1. Head lamp: useful for camping, refereeing glow-in-the-dark-dodgeball, and patrolling capture the flag.
2. Peek-a-boo barn: scoff all you like, there is no faster, more sure fire way to appease unhappy toddlers in your vicinity, plus they then view you as the person who has the fun game on their phone, and are therefore more excited to see you.
3. Battery powered socks: this basically saved our marriage, and our heating bill. My feet are warm, the rest of the house is cold, Garrett doesn't throw up when the gas bill comes in.
4. Dollar shave club: it's actually really, really cheap, easy and smart. Go Google it...
5. A succulent: I named mine Rosie, because she is not, in fact, a rose.
6. The grocery clip: which has been the most underrated invention of our generation.
7. The Norwex face clothe: officially more effective than any face wash I have ever tried.
8. Sally Hansen's 2-step gel nail polish: it lasts forever!!!
9. McAllister's Iced Tea: run, don't walk! A McAllister's just opened in Springfield, and it will rock your world.
10. An adult coloring book: sometimes it's good to force yourself to sit down and do something that is unproductive. If you're like me, it sounds awful- but give it a chance.
The beginning of the year sometimes seems vast and intimidating. I feel pressure to make resolutions and do Jillian Michael's workout videos.
But I have two thoughts to share before you force yourself to eat anymore kale.
A) Too much change is not a good thing. Your sweet brain and all the beautiful chemicals and connections within it need time when navigating change. So don't overload it.
B) Resolutions are often self-degrading. Doing small kindnesses for yourself will make a big difference in the way you feel about everyday life. It doesn't have to be a vacation, or a new car - it can actually just be a succulent that you keep in the window. Be kinder to you this year.
With Love,
Emily LeVault
P.S. I think my New Years resolution is to hang out with more kittens. Just look at it.
