Brittany Elizabeth Williams

As much as I enjoy visiting somewhere new and being introduced to their customs, cultures, people, and places, many of the most meaningful experiences don't require passports and airfare. Sometimes all you need is to take a drive, enjoy your surroundings, and spend time with loved ones to gain all the inspiration and growth travel brings. It was so special to go back to the same location where we took my maternity photos the year before, but this time, Olive could enjoy the view as well 😍 at one of my favorite restaurants and enjoyed a cozy lunch on the outdoor patio with a beautiful view of the river and redwood trees. While traveling the world gives you a vast amount of new experiences, when you visit a cherished place often you gain a depth of experience that can only be achieved by revisiting over and over again.

For instance, if a person learns/knows that one of their habits raises negative health risk they may feel tension between their actions (smoking, drinking, not exercising, etc) and knowing that these actions negatively affect health. They can choose to ease this feeling by discounting health warnings, or reasoning with themselves  'my life is stressful', "drinking eases my anxiety", "I don't have time to exercise" (justify, rationalize) —or by deciding to change behavior (positive behavioral change). What I like most about cognitive dissonance is that it poses a challenge: How can we resolve the uncomfortable feeling that arises when our own thoughts and actions clash with each other? It's important to think about how it can lead to coping choices that have negative impacts when we choose to justify our actions or thoughts (not doing something we should or doing something we shouldn’t)...but it can also lead to positive change and growth.

It's very important for me to find safe and non-toxic products for Olive (and myself! ) and was shocked when I found it nearly impossible to find a simple play mat for my daughter that wasn't made with toxic chemicals. The company was founded by a father who realized a non-toxic foam play mat was missing in the current market and wanted to create a safe, high-quality product for his children. The mat is comprised of 10 layers of shock-absorbent material made of non-cross linked PE foam sheets laminated through a chemical-free adhesive method for an optimal thickness of 1.6 inches. Color Cream Haus color palette is soft neutrals and pastel hues consisting of grey, cream, blue and pink. .

New Year's resolutions are typically goals we want to achieve and behaviors we want to eliminate so they are a great way to make a positive change in our life, but according to U. S. news, 80% of New Year's resolutions fail by February. The more important thing to look at is why we have adopted these poor habits we want to change or haven't achieved the goals we hope for. A British researcher found that if you have a plan of concrete actions or small steps you can take on a daily basis for at least two months you won't feel the need to 'perform' and instead they become consistent activities or habits in your life that encourages long term change and achievement. When you make an effort to change your mindset surrounding your resolutions you will feel happier, more fulfilled, and therefore less likely to dwell, obsess, compare, or feel unsuccessful from trying to achieve drastic goals you think will change these very human and very common feelings.