Every Sunday morning, I get a notification on my phone to alert me of how much time I spent on my phone the previous week. I usually quickly glance at it and then close it, but over the past few weeks, I’ve noticed that number increasing steadily while the time I spend on my favorite hobbies decreased. I wasn’t getting through books as quickly as I usually do, and my current coloring book has been open to the same page for longer than I’d like to admit. I found myself frustrated at how quickly time seemed to pass in the evenings, doing little more than mindlessly scrolling. I could also sense my mood being affected by whatever online content I was consuming. I was ready for a change.

Funny enough, the inspiration I needed to kick this habit came from Instagram, where screen time seems to be a common concern right now. I saw a number of creators posting about their intentions to live a more analog lifestyle. They were putting together baskets and bags full of activities that didn’t involve a phone. Rather than stream music on their phones, they added an old iPod or CDs and a player. There were books, crafts, puzzles, and journals. As someone who rarely sits still, even when watching TV, I loved the idea of having different ways to keep my hands busy readily in front of me.

I thought about what I’d be most compelled to do, and filled a little basket with a couple of books, coloring books and markers, a crossword puzzle book, playing cards, an unfinished project, and more. It sits under the coffee table where I can easily reach it from my spot on the couch. Now, when I get home, I allow myself to unwind with a few minutes of phone time to catch up on what I might have missed, and then place my phone on its charger next to my bed, where it stays for the rest of the night. I just started this new routine a week ago, but I feel really good about it, and it’s even inspired my husband to spend less time on his phone.

If you’ve been feeling the need to cut back on the amount of time you spend on your phone, I suggest putting together a basket of your own, full of whatever it is you enjoy doing. And if you’re looking for more ideas on ways to spend your time without a phone involved, we’ve created a “Screen-Free Activities” BINGO card for you. Click here.

Here are some publications (like Bella Grace!) we recommend adding to help you disconnect.

The post Creating My Own Analog Basket first appeared on Bella Grace Magazine.

We all have those days when we wake up feeling less than chipper for no particular reason … we just feel “blah.” Whenever I’m feeling this way, it can be helpful to read encouraging or uplifting words from others, especially those that focus on keeping a positive mindset or capture how I hope to live and/or view my life. To help me start the day on a positive note, I have a collection of quotes I turn to and read to myself time and time again.

1. “It is a serious thing, just to be alive on this fresh morning in this broken world.”

— Mary Oliver

2. “Resolve to make at least one person happy every day, and then in ten years you may have made three thousand, six hundred and fifty persons happy, or brightened a small town by your contribution to the fund of general enjoyment.”

— Sydney Smith

3. “Wishing you a day of remaining in the moment. Not the past or future or story. Not your thoughts or anxieties or lists. But right here, right now, straight into the center.”

— Victoria Erickson

4. “I just don’t think I’m looking for the big moments in life anymore. It’s more the simple ones that make for a beautiful day now. Like the sun rising and the moon dancing and the wind singing and the leaves grooving, and kids laughing and music playing, butterflies twirling, heart-smiles staying … and me being present to witness all these little beautiful things. This is what makes for a happy and peaceful life, I’m sure.

— S.C. Lourie

5. “If you can’t run away to a cabin in the woods right now, start small. Make a cup of tea and find a sunset to watch. Turn off your phone and read a book in the bath. Go for a drive and blast some Stevie Nicks. Fight for moments of peace in the midst of the crazy. You can do that.”

— Brooke Hampton

6. “Do you get it now? This is your life. Not only your weekends, not only your vacation in three months, not only that big milestone you’ve been waiting for. This is it. Start fully living in the moment and giving meaning to the ‘mundane.’ This is your greatest adventure after all.”

— Meditate and Love

7. “Some days, doing ‘the best we can’ may still fall short of what we would like to be able to do, but life isn’t perfect on any front — and doing what we can with what we have is the most we should expect of ourselves or anyone else.”

— Mister Rogers

8. “Decide what kind of life you actually want. And then say no to everything that isn’t that.”

— Melanie Mackle

9. “Let us come alive to the splendor that is all around us and see the beauty in ordinary things.”

— Thomas Merton

10 “Close your eyes and imagine the best version of you possible. That’s who you really are, let go of any part of you that doesn’t believe it.”

— C. Assad

Discover everyday magic in our latest issue of Bella Grace.

The post 10 Uplifting Quotes to Start Your Day on a Positive Note first appeared on Bella Grace Magazine.

