Beginning #6weekstofab

In the most recent General Conference, Elder Jorg Klebingat said this...

"Feeding the spirit while neglecting the body, which is a temple, usually leads to spiritual dissonance and lowered self-esteem. If you are out of shape, if you are uncomfortable in your own body and can do something about it, then do it!

Please use good judgement in what and especially how much you eat, and regularly give your body the exercise it needs and deserves. If you are physically able, decide today to be the master of your own house and begin a regular, long-term exercise program, suited to your abilities, combined with a healthier diet." 

 Those words were the inspiration I needed. I began searching for a fitness program I could begin & stick to. Then I came across Simply Sadie Jane and found her at-home cross-fit inspired #6weekstofab program. 

I started today! And let me tell ya, even day one was hard! But I'm excited to start taking even better care of my body by following this long-term 6 week program. 

If you're interested in following the same program the links to the various weeks are below, as well as a few other posts from her site. Why not spend the holidays taking better care of your body rather than waiting for the busy gyms on January 1st?

Week One

Week Two

Week Three

Week Four

Week Five

Week Six

A few other great posts from Simply Sadie Jane:

Everything About Paleo

Nutrition

Fitness

Putting it All Together

I'm gonna try and do weekly updates on here for you all and to help keep me accountable. Let me know how YOU stay motivated and what you're doing to improve your body, I'd love to hear!

Give Back & Get Those Textbooks

I know what it's like to drop a TON of money on textbooks. It's the worst. But what if I told you you could save money & give back to an amazing charity instead of spending a ton of money on books you'll probably only use for one semester? Well I'm here to tell you just that!

Campus Book Rentals is your one stop shop for all things textbook. You rent a textbook at a fraction of the cost, and for each textbook rented they donate to Operation Smile.

Some perks of renting from Campus Book Rentals:

Save 40%-90% off of bookstore prices

Free shipping both ways

You can highlight in the textbooks 

They have flexible renting periods

And they donate to Operation Smile with each textbook rented 

They've also started a new program called RentBack. Basically, if you have old textbooks gathering dust on a shelf, they rent them out for you and you make money off of it! And you can make that money over and over again every time the book is rented. 

If you're not convinced go check out their website CampusBookRentals.com and find out how they can help you save money, make money, and give back to an amazing cause. 

Authority: 6 Ways to Yes

If you haven't seen the YouTube video The Science of Persuasion you should definitely go watch it right now. I'll wait.

Great! Welcome back. Now you understand the 6 ways to yes! 

As bloggers, I think most of us have the desire to influence/persuade others. Whether that is for a company paying us to promote their product or just us wanting to share our latest blog post that we poured our heart and soul into.

I've already written posts for...

Scarcity

Reciprocity

Now we learn about authority.

Authority is a big deal in blogging, yet at the same time it's nothing.

 I'm a newlywed, so sometimes people get snarky about me blogging about marriage. Truth is, I don't know much about marriage. Currently I know 15 months worth of marriage. That's all. But that doesn't keep me from blogging about my marriage goals, why I love being married, our date nights and how I'm keeping the spark alive in our marriage. However, someone who has been happily married for 25 years would have more authority than a newlywed marriage blogger.

I blog about blogging. Maybe I don't make $1,000 a month blogging but I've been blogging for over 5 years now. I've run 3 different blogs, each with a different niche. So how's that for experience!

I blog about Disneyland. I've been there close to 30 times, so even though I'm no Anaheim native, I know my stuff. 

The best advice is to blog what you KNOW. But also to blog what you LOVE. If you want to blog about happy marriages even though you've only been married 15 months, go for it! Share YOUR story. And if you happen to have some authority on a subject, i.e. you're a licensed cosmetologist blogging about hair? Share that! Brag about yourself. This is the blogging world folks, it's all about us.

HUGE Black Friday Blog Ad Sales: Discount Codes for Your Favorite Blogs

I can't believe it's already time for Christmas shopping. It's hard to believe Black Friday is already here. Now what Black Friday would be complete without HUGE Blog Ad Sales??? So I've compiled a list of tons of your favorite blogs and their black friday ad sales. It's your one stop shop for growing your blog this holiday season and into the new year.

