I wore this look to dinner with a few friends the day before New Year's Eve. During dinner we spoke about some of our goals that we wanted to acheive in the new year and behaviors we wanted to implement to enhance our lives. That dinner conversation provided the inspiration for this post. On another note, my outfit is exclusively from two of my favorite UK brands. The highwaisted is by Missguided and the OTK pink suede boots come from a collaboration between one of my favorite bloggers, Shirley B. Eniang, and Public Desire. The boots are now on sale!   Now on to my blog post, 10 Simple Practices that will improve your life, enjoy!

1.       Listen intently to others, and if you don’t understand something ask for clarification. Miscommunication often occurs when we don’t listen to each other. Practice listening to understand instead of just to respond. Intentional listening can have a huge positive impact on your relationship with others.

2.       Invest in beautiful accessories. Accessories can jazz up any outfit and can make everything you wear look chic and interesting.

3.      Practice Intentional Visualization.  A lot of our unintentional visualization focuses on negative “what-ifs” and worst-case-scenarios. With intentional visualization, you focus on the positive. For example, you can visualize achieving a certain goal or overcoming an obstacle. According to Psychology Today, visualization has been used for many years to help people heal their minds and bodies. 

4.       Create a beautiful office or living space. I need to do this for my office and have already created a theme for how I want it to look.  If you spend a lot of time in a particular space, let it be a space that’s an oasis that inspires you.

5.       Drink More Water.  I know you’ve heard it before, but water is essential to your general health and well-being.  If water tastes bland to you, try infusing it with fruit for flavor. 

6.       Leave your troubles at the door. There’s a time and place for everything and sometimes life can bring challenges. When we go out in the world and face an obstacle or hardship, at times we can’t wait to come home and unload on our loved ones.  Unload when you must, but try to keep it limited. Keep the energy in your home positive and for enriching your relationships with your loved ones. 

7.       Do at-home beauty treatments. Whether it’s a face mask, a manicure or a bubble bath, take time to pamper yourself and implement a self-care beauty routine at home when necessary.

8.       Make space for the new and better in your life by getting rid of things you don’t use or wear. In other words, clear clutter from your life and space. I recently purchased The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up to make decluttering an ongoing practice. 

9.       Commit Your Goals to Paper. There’s something about writing down your goals that makes them real and concrete. Writing down your goals helps to clarify your wants, desires, and values, provide you with motivation, and enables you to see and celebrate your progress.

10.   Keep fresh flowers in your home or work space.  They add beauty, great energy, and flair and smell great!

What are some simple practices that you've added to your life recently?