Why We Chose to Build Our Home

Why We Chose to Build Our Home

How January flew by like a wind in the storm. I think the older you get, the shorter the months are! Anyway, are you excited for February? Do you have any big plans coming up? I have a big project this month, and I am talking about it today in this post.

Photo credit: IG @janicejoostemaa

Last month, my husband and I decided on our goal #10: Decide on my future home plan, either buying land and building my dream home, buying a new house, staying in our current home, or moving to a new country. So, we finally decided to sell our lovely first home and purchase land to build our dream house this year. 

 

At first, we were putting an offer for one of the houses we liked. It didn’t go through obviously as we were too late and the home already had nine other offers in front of us. Crazy right? So, we chose not to go through with it and reconsidered our options. 

 

After thinking back and forth, changing our mind a million and one times, re-asking ourselves what we should do, is it the right time, why do it, what makes it a plus than a minus, we agreed to one of the most crucial factors that life is too short, why wait? Let’s build the house and do whatever is going to fulfil life and make us happy.

I will be back on blogging more often again after things settling down. There is a lot of packing before we move to my parents-in-law house. We will be fixing their home while we are staying there too. I am excited to share with you all of the projects while building our home.

Here is a quick inspiration on how we want our home to look like.

Photo sources from top to bottom left to right.
One | Two | Three | Four | Five | Six | Seven | Eight | Nine | Ten | Eleven | Twelve

Here are a few reasons why we chose to build our home rather than buying one:

ONE: Design

We will build the home to look exactly how we want it. As I love designing and decorating my home, I am excited to bring my ideas and dream floor plan to life.

TWO: Price

It’s cheaper to build one rather than buying one.
After calculating the cost of buying a new home and building one, we found that building will be cheaper plus we will get the equity out of it when the house is finished.

THREE: Feng Shui

We will have a chance to pick the land, house number, house direction, and all things Feng Shui related, it wasn’t an easy process, but we will get what we want.

Share with mE:

Would you want to build your dream home and why?

We are excited to share our home building journey with you.

There are things in life that take time to achieve, but that doesn’t mean you have to wait to achieve it.

Smart goals 2020 goals what are smart goals planners

2020 Recap and My 2021 Goals

2020 Recap and My 2021 Goals

Today, I revealed my 2020 goal results on the blog. Find out why I haven’t been active online; your well wishes are welcome in the comments.

Read along to find out!

What a year it has been! Congratulations on making it through the craziest year in history. I hope you are staying safe and in good spirits. 

 

This year, 2020, I felt like I neglected my blog and felt more depressed than ever. I didn’t feel like writing anything. I didn’t want to take photos because I gained so much weight. On top of that, I tried to do so many things, and it burned me out. Even though it’s been challenging, I am glad I could do what I could to make sure my family is safe, healthy, and happy altogether. 

 

I set ten goals and shared them with you in this post last year. I also shared some tips on achieving your goals and using SMART Goals (goals that are SpecificMeasurableAchievableRealistic, and Time-based) to help you have a better chance of achieving your goals well. You can read them here if you want to learn more.

 

Today, I will walk you through all of my 2020 goals I set and share with you what had happened to each of them. 
Smart goals 2020 goals what are smart goals

My 2020 Goals

One: Doing a HIIT workout at least once a week

I did it, and I overdid it and injured myself, plus added a new health problem to my pelvic floor. Damm! I had to go to the acupuncture every week for almost five months to help with the issue. Now, I can’t work out like I used to do. I can only do some light movements, and that’s about it. 

 

My tip for you is to not go overboard on anything you do because the price you have to pay isn’t worth it. 

 

Two: Eat less carbs and more good fat

I did the less carbs thing but was somehow eating more bad fat than I used to, which caused me to have high cholesterol that never happened to me before. I always had a higher level of good than ordinary people. Well, now, I have cut back almost entirely after seeing my blood test result back.

 

Three: Launching my own cooking course

Unfortunately, I launched the other two businesses before the cooking course. I still have it as one of my goals, but I don’t think I would pursue it in 2021. We will see what happens.

 

Four: Paying off all of my debt

I did it! Yay! But I did put myself into a smaller one when working on my businesses. I hope I will pay it off soon in 2021. 

 

Five: Going on a date with my husband at least twice a month

It was a dream since we couldn’t go anywhere. But we watched countless movies and shows together this year. 

