day 153 : donate bags {and bags} of stuff to a good cause

monday!
hey everybody! i hope you had a great weekend.
we are in another cold snap {the wind chill is -41* right now, base temp is -15*} and today is for running errands and putting the finishing touches on the february boxes!
i am SO excited to share the boxes this month ; they *really* came together!

i know i have mentioned this before, but i am a total 'purger.' every couple of months, i go through most things we own & get rid of anything {and everything} we aren't using in that moment. dishes, clothes, household items, ect ect. blake and i live in a two bedroom apartment on purpose. we have gone back and forth for years about buying a house. it would be rad because we could have a yard for daphne, space to rescue // foster more dogs & could build a little free library. on the other hand, when you have a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom house, you have to fill it. you need stuff. 
i dont like stuff. 
i dont like boxes and bins of things in storage, in closets or under beds. i like to know what i have. i like to USE what i have. 'things' are no good to me packed up in boxes somewhere.
{note : i am NOT talking about the book you wrote in third grade, the picture of you and your grandpa at christmas or that awesome picture you drew in art class when you were ten}

when i purge, i make a few piles ; things to donate {clothes, fabric, art supplies, ect}, things i want to try to sell {vintage items, the bike trailer we bought daphne that she refuses to go near}, or things that can be donated to a specific organization {magazines to the YMCA, kids books to a school, winter wear to a homeless outreach center}

well, today was the day to donate 13 bags full of stuff {winter boots, clothes, canvas for painting, ect ect} to my favorite secondhand store in town. i snapped a quick photo, but it was pretty cold to not have gloves on! {duh, -43*}

my family always jokes that i 'give everything i own away' and they aren't too far off the mark.
i feel incredibly blessed in my life ; daphne, blake, family, friends, a warm bed, a job i love, money in my bank account, ect. i dont NEED all of that stuff.
if blakes winter boots from two years ago {he has a new pair} can go for $3 to a guy who walks his daughter to the bus stop each day, that is awesome. if my canvas boards and art supplies can go for $10 to a public school teacher who has to dip into her own pockets to provide for her students ; than i am happy to get rid of it.

my mom recently reminded me 'people will often forget what they bought, but they will never, ever forget how something or someone made them feel.'

take a moment to look through your closets ; are there things you have {and dont use} that could be used to enrich someone elses life? if the answer is yes, pack it up & give it a new home!

see you tomorrow!

day 152 : kindness carousel {week 9}

happy friday, everybody!
blake took today off of work {he has to go in all day tomorrow} ; so i have worked really, really hard all week so we could spend the afternoon together! {its been hard with me working 7 days a week for the past month...} we are going to head to the science museum and the history center {and get donuts!}

i dont have a super long list of links today, but the ones i have, will make you feel good!
{kindness carousel is a weekly round-up of 'all things kind and inspiring' on the internet}

1) have you seen this video yet? derrick coleman, who plays for the seattle seahawks is hearing impaired. duracell made this really beautiful commercial of his journey to the superbowl. {if the video player doesnt work, you can watch it here}

2) and then, after you finish watching the video, read this series of tweets he sent back & forth to a little girl {also hearing impaired}, who wrote him a fan letter.

3) have you heard of the 'you are so loved' project? you fill out this google document and someone will send you {or the person of your choosing} a hand-crocheted heart. what a fun reminder to keep in your pocket, on your nightstand or in your bag that YOU are important!

4) the state of utah made headlines this week in this amazing article {they are ending homelessness ; something a state has NEVER done before}. ive read this article a few times and it gives me goosebumps and makes me so hopeful for the {slow, but steady} shift in our country.

5) katy is still keeping up with her 'photoworthy 365' blog & posted about popcorn day {in last months Be Nice Box, everybody got popcorn kernels and instructions to make stovetop popcorn}

6) because kindness is SO much more than smiling at your neighbor : here is a list of 13 food brands that are owned by mega-corporations. {why is this important? because certain {most} mega-corps dont have your, the planets or animals best interests in mind!}

7) speaking of taking care of the planet : beez kneez {a local honey biz, who delivers all their honey by bike!} just launched a new campaign to ask people to STOP using pesticides that kill pollinators {bees!} i love honey & bees ; we are NOT doing them {or ourselves} any favors by using chemicals. regardless of where you live, you can go here to sign the petition!

8) want to be more involved in giving back? {of course you do!} you can head to this site and find easy ways to get your family involved!

