12 Air Purifying Plants to Help Purify Your Home Naturally

Air Purifying Plants

We spend more than 90 percent of our time indoors, so air quality is vitally important.¹ Indoor air pollution is caused by a combination of outdoor environmental factors making their way inside and indoor activities—like the science fair solar system your daughter’s working on or Fido’s dander. And, these pollutants are made worse in small or poorly ventilated spaces—like your home office, bedroom, or apartment.

Houseplants plants to the rescue!

According to several research studies—including one from the smarty pants scientists at NASA—plants can be helpful in combating environmental abuse in your home.^2,3

We’ve developed a list of the best-of-the-best air purifying plants to help cleanse the air in your home-sweet-home. And, you’ll be adding some green to your color scheme.

References

¹ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9780844

² https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3905206/

³https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19930073077.pdf

10 Must Read Books for Becoming Your Best Self

True health and happiness are multi-dimensional—going beyond your physical well-being to your relationship with yourself and others, your spiritual self, your finances, your emotional health and your daily habits. Challenging your personal boundaries is key to personal development.

We’ve compiled this list of 10 motivational books that will guide you. Inspire you. And propel you to reach your full potential in whatever areas of life you’ve set out to conquer.

But beware! These books could put you on the track to overwhelming success—read with caution.

1. Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead

Dr. Brené Brown has spent over a dozen years researching vulnerability and how it impacts daily life. Through her poignant writing, Dr. Brown makes the compelling case that vulnerability isn’t weakness at all, but is actually the most accurate measure of our courage.

2. Find Your Extraordinary: Dream Bigger, Live Happier, and Achieve Success on Your Own Terms

Jessica DiLullo Herrin shares her secrets after building two multimillion-dollar businesses (WeddingChannel.com and Stella & Dot Family Brands) from the ground up. She first hit the success jackpot when she was still a graduate student, and the lessons she learned are bigger than business–they have the power to revolutionize life.  

3. Get Off Your “But”: How to End Self-Sabotage and Stand Up for Yourself

Read the book that has inspired millions, including President Clinton, Tony Robbins, and the Dalai Lama (seriously!) Kick your self-sabotaging to the curb once and for all and find your biggest ally in yourself.

4. Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance

What if success isn’t the product of talent, but instead is the result of passion and persistence? Angela Duckworth lays out years of research in this instant New York Times bestseller to prove that achievement is actually the result of grit.

5. Level Up Your Life: How to Unlock Adventure and Happiness by Becoming the Hero of Your Own Story

In this guide to becoming a superhero, Steve Kamb aims to teach you how to escape from the monotony of the daily grind by harnessing inspiration from your favorite video games, movies, and novels.

6. Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard

According to authors Chip and Dan Heath, our biggest obstacle is our brain. Good news, right? Because these uber-smart authors shed light on how to flip the switch.

7. The Better Life: Small Things You Can Do Right Where You Are

From Claire Diaz-Ortizm comes a witty memoir packed with tiny changes that make a world of difference. Best part? You can start any of them today.

8. The One Thing

This book shares the secret for achieving THAT ONE GOAL you have always wanted but never reached. What’s your ONE THING?

9. Tools of Titans: The Tactics, Routines, and Habits of Billionaires, Icons, and World-Class Performers

For two years, author Tim Ferriss interviewed more than 200 successful performers–including celebs and athletes, gymnasts and biochemists. And, this book is the product of what he learned after talking to some of the world’s most successful people.

10. You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life

Jen Sincero’s witty chapters full of quick exercises and inspiring examples will give you the how-to you need to create the life you want.

Some of these books read like novels; others feel like toolkits. Bottom line: Each book serves as a roadmap from where you are to where you want to be. We trust that this list of motivational books will launch you in the right direction! Happy reading!

Spring Cleaning: Tips for Organizing 3 Major Zones in Your Kitchen

Spring has sprung—it’s time to throw open the windows, let in the sunlight, and…get spring cleaning!

Okay, so that’s not the most exciting thing you could do with these beautiful, early spring days, but it certainly is one of the most fulfilling. Spring cleaning can give you and your home a fresh start, a clean slate, and a new perspective for a new season.

You’ve heard before that the kitchen is the heart of your home. So, there’s really no better place to start your spring cleaning. We’ve broken down your kitchen, zone by zone, to help you get your kitchen cleaner, brighter, and spring-readier.

The pantry

Your pantry experiences a lot of comings and goings, along with a lot of taking out, putting back, and reshuffling contents throughout the day. If you don’t have a good system set up, your pantry can quickly become a black hole of potato chip bags and half used bags of flour.

Start by clearing absolutely everything out of the pantry. Wipe down all the shelves to give yourself a clean slate. (If you’re feeling extra ambitious, you could even break out some shelf liner to protect those clean surfaces and give your pantry a little color or pattern.) Throw away anything that’s expired or unwanted, and find a new home for anything that seems out of place in your pantry.

You don’t have to go all out with fancy matching containers to get your pantry truly organized. A couple small baskets or bins will do for holding snack foods, seasoning pouches, or other things that tend to end up without an assigned home.

Organize smartly, making the things you use the most (if you’ve got hungry kiddos, it’s usually the bread and the peanut butter!) in a very accessible spot.

The sink

Your kitchen sink often harbors more bacteria than your toilet¹—yuck! Small pieces of food get stuck in the crevices or on the sides of your sink to make it a breeding ground for some really nasty stuff. This spring, get your sink back in tip-top (and sanitary) condition.

