7 Reverse Resolutions for 2015

So many people are focused on things they should do this next year that they forget the habits that they should stop doing instead. Here are 7 ways to make 2015 your most succesful year yet:

1. Stop not ordering the fries (or whatever unhealthy option you crave)

Sure, ordering a side of steamed vegetables with your meal at a restaurant versus garlic, buttery mashed potatoes or French fries is definitely healthier, but if you want the fries then just do it! Just make sure your other choices are healthy ones. Chances are you will wish you had the fries later and overindulge in something else to make up for it anyway.

2. Stop complaining on social media.

Honesty, it's just tacky. When you are on the Internet, all people see is what you present them. If all you are showing people is your crappy day at work or giving them your side of a major fight with a friend, then all they are gonna see is someone who isn't mature enough to get off Facebook and handle their problems.

3. Stop body shaming each other. 

Or any other kind of shaming. Nothing is worse then spending om hours working out or hours getting ready with the little voice in the back of your mind telling you that unless you look perfect someone will judge you. Who cares if someone isn't a size 2 or doesn't have the best haircut in the world. How would you like it if you were judged by the standards of which you judged others?

4. Quit doubting yourself.

You are capable of anything you set your mind to and you truly can accomplish all of your dreams. The more you tell yourself that you can't do something, the more likely it is that you will never do it. But the same is true for the opposite. Build yourself up. Have confidence.

5. Get off your phone.

Seriously. Let 2015 be the year that you actually live, not just document in pictures of social media or fly through without soaking it in because you are  texting your best friend or checking emails. Put the phone down and be present this year. I promise you won't regret it.

6. Stop making excuses. 

Stop making excuses to yourself about why you are too busy to workout and just do it. Stop fumbling for an excuse as to why you told your friend no to something they asked you to do for them or why you refused to stay overtime at work when your boss asked you at the last second because he knows he can always get you to say yes. Just say no and realize you don't owe an explanation to anyone. Be confident in yourself and stand firm in your answer without feeling the need for explaining and others will see that steadfastness in you and wish they could be the same. 

7. Stop waiting for later to have fun.

The time is now and you really only do have the present, as cliche as that might seem. So just go for it! Take an unexpected trip somewhere, dance in the car, joke around with a complete stranger in line, do everything! Don't wait till tomorrow or next month to enjoy your life when right now is the only time you are garaunteed. 

Image: Tumblr.com

34 Things Only College Students Understand

1. Balancing awkwardly in the shower just to shave your legs

2. The pure joy at having enough money to buy groceries other than canned soup and cereal

3. The struggle of an 8am the Friday after a successful Thirsty Thursday

4. Deciding between studying for class or Netflix

5. 2am pizza deliveries

6. When the dorms are too heated in summer and too cold in winter

7. Reusing plastic cups because you can't afford to buy new ones

8. Locking your fridge when your hungry friends come over

9. Counting coins for going out money

10. Calling your mom the first time you get sick away from home

11. Getting 30 dollars back on buyback day for 400 dollars worth of books

12. Making clothes last 3 or 4 weeks in between laundry loads

13. Drinking your cereal from a mug because you can't find your only spoon or bowl

14. "Hanging out" is just everyone doing homework together

15. Walmart at midnight is a normal routine

16. So is IHOP

17. That one kid in class who argues with the professor about everything

18. Not remembering the last time you were up early enough on the weekend for breakfast

19. Coming home on break and being asked the same questions a thousand times

20. Misreading an upcoming due date

21. Wondering how much of the stuff you actually use on campus that you have to pay for anyways

22. The feeling of a full tank of gas

23. Coming home for break and marveling at what real food tastes like

24. When work sounds funner than studying

25. Late night movie marathons

26. Studying on a Saturday night

27. Doing laundry at 12am on a Wednesday night

28. Coupons

29, Finals week

30. Not remembering the last time you had a full night of sleep

31. Looking at all the debt you are going to have

32. Seeing your final grade in a class

33. Doing laundry based off of supply of clean underwear and socks

34. College parking lots

Why Everyone Needs to Take Risks

   

        I am having a hard time knowing what to write. I think that I have started to feel trapped in this box of writing what I think most people will want to hear instead of what I want to say. I want this blog along with all my other endeavors to be successful of course, but I think that I have started to put too much pressure on myself to figure it all out right now and have the plan set in stone of what I want to do and what I would like to accomplish. I have never been one for wanting to take great risks, I kind of have always been a little anxious to leap into the unknown, yet I always admired those who did. Lately I have felt uncomfortable in the life that I am pursuing. I feel restless and a little bored to be honest. I feel like I have done things I have always done and I have pursued things I have always pursued. But that needs to end. I have started to make little tweaks to my life and it feels great and I think that everyone should try it.

      Life is all about taking risks. There are big risks and there are small risks. Nevertheless, nothing good in life will come without taking a few leaps of blind faith and hoping for the best. I had pursued the same idea of what career I want for years, probably since maybe 5th or 6th grade. I had ignored all other inklings towards other interests and simply focused on my predetermined idea of what my life should turn out to be. But recently I spoke to someone about how unsatisfied I felt in pursuing the career track I was on (nutrition, by the way), so we chatted a little about it. I told her how much I loved writing and blogging, and how my dream career would be a journalist for National Geographic Travel. She asked me questions about why I liked writing and what about it that I enjoyed until suddenly it just clicked. I realized that all this time I have been settling on my "safe" passion for nutrition because I was too afraid to take the chance of failing and my true one of journalism. There is always going to be a need for people in the medical field, but journalism is quite a bit less secure. A lot of journalists are simply freelance writers trying to just make a living before they can secure a steady, constant job. Though I still love nutrition, I finally understood that part of me shut out journalism as an option because it involves a lot of unsteady footing and days where I wouldn't know exactly what my next step would be. It is a risk. But I am taking this risk and I am excited.
        I think risks are something that all people should take. They don't have to be huge, life altering risks. A risk can be something as simple as maybe just trying out a new activity that you have never done but always wanted to try. A risk can also be as imaginative as you would like, say, moving to a new city on a whim. Risks help us to grow. Without taking chances, we as people stay complacent in our daily routines and live in a state of mind that traps us in fear, anxiety, nervousness, boredom, and robs us of the possibility to have a future even better than we could have dreamed of. Taking a blind leap of faith into the unknown may not always be successful though. Sometimes it may hurt us. That is part of the game when it comes to taking risks. But even the failed chances can reveal positive personal growth. They give us a chance maybe to move on from what we thought we wanted, or they serve as motivation to push even harder towards our goals. Regardless of if the outcome is not what we anticipated, without risks we might never know what we could possibly achieve.
     Take chances and truly live.

