Spending Ban - Things to Stop Buying

I bit the bullet and put myself on a spending ban! My shopping habit was getting out of control and as I result I was watching my personal savings dwindling down to nothing - so I decided to do something about it! 

I'm not sure how it happened but I slipped into the bad habit of online shopping. A clothes order here and a new pair of shoes there meant spending hundreds of dollars a week on unnecessary stuff! I had gotten so good at refining my wardrobe and cutting down what I owned all in the name of minimalism. Check out my minimalism series here.

Yet suddenly I was allowing myself way too many splurges and couldn't help but click on an ad whenever I saw a sale! It was getting pretty bad guys! I was no longer prioritising saving money toward my future and instead was filling my wardrobe with more items than I needed. So I am going to share the main things I recommend you stop buying if you are going on a spending ban!

5 Ways to 'Adult' Better

We all want to be the best version of ourselves and kill it in all aspects of life. We want a clean house, promotions at work, a strict workout schedule, time to read, healthy meals prepared daily etc. but instead feel like you're never good enough in any aspect of life. 

It's something that seems like a big joke and can get tiring hearing about but it is true that 'adulting' can be extremely difficult at times. It feels like when many areas of life are going well, there is always one part struggling along or taking a backseat. You might be receiving praise and admiration at work but all those extra hours mean you haven't gotten your butt to the gym in a week and have been sustaining yourself on a diet of coffee and frozen meals.

In this article, I am going to be touching on 5 simple yet effective strategies for 'adulting' better and achieving your goals.

Productivity Tips - How To: Make More Time in Your Day

"There are not enough hours in the day" is something that you probably hear constantly or maybe you even say it yourself! The truth is that we all have the exact same amount of hours in the day and yet some of us are able to achieve so much more than others (think: Beyonce). 

It's a hard pillow to swallow but the tough truth of this dilemma is that it all comes down to how you organise your day, how well you prioritise and your productivity levels. Let's break this down a bit into bite-sized life hacks that can see you soon becoming the master of your own time and getting those to-do's crossed off at a rapid speed.

Your Guide to Saving Money - Easy Ways to Budget

Properly managing your money is one of the fundamental parts of 'adulting' and can impact many areas of your life! Put simply, money is a resource that allows you to experience the things you want, partake in activities you like, eat the kinds of food you love etc. 

The amount of money you have directly helps or hinders you from reaching your full potential - scary right?! So it is of utmost importance to take care of your finances so that you can lead your ideal lifestyle. Here are some key ways that you can save money and my easy tips for budgeting.

Books I've Read Lately #11 - 40 in 2019

I truly believe in continued learning and one of the best ways to be continually educating yourself is definitely achieved through reading. With each book read, it has the ability to refine your knowledge and shape your mindset for the better. 

So I'm back again with a recap on 5 books I've read lately! There are some seriously good reads in here so I can't wait to share some of these goodies with you!

The Ultimate Traveller's Guide To: Airlie Beach, Queensland

Recently Josh and I had a romantic Valentine’s Day getaway at Airlie Beach, eating our way through the beachside town and getting out and about in the Whitsundays Islands. 

I was taking notes of all the cool activities we went to and amazing dining destinations to compile this ‘guide to Airlie Beach’.

Whether you have a trip already planned or are searching for some travel inspiration – read on for all the best places to go in Airlie.

WE NEED TO TALK! TAKING A BREAK - BIG CHANGES COMING SOON!

There’s something I need to get off my chest after much deliberation as of late. Recently I’ve been feeling stuck in a rut so things need to change around here! After coming back from travelling I was so inspired and full of ideas which was both good and bad. 

On the upside, I feel so motivated to fill JBS.com with incredible content that I am SO excited to write! On the downside, it has made me realise that the tough decision needed to be made to scrap all of the pre-scheduled content I had organised to go up over the next month. It just doesn’t tie into the vision I now have for the blog and I also don’t want to rush into things and just chuck up any old post for the sake of keeping content fresh. 