9) and for the local folks : {i am just so stinkin' excited for this!} it was announced this week that the new light rail that will connect downtown minneapolis to downtown st paul will start running at the end of june! {hooray time a million!}{read the article here}

anything awesome you want to share?
enjoy today!

day 151 : baskets, overcoming poverty & our February Be Nice Box charity!

thursday, everybody! 
the february boxes go out early next week {woo hoo!} and i have been working like a mad-woman to get everything together.

awesome news : the february boxes are SOLD OUT!
its a really cool feeling knowing that people all around the country are completing small acts of kindness to make this planet better. its so awesome.

each month, we give $1 from every box sold to a charity. we pick a new charity each month that aligns with the theme. i love the idea of completing good deeds in your community while also being aware that your actions are effecting {affecting?} others around the world.

usually, when i announce the new theme {february is 'hugs & kisses'}, i also announce the new charity.
4 days before the boxes go out and i am JUST NOW announcing the charity..
why? i had a great organization lined up {i always try to contact them first, just as a heads up} and they turned out to be completely unreliable {bummer}

so, i have been spending a lot of time trying to pick the 'perfect' group for this month. i dont choose to organizations lightly ; i want to make sure that our money is going to a place that will create change ; a place that we can all feel proud we are supporting.

ready?
we will be giving $1 from every box sold in February to The Blessings Basket Project!

do you know them?
there is so much great information about the work they are doing on their website, feel free to head here to check it out.

the blessings basket project works with women in poverty in developing nations. they learn to weave & receive 2+x MORE than fair trade wage {this is HUGE!}. their products are beautiful! your purchase helps bring women out of poverty. women in the blessing basket project are in the program for about three years ; when they graduate, they are able to live independently, run their own businesses and provide for their families.

you can help by purchasing items from their store {they are also in most whole foods stores across the country}

so, how are we helping this month?
we are donating our money to their education empowerment fund, to a school in madagascar. they have already built a school {it gives me goosebumps to think about what an education *really* means in a developing country} with over 100+ girls attending. so, while the girls have a school, they dont have all the equipment they need : books, uniforms, shoes, meals, ect ect.

our money this month will help provide those supplies! 

if you are looking for even more inspiration, you can go here and read a few of the incredible success stories from the blessings basket project.

arent they awesome?
i have a few things in my shopping cart right now ; i love beautiful gifts with an awesome story!
connect with them on facebook // twitter
kindness carousel coming up tomorrow! see you then ;)

all photos from the blessings basket website

day 150 : do something for ME {and make this my brightest year yet!}

you guys!
thanks for all your texts, comments and emails yesterday about yesterdays post!
blake is safe & sound and it sounds like the driver is a-ok.
{the incident was even on the news}

todays good deed : 
spend money on MYSELF!
but, not like that. not a new outfit or a fake tan {weird, i have never tanned before, not sure why that is the example that came to me...} but on a class that will make me *better*

i have signed up for the 'project light year' class hosted by liv lane & a group of super-awesome contributors! {all these women together are what totally sealed the deal for me!}{you can read about them here}


what is it : its a 12-month class focused on creating the best life for you! its meant to give you a deeper meaning & help you find your purpose. there will be lessons & projects and a private group to make deep connections. {and more!}

i love this!
i recently turned 30 & really want this to be an incredible decade! blake and i have made a commitment to strengthen our relationship {it is true that life gets in the way if you dont make time for important things!} we have been working so hard with daphne to get over her fears // anxiety {and other issues that drive me bonkers}. i committed to a TRIATHLON! something i wasnt sure i would ever do. i am working two part-time jobs that i enjoy {even though working 18+ days in a row is a bit stressful for me..} and hello, i created a business! i started a business that i LOVE and am putting my heart and guts into.
a class like this is perfect timing ; i am excited.


its also put together & hosted by liv lane. do you know her? we met last year at a blogging event. her blog is awesome {and SO inspiring!} she also runs an etsy shop {and she is one of our artists for the february box!} annnnd last week, she interviewed me for an article she is writing for savvy magazine {more details on that soon!}

check out the class here!
both images are from liv.

tell us : something awesome you are doing for YOURSELF! 

day 149 : stay calm and save a life {yeah, it is that dramatic}

happy monday! 

i was going to post about MLK & a few other inspiring things ; but they are pushed back so i can share this text // event with you.

blake works in downtown st paul & we live in south minneapolis. its about 18 miles one way, so he takes the bus in the winter {he will bike part-way when it warms up}. we always talk about how the city bus makes us feel safe. its reliable, affordable & the drivers are great. i really do love our transit system.

