Search Results

Let me tell you a secret—I’m a baby! No, don’t mean that I’m a 6 month old genius here typing out this post. I mean that when it comes to scary movies, I am a baby! I won’t watch them. It is not my cup of tea to be scared. Some people love it, they love the excitement, their hearts racing, the adrenaline pumping but not me! What’s my cup of tea? Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams in The Notebook comes to mind. BUT, it’s Halloween and to get festive and celebrate the holiday, I will throw on a scary (but not too scary) movie. I’m planning on celebrating Halloween with these “scary” movies. Hocus Pocus If you haven’t already seen this movie one hundred times throughout your life, fear not because I believe that Freeform will probably be playing it once a week for the entire month of October. I’ve seen this movie more times than I care to admit and every time I love it a little more! If you don’t know the story of the Sanderson sisters rising from the grave, because a virgin lit the black flame candle, and the craziness that ensues—then I implore you— watch this CLASSIC film! Insider tip: Hocus Pocus 2 is set to be released on Disney Plus in the fall of 2022! Favorite Quote: “Go to Hell!” “Oh! I've been there, thank you. I found it quite lovely.” Ghostbusters + Ghostbusters II Bill Murray makes ghosts and demons fun in these Eighties comedies. On the scary scale—these are a two, maybe a one point five. But these films are classic movies that will make you laugh all Halloween night while still watching something that is one theme for the evening. Insider tip: Ghostbusters Afterlife is set to be released this November! Favorite Quote: “Ray, when someone asks you if you're a God, you say yes!” The Addams Family + Addams Family Values The antics of a wealthy, yet unconventional family create the plot line for this classic film duo, adapted from the original comedy sitcom based on the characters from Charles Addams' New Yorker cartoons. The casting is perfect, the filming is wonderful it has everything needed for a Halloween family film. Each member of the household adds to the strange and eccentric vibe of the family in their own way. Insider tip: Netflix is working on a Tim Burton/Addams Family spin off called, “Wednesday”. Favorite Quote: [Wednesday and Pugsley are selling lemonade, a girl scout approaches] Girl Scout: I only like all-natural foods and beverages, organically grown, with no preservatives. Are you sure they’re real lemons? Pugsley: Yes. Girl Scout: Well, I’ll tell you what. I’ll buy a cup if you buy a box of my delicious Girl Scout cookies. Do we have a deal? Wednesday: Are they made from real Girl Scouts? A Quiet Place + A Quiet Place 2 I’ll be honest, I haven’t seen the second movie in this duo and it’s one I’m saving for Halloween night. However, the first film, A Quiet Place, was very good. The premise of an almost blind lifeform that detects it’s victims through sound, creates a terrifying environment where screaming for your life basically guarantees your death. I will be silently watching this film on bated breath! Favorite quote: ________________________ --remember the movie is about being quiet! If you're staying in this Halloween, enjoy these classic films and make a night of it, complete with a great Halloween spread of sweets and treats! ... VHM

This time of year, pumpkins are everywhere! Fall is in the air and the best way to capture it is by bringing a pumpkin home! Whether it’s interior décor, brightening your front porch or scaring the neighbor’s kids with a carved jack-o-lantern—pumpkins are an essential part of the season! But the question still remains, which color pumpkin is best? What color pumpkin are you decorating with this fall? Crisp, clean white? Consistent and classic orange? Or Organic and Original green? The color you choose could say a lot about your design aesthetic this season! White Pumpkins What white means: White is for minimalism and simplicity. If you know your science, then you’ll know that white light actually contains all the colors of the rainbow—but to the naked eye at least, white is the opposite: it’s the absence of any color. In Western cultures it’s often associated with virginity (think of brides wearing white on their wedding day as a symbol of purity), while in some East Asian countries it’s the color of mourning. When used in design, white creates a minimalist aesthetic. It can be very simple, clean and modern. It’s also the most neutral color of all and can be quite non-descript as a base for other, more saturated, colors. If you’re picking a white pumpkin, it probably means that you already love your current décor! You love neutrals and an air of refinement. You’re looking to add a simple touch of the season but not