So, it has led me to the decision to take the rest of the month as a break from posting content and spending that time preparing fresh new content to go live starting in April! I’m hoping in the next 10 days to focus on crafting quality posts that inspire me and writing that I feel giddy with excitement to share - because that’s what this platform has always been about! I don’t want to spoil anything but here’s a brief rundown of what to expect on JBS.com once we’re back up and running… 

Behind The Desk - March 2019 - Bali, Airlie Beach, RHCP, Arctic Monkeys + Uni

Hello! Long-time no talk! After doing a whole heap of travelling last month, March has been all about settling into a routine for 2019 that is going to assist me in achieving all those huge goals I set out for this year. 

I’m so excited to sit down and recap on how my travels went and other things I’ve been up to lately! I’m divulging a detailed run-down of both Bali and Airlie Beach in upcoming features providing ‘The Ultimate Guide’ to those destinations but I’ll also be sharing a quick overview in this update. 

5 Easy Ways to Make More Money

I’m a freelancer, and making money is usually a big deal for me. As writing usually takes my time and need ways to make money. 

Making money fast and ‘legal’ depends on your talent and level of experience. It’s true that money isn’t everything, but it won’t hurt to add more zeroes to your account. Make more of it, and you will see how important having that extra cash can do for you. Not having anything is not new to me too. I know how it feels. Even though I’m trying my best now. My experience has made me come up with these 5 ways to make more money. Though, these tips have always been in existence. So, I think it’s worth sharing.

• Become a blogger.

Work from anywhere in the world and choose your own hours! Write about the things that you are passionate about and build connections with an online audience. Everyone has something worth saying that others would be interested to read about. Pick up a copy of Jordy's book 'A 3 Step Guide to Turn Your Blog into a Career' for the ultimate playbook on starting a blog and building financial success. Get your copy HERE.

GIVEAWAY + Big Announcement ♥ My New Book!

I am SO EXCITED to be doing this massive GIVEAWAY and giving a HEAP of lucky subscribers a copy of my book! I am giving away both print and eBook versions to as many people who enter as I can! 

So to be in for your chance to win, head over to the video HERE on my YouTube channel and leave me a comment letting me know your most burning question about the blogging industry and blogging full time etc.

If you can’t wait to see if you won the competition, I’m also offering an insane discount code so you can purchase a copy now. This way you can instantly read since the eBook version is sent to your automatically upon purchase and even if you purchase the print copy you will also be sent the eBook version.

You can use the code ‘YT50’ for 50% off the entire store. This means that you can grab a copy of the eBook for the crazy low price of under $5 or a print copy for just $10 when you purchase from the store HERE.

Good luck in the giveaway or happy shopping!

SHOP HERE.

Behind the Desk- January 2019

Hello! How has 2019 been for you so far? 

We have managed to speed through the first month of 2019 and are finding ourselves now at the end of January! I have so much to talk to you about including how I’m headed to Bali in just a couple of days and have so many other cool things coming up! Bali Let’s start with where I’ll be next week….

How To Make 2019 Your Best Year Yet!

New year! Who dis? I know saying things like ‘this is my year’ is almost as cliché as ‘new year, new me!’. 

However, I am a big believer in making each year better than the previous one and this is entirely possible considering we are constantly evolving and learning.

I’m always looking to become a better version of myself and a new year is always the perfect opportunity to set goals, kick any bad habits, implement good routines etc. The clean slate is there for everyone and a lot of us choose to use it as an opportunity for a fresh start.

Here is how you can make 2019 your best year yet!

My 10 New Year’s Resolutions + Did I Achieve My 2018 Resolutions?

I thought it would be interesting to not only share my New Year’s Resolutions for 2019 but also update you on how I went with my resolutions this year! 

This year is a little different to last where I wrote a post all about helping you tackle those goals you have swirling around in your head and putting them into tangible and achievable resolutions. If you are struggling with setting goals or making SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound) resolutions then you should head over and give it a read HERE.

