Getting married is a huge step, and one that can be filled with anxiety. From worrying about how to combine your lives post-I-Do, to the fear of letting down wedding guests, stress is a huge factor. Worst of all, it’s difficult to enjoy your wedding day when you’re feeling stressed. Here are ten tips for a stress-free wedding – from planning with friends and family to the big day itself.

1.  Talk it through.

A couple of weeks before the wedding, gather your maid of honor and a few close friends, and talk through how you want the wedding do go. Think about all of the worst things that could happen, and ask your friends to help you prevent them. If they know to watch for your uncle who can’t stay away from the bar, they can help distract him from taking that fifteenth drink.

2.  Give everything a test run.

Sure, the rehearsal dinner is where you’ll walk through the ceremony with your attendants, parents, and your guy. But the rehearsal dinner only takes the ceremony into account. Do a dry run for everything from hair and makeup to getting dressed. If you know how long everything takes, you’ll know how to schedule the entire wedding day.

3.  Bring an extra pair of shoes.

Those Cinderella shoes with the four inch, stiletto heels are gorgeous, but after wearing them during the ceremony, through the receiving line, and while taking pictures your feet are going to need a break. So have a backup pair of shoes – pretty sandals or a ballet flat will give your feet a fashionable break.

4.  Drink plenty of water – all day long.

You’ll be rushing around from hair appointments to makeup artists, getting dressed, doing pictures. . .don’t forget to drink plenty of water throughout the day. Put one of your bridesmaids in charge of making sure everyone gets something to eat and drink at least an hour before the ceremony. You don’t want someone to faint or start feeling ill halfway through the ceremony.

5.  Take fifteen minutes for yourself.

Just before the ceremony begins, and once the ceremony is over, take a little time for yourself. The pictures can wait, and so can that receiving line. Giving both yourself, your groom, and your attendants’ a break from smiling and hand-shaking will go a long way toward making this day a fun event rather than a long and stress-filled occasion. Use to collect your thoughts, center yourself, and enjoy the rest of the time.

6.  Take imaginary pictures.

Your wedding day is going to feel both interminable and fleeting as you’re in the middle of the preparations, the ceremony, and the party afterward. Remind yourself to take imaginary pictures of those little moments throughout the day – images that even the best photographer won’t think to capture, but that you can imprint on your memory. Like how cute the flower girl and ringer bearer are holding hands as they walk down the aisle, how scared your groom looks during that last-minute convo with the minister, or how silly your maid of honor looked with her hair half-done as she scarfs down a slice of veggie pizza in the ready room.

7.  Make a list of things to keep.

There is so much going on the day of the wedding, you may forget to keep a wedding program or fan, or even one of the flowers from your bouquet. Think about the little things you’d like to keep as a memory of this day, and ask your mom and your new mother-in-law to collect them. They’ll love being asked to be part of your day in this way.

8.  Ask your dad (or his) to use a phone-compatible memory stick to gather as many digital photos from your day as possible.

The official photographer will have gotten all of the must-have shots, but your friends, family, and guests will be snapping additional pictures throughout the day – and some of those pictures will be definite keepers.

9.  Take a few minutes just for you and your spouse.

Those fifteen minutes we advised you to take before and just after the ceremony? Take a few minutes alone with your new spouse, too. You’ll have that first dance, of course, but taking a few minutes to hold hands, share a special kiss, or just smile at one another will go a long way toward alleviating some of the stress of the day.

10.  Be present and enjoy every moment.

Remember, the wedding is just one day. What you want to build is a marriage. So, if things don’t go exactly as planned, let it go. The flower girl cried and the ring bearer ran off? Let it go. Your mom yelled at his dad? Let it go. You have the guy, now go build your marriage and life together!

Featured image via royalty-free stock photo

We all love Dad, but he can get the short end of the stick when it comes to gifts. According to the National Retail Federation, Mother’s Day gifts averaged $173 last year, but Father’s Day gifts averaged $115. What’s worse – last year wasn’t an anomaly. While we pay big bucks for mom’s flowers, chocolates, and spa days, most of the time dad gets a tie and maybe a dinner out. Here are a few ways we can give dad what he wants most this Father’s Day: family time.

