There are some women who go the extra mile to look their very best. They take time out of their day to do face-masks, they moisturize, they iron their clothes, they wax their armpits. They are risk-takers – finding new looks and styles online and trying them out themselves. They are patient – spending hours on their hair and makeup before they go out. And, then, there are some women who can’t be bothered with putting on pants. They rarely do their eyeshadow, they forget to shave their legs and if a shirt is wrinkled, well, it doesn’t look “that bad.”
Tag: problems
How Implementing ‘5×5’ Rule Will Actually Change Your F*cked Up Life
In your 20s and 30s, you’re going to go through a lot of changes and trials – it’s only natural. You’re growing up, you’re moving out, you’re falling in and out of love and you’re trying to find your place in this messed up place we call “the world.” Inevitably, you’re going to be faced with a lot of challenges that hit you in the face like a brick – they hurt, they’re painful and sometimes you have no idea how to deal with them. Recently, I’ve been going through most of these myself and, I’ve been dealing with them the absolute wrong way. Wrong, in the sense that the way in which I deal with them helps no one – especially myself.
My sister, who is way more experienced in life and chock-full of more wisdom than a fortune cookie, gave me some pretty solid advice after I ran to her apartment in tears over my latest f*ck up. After I had finally relaxed and vented my guts up, she told me about something called the “5×5 rule.”
If it’s not going to matter in 5 years, don’t spend more than 5 minutes upset about it.
Now, it may sound pretty cliché and “typical” for someone to give advice like this, and, it seems like a cheesy quote pulled from Pinterest (because it was), but, this rule is actually pretty damn effective if you apply it in the long run.
1. It will help you find perspective.
If you’re like me, you get emotional at the sight of a problem or argument in your life – with friends, family or relationships. I always get pretty upset in arguments with my boyfriend and my friends, so much so that it clouds my judgment and I act out. I say things I don’t mean, sometimes I do things I shouldn’t. If you think about the situation at hand and ask yourself “will this really matter to me later,” it can give you the perspective you need to chill out and just breathe.
2. There are better ways to handle things.
Instead of screaming or fighting with someone over something that may not be as big of a deal as you think, you can realize that this issue is something that can be easily worked out. Knowing it’s not a make-or-break problem can help you ease into a conversation, rather than having a blow-out fight.
3. Some things don’t deserve your attention.
Petty drama and stupid mishaps don’t require your attention. Know when things are “worth it” and things aren’t. And, if someone repeatedly does the same thing over and over again, know when you should do something about it.
4. You’ll realize the bigger problems much earlier on.
Once you implement the 5×5 rule, you’ll start seeing things a lot clearer – especially your problems. In whatever relationship, whether it’s a friendship or romantic relationship, you’ll know what problems are actually problems. And, when the time comes, you’ll know what needs to be done.
5. You’ll be a much happier person.
Overall, when you learn to manage your reactions to things, you’ll become a happier person. Long gone are the days when little things bothered you all of the time, you felt slighted or upset by other people and you were walking around with an angry cloud over your head. Instead, you’ll see things in the long-run and how the pettiness of today will not matter in 5 years, so why waste the now?
6 Common Problems That Feel Like ‘Relationship Killers’ But Are Actually 100% Normal
Being in a long-term relationship is, admittedly, awesome. That said, it also involves a lot of compromise, communication, and vulnerability. And, in most cases, it involves some decidedly unromantic behavior.
Continue reading 6 Common Problems That Feel Like ‘Relationship Killers’ But Are Actually 100% Normal
29 Surprisingly Effective Products That Will Solve All Of Life’s Little Problems
Life is full of little problems. Sure, there are plenty of big problems too, but we’d like to take a moment to focus on those minor everyday problems that always seem to add up to an unnecessary mountain of stress. Say, for instance, coming home after a particularly long work day to discover your last avocado has gone bad, you’re out of toothpaste, and your roommate left dirty dishes in the sink for so long that you’ll have to spend your evening scraping away old food just so you have something to eat off of. Ugh. We’re only human and there’s only so much we can handle in a day, so why not try and simplify some of the problems you do have control over with these useful products?
*We hope you dig the products we recommend or just enjoy reading our content. In the spirit of full disclosure, we may receive a portion of the sales made on this page.
29. Some mini charcoal deodorizer bags to keep your shoes smelling fresh and new.
Encouraging Review: “My mother needed to save a pair of shoes and this did the trick, after a few days with it the shoes were almost good as new. They have a very nice finish and look really great. I haven’t had it for long so I haven’t “recharged” them yet. But I’m optimistic about this.” – Gabriela
Get it on Amazon for $9.95
28. A pair of nail clippers that catch all of your trimmings so you can dump them directly into the trash afterward.
Encouraging Review: “It struck me that there must be a clipper that doesn’t launch clippings across the room. Sure enough, I found this on Amazon. They work as promised and are quality items. The only surprise is that the fingernail clipper is about as large as a typical toenail clipper, and the toenail one is larger still. I don’t have a problem with the sizes, but it was unexpected.” – Joe Wiesenfelder