If you’re looking for some resolution inspiration and interested in what I have in store for 2019 then keep on reading. I am SO SO excited and motivated about all of my goals. I’m chomping at the bit to get a start on them!

Things To Do Before 2019 - Make The Rest of 2018!

2018 is coming to a close and now is a better time than ever to get your affairs into order! 

Today I’m coming at you with a list of important tasks to get you ready for 2019 so that you start the new year with a clean slate, feeling refreshed and organised for the year ahead. Get a start on this stuff now so that you don’t feel behind the eight ball when it hits Jan 1st and you’re hungover.

These are some things I have done in the past week that have made me feel confident, excited and prepared for 2019.

Christmas Gift Guide 2018 - For Her

With Christmas quickly approaching the pressure is on to buy for all of the loved ones in your life. 

While gifts are only a small part of the celebration, I'm someone who derives so much joy out of buying fab presents for the people I love! I brings the biggest smile to my face watching them unwrap their gifts and I always put a lot of thought into each item. 

So without any further delay...because Christmas really is just around the corner.. let's get into it.  

Life Highlights from 2018

I need to stop living life like I read books – quickly turning to the next page in anticipation and speed reading through the action-packed parts. If you keeping flipping to the next chapter you might find yourself finished the book so focus on soaking up each and every moment instead of wanting to fast-forward everything....

At least that is the advice I am currently giving to myself. It is also the reason why I decided to reflect on this year and compile a list of highlights to appreciate. I honestly did not realise what a jam-packed and achievement filled year 2018 was for me until I sat down and put everything on paper so I would highly recommend for you to do this as a little activity to wrap up 2018. I had some of the proudest moments of my life this year! Let’s get into them…

23 Lessons I've Learned in 23 Years

Today I turn 23 years old and while I still feel like I have no idea what I'm doing, I thought it would be interesting to share 23 of the lessons I have learned in my 23 years on this planet. 

I did this type of article last year when I turned 22 and I have set a challenge to myself to not repeat any of the things from that list so head over there and give it a read first.

Now let's get into the 23 things I've learned. 

The Reading List - 30 Books in a Year

Do you want to get smarter and increase your understanding in 2019? Do what I did this year and read 30 books for a guaranteed way to top up your knowledge. You can even use my list of books read this year as your 2019 reading list. 

If you follow my 'Books I've Read Lately' series you will already be well aware of the challenge I set for myself this year to read 30 books in 2018. I am about to successfully pull it off and thought that I would pull together my reading list from the year. I have split the books up based on the timeline I read them, sharing each edition of the series with you as I went. 

30 books turned out to be surprisingly easy to read so I'm going for 40 in 2019! I read a huge array of authors and genres so this variety kept things interesting and expanded my knowledge in a number of areas. I mostly prefer to read self-help and personal development type books on mindsets, habits and beliefs but I also peppered in some autobiographies, fables, all time classics and even some poetry.

Read on for my list of books read in 2018 and if one catches your eye, click on the edition it is under and you will be sent to my review of the book.

Let's get into it...

What to Do When You’ve Fallen off the Fitness Bandwagon?

There would be many perfect excuses to miss a day or two from regular workout routine and strict diet plan. 

You might find it ‘just ok’ to spend a lazy day and eating stuff that is prohibited to you but the problem is that these ‘no big deal!’ days can actually make you fall off the fitness bandwagon. Once you start skipping days from your fitness routines you start losing the motivation to get back to it and it can happen to anyone.

You don’t need to get panic over such situations as there are number of ways to get yourself back to healthy life routine. Here we share some important steps to take when you’ve fallen off the fitness wagon.

Books I've Ready Lately #7

Can you actually believe it?! I only have 3 more books to read before I hit my target of 30 in 2018! 

It has been much easier than I expected and I think I might have to bump it to 40 for next year just to challenge myself a bit more. Okay so here are the four books that I have read just lately.