We’ve all probably heard someone talk on social media about their “hustle” or “side gig.”
It’s in style; and it makes sense—and cents? Gigs are now just a click or tap away on most of our devices, and a little extra money never hurts! Here are a few things to consider when starting up a side hustle.
What are your side hustle goals? We typically think of a side hustle as being an easy way to score a little extra cash. But they can sometimes be gateways into bigger things. Do you have skills that you’d like to develop into a full time career? A passion that you can turn into a business? Or do you just need some serious additional income to pay down debt? These considerations can help you determine how much time and money you invest into your gig and what gigs to pursue.
What are your marketable skills? Some gigs don’t require many skills beyond a serviceable car and a driver’s license. But others can be great outlets for your hobbies and skills. Love writing? Start freelancing on your weekends. Got massive gains from hours at the gym and love the outdoors? Start doing moving jobs in your spare time. You might be surprised by the demand for your passions!
Keep it reasonable Burnout is no joke. Some people thrive on 80 hour work weeks between jobs and side hustles, but don’t feel pressured to bite off more than you can chew. Consider how much you’re willing to commit to your gigs and don’t exceed that limit.
One great thing about side hustles is their flexibility. You choose your level of commitment, you find the work, and your success can depend on how much you put in. Consider your goals and inventory your skills to get there—and start hustling!
We originally shared this circa 2010 on one of the predecessors to this site after receiving a very interesting email sent to us by a friend. We loved the positive body image it encouraged and have decided to share it again here. If anyone knows who the original author is, please feel free to post it in the comments of the page.
Recently, in a large French city, a poster featuring a young, thin and tan woman appeared in the window of a gym. It said:
THIS SUMMER DO YOU WANT TO BE A MERMAID OR A WHALE?
A middle aged woman, whose physical characteristics did not match those of the woman on the poster, responded publicly to the question posed by the gym.
To Whom It May Concern: Whales are always surrounded by friends (dolphins, sea lions, curious humans). They have an active sex life, they get pregnant and have adorable baby whales. They have a wonderful time with dolphins stuffing themselves with shrimp. They play and swim in the seas, seeing wonderful places like Patagonia, the Bering Sea and the coral reefs of Polynesia. Whales are wonderful singers and have even recorded CDs. They are incredible creatures and virtually have no predators other than humans. They are loved, protected and admired by almost everyone in the world.
Mermaids don’t exist. If they did exist, they would be lining up outside the offices of Argentinean psychoanalysts due to identity crisis. Fish or human? They don’t have a sex life because they kill men who get close to them not to mention how could they have sex? Therefore they don’t have kids either. Not to mention who wants to get close to a girl who’s skin is all scaly and smells like a fish store?
The choice is perfectly clear to me… I want to be a whale.
P.S. We are in an age when media puts into our heads the idea that only skinny people are beautiful, but I prefer to enjoy an ice cream with my grandkids, a good dinner with a man who makes me shiver and a latte with my friends. With time, we gain weight because we accumulate so much information and wisdom in our heads that when there is no more room, it distributes out to the rest of our bodies. So we aren’t heavy, we are enormously cultured, educated and happy.
Beginning today, when I look at my butt in the mirror I will think, “Good gosh, look how smart I am”!
Make the choice to love your body even if you’re working to make changes. Decide to enjoy the journey and the body that’s transporting you on the journey and make it a hot girl summer!
Meteorological summer has officially begun! Although for parts of the US it’s felt like summer for a while now. Here are some tips to keep you at full head-to-toe glam for the entire hot girl summer.
Links to specific sites are entrepreneurs that have entered into a partnership with ECV Talks.
Starting with the top of your head, get a stylish 👒 or visor for added sun protection. Take it up a notch by getting one that has built in UPF protection.
Shades are more than just glam wear. They protect your vision because your eyes, like your skin, is sensitive to UV rays. So go ahead and splurge on some new ones; it’s for your health. 😎
Saving Face, literally
Switch to a mattifying gel-based facial cleanser to keep oil-prone areas in check. Follow up cleansing with a toner to unclog pores and also help with oil absorption.
YRT (year-round tip): Continue to use moisturizer despite the humid weather. Your skin needs hydration year-round to stay healthy and skipping moisturizer might lead your skin to overproduce the very oil we helped you get a handle on in the last tip.
Smooth flaky, chapped lips by using this Satin Lips Shea sugar scrub. Leave on for a minute and then remove by gently rubbing a warm wet washcloth over your lips.
Keep your lips looking luscious in the summer heat with great lip color that comes with SPF 15. Your lips have some of the thinnest most fragile skin on your body so you definitely don’t want to forget to protect them from the sun.
Body-ody-ody-ody-ody-ody-ody
If you have a fair complexion, during the wear-less season, hide pale skin with a fake tan. While it may be tempting to get a real tan catching some summer rays at the beach or poolside, remember the skin damage it can cause. That damage is cumulative and can end up costing you dearly later. Before you apply the self-tanner, make sure to use an exfoliating powder or scrub and shave for more even results. Apply sparingly to elbows, knees, ankles & around your hairline to avoid dark patches. After it’s on, don’t forget to wash your hands with lukewarm, soapy water to avoid any tell-tale orange palms.
YRT: Use sunblock with at least an SPF of 15. Sistahs, you too; our black girl magic (aka melanin) will not keep us from suffering damage although it may not be as noticeable. As was stated earlier, every second of sun exposure adds up even on those cloudy days when you can’t see the sun. It’s still up there so wear sunblock every day, even once summer ends.
