These are a few of my favorite things.

Hi there! Notice anything different?...

Source: google.com via Jo on Pinterest

(I'm humming the Jeopardy song right now while I wait for you to notice....)

That's right! I redesigned my blog this weekend. I'd been creating this new header in my mind for a while, and I finally decided that I wanted my blog to be fun and fresh for the launch of my first-ever book challenge. What do you think?

Tonight, I wanted to quickly take this opportunity to explain the images I chose to use in my header. Starting from the top left: Of course I had to start with a girl reading. I kept my old header picture next to my blog title for nostalgia's sake, but I think I like the first picture even better. Next, I had to include a Harry Potter image. (Let's be real here.) The next three photos represent my passion for traveling, the significance of Alpha Delta Pi in my life (our flower is the violet), and my love of riding my bike.

Second row: Oh, Mizzou columns, how I miss you. (But I will be seeing you in three short days!!!) I also included a cup of tea to represent my love of all things steamy and served in a mug (coffee, tea, hot cocoa). Next, of course, is my trusty former header picture.

Third row: Again, I am addicted to coffee! Pretty designs in my latte don't hurt, either. I included a map to again symbolize my love for travel, but also my obsession with maps in general. The final three pictures represent a few more of my favorite things: snail mail, turtles and Africa. So there you have it! That's the inspiration behind my new design.

Photo credits from top left: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13

Love like crazy.

So, I usually don't post things that have no other purpose than to inspire (do I?), but this song came on the radio this morning around 4:43 when I was getting dressed for work, and it's been stuck in my head all morning now. I'm not a huge country fan, but sometimes you do have to appreciate the lyrics.

Photo via Pinterest

Be a best friend, tell the truth
And overuse "I love you."
Go to work, do your best,
Don't outsmart your common sense.
Never let your prayin' knees get lazy
And love like crazy.

- Lee Brice

"Love Like Crazy"

Talk about an overachiever.

Wow.

Seriously, that's all I could think when I finished reading what I'm about to share with you. I found this amazing piece by Outside magazine online last week, which I'm sure will be influencing my bucket list shortly. The piece (if you didn't click the link ... but you should!) is titled "You're Going to Need a Bigger Bucket" and includes 51 "dream trips, daring quests, essential skills, and exalted states of body and mind" that Outside thinks everyone should experience in his or her lifetime.

Photo via Pinterest.

After reading this article, I'm confident this could be me one day. What great motivational advice!

Although I'm sure the piece as a whole will be the inspiration for many more blog posts to come, today I wanted to share with you No. 9: "Overachieve." I really can't say it any better than Outside already has, so I'm just going to include the text below. (All font modifications are of my doing and do not reflect the opinions or design choices of the Outside online staff.)

Outside's chief inspiration officer, 36-year-old ERIC GREITENS, is a master of getting things done. Like becoming a Navy SEAL commander with four tours, earning a Rhodes scholarship and a Ph.D., running 12 marathons and three ultramarathons, and now juggling operations for his own philanthropic organization with public speaking engagements, media interviews, writing books, and consulting—while still finding time to run, climb, and practice taekwondo. Here's how he does it: "It's all about energy. Whether you're leading a nonprofit organization, running a private company, doing something outdoors, or conducting military operations—you have to build habits that keep your energy high. This is my formula: (1) Vigorous exercise: Six days a week, I walk out of a gym, a dojo, or off a track pouring with sweat. When I have a great workout, I rarely have a bad day. (2) Good fuel: When I eat clean, quality food during the day, my energy never sags. (3) Good partners: Working with a team of positive people keeps your spirits up. (4) Balance: I pray every day, and I also laugh, a lot. You won't have focus without balance. (5) A goal: A worthy challenge will take care of your motivation for you."

I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did. It sure makes me feel like I could achieve a little more in my life!