go overboard. You’re thinking—yeah, I know it’s fall, what else is new? You love your place, and you don’t need too much fall décor changing anything. Orange Pumpkins What orange means: Orange is for creativity, youth and enthusiasm. As a secondary color, orange combines the warmth and heat of red with the playfulness and joy of yellow. It attracts attention without being as daring as red, and is used for warning signs like traffic cones and high-visibility clothing. It’s an energetic color that can bring to mind health and vitality, given its obvious link to oranges and vitamin C. It’s a youthful color as well, bringing an element of vibrancy and fun. If you’re picking an orange pumpkin, it means one of two things. One, you love classic seasonal beauty! Rich and saturated tones of fall really do it for you. Give you the bold pop of color that comes with an orange pumpkin any day (well any day September – November!). Or two, you have kids! The bright fun colors that come with showing off orange pumpkins of all sizes makes them smile from ear to ear and you’re all for it! Green Pumpkins What green means: Green is for nature, growth and harmony—but also wealth and stability. Green is universally associated with nature, linked as it is to grass, plants and trees. It also represents growth and renewal, being the color of spring and rebirth. Another association is “getting the green light” to go ahead, giving it an association with taking action. In the US, green (and especially dark green) is also associated with money and so represents prosperity and stability. If you’re picking a green pumpkin, it probably means that you have a fresh take on the season. You’re not confined to the typical orange pumpkins and don’t want to be boxed in with the all-white, monochromatic crowd either. Green is fresh, and can be used to embrace the vitality of the warmer months throughout the fall season. Diving into the meaning of color can help you determine your fall décor and why you love your choices! Find out more about color meanings here. Very Happy Decorating! … VHM

It is officially fall! The weather is colder, the leaves are turning, and the pumpkin spice lattes are flowing! The best gifts this time of year embrace the elements of fall and deliver on our desire to stay cozy! These blankets make incredible gifts for anyone who loves to stay in and get cozy this time of year. Pair these blankets with a great candle, an apple cinder mix, or even a pair of slippers for the ultimate cozy gift! Pendleton Grand Canyon National Park Blanket This rich navy striped blanket is a handsome, yet cozy touch to anyone’s décor. Thrown over a chair as an accent or cuddled up by a fire this blanket will look good and keep your recipient nice and toasty! This Grand Canyon National Park Blanket would be perfectly paired with some s’mores ingredients! Chunky Knit Throw Your recipient will get lost in this thick, cozy blanket! If you’re looking for a great, heart warming (and body warming!) gift to give—this is it! The only downside to gifting this blanket is knowing that they will just have to compete with every family member and pet for first dibs on this blanket. Moroccan Pom Pom Blanket For the chicest recipient in your life, this elegant neutral blanket adds a touch of world-traveled whimsy with Moroccan pom poms. Perfect for keeping warm or looking good, this blanket will look perfect on any bed! Faribault Wool Blanket Perfectly simple, that’s all that needs to be said about this blanket. For the refined man or lover of neutrals and understated elegance—this blanket is the perfect gift! This classic wool blanket is a gift that will be re-gifted in the best way. It’s heirloom quality wool will make this a must have for generations to come! Barefoot Dreams Throw So you want to talk cozy? Let’s talk about the softest material by the most giftable company when it comes to cozy—Barefoot Dreams. Their signature soft fabric has been used in everything from robes to slippers, and if you’re looking to gift the indulgent gift of cozy, this throw takes the cake! These gifts are prefect for anyone on your gift list or to add a little warmth to your home. Stay cozy my friends! Very Happy Gifting! … VHM