A Little Too Jolley

60% Off Ad Space using code BLACKFRIDAY

Simply Clarke

50% Off Ad Space using code BLACK50

Whispering Sweet Nothings

30% Off Ad Space using code BFRIDAY 

Life Could Be a Dream

45% Off Ad Space using code BLACK45

Pink on the Cheek

30% Off Ad Space using code BLACK FRIDAY

Whit Speaks

50% Off Ad Space using code BELOVEDFRIDAY

The Rachael Way

40% Off Ad Space using code PINKFRIDAY

September Farm

50% Off Ad Space using code BLACKFRIDAY

Cosmos Mariners

50% Off Ad Space using code TURKEY50

Becoming Adorrable

40% off Ad Space using code BLACKFRIDAY40

Blue Giraffes & Concrete Jungles

40% Off Ad Space using code TURKEYDAY

Living for His Glory
50% Off Ad Space No Code Necessary

Oak & Oats
50% Off Ad Space With Code BLACKFRIDAY

Noor's Place
50% Off Ad Space using code 50SALE

Southern Beauty Guide
50% Off Ad Space using code SBGBLACKFRIDAY

Lot 48
30% Off Ad Space using code BLACKFRIDAY]

Lindsay Living Vegan
85% Off Ad Space using code BLACKFRI85

5 Ways to Improve Your Self Esteem

Friends!

My dear, dear friends.

I am Sierra and I blog over at Sierra's View! I am so excited to be on Brooklyn's blog today to talk about something that is very near and dear to my heart.

Self Esteem.

Before you all have sigh a huge sigh of relief, I want to tell you that this something that needs to be talked about. And it needs to be talked about often.

I like to consider myself a confident person. Yet, there are many times that I am quite difficult on myself. I am my own worst critic. I find that I am looking at all of the negative aspects about myself rather than positive ones. I, sometimes, tend to notice things about myself that other people don't even see. I am so hard on myself, and I see so many other women being hard on themselves as well.
This needs to stop! So, let's talk about what we can do to help our self esteem. These are five things I have found that have helped me when I am struggling with my confidence.

1. Embrace being alone.
Often times, I find that being alone can sometimes be damaging. Alone time can sometimes lead to negative thoughts. If I could say anything about this aspect, it would be that when you are alone, enjoy it. Spend that time to write, to ponder, and to grow. A confident woman is someone who can do things alone and enjoy it.

2. For every negative thought, give yourself five compliments.
As a child growing up, my mother would make me say five nice things to my brother for every one mean thing I said to him. I hated it. But now looking back, I think it's brilliant. We have this concept of negative "Self talk" that gets into our brains often. Every time you find yourself saying something negative or mean about yourself, automatically say five things that you love about yourself. It seems awkward at first, but I promise, it works.

3. Do something every day for yourself. 
Go to the gym, take a walk outside, go to yoga, read a book, write on your blog, cook, etc. Do something everyday that makes you feel good about yourself; something that you truly enjoy. You need to remember through your crazy lives of children, jobs, husbands, school, etc. that you need to do something just FOR YOU. Building those "happy moments"--that's what I like to call them, helps you become a more whole and confident person.

4. Do not compare yourself. 
This one is the most challenging, in my opinion. We live in a world that is constantly comparing--our income, our homes, our bodies, etc. We each have different bodies, different struggles, and different strengths. Do not compare your weaknesses to other peoples' strengths.

5.  Remember Who You Are. 
Remember that you are a wonderful person. You are loved by God. You have so many wonderful aspects about yourself. Even if you don't believe in God or a higher power, always believe that you are a special person with wonderful gifts and talents. Always remember that.

Come stop by and say hi!!!

What To Do When Love is Waning

This morning while browsing Facebook I saw a link to an article that looked interesting. It said, "The No. 1 cause of divorce might not be what you think." So I clicked on the article. Read it HERE before reading any further.

Truth is, life gets in the way. We have crazy weeks at school, you buy a house and are busy unboxing everything you've collected in the past 15 months of marriage, one of us is cranky, people get pregnant and have beautiful human beings that they now have to keep alive, and don't forget making a living through work to afford life. Life gets busy.

What you put your affection, time and efforts towards is what will grow. We move toward what we focus on. If you aren't putting time and effort in your marriage relationship your love will wane. But the good news is, "If feelings of love are waning, they can be recovered." It just takes effort and focus.

I promise you that is true. Now go over HERE and read 5 ways to help your marriage when those lovey dovey newlywed feelings begin to wane. 

Shop Small Business: Holiday Gift Guide

One of my favorite things about this season is buying gifts for others. I love to shop for others and find things that they will love to share with them. Now, I'm not above shopping Walmart, but I do love to support small business as well!  So here's a few amazing small shops that I think you will love just as much as I do.

