Now in my dream world, I’d love to own less things with greater value that will last a long time. But that can be a challenge because I love shopping and trying new styles! Sometimes I’m dying to try out a new trend, so buying something super expensive isn’t really a smart idea.

So where’s the balance? Here are a few things I’ve learned over the past few years of shopping successes and mistakes. Use these tips when you’re shopping to help you know when to save and when to splurge!

Tie front tee | Distressed jeans, also love the darker wash | Blush mules (and love these lavender ones) | Saddle bag | Earrings (similar) | Watch

When to save

If you’re anything like me, you probably have expensive taste. I love high quality items, like leather purses and shoes, because let’s be honest – they look so much nicer and last forever! In the past I’ve had faux leather items that wear down and fall apart quicker than I wish they had. It’s the worst.

But sometimes, spending a lot of money might not make the most sense, and buying the cheaper version can actually be the best option. Here are a couple clues to know when you should save your money and buy the bargain item instead:

1. When you’re not 100% sure

I can’t tell you how may times I’ve made this mistake: I’m shopping for something specific, and I’m stubborn and determined to have a higher value item instead of the bargain version.

I find one that kinda sorta mostly matches what I want, even though it’s not exactly perfect, and buy it because I’m impatient. But a few months later I realize I never really LOVED the item and then I regret spending so much on it!

I’ve had to sell nice things, like leather boots before, for much lower than I bought them, just because I wanted something nice and let myself settle on something I didn’t love that didn’t end up working in the long run. When you don’t have infinite funds, that’s what I’d call a fail. Don’t do that!

Instead, wait until you’re 100% sure you found the right item, or just save money and buy a cheap version!

2. When it’s a trendy item

If you’re thinking of investing in something, but you’re not sure, I can almost guarantee you can find a cheaper copy at a discount store (a.k.a. Target, Old Navy, Forever 21, etc.). It’s a great way to test out that style and see if it’s really what you want, and not end up with buyer’s remorse like I have.

(That’s what I decided to do with these blush mules from Target – I wanted to try out this style for cheap before buying a more expensive leather pair!)

If you decide you love the cheaper item, you can use it until it wears down, meanwhile saving up for the nicer one. I promise you’ll be SO much happier when you finally get the real deal and know for a fact that it will give you so much use!

And if you didn’t love it, at least you saved some money and still got to try out the trend.

When to splurge

I know I called this post when to save and when to splurge, but I think the word “splurge” carries the wrong connotation. Splurging means spending on impulse, without giving much thought ahead of time. But that’s not what I’m talking about here. I use the word loosely, but a better term for what I mean is wisely investing your money on something of higher quality.

It’s important to be wise with your money and be sure that when you’re buying something expensive, it’s going to be something you use for a long time or that can give you much more value than a cheap version! Here are two ways to know when you should splurge and get the expensive item:

1. When you’re willing to wait

You’ll know something’s worth investing in if you’ve saved up, looked at every option, and know exactly what you want (and know exactly how you’ll use it), and are willing to wait awhile to be sure. It might be hard, but try waiting at least a month before you buy an investment item. That way you can be sure it’s not just an impulse buy but something you know you’ll use for a long time.

2. When it’s a specialty item that you will use a ton

Something I’ve learned that’s worth the money is good jeans. Most lower priced jeans aren’t very comfortable or flattering and I struggle to find any that fit just right! That’s why I’m so happy I invested in these Levi’s. For me these jeans were a higher value purchase, and I had my eye on this particular pair for awhile. I’ve seen them on a lot of different people and knew that they would be flattering on anyone. So I finally ordered them, and so far they have not disappointed!

Even though ripped-knee jeans are a trend, I know they’ll be around for awhile. These jeans are great quality and will last a me long time, and of course they go with everything! And for real – I don’t think it’s worth it to buy a cheap pair of jeans that don’t make you look great from every angle. You should always feel good, look good, and be comfortable in jeans any day of the week!

Not to mention, Levi’s is a reputable brand and known for its quality. I’d say splurge on things like jeans or anything specialty (like running shoes for example) from brands that are known for that particular product! I recently invested in a pair of Nike running shoes, and yes, good athletic shoes are pricey, but totally worth it so I can avoid injuries and have support while running.

