new solutions for 2014 resolutions

2014 is hours away, so i'm sure you've been thinking about your resolutions in the past few days, if not weeks…

and because there are many resolutions, i want to focus on some of the most common and encourage you to consider, if any are relevant to you, a more positive way for creating new practices and/or turning those hard-to-break habits into things that are more manageable and under your control.

for example…

 want to quit biting your nails?
purchase a gift card for your local nail salon and get a manicure every week. you may find it less tempting when you invest money to have your hands pampered and to ruin such gorgeous looking tips!

want to get more organized?
set your timer for 10 minutes and start clearing out a small drawer. don't stop until the timer goes off and when it does, walk away {chances are you won't want to. so by all means, continue if you have the time, but if you don't pat yourself on the back, and move on with your day}. do this daily and you're that much closer to your decluttering goal.

see? many "bad" habits can be transformed into beneficial-for-you habits, and new practices can be developed with a little help. remember to try and resist the need to put a ton of pressure on yourself to change all at once {it's the perfect setup for failure}, and with time, consistency and diligence, you'll look and feel better about yourself and your accomplishments!

 let's look at more ways to change the way we approach those common resolutions...

cut out coffee:
 it’s not an easy fete to give up coffee. so when you're trying to cut back, create a new fix with the nyakio Kenyan Coffee Collection, a naturally energizing and exfoliating skincare range. the collection contains a perfectly-balanced face polish and body scrub that promises to reveal fresh, more youthful-looking skin and provide antioxidant benefits. cheers!

rock a new look:
even the curling iron novice can create sexy, glamorous curls that will turn heads! try the Infiniti Pro by Conair Curl Secret ~ the Curl Secret automatically draws hair into its curl chamber, heats it from all sides, and beeps to let you know when to release perfect, bouncy, long-lasting curls. the results come with no more burns from an exposed heat element, no more struggling to wrap hair around a barrel, the Curl Secret does the work for you.

read more books:
 to make reading easy, consider a membership to Scribd, an eBook subscription service featuring more than 100,000 books, including bestselling and new release titles. at just $8.99 per month, Scribd is available across all Apple and Android phones, tablets and laptop/desktop computers, so you can read most anywhere! by the way, the first month is free!!

save money:
download Shopular, a free app that automatically pushes relevant deals to your device as soon as you walk into your favorite retailer or mall, and never pay retail or clip a coupon again! with over 40,000 locations around the country, Shopular's database contains popular stores, including Lord and Taylor, Home Depot, Sephora, and CVS, among others, addressing all of your shopping needs at a discount. love that!

commit to a new workout routine:
i'm all about overall health, and workouts are definitely part of that equation. at Opensky.com you'll find everything from comfortable and fashionable work out gear to the latest workout DVDs and equipment! oh, and i'm thrilled to report that it's a social shopping marketplace. you can help people discover, buy and share unique goods that match their individual taste, and you as a buyer can connect with merchants and friends directly.

keep in touch more:

it's always my intention to stay in touch with friends and family, but life tends to get in the way. Skype is an easy way to stay in touch with friends and family throughout the year. thanks to unlimited worldwide calling, group video calls and screen sharing, connecting with loved ones every day is not just easy but also inexpensive {and that encourages the saving money habit, so it's win-win!}.

give up sweets:
indulge in sweets sans calories with one of my favorite brands, Laura Mercier. inspired by the aromas of french patisseries, Laura Mercier has created the seductive, warm and comforting Crème Brûlée collection, featuring a blend of gourmande ingredients {including succulent notes of warm caramel, spun sugar and french vanilla bean} for a sensual and enchanting experience. delish without the guilt…yum!

what are your resolutions? share in the comments!

here's to a fabulous new year!

info and images courtesy of respected brands featured

2013 intentions...

did you make resolutions or plan goals for the new year?

when it comes to resolutions,  i believe they should be easy. i know from experience that baby steps are the best way to develop new habits and maintain them. i also believe it's a good idea to improve on whatever it is you're already doing {see last year's goals} or have an interest in...

for example, i'm already a daily exerciser {on twitter i share what workouts i've done for the day} and clean eater {since i have to be gluten and dairy-free, it's a good thing i love veggies, fruit and lean meats!}, but i plan to {continue to} seek out and add new types of workouts and recipes to my lifestyle. thankfully, my library has a fabulous selection of workout dvds {i'd go broke if i bought them all, LOL!} and i belong to a gym that frequently offers new classes; also, i already enjoy cooking, and the food i eat is essential to keeping myself and my family healthy, so trying new dishes is always fun!

