SELF • BUSINESS • SPIRITUAL • FUN
THEPRIORITIZEDLIFE ISSUE NO. O1 • JULY 6, 2018 • FREE
INTERNATIONAL KISSING DAY
IT'S THE 4TH OF JULY!
PUT YOUR SAVINGS ON AUTOPILOT
How to Put Your Love Language Into Action
Top 10 Pinned Posts for the Fourth of July
A No Fuss Way to Save Money Without Trying
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02 | The Prioritized Life
03
Table of Contents
04
Editor's Note
05
52 Small Changes #1: Get More Sleep
06
Blogs to Watch
07
Podcasts to Watch
09
Put Your Savings on Autopilot
11
How to Put Your Love Language Into Action
16
Top 10 Pinned Recipes for the 4th
17
Charity of the Month: Charity Miles
18
July Free Coloring Page
19Â Be a Contributor
FROM THE EDITOR
JUST A NOTE Miranda Merten - Editor-In-Chief Founder, The Prioritized Life
WRITTEN BY MIRANDA MERTEN
04 | The Prioritized Life
There never seems to be enough time in the day does there? Not enough time to work, play, relax, kiss your loved ones. Not enough time to do what you love. What is important to you in life? Have you ever thought... really thought, what are your priorities? Do we have to choose just one? There are plenty of things that many of us want to do that we never seem to get around to. Well, I think that's a problem. I literally looked at the
calendar yesterday and realized it was July. The middle of 2018, and here I am, another year almost gone and a list of things I want to do, but only a small portion actually done. Something's gotta give. But what? There comes a time when you have to decide what things you want to prioritize and just go get it. Be the firecracker you always admired, but never thought you had the guts to be. Put the interesting things first. It's time to prioritize your life.
52 SMALL CHANGES: 1 GET MORE SLEEP
#
I know you've heard this before, right? Sleep is so important to our well being. Yet so many people brag about staying up late or burning the midnight oil like it's some badge of honor. Well, it's not. Sleep is probably one of the most important things we can do to take care of our bodies, yet most of us still find it hard to get enough. What's so hard about laying down and closing our eyes, and what will help you hit the sheets?
Exercise Exercise. A good hard workout - a run, bike or swim will get you nice and tired. A good yoga workout is also a wonderful way to do that, as you learn mindfulness at the same time. Even if the workout is early in the day, your body will still get tired, and look forward to the rest. Don’t workout right before bed though. Disconnect, get outside, take a walk. Cancel an appointment or two if you can. Stretch. Massage your shoulders. Close your eyes for a few minutes. Breathe.
Get Up Early You can get your body to shift its sleeping schedule by slowly getting up earlier. Try 15 minutes earlier than normal for a week, then another 15 minutes. If you get up earlier, you might be a bit tired during the day, but when it comes time to go to sleep, you’ll enjoy the rest. Also, go to bed earlier — the Internet will be fine without you. I like to read before bed (a book, not websites) as a ritual that helps me sleep. It takes awhile before your sleeping patterns change, so keep at it!
This is an excerpt from a year-long series: "52 Changes to a More Fulfilled Life", and it is included in The Prioritized Life membership!
YOUR PHONE OR TABLET MAY BE CAUSING YOUR INSOMNIA If you’ve been having more trouble falling asleep in the past few years, your smart phone and tablet may be to blame. I get it, it’s tempting to play around on the phone, check your email one last time, or scroll through your favorite social media app while you’re lying in bed. It’s become part of the bedtime routine for many of us. We think it’s relaxing and a nice way to unwind after a long and busy day. Unfortunately, that may be the reason why we have such a hard time getting enough quality sleep. Mobile devices can disrupt our sleep and lead to insomnia in different ways. Having a mobile device charging on your night stand can lead to waking up throughout the night. You may not even be fully aware of just how distracting the various notification alerts can be until you completely turn your phone off and leave it in the other room. Even if your phone is set to silent, the blinking alerts and changes in light can be enough to disrupt your sleep patterns. Let's not even mention the possible harmful effects of Wi-Fi and cell phone signals. Last but not least, it’s time to address the biggest culprit when it comes to the connection between mobile devices and sleep issues. It’s the light that these devices emit. In particular, the blue light coming off the screen and hitting the back of your eyes trick your body into thinking it’s daytime. This in turn blocks the release of melatonin and messes with the day and night rhythm. In short, your body thinks it’s daytime. No bueno. The Fix: Change the display to a dimmer screen that filters out most of the blue light or use an app like f.lux: https://justgetflux.com. Even better, create a nighttime routine that doesn’t involve your phone and leave it in another room. Trust me, your mind and body will thank you. 05 | The Prioritized Life
Blog Watch Who doesn't love new blogs to read and follow? My favorites are usually women centered and cater to creating your best life. I've stumbled across a good amount, and sharing is caring! So here is a round up of blogs you should be checking out. Don't forget to visit my blog: www.theprioritizedlife.com for my views on living your best life.
