Breakfast at Lilly's

We’re almost a month into the fall season and I’ve yet to post a fall reading list so I thought it was time that I got that done since I have been adding so many things to my to-read list. During the fall and winter time, I tend to read more than ever so I hope to work my way through all six of these books and a handful more.

Fall Reading List:

Girl, Wash Your Face // I have heard great things about this book and I absolutely love Rachel Hollis as well. I always like mixing more business/personal development books in with my fiction reads.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo // I’ve heard great things about this book and Taylor Jenkins Reid is one of my favorite authors so I am really stoked to check this one out.

The Woman in the Window // Thrillers are my favorite to read during the cooler months and this one has some rave reviews so I’m really excited to dive in.

A Simple Favor // This book was just turned into a movie so I want to read the book first before I dive into the movie.

The Pumpkin Plan // I loved his book Profit First and that book pretty much changed my life so I really stoked to dive into this one because I have heard great things.

A Stranger in the House // Another intriguing thriller book that I’m excited to dive into. I have read other books by this author and really enjoyed them so I am definitely excited to check this one out.

Your Turn:

What books are on your fall reading list? Please feel free to let me know down in the comments.

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I know I say this pretty much every single month, but I can’t believe that it’s already October. Q4 started a few days ago and I’m gearing up for the busy season with my business and this blog.

I totally dropped the ball in September and didn’t set any public goals so I have nothing to review from last month and can just jump directly into my October personal goals.

October Personal Goals

Read two books // I have been reading around two books or more each month so I want to keep up that goal. I don’t take too much of a break so this is my little bit of relief from everything each night.

Work on finishing setting up my office // I have some very exciting news to share with y’all soon. If you’re following along on Instagram, then you already know but I will be doing a bigger post on this later on this month. But I really want to add bookshelves, a chest, a fun accent chair, a rug and some wall art to my office this month. I may not be able to fully complete this but I’d at least like to make it a little less blank.

Work on batching as much content as possible through the end of the year // If you’re a regular reader, you’ve probably noticed that I haven’t been super active on the blog this year – at least not as much as usual. I used to post at least three times a week and now I’m lucky if I’m just posting once a week. Confetti Social  has become so busy so I haven’t had as much time to dedicate to this blog as I would have liked but I am hoping that will change soon.

Your Turn:

What are your October personal goals? Please feel free to let me know down in the comments.

Loving this personal goals feature? Take a look here for more of my lifestyle favorites! 

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Frost Bank. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting brands who support Breakfast at Lilly’s. 

If you participated in Frost Bank’s Opt for Optimism Challenge with me, then you know that it ended a few weeks ago and let me tell you, I was pretty sad when it ended because I started getting used to getting daily prompts and having little tasks to complete each and every day.

So today I wanted to share 3 things I learned from the challenge with you guys.

3 Things I Learned From The Opt for Optimism Challenge:

#1: Always be grateful 

I learned the importance of expressing gratitude daily and want to incorporate daily gratitude rituals into my life going forward. There is so much in life to be grateful for so it’s important to celebrate both the big and small wins each day.

#2: Random acts of kindness make the world a better place 

A few of the tasks in the Opt for Optimism were random acts of kindness like buying someone else a coffee or another similar task. In a world with so many negative things happening, these random acts of kindness help uplift people and bring us together.

#3: Take advantage of every day

Life can change in the blink of an eye so I want to make sure I am taking advantage of every single day I have and living my life completely to the fullest.

Now that the optimism challenge is over, I don’t want to stop my momentum with being grateful and working towards a happier and healthier financial and mental state.

Your Turn:

Did you participate in the Opt for Optimism Challenge this go around? If so, let me know down in the comments.

Loving this optimism challenge feature? Take a look here for more of my lifestyle favorites!

Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by adidas. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting brands who support Breakfast at Lilly’s. 

I can’t believe that fall is right around the corner. To me, fall symbolizes the start of something new. I always get motivated to get organized, get back to the gym, and just take control of everything again as the summer fades away. It’s also my last semester of grad school so I am embracing that and preparing myself to finish my capstone class with a bang.

Back to School Fitness Hacks:

Get on a schedule // When you’re busy with school, work, or other activities – prioritizing your health isn’t usually top of mind. I so believe in the power of getting in a routine. On Sundays, I like to prepare for the week by tidying up the house, grocery shopping for the week, and getting my schedule in line. It sets the tone for the week so that I am able to prioritize my health and know when I will be able to hit the gym that week.

Make time for exercise // With back to school season being go, go, go – it can be tough to take time for yourself to head to the gym and get a workout in.

Whether your favorite exercise is going to cycle class or heading to a hip hop class like me, it’s important to prioritize your health. If you don’t have time to head to the gym each day, go for a walk with your pup and get some fresh air. Your body and mind will thank you.

I have found that finding a workout that motivates me is what gets me to the gym each week. Also cute gym clothes don’t hurt either. This trefoil tee and these cute sneakers makes going to gym or taking the pup for a walk much more enjoyable.

Try to choose the healthier option // When we’re busy and stressed from a long day of class or work, choosing the salad over the burger and fries from your favorite fast food joint isn’t always the most enticing option but sometimes, we’ve gotta choose the healthier option.

I always try to keep healthy options on hand so I don’t head to the nearest Chick-Fil-A and binge on some nuggets.

BACK TO SCHOOL FITNESS HACKS – YOUR TURN:

Does summer turning to fall make you want to re-prioritize everything in life or is it just me? Please feel free to let me know down in the comments.

Loving this back to school fitness feature? Take a look here for more of my lifestyle favorites!

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Frost Bank. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting brands who support Breakfast at Lilly’s. 

2018 has been all about working on my mindset and becoming a more appreciative, well-rounded person and this challenge has been another wonderful opportunity to do just that. Continue reading for my experience with the Opt for Optimism Challenge so far.

I’ve been participating in the Opt for Optimism Challenge for 2 weeks now and I have been loving seeing what each day’s prompt is going to be. I do have them all already on hand but I prefer not to look ahead at the next day’s task because I like the element of surprise each morning when I check that day’s task. It adds an added excitement for me.

It has had me looking forward to each and every morning knowing that a fun task was ahead of me that would help me be more optimistic and grateful. That’s one of the reason why I love challenges – there is always something to look forward to whether it’s an opportunity to express gratitude or pay it forward.

Some of my favorite tasks so far have been writing down 5 things I’m grateful for, deleting apps I’m not using from my phone, buying a cup of coffee for a stranger, and doing a favor for someone without them asking.

These are all such simple tasks but it’s something we can tend to forget since it isn’t something we’re thinking about all of the time.

This challenge has taught me to take a step back and embrace the little things in life and really just be more appreciative all around. I am excited to see what’s to cover over the next two weeks and share my final update sometime in September.

Optimism Challenge- Your Turn: 

Are you participating in the Opt for Optimism challenge? If not, there’s still time to sign up! If so, let me know how you’re liking it so far.