Lifestyle

October Goals: Let’s Make Goals Together!

October 1, 2019 itsamandaburnett 23 Comments

Who is ready to make some October goals?

Honestly, I’m still shocked that it’s already October! We only have a few more months of the year to go and then it’s going to be 2020. What in the world!

Anyway, enough of my nonsense. I haven’t made a “monthly goals” post in a while. That is mostly because I haven’t been too strict on making goals at all. Yikes, I know. Little ole me, telling you guys how important it is to keep up on your goals, stopped listening to her own advice. I’m putting a stop to that now though because we’re getting back on track. I know we all have goals and dreams so it’s time we start implementing them! Are you with me?

In hopes that I can help, I created a free monthly goals worksheet for you! Each page is dedicated to one goal for a total of 3 main goals you want to accomplish this month.

Get It Now

If you’re new to my blog, I like to separate my goals into personal and social media categories. You don’t have to do this, I just like to have my goals organized rather than in one long list. If you like structure and organization, I highly recommend you do this as well. Also, I only list 3 goals for each because I strongly believe it can get too overwhelming if you list any more. Remember, don’t take on too much.

Personal Goals

Get serious about apartment hunting! My lease is up in December so I can finally start calling around.
Pay off the balance on 1 credit card! Your girl is financially responsible over here.
Go through my apartment and get rid of what I don’t need. Since I plan on moving soon, I really need to start minimizing my stuff!

Blog & Social Media Goals

Publish a YouTube video at least once a week! I’ve been terribly inconsistent with my channel but now that I have a new Macbook, I’m ready to get to work.
Create a schedule for myself. Keeping up with my blog, youtube, and Instagram can be pretty tough without having a set schedule in place!
Start posting videos to my Instagram stories. I realized that your followers on Instagram really want to get to know you and a picture/caption can only get you so far. Time to get personal, you guys!

Those are my October goals, what are yours? Tell me one big goal you want to accomplish in the comments below. Also, if you download my free Monthly Goals Worksheet, let me know what you think!

Fourth Ray Beauty: New Skincare Review

September 9, 2019 itsamandaburnett 3 Comments

Skincare is one of my biggest beauty obsessions besides makeup. My biggest problem is when everybody starts talking about a new and fabulous high-end product. I wish I could be that girl that could go out and buy that new $60 moisturizer without much thought. Instead, I’m the girl at Target deciding between two moisturizers under $15. Since I know I’m not the only one who needs budget-friendly options, let me introduce you to Fourth Ray Beauty!

I first saw Fourth Ray products when I was adding things to my Colourpop basket (but not planning to purchase anything, of course!) and I saw a toner for $10. You’re kidding, right? That’s when I realized Colourpop had a new sister skincare line! I clicked on the Fourth Ray beauty brand to see a whole page of skincare pop up. That’s when I got really excited.

First of all, the packaging is just very cute. Then I saw the prices and even though I shouldn’t have been that shocked because Colourpop is pretty affordable as well, I was. The most expensive product they have is $20! I think the best part of their products though is that they are 100% vegan, cruelty-free, and each product has a custom crystal blend!

That’s when I gave in and added 5 Fourth Ray Beauty products to my bag and…I bought them! It’s been a little over a week since trying these products out so I want to tell you a little bit about each product and how my skin is reacting to them.

AM To The PM Gel Cleanser – $12

Fourth Ray Beauty's AM To The PM Gel Cleanser

The first Fourth Ray Beauty product that I added to my cart was this AM To The PM gel face cleanser because I was running out of the face wash I was using at the time. The name is pretty self-explanatory – you can use this day and night. When I saw the ingredients in this face wash, I got really excited! Most face washes have a nice description but you can’t understand the ingredient list. The main ingredients in this face wash contain Lychee, Hawaiian Ginger, Lotus, and Jojoba protein. Looking further into the ingredients, I found that it contains a bunch of other fruit extracts and even quartz!

The first time I applied a dime size of this cleanser on my Clarisonic, I noticed it had a pleasant scent of watermelon! Not that Jollyrancher watermelon though. Like, the actual inside of a watermelon! After I washed it off, I noticed my skin felt really soft and not tight like a lot of cleansers that I’ve used.

After a week of using this product, I’m pretty sure I can say that I’ve found my new favorite face wash! My skin hasn’t had a bad reaction, it has stayed clear, and it just feels really good after each wash.

Keep Clear Clarifying Tonic – $10

Fourth Ray Beauty's Keep Clear Clarifying Tonic

I love using toners after washing my face and for only $10, I couldn’t say no to this one! When I use a toner, I really want to see that it removes any excess makeup that cleanser didn’t get and that it helps remove dead skin.