he left this morning & i got started on my to-do list. i put my phone in another room & focused on today. and then i get this text message.

s.c.a.r.y!

i called him & his phone went to voicemail.

he called back a few minutes later and explained everything to me.

the bus was on a major interstate {during morning rush hour} and the driver must have had a diabetic seizure. they hit a guardrail and then veered into the other lane. a passenger {in the back} yelled {to the front} to see if the driver was conscious. he was not. four people ran to the front of the bus {one was a nurse, who recognized the symptoms and gave the driver something to eat // drink} and worked to stop the bus and pull it to the side of the road.

right away, blake called 911 & walked the dispatcher and state trooper through everything.

nobody was injured. 

you guys, nobody got hurt! can you believe it?! they could have hit a car, or been hit by a semi, or totally gone off the road! 

i am so incredibly thankful {not just because blake was on the bus} that random strangers acted SO fast & made a difference.

sadly, i think that because of all the horrible things that have happened {boston bombings, school shootings, ect}, humans are more aware of when situations 'dont feel right.' 

i know that i was not directly involved in this event today, but i am totally counting it as a good deed.

{i can do that because its my blog ;)}

{also, i am so proud {and not surprised} that blake was one of the people that stood up and rushed to help}

this is such a great reminder to be the one. if something doesnt look // feel // sound right ; be the one that stands up to help! always.

day 148 : kindness carousel {week 8}

its back! i havent done one for over a month!
i have a ton of really great links to share.
kindness carousel is a weekly round-up of rad, fun & inspiring things found around the internet.

1) need some perspective on this friday? {say yes, we always do!} this video is so powerful. {if there is the only thing you click on in this post, make it this video}

2) i think this project was intended for the holidays, but its never a bad time to practice kindness. here is a printable calendar for 12 days of kindness!

3) duluth trading company has a really great website. you can click here to read stories of seven woman who are following dreams and doing great things! also, all of their models are real women, working awesome jobs // careers. {also inspiring}. read about them here.

4) do you know the womens bean project? i LOVE their company & mission. they hire women {and get them off the street & break the cycle of homelessness}. they provide them with a job ; which creates an immediate income. they get off the street, into homes, create bonds and work on interpersonal and life skills. they also receive on the job training and other job readiness skills. some of us are so privileged, i am not sure we comprehend what getting a 'real' job means. so many of us just fill out an application and *boom* get a job. or, we cant find a job right away, but our parents or partners have enough to sustain us.
the womens bean project sells gourmet food gifts & beautiful jewelry ; check it out here. i love the chocolate lovers gift basket!  

5) my friend katy just started a new project called photoworthy & the goal is to take a photo & document something small & awesome each day! i am loving it so far. my favorite posts have been here, here & here.

6) because 'being nice' is so much bigger than smiling at strangers.. this blog is one of my favorites for resources // artists businesses that are made in the usa.

7) youve seen this note, right? a man recently lost his wife & used her memory to pay it forward.

8) this website is awesome! and super inspirational! you pick a goal {lose weight, learn to juggle, paint a masterpiece} and film a few seconds of your journey each day. and at the end of your 100 days, you can watch it all come together. watching other peoples videos is super inspiring!

9) YES! you are enough!
the unexpected lesson i learned from lying about my fat loss story! 

10) have you checked our leahs artwork? {and i love her blog!} she was one of our december artists & shes super-talented!

11) stephanie shared a great recap of the december box. you can see it here!

and some exciting be nice box press :
12) a few weeks back, the folks from southwest journal {they are a local newspaper that is delivered to each home in southwest minneapolis} interviewed me about the box, this blog & the mission. you can read the story here. {and if you live in SW, you can pick up a newspaper!}

and : you can still donate to my sisters polar plunge campaign here

any awesome stories // articles you want to share?
have an awesome friday!!

day 147 : watch my sister freeze her butt off {& offer YOU a free Be Nice Box}

thursday!

i am super excited for tomorrow! i havent done a 'kindness carousel' in *weeks*, so i have tons of really rad things to share.

lets talk about good deeds : 

i have a younger sister! 

{hi sara!}

{this is one of my all-time favorite pictures of her. and, you can see daphne wearing a hawaiian lei in the reflection of her glasses..}

she just signed up to do a polar bear plunge ; are you guys familiar with these? {i imagine there arent such events like this in florida, arizona, new mexico, ect. but correct me if i am wrong..}

a polar bear plunge is when a group of maniacs people *plunge* into the freezing cold water, in the name of charity! 

the race will take place on february 1st.

this is how people usually dress in february in minnesota..