You do you

In the end, deciding when to save and when to splurge is totally up to you! Everyone’s budget, values, and lifestyle is different. Maybe you have money to spend on higher quality items, but if that’s not something you value, then you would probably rather buy lower priced clothing and use your money towards something else, like organic groceries or a vacation (or your Starbucks addiction ).

My number one piece of advice is don’t ever compromise your values to buy something that’s in style, or to impress anyone. Don’t be irresponsible with your money. Go with your gut and what makes the most sense for you.

Be wise, but don’t feel bad if you worked hard and budgeted for something nice and made a well-earned and useful purchase! You’ll save in the long run because of the use you’ll get from it. And you should enjoy the blessings God’s given you and live a little!

What about you? How do you decide when to save and when to splurge? Tell me your favorite brands and places to shop in the comments!

Xo,

Becka

P. S. – My favorite low-budget jeans, and my current everyday makeup routine.

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The post When to Save and When to Splurge appeared first on Live It Lovely.

I’m much more into setting GOOD goals… ones that aim for progress even if I don’t complete them perfectly each time.  I’d rather work little by little and be further than I was before, than try to take on too much at once and fall flat on my face. Anybody else?!

So I bought this incredible new goal planner for 2018 (not sponsored in any way, I’m just a huge fan) and this past week I’ve been working through the exercises in the planner that help you set your goals for the year. And it’s been so amazing so far that I was inspired to write this post!

I’ve already learned so much about goal setting that I had to share. So here are three ways you can set some good goals for the new year and actually follow through on them!

3 ways to set good goals for the new year

1. Think baby steps

Maybe you’re like me – I’m someone who’s very slow at progress. I’m not spontaneous, I’m indecisive, and I take forever to finish things. I’m learning that I grow the most when I focus on taking the TINIEST baby steps at a time towards a goal.

This is my number one tip, and it’s taken me like 24 years to learn this (haha). But tiny bits of progress acutally ADD UP! What goals do you continue to put off because of how long they would take? Is there anything that seems like you’ll never reach it, so you don’t even try? What would take you an entire year (or more) to accomplish?

Take a second to think about how fast this year has gone by. Now think about the next year, and how fast it’ll be before we’re at the end of 2018. That time is going to pass, whether you’re working towards a new goal or not. Either way, it’s going to fly by. You never know how far you can be in a year if you choose to start taking baby steps right now!

2. Start big, work small

When choosing your goals, start with the big picture, and then work down to smaller steps. Think about who and where you want to be a year from now. What are your biggest values and what areas of your life do you want to grow in the most (like faith, family, friendships, work, health, money, etc.)?

Write down a handful of big goals, but make sure they’re realistic and concrete. Then break them down into smaller pieces, and spread those out into quarterly steps. Then break them down again into monthly tasks.

From there you can focus on a month at a time. Break your goals down AGAIN, so for each month you have weekly tasks, and then figure out what baby steps you need to take each day.

Start with just January, and then focus on the next month at the end of the last one. This is a great way to put some small actions onto your daily to-do list and check something off each day! When the goal is in bite-size pieces, it’s not nearly so daunting. You’ll be amazed how much progress and momentum you can create in a month. And before you know it, the months will be flying by and the progress will start adding up!

3. Give yourself grace

Last and final tip: GIVE YOURSELF GRACE! This my friend, might be the most important step. I guarantee you won’t reach every single goal you set out to accomplish this year. And you’ll for sure miss a day, or two, or three, or maybe more. You have to remember that it’s okay. But you can’t let yourself give up! Always aim for progress.

Before the year starts, take time to schedule a day of reflection at the end of each month. Write it down on your calendar! Use those times to check in with your goals and refresh them if you need to. What did you accomplish this month? What did you completely bomb? Have your goals changed? Do you need to readjust next month? Maybe you’ll have to slow down into even smaller baby steps, but just don’t stop.

Just start

Most people who set new year’s resolutions give up before January is even over. By December they might not even remember what their goals were for that year! And when they set out to make new goals, they write the same ones down for another year, and then another year passes and nothing ever changes. Well guys, I refuse to let that happen.