1.  Take in a ball game.

Baseball is America’s pastime, and most Dad’s love catching their favorite team on TV. This year, take dad to a game of Father’s Day – tickets, beers, and ballpark franks will make him happy, but spending the afternoon in the sun with you will be the best part of the gift. Talk to him, enjoy the game with him, and make a treasured memory.

2.  Go on a hike.

Maybe your dad isn’t as in to baseball as he is the great outdoors – no worries. Check your city website – or, heck, TripAdvisor – to find a local trail you can hike. Take along a picnic lunch, remember comfortable shoes, and your camera so you can take pictures of a great day with dad!

3.  Head to an amusement park.

Whether you have a big amusement park in your city or only a local fun park with go-karts, mini-golf, and even paint ball. If your dad is an active dad, get the family together, and spend Father’s Day speeding around those hairpin curves, riding killer coasters and taking aim at one another. It’s all in fun!

4.  Take dad wine tasting.

Have a dad who has a taste for wine? What about craft beers? Find a local winery, distillery or artisan beer maker, and go to a wine tasting. Bring home your favorites, so you can remember the day all through the year.

5.  Take a historical tour!

Live in New England or the South? Chances are there will be some kind of Revolutionary or Civil War reenactment over Father’s Day weekend…and if there isn’t, check with your local library or historical society. Many will arrange for a day to tour the stacks and dive deep into local history.

Image via royalty-free stock photo

If you’re like me, you’ve been procrastinating as long as you can remember. Buying groceries, project deadlines, monthly reports, filling the car up with gas; if you can put it off, it remains unfinished until the last minute. But fear not, fellow procrastinator! I’ve compiled a list of ways to finally beat procrastination. Use one method, or combine them to conquer your to-do list.

1.  The Pomodoro technique.

With this technique, you break your time into 25-minute intervals, with five minute breaks in between each sprint. The science behind this technique suggests that we can only concentrate on a task for about 25 minutes before we start to lose focus. So breaking up our work this way means you can stay on task, and still have a few minutes to grab water, get up and stretch, or check emails. If you want to add some tech to this method, there’s an app for that! Try the Flat Tomato, which actually lets you add your own to-do list or projects and track time for each individually.

2.  The 1-3-5 List.

A minimalist productivity technique, the 1-3-5 list has you prioritize your to-do list so that you can get the biggest things done, instead of leaving you with a list 25 lines long and no idea where to start. Start by writing down one big item you need to get done, three medium-sized tasks, and five smaller projects. With this technique you can easily see what you need to get done, and can parcel out your time accordingly. If you want to add some tech to this method, there’s an app for that! 135 List is a supercharged checklist app that lets you see which tasks you’ve assigned each day, and check them off as you go along.

3.  Eat The Frog technique.

This sounds unpleasant, but this method is just to encourage you to figure out the biggest task that needs to get done, and do it first. No putting it off, no procrastinating, just eat the frog!

4.  The Eisenhower Matrix.

Are you dealing with priority blindness? Can’t tell the difference between important, and urgent, when it comes to the tasks ahead? Try the method made famous by President Eisenhower, and bring clarity to the chaos. Create a square, and divide that square into four boxes. Label the boxes “Important and urgent”, “Important but not urgent”, “Not important, but urgent”, and “Not important, not urgent”. Place all of your to-do list under one of the titles, and work from the first to the last in each box. With time, you should be able to eliminate more of the “Important and urgent” list by working ahead and finishing the task/project before it moves to that box.

5.  The Action Method.

Instead of just a straight “to-do” list, this method suggests that you break up your list into the following categories: action steps, references, and back-burners. Action items are things that you can get done immediately or within a quick timeframe; easy to cross off the list. References are items that need more follow-up, perhaps a phone call or more research needs to be done. This will be a little more time consuming than the actionable items. Back-burners are exactly what they sound like: tasks or projects that can be put on the back-burner because they do not need to be done immediately.

6.  The Seinfeld Method.

Do you have a long-term project you’d like to finally complete? Or something you’d like to learn, but never make time for, like a new language or an instrument? The Seinfeld method aims to keep you on track with learning by making your accomplishments visual. Set aside time each day for whatever you want to focus on, and then mark your calendar or planner with a check mark every day you make progress. The trick to this method is not to break the pattern! You’re challenging yourself to never skip a day. The longer you manage with this new routine, the more it will become a habit.

