Hey there! Happy New Year! We can finally say goodbye to 2020 and all that is was and it wasn’t. I, like so many others had such high hopes and anticipations for 2020. And last year certainly brought a range of emotions. There were periods of time I just didn’t feel like myself. I wasn’t motivated and lacked inspiration. But then I also found myself again. A better self that is more confident, loves herself and realizes showing up for herself is just as important as showing up for others in your life. You matter Sis!
I cried, laughed and tried new things. We started camping over the summer (I’ll save those musings for another time). I gained a few pounds. I was a wine fairy and dropped off wine + goodies to random women around town. I learned a lot. Had to accept that somethings will just be different for awhile. But also realized not everything has to stay the same. Things can be better. We can make the most of this crazy time!
So since I love sharing my favorite things with you, I put together a list of my some favorite things and a few of them came about last year! So let’s not drag this out and get to it!

- Our favorite coffee! Made and sold locally Kalamazoo Coffee Co! Not local, don’t worry they ship! We have been buying their coffee for years and is essentially all we buy. A few of our favorites are Maple Walnut, Maple Bacon and Backpackers. I recently ordered some Ginger Snapped for the first time and it is a nice touch for this time of year! The Ginger is flavorful but subtle. I highly recommend trying! We do buy whole bean and grind ourselves but already ground is still a great option! Check them out HERE !

2. 2020 challenged me to grow my hair out! At first I wasn’t sure how long I would last but here I am all these months later with my hair still growing. Something I never needed having short hair was dry shampoo! Now there are many options on the market today from sprays to powders. If you have followed or known me very long you probably know I prefer cleaner products. I set out to find a clean dry shampoo and found one that I love made by Primally Pure! It has clean ingredients, comes in light + dark options, is a powder and gives my hair some volume! They have a whole collection of clean personal + beauty care products including deodorant, beard oil, body wash and candles! You can save 10% on your first order with my referral link and code “Amandajow10”

3. In addition to trying dry shampoo, I found myself in need of a new flat iron. Mine was 10+ years old and was damaging my hair. After turning to social media for some suggestions I landed on the Le Duo by L’ange. I was looking for something multi purpose and this lets you achieve it all. The lightweight, ergonomic styler features an easy-to-use clip and is studded with tiny air vents to instantly cool and lock-in your style. Create and set a variety of long-lasting looks with just one tool! You can curl and straighten!


4. The 5 Second Journal. I start each morning with my 5 second Journal by Mel Robbins. If you aren’t familiar with Mel, she created the 5 Second Rule which essentially says when there is anything you are procrastinating, don’t want to do etc you count backwards from 5 (5-4-3-2-1) and GO! You do the thing! So if you hit the snooze button, instead of hitting it when your alarm goes off you 5-4-3-2-1 and GO and get out of bed. She also created this Science backed, get the most out of your day journal. Mel took all of the tools that work for her and turned them into an easy format that you can follow every single day. Whether you’ve read The 5 Second Rule or not, you’ll love this science-backed tool and the differences that it will make in your life. I filled my first one and am about 1/3 way through my second that is how much I like it!

5. Of all my favorite products that came from 2020 the Ninja Specialty maker is probably my favorite! I was a pretty die hard Keurig fan, loved the instant brew. However it made more difficult for brewing full pots of coffee etc. When ours started to fizzle out last year I started looking at multi function options and the reviews on the Ninja were by far the best! I absolutely love the versatility. You can make single serve, specialty like a latte, half and full pots and even iced coffee! The frother is used daily over here. If you are looking to replace or upgrade I highly recommend the Ninja! It is worth the few extra bucks!
I hope you enjoyed the list and if you read something that resonated with you please share in the comments! I will pick a winner to gift something from my favorites list too! 2020 may have been for the birds and I am ready to make 2021 the biggest yet! You have the power to make this year better Sis!
Much love until next time,
Amanda
Absolutely love that you shared Kalamazoo coffee company and coffee beans with me! They are fantastic!!