If you find yourself dissatisfied with any areas of your life, the great news is that you can use those negative emotions as fuel to change and grow! Being unhappy is sometimes healthy, because it’s a clue that change needs to happen. Without passion we’ll never have the motivation to actually DO something!

How do you plan to set good goals for the new year? Leave a comment and weigh in with your thoughts. We can keep each other accountable to reach our goals and have an amazing 2018!

Xo,

Becka

P.S. – 4 productivity tips, and 3 amazing benefits of journaling regularly!

The post 3 Ways To Set Good Goals for the New Year appeared first on Live It Lovely.

Maybe you’ve tried to have a regular quiet time but haven’t found a routine you can stick to. Maybe you want to have a daily quiet time but don’t know where to start. Today I’m sharing some ideas for how you can make the most of your quiet time, because let’s face it: our time is precious. It’s something we can never get back, so we should use it well.

Remove distractions

First of all, I would recommend a quiet time in the morning before you start your day if at all possible. That might mean you have to readjust your schedule or even sacrifice a little bit of sleep. If you just can’t swing it, then another time will work, as long as you can go somewhere quiet to be alone with God. Maybe your lunch break, or in the evening after dinner.

The most important thing you can do is to remove all distractions. And by that I mainly mean your PHONE! When my phone is nearby, I’m always tempted to pick it up, even just to check the time. If I’m not careful I’ll start looking at something and quickly waste half my quiet time. How lame, right?! Leave your phone out of reach across the room so you’re not tempted to pick it up. Put it on airplane mode, and even set a timer if you need to so you know when your time’s up!

Use a real Bible

One of the biggest tips I have is to read an actual, physical Bible. For a couple years I only read my Bible in an app, and even though I was reading through a study almost every day, there was still a sense of disconnect with what I was reading.

When I switched back to my real Bible, I felt a huge difference. I realized that I retain so much more when I read Scripture on a page in the context of a book! It’s so important for me to be able to flip to different spots, highlight, underline, bookmark, and get familiar with each passage as part of the whole.

Start with worship

Okay, so you might actually need your phone for this part. Or your computer, or maybe you still use an ipod…? Haha. Recently I started listening to a worship song at the beginning of my quiet times, and I gotta say I’m loving it! It only takes a couple minutes, but it quiets my mind and heart before God. Find a song on Youtube, or make a playlist of your favorite worship songs on Spotify and just pick one. Spend a few minutes praising God. Then after the song, set a timer and immediately throw your phone across the room! Just kidding. Kind of.

Pick a reading plan

If reading the Bible regularly is not something you’ve done before, maybe it sounds overwhelming. So pick a simple study or devotional that can lead you through a reading plan! For the last couple years I’ve switched between She Reads Truth and the First 5 app, two different online devotional studies that you can follow along with daily. Either one is a good starting point, but recently I’ve felt that I need something a little more in-depth.

Maybe you’ve never read through the entire Bible, so you want to start with that! Try a read through the Bible in a year plan. There are so many to choose from! Even if it takes you longer than a year, it’s an awesome way to get familiar with the Bible as a whole. If you’ve never done it, I think it’s a must. You’ll grow and learn so much, promise.

Get a good study Bible

One of the biggest reasons people are afraid to read the Bible is because it can be hard to understand. A good study Bible is an extremely useful tool to help you comprehend what you’re reading. I have an ESV study Bible that I love. It’s kinda big and heavy, but I LOVE that it has insightful commentary on every page for almost every single verse. With the commentary, I can even read through a book of the Bible on my own, and find answers to any questions I have right there on the page!

Take notes

Try keeping a journal on hand to take notes during your Bible study time. You don’t have to necessarily write something down every day! But if a verse or thought ever stands out to you, it helps to write it down. You’ll retain what you’re learning better, and you’ll have a place to look back to for reference if you want to look something up later.

I like using the same journal I take notes in at church for my daily quiet times too. That way I can easily flip back to my church notes and make connections to what I’m studying on my own time!

Pray

Prayer is something we should be doing all throughout the day. But during your quiet time is a great time to pray more specifically and get a little deeper. I love praying out loud, which is why I like to do my quiet time alone in my room in the early mornings. Try talking openly with God about your life! Invite Him into your day and have a real conversation with Him.