 

Six: Having baby number 3

My husband and I decided to wait for a few years. We might go for twins! I will keep you posted!

 

Seven: Publish my very first book

I started to put things together, but it didn’t happen before the year came to an end. Hopefully, next year will be the year!

 

Eight: Save more money

Sorry, not sorry! I didn’t have any extra to save as I used my savings to spend on my business. This would be the main focus in 2021 to save more money and be more organized this time around.

 

Nine: Renovate my home

We did use a lot of time (money too!) to work on our home. We re-did the guest bedroom (I call it my studio), fixed the kitchen, rearranged the living room, and added an in-home cafe, which I still owe you the final look of how it turned out.

 

Ten: Vacation in Europe

Unfortunately, we had to cancel our Europe trip due to the pandemic. But we were glad to have done some traveling early in 2020, where we went back to Thailand (traveling inside the country) and visited Japan and South Korea before things started to worsen. Vacationing in Europe will always be our goal that we will achieve soon.

Now that you know what happened to me in 2020, I am excited to share my goals and plans for 2021.

Smart goals 2020 goals what are smart goals

2021 Goals

One: My health is my number one priority in terms of self-care, so I will do whatever it takes to make my body happy and healthy again.

Two: Spend more quality time with my family

ThreeFocus on my kids’ education.

Four: Don’t make any more debt and pay off the existing ones.

Five: Be in control of what I can control. 

SixFocus on my existing businesses:

Seven: Connect with my old friends

Eight: Get rid of the work/ things that I am not passionate about anymore and only focus on what I love doing and enjoying.

NineTravel inside and outside the U.S.

TenDecide on my future home plan, either buying land and building my dream home, buying a new house, staying in our current home, or moving to a new country. 

Eleven: Do what makes me happy because I can’t please everyone. 

Twelve: Save more money!

 

Download Free 2021 Goals Template

Right-click and save. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @curatedbymollie and @allaboutgoodvibesofficial. Can’t wait to see your 2021 goals!

Share with mE:

What’s one of your biggest
2021 goals?

I have the SMART versions in my planner, but the above goals are the general ideas of what I plan to achieve in 2021. I can’t wait to start working on all of my 2021 goals. I hope you have a great start to the new year—Happy New Year’s Eve!

Thank you for stopping by All About Good Vibes.

See you next year!

Smart goals 2020 goals what are smart goals planners

Holiday Shopping with Adidas

Holiday Shopping with Adidas

Who else is already starting their holiday shopping?

I am! In today’s post, I am sharing some of my favorite pieces I got from adidas COLD.RDY Collection

Keep on reading to find out!

snack bar decor idea for your home

This post has been sponsored by adidas. All opinions are my own.

There is one season that I bet most people are waiting for all year-round to celebrate, the one that will bring them joy and happiness. Can you guess what season it is? You are right; it’s the holiday season!

 

This year, especially, most people will be happy to spend time with family and relatives indoors and outdoors. Given the unique year, I know everyone is grateful for their family and the time we get to spend with each other. 

 

Let’s finish this year strong, and make the holiday shopping fun begin, shall we? 

Today, I’m sharing some of my favorite pieces from adidas that would be perfect for Fall/Winter. They are a part of the COLD.RDY collection. This collection is designed to defend you from the cold with the ultimate insulation; it keeps warmth locked in. Layers let you optimize your temperature while innovative, breathable materials keep you dry.

 

I guarantee you that you will enjoy wearing these clothes. These pieces are so comfy they will keep you nice and warm during those cold, breeze days. Best of all, they make great gifts.

Here are the pieces I wore in this post.

I also wanted to share some quick shopping tips to get you ready to shop during the holidays this year. These tips can help you save some money and won’t make you miss any deals when shopping.

Five
HOLIDAY 
shopping tips

tip
ONE

Sign up for the newsletters to not miss any updates or deals from your favorite brands. For adidas, sign up here

tip
TWO

Sign up for their Reward Program to get exclusive discounts and start collecting points when shopping so you will be able to use them for future purchases. For adidas, they have their Creators Club, and you can sign up here.

tip
THREE

Make a budget and stay on top of it.

tip
FOUR

Make a list of what you would like to get. This way, you won’t go over your budget and will buy everyone the right gifts.

tip
FIVE

Shop mindfully and only shop for something you or your loved ones will use. Think about the lifestyle, the seasons, and the specific trips that will occur in the next couple of months.  