7.  30/30 technique.

If you prefer to assign tasks based on how much time it will take you to do them, this technique is for you. Each project or item on your to-do list gets a time slot, and you work on completing each item before moving on to the next one. If you want to add some tech to this method, there’s an app for that! With a built-in timer, you can customize and divide up your time based on work sessions, right inside the app.

8.  The Weekly Plan.

Perhaps the most straightforward method, this idea has you compile all of your to-do items in one place for the day, week, and month ahead. It makes you look a little further beyond the day-to-day so that you can plan ahead and no deadlines sneak up on you. As your days progress, you can move the items around on the lists, making some higher priorities as you look at the week/month ahead. This is a great method for those who want a comprehensive view of the month to come and won’t get stressed by looking ahead.

Feature image via royalty-free stock photo

{This blog post is not sponsored by or affiliated with any of the brands or businesses mentioned in this post.}

When it comes to undergarments, the options really are endless. With so many bra styles to choose from, many of us are wondering: what’s the difference between a bra and a bralette? Well, let’s dive right in!

A bra is one of the oldest intimate wear items for women. It is generally worn in order to support the breasts. A typical bra consists of two separate cups varying in coverage, padding, wires, straps and closures. Bras are typically meant for functional wear and support. Bralettes are often worn for style and comfort. Most bralettes are wire-free and lightly padded. They provide a light layer of coverage and are a comfortable alternate option to bras.

Historically, many experts believe a version of the bralette came first before the bras we see today. In Ancient Greece, specifically during the Classical Period, women wrapped fabric around their chests, draping one or both breasts in a band of linen or wool to create a fashionable, slightly supported shape. Today, bras are much different than they were in 400 B.C.

Let’s take a closer look at the differences between modern bras and bralettes.

What Is A Bralette?

When it comes to a bralette, it is meant more for shape than support. Also known as soft cup bras, they are an easy-going, softer, wireless version of a bra. They are most often better suited for women with smaller breasts as it gives definition and shape along with comfort.

Since they lack any type of wire or padding, they typically are not worn by women with larger or heavier breasts because they don’t provide the same support a bra provides. For a long time, bralettes were seen as garments worn by pre-teens or teenagers, however today women of all ages and sizes are wear this comfortable undergarment option.

Unlined bras, which may or may not have wire, offer minimal support without extra bulk or weight from padding that is found in conventional bras. For many, this is a plus to wearing them. They typically are made from lace, microfiber or a cotton blend material, anything soft and smooth. Designed to be lightweight and comfortable, they serve a purpose for women looking for some support without any extras.

These unstructured bras are far from new and according to bra experts, they were worn as far back as the 1920s. Many believe these bralettes are a facet to the new era of body positivity evolving.

What Do You Wear Bralettes With?

So what do you wear bralettes with? The concern for many women is how to wear them without feeling exposed.

Many women wear them as a top with a button-down shirt that is left unbuttoned and let bralette show as a part of their outfits. Others wear them under sweaters, summer dresses, and lightweight shirts, leaving a little to the imagination.

Ultimately, there is no limit to what you can do with a bralette.

Related: How To Wear Bralettes and Unlined Bras

Is A Bralette For You?

Honestly, this will depend on what type of support you need and in turn, what you’re looking for. These unlined bras provide little to no support.

For women with a bit more cleavage, they won’t do much for support or overall look, but will be comfortable and are perfect for lounging around the house or wearing out while running errands.

If you’re full busted, look for bralettes with molded cups or a full underbust band, which will give a little lift. If you’re small busted, you can get away with triangle cup bralettes and non-padded styles.

Ultimately, many women opt to make the switch to bralettes for a few reasons. They might find conventional bras uncomfortable, they may want to embrace their body more and not hide it, they might prefer a more natural breast shape, they might like the freedom a bralette provides, or they might find that regular bras just didn’t make them feel sexy anymore.

