The 5 Books that Inspired my Positive and Healthy Lifestyle

1) Crazy, Sexy, Diet by: Kris Carr

I think it's important that I just put out there how much I adore Kris Carr.  I adore her so much that I'm constantly forcing my friends to check out her website, purchase her cookbook, and watch her hilarious videos online.

Crazy, Sexy, Diet is honestly the book that changed the way I think about what it is I'm putting into my body.  It was first food and health-focused book I was able to get through in no time because I honestly enjoyed reading it.

This book might be for you if: You're interested in a plant-based or vegan diet, you're interested in learning more about the link between nutrition and disease, you like to laugh, you're interested in wellness as a whole.

2) Find Your Happy by: Shannon Kaiser

A good friend gave me this book for Christmas, and it's awesome!  I've enjoyed reading it from start to finish and got through it in no time at all.  The book focuses a lot on the Law of Attraction and encourages to reader to put their faith and their thoughts into the universe, to do what makes you happy on a daily basis, and how to really, Find Your Happy.  My favorite section of this book focused on money, and why it's important to spend as well as save, how to view your bank account, and how you mindset impacts your spending.

This book might be for you if: You feel like you're in a rut, you need a happiness makeover, you feel like you're at a crossroads, you're interested in the law of attraction.

3) In Defense of Food by: Michael Pollan

Need a reason to clean up your diet?  Read this book.  This book encourages the reader to look at food in a whole different way.  It provides an overview and history of Western diet and how it contributes to our decreasing health.  This book isn't as "fun" to read as some of the others on this list, but I enjoyed it, and learned a lot for reading it.

This book might be for you if: You're interested in food, nutrition, the correlation between food and disease, or you're just interested in finding out where your "food" comes from.

4) The Law of Attraction by: Jerry Hicks

About three years ago everyone I knew was pressuring me into read The Secret.  They all swore up and down that this was the kind of book that changed your life.  After several conversations like this I finally gave in.  I bought the book, sat down, and read the thing in one sitting.  After I finished I felt frustrated and confused.  I loved the concept of the book, but I found myself left with more questions that answers.   After expressing my frustrations to my fiance and loaned me his copy of The Law of Attraction by Jerry Hicks.  This it the book that actually changed my life.  It encouraged me to be aware of the thoughts I was putting out into the universe, give gratitude on a daily basis, and for the first time in many years I really truly felt like I had a sense of control over the direction of my life.

This book might be for you if: Your interested in learning more about the Law of Attraction, You're feeling overwhelmed or like your life is getting a little out of control, you feel you might benefit from an attitude makeover, you want to bring more joy into your life but you're not sure where to start.

5) Anything Written by Paulo Coelho

Okay, so this isn't really a book, it's an author, but in my defense it's my most favorite author EVER.  Whenever I feel lost, down, confused, I'm traveling, or I just want to read something that will make me feel instantly better I pick up a Paulo Coelho book.  Each book takes place in a different location, results in a new lesson learned.  His books have been published into a number of different languages, are adored by millions, and I swear will change your life.

This book might be for you if: You love to finish a book and feel inspired!

3 Ways to Make Your Office Awesome

There are some weeks when I feel like I spend significantly more time sitting in my office than I do sitting (or even sleeping) at home.  I've come to terms with the fact that if I plan on paying my bills, I'm going to have to work...from my office...at least 40 hours a week.  Over the past year I've embraced the idea that my office is what I make of it, so I've decided that I clearly have to make it awesome!

Turning my work-space into a cozy, comfortable, well organized place has made it easier to walk into five days a week.  Below I've outlined three of the small things I've done that have provided big paybacks.

1) Get organized: I hate to admit it, but I keep my office more organized than I keep my apartment.  I'm not sure if it's because there is a steady stream of people in and out of my office, or because I'd lose all of my paperwork if I didn't constantly put it back in the same place.  You know that feeling you get when you're off work for a week and when you come back you have 50 new voicemails, 115 new emails, and your desk looks like an Office Max exploded all over the place?  Keeping your space organized can cut back on this type of chaotic stress.  Walking into an organized office produces better feeling than walking into a mess, and if you happen to come back from vacation and find your space a mess, having a system of organization can help you get the chaos under control in record time!

2) Get a little personal: The key to this is getting only a little personal, with little being the key word.  It's nice to add small personal touches (within policy) to your work space.  For example, I have a huge bulletin board behind my desk that I've covered with cards, photographs, and quotes that I really love.  I've also enjoyed using bright and happy colors, and hanging up framed postcards from my travels.  If you're able to, it can be nice to incorporate pictures of loved ones into your office, in a place where only you can see them.  Remember it's your office, you should feel at home in it.

3) Add calming touches: On Monday around lunch I became totally overwhelmed and needed to just get out of the office for a little bit.  I took a quick stroll over to Bath and Body Works and bought a bottle of stress relief aromatherapy lotion.  When I got back to my office I put a little on my hands and before I knew it my whole office smelled great!  Candle warmers are another wonderful, safe, and affordable (usually around $10) way to add lovely smells to your space. If you're not into smelly lotions and candles the good news is smell isn't the only sense you can tap into to create a tranquil environment.  Most offices are equipped with harsh florescent lighting, by bringing in a freestanding lamp you can control the amount and type of light in your office, creating the mood you want.  Plants are also a great way to bring a little color, life (and oxygen) into your space.

Regardless of how much we love or hate our jobs, there are steps we can take to make our time in the office as comfortable as possible.  Getting organized and adding calming and personal touches are simple ways to improve your work experience