Winter Bucket List

Winter is finally here! Snow flakes, hot chocolate, and the holidays! I have been anticipating winter for weeks and day dreaming about what I wanted to do during its chilly days. I came up with a list of things I can't wait to do and I hope you find inspiration for your own winter bucket list too!

1. Snowshoeing. For some reason taking a trek through the forest and catching snow flakes on my tongue sounds absolutely perfect.

2. Make homemade hot chocolate. Who can resist velvety smooth hot chocolate in front of a fire place when its chilly outside?

3. Knit a scarf. This may be a little unusual but knitting seems like the perfect activity to do once it gets dark and you just want to snuggle up in a blanket with that homemade hot chocolate you just made.

4. Read an entire book. I don't remember the last time I have had enough time to read a whole book but now that it is winter I cannot wait to spend a few evening with a great novel.

5. Take a hot bath. Baths get about ten times better when it is cold outside and nothing is better than taking a warm, fluffy bubble bath with some Christmas music and candles.

6. Christmas shop. I personally look forward to buying presents and Christmas decorations. It is fun to see the stores all lined with red, green, and gold as you are searching for the perfect gift.

7. Shovel snow. This doesn't really make it to the top of the list of the most exciting things to do during wintry days, but shoveling someone else's driveway for them is a great way to spread love and kindness during this holiday season.

8. Drink eggnog. I have already consumed an entire carton by myself and its barely December. Whoops. Like the boyfriend in We're the Millers would say, I have #NoRagrets.

9. Build a snowman. Obviously.

10. Go sledding/skiing/snowboarding. Whatever activity suits you the best, go out and enjoy it! Have fun in this change of seasons and get the most of it before the warmer months come once again.




picture link: https://www.google.com/search?q=pretty+sledding&espv=2&biw=1920&bih=971&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=CvV8VNimK4i3yATup4HABg&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ#tbm=isch&q=cute+christmas+pictures+tumblr&revid=1405734930&facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=X5w4B3GZ8TfmNM%253A%3BLwYK8RFAqj-fiM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252F31.media.tumblr.com%252Ftumblr_lrxx52hYxv1r2bcl2o1_500.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fquoteeveryday.com%252Fcute-christmas-tumblr%252F%3B500%3B333

The Greatest Things in Life

The best things in life aren't the most expensive or elaborate ones. They are the little joys often overlooked and forgotten while we are amiss our hectic schedules. They are the little things that make our day to day living a little more special.

1. Having your hair brushed by your mom

2. A piece of chocolate

3. Holding hands with your significant other 

4. Fresh snow before it has been walked through 

5. The rewarding feeling after a hard workout

6. A perfectly ripe piece of fruit

7. Listening to music and getting ready for a first date 

8. A full tank of gas

9. The smell of the ocean 

10. Homemade ice-cream

11. A bouquet of daisies

12. When the radio plays all the right songs

13. 7 for 26 underwear sale

14. Wearing fuzzy socks when your feet are cold

15. Cuddling with your pet

16. Spending the whole day doing absolutely nothing

17. A great hair day

18. Disney movies

19. Hot tea on a chilly morning

20. Having the door held for you

21. When a stranger smiles your way

22. Phone calls from missed friends

23, Movie nights

24. Receiving a random act of kindness

25. Giving a random act of kindness

Operation Christmas Child

 Hi guys, as Christmas is rounding the corner I think that it is extremely important to talk about something other than pretty lights and candy canes. This post is about Operation Christmas child, which is a fundraiser/event done by the Samaritan Purse Organization that gives people the opportunity to give gifts to children that don't have anything. 

     What you do is grab a shoe box or buy a little plastic box that is around the same size, and fill it with toys and candy and hygienic supplies for these kids to receive and treasure. There of course are other stipulations that come along with doing this box, such as the due date is Nov 24th and also there are certain things you can't pack, like fluid stuff (bubbles, juice boxes) or toys that are inappropriate for their area (water guns, plastic army guys ect).  

     This is done by a Christian organization but by no means is something that only "religious" people can do. This is a fantastic way to remember others during this crazy time of the year where we all might otherwise forget about the people who don't get the opportunity to hit up black Friday or buy presents because they don't even have clothes or food. We are blessed beyond belief and by spreading our blessings to others, it helps their Christmas become a little better too. Making a shoe box can be as cheap or as expensive as you want and they truly do make a difference. If you go to the website posted below you will see videos of kids crying with excitement over receiving a little cheap doll because for many of them that will be the first thing of their very own that they have ever received. Even the parents get excited because if their child receives a little plastic tub full of toys, then the tub can now be a new water vessel or something to preserve their food.

     It is unfathomable how much good just a little love can spread. If you want to get involved, the website to visit for more information is :

http://www.samaritanspurse.org/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child/

5 Ways to Challenge Yourself

     Today I walked into my campus library completely absorbed in my own thoughts and mentally scanning my to-do list for the afternoon. I usually steal an entire table or couch for myself to avoid the awkwardness of asking a stranger if they are saving the other side of their table for someone else. Unfortunately, today there were no free tables or couches and to my demise I was forced into the uncomfortable situation of asking someone if I could share their space. But I am so glad I did. I met one of the most unusual, intelligent and interesting people yet so far on this campus. He is a computer science major but has a passion for equality in all things. He asked me what my major is and when I told him, he started asking me questions which challenged me to think outside my own preset beliefs and consider other thinking and ideas, all without pushing his own personal opinion on me. Needless to say, although absolutely no homework got done, I learned more about myself, someone else, and a new way of thinking that I would have never considered had I kept searching for an empty spot to sit by myself.
     Through this experience it sparked in me to consider other ways to push myself out of my comfort zone to achieve personal growth and become a more well rounded person:

1. Talk to a person you are in line with.

2. Let those "annoying" people on campus or on the street with all sorts of different petitions actually explain to you what they are advocating for. It may seem irritating, but you will learn something even if you still don't agree with their cause by the end of it.

