Today I’m doing EBL a bit differently. I’m going to be sharing some links to some fantastic posts at various blogs. I’m also going to be tweeting my EBL post suggestions on Twitter {@bitsofbeauty}. If you have a post or a tip you’d like to share, just tag it #EBL. I’d love to see what you come up with!

Also, I’m going to be updating this post throughout the next 24 hours, so be sure to check back!

You want to make a crap load of money, but before you do that…

Have you ever heard of the Theory of Relative Depravity ? Ya, neither had I until about 5 years ago during my political theory class.  We might not know it by name, but we sure know what it is. It’s what we call, “keeping up with the Joneses” and what keeps most of us from feeling satisfied with what we have. It can influence us into decisions that put us into debt and keep us in a rat race.

So, what’s an EBLer to do with the Joneses? Tell them to peace the **** out!

Two great posts to get started:

+ Waving Goodbye to the Joneses from Get Rich Slowly

+ When you take it all away, what are you? from Far Beyond the Stars

You want to take risks, but you’re afraid…

Oh dear, you read this blog and you haven’t read the Alchemist? Stop being lazy and read it. It isn’t long; you can thank me later. Until then, I’ll bring you up to speed with this quote from the book:

“Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. And no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dream.”

It’s absolutely true.

“But how do YOU know? Why should I believe YOU?”

I know. I live by this. You don’t have to believe me, in fact you shouldn’t. You should find out for yourself and try. I’m not a god, so I’m not asking you to have faith in me.

I’m asking you to have faith in yourself.

Besides reading the Alchemist and just going for it, get started with these:

+ Become the Best by being the worst from Untemplater

+ Reclaim ownership of your mind from Illuminated Mind

+ A guide to beating the fears that are holding you back from Zen Habits

+ Overcoming suffering and acheiving lasting happiness – words fromt he dalai lama from the Business Backpacker

You want to follow your dreams, but everyone thinks you’re crazy…

… sometimes, including yourself.

Stop justifying yourself.

Stop rationalizing so much.

If you know you want a change, that’s all you need to know. Who cares about what anyone else says? Sure, it’s great to get advice from friends. I encourage it. But, you need to learn your own lessons. You need to be daring. This isn’t about them. It’s about your life. If you’re not hurting anyone {and by that I mean beating, killing, or devastating someone}, than you’re free to do as you please.

Get started and get crazy:

+ Why they try to zap your dreams from The Middle Finger Project

+ The perils of justifying yourself from White Hot Truth

+ The ultimate guide to not caring from Almost Fearless

+ Be strange, be very strange from Explore Truth

You really want to, but you don’t have the time!

Sure you do.

“No, I don’t.”

Yes you do.

In fact, saying you don’t is the biggest load of crap I’ve ever heard. If it’s important to you, if it truly matters in the grand scheme of your life, then you have time for it. We’re given 24 beautiful hours every day until we die to fill. You should sleep at least 6 of those hours. {If you’re truly resourceful, you’ll find a way to get things done for you while you sleep.} So, that leaves you with 18 hours for your family, yourself, your dog, your dreams, whatever!

The problem is we get distracted. We let other things that aren’t important get in our way. We’re taught not to be selfish, but there’s a point that not focusing on what matters to you is just plain stupid.

So stop saying you don’t have time for the important things. The truth is, it’s ALL you have time for.

Take back your time, get focused, and maybe even save some money:

+ Reclaim your attention from Zen Habits

+ How to reclaim ownership of your mind from Illuminated Mind

+ How you spend your time, how you spend your money from Simple Dollar

So you want to travel around the world, but…

You have a family. You’re in debt. It’s scary. Blah, blah, blah. Yes, I hear you. I’m scared, too. It’s scary and we all have responsibilities, but that’s not enough of a reason to not go for it.

Stop making excuses. If they can do it, so can you.

Need more examples of being location independent? Or, maybe you want to be an entrepreneur? Funny enough, these folks will inspire you because they’re both:

+ Thrilling Heroics

+ JetSet Citizen

+ Chris Guillebeau {who has these awesome guides to help you do what he does}

+ Exile Lifestyle

Ok, so maybe you don’t want to quit your job, you just want to be a little happier.

