10 Ways To Save Big On Kid's Things For Spring

For today's top 10 Tuesday, I'm sharing a few of my favorite tricks and tips to save big on kids' things for spring... and summer too! 

1. Make a list: I learned early on that kids don’t need nearly as much stuff as we think they do. Before my baby was even born, he had enough clothes to go a month without repeating an outfit—most of which he never wore because he grew too fast! That experience taught me to make a reasonable list of what was actually needed, especially with those unpredictable mid-season growth spurts.

I can’t recommend this enough: before the season starts, sit down and make a list of what your child will truly need—think shorts, shirts, shoes, and even seasonal toys. Don’t forget to factor in big future purchases like a bicycle, ride-on toys, or even a backyard trampoline (if you’re feeling adventurous). Having this list ahead of time gives you the chance to hunt for deals online and most of all, have guardrails when shopping so you don't buy what you don't truly need.

2. Shred old winter clothes: The last thing you want to happen to new spring and summer clothes is mud, grass stains, or road rash. Don't throw away winter clothes with holes in the knees or tears in the sleeves. Repurpose them! Cut pants into shorts and long sleeves into t-shirts and officially declare them: “play clothes.” That way, when ketchup or dirt won’t come out in the wash, it won’t break your heart—or your wallet.

3. Borrow Budget Busters: For those one-off family portraits or special occasions where you normally end up buying an incredibly expensive outfit, your child will most likely only wear once, reach out to friends and school social media pages.

4. Secondhand Shops: Places like Once Upon A Child and other children's secondhand shops are full of clothes, toys, and everything else you need to cover an entire summer wardrobe for under $20. Shoes too! 

5. Facebook Finds: In addition to Facebook Marketplace, every city has at least one Facebook mommy group that lists clothes exchanges and where big family sales are taking place. To find them, on your Facebook page ask your friends if they know of any great mommy groups on Facebook. I bet you'll get plenty of replies!

6. Yard Sale Heaven: Yard sales are goldmines for big-ticket kids’ items—think bikes, ride-on toys, or outdoor play gear, as well as clothes and sports gear. Pro tip: leave the kids at home and instead grab a friend, coffee, and make a morning (and lunch date!) of it. Happy hunting!

7. Discount Dealers: I still love Groupon after all these years. During the summer, I will search Groupn before heading out to places like Dave & Busters, Malibu Jacks, and other local places and events. Seriously, next time you are bored and looking for something to do, check out Groupon for local things to do at a deep discount!  Hello, winning!!! 
8. Daily Deals: Did you know there are hundreds of websites that crawl the Internet daily for the best online daily deals? They do, and then list them in an easy to search format so you can quickly search for items on your must-have list. My favorite is DealNews.com.

9. DIY For Family Health: When it comes to springtime treats and healthy fruit snacks, the budget can bust very quickly. I make our Popsicles, grow our fruit and cut out juice and soda, we are water drinkers during the warm months. If you have a sunny spot in your yard, patio or balcony, you have a place to grow your own fruit! Did you know strawberries grow well in a pot? Go to your local nursery and ask for help finding the right fruits to grow for where you live (Grower's Zone).

For a total of $20, I have strawberry plants, blueberries, and grapes thriving in pots and around my yard. The best part is that I can use that fruit to make Popsicles! (Read my Healthy DIY Popsicles post.)

10. Price Shop From Home.  There are way too many apps and websites available today that make price comparison shopping from home a breeze. Gone are the days of driving from store to store or waiting for the Sunday Paper deals. Pull out the list you made of spring must-haves and start going through each item online and list where the best deal is, for that item. Once you've gone through your list, check the entire list for stores that overlap to save you a bundle on shipping and time. Between the coupon apps and the compare-and-save apps, there is no reason to pay full price anymore.

If you have any great tips, please leave a comment below, or join my Facebook discussion, here. 

Too Much Comfort Food This Winter? 5 Tips To Get Clean For Spring...