{excuse the old photo & super-messy room!}

but, my sister & some of her friends will be JUMPING into a frozen lake to raise money for the Special Olympics of Minnesota {which is awesome!}

she has a $75 fundraising goal {this goes to charity, NOT to my sister!} and if you would like to help, you would be changing lives! in 2013, the polar bear plunge had over 15,000 participants and raised over $3 MILLION dollars for Special Olympics Minnesota! {thats just in one year, you guys!}

so, if you are looking to do something awesome today & have $5 to spare, you can head here & donate to my sisters fundraising page!

bonus : for anybody that donates $15 {or more}, i will give you a FREE month of the Be Nice Box!
{if you already subscribe, we will just add a month on. and if you are new, i will contact you after your donation to get your info!}

{this is my mom, grandma, my sister & i in a 2-way mirror this spring!}

{i love this photo!}

tell me : have you ever done {or heard of} a polar bear plunge?

day 146 : crush my fears and sign up for a TRIATHLON!

you guys!
i did it!!
i signed up for a triathlon this morning.
remember this post? i talked about my fear of water. and taking adult swimming lessons for the first time.

yesterday, i signed up for 7 weeks of open swim {3x a week} through community ed. i was so excited about learning to swim that i signed up for a tri this morning..
{yikes!}

i guess the only way to get it done, is to crush my fear & more forward.
you can read all about it on my vegan lifestyle blog here.

see you tomorrow ;)

day 145 : {dear anonymous}

okay, you guys!
lets talk a bit about talking trash on the internet.
it seems like on any news forum, celebrity website or political article, you will find them.
them.
the anonymous {and mean} online commenters.
the people that say mean, disrespectful and hurtful things over the internet.

listen, this blog is about kindness. my business is about kindness.
i try hard each day to make this planet a teeny bit better than it was the day before.
i surround myself {both in real life & online} with humans who are good. they are positive. they lift up {dont tear down} and give a shit {not sorry for cursing today} about people, places and things {noun lesson from 4th grade?}

anyways, last week i sent out a survey for people that were // are involved in the be nice box. i care about my business and want it to be something that others dig, as well. i know that not everyone will come back for a second month. i know that not everyone will love what i am doing. i am aware that my definition of 'cool, handmade items' will be different than someone elses. i knew going into this that there might come a time when someone {or people!} said things that were going to hurt my feelings.

i knew that when i sent an anonymous survey to folks asking for honest feedback, i was setting myself up to hear things i maybe didnt want to hear. and thats fine. i want to run a movement surrounding change & kindness. and finding ways to lift up complete strangers. and for us to reach our maximum potential, i knew i had to ask others for feedback.

you guys! i got a survey back that was not nice. i mean, it was mean. it took a shot at my business {fine} and took a few shots at me {not fine}. it actually made me cry. and listen, i can take feedback. i want feedback. i have been in this business for 3 months ; there are going to be bumps. there are going to be good deeds in the boxes that are 'more miss than hit.' i am still learning. i am always striving to be better. and because of the surveys, i have made some changes that will start this month.

BUT, my point : it is never acceptable to be mean to people. EVER! it is not okay. i hate that as a society, we now think it is okay to attack people, politics, religions & humans {ect ect ect} because we are hiding behind a screen.

{and? next time you are considering leaving a mean // nasty // hurtful comment, be aware that while your name doesnt show up on the internet, your IP address does. AND IP addresses can {and are!} be tracked!}

the moral of this story : be nice! all the time. and if you cant be nice, be silent.
{note : if you have feedback that can help someone // a politician // business owner be better, than goodness, please share {with your name!}. but, if its something that is too mean to share WITH your name attached, you can be sure that its too mean to share at all!}

thanks for reading, you guys!
see you tomorrow ;)

both prints were created by will bryant! 

day 144 : lets talk about mental illness! {and of course, a way you can help}

hi everybody! 

thanks to those of you who asked for my great-uncles address to send him a card ; he will be *thrilled!*

if you are interested in sending him a card, let me know! 

today, i want to talk about mental illness ; specifically obsessive compulsive disorder.

for a few years, i worked in the autism community & was so inspired by the idea that my coworkers and myself were actually making a difference in the lives of families.