While dried arrangements have been very trendy as of late, if you haven’t jumped on this trend band wagon, now is the time! The fall season is the perfect time to take advantage of dried florals and their low maintenance addition to ambiance. They are simple and easy to create and don’t require a lot of maintenance—you don’t have to water dried arrangements! And they will last for months and months. Here are a few flower recipes to make arranging your dried florals super easy. Simple Pampas Grass Creating an arrangement out of one type of “flower” is simple but also makes a statement. Just fill your vase with several stalks of dried pampas grass for a great fall arrangement. Pro tip – spray the grasses with hairspray to reduce shedding from the fluffy tops. Consistent Colors If creating a dried flower arrangement intimidates you at all, just stick to a similar color palette. Creating an arrangement with all the same colors creates an easy way to choose your stems, while letting the texture do the talking. Pairing dried thistle with pampas and bleached cattails makes a great arrangement all in the same color tones. Seasonal Palette If you’re ready to go bold with your arrangement, go for a great collection of saturated fall tones. Pairing died eucalyptus with cattails and pampas show all the tones of fall in a stunning arrangement! My favorite sources for dried flowers are my local florists. If your florists don’t carry a dried selection, you can have great stems shipped to you from Etsy or Amazon. Very Happy Arranging! … VHM

What do you do if you want to decorate for fall but you have limited space? Instagram is filled with huge, drop dead gorgeous homes that have so much space for decorating and therefore storage! If you’re a resident of a metropolitan area and live in a small space like I do then you know the struggle is real! The struggle to get your creativity on, while still having the space to live and not purchase a storage unit. So what’s the answer? How can you have a decorated home while still not needing additional storage? Natural décor is the answer! Using items that are natural and that will biodegrade over time, helps you get rid of items after the season is over and you don’t feel wasteful trashing store bought décor. Here are my favorite natural décor items for fall that you can get at your local grocery store at a great price. Pumpkins and Gourds The O.G. of fall décor! Pumpkins come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Grab one or several pumpkins depending on the size of your home for your tablescape, landscape and of course for carving. These biodegradable accents can also be used for your next pumpkin pie! Dried Florals Dried flowers, leaves and grasses are an easy way to bring the fall feeling into your home! The dried textures and colors accent add seasonal ambiance to your home. These decorations also have the added benefit of lasting throughout the season with little to no maintenance. You don’t need to water dried flowers! Pinecones During the fall season grocery stores and craft stores sell bags of fragranced pinecones. These add a great cinnamon scent to your home, reminiscent of fall foliage and sweet pies and seasonal desserts. The fragrance will easily last for weeks and when it’s gone, these also make great kindling if you have a fireplace. I also love to throw a bag of these pinecones in my back seat to add a seasonal air freshener to my car! Dried Corn Dried corn cobs cost just a few dollars at the store and make great kitchen accents during the fall. Add them to a bowl or tray for just a little touch fall that will last throughout the season. Add a name tag on a few of these and you have a great place setting at your Thanksgiving table! No matter how much space you have, these natural accents can add great touches of fall to your home! Very Happy Decorating! … VHM

I wanted to find wreaths that weren't your grandmother's wreaths, if you know what I mean! Fall is a season to celebrate and decorate, but if you're looking to decorate with updated, modern decor you might have a hard time finding something unique and beautiful. So if you're looking for fall decor that is updated and modern, look no further. Well look at this post, but then... look no further! Shelf Mushroom + Moss Wreath This hand-crafted wreath made from deep green moss, sponge mushroom s, and twists of grapevine, creates an organic, unique beauty--a perfect compliment for earthy fall decor. Black + White Wreath This modern meets bohemian fall wreath is the perfect decor touch if you love black + white. This wreath is a statement piece that will get noticed on any door! Preserved Blue Poppy Wreath This wreath has a wildflower air of relaxed elegance. Gathered wispy stems are assembled for an ethereal yet textured look, making this wreath stunning on any door, even vaguely reminiscent as a flower crown. Ashn Earth Golden Wreath Foraged branches, seed pods, stems, berries, and other dried bota Grass and Cotton Wreath For a true fall feeling this wreath embraces cotton buds and golden grasses for prairie themed decor. Fall Neutral Boho Wreath Asymmetrical balance meets organic beauty with dried foliage accented on a metal frame. Hang this stunner with flowers to the side or on the bottom for equally balanced options. Meadow Wreath Branches arranged with natural golden accents makes this wreath a true spectacle of the fall season. Warm oranges and browns, are highlighted with small white flowers makes this a breathtaking autumn accent. Quiet Snowfall Wreath This wreath makes the transition in decor, from fall to winter, an easy one. Fall forest finds of branches, pine cones and cotton buds are delicately dusted with white faux snow signaling the arrival of the winter cold. Any of these wreaths would be beautiful enough to gift or to get for the fall! If you're looking to add even more fall flair to your home check out this post. Very Happy Gifting! ... VHM