If you’re going to be outside most of the day taking advantage of every possible moment of the summer, don’t forget to reapply that sunblock every two hours. Reapply it more often if you’re being extremely active (think hiking or exercising) or at high altitudes, where the sun is stronger.
Pre-hike, or any outdoor activity in the humid southern USA, dust your skin with cornstarch powder to help stay dry. Try using a scented powder to save a step of applying a fragrance and get to the fun quicker.
Hot weather intensifies fragrances so switch to a lighter, more airy scent that way your scent doesn’t overpower you or someone else in the summer heat. And don’t forget your body-cleansing towelettes and purse spray to freshen up on the go.
Don’t forget to stay hydrated!
Mani-pedi
The best shape for nails is round during the summer when you’ll be more active. Also give your nails a break from polish for a few days at a time to keep them healthy.
When you are wearing polish, go for strong, jewel-tones or neon brights. Prevent your polish from turning yellow & chipping with a UV-protective top coat.
Keep a pumice stone or foot file in the shower to smooth dry, rough feet. We have found a pumice stone is more effective than a foot file in terms of it’s sandal-worthy effect on feet and the life span of the stone. Just be sure to rinse and dry it thoroughly after each use.
Speaking of sandals, have you seen the designs on the unofficial state shoe of Florida aka the flip flop at The Cozy Spot lately? If not, check them out.
Can you find the state of Florida?
At the end of a long day out and about soak hot, stinky feet in a big bowl of water and citrus fruit slices. If you know you’re prone to smelly feet, start the day by using some antiperspirant or a deodorizing spray on your feet.
What beauty tips do you swear by during the summer? Comment below 👇
For brunch, we always prefer a meal that’s neither light or heavy. Some people might find a green salad too light but a pasta dish too heavy. Combine these two dishes and you’ll have the perfect brunch meal – one that would satisfy your appetite just right!
Here are 3 quick and healthy pasta recipes perfect for brunch:
Italian-Style Cold Pasta Salad
What you need:
10 cherry tomatoes
2 cucumbers, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1 3/4 cups rotini pasta
1 cup Italian-style salad dressing
3/4 cup pitted black olives, sliced
Cook rotini pasta to al dente in a large pot of lightly salted water according to package instructions. Drain pasta in a colander and place under cool running water in the sink to cool. When ready, mix together rotini pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, black olives and Italian-style salad dressing in a large salad bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.
Delicious Mac-Tuna Salad
What you need:
3 cups macaroni
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 can tuna, drained
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 cup Italian-style salad dressing
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Cook macaroni to al dente according to package instructions. Drain and place in a large salad bowl along with Italian-style salad dressing. Stir to coat pasta with dressing. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. When ready, add celery, onion, tuna, mayonnaise, sour cream, salt, garlic powder and black pepper to the bowl. Mix ingredients well. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving.
BLT Delight
What you need:
1/2 kilogram sliced bacon
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 cups medium seashell pasta
1 1/2 cups light Ranch-style salad dressing
Cook seashell pasta to al dente according to package instructions. Drain, rinse under cool running water then set aside. In a skillet, cook bacon over medium-high heat until brown and crispy. Remove from heat and drain on paper towels. Mix together tomatoes, onion and Ranch-style salad dressing in a large salad bowl. Add cooked and pasta to the bowl and mix to coat with dressing. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to overnight. Crumble bacon over pasta salad before serving.
If you want to enjoy a quick yet healthy pasta salad for your next brunch, any of these recipes will surely get your approval!
Adrian T. Cheng is a food blogger who promotes healthy eating. He has written numerous posts and articles about natural herbs and spices, shared countless of delicious and healthy recipes and reviewed kitchen accessories that are affordable yet of quality. You can view Adrian’s posts about going green and other nutrition tips and tricks [http://www.kuisiware.com/] on his page.
One interior decoration blog estimated that decorating a living room from scratch could cost between $14,400 to almost $50,000!(1) The numbers for the dining room, bedrooms, and kitchen are similarly high. Furnishing an apartment averages about $6,000.(2) But is there a better way? How can you save some cash if you’re trying to furnish your home? Here are a few helpful tips to guide your decorating process!
Plan and prioritize Start by taking stock of what furniture you have that can be used in your new home. Some of it might work in your new home, some of it might not. Try to get an idea of what existing furniture will go where and make note of new items you’ll need.
Arrange your list of new items in order of importance and buy those first. Mattresses for your bedroom? Top of the list. Abstract modern art to hang in your bathroom? Maybe hold off on that until you’ve taken care of the essentials!
Paint Concerned that your kitchen is a little drab? Worried that your table cloth doesn’t match your dining room? You might be surprised how far a new paint job will get you! It might be a more budget-friendly way to spice up your living situation than tossing all your old furniture out the door, especially if you do it yourself. Things like tables and wooden chairs are all potential candidates for a new coat of paint, as are the walls of your home.
Shop smart But there’s no doubt that at some point you’ll need to get a new piece of furniture. What then? Cough up and pay a ridiculous price? You might be surprised by the resources available to acquire furniture at a bargain. Local thrift stores can be treasure troves for things like chairs, coffee tables, and bookcases. Craigslist and eBay are also worth investigating, as are estate and garage sales. And you can always scour the curbs for a free sofa if you’re feeling bold!
Furnishing your new house can be fun. It’s a chance to unleash your creativity and make your home a special place. Just make sure you follow these budget-friendly tips before you start indulging!
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