11 GIFTS FOR MINIMALISTS

It's Christmas, an anniversary, a birthday or another special occasion and you have no clue what to gift.  Choosing something special is already hard enough, but doing so for a minimalist can seem almost impossible.  Just because someone chooses to live simply doesn't mean they don't want gifts.  Choosing the right one can be tricky, but it's actually much easier than you might think!

Fresh cut flowers from your garden is a great gift!

If the gift is not something that was needed, a minimalist can end up feeling like they don't know what to do with the new item.  They don't want to bring it home, but they also don't want to hurt anyone's feelings.  And although many things seem extra special because they are deemed as sentimental, those items can add up over the decades to a house packed full.  Either way, most minimalists aren't choosing to live with less because they are crazy or heartless or poor, but because it truly makes them happier and more peaceful at home.

Do you have a minimalist in your life and need to find them a gift in the near future?  Here are some ideas of things that they might love, but won't add to the amount of things in their home:

1.  ENTERTAINMENT: give your minimalist tickets to the movies, theatre, or a concert, vouchers for dance or cooking lessons, tickets to a baseball game or something like it

2.  GETAWAY: take your minimalist to a spa resort, camping, on a short road trip, a day at the beach, play tourist in a new city or help them cross an item off their Bucket List

3.  PAMPER: gift your minimalist a manicure, pedicure, facial, hair cut or hair treatment, massage or something that would help them relax and feel refreshed

4.  DATE: take your minimalist out for breakfast, lunch, dinner, coffee, or anything that's one on one and involves good food

5.  CARDS: give your minimalist a gift card to their favorite store or restaurant, iTunes, kindle books, etc.

How about gift a weekend at the beach?  Or a week in Hawaii?  I think yes.

6.  SUBSCRIPTIONS: subscribe your minimalist to something like Amazon Prime, Kindle Unlimited, Netflix or a gym membership

7.  TREATS: treat your minimalist to homemade baked goods, their favorite toiletries, supplements, essential oils or make-up, flowers, fancy dark chocolates, local honey or anything that is edible or consumable

8.  SPOIL: pay for your minimalist's season tickets to a local theatre or favorite sports team, house cleaning, landscaping, home renovations (this is ideal for couples like us who live in their Fixer Upper while it's under construction)

9.  UPGRADE: maybe your minimalist has everything that they need, but wouldn't mind making improvements (can you say iPhone8?)

10.  SUPPORT: donate to your minimalist's favorite ministry or organization.

11.  NEEDS: ask your minimalist what they need or want and gift them exactly that item!

If you have a minimalist in your life, it doesn't mean you can't give them gifts.  Just remember that minimalists truly enjoy living simply and having less.  Celebrate their birthdays and special occasions with things that help them make memories and have fun, without adding to the clutter in their home.

Updating something is a great gift...my parents paid to have this room painted
and treated us to new bedding!

As I minimalist, I can say I definitely love Christmas and my birthday and all things that involve celebrations and gifts.  But, I would prefer a memory with a loved one, instead of an item.  An adventure, instead of a belonging.  I want less stuff and more life.

PROS AND CONS OF DAILY HARVEST

I always love a good smoothie and will gladly replace a meal with one anytime I have that option.  Smoothies don't leave you too full, they taste sweet and make you feel like you're making healthy choices.  So, basically I'm sold every time.  

6 cups came in my shipment

Recently, I saw ads for Daily Harvest start popping up in my FaceBook newsfeed and was intrigued.  Organic smoothies?  Delivered right to my doorstep?  Done.

Open them up to find the frozen ingredients

So, I got my first order and want to share the pros and cons for anyone else considering tying them out.

Fill to top with liquid (I like almond milk)

PROS:
1.  ships directly to you
2.  quick and easy
3.  good ingredients
4.  no waste
5.  yummy
6.  lots of variety
7.  smoothies, chia parfaits, overnight oats, soups

Blend and pour back into cup

CONS
1.  Apparently the straw isn't included, so since I don't have any until I buy some, I wasn't able to put the top on and drink it with the cup and straw like in the ads.  Which is fine, but takes away from the cuteness/fun factor and I don't like when I feel like there was a little false advertising involved.
2.  And without the top and straw, the paper cup is kinda flimsy and made me nervous to drink out of it, so I have ended up just leaving the smoothie in my blender cup and drinking from there.  Again, I was sad to lose the cuteness part, but it's not that big of a deal!
3.  It's true that they aren't cheap.  But, if you consider I didn't have to get in the car and use gas to go buy the ingredients at the store or drive by a smoothie place, that saved me a little money.  Plus, when I buy the ingredients to make my own smoothies and can't use them all before they go bad, that wastes money.  So, when you look at all the pros and consider the alternative, these smoothies probably save money in the long run.

So, you want to try it right?  Here's the website: Daily Harvest  Let me know what you think!  I want to eventually try all the smoothies, chia parfaits, overnights oats and soups and would love to hear which ones you think taste best.

