10 things you can do to be happier this week

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I asked Bridget of Deer Circus if I could share her list of ten things you can do to be happier. As a tribute to how awesome she is, she said yes. So here ya go folks!

10 things you can do to be happier this week:
1// tackle something that has been giving you anxiety.
2// send a handwritten thank you note to someone.
3// do an anonymous, altruistic deed.
4// pick something you have in excess: clothing, books -- and edit it down, enormously.
5// write things you're grateful for on sticky notes & cover a wall with them.
6// seek forgiveness -- from yourself, or from someone you've wronged.
7// call a friend just to say i love you. tell him or her why. be specific.
8// reach out to someone who has inspired you in some way.
9// express only positive things (no complaining at all) for a whole day.
10// start a journal & commit to it, even if it's just one line a day.

I love this list! Being happy is as simple as being more thoughtful about your happiness. My favorites on the list are those that involve doing stuff for others. I tend to get the most upset when I'm in my head too much, so turning my thoughts outward tends to be the best remedy for me.

What are things you do to keep yourself happy?

Let's talk lipstick.

It's safe to say that I have an obsession with lipstick. Covergirl lipstick, specifically. This brand is so good y'all! It keeps my lips moisturized and stays on almost all day with minimal bleeding and fading. WIN. And it's like, five bucks. DOUBLE WIN. I've yet to purchase a color that I don't just love!

The color I'm wearing in these pictures is called Spellbound. It's a super bright pink (with a bit of a purple tint) that I normally don't wear too too much. I love the color but I tend to go towards the more classic red on a daily basis.

My absolute favorites are Flame and Hot Passion. Hot Passion is a classic, bold red and Flame is also red, but a little on the pink side. That one suits my skin tone perfectly (I'm super pale with a pink flush). Beware though: my friends with olive skin tones don't like it on them!

On the other end of the spectrum is Enamor. It's a really dark brown that I got last fall. It looked absolutely BEAUTIFUL on my two best friends. One is really pale (no pink flush like mine), light eyes and dark hair and the other has an olive skin tone and dark features all around. For me, I feel it looks best laid on thick with a bit of Hot Passion mixed in. I've found though that this color is the only one that doesn't stay on as well. The Hot Passion helps things a bit, as well as applying a layer of powder to your lips before painting them up : )

What are your thoughts on lipstick? Do you love it, hate it, or only break it out for special occasions? Any brands that you swear by?

7 design principles inspired by Zen

via 79 ideas

I came across the most wonderful article about simple design principles. I've known for the longest time that I wanted to take my design and freelancing to a different level but haven't been sure of what it would look like. I'm taking my time to figure it out, as I definitely don't want it to be forced. These principles definitely align with the direction I want to go.

1// Austerity. Refrain from adding was isn't absolutely necessary in the first place.
2// Simplicity. Eliminate what doesn't matter to make more room for what does.
3// Naturalness. Incorporate naturally occurring patterns and rhythms into your design.
4// Subtlety. Limit information just enough to pique curiosity and leave something to the imagination.
5// Imperfection, asymmetry. Leave room for others to co-create with you, provide a platform for open innovation.
6// Break from routine. An interruptive "break" is an important part of any breakthrough design.
7// Stillness, tranquility. Doing something isn't always better than doing nothing.

Those last two steps really speak to me, as I naturally tend to have them in my design process. Sometimes, though rarely, I'll work on a design for a client and it'll be spot on from the beginning. But what normally happens is I work and work and work on a design, submit it for viewing and feedback, then go in a totally different direction. Or I'll start on a design, sit on it for a week (doing nothing to it) then know what direction I need to take. If you're a former client of mine, you'll really know what I'm talking about!

I'm so thankful I found this article (it came to me via an email that Linked In sent to me--LI has been such a great resource for design-related news).

What are some things that guide your design process? Or if you're not a designer, that guide your day-to-day living?