The main ingredients in this toner are Ginseng, Willow bark, Papaya enzymes, and witch hazel. It also contains tea tree, eucalyptus, quartz, and more fruit extracts!

After I used the cleanser, I put some toner on a cotton ball and swiped it all over my face. When I looked at it though, I was shocked. There was little to no foundation to be found! That’s pretty rare or at least it is in my experience. That only made me realize how well the cleanser worked. My skin also felt really refreshed! It does smell a bit like eucalyptus which I really like.

A week after using this toner, my skin has honestly cleared up and the pores around my nose have shrunk quite a bit! The only downside is that I wish the bottle was a bit bigger because its nearly halfway gone already! But for $10, I cannot complain.

Rose Face Milk – $8

I noticed that Fourth Ray Beauty has a lot of face oils and face milks! I was intrigued by so many but I really love rose products so I had to try this one out first.

The main ingredients of this face milk are argan milk, rose milk, oat milk, and chamomile. With these soothing ingredients, I decided that it would be my new day moisturizer.

A week after using this product, my face does feel very soft and even looks more radiant. My face can get quite red and irritated but this helps calms everything down very quickly. This would be perfect for somebody who has sensitive skin.

After Hours Detox Face Oil – $10

Fourth Ray Beauty's After Hours Detox Face Oil

Once I had a day moisturizer, I wanted to add something for nighttime. I saw this detox face oil and I got pretty excited! I hate waking up with a new pimple or full-on breakout so if a product can help prevent that while I’m sleeping, I need it!

This face oil contains bamboo charcoal, tea tree oil, salicylic acid, cucumber oil, and turmeric!

After a week of using this, I’ve been waking up with glowing skin and no new breakouts! It contains ingredients to battle problematic skin but it’s also very moisturizing so I never wake up with dry patches. This has become a staple of my nighttime routine for sure.

Black Satin Bow Headband – $6

The last product isn’t skincare related, but it is super cute! I initially bought this to use when I was using my skincare products, which I do, but I find myself wearing it when I’m out and about because it just makes an outfit that much cuter!

Final Thoughts

After a week of using Fourth Ray Beauty, it’s safe to say that I love this brand. It’s a brand that believes that good skincare containing good and clean ingredients shouldn’t be ridiculously priced. I’m also obsessed with how each product is packed with skin-loving ingredients! The best part about it all though is that the products work.

I recently just stopped my birth control after 5 years of taking it. I read that “detox” acne is supposed to be pretty horrible but so far, my skin is looking radiant with minimal acne. I really believe these products are the source.

I only got 4 products this time but I already have a list of products I want to try next!

If you are needing a budget-friendly skincare brand, I really recommend Fourth Ray Beauty!

5 Ways To Overcome A Creative Block

September 2, 2019 itsamandaburnett 38 Comments

If you’re a creative person like I am, then you’ve most likely experienced the dreaded creative block. One week, you have so many ideas for your blog. You have content planned for your Instagram. You have a strategy in mind and you’re on top of the world. Then all of a sudden, you have no idea what to do. Your mind is blank and you grow frustrated. You just want to get an idea to come out of the brain that once could come up with five in one minute. It’s one of the worst things that could happen when you genuinely love creating content. The past two weeks, I’ve been in dealing with this. I’ve dealt with it before though so I took these 5 steps and it’s safe to say, I’m back and my creativity has been restored!

Take a break

This is the first step I highly recommend. It’s also one that I hate but it actually works so hear me out. When you spend so much time planning and creating, your mind is working pretty hard. Us creative people are always thinking. There’s a reason why you can’t think of anything anymore, your brain is tired!

Taking a social media break isn’t bad. Will you get as many views as normal? Probably not. But you need to remember that taking a step back will do more good for you in the end.

Tip: When taking a break from creating new content, just edit and re-publish old blog posts! It’s called refurbishing and from experience, it can actually help your blog without too much effort on your part. Bring those posts from six months ago back to life!

Make Self-Care A Priority

When we’re so busy creating, we often neglect ourselves without even knowing it. You wake up super early so you can get work done on your blog before getting ready for your day job, sometimes forgetting to even eat or drink enough water. You get back from work and you waste no time working on your blog/social media again resulting in getting little sleep. Sound familiar? I know I’m not the only one guilty of this, guys!

While you take a step back, focus on yourself. How?

Make sure you’re getting enough sleep
Eat three meals a day and drink enough water
Read
Catch up on Netflix shows
Journal
Pamper yourself with a face mask and a bubble bath
Go out and be social

Keep A Notebook Nearby

Creative blocks don’t last forever and you will eventually get some ideas flowing again. The thing is, they may come at any random time and you don’t want to risk trying to remember them. Keep a notebook nearby so you can write an idea down right away when it comes to you. This may even mean bringing it in your car or to work with you!

