Blog Posts

Making New Year’s Resolutions You’ll Actually Keep

When was the last time you made a New Year’s resolution and actually kept it? We’re not trying to be pessimistic here, but the fact is that most resolutions made in January are left unmet, even if they are made with good intentions. To help you prepare to achieve your goals next year, Sterling Hills Blog is providing our Johnson City, TN apartment community with some suggestions on how to succeed at making New Year’s resolutions. We’re sharing this a few weeks before the new year so you can put in the time to make these goals sincere. Read on for our top tips! Make SMART Goals Who here has heard of SMART goals ? SMART is an acronym that stands for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound; we think setting SMART New Year’s resolutions is the best way you could set them! It’s easy to let a perfectly worthy goal get lost in the business of everyday life when it isn’t precise enough, so we suggest thinking about how to make your goal have all five of these traits before you finish making it. Focus on a Few One of the biggest faux pas of resolution-setting is choosing to chase after too many all at once. While it would be incredible if you could lose weight, go to sleep earlier, be more active in the community, and learn how to sew all at once, the more goals you set, the less likely you are to make any progress towards any of them. Instead, focus on a few at once, or maybe even just one major one if a certain goal is important enough to you. It may seem like so little at first, but you’ll be happy you slowed down once you finally completed one of your resolutions this time around. Break Them Down into Steps As a complement to SMART resolutions, make sure to divide your larger goals into a series of simpler steps. While a lofty goal might seem overwhelming as a whole, breaking it down into bite-sized pieces will help you make steady and sure progress towards an eventual accomplishment of that goal. Remember to reward yourself as you meet these steps along the way! Reevaluate Regularly In our opinion, revisiting your goals regularly will lead you to work towards them more effectively than anything else you could do. It’s too easy to set a goal and then never think about it again. But when you set a reminder on your phone every few months to revisit the resolution you made at the beginning of the year, it gives you a chance to see if you’re on track, to assess if you feel like the goal you set was realistic, and to make any necessary adjustments to that goal. We hope that 2019 is a year full of learning and growth for everyone in our apartment community!

Traditions to Start This Holiday Season

Many people have annual traditions to help remind them why they love being together during the holidays. What do you do when you haven’t really established any traditions? Or you’re in the mood to change things up? Now might be the time to start new traditions! Today, Sterling Hills Blog here to help you choose a new holiday tradition if you’re in the market. Try out these ideas in your Johnson City, TN apartment this month! Host a White Elephant Exchange If it’s been a while since the last time you participated in a white elephant gift exchange, you might want to head up one of your own! Set the parameters, like whether you want everyone to buy a used item or not and a price limit. That’s basically it. Whatever rules you choose, a white elephant gift exchange adds extra fun because people are bound to be a little more invested in bringing gifts that are funny or have a story behind them. Order Takeout Oftentimes, major holidays are stressful; it is often expected that there be an extravagant holiday meal during the month of December. Since you just had Thanksgiving last month and you might be having a big dinner in a week or two, why not start a tradition to eat something fun like Chinese takeout instead? You might use this as an excuse to order your favorite dishes — maybe you’ll even splurge and get some of your favorite sides that you usually skip out on. Whatever you choose to order, you can have fun together knowing you all chose to eat something a little unconventional this year. Have a Competition Since it’s possible that you’ll be around more people this month, why not host a competition of your favorite activity? Maybe you want to create a bracket and have a table tennis tournament. You might take advantage of the occasion and play a few rounds of a card game you’re all invested in. Perhaps you’ll even have a dance-off! Whatever it is, get everyone hyped up about it so that when the time comes, everyone is ready to put all their energy and excitement into it. Get a New Pair of Pajamas For many people, it’s tradition to receive a new pair of pajamas this time of year. Some people prefer to order the same print for everyone in the family or group, while others want to individualize each pair according to each person’s preferences. Either way, it’s a great opportunity to get a comfy new pair of pajamas and take a group picture wearing them! Hopefully this post gave you a few new ideas for traditions you can start as soon as this year. Thanks for reading and happy holidays!

Thanksgiving Side Dishes That Everyone Will Love

This week on Sterling Hills Blog, we’re here to help you as you prepare for your Thanksgiving feast at or near your Johnson City, TN apartment. Chances are you've already planned your main turkey dish, but have you planned out all your side dishes yet? If you’re looking for one or two more dishes to complete the big meal, try out one of the following: Rosemary Mashed Potatoes from Taste of Home A five-star rating sets these rosemary mashed potatoes aside from the everyday variety. One reviewer said this: "In these special-occasion mashed potatoes, I use whipping cream instead of milk. I must admit that I was a little shocked when a good friend suggested this, but have to agree that it certainly makes ordinary mashed potatoes taste exceptional. Slow Cooker Cranberry Pecan Stuffing from Damn Delicious No Thanksgiving is complete without stuffing. Sure, it takes four hours to cook, but getting everything together takes 15 minutes at the most! And the crockpot does all the work for you, giving you extra oven space. Enjoy eating the “best and easiest stuffing ever made right in the crockpot.” Creamy Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese from Sally’s Baking Addiction This mac and cheese recipe features a sauce made primarily from butternut squash that is surprisingly delicious. Ingredients include: butternut squash, chicken broth, milk, minced garlic, penne pasta, chopped kale, plain Greek yogurt, salt, ground pepper, shredded cheese, breadcrumbs, and fresh parsley. Roasted Asparagus and Bacon from The Cooking Channel Add a delicious side of veggies that everyone will eat with these roasted asparagus spears wrapped in bacon. Everything’s better with bacon, or at least that’s our motto. What you will need: asparagus, olive oil, minced garlic, fresh rosemary, salt, pepper, and sliced bacon. Which must-have side dishes will grace your Thanksgiving table this year? Let us know in the comments below!

