Brittney Morgan

If light therapy is the right option for you, we've got you covered.

Good news: If you're looking for a little more contentment in your day-to-day, you've got science on your side. Try incorporating these study-backed habits into your routine.

As magical as the holidays are, this time of year can also be a bit stressful—between handling a barrage of party invites, planning your own get-togethers, wrapping up the year, visiting family and getting all your holiday shopping done… well, it’s a lot. And then there’s the whole spending money thing. Shopping and celebrating add up, but it doesn’t have to be quite so painful.

The driving force in how you decorate your home—and really just how you live in it—is dictated most often by your personality. Who you are as a person impacts what art you hang, how you set up your rooms, how often you host people, your cleaning tendencies, and how you unwind at home.

Being more mindful of your health doesn’t necessarily mean overhauling your entire diet or hitting the gym for an hour every day—there are a lot of little things you can do to help you feel like your happiest, healthiest self. Things like staying hydrated, getting in extra steps, trying new things and taking breaks are all important, and it all starts with challenging yourself to pay attention to them.

Here’s the thing: I used to be a very productive person in the morning. I used to be a wake up early, make myself breakfast, get out the door and make it into the office before everyone else kind of person, but lately I’ve fallen into a very slow and tired routine. My recent mornings have been kind of a struggle, so I decided to try something new to get me out of my AM slump: getting up and going for a walk outside before doing anything else.

Anyone who’s searched for a way to save more money has probably heard of the 52 Week Challenge. It’s a way to slowly build up your savings throughout the year—you start by putting aside $1 on week one, $2 on week 2, and so on until you reach week 52, putting aside $52 that week. In total, if you follow the 52 Week Challenge, you’ll save $1,378 by the end of the year. Easy enough, right? While it sounds like a great idea (and if it works for you, keep it up!

The holiday season is a time when people gather with friends and family, exchanging gifts and celebrating with loved ones. And when you’re a pet owner, that totally extends to your furry friends, too. If you have that all-too-familiar urge to spoil your cat this year, we’ve got you covered. You may not be able to read your cat’s mind, but if they had a wish list, these items would probably make the cut—not to mention, you’ll enjoy them too.

It’s not the holidays unless every beloved member of your family is included somehow, right? And that means your pets, too. While you’re exchanging gifts with friends and family, don’t forget about your dog—not that you ever would. But if you really want to spoil your dog—with things you can also enjoy, even if just aesthetically—we’ve got you covered.

When it comes to close friends and family, buying gifts is often a lot easier. You know them, and you’re probably willing to spend a little more (not just money, but time and effort) to get them a gift that they’ll really love. But for everyone else on your list—when a card just doesn’t feel like enough on its own—there are small things you can do that they’ll definitely appreciate.

Let’s be honest—gift shopping can be a big challenge sometimes. Some people are just hard to buy for, and it can be tempting to get the first thing you see that reminds you of them and call it a day. (I’ve definitely been guilty of doing this in the past, so don’t worry—you’re not alone.

If you, like me, feel serious shopping stress whenever you need to make a purchase, you probably make it a point to shop at stores that have easy or extended return policies. But some brands go above and beyond making returns a more simple, happier process—they back their products for life. As in, if you buy something from them, you never have to worry about shopping for that item ever again, because they’ll repair or replace it forever.