I am of the school of thought that the word "DIET" is a filthy nasty word. One that is is not allowed to be used in my house. EVER!  I think diets are gimmicks that trick people into thinking that it will be the answer to their poor nutrition and weight loss prayers. NEWS FLASH: Diets are pure bullshit! What happens when they end? Because all "diets" end. All I ever learned on a diet was that they turn me into a starving raging bitchface, and even though I lost a few pounds of water weight, I usually gained it back in real fatty-fat-fat pounds binge eating once the diet was over. Total. Bull. Shit.

I also think diets help to breed food-obsessed people. If you spend every minute of your day starving and obsessing about food, then eventually that will completely consume you. No. Bueno! That's why this month is all about learning healthy nutrition and preparing meals and snacks that will make you feel full and energized for more than 30 seconds. 

Here 5 things that will get you clean for spring...

1. DRINK MORE WATER!  This is the MAIN challenge. I truly believe just drinking 8 glasses of water a day will make you lose 5 pounds this month! Along with gaining great skin and better sleep! Seriously. Those 8 glasses a day are going to change your life. Promise. I'll tell you why on Tuesday...

2. Make at least one NEW healthy meal for dinner each week.  I do this on Sundays since I have time to prep and follow the recipe. By the end of the month that will be four great meals, almost a week's worth... who knows, maybe you will keep up the habit until that is ALL you cook for dinner!

3. Stay active. Hopefully, last month's challenge helped teach you to incorporate some sort of movement into your day, even if it was not a full-blown workout. 

4. Visit a healthy lifestyle website/Facebook page/ Pinterest board/ magazine at least once a week to learn a few "who knew" facts about nutrition and exercise.  I LOVE SELF Magazine the most. (No one paid me to say that, I have had a subscription for YEARS!)  There is also Shape, Fitness, Women's Health, Men's Health and for us moms, Fit Mom Diet is a website full of inspiration from other moms sharing their stories and healthy recipes. I know a few of you out there are Gluten-free, check out their recipe for Gluten-free pizzas! For the kids check out the greatest website, from the American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org! Knowledge is POWER.

5. Think of your body as a fine-tuned machine.  Everything you put in has to be good for the machine, or it will fall apart and stop working. The same goes for your family. Make healthy choices.  Carrot chips instead of Lays. Grapes instead of gummy worms. Choose a healthier cereal this month.  Clean out those pantries. I think you will be shocked to find healthy choices are cheaper than you think. You can get two bunches of bananas or a pound of grapes for the same price as a bag of name-brand potato chips! 

Your mantra for the month is: If I eat like Crap, I will Feel Like Crap!  

To learn more about the 30/30 Challenges 

CLICK HERE!

Track Santa's Flight Around The World With NORAD

Did you know, you can TRACK SANTA across the world?

The North American Aerospace Defence Command, (NORAD) has helped families around the world watch and interact with Santa for over sixty years! 

On Christmas eve, at any given minute, your child can check where Santa is in the world, and where he is going next! It's not only super cool, it's a wicked fun geography learning experience for all involved. I promise you will see towns and villages you never knew existed!

For extra learning fun, look them up!

The NORAD website isn't just for tracking Santa, there's also has a bunch of fun interactive things to do, games to play, and even 'Santa's Favorite Holiday songs' on the NoradSanta website. This means, your child can start interacting with Santa, Today! READ: this will buy you five to ten minutes for a coffee break, but stay close, because the games and song are fun for all.

 

There's even an APP for that! We used it last year...

AND THAT'S NOT ALL!!!

Wait for it... 

It's totally free. 

I know, finally something free during the holidays. 

If you have kids, DO THIS! It's fun and exciting for all. 

Check out the NORAD Santa Tracker Website and fun games, here. 

Life-Saving Tips To Keep Your Family, Pets + Home Safe In Cold Weather

To reach as many people with this article as possible, I'm going to avoid using all of the colorful four-letter words I prefer to use when describing cold temperatures, brutal wind chills, and deadly winter forecasts, but just know, I'm screaming, FU*K THIS SH!T, on the inside.