LulaRoe with Brielle

Adorable, comfy, MODEST skirts, dresses, leggings, and tops for all ages and sizes. (2T up to 3XL)

CYBER MONDAY: Mention this post for 20% off your entire order placed either on FB or Instagram.

Susan Stange Design

Share this blog post on your Facebook or Instagram account and receive 20% off any item in shop! Use discount code BLACKFRIDAY2014

My shop is all about Mamas and their babies! I sew quality, practical, and fashionable items for babies to use and moms to love. Whether it be a car seat protector or little girl's tunic, you're sure to find something you love!

Signed by Chelle

At my Etsy shop I sell custom wood signs, wood block sets and tumblers decorated with vinyl.

Jamberry Nails

Jamberry Nails wraps and products.  Free samples are available.  

Contact me at michelle.jams.vegas@gmail.com

Kabat And Co.

Hello, my name is Jenny and I’m an Accountant by day, Etsy Shop Owner by night and married to my best friend.  Kabat and Co. specializes in accessorizing newborns up to adults in top knot headbands, turbans, head wraps, bibdanas and infinity scarves.

Promo Code:  TURKEY 25% Off Purchase of $5.50 or more.

Lindsay's Secret Closet

Lindsay’s Secret Closet sells fashionable women’s apparel at a fraction of the cost of our competitors. We strive to help women feel beautiful on a budget!

Customers can use the code HOLIDAY20 to get 20% off their entire purchase.

Fantasies Ever After

I am a fairy tale lover, and so I thought of making fun and familiar jewelry pieces. Everything is inspired by fairy tale or geekery characters from movies and books. I handcraft my jewelry, so you can have a piece of magic wherever you are.

HOLLYFUN5- 5% off, min. $10 purchase.

Just an Armful of Sugar

Hello all! I’m Ali and I make custom jewelry! All pieces are beaded and made with only the best products ;) This started as a nap time hobby and then it’s grown to a bit more than that ;) All pieces are customizable and you can also request something special! Thanks for supporting homemade!

MISLETOE when you spend $20 and you'll save $4! (sorry I can't spell)

RUDOLPH when you spend $40 and you'll save $6!

SANTA when you spend $60 and you'll save $8!

And YES you can use ALL the codes at once as well, so the savings could be HUGE! Happy Shopping!! (Codes are good thru December 17th to ensure Christmas delivery!!)

*As a special for you readers, I’ll throw in a BLACKFRIDAY code that gives an extra 20% off their entire order! Good only Nov 28-30th!

Those Crazy Mormons: Are Mormons Christian? And Other Questions You Have About Mormons.

"Those Crazy Mormons" is a blog series dedicated to answering common questions about Mormon beliefs, culture, and history. If you have further comments or questions, please feel free to 

email me at brooklynjolley@hotmail.com. 

More than likely, you've heard of Mormons. The official title is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Here are a few simple answers to some questions you may have about Those Crazy Mormons!

Are Mormons Christian? 

YES! The full name of our church says it itself. "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints." We read & study The Book of Mormon in addition to the Bible. The full title is The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. We love Jesus, believe in His saving divinity, desire to follow His teachings, and rely on His saving grace.

Is Mormonism a Cult?

If Mormonism is a "cult" then so is any other group that has "a system of religious beliefs and ritual"--which is how the dictionary defines the word. Some people think Mormonism is a cult because our worship is a little different than mainstream Christianity. 

Do Mormons live in secluded compounds and don't use electricity?

Nope! I'm a Mormon and I'm writing this blog post!

Is the Mormon church a White, American church? 

Not anymore! Some people think that Mormonism is a white, American church. But more than half of Latter-day Saints are NOT Caucasian and more than half of members worship in congregations outside the USA. The LDS Church has congregations in 177 countries worldwide.

Is all of Utah Mormon? 

Whenever we go places and people hear we are from Utah they always ask, "Are you Mormon then?" Well yes, I am, but not everyone from Utah is! Utah is the place where the early Mormon pioneers settled and Salt Lake City, Utah is currently the location of the worldwide headquarters of the church. About 60% of Utah's population is LDS.

More of the Those Crazy Mormons Series:

What do Mormon's believe about God?

Christ's Ministry & The Great Apostasy

What is Fast Sunday?

The Restoration of the Gospel Through Joseph Smith

A Short Intro to The Book of Mormon

Winter Date Ideas!

I'm over at Sierra's View today sharing some great Winter Date ideas! 

