All posts by ECVtalks

Health and Fitness, Lifestyles

Morning Habits You Can Start Tomorrow

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As we end one year and start another, people often look for ways to change their lives for the better. That’s a reason I personally try to have four new years every calendar year. (More on that in a later post.) But for everyone else, here are some morning habits you might want to consider starting next year. Why?

Well, most of our mornings aren’t very fun. We roll out of bed, maybe hit snooze a few times, and then crawl into work feeling groggy at best. But it doesn’t have to be like this. The morning hours can be times of relaxation, focus, and self-improvement. Here are a few practical habits that can take your mornings from pointless to productive!

Photo by Valeria Ushakova on Pexels.com

Exercise first thing

One of the best habits to fill your morning hours with is exercise. Now first a disclaimer: I’m typing this but I haven’t been doing it lately myself. Every morning at 6:30 AM 🥱 my phone alarms with a reminder to exercise but since 2020 kicked us all in the gut I honestly started allowing myself to sleep in. Can’t you tell by how late this post is going up today?

At any rate exercise is a great way to get your blood flowing and boost your energy. Plus, the feeling that you’ve accomplished something can help carry you through the day and boost your confidence. And as pictured above, if you have children why not help them kickstart this habit early in life. It will help them be alert for those virtual classes and possibly make it a little easier for younger ones to sit still for a little longer. I for one intend to bring this habit back in 2021. But maybe not tomorrow…check in again with me on January 16th. (There’s a GOOD reason for the delay)

Prioritize your tasks

Have you ever thought of everything you have to do in a day and get overwhelmed? Has that never-ending list led to analysis paralysis or worse yet the tendency to bounce from one thing to another without seemingly getting any of it done? (I’m literally speaking from experience here 😳)

One great habit is to combat this is to start planning out your day and prioritizing your tasks. Write down what specifically you want to accomplish and when. You might be amazed by how empowering it is to make a plan and to see your goals on a piece of paper. Start off with your biggest task. The morning is when you’re at your peak brain power, so commit your best efforts to the hardest work. The feeling of accomplishment from knocking out the task will carry you through the smaller things!

Photo by Ivan Oboleninov on Pexels.com

Go to bed early

Ok, so I don’t expect anyone to do this tonight. But Sunday night don’t stay up too late watching just one more episode of your favorite show (Bridgerton or The Queen’s Gambit?) and expect to wake up feeling motivated Monday morning. A productive morning starts the night before. Try to stay away from screens before going to bed (at least one hour) and make sure you turn in at a reasonable time. You may also want to dial back when you wake up. Having a quiet hour or two before everyone else wakes up is a great way of freeing up time to invest in things you care about. Just remember that your new sleep schedule will take some time to adjust to!

Mornings don’t have to be rough. Incorporating these tips and habits into your daily routine can help make the first hours of the day a time you look forward to. Start inching your alarm closer towards sunrise and use that extra time to absolutely crush your day!

Which habits are you going to start in 2021? Tell us below! 👇

Financial, Health and Fitness

Money Moves for 2021

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At the start of each calendar year, people make plans about how they are going to do things differently to change or improve their situation. Typically money moves are somewhere on the list. Unfortunately by mid-January we often see people giving up on those plans. But let’s face it, after everything we’ve faced in 2020 if you only change or improve one thing, YOU’RE WINNING!

2021
Photo by Olya Kobruseva on Pexels.com

Here are a few money moves you can make for 2021. But more than that we’re giving clear action steps that you can incorporate that should help you stick to the changes past January.

#1 Cut your expenses and debt, if possible

I know you’ve heard this one countless times before, and probably rolled your eyes. (🙄 here we go again!) You think you really need cable or satellite with 300+ channels to catch that one show on that premium channel or to keep the kids entertained. You NEED Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, ESPN, Amazon Prime, HBO Max, AND Apple TV. (Yes, we realize their ads are probably popping up on the page since we mentioned them.) That new gaming console and subscription service is ESSENTIAL for your kids, so that they stop bothering you before you end them after how many months of trying to shelter in place as much as possible. So we’re not going to mention any of those changes. But here are some ways to cut your expenses that you may not have thought about.

· Shop for less expensive insurance

If you have a car, apartment, or house, you have insurance on those items (unless you like riding dirty and living dangerously). But why spend more for a truly necessary item than you have to? So often we stick with the same company year after year while they slowly inch up our premiums while providing the same level of coverage and at times less service. Shop around prior to each renewal and see if your company still has the best premium. If not, switch. If they’re not valuing your business by keeping your cost low, why are you out here being loyal to a corporation?

Don’t know where to start? Just tell us below which insurance quotes you’d like and your residential (or commercial if you own a business) zip code and you’ll receive an invitation email to get multiple quotes within minutes.

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Thank you for your request! You’ll receive an invitation email from Bolt within 1-2 business days.