For many, including myself, the Polar Vortex Express is already barreling in. Deadly, brutally cold temperatures are about to ravish the USA. Unprecedented temps are hitting damn near all of us. Please, take every necessary precaution to keep your family, pets and home safe.

Below are a few essential Life-Saving Tips To Keep Your Family, Pets + Home Safe In Brutal Cold Temperatures:

1. Load up on layers. Wear layers of lightweight clothing while inside to stay warm. When you go outside, go all out! Cover all exposed skin and wear warm waterproof shoes. Parents, if you're not covered in sweat and feel like you've had one hell of a workout after bundling up the kids, then you're doing something wrong. Do not mess with this cold. Frostbite hits fast and hard. NEVER go out without gloves and a hat, they prevent the loss of essential body heat.

2. Protect your pets: I don't care if Cujo is chained in your backyard, bring his ass in! Ok, fine, if Cujo must stay outside, provide shelter, blankets, fresh UNFROZEN water and extra love.

The ASPCA recommended during cold spells:

• Massaging petroleum jelly or other paw protectants into paw pads before going outside can help protect from salt and chemical agents. Booties provide even more coverage and can also prevent sand and salt from getting lodged between bare toes and causing irritation. Use pet-friendly ice melts whenever possible.
• Bring a towel on long walks to clean off stinging, irritated paws. After each walk, wash and dry your pet’s feet and stomach to remove ice, salt, and chemicals—and check for cracks in paw pads or redness between the toes.
• Pets burn extra energy by trying to stay warm in the wintertime. Feeding your pet a little bit more during the cold weather months can provide much-needed calories, and making sure she has plenty of water to drink will help keep her well-hydrated and her skin less dry.
• Remember, if it’s too cold for you, it’s probably too cold for your pet, so keep your animals inside. If left outdoors, pets can freeze, become disoriented, lost, stolen, injured or killed. Also, don’t leave pets alone in a car during cold weather, as cars can act as refrigerators that hold in the cold and cause animals to freeze to death.

3. Don't space out on space heaters. Space heaters are dangerous AF, take all necessary precautions when using one; Place it on a level, hard surface and keep anything flammable AT LEAST three feet away. ALWAYS turn off space heaters and unplug them before leaving the room or going to bed-- Children may turn them on without you knowing, unplug them for extra protection.

5. FIRE IN THE HOLE! If you are using a fireplace, use a glass or metal fire screen large enough to catch sparks and rolling logs. Make sure embers are completely out before going to sleep or leaving the house. Smokers, that nasty-ass can of butts by your backdoor? That can is a fire hazard, it causes many, many house and apartment complex fires when a lit ciggy is tossed in resulting in a ciggy-butt bonfire disaster. Move those butts at least three feet from your house.

6. Protect your pipes. I know running water, even at a trickle, looks like money slipping down the drain, but it's nothing compared to the plumber's bill. Remember, you are riding out a storm, not making life changes. Bite the bullet and open the taps. Another great way to protect the pipes is by opening the kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warm air to reach the plumbing hiding behind them. NOTE: Move harmful cleaners and chemicals out of the reach of children and pets.

7. Hardcore heat the house. Turn up the heat and keep it there day and night. It may cost a few more dollars on your bill, but, a broken pipe bill will make you throw up. NOTE: Creativity is not key. Never use a stove or oven to heat your home. DO NOT light a small fire in a safe space. DO Layer on the blankets and phone a friend.

8. Care for the car- Check tires, wipers, antifreeze and never go below a quarter of a tank.  Keep a winter safety kit in the trunk that includes a flashlight, battery-jump box, water and a blanket.

9. GENERATORS ARE NOT FOR GARAGES! Never operate a generator inside the home, including in the basement or garage. NOTE: Don’t hook a generator up to the home’s wiring. The safest thing to do is to connect the equipment you want to power directly to the outlets on the generator.