3. Go try something new. Try rock climbing or snowshoeing or try a cooking class. These are great ways to meet new people and test different interests you might have.

4. Pick a flyer off a random wall of advertisements and go do what it is advertising. If that means some wacky pottery class or going to some garage band concert then do it, who knows what will happen. You may hate it or you may love it, either way it will give you a new experience to add to your list.

5. Pick three new foods to try that look disgusting at worst and "interesting" at best. For me, I have picked anchovies(absolutely awful), lavender-cranberry kombucha tea (eh, it was alright), and persimmons(delicious). It's kinda fun trying new things even if all it does is make you wanna gag!



picture link: https://www.google.com/search?q=challenge+yourself+quotes&espv=2&biw=1920&bih=919&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=6vZ8VP_bMMOtyASQ44CQBQ&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ#tbm=isch&q=challenge+quotes+tumblr&revid=2064302495&facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=xVk_n_TSbMhj3M%253A%3B6xi8JnliViB5fM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.givingisallwehave.com%252Fwp-content%252Fuploads%252Fhuman-consciousness-development.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.givingisallwehave.com%252Fthe-new-hrm-human-consciousness-development%252F%3B500%3B336

Inspiring Thought

     Today I searched "inspiration" into the search bar on Pinterest just to see what popped up. I was scanning pictures of "love yourself", "happiness comes from within", and "life is what you make it" quotes until I came across this one. It resonated with me. Lately I have been letting myself become insanely stressed with school, love life (or lack there of if we are being honest), friends, the news, and my future. I have allowed anxiety to overrun my life and rule my thoughts and every second of my day. I am afraid I can't achieve my goals or live a successful life.
     This quote/paraphrased bible verse brought me back to the realization that I will always be worried and stressed if I keep trying to control my life and figure everything out right this second. Instead, I need to give it to God. I need to remember that He promises in Romans 8:28 that we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose. This means that yes, I will probably fail a test, lose friends, lose a family member, go through a breakup, experience terrible heartache, and not end up exactly where I wanted to land sometimes but I that I can have absolute assurance that God did not let me go through those things with out having a divine purpose to bring good, peace, and mercy from that situation. I don't understand every situation I have lived through or how there could possibly be good that came from them. But I don't have to because I know that there is Someone who has it all figured out. Bad things happen to us and those we love but it doesn't mean that God isn't with us and there to help us when we call on Him.
     This picture also brings to my mind the idea that maybe we just need to have faith in ourselves as well. We need to have faith that we can achieve our goals. If we let our self deprecating thoughts determine what chances we take then we will never go anywhere. Don't live in fear that you won't be pretty enough, smart enough, strong enough, talented enough ect. to reach your goals. That is not how a life should be spent. Life takes hard work and grit. Worrying and doubting gets us nowhere, but risks and taking those blind leaps of faith do. Failure is obsolete. Failure only represents that we were brave enough to try even if it didn't turn out how we wanted. I was told my freshman year of high school that I would regret every chance I didn't take. That is the only direct quote I can remember distinctly from those whole four years. It is hard to get the guts to chase your dreams or just put yourself out there, but it is insanely worth it. Because of that quote I challenged myself to start a blog last year and I am so grateful I did. It may not be the most popular thing, but I put myself out there on the internet and I will continue to do so until I have achieved what I hope to with this site. I constantly consider how my friends will interpret my posts, if I will be judged, or laughed at. But who cares? I am doing what I love to do and that is all that is important. What do you want to do that you just can't seem to muster up the courage to do quite yet? It can be the most insignificant thing or the biggest most impossible dream ever. But whatever it is, live by faith and not by fear.
     

Feeling Blessed



 

     Right now I am at home visiting my family on a long weekend and it has been amazingly refreshing. At this moment I am contemplating life while enjoying this beautiful view and sipping cinnamon apple spice tea out of a mug my sister hand painted years ago for my dad. 

     Life has been a little hectic for me these last couple of weeks and I have found it far easier to wallow in my own personal despair than to acknowledge all of the good around me. But there is so much good to be seen. I have a loving family, who is still in tact and whole which is more than many people can say now adays. I have the opportunity to get an amazing education at a university not everyone has the option to attend. I have made some of the most crazy and wonderful friendships in the last 8 weeks that I know I will treasure forever. The people I have met are truly the best. I have allowed myself to frequently get in over my head with trivial situations and thoughts and let myself completely miss all of the joy around me. But there are so many things I have been blessed with and I from now on I will work on being grateful for each one of them.

10 Things That Become Important Right When You Start Homework

     

The struggle is so real.

1. Check Instagram. I always find it extremely important that I keep updated on what that one girl is doing that I don't really know but only followed cause she is friends with this other girl I spoke to like twice my sophomore year.

2. Fill my water bottle up even though it's only half empty. I think I read on the internet one time that staying hydrated helps people focus.

3. Clean my room. How can I study if my bed isn't made and the floor isn't vacuumed?

4. Get a chai latte with espresso. Honestly, procrastination is tiring and I find myself often needing to go find caffeine in order to get me through another few hours of avoiding my Biology assignment.

5. Snapchat everyone in my contacts list. I wouldn't want anyone to think I had forgotten about them in the last ten minutes since my last snap cause that's just a rude thing to do.

6. Get a snack. Ya know, I think I read somewhere else that you can't study on an empty stomach.

7. Check in on how my friends homework is going. I just wanna make sure they don't need any help, obviously.

8. Go to the bathroom. again. I always have to pee so much when I start studying. Weird....

9. Go to the gym. It is really important that I go to the gym right this second because I wouldn't wanna miss out on that yoga class that didn't sound interesting till right this second.

10. Sleep. It's hard to focus when I'm tired anyways.

A Letter to the Ones I've Lost

    

I saw this post on an awesome blog called Serendipity and Creativity  that was a letter to some friends that she has grown apart from and after I read it I felt like it was something I wanted to do too. There are a few people that came to mind while reading hers and I thought I might try it as a way to let go. We have all had best friends, boyfriends, girlfriends or just people that we shared a piece of our lives with that are no longer ones we can count on or feel close and loved by. It's hard when you go about your life day by day and then one day just realize that you don't think of them as often as you used to and that they don't think of you either. It's heartbreaking and something that is never easy.

