There are lots of ways I track my fitness and weight loss. I use websites to keep me motivated. Since it’s January and this is the time of year when many jump on the fitness wagon, I thought I’d share my favorite fitness and weight loss websites, in no particular order.

Runkeeper

I like going for walks and bike rides, but it’s hard to track how well you did if you go purely by minutes. After all, that doesn’t take into account how far you went or the elevation change.

So, I use Runkeeper to plot out the walks and bike rides. You can use a map to draw out your route, even if it doesn’t follow a street and instead goes through a park. Then it tells you how far you went and how many calories you burned. (It does other stuff, too, but that’s what I use it for.)

Nutrisystem

Of course, I use the Nutrisystem website. I mostly use it to track my weight loss and to interact with the community.

If I ever have a question about Nutrisystem, whether it’s wondering about free foods or adding a bun to the flame-broiled beef patty, I ask the forums. And, FYI, you can be a member for free without even ordering their food.

Skinnyo

This website is solely for tracking your weight loss.

At Skinnyo, you can join “challenges” where you’re a part of a group and fight for top honors as the biggest “loser.” (I’m winning my challenge! Woo!) Every Monday, after I weigh-in, I go enter it in at Skinnyo.

Fitocracy

This is one of my favorites lately.

At Fitocracy, you track your fitness. Did push-ups? Enter it. Danced to a video game? Enter it. You earn experience as you exercise and level up, just like a video game. (I’m level 6!) They even have quests and achievements. You can also join groups for more motivation. Fitocracy is currently invite-only, but if you want to join, email me and ask for an invite code, and I’ll send you one if I have any.

Have you been using any awesome fitness or weight loss websites? I want to hear about it! Tell me in the comments.

If so, you’re in a makeup rut.

While it’s good to find what works for you, sticking with the same tired colors and techniques will make you bored, fast. And if you’re bored, so is everyone else.

But, don’t worry. Here are some tips to help you get out of that makeup rut.

5 Ways to Climb Out of That Makeup Rut

1. Choose an eye shadow color you’ve never tried before. There’s got to be some color in the rainbow that hasn’t graced your lids. Yellow, red, pink, orange…these are all awesome colors that don’t get enough use as eye shadows. Try them out!
2. Wear more on your eyes. Do you usually go light on your makeup? Today, apply a thicker eyeliner line, a darker crease eye shadow shade, or apply shadow to your lower lids as well. It doesn’t hurt to have a little drama now and then.
3. Wear less on your eyes. If you usually go bold for your makeup, give your look a break today. Apply only the bare minimum, such as a thin line of brown eyeliner and a sweep of brown mascara on the upper lashes.
4. Pucker those lips. If you’re used to a subtle mauve, peach or rose shade on your lips, go bold today. Find the boldest lipstick in your collection. You probably have a color you bought but never wore (don’t we all?). Try that!
5. Change with the seasons. Just as the weather grows colder, so should your makeup look. Stay out of the rut by adapting your makeup colors to the seasons. For winter, blues, plums and metallic gold and silver work great. Choose pastel pinks and greens for spring. Rock warm orange, yellow and red over the summer. Autumn is all about brown, rust and deep forest green.

No more makeup rut for you!

Original rut image copyright Dave Spicer and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

But, as your collection grows, you need to get creative. And, while you’re at it, you can create pretty storage that looks great in any bathroom.

Today, I’m tackling storage for makeup brushes.

Pretty Pink Gravel Makeup Brush Holder

For this makeup storage idea, all you need is:

• a clear glass
• some aquarium gravel (yes, aquarium gravel)

While any color will do, I went for pink. Why? Because it’s my favorite color and because it’s super pretty. (And I got it at a dollar store for some extra savings.)

Just fill up the glass with the aquarium gravel, and you’re done. Stick the makeup brushes into the gravel and they’ll stand on their own.

Set the makeup brush holder where you normally put on your makeup. I’ve got mine on a ledge right above the sink. Check out the pretty pink gravel in action:

How do you clean the gravel?