Let’s face it, the lingerie you choose to wear is your own personal choice and yours alone. Whether you choose to wear a padded full coverage bra or an unlined wireless bralette, it’s up to you. Embrace your intimate wear options and choose what works best for you and don’t be afraid to give bralettes a try. You might just switch to bralettes and never go back to wired bras again!

Related: How To Shop For Plus Size Bras and Bralettes

We Highly Recommend

Whether you’re shopping for new everyday bras or lingerie for a special occasion, it’s always a good idea to seek out a second opinion. We know how hard it is to find bras that fit well and feel good, especially when you’re doing it on your own. If you’ve ever felt unsure about your bra size or you just don’t know where to go to find good bras, it’s time to let a bra fitter help.

Many specialty lingerie boutiques offer bra fittings. Their expert bra fitters will take the pain and frustration out of bra shopping and do all the work for you. Even better, their product knowledge can save you time and money. Plus, they know where all of the best bras are hiding.

If you’ve struggled with finding bras in the right size, it’s time to make a change. Visit our specialty store locator to find a store near you and schedule an appointment.

Happy bra shopping!

Featured image lingerie:

Parfait Matilda Contour Plunge Bra P5311 in Bisque | Parfait Jeanie Plunge Molded Bra 4801 in Java | Parfait Aline T-Shirt Bra P5251 in Nude | Parfait Sandrine Plunge Longline Bra P5351 in Cameo Rose

Whether you work from home for your 9 to 5 or have a home-based side hustle, it can be easy to become distracted by dirty dishes, laundry that needs folding, or even just going down the internet rabbit hole. To make the hours spent working from home more productive and reach your goals, it is essential to create a distraction free work environment.

1.  Create a designated work space.

It can be more than tempting to work from bed, your couch, or even allow your documents to take over the kitchen table. But this is often the source of distraction and can also make it difficult to separate working from your time to relax. Even if your apartment is only 500 square feet, getting creative with space should allow you to have a designated work area. Googling small space office solutions provides ample unique ideas for any space. For example, installing a simple shelf desk with a comfortable stool doesn’t take up much space, but does create a set area where your work items can live.

Once you have a designated work space, decorate it in a way that helps you focus on your tasks and goals. Perhaps add a beautiful calendar where you can mark your deadlines, a cup for pens, or a favorite piece of art. Your work space should be a place where you want to spend time.

2.  Identify and remove distractions.

If you already have a designated work space yet still find yourself getting distracted, take a look at what’s on and around your desk. Is it stacked with papers, bills, and receipts? Consider putting these distractions away in pretty folders to clear up your desk top. Is the pile of laundry or ever growing grocery list sitting at the forefront of your mind? Rather than fight it, perhaps it is best to tackle whatever task that is nagging you before sitting down at your desk. That way you can begin your work day with a clear mind.

3.  Focus on your goals.

Do you work from home because you love the flexibility of being able to pop to a café to work for an afternoon or go to an afternoon concert put on by your child’s class? Have you started a work from home side hustle so you can save for an ultimate girls’ trip to Europe? Whatever your goal may be, make it present in your work space. Hang a photo of Europe or one of your child’s drawings above your desk to remind yourself. If you feel yourself becoming distracted, visualize your aims, and this should help to return your focus to the task at hand.

4.  Create a playlist.

Popping on headphones and turning up a soundtrack that motivates you can be so helpful if you need a productivity boost, especially in the late afternoon. The music app Spotify also has premade playlists that can imitate the sounds of a café or play songs by your favorite artists, so you don’t even need to spend time to make a playlist.

We all know that bras can be restrictive in design. At the end of the day, we can’t wait to take them off and throw on a bralette or nothing at all. But what if I told you that some women also wear bras to sleep? They’ve found that sleeping in a bra can alleviate breast discomfort, help their boobs feel more secure, and allow them to sleep better. For women with larger cup sizes (D+), wearing a light bra to sleep can be more than comfortable than not wearing one. But is sleeping in a bralette or wire-free sports bra a bad thing?

Can wearing a bra to sleep cause sagging?

So far, there isn’t any evidence that sleeping in a bra of any kind will help your breasts stay perky. Many women opt to wear them at night to prevent sagging, however many experts believe that sagging occurs naturally with aging, and with weight loss or gain, and after pregnancy or breastfeeding.