While I always anticipate the arrival of the warm days of summer, the crisp air of autumn, and slow winter nights, spring is admittedly a season I get excited over. Perhaps this is because living in Southern California, our winters are too mild to get tired of and wish away. Most things stay green here and by February our days are sunny and often warm.

In my ongoing quest to stay present and live in the moment, I’m making an effort this year to welcome spring with open arms, just as I would any other season. Time goes by all too quickly, and I want to enjoy the seasons and everything that comes with each one.

5 Ways to Welcome Spring’s Arrival

1. Create a spring sounds playlist. While I don’t listen to music while I work or read, I don’t like sitting in silence either. A playlist made of the sounds of birds chirping and light rain falling is just what I need in the background of my days.
2. Plant wildflowers. You can never have enough flowers, especially during spring. To keep my vases and jars full this season, I’m going to scatter wildflower seeds in some of the planters we have in our backyard and watch what grows.
3. Host a clothing swap. Spring is a great time to go through your closets and rid yourself of clothes you no longer wear. I plan on inviting friends over to swap clothes and give our wardrobes a little refresh.
4. Change my computer’s wallpaper. This is something I’ve started doing monthly and I always enjoy it. I’ll be swapping my current photo of a snow-covered Central Park to gorgeous tulips (my very favorite flower).
5. Go on a picnic. I often plan to do this during summertime, but the weather is often far too warm for it to feel enjoyable. A simple meal of some meats and cheeses enjoyed in the sunshine sounds like the ideal spring day.

What are some of your favorite ways to welcome spring? Savor the season with our newly released Bella Grace Issue 43.

The post 5 Ways to Welcome Spring’s Arrival first appeared on Bella Grace Magazine.

Can you feel it? The air is getting warmer, the days are getting longer, and nature is waking up slowly from slumber. Now is the time to cast off the winter blues and invite the freshness of spring into your home.

1. Bring Nature Indoors with Fresh Plants and Flowers

There’s something magical about having fresh flowers and greenery in your home. As spring blooms in full splendor, consider bringing in a variety of seasonal plants and flowers. Tulips, peonies, and lilacs are classic choices that bring cheerful colors and delightful fragrances. 

A space-efficient way is to create a vertical garden instead of opting for traditional potted plants. Use hanging planters, wall-mounted pots, or DIY vertical planters.

2. Make Scented Spring Sachets

Infuse your home with delightful scents by making scented spring sachets. Fill small fabric pouches or organza bags with dried flowers, herbs, and spices like lavender, chamomile, rose petals, cinnamon, and citrus peels. Tie them with ribbon or twine and place them in drawers, closets, and linen cabinets to add a refreshing aroma to your living spaces. You can also hang sachets in different rooms to enjoy the natural fragrance throughout your home.

3. Organize and Refresh Your Space

Spring is the perfect time to organize and declutter your home for spaciousness and clarity. Start by decluttering closets, cabinets, and storage areas, then donate or recycle items you no longer need. Organize belongings using bins, drawer dividers, baskets, or other storage solutions to keep everything accessible and tidy. 

Moreover, as spring calls for a light and airy atmosphere, update your decor with lighter fabrics and pastel colors. Replace heavy curtains with sheer ones so natural light can filter through, creating an inviting space. Likewise, give your bedroom a spring makeover by swapping out heavy winter blankets for lightweight quilts or duvet covers in floral prints or pastel hues, such as soft blues, greens, and pinks. 

Photo by Jimena Roquero | Bella Grace Issue 35

4. Grow a Fresh Herb Garden in the Kitchen

Bring the flavors and scents of spring into your kitchen with a fresh herb garden. Set up a window sill or countertop garden using small pots or containers filled with herbs like basil, mint, cilantro, rosemary, and thyme. Not only will you have easy access to fresh herbs for cooking, but you will also liven up your kitchen with the greenery.

Find gardening inspiration in In Her Garden magazine.

5. Celebrate Spring with Seasonal Decorations

Start by adorning your front door with a vibrant spring wreath featuring flowers, greenery, and cheerful accents like bows or ribbons. Inside, display Easter decorations like painted eggs, bunny figurines, or spring-themed artwork. Scatter floral-themed decor like vases filled with fresh flowers, botanical prints, or decorative pillows with floral patterns. These charming touches bring a sense of joy and celebration to your home.

6. Take on DIY Projects

Get creative and celebrate the spirit of spring with DIY projects that embrace renewal and natural beauty. 