Since you’ll be using a lot of powder products with these brushes, some of the powder may fall down onto the gravel.

Luckily, it’s easy to clean. Just dump the gravel into a fine strainer and rinse it in the sink. Let it the gravel dry and pour it right back into the glass.

Here’s an extra tip: if you like to use spray hair products or perfumes, do this away from your makeup brushes so it doesn’t fall onto the bristles.

If you get a good night’s sleep, you’ll look refreshed and beautiful the next day.

So many of us have a hard time getting our necessary beauty sleep these days. But no more! Follow these tips to help you get to sleep and stay there. (And this is coming from some who used to have terrible insomnia!)

10 Tips for Better Beauty Sleep You Can Start Tonight

1. Take your TV out of your bedroom. The more you equate alertness (like watching TV) to what you do in bed, the harder it will be to fall asleep. Designate your bedroom as a sleep-only zone (save for a few nocturnal activities too NSFW), and your body will learn that it’s time to shut down once you crawl between the covers.
2. Regulate the temperature. Nothing ruins a good night’s sleep worse than a scorching, sweaty tangle of sheets or teeth-chattering chills even with several comforters. Do what you can to keep the temperature in your bedroom just right. If you like it cool, turn down the heat a few hours before bedtime. If you like it warm, heat up your sheets with a heating pad right before you get into bed.
3. Add some white noise. I don’t know about you, but I have a really hard time sleeping in a room that’s silent. I always have a noisy fan blowing as I slumber. Not for the wind, but for the soft whirring of the blades. If you don’t want to use a fan, you could also try a sleep machine that has options for white noise, thunderstorms, light rain or other pleasing sounds.
4. Leave your troubles behind. If you have a lot on your mind, your thoughts may be keeping you awake. Before you hop into bed, tell yourself to table what’s worrying you. You can always think about these things in the morning. For now, your mind needs rest. While in bed, if you start thinking of these negative things, push them away. They have no place in dreamland.
5. Don’t exercise right before bed. Intense cardio workouts keep your heart pumping and raise your energy levels, making it tough to catch some Zs. If you really feel a need to exercise before bed, keep it relaxing, like some bedtime yoga.
6. Start a nighttime beauty routine. The more you have a routine before bed, the more your brain will realize it’s time to shut down. And since you should have a nighttime skincare routine anyway, you’ll kill two birds with one stone. Remove your makeup, wash your face, and add some heavy night moisturizer. You’ll be glowing in the morning.
7. Include other bedtime routines. Besides your beauty routine, add other duties to your nighttime repertoire. Before I hop into bed, I make sure my heat is turned down, my door is locked, and my cell phone is right where I want it. I also say aloud the things I want to get done the next day. You’ll be readying yourself for a sound sleep.
8. Avoid foods and drinks that’ll keep you awake. That means you should only consume caffeine in the first half of the day (if at all). That includes coffee, some sodas and teas, and anything with a lot of chocolate. As yummy as a big slice of chocolate cake may be, you’d best not leave that treat for right before bed.
9. Eat foods and drinks that will relax you and make you sleepy. If you like tea, you may want to try Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime tea. It’s delicious and flavored with spearmint. You could also try turkey for dinner or a warm glass of milk for their sleep-inducing ingredients.
10. Get comfortable. Find the softest and least constricting pajamas you can. Or, if you’re brave and there isn’t anyone you don’t want to see, forgo the pajamas and sleep in the nude. You’ll want to be as comfortable as possible in order to have the best sleep. Cover your bed in your favorite pillows and blankets so you feel like you’re sleeping on a cloud.

There. Now you have no excuse for a bad night’s sleep. Gone are the dark circles and bad attitudes that comes from a lack of quality beauty sleep.

Do you have any of your own tried-and-true tips for better sleep? Let us know in the comments!

Underlying sky photo credit by Athena’s Pix

But what I really like about her is her music. She makes fun pop songs that you can sing along with or dance to.

I’m bringing this up because her new song, “Who Says” is a really good self-esteem anthem. It has a good message about how beautiful you are.

