, but it was perfect and made of a great thick material! My rug is by the Safavieh Evoke Collection, the vintage oriental ivory and blue 5'1" by 7'6". Link and picture down below!

• Decorative pillows. Comfy and cozy. I'm a bit of a clean freak, so I'm constantly perfecting my decorative pillows back in place on my couch once I get up from it. What can I say? I mean, they are cute.
• Farmhouse decor. The whole "farmhouse" look is very in right now, although I feel like it may not always be in, so my home does have a few items with that whole farmhouse style. Distressed-looking rustic decor is a great indicator if you're not sure if something is "farmhouse" worthy. Some examples of this style are: barn doors, wire or wicker baskets, mason jars, anything made of that distressed grey wood color or natural wood colors.
• So in the same category I wanted to list a couple things I have in my own home that bring up the coziness factor and could be listed as "farmhouse" decor. For one, and I literally have no idea if there's a specific name for them but lemme try my best, wooden wall boxes with inspirational quotes. Does that make sense? If I can figure out how to insert pictures or link a pic, I will. I have one of my wall that's made of distressed wood that says, "all you need is love... and more coffee". And how much more accurate can it be? I got it at "Altar'd State". If you don't know that store, look it up. It's one of the most adorable stores there is. Although, I can't really afford any of their clothes, but they've got a super trendy selection of homey decor. Also, Etsy is a great place for these.
• Wicker organizer baskets - These are simply the best! I have two that came as a set, from home goods, and to tie in the whole vibe, they also happen to have a square piece of chalkboard attached to it (meant to mark what's inside). I use them to store all of our dvds and video games and keep it in the living room next to our tv stand. This is a great way to not only bring a cozy feel into your home, but stay organized!
• A nice bookcase. If you're a book reader like me, it's important to have a nice place to store all your books. I personally have one now that I want to get rid of in the future. I'm planning on getting a nice dark wood, or cherry colored one that isn't backless, like mine, and looks more.. I guess expensive? Mine was pretty cheap off of Wayfair and really doesn't hold enough books.
• Collage picture frames (with family pictures). What would be a home without pictures of your family? Picture collage frames let you have multiple pictures in one to display in your home so that way, no matter where your family is, it's a constant reminder of them. A home is where the family is. I personally think having one or two on your wall really makes a home more of a home. If you don't have any, get one now!
• Things that make you feel like "you". Okay, so this is a good point I didn't truly think about until recently. What makes you feel good? What makes you feel like... you? I recently got a record player for my birthday and the cutest stand. I've always loved old vintage things and I love music from the 80's, 70's and 60's. Even 50's... I love myself some Frank Sinatra. (My parents were born in the 50s so I grew up with this kind of music) And because of all that, the presence of having these old records and player in my home just make me feel SO comforted. Other examples of this... well, I love Harry Potter (anyone, relate?) I have a wand I got from Universal I don't know what to do with, and I'm like.. "I don't wanna just let it sit in it's box" so I'm ordering a shelf and stand to put it in my bedroom. How cute is that? And these little things just make your home feel even more "homey", not only to you, but I feel like when others come over they can also feel that same cozyness.
• Wall Shelves with cute knick-nacks. I'm placing a picture below of exactly what I mean. I feel like wall shelves really bring a cozy-ness factor to your home. Especially when you put cute little knick-nacks on them that mean something to you. For example, on mine above my record player I have a little figurine of the Eiffel Tower I got in Paris last year, I have a candle (of course), a little plant (I really want a hanging plant though), and this odd little picture I thrifted that says "our love can't be measured". I'll also add a picture that links to an etsy page for these really cute rustic wall shelves. 

These are my wall shelves that I got from Target. (And my lovely record player, from Amazon)

• Things from other countries or travels. I think this makes for a unique home. I want to get more things, but obviously I need to travel more. I have a plate I hung on the wall from Capri, Italy. And my dad gave me a little wall decoration from Sicily that I have near my front door as well. It holds importance because that's where his side of the family came from and where he lived as a kid. Things like that make my home feel more homey :)

Stay tuned for my next blog that will feature what you can do for yourself to unwind, de-stress, and make yourself feel cozy.
If anyone has any questions about where I got some of my other things I mentioned, leave a comment down below!

Have a beautiful day, lovely people!

About me and my new blog - Blooming Minds with Sam

Hello world! My name is Samantha, but I go by Sam (or to some, Sammi). This was my first blog post that I have ever done, but I am updating it just a bit since things have changed since I've first started my blog. I recently changed my blog name to "Blooming Minds with Sam" so if you see some older posts that say "Simply Sammi", I probably still have to change those because that was my old blog name that I have decided to change.

Let me start off introducing myself with the things that I love.
I love to travel, read books, do things with my dog (and for my dog because he's spoiled), drink coffee, write, go to museums and learn about history, go on (short) hikes, visit Universal/Disney, hang out with my friends and laugh, stay home and clean and cozy up on my couch with some Netflix, watch Harry Potter on repeat, eat pasta whenever I can and also cook pasta whenever I can, hang out with my mom because she's the cutest, and I try to enjoy the simple things in life. I like to think I'm an all-around positive, happy person. I love to laugh. Whenever I have a vision for something I make it my mission for it to come to fruition. I would say I'm pretty content with where I am in life but I'm always looking for more ways to grow as a person and a friend. I love to read about what other people do, places they go, or tips they have and work it into my own life as means to inspire, which I think has gotten me into blogging. This is something I hope I can do with my own blog.

It's taken me a while to figure out what direction I exactly want to go with my blog, but I think that's how most people feel when they're starting out. And to be honest, I'm still not quite sure! But I figure, if I keep persevering and trying different things, I'll eventually figure it out, because sometimes that's just what you have to do.
I also have a passion for helping people. I love being able to motivate and provide resources for others. I am a social worker and recently received my license as a therapist. My title is an LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker).

I hope that gave you a little bit more information about myself and hope you stick around. Let me know if there's anything that you would like to see on my blog :)

 
Lots of love, Sam