Can wearing a bra to bed cause stretch marks?

Some experts do believe that wearing a sports bra (or any bra at night) to sleep will help prevent stretch marks for women with larger breasts. A soft, wireless bra is the best choice here or even a sports bra. Make sure to choose a sports bra that fits properly as one that is too tight can lead to sweating, overheating, rashes and reduced circulation and try not to wear the same bra too nights in a row.

While there are little to no health risks associated with wearing a sports bra to bed, it’s important never to wear one too tight or too often as that may lead to various side effects (rashes are more common). While some argue that wearing a sports bra to bed can improve the look of your boobs, there’s no evidence supporting this claim.

What are the benefits of wearing a sports bra to bed?

1.  They’re more comfortable than normal bras.

2.  They can help to prevent pain and discomfort while sleeping.

3.  They keep you cooler than other bras.

4.  Wearing a bra may help with stretch marks.

5.  This bra option is more convenient for nursing moms.

6.  They help to reduce the friction for sensitive breasts and help to prevent soreness after waking up.

7.  Teenagers and pregnant women may find them more comfortable than bras with underwire.

Related: Is It Bad To Sleep With A Bra On?

Can wearing a sports bra prevent boobs from growing?

Experts agree that what you wear does not influence breast growth in any way. For the most part, the intensity and rate of breast growth is determined by genetics or hormonal changes.

No matter which style you choose, it’s important to wear bras that fit well. If you wear a bra that is too small, there may be some digging into the breast itself. If you wear something too big, you won’t get enough support.

There is no real evidence that wearing a workout bra to bed is bad or any bra in fact. The only bad instance is wearing a constrictive bra that may affect the breast structure overall. This can lead to inflammation and irritation overtime. For women who choose to wear wire bras to bed, this may cause cysts and discomfort.

If you choose to wear a bra, whether it’s a sports bra or not, it’s a good idea to choose a soft cup, wire-free option preferably in a cotton blend (comfortable and breathable).

When you shouldn’t wear a sports bra to bed:

1.  If you use the same bra to bed that you wear to the gym, that’s a no-no.

2.  Sports bras should never be too tight or uncomfortable.

3.  If you have pinch marks after removing the bra.

4.  If you get a skin rash anywhere on, above or under your boobs from wearing it.

5.  If the bra is the wrong size.

6.  If you feel suffocated wearing it.

7.  If the bra influences circulation.

8.  If the wires on your bra (if applicable) poke you.

9.  If you suffer any discomfort from wearing it.

10.  If you’re only wearing it to bed because you’re too lazy to take it off.

Ultimately, some issues may occur if you wear a sports bra to sleep, so we suggest wearing a wire-free bralette or comfortable soft cup style instead. Your comfort is the most important factor, so if you’re noticing any irritation, marks or discomfort from your bras, you might be wearing the wrong size bra.

We always suggest getting a bra fitting (they’re quick and free!) from a local lingerie store every six months to one year (when you’re buying new bras) or after you’ve become pregnant or had a baby (congrats!) or experienced a change in weight loss or weight gain.

For a list of stores that offer bra fittings near you, check out our list here.

Related: Do Bras Prevent Sagging?

We Highly Recommend

Whether you’re shopping for new everyday bras or lingerie for a special occasion, it’s always a good idea to seek out a second opinion. We know how hard it is to find bras that fit well and feel good, especially when you’re doing it on your own. If you’ve ever felt unsure about your bra size or you just don’t know where to go to find good bras, it’s time to let a bra fitter help.

Many specialty lingerie boutiques offer bra fittings. Their expert bra fitters will take the pain and frustration out of bra shopping and do all the work for you. Even better, their product knowledge can save you time and money. Plus, they know where all of the best bras are hiding.

If you’ve struggled with finding bras in the right size, it’s time to make a change. Visit our specialty store locator to find a store near you and schedule an appointment.

Happy bra shopping!

Social media is such a large part of our everyday lives, so much so that we don’t always realize how much time we spend daily browsing through posts, videos, and articles.

Our phones are glued to our hands, our eyes are glued to our screens, and we lose sleep, patience, and time trying to stay caught up on everything going on in the world.