Are you burning through candles this season like it’s your job? When you adore seasonal home fragrances like I do, it can inevitably lead to an accumulation of candle containers. When I have an especially beautiful container I need to save it or reuse it in an extra special way. Whether it's a delicate trinket catchall or a great vase, I love to re-use the containers of these beautiful candles as a giftable vases! See I how reused this candle container from a recent candle below. What You’ll Need: An Empty Candle Container Gift Label Spoon Floral Foam Knife Flowers Prepare the Container Boil water to remove the remaining wax within the container. Pour hot water into the container. Allow water to sit in container until the wax becomes loose. Remove the wax that floats to the top with a spoon and any remaining wax in corners. Wipe clean. Once the container is clean and dry, add a gift label to the bottom of the container. It’s easier to this at this point, before the flowers go in. Shape the Floral Foam Since most candle containers are low and small, floral foam will help keep the stems vertical and perky in the low container. Cut the floral foam with a knife to fit in the candle container. Fill your sink with water. Drop the floral foam into water, per the foam’s instructions, for a few minutes until it sinks down in water. Start Arranging Flowers Place the wet floral foam into the empty candle container. Begin arranging the flowers while sticking the stems into the floral foam. Shown here are a mix of White Lilies, Green Leaves and St. John’s Wort green berries. Lilies and leaves are evenly spread throughout the container and foam. While St. John’s Wort is sporadically added to beautifully fill holes. You know the old adage--reduce, reuse and recycle--but make it fashion! Ok, I added that last part but gifting an arrangement in a previously loved candle container is a great gift to bring to a hostess or a housewarming party! Very Happy Gifting! ... VHM

Candles have to smell great, that’s pretty clear. But can they also look amazing too? Whether it’s for a gift or for your own home, you want the recipient or yourself to be proud to show it off. As we start to feel a chill in the air, we desire that warm and cozy feeling of fall. These fall candles not only smell great but look good while they burn! || Anthropologie Spiced Cider A lovely golden crackled glass container perfectly complements the spiced cider fragrance. Described as sparkling berries and grapes mix with harvest apple and cinnamon within a soothing vanilla and Canadian fir base, this candle will make any recipient fall in love with fall! || Boy Smells In a perfectly fall, warm gold color, this candle's woody fragrance will bring fall alive for any gift recipient. With it's tongue and cheek name, this Boy Smells candle is great for any anti-pumpkin-spice-latte friend on your list! || Lafco Sleek blown glass is filled with a delightful sweet gourmand fragrance in this Lafco Candle, making it a great gift for anyone who is a minimalist at heart but also secretly loves fall! || Voluspa This beautiful candle would be the perfect gift to pair with a seasonal coffee drink, Starbucks gift card, or in a basket with fall coffee beverage gifts. This embossed orange glass jar makes a lovely gift that visually enhances it's already enticing fragrance. || Marcel Perfect for the recipient in love with the floral aspect of fall. The dried flowers adorning this candle perfectly accent the orange blossom fragrance. If you’ve fallen in love with any of these beautiful candles and they would make a great gift for someone in your life, check out this post on what to pair with candles to make the gift absolutely perfect! Very Happy Gifting! … VHM