Dear Someone That I Used To Know,

      I miss you so much. I think about you often and I don't understand how this happened. I imagined you to be in my life forever and never saw the day coming that you wouldn't be. I respect you so much and respect your thoughts and see so much light in you. Even still. I don't think you realized how much I valued you and our friendship. I would have done anything for you, you only need ask.
     It is difficult to explain the amount you meant to me. I depended on you for the support and love that I would have given you as well. But it seems to me I was mistaken at the level of which you valued me. I feel a fool that I would ever put that much trust into a person because it is an easy way to break yourself. I am broken. You have hurt me in a way that I don't know can be repaired.
     I realize my mistakes as well with you. I could have made more efforts to accept you for who you were and not try to change you into the person I wanted you to be. I see now that I needed to just accept you for you and leave it at that instead of battling with you over who I thought you should be versus who you were. That is a struggle of mine. I think that I see what I perceive to be the best version of someone, and then disappoint myself when they don't live up to my preset standards. I should have learned to accept you for you, not for who I hoped you would become.
    It is hard for me, and maybe this is my own one sided mind speaking, but I can't see the point in trying to put new life into the scrap of a friendship that remains because I have felt more pain thinking about you then I want to admit. Maybe I am cowardly, but I know my limits. I wish I could push through that limit and forge ahead to make amends, but I just don't have the ability to. I feel as if I always put the first foot forward and now I am empty. My trust and reliance in you is broken. There is nothing else I can do. My one sided perspective is trying to convince me that I should just let go and forget because it keeps reminding me that if you really cared about me, you would show it. Wouldn't you?
     For right now, I am going to leave it be. Sometimes people change, I know I have. And though I guess I wouldn't know, I can guess you probably have too. I wanted to share my exciting parts of life with you, to call you and tell you about everything. I pictured telling new friends about you and how much I would love for them to meet you. How you were a friend that would make me laugh when I was sad and accept me for me. But the only version of you that they hear of is the one that I used to be familiar with because even I don't know the newest model of you. I wish I did but I don't. I want my new friends to love my old friend just as much as I did. But they never will.
     It goes both ways though. These recent friends know the newest and shiniest version of who I am but you only know the old one. I wanted you to be the person who knew the outdated me and the current me. I wanted you to know the me who I will become in a year. And the me that will develop ten years after that. But you won't. Even the friends I've just made can see my newest self is tainted by the memory of you and the hurt that comes with remembering our friendship.
     They tell me to forget about it and move on because "that's life". I am moving on but every little thing drags me right back to you and what you meant to me. You were my companion and supported me and let me be crazy and myself. You recognized qualities in me that I didn't even notice, and that in turn encouraged me to grow. You were amazing at being understanding when I needed you to and silly when you knew I needed that instead. And you are still wonderful and intelligent and I hope for the best in everything you do. Know that I miss you and haven't forgotten about you. But know that though I miss you, I can't hang on to you and keep ignoring the chasm that has developed between us. I can't hurt myself dwelling over why you don't want me in your life anymore, nor can I dwell on wondering if you ever really wanted my friendship at all. I've started to fear that I was the ignorant and naïve one who assumed we were on the same page with our friendship, and maybe I was. No more can I overanalyze what I must have done wrong to turn you away, because I think I understand my part in our loss of friendship and I am truly sorry. I hope that one day we can forget about this lapse of time where we didn't speak, but until then I will continue to try and move on and not think about the dwelling sadness covered up in the back of my mind trying to escape and flood over me again.

Sincerely,
Your old friend

What You Should Look For in a Significant Other

  

 

 

 I think that the most fulfilling feeling in the world is to know that you are loved deeply and unconditionally, by someone besides God and his unconditional love for you. And people spend endless amounts of time looking for that treasure shared between them and another person. The problem though is that sometimes we spend so much time concentrating and searching for that person to share our life with that we actually may be missing the opportunity to find them when we just relax. Instead of focusing on becoming who we are supposed to be and who we are meant to become, we focus on finding the right person. But I think that many times we don't find the right person until God or the universe or just fate decides we are ready. And if we don't focus on our own person and spend time developing who we are becoming then we will never be "ready" to meet that soul mate.
     It shouldn't be a rush to find the love of your life. It happens naturally and can't be forced. I am looking forward to so greatly to the man that I fall in love, and the exciting part is the wait. Who knows what will happen? Right now these are a list of the things I think are important when considering any guy as more than a friend:

1. Someone who challenges you. Nothing is more exciting than meeting a person who makes you think in new ways or excites you to attempt to adventures. Never go after someone who is stagnant and doesn't encourage personal growth.

2. Common values. For me, a shared passion for God is what I find important simply because my faith is in the forefront of my life and I want someone who can relate to me in that. But it can just be as simple sharing the same morals.

3. Common interests. I like to hike and explore or try new restaurants or activities and a guy who shares those interests is attractive to me. It ties in with the challenging aspect. I don't want someone who isn't interested in doing active and exciting things. It varies though, maybe having someone who absolutely loves reading is important, or cooking. Whatever excites you.

4. No one upping. Competition in relationships are fun but when it comes down to just trying to one up the other, that's when it gets bad. It isn't fun getting belittled in relationships instead of encouraged. Which leads us to...

5. Encouragement. One of the best feelings is the world when someone truly believes in you and hopes for you to succeed.

6. Being "ready". Lastly, it is definitely important that whoever you are talking to is on the same page as you with what is going on. Don't pursue something that the other person isn't looking for because believe me, it never works out. Ever. If they aren't ready then take that for face value.

Know that you don't need a relationship to define you, but when you do find yourself considering someone that they truly meet what you are looking for because it is better to wait than to settle.

10 Reasons to Love Fall

 

 

 

1. Everything smells amazing. Fresh baked pie, the musk of crunched leaves, cinnamon and vanilla, crisp autumn air....just yum.

 

2. The colors. Leaves turn all sorts of different shades of purple, red, orange, and yellow where I live at least and I can't get enough of how beautiful it is!