See the post HERE.

We Bought a House!

Yesterday we drove to a Title Company and signed our lives away on our first ever home! We are so excited!! 

Our first stop after signing off was IKEA. We are going from about 500 square feet to almost 2000 so we are gonna need a lot of furniture to fill this baby! We get the keys later today and then we are officially homeowners. We are so excited about this new adventure and feel so blessed. 

I'll share more pictures once we get all moved in. Cheers to our first home together!

How to Survive a Fashion Challenge

Doing fashion challenges can be fun, but they can also be stressful. Guess what? They don't need to be! So I'm over at Dreaming of Someday to give you some tips on how to survive a fashion challenge!

Go HERE to read the post!

How to Survive a Fashion Challenge

hi i'm aubrey from dreaming about someday. i blog about everything from fashion to recipes to running to the bachelor and everything in between. i have done several fashion challenges including several rounds of 30x30. since brooklyn is right in the middle of 30x30, i'm here to give her you a few tips for surviving a fashion challenge. 1. pick items you like to wear it is difficult enough to limit your closet. be careful about picking clothes you never want to wear. you'll be stuck trying to come up with combos you like, and it will make it hard to stick to the challenge. 2. collaborate with others i saw people all over blogland doing 30x30 challenges, but i was too nervous to do it myself. i finally joined a group of about 10 other bloggers for my first round. it was so great doing it that way. i met a lot of really great people, and it was much easier to stick to the challenge knowing many of us were doing the same thing.

3. get organized

i'm not really an excel spreadsheet girl, but it can be helpful to list out your possible outfit combinations. i started with tops and listed all bottoms that could go with each top. i worked my way through all items and realized i had over 60 combinations to wear-double what i needed for the challenge. i also use pictures to help me remember what i already wore.

 4. be committed 

set your goal and stick with it. plan for upcoming events by picking pieces that fit. for example, if you know you have a wedding or fancy party, make sure to include a formal dress in your planning. stay firm even when it gets a little tricky towards the end,

 5. bend the rules

it's ok to change things to make it more doabable for you. i spent 1/3 of a 30x30 challenge in the virgin islands. i picked a swimuit/cover up as one of my pieces. it made the challenge must less stressful and much more sucessful.

a lot of people think fashion challenges are practically impossible, but they really are much easier than you think. have you ever done a fashion challenge? 

make sure to come over to my blog tomorrow to hear brooklyn's tips.

A 2 Minute Pep Talk: When You Doubt Your Testimony (A VLOG)

Our testimonies are ever-changing. If we are not growing them by bringing constant light into our lives, they will slowly diminish. Sometimes despite our best efforts to grow our testimonies we still come across materials, feelings, or others who will make us question our testimonies.

In the words of Elder Anderson,

"Why does the Lord allow the evil speaking to chase after the good? One reason is that opposition against the things of God sends seekers of truth to their knees for answers."

There has been recent talk about Joseph Smith in the news, if you haven't heard about it yet, you will. Because the opposition will only continue to get worse as we get closer to Christ's 2nd Coming. As it has many times in the past, the information published has caused many members to doubt. 

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf has said,

"Some struggle with unanswered questions about things that have been done or said in the past. We openly acknowledge that in nearly 200 years of Church history—along with an uninterrupted line of inspired, honorable, and divine events—there have been some things said and done that could cause people to question.

Sometimes questions arise because we simply don’t have all the information and we just need a bit more patience. When the entire truth is eventually known, things that didn’t make sense to us before will be resolved to our satisfaction." 

I once heard that telestial minds cannot comprehend celestial things. We all have telestial minds on earth, and things that don't make sense right this second will be taught to us line upon line, precept upon precept. 

In the most recent general conference President Uchtdorf gave a talk entitled "Receiving a Testimony of Light & Truth." He gave an experiment, with a guarantee from God that each of us can use.

1. He invited us to search the scriptures. You won't find light in darkness. True study of the scriptures will bring the Spirit into your life. And even if you don't get a word for word answer to your questions, you will feel The Holy Ghost bear witness to you of the truths of the gospel.

2. Consider, ponder, fearlessly strive to believe. Take the time to ponder over the things you have studied and the way you have felt. The Lord is so merciful, he has provided so much light for us to search out.

3. Ask Heavenly Father. The promise is there in Moroni. If you ask with real intent, HE WILL ANSWER.

4. "If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine." We are give this promise from John 7:17 in the Bible. We have to ACT on our beliefs to turn those beliefs into KNOWLEDGE.

Doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith.

Doubt is a normal part of life, a normal part of the gospel, and something you will inevitably encounter as your strive to be a disciple of Christ. Don't let one question keep you from the truths you already know. Strive to learn, understand and pray about it. The best place to find gospel answers is in the gospel. 

Your Heavenly Father loves you. He is aware of you. And He is aware of your doubts. He wants you to turn to Him so he can reach out his arms, pull you into a big hug and teach you all you need to know!

REFERENCED IN PEP TALK:
Joseph Smith- by Elder Anderson
Come, Join with Us- by President Dieter F Uchtdorf
Receiving a Testimony of Truth & Light- by President Dieter F Uchtdorf

Why I'm Not Christmas Shopping on Thanksgiving

The other day I came across Target's Black Friday ad. And my heart sunk. "Doors open at 6 PM on Thanksgiving." And then just an hour later I saw Walmart was opening at the same time. 

When I was younger it was different. We'd have a delicious meal, spend precious time with family, and laugh at all the crazy things we've done. Then the party would be over. My mom would clean and then go to bed. Just 3-4 hours later in the middle of the night she would wake up, don a sweater that matched all my aunts & grandma and brave the cold chill to wait outside their store of choice. They always had a game plan. Who would get the princess dolls, who would get the rollerblades, etc. And they'd have a fun girls day Christmas shopping for their family whom they loved so dearly. 

It's not like that anymore. If you want to take advantage of Black Friday deals you have to interrupt your Thanksgiving meal. At 6 PM! And heaven forbid you want to wait outside the store for a few hours, you might as well not attend Thanksgiving dinner at all because you'll have to leave before it even starts.

Why am I not shopping on Thanksgiving? I'm not shopping on Thanksgiving because I'd rather have more time with family on Thanksgiving than more presents under the tree on Christmas morning. There's not a good deal out there that would be worth missing that precious time. Not even if they were giving out free ipads just for standing in line, which I've yet to see advertised.

Besides missing that time with family because of "good deals", what about all the employees? The ones who have to provide for their families and don't get Thanksgiving off because there are too many people shopping! The people like Amberly's Husband, you can read about Black Friday at their house HERE.

I've read a quote somewhere that said, "People are meant to be loved, and things are meant to be used. The reason this world is in chaos is because things are being loved and people are being used." Things are being LOVED. Is it bad to want to give your children a really great Christmas morning? To wait in the freezing cold for 5 hours for a half off Elsa doll? No! Not one single bit! 

But Thanksgiving is meant for family. It's meant for eating, and gratitude, football, and resting. Not for shopping for good deals.

If you're looking for me on Thanksgiving I'll be rubbing my satisfied tummy, cuddling my husband and getting excited for the holidays. And then you'll also find me doing some Small Business shopping on Etsy, and some Amazon Prime shopping on Cyber Monday.

Update on my 30X30 (Outfits 7-12)

To read why I'm doing this go HERE.

To see the 30 items I picked go HERE.

To see outfits 1-6 go HERE.

I've been having a ton of fun doing this 30X30. It's crazy I'm almost half way over. I feel like I have so many more outfits to put together. 

Doing this challenge is really helping me appreciate my closet! So here's days 7-12.

Which is your favorite outfit from these 6? I think my favorite is the red cardigan over the striped top!

Why Temple Date Night's Make the Best Date Nights

I can honestly say that temple date nights are the best date nights. Why? Well I'm here to tell ya.

Head over to From A to Z to read the rest of the post!

How To Start a Gratitude Journal

Unless you've been living under a rock I'm sure you've seen the gratitude posts all over Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. It's November, so people everywhere are pausing to be grateful for all that they have. 

I'm not here to debate the idea of daily thanksgiving posts in the month of November, but what I am here to do is help you learn how you can turn those social media posts that get lost in less than 24 hours into something tangible. I'm going to help you see how you can start your very own gratitude journal and start living in thanksgiving every single day!

1. Buy a notepad you love!

Whether you want to drop into Target to buy a cute notepad, use up an old one around the house or get a specific gratitude journal like this one or this one from Etsy, just pick a notepad that makes your heart happy.

2. Decide how frequently you want to write.

Do you have time to add this to your morning or nighttime ritual? Do you want to only journal on Sunday's when things are more relaxed? Or is once a month enough for your to fill your grateful bucket? Decide what works for you.