Have you talked to your family and friends lately? Well now is the time to reach out! Of course, I want you to stay in contact with your family and friends but the motivation behind this post is mostly for your benefit. Imagine for a second, it’s the week before Christmas and you’re still trying to figure out what to get your nephew. You haven’t talked to your sister in a while and you have no idea what to get her son. You send her a quick text asking her, Hey what does Joey want for Christmas? In her holiday haste she sends you a quick response, well he likes shirts and needs new shoes. Uh… thanks…I guess. But now imagine you give your sister a call this weekend and you catch up about your lives and her children and how her family is doing, and what they’re into now: “Well this year’s been crazy but Joey’s into basketball now and he loves basketball shoes, he’s always checking them out when he watches the basketball games on TV,” your sister says. “Oh wow, that’s great! He’s so athletic, basketball is a perfect sport for him.” you say. - Meanwhile you think: I could get him a new pair of Air Jordan sneakers - “Who’s his favorite player?” you ask. “Oh he’s obsessed with LeBron James!” she says. - You Think: a Lakers Lebron James jersey would be a great gift - “Of course, who isn’t!? How’s school going for him?” you ask. “Oh, he loves his teacher, but he really needs to get organized.” she says. - You Think: a planner notebook and organizational accessories would be helpful - And on the conversation goes! As you catch up and bond, you ask questions about how her family is and how she is doing and get some insight into what your sister could use as a gift as well. You see how easy it is to actually get great gift ideas if you just sit and chat with your friends and family. I know is seems like common sense, but sometimes we overlook this obvious task and just start searching the internet for “gift ideas for nephew” and pray for luck! This conversation will give you a great starting point, so now you can search “LeBron James jersey” and go from searching to shopping so much faster. My last tip here before you start making the calls to your friends and family is to keep a note pad and pen by you when you call and TAKE NOTES! Don’t call from your car at the stop light. Call from home, in a comfortable chair with a pen and a pad. If you call while your busy or in the car you will never remember what your nephew wanted by the time you drive home, park the car, grab the groceries out of the back seat, and put them away. Take notes on your calls! Then, if you don’t buy gifts immediately, add those notes to your phone and keep a running list of what people want so when you’re out shopping, all of your notes are at your fingertips. Are you calling? Go, call now! … VHM

So many young adults are headed to college, for the first time this fall or back to resume their education. It’s never too soon to let them know that you’re thinking of them and you miss them. Whether they are your son, daughter, niece, nephew or friend, a college care package is always appreciated. If you’re wondering how you can spoil your collegiate recipient, read on! || Luxury Bath Products If your recipient is living in a dorm, and sharing a living space then treating them to little luxuries like body wash and body lotion will go a long way. The of-the-moment brand, Necessaire, makes clean and natural bath products. Paired with a thick, plush bath towel set, this gift would make any trip to a dorm shower a dream! || Flowers If you think back to your school days, how often did someone get flowers—almost never! Or maybe on their birthday, Valentine’s Day or after a really great date. The point is that receiving flowers is rare. A great surprise would be to send them flowers. Let them know that you’re thinking of them with fresh blooms or a subscription to receive monthly blooms. || Luxe Loungewear Not every night in college is filled with all night parties, sometimes you need cozy sweats and the best pizza on campus. For those nights, gift luxe lounge wear that begs the wearer to stay in. Even if you have an ulterior motive for having your recipient stay in, instead of going out all night, at least they will appreciate their night even more in a cozy ensemble. Any of these gifts would be great encouragement for a college student to help them enjoy a healthy study/life balance. Very Happy Gifting … VHM

When you’re in school, don’t just read the textbooks! You can stimulate your mind and take a break from homework with a little extra curricular reading. It’s always helpful to continue to grow in self-improvement while in, and after school. These books are great for anyone in school or anyone getting schooled in life and make great gifts for anyone looking to grow academically or personally. BOOK: Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport ABOUT: “Deep work is the ability to focus without distraction on a cognitively demanding task. It's a skill that allows you to quickly master complicated information and produce better results in less time. Deep work will make you better at what you do and provide the sense of true fulfillment that comes from craftsmanship. In short, deep work