· Refinance and/or payoff your debt

Are we recommending you go through a long credit approval process here? Not necessarily. Look at the interest rates on all of your current debt. If you have lower interest rate funding sources (a line of credit, credit card) that isn’t maxed out, it might be advantageous to move some of that debt over to the lower interest rate source. Especially while the Fed has held rates hovering just over 0% for most of 2020. (We’ll do a post later about what that means in detail; just know while you won’t get that rate necessarily you should be able to find lower interest rates because of it depending on your credit score.) Just be sure to watch out for transfer fees that may offset the money you’ll save in lower interest costs.

If you have the means to payoff some of your debt with money you have sitting in a low-interest rate savings account, go ahead and do it. You’re not going to make any more keeping that money in the account any time soon at 0.01%. Still not convinced? Play with these calculators to see how much your debt is costing you and how to get rid of it.

#2 Save money on food and cut food waste

So many people are struggling to afford food right now. The nightly news displays how the lines at food banks continue to grow in length. If you’re able to still buy the food you need first let’s take a moment to be grateful for that. 🙏
Now on to how to cut costs…

· Always. Make. A. List.

We know, we know. You’ve read and heard this one before too. So why aren’t you doing it? “I’m too busy.” Really? Too busy to save money? You’re going to end up spending one or the other (time vs. money) so why not spend a little time to save more money. “I write the list and forget it at home.” Ever heard of a phone? They have cameras and apps to make lists. “The kids always end up asking for things in the store.” Uh, here’s an idea. Teach them to make a list too! Good habits are taught and learned early just like bad ones, like shopping without a list and worse yet, hungry.

Stores are designed as mazes to make you wander around and notice as many products as possible. After all, you might just see something you “need” but didn’t plan on getting! (Darn kids 🧒) That’s why bringing a list with you is key. You’re far more likely to stay on track if you have a few written objectives. Making that list also helps you find all of the best sales, discounts and coupon codes. Speaking of coupons, here are some of our favorite apps:

  • Ibotta
    While it doesn’t include a list feature like another app on our list, it does offer a wide variety of coupons and our new fave for saving money and staying on budget, digital gift cards. Set your budget for groceries at lets say Walmart, buy the gift card in that amount through Ibotta for a percentage back immediately. Then, pick out all of the available coupons at Walmart for your shopping list and use the gift card to pay. In a few days (often a few minutes but we don’t want to overpromise), those coupon amounts will be credited to your account. Cash out whenever you reach a $20 balance.
  • Coupons.com
    So SavingStar went the way of the dodo bird and everyone had to migrate over to Coupons.com. We’re not mad at this as the offerings from SavingStar had gotten less desirable over the years. Also, Coupons.com was a site we had used in the past, albeit less frequently because it was associated in our minds with printing out coupons to take to the store. While you can still print coupons, there is an app now that we’re getting acquainted with. Follow our social media for updates on our experience with the app.
  • Checkout 51
    This used to be the app to turn to for discounts on fresh produce, which at times can be challenging to find. While those offers have become fewer and farther between, this app has started expanding into other savings areas like gas and online shopping. It also has a built-in pharmacy savings card and a newer feature we’ll also be sharing on social media, surveys for money. 💲💲
  • KeyRing
    Ok while this one doesn’t offer any coupons or rebates, it is great for storing all of those customer loyalty cards. It’s also one of the only apps we’ve discovered so far that also allows you to create a shopping list for each specific store that’s not dependent on whatever rebates are available.

What apps do you use to save money on groceries? Share in the comments below. And while you’re grocery shopping, try to stick to the perimeter of the store. That’s where the more healthy, essential items you’ll need are often stocked!

Talking about healthy foods…

· Wait until evening to hit up your farmers market

ECV Talks is based in Florida, USA where finding farm grown foods is relatively easy. If you’re blessed to have farmers markets near you, make sure to shop local and support them. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t get a great deal. Local vendors usually don’t want to lug their unsold goods back home with them. That’s why they’ll often start discounting their produce as the day drags on. Hit them right at the end of the day to get the best deals. And don’t be afraid to ask them for items that aren’t visually perfect but are still usable.

But don’t over-purchase just because you’re getting this great deal without a plan to avoid tossing all those fresh fruits and veggies. Try canning, blanching and freezing to preserve your purchases and cut back on food waste. Or if you want to spend a little more, we highly advise investing in a Foodsaver or similar vacuum sealing appliance. Saving money on food is a long game. If you’re preparing your own meals instead of going out (which let’s face it alot of us are doing right now), you’re already well ahead of the curve. Trying out these tips can take your frugality game to the next level!

What money moves do you plan to make in 2021? Talk to us below!