10. Love Thy Neighbor. Check on your neighbors and make sure they are at a minimum alive. This brutal cold can be hell on the elderly. Look out for those awesome people. You do realize, not only will you be elderly one day, you too will be a twenty-year-old at heart trapped in an old-ass body, be cool to them, because they are cool AF.

BONUS TIP: New Year's Eve Party-goers, getting wrecked-ass-wasted on New Year's Eve and frolicking outside in a drunken stupor is No Bueno. Booze and cold temps= Bad news. Stay layered up and don't think because you're boozed up you're warm and cozy. Not. Even. Close. Alcohol dilates warm blood vessels near the skin creating the impression of warmth, all the while it's lowering your core body temperature!

Please share this article with friends and family in the path of brutal temps, it could save their family, pet, neighbor, pipes, sanity...

Sources:

Red Cross

NYC Emergency Managment

ASPCA

NOAA

10 Hacks For Hosting An Epic Birthday Party In Your Home

Hosting a child's birthday in your home may seem like an easy and relatively inexpensive undertaking. Think again. Shit can get crazy fast. I know. I learned this the hard way, a few times. 

Below are 10 Tips For Hosting A Child's Birthday In Your Home 

1. Make a birthday party food room. If you are going to host a child's party at your house, start with prepping your house for maximum destruction. Most of all,  Strive to keep ALL FOOD in one area, and prep the hell out of that area. Seriously, cover the floor if possible. Think, Dexter Kill Room. You might think I am kidding... I am not! Cookies, cake, and chips crumble EVERYWHERE!

2. Only invite enough kids to fill a police line-up.  Actually, maybe only half of a line-up.  There is NO reason to invite the whole freaking neighborhood and class! Especially because many parents will drop their child and run like hell. TIP: Think about how many kids you think you can manage, then invite HALF that number. 

3. Hide the good toys.  There is no, "You break, you buy," at a child's birthday party.  It's more like, "Leave out, you cry." 'Nuff said. 

4. Have a clear idea of activities.  A three-hour free-for-all will not go over very well on your sanity. Plan activities like party games, arts, and crafts, make the hubs dress up as a clown, learn how to make balloon animals... 


5. Serve Sugar-Free Food. You are dealing with kids. Sugar is BAD! BAD! BAD! Fruits and veggies are GOOD! GOOD! GOOD! Think: Gremlins

6. Give out cups with lids. Go to the 'everything is a dollar' store and spring for a few cups with lids and straws.  Then write a kid's name on it and maybe even throw a sticker or two on it for some fancy fun. DO NOT screw this up, these cups will be GOLD!  

7. Have a separate cake for the birthday boy/girl. OK, Maybe this is just my kid... so if you are a gambler then go ahead and skip this lesson, but before you go, allow me to tell you a little story...

Picture it: The lights are low.  The excitement in the room is bubbling over.  The cameras are ready to go off in a seconds notice.  Mommy (me) turns the corner with a cake lit up like a Christmas tree.  Haaappppyyy Birthday Tooo Youuu... (Fast Forward) YAY!  Blow out the candles... Candles are out.  Before I can even make a move, this happens...

So, let me ask you this again...
Are you a gambler?

8. DO NOT OVER DO IT. My biggest regret from Ollie's birthday party was not slowing down to actually enjoy the party. I was so concerned with keeping things in order, food on the table, the cake and cookies off the floor, and staying on track...  FAIL!  

Take time to stop and look around. To watch your child having a blast on his day.  To stand by your partner in parenting crime and say happy birthday to each other.  This day is for you too, don't waste it sweating and stressing!

9. Throw the party away. I love the dollar store when it comes to throwing parties...AWAY! While you are there buying cups with lids and straws, for ten bucks you can buy all you need to decorate like a Boss too! Including, TWO massive cheap plastic tablecloths.  Get one for the table and one to cover the floor underneath it.  Then buy as much paper and plastic crap bowls and serving trays as possible, so when the party is over all you have to do is remove the things you do not want to throw away from the table, then take each corner, tie them together and drag that shit to the garbage!  Then, sweep all the crap onto the tablecloth underneath the table, then throw it away!  This made clean up a Breeze.   Do. This. 