Here, watch the video:

Did you hear the lyrics?

No?

Here’s a snippet from Selena Gomez’ “Who Says” Lyrics, just for you:

You made me insecure
Told me I wasn’t good enough
But who are you to judge
When you’re a diamond in the rough
I’m sure you got some things
You’d like to change about yourself
But when it comes to me
I wouldn’t want to be anybody else

Na na na na na
Na na na na na na
I’m no beauty queen
I’m just beautiful me
La na na na na na na na na!
La na na na na na na na na!

You’ve got every right
To a beautiful life
( C’mon! )

Who says
Who says you’re not perfect
Who says you’re not worth it
Who says you’re the only one that’s hurting
Trust me
That’s the price of beauty
Who says you’re not pretty
Who says you’re not beautiful
Who says

Good stuff, right?

Not only is the song just, you know, good, but it also has really inspiring lyrics.

“You’ve got every right to a beautiful life.” You’re right, Selena Gomez! I DO have a right to a beautiful life.

And so do you, Makeup Files readers. So do you.

Photo credit: avrilllllla

I like having Makeup Files, because when I’m going through something, I can help myself by helping my readers. That’s how I came up with the 26 Mantras for Powerful Self-Esteem last year.

I talk about inner beauty and self-esteem a lot. It’s great to have them both, but even the most self-loving women out there have their dark days. I do, anyway, and I’m normally brimming with self-esteem.

So, what could help on those gloomy dark days? Where all you can think of doing is sitting and staring out the window or watching some lame show on TV that you don’t even care about?

I’m here to help you (and me) figure it out.

10 Ways to Break Through Your Gloomy Mood and Start Feeling Good About Yourself Again

1. Make a list of what you like about yourself. Separate it into sections, such as “inner beauty,” “outer beauty,” and “social beauty.” Look over this whenever you feel the gloom creeping in.
2. Do your makeup in the most colorful and out-there look you can conceive. Bright yellow and pink eye shadow? Awesome! How about a rainbow eye shadow look? Take a picture of your bright, smiling face and show off your new makeup look on your Facebook wall. Watch the compliments pour in. (And you can even post them on the Makeup Files Facebook page! I’d love to see what you can do.)
3. Take a picture of your favorite thing. It could be a person, animal or an object. The arches of your church. The willow tree in your backyard. Set the picture as your computer’s desktop wallpaper so you can see it all the time.
4. Ask your close friends what they think your most positive attributes are. You might be surprised by the answers. Often we have a very narrow view of how we see ourselves and who we are. Getting an outside opinion really opens our eyes. Now, do the same for your friends.
5. Get out of the house. Even if the weather is just as gloomy as you feel, that doesn’t mean you have to be stuck inside. Bundle up, throw on a hoodie, or bust out your favorite colorful umbrella. Walk around the neighborhood or window shop the stores downtown. Fresh air will do you some good.
6. Turn off the TV. If you’re feeling gloomy, watching television is often one of the only things that you feel like doing. But it’s not really good for you. Instead, take a long bubble bath or do your nails in a funky color. Most anything is better than being a couch potato.
7. Read a self-help book. It might give you the motivation you need to bring you out of the gloom. I like Awaken the Giant Within and You Can Do It! The Merit Badge Handbook for Grown-Up Girls. You could also try one of the beauty-related books I wrote that are available in Kindle format: The Complete Eyebrow Guide and The 30 Day Ultimate Beauty Makeover. Apply what you learned in your favorite self-help book.
8. Help someone out in need. Whether you’re just handing a dollar to a beggar on the corner or volunteering at a soup kitchen. When you focus on helping others, there’s a nice side effect of feeling better about yourself.
9. Smile. Even if you don’t feel very happy and you have to force it; smile. At first, it’ll be a chore. But, after a while, the smile will creep into your brain and you’ll actually start to feel (and look) better. If you don’t believe me, try it. You’ll see.
10. Watch your favorite movie. When I’m in a gloomy mood, I don’t even like doing the things I normally like to do, including watching movies. If you have that too, you’ll just have to make yourself watch it. Put it in the DVD player and sit down with a glass of water and a bowl of buttered popcorn. You should feel a bit better in about an hour and a half. (Yes, I told you not to be a couch potato, but this is an exception.)