{i am still friends with a few of the families that i use to do therapy for & its incredible to see some of the changes that have happened because of behavioral therapy!}

my friend sarah {she took our family photos last fall!} started a GiveForward campaign for her partner greg, who is living with OCD. you can read all about his days, his struggles & the hope for treatment here.

greg has recently been accepted into a 12-week OCD treatment facility, but needs $7,900 {the goal is $10,000} before he can begin. 

the fundraiser ends at the end of this month & they have already raised $2,650!

i do not know greg personally, but i am a strong believer that when we are well, we are all stronger & better together.

the campaign is just for ONE person ; but think about the impact! greg leaves treatment and can live & love without worry. he will have the opportunity to help create change around others living with OCD. his family and friends are inspired and thankful ; so they become {even stronger} advocates for mental illness ; and so on and so on.

if 150 of you decide to give $5, that is $750! if ten of you give $10, thats $100!

my main goal of the 'minnesota nice' movement is to show that you dont need to donate millions of dollars to create change. small ripples of kindness make all the difference. random people coming together to lift up another human ; that is SO powerful.

finally, if you chose not to give money to this campaign, make today a day to support ANY organization that is important to you. {education, animal rescue, planting trees, supporting a local school, ect}

all photos taken by sarah certa

day 143 : DELIVERY! {send a care package} {and do you want to help me?}

happy wednesday!
right now, my mom is on her way up here for a few days! {hooray!} i am making 5 big-ish changes to the be nice box & she is going to help me! it will be so great to have her here. usually when shes here, its on a weekend, so we are always out & about. it will be nice to hang during the week! walk daphne, run a couple errands, go to the library, grab brunch {without an hour wait} and just catch up.

todays good deed : sending a care package!

a couple months back, my 90 year old great-uncle {my grandmas brother} fell & broke his hip. a couple weeks later, he fell again and re-injured himself. right now, he is staying at the nursing home to get care & physical therapy. everybody is hoping that he can return home, but for right now, where hes at is the best solution.

we went and visited him a couple weeks ago {hes about 3.5 hours away} and i think hes feeling pretty lonely. the nursing home is pretty full & its kind of a stressful place ; there isnt a lot of peace and quiet for him. 

we decided to put together a mini-care package to give him a few things to do & to cheer him up.

we sent* : a book of crossword puzzles, a postcard of minneapolis {he has lots of family up here, so he loves the city}, an electronic poker game {i have no idea if they still make these. my grandpa had one when i was a kid & i found this at a secondhand store for .25}, a handmade snowman ornament and a handful of chocolates. 
{*dog nose not included}

the majority of his family lives far away, so hes not getting a ton of visitors. i think that recovery and healing has a lot to do with your mental state & i want him to know that we are pulling for him {even though we are hours away}

also, if you want to send him a card, let me know & i will send you his address.
he would love it! hes 90 & doesnt have any clue to the power of the internet!

day 142 : the other side of kindness

hi everybody! 

{business, first}
are you a present or past be nice box subscriber?
i emailed out a survey yesterday ; if you didnt get it or havent filled it out, the link is here.
my goal is to gather feedback and see what we are doing that is working & changes we can make to keep moving forward.
{i have about 1/3 of the surveys back & was up super late last night brainstorming some new ideas. i have made some changes to the list, the format and *what* will be in the box}
{its a little stressful to receive feedback that is harsh or not very nice ; but i need to put my ego aside and create the best business possible..}

anyways, lets talk about good deeds! 
if you have  been following along, you will notice that i am SO behind on this project. one of my 2014 goals is to finish my good deeds sometime this year. i was making this blog a priority, and then it kind of slipped on the list ; but {just like the @benicebox instagram page}, we are COMING BACK! ;)

{i shared this story on IG & facebook a couple weeks ago, so maybe it will sound familiar}
a few weeks ago, i was out walking daphne and i see this vw bug go by with a sign on the side that says #nohumbug. i watched them drive past & then make a sharp u-turn. im watching and thinking 'gosh, they have a hashtag on the side of their car, the must be doing something that is related to kindness.' just then, they pull up next to us & get out of the car!

turns out, their names are jen & jill and they work for lululemon {who were hosting a #nohumbug fitness challenge throughout december}. they were spending the morning, driving around minneapolis, spreading kindness to strangers.

we started talking about kindness, what it means, this blog & the Be Nice Box! our 5 min {less?} interaction was so powerful! these two women randomly spotted me and made a conscious choice to make my day better. total strangers. i came home and was honestly, just so pumped. i posted pictures online, i texted blake ; i was just so over-the-moon because random people chose to brighten my day.