10. Save your pennies in a jar labeled, BIRTHDAY, so next year you can pay someone to host the party. Now, I totally get why people pay the big bucks to host their child's birthday party at a venue. After you spend the money on decorations, food and post party therapy, you might as well just pay someone! You get in and out, no lingering friends or family to throw out of your house, no carpet cleaner to pay for getting cake, chocolate milk, and gummy bears out of the carpet, no toys to stash and then get back out... Yes, we will definitely be saving our pennies for next year!

5 Lessons Learned During My Mom Strike

While surfing through the FirstTimeMomandDad Archives, I found the post on my Mom Strike. I laughed so hard at myself, I had to repost it.

Posted in April of 2015, I'd just spent two-weeks focused on a project, not on my house. In that time, left up to the husband and child, the house became a proper shithole. There were toys everywhere, socks and shoes thrown about, dishes piling high, laundry piles that resembled the great Alps, a toddler bedroom that looked like a tornado hit it. It was like I was living in a frat house that runs a daycare.

 I cracked.

And rightfully so.

Why in the hell should I have to do it ALL?  Why am I the only one racing around keeping the frat house with a daycare, tidy? I'd hit my limit and needed the boys to step up to the cleaning-plate.

Starting immediately.

Those two were going to help me, or be in big ass trouble! So, I announced that I was going on mom strike. I was no longer jumping to cook or clean. I was no longer going to do it all! I was going on a mom strike.

My mom strike lasted five days, and coincidentally, taught me five life-long parenting lessons...

1. I created the filthy beasts living in my house. 

I like things cleaned and organized a certain way, so I just did it myself. In the process, I screwed myself. I wanted the house cleaned to my standards, and I was sure the boys couldn't come close.

Wrong.

It turns out, with direction, they can. Kind of. Yes, I stood over them one or two times, but after that, they managed to sort their own laundry, clean up their own dishes, and work together to load and unload. Now, I just let them grumble and walk-off. They know what they're doing. Clean is clean, who cares how the shirts are folded, their put away and dammit, that's what matters.

Goats, husbands, toddlers. Same thing. 

2. My Timing and my husband's timing are WAY OFF. 

Every night after dinner, I do the dishes and clean the kitchen straight away. I can't stand having a messy kitchen. My husband, can. But only for so long. He prefers to wait until later that night to tackle the mess. While it killed me to wait, thanks to the strike I learned a very valuable lesson, my head and kitchen will not explode if the dishes aren't done immediately. In his words, "There are no Dishes Police coming to get you. Relax. It can wait." Let me tell you when my husband is the one doing the dishes, the wait is definitely worth it.

3. There is NO reason my three-year can't pick up his own damn toys.

I had a girlfriend who taught her toddler that the 'Clean-up Fairy' will come and take the toys not cleaned up at the end of the night. It worked for her son, and now it's working for mine! The trick is to hide the toys left out. The next night, when your child cleans up fearful the fairy will be back, put the stolen fairy toys back by morning as a reward for keeping his toys tidy.

4. I don't want a damn cape; I want a cocktail.

I'll be the first to admit, I need to chill the F*$k out. I run around like a crazy person trying to keep my house in tip-top shape. It's like I have something to prove to myself and the world. I waste so much time picking up and cleaning things that get wrecked 30-seconds later.  WHAT THE HELL?

It's so not worth it. It's like I think if I have a perfect house and a well-behaved child, then I get to go to the Hero Mom Ball at the end of the year and claim a super-hero cape. Well, screw the cape. I'll take a cocktail and a better use of my time.