This is a good tip to do at all times but especially when you’re going through a creative block!

Reorganize/Change Things Up

There’s a good chance your creative block is from things being a bit too repetitive or boring. I know I personally always feel more refreshed and motivated when I buy new home decor, rearrange my room, organize my makeup drawers, or even getting my hair done!

Here are some more ideas for you:

Buy new home decor
Rearrange your house
Change your look
Go shopping for a new outfit

Find Your Inspiration

Believe it or not, inspiration is right around the corner.

Photo by Katarzyna Grabowska on Unsplash

Look up inspirational quotes and write your favorites down
Check out the list of my favorite positive affirmations
Pick up a self-development book (I’m loving Girl Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis right now)
Read articles on successful bloggers and influencers. What are their secrets? Write down some ideas that you get!

It Doesn’t Last Forever

I’m going to end this blog post by reminding you that your creative block will not last forever. Try taking these 5 tips into consideration! I’m sure you’ll get that much closer to breaking free and getting your inspiration back.

If you’ve experienced a creative block and you have a secret to getting out of it that I haven’t mentioned, let me know below!

Plan With Me: My Erin Condren Planner

August 26, 2019 itsamandaburnett 5 Comments

As I’m writing this, it’s Sunday afternoon and every Sunday, I plan the week ahead in my Erin Condren planner. I was going to just dive in as normal today when I thought, “Wait, I should blog about how I do this!” Some of you may think this is boring (sorry!) but I know there are others who love watching “Plan with me’s” on YouTube. So I guess this post is my blogger’s version for you!

Fresh Start

There’s nothing more satisfying than turning the page to see a blank week that soon will be filled with plans, ideas, and lots of fun stickers!

1. Washi Tape!

The very first thing that I do when I start my new week, is put down my washi. It’s just strips of decorative tape (one on top, one on bottom) that really starts the whole spread off to a pretty start!

I honestly just slap the washi down, making sure it’s straight, then I remove any excess on the ends with my Xacto knife.

The Washi with the cute bows is one that I like to use on the top. It’s from an Etsy Shop called Cricket Paper Co and then the bottom washi is from a bundle that I got from Walmart. Unfortunately, I can’t find the brand name of it!

2. Work

The first thing I always have to get down before anything else is my work stickers! My worst nightmare is waking up late thinking I start work at 12 when I was supposed to be there at 9. Yikes! Thankfully, I’ve never done that and my planner will continue to make sure that stays true.

These work stickers are from the Happy Planner: Planner Basics sticker book!

3. Bills and Paydays

The next most important things are my bills and paydays, of course. A lot of my bills are automatic but it’s nice to have it down in your planner so you know when money will be coming out of your account. This is especially helpful when you’re on a crazy spending habit like I have lately!

Sorry, Manda your rents due soon. Put the fall candles down!

Again, the stickers you see here are from the Happy Planner: Planner Basics sticker book. Actually, the rest of the stickers you see on this post are from this sticker book!

4. Blog and Social Media

The part that takes up most of my time is my blog and social media planning because there’s a lot I have to think about. As you can see, Monday’s are busy. It’s the day when I publish a new blog post and with that comes sharing it and reading comments.

Although, I have to be realistic with myself and realize I’m probably not going to get all of that done in one day. Especially reading comments and reading fellow bloggers posts because that’s something we do every day! So, that’s why that arrow is placed through Tuesday and Wednesday.

5. The SideBar

When I first got my planner, I had no idea how to use the sidebar and I see many other people having the same problem. But I like to keep it simple and have a water tracker. I know this particular tracker is supposed to be for daily use (8 glasses) but I just black out one of the water droplets and then use the 7 to mark every day I drink enough water! This helps save these stickers so I don’t go through them too quickly.

The next thing I include is my “To Buy” list for the week. This gets added to throughout the week but it’s never very long anyway.

6. The Bottom Section

This is the next section I didn’t touch for the first couple of months because I wasn’t sure how to utilize it. Now I use it to mark the days I want to work out (M, W, F) and then dinner ideas in between!

7. Decorative Stickers!

Once I have all of my important plans down, it’s time to have some fun. I find any excessive amount of empty space and start placing some fun decorative stickers to make the rest of the spread cute and visually appealing. I also decided that on Thursday, my day off, I would have a movie night!

As you can see, I do leave quite a few boxes still untouched. This is because on Sunday I only know the bigger things I need to accomplish that week. The week is always unpredictable or I totally space on something that I need to accomplish and so I leave those spaces left for last-minute plans or appointments!

If you’d like to get yourself a Lifeplanner, you can get a $10 coupon with signup!

That’s It, For Now!

I hope you enjoyed seeing how I plan my week out! Planning has become an important part of my life and so I thought I would share this fun post. Let me know in the comments if you use a planner as well!