BLOGS GUARANTEED TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE. IMPLEMENT WISELY. The Blissful Mind https://theblissfulmind.com The Blissful Mind is your guide to finding calm in the everyday. Catherine helps women develop intentional and mindful lifestyles so they can find more focus, balance, and fulfillment in their daily lives.
Career Girl Daily https://www.careergirldaily.com From fashion to wellness to success, Career Girl Daily is the place to go. If you haven't visited this site yet, I'm sure you will find so many useful tidbits that you'll wonder how you did without it.
Embracing Simple http://embracingsimpleblog.com Blog creator, Christina Tiplea hasn't posted in a few months, but the website is still a treasure chest of useful information and a place to find some inspiration about money, organization, parenting + more.
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Podcast Watch Do you fancy listening more than reading? Well, I've got some podcasts for you! We don't always have the luxury of sitting down with our tea or coffee (or wine!) and reading words. In those cases, we need something a little more portable and effortless. Enter podcasts! Add these gems to your playlist for instant life enhancement.
HAVE A LISTEN. YOU MIGHT LEARN SOMETHING. Style Your Mind http://caraalwill.com/podcast Hosted by Cara Alwill Leyba, creator of the Champagne Diet Blog, Style Your Mind is a podcast for success-driven women who want to design their thoughts, empower themselves, and build a beautiful life and career.
The Mia G. Podcast http://miagoros.com Enjoy this mixture of lighthearted, funny, thoughtful, and real ass conversations. Mia interviews successful, interesting people on their journeys to doing what they love.
Earn Your Happy Podcast https://www.loriharder.com/podcast Get all the inside secrets and tools you need to help you bust through your fears, connect to your soul and get focused and clear so you can elevate your life, business and relationships. With Lori Harder. 07 | The Prioritized Life
breathe
in confidence,
breathe out
doubt
BUSINESS + MONEY
PUT YOUR SAVINGS ON AUTOPILOT Saving money isn't always easy. Here are some ideas that may help you when you feel stuck.
WRITTEN BY MIRANDA MERTEN
Putting a little money away for a rainy day isn’t always easy. You may have some good intentions, but at the end of the day, there just isn’t any money left. Somehow whatever you make is spent before you make it to the next paycheck. Sound familiar? So how can you save when your money is leaving before you knew you had it?
Next, write down your fixed expenses. These are things like rent, car payments, utilities etc. Figure out how much you need each month for groceries and other essentials. This is your bare bones budget, or your necessary minimum income. Knowing this number is a crucial step in the process. Don't skip it.
Start by making a personal budget. Ugh. The dreaded B word (the one that really offends people). Take a look at what you bring in each month.
Next, calculate with what you bring in each month and subtract all of your core expenses. What you’re left with is your discretional income. 09 | The Prioritized Life
This will pay for entertainment, clothes, getting your nails done etc. And from here on out, part of that discretional income will go into a savings account. Pick a number you’re comfortable with. Maybe that’s just $20 per month, maybe it’s $500. Put it in your budget and treat it like any other bill. It won’t take you long to get into the habit of setting aside that money for savings. To make it even more hands-off, set up a separate savings account at your bank - most banks allow you to do this online pretty quickly. Then set up an auto-deposit to have the savings transferred to the new account as soon as your pay check comes in each month. If you don’t see it, you’ll never miss it and your savings will run on autopilot. Don’t forget to audit your savings from time to time. Take another look at your budget. Can you increase your savings a little more? Another great way to boost that savings account is to take any extra money – thinks like birthday cash, tax returns, bonuses etc. – and put them straight into the savings account. Again, you won’t even miss the money, but it will help you build up your savings quickly. Make sure your savings are sitting in an interest bearing account. Since you won’t be touching this money unless it’s a dire emergency - or you've met the
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If you don’t see it, you’ll never miss it and your savings will run on autopilot. goal set for it, you should be able to earn at least a little interest. Compare interest rates at your current bank to some of the other popular savings accounts. You might find a higher rate elsewhere, and it's OK to have accounts at different banks. In fact, it might work to your advantage because if you have to wait 3 days for a money transfer, if might help increase your judgement about using that money at the wrong time. If you need a little more motivation to leave that money alone, attach a name or event to it. What are you saving for? A new home, car, vacation? Doing this will help you stay out of it when you feel the urge to splurge. Lastly, Use apps like Digit to round up your spare change and have it automatically drop into your savings account. Other Apps like Qapital or Rize help you save money using specific goals or actions. Don't be afraid to try something new. Cabo here you come! Resources: Digit: www.digit.co Qapital: www.qapital.com Rize: www.rizemoney.com
