Sometimes, it’s as little as the beginning of a new year or a new season that make us want to take a bit better care of our health. Other times, however, we need a major wake up call in order to change our habits – but, as long as you’re able to focus on the road ahead, your chances of changing your ways are quite high.
Getting rid of bad habits and leading a much healthier life than you used to can be a challenge, though, and make people before you have fallen back into their old ways despite a former health scare. Here is a handful of ways to make sure that you’re able to stick to your goals and keep your eyes on the price. It just makes it a bit easier to stay positive and happy about the future.
First: Replacing your bad habits You won’t be able to quit a bad habit unless you have something to fill the void with; it’s that simple. While some people encourage you to have a glass of water every time you feel like having a cigarette, for example, a bigger lifestyle change is in order to make you turn away from your harmful habits.
Focus on exercise, for example, and join a jogging team in order to improve your health. It will feel almost impossible, to begin with, but sooner or later you’ll crave that dopamine that a good run gives and you certainly don’t want to ruin your lungs by having a cigarette either.
You can have a look at Inspire in case you’re a cancer survivor to find just a bit more inspiration and encouragement.
Next: Start a healthy routine Sure, a good run now and then might make you feel like you’re heading somewhere – but, unless you manage to stick with it, you’ll quickly fall back into your old ways. A great way to ensure that you’re keeping track of your effort and get a sense of reward from your hard work is to keep a health diary.
Start by tracking what you eat, for example, as well as the hours you put into exercising and make a habit out of writing down your mood as well. How does it make you feel, where do you think you’ll be able to be in a few weeks from now, and how can you encourage yourself in the future?
Remember to reward yourself This brings us to our final point; rewarding yourself after a good exercise, a proper portion of self-control or a day free of sugar is going to help you a lot along the way. Don’t be afraid to use food as an encouragement, by the way, unless you’re trying to lose weight, of course.
If this is the case, you might want to take yourself out on a shopping trip, tap yourself a nice and long bath, and just turn off the outside world for a bit. Every bit of reward and encouragement is going to tune your brain into preferring your new and healthy habits so keep up the good work.
When God speaks to you, you may not always understand it or know what it means. But if you are obedient and follow His voice, He will not lead you astray. Just know that He is watching over you and is protecting you.
I wanted to share with you a series of events that happened to me over the last week. I didn’t understand it at first, but in the end; I knew that God was speaking to me and directing my path.
Jay in the Jeep Wrangler
On Saturday, February 9th, I am at the Dobbs Clocktower in North Saint Louis County. The Jeep Wrangler was in for a state inspection and an emissions test. As I finished up and made my payment, I remembered that I needed to make another appointment for our Jeep Grand Cherokee, for the same thing. I knew that I wanted the appointment to be on Thursday, February 14th. I was going to be off of work on that day and it is a good time for me to complete errands and the like. I typically make the appointments for 9am or 10am, so I can go straight there after I drop off my wife at work. The associate offered me the 10am appointment time. But immediately I said, “No, do you have anything later?” Not sure why I said that, but it is what had come out of my mouth. He then offered 12pm or 2pm, so I took the 12pm slot. I left the store and came home.
Now, fast forward to Thursday, February 14th. I dropped my wife off at work at 8:30am and began my day of errands. I went off to Target and Trader Joe’s in the Brentwood Promenade in Central Saint Louis County. I needed to pick up a few groceries because these stores were not far from where I dropped off my wife. As I was finishing up, I glanced down at my watch and saw that it was only 9:30am. I still needed to get to fill up the Jeep with gas, go by Aldi for a few more groceries, and then to Walgreens to get a Valentine’s card. I thought that I would go to the Aldi in the Clocktower (next to my Dobbs) by 10am, get the gas and go by Walgreens; and still have enough time to get to Dobbs for the appointment. As I finished making the plans in my mind, I heard this voice on the inside of me say, “Go to the Aldi in Maplewood, it’s closer.” Yes, it was closer to my current location, but further from my Dobbs. I thought about it for a second but nevertheless I decided to go to the Maplewood Aldi. I filled up the Jeep with gas on my way there. After leaving Aldi, I decided to go home, unload the groceries before heading back out to Dobbs. I would wait on Walgreens until after I finished at Dobbs. I arrived home by 11am and I was back on the road to Dobbs by 11:40am and arrived at Dobbs at 11:55am.
