Tag: joy

Five EASY Ways to Increase Daily Happiness

glitzandglitterwebLeave a comment

Hi, friends!

One of the things I see all the time on Instagram and Pinterest are tips on how to make morning routines and daily routines happier or bring extra joy to them. I think as humans we are always looking for better things or how to increase our own happiness. Whether that’s making a cup of coffee in the morning before getting ready or spending 15 minutes of yoga in the morning, we are always looking for bigger and better. The past two years have been a lot, to say the least, and now more than ever we are on the hunt for making the best of our daily life. So here are five easy ways to increase your happiness every day. Small actions create big waves and change!

  1. Buy flowers for your house!

I know it sounds odd, but this works! For the past month or so, I have made it a goal to have two bouquets of flowers in my house- one in my room and the other in a commonplace (I also buy these ones for my mom!). Having fresh flowers around has boosted my happiness because it adds beauty and they just make me feel better! I tend to buy a $5 small bouquet from Walmart and they last for right around 2 weeks!

2. Get some stuff to make your house smell good!

Candles are my love language! I always keep a candle burning while I’m in my room because it is so relaxing and my room smell so good! My current candle is Ocean Driftwood from Bath and Body Works and I love it. I also have a few wall plug in’s around my house to make it smell a little better! I have pets and let’s face it, they don’t always smell the best- especially when they come in from outside! Wallflower plugs from Bath and Body Works (my fave!) are under $10 and they last for a month at my house!

3. Drink more water!

Listen, I know! Water, water, water. It’s tasteless and people are always saying “drink more water, blah blah” but it’s true! I used to drink a glass of water maybe once a day and I’ve started to drink at least 3 water tumblers a day now. It still isn’t as much as I should be drinking but it is a start in the right direction. My secret is adding freshly cut lemon slices. It’s good for me and it makes water not tasteless! I feel better when I drink more water and it makes me a happier person when I am actually hydrated!

4. Do one thing for yourself a day!

Whatever that looks like for you, take the time to do it! Whether it’s taking a bath, getting a coffee, or watching an episode or two of your favorite show, make the time every day to treat yourself to it! Treating yourself to small joys adds happiness in your daily routine and no, it is NOT lazy to take time for yourself every day! You deserve it by getting through every day!

5. Talk to people!

Something I noticed, especially this past year, is that I am happier when I talk to friends. Even if it is one quick conversation with a friend via text, it makes my day better! I think that since 2019, we have regressed in relationships. We had to quarantine, were told to keep distance from people for our health, and it was a hard time. Making sure to keep in touch with people and getting together with friends in person now is a great way to have fun and keep healthy relationships!

I hope these little tips help you add a bit of goodness into your daily routine and I really encourage you to do at least one thing to increase your overall joy. You are worth taking time out of your day to devote for yourself!

Until next time,

Featured Image by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Blogmas | Day 2

glitzandglitterweb6 Comments

Merry Blogmas, loves!

Today’s Blogmas post is one that I have quite been looking forward to and I am excited to share with you because I am hoping it might become a new chapter for Glitz & Glitter in the new year.

My faith isn’t something I have really ever discussed on here and it might be because I really doubt myself a lot of the time when it comes to how strong I am in my faith.  I definitely have moments when I know that I am unworthy of my Saviors love and salvation and there are moments when I think my faith isn’t even as big as a mustard seed. I’ve had prayers go unanswered, or maybe they were just answered with a “not now, Mimi; there is better coming.” I have doubted and I have had my struggles, but at the end of the day, my heart is Jesus’s and He is my salvation. Even when I am at my lowest point, I know He is before me and He is making the way.

Another reason I don’t post much about my faith is because I am rather afraid of backlash I might get.  I want to keep Glitz & Glitter a positive place and I know that I might get hate for being a Christian.  I know that I shouldn’t be afraid of what others think because I know who I am but I do prefer to avoid issues.  So I’m really hoping this goes well and that it can be a small chapter of the Glitz & Glitter in the new year.  At the end of the day, I am not trying to force my beliefs on anyone.  I just want to share a big part of my life with you guys and I like staying honest with you.  

I’m losing track of myself again. Back to what I was saying. This post is hopefully a new chapter. I would like to start sharing more of my faith and things related to that in the coming year. Maybe I can use Glitz & Glitter as an outreach of sorts. This post is a round up of my favorite Bible verses that are Christmassy and always remind me of the joy of this season.

Luke 2:14

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

I remember a plastic nativity we had while I was growing up. It had a button and would play a reading of verses and then have some music at the end. Luke 2:14 is one that was included and for some reason always stood out to me.

John 10:27-28
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me.