If you can’t get alone in a quiet place, try writing your prayers! Journaling is a great way connect with God and can also help you process and focus better. Keeping a prayer journal (this one’s my fave) is such an awesome way to pray more intentionally for things that matter. And you can go back later and see how God answered!

Related post: 3 Amazing Benefits of Journaling Regularly

If you don’t have a lot of time…

Maybe you struggle to stick to a quiet time, because you just DON’T. HAVE. TIME. Girl I get it! But I wanna give you some hard truth… your relationship with God should be your first priority, period. If it’s not, I can guarantee that everything else in your life will suffer. But maybe you’re type A and it drives you crazy to miss a day, so much that it’s tempting to just give up (GUILTY)!

Batch your quiet times

I’ve been there too. I figured out that if I want to have an amazing prayer time AND dig deep into the Word all in one sitting, I’d need an entire hour of quiet time a day. But that’s just not always practical! So lately I’ve been batching my quiet times. What does that mean? Well it’s kinda like batching your tasks at work! When you pick one type of task to focus on each day of the week, you’ll get much more done because you won’t waste time switching between tasks throughout the day.

So why not apply that to quiet times too? If you only have 30 minutes in the mornings, maybe try reading your Bible during that time every other day. On the in-between days, spend that time praying and journaling. I’ve been doing this for the last few weeks and so far it’s working great!

Quality over quantity

Although it’s SUPER IMPORTANT to spend regular time with God, there’s no verse that says exactly how or when to do your quiet time. But when we look at how Jesus lived his life, we know that He rose early and went somewhere secluded to pray before the day began. If Jesus thought quiet time in the morning was important, then I’m thinking we should too!

Of course, your quiet time will have to adjust as you go through different seasons of life. When I was a teenager I read my Bible at night before bed (because waking up for school was a struggle), and I loved that too. You just have to go with the flow. It’s a relationship, after all, so it will evolve.

If you’re running late or just have a ton on your plate, it’s OKAY if you miss a day! Just pick it up the next day, or whenever you can. But it’s definitely something you should work to incorporate into your routine and make a habit. If you’ve never had a regular quiet time before, it’ll take some effort and sacrifice to get used to.

It’s a relationship

Once I started viewing my quiet time with God as a way to grow our relationship, my mindset shifted. Instead of seeing it as a chore, I thought about what it’s like to be in a relationship with someone. When you’re dating, you’re not necessarily going to see that person every single day. Sometimes you only have time for a special date night once a week (or maybe even less)!

But that set-aside time is something you look forward to throughout the week. It’s when you get to reconnect, do something fun together, talk about your week, and just get closer. It’s something you don’t want to take for granted, and the less of it you have, the more quality you want it to be!

Think of your quiet times as your dates with God. It’s special to be alone together, to talk, and to just be. So when you have less time in your schedule, it’s better to have 2 or 3 days a week of rich quality time with God, than 7 days of quick mindless prayer and speed-reading something you won’t retain later!

If  you work hard to integrate a quiet time into your daily life, I promise you’ll grow and your life will change for the better. What tips would you would add to this list? How do you make the most of your quiet time? Leave a comment and let me know, loves!

Xo,

Becka

P.S. – 3 easy fall outfit ideas, and what loneliness has taught me about contentment.

The post How To Make The Most of Your Quiet Time appeared first on Live It Lovely.

I’m the kind of person who has a million goals at once, but more often than not I don’t reach them before I burn out or give up. I easily lose motivation or get overwhelmed and don’t always finish what I start.

This year I’ve learned that the key to productivity is taking baby steps to change your routine. Of course I’m still a work in progress, but by focusing on these productivity tips I’ve improved so much and hopefully you will too!

4 productivity tips for when you don’t feel motivated

Tip #1: have a plan (but don’t overplan!)

Having a plan is SO important for staying productive! But did you know there’s actually such a thing as over-planning? (Believe me, I’m the queen of it!) Do you spend forever writing long and elaborate to-do lists but then struggle to actually finish them? Yeah. Same here.

But what happens when you do the opposite and don’t have a plan at all? Your free time somehow vanishes and you find yourself mindlessly scrolling on your phone or watching TV for hours, right?