6 REASONS WHY MY SISTERS ARE MY BEST FRIENDS

Although I loved growing up traveling the world and living overseas, it often meant friendships were harder to keep!  As soon as I would make friends with someone, either I'd be moving to another country or they would.  So, I'd say goodbye and make a new friend.  This happened every year.  Luckily though, I had my sisters!  Even as we moved all over the place and left others behind, my sisters were always there.  Here are the six reasons why my sisters have grown into my best friends:

1.  GENEROUS - All three of my sisters are selfless.  They will give anything away to help someone in need or just spend a few bucks to treat a friend to lunch.  I love that when we go out together, one of us always surprises another sister and offers to foot the bill.  It feels good to know that if I ever needed help, my sisters would come running.  They all care more about people than getting ahead.

2.  HARD WORKING - No matter what job my sisters have had, I always hear people brag on their work ethic.  Growing up overseas meant a lot of summers spent volunteering with missions organizations.  Building homes.  Running Vacation Bible Schools.  Taking visitors on tours around the city.  We didn't just do it because we had to, but because we loved to!  My sisters work hard when their hired to do a job, but they also give up their own time and money to volunteer and help others!

3.  FUNNY - We got it honest.  Do you know our dad, Wick Jackson?  He's a jokester.  Family time usually means sitting around telling hilarious stories from the past.  My sisters are a blast to hang out with because they have such a great sense of humor.  Everyone needs friends that you can laugh your head off with until you cry or wet your pants!  And everyone needs someone you can share your most embarrassing stories, without worrying that they will disown you.

4.  ADVENTUROUS - So, here's the deal.  We took a photo (above) of us after our recent hike and realized it was the first exercise type adventure we had really ever done together that we can remember.  Sure, we will travel all over the world.  Canoe down the amazon.  Run from the cops in foreign countries.  Spend the night under the stars in the Andes.  Live on a ship as a volunteer.  Book a last minute ticket to anywhere and everywhere.  But, exercise?  That's new for us.  My sisters are the most adventurous girls I know...we are just now going to try to start including more physical activity into our adventures, since this hike turned out to be so fun!

5.  CARING - This goes along with their generosity.  My sisters don't think twice before giving their time, energy and money towards a good cause.  They are great listeners, truly compassionate and empathetic.  Although my sisters are younger than me, I often go to them to share troubles and get advice.  Because they are caring, they are also pretty forgiving.  Before Junior High, we would get in a fight and five minutes later, already be asking the other to play Barbies.  Once Barbies were out of the picture, it was "do you want to go shopping?".  Either way, I've always been glad we get over it and move on pretty quickly!

6.  TRUSTWORTHY - And talking about sharing struggles with them, they are good at giving honest feedback, even when it's tough to hear.  I would much rather hear hard things from sisters who love me, then be totally oblivious to something I need to work on.  Plus, it's good to know I don't have to worry about what I tell them...they all three can be trusted with secrets.

Since I am the oldest, I spent most of my childhood years helping take care of my two youngest sisters, Maggie and Lizzie.  But, as we've gotten older, we have more and more in common and I often forget that we have age gaps between us.  The more I get to know my grown up sisters, the more I see how special they are and recognize that they aren't just my little sisters, but my best friends!

3 THINGS THAT SHOULD BE ILLEGAL

If you are a fellow minimalist, I'm sure you feel my pain.  You try to keep your email inbox clean, only to get spam.  And you try to have boundaries with your cell phone, only to pick up and hear a recording trying to sell you crap.  Finally, you try to go paperless, only to find your mailbox full of ads from stores where you don't even shop.  I may be the only one, but honestly, I think unwanted emails, phone calls and mail should be illegal.  It's a violation of privacy.

EMAIL:  Each time we get an email that I don't want, I try to find a way to unsubscribe.  Most times it works, at least from normal companies like LLBean or Lowes.  But every now and then, we get emails from companies we've never heard of, offering us products we don't even want.  And don't get me started on the emails where I apparently inherited a billion dollars.  How are these people getting my information?  I mean, I know there are ways and those tricksters figure it out.  And I know all I have to do is unsubscribe or hit delete.  But, it's my email account and I feel like I should be the one who decides who has that address.

PHONE:  I used to always pick up my cell when it rang because I was worried that someone I knew was trying to reach me and I just didn't have their number stored.  But, after that never happened, I now know it's just spam and if someone truly needs me, they will leave me a message or find another way to contact me.  So, my new thing has been to go to that caller's information and hit "Block Contact".  You know what they do?  They just call from another number and another and another.  No matter how many times I block a caller, that company still figures out a way to call me.  Same as email, I feel that this isn't right.  This is my phone number.  I pay for my service and I think that I should be the one who decides what people or companies have my number.