other goals for my 2013:

read 12 of the books on my Goodreads to-read shelf.
i do read regularly, but i seem to get sidetracked when it comes to reading those books i've purposely added to that designated {virtual} shelf over the years. 12 is a small but attainable goal, so if i discover new books along the way, i can read them as well. or add them to my to-read shelf... ;)

spend more time with friends and family

it's so easy to let the busyness of life get in the way, but time is precious and should be enjoyed with those who mean the most to me.

sleep more
last year i did this by adding a nap to my day {such a good thing!}, but have fallen off the wagon recently. sleep is so important to all areas of health for everyone. because of my own personal health issues, it's even more essential to staying well.

keep learning
have you heard of Khan Academy or Coursera.org? they are fabulous teaching websites i've already  been learning with over the past few months. this year i'll continue to feed my brain with classes ranging in subjects from algebra to sociology and mental health to history of film.


there are a few other pursuits and goals i have for the year that i won't share...just yet. i will say they're quite exciting {and a bit out-of-my-comfort-zone-scary}, but i will when the time is right!

here's to a fabulous year!

 

hello 2012...

we've made it through the first week of 2012, beauties! a fresh new year. the holiday season is behind us and it's the desire of many to start fresh, get organized, set new goals and dream big dreams. it's the time of year we dive in head first, with a "go get it" attitude.

as for me, i'm keeping my resolutions from 2011. in a nutshell, i'm living a healthy, balanced lifestyle, full of fabulous food {maintaining my 25lb+ weight loss from 2010}, recipes and daily workouts...

with regard to style, i'm still all about investing only in fabulous things to wear; things that i absolutely love and know will last. sure, some trend items will be purchased from time to time, but i'm focused on building a wardrobe so i never have to find myself standing in a full closet with nothing to wear...

...keeping my closet full of {but not overflowing with} clothing, accessories and shoes i love and want to wear is key...

...my personal style includes pieces that are elegant, casual and glam, of course. ;)

for me, beauty in 2012 will be all about...

...experimenting more with my hairstyles, hair accessories and wearing hats. effortless styles, like this fabulous ballerina-esque bun, remind me to wear my hair up more often {and i love this cute hair bow, too ~ so fun!}...

...and i can't leave out taking risks with my makeup! sure a fabulous smoky eye will always have my heart, but it won't hurt to rock a cat eye every now an then...


in the self-care department...

...getting more sleep will be a priority {i've been using a sleep mask to help make it more glamorous}...

...as is a recommitment to my morning pages practice; doing more yoga {can't wait to participate in yoga journal's 21-day challenge!}, handwriting more letters, sending more snail mail, and to challenge my 103-books-read-in-2011 record, i am aiming to read 115 books...

no matter what your personal goals or resolutions are for 2012, these tips will help you stay on track:

start small. be specific. ask for help. anticipate setbacks. have patience.

tell me: what are your goals/resolutions??

hope it's a happy, healthy, fabulous 2012 for you!!

source; sleep mask and notebook images taken by me :)

weekend musings: New Changes and Discoveries

bonjour, dear readers!

how was your week? delightful, i hope!

can you believe it's already february??

it's been a very exploratory, creative time for me lately (been doing lots of journal writing, home decorating, drawing, learning french, cooking, not to mention, i finally got back on my yoga mat after about a year). i'm trying to balance spending more time with my daughter and son individually, nurture my offline friendships and everything in between.

BGM is now a little more than 3 years old, and i feel, like me, now 31 (eeek!), the blog is ready for a change.

while i have a bit of an idea where i want my little online baby to go, i really want to let everything happen organically. afterall, it developed into what it is today the same way. that being said, i feel that i need to get away from so much celebrity and pop culture coverage so i can really focus on sharing more of the things i love, in addition to all the fun, beauty-related stuff.

please know i completely appreciate that you take the time to visit each day (or subscribe via email, reader or blogger), and i j'adore sharing my love of all things beauty and style with you! thank you!!

as a little heads-up, as the weeks progress things may be a bit different. i can't really be specific, since i'm not really sure myself, but i hope you'll continue along with me!

now that my rambling is over, i wanted to share some fab new-to-me blogs (along with some websites and random stuff) that i've recently discovered, am loving, and/or am being so inspired by. take a little time and be sure to visit them soon...

blogs:

Dead Fleurette is an inspiration scrapbook where Fluerette shares fabulous articles or photographs as well as her musings on style-related topics.

Accidental Chic is a blog written by Tiffani Rogers and offers readers a daily dose of topics ranging, but not limited to, being fashion, beauty and financially savvy.