When I got to Dobbs, I spoke with Ken. He is the Assistant Manager and has been seeing a lot of me lately, with inspections, new tires and oil changes. As he got me checked in, he says to me, “It’s a good thing you were not here a few hours ago.” Confused, I asked, “What do you mean?” He then says to me that there was a shooting in the adjacent parking lot a little bit ago. One person had been shot and another person’s vehicle has been shot up. Not really sure where or what he was talking about exactly, I said, “WOW!”, signed my paperwork and took my seat in the waiting room.
As I sat down, I grabbed my phone and quickly searched the local news to find anything about what Ken had just told me. I was drawn to a headline that said there was a shooting in North Saint Louis County. I clicked the link to find out the details. The article had stated that just before 10am, in the parking lot of Ross’ Dress for Less and Aldi in the Clocktower Shopping Center, a man had been shot and about thirty rounds of bullets had been fired. I quickly went to another website and saw the same details.
I just sat back in my chair with my hands over my mouth, in awe. I was supposed to be in that parking lot at about the time that the shooting had occurred. I had wanted my appointment to be at 10am so I could already have it done and I could go about my day. But when I made the appointment for 12pm, it wass till okay. I thought I could still be in the area, doing my other errands.
But That Still Small Voice told me, twice, not to be there at that time. As I sat there and thought about it, I realized that God, through the Holy Spirit, was speaking to me. He didn’t want me to be there at that time. He was watching over me and protecting me. He knew that I wanted to be there at the time, but He knew better. He was speaking to me, I just had to be obedient to Him and listen.
We don’t always know when God is speaking to us. Sometimes we think it has to be this loud audible voice that everyone hears. Not always. Sometimes, He will speak to us through the words that come out our own mouth. Sometimes, it is a gut-check to our heart that leads you to do something that you are not planning to do. Either way, we just have to be able to hear to that voice, obey it and to listen to it. We don’t always know what God is telling us, nor why? But in time, He will reveal it to us.
Diamonds are a high-ticket item with a significant amount of risk if done haphazardly. Finding a trustworthy jeweller is paramount if you want peace of mind and to make sure you walk away with an authentic diamond that is worth the price you paid for it.
If you have had troubles tracking down a reliable wholesaler up till now and are on the lookout, keep reading. This article will discuss key signs to look out for that will point you to the right direction.
With more options for buying diamonds popping up, the harder it gets to make a final decision. You can find diamond wholesalers in Sydney like Australian Diamond Importers that are fully certified, have a brilliant range of options and have a solid reputation in the marketplace.
Tracking Down Reputable Diamond Wholesalers – How To Do It When looking online or in person, the same rules apply. Finding a trustworthy and reliable wholesaler is more than possible as there are several in the region. On the other hand, there are also those you want to stay clear of.
We have gathered some of the top expert tips from GIA and put them below so you can carry this knowledge throughout your search.
Carry out detailed research. Image Source: Unsplash
The more you research your options, the better chance you’ll discover something reputable. Learning important diamond terms and what they mean, such as the 4C’s, will also help you locate the trustworthy wholesalers. They will often make these terms clear on their website or in their store as they know these are crucial factors to determining the final price.
Search out finer details. Reading between the lines is crucial before you buy. Go in-depth and check the weights, carat, cut, and more before you buy anything.
Ensure it has a GIA Grading Report. It’s often hard with the naked eye, to determine the authenticity and price of a diamond. This is why it’s crucial to look for this official certification which proves it has been lab-verified with the proper equipment and by the experts themselves. This will also help with buyer protection as insurers will often ask for grading reports from GIA. These may include: colour, clarity, cut and carat weight.
Check the reports yourself. Now you know there’s a report, you go one step further to check this online with their official database. This is a great and expedient way to ensure things line up, especially when you are buying diamonds online.
Do some digging on the seller. Normally, a great diamond wholesaler will reveal several details about their business. You should be able to find out things such as how long they’ve been operating, testimonials/reviews, and how they deliver secure transactions and return policies.
It was an icy morning so it was a great day to stay in and work on some projects and have some fun. Four wheel drive doesn’t work well on ice and the weather forecasters were asking for everyone to stay in. Some of the ice has melted now and people are back to driving again.
This week is Valentine’s Day and the BubblingwithEleganceandGrace.com team wanted to show how much we appreciate you stopping by, commenting and being a part of our lovely community. Drumroll!! We decided to have a JT’s Valentine’s Day Giveaway! The prize is a Dooney and Bourke Patterson Paige Sac and the matching Continental Clutch in Azure. The team picked a fresh color that will work now and will be ray of bright light when you walk by those fresh flowers in the spring.