There. You should, hopefully, feel a bit better about yourself and not nearly as gloomy.

I’m going to go try some of these myself…

Underlying cloud photo credit: Yogendra Joshi

Whenever I think of Mean Girls, I remember this little exchange between Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan) and Regina George (Rachel McAdams):

Regina: But you’re, like, really pretty.
Cady: Thank you.
Regina: So you agree?
Cady: What?
Regina: You think you’re really pretty?
Cady: Oh… I don’t know

Regina turns things around and makes it sound like it’s a bad thing to think that you’re pretty.

Here’s a clip of the scene:

Later in the movie, Cady is encouraged to go along with the other girls as they talk badly about their looks while standing in front of a mirror.

I think about this a lot. Not just the scene in the movie, but the state of our society today. We—especially women—are encouraged to focus on the negative aspects of our personalities or looks. We’re seen as conceited if we mention what we like about ourselves.

And that’s just wrong.

So, today, know that you are beautiful. Inside and out. And not only that: don’t be afraid to admit it.

Ignore the Regina Georges of the world.

You are awesome.

Created by former Lost executive producers (so you know right there that it has serious potential for awesomeness), Once Upon a Time is about a town caught between two worlds: ours and the land of fairytales. A woman named Emma Swan comes to town and finds out from her long-lost son that the people living in town are stuck in both worlds and don’t even know it.

Check out the trailer for Once Upon a Time, because my words can’t even do it justice:

Sooooo coooool. I can’t wait for fall.

As you may have noticed, there are some very pretty and stylish ladies on the show. I consider them each to be current style icons.

Ginnifer Goodwin, who plays Snow White/Sister Mary Margaret, is just plain adorable. You can see here that she chopped her hair into a cute pixie cut for the premier of her current movie Something Borrowed. Super sculpted brows and a neutral lip make it so all you see is her cuteness (with a bit of extra sass.)

Jennifer Morrison plays Emma Swan. You may remember her from the first seasons of House MD or recent episodes of How I Met Your Mother. I love that she’s gone blonde recently. It really suits her skin. Plus, red lipstick matching her red dress = meow!

Lana Parrilla plays the Evil Queen/Regina in Once Upon a Time, and she can really pull it off. Lana’s been on a bunch of shows including Swingtown, Windfall and 24. Also rocking the short hair, Lana pulls of a red lip along with a slate, low-cut ruffled top.

As you can see, there are some inspiring ladies on the upcoming Once Upon a Time, not just for their beauty, but for their acting prowess as well.

Another thing I’m excited about for Once Upon a Time: total inspiration for fairytale makeup.

Also starring in Once Upon a Time:

• Robert Carlyle as Rumplestiltskin/Mr. Gold
• Jamie Dornan as Sheriff Graham
• Jared Gilmore as Henry
• Josh Dallas as Prince Charming/John Doe
• Raphael Sbarge as Jiminy Cricket/Archie

Are you going to watch the show come the fall TV season? Are you as excited as I am? Because I could just burst.

Photo credit: ABC and Star Pulse

Most of the time, we’re told that bumped bangs (or what I call “pomped bangs”) can only be created using a lot of teasing, hair products, and maybe some Bumpits.

I have news for you: you don’t need any of that crap to pomp—or bump—your bangs. All you need is…

• A brush.
• Some bobby pins.

That’s it. I’m serious!

If you want to pomp your bangs (or “fringe” for my European readers), you can follow this totally awesome tutorial video I made for YouTube.

See? Easy.

Now go bump up you bangs! It’ll look cool, I promise.

For a long time I didn’t think I could pull off blue eye shadow, but I figured it out eventually. The same could be done for pink shadow.

So, before you scoff at the thought, check out some of these pink eye shadow tutorials and faces of the day. Some are all pink, while others pair it with different colors. You just might get inspired!

