Motivational Monday: On Forming Habits

The holidays are coming up and although we are thinking about spending time with family we haven't seen all year, we also find ourselves thinking about the new year that is literally right around the corner. With the thought of the new year and all of its surprises we have yet to experience, the one thing that is constantly on everyone's mind are their New Years' Resolutions.

Every year, we find ourselves making promises to form habits that we hope will make us better, richer, wiser, healthier. We wait until the holiday feasting is over, the presents are opened, and the fun is out before we decide to take our resolutions and try our best to transform them into our new daily habits. But my question is "WHY?" Why would you wait until January 1st to try to formulate a habit just to leave it out in the cold not even two weeks down the line? And then when the Spring and Summer come we curse ourselves for not sticking to our New Years' Resolution JUST to start the cycle all over again come the new holiday season! STOP IT!

Stop waiting until the new year rushes in to form a habit. Why not form a habit starting in December or even after Thanksgiving so that when January 1st rolls around, not only can you stick to your new New Years' Resolution but it's a habit that you can't see yourself break. It's common knowledge that it takes about 21-28 days to form a habit, but that truly depends on what habit you are forming and the type of person you are. It depends on your determination and willingness to maintain the ultimate goal or purpose that you are trying to pursue.

I know several life coaches and fitness gurus started the 30 day challenges and invited others to join in at the start of December, but like I said it takes aproximately 21 days to form a habit. So I challenge you, if you have a long list of resolutions that you hope to turn into life changing habits, START TODAY! As of this post there are approximately 20 days until the new year comes in.

"Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going."
       - Jim Ryun

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Know your history: July 4th

Do you know what the history is behind the Fourth of July?

Why do we celebrate Memorial Day?

Not sure about you, but every time a holiday comes up I always ask myself, "why do we celebrate that holiday?" or "where did that particular holiday originate from?" Below are some interesting facts about Memorial Day and why we celebrate it...

• Memorial Day, which falls on the last Monday of May, honors the men and women who died while serving in the American military.


• Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971


• It was first widely observed on May 30, 1868, to honor the sacrifices of Civil War soldiers.


• In 1966, the federal government, under the direction of President Lyndon Johnson, declared Waterloo, N.Y., the official birthplace of Memorial Day. They chose Waterloo—which had first celebrated the day on May 5, 1866—because the town had made Memorial Day an annual, community-wide event during which businesses closed and residents decorated the graves of soldiers with flowers and flags.


• Today, Memorial Day is celebrated at Arlington National Cemetery with a ceremony in which a small American flag is placed on each grave. Also, it is customary for the president or vice-president to give a speech honoring the contributions of the dead and lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.


• Several Southern states continue to set aside a special day for honoring the Confederate dead, which is usually called Confederate Memorial Day.


• Veterans Day, which is a day where Americans honor veterans dead of alive.

(via History.com)

So now you know.Happy Memorial Day.

The Unemployed Entrepreneur

How was Mother's Day created?

With Mother's Day right around the corner, I'm sure plenty of people are scrambling around trying to figure out what to get their mom's for the special day. But have you ever wondered where the holiday came from and why exactly we celebrate the day? Certainly, with everything that mother's do and how much they influence our every day lives from the time we are in the womb to the time we take our last breath, mothers deserve a day all their own. But when and how did the day come about?

Interestingly, Mother's Day was not created by the greeting card industry although it is the third largest card sending holiday in the U.S. It actually has it's origins in Ancient Greece where each spring patrons celebrated Rhea, the Mother of the Gods.

Modern day Mother's Day is credited to Julia Ward Howe, author of the Battle Hymn of the Republic, and Anna Jarvis in the mid 19th century.

"After her mother’s death in 1905 Anna Jarvis dedicated her life to creating a day that honored mothers—living and dead.She took up a letter writing campaign and brought her idea up to everyone she could. Eventually a local church, Andrews Methodist Church in Grafton, WV, where Jarvis had taught Sunday school classes for 20 years, took notice and is credited with the first Mother’s Day observance."

And in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed that the second Sunday in May was Mother's Day in the United States

Read More about the creation of Mother's day here.

So as Mother's Day approaches, think about all the wonderful things your mother, mommie to be, and surrogate mom has done to influence you in your life. Give her something special and from the heart that you know she'll enjoy for years to come.

Happy Mother's Day to all the Mothers, Mommies to be, and Surrogate Moms out there. It's because of you that we live today.

The Unemployed Entrepreneur

Happy Holidays from SOA Event Concepts!

Happy Holidays from SOA Event Concepts!!!!

With fun, food, and festivities sometimes we forget that there are others who don't have such a merry Christmas. Whether you donate money, clothes, blankets or toys don't forget your part in making someone less fortunate feel like they are important for Christmas too. Lest we forget the REAL meaning of Christmas...

From us here at SOA Event Concepts, LLC have a fantastic Holiday and a very Merry Christmas.

Christmas circa 2007 with my brothers. One of my favorite things about Christmas is family.

What's your favorite thing about the Holidays and Christmas?

SOA Event Design: The Holiday Table Scape

As SOA Event Concepts grows, so does my ambition to take it to the next level. Eventually I want to get into the event and interior design field with my company, as well as other avenues. As the holidays approach, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to test my design skills. Special thank you to my friends, Mattie and Chris James, for allowing me to test my design skills in their dining room.

Look at some of the left over holiday decor or the off season decor you have lying around the house and let your creative mind do the decorating. Use these photos for inspiration for your upcoming holiday party or holiday dinner decor.

Glitz and Snow: A Contemporary Design

This design was inspired by the large mosaic vases. With an emphasis on the color silver showcased in different ways and pops of purple, this design can go beyond just any holiday party. It's perfect for a New Years dinner!