 

3. Honestly, the crisp air is even amazing. Ya sure, you gotta bundle up a little bit but after the sweltering heat of summer, having some cool air turn your cheeks pink kind of feels nice doesn't it?

 

4. Apple cider. Enough said.

 

5. Dark nail polish. I love me some Tiffany blue and hot pink, but I have definitely been anticipating deep burgundy, gold and plum hues.

 

6. Boots. I pretty much try to work boots into every fall outfit I own....is that bad?

 

7. Thanksgiving. The turkey, cranberry sauce, homemade gravy......excuse me while I wipe the drool off my face.

 

8. Hiking. Between the leaves changing and the fresh air, I vote that fall is the best time to go hiking. Everything is vibrant and eye-catching and the best bar is that the same hike during the summer looks incredibly different during autumn.

 

9. Fall break. Just when you start to get a little overwhelmed with exams and school, fall break appears to give us a well deserved rest.

 

10. Pie. Obviously. Like the little cat says in the picture (at least I think it's a cat), pie pretty much is enough of a reason by itself to love fall!

 

 



40 of Life's Simple Pleasures

Sometimes we miss the little joys of life that are right in front of our noses because we are too focused on finding the big ones.

1. Being under a snuggly blanket when it's chilly outside.

2. Getting complimented.

3. Sparkly nail polish.

4. Football season. Even if you don't love the sport, we can all appreciate the delicious food!

5. Sweet tea.

6. Holding hands with your significant other.

7. Paying forward random acts of kindness.

8. Ice-cream cones.

9. Disney movies. No matter your age, singing along with Ariel or Cinderella is a must.

10. Having a best friend.

11. Being thanked.

12. Having the door held open for you.

13. Warm grass under your feet.

14. First loves.

15. True loves.

16. Siblings. They can be a pain sometimes but that's the point right?

17. Singing your favorite song as loud as you can.

18. Taylor Swift

19. Freedom. We take this for granted but to have freedom is to have more than many in the world.

20. Car radios. Solo jam sessions on the way to work are the best.

21. Cherry pie. Obviously.

22. Jumping into a big pile of crunchy leaves during the fall.

23. Seat warmers. By January my bottom would be frozen without these guys.

24. People watching. This is the most fun (and possibly the creepiest) free activity you can find!

25. A clean house. I always breathe a sigh of satisfaction when I see everything picked up and put away.

26. A new book to read.

27. Blowing bubbles in the summer.

28. Flowers.

29. When a child reaches up to hold your hand.

30. Getting an A on your exam.

31. Or a B for that matter.

32. Riding bikes during the fall.

33. Hot tea to sip on during cold days.

34. Flannel. So cozy.

35. Uggs. I'm sorry but its true.

36. Pandora. Who doesn't love free music!?

37. Seeing someone after a long time apart.

38. Receiving snail mail. #Throwback.

39. Nice conversations with random strangers.

40. Cookie dough. yuuuummmmmmm.

Many of these little pleasures are ones we are lucky to experience. Always count your blessings and don't lose sight of the big picture in life while forging towards your end goals,

Fall Bucket List

I cannot believe it is already almost autumn! The only things I can think about right now are apple cider, changing colors, pumpkins and boots. I am just sooo excited. Besides just pumpkin spice lattes and yoga pants, their are tons of other things to look forward to in the coming weeks:

1. Carving pumpkins: Their is no age limit when it comes to spending an afternoon in the crisp air finding the perfect jack-o-lantern.

2. Making homemade pumpkin seeds: Their is nothing better than taking the seeds you scooped out of your freshly picked pumpkin and baking them with salt for crunchy delicious treat.

3. Haunted houses/Mazes: Dressing up in your warmest sweaters and heading out to a corn maze or old rickety house to spend your money on getting scared is a novelty of fall.

4. Boots: Is their anything more to be said? High heeled boots, riding boots, ankle boots? The options are endless!

5. Bonfires: Find all your friends, break out the s'mores makings and cuddle up with some blankets around a cozy fire to tell stories and maybe drink some hot chocolate.

6. Make homemade apple cider: nothing beats apple cider, especially when its made from scratch. Here is a awesome recipe to use.

7. Hike to see all the fall colors: Getting to spend your whole day in the brisk autumn air and see the leaves change from green to purple, orange and yellow sounds like the most amazing way to experience fall.

8. Ride your bike.

9. Decorate your dorm room, house, or apartment: A little festivity never hurt anyone and its always fun to spend some extra time making your space look and smell like all the wonderful parts of autumn.

10. Layer up: Fashion in the colder months is so much more creative and adorable than the warmer because of the endless possibilities. Layering necklaces, jackets, cardigans and scarves leaves endless possibilities

11. Participate in your towns thanksgiving 5k: Races like the Turkey Trot are fun, easy going races that give an excuse to have fun with friends while exercising in preparation for stuffing ourselves later in the day. A bonus is that most of the time the profits raised go towards a good cause too.

12. Spend some time reflecting on what you are grateful for this season. Not many people have the privilege to carve pumpkins or go to a haunted maze this fall.

13. Go on a hayride with your hubby or best friends.

14. Find some fall dorm inspiration on Pinterest so that your hall will be talk of the entire campus.

15. Make your own Halloween costumes. Inside of buying one, take advantage of the cold weather and snuggle up inside to create your own masterpiece.

16. Go to a football game or two and get caught up in the excitement of being a part of something.

17. Light a nice candle: Yankee and Bath and Body Works candles are the bomb and are well worth the money.

18. Take a warm bath: Fill a tub with some Epsom salts, put on some music, and relaaaxxx...

19. Bake sugar cookies in the shapes of pumpkins, leaves, and ghosts: Bring out your inner child again and enjoy the process of baking, decorating, and devouring sweet treats.

20. Have a movie marathon: Halloweentown and Hocus Pocus are classics.

Check out this amazing fall bucket list that I cannot wait to try out!