is like a super power in our increasingly competitive twenty-first century economy. And yet, most people have lost the ability to go deep-spending their days instead in a frantic blur of e-mail and social media, not even realizing there's a better way.” GIFT: Whether you’re learning in class or working for a paycheck this book is a great gift for anyone that needs a reality check to really focus and get what needs to get done, done. BOOK: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life by Mark Mason ABOUT: “Manson makes the argument, backed both by academic research and well-timed poop jokes, that improving our lives hinges not on our ability to turn lemons into lemonade, but on learning to stomach lemons better. Human beings are flawed and limited—"not everybody can be extraordinary, there are winners and losers in society, and some of it is not fair or your fault." Manson advises us to get to know our limitations and accept them. Once we embrace our fears, faults, and uncertainties, once we stop running and avoiding and start confronting painful truths, we can begin to find the courage, perseverance, honesty, responsibility, curiosity, and forgiveness we seek.” GIFT: This book is a great gift for the realist in your life. Not everyone is a positive person but learning about new and different ways to understand ourselves and our limitations is an honest way to strategize on how to get to the next level. BOOK: Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg ABOUT: Lean In continues that conversation, combining personal anecdotes, hard data, and compelling research to change the conversation from what women can’t do to what they can. Sandberg provides practical advice on negotiation techniques, mentorship, and building a satisfying career. She describes specific steps women can take to combine professional achievement with personal fulfillment, and demonstrates how men can benefit by supporting women both in the workplace and at home. GIFT: Gift this book to the girl in your life who one day will be a girl boss! This book will encourage her to work towards her goals of being a SHE-E-O! BOOK: Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear BY Elizabeth Gilbert ABOUT: “Readers of all ages and walks of life have drawn inspiration and empowerment from Elizabeth Gilbert’s books for years. Now this beloved author digs deep into her own generative process to share her wisdom and unique perspective about creativity. With profound empathy and radiant generosity, she offers potent insights into the mysterious nature of inspiration. She asks us to embrace our curiosity and let go of needless suffering. She shows us how to tackle what we most love, and how to face down what we most fear. She discusses the attitudes, approaches, and habits we need in order to live our most creative lives. Balancing between soulful spirituality and cheerful pragmatism, Gilbert encourages us to uncover the “strange jewels” that are hidden within each of us. Whether we are looking to write a book, make art, find new ways to address challenges in our work, embark on a dream long deferred, or simply infuse our everyday lives with more mindfulness and passion, Big Magic cracks open a world of wonder and joy.” GIFT: For anyone pursuing a creative field, this book is a great gift! Gilbert casually yet elegantly describes her creative process and how inspiration comes and leaves. BOOK: Badass Habits: Cultivate the Awareness, Boundaries, and Daily Upgrades You Need to Make Them Stick by Jen Sincero ABOUT: “Badass Habits is a eureka-sparking, easy-to-digest look at how our habits make us who we are, from the measly moments that happen in private to the resolutions we loudly broadcast (and, erm, often don't keep) on social media. Habit busting and building goes way beyond becoming a dedicated flosser or never showing up late again--our habits reveal our unmet desires, the gaps in our boundaries, our level of self-awareness, and our unconscious beliefs and fears. Badass Habits features Jen's trademark hilarious voice and offers a much-needed fresh take on the conventional wisdom and science that shape the optimism (or pessimism?) around the age-old topic of habits. The book includes enlightening interviews with people who've successfully strengthened their discipline backbones, new perspective on how to train our brains to become our best selves, and offers a simple, 21 day, step-by-step guide for ditching habits that don't serve us and developing the habits we deem most important. Habits shouldn't be impossible to reset--and with healthy boundaries, knowledge of--and permission to go after--our desires, and an easy to implement plan of action, we can make any new goal a joyful habit.” GIFT: This book is a great gift for anyone looking