Patterson Leather Paige Sac in Azure
Patterson Paige Sac
“The Patterson Collection puts a fresh spin on our classic pebbled leather with new styles and design details. Light tan vacchetta leather trim accents a rich array of colors from spring brights to classic neutrals.” Dooney and Bourke
The tan trim will patina over time due to the oils on your skin and exposure to sunlight. A dust bag is included with this bag.
Patterson Leather Continental Clutch The Patterson Leather Clutch (wallet) can store your cards, cash and receipts. It is such a classic style wallet. The back of the wallet has a zippered pocket for security. Timeless elegance for church, work, the mall, or going out for a bite to eat and go see a movie. I could see taking the wallet out of the bag and going to lunch carry it like a small clutch.
Inside of wallet
How To Enter The Giveaway 1. Please subscribe to the JTwisdom YouTube channel and leave a comment on the giveaway video. This is one entry. If you are already a subscriber please say that in the comments because that helps us know that you have already subscribed.
2. Please subscribe to the Bubblingwitheleganceandgrace.com blog HERE and leave a comment below. This is one entry. If you are already a subscriber please say that in the comments because that helps us know that you have already subscribed.
3. For an additional entry, please share JT’s Valentine’s Day Giveaway YouTube video on Facebook or Twitter with the hashtag #JTsValentinesDayGiveaway
The giveaway will run from February 10 to February 24th at 11:59pm (CST).
The winner will be selected at random based on the time when your comments / shares were made.
Thank you for being so beautiful and wonderful.
The YouTube video can be found here
Happy Valentine’s Day!
FTC Disclousure:
The giveaway is not affliated with or sponsored by Dooney and Bourke.
The handbag and clutch were paid for by JTwisdom and her team.
If you are looking to acquire an antique mirror or two, there is much to consider. There are many so-called antique mirrors and sorting the real items from the replicas can be a challenge, especially if you have limited knowledge of antiques in general. From around the 17thcentury, mirrors with elegantly carved frames were the exclusive property of the very wealthy aristocrats, and such mirrors can cost a small fortune. The most important aspect is being able to identify a genuine antique piece, and with that in mind, here are a few important things to look for when searching for antique mirrors.
* Mirror Frames – Typically, the frame of an antique mirror would be made from wood, and expect to see signs of wear and tear. If the frame is in near perfect condition, it is unlikely to be a genuine antique. The backing of an antique mirror is normally made from timber and it might have a signature of the maker, which is something to look for. If you are experimenting with blending the old and the new, why not try an antique mirror on a stand? There are online antique dealers who can source just about any antique, and they have an extensive network of colleagues, which makes sourcing specific pieces much easier.
* Check for Screws – In the event that the mirror has screws, remove one if at all possible, as antique screws were all handmade, very often the slot is not centrally placed. The thread of the screw might also be imperfect, which is another good indicator that the mirror is a genuine antique.
* Imperfections in the Glass – Everything was done by hand when antique mirrors were made, and sometimes the glass finish is slightly imperfect. This might include a slightly wavy surface or possibly small bubbles, and if the mirror was made with a thin mercury sheet, there could be cloud spots on the mirror surface. If you would like some further reading on how to assess the value of an old mirror, you can check out various guides online.
* Look at the Thickness of the Mirror – Modern mirrors use a thinner pane of glass than antiques, so the antique mirror would typically be much heavier. One way to tell is to lay a key on the surface of the mirror, with the genuine antique, the reflection will be very close to the key while doing this with a modern mirror, the reflection would be further apart.
* The Glass Colour – If the mirror glass is completely colourless, this is not a good sign, as an antique mirror would have a tint of grey or yellow, due to the passage of time. If you are in the slightest doubt as to the authenticity of an antique mirror, you are well-advised to ask a dealer to evaluate the piece.
* If your home is a contemporary setting, an antique mirror is a perfect feature to blend with a modern look, and by dealing with an online antique dealer, you can be sure that the mirror is, in fact, a genuine antique.
Learn More About JT Bubbling with Elegance and Grace is a place for life long learners. The Bubbling With Elegance And Grace team was created 14 years ago. A passion for fashion sparked a lifestyle blog for our Elegant Community to enjoy. We are thankful and in gratitude to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for those who have been with us from the beginning and those who have just started riding with us on this lovely journey.
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