HOW TO PUT YOUR LOVE LANGUAGE
INTO ACTION
RELATIONSHIPS
July 6th is International Kissing Day! Who knew there was such a thing? In honor of this glorious wacky holiday, let's discuss the five different love languages, and why everyone should be aware of theirs and their partner's preferred love language. What Are The Five Love Languages? Gary Chapman PhD, author of the best-selling book The Five Love Languages, created the concept of giving and receiving love in ways that are measurable and determine how we engage the world. Based on his work, each of us falls into categories that determine how we prefer to express and receive love. This benefits us by better understanding ourselves, but expands further when we apply the concepts to those close to us and better understand how they give and receive love as well. As the saying goes, it's better to give than receive. 12 | The Prioritized Life
Let’s take a look at the five love languages: 1. Words of Affirmation This love language thrives in giving and receiving nurturing and positive feedback. The Words of Affirmation love language is represented by seeking understanding, asking for forgiveness when wrong, sharing kind and encouraging words, and giving and receiving meaningful compliments. 2. Quality Time The Quality Time love language is all about togetherness. The distinction being that time is focused and centered on the relationship; time is uninterrupted with no distractions. This is shown by putting away devices, maintaining eye contact during conversations, active listening, and participating in activities meaningful to the relationship. 3. Receiving Gifts Receiving gifts is a timeless gesture of love and respect.
Knowing how love languages affect others is a tool that can be used in a powerful way.
Those who have a primary love language of receiving gifts are uplifted by the sentiment of the gift-giving more than the gift itself. It is all about what the gift represents and the effort that was taken by the giver that means so much. 4. Acts of Service This love languages distinction is doing things for others that they appreciate. This love language has no gender, no bias, and no limits on what may be offered in service. Husbands and wives serve independently of traditional roles and norms. A wife can fill her husband’s car with gas or a husband can vacuum the house as an act of service and expression of love. 5. Physical Touch This love language goes way beyond the obvious idea of sex. This language is saturated in the warmth that comes from being present and being in touch and in tune with the other party. Holding the hand of a friend in distress. Sitting side-by-side with an anxious child. These are acts of love that mean the world to a physical touch love language receiver. Want to know your love language? You might be able to tell simply by just reading the descriptions, but some people have more than one. You can take a simple test at www.5LoveLanguages.com and discover your hierarchy of languages. You may have a dominant language or a blend of more than one. Generally speaking, how you prefer to express your love is also the same as how you prefer to receive gestures of love. Check out your ratings and get more familiar with the concept to enhance your interpersonal experiences. How To Discover Someone’s Love Language Becoming aware of someone else’s love language isn’t that difficult either. Knowing someone else’s language has huge benefits for creating trust and building solid relationships. 13 | The Prioritized Life
Ask Them QuestionsIf you are new to the relationship, whether it be work or personal, asking questions can give you direct information about a person’s love language. Ask questions such as, “What is the best way to show you that I appreciate you?” or “What is the nicest way that someone has ever showed you how much they care?” Listen to their feedback and create your own version of the actions they mention.
Gather The FactsThe more you notice about someone the better you can gauge their love language. Do they gush about an activity that they experienced with someone? Do they ask you to do things together? They are likely a quality time love language. Do you notice that they keep mementos or proudly display gifts that they have received? They are undoubtedly a receiving gifts love language.
Observe How They Love OthersGenerally, we express love in the same way we prefer to receive it. This is a fall back since our ego assumes everyone likes what we like. Chances are the way someone is showing you that they care is likely the way they want to be cared for. Pay attention to the gestures they make towards you and reciprocate. If they warm up to you when you do, you are on to their language and doing well. Keep it up!
Have them take the testThe easiest way to determine someone’s love language is to have them take the easy online test. Have a conversation and compare and contrast your findings and discuss the ideal ways to express them to one another. This shouldn't be a weird or awkward activity. When you care for someone, getting to know what makes them feel cared for should be tension and stress free, and you'll both be better off for doing the exercise.