This verse doesn’t necessarily scream Christmas but it definitely comes in handy with the new year approaching. I pray that I am going on the right path and that I will glorify God in my works, but there are days when I am so unsure of everything I am doing. There are days when I don’t think I hear God or that my ears have turned away from His call. To be honest, I am envious of others when they talk about how they converse daily with God and hear Him as plain as day. I am envious because that has never happened to me and I think that is where my biggest reason for lack of faith comes in. This verse helps fr my bad days.

Romans 15:13

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that You may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

This is my prayer for the upcoming year. I hope that I learn to trust in God more and believe that He has only the best in store for me. Yes, I will have trials that I must face, but I know that I already have the victory. With God, all things are possible. There’s not footnote attached to that in tiny print that follows with *only some things*. Not some things, but all things. I hope that I become so in love with God that I become a beam of pure joy and happiness, and that others can see my joy is in Him and I can set a good example for others.

James 1:17

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights…” I have no words. Even though I know that I am not worthy of salvation or the love that my Father has for me, He still loves me and He calls me His child. The greatest gift of all that I have and that I will ever have is the love of God. No matter what, that is the greatest gift.

Luke 2:11

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.

This is probably one of the most well known Bible verses during the Christmas season and I truly love it. It is the beginning to an incredible story.

I know that was only a small handful of verses and I apologize that there aren’t more. I’m trying to make Blogmas posts that aren’t too dreary and drone on for a long while. Having shorter posts also means I can edit them in a shorter period of time and it means more time to write. This is also my first year of Blogmas so I’m learning as I go!

Merry Christmas, loves! Cheers!

signature4

Blogmas | Day 1

glitzandglitterwebLeave a comment

Blogmas - Day 1

Welcome to the very first annual Blogmas on Glitz and Glitter! As I am typing, it is December 1st very early in the morning and I’m trying to ignore my allergies which are keeping me awake. But it is officially the first of December and honestly, I didn’t even know what day it was until a moment or two ago when I was on Twitter and saw a bunch of posts about it.  So I looked at my calendar and was instantly hit with worry and slight dread that I hadn’t purchased any gifts yet, sent out cards (even though we have just started the Merry Month), and a feeling of inadequacy.  

This year, like most other years, I am on a budget for shopping.  I won’t be able to purchase everything I want for my family and friends and I do feel slight shame for that.  But then I took a step back and realized that I had forgot the meaning of Christmas altogether.  Did the 3 wise men try to out-do each other by trying to give the best give to Jesus? No, they didn’t.  The entire being of Christmas isn’t to see if Aunt Ida can out-gift Aunt Lilian or to see which person can win over the family with presents.  With this holiday should come love, joy, a sense of renewal, and all of the hope that comes in a new year.  This time should be spent in the company of those you cherish and love.  In the end, who truly cares if they received a physical gift at all? Growing up, I have been taught that people value more than objects, that good company is a gift.  Just because I am unable to purchase something for my sister or mother that I know they would love, doesn’t make me inadequate or a bad person.  And if you are in the same boat, you aren’t a bad person either.  Christmas has become a competition of flashy gifts and bedazzled things.  Would it be so horrible to receive an orange in a Christmas stocking? I quite like oranges.  

Maybe it is just me, but I have found Christmas to be turned commercial.  I hardly see ads anymore about the true joy of Christmas. It is always about someone buying something for someone at such a great deal or buying your child a fancy toy that they will grow out of next year.  Maybe I feel this way because of the way I was raised and the values that I have.  I miss the broth commercial where the turkey and veggies went running down the grocery aisle.  It gets me every time! The Hershey’s commercial where the kisses are ringing? Fabulous! I love that commercial every year.  Ads that treat Christmas like a buying extravaganza and an opportunity for big brands to make bank “in the spirit of Christmas”? I’ll take a pass on that.  

I suppose this might not be the merriest way to start Blogmas, but I want this to be seen as a reflection for when you are in the middle of a crowd of people in a store and trying to figure out which shade someone would prefer for something or another.  Giving is great but don’t get caught up in buying and go into holiday debt.  There is so much more to Christmas than placing a wrapped box under a tree.  Your family and friends love you and they shouldn’t care what you get them.  Your company and ability to share the joy of the season is what matters to them.  So take a deep breath and turn on your favorite Christmas tunes.  We will survive this Christmas.   

This Christmas, spend time with your loved ones and embrace all of the snow flakes that kiss your cheeks, the first inhale of hot cocoa steam, and the best holiday movies.  

I promise there will be happier and brighter Blogmas posts coming up very soon! This post is a product of my late night self and probably allergy medication. 

Merry Christmas, everyone. Cheers! 

signature4

And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. – Luke 2:10