5. Mom strikes are so awesome; I'm already planning my next one.  

If you're worn out, feeling under-appreciated, sick of being the one that does everything while your partner and child are having a blast watching you, then call a strike! Clean up after yourself ONLY! When they start complaining... FIVE DAYS LATER. (Filthy beasts.) Make a list of things you do, hand it to your family and leave. Go to the park with a good book. Let them realize just how much effort it takes to keep the house cleaned, cupboards stocked, laundry in the drawers, bills paid and any of the other four million things you do in a day to keep your family healthy and happy.

I'm sad it took me flipping out and letting my house turn into a shithole to get to this place. But, in the end, it was worth it.

Top 10 Words Of Wisdom for ALL parents.

I'm pretty sure if God gave out 10 Parenting Commandments, this is what they would be...

1. Laugh at yourself- First and foremost, Laugh. Parenting is hard enough, if you don't find the humor in it, you will go batshit by the end of the first 6-weeks.

2. Laugh at your child- Kids are hysterical, laugh at them. Most of all, laugh with them.

3. Forgive yourself- There is no such thing as the perfect parent. No. Such. Thing. We all make mistakes. If at first you don't succeed... you will eventually.

4. Forgive your child. Those little shits... mean well. Just like us, kids make mistakes too. It's part of life. For little ones, life is all about trying new things and testing limits. They are bound to screw up a few (hundred) times.

5. The Joneses are assholes- Damn those Joneses trying to set standards and pass judgments. Pay no attention to the talking heads, they don't know you or your child.

6.  Your instinct is right, listen to it. Mom. Dad. Listen to your inner parent, it knows what's best. Don't let someone or some book make you think otherwise. Start with your instinct, then go from there.

7. The "Right Way" is the way that works for your family. Your family is the new normal. Don't let a book tell you your instinct is wrong. You know your child(ren) better than anyone else, work within those bounds.

8. Say I love you and hug your family every day. Who doesn't love a little acknowledgment and affection? I know kids especially do. So give it to them. Make there be no question just how loved they are.

9. The dishes can wait. Don't sacrifice your family time. Take the time to be with your family now, because tomorrow is not promised. Besides, the dishes will always be there.

10. Love every second and every stage because when they pass, you will miss them dearly. Yes, even the really annoying stages. Every day goes by so fast, try to remember and document as much as possible.

These Stain-Fighting Hacks, Every Parent Should Know

While I'm a firm believer every child is different, one thing rings true across the board, stains. Those little creatures are stain making masters. From the first spit-up to Big Red, stains happen. Add animals into the mix and, well, shit may literally hit the fan. Which is why when Empire Today reached out asking me to join a small round-up of super-bloggers to share stain-fighting hacks, I was all-in. Stains, I friggin' know. I have a boy and a puppy. I'm a stain-fighting Jedi.

It is my honor to share my stain fighting tips with you today, along with five other stain-fighting-Jedi moms and bloggers.

We were asked to share my tips on:

Coffee Stains. 

Colored Drink Stains. 

Crayon, Marker, Ink

Mud

Pet

Here's what I had to say:

COFFEE

For stubborn stain-makers like coffee, I start by saturating the stain with plain white vinegar. While the vinegar works it's magic, about five minutes, I fill a bowl with hot water and a few drops of dish detergent and grab two clean, dry cloths. With one towel I blot up as much vinegar, and hopefully the stain, as possible. I take the other towel and dip it in the soapy water and alternate between gently rubbing the stain out and blotting the carpet. I'll repeat this with a clean area of the cloth until the stain is no more.

MUD TRACKS

Being a mother and pet owner, I know mud tracks. I know how messy and nearly impossible they are to clean out of carpets. I also know to avoid mud tracks like the plague. Thankfully, unlike sudden spills, mud tracks are predictable.

Rain=mud.

Simple.

There’s only trick to getting back breaking mud stains out of carpets, avoid them!

To do so, I lay old towels by the door on rainy days and keep a pack of baby wipes handy to clean muddy paws.