Worried you might be a little addicted to all things social? Here are 10 signs it might be time for a social media detox:

1.  You’re having trouble sleeping…because you can’t stop checking your feed.

If you check your social last thing before going to sleep, scrolling through the endless information on your Facebook feed, the glow from your mobile device is actually working against you, telling your body it’s not time to sleep yet.

Solution: Put your phone in sleep-mode, or even better, don’t touch your phone (or tablet, or laptop) an hour before bed.

2.  You’re waking up and checking your social media. 

Checking your social media the minute you wake up can have a big impact on your mood and outlook the rest of the day. A rude tweet, a frustrating news article, or a pointed post can make your mood plummet before you’ve even gotten out of bed.

Solution: Wake up to music, or the sweet silence of an early morning with no distractions but your thoughts. You’ll feel more peaceful and ready to face the day, without the clutter of social on your mind.

3.  You check your social sites multiple times a day.

Whenever you’re bored, or whenever you have a spare minute, you’re opening one of the many social sites on your phone. You shoot off a reply to a post, share a tweet, like a couple of pins, an move on…until the next time you have a few spare minutes. Your interaction isn’t really meaningful, because you’re not really giving yourself time to enjoy the purpose behind social: being social!

Solution: Set daily limits for when and how long you’ll spend on social. Make it a mindful experience, that doesn’t consume your day, but instead is an enjoyable activity you participate in with a purpose (which is up to you to define, whether that’s connecting with friends, or catching up on global news).

4.  You have notifications that chime every time something happens on your social sites…and you stop what you’re doing to check them.

This is a huge time suck. Not only do you get distracted from sending texts, talking on the phone, or reading emails when something is always popping up on your screen, but it also distracts you from off-screen activities like spending time with your family or having a meaningful conversation with the person you’re with. It always drives me nuts when friends pick up their phone mid-conversation to check their phone – don’t be that person!

Solution: Turn off notifications for your social sites. You won’t miss out if you aren’t plugged in 24/7; the posts, tweets, photos, etc., will still be there in an hour or so. If someone actually needs you in real-time, they’ll call or text.

5.  You’ve become a mindless consumer.

There’s nothing wrong with a little mindless consumption every now and then, but this relates back to point three, and the way you interact with your social sites. Do you do so with purpose, or do you just scroll through the never ending posts, skimming and liking as you go, with no real goal in mind?

Solution: Take a minute and ask yourself: What do I use social media for, and what is its purpose in my life? Once you define what social means to you, you can be more mindful in how you consume it.

6.  You talk to your friends through social more than you do in real life.

This might not seem like such a big deal with your long-distance friendships, but if you talk to coworkers, locals, and even your family through social media more than you do face-to-face or on the phone, you need an intervention.

Solution: Before you post, ask yourself if you could call them to talk instead. Or, do both: post something to your friends wall and tell them to call you when they’ve read or watched it so you can discuss. Get into a lengthy discussion over bridesmaid dresses, that cute turtle video, or the trailer for a new movie you both want to watch. Reconnect offline!

7.  You are always checking your phone screen, often feeling “phantom vibrations”.

It’s not a technical term, but we’ve all been there: we think the phone in our back pocket has vibrated, but when we retrieve it, the screen is mysteriously blank. It’s part of the social addiction, always wanting to be plugged in, interacting, and relevant.

Solution: Put the phone down and walk away. If you’re afraid of missing important calls, just make sure the volume is all the way up. Otherwise, everything else can wait.

8.  You have an account on every single social app.

Do you even use them all? Probably not. But what if one day you want to create that cute tiny video clip to post to Instagram, or need that one app to figure out what filter would look best on Facebook?

Solution: choose your favorite apps, and delete the rest from your phone. If you want to make drastic changes, delete all the social apps from your phone, and only check them on the computer. The ones you care about, you’ll make the effort to check on your computer. Otherwise, you’ve saved yourself some time and space on your phone.

9.  You feel pressure to post something.

If you aren’t posting, are you missing out on something? The answer is of course, no, not at all, but the social media culture has cultivated the idea of FOMO (fear of missing out) by making us feel like we have to be constantly plugged in and part of every conversation.