Wish

Most of us wish for happiness and family time for the holidays. Make your wishes known. A nice decorative display lets everyone know what you're thinking. With pine cone and red ornament accents, you can transform your dinner table or buffet into a beautiful holiday display. *SOA secret: turn a clear square vase on its side, fill it with decorative ornaments and you've instantly created a neat display stand*

Roman Holiday

I was inspired by the gold fruit and pedestal vases for this design. Going along with the holiday theme, Christmas ornaments went from tree decor to table design instantly. The little horn accents where cleverly added as place card or menu holders and centerpiece accents.

Deck the Halls

Poinsettias, THE holiday flower. Or at least I like to think so. I allowed the Poinsettias to be the star of this tablescape and added a simple touch with the ornaments by hanging them from the chandelier. It was a nice touch as it appears to be hovering over the pedestal vases. An assortment of candles finishes the look off. *SOA secret: who says all of your candles have to match or strictly be votives? Add some pizazz by adding scented and/or colored candles to your display*

I had a great time putting together these displays and diving into the artistic side of my creativity. To check out more inspiration, Like us on Facebook and browse our album I hope these designs give you a ton of ideas and inspiration for how to decorate for your holiday party or dinner.

The Unemployed [but Empowered] Entrepreneur

5 unique holiday party ideas

With the holidays comes holiday parties. You have your office holiday party that usually doesn't stray from the norm, but when it comes to your holiday party why not kick the box down the street? Have you ever been to an ugly Christmas sweater party? What about a Jingle Bell bash? Craving some culture? Have a Merry ChristmaHanuKwanzakah Party and experience all of the December holidays? Here are 5 unique holiday party ideas for you next holiday party.

1. Jingle Bell Bash-
   Remember when you were a kid how much you loved to sing Christmas songs and carol to others. Why does that have to stop just because you are an adult? Get a group of your friends, put on your old Santa hat and have a party based on those Christmas songs. Get some chestnuts to roast on the fire. Leave out the milk and cookies. Sprinkle a little cheer and you have an instant holiday get together. For some added fun, take your friends to the neighborhood and spread some cheer by singing Christmas carols to your neighbors. Nothing says warm and fuzzy like your best friends rendition of "Santa baby."


2. Ugly Sweater Party-
   Yes, it's true. The worst present you've ever received now has the opportunity to bring some holiday cheer and great conversation. This type of party became popular only a few years ago and it is fast becoming a holiday tradition. Put together a holiday get together and encourage your attendees to wear their worst sweater. Make it a contest and give the winner a sweet gift! Like a gift certificate to Express to replace their ugly sweater.


3. Holidays Around the World-
   We aren't the only culture in the world to do some amazing things for the holidays. Have you ever heard of Boxing Day? Like most people, I grew up thinking boxing day had to do with either boxes or boxing. But after some research, I found out that it is actually a very sweet holiday. Families box gifts to give to the less fortunate. If you ask me that's the REAL spirit of Christmas. Do a little bit of research and host a party that provides awesome facts, foods, and traditions from other cultures around the world.


4. ChristmaHanuKwanzakah Party-
   Think about it. Not everyone celebrates Christmas. Why not host a party that takes the major elements from Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa? Research more information about food, decor, and traditions and give your friends and family a new view of the holidays.


5. Winter Solstice Soiree-
   Before there was ever a Christmas, as we know it today, people celebrated the beginning of the winter solstice. Take winter elements like snowflakes and colors like white, silver, and ice blue and incorporate it into your holiday decor. Warm your guests up by creating a menu of hot treats like spiced hot chocolotate or warm soup and sandwiches.

The holidays are more than just Christmas and parties, but if you are going to have a holiday get together why not host one that is non-traditional. With a culturally driven event you can give your friends the gift of knowledge by teaching them about the holidays of other cultures. For good ole fashioned fun ladden with memories of your youth, caroling and merriment will always be a hit.

The Unemployed Entrepreneur

SOA How To: Easy Holiday Decor idea #1

After much planning and fun with the Sisters In Action presents Holidays Around the World event, I realized that I definitely want to eventually take SOA Event Concepts to the all-in-one route. It has been established as an event planning and event management company and slowly I am dabbling in the event decor side of it. This post is about my first hand at decor creation and how you can utilize it in your home. Not only is it easy, it's affordable. After I stepped away from the final project, I felt a little bit like the brown skinned Martha Stewart. Try it out!

Easy Holiday Decor Idea #1:

Materials Needed:
empty boxes of various sizes (you can get them from Wal-Mart late at night as well as most office supplies stores. simply ask an employee and they'll help you.)
wrapping paper (since it's the holidays, that's what I chose)
invisible tape (to make your closures appear seamless)
scissors
decorative bows of various sizes (this helps to give the boxes a finished look)

Once you have found the boxes you want to use, begin to wrap them by laying the first one flat in the middle of the wrapping paper. Make sure that there is enough paper on each side to cover the box completely.

Tape the first flap to the box to secure and fold over the next flap of paper and tape. At the ends, fold the paper into two triangles by folding the sides inwards and creasing the edges of the triangle. Tape the bottom flap up and tape then do the same for the top flap. Repeat on the other side.

Finish with a beautiful bow and Voila! you have a beautiful Holiday box.

Repeat with 3 or more boxes of various sizes and display on your tables, entry way, or even in your store front.

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And just in case my directions were a bit unclear (I'm a how to newbie), here is a great link on how to wrap boxed gifts WITH pictures!

SOA, The Unemployed [but Empowered and Resourceful] Entrepreneur

SOA Event Plug: Holidays Around the World

If you or someone you know wants to volunteer or be a vendor for this event, please email me at shawntel@soaeventconcepts.com. For inquiries on sponsorship and entertainment please email Carl Daniel at contact@myceejay.com

We'll see you December 11th!