January, 2012 | List Producer

3 Secrets to Making Homemade Meals

January 31, 2012/in Benefits of List Making, Children, Decision Making, Fellow List Producers, Food, Guest Posts, Health, Home, Increase Productivity, Learning With a List, Reduce Stress, Relationships, Saving Money, Saving Time, Shopping, Tool for Success/by Paula Rizzo

D Sharon Pruitt

Just this past weekend my parents came over to visit and it was like Iron Chef America in my kitchen. My mom helped me prepare delicious meals for practically every night of the week! We made chicken soup from scratch, lasagna and chicken cacciatore — yum! Weekends are a great time to catch up and make healthy meals that will last you the whole week long. This is the best time of the week to cook proper meals as it can be difficult to make them to the highest standard in the week. My mom even suggested to me that I should have a look at these hailey home personalized cutting boards as a way to encourage me to cook more when I have a spare moment. She has one, and she says that she gets excited every time she uses it because it is personalized to her. I may have a look soon as I do like cooking and I want to be able to spend more time doing it.

When I started making lists as a Tastemaker for SkinnyScoop.com — I was introduced to Liza Huber, the founder of SageSpoonfuls.com, who empowers moms to make fresh food for their families. She created this list so we can find some time to eat better: Read more

Questions to Ask Your Mother (or Father) Before It Is Too Late

January 27, 2012/in Benefits of List Making, Boost Memory, Children, Decision Making, Fellow List Producers, Guest Posts, Health, Home, Increase Productivity, Learning With a List, Reduce Stress, Relationships, Tool for Success/by Paula Rizzo

Pretty much without fail — I call my mother every single day. I love checking in and seeing how her day was and filling her in on mine. I realize not everyone does this — but I love the relationship I have with my mom. If it’s one hour or one minute — we always check in with each other. It’s very comforting.

I recently did a teleseminar with Meggin McIntosh and of course my mom was listening on the line. She’s been my biggest cheerleader for every stage of my life and I’m fortunate to have her in my life. Not everyone talks to their mother every day but as Meggin writes in this guest blog — there are some questions you should be sure to ask the next time you talk: Read more

Making Visual Lists With Pinterest

January 25, 2012/in Art, Beauty, Benefits of List Making, Books, Boost Memory, Decorating, Fashion, Fellow List Producers, Fitness, Food, Guest Posts, Health, Home, Increase Productivity, Learning With a List, List Making, Reduce Stress, Relationships, Saving Money, Saving Time, Shopping, Technology, Tool for Success, Uncategorized/by Paula Rizzo

There are lots of different ways to make lists — handwritten, apps, typed out in documents, by calling your voicemail, and even by drawing pictures. The website Pinterest.com is changing the list-making game. I have been dedicating some real time to getting to know it and it’s fabulous. It’s so much fun and once you start you won’t be able to stop! My guest blogger Jennifer Anastasi is addicted!

Go Paperless With Pinterest

by Jennifer Anastasi

Have you heard of Pinterest? I’m a do-it-yourself, crafty type so I always have a list of project ideas a mile long. Previously, I thought I was pretty organized by keeping my ideas in a 3-ring binder and going through them every few months to weed out things that I’ve done or no longer plan to do. However, I’ve ditched the binder since discovering Pinterest. Seriously, I am in love with Pinterest and it has been so much fun to use it to organize my vision boards, craft ideas and more online! No more magazine clippings, random notes and paper scraps! I’ve gone paperless with Pinterest and you can too. Read more

Remembering Charla Krupp: Look Fabulous, Not Frumpy

January 24, 2012/in Benefits of List Making, Decision Making, Fashion, Guest Posts, Saving Money, Saving Time/by Paula Rizzo

I’m reposting this blog post as a tribute to an amazing journalist. Sadly — beauty and fashion expert Charla Krupp lost her battle with breast cancer last night. She was 58.

Charla has changed the way women think about their bodies and about what they put on each morning. Charla was a former Instyle and Glamour editor turned New York Times best-selling author of “How Not to Look Old” and “How to Never Look Fat Again.”

You may have seen her on TV through the years — she has appeared on every major network giving tips and tricks for looking your best.

When I first started this blog — she graciously wrote a guest post for me. Here are her tips for looking fabulous – not frumpy!

17 Tips to Look Fabulous — Not Frumpy

by Charla Krupp

1. If you have back fat, a tummy, or thighs that need slimming, wear shapewear. There are a lot of comfortable options– even for swimsuits with shapewear built-in.

2. Pick your girls up as far as you can hoist them…in the right bra! If you haven’t had your bra fitted in years, you are likely to need a bigger cup and a smaller band.

3. Collar-length hair is more flattering on a full face than a bob with short bangs. Read more

Checklist for Living in the Moment

January 20, 2012/in Benefits of List Making, Decision Making, Guest Posts, Health, Increase Productivity, Learning With a List, Reduce Stress, Relationships, Tool for Success/by Paula Rizzo

Whenever someone gets engaged or married or has a birthday I always say the same thing “enjoy every second.” It’s so easy to get caught up in the moment and lose sight of the real purpose of the event. That can be said for almost anything in life — even just sitting down for morning cup of tea. How often are you checking your blackberry and really not present in the moment when you’re having lunch with a friend?

So how do you live in the moment and truly enjoy life to the fullest? Ha — it’s really not that easy — but this checklist from author, life coach and psychotherapist Lauren Mackler will give you some ideas.

The Art of Living in the Moment

By Lauren Mackler

Ideally, a balanced life encompasses the ability to learn from the past, live consciously in the moment, and work toward your hopes and dreams for the future.

Think about people you know who are so caught up in their work or personal dramas that they never enjoy life in the present. Maybe this is you! Perhaps you have trouble relaxing, even when you feel mentally and physically exhausted. Maybe you just can’t stop worrying about what might happen or ruminating about what you should be doing. Read more