Solution: decide which parts of your life you want to share, where, and when. Maybe your followers don’t need to see every food photo you’ve taken, but they might love a recommendation for a good local restaurant.

10.  You follow so many people and brands you can’t even keep up with them all.

Someone follows you, and you follow them back. And then other people or brands are suggested. Your cousin’s friend’s boyfriend adds you as a friend, and you feel bad not accepting the request, even though his posts put you to sleep. You have so many people on your social sites, you can’t find the good posts you care about, and you’re exhausted looking.

Solution: don’t try to keep up. Instead, trim down on the people you follow. Be ruthless, because this is your time your spending, and time spent looking at your second-cousins vacation pictures is time you can’t get back. Hide them from your feed, delete, unfollow, or block them. It’s your choice to be social, and you shouldn’t feel overwhelmed.

As with any detox, these are suggestions that you can tweak to fit your own life/lifestyle, with the end goal being your health and happiness.

Whether you stick to your new goals or fall back into old habits, just know that you never have to be social; putting your phone on silent and hiding it in a drawer is also a really good way to detox (just don’t forget where you’ve hidden it).

Feature image via Stocksnap, all other images via royalty-free stock photos

Tomorrow’s to-do list, a stressful event from the day, or worries about the future can plague sleep, preventing you from getting the rest you need to succeed. I guarantee this happens to every woman at some point, but learning how to manage these stressors and find a way to shut off your brain before bed is key to a restorative night of sleep.

1.  Read a favorite book.

Reading a book before going to bed at night almost always helps me to clear my busy mind and encourage sleep. To rest your mind, I’d suggest not selecting a work-related book to read, but rather a book from your favorite genre to enjoy while lounging in bed at night.

2.  Try yoga, stretching, or meditation.

Practicing yoga, simply stretching your body to ease tensions from sitting at a desk all day, or meditating can help to clear a busy mind before bed. If these practices are doing little to ease your mind, consider visualizing a clear mind as if it is a cloudless sky. This can help to push worries and nagging thoughts out of your mind. Don’t forget to employ gentle breathing during all of these activities.

3.  Drink caffeine-free tea.

I’m a big coffee-lover, but the stimulating effects of caffeine from either coffee or tea can keep me up at night. If you find yourself struggling to find sleep at night, consider switching to caffeine free tea like chamomile or a sleepy-time blend of tea to provide calm in the evening. You can even couple tea with reading a book before bed.

4.  Tend to indoor plants.

Watering, trimming, or pruning indoor plants or your balcony garden can significantly help to lessen the hold of tomorrow’s to-do list on your brain and bring you into the present. While nurturing your mini garden, keep your mind focused on the task at hand and allow your worries to fade away.

5.  Put away electronics.

Scrolling through Instagram or Twitter feeds on your phone in bed might be the culprit for your late nights. The light from screens can affect your body’s production of melatonin, a sleep hormone, keeping you awake for longer at night. To get your best night of sleep, limit your screen time before bed and plan to power down with one of the four above-mentioned relaxation suggestions.

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What with moving for college, jobs, and family, I’ve been the new kid in town a number of times now.

Exploring tourist traps, learning the best routes in traffic, and searching for good local flavor are all on the list for new arrivals. But finding an all new friend group is one of the most important things for your health and happiness after a move.

Need help breaking into the city social circles? Check out these eight ways you can make friends in a new city, and have fun at the same time!

1.  Use a social app (yes, there really is an app for that).

You can find all sorts of apps these days that will connect you with local groups that have similar interests as you, so you can go meet women and drink wine, bowl at the local bowling alley, or play board games at the local bar. The possibilities are endless.

I’d suggest starting with MeetUp, which lets you find local groups to join and meet up with!

2.  Try a dating app.

Dating apps can be a great way to meet new people, whether you’re looking for a friend to show you the sights, or a romantic interest who can help you find your new favorite restaurant.

Dates are a great way for you to explore the city and have a local give you the inside scoop, whether that’s the most popular place to eat ice cream or the best coffee shop.

Obviously be careful with this one; being out with a stranger in a strange city can be a recipe for disaster. Make sure you stay safe and always meet in public.

