Branding Babes - Facebook Live tomorrow!

You guys! 

I am so excited that tomorrow at 7 pm PST (10 pm EST) I will be going live on Facebook with my girl Shawna of Shawna Poliz Design on her weekly installment of Branding Babes! 

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We are going to be talking all things branding, blogging and influencing! I am so excited to chat with her and share some of what I have learned along the way! Shawna is a general badass graphic designer, web designer, content creator and business babe! She is a wealth of information and an awesome friend too! 

Be sure to join us on her Facebook tomorrow or check out her BLOG (click here) for a recap after tomorrow! You should totally check out her blog before then too if you don't know her work, (edit: you totally know her work! You're on this page! Shawna created my logo and blog!) 

Drop some questions you may have in the comments below! Can't wait to see you all tomorrow! 

XOXO | SLL 

Mid Week Slump?

We've all been there... That feeling when you get up in the morning and go, crap is it really only Wednesday? We've all seen the advertisements and memes celebrating hump day, celebrating we've made it halfway to the weekend.

But what if it didn't have to be that way? What if with a few shifts in routine and perspective you were able to wake up Wednesday morning and go "look at all the things I've done! I am a killing it!"

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I've never been one for "woo woo" stuff but lately (and I wrote about it before here) I have been using some mantras and positive thought exercises in my daily routine. The one I keep going back to that keeps me grounded yet energizes me is "I have the ability, resources, and determination to accomplish my goals sanely, safely and successfully"  and you know what? It freaking works. 

The sanely part I added because I felt like I was driving my self, batshit crazy, with all of the things I was lacking or not doing. Did I publish that blog post? Did I schedule time for photos? Did I actually press send on that email at work? My mind was continually racing. 

The safely part encourages me to take care of myself and those around me, I consider eating right and taking care of my body part of the safety mantra.

And well successfully... that's the goal, right? To get to a point where our days are successful, we close our eyes feeling fulfilled and content not worrying about the should have and would have and didn't do's. 

I've also been getting up 10-15 minutes earlier midweek (which let me tell you is not such an easy thing when you already get up reeeeeeeeeeallly early)  and knocking out something that I don't particularly enjoy doing... this morning I sorted the laundry and started a load. I also stopped at the grocery store on the way to work instead of tired and hangry on the way home. I feel like it really sets you up for productivity knowing you've already jumpstarted your day.

So tell me, are you a lover or a hater of Wednesdays? What do you do to avoid that mid-week slump?  An extra shot of espresso? A super hot shower that maybe lasts 10 minutes longer? Meditation? A mantra? 

 

XOXO | SLL 

 

Invest in yourself!

So I'm pretty sure if you are reading this you are a lot like me, somewhere in your mid-late 20's (and I'm really holding onto that as I am currently 10, (crap, TEN!!!) days away from 30!) to mid 30's.

You've maybe started a 401K because someone told you it was a good idea. Or maybe you're secretly hoping to hit the lottery and slightly terrified about what you're going to do about retirement? (me) 

I mean I can always sell my purses???

But seriously, we need to do something and we need to do it now. No one else is going to save for your future but you. If retirement is too far away for you to think about or something you're not worried about then start saving for that bad ass bag you want, or an amazing trip.

Now, I will be the first to say what a terrible saver I am, I like things, I like to eat out, I like to treat others, I like to buy pretty things, I like to go to the movies, I like to go to Paris, I am a spender. 

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I knew that when setting up some kind of savings plan or program it had to be something that I wouldn't notice, and that was hard to access. I tried auto transfers but I could still see it in my account and would just transfer it back. I tried the envelope thing. I tried all the stupid shit they tell you to do to save "for a rainy day" - didn't work. 

Do you know what finally worked for regular saving, on a regular basis? An app that TAKES my money from my checking account and invests it for me. I have it on a super conservative investment plan, but you guys, its already making money! Real money. It uses my rounded up change to invest in microshares of bigger stocks.

In the couple of months I've had it active I have saved more than I ever have before. Cash money, just sitting there making more money! My daily transactions are rounded to the next dollar, so yeah your starbucks just became 45 cents more expensive, but its going to that awesome chanel boy bag your future...

I am currently looking into what type of formal retirement plan will work best for me and the place I am in my life, we are fortunate that my husband has a matching 401K through his company (also, if your company is willing to give you free money - why the hell aren't you doing it???), however mine doesn't offer any kind of formal retirement plan.

Its been an amazing shift in perspective to know that I am really in control of my finances, and it feels so good! Money doesn't have to be a bad thing. Instead of dreading the future and bills we are dreaming up the next place we want to go or improvements we want to make to our home. Hard work pays off, and the little things add up. So for me, right now, I am going to continue to round up my sugar free coconut milk latte's and invest in myself. 

I'm curious to know what others are doing... What are your retirement plans? Do you have a formal program in place? What are you doing to save for your future? Any money apps you love? 

If you're interested in the app I am using, its called Acorns, please do your own research and see if its right for you, if you think it is - use this link to sign up and we each get $5.00. 

Link: acorns.com/invite/7WC64S