3. Decide the format. 

You can set a goal for every day such as: Write 10 items every day, or Fill an entire page with grateful thoughts 1x a week. Or you can make it more informal. You can draw pictures, glue in pictures, or print of quotes about gratitude. There are lots of different ways you do this. 

4. Get started.

As Walt Disney said, "The best way to get started is to stop talking and start doing." Just get going! Making your first marks in any new journal can be intimidating but exhilarating! Writing those few lines of gratitude should feel good and make you happy to be alive.

What do I do?

I've done many variations but here's a few of my favorites...

* Write 5 items every night in list form.

* Fill a page with complete sentences of what I'm grateful for.

* Write each entry in a different color. 

Have you ever kept a gratitude journal?

Marriage & The Gospel of Jesus Christ

{Post written by Ashley from From A to Z}

I was asked to write on Marriage and the Gospel of Jesus Christ which are my TWO very favorite things to write about so here we go!

How does one incorporate the gospel into their marriage? Well there are many things you can do to mix it in!

Read your scriptures together - this is a huge one for my husband and I. Right at 8 or 8:30 at night we read our scriptures together. Then we discuss what we learned and what stuck out to us and why. Having a discussion helps set the mood for the spirit and allows us to really learn as a couple.

Attend church together - Unfortunately Brady works every other Sunday but when we do get to go together, it's the best! We sit by each other in class, during the sacrament and then when we get home we talk about how church went and what we learned in Relief Society/Priesthood.

Attend the Temple together - attending the temple is a really important thing to do together. You can learn so much by attending the temple and what better place to go to, to receive guidance and counsel than the temple? You will experience so much happiness and peace when you go and what better way than to do it together.

Pray together - praying together is a really big deal and can really strengthen your relationship. Morning and night you should always pray separately and together. Praying together strengthens your relationship because you learn to rely on prayer together and that it will get you through to good and bad times and as well as praying separately.

Share goodness - if you haven't seen the hashtag #sharegoodness than you missed out on Elder Bednar's talk he gave on sharing goodness through social media. It's important to be member missionaries and to share goodness wherever you can. It doesn't always have to be about the gospel, just share stuff that's good together!

What other things do you do to incorporate the gospel in your marriage?

Introducing The Newest Member of Our Family

I know a lot of you follow me on Instagram (@brooklynjolley) and so for those of you who do, you know we added to our family a few weeks ago. So meet Benson! (Aka Benny)

He has been a little ball of energy and cuteness ever since we got him. We love him!

We also are a family of 6 now! Colten, me, Benson, Puppy & Walter our cats, and Millie our hedgehog. 500 sq feet didn't keep our family from growing quickly ;) But we sure are excited to move into our house next week. 

Isn't Benson adorable?

5 Easy Ways to Start Living Like a Minimalist

Stuff. We have so much stuff, and by we I mean my husband and I. You can be the judge of yourself. We have cupboards full of food, but every week we continue to buy groceries. I have a closet full of clothes, but I still find myself online shopping and browsing the mall for the next good thing. I have lots of books I've purchased but never actually sat down to read. 

Maybe this is why minimalism became so appealing to me so quickly. Minimalism isn't just some fad for rich people to feel better about their spending, it's a total life changing process that YOU get to be in charge of. Minimalism can be different for everyone. It can be owning 100 things or less, giving up your car(which I never plan to do), or only buying things that you actually need.

So instead of getting caught up in all the definitions and dramatics of minimalism, let's just look at some easy ways to get started!

1. Clean out your closet!
-Get rid of items you haven't worn in the last 6 months
-Pack away seasonal items
-Do a fashion challenge like a 30x30 to learn to appreciate your closet

2. Use up all your makeup/hair stuff before buying any new stuff.
Maybe this isn't a problem for everyone, but I know I'm all about buying the latest and greatest beauty supplies. So instead of buying the next shampoo that will solve all my hair woes, I'm gonna use up what I've already bought first.

3. Do a no-spend month.
Choose a month and decide to not spend any money that isn't necessary. If you don't need it, don't buy it.

4. Get rid of duplicates.
Own 7 mixing bowls, get rid of the extras! Still too scared to get rid of all buy one? Just keep two for now. Have two purses? Donate one!

5. Donate!
Doing a no spend month, spending less on hair and makeup stuff should leave you with a little extra. Find a cause that means something to you and donate, even if it's only $5, it will feel amazing to donate to something so close to your heart.


Becoming a minimalist doesn't need to be dramatic. Make SMALL and SUSTAINABLE changes that make you feel free.