thats what this movement means, you guys. giving a total stranger {or friend // loved one} a moment of your time to lift them up. to listen to them. to do something that they will think about for the rest of the day.
the idea of good deeds and spreading kindness are so powerful!


and, as the girls were driving away, they handed me a brand new lulu hoodie & a little note. {i am actually wearing the hoodie right now}

tell us : 
have you been 'on the other side of kindness?' has a good deed happened to you lately?

day 141 : my favorite holiday gifts ; the $2 blanket & 50 year old pencil

happy friday! 

usually, i would share a round-up of links {kindness carousel}, but i am posting about christmas gifts.

i am not really a 'thing' person. i dont have a lot of 'stuff' and dont have many items on my 'wish list'. blake and i live well below our means on purpose & i am extremely practical. any 'thing' i purchase needs to serve a good purpose. each month, we give a large chunk of our money away to causes and groups that are doing great things. most everything we own is secondhand and we never go shopping for 'new' things.

for christmas, i asked for the usual : socks made in the us, a gift card to the co-op, money for my mutual funds and toilet paper. honestly, i have enough.

i am thankful for a warm, safe apartment. for a partner that has a great job. for the ability to start my own business from the ground up, ect. i dont need a lot of stuff. i am happy & thankful for what i have.

i worked the day before & the day after christmas, so i wasnt able to go home to iowa until a few days later.

my parents live in a small-ish town with a couple nice thrift stores! we hit up the local goodwill {which is huge and always super busy!} and i found this beautiful crocheted afghan! i love vintage items with a 'classy' feel. you guys, it was $2! someone spent *hours* creating this blanket and it made me a bit sad that it was so affordable. we bought it and i love it! the colors, the size ; its my new fave!

also while we were in iowa, we stopped to see my grandma. 

a couple years ago, my grandpa passed away and it was so sucky. i grew up without my dad, so all of my 'male guideness' came from my grandpa. losing him was one of the shittiest things i have ever been through. anyways, before i existed, he was a standard oil man.

he would drive the gas truck to peoples farms & fill up their tanks to run their homes, machinery, ect.

this was years & years & years ago ; back before they had paper business cards to hand out. back then, they put their business info on something you could use. {my grandmas family owned an implement dealership & had their info on a salt and pepper shaker!}

my grandpa had pencils with his name & phone number on them. i remember drawing, doing 'connect the dot' and word puzzles with these pencils, but honestly havent throught about them in 20 years.

my gift from my grandma? one of my grandpas pencils!! it looks and feels exactly the same as it did when i was a kid. 

seriously, what an awesome surprise! the tip is still dull and the eraser is half-used. my grandparents use to have these pencils EVERYWHERE ; in the car, the junk drawer, near the candy dish in the living room, ect. i feel so nostalgic. i am so thankful my grandpa was in my life for 26 years ; he was a really incredible role model.  

tell us : do you have anything now that makes me feel super nostalgic for your childhood? any items that have been in your family for years?

day 140 : *WIN* a 3mo subscription to the Be Nice Box + 2014 goals

happy 2014 everybody! 

i know a lot of folks dont love making resolutions // goals // intentions, but i LOVE it! i love the feeling of a new month, a new year, almost 400 days to make positive change.

obviously, each day is a clean slate ; so positive change can happen at any time ; but something about writing a new year & seeing all the blank pages in my planner ; i love it! makes me so motivated for improving my life & the lives of the folks around me! 

for the past 3 years now, i have made a large canvas goal board that i hang up in our living room. this year, i used a few sharpie markers and free-handed everything {in the past, i have used stickers & paint} my 2014 goals go way beyond the ones listed on the board.

i am a goal-lover. i love being able to create a tangible goal {make peanut butter, buy a new couch, have $9,000 in savings} & then take time every week, month, ect to make it happen. {i think at last count, i have 25+ goals i want to accomplish for the year..}

because i am so inspired by the changing year, i am giving away a 3 month subscription to the Be Nice Box {your first box will start February 1st}

how do you win?

head over to our Facebook page & share one {or more} of your 2014 intentions! 

the contest runs TODAY ONLY! if you win, you have the choice to keep it for yourself or gift it to someone else. also, if you are already a subscriber, we will just add on to your existing subscription! 

ps : if one of your goals is to manage your weight // improve your health or wellness ; i have a code for weight watchers. if you sign up through here, you will receive a year of their magazine for FREE! 

heres to a new year FULL of health, happiness & changing the world!