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How to Jump Start Your New Year!

1/3/2015

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How to Jump Start Your New Year!
Happy New Year Everybody (and yes, that is me on the skateboard in the picture!)!!!
I hope that 2015 is treating you all very good!

I absolutely adore the beginning of a New Year, but for most people, it's a time that they feel obligated to set some resolutions that they know will be abandoned by the end of February.


But I think, that the beginning of a New Year is special. Yes, technically it is just another day in the many running consecutive days of your life! But! I really feel that it is symbolic. It's a fresh start! Put the past year, and your past troubles and worries behind you, and focus on this exciting, new adventure awaiting you! A brand new year that no one has ever experienced before!

So! Because of this exciting new opportunity that we all have surrounding us, I have in this post lots of inspiration to help you jump start this New Year, and your Life! 

So carve out a bit of time that you can devote to relaxing, reading, thinking, and planning! Good luck!!!
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My Fiance! Hehe. He's so smart!
New Year Goal Setting Template!
In order to take control of your year, and ensure it goes where you want it to, you need to start with a list of goals for the year! No, these are not "resolutions". These are a specific set of goals that you want to accomplish by the end of 2015! Read my article here about the best way to go about it, and get your very own template!

Money Management Mondays Course
A huge way that you can change and impact your year, is by taking control of your finances! You can find my entire Money Management Course here! There's no better time than now to start saving money!

Creating Your Dream Life Workbook
Check out my book! My "Creating Your Dream Life" Workbook is a wonderful way to kick start your New Year. It is an instant download, so you can start right away! In it you can get all sorts of goal setting templates that you can print out, fill out, and hang on your wall! That's what I do and it's awesome! It also has everything you need to know about setting goals, breaking down your goals, and achieving your goals! I think it is a very important investment to make in yourself, and right now for the New Year, it's on sale for only $9.99! Make the investment in yourself today, I guarantee it will be worth it.
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Make (or update) a Bucket List! Check out my post on how to make your very own Bucket List! This is a really fun and positive way to start the New Year!

How to Jump Start Your New Year!
Clean out at least one room in your house! 
Nothin' kick starts good flow and positive vibrations like cleaning out and de-cluttering a room! When you clean a room, it creates a clean mind, and a fresh start!
I've been on a month long purging binge in my room, and it feels fantastic! That is everything I'm getting rid of in the above picture!

Monica from friends clean freak
Yes, I am a cleaning freak, and I have, at times, been compared to Monica from Friends! So if you're not like me (and Mrs. Bing), and hate cleaning, give it a try! Here's what to do!
1. First, pick a room. Pick a room, any room!
2. Then, get three boxes. Label one "Keep", "Recycle", and "Donate". In the Recycle box, put things that can be recycled such as papers and bottles. Try to keep as much stuff out of landfills as you can! In the Donate box put everything else you don't want. Clothes, books, cds, knick knacks, etc.
3. Go through everything in that room! Top to bottom! Under beds, in drawers, on shelves, and every last book, dvd, and article of clothing!
4. Every item you come across, toss it in one of the three boxes. 
5. If you can't make up your mind about something, look at it and think, "When was the last time I wore this/watched this/used this?" If the answer is not in a loooong time, then you probably won't use it again, and it's not worth taking up your precious space!
6. Don't get discouraged if this takes a long time, especially if you're new to this! Getting rid of items can be very scary and emotional for people! So carve out a couple days to do this.
7. Once you have put every item in a box, take the "Recycle" Box, and take it to your local Recycling Area. With the "Donate" Box, there's a couple things you can do with it. I personally, first let my mom and sister go through it and take whatever they want. Then if there's nice clothing left, I take it to Plato's Closet, a local consignment store, and make some money off it! Then all the leftover items I have, I donate to the Thrift Store in my town, where all the proceeds go to charity (Note. Goodwill does not donate to charity). You can donate your items to any thrift store, the Salvation Army, or a homeless shelter! Get creative with it!
8. And now with the "Keep" Box. Take the stuff out, and either put them in another room in your house, or back in the original room. Re-arrange the furniture, and organize everything so that it is easily accessible, and pleasing to look at!
9. See? Don't you feel good?!!
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I thought you guys could use a little cuteness, courtesy of my fiance and some puppies we know!
So what are you waiting for?! Jump start your New Year today! You are the only one in charge of your life, only you can make a change, and make yourself happy! Take control today!!!