If shopping for kids, think about the ages and sizes of the time you will gift them. Make sure you don’t get too small of size, or they won’t be able to use your gift after the holidays. 

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Share with me:

What would you gift yourself this year? 

 

I hope you found this post helpful and got some ideas on what to shop for this holiday season and how to make the most of your money.

Be sure to check out adidas website, and start shopping.

Thank you for stopping by All About Good Vibes.

Stay well! 

See you soon in my next post!

snack-bar-decor-idea-allaboutgoodvibes.com-Mollie-Larsen-@curatedbymollie

10 Minutes Total Body Backyard Workout

10 Minutes Total Body Backyard Workout

Having my mind going toward a sustainable lifestyle, I found adidas is doing a great job implementing their sustainability practices into their lines. Today, I will be sharing my quick workout routine featuring the Ultraboost 20 shoes- made with a performance fabric made entirely from a recycled plastic material. 

 

If you are ready, let’s dive right in!

snack bar decor idea for your home

This post has been sponsored by adidas. All opinions are my own.

I love wearing my adidas for workouts, lounging around, and for any day comfort. Since now a lot of us are spending more time at home, I wanted to share with you a 10-minute total body workout where you can get your daily exercise in quick.

 

Being at home, you might find yourself in a comfy (lazy) zone often than usual. The tips to get out of this is to start your day productively by;

 

First: Make your bed

Second: Wash your face

Third: Get your workout in

Fourth: Take a shower

Fifth: Make yourself a healthy breakfast.

If you can have a morning routine like this, you sure will have a productive day ahead. The feelings of accomplishment first thing in the morning have to do with psychology.

Naval Admiral William McRaven mentioned it in his commencement speech a the University of Texas, Austin: If you make your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride, and it will encourage you to do another task and another and another. By the end of the day, that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed. Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that little things in life matter. 

 

In my opinion, accomplishing a workout routine resembles the same results as making beds. Not only that, but morning exercise may also improve decision-making during the day.

 

The new study, “Distinct Effects of Acute Exercise and Breaks in Sitting on Working Memory and Executive Function in Older Adults,” by Wheeler et al. (2019) was published on April 29, 2019 in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. Their findings in the paper’s conclusion: “A morning bout of moderate-intensity exercise improves serum BDNF and working memory or executive function in older adults, depending on whether or not subsequent sitting is also interrupted with intermittent light-intensity walking.”.

 

See how we can be more productive by only making your bed and exercise! 

To get back on track to today’s workout, I have a pdf version of the workout for you to download on the library. If you want it handy with you, head over here.  

 

The sneakers I am wearing today is the adidas Ultraboost 20. These running shoes are made with Primeblue fabric, a performance fabric made entirely from recycled plastic material. It’s made of at least 75% Parley Ocean Plastic, which is marine plastic waste collected from beaches and coastal regions. 

 

Isn’t that so cool?

 

They are so comfortable and stylish to wear to exercise in, from low to high intensities. You can also wear them with your favorite jeans or outfits like the one I’m wearing for a family afternoon picnic. 

If you are looking for a new pair of running shoes, head over to this adidas post for a running shoe finder to help choose your ideal shoe.

10 minutes
TOTAL BODY 
workout

To start each workout, I recommend doing a quick stretch.


STRETCH

Stretch your arms by pulling them across your body.

 

Reach behind your back and grab your elbow. 

 

Grab your feet behind your back and stand up straight to stretch your legs.

move one:
ARM RAISES

1. Start with weights in each hand and standing straight.

 

2. Lift one arm to shoulder height and slowly bring back down, alternating arms for one count. 

 

Do 10 sets

move two:
DUMBBELL PUNCH

1. Start with needs slightly bent and weight at the center of the body.

 

2. Punch out in front, alternating each arm for one count. 

 

Do 10 sets

move three:
TRICEPS EXTENSION +
CALF RAISE

  1. Start with one leg behind your back and weight behind your back, above your head.
  2. Left leg behind to a 90% angle and lower weights further down back. 
  3. Fully extend weights above head. 

Do 5 reps, switch leg, and 5 five more reps. 

move four:
BACK KICKS

  1. Start in standing position with weight at the center of the body.
  2. Kick leg back for ten reps. Repeat on the other side.

Do 10 reps on each leg.

move five:
CALF RAISE

  1. Start in standing position with weight at the center of the body.
  2. Press down on toes; lifting heals of the ground. Slowly bring back to start position and continue for ten reps. 