Get it on Amazon for $16.95
27. These ingenious little plastic caps that keep your high heels from getting stuck in any tricky outdoor turf.
Encouraging Review: “I went to a wedding in a grass field but I did not want to give up my heels! I got these and was able to keep my balance perfectly. I didn’t sink or wobble at all! Gonna get more for every heel size.” – Izzy
Get it on Amazon for $9.99
26. A friction defense stick that’ll help put a stop to uncomfortable chafing.
Encouraging Review: “I had some serious rubbing from my bra that left sores under my ample decolletage. I put a little Friction Defense under there every morning and it helps prevent chaffing. It could be used on inner thighs, too.” – S. Horton
Get it on Amazon for $10.46
25. This barely-there setting powder that will make your lipstick last all day long.
Encouraging Review: “This stuff is amazing. I bought it to put on top of my lipstick to make it stay longer, and it definitely works for that. It also keeps my face from getting oily. I haven’t tried to set any makeup other than lipstick because I don’t wear much makeup, but I have oily skin and I put a tiny amount on a makeup brush and put it on my face and it keeps it from getting oily for hours.” – Angela Hernandez
Get it on Amazon for $6.99
24. A pack of stain-preventing teeth wipes for after your morning coffee or happy hour red wine.
Encouraging Review: “Really happy with this. I work in a call center and I can’t go brush my teeth after every meal. This helped me get rid of that film that coffee and cola leave behind. Sitting for 2 or 3 hours with that film on my teeth was really discolor info them. The wipes help me keep my teeth whiter and not undo the work I put into whitening them.” – Me
Get it on Amazon for $7.29
23. This activated charcoal teeth-whitener that’s proven to give you a brighter smile.
Encouraging Review: “This stuff is AMAZING. I used it for about a week before I was completely sold. Day one I saw a change, however, I wanted to be sure I wasn’t buying into the madness. The results are certainly REAL! I would recommend this product 10 times out of 10.” – Steve
Get it on Amazon for $19.99 (33% off)
22. A super easy to use makeup brush cleaning mat that works wonders with just soap and water.
Encouraging Review: “This is a great idea. I used to use the bottom of the sink to clean the brushes but this is so much better to clean the brush faster and better.” – Janine M. Parokian
Get it on Amazon for $9.99
21. This automatic toilet-cleaning device that’ll save you from ever having to scrub again.
Encouraging Review: “I’ve installed these in all six toilets in my home and they are a great idea. I’ve been using this for about 4-5 years. This device circulates bleach product into the toilet bowl after every flush where it is needed to prevent staining such as water lines from calcium build up. However, the chlorine water is restricted to the bowl, not the tank. If chlorine is in the tank it will erode away the “flapper” and foam seal which separates the tank from the bowl, requiring more expensive repairs. This product solves that problem with no drawbacks and doesn’t look unsightly like the clamp-on bars of chlorine that are permanently inside the bowl.” – Dr. D123
Get it on Amazon for $10.48 (48% off)
20. This stainless steel odor-absorbing soap bar that’s proven to rid your hands of any leftover cooking smells.
Encouraging Review: “I was skeptical of this but it really works! I’ve had garlic or onion smells stuck to my hands that soap doesn’t get off and this does. I dunno how it works but it does!” – Mallory K
Get it on Amazon for $8.99 (22% off)
19. A useful slicing tool for anyone who’s ever been intimidated by the thought of cutting open their own pineapple.
Encouraging Review: “I love this gadget. It cores and slices beautifully and easily and makes it very simple to prepare pineapple; all I need to do is cut down the “stack” after this cores and slices it, for smaller pieces. It also saves money every time I use it, so it won’t take long to pay for itself.” – Craftergalore
Get it on Amazon for $8.99
18. Some filtered plastic containers to keep your produce fresher for longer.
Encouraging Review: “This tubberwear is absolutely amazing! My veggies last a week to two weeks longer, and I don’t have to throw out too much food! Highly recommend.” – Claire
Get it on Amazon for $9.99
My Mind Knows I Should Leave but My Heart Won’t Give Him Up
I’m finally at the point where I can confidently fake a pleasant, positive response when people ask how I’m doing. Some see the sadness hidden in my eyes and give me a knowing look, but most just move on.
Those people don’t know the pain you caused me. The ones that do despise you. They see how you’ve shattered me and recognize that I’ll never be the girl I was before I let you into my heart.
They held me as my body quivered when I had no tears left and heard my weakened whispers admitting how alone and defeated I was. They saw my body shrink as I struggled to move past everything.
They don’t understand why I still choose to let you in my life. Sometimes even I don’t know why I let you stay after you broke me the way you did.
It’s curious how a problem can be its own solution. On my roughest days, you’re still the only one who can calm me down and talk some sense into my stubborn head.
I know you care about me. You’ve taken responsibility for your actions and I know that means a lot, but part of me will never understand how you treated me so horribly.
On the days where I find the tears streaming down my face, I have no problem angrily telling you how shitty of a person you are. While I do feel that way about you, I also still care for you. I still love you.
It’s been a long time since we sat in the same room and talked but late night text conversations still happen.
You say it’s best that we keep our distance while things are fresh because you’re scared being close will bring too many feelings back for me.
Part of me knows that you’re just as scared that you’ll find yourself overwhelmed.
I know I’ll never be able to fully detach if I let you stick around in my life and heart, but maybe I don’t really want to quit what we’ve started.
Maybe this is just our pause, not a full stop.