Peace Love and The New Year
Jess <3
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World Changing Wednesday; Are You a Superhero?

8/20/2014

1 Comment

 
Are You a Superhero
A couple of weeks ago, my church had a theme day. It was about Superheroes! Everyone was wearing various Superhero shirts, and they even had a display and props set up that you could take pictures with (see below)! It was pretty cool, but the coolest part was actually what the preacher talked about.

Superheroes

The preacher's sermon was all about us being superheroes. Superheroes that rush in to save the day; whether that's by saying a kind word to someone who really needs it, buying groceries for someone who can't afford it, or flying to Africa to help orphans! No matter how small, or big that deed seems, you made a difference in a living creature's life!!! How awesome is that?!! 
To me it is SO cool to think that you don't have to be able to defy the laws of gravity, have lots of cool expensive gadgets, or wear a cape (but you can if you want to!) to be a real-life Superhero!!!

It was just a really great reminder to me, and I wanted to share it with you guys as a reminder too!
Here are some very real ways that you can be a superhero to someone! Do one of them, or do them all! But just know, that by doing this, you are a Real-Life Superhero; Move over Batman, we're gonna save the world!

1. Never never never underestimate the power of kind words.
2. Rescue a pet from your local animal shelter.
3. Read my article called "How to Fund Your World Changing".
4. Find a cause you love, then fight for it! If we spread ourselves too thin, it's hard to get 
    things done; pick one cause, then go after it with all you have!
5. Adopt a child, specifically from China or Africa. There is such great need there for loving,
    caring people to forever change the life of a child, and be a real-life Superhero to them!
6. Not ready to adopt a child? Sponsor one (or two!). Compassion International is a 
    very reputable company that helps connect superheroes to children in need around the 
    world! Your monthly gift of $36 gives a child food, clothing, shelter, education, healthcare, 
    and security. It also lets them know that someone out there cares about them! I'm
    sponsoring two children through them, and I have been sponsoring, and writing letters to 
    Mathias, who lives in Tanzania, for almost 9 years! It is sooo incredible to have had the
    chance to watch him grow up, and be there for him along the way!
7. Start supporting small businesses, instead of large chain corporations. I write about the
    importance of supporting small businesses here. By helping a small business owner grow     their business, and flourish their life, you are a superhero to them!
8. Purchase Fair Trade Products. Read about it, and how much good they're doing!
9. Read about and participate in my Changing the World Challenge.
10. Listen to people. And when I say listen, I mean LISTEN! Don't listen just so you can 
    throw your opinion in, then start in on talking about you and your problems! This is one
    reason why it's so hard for me to find good friends, because most people do not know 
    how to listen!!! Listening is essential in making and keeping good friends, and helping
    people! So next time someone is telling you their problems, genuinely listen to them, and
    care about what they're saying!
11. Donate your gently used clothes and other house hold items that you no longer use, or        
need, to homeless shelters. You can always donate your time as well!
12. Get involved with Eden Ministries. Eden Ministries is an organization who's mission is to 
     "restore freedom for the captives of Asia's red light districts through holistic programs- 
      transforming body, mind and spirit. Using their international jewelry business as a 
      platform, they provide career and skill training- empowering women for a new life and 
      future. They continually innovate prevention and outreach programs- transforming entire 
      communities. Eden is a voice to the oppressed, a light to the darkness." So basically, 
      they take in women who want to get out of prostitution, who wouldn't have anywhere 