Do 10 reps

move six:
SIDE KICK

1. Start in a standing position with feet under shoulders, booty band around lower legs, and weights at the center of the body.  

2. Lift leg up to the side, as far up as possible. 

 

Do ten reps on each leg. 

move seven:
BENT KNEE GLUTE KICKBACK

  1. Start in kneeling position with back straight and weight behind the knee.
  2. Left leg up, raising the knee to the same level as back. 

Do ten reps on each leg. 

move eight:
SIDE LEG RAISES

  1. Lay down on the side, with both legs overlapping and pointed straight.
  2. Lift the leg as high as possible and bring back down slowly.  

Do ten reps on each leg

move nine:
SIDE PLANK DIP

1. Lay down on the side, with both legs pointed straight, and one hand stretched high above. 

2. Lift hips off the ground and slowly bring back down. Continue for ten reps and then switch sides.  

 

Do ten reps on each side. 

move ten:
PLANK

Lay down with only toes, forearms, and hands touching the ground. Keep back straight and booty down for 30 seconds. 

STRETCH & MEDITATE

  1. Sit down with back straight and bottoms of feet touch together. Bring close to the body for a deeper stretch. 
  2. Lower head down to feet and hold for 10 seconds. 
  3. Sit down with legs crossed and stretch your arms by pulling them across your body.
  4. Meditate for 1 minute.
snack-bar-decor-idea-allaboutgoodvibes.com-Mollie-Larsen-@curatedbymollie
Share with me:

What exercise do you like to do? 

 

Remember to change up a few activities in your day, like making your bed and exercising can help improve your overall well-being for a more fabulous day

If you are looking for a new favorite pair of shoes for running or training, be sure to check out adidas website, and get a pair or two.

 

I hope you find this post helpful and can help you get your day more productive. I will be back for more 10-minute workout routines in the upcoming posts.

 

Thank you for stopping by All About Good Vibes.

Stay healthy, active, and productive!

I will see you soon!

snack-bar-decor-idea-allaboutgoodvibes.com-Mollie-Larsen-@curatedbymollie

Three Ways to Achieving A Dreamy Photo Feel

Three Ways to Achieving A Dreamy Photo Feel

Today, I am going to share with you three quick tips to achieve dreamy feels. These are super simple, straight forward, where you don’t need any out of reach, expensive equipment pieces.

Read on to find out!

snack bar decor idea for your home
Flipping through the magazines, scrolling down your Instagram feed, and searching for some inspirations on Pinterest, you might have seen so many dreamy looking photos. Ever wonder how people created these types of images?

If you followed me for a while, you might already know that I am a big fan of Tezza and her husband, Cole, artful works. I watched one of her reel videos and got a tip from her on how to create a dreamy photo. So my husband and I put it to the test. 

Today, I am going to share with you three quick tips to achieve dreamy feels. These are super simple, straight forward, where you don’t need any out of reach, expensive equipment pieces.

If you are ready, let’s dive right in!

three ways to achieving
A DREAMY PHOTO FEEL

one:

TEZZA’S TIP

What you need:

You will need your camera, Vaseline, plastic wrap, and a rubber band.

How-to:

Before start taking pictures, wrap the plastic wrap around the lens. Then smear a little bit of the Vaseline on the plastic wrap. Now you are ready to shoot some dreamy photos. 

See our photos below!

two:
LIGHTROOM EDITING

What you need:

You will need the Lightroom App and your phone (or computer).

How-to:

Lower the below settings to your liking

  • Contrast
  • Clarity
  • Dehaze

Adjust tone curves to your liking

  • Brightness 
  • Contrast 
  • Sharpness

You can watch how I did on my IG Reel, here.

Before

After

three:
HAVE A SUNSET
PHOTOSHOOT SESSION

Taking pictures during the sunset will help you effortlessly achieve those dreamy images. 

@emmaleger is my go-to girl for some dreamy inspiring images.

snack-bar-decor-idea-allaboutgoodvibes.com-Mollie-Larsen-@curatedbymollie

shop the POST

Dress | Shoes | Camera | Lens | Vaseline | Plastic Wrap

Share with me:

What photography tips would you like to share?

How easy are all these tips? I hope you like them. Come back and let me know when you have a chance to try them out!

Thank you for stopping by All About Good Vibes.

Have you checked out How to grow your Instagram with hashtags, yet? 

Stay safe and healthy, and I hope to see you soon!

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