3.  Join a gym.

This may not be your version of fun, but if you enjoy working out then joining a gym can help you meet like-minded people who also like to hit the weights or sweat it out in a fitness class.

This works great for extroverts who don’t mind striking up a conversation with strangers, or getting goofy in an instructor-lead class.

4.  Attend a class.

There’s no better way to make friends than by trying to learn a new skill together. Go throw some clay at a pottery class, try experimental recipes at a cooking class, or even learn to quilt.

You’ll find people with adventurous interests (just like you) and also learn some new skills at the same time!

5.  Volunteer.

Speaking of meeting like-minded people, finding a cause that empowers and excites you is a great way to meet people and make a difference at the same time!

Whether you want to help build houses, serve meals at a soup kitchen, or read to the elderly, you can find something you enjoy doing and also meet a diverse range of people. Widen your horizon and your friend group at the same time!

6.  Pursue your hobbies locally.

If you already know what you love to do in your spare time, or have a new hobby you’d like to start excelling at, then finding a local group to join can give you something fun to do on the weekends. You could hike with dogs, read classic literature, or try wine tasting!

Even if your hobbies are more obscure, in a city there’s bound to be someone out there who loves what you do.

7.  Join a running club.

Another fitness suggestion, running clubs are popular in cities. Runners love to crawl out of bed at dawn and pound the pavement in big groups.

Not only is a running club a safe way to run in a new city, but the more you attend, not only will your cardio improve but you’ll also start to recognize faces. Start smiling and waving, and soon, you could be running with them, or asking them to hang out before or after the run.

Who knows, you could even start running races together!

8.  Poll other friends.

Before or after you move to a new city, you could ask your current friends to put feelers out for you: who do they know in the city you’ve just moved to, and can they put you in touch? Even if all you do is have coffee with someone once, you’ll have gotten out into the world, been social, and gotten one step closer to making a new friend.

And if they’re familiar with the city, you can pick their brain for suggestions and advice on city life. Either way you win!

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Whether you’re trying to get back to your pre-baby bod, aiming for a specific silhouette in your wedding dress, wanting to feel comfortable in your bikini, or just looking to get fitter, working out is a key component to a healthy life. So you’ve been going on walks in nice weather, hitting the dreaded treadmill, and even (gasp) the stairclimber. But cardio is one half of a good workout regime.

Here are five reasons you should add weights to your workout plan!

1.  Strength training burns more calories.

Cardio may rev up your metabolism, but that spike stops the minute you step off the treadmill. So it’s a great start, but adding weights means that your body will continue to burn calories well after you leave the gym, so you get better results for your effort.

2.  You won’t bulk up, but you will tone up.

It’s a myth that women will get “bulky” if they strength train. In order to look like the Incredible Hulk, you’d have to be lifting a lot of weight and have a very restrictive diet specifically designed to bulk. So stop worrying about looking like Schwarzenegger, and start embracing the lithe figure you’ll get when you lift. Muscle definition looks gorgeous on every body type!

3.  You will strengthen your bones.

For women, bone density can become an issue later on in life, as our bones become more brittle and prone to breaking, resulting in health issues like osteoporosis. Exercise, especially lifting weights, strengthens our body, helping to prevent bone loss, and can even help with bone growth. Reversing the signs of aging in the body? Yes please!

4.  You’ll get stronger.

Personally, I feel this is one of the greatest benefits of training with weights. Feeling strong in your body, being able to not only see the progress while your body transforms inside and out but also as your pick up heavier and heavier weights or knock out more and more reps is addictive. Every time you conquer a workout you’ll feel incredible, which means…

5.  You’ll build confidence.

The weight area of the gym can feel intimidating. With muscular men and women strutting around, grunting and smacking chalked hands together, I can understand why you’d want to give it a hard pass. But once you learn the ropes, stick your headphones in, and get in the zone, you’ll blend right in.

There are tons of apps and videos that will give you tutorials on how to use machines and check your form, so get educated then get out there!

With a good diet, a healthy dose of cardio, and a weight routine, you can reach your fitness goals and gain the strength and confidence to rock any workout. So grab a friend and join a weight training class, or make your own routine and hit the gym!

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