Six Ways to Wear Pink Eye Shadow

Daily Lipstick Look

Geranium

Blueberry

Watermelon

FOTD: Nerdy McNerd

FOTD: Spring is Coming

Going to try some pink eye shadow now?

And you know what? I’m not sad about it. There’s nothing wrong with being single.

I repeat: there is nothing wrong with being single.

And while I may not have a date for the big day, I’m still going to celebrate. Why not? I think of Valentine’s Day as a celebration of love. And I love myself.

So, this year, I’m my own Valentine.

In the spirit of the holiday, I’ve built up a list of ideas of things to do on Valentine’s Day when you’re single. Enjoy!

50 Ways to Celebrate Valentine’s Day When You Are Single

1. Give yourself a pedicure. Scrub at your calluses, moisturize and paint your toes. Really pamper those tootsies.
2. Put on a fancy dress. You don’t need an excuse like having a date in order to wear something adorable.
3. Hang out with your single friends. Get together and watch romantic movies.
4. Have an anti-Valentine’s Day party. No couples allowed!
5. Have a romantic movie marathon from the comfort of your home. Keep the Kleenex handy when you watch The Notebook—you’re gonna cry!
6. Cook yourself a fancy, homemade dinner.
7. Eat that dinner by candlelight.
8. Buy yourself something nice. Been eyeing that new romance novel? Go get it!
9. Take a luxurious bath. I’m talking candles, bath salts, music—the works!
10. Go to the movies by yourself. Watch an action flick for some carnage if you don’t want to sit amidst the happy couples at a romance movie.
11. Go for a hike at a park. Since it’s probably cold and snowy, bundle up.
12. Take a camera with you so you can document your day.
13. Do your makeup in pinks and reds to match the lovey-dovey day.
14. Wear the brightest, reddest lipstick you can find. Valentine’s Day is the best day of the whole year for some red lipstick.
15. Attend a local music concert. Jam out to your favorite bands or learn the songs to a group you never would have heard if you hadn’t gotten out there.
16. Attend a single’s mixer. There are probably at least a few going on in your town. Who knows, you may not be single by the end of the night.
17. Veg out and read women’s magazines.
18. Give yourself a French manicure.
19. Volunteer at a homeless shelter. Give out Valentine’s dinners to those in need.
20. Visit an old folk’s home and hand out Valentine’s cards.
21. Take your child/nephew/niece/grandkid to a kid’s movie. Give them some heart shaped candies and a Valentine.
22. Take your parents out to eat. They may already have plans for dinner, but you can still treat them to lunch.
23. Call an old friend. Time to catch up!
24. Blog about it. Tell your blogging friends what you’re up to and how you’re feeling about being single on this romantic holiday.
25. Take a no-Internet day. Stay away from the computer and your mobile Internet devices. Spend the time reading or going for a walk instead.
26. Bake some cookies. Coat them in pink frosting and red decorative sugar. Promptly eat half.
27. Give some Valentine’s cookies to your neighbors.
28. Exercise. It gets your endorphins going almost as much as it would if you had a date.
29. For that matter, eat some chocolate as well. It’ll also give you good feelings.
30. Write up a list of things you love about yourself.
31. Give yourself some flowers. After all, you’re your own Valentine.
32. Do an arts and crafts project related to love. Paint some red and pink hearts or make a collage of your favorite things.
33. Buy your best friend a Valentine, even if she isn’t single.
34. Dye your food pink or red today with food coloring. Red milk. Pink eggs. Red Mac and Cheese. You name it.
35. Put on some high heels. Even if you’re spending the night in, they’ll make you feel pretty.
36. Bake a heart-shaped cake. Share it with your single friends.
37. Ask out the boy you like. You may be single today, but you don’t have to be single tomorrow.
38. Give your eyebrows some much-needed grooming.
39. Do a face mask!
40. Homemade pore strips, to the rescue.
41. Start the 30 Day Ultimate Beauty Makeover.
42. Bust out some yoga for relaxation.
43. Say you’re sorry to anyone you’ve wronged recently.
44. Smile. Smile all day long. Who care’s if you’re single? You can still be happy.
45. Write a love poem to yourself.
46. Send flowers to your crush. Sign it “From Your Secret Admirer.”
47. Watch Secret Admirer with C. Thomas Howell. Very good movie! It also stars Rebecca from Full House when she was just a teen. And John Travolta’s wife.
48. Attend a karate class and work out some of that tension.
49. Pour yourself some pink champagne.
50. Pour yourself some pink Sprite, if you’re alcohol-free.