I hope everyone has an amazing autumn season and takes advantage of all the festivities it has to offer! Thanks, xoxo


Picture Link

Online Journal Entry #3

  

      Right now I am sitting in a little area inside an academic building on my university campus. It has a spacious feeling with couches and tables along with a little coffee bar so that I can sip a dirty chai and work on homework simultaneously. Is very conducive for studying and relaxing. But even with all of this scholarly atmosphere, I am still having a hard time focusing on my 4 page essay due today (I am only a paragraph in btw) because I really need to write a blog post right now more than I need to write an essay on my opinion on plagiarism. Hence this third online journal entry. My first and second are also on my blog as well.
     Going to college was the crazy transition I talked about in my personal experience with change on I believe my second online entry. So far I don't think I have gained any of my freshman 15 yet which is a relief because the food here is so delicious. But a lot of it is super healthy too, I had a quinoa stuffed Portobello mushroom for dinner the other night which was amazing and there is always fruit and salad available. I have met quite a few people that are already good friends that I probably spend a good seventy-five percent of my time with. Just last weekend I went on an accidental 10 mile hike with them because we lost track of time exploring and having a blast. I have been cherishing these first few weeks here and have discovered myself a little better too but know that I have plenty of room to grow in the next few years as well.
     There have been a couple things I have experienced that I didn't expect already this year. One is that people are still catty. With a few people I already know and through some random run-ins I have come to realize that immaturity and the incessant need to put others down still continues after high school, which I guess I knew would happen but hoped otherwise. It stinks that I still have to deal with other girls and guys who only want to be mean and rude. Another one that is more humorous than actually unfortunate, is that it rains a ton here which I guess is not terrible in and of itself. Mostly the problem is just that I never have enough forethought to cover my suede bike seat with something so that I don't soak my butt on my ride to class. I look like I wet my pants at least once a week. I just invested in an umbrella too yet keep forgetting to use it. It's been rough without the dry assurance my car roof used to provide. But it's okay cause I have seen a lot of people who've "wet their pants" around campus too. I am such a whiner.
     But to end on a happy note, I have plenty of amazing things about college thus far as well! One is the insane amount of fun and excitement intramural sports provide. I have never played volleyball on a real team but my friends and I started one and have games every week in a mini league. It has been a total blast. No one cares if I am not some star player because the environment is so relaxed and inviting. Also, the biking routes are fantastic. It is so simple to find my way around campus and I never have to worry about getting nailed by a car because there is always a generous bike lane provided. Lastly, the faculty that I have personally encountered have been more than generous with their time and resources in order to make sure I will succeed my first semester of college. I haven't experienced the "mean professor" stereotype yet that have horror stories modeled after them.
     So far overall, being here at my university has been a fulfilling and wonderful experience and I am highly anticipating what the next few years will bring!
      Okay, I should probably actually do my homework now but I hope this post brightened someone's day and I am always looking for comments and suggestions if you have any!
Thankyou:)
Katy

Things I've Learned So Far in College

It's only been a week and I already feel so much wiser :) Here is my list of funny/serious things I have learned thus far in college:

1. Staying up till 3am when you have a class at 8am is a poor poor choice.
2. Spending the night in another dorm when you have class at 8am is also a poor choice.
3. Not all coffee shops are equal on campus.
4. The worst place to study is your dorm room.
5. Its good to have a snack drawer in your room for when you get hungry but can't make it to the cafeteria for food.
6. It is better to be overly sociable than not social enough.
7. U-locks are way better that the cord bike locks.
8. Pack enough clothes so that you only have to do laundry every two weeks.
9. Shower flip flops are a must unless you're shooting for a foot fungus.
10. Don't slam your dorm room door unless you really want to piss everyone off.
11. Hand soap is just as good as dish soap when it comes to cleaning out water bottles in community bathrooms.
12. Have a velcro strip on your towel (or buy one pre-made) so you can have two free hands on your walk to and from the showers.
13. Join as many clubs or activities as possible to see what you enjoy. This is crucial to "finding yourself" in college and you can always just quit if you don't like what you joined.
14. Ask the kid eating alone to sit with you, they may just turn into your best friend.
15. Bribe your hallmates into becoming your friends by inviting them to watch movies or paint nails with you. You're never gonna make friends sitting alone in your room
16. Stay clean for your roommate. It will prevent a lot of fights and ill feelings towards one another.
17. Never walk in the dark on campus without a buddy. There are tons of creeps out there.
18. Always have pepper spray.
19. The "freshman 15" is avoidable as long as you exercise some self control and just exercise period.
20. Never turn down a free coupon book. seriously.
21. Or free food. ever.

Educating Yourself and Change Your Life

 

   We live in an era where it seems as if any information needed is accessible by the touch of a button. Why is it then that according to the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, that people are about as up to date with current events and world news as they were 20 years ago, even with the extensive advances in technology? Educating yourself is not simply what classes you took in high school or your intended major in college. Those things are important yes, but if those are the only sources you use to gain knowledge of the world around you then there is so much more to learn.
     To let one person tell you something and let that be the end all be all of your ideas on a subject is not the right way to approach education. Our minds are impressive especially when we are young and still learning. What people tell us might seem like the correct answer or way to view things, but until we gather information on our own, how can we truly know what we believe? A Gallup poll in 2005 suggests that 71% of our generation agree with their parents political beliefs. While that is not to say that what they think is wrong, it does raise the question of whether or not young people have those beliefs only due to parental influence or because of individual research and conclusions drawn on their own.
     One day I was with a friend and we randomly flipped on the news. Reporters were covering a huge protest that had already been occurring for several days. I had absolutely no idea what was going on but my friend knew almost everything. He made a joke about how poorly I keep up with my current events by how oblivious I was to something that was a major crisis in the south states. This made me consider how much I really don't know about the world. Sure, I know the things I've learned from listening to people talk, but how much do I actually know about the world?
     Being educated is a way of becoming aware of situations outside our own little bubbles. It gives us meaningful conversations to have and an overall maturity and increase in personal value that revolves around the acknowledgement of lives and cultures and ideas outside our own. By not accepting everything we hear without thinking for yourself first and by actively pursuing knowledge and information, we create a wealth of opportunities and gain so much in character. It is a privilege to know what is going on with our government and country while many other people around the world are prevented from that basic right by officials who blind them from the truth to keep them naïve and unthreatening. Knowledge is power and we need to take advantage of it in order to create the life we want and change the things we don't. If you don't like the president, vote. If you don't like the way LGTBQ people are treated, do something about it. If you don't like how women's rights are being handled by the government, protest. Stipulations don't change unless people take a stand. It all starts with taking time to learn what is going on in your world and then determining for yourself what you deem important.
     A great way to become more involved is just by doing little things. Watch a TedTalk once a week or read an online New York Times newspaper article. Go to Yahoo.com and click on one of their little news posts to get the scoop on something you find interesting. You can even just watch the Today Show while you eat breakfast. There are so many avenues that make it easy to access current events, we just have to pursue them. But while you are doing so, keep in mind that the news anchors and papers and blogs will report something how they view it and how they want you to interpret it too. Just because someone reports an event in a certain way doesn't make it absolute. You still have to determine for yourself what it is you will accept as your truth.
    