The Simply Luxurious Life is just about that-- living simply. Shannon Ables says about her blog, "the simply abundant life is something i believe every one of us can attain if indeed we are seeking quality rather than quantity, decadence rather than frivolity, personal style instead of trendy fashions, and a truly fulfilling life instead of being led around by the nose."

Into the Gloss is written by Emily Weiss (if you were an avid viewer of The Hills, you may remember who she is) and is an insider look into the world of fashion and beauty. her topics range from product reviews to featuring fabulous people and their own style, makeup artists, hairstylists, etc. all sharing their tips and musings.

websites:

Shelter Pop -- lots of fun home decorating trends and style tips
ModCloth -- fab vintage clothing and accessories
Pure Wow -- fashion, food, beauty, health, art, tech-- wow!
This Week In (they also have audio and video podcasts featuring everything from books to fashion!) -- catch up on all the fun happenings of the week.

random stuff:

Good Earth Teas (their original Sweet and Spicy blend is amazing)
American Eagle Outfitters (they have great basics and awesome accessories to jazz up your casual wear)
Pandora Radio (my fave stations? Pomplamoose, Ke$ha (this one surprised me, lol), Maxwell, Eric Hutchinson and Instrumental Hip Hop)
my new journal, yoga mat, gym bag and gloves :)

stay tuned for more...

Welcome to 2010!!

it's 2010! happy new year! :)

xo

Reflecting on 2009

it's the last day of the year-- can you believe it?? well, i certainly can, especially since yesterday was my birthday.

yes, i am officially 30 (and fabulous)!



that is something i really can't believe, but i definitely prefer it to the alternative right now, if you catch my drift, LOL! so, as i was saying, i can believe it's the last day of the year...



speaking of which, this past year has been a great one! in regards to BGM i've had the privilege of testing out many products, have made some great blogging pals, learned so much about computers (but still have so much to learn!), attended some fun events, went to nyc for the first time ever and went backstage at ny fashion week. this stay-at-home-mom certainly had some fun! :)




'09 was also an extraordinarily tragic one, with the passing of so many amazing and talented people, which if anything, reminded me how precious our short time on earth really is.

hopefully your '09 (not to mention the last decade) was filled with good memories. i know i've had an eventful last 10 years and am excited to see what the next year (and decade) will bring!

here's to a fabulous 2010!

xo

New Years Resolution: Getting Organized

do you have a resolution to get organized in 2009? whether you have a drawer, a closet or a whole house to reorganize, or you just want to get your schedule under control, here are some fabulous tips for doing it, as well as amazing websites that will give you inspiration and keep you on track!

**clean out your belongings before you think about organizing (organizational tools, furniture, etc.). don't do it the other way around. you can only really accurately know what space you have when you've cleaned up. if you don't really take a hard look at what you're stuffing in your spaces, you'll waste time and money organizing stuff you don't need anyway.




**to organize your makeup, first, get rid of what you know you'll never use again (be honest!). then separate the products you use most into a basket or other easy to get to place. sort the rest into categories (foundation, blush, mascara, etc.). you can use more generalized categories of you have very few products (lips, eyes, cheeks, etc.). keep your less used items in a train case or separate them using any type of drawer organizer.

**use timers. setting a timer for how long you think an organizing task should take will make it a little more fun, so you can work like crazy to get it done in the allotted time. if you don't get it completely done, well you're a lot closer than you were before! tackle it again the next day.

**use a planner. planners are especially useful if you have a lot of appointments and your days are so varied that you have trouble keeping track of your schedule. if you happen to travel a lot or attend classes at various times of day, it's much easier to carry a planner with you to consult frequently-- you can't do that with just a calendar. if you prefer a more tech-savvy approach, let that PDA (palm pilot, iphone, blackberry) do it for you!



**if you're not a naturally organized person, you can change your habits by starting with one small area of your living space and focusing on keeping that small area organized. by keeping that small area organized, over time it will become easier to do. after about 2-3 months of keeping it looking good, you'll want to expand your new-found organizing instincts to other areas!

**put things back right away. instead of setting things on your kitchen table, throwing them into a drawer or piling it on your desk, put it where it belongs as soon as you don't need to use it even if it's the trash). putting things like this off creates clutter and can start to get out of control. designate certain places for your keys, your cell, coats, books, etc., and always put them there-- trust me, this works!


fabulous helpful get-organized sites:

lifeorganizers.com
plannerpads.com
organizedhome.com
containerstore.com
flylady.net


start small, do a little everyday. if you need help, ask your super-organized friend to help you. i'm sure they'll be relieved you finally asked- lol! in any case, you can do it! :)

xo

Happy New Year!

here's to a fabulous year!

xo