So, you LOVE what you do, but you’re not opposed to more happiness. {Really, who would be?} Besides following the example of our past EBL guests , you might want to go to the authority on pursuing happiness in daily life. No, not Thomas Jefferson and that bunch. No, not Confucius. I’m talking about Gretchen Rubin!

Hopefully, this post will get you going in the right direction for you.

Have a favorite post?
Agree? Disagree?
Hell, maybe you don’t believe happiness is a good priority. Just leave it below or tweet it with #EBL.

photo by Elena Kalis

Dress Design Decor: the name about sums it up. It’s blog that shares anything beautiful that falls into one of those three categories and a recent addition to my google reader. The author, Canadian based graphic designer Daniella, is our guest today. Daniella shares with us 5 everyday beautiful things about her favorite time of year: Spring.

I live for Spring. I just think it’s the most beautiful season of all, as the grass gets greener, flowers start popping up, the temperatures rise, and everyone starts to gather outside again. It’s such a pretty sight to see…

1. Walks in the sunshine… Its feels so good to be outside again with the sun warm on your skin and a light breeze in the air. Perfect for romantic rendezvous.

2. Flowers… be it a bunch of tulips from the framer’s market or a few wildflowers from the forest, this little luxury sitting in a pretty vase in my home always brings a smile to my face.

3. Breakfast on the balcony… I love sitting out on the balcony each spring, for a quick breakfast in the morning or long, lazy brunch on the weekend. It’s nice to start you day off quietly “waking up” outside before you have to rush off to work.

4. Picnics… I think picnics are always a beautiful thing. There’s just something about packing up the perfect lunch with pretty plates, cutlery, napkins and more. It’s a great way to spend some time with a loved one, enjoying what nature has to offer. I’m determined to find the perfect picnic basket this year.

5. Bistros… Outdoor dining is ideal for those early spring days. All of a sudden everyone is outside, as patios and sidewalks fill with people looking to enjoy a cup of coffee or a light lunch. Is there anything more picture perfect that savouring a yummy latté watching passersby?

I hope everyone takes advantage of the spring weather to come… it always seems to take forever to arrive and just a second to fly by before Summer hits. Enjoy the beauty of Spring while you can!

1. {via} the fashion spot, 2. {via} definitely golden, 3. from me to you, 4. {via} brabourne farm 5. from me to you

Pinning down the things that inspire me wasn’t easy. I am constantly inspired, but rarely can I say that a particular subject inspires me. The truth is, ideas strike me and I wholeheartedly run with them. While I can admire the beauty of many things, I can’t say that they really inspire me. They may set me in a state of awe, but I’ve determined that there are 3 main causes of inspiration for me.

The incredible feats we are capable of, or better phrased as innovation, inspires me. We’re capable of doing things that were once only imagined and deemed impossible. If it can be imagined, it can be created.

With their unwavering wonder and bubble filled laughter, children inspire me.  Watching them learn, dreaming of how they’ll change the world… it makes me want to change the world for them, to plow the path and pave the road. They are so resilient and complex; we don’t give them enough credit.

It’s the little moments that really get me going. Did you ever watch a TV show where someone had a premonition or visions? That’s me, except I don’t predict the future. I’m not one of the sisters from Charmed, but I have that same reaction when I see something, touch something, or stumble upon some thought that instantly dumps an elaborate scene and character into my head. At that moment, I have to get it out, write it down, so I don’t lose it.

The trigger could be anything, and it happens to me all day long. It could be something as simple as the strap falling off a woman’s shoulder…

About Blog It Forward
Yesterday:   Billede Design
Tomorrow: Black Eiffel

Also posting today: Cottage Industries, On Montague, Feminine Modern, Rhymes With Chaos, Style Bust, Just Travelin’ Through,  The Sweatshop of Love,  Miel & Company, Wonderings & Wanderings

images: 1. Jessica Stam by Sølve Sundsbø 2. Originally posted here, 3. Rodney Smith