Use a small brush (an old toothbrush works) to scrub the crevices in your sink, especially at the base of the faucet and around the drain. To really clean and sanitize your sink, use a food-grade hydrogen peroxide cleaning solution. Or, mix a small amount of bleach with some water, and give the sink a good scrubbing.

Now is also the perfect time to replace your sponges, brushes, and rags. They’re probably dirtier than you think, and replacing them is fairly cheap and easy.

The appliances

Your appliances need love, too. Clean out your fridge and freezer, and wipe down shelves to get them extra clean. Toss any old or expired condiments or other ingredients.

Once again, think about the things you reach for most often and organize in a way that makes those things easily accessible. You should also dust or wipe down the top the fridge, and use a vacuum attachment to vacuum underneath it.

You can use your favorite cleaning solution on your microwave, or, for something more natural, mix a few cups of water with a few tablespoons of vinegar, and heat in the microwave until steamy. This should dissolve any gunk on your microwave walls, making it easy to wipe clean with a cloth or paper towel.

Vinegar can also work wonders in your dishwasher. Fill a small dish with a cup or two of vinegar, place it on the top rack, and then run the machine without any other dishes in it. The vinegar will loosen any stuck-on foods, leaving the walls easy to wipe, as well as sanitized.

Finally, take this opportunity to clean your stove and oven. This might require a little more effort on your part, but the results will be worth it! The products and methods you use will depend largely on what type of appliance you have, so make sure you read your owner’s manual (or do a quick Internet search) before starting those tough jobs!

With these three kitchen zones under control, you’re well on your way to a spring-ready kitchen. Happy cleaning!

References

¹ http://www.webmd.com/women/home-health-and-safety-9/places-germs-hide

Is Being an Entrepreneur Right for You?

The start of a new year gets many people thinking about the things they want to achieve in the coming months. Whether it’s something small, like finally filling those empty picture frames (guilty!), or something bigger, like dropping those extra pounds (also guilty!), goals and aspirations give us a chance to look at where we are and where we want to go.

One common theme in new year’s resolutions is money: making more, saving more, and using it to really fulfill your dreams.

As people begin to think about ways to help grow their income and change their life, they often contemplate entrepreneurship. Having your own business is a great way to earn additional income while having flexible hours and working conditions that work for your life.

Being an entrepreneur isn’t for everyone. But, it might be for you! Here are three big questions to ask yourself as you decide if entrepreneurship might be a good path for you to take this year.

How much time do I have?

New businesses, even small ones, take time to establish and grow. Organization, marketing, and training can be taxing and time-consuming, not to mention the time spent providing your goods or services to your customers.

Before you jump into a new business, be honest with yourself about the amount of time you have to devote to it. Will this be your full-time job and your family’s livelihood? Or is this a small venture meant to give you some extra spending money? Knowing how much time you have to commit to your business is important before you start. If you don’t have the time to make your business successful, you may want to reconsider.

Some businesses, of course, can be easier than others. If you are establishing a relationship marketing business, for example, a good amount of the work is already done for you. Sales infrastructure, product pricing, packaging, and marketing materials are ready from day one. Extensive training from corporate level leaders and other successful entrepreneurs, will also make starting a whole lot simpler.

What will my investment look like?

Chances are, your business is going to require a substantial investment before it’s profitable. You’ll put in a good amount of time and money setting up your brand, your processes, and your clientele. Make sure you’re able and willing to make these investments. The truth is, if you work hard and smart, your investments can pay off—big time. But you should still make sure that your lifestyle won’t be affected negatively by the effort and resources required to start a business.

Once again, a relationship marketing approach is your friend here. If you’re with the right company, your start-up costs may be low. You won’t have to keep inventory or worry about shipping; you won’t have employees or a payroll to manage. Instead, your small investment will allow you to start a flexible, in-home business that can work with your life.

How big do I want this to be?

One of the best things about owning your own business is that you’re completely in charge of your own destiny.

Based on your level of effort, you get to decide how much you want to earn, how much you want to grow, and how much you want to succeed. The fact is, not all businesses are going to grow to be huge, and that’s okay. If all you’re looking for is a way to develop a talent, share a gift, make a small supplemental income, or grow your savings, you can make that happen.

Of course, if you don’t want to stop there, you don’t have to. With hard work and…well, more hard work…you can make your business extremely successful.

In a relationship marketing business, you already have the built-in support of a larger company. Growth is easier to manage and it can work entirely in your favor. Many entrepreneurs in the relationship marketing space have the opportunity to earn additional income which then allows them to invest more in their business and promote further growth. If a big business is your dream, don’t count out a relationship marketing business—keeping in mind that your success depends on your skills and the personal effort you put into your business.

Asking yourself these questions will help to provide insight as to whether being an entrepreneur is right for you, your family, and your lifestyle.

As you consider all options, including relationship marketing companies, you’ll hopefully find a business opportunity that allows you to thrive, grow, and succeed, making your goals for this year—and every year—become incredible realities.

*Plexus makes no guarantees on income, as such representations may be misleading. Your success depends on your effort, commitment, skill and leadership abilities, and how effectively you exercise those qualities. For information regarding the earnings that Plexus Ambassadors can make under the Plexus Compensation Plan, please see the Plexus Annual Income Disclosure Statement.