So it turns out that having a plan is critical in order to make your days productive. But it has to actually be doable instead of overwhelming. The key is to keep your to-do list as short and simple as possible. And by that I mean 5 TASKS OR LESS! That way you can spend less time planning and more time actually doing what you planned.

Also, try writing your list the night before! You’ve probably heard that one a million times, but I’m telling you it works. Sometimes it’s hard to get going first thing in the morning. Having a list already written down saves you the pressure of decision-making at the start of the day, and your most productive mental energy is used towards actually getting stuff done!

Tip #2: time-block your tasks into bite-size chunks

This might be the most useful of productivity tips I’ve ever learned! Maybe you find yourself procrastinating when there’s a big project you need to tackle but you know it’s going to take a long time. You get intimidated and put it off because it seems too daunting and you’re afraid you’ll never finish.

You need to break it down into bite-size chunks! When you focus on each step of a task one at a time, you’ll get much more done. Make a note of how much time you want to dedicate to each task when you write your to-do list. Keep it simple and try to break your list down into 15, 30, or 45 minute chunks.

Also, make sure you take small breaks between chunks! Even if you feel like you’re on a roll, taking a break for even 5 minutes to walk around and get some fresh air will help your mind stay focused all day long and help you avoid burnout.

Something I’ve been loving lately is the pomodoro technique – where you set a timer for 25 minutes and work uninterrupted for that time. Then take a 5 minute break, and do it again! After 4 rounds or “pomodoros”, you take a longer (20-30 minute) break. Try it and watch your productivity soar!

Remember – most things take longer to finish than you think. My best recommendation is to give yourself double the amout of time you think something is going to take! That way you don’t set yourself up for failure, and you’ll feel awesome if you get it done in less time than you planned!

Tip #3: pay attention to your feelings

Some days you might have a ton of energy and breeze through tasks to get a lot accomplished. But other days maybe you have no idea where start, and find yourself wasting time and getting nothing done.

Try paying attention your feelings on a productive day versus a day when you’re lacking motivation. Soon you’ll start to see how much your productivity is linked directly to your emotions. And if you’re anything like me, your emotions probably change on a daily basis!

Acknowledging how much your feelings can control your productivity is the first step. And then you have to make a conscious choice to be productive anyway! It’s that simple. It’s up to you to control your feelings instead of letting them control you.

Of course that’s so much easier said than done. But don’t worry – productivity is a habit that takes time and effort to form. If you mess up, just keep trying the next day! With more practice it’ll become easier to get things done no matter how you’re feeling.

Tip #4: change your emotions (i.e. replace lies with truth)

Like I said, being productive when you’re lacking motivation or feeling down is much easier said than done. If you feel like you’re constantly fighting negative emotions in order to be productive, maybe you need to focus on changing the emotions themselves.

What makes you feel unmotivated? When you get to the heart of it, you’ll probably uncover some fear and self-doubt. For example, I tend to get afraid that I’ll fail and disappoint others or let myself down. Or I start to think I’m not qualified to reach my goals anyway, so why should I even try?

I just want to tell you something right now: THOSE. ARE. LIES. They’re not true for me and they’re not true for you either. It’s easy to let our minds trick us, but those lies will ultimately hold you back from living out your calling.

So what do we do about that? We have to fight the lies by replacing them with TRUTH. The truth is, you’re not a failure. But even if you were, that’s not where you find your worth! Your worth comes from Jesus, who bought you with a price. It comes from God, who created you and put you on this planet for a reason.

I hope that as you recognize the lies in your head and replace them with truth, you’ll find the courage and motivation to chase your goals in life every single day. With God on your side, you ultimately cannot fail! How amazing is that?! You’re free to move forward completely fearless and conquer your dreams!

So now it’s time to get going! What are your best productivity tips? Anything you would add to this list? I hope it encouraged and inspired you in some way! Oh and be sure to share this list with someone that you think it could help!

Xo,

Becka

P.S. – 5 life changing books you need to read, and 25 things I’ve learned in 25 years.

The post 4 Productivity Tips for When You Don’t Feel Motivated appeared first on Live It Lovely.