I think I’ll definitely do some of these this year, including 1, 2, 5, 6, 44 and 50.

What are you doing for Valentine’s Day?

Photo credit: Kate Ter Haar

Actually, today is even more special, since the date reads 1-1-11. Have you ever made a wish when the clock struck 11:11? Well, think of today as one big 24-hour period made specifically for awesome wishes.

And you know what that means: New Year’s resolutions.

Have you made any yet? To help you plan out a new year, making your life—and you—a whole lot better, I’ve compiled some helpful tips from Makeup Files over the years.

Go on, be a better you. Make the life you dream of.

Beautiful Ways to Improve Yourself in 2011

• Make a list of resolutions all about beauty with Beautiful New Year’s Resolutions.
• Become even more beautiful than you already are (which is a challenge, since you’re already radiant) with a list of 21 Ways to Improve Your Makeup Look.
• Save money this year with 5 Ways to Get Inexpensive Makeup.
• Thinking of going for a new hair color in 2011? Dye your hair at home with the helpful tips in Home Hair Dying 101.
• Take the challenge! Follow the 10 Days to Ultimate Beauty challenge, or take it even further with my ebook, The 30 Day Ultimate Beauty Makeover.
• Look adorable while you work on your fitness resolutions with How to Look Cute While Jogging.
• Have your romantic wishes come true with 5 Beautiful Ways to Make it to the Second Date.
• Time to feel better about yourself by reciting the 26 Mantras for Powerful Self-Esteem.
• Don’t want to wear makeup every day of your life? You can still look amazing! Follow the tips in 5 Ways to Look More Beautiful Without Makeup and 10 More Ways to Look Beautiful Without Makeup.
• While you’re at it, improve your self-esteem even more with How to Feel Better About Yourself.

There’s no reason why 2011 can’t be amazing. Especially if you work hard to make it your best year yet.

Photo credit: Jesse757

But how do you feel better about yourself? Well, it takes time and a few simple tricks.

How to feel better about yourself and increase your self-esteem:

1. Accept your flaws, but don’t dwell on them. No one is perfect. I repeat: no one is perfect. Including you. So accept your flaws, acknowledge your weaknesses, and move on. If you want, try to improve them. And if you start to dwell on you flaws, repeat to yourself “No one is perfect.”
2. Focus on what makes you great. Are you great with animals? Do you have awesome hair? Are you a good friend? Give your attention to these positive attributes, especially when you’re feeling down. If you have a hard time remembering them, write them down and keep the list handy.
3. Hang out with nice people. If you have one of those friends that makes you feel bad at every turn, criticizing you and talking behind your back, stop hanging out with her. She’s not worth your time. Once you have only good friends who are nice to you, you won’t have those negative influences to make you feel bad all the time.
4. Accept compliments. I know this can be hard, especially for girls. We’re taught to be humble and to respond negatively to compliments. Don’t do that anymore. When someone compliments you, say thank you and smile. Not only that, but absorb the compliment. If someone says they like your hair, believe it.
5. Do something you enjoy. Happiness directly affects the way you feel about yourself. So, if you’re feeling down, go do something that makes you happy. Read a bodice-ripper romance novel or go for a run in a beautiful park. Whatever it is, do it right away so you don’t wallow in the bad mood.

Hopefully you’re feeling better about yourself already.

Photo credit: Roman Gomez

But how about some more tips? After all, it always good to look super cute without makeup.