• Make a botanical-themed gallery wall displaying prints or pressed flowers. 
• Create handmade potpourri filled with dried petals, herbs, and spices for a natural and fragrant touch. 
• Put together floral wreaths or garlands using flowers, greenery, and decorative accents. 

Discover a wealth of DIY projects within the pages of GreenCraft magazine.

7. Design a Seasonal Tablescape

Set a charming table for spring gatherings and meals by creating a seasonal tablescape that reflects the season’s beauty. Start with a crisp tablecloth or runner in a light color as the foundation. Arrange a centerpiece using fresh flowers or potted plants in a decorative vase or container. Add spring-themed dinnerware such as plates, bowls, and serving pieces adorned with nature-inspired patterns. Complete the look with coordinating napkins, glassware, and placemats to create a festive tablescape for enjoying family meals or entertaining guests.

Learn more about tablescaping in Mingle magazine.

Photo by Carolyn Lagattuta | Bella Grace Book Of Lists Volume 2

8. Hang a Floral Chandelier

Upgrade your lighting fixtures for spring by hanging a floral chandelier in your dining room or entryway. You can purchase a ready-made chandelier adorned with faux or real blooms. Or, create a DIY version using a wire frame and artificial flowers. Pick a design that suits your home’s decor, whether elegant and contemporary or rustic and bohemian. The floral chandelier will add a romantic and whimsical ambiance to your space.

9. Create Spring Terrariums

Choose a variety of glass containers, such as mason jars, glass bowls, or geometric terrariums. Fill them with layers of pebbles, activated charcoal, potting soil, and moss. Then, add small plants like succulents, air plants, or ferns alongside decorative elements like mini figurines, colored sand, or tiny blossoms. These charming terrariums will bring a touch of nature indoors and serve as eye-catching decor pieces.

What’s your favorite way to welcome spring into your home?

Celebrate the beauty of this season with Bella Grace Issue 39.

The post 9 Delightful Ways to Welcome Spring into Your Home first appeared on Bella Grace Magazine.

Whether you are a resolution maker or not, no one can deny the excitement of a new year and all the possibilities that come with it. It offers us a chance to turn the page on the previous year and start anew with a blank slate. As we leave 2023 behind and step into 2024 with a commitment to make this year better than the last, may we use the following quotes about new beginnings to guide us along the way.

1. “And now let us believe in a long year that is given to us, new, untouched, full of things that have never been.”

—Rainer Maria Rilke

2. “I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes.

Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You’re doing things you’ve never done before, and more importantly, you’re doing something.

So that’s my wish for you, and all of us, and my wish for myself. Make New Mistakes. Make glorious, amazing mistakes. Make mistakes nobody’s ever made before. Don’t freeze, don’t stop, don’t worry that it isn’t good enough, or it isn’t perfect, whatever it is.

Whatever it is you’re scared of doing, Do it.

Make your mistakes, next year and forever.”

— Neil Gaiman

3. “New Year’s Day. A fresh start. A new chapter in life waiting to be written. New questions to be asked, embraced, and loved. Answers to be discovered and then lived in this transformative year of delight and self-discovery.”

— Sarah Ban Breathnach

4. “Midnight on New Year’s Eve is a unique kind of magic where, just for a moment, the past and the future exist at once in the present.”

— Hillary DePiano

5. “I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past.”

— Thomas Jefferson

6. “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”

— C.S. Lewis

7. “We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.”

— Edith Lovejoy Pierce

Photo by Maja Topcagic | Bella Grace Issue 30

8. “Begin doing what you want to do now. We are not living in eternity. We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand and melting like a snowflake.”

— Francis Bacon Sr.

9. “I close my eyes to old ends. And open my heart to new beginnings.”

— Nick Frederickson

10. “Approach the new year with resolve to find the opportunities hidden in each new day.”

— Michael Jacobson

11. “Celebrate what you want to see more of.”

— Tom Peters

12. “Don’t live the same year 75 times and call it a life.”

— Robin Sharma

13. “Although no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.”

— Carl Bard

14. “And suddenly you know: It’s time to start something new and trust the magic of beginnings.”

— Meister Eckhart

15. “Dreams are renewable. No matter what our age or condition, there are still untapped possibilities within us and new beauty waiting to be born.”

— Dale Turner

Looking for more quotes to inspire your 2024? Explore our collection in Bella Grace magazine.

The post 15 Inspirational Quotes to Kickstart 2024 first appeared on Bella Grace Magazine.