adulting

how I’m getting organized in 2019

January 16, 2019January 16, 2019by Samantha MilburnLeave a Comment

I love the new year because there’s so much determination in the air to get various areas of our lives together in hopes that maybe it’ll stay that way. I love spring cleaning but I try and get organized and purge unnecessary items long before March. Starting off the year a little bit lighter and less burdened by material things just feels good. So for any of you that are looking to do the same, here’s what I’m doing to start 2019 off organized!

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blogging

my favorite apps for instagram as a blogger

January 14, 2019January 14, 2019by Samantha Milburn2 Comments

Instagram is fun + games for the most part, but if you’re a blogger then you know that it goes a lot deeper than simply being a social media platform – it’s a promotional tool that requires strategy. Between algorithms and planning a feed but also appealing to what your followers want to see and keeping it fun but also promoting… it’s a lot to keep track of. So here are a few apps that I have found made my Instagram easier to work with.

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adulting, Fitness, habit trackers

making time for the gym with a busy schedule + january habit tracker

January 5, 2019January 5, 2019by Samantha Milburn1 Comment

It’s always easy to get to the gym in the beginning of the new year when we feel all motivated, but then the reality of life sets back in and our schedules tend to get in the way of our good intentions.

The brutal truth I had to tell myself when I was letting my schedule get in the way of my going to the gym is this: it’s an excuse. It might be true, as young or established professionals we’re definitely kept busy and have other things that take up our time and energy, but if it’s something that’s important to you, you’ll make time. Since I’ve had to learn this firsthand, I wanted to give y’all some tips on how I did it for myself!

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adulting, books, growing up

5 self-development books I’m reading in 2019

January 3, 2019December 30, 2018by Samantha Milburn2 Comments

I used to think I was never much of a reader because I’m always so picky about novels and usually end up getting sleepy halfway through a chapter. That, and being in school, more reading was usually the last thing I wanted to do. But as I’ve grown into my young adult life, I’ve realized that love the inspiration I can pull from self-development books; and I love that they can touch on so many different areas – faith, mentality, even in network marketing. Whatever walk of life you’re going through, odds are, you can find a self-development book about it. Here are some of the books I read in 2018 or am looking forward to reading in 2019!

adulting, growing up, my life

reflection on 2018 + goals for 2019

December 31, 2018December 31, 2018by Samantha MilburnLeave a Comment

I’m having such a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that another year has come and gone. I can’t tell if the time is passing faster because I’m actually having that much fun or if it’s simply because I’m getting older. But I really do love this time of year because I love to reflect on what the Lord has done in the past year – I love reminiscing in the good times, and I appreciate the lessons I learned in the hard times. Similarly, I love getting to look ahead knowing that everything that happened this year has paved the way for what’s going to happen in 2019 and that it’s molded me into who I want – and was designed – to be.

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blogging

fave posts of 2018

December 28, 2018December 27, 2018by Samantha MilburnLeave a Comment

As of my december raves + rejects post from the other day, The Southern Sooner has officially hit 100 posts! And in honor of 2018 coming to a close, I want to round up some of my favorite posts from the year – so if this is the first Southern Sooner post you’re seeing, or you haven’t had a chance to keep up with posts, here are some of the one’s I personally think are a must-see! It might feel like there are a lot, but this will help you find some of the more substantial posts among the recurring accutane updates, habit trackers, gift guides, and raves + rejects!

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Faith + Inspiration, holidays

what christmas means to me

December 24, 2018December 23, 2018by Samantha Milburn1 Comment

I can’t believe it’s already Christmas Eve! There’s just been so much holiday excitement this month that it came before I knew it. I hope everyone has been enjoying their holiday season and spending time with their loved ones. I know that the holidays don’t bring as much joy to everyone, whether it was just a bad year or the holidays hold hard memories in general, but I hope that regardless of the circumstances that everyone has gotten to experience some peace + joy during the buzz.

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