"Knowledge is power. Information is liberating. Education is the premise of progress, in every society, in every family." - Kofi Annan


Credits:
http://worldaffairscharlotte.wordpress.com/2011/03/02/currentevents/
http://www.gallup.com/poll/14515/teens-stay-true-parents-political-perspectives.aspx

Online Journal Entry #2

  

      I really enjoyed the first online journal entry I did because I felt like I was getting out my true personality and coming off as more "human" than just a stranger over the internet. So I want to do it again. Today I am more feeling along the lines of nostalgic and sentimental, maybe even a little subdued? I am about to face one of the largest changes of my life thus far and while I have been excited for months anticipating this next step, many other feelings have surfaced within these last weeks.
     My large and exciting change is a move I am making five hours away from my hometown. I am going alone without family and friends to start a new chapter and "find myself". I didn't realize though that through this alteration in my life's path that my current friendships would morph or even be lost. I naively assumed that those I have been friends with for years would be ones I would keep for years in the future as well. Through this transition I have also learned that most of the hardships I face in my new home will be ones I will have to face alone until I develop new friendships there as well. I feel very singled out and almost as if I have already been forgotten though I haven't left yet. Amidst all of this excitement I didn't anticipate the loneliness I feel now as I approach my moving date. Given, there will be people I meet and relationships I establish that I will treasure for the rest of my life and my new home will provide extensive opportunities and memories for which I am looking forward too so incredibly much. But for right now as I am living in the grey area between new experiences and clinging to my past life, I just feel alone and scared.
      I think that the best advice for someone going through a life change is that you really need to get to know yourself first and throughout the process. You are about to spend a lot of time alone and dealing with feelings and situations that those close to you may or may not understand. Knowing yourself and being comfortable with who you are will help you to accept the inevitable moments where the only person who can help you is you. Becoming comfortable with yourself is also a process in which you truly evaluate what matters in your life and start to form the future you envision from that versus the future path you may be headed down otherwise. Sometimes it is better to walk alone through change than walk with people who will hold you back or keep you from where you should be. Even if you have loving family and friends, there are just certain things that one has to go through by themselves to build character and strength. That is perfectly alright. Those that you love will be waiting on the other side.
     Another huge idea to remember is that change doesn't last forever. This period of unstableness will end, just as everything does. This shifting in God's plan for your life is one that He will work for good just as He promises. The stress and worry that you may be experiencing with a large decision you are making will pass and your life will find itself on solid ground again. Thinking about this helps me push through the loneliness and worry I face because I know that I will once again find amazing people and an amazing atmosphere to thrive in.
     Hopefully this post related to some of you. I know that it felt good for me to get these words off my chest in a second online journal entry.
     Thankyou!
    

Losing Friends

    

 

 

 

     Friendships are tricky. And losing friends can be even worse. Sometimes it is a blatant cut of communication and other times the separation comes discretely until one day two friends are just as much strangers to each other as they are to people they've never even met. But the hardest part about losing friends can sometimes be the acceptance and realization that it is okay and the right thing to do to move on without them. It is hard to know that someone you have loved for whatever period of time no longer has a purpose in your life and that a new journey is beginning for you that they aren't included in. Lonely days ensue and there is always a little part of the heart that is empty without their presence. Regardless of the situation behind the fall out though, at one point they were the person you went to when you had relationship issues, happy news, and when you just needed them to hate someone for no reason except simply because you did.
     It's okay to acknowledge how much you cherished their friendship while also respecting and cherishing yourself enough to let them out of your life when their time is done. That definitely isn't to say that the friends you lose are terrible people, or that you are either. It's only to say that everyone goes through life developing differently and acquires multiple relationships along the way but not necessarily keeping them the whole way. If someone is the same person and 25 as they were at 17 then that is not something that is beneficial. The hope is that as you age, your maturity increases, your ideas expand, and your mindset grows while your experiences guide it. Sometimes unfortunately the same friends you had at 17 just don't make it to when you are 25.
     But it still sucks losing someone. A lot. The key thing I have found that helps me get through the pain of having to adjust to life without an old friend is to remember the reason they're gone. I just have to remind myself that I deserve a better friend and that they deserve that for themselves as well. And sometimes friendships rekindle and people make up and that is fantastic. But sometimes they don't, and that's okay too. And there are times when you lose friends for absolutely no reason and you may always be in the dark as to why they decided they were over it. In those cases keep in mind the saying "everything happens for a reason". The reason may not be clear now, but later it will be. Later you will make a friend that becomes the biggest blessing in your life and you will see why it never worked out.
     Not every friendship fails, this post is only about the ones that do. I know people that have been friends for 50 years and have both changed and grown but still stayed close. Those friendships are ones that we should thank God for everyday because to have a friend that loves you through all your ups and downs is a true gift. Friendships should never be taken for granted and never let someone have a place in your life that doesn't deserve to be there.
     "Friends are family that you get to choose."