Lifestyles

Entrepreneurship Master Class

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So this post should have been scheduled earlier today…but it wasn’t typed. I (Ms. ME) should have done far more marketing for the entrepreneurship master class I just held. To be honest, I kind of phoned it in, right down to the replay of one of my earlier classes from this year (see e2E launch below).

But enough of what I did wrong…here’s what I did right.

I didn’t press play and walk away. I actually put myself back through my own class. If you haven’t seen it, I won’t spoil anything here so you’ll be incentivized to sign up for the next free class happening on February 13th. What I will say is that it reminded me of the things that I need to be doing, even when I don’t feel like it to keep this and my other businesses going & growing. It reminded me why I took so many years to come back to this entrepreneur lifestyle and how rewarding and freeing it has already been this year.

Is that to say it hasn’t been nerve-racking at times? No, but it also depends on how I choose to look at it. The tedium of employment had driven me to a low point that I don’t want to revisit. So I have to accept the occasional thrill of “will she or won’t she” until my motivation returns to its past level when I juggled parenthood, college, and entrepreneurship. Or I can take my own advice from the master class…

Photo by Katerina Holmes on Pexels.com

At any rate here are a few tips on starting your own business (some are similar to my master class) that I’ll share from an ABC story back in 2011 that still has relevance:

  • Know why you want to start a business
  • Create a simple business plan
  • Nail your target customer
  • Go out and get customers

There are more tips in the article, seven to be exact. But as I and so many others are proof of, tips and knowledge are necessarily always enough without sufficient motivation or support. That’s part of the reason I created my course. So often while teaching teens and young adults how to start businesses, I’d hear from their adult guardians that they wish they not only had the knowledge but the support I provided my students.

So the key difference of this course in what I see as a series of at least three courses is the support group, for now located on Facebook, Entrepreneurs Creating Value. In my over a decade of working in education, I’ve truly come to appreciate that while the educator may direct the class, all of the instruction does not come from that educator. Goes back to that concept of ‘each one, teach one’ that I first heard in one of my college classes.

Of course at the end of the day everyone who enrolls in an online course is looking for the instructor’s feedback, which I provide on the schedule we’ve agreed upon based on our consultation prior to enrollment. However when it comes to tips 3 and 4 from above, I find the more people you have available to pick their brains the quicker you travel the path to identifying and reaching your target customer for your new business. Instead of bugging family and friends who may not fit that profile or worse yet may not want to support you in your escape for the employee lifestyle that they are too afraid to leave behind, crowd-sourcing the information you need in addition to individual research is a better path.

But what do you think? If you’re thinking about starting a business do you prefer one-on-one, having a group to bounce ideas off of, or both? Share below.

Health and Fitness, Physical

Simple Steps to Self-Care

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By Donna Boylen

What does self-care mean to you? What pictures come to mind when you think of the words ‘self-care’? It usually means something very different for different people. Some of the responses I’ve had when I’ve asked people what it means to them include

  • Taking time out for me
  • Eating healthy
  • Exercising
  • Having a massage

which are all great answers!

Self-care to me means simply looking after your whole self, not because you ‘have to’ but because you want to, because it feels good to do so and because you like looking after your own needs as well as other people’s and it is such an important thing to do for yourself. We can only give to others when we have plenty within us to give. If you let yourself get run down, tired, de-hydrated, lacking in nutrients, mentally exhausted and a tired body, you simply cannot enjoy life nor can you be there for the important people in your life.

By taking care of yourself properly, you reduce stress in your own life. You increase happiness, you create a healthier body and mind and you feel more satisfied with life in general. Self-care has also helps prevent burnout, but most importantly, self-care shows you that you are indeed an important person. That your needs matter just as much as anyone else’s needs and that it’s not selfish or self-indulgent to take time out for yourself – it’s simply showing yourself some self-respect.

There’s a difference between eating fast food just because you’re hungry and need a quick fix, compared with making yourself a delicious and nutritious meal. Fast food is taking care of the hunger part of your body, but the nutritious meal is taking care of all of yourself; your hunger, but also your body and mind. You can have a quick shower to get clean or you can prepare a warm bath with some Epsom Salts and essential oils and have a soak. Again, these both achieve the goal of getting clean, but the bath is taking care of all of you – allowing you to relax, unwind, have time out and also get clean, instead of the rush that a quick rinse off in the shower will give you.

Often ladies will tell me that the reason they don’t do much in the way of self-care is because it’s either too expensive or they don’t have time. It is true that some self-care activities can be expensive but there’s plenty of other things you can do also. Facials, massages, manicures, retreats, yoga classes etc. can all be wonderful ways of taking care of yourself, but of course they come with a price tag. For these type of items, you may want to put a little money aside each week and treat yourself on a quarterly basis for example. Giving yourself these same types of luxuries at home though can be relatively inexpensive and yet you’ll still feel great after doing them.