Then, once you look hot without makeup, you won’t be afraid to head to the grocery store with a naked face. It’s a win-win!

10 More Ways to Look Beautiful—Even Without Makeup

1. Dress up. Throw on your favorite dress or a flouncy skirt. Just because you’re not wearing makeup doesn’t mean you can’t look amazing.
2. Give yourself a mani/pedi. Paint your fingernails and toenails some awesome colors. Don’t match the polishes, though. Go for a different color on your fingers than on your toes.
3. Focus on the shoes. Show off your adorable toes with peep-toe shoes or flip flops. Wear your favorite pair of low heels. Anything that’s cute and that makes you happy.
4. Improve your self-esteem and confidence. When you know that you look good, that confidence will shine through, and others will agree with you.
5. Exfoliate your face. Slough off all the dirt and dried skin that’s making your face look ruddy and dry. The better your skin, the better you’ll look overall.
6. Moisturize. After exfoliating, you have to keep your face quenched. Also throw on some SPF for good measure.
7. Get lots of sleep. With only a few hours of sleep, you’ll wake up puffy with dark circles under your eyes. Try to get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night to look rested.
8. Eat healthy. I’m not going to lecture you. Just know that if you replace some junk food with fruits and vegetables, you’ll look healthier and prettier.
9. Go for a walk. The exercise will do you good and give you a nice glow that acts as a natural blush, especially when you walk outside in colder weather.
10. Use clear lip balm. It’ll quench your lips so they don’t peel or dry out. You’ll have kissable lips! Pick a balm with SPF so you don’t get a nasty sunburn there either.

Have any other ideas on how to look great without makeup? Share your tips in the comments section below!

So rather than feeling sad at summer’s impending doom, resolve to spend the last days of summer having F-U-N.

10 Ways to Enjoy the Last Days of Summer

1. Have a picnic at a park and invite everyone you know. Make it a potluck so everyone can bring their best dishes. Keep storage containers on hand so people can bring home leftovers. Set up a volleyball net and games of crochet and bocce ball.
2. Wear your most colorful and fun clothing. Summers all about bright colors. Wear green dresses or red jeans. Do your makeup in bright colorful shadows to match.
3. Go for a walk through your neighborhood. Appreciate the way the warm air feels on your face, and the scents of the trees, grass and flowers. Wave and say hello to everyone you pass.
4. Look up all of the outdoor events in your area. Attend every one of them. You won’t get the same chance until winter is over, especially if you live in a place that gets snowy or super cold.
5. Pick wildflowers and fill up a few vases. Place the vases all around your home: on your desk, as a dining table centerpiece or on your bedroom dresser. Wake up to the smell of fresh flowers.
6. Read a book outside. Reading a book under a tree while sitting on a blanket totally changes the way you experience the words. Don’t miss out on this important summer occasion.
7. Go on a road trip. Enlist some of your best friends and go for a day-trip to a local outdoor attraction. Make a special music playlist to listen to on the drive. Gossip about life and discuss the things most important to you with your friends. It’s bonding time!
8. Get dressed up for no reason. Wear your fanciest dress while doing normal, everyday things. Visit the post office. Peruse the stores at the mall. Eat at a casual restaurant. You don’t need an excuse to get fancy!
9. Get a pedicure. Soon, you’ll be covering up your tootsies with thick socks and heavy boots. Before it’s too late, dazzle up your feet with a nice pedicure. Choose a flashy nail polish color so your feet get all of the attention. Wear sandals to show them off.
10. Hold a garage sale. Garage sale season is almost over. Get rid of all the clutter in your home and sell it out on the driveway. You can make a little extra cash, get rid of things you don’t like, and make someone else’s day. If you live in an apartment, give it to charity instead! Or sell the good stuff on eBay!

Quick! Do these things before it’s too late. Or you’ll have to wait until next summer to have all of this outdoor fun.

And to my readers in the southern hemisphere: congrats on getting out of winter! Spring is at your door. Use these suggestions for having fun in the warmer months to come.

Photo credit: Crystal