to make new habits stick. Are they trying to study more? Give up smoking? Exercise? Create a new routine? Well this book walk them through some great steps to get them to the next level! BOOK: The $100 Startup: Reinvent the Way You Make a Living, Do What You Love, and Create a New Future by Chris Guillebeau ABOUT: “Chris identified 1,500 individuals who have built businesses earning $50,000 or more from a modest investment (in many cases, $100 or less), and focused on the 50 most intriguing case studies. In nearly all cases, people with no special skills discovered aspects of their personal passions that could be monetized, and were able to restructure their lives in ways that gave them greater freedom and fulfillment. Here, finally, distilled into one easy-to-use guide, are the most valuable lessons from those who’ve learned how to turn what they do into a gateway to self-fulfillment. It’s all about finding the intersection between your “expertise”—even if you don’t consider it such—and what other people will pay for. You don’t need an MBA, a business plan or even employees. All you need is a product or service that springs from what you love to do anyway, people willing to pay, and a way to get paid.” GIFT: Give this book to anyone who isn’t certain of their next steps after academia to give them a path to succeed in their own way. BOOK: The Power of Positive Leadership: How and Why Positive Leaders Transform Teams and Organizations and Change the World by Jon Gordon ABOUT: “We are not positive because life is easy. We are positive because life can be hard. As a leader, you will face numerous obstacles, negativity, and tests. There will be times when it seems as if everything in the world is conspiring against you and your vision seems more like a fantasy than a reality. That’s why positive leadership is essential! Positive leadership is not about fake positivity. It is the real stuff that makes great leaders great. The research is clear. Being a positive leader is not just a nice way to lead. It's the way to lead if you want to build a great culture, unite your organization in the face of adversity, develop a connected and committed team and achieve excellence and superior results.” GIFT: Give this lesson in leadership to anyone in a management position or anyone who wants to be! BOOK: The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph BY Ryan Holiday ABOUT: “The book draws its inspiration from stoicism, the ancient Greek philosophy of enduring pain or adversity with perseverance and resilience. Stoics focus on the things they can control, let go of everything else, and turn every new obstacle into an opportunity to get better, stronger, tougher. As Marcus Aurelius put it nearly 2000 years ago: ‘The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.’ Ryan Holiday shows us how some of the most successful people in history—from John D. Rockefeller to Amelia Earhart to Ulysses S. Grant to Steve Jobs—have applied stoicism to overcome difficult or even impossible situations. Their embrace of these principles ultimately mattered more than their natural intelligence, talents, or luck.” GIFT: This book is a great gift for anyone looking to get through or around a tough time or yes, obstacle! Giving the gift of knowledge is an everlasting gift that your recipient will keep forever. They will never grow out of it, they can’t break it, once absorbed the information can always be used. Very Happy Gifting! … VHM

Deciding to continue one’s education is a big decision. Whether its right after college or after taking some time away from the books, balancing school and life can be complicated. If you’re looking to find a gift that will help them handle it all, here are a few ideas! Mastering the Class If you’re looking to help them with a little extra credit, Masterclass has accrued quite the database of expert professors that will help your recipient excel in any topic in or out of the classroom. Help them expand their studies beyond the classroom so they can excel after graduation. Kindle the Fire of Knowledge The mind is a sponge, and a Kindle is a pitcher of water. A Kindle is not just the gift of one book but the ability to ready so many books from textbooks to beach reads the kindle will help keep their entire library in one place. Updated Backpack The interesting thing about extended education degrees—bachelors, masters, doctoral degrees, is that the student is straddling academia and the real world. Give them a gift that will help them both in class and in life. This backpack is great for carrying items to and from class, but also as a personal or carry-on item on any trip the future brings. These gifts are perfect for anyone re-entering academia to help them learn and look smarter! Very Happy Gifting! ... VHM