Val @ ZenShmen
Val Lonergan is the founder of ZenShmen.com, where she shares happiness hacks for purposeful people. To get the ZenShmen cheatsheet to jumpstart your joy - 10 easy things you can do right this minute to hack your way to increased happiness - join the free newsletter.

I Went to Tony Robbins’ UPW – Here’s What I Thought: 5 Key Takeaways


I Went to Tony Robbins' UPW - Here's What I Thought: 5 Key Takeaways

13,000 people. 71 countries. Lots of screaming and dancing.  How one intensive 4-day event changed my life. Check out these 5 key takeaways!

I had the good fortune of receiving a complimentary ticket from a dear friend to attend Tony Robbins’ famed “Unleash the Power Within” (UPW) event near New York in November, 2018.

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Using Agile At Home: A Happier Family Hack


Using Agile At Home: A Happier Family Hack | #HappierParent | via ZenShmen

Want to see how using a workplace solution can improve your parenting game?  In this post we share how we’ve applied a key component of Agile to our young family, with great results.

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The Surprisingly Short Journey to Becoming A Great Reader


The Surprisingly Short Journey to Becoming A Great Reader | ZenShmen

My journey from starting out as an infrequent, casual reader who never knew what to read to becoming ‘a great reader’ – someone who reads often, on purpose, and gets a ton of value out of it – was much shorter than I ever thought it would be. Why is this so important? In this post I’ll tell you how it happened, the hurdles I overcame along the way, and share some specific steps on how to get started on your own lifelong learning journey.

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The Most Life-Changing Advice I Ever Received


The Most Life-Changing Advice I've Ever Received | ZenShmen

Do you wish you had a fail-safe way you could count on to pull yourself out of a serious funk? Even one that has been dragging on for a long time? Hell yes.  If you’re anything like me, what you read here today will be very useful for you and can help you move on from a situation you are feeling stuck in.

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Low-Stress Easy Entertaining for Busy, Tired Parents: Behold “The Crappy Dinner Party”


Easy Entertaining at Home - Crappy Dinner Party - ZenShmen - Parenting

Growing up at my house, hosting a dinner party was a big deal. The house was immaculate, the phenomenal dinner (in all its courses) was carefully planned. Cooking, prepping, and baking could span over several days. The table was set with pressed linens, the good china came out, wine was chilled, candles lit, music on.

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The Fundamental Need to Spend Time with Your Kids Individually


The Fundamental Need to spend Time with Your Kids Individually - Date your Kids! Ideas from ZenShmen.com

Today we’re exploring the fundamental need to spend time with your kids individually – in other words, dating your kids one-on-one.

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How to Find Your Yes… And Make it a Hell Yeah!


How to Find Your Yes... And Make it a Hell Yeah! - ZenShmen
If you’re looking to find your yes, I have a treat for you today.

I’d like to welcome a fresh new voice to the team, Liz McConomy, who will kick things off with a topic very near to my heart: getting to Yes.

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Our DIY Front Path Makeover


Our DIY Front Path Makeover | Zenshmen.com

Our home’s front path was the Ugly Betty of home entrances: plain concrete, straight and worn down.  With time, its surface got eaten away by winter de-icing salt, and it became an eyesore. Fun Fact: There was also white paint spilled on it (not by us.)

Not a welcoming entry into our home!  The front path became part of Project Curb Appeal.

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Recipe for Feeling Bitter


Recipe for Feeling Bitter | ZenShmen
It turns out, there’s an exact recipe to follow to become bitter.  The truth of the matter is, when I started this blog it was to talk about stuff I love, like home decor and fun DIY projects.

But since moving into a house I greatly dislike, I’ve found it hard to muster the enthusiasm to talk about those kinds of things.  

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How to Stage an Old Vintage Bathroom


How to Stage an Old Bathroom for Home Sale | zenshmen.com | Staging ideas and Photos

When it comes time to sell your home, bathrooms and kitchen are of utmost importance and will get lots of scrutiny.  There is quite a lot of home staging you can do yourself when the time comes, and since we’re all about DIY over here at ZenShmen, taking care of the bathrooms would be no different!

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