Ways to Show Gratitude This Month

Because Thanksgiving is at the end of November, it’s the perfect month to reflect on everything you’re grateful for. Think about how those you care about have impacted your life, and then consider how you can give thanks and express gratitude. In this week’s Sterling Hills Blog, we’re sharing a few suggestions on ways you can show your gratitude. Start a Gratitude Journal This November, we suggest keeping a gratitude journal to take note of things that you are thankful for. You can decide to consistently write about one thing per day or work your way up to writing two or three. Don’t feel pressured to write down deep thoughts or huge blessings. Writing in a gratitude journal can help you see the little things to be thankful for in your life without feeling like an obligation or a timely task to do every day. Write a Letter In the days of instant online communication, writing a letter can seem old fashioned or like a waste of time, but it’s a great way to show thanks in a sentimental way to someone you care about. Before you start, think of someone that you wish to thank and list out the reasons why you wish to thank them. As you write, be genuine and heartfelt. Expressing emotions through writing can be difficult, so use specific language and experiences to enhance the impact of your letter. If you’re writing to a friend or family member living far from you, mail the letter! If they live close by, you can attach the letter to a small gift and give it to them in person. Give Small Gifts Some people respond well to words of thanks, but others respond better to gifts! Getting someone a small gift can show them how much they mean to you, especially when that gift is thoughtfully selected. These gifts don’t need to be extravagant, but significant enough that they help someone you care about to feel appreciated! Do you have any ways you like to show gratitude? Let our Johnson City, TN apartment community know by leaving a comment!

How to Throw a Great Halloween Party

Welcome back to the Sterling Hills Blog! October’s biggest holiday is coming up, so prepare for a great day by planning a Halloween party in your Johnson City, TN apartment. Today we have some suggestions for how you can throw a Halloween party everyone will love. Themes The great thing about a Halloween party is it immediately has a basic theme: Halloween! But if you want to be a bit more creative, put a twist to it. We think the ideas to have a haunted mansion or murder mystery party theme can be fun ways to spark extra interest in your get-together. Your theme will give you an idea for the sorts of activities you’ll include, the decorations you’ll put up, who you’ll invite, and how you and your guests will dress. Let your guests know the theme before they come so they can prepare their outfits and their appetites! Games and Activities Depending on your theme and the purpose for your party, choose games or activities you think your guests will enjoy. If you’re having a simple, casual get-together with friends and you have a bowl of snacks or bag of chips nearby, a few classic card games or board games might do. If you’re doing a murder mystery party, check out Night of Mystery or the guidelines on Playing with Murder . Take the time now to plan your activities if that helps you feel more prepared for a night of fun. If you’re comfortable with being spontaneous, have a few ideas on hand, but ask your guests for their input to make sure they feel included and ensure they have fun. Costumes and Finishing Touches It is Halloween, after all, so encourage your guests to dress up! You can give out prizes for the best dressed for extra incentive, or you can have face painting or a few props handy so people can feel included, even if they’re not prepared. Costumes can really complete a party, even if the most decorations you put up are a few orange and black streamers and balloons or stretchy spider webs. Then include a few bowls of different types of candy or treats and put on your favorite Halloween party playlist and you’ll be set! What are your best tips for throwing a rockin’ Halloween party? Leave them in the comments below! We hope you find these ideas useful. Have a happy Halloween!

Halloween Movies to Watch

In honor of Halloween this month, Sterling Hills Blog is sharing some classic Halloween movies that you need to watch. These movies manage to capture the spirit of Halloween in a way that has been unsurpassed by more modern films. Pop some popcorn, gather your friends together and have a Halloween movie marathon featuring these flicks at your apartment in Johnson City, TN this month. Quoted movie descriptions are from IMDb . Hocus Pocus (1993) With witches, a living spellbook, bubbling black cauldrons, and a talking black cat, Hocus Pocus has all the makings of a great Halloween movie. “After three centuries, three witch sisters are resurrected in Salem, Massachusetts on Halloween night, and it is up to two teenagers, a young girl, and an immortal cat to put an end to their reign of terror once and for all.” The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) Halloween meets Christmas in this haunting animated movie directed by Tim Burton. “Jack Skellington, the spindly king of Halloween Town, kidnaps Santa Claus and plans to deliver ghoulish gifts to children on Christmas morning.” Casper (1995) With a haunted mansion, mischievous ghosts, and an unlikely friendship, this movie features paranormal elements, humor, and chaos that make it a Halloween classic. “A paranormal expert and his daughter bunk in an abandoned house populated by three mischievous ghosts and one friendly one.” The Haunted Mansion (2003) Eddie Murphy stars in this fantasy comedy horror film that features a haunted mansion, ghosts, and all sorts of mysterious happenings. “A realtor and his wife and children are summoned to a mansion, which they soon discover is haunted, and while they attempt to escape, he learns an important lesson about the family he has neglected.” Sleepy Hollow (1999) Based on the short story, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”, this fantasy, mystery, and horror film is a Halloween classic, and the perfect movie for a spooky movie night. “Ichabod Crane is sent to Sleepy Hollow to investigate the decapitations of 3 people with the culprit being the legendary apparition, the Headless Horseman.” What is your favorite classic Halloween movie? Let us know by leaving a comment. Thanks for reading our post and we hope you have an exciting and fun-filled Halloween!