      else to go, and give them a job making jewelry. Eden then sells the jewelry and all the 
      money goes to the women. Jewelry making is pretty much the only way that the women 
      can make almost as much as they did prostituting. That's a big reason why a lot of 
      women don't leave prostitution, because in China, working wage is VERY low, 
      especially compared to what they are used to making in prostitution. When I was in 
      China I got to see this program first-hand. I got to meet the founder of the organization, 
      and go to the apartment where the women were actually making the jewelry. This is an 
      INCREDIBLE organization, that is changing women's lives (and just in case you're 
      thinking to yourself, "Well these women chose this life, so I really can't feel sorry for 
      them"); Most of the women in the sex slave industry in China were either abducted from 
      their villages and forced into this business, tricked into it, or forced into it! 
      I have seen this program in action! I have seen the actual women whose 
      lives have been drastically changed! And all you have to do is buy beautiful hand made 
      jewelry! Each piece of Eden Jewelry is handcrafted by the women being restored to life 
      in their shelters. Income from the sale of the jewelry goes directly to pay the 
      women's salaries so you can be assured that your purchase is definitely making a 
     difference. Each piece comes packaged with a story of a life that has been changed by 
     Eden’s intervention. I got to buy several pieces of jewelry when I was at their offices, but 
     I've bought pieces from their website since. The jewelry is BEAUTIFUL, hand crafted, 
     and makes a great gift! Visit their website, read stories of lives they've changed, and 
     buy their jewelry.
13. Recycle!!! No, this may not be helping someone at this exact moment per-say. But, It 
      helps save our world and the air we breath every single day. As well as helps free up 
      space which helps give animals places to live and have safe homes. Crush your cans 
      and put them in a box, then cash them in for some money back. Put all your bags or 
      plastic into a box and re-use them, or take them to a local plastic recycled bin or center. 
     Same applies with paper! This is a HUGE one! One that we are all capable of doing and 
     it will make a huge difference! Read more about recycling here.
14. Watch my video on how to free yourself, by letting go of fear, and the past! Once you
     are free, you will not be as focused on yourself, so you will be able to focus your thoughts
     and time more on others.
15. Think of your own things to do to be a superhero!!! Now, it's your turn to figure out what
      you're passionate about! Think about what injustice turns your stomach! What country, 
      state, specific group of people, or injustice gets you super fired up?!! You got it? Now 
      you know what your purpose in life is!!! 
      Your purpose in life is to right, what to you, is the worst wrong out there, To fight for the 
      people or cause that makes you tear up every time you think about it, to change what 
      needs to be changed!!! And now that you know what your purpose is, instead of just 
      sitting there talking about it with your friends, or sharing about it on facebook, go out 
      there and do something! Think outside the box, and do whatever it is that needs 
      done! Watch the movie, "Machine Gun Preacher", to see a true story about a person 
      who is a real life superhero, and someone that I look up to greatly, just because he 
      figured out what his passion was, and what wrongs he had to right!

Batman
ShopStyle

Now go on out there and be a superhero. Be a force for good in this dark world!
                   It is in times like these that we need heroes more now than ever! 



*This post is super important. Please like it, tweet it, and pin it! Let's get this out into the world for everyone to see! Thank you so much!!!*


Peace Love and Superheroes
Jess <3

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World Changing Wednesdays Pt. 5; Funding your World Changing!