Online Journal Entry #1

 

  Sometimes I just want to write about everything that comes to mind. Tonight I think I will treat this post as an "online diary entry". Just to talk about everything I am thinking right now.
     I want people to read this blog and be inspired to go out and follow their own dreams. Well for right now, I guess I just want people to actually find it on the internet and read it period.  I don't even know what this blog is supposed to accomplish in its lifetime, I just know that I started it for a reason and one day that reason will be clear. Don't get me wrong, hair masks and how to save money are fun things to write about but in ten years I see this blog having material that carries weight and forces debate. Someday what I write will effect how people think and view things in our lives and those of others. I don't even care if its lost right now in the universe with a thousand other blogs that are trying to be heard because everything has to start somewhere. But later there are going to be real life stories on here that will affect lives. At least I hope so.And I think that's how it should be with everyone. Everyone should have that something that they are so passionate about that even when it doesn't make sense, they just know that one day that dream of theirs will lead them to something great that they were meant to do. For me, I hope its writing, singing, and traveling. For someone else it may be their love for cooking, sports, or history. It can be anything. If you love something, go after it with everything you have. It doesn't matter how long it takes you to accomplish your goals, the point is that you are pursuing the life you want regardless of the time it takes to get there.
     There is nothing worse in my mind than to arrive at the end of my life and look back and wish I would have done something different to love my life more. I know that I am so young now and have so much time left to live and experience new things. But what if I don't. What if my days are shorter than I hope them to be and I don't get till I am ninety two to live. I want to live now. I want to travel around the world and live in the cheapest places and be broke for months because I chose to travel to Norway instead of pay my heat bill. To me that is exciting. I want to find my way into little coffee shops and play songs on the piano for extra money that goes towards my next adventure. I want to write about it too. I want to live now while I am young so I can have stories when I am old.
     Being young provides a world of possibilities and I hope that at the end of my days I know I spent them as best I could and with the best people I could. I hope this blog succeeds in challenging people and myself as well. And I hope this blog isn't conventional and that my life and those peoples lives around me aren't either. I hope everyone who ever reads this post or this blog has extraordinary lives that don't follow the typical path others pave. I hope we all find something that hooks us and draws us in and changes us for good. I hope that we can have the ability to fall in love many different times and with many different people and things. I want to fall in love with my favorite book and my favorite coffee shop. I want to love one country more than all the others I explore. I want one restaurant to always be my die hard favorite place in the whole city to go to and I want one dress that I love more than all the rest to put on when I go to eat there. Oh, and I guess I want someone to fall in love with once and for all. Or maybe a few someone's till I truly find who I was made to be with.   
     There is not one way to live life, there are many. And I want to live my life in all the different ways that I can find. I want this blog to be about something that impacts the world or at least stirs the minds of people who read it. As this blog clearly shows, I "want" many things. But I guess that's the joy of being young and having dreams. And I am just so excited for what my future holds.

Thanks,
Katy

Finding Yourself

    It is so difficult to be a teenager and young adult in this day of age. Our friends, peers, bosses, social media, magazines, TV, boyfriends, girlfriends, sisters, and enemies all influence who we think we should be. We rely on another persons opinion of us to dictate our actions or decisions. Have you ever thought about how much you actually allow someone else's, even a strangers,  opinion of what your doing cause you to stop or continue that action? Given, if it is something actually inappropriate then that is different, but we are talking about completely acceptable activities that are perceived as "weird" or "odd" or "stupid". Have you ever been completely rocking out in the car and had some stranger pull up next to you and look at you like you are from another planet? What did you do? Did you get embarrassed and stop or just continue doing what you were doing? What about bigger things? What about when you're friends make fun of you because you're the only one who hasn't slept with their boyfriend or you are the only one who doesn't drink on the weekends? Do you laugh and blow them off or do you take it to heart and then decide to make moves in your relationship that you aren't really ready for? If you allow others to decide who you are going to be that day or make choices for you, then you will grow up to be who everyone else wants you to be without ever really becoming the real you. You will become bits of pieces of everyone who influenced you. Now, that isn't all bad. Those who influence you for the better are a blessing, but in this post we aren't talking about those people.
     I have a friend who is like a little sister to me. I love her to pieces. But she has lost a lot of confidence because of how girls have hurt her in the past. She bought these adorable shoes and wore them to school one day but because of people lightly teasing her for standing out a little bit (they were cowgirl boots) for being the only one wearing them that day, she hasn't worn them since then because she was embarrassed. Its sad to see this girl who is absolutely gorgeous, she really is, and athletic, and sweet get so overwhelmed by what people had to say about her outfit. In a perfect world other people wouldn't drag her down like that, or at least if they did, she would blow off their opinions.
     As girls, we basically live to please and impress and be excepted, some more than others. Whether or not you agree that this is a true statement, I firmly believe it. We stop dancing and singing in our cars if we get weird looks, we don't wear that shirt again if the guy we like thinks its ugly, we cry when a mean girl says we are too fat or that we look anorexic, we stop trying as hard in class if someone calls us a goody two shoes. As older girls we let our bosses run us over because we are to scared to politely stand up for ourselves, we allow the men in our life take us for granted, we are to afraid to go to the gym without makeup because we will get judged. All our life we bow down to others opinions of us! If you allow yourself to get unjustly criticized by someone else then the message you are relaying to the person is that you don't value yourself enough to stand up for yourself and that that person is correct in the way that he or she is treating you. No! You deserve respect and the second you start letting people know that you wont sit here and let yourself be treated any less than you deserve, that is the second people start valuing and treating you that way too. It starts with you. When you portray that you deserve better you will slowly start to receive it. People will either see a strong girl or a meek one who is too afraid to tell people to treat her better than she has been.
     If you love yourself, then that's whose opinion really counts. It sounds insanely corny but its the truth. I didn't believe this quote until I forced myself to try to live it. I had a boyfriend who I thought considered me to the be the most amazing girl ever. Low and behold he had been cheating on me the entire relationship. I started to look at myself and think things like "if I had been more mysterious instead of weird and crazy he wouldn't have cheated" or "if I was skinnier" or "if my nose looked different". But in reality, it took until a good friend told me to get over myself that I realized that nothing I did could have prevented him from cheating on me. He's just a bad dude who can't hold on to the good things he has. His choice had nothing to do with me. I am pretty. And I am good enough. Once I finally realized how much I had to offer, I stopped letting other people dictate how I thought of myself that day. It so empowering to decide for yourself who you are instead of letting another person choose.
     I encourage you as a challenge to push your limits of comfort when it comes to building self confidence. Purposely dance and sing like a dork when a car pulls up next to you and sees. Where high heels even if you're already 6 feet tall. Order the regular coke when everyone else is getting diet. YOU are your own person and YOU are wonderful exactly how you are.



Picture: https://www.google.com/search?q=self+confidence