MAIL:  Snail mail has pretty much gone out of fashion, so my mailbox is usually filled with statements, bills and junk mail.  Ironman and I just set everything up to come digitally, instead of through home mailing address, so that should improve things slightly!  And each time I get unwanted mail from a company, I contact them and ask to be removed from their contact lists, so that helps too.  But, you know what you can't stop?  Junk mail, bulk mail, advertisements or whatever you want to call it.  I tried contacting one company and they said that I had to contact the post office.  I contacted the post office and they said that I had to contact the company.  Went back to the company and they said, nope, it has to be done through the post office.  So, even though I don't want that mail and never asked for it, I can't stop receiving it.  Just like with the email and phone, I just feel like that is so wrong!  This is my home and my mailing address and I should be able to choose who has that information.

Call me crazy, but I think this isn't right.  My email address, phone number and home mailing address are mine.  If I don't want emails, calls, advertisements, offers, coupons, junk or spam or whatever, I should be able to stop them from coming.  Ironman says it's no big deal: delete it, don't answer it, throw it away.  Solves all the problems.  Sure, I can do that.  But, it's the principle of it all.  I like living simply, cutting out clutter in all areas of my life and trying to keep things in check.  And even though I can recycle the junk mail, doesn't that seem like a contradiction?  Why can't I just stop it from coming all together...seems like a much better way to take care of the environment.

As a minimalist, these 3 areas tend to drive me crazy.  And as a frequent traveler, the home mailings leave me wondering what to do.  What do all you traveling minimalists do?  I want a better option than just asking friends and family to pick up junk mail for me every day...

14 TIMES YOU'LL WANT ESSENTIAL OILS ON YOUR SUMMER ROAD TRIP

Summer is the season of road trips! I love it. Being on the road makes me feel alive and inspires me to dream. However, just like anything else, there are ups and downs. Here are 14 times you should pull out that essential oils stash while on the road:

These Roll-Ons are so convenient, easy to apply and no mess!

1. When the kids have asked, "are we there yet?!" 1,478,257 times: Diffuse Frankincense (with your car diffuser!!!). Rub valor on your temples, wrists and the back of your neck.  Use Stress Away Roll-On when on the go—easily fits into pocket or backpack and can be passed around the car without worry of spilling.

2.  When your body is feeling all the miles you've traveled: Massage PanAway into sore, stiff area (layer Peppermint on top for more intensity). Or, to make things easier, use Deep Relief Roll-On, since it already has a roller top for easy application and no mess. Use Ortho Sport Massage Oil once you're done driving and settling in for the night to relax muscles after a long day on the road or on your feet.

3. When you're missing your own bed: Rub Valor into the soles of your feet right before bed time. Diffuse Lavender and Cedarwood for a peaceful atmosphere for everyone.

4. When your head is pounding as loud as the stereo: Swipe Deep Relief across hairline, on temples and down back of neck. Diffuse Stress Away or Peace & Calming to soothe tension.

5. When you've partied too hard and your waistline is witness: Two times daily, add two drops of Lemon and Peppermint to a capsule and ingest (also add Grapefruit for extra help). Remember to drink plenty of water to flush out.

6. When you're exhausted, but "not there yet": Apply Peppermint on wrists, behind ears, temples or soles of feet.  Diffuse Citrus Fresh.  Take a shot of Ningxia Red and/or Ningxia Nitro to give yourself a boost.

Just like road trips, essential oils are amazing for airports!

7. When the climate change is sending you into a whirlwind: Twice daily, add two drops of Lemon, Peppermint and Lavender to a capsule and ingest. Rub Breathe Again Roll-On across bridge of nose for immediate relief, as needed.

8. When you forget to brush your teeth: Swipe a drop of Peppermint across your tongue and add a drop to your water bottle (make sure its glass or stainless steel) to keep your breath fresh. Use Thieves to brush teeth.

9.  When you catch the crud: Massage Thieves diluted into the soles of your feet. Diffuse Thieves and Purification daily in the car and hotel rooms, to stay healthy and boost you and your family's immune systems.

10. When you miss home: Rub a drop of Joy onto wrists 2-3 times per day (it’s also amazing perfume). Diffuse Citrus Fresh daily to keep a positive attitude.

11. When your tummy isn't happy: Rub Peppermint or DiGize onto stomach and diffuse Peppermint…this is great for those who struggle with being in a car.

12. When the road destroys your skin: Wash face daily with Orange Blossom Facial Wash, follow with ART Refreshing Toner and ART Light Moisturizer to keep skin healthy, clean and hydrated. Use Frankincense and Purification to spot treat problem areas.

13. When the car smells like something died in it: Diffuse Purification daily to keep things fresh.

14. When you're worried you won't remember all the fun you had: Diffuse Lemon while sight seeing and learning…studies show this helps with retention by 50%!!!

Road trips should be a time to relax and enjoy your family, without worrying about everything that's bound to happen.  Stock up on the essential oils you'll need, get a diffuser for the car/hotel and be on your way!  Aren't sure what to get?  Contact me and let me help you get started!