2/11/2014

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World Changing Wednesdays
Hello dear ones! Welcome back to World Changing Wednesdays!
Since I haven't posted a WCW post in over a month, I wanted to go over real quick the previous WCW challenges, and for those of you who are new here, go over what WCW is all about!
In my first World Changing Wednesdays Post, I wrote about what I want to accomplish from this movement. I wrote about how we can change the world! And we will! So go here to read that if you haven't already!
It was in my second post, that I told you that I know that sometimes it can be difficult to know where to actually start; how to actually go about changing the world, and touching people's lives. I shared with you the most basic, yet probably the most important thing you can do to start creating miracles all around you. If you do this, there is no stopping your potential! Read all about that here. This step is extremely important!
I then presented to you a challenge; the challenge to be always willing, and always open, so
that when you're presented with an opportunity, you'll recognize it! A lot of us are so pre-occupied with our own lives, our own dramas, and our own struggles, that it completely blocks our vision to others. You will find that when you stop worrying about yourself so much, and start thinking of others, that that is when your eyes and heart will truly be opened to the needs and struggles of those around you. And this is when you will find opportunities.
So I challenged you to go into your daily lives with your eyes and heart open for available opportunities to create change. I told you 5 great places to start; Work, Restaurants, Your
neighborhood, Your home, and School. 
My fourth WCW post was written on the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr's "I have a Dream" Speech. You can read that here.
Now that you've learned how to be open for opportunities, and have practiced looking for opportunities, I will start sharing with you concrete, holistic ways to create change! Yay!

The first Method I will be sharing with you, is how you can fund your World Changing Quest, because let's face it, using your money is a huge way you can change the life of a person, and this world. 


This is my 10% Method.
It's really very simple. All I do is this; whenever I make money, I take 10% of it, and put it into my 10% envelope. This is the money that I use to sponsor children living in third world countries, and give gifts of love and encouragement to people living around me who need it.
                                                               And that is it!
                                          That is how I fund my world changing!
I put 10% in my envelope when I make tips at work, and all the money that I make here on                                                  this website. It's really that simple. 
Now you might be thinking, "I make $30,000 a year, that's $3,000 in my 10% envelope! I don't want to put that much in, that's a lot of money!" I want to address that statement, because it can be very easy to look at all the money you're putting in that envelope and freak out because it's not going towards buying anything for yourself, paying for your bills, or saving for your future. I used to catch myself thinking that I would just have so much more money if I didn't put 10% of it toward the greater good. But I want to encourage you to just try it. First of all, 10% really isn't that much! If you do make $30,000 a year, and put $3,000 in your 10%, you still have $27,000! Secondly, you will find, that when you stop focusing on yourself, and start giving away your money, not only will you feel incredibly amazing (you won't be able to spend $3,000 any other way that will make you feel this good, that's a promise!!!), but you will find, that the more money you give away, the more money will find it's way to you! I really don't have any scientific facts about this or anything, but it really does seem to work that way! When you start giving away 10% of your money to help people, you will find that it really doesn't make a dent in your finances, and you will be richer than you were before! I know it definitely works this way for me; when I start feeling stingy with my money, and don't put 10% of it away because I'm so worried about not having enough, that is when I start having money problems!!!
What to do with your 10% Money.
The possibilities are endless! 
I don't want to just tell you what to do with your money, because changing the world means something different to every person! So sit and think about what changing the world really means to you, and what you want to put your hard-earned money towards. In my next WCW post I will give you a bunch of ideas of what you can do with your newfound world changing money! 
Until then, get an envelope and on it write 10% money, world changing fund, or whatever you want, and then start putting money in it! You can also start a list of ways you would like to spend it! I'm not going to post the next WCW post for a couple weeks, because I want you to have a good amount of money saved up, so after you read the post you can start putting that money to great use!



Peace Love and WCW
Jess <3
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    I'm Jessica!

    I've traveled all over the world, but Ohio is where I call home. I'm a lifestyle & travel blogger, and author. I love setting goals, reading, and snuggling up with my fur babies. I can usually be found at my local thrift store, or in the hammock in my backyard.

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    *Disclosure; This blog is a personal blog written by me. This blog accepts forms of paid advertising and sponsorship. The compensation received may influence the advertising content, topics or posts made in this blog. That content, advertising space or post will be clearly identified as paid or sponsored content. Even though I receive compensation for some posts or advertisements, I will always give my honest opinions, findings, or experiences on those topics or products. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely my own.*
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