How to be Smarter: The same rule to getting a tattoo applies to sending a harshly-worded text message: stop, take a moment to think about it, and decide if it’s really the impression you want someone to have of you forever. How to be Prettier: When walking to greet someone, after they come into view, [...]

How to be Smarter: Always believe that you can change. When you stop believing you can change, you settle for the person you are today, instead of striving to be an even better person tomorrow. How to be Prettier: My last post talked about the importance of decorating any place you spend a lot of [...]

How to be Smarter: Helpful productivity tip (and the entire site is great to explore, as well). How to be Prettier: Even if a space isn’t your favorite place to be (your office cubicle, your tiny dorm bedroom, your cramped apartment kitchen), any place you spend a lot of time deserves to be decorated in [...]

How to be Smarter: When buying a food item to enjoy immediately, make sure to double-check with the cashier that utensils (forks, spoons, knives) are included in the bag. Nothing is more frustrating than going through a drive-thru, getting so excited to eat your meal, and after sitting down at your picnic spot realizing there [...]

How to be Smarter: I just finished The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp, and found myself writing down quotes from it on almost every page: it’s a book that does a great job of marrying the concept of being imaginative with the concept of structured productivity. How to be Prettier: The size of your bag is [...]

How to be Smarter: Sometimes people act mad or mean when they are really just sad: sad because they realize the relationship is slipping out of their hands; sad because they depended on a dream and it fell short; sad because something they expected didn’t happen the way they wanted. Rude behavior is always inexcusable, [...]

How to be Smarter: When I first start packing my suitcase for a trip, I put a large balled-up sweatshirt that I don’t plan on bringing in the bottom of my bag. Once I am done packing, I take the sweatshirt out and my bag is lighter because even though I have (probably) continually stuffed clothes in [...]

I turn 25 today, and I thought I’d share my birthday joy with Smart Pretty and Awkward readers by doing a giveaway of two tickets to the 20 Something-Bloggers Summit. The conference is in Chicago next weekend (August 19-21), and I’m speaking on the panel entitled “Laying the Foundation/Creating a Community Around Your Blog,” about growing a dedicated [...]

How to be Smarter: People are always worrying about taking on too much at once. But I’d also be worried about taking on too little at once. There should be a constant cycle in your life of new ideas and new projects; the best way to move forward is to keep pushing yourself to engage the [...]

How to be Smarter: Life is like a scavenger hunt, except you are the one that gets to put together the list of things to collect. Think of what would be on your list: A picture of you at the top of the highest peak in North America? A feather from a free-range chicken you [...]

It’s Flash Friday again today over at 40:20 Vision, and today’s question is: ‘How much short-term and long-term planning do successful women really do?’!

How to be Smarter: If you keep turning your alarm off in your sleep, put it across the room so you have to physically get out of bed to turn it off. How to be Prettier: A designer item that you bought for the label only is a poor purchase. If you’re going to buy a [...]

How to be Smarter:  When times are tough and you feel scared or alone, shut your eyes and imagine it’s your birthday. Imagine everyone you love and who believes in you (including parents, best friends, favorite professors–everyone) is in the same room, and they are all singing to you over a plate of cake. Just [...]