Knowing someone’s love language is a key that unlocks the door to relationship success. Knowing someone’s love language is a key that unlocks the door to relationship success. Being able to recognize what motivates someone we care about and pour into them creates bonds that are unbreakable. Though this is invaluable in our closest relationships, this skill set can transcend into our secondary relationships and increase our success at work, in business, in the community, and with our friends. In every relationship the goal is to build trust, to feel safe, and appreciated. Understanding the love language most important to your loved ones gives you a blueprint for how to create that trust and safety. It removes the guesswork entirely (let's face it, we don't need to let those guys guess - just let them know ladies!). Here are some practical expressions that fuel each love language:
14 | The Prioritized Life
● Words of Affirmation- Leave him post-it notes in the shower saying you love his laugh or you love his handsome face. ● Quality Time- Find an activity that you know your wife loves and commit to participating in it with her. ● Receiving Gifts- Send your co-worker a floral subscription where she receives a fresh bouquet from you each month for an entire year. ● Acts of Service- Your daughter is a determined athlete with a busy academic and sports schedule. Help her by organizing her gear each night before she heads out for school and practice each day. ● Physical Touch- Your best friend has received terrible medical news. Knowing how much she values a good hug, you sit with her, side-by-side, thighs touching, and holding hands while she processes the information.
Words of Affirmation ✓Compliment her outfit ✓Listen to him without offering advice ✓Say you’re sorry when you’re wrong ✓Ask your child how their day went ✓Engage in family dialogue at dinner time Quality Time ✓Eat dinner as a family ✓Put devices away when speaking to one another ✓Read a relationship book together ✓Enjoy a Sunday drive together ✓Engage in a sporting activity Receiving Gifts ✓Buy their favorite magazine ✓Add to their favorite collection on special occasions ✓Buy flowers Acts of Service ✓Start the coffee in the morning ✓Make your child’s favorite meal on a Tuesday ✓Fill the car with gas ✓Change the toilet paper
Knowing your loved one’s love language and being able to pour into them directly, is powerful for building long-lasting relationships that are solid and confident. These simple acts of meeting needs in an ideal way - aligned and individualized in their approach - is what the highest functioning relationships have in common. Putting love languages into action is easy. Following is a list of ways you can express yourself within the various modalities. Make a mental note or write these down somewhere and continue to express these to your loved ones and even with your colleagues in business.
Physical Touch ✓Give a back or foot rub ✓Hold hands ✓Lie your head on his shoulder ✓Comb your daughter’s hair Knowing the love languages and having an arsenal of simple ways to express them is a tool box filled to the brim with love and kindness. Make it your everyday goal to discover the love languages of the people you encounter and apply your skills for the greatest good.
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1. Buzzed Cherry Bombs https://bit.ly/2MPacbD Maraschino cherries in flavored vodka, dipped in chocolate and sprinkles 2. Coconut Water Fresh Berry Popsicles https://bit.ly/2zb0SfV Just two ingredients: coconut water and fresh berries! 3. Rice Krispie Bites https://bit.ly/2lVQmzG A festive twist with red and blue food coloring 4. 4th of July fruit salad https://bit.ly/2KL6grx Red, white, and blue fruit salad tossed with a minty honey-lime dressing 5. Patriotic dipped pretzels https://bit.ly/2tUfHP6 Festive chocolate covered pretzles 6. Fireworks Pudding Cookies https://bit.ly/2KRQsmP Brown sugar cookies with a secret ingredient: a packet of pudding! 7. Firecracker Cake https://bit.ly/2KJ1jms Beautiful red, white and blue marbled center drizzled with frosting & sprinkles 8. Strawberry cheesecake bites https://bit.ly/2zaq6uZ Strawberries filled with cheesecake and blueberries 9. Red, White, & Blue Fruit Cubes https://bit.ly/2MR7Qcj Fruit filled ice cubes to make your water fancy! 10. Red, White, & Blue Sangria https://bit.ly/2MQ1pWC A berry-loaded sangria made with sparkling grape juice and a dry white wine
TOP 10 PINNED RECIPES FOR THE 4TH
Charity of the Month:
CharityMiles Want to earn money for charity doing something you already do anyway? Charity Miles lets you turn a neighborhood jog or weekend hike into a fundraiser for good. Just choose a charity and get moving! The app tracks your movement. For every mile you log, you help to earn money for your chosen charity. Easy peasy!
Choose from over 40 charities that are making a big impact on health, children, animals, the environment, education, veterans and more. Be The Change When you move for charity, you are telling yourself a story about what’s important to you. https://charitymiles.org
Warning: Side effects may include empathy, mindfulness and gratitude :)
COLOR INTO ZEN INTERNATIONAL KISSING DAY
JULY COLORING WORKSHEET Adults Like Coloring Too! Download Your FREE Sheet! www.theprioritizedlife.com/coloring
SELF • BUSINESS • SPIRITUAL • FUN
BE A CONTRIBUTOR! Do you have great stories to share? Contribute to The Prioritized Life blog or newsletter magazine: www.theprioritizedlife.com/contribute
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SELF • BUSINESS • SPIRITUAL • FUN
THEPRIORITIZEDLIFE ISSUE NO. O1 • JULY 6, 2018 • FREE
www.theprioritizedlife.com