And yes, sometimes self-care actions are impracticable on a daily basis – no, we don’t all have time to soak in the bath for an hour every day, but there are many self-care actions that you can introduce that can quickly become habits in your life, and other actions you may want to schedule in time for on a weekly or fortnightly basis.

Some cheap, quick and easy ideas for self-care can include:

  • Swapping your morning coffee for a slice of lemon in hot water
  • Giving yourself a hand massage and manicure
  • Taking a nap
  • Drawing, painting, creating etc.
  • Listen to music
  • Meditate
  • Going for a walk on the beach (or your other fav place)
  • Investing in a foam roller and giving your aching muscles a massage
  • Exercising
  • Preparing a healthy and nutritious meal
  • Reading
  • Start a compliment jar. When someone says something nice to or about you, write it down and pop it in your compliments jar. Every now and then re-read through all the beautiful things people think about you
  • Stretch your body; or even better find a yoga workout on YouTube and treat your body to that
  • Get some sunshine
  • Go for a swim
  • Slow down. Walk slower than you usually do, put your phone away and try to spot 5 beautiful things in your environment
  • Keep a gratitude and accomplishments journal. Each day, write 5 things that you’re grateful for and anything you’re proud of accomplishing that day
  • Give yourself a facial

Other aspects of self-care include things like regular doctor, dentist, option appointments for example. Is there some minor health issue that’s been bothering you but you seem to never get around to making that doctor’s appointment? If it was your child or family member, would you make sure they got checked out?

Self-care is often the first thing to get neglected when you become busy, tired or stressed and yet it’s the very thing that you should be turning to at these times. Many people treat self-care as a type of reward or treat, but if you start incorporating self-care into your daily and weekly routines, you’ll begin to notice great improvements in your life. If you’re feeling stressed or you’ve forgotten what self-care feels like, take some time today to pick out a couple of activities you can do every day that is caring just for you and then pick out another maybe lengthier activity you can do on a weekly basis.

Let me know in the comments below what your favourite self-care activity is and what you’re committing to do for yourself this week. _________________________________________________________________________

Donna Boylen helps women create the life of their dreams by getting clear on their goals, values and priorities.

Her passion is empowering women around the world to set and achieve magnificent goals both personally and professionally. She loves to work with women who are really ready to break through barriers and create their dream life.

Her goal is to help you achieve your personal and business goals in fast and easy ways that you never dreamed were possible and Donna coaches and conducts training programs for women wanting to succeed.

Join Donna’s group on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/achivinglifebalanceforworkingmums/ and download your free gift – 21 Ways to Balance Your Life Right Now here: [http://www.donnaboylen.com/21waystobalanceyourlife]

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Donna_Boylen/668812

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Health and Fitness, Lifestyles, Physical

How to Make French Toast – Two French Toast Recipes That You Will Love

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By Biana Babinsky 

Many people are looking for information on how to make French toast. There are lots of recipes available to choose from. The great thing about making it is that you can serve it in a variety of ways. You can serve it with different syrups, apple sauce, fruits, berries and lots of other toppings. This way, even if you make the same toast, it will taste differently because of the different toppings you can use with it. And the good news is that it is very simple to make it, and this article will share with you exactly how to do that.

The basic idea of French toast is that it is simple white bread, dipped in the egg custard and either friend or baked. The custard is usually made with eggs and milk and other things, such as sugar, vanilla, cheese or many others. In this recipe we will talk specifically about fried French toast.

Quite a few recipes discuss making the toast sweet – with sugar, syrups, apple sauce, berries, fruits, etc. One of the recipes in this article is for sweet toast, while the other one is for the savory kind.

Here are two recipes for you to help you prepare it:

French Toast Recipe 1: Sweet

This is the recipe that a lot of people know and like, with a sweet twist. So for this recipe, you will need to first find good white bread. You can use white sandwich bread, or any other white bread that you have available.

Next, you will need to make the custard. A custard is nothing more, but the combination of milk and eggs. You can also use heavy cream or half-n-half to make the custard even creamier.

Now, you can add some additional things to the custard. These can be vanilla and a bit of sugar. Now your custard is ready. Dip both sides of each bread slice into the custard and then fry the bread on a skillet in some butter and oil, a few minutes on each side.

Once your toast is ready, you can top it with fruits, berries, apple sauce or syrup.

French Toast Recipe 2: Savory

You can also make the toast with a savory twist. The only difference between the above recipe that makes it sweet, and a savory one, is how you flavor your egg custard.

Now, to make it savory, use salt, pepper and herbs (such as dill or parsley) to flavor your custard. Then, make the toast. You won’t want to top it with fruit, as it is not sweet, but it tastes great on its own.

And now check out the step-by-step sweet and savory French toast recipes! Sweet French Toast Recipe and Savory French Toast Recipe

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Biana_Babinsky/4828

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