PET STAINS

Pet stains are the worst! Not only are they tough to remove from the surface of the carpet, but the stinky residue clinging to the fibers is near impossible to eradicate. To add insult to injury, that stinky residue is a calling card to your pet screaming, come back, I'm the best toilet ever! There's only one way to fight these stains, declare war with 2 tablespoons powdered detergent (OxiClean) with 2 cups warm water and a few drops of dish soap and mix until detergent is fully dissolved. Pour the solution over the stain to saturate it, but not oversaturate it, then using a gentle scrub brush work the solution into the carpet, allowing to penetrate for 10-15 minutes before blotting away the liquid. Spot treating stubborn areas with the leftover solution if necessary

COLORED DRINKS-WINE

What's a life without wine? And where's there's wine, there's inevitable spills, splashes, and whoopsies! For those moments, I reach for Club Soda and saturate the spill before blotting up the liquid with a clean, dry cloth. Crisis averted!

CRAYONS-CANDLES-WAX

Finding waxy residue on your carpet can be downright scary. (Think: Red wax on a white carpet.) But have no fear, it can be done using a paper towel or paper bag and a HOT iron. Place the paper towel over the wax and press the iron into the wax, careful not to let the iron touch the carpet, hold for ten seconds. The heat will melt and draw the wax out of the carpet fibers and into the paper. Repeat, using a clean area of paper until wax is completely removed from the carpet fibers.

For more stain-figting tips and to see what the other bloggers had to say click, here

Do This ONE Thing To Change Everything In 2018

We all have that one dream. The BIG Dream. The dream of all dreams. The dream that makes your heart smile and flutter when you think about it. I'm not talking about winning the lottery. I'm talking about the dream that gives your life purpose. The dream that gives you a life so fulfilling, you jump out of bed every morning stoked to cease the day. 

My ultimate dream is to author bestselling novels that weave messages of hope, encouragement and life lessons into brilliant storylines--sort of like a subliminal self-help book. Last August, I started chasing that ultimate dream when I wrote the first words of, The Devlyn Disguise.

With each word I laid down, my heart would leap for joy. The feeling was crazy. I was following and living my dream, and it felt amazing. I am now so fully addicted to that feeling of having a purpose and following my dreams, what feels like all four hundred and twelve rewrites and edits to the book since finishing the first draft in November for #NaNoWriMo, have been exhilarating, too! 

Quite possibly, the true meaning of life is following your dreams.

What about you? What’s your ultimate dream?

Not sure? Figure it out. 

Whatever you do, in 2018, please, follow your ultimate dream to the ends of the earth and back. It's so worth it and feels AMAZING. You only get this one life, live it according to your dreams and aspirations. Not, your, 'someday I will...'

Below are a few great tips for following your one big dream in 2018.

1. Figure out what your one dream is, and visualize it. See what it looks like, how it will change your life. Allow yourself to dream and believe, don't hold back. Let yourself get a taste of what your life WILL be like when your dream becomes a reality.  It's magical. Do it. Your heart will get hooked on that feeling and help drive you to the finish line. 

TIP: Read the book or watch the movie, The Secret. The Secret has personally helped me, my family members and many of my friends- and millions and millions of people around the world-- Take what you can from it. It’s often free on Netflix or Amazon. Definitely worth the watch if nothing else.

2. Make a game plan. What is the first step to realizing your one big dream? Do you have to go back to school? Move? Change jobs? Figure out the first step, and how you can take it. Write down the plan for step one. Focus on accomplishing it. Do that with each step. Don't get overwhelmed, just follow the dream. 

3. Set an alarm that goes off every day at a time you know you’ll be free that says, Follow your dreams, and spend an hour doing it.

4. Tell people about your dream and your plan to make it a reality in 2018. Get people to help hold you accountable.

5. Beleive in yourself, the dream and it coming true with all your heart and soul. The power of the human mind is insane. If you can dream it, you can do it. 

What are you waiting for? 

Happy New Year. Make 2018 your best year yet.